Minority Report: HBCUs aren’t black only institutions

Many people assume that historically black colleges and universities are not diverse; when it’s quite the opposite. Since integration in the 1960s people who identify themselves as non-black have been attending HBCUs with record highs.

The National Association for Equal Opportunity reports that in 1998 more than 12 HBCUs were between 19 to 49 percent white. Their 2008 report shows that the white population at HBCUs has increased 16 percent.

The rise might be explained through cost and opportunity. According to the U.S. department of education, the average tuition at private black colleges in contrast to private liberal arts schools is $6,200 more.

Florida A&M University is on the lower end of the diversity spectrum compared to other HBCUs. According to the admissions office, FAMU is 94 percent black, 4 percent white, 1 percent Asian/pacific islander and 1 percent Hispanic.

Because Hispanics, Asian Americans and whites are the minority at most HBCUs, they are more likely to receive assistance scholarships and get into the program of their choice.

“I think I had the upper hand when getting into the pharmacy program,” says Hamy Vo, a third-year Vietnamese-American pharmacy student from Sarasota.

On the other hand many non-blacks attend HBCUs because it is the only school with their program they could get into. Vo says the University of Florida’s Pharmacy program was ideal but she was not accepted and chose FAMU as her alternative.

“FAMU wasn’t my top choice, but I knew I wanted to be a pharmacist and I could do it here,” says Ricky Costine, a fourth-year Chinese-American pharmacy student from Tallahassee.

The biggest adjustment for many minorities at black schools may not be the large number of African-Americans but the policies that HBCUs are known for implementing such as making it mandatory for freshmen reside on campus or not being allowed to have cars.

Vo says she got out of living on campus and parking at FAMU. She never signed up for housing and did not have a problem getting a parking permit. Vo was never questioned.

But when non-blacks attend HBCUs, are they regretful or do they feel out of place?

Vo says no.

“I’m very happy here and where I’m at here,” Vo says.

All the students surveyed at FAMU say their experience has been positive.

“FAMU is a family all the way around. You feel apart of something here,” Costine says.

Minority students agree that at this stage of their black college experience their social life is normal compared to students at predominately white institutions.

“When I first got here I was intimidated because I was a freshman not because I wasn’t black,” says Jose Sanabria a fourth-year Dominican political science student from Miami.

“At first I thought it would be hard but I have made a lot of friends here,” Vo says.

Minority students at FAMU socialize with student from their own race as well as their African-Americans schoolmates.

“I have a lot of friend in class that I hang out with outside of school all the time,” Costine says.

Similarly to how black students would describe their love for their HBCU so do non-blacks.

“I’ve gotten really involved at FAMU. I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Sanabria says.