Courtney Henderson: Wilberforce University
Social: @infa_mrs l @loc_log_entries
Why did you go to an HBCU?
I decided to attend an HBCU because I always knew that I wanted to go to an HBCU. I wanted to experience an environment where I was finally part of the majority. I wanted to surround myself with people who looked like me and be amongst the best and brightest black and brown minds in the country. What I got was more than I ever could have imagined.
I didn't prepare much before I attended college. I honestly found out about Wilberforce University a month or two before graduating. I think the best way to prepare is to decide who you want to be...start with the end in mind. Be prepared to learn about yourself-who you are and are not, your limits, your strengths. Be open to new experiences, people, and places. Commit to trying new things and stretching yourself beyond what makes you comfortable.
What were some of your favorite moments during your HBCU experience?
I was fortunate enough to be a part of the cheer team for 2 years. Competing with my Cheermates in Atlanta for the National Black Collegiate Cheer & Dance Competition was an incredible experience! After the birth of my son I co-founded an organization for single-mothers on campus that encouraged and empowered us and offered a community of family and "cousins" for our children. I also had the pleasure of completing an internship at Walt Disney World for 6 months. All of these experiences and more gave me a unique, fun, gratifying, meaningful experience that I could not have gotten anywhere else.
Were you involved in any extracurricular activities?
I was a member of the GLAMOUROUZ Gamma Epsilon chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.!
Why should students attend HBCUs?
HBCUs are OUR space for US. They cultivate a space for living and learning that allows young people to grow and develop into whoever they want to become. I've never had to worry about seeing anyone dressed in blackface for Halloween or stumbled upon a noose hanging from a tree, or even had to petition the removal of a confederate statue on campus. HBCUs are the past, present, and future of black brilliance.
How did your HBCU experience prepare you for the real world?
Contrary to popular belief, being in an environment where black and brown people are the majority does not mean that environment is void of diversity. The real world is woven in and around HBCUs. HBCUs are the real world. The people and places you see; the connections you forge; the unbreakable bonds you grow are second to none.
