As we commemorate Black History Month, the California State University (CSU) Student Success Network (Network) honors programs in the CSU that celebrate Black history and culture and that advance equitable student success. One such initiative is the Black Honors College (BHC) at CSU Sacramento (Sacramento State or Sac State)—the first of its kind in the nation. Launched in fall 2024, this innovative co-curricular academic community was created under the leadership of Sacramento State’s President Dr. Luke Wood to improve retention and graduation rates for Black students and to engage all students who are passionate about learning Black history, culture, and contributions to society.
Early Achievements
The driving force behind the BHC is Dr. Boatamo Mosupyoe, its dean of students and chief administration officer since its inception. According to Dr. Mosupyoe, the college has already achieved significant milestones in welcoming more Black students to Sac State and supporting the success of BHC’s participating students.
In terms of student enrollment, Sac State experienced declining enrollments in fall 2022 and fall 2023, the years prior to the founding of the BHC. Since fall 2024, enrollment increases for Black students have outpaced increases for all students at Sac State, with a 17% increase in Black enrollment in fall 2025 (see figure).
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
According to Dr. Mosupyoe, over 250 students applied for BHC in each of its first two years (fall 2024 and fall 2025), but the college only had resources to serve 80 annually. For fall 2026, BHC received over 500 applications, and the program has admitted 250—a substantial expansion for the 2026-27 academic year.
In terms of student success, the college’s first cohort of students has largely progressed into its second year, and a key measure that the BHC is tracking involves student continuation from one year to the next. “For our first-year students from fall semester 2024 through spring 2025 and into fall 2025, our continuation rate was 96%,” Dr. Mosupyoe said. “I’m not happy that it’s not 100%, but a few of our students had some extenuating circumstances. They had to take a semester off.” For comparison, the overall continuation rate for students at Sac State from fall 2024 to fall 2025 was 82%.
The program has also gained national and international recognition, with support at its launch from former President Barack Obama, representatives from the Biden White House, and delegations from Africa, among others. In 2025, Drs. Mosupyoe and Wood travelled to South Africa and are now developing plans to support the admission of high-achieving students from that country into the BHC.
In January 2026, the CSU system bestowed upon Dr. Mosupyoe the Wang Family Excellence Award, its highest honor for faculty and staff commitments to student success, for her leadership in designing, developing, launching, and managing the BHC. Congratulations to Dr. Mosupyoe for her work as a middle leader dedicated to equitable student success. (The Network considers middle leaders to be faculty, staff, administrators, and students working in change efforts, regardless of their formal title.)
What Makes the Black Honors College Unique
The BHC invites applications from students with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and with a demonstrated commitment to understanding and studying Black history and culture. Students can be interested in any major. Unlike traditional honors programs, the BHC integrates rigorous coursework, mentorship, co‑curricular supports, and community-building into students’ academic journeys. Scholars admitted to the program enjoy a spectrum of benefits:
- Specialized general education pathways (supporting critical thinking, cultural understanding, and meaningful engagement) with smaller class sizes and intentional peer support.
- Priority registration, ensuring BHC students have access to the courses they need.
- Dedicated and diverse professors who are deeply invested in student success.
- Enriched mentorship programs and internship opportunities that connect scholars with practical professional and leadership experiences.
- A living and learning community that encourages collaboration and belonging.
- Academic resources and social spaces designed to support both wellness and productivity.
These elements create an environment where students are challenged academically and supported holistically—intellectually, socially, and professionally.
The college is housed under Sac State’s Division of Student Affairs rather than Academic Affairs, an important distinction, according to Dr. Mosupyoe:
Being housed in Student Affairs is intentional, because we recognize that high achievement for students who have been underrepresented historically in higher education requires integrating co-curricular supports with academics, rather than treating them as supplemental add-ons. At the Black Honors College, tutoring, mentoring, and internships are incorporated seamlessly into the student experience. Our placement under and collaborations with Student Affairs enables us to achieve that, while our diverse and talented faculty inspire our students and expand their horizons.
Key Challenges
The current political environment has posed some challenges for BHC’s students. “There are people who just don’t want this to exist, and their words matter,” Dr. Mosupyoe said. “They don’t just affect me, they affect students. So part of my job is to help students understand that those narratives are not about them. I teach them how to navigate life beyond the classroom, because life beyond the classroom is not always friendly.”
Other program challenges involve the fiscal constraints associated with expansion. “We don’t have a budget that matches the need,” she said. “And space is a huge challenge. Without more space, we can’t admit more students—including international students who are willing to pay.”
A Promising Approach for Higher Education
BHC’s focus on academic excellence, co-curricular supports, and inclusive empowerment reflects a larger commitment by Sac State—and the CSU more broadly—to ensure that all students are welcomed on campus and provided with integrated, holistic support systems to help them thrive academically. As the nation celebrates Black History Month, the Black Honors College stands as a testament to what is possible when universities empower middle leaders to intentionally design programs dedicated to equitable student success.