2024
BECOME THE VOICE OF CHANGE
TWO PAGE
Historically black colleges and universities (Hbcus) as institutions of HigHer education and learning Have provided a Haven of opportunities for african american educators, students, and graduates to acHieve success, and impact lives tHrougHout tHe united states and internationally.
ER INTRO
College Completion TOP 10 HBCUS BY GRADUATION RATE College graduation rates offer valuable information for the prospective student. They indicate how many students enrolled at a particular college actually graduate from that college. While low college graduation rates aren’t necessarily a negative sign, students often want to surround themselves with like-minded individuals who are dedicated to obtaining a degree from their chosen school. For these students, choosing a school with high graduation rates is an excellent step. The following are 10 HBCUs with the highest college graduation rates based on the latest available data.
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Claflin University Orangeburg, South Carolina Claflin is a smaller, private college offering Bachelors and Masters degrees. They graduate 44% of students.
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Jackson State University Jackson, Mississippi Jackson State offers Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees. They are located in a city setting on a midsize campus and have a graduation rate of 45%.
Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana Located in the heart of New Orleans, Xavier University offers Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees. Xavier’s graduation rate is also 51%.
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Tuskegee University Tuskegee, Alabama Tuskegee University is located in a town setting on a distant campus. They offer Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees and have a graduation rate of 46%.
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Morehouse College Atlanta, Georgia Morehouse is located on a large campus in a city/urban environment. They offer certificates which take less than one year to complete, as well as four-year Bachelor’s degrees. Their graduation rate is 55%.
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Hampton University Hampton, Virginia Located in a city/urban environment on a midsize campus, Hampton University’s graduation rate is 59%. They offer certificates as well as Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Professional and Doctoral degrees.
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Howard University Washington, D.C. Howard University offers a city/ urban experience on large campus. With a graduation rate of 63%, Howard offers a broad range of certificates, Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Post-Masters and Doctoral degrees. Wilberforce University Wilberforce, Ohio Wilberforce, a small, private college in a rural setting, has a graduation rate of 83%. This ranks it 20% higher than the next-highest school. Wilberforce offers both Bachelors and Masters degrees.
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Tougaloo College Tougaloo, Mississippi Tougaloo College offers both Associates degrees and Bachelor’s degrees. They are located in a city/ urban environment on a midsize campus and graduate 51% of students. Fisk University Nashville, Tennessee Fisk is situated on a large campus in a city/urban environment. Fisk offers Bachelors and Masters degrees as well as Post-Baccalaureate certificates, and graduates 54% of students.
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BEST COLLEGES RANKINGS #72 (TIE) IN NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES #69 (TIE) IN HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR RANKINGS #1 IN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, we became
Spelman College in 1924. Spelman College, a historically Black college and a global leader in the education of women of African descent, is dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and the intellectual, creative, ethical, and leadership development of its students. Spelman empowers the whole person to engage the many cultures of the world and inspires a commitment to positive social change.
350 SPELMAN LANE SW, ATLANTA, GA 30314 | (404) 681-3643 WWW.HAMPTONU.EDU BROUGHT TO YOU BY: WWW.USNEWS.COM
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BEST COLLEGES RANKINGS
#124 (TIE) IN NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES #82 (TIE) IN BEST COLLEGES FOR VETERANS #83 (TIE) IN HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR RANKINGS #2 IN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES #116 (TIE) IN BEST UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING PROGRAMS
Established in 1867, Howard University is a federally chartered, private, doctoral research extensive university located in Washington, DC. With an enrollment of approximately 11,000 students in its undergraduate, graduate, professional, and joint degree programs, which span more than 120 areas of study within 13 schools and colleges, the University is dedicated to educating students from diverse backgrounds. Since its founding in 1867, Howard has awarded more than 120,000 degrees and certificates in the arts, the sciences, and the humanities. The University has an enduring commitment to the education and advancement of
underrepresented populations in America and the global community. Howard University’s unique mission represents an unwavering commitment to its core values of leadership, excellence, truth and service. WWW2.HOWARD.EDU BROUGHT TO YOU BY: WWW.USNEWS.COM
2400 SIXTH STREET NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20059 (202) 806-6100
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From the Burning Sands
of the Divine Nine
Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) began to come into fruition in the early 20th century due to the trials and tribulations that many black people were facing within the United States at the time. The inclusion of African Americans in universities proved to be trying times for black students in the early 1900s. Starting Something New Often ostracized and banned from joining many social organizations, black students began searching for ways to cope with these struggles. There were a few attempts at creating intercollegiate BGLOs, with Alpha Kappa Nu beginning in 1903 and then disbanding due to a struggle in keeping steady membership, Alpha Phi Alpha was the first successful fraternity to sustain its membership and expand.
