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Black students are thriving at HBCUs. Compared to their peers attending predominantly white institutions and predominantly Black institutions, they are graduating at higher rates, they report greater satisfaction with their educational experience, they have greater opportunities to develop professional networks and gain professional skills while still in college, and they are more economically mobile after graduation.
Several factors differentiate the HBCU student experience, but three of them include care and support for the whole person; a culture and environment that recognizes, centers, and celebrates the many ways people experience Blackness; and building community and pride between students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Those three characteristics emerged as central themes in A Profile of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, a new report from Every Learner Everywhere. In addition to a full exploration of those characteristics, the report features a history of HBCUs, a comprehensive scan of the research literature, original interviews with students and professors, and a section devoted to digital learning at these institutions.
A Profile of Historically Black Colleges and Universities is part of a series that also includes profiles on Tribal Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions. The series was developed to help providers of services better understand the needs of these institutions. The profiles are based on current literature, government and advocacy organization publications, and conversations with faculty, staff, and students. A special emphasis of this series of profiles is opportunities and challenges of digital learning at each institutional type.
Below are excerpts from the sections of A Profile of Historically Black Colleges and Universities that outline their unique characteristics.
Care and support
Because HBCUs were established to educate Black students, with the twin goals of creating pathways for upward economic mobility and nurturing Black excellence and pride, they place great emphasis on nurturing and lifting up students. Care at HBCUs is expressed in multiple ways that involve a safe and welcoming campus environment, mentoring programs, relationship building between students and faculty, support services, and affordability. Smaller class sizes and closer faculty-student relationships contribute to a more personalized learning experience.
Support for Black students at HBCUs is demonstrated through various means, including academic, social, and financial support structures that are tailored to their unique needs. Some key ways this support is provided include a culturally relevant curriculum and environment, academic support, financial support, social and emotional support, career development, leadership development, and family and community engagement.
Mentorship programs at HBCUs play a crucial role in supporting students academically, personally, and professionally. Having mentors who understand the unique challenges faced by Black students can positively impact their educational journey. Many organizations provide mentoring to Black high school students in collaboration with HBCUs.
HBCUs demonstrate care for students by providing support services that are culturally affirming and personally validating. Many HBCUs offer specialized support services, such as tutoring, counseling, and academic advising, to help students navigate the challenges of higher education successfully. Student retention services include programs for first- and second-year students as well as transfer students. Some schools even have outreach programs for families to support student success.
Care at HBCUs is also expressed by making a post-secondary degree affordable for Black families. Tuition at HBCUs is often lower than at comparable non-HBCU schools. However, student debt is still a real problem for HBCU graduates. HBCUs often have robust financial aid programs and scholarships that are specifically designed to support Black students.
Culture and environment
While HBCU culture is inimitable, across HBCU institutions researchers have noted how they promote awareness of and pride in Black culture, Black history, the accomplishments of Black people collectively and individually, and Black contributions to all areas of life, but especially to social and political justice movements. HBCUs offer culturally relevant curricula and extracurricular activities, they nurture a sense of belonging in the academy and also in academic disciplines, and they provide students with an immersive experience of living in a community that both centers and celebrates Blackness.
HBCUs often incorporate a curriculum that reflects the cultural and historical experiences of Black students. This can enhance engagement and a sense of belonging and helps Black students connect with the material and feel more engaged in their education.
HBCUs also provide culturally relevant experiences to their students and alumni. One of the most beloved HBCU experiences is homecoming. The HBCU homecoming experience is so deeply rooted in HBCU culture that in 2022 the National Museum of African American History & Culture featured it in exhibits and events. Although this particular exhibit is no longer on display, it is a permanent part of the museum’s web page as part of the history of HBCUs. Many of the most memorable HBCU cultural events happen during homecoming, including step shows, tailgate, the homecoming parade, the homecoming football game, coronation (the official installment of the royal court), marching band performances, and halftime shows featuring music, dance, and the presentation of the student government association president and vice president and the royal court.
Political and social advocacy is also an integral part of the HBCU experience. HBCUs have a strong emphasis on social justice and activism, encouraging students to become advocates for positive change in their communities. Throughout their history, HBCUs have trained Black leaders, raised the consciousness of Black students about race issues, nurtured Black arts and entrepreneurship, challenged Jim Crow and other segregation laws and policies, and housed Black think tanks and intellectual centers.
Community and pride
HBCUs provide a unique sense of community and belonging for Black students, who often feel marginalized and isolated in predominantly white institutions. This sense of community is fostered through various activities and events, such as engagement with the greater community in which the HBCU is located, mentorship programs, and student organizations. Krystal Williams writes of this connection between the schools and local communities: “HBCU administrators and faculty members suggested that one of their greatest assets is generating a strong sense of connection to Black populations outside of the institution—not only to those in its immediate proximity, but also to larger communities of Black people.”
HBCUs tend to have strong alumni networks that actively engage with the local community and current students, providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and financial support. Lady Buds, a program based out of the Spelman College Office of Alumnae Engagement, pairs teen girls in Atlanta with an alumna member who mentors them with the goal of advancing their educational and personal goals. Mentoring Brothers in Action is a mentoring program that pairs boys from Big Brothers Big Sisters with college students who are members of three Black fraternities: Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, and Omega Psi Phi. The National Association of HBCU Students and Alumni has a mentoring program for current HBCU students, the United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) National Alumni Council provides leadership training and mentoring to its members, and Divine Nine organizations are frequent partners for fundraising and volunteer work with local chapters of the United Way, St. Jude Children’s ResearchHospital, and the YMCA.
HBCUs often provide leadership opportunities for students, fostering the development of skills that go beyond the academic realm, including involvement in student organizations, community service, and campus governance. This leadership extends well beyond graduation. Despite their small numbers compared to Black graduates of non-HBCUs, HBCU alumni are overrepresented as leaders in politics and public service, arts and entertainment, business, the sciences, law, journalism, and sports.
Lastly, HBCUs help Black students gain a sense of pride in their university through several intentional strategies using branding and identity, success stories and role models, and engagement with history and legacy. While this pride is rooted in culture, legacy, and strength, it endures for a lifetime.
Editor’s note: The material in this article is excerpted and adapted from A Profile of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which was written by Anissia Fleming, a 2024 student intern with Every Learner Everywhere, and Patricia O’Sullivan, Associate Director of Strategy Execution at Every Learner Everywhere.
Download A Profile of Historically Black Colleges and Universities