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Top HBCU Rankings 2022: Top Black Colleges

Top HBCU Rankings 2022:
Top Black Colleges

The U.S. News and World Report website have released its HBCU Rankings 2022 list. Every year, the institution publishes a list of the nation’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The U.S. News has made it its mission to help students find the right college fit by providing informative college news, advice, and authoritative rankings.

HBCU Rankings 2022 Criteria
To be considered for this list of the top HBCUs in the United States, schools must meet specific criteria defined by the U.S. News. For one, schools are part of the White House and U.S. Department of Education’s Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Secondly, a candidate should be an undergraduate baccalaureate-granting institution focusing on enrolling first-year, first-time students rather than non-traditional students.

Rankings Methodology
Furthermore, colleges and universities included in the rankings should have appeared in the previous year’s Best Colleges rankings. Generally, qualitative and quantitative measures are used to determine the U.S. News and World Report’s rankings. The criteria include student retention, assessments, financial resources, graduation rates, student indebtedness, and more.

79 HBCUs were eligible to be included in the HBCU Rankings 2022 list. However, only 78 ranked HBCUs made it to the list. As you contemplate your college options, here is a list of the top 25 HBCUs, according to the U.S. News, you should keep in mind.

HBCU Rankings 2022: The Top 25 Historically Black Colleges and Universities

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Why is Online Education Crucial for Success in the Tech Age

Why is Online Education Crucial for Success in the Tech Age

The world of online education is evolving at a rapid pace. With the tech age upon us, online education has become crucial to success in order to stay up-to-date with technology and trends. The following are the reasons online education is crucial for success in the tech age.

It’s Easier To Create A Network

In online courses, you’ll meet a bunch of people you can later stay in touch with and make valuable contacts. The people over at Learning Revolution will explain how crucial networking is for your online education. Creating these communities online can be easier than in person. Plus, online courses allow you to learn from a variety of people and different backgrounds through online discussions with students or even a video chat session with a professor!

The fact that online education is faster-paced also means it’s easier to create connections. It offers more opportunities for networking as there are so many events going on at once! In the tech age, these skills will help you stand out among other job applicants. You’ll have access to experts who know all about what they teach right away if you need them to. So don’t worry about having anything holding you back when starting your online course today!

You Learn Things Schools Don’t Teach

More often than not, formal education will teach you all about your field, but won’t tell you how to make money with it. And online education is the quickest way to learn how to turn your skills and knowledge into profit.

Some things you’ll learn only online include the following:

  • How to market online
  • How you can make money with your skills
  • How to run a business
  • What you need to make it on your own
  • What the market is saying about your field of work

Schools don’t teach you how to turn your skills into profit. You have to do that research yourself, and it takes time away from studying at school.

It Keeps Up With Modern Trends

Following modern trends is essential in the tech age. By taking online courses, students are able to keep up with modern trends while still being in class and learning valuable skills that will help them later on down the line.

Schools don’t have the capacity to keep up with modern trends. Online courses are created by the online education system to keep up with modern trends and help students learn new skills so they can achieve their dreams in life.

Updating one’s self on things like technology is important for success in this day and age, which makes online classes a key part of any student’s learning experience now that schools don’t have the capacity to do it themselves anymore. Keeping up with modern trends without online classes would be impossible as most jobs require constant updating on current events happening around us every single day.

Online Education Is Constantly Being Upgraded

The online education industry is always developing new online platforms, academic courses, and educational paths to ensure that students continue learning online. Students can now choose from a much wider range of online degree options which are constantly being upgraded with the latest technologies available in this day and age.
Online education is one of the best ways for people all over the world to learn new skills or improve on their existing ones because it allows them access to online tools without having to leave home. Plus, online courses are highly convenient as they offer flexible schedules allowing learners complete control over how often they log into their accounts.

It’s A Cost-Effective Way To Get Education

Lots of people choose online courses because this type of education can be an affordable option. This is especially true for online classes since there are no travel costs or other expenses that come with taking a traditional class on campus. Online courses also tend to have fewer restrictions than their in-person counterparts, allowing students the freedom to manage their time and work around personal schedules.

