Explore HBCU – Cheyney University
Cheyney University is a public Historically Black University in Cheyney, Pennsylvania.
Background
Located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, Cheyney University became the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) founded in 1837.
Established with the financial assistance of Richard Humphreys, a Quaker philanthropist who left one-tenth ($10,000) of his estate to establish a school to educate people of African descent, it was originally named the African Institute. Soon after it was renamed the Institute for Colored Youth, where the curriculum specialized in providing training for trades and agriculture—first at the high school level, and then college well into the 20th century.
Though the school’s name evolved several times over the years, in 1983 Cheyney State College became Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, a force to be reckoned with in the Pennsylvania University system; it is the oldest university of the fourteen Pennsylvania State System universities, and it is the only HBCU.
Programs & Opportunities
Cheyney’s programs of study initially started with trade, and today the courses of study have expanded as graduates go on to enter careers in science and technology, law, communications, journalism, business, medicine, and the list goes on. Check out Cheyney’s list of degree programs here!
Notable Alumni
Some well-known alumni include, but are not limited to:
- Eleanor Cickey Ragsdale: an educator, activist in the Civil Rights movement, and entrepreneur
- Ed Bradely: a journalist best known for his years of award-winning work on the News Program 60 Minutes
- Bayard Rustin: a leader in civil rights movements for gay rights, racial equality, and nonviolence
- Julian Abele: a prominent architect and chief designer in the offices of Horace Trumbaur, his designs and work contributed to more than 400 buildings
By the Numbers: Financial Information
Cheyney University’s rich heritage as one of the nation’s first institutions of higher learning for Black people has lent to its mission to provide as much support for its students as possible. As of right now, Cheyney’s cost of tuition is $10,904—which is nearly $20,000 less than the average for Baccalaureate colleges—and the university’s endowment is reportedly valued at nearly $1.47 million.
Conclusion
Today, the campus welcomes students from a variety of backgrounds differing in culture, race, and nationality—Cheyney graduates earning their baccalaureate degrees in an assemblage of disciplines, and many going on to obtain advanced degrees in their respective fields. Explore all that Cheyney University has to offer here!
Sources:
- https://www.linkedin.com/school/cheyney-university-of-pennsylvania/
- https://www.passhe.edu/university/Pages/Our-Universities.aspx
- https://cheyney.edu/who-we-are/cheyney-at-a-glance/
- https://cheyney.edu/who-we-are/the-first-hbcu/
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/ragsdale-eleanor-dickey-1926-1998/
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ed-Bradley
- https://www.biography.com/activist/bayard-rustin
- https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/julian-francis-abele
- https://whyy.org/articles/cheyney-university-is-keeping-its-accreditation/
- https://datausa.io/profile/university/cheyney-university-of-pennsylvania
Pictures:
- Cheyney banner logo: https://www.linkedin.com/school/cheyney-university-of-pennsylvania/
- Cheyney campus old: https://cheyney.edu/who-we-are/cheyney-at-a-glance/
- Cheyney campus present: https://cheyney.edu/
- Students walking: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2018/11/20/Cheyney-University-State-System-of-Higher-Education-PASSHE-historically-black-college-accredit/stories/201811200168