http://diverseeducation.com/blogpost/311/an-open-letter-to-hbcu-students-and-alumni.html
Dr. Marybeth Gasman suggest that students on HBCU campuses should share their college experiences in order to debunk myths about Historically Black Colleges. Gasman claims that critics have failed to recognize the pride and achievement of many students on these campuses. These stories could potentially aid positive notions about HCBU.
I agree with Dr. Gasman in that HBCUs seem to get a lot of criticisms and ignore the positive outcomes of the Black student experience. These stories should also be used as tool when recruiting high school students. I believe that having conversation about HBCU's legacies and current influences could encourage more students of color to take pride in these particular campuses.
Dr. Gasman is a leading scholar in researching and writing about HBCUs. I appreciate this idea that students from HBCUs could provide stories of their college experiences in order to share counternarratives that would help debunk the claims of critics of HBCUs. I would encourage the use of new media, such as youtube videos, to share students' perspectives and qualitative experiences. New media is a powerful tool to spread information that might not be covered by mainstream media, and can be a way to empower youth and college students who want to promote HBCUs.
ReplyDeleteHBCU’s have had a significant influence on the advancement of African Americans in numerous areas (i.e., Dentistry, Medicine, etc.). With that being said, I second the opinions made above by Sheri and Connie.
ReplyDeleteThe testimonies, provided by HBCU alums, could contribute greatly to the image of these institutions as a valuable segment of American education. I also believe it is essential for these schools to unite on a common front, rather than face the challenges (identified by Gasman) individually.
I think students should share their experiences from HBCUs. It is ashame that people are ignorant. Just because more people are moving up in power according to this article and are from HBCUs, then what is the big deal? There are barely any CEOs that are minorities in the U.S. It is unfortuante that some people cannot just think for themselves or have not set foot on a HBCU campus. People should defend their schools. Students can send letters but at times it could not be enough to change peoples' opinions. It all depends on the individual. Currently, Spellman has the most black alumni that are leaders in the stem disciplines as far as African American Women. HBCUs have made great contributions to the lives of African Americans. Many African American celebrities have gone to Howard University and are making names for themselves in Hollywood.
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