Online Courses Are Flexible

In a fast-paced world, it’s good to have flexible educational options. Unlike brick-and-mortar schools, online courses allow students to take classes that fit into their schedules. The tech age has made the world more mobile than ever before. People are traveling for various reasons at all hours of the day and night. By providing flexible learning opportunities through online education, universities can better help innovative professionals grow in their careers by giving them access when they need it most.

Online education is the way of the future. It’s easier to network and create a community and you’ll learn things schools don’t teach you, like how to run a business. It always keeps up with modern trends and is constantly developing along with the tech industry meaning you won’t leave anything out. Aside from all that, it’s cheaper than formal education and the classes are more flexible meaning you can also focus on developing other fields of interest while learning. Enroll now and go with the flow!

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College Enrollment Declines Again Though Online Schools, HBCUs See Increases

College Enrollment Declines Again Though Online Schools, HBCUs See Increases

About 1.5 million fewer students are enrolled than before the pandemic, says report from National Student Clearinghouse.

College enrollment dropped for the third consecutive school year after the start of the pandemic, dashing universities’ hopes that a post-Covid rebound was at hand.

 

 

The rate of the decline has slowed this fall, with college enrollment dropping 1.1% since last autumn. Over the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, enrollment fell about 6.5%, according to the National Student Clearinghouse, a nonprofit that released a report Thursday.

About 1.5 million fewer students are enrolled in college than before the pandemic, according to the nonprofit.

“I certainly wouldn’t call this a recovery,” said Doug Shapiro, executive director of the research center at the National Student Clearinghouse. “After two straight years of historically large losses in student enrollment it’s particularly troubling that the numbers have not climbed back at this point, especially among freshmen.”

Online schools and historically Black colleges and universities were among the few categories of schools to enroll more students in the fall, data show. The shift reflects a change in the way students say they are choosing their colleges. 

University enrollment was sinking for a decade before the pandemic and this year’s rate marks a return to that earlier, slower pace of decline. Factors contributing to enrollment’s long-term slide include concerns about student debt and the rise of alternative credentials.

Less selective private colleges, especially in the Midwest and Northeast have been hardest hit while the most prestigious schools, including most public flagship universities, have maintained strong enrollment numbers, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.

At online schools, where students take classes remotely, enrollment grew 3.2% from last fall, according to the Clearinghouse. For students aged 18-20, enrollment grew 23.4% over two years since fall 2020.

 

Scott Pulsipher, president of Western Governors University, which enrolled about 200,000 students online last year, said the number of 18-to-24-year-olds jumped to 11% of the student body from 6% five years ago.

Cost and value are attracting young people to online programs, he said. A lot of families can’t afford to pay for the extras colleges charge to enhance the campus lifestyle such as manicured grounds, large gyms and luxurious dormitories. They want to limit their expenses to those associated directly with teaching and learning.

Mr. Pulsipher said online education has evolved since its inception. “We’ve learned how to leverage technology to dramatically personalize learning in a way that can increase cognitive progress,” Mr. Pulsipher said.

 

Ryan Weger, 20 years old, was among the high-school students who enrolled at WGU during the pandemic. He earned a degree in a little less than a year for about $7,000 and now earns $65,000 a year as a data-center tech at Amazon in Northern Virginia. He also earned seven tech credentials while getting his degree.

“When I was considering going to WGU in high school the one con was that I wouldn’t get the campus experience,” Mr. Weger said. “But when I visit my friends in college I don’t feel like I really missed out on that much.”

HBCUs saw an enrollment uptick of more than 6% among freshmen. After years of struggling, HBCUs are on an upswing in the last two years, said Walter Kimbrough, interim executive director of the Black Men’s Research Institute at Morehouse College.

He attributes the increases to a cultural resurgence highlighted by Vice President Kamala Harris, an HBCU alum, as well as greater concern around racism following the 2020 murder of George Floyd. “Families are saying explicitly, I want to send my child to a place where they will feel safe,” Dr. Kimbrough said.

Temitope Soyombo, a freshman at Prairie View A&M University, an HBCU outside of Houston, said the sense of safety informed her decision to enroll. “It just feels better at an HBCU,” she said. “I’m more comfortable talking to my peers.”

