"A Different World" Celebrates HBCUs
The Importance of African American Graduates and HBCUs
Before I was old enough to graduate from elementary school, I continuously told my parents that I wanted to go to a college like Hillman. I wanted to meet the Whitley Gilberts, the Dwayne Cleophus Waynes, the Jalessa Vinsons, the Ronald "Ron" Johnsons, the Kimberly Reeses, the Freddie Brooks, the Lena James, the Shazas, and although Bonet left the first season, the Denise Huxtables too. There has not been a more powerful show since A Different World that discussed so many issues prevalent in not just the African American community but the college community the way that A Different World did, and I am deeply disappointed that Urban Works has not released the second season. The next generation does not have a positive show like this to make them want to go to school, and when Chicago has 20+ high school students being killed in one weekend, I'm afraid the next generation won't live long enough to consider college. Maybe with more positive influences and positive shows like A Different World, we can bring that type of hope back into our homes.
Facts About HBCUs:
During 1987-1993 when A Different World was being showcased on NBC, enrollment in college for African American students was at an all-time high. Even after the show went off, according to the U.S. Census, the proportion of Blacks to have a high school diploma or above rose 10 percentage points from 1993 to 2003. According to the Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, Greek letter organizations may play an important part in African Americans graduating. While statistics disagree in regards to dropout rates, mainly due to the GED program, UNCF clarifies several important factors of attending a Historically Black College/University.
- HBCUs graduate over 50% African American professionals.
- HBCUs graduate over 50% of African American public school teachers and 70% of African American dentists.
- Fifty percent of African Americans who graduate from HBCUs go on to graduate or professional schools.
- HBCUs award more than one in three of the degrees held by African Americans in natural sciences.
- HBCUs award half of the degrees held by African Americans in mathematics.
- Overall, average graduation rate at HBCUs is higher than the average graduation rate for African Americans at majority institutions
And guess where I graduated from? An HBCU (Lincoln University-Missouri). Guess who has been the biggest supporter of my career as an author? My HBCU.
Published by Shamontiel
Shamontiel is the author of Round Trip and Change for a Twenty, and in mid-October became the Chicago Tribune s Digital News Editor. She works on National Travel, Health and occasionally Breaking News, and w... View profile
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12 Comments
Post a CommentPeacheslover, it's been awhile since I wrote them, and when I did, there was an address to send directly to management. Unfortunately, I can't remember where that page is. I'm sorry, I should've posted it. However, I did find two other addresses for Carsey Werner: Carsey Werner, 10420 SW 77th Ave, Miami, FL 33156 and 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, California 91604. I recall writing a California address, so I think this one is better, plus when I google'd it, I found the California address more often. Their website doesn't have a contact address on it strangely enough. There's a Human Resources fax number at 818-655-6067 that may be able to redirect your message to the correct person. Good luck! (By the way, I was gassed when they got married too.) Thank you for checking out my article, by the way.
Im addicted to a different world...i remember being a little girl just watching the show with my mom...crying when dawayne married whitney and when they left to go to japan......could you tell me how to write or email Carsey Werner because i really want to see a reunion episode!
Young lady thank you for reminding me of the excellent shows that were on in the late 80's and early 90's. Different world was such a positive show. The show addressed so many issues, issues that a parent and/or student might not have thought about when your young adult leaves for college. Especially for a parent that did not go away to college. I watch the re-runs on BET and even though I know how the show is going to end I still watch it and laugh at the funny parts, sometimes I catch myself repeating some of the lines. I wish the complete episodes would become available for purchase. I do not know why the show was cancelled - do you know? My daughter will eat this up "I believe that every African American individual should experience attend a HBCU school." I watched her experience attending two totally different colleges and the HBCU was the better school for her. That might not be true for everyone, but it was true for her. Thank you.
Dee Dee, if there is ever a reunion show, I will be front and center! I hope they have it live because I will fly to wherever the set is. I watched the extras on the first Season and Jasmine Guy said she'd love to be on set with all of the cast again just laughing until she "peed her pants." I really wish they'd have one of those episodes when Whitley and Dwayne come back from Japan and hang out at Hillman. I wrote to Carsey Werner because they're the reason that Urban Works cannot release the second season (copyright issues). At the same time, I see the rerun episodes coming on BET, so I guess that's cool, but I want all the seasons. I have all eight seasons of "The Cosby Show."
I'm a graduate of an HBCU. One thing I've always hoped for is a Different World Homecoming (Reunion) show. HBCU's have huge Homecoming Events with alum returning. I'd love to see something like that :-).
Orchiolum, re-runs are coming on BET now and occasionally I can find it on TBS or the Oxygen Channel, but it's usually that very first season. That season was a five on a scale of 1-10, and I love Lisa Bonet and Dawnn (Jaleesa), but it was seasons two through six that had me packing a suitcase ready to go to Hillman. Even if it's "after" your time, that doesn't mean you can't check it out if it comes on. Tell me what you think if you watch it. I'm stalking Amazon.com and BestBuy.com for the second season. Urban Works is taking its sweet time releasing it.
'A Different World' was 'after' my time...certainly seems to have had great impact upon you. Great read.
...you don't, so what?" minus a couple of faculty members. I won't go so far as to say that it's like this at all universities because I've only been to four (Lincoln University [MO], DePaul University, University of Chicago, and Northern Michigan University) for grad school, noncredit courses, and undergrad. But only one of those four had the community that I wanted so badly and that was at LU. Even when I go back there for homecoming, the alumni act like they're family even when they barely know each other. I don't see that at the other three universities.
Momie, that's dope that your daughter is so focused. Monique, good question. If you've read my article on Northern Michigan University and racism, you know that I had a tough time at the first college I went to. They felt that Black History and Black Literature were unnecessary to their program and no one wanted to teach it. That lack of respect can make a person not even want to go to class. To go to a university that not only embraces the issues that you WANT to learn about, have the opportunity to learn about, and be around people who also have common goals is comforting. I went to a high school that was extremely diverse, but I recall my English teacher saying, "You can take African American literature as an elective, but you won't graduate until you take British Literature." That's the kind of thing that can eat a person up. I personally believe HBCUs put a lot of pressure on African Americans to succeed and genuinely care whereas at NMU, it was like, "If you graduate, cool. If
Great job on this Shamontiel. It's my desire for my children to attend an HBCU and I hope they keep with that plan. Did you also know that many of them have classes and programs that are top in the nation? Since one of my daughters wants to go into medicine, I know that to be especially true in the field of medicine, as we have been doing a bit of research. She's only 9, so we still have a while, but keep in mind this is a gifted kid we're talking about. She knew she wanted to be an ob/gyn at the age of four and began requesting for me to send for college pamphlets and info at the age of 7. LOL