Following in the footsteps of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., eight other intercollegiate fraternities and sororities were founded on the similar principles of service and the betterment of black men and women. Many different movements and political events effected how these organizations came about as well. Alpha Kappa Alpha paved the way for sororities in 1908 when they were founded at Howard University. Kappa Alpha Psi was founded in Indiana for similar reasons to Alpha Phi Alpha, racial tension and prejudices on campus led them to create their fraternity as well. Omega Psi Phi was the first of the divine nine fraternities to be founded on an HBCU’s campus at Howard. Delta Sigma Theta’s beginnings were strongly influenced by the Women’s Suffrage movement. Springing forward to the most recent of the divine nine organizations, Iota Phi Theta was a product of the civil rights movement and they were very influential in shaping the political landscape of Baltimore after they were founded.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was initially started as a study and support group for the black male students at Cornell University who were facing harsh racial prejudice at the time. Black students often could go days without seeing each another person of color on campus, so their study group served as their decompression from the struggles they faced. Often ostracized and banned from joining many social organizations, black students began searching for ways to cope with these struggles.
The Divine Nine organizations are as follows: The Fraternities Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (1906) Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (1911) Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (1911) Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (1914) Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. (1963) The Sororities Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (1908) Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (1913) Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (1920) Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (1922)
Though they all differ in their founding principles in one way or another, they all come together as a unified body to create social change and leave the world as a better place.
These organizations, some of which are over 100 years old, have contributed countless hours of service, scholarships, and leadership to communities all around the world. Though they all differ in their founding principles in one way or another, they all come together as a unified body to create social change and leave the world as a better place. Yet, each of these organizations deserves recognition and a deeper insight into the work they really do day in and day out in the honor of their fraternities and sororities. Many of our celebrated leaders within the black community are members of Divine Nine organizations and they continue to foster talented individuals over the years. Join us as we celebrate the works and impact that these each of these organizations have had and continue to have in communities of color all over the world.
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HAMPTON UNIVERSITY IS RANKED #18 IN REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES SOUTH. SCHOOLS ARE RANKED ACCORDING TO THEIR PERFORMANCE ACROSS A SET OF WIDELY ACCEPTED INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE.
Other universities simply teach history. Hampton University puts you right in the middle of it. Because, as you'll soon discover, you're not just a part of Hampton University - Hampton University is a part of you. While our roots reach deep into the history of this nation and the African-American experience, our sights – like yours – are set squarely on the horizons of the global community of the 21st century. Rich in history, steeped in tradition, Hampton University is a dynamic, progressive institution of higher education, providing a broad range of technical, liberal arts, and graduate degree programs. In addition to being one of the top historically black universities in the world, Hampton University is a tightly-knit community of learners and educators, representing 49 states and 35 territories and nations. Hampton University is nestled along the banks of the Virginia Peninsula, near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The surrounding city of Hampton features a wide array of business and industrial enterprises, retail and residential areas, historical sites, and miles of waterfront and beaches. Attractions such as Fort Monroe, NASA Langley Research Center, and the Virginia Air and Space Center add to the splendor – and just plain fun – of the HU campus.
#18 (TIE) IN REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES SOUTH
#13 (TIE) IN BEST COLLEGES FOR VETERANS
#3 IN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
#131 (TIE) IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMS (NO DOCTORATE)
WWW.HAMPTONU.EDU 100 E. QUEEN ST., HAMPTON, VA 23668 800.624.3328 - OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: WWW.USNEWS.COM
The mission of Morehouse College is to develop men with disciplined minds who will lead lives of leadership and service. A private historically black liberal arts college for men, Morehouse realizes this mission by emphasizing the intellectual and character development of its students. In addition, the College assumes special responsibility for teaching the history and culture of black people. Founded in 1867 and located in Atlanta, Georgia, Morehouse is an academic community dedicated to teaching, scholarship, and service, and the continuing search for truth as a liberating force. As such, the College offers instructional programs in three divisions – business and economics, humanities and social sciences, and science and mathematics–– as well as extracurricular activities that: Develop skills in oral and written communications, analytical and critical thinking, and interpersonal relationships;
Foster an understanding and appreciation of world cultures, artistic and creative expression, and the nature of the physical universe; Promote understanding and appreciation of the specific knowledge and skills needed for the pursuit of professional careers and/or graduate study, and; Cultivate the personal attributes of self-confidence, tolerance, morality, ethical behavior, spirituality, humility, a global perspective, and a commitment to social justice. The College seeks students who are willing to carry the torch of excellence and who are willing to pay the price of gaining strength and confidence by confronting adversity, mastering their fears, and achieving success by earning it. In pursuit of its mission, v challenges itself to be among the very finest liberal arts institutions in the world.
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE IS RANKED #159 IN NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES. SCHOOLS ARE RANKED ACCORDING TO THEIR PERFORMANCE ACROSS A SET OF WIDELY ACCEPTED INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE.