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case involving college admissions and affirmative action this fall. If the court decides schools are no longer able to consider race in admissions, Dr. Kimbrough expects that would lead to a boost in HBCU enrollment.

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Puma Illustrates the Power of Black Excellence (We’re Legends)


Puma Illustrates the Power of Black Excellence (We're Legends)

“We Are Legends” is PUMA’s new storytelling and product developing platform celebrating Black excellence and cultural impact.

The collection seeks to honor the Black creatives trailblazing influence on cultural progression around the globe and strives to empower and amplify the voices of our Black community—our legends. Championed and led by an internal collective of Black designers, the name, “We Are Legends,” reminds us to celebrate the now in Black culture and not just the rich history of past. The “We Are Legends” mission is to both increase representation within the design industry and drive real change within the very communities we are celebrating. The collective established a three-pillar model to ensure this initiative is making a tangible impact over time through donation, awareness, and community. Through “We Are Legends,” PUMA aims to be the brand that fights for representation in the design industry and the world.

“The name, We Are Legends, comes from the idea of celebrating the now in Black culture. Often when we celebrate Black culture, we look to the past. However, our collective wanted to help change this narrative
by empowering people to speak up in their most authentic voices now, to create their own legacy that will be legendary,” said Ariel Weeks, chair of the PUMA B-Bold ERG and footwear merchandising manager.

“WE ARE LEGENDS SHINES THE LIGHT ON BOTH THE LEGACY OF THIS DESIGN COLLECTIVE AND THE LEGENDS WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.”

“I am extremely proud to introduce the world to We Are Legends, a collective of Black designers who are a prime example of when employees step up to drive and be the change that they want to see. This first collection within the We Are Legends platform, The Yard, is a homage to the spirit of the beloved HBCU experience and a celebration of Black excellence.”

“The goal of We Are Legends is to not only tell stories that are authentic and highlight the beautiful aspects of Black culture, but through this platform PUMA will aim to lead the charge in activating the next generation of Black creatives through building early awareness and providing accessibility to roles in this industry via strategic partnerships, mentorship, and education,” said Michelle Marshall, director, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (PUMA North America).

The debut collection within the We Are Legends platform, “The Yard,” is inspired by Homecoming–a tradition in many high schools and colleges in the United States where they welcome back former students and members. The collection features men’s and women’s apparel in a bright palette of maroon, purple, and orange. Designs use material mixing and multi-placed collegiate graphics that unify schools, yard culture, and heritage. PUMA classics like the Suede are revamped with modern accents, shapes, and a neo-archival head-to-toe style. Design details references styles worn by HBCU students in the past and currently, capturing the culture’s deep history and honoring their contributions to American style.

“The Yard,” the first collection under the We Are Legends platform will release globally on Oct. 1, 2022, on the PUMA app and at the New York City Flagship store. On Oct. 3, 2022, the collection will be available on PUMA.com and select retailers worldwide with a retail price range of $40 to $120.

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IBM Teams With 20 HBCUs to Address Cybersecurity Talent Shortage

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cybersecurity shortage hbcu


IBM Teams with 20 HBCUs to Address Cybersecurity Talent Shortage

20 HBCUs will work with IBM to establish Cybersecurity Leadership Centers, giving students and faculty access to IBM training, software, and certifications at no cost.

During the National HBCU Week Conference convened by the U.S. Department of Education and the White House, IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced its collaboration with 20 Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) to help them establish Cybersecurity Leadership Centers.

With 500,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the U.S., the need for expertise is critical: According to a recent IBM Security study, insufficiently staffed organizations average $550,000 more in breach costs than those that state they are sufficiently staffed.**

“Collaborations between academia and the private sector can help students prepare for success. That’s especially true for HBCUs because their mission is so vital,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President, IBM Corporate Social Responsibility and ESG. “The Cybersecurity Leadership Centers we’re co-creating with Historically Black College and Universities epitomize our commitment to the Black community and STEM education; it also builds on our pledge to train 150,000 people in cybersecurity over three years.”

