Stevenson has 8 percent population of African American and biracial students according to counselor Delaney Sullivan. Which leads to wondering what kind of opportunities exist for students preparing for Historically Black College and University (HBCU).
An HBCU includes schools that have historically had a majority of Black students attending schools like Delaware State University, Morgan State University, Bowie State University, Morehouse College, and Spellman College.
After hearing this information from Delaney Sullivan, there needs to be more awareness and opportunities for African American students here at Stevenson that may want to go to an HBCU.
“There’s so many obstacles that people, that students of minority face that, like we just don’t even think about,” Sullivan said. “And I think it’s more important for them because they don’t necessarily get those resources all the time, or it’s delayed getting to them.”
With the delay of resources, Stevenson’s MADE English 10-12 teacher, Jessica Malmsten thinks it’s important to start the process of preparing for college earlier than junior year; possibly starting in students’ freshman year or eighth grade.
“I think actually it would be best for us to start looking at actually in freshman year, because it’s very easy to miss something or miss a step that you’re supposed to take, and once you’ve missed that opportunity, it’s very difficult to try to make up a course or get back on track,” Malmsten said. “And so, I would encourage students to start looking at the universities, even in eighth grade, so that they have a solid plan for what they hope to achieve after high school.”
Intervention Specialist for Chippewa Valley High School, Alisa Perkins reasoned that Black students everywhere should be able to get resources, opportunities, and scholarships for college but more importantly in this case, HBCUs.
“I think that it is vital for African American students to have access to all the resources, because it will give them the opportunity to expand their world view. Without access to said resources, their view becomes limited,” Perkins said. “I should say so, having access to resources, scholarships, and just people who can point them in the direction of these things, I feel is vital.”
Being at an HBCU can really change someone’s life. Perkins added how she had a life changing experience herself when she attended Florida Memorial University, which is the only HBCU in south Florida.
Perkins said, after graduating from high school some students go to college and they may feel like they don’t have a support system, anyone that cares about their success, or anyone there is reliable.
At an HBCU students get an opportunity to learn about the experience that comes with going to these schools and the culture of African Americans (A.A). HBCUs are not only open to A.A, but they are also open to any race and ethnicity. David Keel said he thinks that there should be more acknowledgement to more than just A.A.
“I feel like people in general, because a lot of people in general don’t even know there are HBCUs and that they should get the opportunity to learn that there is and then that it’s a community there, and that they be reliable,” Keel said.