#159 (TIE) IN NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES
#80 (TIE) IN HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR RANKINGS
#4 (TIE) IN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
#248 (TIE) IN BUSINESS PROGRAMS
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Historically Black Colleges Try to Catch Up as Rich Schools Get Richer
Of the 90 schools with billion-dollar endowments, not one is an HBCU Morehouse College has strong academics, an idyllic leafy campus, and illustrious alumni, 15 percent of whom give back to the school, a rate comparable to Harvard’s. But the historically black college in Atlanta lacks one thing that’s increasingly important: a rich endowment fund.
At just over $130 million, the all-male college’s fund ranks about 400th among U.S. schools. It’s not an unusual problem for historically black colleges and universities, also known as HBCUs. None of the 90 higher education institutions with endowments of more than $1 billion is an HBCU. The wealthiest is Washington’s Howard University, with $578 million as of June 30, 2016, ranking about 160. That’s less than 2 percent the size of the fund at Harvard, the richest school overall, with $35.7 billion.
Independent wealth is especially important at a time when Donald Trump and his administration have given mixed messages on federal funding. Upon coming into office, Trump said he would “absolutely prioritize” funding for the institutions. When submitting a budget proposal, however, Trump implied in a signing statement that federal funding to HBCUs might be unconstitutional. A second statement backtracked the comment, and the administration’s proposed funding for the schools is unchanged from last year’s budget under President Obama, at about $492 million.
A second statement backtracked the comment, and the administration’s proposed funding for the schools is unchanged from last year’s budget under President Obama, at about $492 million.
HBCUs were created for the most part after the Civil War to educate students who were barred from white institutions. In the 1960s, about 90 percent of black college students attended HBCUs, both public and private, but today the schools enroll just 21 percent of black undergraduates. “We began to compete openly for students, talent, and resources,” said John Brown, then the interim vice president for Morehouse’s office of institutional advancement, in late June. (He has since left the position.) “As that competition opened up on all fronts, we have found ourselves in the position of playing catch-up, plain and simple, and that’s where we are.”
The wealthier a school’s endowment, the more money it has both to attract students and to provide them with the funding and academic services to get them to graduation. Howard’s endowment means it has just under $58,000 for each of its 10,000 students. By comparison, Nashville’s Vanderbilt University has about $300,000 per student. The problem isn’t alumni who fail The wealthier a school’s endowment, the more money it has both to attract students and to provide them with the funding and academic services to get them to graduation.
to give. Across the street from Morehouse at Spelman College, the historically black women’s college with a graduation rate of more than 75 percent and a $348 million endowment, more than a third of alumnae donated to the institution in 2016. That’s more than four times the national average of 8.1 percent, according to data compiled by the Council for Aid to Education, a group that tracks philanthropy to universities. Spelman collected $2.52 million in alumnae gifts in 2016. Smith College, the women’s college in Northampton, Mass., had about the same proportion of alumnae donating. But that school, with a $1.6 billion endowment, received $36.3 million from former students in 2016.
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TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY IS AN INDEPENDENT AND STATE-RELATED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. ITS PROGRAMS SERVE A STUDENT BODY THAT IS COEDUCATIONAL AS WELL AS RACIALLY, ETHNICALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY DIVERSE. WITH A STRONG ORIENTATION TOWARD DISCIPLINES WHICH HIGHLIGHT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATION AND WORK FORCE PREPARATION IN THE SCIENCES, PROFESSIONS AND TECHNICAL AREAS, TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ALSO EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LIBERAL ARTS AS A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESSFUL CAREERS IN ALL AREAS. ACCORDINGLY, ALL ACADEMIC MAJORS STRESS THE MASTERY OF A REQUIRED CORE OF LIBERAL ARTS COURSES. TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY WAS THE FIRST BLACK COLLEGE TO BE DESIGNATED AS A REGISTERED NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK (APRIL 2, 1966), AND THE ONLY BLACK COLLEGE TO BE DESIGNATED A NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE (OCTOBER 26, 1974), A DISTRICT ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE OF THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. OVER THE PAST 135+ YEARS SINCE IT WAS FOUNDED BY BOOKER T. WASHINGTON IN 1881, TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY HAS BECOME ONE OF OUR NATION'S MOST OUTSTANDING INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING. WHILE IT FOCUSES ON HELPING TO DEVELOP HUMAN RESOURCES PRIMARILY WITHIN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, IT IS OPEN TO ALL.
TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY IS RANKED #24 IN REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES SOUTH. SCHOOLS ARE RANKED ACCORDING TO THEIR PERFORMANCE ACROSS A SET OF WIDELY ACCEPTED INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE. 2017 RANKINGS
#24 (TIE) IN REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES SOUTH
#4 (TIE) IN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
#326 (TIE) IN BUSINESS PROGRAMS
#183 (TIE) IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMS (DOCTORATE)
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA IS RANKED #27 IN REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES SOUTH. SCHOOLS ARE RANKED ACCORDING TO THEIR PERFORMANCE ACROSS A SET OF WIDELY ACCEPTED INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE.
#27 IN REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES SOUTH
#6 IN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
THERE ARE 106 HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND 251 CATHOLIC COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES, YET ONLY ONE IS BOTH BLACK AND CATHOLIC. THAT DISTINCTION BELONGS TO XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA, WHICH STRIVES TO COMBINE THE BEST ATTRIBUTES OF BOTH ITS FAITH AND ITS CULTURE. XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA, FOUNDED BY SAINT KATHARINE DREXEL AND THE SISTERS OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, IS CATHOLIC AND HISTORICALLY BLACK. THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF THE UNIVERSITY IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROMOTION OF A MORE JUST AND HUMANE SOCIETY BY PREPARING ITS STUDENTS TO ASSUME ROLES OF LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY. THIS PREPARATION TAKES PLACE IN A DIVERSE LEARNING AND TEACHING ENVIRONMENT THAT INCORPORATES ALL RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL MEANS, INCLUDING RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
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5 myths about historically
black colleges & universities
When Education Secretary Betsy DeVos cast historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as “pioneers” in “school choice” this past week, her critics scoffed at the notion that black students could choose to matriculate wherever they wished during the days of segregation. In a series of tweets, DeVos attempted to adjust her statement, focusing instead on the schools’ birth from necessity. But the episode revealed just how many misconceptions persist about the nation’s more than 100 HBCUs. MYTH NO. 1 Black colleges were founded by black people. According to DeVos, HBCU founders “saw that the system wasn’t working, that there was an absence of opportunity, so they took it upon themselves to provide the solution.” Presumably, “they” means African Americans.
MYTH NO. 2 It’s racist to have black colleges.
In a 2012 story about public HBCUs in Maryland, World Net Daily’s Les Kinsolving asked, “Why is any Maryland college identifying itself as ‘historically black’ not an example of racism?” Last year, African American talk show host Wendy Williams eventually apologized after saying, “I would be really offended if there was a school that was known as a historically white college.” In 2008, Georgia state Sen. Seth Harp proposed merging two historically black colleges with two mostly white state schools, purportedly in the name of closing “the chapter of segregated schools.” (In 2015, one merger was approved.)
MYTH NO. 3 H BCUs are inferior.
No HBCU is on U.S. News & World Report’s list of top 100 national universities, and only one, Spelman, is ranked among its 100 best liberal arts colleges. HBCUs also have a relatively low graduation rate (30 percent) compared with all black college students nationwide (42 percent ), according to a 2015 New America report. MYTH NO. 4 Students are fleeing HBCUs. In a 2015 feature, Newsweek’s Alexander Nazaryan wrote that “colleges without students do as well as airlines without passengers, and as black students snub HBCUs, HBCUs face the first true existential crisis in their collective history.” That same year, Forbes ran an article enumerating enrollment declines at several HBCUs and concluding that African American students were “voting with their feet to go to schools they think fit their needs better.”
colleges without students do as well as airlines without passengers, and as black students snub HBCUs, HBCUs face the first true existential crisis in their collective history. -Alexander Nazaryan
Brought to you by: washingtonpost.com
MYTH NO. 5 Obama was anti-HBCU.
President Barack Obama’s first budget called for a $73 million cut in funding for HBCUs. (The next year, that money was restored .) In 2011, the administration tightened loan standards, resulting in a 36 percent reduction in federal PLUS loans available to HBCU parents and causing a number of students to unexpectedly interrupt their college educations. The new rules disproportionately affected schools that served a high share of disadvantaged students. A Post analysis found that the move translated to an annual cut of more than $150 million for HBCUs.
-Department of Education
The University provides a student-centered environment consistent with its core values. The faculty is committed to educating students at the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional levels, preparing graduates to apply their knowledge, critical thinking skills and creativity in their service to society. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University holds the following values essential to the achievement of the university’s mission: Scholarship, Excellence, Openness, Fiscal Responsibility, Accountability, Collaboration, Diversity, Service, Fairness, Courage, Integrity, Respect, Collegiality, Freedom, Ethics, & Shared Governance
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University was founded as the State Normal College for Colored Students, and on October 3, 1887, it began classes with fifteen students and two instructors. Today, FAMU, as it has become affectionately known, is the premiere school among historically black colleges and universities. Prominently located on the highest hill in Florida’s capital city of Tallahassee, Florida A&M University remains the only historically black university in the eleven member State University System of Florida.
