Bennett College for Women

What Bennett College for Women does

Bennett College for Women is a private nonprofit Historically Black College and University (HBCU) located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded as a women's college in 1926 and reorganized from an earlier institution that originated in 1873, it is one of only two remaining HBCUs dedicated solely to women's education. Bennett delivers a microcollege educational model with a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an 86% retention rate, offering undergraduate degree programs across arts, sciences, professional studies, and interdisciplinary fields, including new Bachelor of Science degrees in Public Health and Health Sciences launching August 2026. The college also operates the Women's Business Center of the Triad serving regional women entrepreneurs and the Finish What You Started program for adult learners returning to complete their degrees.

Bennett runs on a tuition-and-fee revenue model supplemented by philanthropic donations, federal and state financial aid, and institutional grants (Title III, Fulbright-Hays). Core technology infrastructure includes Canvas Learning Management System via Instructure, Quicklaunch SSO for the BelleNet portal, Salesforce for alumni and donor engagement, Sodexo for campus dining, and National Student Clearinghouse for transcript services. The college's marketing and owned media span The Belle Ringer, Belle Magazine, the Belle Voice newsletter, BelleAir Radio on SiriusXM's HBCU Network, and signature events including Founders Weekend, Charter Day, and the Centennial Alumnae Weekend 2026. Go-to-market is a traditional higher-education admissions process targeting women seeking undergraduate education, with specific outreach to first-generation students, transfer students, veterans, non-traditional learners, and homeschool populations.

Bennett has been named a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader for six consecutive years through 2025, is ranked the #1 HBCU by U.S. News & World Report, and was the recipient of the Cardinal Award (2025) and General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Exemplary Teacher Award (2026). Following a 2019 SACSCOC accreditation crisis that triggered the 'Stand With Bennett' campaign, the college has stabilized operations and is currently marking its Centennial under Acting President Ronald Carter. Technology partnerships include Latimer AI for AI literacy and live video streaming for campus events, with the college positioning itself at the intersection of AI, Black creative culture, and HBCU education.

Name

Bennett College for Women

Legal name

Bennett College

Website

https://bennett.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bennett College is a private nonprofit Historically Black College for women in Greensboro, North Carolina, founded in 1926. It offers undergraduate liberal arts, professional, and interdisciplinary degrees through a microcollege model with a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Higher Education (HBCU)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Women’s Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Nonprofit HBCUs (EDAHAMAB), General Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAA)

Keywords

• Undergraduate education
• Liberal arts college
• Historically black university
• Women's college
• Higher education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Greensboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from student tuition, fees, and related educational services. Financial aid and federal student aid programs offset costs for eligible students.
2. Philanthropic Donations and Grants: Revenue from philanthropic contributions by alumnae, individual donors, and foundations. Noteworthy contributions include $1.5 million from Kwanza Jones (2025) and ongoing alumnae giving campaigns. Government and private grants (e.g., Fulbright-Hays, Title III) also support institutional operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bennett College is a private, nonprofit historically Black college for women (HBCU) that delivers undergraduate liberal arts degree programs across Arts, Sciences, Professional Studies, and Interdisciplinary Studies. The college uses a microcollege educational model with a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio and supports instruction via Canvas LMS. Beyond degree programs, it operates the Women's Business Center of Greensboro for women entrepreneurs, runs the Finish What You Started adult learner program, hosts the AI Music & Creators Conference, and provides global engagement through Fulbright partnerships.

