By Simone Pringle, Member Services Coordinator, and David LaNore, Member Services Manager
Reading time: Five minutes
When I started at the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), I knew one of the opportunities I was excited for was attending the National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week Conference in a professional capacity, not just as
a devoted HBCU alum. I’ve been attending the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through HBCUs annual convening for years, trying to stay updated on the latest innovations, news. and policy
surrounding these illustrious institutions. I was glad to share this experience with my colleague David LaNore and we’re taking this opportunity to share our findings with you.
The sessions we attended did a tremendous job of showcasing the continued ingenuity and commitment to students that HBCUs have been known for since their inception. The theme Raising the Bar echoed throughout every part of the conference.
Below, we’ve outlined a few takeaways from the sessions we attended.
Inviting Technology and Protecting Culture
We were especially glad to hear from Complete College America about their HBCU Digital Learning Infrastructure Initiative. People following
HBCUs for any amount of time know that digital infrastructure is a sore spot for many HBCUs. For the past two years, Complete College America has been working with six HBCUs and an HBCU Student Advisory Council to co-design a long-term strategy for
academic success. Coppin State University (Baltimore, MD), one of the six colleges involved in the project, shared their current success and future strategies for technological advancement on campus. Dr. Dionne Curbeam, Interim Vice President of Information
Technology and Chief Information Officer at Coppin, highlighted plans to refresh computer labs on campus, develop mentorships, and jobs for students in tech majors and migrating to a paperless campus.
In a panel discussion featuring experts from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Library of Congress, and Howard University’s Architecture department, attendees discussed the importance of studying art along technical sciences. At a time when STEM
reigns supreme, the fight to not only add arts and humanities to the STEM conversation but to maintain their seat at the table is vicious.
“Architecture is where art and science meet,” Bradford Grant, interim chair of the Howard University Department of Architecture. “Educational training solely or primarily for career pursuit doesn't build well-rounded individuals. It's important, sure,
but think about Pixar. Someone is doing the technical side of animation, and someone is also writing the story. You need both.”
Grant likened the discussion to, “debates between Booker T. Washington and WEB DuBois. DuBois recognized that you need both arts, humanities, and science as a way to strive for freedom.” The balance HBCUs must manage is complex given their rich histories juxtaposed against current industry demands; however, the sessions we sat in on give us hope.
Utilizing Apprenticeships to Close Economic Gaps
In a timely conversation, The Apprentice School hosted panel discussed the benefits of registered apprenticeships as a means of closing the Black teacher gap. Apprentice School President Dr. Latitia McCane
pointed out that while only 7% of teachers are Black, almost 50% of them earned their degrees at an HBCU. She also stressed the importance of the “earn and learn” model, combining paid teacher preparation training with classroom instruction. Tennessee was the first state to approve teaching for its registered apprenticeship
program in January 2022. In one year, seven states now have US Department of Labor sanctioned apprenticeships, including Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, New Hampshire, Texas, and West Virginia.
Dr. VerJanis Peoples, Southern University and A&M College’s dean of the School of Education, shared that the University is partnering with the Louisiana Workforce Commission to bring a registered teacher apprentice program to Southern, the first of its kind at an HBCU. The inaugural class of students will participate during their sophomore year as teaching apprentices in East Baton
Rouge (LA) Parish Schools.
Likewise, Bishop State Community College is building a bridge for students in Alabama with their innovative partnership with airplane manufacturer Airbus. Together Bishop State and Airbus have developed an apprenticeship program that allows students to
become employed with full benefits while earning an 18-credit certificate that can be used toward an associate’s degree. With this model, the FlightPath9 program has 95% completion
rate with well over 200 graduates. Due to the success of the program, Bishop State President Oliver Charles shared that the College is working with other industries across Mobile to develop other apprenticeship programs with matching articulation
agreements.
Investing In and Protecting Black Entrepreneurship
What makes HBCUs Black entrepreneurship hot spots? Put simply, the supportive environment and the supportive partnerships. Examples like Howard University and PNC’s joint venture to create the National Center for Entrepreneurship show that HBCUs are creating an array of supports for their students. Likewise, the Black Entrepreneurship Center, a partnership between Spelman College, Morehouse College,
and The Black Economic Alliance Foundation is cultivating an environment from which a new generation of Black entrepreneurs will be forged.
Dr. LaTanya White, founder of Concept Creative Group, said, “HBCU students are in an environment where there’s a natural sense of belonging, which makes entrepreneurship and starting a business while they're in school feel more manageable.”
“[We’re] looking at entrepreneurship as collaborative and changing the way Black students approach entrepreneurship versus how other students might be taught to approach it,” said Dr. Grant Warner, director of the Black Entrepreneurship Center.
Despite the push for entrepreneurship, audience members raised the question of how these programs can be incorporated into a full time course load so not to interfere with college completion.
Warner said, “universities must consider where in the entrepreneurial life cycle do you provide these extra supports? Universities don't typically have the resources to help launch every student’s venture. They need to be very targeted in using school
resources to build entrepreneurship into the curriculum to help as many students as possible. Howard University's partnership with the US Patent
and Trademark Office allows students to learn about intellectual property [protections] for their business.”
Wrapping Up: The Future
These sessions gave insight for preparing students for an ever-evolving economy while protecting the traditions and culture that have been a cornerstone at HBCUs for almost two centuries. This yearly convening continues to put HBCUs, their strengths as
well as their obstacles, at the forefront of the higher education conversation. We walked away with valuable insights and made noteworthy connections with industry power players across business, education, and policy.
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