August 2014
Volume 1 Issue 9
HBCU DIGEST
DISCOVER
Your True Potential. LEARNING THRIVES AT ALCORN. BUT SOME DISCOVERIES DON’T HAPPEN IN THE LAB. In Alcorn's dynamic living and learning environment, students develop the skills they need for lasting success in todays's global marketplace. As they do, they often find something more: an inner strength and sense of purpose they never knew they had. For financial aid and enrollment information, call 800.222.6790 or visit alcorn.edu
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HBCU
DIGEST
Back To School CONTENTS Publisher Jarrett Carter Sr. Contributors
5 Letter from the Publisher 6 PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVES By Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd 8 THE PIPELINE
Gwendolyn Boyd Imani Jackson
HBCUs Forge Recruiting Partnerships Nationwide By Christina Sturdivant 12 HBCU GENTRIFICATION
Christina Sturdivant Timothy Wiggins Cover Art North Carolina Central University
Magazine Design La Keita D. Carter
Black Colleges Fight For Campus Development By Timothy Wiggins 16 MY SISTERS' KEEPER Women Head New Wave of HBCU Leadership By Imani Jackson 20 BACK TO SCHOOL: IN PICTURES HBCUs Welcome Students, Community Back to Campus
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HBCU
DIGEST
Letter from the Publisher Greetings, As we return to another school year at historically black colleges and universities nationwide, our community confronts a unique set of challenges and opportunities, ripe for our students to confront and seize, respectively. Campuses are grappling with harsh reminders of racism, civil injustice, and economic marginalization, all stemming from conversations around the murder of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, MO. Students and faculty have given voice and support to mobilization efforts around the country to answer one of America’s most persistent problems stereotyping and violence against black men. At the same time, HBCUs are establishing new strengths in recruitment, leadership and sustainability in the face of dwindling federal and state support. In this issue, you’ll read about new partnerships being made by HBCUs with some of the nation’s top high schools, and perspectives on the growing number of women leading the way in HBCU reform. We also hope you will enjoy a special feature in this month’s edition: a view of HBCUs around the country welcoming students and families back to their campuses. As you read through these pages, know that every good and bad thing we see, hear and read about HBCUs begins with resources. We hope that as this new academic year begins, you will reaffirm your financial, social and political commitments in support of your alma mater, or an HBCU campus community nearest to you. We are all that we have, and truthfully, we are all that we’ll ever need.
Yours in Advocacy,
!
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Presidential Perspectives By Gwendolyn E. Boyd
As I embark upon my first fall semester as the 14th and first female President of Alabama State University, I return emotionally to the feelings of excitement, purpose and awe, which I felt when I first began my undergraduate studies here at ASU as a freshman. I am also experiencing the same resonance, courage and determination that I felt as a freshman who was then, and is now, dedicated to excellence, leadership, and the pursuit of scholarly advancement. All of these characteristics employed today will allow me to be the very best that I can be as the President and CEO of this venerable and magnificent HBCU called Alabama State University. This is indeed the pivot point of a new day, as we embark upon a new semester with a new president and new governance on our Board of Trustees and in senior leadership. We are empowered, energized and dedicated to academic excellence, student success, transparency, fiscal accountability, and integrity as we promote our mission of producing the best and brightest students in the world. I feel, as do many others, that Historically Black Colleges and Universities are the very bedrock of the educational opportunities for all our students. Additionally, HBCUs present a strong case for student retention and positive graduation rates that we see among black students in America. I am proud of the fact that since my arrival in February, we have a new Biomedical Engineering degree offering here at ASU, which we will expand to other disciplines on our campus. As an engineer, I am a huge proponent of all of the STEM. disciplines and want to expand them many times over on our campus so our students are prepared for the future growth in employment opportunities that STEM degrees represent. We also just completed our first ’30 Days of Giving’ campaign and raised over $140,000 from 700 donors, 37 percent of whom were first-time givers! As I continue to work to accomplish and enhance this 6 mission with our invigorated Board of Trustees,
outstanding faculty and staff; and our excellent students, we know that working together; there is nothing we cannot accomplish. Opportunity is Here. Dr. Gwendolyn E. Boyd is a summa cum laude 1977 graduate of ASU; the first African-American woman to graduate from Yale University in Mechanical Engineering, and was at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab for over 33 years. She served from 2000-2004 as National President of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.