2017 RANKINGS
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY IS RANKED RNP IN NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES. SCHOOLS ARE RANKED ACCORDING TO THEIR PERFORMANCE ACROSS A SET OF WIDELY ACCEPTED INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE.
RNP IN NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES
#173 (TIE) IN HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR RANKINGS
#7 IN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
#135 (TIE) IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMS (DOCTORATE)
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FISK UNIVERSITY IS RANKED #171 IN NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES.
SCHOOLS ARE RANKED ACCORDING TO THEIR
PERFORMANCE ACROSS A SET OF WIDELY ACCEPTED INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE.
#171 (TIE) IN NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES
WWW.FISK.EDU 1000 17TH AVENUE N, NASHVILLE, TN 37208 | (615) 329-8500
#106 (TIE) IN HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR RANKINGS
Founded in 1866, shortly after the end of the Civil War, Fisk University is a historically black university, and is the oldest institution of higher learning in Nashville, Tennessee. Fisk’s outstanding faculty and students continue to enhance the University’s national reputation for academic excellence, which is validated year after year by the leading third party reviewers, as well as, by the pool of talented applicants and the large percentage of alumni who complete graduate or professional degrees and become leaders and scholars in their fields. From its earliest days, Fisk has played a leadership role in the education of African-Americans. Fisk faculty and alumni have been among America's intellectual, artistic, and civic leaders in every generation since the University's beginnings. Fisk University produces graduates from diverse backgrounds with the integrity and intellect required for substantive contributions to society. Our curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts. Our faculty and administrators emphasize the discovery and advancement of knowledge through research in the natural and social sciences, business and the humanities. We are committed to the success of scholars and leaders with global perspectives.
#8 IN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
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Positive News for HBCUs
New Gallup-Purdue University report says black students are more likely to feel supported and be engaged in work after graduation if they attend historically black colleges and universities. Black graduates of historically black colleges and universities are significantly more likely to have felt supported while in college and to be thriving afterwards than are their black peers who graduated from predominantly white institutions, according to the newest data from an ongoing Gallup-Purdue University study. The survey -- which is the largest of its kind and has now collected data from 50,000 college alumni over two years -- attempts to measure whether colleges are doing enough to help students’ well-being in life after they graduate. It measures five “elements of well-being,” described as social, financial, purpose, community and physical elements. The survey also asks graduates if they remember having had a professor who cared about them, made them excited to learn or encouraged them to follow their dreams -- which Gallup refers to collectively as
being “emotionally supported” while in college. Brandon Busteed, executive director of Gallup Education and Workforce Development, said that while HBCUs continue to lag other colleges and universities in many other areas, the data in the newest Gallup-Purdue report should come as “positive news” for the struggling institutions. “There are still noticeable challenges around completion rates and loan default rates, and this data doesn’t change that,” Busteed said. “But this data does add a whole new dimension to the conversation about the value of HBCUs. Black students are having very meaningful experiences at HBCUs, compared to black graduates from everywhere else.”
About 55 percent of black HBCU graduates said they “strongly agreed” that their college or university “prepared them well for life outside of college,” compared to less than 30 percent of non-HBCU black graduates. More than half of HBCU graduates reported “thriving in purpose well-being,” compared to 43 percent of black graduates from non- HBCUs. While 29 percent of black graduates who did not attend an HBCU said they were “thriving in financial well- being,” 51 percent of black HBCU graduates reported doing so. Black graduates of HBCUs were more than twice as likely as those who graduated from predominantly white institutions to recall feeling supported by a professor. According to an earlier report based on the Gallup-Purdue study, if graduates recalled “supportive relationships with professors and mentors,” they were twice as likely to say their education was worth the price. Nearly 50 percent of all college graduates who accumulated $25,000 or more in student debt said they strongly
agreed that college was worth it if they had those kinds of relationships, the survey found. For recent graduates with high debt who could not recall having a supportive relationship with a professor or staff member, only 25 percent strongly agreed. About half of black HBCU graduates said their college or university was “the perfect school” for them, compared to 34 percent of non-HBCU black alumni. Nearly half said they couldn’t “imagine a world” without the HBCU they attended. Only 25 percent of black graduates of predominantly white institutions agreed. The report, which was prepared by nonprofit student loan guarantor USA Funds, included responses from alumni who graduated between 1940 and 2011. Gallup said the sample size was not large enough to examine differences between recent graduates and all respondents. “Although HBCUs are struggling in a number of areas, their overall success in providing black graduates with a better college experience than they would get at non-HBCUs needs to be examined more closely, and potentially modeled, at other institutions,” the
researchers wrote. “The profoundly different experiences that black graduates of HBCUs and black graduates of non-HBCUs are having in college leave the HBCU graduates feeling better prepared for life after graduation, potentially leading them to live vastly different lives outside of college.” When the researchers turned their attention to other minority groups and types of institutions, the gaps were not nearly as striking. When asked if their professors cared about them as a person, 28 percent of Hispanic students who attended a Hispanic-serving institution -- as defined by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities -- said they agreed with the statement. That’s the same percentage of Hispanic students who attended any other kind of institution who reported having a professor who cared. The percentages related to other categories of well-being were similarly comparable. Busteed said the researchers can’t say for sure why Hispanic students don’t thrive emotionally at Hispanic- serving institutions in the way black students do at HBCUs, but one “strong hypothesis” lies in the different ways the institutions are categorized. While HBCUs are typically defined by having an institutional mission completely devoted to serving black students, Hispanic-serving institutions are defined as colleges or universities in which Hispanic students make up 25 percent of the total enrollment. “HBCUs are designated as such because there’s a distinction around their intuitional mission and purpose,” Busteed said. “But with Hispanic- serving institutions, they’re defined by enrollment numbers, not mission.”