IBM will collaborate with the following 20 HBCUs across 11 states to co-create Cybersecurity Leadership Centers, helping to create talent for employers and opportunities for students. (Six of these collaborations were previously announced in May*)

  • Alabama – Alabama A&M University, Talladega College, Tuskegee University
  • Florida – Edward Waters University, Florida A&M University
  • Georgia – Albany State University, Clark Atlanta University*
  • Louisiana – Grambling State University, Southern University System*, Xavier University of LA*
  • Maryland – Bowie State University, Morgan State University*
  • Mississippi – Alcorn State University
  • North Carolina – North Carolina A&T State University*, North Carolina Central University
  • South Carolina – South Carolina State University*, Voorhees University
  • Texas – Texas Southern University
  • Virginia – Norfolk State University
  • West Virginia – West Virginia State University

Through IBM’s collaboration, faculty and students at participating schools will have access to coursework, lectures, immersive training experiences, certifications, IBM Cloud-hosted software, and professional development resources, all at no cost to them. This includes access to:

Cybersecurity curricula: IBM will develop for each participating HBCU, a customized IBM Security Learning Academy portal – an IBM client offering – including courses designed to help the university enhance its cybersecurity education portfolio. In addition, IBM will continue to give access to IBM SkillsBuild.

Immersive learning experience: Faculty and students of participating HBCUs will have an opportunity to benefit from IBM Security’s Command Center, through which they can experience a highly realistic, simulated cyberattack, designed to prepare them and train them on response techniques. Moreover, HBCUs’ faculty will have access to consultation sessions with IBM technical personnel on cybersecurity.


Software: Multiple IBM Security premier enterprise security products hosted in the IBM Cloud

Free Person Using Macbook Air Stock Photo
Professional development: Forums to exchange best practices, learn from IBM experts, and discover IBM internships and job openings

About IBM Education

As part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility efforts, IBM’s education portfolio takes a personalized, diverse, and deep approach to STEM career readiness. IBM’s pro bono programs range from education and support for teens at public schools and universities, to career readiness resources for aspiring professionals and job seekers. IBM believes that education is best achieved through the collaboration of the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors.

IBM SkillsBuild is a free education program focused on underrepresented communities, that helps adult learners, and high school and university students and faculty, develop valuable new skills and access career opportunities. The program includes an online platform that is complemented by customized practical learning experiences delivered in collaboration with a global network of partners. The online platform offers over 1,000 courses in 19 languages on cybersecurity, data analysis, cloud computing and many other technical disciplines — as well as in workplace skills such as Design Thinking. Most important, participants can earn IBM-branded digital credentials that are recognized by the market. The customized practical learning experiences could include project-based learning, expert conversations with IBM volunteers, mentors, premium content, specialized support, connection with career opportunities, access to IBM software, among others. As of February 2022, IBM SkillsBuild operates in 159 counties and is supporting 1.72M learners since its launch.

About IBM Security

IBM Security offers one of the most advanced and integrated portfolios of enterprise security products and services. The portfolio, supported by world-renowned IBM Security X-Force® research, enables organizations to effectively manage risk and defend against emerging threats. IBM operates one of the world’s broadest security research, development, and delivery organizations, monitors 150 billion+ security events per day in more than 130 countries, and has been granted more than 10,000 security patents worldwide. For more information, please check www.ibm.com/security, follow @IBMSecurity on Twitter or visit the IBM Security Intelligence blog.

* Announced in May 2022
** Cost of a Data Breach Report 2022, conducted by Ponemon Institute, sponsored & analyzed by IBM

Media Contact:

Ari Fishkind
IBM Media Relations
fishkind@us.ibm.com

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16 HBCU Medical Students Will Work on NFL Staffs (Diversity Initiative)

16 HBCU Medical Students Will Work on NFL Staffs (Diversity Initiative)

16 medical students from four HBCUs will work on the staff of National Football League (NFL) teams this season as part of the NFL’s Diversity Initiative.

The Associated Press reports the 14 students currently attend the Morehouse School of Medicine, the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, the Howard University College of Medicine, and the Meharry Medical College.

The students will be assigned to one of eight teams: the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans and the Washington Commanders.