The Pipeline: HBCUs Forg Natio
By Christina Sturdivant
While fall semester for high school seniors is a pivotal time for those seeking to further their education, college preparation begins much earlier for students at many top performing high schools across the country. “We are a college prep school so as soon as we get our students in the 9th grade, we begin to talk to them about preparing for college,” says Valerie Wilson, guidance counselor at McKinley Technology High School in Washington, DC.
college night with representatives from at least local and out-of-state 30 colleges. A collection of at least 10 HBCUs each year also visit McKinley to host on-site admissions processes where students can apply to colleges and be accepted on the same day. Representatives from Bowie State University are consistent in interacting with McKinley students. They seek candidates who have shown academic preparedness by taking challenging courses and achieving high scores on standardized tests while focused on achieving a college degree, says Derrick L. Davis, director of admissions at Bowie State.
Although interests may change, freshmen and sophomores begin to think about intended majors. They research entry requirements of interested schools and strive to maintain desirable GPAs. Juniors and seniors take more rigorous courses to present marketable transcripts and prepare Davis and his team of for a higher level of recruiters hit the road academics. Guidance each fall, visiting high counselors meet Guidance counselors nationwide say HBCUs are making progress in reaching out to high schools, college fairs collectively and achieving students. and panel discussions individually with students throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area. By the to assist them in narrowing down their choices to include end of the school year, they have visited approximately 100 reach, match and safety options. schools in the region. “As a graduate of an HBCU, I definitely always include “There's a lot of rich history on campuses that are HBCUs, some HBCU suggestions for them that I think would be a says Davis, “And I think it’s important for them to know it’s good fit,” says Wilson, a graduate of Howard University. an option when seeking a college degree.” At a school with a 97 percent black student population, not When speaking with students, Davis discusses the familyall McKinley students are expected to transition smoothly oriented nature of the school, opportunities inside and into more diverse environments. For those who may need outside of the classroom and benefits of attending a the extra support and nurturing associated with the HBCU university in proximity to the nation's capitol. experience, Wilson nudges the option a little harder. Students at the School Without Walls Senior High School, The presence of admissions officers and recruiters is ranked 1st in D.C. by U.S. News and World report, also constant at McKinley throughout the school year. During receive attention from college recruiters—from the Ivy college awareness month in October, the school hosts a
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ge Recruiting Partnerships onwide League, to religious institutions to HBCUs.
for our students,” says, Chinn.
“We make sure we introduce our students to all types of schools because every student is different and has his own preference,” says Hafsatu Iro, professional school counselor at the School Without Walls, who welcomed over 100 college representatives into the school last year.
Helene Kunkel, head college advisor at Palisades Charter High School in Pacific Palisades, California, has also found that finances and distance are major prohibitors for her Black student population—about 15 percent of the student body—to attend an HBCU.
Florida A&M University has been instrumental in introducing the HBCU experience, says Iro, as the university president recently visited and addressed 60 students from ninth to tenth grade—not only speaking about the advantages of FAMU, but attending HBCUs as a whole.
With 100 black students in any given class, only a maximum of five will enroll in an HBCU. Many decide to remain close to home as the state of California’s public university system offers substantial financial aid benefits.
In the Midwest, where black colleges are less abundant, more hindrances to entry exist for students. Proximity to home and financial constraints are frequent concerns for these students. “I think what keeps some students from actually going [to HBCUs] sometimes is fear of the unknown, having never been on the campus,” says Norma V. Chinn, director of counseling and guidance at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago, Illinois. Whitney is ranked 4th in Illinois by U.S. News and World Report, with a 26 percent Black student population. “We strongly encourage fly-outs—we have found that if they have seen and been on a campus, they make better decisions,” says Chinn. Additionally, each year, the Chicago Peoples Union of Howard University hosts the Escape To Mecca College Tour for Chicago public school students. Now in its 11th year, the tour has traveled over 400 juniors and seniors to Washington, DC, resulting in nearly one fourth of those students enrolling in Howard. An extra push that Chinn has found useful is pairing former Whitney students who attend HBCUs with current students who are interested. “They can talk to another student who is already having the experience and have conversations about any concerns or reservations they may have. That seems to be really helpful
And while outreach to HBCU recruiters is widespread, attendance is low. “Howard comes every year. I've had Morehouse come on a pretty regular basis, but beyond that, they really don’t have reps in the LA area on a regular basis,” says Kunkel. Due to the relatively low population of African American students, and traffic patterns being a major obstacle between recruiters and students, he chances are even lower for Palisades students to speak directly with HBCU representatives, she added. Much exposure comes by way of Greg Delahoussaye of the Educational Student Tours (EST) who partners with the school’s village nation program. “Village nation was founded about 4 to 5 years ago specifically to address the achievement gap for African American students, so they bring in a lot of guest speakers and try to provide support systems for struggling students,” says Kunkel. Each year, Delahoussaye speaks with students at Palisades about HBCU options and EST’s Black College Tour flies students from LAX airport to almost a dozen HBCUs on the east coast. Since its inception almost 30 years ago, EST has taken over 3,000 students on the tour, with close to 90 percent of the students enrolling in a visited school. Overall, Kunkel believes students’ decisions for higher learning boil down to life after college. “In our current economic climate, students are thinking about specific majors that will lead to employment,” she says.