Nearly 50% of all college graduates who accumulated $25,000 or more in student debt said they strongly agreed that college was worth it if they had those kinds of relationships
Brought to you by: insidehighered.com
THE WORLD NEEDS VISIONARIES. THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO IMAGINE WHAT’S POSSIBLE AND CHART A COURSE TO GET THERE. NEARLY 150 YEARS AGO, CLAFLIN BROKE DOWN BARRIERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION, MAKING IT THE FIRST SOUTH CAROLINA UNIVERSITY OPEN TO ALL REGARDLESS OF RACE. TODAY, CLAFLIN CONTINUES TO WELCOME EXEMPLARY STUDENTS OF ALL RACES AND GENDERS WHO DEMONSTRATE A PASSION TO CHANGE NOT ONLY THEIR OWN CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT TO CHANGE THE WORLD AS WELL. WE BELIEVE THAT MOST LEADERS ARE MADE, NOT BORN. FURTHERMORE, WE BELIEVE THAT STUDENTS WITH PASSION, INTEGRITY AND A WILLINGNESS TO WORK HARD HAVE AN INNATE CAPACITY TO BECOME VISIONARY LEADERS. AS A CLAFLIN STUDENT, YOU BE CHALLENGED TO REALIZE YOUR FULL POTENTIAL, LEAVING HERE WITH AN UNPARALLELED EDUCATION THAT WILL SERVE YOU WELL IN GRADUATE SCHOOL, IN A CAREER – AND IN LIFE.
CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY IS RANKED RNP IN NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES. SCHOOLS ARE RANKED ACCORDING TO THEIR PERFORMANCE ACROSS A SET OF WIDELY ACCEPTED INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE.
RNP IN NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES
#192 (TIE) IN HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR RANKINGS
#9 IN HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
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HBCU leaders focus on LGBT inclusion during summit with advocacy group
The summit on LGBT inclusion hadn’t even wrapped for the day. Still, Walter Kimbrough was already mulling over an idea to bring back to his campus. “Somebody talked about the president of Morgan State has sort of like, an advisory board,” said Kimbrough, president of Dillard University, a private institution in New Orleans. “So I was like, yeah, I could do that. And do it immediately.”
“I really want them to view us as real, genuine partners in this work,” said Leslie Hall, manager of the advocacy group’s HBCU Project. “And that we are here to support them, as they go back to their campuses.”
More than a dozen HBCUs were represented at the gathering, including Morehouse College in Atlanta, Fayetteville State University in North Carolina and Howard University in Washington, D.C., according to the Human Rights Campaign. Hall said it was important to “shoot for the top” with the event, bringing the issue directly to higher-ups within university administrations — people who could quickly spark changes. “My program put our money where our mouth is, we funded their trip here, we funded their stay, because we are very serious about making sure that these leaders know that this is an important investment that they need to make or need to expand on their campuses,” Hall said.
Coming together The summit meant that leaders of HBCUs could come together and get an idea of “where we are as an institution” when it comes to LGBT issues on their campuses, said Makola Abdullah, president of Virginia State University, when asked about the biggest takeaways from the day. Officials could also compare challenges they’ve encountered and possible solutions, which meant they could work through issues together. “Then, the third takeaway is that there is an important place for young, black, LGBTQ students, and the challenges that they go through, and how do we as HBCUs begin to position ourselves to be on the cutting edge of that work, I think is also important,” said Abdullah. Only about 30% of HBCUs in the USA have approved campus LGBTQ organizations
PICTURED: Walter M. Kimbrough with the student panel at HRC
Only about 30 percent of HBCUs in the United States have approved campus LGBTQ organizations, said Hall. Some other campuses have “underground” organizations that operate outside the formal structure of the institution. And previous incidents have highlighted the struggle for LGBT inclusion on HBCU campuses. In 2013, for example, a student at Morgan State University in Baltimore who believed he was rejected from a fraternity because of his sexual orientation filed a complaint. The school investigated and later announced the chapter had “violated certain university regulations, procedures and policies.”