The HBCU students will work with the teams as part of the league’s goal to increase diversity in sports medicine. The initiative is a joint program between the NFL Physicians Society (NFLPS) and the Professional Football Athletic Trainer Society (PFATS).

According to Fox Sports, a recent study examining the diversity of U.S. medical students shows Black students make up just 7.3% of medical students. That figure has risen less than one percent over the last 40 years and is far less than 13.4% of the U.S. Black population.

“My biggest hope through this experience is to inspire youth, especially those from under-represented backgrounds to pursue professions like medicine where they can do incredible things such as sports medicine with the NFL,” Felipe Ocampo, a Charles Drew Medical student, told the AP.

The month-long medical rotations will begin in September. The medical students will get first-hand experience working with an NFL organizations and will work under the supervision of NFL orthopedic team physicians, primary care team physicians, and athletic trainers.

The HBCU medical students will have their work cut out for them. NFL teams are constantly dealing with injured players during the season. According to USA Today, last year, the Baltimore Raves and New York Giants led the league in games missed by injured players with more than 300 games collectively.

Source: shorturl.at/bfMVW

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College Colors Day

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College Colors Day

Across the United States students, parents, family, faculty, fans, and alumni celebrate College Colors Day every year on the Friday before Labor Day. This year, it takes place on September 2. By rocking your college colors and apparel, you show spirit and school pride.


HISTORY OF COLLEGE COLORS DAY
School colors are more than just accessories when it comes to universities. They are an extension of a school’s identity and for many people to their own identity or symbol of pride. Many schools choose their colors with a significant amount of care. Whether you were in the creative arts, sports, or financing, it’s likely you have a special connection to your school’s colors.

Founded by the College Licensing Company in 2004, College Colors Day, fans get to rep the apparel of their favorite college or university throughout the day. Who is the CLC you might ask? They are the licensing division for over 200 colleges in the United States. Famous for developing brand licensing and building the massive fan-base behind the University of Alabama with Bear Bryant in 1981, the CLC is largely responsible for providing the college branded merchandise we value so much today. From Boston College to Stanford University you can thank them for your koozies, your jerseys, and your branded hats because it’s likely they licensed them!

Over the last few years, the CLC has seen a huge increase in sales, more than expected from the influx of students getting degrees. Recently we’ve even seen celebrities sporting the attire of a university they most-certainly never attended. This shows that there is a nostalgic factor associated with fashion that goes even beyond personal attachments. College apparel has gone from an elitist group of exclusively students and alumni to a badge of honor to a place you are loyal to. Which is largely the point of the holiday, finding pride in your “home” and a community in loyalty.


COLLEGE COLORS DAY ACTIVITIES

  • Take a photo, selfie, or squadphoto to show off that college spirit: Show your ultimate college spirit by sporting your favorite team's colors with your friends. Nothing says "GO TEAM!" like a selfie with your squad decked out in your alma mater colors (don't forget to use the hashtag #CollegeColors!)
  • Attend or watch your favorite college football game: College campuses on game day are one of the most energetic places to be — walking around, you'd think everyone just won the lottery! Celebrate the best college way possible: tailgating and watching the football game with friends. There's no better all-encompassing college experience like game day.
  • Organize a night out with your college friends: Not only is college a place for sports, traditions, and fun, it's also a place to build lifelong friendships. To show your school loyalty, organize a get-together with your favorite college buddies. Reminisce about those glory days, relive those traditions, and show how the college spirit lives in each one of you.


So, whether you’re still in school or those college days are long behind you, just for today — put on those old college t-shirts or watch your favorite college football game. True colors and spirit run deep.

Source: shorturl.at/aceir

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Kamala Harris Says Attending HBCU Was A Childhood Dream


HBCU Love: Kamala Harris Says Attending Howard Was A Childhood Dream Actualized

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY AS A CHILD. YEARS AFTER GRADUATING SHE CREDITS IT AS THE PLACE THAT FOREVER CHANGED HER LIFE.

When Kamala Harris enters the halls of Capitol Hill, Howard University goes with her. It’s impossible to separate the prominent policymaker from the institution that helped define her career. The place that nurtured her into the woman she is today.

