HBCU students from consortium tour campuses, learn about graduate programs

More than 40 students, faculty and administrators from Historically Black Colleges and Universities toured the Allendale and Pew Grand Rapids campuses to learn more about Grand Valley's graduate degree programs.

The group came from colleges involved in the university's HBCU/Hispanic Serving Institutions Pipeline Consortium, a collaboration with four institutions to provide students greater opportunities to further their education and expand the talent pipeline in West Michigan. Participating consortium members are Fort Valley State, Savannah State, Saint Augustine's and Alabama State universities.

A packed itinerary had prospective students meeting with industry leaders, HBCU students currently enrolled at Grand Valley, President Philomena V. Mantella and other university leaders, and taking tours of both campuses and Grand Rapids.

B. Donta Truss, vice president for Enrollment Development and Educational Outreach, said partnerships such as the consortium become a strategy to increase enrollment.

"Partnerships play a significant and positive role in the community to not only bridge gaps in diversifying enrollment efforts, but to increase institutional collaborations," Truss said. "The HBCU/HSI Pipeline Consortium is an excellent example of an effort that will increase enrollment and enhance collaborative endeavors with partner institutions." 

Emanuel Murphy, a Fort Valley State University student, said several reasons prompted his visit, including an old charge from his family.

"My family has always said, 'If an opportunity presents itself, you go,'" said Murphy, who is a native of Detroit but went to high school in Georgia. 

Murphy said he was interested in learning about a master's degree in applied computer science or data science and analytics.

Sierra Wallace was investigating the cell and molecular biology programs, and biomedical sciences programs. Wallace, who will graduate from Savannah State University next spring, joined the trip after being invited by one of her faculty members.

A native of Chicago, Wallace said she was intrigued by the number of student organizations and student professional associations at Grand Valley. "I'm a person who likes to be busy," she said.

Paul Plotkowski, dean of the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, said the HBCU students and their drive to further their education made a positive impression on him.

"To come to Grand Valley for this visit tells us a lot about their characters, particularly their desire to blend graduate education with launching their careers," Plotkowski said. "This further increases our diversity efforts in STEM graduate degree areas and career platforms in West Michigan."

Jeffrey Potteiger, associate vice provost for Graduate School, gave a presentation for students at the Shape Corp. Innovation Design Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus October 31. Potteiger told students that earning a master's degree is not easy but they have a solid educational foundation on which to build skills and knowledge.

"What helps with this difference of earning a graduate degree is how Grand Valley is structured," Potteiger said. "You will have an advisor, a graduate program director, and everyone's sole purpose is to have you be successful."