For generations, many African Americans have found solidarity and refuge in Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCUs. HBCUs are known for the culture and sense of pride they give their students when decades ago HBCUs were the only colleges that accepted African American students during segregation. I interviewed Solon High School Band Director Mark Mauldin (Howard Alumus) and Princess Osuiji (Solon Student) on their thoughts and feelings about them.

Mark Mauldin

Q: What HBCU did you attend?

A: The “Mecca” Howard University

Q: What made you decide to go to Howard?

A: My aunt went there along with my mom, and I had a lot of relatives who also lived in the D.C. area. Everyone from my family strongly encouraged me to attend, and I got a full scholarship to play music.

Q: How did being in the band change your view of music?

A: When we marched for halftime the stands would fill up, and we would play the music that would come out that week, and the crowd would go crazy, and I started to understand entertainment especially, at football games.

Q: When did you realize that Howard was the school for you?

A: When I saw how beautiful and different these groups of [Black] people of all shades, different regions and where they were from, how they talked and acted, and that was when I realized this school was for me. I was not used to seeing it– I´m from a small suburb much like Solon but not as diverse.

Q: What do you think about more students applying to HBCUs?

A: I think it is a great thing because schools like Howard, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, for example, the academic standards are higher, but they [HBCUs] are easier to get into than Harvard, but you’re getting just about the same education, in my opinion, from people just as smart or smarter.

Q: What advice would you tell a student contemplating going to an HBCU?

A: Think about the choices they are making and the world they will live in when they get out of school. Students have to realize that they went to a school with people who look like you and you got a great education, but [you] should keep in mind that the world is much more diverse and you’re not only going to see people like you once did at an HBCU.

Princess Osuji

Princess Osuji talked about the top three HBCUs she is thinking of applying to and explained how it would further her education and her career in the medical field. The number of applications for Historically Black Colleges are going up and many African American students are making them their number one decision.