Celebrity alumni and improved graduation rates have contributed to the rise of HBCUs. However, despite this increased growth in interest, there are still many stereotypes.
Most misconceptions about HBCUs stem from historic underfunding. Lower salaries, reduced access to resources, and fewer scholarship offerings for students lead some people to assume that the schools provide a poor quality of education. But Riverside faculty members’ experiences suggest otherwise.
HBCUs were founded in the early 1800s to primarily cater to African American students. They are also known for their homecoming events and celebrations of Black culture.
Despite the underfunding, the decision to keep the HBCU campuses small serves a purpose. This deliberate choice ensures that minorities receive proper specialized education and allows teachers and students to form strong connections, thereby granting students more opportunities for success.
“HBCUs give minorities opportunities to receive an education that is rigorous, challenging, and supportive, opportunities they wouldn’t get in other national universities,” said Tavia Webley, a chemistry and forensic science teacher at Riverside and NCCU alumna.
Webley attended NCCU through a full-ride teaching fellowship and believes the one-on-one relationships she built with her professors and administrators helped her out in the long run.
James Carter, Riverside’s tech support assistant and a Hampton University alumnus, also enjoyed his time at an HBCU.
“You definitely got the one-on-one relationship with teachers more so than you would have at a bigger school with like 200 kids or so in the class,” Carter said.
He enjoyed his educational experience and said it helped him become the person he is today.
“You get to learn the histories of the HBCUs,” he said. “You build a lot of relationships with people that are there, get to meet people from all over the place and a lot of you seem to have similar goals and backgrounds so it makes it easier to enjoy the college experience.”
Another NCCU graduate, Jason Smoots, shares a similar opinion.
“It’s different when you are around and embraced by your own,” he said. “It’s just a special feeling to be amongst peers just like you, who know the same struggles that you go through on a daily basis.”
Smoots went to NCCU on a track scholarship, and while he acknowledges the valuable opportunities they provide, he believes that some HBCUs remain small not by choice, but due to the constraints of underfunding.
“We didn’t have the money that predominantly white institutions (PWIs) have,” Smoots said.“The playing field is not fair when it comes to facilities, and I think the world is recognizing that we don’t have the same opportunities. Everything from dorms to classrooms to the cafeteria [was lacking].”
According to Smoots, success comes much easier to athletes at PWIs.
“I know from sports it’s more exposure,” he said. “It’s easier to get to the professional level. It’s harder from an HBCU. All the scouts, all the teams, are looking at the bigger schools. They feel like the competition is better for PWIs.”
Carter attended Hampton on a track scholarship and had a different experience competing at an HBCU than Smoots. He said the time management skills he learned helped him balance his athletic and educational life.
“Everything picks up once you’re in college, training twice a day, dealing with the workload of classes, and juggling all of that,” Carter said.
He also experienced athletic success at Hampton, as he broke the record for most points scored at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship meets. His indoor record still stands to this day.
A year after graduating from college, he made the Olympic team and competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. He went on to win a silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2005 World Championships.
“I enjoyed the atmosphere on the campus,” he said. “It wasn’t that big of a school, so I knew a lot of people there and didn’t have to travel much to get from one end of the campus to the next.”
Photo credit: pixy
