Stereotyping HBCU's

[KAPital PHINUst]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Yes.

*eyes Chaos' full bird colonel insignia on her collar she got from an army surplus store for $4.99 along with with her fruit salad decorated Delta tunic that would put Idi Amin to shame*

Ohhhhhh....gotcha


(ok, I'm done for real now...carry on everyone)

[pinkies up]

I went to both HBCU's and "PWI" as an undergrad and the major difference was the amount of people in HBCU's who had been there FOREVER and were holding about 15 positions. These people were also holding the university back and thus causing students to transfer to more aggressive universities. There is a difference in HBCU's as well. There are two major rivals here in Mississippi and one is on the cutting edge of being a major force to recon with. The other one is located in a sparse area where the resources aren't available to move the college ahead. Many people have argued that the alums have to do their part;however, I feel that HBCU's have been neglected prior to the Ayers Case, and have to fight extra hard to be where Ole Miss and MSU were 20 years ago. HBCU's turn out many graduates who have received QUALITY education. Just because one goes to an HBCU doesn't mean they couldn't get into Harvard or another "PWI". Believe me, they had several choices.

[KAPital PHINUst]

Originally Posted by pinkies up

I went to both HBCU's and "PWI" as an undergrad and the major difference was the amount of people in HBCU's who had been there FOREVER and were holding about 15 positions. These people were also holding the university back and thus causing students to transfer to more aggressive universities. There is a difference in HBCU's as well. There are two major rivals here in Mississippi and one is on the cutting edge of being a major force to recon with. The other one is located in a sparse area where the resources aren't available to move the college ahead. Many people have argued that the alums have to do their part;however, I feel that HBCU's have been neglected prior to the Ayers Case, and have to fight extra hard to be where Ole Miss and MSU were 20 years ago. HBCU's turn out many graduates who have received QUALITY education. Just because one goes to an HBCU doesn't mean they couldn't get into Harvard or another "PWI". Believe me, they had several choices.

I believe the key element in all this is to find a QUALITY HBCU. All HBCUs are not created equal and we are doing ourselves a disservice to give someone credence just because they attended an HBCU regardless of the educational quality. I attended what was at that time a piss poor HBCU, but it didn't sour my perception of HBCUs as a whole. I do believe there is a certain unique educational experience you can get at an HBCU, but you must attend a good one to make it fully count.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by KAPital PHINUst

Ohhhhhh....gotcha

Good.

[KAPital PHINUst]

I just got back from the 100 Black Women 2007 Presidents Luncheon (my office bought a table) where the guest speaker was Dillard University president Marvalene Hughes. She gave a great speech on how her tenure as president began one month before Hurricane Katrina and how she managed to perservere and bring back a damaged campus (and dampened school spirit) better than before.

The slide show presentation she presented was very very good. All in all, good speech, good meal, awesome time.

[AKA_Monet]

Coming from an HBCU-attendee family, where my grandfather graduated from Knoxville and became the president of Bethune-Cookman, my parents graduated Fisk, my father graduated Meharry, several cousins graduated FAMU, my in laws graduated from Morehouse and Morris Brown; and I graduated from Spelman, that maybe I actually do know a thing or 2 about collegiate and university funding and education.

It takes a lot to educate people. There are several societal reasons for that, such as slaves not being allowed to read, why? The key to Spelman's education was to teach former children of slaves how to read the Bible and write their families in the North. It is my understanding that Spelman had a "paper bag" test as to who had lighter-skinned features than other darker-skinned individuals. In fact there are reasons why Spelman is named Spelman rather than Rockafeller, since he funded the school.

So, when we think what it takes to fund HBCU's outside of the UNCF, then it has been extremely tough. Yet, we still educated some the most prolific people in history:

Dr. Martin Luther King and the entire King Family
Thurgood Marshall
Mae Jemison - spent some time at an HBCU, 1st Black Female Astronaut
7 affliates of the D9 whose founders attended these schools

So when one belittles and stereotypes an HBCU and does not attempt improvement backed up with money has very little respect in my eyes.

And yes, my husband and I donate large sums to our respective HBCU's...

[ladygreek]

^^^^The best decision my daughter and I made was to send her to an HBCU. When she came home for Christmas break her first year, the change in her was dramatic. She was more self-confident and full of energy for her future after just a few months.

Don't get me wrong--she was a HNIC her PW high school here in MN., but going to Howard and finding out that everyone there were HNICs humbled her and boosted her at the same time.

There is something to be said about walking the halls of a school and seeing historical pictures of accomplished Blacks on the wall, and to walk into a classroom and your prof looks like you. Not to mention the scores of Black students all striving to achieve greatness.

After growing up in Minnesota it was exactly what she needed. It also changed the mind of my mother who would not let me go to a HBCU, because she thought they were inferior.

