Elara Institute Announces 2025 Programming Slate: HBCU Futures Summit, Fireside Series, and Fellowship Launch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Elara Institute Announces 2025 Programming Slate: HBCU Futures Summit, Fireside Series, and Fellowship Launch

New York, NY — [April 1, 2025] — The Elara Institute today announced the launch of its 2025 programming agenda, which includes the inaugural HBCU Futures Summit, the Elara Fireside Chat Series, and the opening of applications for its Ascend Fellowship and Civic Corps initiatives.

Positioned at the intersection of policy, education, and cultural influence, the programming reflects Elara’s mission to build long-term systems of support for Black students and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country.

“We are not just hosting events — we are building a national platform for power, visibility, and pipeline,” said Jamaal Burton, Founder and CEO of the Elara Institute.
“This slate of programming reflects the architecture of a new model — one grounded in excellence, designed for scale, and rooted in the legacy of Black institutions.”

2025 Signature Initiatives

HBCU Futures Summit
October 2025 | Washington, D.C.
The Summit will serve as a national convening of students, cultural leaders, policymakers, philanthropists, and cross-sector executives. Programming will explore the future of Black leadership in public service, technology, business, the arts, and civic infrastructure — through keynotes, moderated discussions, and curated cultural experiences.

Elara Fireside Chat Series
Launching Summer 2025 | Virtual
This bi-weekly conversation series will feature real-time discussions with executives, elected officials, artists, and founders. Moderated by Elara Fellows, the series will offer students and alumni direct access to those shaping institutions and industries from within.

Elara Ascend Fellowship & Civic Corps
Applications Opening Late Summer 2025
Designed for HBCU students and recent alumni, the Fellowship and Civic Corps will offer a 20-week curriculum rooted in leadership development, institutional literacy, and career exposure. Participants will gain mentorship, cohort learning, and direct access to career and policy pathways in the private and public sectors.

About Elara Institute

The Elara Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building long-term infrastructure for Black leadership and equity through HBCU investment, policy development, and institutional strategy. Through fellowships, scholarships, convenings, and civic engagement programs, Elara aims to reimagine what it means to prepare the next generation of changemakers.

To learn more, visit www.elarainstitute.org or contact impact@elarainstitute.org.