BCUs are a safe haven for Black students, but financial challenges prevent a lot of people from attending. How can the community support these programs and potential students?
Charlotte Curtis From Lockheed Martin On Resources For HBCU Candidates And Collaborators
Charlotte Curtis
To help fuel the success of HBCUs, we invited Charlotte Flemmings Curtis, the Government Affairs Business Analyst at Lockheed Martin, to speak at our ‘HBCU Discourse’ event on Friday, August 7th. She provided key insight on how to use collaboration to grow HBCU endowment and resources, and tips for HBCU candidates to obtain financial resources.
Curtis has worked with the Obama administration to support their work, and specializes in helping communities realize and actualize the resources that they do not know exists in their back door. A Spelman graduate, Curtis is a firm believer that being proactive is a precursor to being successful, reminding audiences that they have the power to be the change they need to see.
For people or organizations that want to support the HBCU legacy, Curtis encourages collaboration seeking. She says “Each school has a local alumni chapter. Reach out to them, because you may find they are already working on projects that align with how you want to help or your mission. Another way is to connect with a university’s Corporate Relationship Liaison.”
Curtis encourages students to be ambitious and tenacious when looking for education scholarships. During her college career she found scholarships in unconventional ways, and all of the funds added up in a significantly. “Apply and anything you see, including church scholarships, book scholarships, Divine Nine scholarships, etc.”
In addition, reaching out to high school resources also proves useful. She says “Use the resources you have within the school district like a guidance counselor. Talk to teachers, parents, or anyone who can help. A closed mouth does not get fed.”
Thank you Charlotte for your insight and your contributions. Are you a HBCU candidate or alumni? Email us at infor@funtimesmagazine.com, we love to hear from you!
Steven Scott Bradley
Steven Scott Bradley
To encourage the longevity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, FunTimes brought in leaders of the HBCU community to learn how we as a community can optimize accessibility for HBCU enrollment and attendance. Steven Scott Bradley, CEO of Bradley & Bradley Associated Inc., Board Chairman of the African American Chamber of Commerce for PA, NJ and DE, Board Member of the Philadelphia Foundation and Board Member of WHYY Public Radio/TV, contributed vital information for potential HBCU students, struggling HBCU students, alumnae and potential donors.
Because Bradley was so positively impacted by his experience at Fisk University, he is a strong advocate of alumnae supporting these institutions so future leaders can be shaped greatly like he has been. He says “As a result of going to Fisk I had the opportunity to go abroad…We have a responsibility to keep HBCUs alive and vibrant for the next generation, especially as alumnae…we have to set the tone and be major contributors, and that could not only be financially but also through different careers and contacts .”
Bradley gives special advice for Black businesses that seek to build relationships with HBCUs: “A good way to develop a relationship is through sponsorship. That’s the way I have been able to maintain relationships is by putting money back into the communities.”
He also advises caretakers to train their kids to use all their resources when searching for educational resources: “As responsibilities, we have to teach them to use Iphones and Ipads as tools and resources.”
Thank you Mr. Bradley for your wisdom and contributions! Connect with his business, Bradley & Bradley Associates Inc., at info@bradleysin.net.
Richard Snow From The United Negro College Fund Talks HBCU Resources
Richard Lee Snow
At our #FunTimesFriday HBCU Discourse event, FunTimes picked the brains of leaders in the Historically Black College University arena to see how HBCU enrollment and retention can be made more accessible for communities of color. Richard Lee Snow, the Regional Development Director at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF,) provided very important tips for potential students to finance their education.
Through managing HBCU related relationships in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Baltimore, DC and Richmond, VA, Snow has learned that there are many scholarships available to students. He says, although they are all not huge scholarships, they can be crucial in making it to graduation, and can aid students in buying toiletries, food and other basic needs during their college career. “Some of these are small scholarships but you can use them for anything you need. These are things that will help, so you have to apply for everything that is out there.”
In light of the George Floyd protests, whose killing reminded the world of the ongoing public lynchings of Black and Brown people in America, many businesses are donating funds to HBCUs. These reparations are stimulated by White guilt, and are mostly coming from brands like Urban Outfitters and more, who have a history of racial profiling and discrimination. Snow says “AT UNCF we were blessed to receive a donation of 120 million dollars from Netflix. 4 million was targeted to Morehouse and 4 million was targeted to Spelman. We received almost 200,000 dollars from Urban Outfitters.” Snow also reminds audiences that “Most giving comes through relationships,” and encourages students to build meaningful relationships with people who can help them.
Although circumstances may seem bleak, there are a multitude of resources available for those who want to join the HBCU legacy. Snow encourages potential students to reach out to him at UNCF Philadelphia via email at richard.snow@uncf.org or phone 215 925 9044.
Are you a student or adult learner who is interested in attending an HBCU? Email us, we love to hear from you!
Asali Carter From National Association Of Alumnae From Spelman College On Helping HBCUs Grow
Asali Carter
On August 7th, 2020 at 6pm, FunTimes hosted its bi-weekly FunTimes Friday event. The topic of this event was ‘HBCU Discourse,’ and sought to answer the question ‘How can the community support HBCU programs and potential students?’ Asali Carter, Global Tech Ops Manager of Scientific Services at GSK and immediate past President of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College Philadelphia Chapter, dropped major gems on the importance of black students’ attending HBCUs and how alumnae can help provide future HBCU students with career and finance resources.
As a Spelman graduate, Carter’s experience was so powerful that she has made a post-graduate commitment to the institution by joining the National Alumnae of Association of Spelman College in Philadelphia. She describes Spelman’s impact on her life:
“In high school, I had AP classes but my teachers doubted my abilities even though I was put in the class. When I got to Spelman, I had so many black women teachers, and these teachers had the mindset of ‘I know you can do the work because of your SATs and grades, but I want you to go a little bit further’… I owe a lot of my successes to my experience at Spelman College.”
Carter used a multi-pronged approach to optimize career and finance opportunities for HBCU students and candidates. “I do a couple things. I made sure I took advantage of matching gift opportunities, i.e. giving a certain amount to Spelman and campaigning with my job to also give that amount. I talked to the human services department to suggest that the company recruited through the Atlanta University Consortium Inc. (AUC,) which is a consortium of HBCUs in Atlanta. Talking to your company’s diversity and human services department about recruiting through your school also helps.
With the current climate, leadership started asking questions. I told them maybe they can recruit more. They said they didn’t know who to contact so I reached out to Spelman to find a contact for them so GSK can partner with Spelman for internships. This is something others can do to create change.”
In addition to offering this advice, Carter reached a hand towards potential HBCU candidates, and encouraged them to reach out to the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College Philadelphia Chapter for resources. They can be contacted at @NAASCPhila on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Charlotte Curtishttps://www.youtube.com/embed/I8sR1SFo-X4
Steven Scott Bradleyhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/VxM103ObmzQ
Richard Lee Snowhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/gkn6hvH2EAE
Asali Carterhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/bSW-8pNIDDA
