Throughout my entire life I’ve lived in small, primarily white towns in Texas, yet I have always dreamed of studying and being mentored by people who look more like me. As I’ve cycled through these predominantly white schools all this time, I have found myself yearning for instructors, role models, and a student body I can relate to on deeper levels. This has made me truly value the thought of attending an HBCU, where there will be a larger black community I can be part of as I truly embrace and evolve into my identity. 

Truthfully, I didn’t start finding interest in colleges until my junior year, because I’ve never been captivated by the universities I typically heard about. But once confronted with the proximity of college applications, I decided to finally explore my options. At first, I limited myself to the research of the typical ivy leagues and in-state PWI‘s. 

This was until I went to an HBCU college fair hosted at Heritage High School and first discovered several universities. I began exploring each one, and everything I found exceeded my expectations. As I researched schools such as Howard and Hampton, I found myself looking at pleasing academics and a black population that made me feel compelled to be there. 

When I look at the communities of HBCU’s, I see groups of students I truly feel I can identify with. I’ve learned that HBCU’s can be prestigious, and it would truly serve me to be surrounded by ambitious Black students fighting the stereotypes that negatively categorize us as dumb or lazy. 

Hoping to study psychology in undergrad, I plan on obtaining my Ph.D. and becoming a pediatric ABA therapist. A big goal of mine as I pursue this career path is to help educate underrepresented POC communities on the autism spectrum disorder, where ignorance and consequential stigma run rampant. This is why studying psychology at an HBCU will be so conspicuous with my goals. 

I see myself at an HBCU, growing as a student of my major and as a person navigating a world I’ve thus far had only a limited view of. These historically Black universities have an experience in store for me that is diverse and rich in opportunity. I believe that attending one of these institutions will make for an important stepping stone in the career I would like to pursue, serving the people I plan to serve.