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Kiari E
By Ndeh Anyu
G rowing up in the Midwest, I never knew about historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). One day, during my junior year in high school, my assistant principal pulled me aside and told me something I didn’t quite understand at the time: “Will, you can have a college experience, or you can have an HBCU experience.” Neither of us knew it, but his words would forever change my life. I was shocked and amazed when I set foot on the campus of North Carolina Central University (NCCU) for the first time. Up to this point in my life, I had never seen so many educated Black people. Students walked with a sense of purpose and integrity, and they spoke with an elegance that was foreign to me. In them, I saw future doctors, lawyers, educators, business people, philanthropists and change agents.
The energy emanating from campus literally gave me chills as I envisioned myself becoming part of this community. The landscape of success at NCCU was the direct opposite of what I observed growing up in Minneapolis. As I became involved in the NCCU community, I also began to realize my purpose. Whereas my goal in Minneapolis was to merelysurvive, my purpose at NCCU was to thrive. Here I had the opportunity to sit and learn from Black professors; I could walk the yard and witness Black people hosting discussions about Black liberation, politics, educational reform, stock trading and everything else under the sun. I was amazed to learn that great scholars and activists such as John Hope Franklin, LeRoy T. Walker and Zora Neal Hurston had once taught engaging and inquisitive minds at NCCU. Change agents such as Julius L. Chambers, Maynard Jackson, G.K. Butterfeild, Herman Boone and 9th Wonder once walked the same campus I now called home.
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It was fascinating to learn the history of how a local pharmacist, who had a dream and a vision, created what would become one of the top HBCUs, according to US News and World Report. Moving halfway across the country from Minneapolis to Durham, North Carolina, was a culture shock. At first, I was filled with fear about the thought of leaving my family and friends. But when I arrived at NCCU, I quickly found friends that I consider family today. I became a part of communities I never thought possible. I went from being a kid who never thought much of himself to a man who saw the world as his oyster. During my sophomore year, I became a member of an organization called the Centennial Scholars Program (CSP), which is a brotherhood of men
who come from all walks of life but who all have the same end-goal in mind: being successful. Through this organization, I found brothers who shared my ambitions — men who decided their lives would not be dictated by their pasts, but instead by what they envisioned becoming. Our mentors were the most significant part of the organization. They went above and beyond their professional obligations. When we as a cohort struggled educationally, mentally or emotionally, they were there. When we succeeded inside and out of the classroom, they were present. When we needed a shoulder to cry on because of problems outside our control, they listened. Through CSP, I found a sense of belonging and decided higher education was what I was called to do.
Editoral
Will, you can have a college experience, or you can have an HBCU experience.
Toward the end of my junior year, I started planning for life after NCCU. Up to this point, my trajectory had been leading me toward a path in law. As a child, I had envisioned myself becoming an attorney who fought for others. I imagined working day and night to ensure my clients would receive the best possible legal counsel I could provide. But midway through my senior year something changed. At this point, our current chancellor was leaving, and I was selected to sit on the committee to pick the next leader of NCCU. Throughout this process, I began learning about the various facets of a university. It was captivating to discover how drastically different academic affairs was from student affairs, even as they depended upon one another. Similarly, I was amazed to learn that the way an institution is funded dictates how different departments are financed.
Being able to see the intricacies of such institutional mechanisms while on this search committee further encouraged me toward charting a path in the direction of higher education. After completing two degrees at NCCU, I am now fortunate enough to not only work at the University of Pennsylvania through the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions, but I will also begin a new journey toward attaining my doctorate in higher education here at Penn this upcoming fall. In many ways, I consider NCCU my Mecca. It was at this extraordinary place I learned to tap into my potential. I learned not only about myself, but also about people from all walks of life; I engaged with individuals who practiced different religions, but we knew we were all one and the same. I was mentored by great visionaries who remain paramount to me till this day. But most of all I found my purpose — and for that I will forever be grateful.
What is the Future for America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities?
A tour through the campus of Morris Brown College on Atlanta’s west side is a journey through history and, now, despair. The president’s home is boarded up. Up and down Martin Luther King Boulevard, the area’s main thoroughfare, old student dormitories resemble blown out abandoned factories. The school’s dilapidated football stadium nearby is rotting, quite literally, from the inside — years removed from its last home game. Beneath the cracks, though, there is a proud history. It is one of the few historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with black founders. The renowned black scholar and activist, W.E.B. Du Bois held an office at the campus’ historic Fountain Hall and the school counts many well known black athletes, writers and artists as alumni. “We’ve been in a battle,” school President Stanley Pritchett told NBC News as he walked along the school’s still mostly well-kept main quad. That battle began more than a decade ago when the 136-year-old school lost accreditation after a financial scandal that nearly led to its closure. With no accreditation status, all students enrolled at the school were no longer eligible to receive financial aid — a devastating prospect for the more than 90 percent of students who relied on aid and which accounted for 70 percent of the college’s income. The losses were staggering. Beneath the cracks, though, there is a proud history.
