Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

What Cheyney University of Pennsylvania does

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a public Historically Black College or University located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, founded in 1837 as the Institute for Colored Youth and recognized as the nation's first HBCU. The institution operates as a state-owned entity within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), governed by the Board of Governors and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It serves primarily prospective undergraduate students, with secondary segments including transfer students and Honors Academy enrollees, offering 10 major courses of study and 6 minors across academic departments at a reported 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The university delivers coursework through Desire2Learn as its primary learning management system and operates campus safety infrastructure including the Campus Shield mobile safety app and the e2Campus emergency notification system. Technology adoption is centered on third-party EdTech and campus-safety platforms rather than proprietary or AI-enabled systems; no developer-facing API, AI/ML capability, or in-house platform is documented. Academic advising, financial aid counseling, and student support services are delivered through dedicated offices.

Revenue mechanics draw from three documented streams: tuition and fees, state appropriations via PASSHE, and private donations and grants (including the PASSHE Foundation which distributes over $500K annually in scholarships system-wide). Distribution occurs through direct undergraduate admissions supported by recruitment events and campus visits, consortium agreements with peer PASSHE institutions, and online/distance learning. Customer acquisition leans on regional digital marketing, social channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram), and partnerships with community organizations and secondary schools. Tuition rates are not publicly listed; federal Pell Grants, FSEOG, Federal Direct Loans, PHEAA State Grants, and institutional scholarships (Keystone, Bond-Hill, PASSHE Foundation) form the financial-aid scaffolding.

Name

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Legal name

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Website

https://cheyney.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1837

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the nation's first HBCU, operating as a public PASSHE institution offering 10 undergraduate majors and 6 minors to primarily in-state Pennsylvania students, funded through tuition, state appropriations, and private donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Selective/Highly Selective Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• HBCU education
• Academic advising
• Student financial aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Cheyney

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition, fees, and related educational services for undergraduate programs.
2. State Funding (PASSHE): State System of Higher Education funding allocated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to support university operations.
3. Private Donations and Grants: Philanthropic contributions from alumni, corporations, and foundation grants supporting scholarships and programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a public Historically Black College and University that delivers undergraduate academic degree programs across 10 majors and 6 minors, supported by the selective Honors Academy, faculty academic advising, and an extensive student financial aid program (federal grants, state grants, scholarships, and federal student loans). The institution provides residential campus life, counseling and accessibility services, and safety infrastructure including the Campus Shield mobile app and e2Campus emergency alerts to enrolled students.

Product overview

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania operates as the nation's first HBCU, offering a unified educational platform centered on undergraduate academic degree programs. The institution provides 10 major courses of study and 6 minors through its core Academic Programs, complemented by the selective Cheyney University Honors Academy for high-achieving students. Student success is supported through comprehensive Student Financial Services encompassing grants (Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG), scholarships (Keystone Scholarship, Bond-Hill Hill Scholarship), loans (Federal Direct Loans, PLUS Loans, Private Loans), and state programs (PA State Grant, Grow PA Tuition Waiver, Chafee Program). Academic Advising with Faculty provides mentorship and curricular guidance. The institution delivers these services through institutional portals including Desire2Learn and the CU Experience Portal, with no public-facing API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cheyney University Honors Academy: An honors program that fosters intellectually enriching experiences for the campus community, offering scholarships and special programs for high-achieving students.
• Campus Shield
• Horace Mann Bond – Leslie Pinckney Hill Scholarship Program

