A MAN OF MOREHOUSE

I’ve chosen to spend the next chapter of my life at Morehouse College, one of the nation’s most prestigious HBCUs. As a high school senior already committed to Morehouse for Communications and Mass Media, I think I feel a big mix of excitement and nerves all at once.

Yet, I always remind myself that attending an HBCU is “more than pursuing a degree,” it’s an affirmation of where I come from, empowerment that I can only get from people who look like me, and an unbreakable community of fellow Black men. Knowing Morehouse has also been doing amazing as an institution makes that feeling more profound having climbed to #3 among HBCUs and reassures me that I’m stepping into a legacy of ambitious leaders. And, there’s meaning behind that; I know that that legacy was shaped by people who look just like me, and I’m ready to inherit that mantle and keep the fire going.

One of the first things I learned about Morehouse, though, is the emphasis on brotherhood and family. The college culture is built on an incredibly nuanced sense of togetherness. Upperclassmen, professors, and alumni welcome new students with open arms, and you truly become part of an extended family on campus.

Research backs this up; it shows that students at HBCUs report a much stronger sense of belonging and support than the average college student. In practice, that means I won’t feel alone or out of place when I first set foot on campus, and that’s reassuring. I’ll be surrounded by like-minded men at Morehouse–same with my sisters at Spelman across the street–and even people at Clark Atlanta. The AUC’s collaboration makes all three campuses feel like one big body.

And yes, I did have doubts about the dorm life, the amount of financial aid I’d be getting, and even the location. However, understanding that the endowments are smaller for HBCUS, and the significance of certain issues non-pwis have faced, I’ve pushed forward despite that, and the biggest thing I’ve understood is I’d only be able to get this experience once.

For so long I allowed my dreams to be weighed down by people around me, my environment, and other things that weren’t so positive in my life. But I write this column today to tell you to not be defined or discouraged and to keep chasing your dreams in spite of what life throws at you.

If you are debating going to an HBCU…go. It’ll be a life changing experience, and even if you have to tour it ten times to make sure, then do that. But I’m urging you to go, to give it a chance, and to allow things to iron themselves out.