In 2003, the school had an enrollment of 2,700. Today, it has 40 students. Morris Brown College is an extreme example of the dire financial challenges facing many of the nation’s more than 100 HBCUs. The schools, the majority of which were founded in the Reconstruction Era as black Americans searched for a formal education that had eluded them for centuries, played a huge role in creating the black middle class and have remained central to African-American life in the United States. Today, though, many are grappling with severe levels of debt, declining enrollment and, even, relevance as they compete in a hyper-competitive environment for the best and brightest black students. “We have a few bright spots in the community, but by and large the overall sector is struggling,” said Johnny Taylor, President and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall Fund, the only national organization that supports all HBCUs. “The underfunding problem cannot be overstated.” Despite the structural challenges, HBCUs continue to outperform their peers in some respects. While HBCUs represent only three percent of all U.S. colleges, they produce 17 percent of African-Americans with bachelor’s degrees and 24 percent of all black scientists and engineers. And, by and large, at a time of stratospheric tuition rates, HBCUs have continued to serve academically and financially disadvantaged students — known as “at risk” students in financial aid parlance.
US President Donald Trump talks with leaders of historically black universities and colleges before posing for a group photo in the Oval Office of the White House before a meeting with US Vice
President Mike Pence February 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. Photography: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP - Getty Images
President Trump Vows to Help In his “listening session” earlier this month in commemoration of Black History Month, President Trump reportedly discussed the idea of helping out the nation’s struggling HBCUs with the weight of an executive order. Buzzfeed reported that Paris Dennard, a pro-Trump political commentator who works on strategic communications for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, told the president that he could enshrine his legacy with black America if he acted on helping out the struggling schools — especially given President Obama’s mixed HBCU legacy. Trump was reportedly shocked that many of the schools faced, in some cases, existential challenges. Under the guidance of Omarosa Manigault, the Trump campaign’s director of African-American outreach and a close aide, the White House has worked for weeks on drafting an executive order. On Monday, President Trump exchanged greetings with 64 HBCU presidents in the oval office before the group met with Vice President Pence. Pence praised HBCU contributions to American history and culture and said that Trump remains committed to supporting them. Trump was reportedly shocked that many of the schools faced, in some cases, existential challenges. Under the guidance of Omarosa Manigault, the Trump campaign’s director of African-American outreach and a close aide, the White House has worked for weeks on drafting an executive order. On Monday, President Trump exchanged greetings with 64 HBCU presidents in the oval office before the group met with Vice President Pence. Pence praised HBCU contributions to American history and culture and said that Trump remains committed to supporting them. Included among the attendees was Morehouse College President John Silvanus Wilson Jr., whose contract was not renewed last month by the board of trustees at the all-male college. During his tenure, Wilson has slashed the college’s budget by $2.5 million and cut or downgraded 75 jobs. “Our enrollment in ‘05 was 3,000 students. When I got here it was 2,000,” Wilson told NBC News just outside his office. “And yet, in my four years, we’ve raised $70 million. We’ve begun to stabilize.” The campus of Morehouse sits less than two miles south of Morris Brown College but it may as well be a different city. The building’s red- brick neoclassical buildings are well-kept and its lawns well-manicured. While Morris Brown is bereft of students, Morehouse is abuzz with activity. The problems plaguing Morris Brown, though, have struck Morehouse — one of the most prestigious HBCUs in the nation who has produced grads Martin Luther King Jr, director Spike Lee and actor Samuel L. Jackson among its long, storied past. A presidential executive order, Wilson says, should focus on preparing HBCUs for the new economy with investments in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs. Wilson believes many HBCUs will close in the coming decades in a natural response to market forces, as all-women’s colleges have dwindled in number in the last 40 years. “Our job is to make sure that Morehouse is around when that happens,” said Wilson.
In 2003, the school had an enrollment of 2,700 Today, it has 40 students
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DIVIN
The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities.
NE 9 AD
The council promotes interaction through forums, meetings and other mediums for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1965 with the intention of primary serving the African-American community. • There are 107 HBCU's in the United States, including public and private institutions, community and 4-year institutions, medical and law schools. • Most were created in the aftermath of the American Civil War and are in the former slave states.
OF THE 107 HBCU INSTITUTIONS TODAY 27 offer doctoral programs 52 provide graduate programs at the Master's level 83 offer a bachelors degree program 38 OFFER ASSOCIATE DEgREES
Roughly 10% of the HBCU' offered online degrees in 2013.
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