Products and services

• Academic Programs 10 major courses of study and 6 minors providing foundational academic degree programs across multiple disciplines for undergraduate students.
• Cheyney University Honors Academy Selectively admitted honors program fostering intellectually enriching experiences for high-achieving students, offering honors courses, scholarship opportunities, and enhanced academic support.
• Student Financial Services Comprehensive financial aid services including administration of grants, scholarships, loans, work-study programs, and SAP monitoring to help students fund their education.
• Keystone Scholarship Competitively awarded full-tuition scholarship with room and board for academically talented students admitted into the Honors Academy with Pennsylvania domicile requirements.
• Horace Mann Bond – Leslie Pinckney Hill Scholarship Program Graduate and professional school scholarship for Cheyney alumni pursuing advanced degrees at partner Pennsylvania institutions, covering tuition, fees, and textbooks.
• Federal Pell Grant Need-based federal grant program for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need, with eligibility determined by Expected Family Contribution from the FAFSA.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Federal grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need, with priority given to Federal Pell Grant recipients.
• Federal Direct Loans Low-interest federal student loans including Subsidized and Unsubsidized options with flexible repayment plans for eligible students.
• Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS Loans) Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students allowing parents to borrow on behalf of dependent students to cover education costs.
• Private Education Loans Credit-based alternative loans through banks and lenders to bridge the gap between financial aid and total cost of attendance.
• Pennsylvania State Grant Program Need-based state grant administered by PHEAA for eligible Pennsylvania residents attending approved colleges and universities.
• Grow PA Tuition Waiver Program State-supported tuition waiver program for students pursuing high-priority fields who commit to living and working in Pennsylvania after graduation.
• Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program (Chafee Program) Tuition and fee waiver for youth who are or were in foster care, available up to five academic years or until age 26.
• Academic Advising with Faculty Faculty-led academic advising and mentoring services assisting students with curricular planning, course selection, career pathways, and internship recommendations.
• Campus Shield Mobile Safety Application 24/7 mobile safety application providing direct connection to Cheyney Police Dispatcher with software panic button, emergency alerts, safe transport requests, crime reporting, anonymous reporting, suspicious persons reporting, medical problems, fire reporting, and Friend Watch features.

Quantifiable outcome

• #1 Public HBCU for College Scholarships (HBCU Lifestyle ranking)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Wistar InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic research partnership focused on bioscience initiatives. The Wistar Institute, a renowned biomedical research institution, collaborates with Cheyney University on scientific research and academic programs.
• Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCheyney University is one of 10 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. PASSHE provides governance, state funding, and system-wide academic coordination.
• Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution for the Horace Mann Bond-Leslie Pinckney Hill Scholarship Program, allowing Cheyney graduates to pursue graduate studies at Penn State.
• University of PittsburghminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution for the Bond-Hill Scholarship Program allowing Cheyney graduates to pursue graduate and professional studies.
• Temple UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution for the Bond-Hill Scholarship Program allowing Cheyney graduates to pursue graduate and professional studies.
• Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency administering Pennsylvania State Grant Program and other state financial aid programs available to Cheyney students.
• Keystone Education Yields Success (KEEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPASSHE program providing emergency financial assistance grants ($50-$1,000) to students with unexpected financial need.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lincoln University (Pennsylvania): Public HBCU in Pennsylvania offering four-year undergraduate programs. Direct peer because both are Pennsylvania-based public HBCUs competing for the same in-state applicant pool and operating within (or adjacent to) PASSHE.
• Bowie State University: Public HBCU in Maryland offering four-year undergraduate and graduate programs. Comparable as a small-to-mid-size public HBCU with similar undergraduate-focused curriculum and state-system affiliation.
• Coppin State University: Public HBCU in Baltimore, part of the University System of Maryland. Similar profile to Cheyney as a small public HBCU focused on undergraduate teaching with limited graduate offerings.
• Virginia State University: Public HBCU in Virginia offering undergraduate and graduate programs. Closely comparable as a state-system HBCU serving similar minority student demographics with similar scholarship and access mission.
• Elizabeth City State University: Public HBCU in North Carolina, part of the UNC System. Comparable as a small public HBCU with undergraduate-focused portfolio and similar scale and tuition positioning.
• Central State University: Public HBCU in Ohio. Similar four-year public HBCU profile, comparable scale and mission-driven positioning around access for underrepresented minority students.
• West Virginia State University: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant institution in West Virginia. Comparable as a small state-affiliated HBCU offering similar undergraduate-focused programs and access-focused mission.

Broad incumbents

• Morgan State University: Larger public HBCU in Maryland offering extensive undergraduate and graduate programs including doctoral degrees. Comparable as a public HBCU competitor, though significantly larger and more research-intensive than Cheyney.
• Tuskegee University: Private HBCU in Alabama with strong STEM and engineering focus. Comparable as an HBCU peer in the U.S. News rankings and as a competitor for academically ambitious minority students, though private vs. public status differentiates funding model.

Others

• Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE): State system governing Cheyney and nine other Pennsylvania public universities. Relevant as the parent organization and funding/coordination body rather than a competitive peer; materially shapes Cheyney's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CheyneyUniv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cheyneyuniv1837
• Facebookfacebook.com/126762842007
• Instagraminstagram.com/cheyneyuniv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Cheyney University of Pennsylvania