Before she ever ran for the district attorney of San Francisco, the Attorney General of California, a U.S. Senate seat or the president of the United States, a 17-year-old Harris, ran a successful campaign for the title of freshman class representative of Howard’s liberal arts student council. “That was my first run for public office,” “And when you run for public office at Howard University, you can run for office anywhere.”

Harris quickly learned that the competitive instinct of her college peers was “no joke,” but it was still important for her to hit Howard’s gates running. In addition to serving on the student council, she sparred on the debate team, chaired the economics society and pledged the Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. “My aunt Chris, who was the one who really had a big influence on me, was an AKA and pledged at Howard,” Harris reveals. “So it was just very natural for me to want to end up pledging in the sorority which I feel really rounded out my experience. It’s a sisterhood that lasts till today.”

Though Howard was on the opposite side of the country from the Bay Area where she was brought up, the Senator from California contests that it was so similar to the world she had come to know. “I grew up in a community that was, in part, about civil rights, that had a whole piece about the revolution, and collectively it taught me about the nuances of the diaspora.” While still a candidate for president, she’d often say that she spent most of her childhood surrounded by adults who spent their full time “marching and shouting for this thing called justice.” The daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father explains that those years prepared her to learn from students who were from all across the Continent, the Caribbean, and different pockets of the United States. “Some of my closest friends were from Detroit and Jersey, the South Side of Chicago. And it was about us coming together and teaching each other new things.”

While Harris’s upbringing laid the foundation for her to spread her wings at Howard, it was her experience at the HBCU that taught her how to soar. She maintains that the years she spent on the D.C. campus developed her for the role she’d play in life and helped her create the identity she would eventually present to the world. Much of that, Harris says, is because Howard ensured there was no excuse to fail. It’s an attribution, she contends, can be ascribed to all Black colleges and universities which have for years played an indelible role in the fabric of this country.

“There’s something special about the investment that an HBCU places in its students,” the staunch HBCU advocate says. “It’s about the nurturing. It’s about refining. It’s about all that goes into making someone transition from being a child into an adult. And in that way, it’s very tough love.”

All the love that the university once showed the distinguished Democrat, is now reflected in Harris’s commitment to ensuring that institutions like Howard are not left behind. Since entering the halls of Congress in 2017, she has proposed bills to preserve their historic buildings and sites, advocated for increased spending, and introduced legislation to ensure that these pillars in the Black community are properly funded.

Harris explains that her interest in protecting these schools is multifaceted. While she’s driven in part by her own experiences, she also knows that to lose them or to have them fall behind the standards of predominantly White institutions, would be a loss for the entire country. “HBCUs have produced so many doctors and scientists, and those labs, because they don’t have the kinds of endowments that other schools have, have not necessarily caught up,” Harris imparts. “When we have research, medical and scientific research, happening at HBCUs, it acts as a function for all the people who come for treatment to those hospitals and helps our awareness then, of cultural and genetic factors.”

The potential VP pick says the work doesn’t end there. “We also need to support teacher programs at HBCUs,” she says. “If you look at the facts and the data, it shows that if a Black child by the end of third grade has had a Black teacher, they’re 13 percent more likely to go to college. If that child has had two Black teachers, they’re 32 percent more likely to go to college. So we need to put money into HBCUs to encourage and create grants for students to become teachers, because I know the generational impact of that.”

Harris first fell in love with her undergraduate alma mater as an impressionable child. “My aunt would talk about it because she went there, and so I always romanticized what Howard is and was,” she admits. And though her Black college experience is far behind her, the memories and the impact is still seen today. At every campaign rally, political appearance, and Senate congressional hearing, you can see her Howard University pedigree peeking out. Being a Bison introduced the attorney, author and HBCU advocate to the women who would give birth to her godchildren and form her support system. It taught her to be fully aware of her capacity and her being. It defined who she was and laid a no-excuses path toward her future dreams.

“Howard University is ‘The Mecca,’ ” Harris avers. “And it was a very special, very special time in my life.”