*sidenote* My step grandmother told me the story of not being accepted to Howard, because she did not pass the brown paper bag test.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

When she came home for Christmas break her first year, the change in her was dramatic.

When my mom came down to surprise me at Thanksgiving, she told me how much I'd changed, too. I was, not ghetto....GHET. TO. Two words.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

^^^^The best decision my daughter and I made was to send her to an HBCU. When she came home for Christmas break her first year, the change in her was dramatic. She was more self-confident and full of energy for her future after just a few months.

There is something to be said about walking the halls of a school and seeing historical pictures of accomplished Blacks on the wall, and to walk into a classroom and your prof looks like you. Not to mention the scores of Black students all striving to achieve greatness.

Well, if you have EVA gotten caught by one of your professors after skipping his or her class...

Really, it doesn't suprise me. I am glad you and your daughter were happy with the outcome. It is good to hear such things.

After growing up in Minnesota it was exactly what she needed. It also changed the mind of my mother who would not let me go to a HBCU, because she thought they were inferior.

*sidenote* My step grandmother told me the story of not being accepted to Howard, because she did not pass the brown paper bag test.

How come your mother thought these schools were inferior? Just asking. I really like to know what goes through people's mind when they say such things...

In fact my aunt and uncle were like that, but when my mom came to live with them, she stayed 2 years at a Junior College, then they sent her down to Fisk, where she inevitably pledged the Pi chapter, and met and married my dad...

And I did hear of Paper bag tests at Fisk, Spelman and Howard... It all changed in the late 60's, early 70's.

[WenD08]

it's so sad that so many Blacks felt/feel that way about HBCUs. my mother wanted so badly to go to Howard but her father was completely against it. as a result, she supported my brother (a FAMU alum) and i as we applied only to HBCUs. in a way, she got to live through us and went every year to parents' weekend.
if people would only do their research and see that our schools prepare us for life just as PWIs. we need to stop downing what is ours, it's really hurting us

[Still BLUTANG]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Don't get me wrong--she was a HNIC her PW high school here in MN., but going to Howard and finding out that everyone there were HNICs humbled her and boosted her at the same time.

thank you for stating this! That is one of the experiences I try to convey to people who are stuck in the mindset that HBCUs are for students who couldn't get in anywhere else.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

but going to Howard and finding out that everyone there were HNICs humbled her and boosted her at the same time.

There is something to be said about walking the halls of a school and seeing historical pictures of accomplished Blacks on the wall, and to walk into a classroom and your prof looks like you. Not to mention the scores of Black students all striving to achieve greatness.

That was one of the things I loved about attending Tuskegee!!! When I had to transfer I was x100! But I LOVED being there and knowing that BTW and other influential AfAm's put that school together. I may have lived in the oldest dorm on campus, but I loved every minute of being there.

[nonchalant]

Originally Posted by 1908Revelations

That was one of the things I loved about attending Tuskegee!!! When I had to transfer I was x100! But I LOVED being there and knowing that BTW and other influential AfAm's put that school together. I may have lived in the oldest dorm on campus, but I loved every minute of being there.

I love Tuskegee. I feel like an honorary student because I was there so much. "Don't need no competition. All we need is pride, so get on that Skegee train and ride ride ride ride. Get on that Skegee train. Hey Hey Hey!!!"

"The T, the U, S-K-E, the G double E. Tuskegee. Wooo, wooo, woo"

I also love those Gamma Kappa AKAs strutting their stuff by their tree.

[DSTCHAOS]

My parents, brother, and aunts and uncles went to HBCUs.

That doesn't make me feel passionate about HBCUs or lead me to overlook the changes in the caliber of administration and students that even alum from some HBCUs criticize.

If I have a child who wants to attend one, I'd have to see what the particular school is about just as I would for PWIs. It will definitely have to offer more than just being an HBCU, which is enough for some people. I feel that HBCUs have a lot to offer but some of them need to tighten up the academic experience as much as they tighten up their cultural/social experience. If that doesn't apply to any of your HBCUs, don't attach the comment to your ass.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

My parents, brother, and aunts and uncles went to HBCUs.

That doesn't make me feel passionate about HBCUs or lead me to overlook the changes in the caliber of administration and students that even alum from some HBCUs criticize.

If I have a child who wants to attend one, I'd have to see what the particular school is about just as I would for PWIs. It will definitely have to offer more than just being an HBCU, which is enough for some people. I feel that HBCUs have a lot to offer but some of them need to tighten up the academic experience as much as they tighten up their cultural/social experience. If that doesn't apply to any of your HBCUs, don't attach the comment to your ass.

I agree totally, which is why we did serious research before we settled on Howard and a few others. After visiting HU, my daught decided only to apply there (which caused me a few stressful moments, I mean only applying to one school.) LOL