Established in 1996, the Gateway's long-range goal is to help HBCUs close the so-called "Digital Divide". It pursues this goal by helping them keep in touch with each other's advances in science and technology.

• Underrepresentation of African Americans and other minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is one of the defining measures of the Digital Divide. Recognizing that inadequate preparation at the K-12 level impedes enrollments in STEM-related Bachelors degree programs, an increasing number of HBCUs have established partnerships with the K-12 schools in their local communities. The scope of these partnerships ranges from Saturday and summertime activities for K-12 students, to training programs for K-12 teachers, to establishing model schools. Accordingly, the Gateway also strives to keep HBCUs informed of each's other's K-12 initiatives.
  
  
• On the other hand, an increasing number of HBCUs have established degree and certificate programs for non-traditional students, i.e., adults. These programs enable older students to keep up with the latest developments in their current professions or to change fields. More importantly, non-traditional programs provide second chances for the nation's disappearing Black males, its "Prodigal Sons" who dropped out or who were never given a decent chance in the first place. Given technology's proven value in enhancing non-traditional students' access to educational opportunities, the Gateway highlights programs that deliver their courses in distance learning formats or in blended combinations of face-to-face and online.
  
  
• Finally, the Gateway strives to help the entire HBCU community become better informed about larger developments of overriding concern, e.g., Hurricane Katrina, changes in federal financial aid programs, changes in federal accreditation policies, etc.  

Above all, the Gateway provides reliable news about the primary activities of Historically Black Colleges and Universities ==> teaching, research, and community service. If the Gateway itself doesn't provide this information, it provides links to Websites that do.