23: Spotlight on Learning: The importance of HBCUs with Alice Coleman and Dr. Rick Mason

Throughout the month of February we are honoring Black History Month on Respect Circles, with featured episodes focused on the contributions made by Black Americans in our country. Today we’re excited to share information and insights about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the important role that they continue to play in our society.

Many of today’s and yesterday’s notable figures have walked the campuses of HBCUs, including our very special guests, whom AJ is proud to call his friends.

Dr. Richard Mason, who also goes by Rick, is a Professor and Department Chair of Conselling at Hampton University, based in Hampton, Virginia, and Miss Alice Coleman is Magnet Resource Coordinator at Engineering & Science University Magnet School (ESUMS) located in West Haven, Connecticut.

This was an engaging conversation on the importance of HBCUs and the impact that they have played in the lives of Black Americans, and the country as a whole. We hope you will find our guests’ personal experiences and the insights they’ve gained from HBCUs as informative and inspiring as we did.

As always, we love to hear your feedback. If you have a question or topic that you’d like us to discuss in a future episode, please go to https://www.respectcircles.com/voicemail/ to leave us a message.

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In this episode you’ll hear:

What HBCUs are and the importance they have had in the past, and the future, of Black Americans [1:51]
How both Rick and Alice were introduced to HBCUs while growing up [3:42]
The way that HBCUs were historically formed in this country, and why they exist today [5:27]
The reasons that it is so important to expose our children to HBCUs and what they stand for [8:52]
What role HBCUs play in relieving the bias pressure for their students [11:05]
A few common misconceptions about HBCUs [19:05]
The life-changing experiences and values Alice and Rick carried forward by attending HBCUs [20:13]
AJ, Alice and Rick’s take on the powerful bonds and sense of community and family formed at HBCUs [26:55]
What needs to be done differently in order to keep HBCUs viable in the future for years to come [29:28]
A look at HBCU Homecoming, what it stands for and what makes it so special [34:33]
What corporations need to do to support HBCUs and the future leaders [38:25]