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HBCU Gentrification: Black Colleges Fight For Campus Development By Timothy Wiggins
Johnson C. Smith University's Mosaic Village is an example of community development and investment. But like many HBCUs, it is fighting a prolonged battle to attract students, and to receive equitable funding from federal resources.
Historically black colleges and universities have served as a generational antidote to effects of urban gentrification. Throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, black middle class communities have been built and have survived for generations as a result of HBCU education and employment opportunities on their campuses. But with cuts to federal student loan programs and state appropriations to black colleges, changing economic power has marginalized the HBCU impact on civic development, and in some respects, may claim black colleges as its greatest casualty. Gentrification occurs when the make-up of an urban environment typically housing members of the middle to lower classes shifts towards residents of the middle to upper classes. With new residents with more disposable income, the gentrified town becomes attractive for individuals looking to build stores, hotels, and businesses. Real estate owners are able to capitalize on the higher rent and property taxes that the new residents can afford to pay. Similar practices are changing today’s higher education landscape. As college becomes more accessible to students and families with wealth, HBCUs, while still among the nation’s most affordable options for higher education, find themselves pressed into critical retooling in their recruitment and outreach strategies. “HBCUs are beginning to lose their historical base,” says Allie-Ryan Butler, assistant professor of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University. “Black colleges must consider that students who have been pushed through segregated school systems may want to experience something more diverse in their higher education.” A 2013 study from the Georgetown University Center on
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Education and the Workforce (C.E.W.) supports Butler’s opinion, suggesting that while enrollment is up at HBCUs over the last 20 years, graduation rates for higher achieving black students is higher at more selective, predominantly white institutions. “The market for education is shifting away from open access schools, and is shifting towards more selective schools,” said Jeff Strohl, study co-author and Director of Research at the Georgetown C.E.W., in a 2013 interview with the HBCU Digest. “There’s definitely a place for HBCUs because they’re giving opportunities to those who otherwise may not have it. We know that there is a continuing ratcheting up of education needed on the job. A two-year degree isn’t enough, so in the sense that HBCUs are giving people better access to a four-year degree means they serve a great niche.” As poor secondary education and economic inequality persists, a pool of under-prepared student populations will grow, while droves of high achieving students will increase minority enrollment at predominantly white colleges with more scholarships funds, better facilities, and more programs. The result; losses in retention, graduation rates, and limited access to federal funds based upon new rating programs. Between 2011 and 2013, HBCUs lost more than $300 million collectively in lost tuition revenues and cuts to the federal Parent PLUS Loan and Pell Grant programs. According to research from the United Negro College Fund, loan denials have resulted in about 17,000 fewer students attending black colleges over the last three years. This reality poses a great threat to the future of HBCUs. As issues like gentrification, poverty, and class struggle are barriers to young African Americans seeking higher education the importance of historically black colleges and universities becomes even more pivotal.
You’re sitting in your first class. After initial introductions, you learn that right in front of you is a veteran who has served his country for decades abroad. To your right is a shy young man on his first extended stay since leaving his hometown of Laurel, Mississippi. To your left is an extroverted evangelist and physics major from Nigeria who’s doing research you’ll never be able to pronounce. Finally, just behind you is a biology major from Chicago whose sole passion is to quickly get the foundation from which she someday will return to her neighborhood as a doctor. And you? Well, you immediately realize that you, too, are special. You are an Alabama A&M University student with a powerful mixture of dream, potential and the drive to make it all happen. You are A&M. Nestled in the final stretches of the Appalachians, this hillside campus boasts a location within one of the most liveable cities in the world. Its academics are bolstered by a gifted faculty with a thirst for research and learning. And, diverse undergraduate and graduate degrees offer the more than 5,000 students curricula leading toward Ph.D. degrees in several areas. Join us. Make your first class first-class. From community and regional planning to apparel, merchanising and design to food science and physics--AAMU brings together the world and its views, handing both to you one classroom at a time. Experience Engagement ... Fulfillment ... Celebration!