Product overview

Bennett College for Women is an HBCU offering undergraduate degree programs with a microcollege model. The college provides academic programs across Division of Professional Studies and Division of Arts and Sciences, including new Bachelor of Science degrees in Public Health and Health Sciences (launching 2026), Global Studies with Fulbright partnerships, and interdisciplinary studies. Student-facing platforms include Canvas LMS, Belle Connect Portal, and BelleAir Radio on SiriusXM. The college operates a Women's Business Center of Greensboro and hosts an annual AI Music & Creators Conference. Support services include Career Services, Finish What You Started (adult learner program), and Holgate Library. The institution maintains international engagement through Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants and global study opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Public Health New undergraduate degree program preparing students for leadership roles in the healthcare sector through specialized tracks and practical training.
• Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences New undergraduate degree program designed to prepare students for healthcare leadership with specialized tracks and hands-on practical training.
• Global Studies Program Academic program providing international study and travel experiences, Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants, and global cultural engagement opportunities for Bennett College students.
• Finish What You Started Program Adult learner completion program helping students who paused their education return to finish their degrees with dedicated support services.
• Women's Business Center of Greensboro Business development center offering resources, counseling, and programs for women entrepreneurs in the Greensboro/Triad area, part of Bennett College's economic empowerment initiatives.
• AI Music & Creators Conference Annual conference exploring how artificial intelligence reshapes creative work, featuring demonstrations, panel discussions, performances, and workshops on AI tools for music, fashion, and content creation.
• Gardening and Food Justice Course Interdisciplinary course combining botany education with civic engagement on food equity, including practical gardening and community partnerships.
• Career Services and Workforce Development Comprehensive career support including individual meetings, career fairs, graduate school information, distinguished speakers workshops, and internship opportunities for Bennett College students.
• Holgate Library Academic library providing research resources, study spaces, and information services to support student learning and faculty scholarship at Bennett College.
• BelleAir Radio Weekly radio show produced at Bennett College, airing on SiriusXM's HBCU Network, featuring student-produced content and campus news.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% student retention rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) / Fulbright ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBennett College has maintained a partnership with the Fulbright Program since 2014, hosting two Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs) annually who teach languages such as Arabic, Yoruba, Swahili, and Zulu. The college has been named a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader for six consecutive years. Bennett also received the college's first-ever Fulbright-Hays Short Term Group Project Abroad grant for a faculty and staff research program in Morocco.
• Out of the Garden Project and NC Black AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBennett College's Gardening and Food Justice course partners with community organizations including the Out of the Garden Project and NC Black Alliance to provide students with community-based learning experiences addressing food equity and food apartheid in the Greensboro area.
• The Apollo TheatermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhilanthropist Kwanza Jones launched a cultural partnership with The Apollo Theater resulting in the Culture In Motion™ national roadshow, which is connected to her broader education and culture investment strategy that includes her Bennett College contribution.
• Black Design CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFashion designers from the Black Design Collective participated in Bennett College's AI Music & Creators Conference (April 2026), bringing perspectives on fashion, AI-generated content, and creative ownership to the campus event.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBennett College participates in HHMI programming, including the 2026 SEA (Science Education Alliance) Faculty Meeting, where Adjunct Professor Najla Norwood brought phage bioinformatics research to Bennett students through HHMI's faculty development initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dillard University: Dillard University is a private HBCU in New Orleans with a liberal arts mission and similar small-campus profile. Comparable as a private HBCU serving underrepresented students with similar operational scale and financial dynamics.
• Talladega College: Talladega College is a small private HBCU in Alabama with a liberal arts focus. Comparable as a similarly-sized private HBCU that has navigated financial difficulties and accreditation challenges in recent years.
• Xavier University of Louisiana: Xavier University of Louisiana is a private HBCU in New Orleans known for STEM education and producing Black medical professionals. It shares Bennett's HBCU status, small-campus intimacy, and focus on underrepresented student success.
• Hampton University: Hampton University is a private HBCU in Virginia offering undergraduate and graduate programs. Comparable as a private HBCU with strong traditions, smaller enrollment scale, and emphasis on leadership development.
• Fisk University: Fisk University is a small, private HBCU in Nashville, TN with a liberal arts focus. Comparable in size, mission, and historic HBCU designation, particularly as small private HBCUs facing similar financial sustainability questions.
• Spelman College: Spelman College is a private, historically Black women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, GA, and is the most direct peer to Bennett College. Both institutions share the HBCU designation, women-only enrollment, and similar microcollege liberal arts mission.
• Tougaloo College: Tougaloo College is a small private HBCU in Mississippi with a liberal arts focus. Comparable as a small private HBCU serving underrepresented students with similar operational scale and mission alignment.
• Wilberforce University: Wilberforce University is a private HBCU in Ohio and the oldest HBCU in the U.S. Comparable as a small private HBCU with similar financial sustainability concerns and a liberal arts mission.
• Lincoln University (Pennsylvania): Lincoln University is a public HBCU in Pennsylvania with a liberal arts mission and historic significance. Comparable as a small HBCU with similar student demographics and a focus on undergraduate liberal arts education.

Broad incumbents

• Howard University: Howard University is the most prominent HBCU in the U.S., a large private research university in Washington, DC. Comparable as a private HBCU with strong brand recognition, though significantly larger in scale and scope than Bennett.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bennettcollege
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BennettBelles
• Facebookfacebook.com/107254679356831
• Instagraminstagram.com/bennett_college
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bennett-college

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bennett College for Women