A Different World: The HBCU Experience to other Races

From the electrifying band and fabulous majorette dancers to the joyful homecoming and community, the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) experience is unlike any other. Naturally, most black students at HBCUs feel comfortable as they are surrounded by a community of people that look like them and may come from the same background as them. However, what about non-Black community members at HBCUs?
HBCUs are predominately Black as they were erected for the development and education of Black people during segregation, but, diversity is still commonplace at HBCUs and are oftentimes overlooked as a result.
Kyle Wheeler, a freshman majoring in music education from Virginia and a member of the oh-so-live Human Jukebox expresses his experience at Southern University as welcoming and amicable even though he is Caucasian. He vocalizes, “I feel welcomed here, especially with the help of the band. It truly feels like a family, immediately, and it has been a good time because the band is a very family-oriented program. No one sees color.” Excluding the Human Jukebox, Kyle adds, “I feel very comfortable on campus, and there are so many events on campus that I don’t feel like I’m missing anything because of my busy schedule with the band.
More than likely anyone who has visited the bookstore has seen staff member Rebecca Boothly, a Caucasian woman. Boothly, originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, consequently moved to Texas when Hurricane Katrina hit. She previously worked at Baton Rouge Community College and then later came to the Bluff for a year and a half now. As a staff member at Southern University she elaborates on her perspective, “The campus has been really welcoming, and Southern is a beautiful campus. Everyone has been really kind and welcoming since I’ve come here, I’ve worked at many different schools before coming here, and the campus is very lively and has lots of spirit at the sporting events”.
Overall, it appears Southern University creates an environment for everyone of all backgrounds to be themselves and to have a great time on the Bluff. Be sure to be on the lookout for the next segment of the HBCU experience in the Southern DIGEST every Tuesday.