Month: March 2022

Explore HBCU – Alabama State University

Staff Writer
March 31, 2022

Alabama State University is a public historically black university in Montgomery, Alabama.

Background

Alabama State University was founded in 1867 as the Lincoln Normal School of Marion in the city of Marion, Alabama. The school started as the Lincoln Normal School with $500 raised by nine freed slaves now known as the Marion Nine. In 1874, the school became America’s first state-supported educational institution for Black Americans. 

In 1878, the school opened its new location in Montgomery, Alabama, changing its name to the Normal School for Colored Students after an Alabama State Supreme Court ruling forced it to. Over the next forthcoming years, the school became a junior college, then a full four-year institution—becoming the State Teachers College in 1929, Alabama State College for Negroes in 1948, Alabama State College in 1954, then, finally, Alabama State University in 1969.

ASU has a 153-year history of perseverance, progress, and promise. Today, the university is a widely respected, world-class institution of higher learning that welcomes students of all backgrounds. 

Programs & Opportunities

Alabama State University offers nearly 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs—from the historic education program, to their new and in high-demand programs in health sciences, Ph.D. in microbiology, and minor in international business.

ASU boasts an interconnected educational and personalized environment, with a 20 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio, more than 70 clubs and organizations (including fraternities and sororities), 18 intercollegiate sports, and a vibrant campus composed of students coming from more than 40 states and a variety of countries. 

Learn more about ASU’s robust assortment of degree programs here. 

Alumni Affairs

Alabama State University is an institution dedicated to providing a holistic educational experience, and has in turn produced a number of alumni who seek to thrive in every area of their work, life, and contribution to greater society. Some notable alumni include, but are not limited to:

  • Phaidra Knight is a former international athlete, sports media talent, motivational speaker, lawyer, and business entrepreneur who graduated with a dual Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Speech Communications at Alabama State University. 
  • Charles Howard Wright was an accomplished physician and founder of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History who received his Bachelor of Science degree from Alabama State.
  • Delores J. Thomas is a New York Supreme Court Justice who graduated from Alabama State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.

Financial Information

According to U.S. News & World Report, at Alabama State University, 95% of full-time undergraduate students receive some form of need-based financial aid, and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $25,415. 

Before the application of financial assistance, the total cost of attendance at Alabama State is $30,018 for undergraduate in-state students, $38,886 for undergraduate out-of-state students, $26,442 for graduate in-state students, and $44,094 for graduate out-of-state students.

Alabama State has made it a goal to make education as accessible to as many people as possible, believing the cost should never be an obstacle to seeking the benefits of higher education.

Conclusion

Alabama State University seeks to create a diverse student-centered environment committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service. Through the fostering of critical thought, professional development, and encouragement of creativity, the university works to graduate lifelong learners better equipped to lead and succeed as responsible global citizens.

Learn more about Alabama State University here.

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Explore HBCU – Alabama A&M University

Staff Writer
March 29, 2022

Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University is a public historically black land-grant university in Normal, Alabama.

Background

Established by an act of the Alabama State Legislature in 1875, the school opened as the Huntsville State Normal School for Negroes under William Hooper Council— a former enslaved person and the school’s first principal and president. Industrial education was introduced around 1878, attracting wide attention, an increase in appropriation funds by the state, and the name change to State Normal and Industrial School at Huntsville.

By 1891, the school became the recipient of the Federal Land-Grant Fund, the purpose of which was to further training in agricultural and mechanical arts in the various states at the college level. Shortly after, in 1896 the school name once again changed, this time to The State Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes, then again to The State Agricultural and Mechanical Institute for Negroes in 1919 after the school became a junior college.

The college became permitted to offer work on the senior college level in 1939, and the first graduating class received their bachelor’s degrees two years after. In 1948, the name changed to Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College, changing again and for the last time to what we now know as Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University in 1969. 

Alabama A&M University has been a fully accredited member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools since 1946, and today boasts a wide variety of accolades and accomplishments.

