Ep. 28: Why you belong at a Black college.

Feb 27

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We had the chance to chat with Nicole Ford Miller about the incredible work she does around HBCUs.

Together with Nicole, who is an educational consultant, event producer, HBCU advocate, and the author of ‘You Belong at a Black College,’ we delve deep about the importance and impact of HBCUs.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR:

Nicole’s mission in HBCUs [15:43]

Black college tours
Black college fairs
Black college reunion for alumni
Virtual male black youth summit and virtual HBCU summit
And more

Why opting for HBCUs is a terrific choice [24:24]

They have a more diverse community
They cost less
They’re inclusive
They’re a great choice for those who don’t want to go to mainstream choices like Pelman and Morehouse
The educational cultural competence
The social experience in HBCUs can’t be replicated
Gaining invaluable network of black professionals

Bigger challenges for HBCUs [27:06]

Spreading the word—sometimes families don’t know that HBCUs are as competitive as other colleges
Parents sometimes don’t realize that HBCUs are home for black students

Navigating through the haze [35:28]

Seeing highly successful and competent professionals produced by HBCUs
For parents: expose your kids to new things, things they haven’t seen before
The assurance that HBCUs are a place where you can become the best version of yourself

EPISODE QUOTES:

But everybody doesn't want to go to Spelman and Morehouse. So what other options do they have? And so that's what we kind of come in and talk about the different programs, even from a monetary standpoint, everybody can't afford to go to Howard every year. But there's 100 plus other HBCUs that cost less than that. So it's all about providing options.
- Nicole Ford Miller

That's what I want people to understand is that HBCUs will pull you kicking and screaming across the finish line. They care. They want you to succeed, and they're gonna make sure that you do, and so I think that's what I want people to leave with what parents, students, educators, understand that you're gonna be taken care of at an HBCU. Your child will come back better than when they left.
- Nicole Ford Miller

And I found out who I really was on the campus of that school just being around other folks who had the same ideas, other folks who were looking to further their education in different fields, but we bonded around education, and found unique ways to study together to play together to live together to eat and cook in the dark in the dorms who are exposed to all of those things that you know, just require ingenuity, and things that I don't know that I would have gotten anywhere else.
- Scott Hayes