Why I Chose an HBCU
One HBCU alum's story about why she chose an HBCU.
I left high school believing a “diverse” university, or a microcosm of our nation, was the smart choice. I initially attended a PWI for my undergraduate education. However, homesickness quickly merged with discomfort and psychological turmoil.
Across the street from my dorm, at their off-campus housing, a fraternity would chant KA KA KA during their gatherings. The letters slurred together, the "A" losing its distinctiveness as they clapped their hands; I heard KKK, KKK. Black waitstaff served the all-white fraternity during events on their lawn. Confederate flags were plastered to some dorm walls, visible to passersby through windows. There was a confrontation between the campus police and Black students.
As my freshman year at this school was ending, I reapplied to Xavier University of Louisiana, an HBCU in New Orleans.
Xavier had the reputation of being #1 in sending Black students to medical school. Given that I hoped to be a physician and all my friends were Black at my first institution, it made sense to move towards my goals in a psychologically and emotionally safe way. I sought a break from the micro and macro-aggressions involved with being Black in majority white spaces. I was eager to bask in the beauty and joy of being Black in a predominantly Black space with a history of serving Black students.
Location was also a huge draw for me. New Orleans was my mother's hometown. So, even though HBCUs provide a strong sense of community, I knew being near my family would be an asset as I navigated college. I did not want to be isolated from people who loved me. Despite what our individualistic society would have us believe, we thrive in community.
Xavier was very nurturing from the start. Professors weren't biased due to race; they genuinely supported all students and Xavier was dedicated to helping students achieve success in their science courses. Though I eventually changed my major, I was still intensely supported by my professors and university programming. My choice, by far one of the best decisions I ever made, has caused me to have an enduring Xavier Pride and HBCU love.