Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute
UNCF founder Frederick D. Patterson
The Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, FDPRI, is the nation’s foremost research organization focusing on the educational status of African Americans from pre-school to and through college.
Founded in honor of Dr. Frederick D. Patterson—visionary educator, president of Tuskegee Institute, and the founder of UNCF—FDPRI carries forward his legacy of expanding educational access and strengthening institutions that serve Black and marginalized students.
Through rigorous, actionable research, we illuminate and strengthen the pathways that advance equity in education. We produce and share evidence that guides policymakers, educators, philanthropists, and the public in improving educational opportunities and outcomes for African American and other underrepresented students from pre-school through college completion.
“The Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute (FDPRI) is proud to celebrate 30 years of exceptional and cutting-edge research that has elevated the discourse and shaped the public narrative on the legacy and extensive contributions of all historically Black colleges and universities. We are honored to carry the name of the UNCF’s founder and to earnestly promote research agendas that raise critically important questions about the past, present, and future of Black colleges. Moreover, we are dedicated to advancing the mission and mantra of the UNCF, recognizing that “a mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in.” Therefore, we are eager to continue in our work, carving new pathways of opportunities for our students, building fruitful partnerships that benefit our member institutions, and advancing research that effectively demonstrates why there has never been a better time to enroll and invest in HBCUs.”