Programs & Opportunities

Alabama A&M University seeks to offer the unique experience of a university that balances the personalized attention of a small land-grant college with the academic offerings and opportunities of a larger research institution. 

AAMU offers both undergraduate and graduate program coursework, ringing in a total of more than 150 specialized degree pathways, an honors program intended to provide an especially intellectually challenging learning environment for students who choose so, and distance education & extended studies opportunities. The school sports a Division I NCAA classification and over 40 student organizations on campus.

The school offers a variety of contemporary bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialities, and doctoral level degrees. Learn more about Alabama A&M’s vast degree programming here.

Alumni Affairs

Alabama A&M is a student and community-focused institution of higher learning. Part of its mission is to prepare students for careers spanning the arts, sciences, business, engineering, education, agriculture, and technology. As such, alumni are often engaged and meaningful contributors to their environments.

Some notable alumni include, but are not limited to:

  • Dr. Hadiya-Nicole Green, a medical physicist who is well-known for her role in the development of a laser-activated nanoparticle methodology as a potential form of cancer treatment. She received her Bachelor of Science in Physics with a concentration in Optics and a minor in Mathematics from Alabama A&M. 
  • Mandela Barnes, a politician who has served as the 45th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications Media.
  • Clyde Foster, a scientist and mathematician who worked for NASA and was the head of Equal Employment Opportunity at Marshall Space Flight Center, received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Chemistry at Alabama A&M.

Financial Information

Alabama A&M University’s tuition has been listed as $10,024 for in-state residents, and $18,634 for out-of-state students. As a land-grant institution committed to the idea of affordable education, Alabama A&M makes it a goal to help students effectively understand the process of gaining financial assistance, completing payment, and ways in which to finance education. 

Reportedly 90% of the student population receive financial aid assistance, of which can come in the various forms of grants, scholarships, loans, work-study, and much more.

Conclusion

Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University is an institution steeped in its heritage as a historically black land-grant college and university. It bolsters the work of teaching, research, and public service. 

The university is dedicated to producing the leaders and critical thinkers of the future, helping them excel through scholarship and their contributions to society. Learn more about Alabama A&M University here.

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Explore HBCU – Morehouse College

Staff Writer
March 24, 2022

Morehouse College is a private, historically black, liberal arts college for male-identifying individuals in Atlanta, Georgia.

Background

The Augusta Institute was founded by William Jefferson White, an Atlanta Baptist minister and cabinet maker, with the support of Reverend Richard C. Coulter (a former slave from Atlanta) and the Rev. Edmund Turney (an organizer of the National Theological Institute for educating freedmen in Washington, D.C). The institute specialized in educating African American men in theology and education, and was located in Augusta, Georgia in Springfield Baptist Church, the oldest independent black church in the United States. In 1879, the school moved to Atlanta and was renamed the Atlanta Baptist Seminary.

In 1906, John Hope became the first African American president of the college and led the institution’s growth in enrollment and academic prowess, seeking to provide an academically rigorous collegiate education. The school was renamed Morehouse College in 1913 in honor of Henry L. Morehouse who was the corresponding secretary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society. By 1929, Morehouse College, Spelman, and Clark Atlanta entered a newly affiliated university system that comprised the Atlanta University Center (AUC). In 1975, the Morehouse School of Medicine was founded, becoming a separate entity from Morehouse College in 1981. 

Today, Morehouse College is one of the top nationally ranked colleges, advancing to number four on the list of HBCUs this past year. The school is the #1 HBCU producer of Rhodes Scholars and the #1 producer of Black men who go on to earn doctorates.

Programs & Opportunities

Part of the Atlanta University Center’s alluring appeal is the ability to take classes from the three institutions of Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College. Morehouse also offers the ARCHE’s Cross Registration Program that allows students at member institutions to broaden their academic experiences by registering for classes at other member colleges and universities—some of which include Agnes Scott College, Emory University, Kennesaw State University, SCAD, and much more.

