As proud alumni descend on historically Black colleges and universities this HBCU Homecoming season for camaraderie and celebration, an app is making the beloved tradition easier to navigate.
Source: HBCUMade / HBCUMADE
HBCUMADE, the first social network dedicated to HBCU alumni and students, has unveiled its Homecoming Concierge, a digital hub designed to simplify the planning behind the nation’s most spirited celebrations. A press release reports that the platform, which centralizes hotel bookings, event listings, and travel tools, aims to streamline what has become a major economic engine for Black America.
Source: HBCUMade / HBCUMADE
The launch comes as HBCU alumni travel has surged 35% over the past three years, and homecoming events collectively generate an estimated $2.5 billion annually across local economies.
HBCUMADE founder and chief executive Skánia Florestal, a Virginia State University alumna, says initiative is ultimately about cultural continuity.
“Homecoming represents the largest annual migration of Black professionals and students in America,” Florestal said in a statement. “Yet until now, there’s been no centralized infrastructure to support this massive cultural and economic phenomenon. We’re not just building a booking platform—we’re creating the digital backbone for HBCU culture itself.”
Source: Courtesy of Skánia Florestal
Through a partnership with Klerk, a hospitality technology firm, the platform offers exclusive hotel deals with major chains like Marriott and Hyatt, along with curated event calendars and social tools that let users connect with friends attending the same festivities.
Since its soft launch, HBCUMADE reports that the Concierge has secured 25 hotel partnerships across key HBCU markets, drawing more than 14,000 members and 2,300 active app users, with a goal to turn the patchwork planning process into a single seamless experience.
Source: HBCUMade / HBCUMADE
“Every fall, our campuses become economic engines that rival major sporting events,” said Florestal. “The Homecoming Concierge captures and amplifies that energy while ensuring every participant feels supported and connected.”
For Justin Latimore, HBCUMADE’s chief technology officer and a graduate of Savannah State University, the project represents what he calls “a cultural convergence of code and community.”
“We built the Concierge to handle the real challenges alumni face—scattered event info, last-minute bookings, and lack of centralized access,” Latimore said. “By combining cultural data with user-friendly design, we’re proving that tech can strengthen traditions instead of replacing them.”
Source: HBCUMade / HBCUMADE
The platform also features a “Cultural Calendar,” which tracks homecoming dates for more than 100 HBCUs, plus a real-time feed of parties, concerts, and alumni gatherings, and includes sponsorships, premium advertising, and boosted listings for event promoters and universities.
With the Homecoming Concierge, the company hopes to replace the chaos of last-minute plans with curated coordination, turning a season of scattered spreadsheets into one of community, convenience and collective celebration.
