Education Archives

An external photo of a college campus building, with trees in the foreground.

Education, Higher Education, Partner Content

UNC System Faculty at Odds With Process That Aims to Eliminate DEI

by Brianna Atkinson, OpenCampus/WUNC April 25, 2024April 25, 2024

Originally published by OpenCampus and North Carolina Public Radio. Less than a week after its surprise inclusion at a University of North Carolina Board of Governors meeting, faculty and students across the system are reacting with confusion and anger at a policy that seeks to eliminate DEI on campuses. “We are stunned at the speed, […]

HBCUs, Partner Content

Black Student-Athletes Tired of Being the ‘Odd One Out’ at White Schools

by Niles Garrison, Open Campus April 3, 2024April 2, 2024

When Ronald Davis III was deciding where to attend college in 2021, he was drawn to Eastern Washington University. He was recruited by the small school as defensive back, and being a kid from Seattle, staying home on a good football scholarship was all he could ask for. But once he got there, he felt […]

Lincoln University students protest outside the administration building.

HBCUs, Higher Education, Partner Content

HBCU Alumni Object to School President’s Return Following Administrator’s Suicide

by Nadra Nittle, The 19th March 29, 2024March 28, 2024

Originally published by The 19th Lincoln University’s national alumni association is objecting to the school’s decision to keep John Moseley as president after a Black woman administrator who accused him of bullying took her own life earlier this year. The alumni association said in a letter that it was issuing a statement of “no-confidence” in […]

Protesters demonstrate outside the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2023 after the nation's high court stuck down President Joe Biden's student debt relief program.

Education, Partner Content, Student Loans

Your Employer Can Now Match Your Student Loan Repayments as 401(k) Contributions

by Darreonna Davis, The 19th February 5, 2024February 5, 2024

Originally published by The 19th Starting this year, employers can match employees’ student loan repayments as 401(k) contributions, a policy that experts say can be a “game changer” for Black women, who have the highest student loan debt on average. When someone makes a student loan payment, their employer can contribute that same amount of […]

Claudine Gay addresses an audience during commencement ceremonies at Harvard University in May 2023.

Education, Higher Education

Claudine Gay’s Resignation: What’s at Stake for Black People

by Brandon Tensley January 4, 2024January 4, 2024

Claudine Gay’s announcement on Tuesday that she was stepping down from her position as the president of Harvard University was, for many people, a gut punch. “It’s discouraging for young students to see this because the world is saying that we’re the future and we gotta be the ones to come up with the next […]

Education, Higher Education

The Black Harvard Alumni Who Rallied to Defend the School’s President

by Aallyah Wright and Brandon Tensley December 12, 2023December 12, 2023

On Sunday morning, five Black Harvard University alumnae jumped into a group chat to figure out how to build momentum around the school’s president, Claudine Gay, after she received backlash over her handling of antisemitism on campus. The sound bites floating around social media and reported in news outlets didn’t accurately reflect who Gay is, […]

Kennedeigh Poole sits and her son, Amari, on Bowie State University's campus.

Education, HBCUs, Higher Education

HBCU Student Parents Face Major Hurdles to Reaching Graduation Finish Line

by Dejah Miles, Open Campus December 11, 2023December 8, 2023

Kennedeigh Poole stares up at her bedroom ceiling, deep in thought, as she considers her hopes for her 10-month-old son. “I want my son to be just as ambitious as his mom,” Poole says. Poole, 25, is juggling care for her son, Amari, with working full time as an administrative assistant at Andrews Air Force […]

A fashion show at North Carolina A&T University.

Education, HBCUs

How Fashion Is Shaping Culture on HBCU Campuses

by Rosegalie Cineus, Open Campus November 10, 2023December 1, 2023

Students at historically Black colleges and universities have flaunted distinctive looks on campus for decades. Dressing in creative outfits helps HBCU students express themselves, and campuses embrace specific trends all their own, such as the resurgence of Y2K fashion, replacing backpacks with Marc Jacobs totes, and theme days like Monochromatic Mondays. Taylor Davis, a Philadelphia […]

Rayquan Smith carries the football during a Virginia State University game.

Education, HBCUs, Partner Content

‘Money Like That Would Not Come to Someone Like Me’

by Tamilore Oshikanlu, Open Campus November 9, 2023April 2, 2024

Rayquan Smith, a running back at Virginia State University who has landed 88 brand deals, fancies himself as the “King of NIL.” That’s “name, image, likeness” — a set of rules allowing athletes to sign endorsement deals and earn money while in college. The National College Athletic Association enacted the policy in 2021, a major step […]

Education, HBCUs, Partner Content

Shaw University Hopes Redevelopment Can Ease Years of Financial Struggle

by Dejah Miles, Open Campus October 26, 2023December 1, 2023

Shaw University — which has called Raleigh, North Carolina, home since its founding in 1865 — is hoping a campus redevelopment and rezoning project will help ease its financial problems. Like many other historically Black colleges, the university has struggled financially due to declining enrollment, underfunding, and a shrinking market share. Private and federal loans, combined […]