On campus, through a 14:1 student-faculty ratio, Morehouse prioritizes the mentorship and interdisciplinary learning of its student and academic body. The college boasts seven vast academic divisions that offer more than 30 majors. This year, the college launched the only online degree program centered on the experiences of Black men, continued its record breaking fundraising, and expanded its notable small business development curriculum and engagement through the launch of the Center for Black Entrepreneurship. 

To learn more about Morehouse College’s degree offerings, visit here.

Alumni Affairs

Morehouse prides itself on not only educating its students, but actively working to produce men of distinction. “From Nobel laureates to Oscar winners, Morehouse Men are in a class all their own.”

Some notable alumni include, but are not limited to:

  • Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.—civil rights activist and Baptist minister—graduated from Morehouse College with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.
  • Actor and producer Samuel L. Jackson earned his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse in Drama.
  • Physician and Public health administrator David Satcher graduated from Morehouse with a Bachelor of Science degree and was a four-star admiral in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
  • Health policy leader, author, educator, and physician Louis Wade Sullivan graduated from Morehouse with a Bachelor of Science in Premedical Programs and also was a founding dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Financial Information

For residential students, Morehouse College’s tuition is $27,038, while those taking part in the Online Degree Program can expect a charge of $14,400. The total cost of attendance before financial assistance or aid ranges from $35,102, $37,764, and $49,700 depending on if the student is online, living with parent(s), or living on or off campus, respectively. 

Morehouse values every student member of its population, and works hard to assist in the acquiring of financial aid, scholarship opportunities, and payment options. Over 90% of students finance their education through a combination of scholarships, loans, grants, and work-study. 

Conclusion

Morehouse College is one of four men’s colleges in the US, the only one of which is a four-year liberal arts college that has historically black roots and has an all male-identifying student body. The institution is among the top performers on social mobility, undergraduate teaching, and innovative schooling.

Learn more about Morehouse College and all that it has to offer and more here. 

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Explore HBCU – Spelman College

Staff Writer
March 22, 2022

Spelman College is a private, historically Black liberal arts college for female-identifying students in Atlanta, Georgia.

Background

Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary by educators Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles, the school opened in the basement of Friendship Baptist Church. A year after the school’s founding, the two educators were introduced to John D. Rockefeller who pledged $250 to the school. In 1884, the name was changed to Spelman Seminary in honor of Mrs. Laura Spelman Rockefeller and her parents Harvey Buel and Lucy Henry Spelman who were activists in the antislavery movement. The first Spelman class graduated in 1887 with the receival of high school diplomas, a curriculum that was then expanded to include college courses ten years later in 1897, with the first college degrees being subsequently granted in 1901 to Jane Anna Granderson and Claudia T. White. 

In September of 1924, Spelman Baptist Seminary officially became Spelman College, with Spelman entering an agreement of affiliation with nearby Morehouse College and Atlanta University (aka Clark Atlanta University) a few years later. Clark Atlanta would provide graduate education, while Morehouse and Spelman were responsible for the undergraduate classes. By 1930, the high school was altogether discontinued as Spelman began to focus more on collegiate education. 

In 1958, the college received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Today the school has been ranked among the best institutions to produce Black students accepted to medical school, one of the best environments for Black collegians, and a highly nationally ranked liberal arts college. 

Programs & Opportunities

Spelman has a wide array of undergraduate course opportunities, offering numerous Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degrees with differing major and minor focuses. Major and minor course offerings include the study of art, biological sciences, mathematics, language, social sciences, education, and so much more. 

Additional offerings include honors programs, health career and social justice programs, and international and domestic exchange opportunities. What’s more, students at Spelman are able to take classes provided by the Atlanta University Center (curriculum offerings at both Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University).

Learn more about Spelman’s diverse and multi-faceted degree programming here.

Alumni Affairs

Spelman College is a global leader in the education of its students, dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Spelman students are known to become leaders in their numerous fields. Some well-known alumni include, but are not limited to:

  • Stacey Abrams—lawyer, voting rights activist, author, and politician—graduated from Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (political science, economics, and sociology).
  • Cassi Davis, well-established actress and singer, graduated Spelman College with a Bachelor’s in Music.
  • Marian Wright Edelman, lawyer and civil rights activist who founded the Children’s Defense Fund, graduated from Spelman as valedictorian.
  • Daphne L. Smith, the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Mathematics, graduated from Spelman with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. 