Source: shorturl.at/aceir

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HBCUs: 3 Reasons Why You Should Choose One

HBCU students (graduation ceremony)


HBCUs: 3 Reasons why you should choose one

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) consistently outperform non-HBCUs in student experience, affordability, and after college preparedness for Black students.

Student Experience

HBCUs provide students something they can’t get anywhere else — a diverse & inclusive community of scholarship that celebrates the richness of the entire American experience.

The 180+ years of success by HBCUs is driven by a visceral promise of support to all students. HBCUs offer a safe and nurturing environment for everyone — Black, White, Asian, Latinx — the wealthy, the less advantaged — and all in between.

Affordability
Lower cost and less debt. According to the UNCF Fact Sheet, the average cost of attending an HBCU is 27% less than a comparable predominantly white institution (PWI).

After College Preparedness
Studies show that Black HBCU graduates are generally better prepared for life beyond college and more engaged at work than non-HBCU graduates.

Additionally, Black HBCU grads are more likely to be thriving in purpose and financial well-being than non-HBCU students. Black colleges continue to outperform non-HBCUs in graduating successful Black professionals in a number of fields including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

hcbus students graduation

Source: shorturl.at/hnrKM

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Southwest Airlines Partners with Texas to Recruit Future Black Pilots


Southwest Airlines Partners with Texas HBCU to Recruit Future Black Pilots

“We do want to have a diverse workgroup. We want to represent not only the customers but the communities we fly to,” Southwest said.

HOUSTON — Ever since he can remember, Anthony Pumphrey Junior has wanted to be a pilot.

“I blame my dad for this one. I think I made that decision when I was two weeks old. My dad worked for the airlines. The story goes, they threw me in an airplane and I never wanted to get back out since,” he said.

Pumphrey flew his first plane at age 8 and now has his commercial pilot’s license as a college freshman at Texas Southern University. “For me, a lot of times, even today, I look out that window and look down and I’m like ‘whoa,’” he added.

Anthony is just the kind of student that Southwest Airlines wants to keep track of. The Dallas-based airline recently announced a partnership with TSU to create a pipeline for new pilots.

In school, students will earn a bachelor’s degree, in addition to a pilot’s certificate. Then, after working for smaller airlines, those future TSU graduates can apply at Southwest. Along the way, they are mentored by Southwest pilots. “There are nine HBCUs with aviation programs. Only three of them own their airplanes. Texas Southern University owns our own airplanes,” said Dr. Terence Fontaine, the director of aviation at TSU.

Pilot's certificate

But why Texas Southern? It is an HBCU – a historically Black college or university – and like every airline, Southwest is trying to diversify its pilot ranks. “Well, we know we have work to do and need to do and really and truly want to do from a pilot perspective,” said Lee Kinnebrew, Southwest’s vice president of flight operations. “We do want to have a diverse workgroup. We want to represent not only the customers but the communities we fly to.”

Diversifying the flight deck is not just something Southwest is doing. The majority of all commercial airline pilots today are white men. They make up more than 90-percent of those in this field. Black pilots are scarce and only account for two and a half percent of commercial pilots. Even more rare are minority women.

Katherine Cabrera, a TSU junior, wants to apply for a new pilot recruitment program that Southwest Airlines launched at the historically Black universities. “Nobody in my family flies so it was kind of a shock to them. My mom tells me “I never thought you’d consider being a pilot” but for me, it was a natural curiosity. I was always curious about space and aircraft and – because it was just so amazing to me,” said Katherine Cabrera, a TSU junior. She is among the students applying to join the Southwest program at TSU.

Last year, United Airlines started a similar initiative with three HBCUs. In February, Delta announced it was doing one, as well. Then in March, Southwest joined TSU.

“One day, one day when I’m with my family, I know it’s going to happen. I’m going to be walking down the concourse of some airport somewhere and I’m going to see one of these TSU students,” said Dr. Fontaine.

Realistically, it could take close to a decade to go from TSU student to Southwest pilot. But it’s a long play for all involved. The airline will need new pilots in the future and graduates will need a place to land. Southwest says between Texas Southern, military retirees and private flight school graduates, the airline anticipates having a pool of 700 potential pilots in the coming years.

Source: shorturl.at/guAJ4

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