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My Sisters' Keeper: Women Head
By Imani Jackson
Audriana Osborne garnered headlines last summer when she earned nearly $1 million in college scholarships and announced that she will begin English and Pre-law studies at Florida A&M University this fall. Osborne is one of thousands of high achieving black women who will begin or continue studies at HBCUs this fall, but with national initiatives like President Barack Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper,” gaining attention and financial support, some have begun to wonder what institutional or organizational measures will be created to ensure success for black women alongside their male counterparts. The answer may be HBCUs themselves. Several black colleges have reversed male-dominated higher education traditions with presidential selections. In the last three years, ten HBCUs have appointed female presidents, and all but one of the women were the first to serve as permanent selections at their respective institutions. Debra Saunders-White at North Carolina Central University, Roslyn Clark-Artis at Florida Memorial University, Valerie Montgomery Rice at the Morehouse School of Medicine, and Elmira Mangum at Florida A&M
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University this year; Glenda Baskin Glover at Tennessee State University and Juliette Bell at the University of Maryland Eastern-Shore in 2013; Cynthia JacksonHammond at Central State University, Pamela Wilson at Allen University, Cheryl Davenport-Dozier at Savannah State University in 2012; and Carolyn Meyers at Jackson State University in 2011, highlight a new movement of women breaking the glass ceiling at HBCUs. Dr. Bell, an alumna of Talladega College and Atlanta University (now Clark-Atlanta University) graduate added, “ Although all HBCUs share a common history, each has its own mission and goals. I believe that as leaders, our job is to identify the unique character and strengths of our institution and to build upon those attributes.” Dr. Cynthia Warrick, Grambling State University’s interim president and former interim president at South Carolina State University, is a Howard University, Georgia Institute of Technology and George Mason University alumna. She said Gramblinites responded favorably to her appointment because the local community views her as “a change agent” and recognizes the inevitability of change. Dr. Bell also received a warm reception as UMES
d New Wave of HBCU Leadership
president. She said, “I came into the community with an open mind, focused on getting to know the community and letting them know me. I did a lot of listening, and that helped me to learn how to best serve the university and the community.” HBCUs seem to be serving their populations with representational realities. “It’s important when you start looking at university and college students in general, [to remember] women are the majority,” Dr. Warrick said before adding, “We are reflecting our populations in the leadership positions.” As people from diverse backgrounds occupy spaces previously unavailable to them, female presidents remain special in large part because of trends. In 2012, the Association of American Colleges and Universities reported that while “more women occupy the presidency today than ever before,” women “remain in the minority.” For one president, serving as campus CEO has been a difficult proposition in her first six months. In a keynote address at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Alabama State University President Gwendolyn Boyd said, “We know that as we climb, there's
new levels, new devils." Dr. Boyd’s comments followed months of controversial remarks made by current and former board members, who alleged improper travel and leadership habits against her. In an unprecedented display, former trustee Donald Watkins authored a scathing editorial in the Montgomery Advertiser, apologizing for his endorsement of Dr. Boyd as a presidential candidate. Weeks later, at ASU’s faculty convocation, professors saluted the president with a standing ovation. Overall, resilience seems to be a common trait among female HBCU presidents. Dr. Bell said, “As women leaders, our challenge is to be authentic and to remain true to ourselves.” Pictured from left to right: Morehouse School of Medicine President Valerie Montgomery Rice, Florida A&M University President Elmira Mangum, North Carolina Central University Chancellor Debra Saunders-White, and University of Maryland-Eastern Shore President Juliette Belle
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Back To School: The 2014-15 semester began in form this month, with thousands of new and returning students venturing to historically Black college campuses nationwide. In these pages, you will see the best elements of the HBCU experience - legacies of learning passed down between parents and children, community service, and civic engagement - all on display in the early days of the fall 2014 semester. Enjoy your tour around the national HBCU community's Back to School activities.
In Pictures
Hampton University
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Florida A&M University
Fayetteville State University
North Carolina Cen
ntral University
Southern University
Alabama State University
Howard University
Paul Quinn College
Tennessee State University
A DV E RT I S E W I T H
HBCU
DIGEST
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HBCUDIGEST.COM
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Fu l l p a g e c o l o r p r i n t a d $ 75 0 / m o n t h , $ 5 , 0 0 0 /a n n u a l
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COLLEGE 51%
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