Financial Information

Spelman is committed to empowering the whole person in order to engage the many cultures of the world, and as such, the university makes it a priority to create the best possible combination of federal, private, state, family, and other resources to help produce a more financially accessible education. 

The reported tuition at Spelman college is $29,972 with a total cost of attendance of more than $50,000. For the average student receiving need-based aid, the average cost of attendance lowers by $10,000 before the application of other forms of aid. 

A vast majority of students are reported to receive some form of financial aid, with a typical year resulting in approximately 90% of students receiving benefit from financial assistance.  

Conclusion

Spelman College is a renowned institution committed to the intellectual, creative, ethical, and leadership development of its student body. Spelman seeks to help empower those who identify as women and inspire commitment to positive social change.

Learn more about Spelman College here.

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Explore HBCU – Savannah State University

Staff Writer
March 7, 2022

Savannah State University is a public historically black university in Savannah, Georgia.

Background

Originally called the Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youths, the school was founded in 1890 as a result of the Second Morrill Land Grant Act that mandated southern and border states develop land-grant colleges for black citizens. 

A preliminary session of the college was held in the Baxter Street School Building in Athens, Georgia before moving to Savannah, Georgia, at which point Richard R. Wright Sr. was appointed the first president of the institution. The first baccalaureate degree was awarded in 1898 to Richard R. Wright Jr., and 30 years later the college became an official four-year, degree-granting institution, choosing to end its high school programming.

When the University System of Georgia (USG) was established in 1932, the college became one of the first members of the system and its name was changed to Georgia State College. The name then changed to Savannah State College in 1950, receiving accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 1955 before the USG elevated the status of the school from college to university. In 1996, the school was officially renamed Savannah State University.

Today, Savannah State is the oldest historically black university in the state of Georgia, offering numerous programs ranging from undergraduate to graduate degree study. 

Programs & Opportunities

In 1968, Savannah State University established the city’s first master’s degree program in elementary education, also becoming the first institution in Savannah to receive accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The university also launched an innovative program in marine sciences for both undergraduate and graduate course study in 1979.

Now, SSU offers over 30 programs ranging in focus from business, education, communications, social sciences and health professions, and much more. The university currently plays in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), while hosting all nine of the national pan-hellenic council organizations.  

Learn about Savannah State University’s programs and opportunities here.

Alumni Affairs

Savannah State University seeks to help develop productive members of a global society, and as such SSU’s alumni range in industry across the global scale. Some notable alumni include, but are not limited to:

  • Alissa J. Johnson, PhD., earned a Bachelor of Science in Math from Savannah State and served as the former Deputy Chief Information Officer of the Executive Office of the Obama Administration.
  • Jerome Miller earned a Bachelor’s in Economics from Savannah State and is the retired Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Toyota Motor Inc.
  • Kareem McMichael earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Mass Communication; TV & Radio from Savannah State, and now acts as a News Content Specialist, Actor, and Film Producer. Kareem is also the Online Content Manager for Savannah State University’s Journalism and Mass Communications department.
  • Annie B. Andrews earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Savannah State University. She is a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and the director of the Total Force Requirements Division—currently she serves as the Assistant Administrator for Human Resource Management for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

Financial Information

Savannah State University reports tuition rates per credit hour as $169.33 and $616.07 for in-state and out-of-state undergraduate students, respectively. For graduate students, tuition rates per credit hour are $196.00 and $726.00 for in-state and out-of-state students, respectively. 

In total, the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, and annual cost) averages to $17,414 for in-state residents and $28,136 for out-of-state residents before the application of financial aid.

Conclusion

For 130 years, Savannah State University has strived to meet the educational needs of the community. The school works to foster an engaged learning environment, all while highlighting its African American legacy and nurturing the growth of its increasingly diverse student population. 

Learn more about Savannah State University’s offerings here.

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