Hbcus: A Case Study

The lack of engagement of Black alumni at PWIs may be caused by the campus environment that Black alumni experienced while attending as students. Prior research has shown that alumni who have had positive undergraduate experiences and strong feelings about their alma mater are more likely to donate and/ or participate in alumni events. Gaier (2005) notes that students have a higher rate of satisfaction when cultivating positive relationships with faculty and are more inclined to give back to their institution in the form of time and donations as alumni. Clotfelter (2003) conducted a study that shows that alumni satisfaction is linked to the particular types of experiences that alumni had while on campus as students.

I bring greetings on behalf of The Washington, DC Metro HBCU Alumni Alliance, Inc. (DCHBCUAA). We are a non-profit community-based organization that consists of Historically Black Colleges & Universities’ Alumni Chapters in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. We collaborate mainly to strengthen the community through our insightful programs and we exist to provide support to underserved students interested in attending HBCUs.

This debate has led many scholars to question: Are HBCUs still relevant, and are they the best institutions to train our next generation of leaders?

As a Bruin Ambassador, I go to local high schools, college fairs, and on-campus events to represent UCLA, motivating high school students to apply to college and pursue a higher education. It is such a rewarding experience to work with students and to help them make UCLA their reality, especially alongside fellow Bruin Ambassadors. We work as a team with the same goal of inspiring students--particularly first generation--to pursue a higher education. Bruin Ambassadors support each other in navigating tough questions, comments, and inquiries we get from students, parents, and counselors about race, class, and wealth in regards to education when we attend college fairs and events together. It is rewarding to craft sophisticated answers that are

African American students enrolling in HBCUs experience better outcomes such as general satisfaction with their experience, higher grade, psychological adjustments, etc than those African American students enrolling in PWIs while Whites attending PWIs experience better outcomes such as higher grade, psychological adjustments than those white students attending in HBCUs. African American students found more comfortable and friendly environment at HBCUs while White students found more comfortable and friendly environment at PWIs. Students attending in HBCUs seems to be more satisfied with college experience because of their involvement on Colleges/Universities compared to those students attending in PWIs. African American students attending HBCUs wanted just to complete their degree as compared to students attending PWIs. White students wanted to read more as compared to African American students. In the context of educating African Americans in Specific field, HBCUs became more successful in providing access and retaining students through graduation compared to PWIs. Students attending HBCU has outcomes like tutoring other students, higher GPAs, gradating with honors, and

However, the struggle for success is particularly small for many Black students. There are many aspects that come along with attending an HBCU. Many are falsely portrayed throughout media, but students either current or graduated from an HBCU can attest through their different experiences. African American students have gained knowledge, awareness, self-identity and much more. Many graduates that attended HBCU’s continue to support HBCU’s because of the experiences that the university has taught them in everyday life and also in their career. HBCU’s tend to produce African American students that enter the adult world with an understanding of who they are. Being confident about their place in society and eager to influence their peers and the world

"Race-related reasons are important variables in college choice that have gone largely unexplored. Black undergraduate students attending an HBCU completed a questionnaire assessing their reasons for choosing to attend the university. Students also indicated by choosing an HBCU for reasons other than race,

In this particular study conducted on state funding per student in North Carolina, the funding of UNC-Chapel Hill (PWI), North Carolina A&T (HBCU), and North Carolina Central University (HBCU) were reviewed. The findings showed that UNC budgeted $27,826, A&T $10,400 and NCCU $13,378 per student. The larger size of PWIs means that more money is available for student programs and activities. PWIs provide opportunities in a more mainstream environment and thus more realistically mirror the real world. After four years of study at a PWI, students have the confidence and are prepared to enter the real world as contributing members. This may be a very broad and generalized claim, but there is documented evidence to back it up. Using black female students as an example, journal article (what journal article???) stated the benefits for this group. It read, “These articulate, interpersonally adept women gained more from the academic experience on White campuses (Allen, W.R.).”

To begin, colleges now focus on profits rather than improving educational quality around the campus just as businesses focus on profits. Most colleges invest large sums of money into merchandise and memorabilia to make profits on them as well as make potential students remember them. Merchandise and small nic-nacs are great ways to grab a students attention and make a lasting impression. It is said that “Schools need a strong and memorable identity that will make a lasting impression, in much the same way as major corporations do” (Gerri). This effort into making an impression is all just to make sure that the percent chance of the student to choose their college raises so that they make more money. This same strategy is seen utilized by many large corporations as well at

Money in the form of tuition, government funding, and personal donations allow institutions to fund programs and ultimately make the college experience enjoyable to current as well as prospective students. Historically black colleges lack both the government funding, personal donations which makes it much harder for them to appeal to students. Due to lack of funding, many HBCUs are dated facilities, lack scholarship opportunities and offer fewer programs for students looking to apply. Many HBCUs have loss accreditation in a number of programs with contributes to the decline of enrollment and furthermore a loss of potential revenue. However, regardless of the harsh reality many of these colleges are facing, their impact on society and most importantly in the black community is one that can not be refuted. Some of the country’s most influential people are products of an HBCU education. The question should not whether or not HBCUs should cease to exist but instead how can the be fixed and brought back to

Colleges and universities receive tremendous amounts of money each year. Most donors give to one specific organization or department each time, to insure they are well taken care of. “ Too many benefactors donate to institutions that are already well provided for.” The colleges that get the most money are the wealthiest schools. There are many “Well deserving” colleges that do not get nearly as much. Colleges like, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, are tuition free schools. Western Oregon University also offers very low tuition. The donors money could be put to good use at these schools that are more focused on educating the minds of students rather than gaining a

Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, have played an important role in enriching the lives of not just African Americans, but our entire country.”(Keller) What Ric Keller states here is an opinion that outlines a compelling fact about HBCUs that along with several other significant information that may come as a surprise. Essentially, the great debate between the choice of whether a Historically Black College and University or Predominantly White Institution is more beneficial or not can become a pondering interrogation. Each acronym defines itself, Historically Black Colleges and Universities(HBCUs) were established by the means of providing an education for predominantly African American students. Whereas, Predominantly White Intuitions(PWI) serve to instruct and educated the opposite or in other words those of Caucasian descent.

The entire HBCU experience is entirely different than that of other public or private colleges that are predominantly white. While HBCUs represent only 3% of the nation’s institutions of higher learning they enroll 16% of African Americans at the under-graduate level and award nearly one-fifth of

These universities likewise have a great graduation rate in numerous remarkable fields securing the future achievement of these graduates. These foundations establish qualities and ethics into each one of their people, show them how to be effective, upstanding subjects, and transform them into remarkable good examples. Historical black universities and colleges help their people exceed expectations in their picked professions. These organizations were initially settled to allow African Americans to get further instruction and now it allows them to end up successful in the public eye too grasp their way of life and history. Keeping blacks on the road to improving their inner selves, HBCUS are Still critical. Black universities and colleges will dependably be important because they support the training, self-regard, and achievement of African Americans everywhere throughout the

“There is still some debate about whether racially identified higher education is necessary or desirable. But [over] 100 schools exist, and the basic question is, can they compete?” According to the article, “Can HBCUs Compete?” College students today do not educate themselves on the history and legacy that Historically Black Colleges and Universities hold. Normally, they attend an HBCU because of the Black culture that it will teach them, the many other college students who will come from similar backgrounds, and even the parties. When they actually get to an HBCU and experience it first-hand they learn that it is not a right fit for them; it might be because the lack of