Despite grasping for a place at the table when it comes to American education, HBCUs are still an important component of U.S. college education and are vital pieces in future generations of college-educated Americans. I believe with some focused effort in these three key areas, HBCUs can not only survive, but thrive, and continue to be the voice of underprivileged and advantaged college students alike in the quest to obtain a college-level education.
Mandatory mentoring programs. Instead of trying to keep up with the Harvards, and the Princetons, and the University of Phoenixes, HBCUs should remain true to what has always set them apart: their focus on embracing students from underprivileged backgrounds and providing them with a quality college education. Specifically, HBCUs should have strong mentoring programs in place that are not optional ― for either the mentors or those being mentored. The mentor programs should include faculty members, older students, alumni and community members. These mentors should serve as an inspiration to their students, particularly when times get tough, and also be shining examples of what can be accomplished with determination. Mentors should not only make sense in the particular field the students wishes to pursue, but should also be able to relate to the life circumstances of the students and serve less as authority figures, and more as trusted friends.
Tennessee State University has a mentoring program in place that pairs STEM degree freshmen with upperclassmen mentors, and pays the older mentors a tuition stipend for their role in the younger students’ successes. I realize that not every mentor can be paid, but funding to grow and strengthen these mentoring programs is needed on the campus of every HBCU in order to graduate students of the highest quality, who in turn want to give back to their university. It is not enough to hire faculty members who seem to have a genuine interest in leading their students to success. It is too much to ask for these professors and instructors to mentor each and every student, along with their typical workload. HBCUs need to build mentoring programs that call on guidance from entire communities to build up the students on hand.
Stronger diversity programs. I’ve heard the argument that by aggressively expanding the diversity of HBCU student bodies, these institutions are “selling out” in some way, but I’d argue that the opposite action is flat-out reckless. Diversity is not just about raising enrollment numbers, and the dollars funneling through HBCUs. It’s also about providing a real-world experience for the students who will certainly deal with more than their own race once they leave the campus.
Consider Bluefield State in West Virginia ― set in the heart of a once-vibrant coal mining town in Appalachia. Its latest figures from 2011 showed 82 percent of the students there were White. Gadsden State Community College in Alabama has 69 percent White students, and Lincoln University in Missouri has 58 percent. While it appears that White students are feeling increasingly more comfortable attending HBCUs, the number of Hispanic students is still dismal ― at just about 3 percent among all HBCUs.
If one of the main purposes of HBCUs is to provide an educational platform for those who have been disenfranchised, or are at a disadvantage when it comes to obtaining a college education, then they need to work harder to recruit and graduate Hispanic students ― and those of Asian and other descent, too. Students from all backgrounds should be accepted and embraced at HBCUs, and not just in the official school documentation.
