“Racial, social and economic inequities aren’t new, they go back to how our country was founded. After the decimation of Native Americans, and after slavery, separate and unequal was the way of living.”
That was Dr. Monica Parrish Trent speaking at the virtual DREAM 2022 convention, hosted by Achieving the Dream (ATD), a network of 300 community colleges including HBCUs and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).
Trent, ATD’s vice president for network engagement, was joined in conversation with community college and HBCU stakeholders about the challenges they face from historic underfunding, and the ways in which, despite their small size and endowments, they have continued to provide social and economic uplift out of poverty, not just for their students but for the communities around them.
“We see that students at community colleges, HBCUs, TCUs, have complex lives, they work one or more jobs, care for themselves and children, or other members of their family. They have limited time and resources for education,” said Trent. “It’s critical to shift focus from outcomes to inputs, to make sure students are equitably supported in meeting their goals.”
During a panel discussion, three college presidents from institutions in North Carolina, shared exactly how they had to be creative amid budgetary constraints.
Dr. Lawrence Rouse, president of Pitt Community College.
All three represented institutions are located near or within areas of high poverty, where many residents are people of color. Suzanne Walsh, president of Bennett College, a women’s only HBCU in Greensboro, said 75% of her students receive Pell Grants. Bennett used Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funding to redistribute their budget, enabling them to build a strong mental health support program for students, sorely needed during the pandemic.
