wfn.org | Church Officials Witness Growth,

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

16-December-1997 
97471 
 
    Church Officials Witness Growth, 
    Opportunity at Historically Black Colleges 
 
    by Julian Shipp 
 
TUSCALOOSA, Ala., and WEST POINT, Miss.--Pursuing their goal to regularly 
visit all eight of the racial/ethnic schools and colleges related to the 
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), officials in the National Ministries Division 
(NMD) recently witnessed growth and opportunity at Stillman and Mary Holmes 
colleges, two historically black institutions. 
 
    The denomination's eight racial/ethnic schools and colleges have the 
critically important task of preparing students to participate effectively 
in the broader society, while providing the kind of  nurture and leadership 
many racial/ethnic students require in order to excel. In facing this 
challenge, some of the PC(USA)'s schools and colleges are faring better 
than others. 
 
    In many cases, racial/ethnic students enter predominantly white 
institutions and encounter situations where they are very aware of being 
marginalized. For some students, the experience of an educational 
institution that provides instructors and administrators who have a 
familiar cultural identity lends the kind of support they need to continue 
their quest for professional development and accomplishment. 
 
    Mindful of this, all PC(USA) schools and colleges welcome students of 
any racial, ethnic or cultural background. Moreover, the denomination helps 
support its racial/ethnic schools and colleges through the Christmas Joy 
Offering, which is shared 50/50 with the Board of Pensions. 
 
    Leading the tour of the colleges was the Rev. Curtis A. Kearns Jr., NMD 
director. Accompanying him was the Rev. Mary Newbern-Williams, associate 
for racial ethnic schools and colleges in the NMD's Higher Education 
Program Area. This Presbyterian News Service reporter was also a member of 
the delegation. 
 
            Stillman College 
 
    Dr. Charles Stillman founded Stillman College, a four-year liberal arts 
institution, in 1876. While historically an African-American college, the 
school serves students from all over the United States and abroad. 
 
    For more than 15 years as Stillman's president, Dr. Cordell Wynn (who 
retired June 30, 1997) provided leadership and service that literally 
recreated Stillman College. During his tenure, according to college 
officials, enrollment doubled to more than 1,000, the endowment increased 
by 900 percent and budgets reached balance. In recognition of his 
leadership, the Stillman College board of trustees voted at its March 1996 
meeting to name the college's newest academic building in his honor. 
 
    The campaign to raise $4.5 million for the Cordell Wynn Humanities, 
Communications and Fine Arts Center is entering its final phase, campaign 
officials recently announced. As of November, the national campaign totaled 
more than $2.8 million in gifts and pledges, plus a challenge grant of 
$500,000 from an anonymous regional foundation. 
 
    According to Marion F. Combs, Stillman's vice president for 
institutional advancement, the center will be the first new academic 
facility constructed at Stillman in more than two decades. Groundbreaking 
is expected to occur in March and the building should be completed in a 
year and a half. 
 
    Dr. Ernest McNealey, who assumed the presidency of Stillman on July 1, 
said he was attracted to the college by charting Wynn's work. However, he 
said he will not attempt to fill Wynn's shoes. 
 
    "The accomplishments of Dr. Wynn will allow me to stand on broader, 
higher shoulders than others would have been," McNealey said. "I see myself 
coming into a family." 
 
    That  "family" feeling apparently has already been extended to 
McNealey. Dr. Moses C. Jones Jr., chair of Stillman's board of trustees, 
said the board looks forward to continued progress at Stillman under its 
new leadership. McNealey has already established a rigorous pace and 
actually began working on several tasks before officially assuming the 
presidency. 
 
    McNealey told the Presbyterian News Service that one of the first steps 
in moving Stillman toward being one of the "top liberal arts colleges in 
the nation" is implementing a "collective vision of where we would like to 
go." To achieve that goal, McNealey said, the institution needs focus. 
 
    "It is very difficult to do everything extremely well," McNealey said. 
"But we will have an examination of every aspect of what we do and focus 
our resources on what we do well. This may involve a diminution of programs 
presently offered." 
 
    McNealey said some of his strategic initiatives for Stillman's future 
include 
 
   *   having the campus fully wired computerwise so that students will 
       have Internet access from the residence halls 
   *   launching an opportunity for doctoral students in the social 
       sciences and related fields who work in areas of urban blight to 
       participate in a Stillman Scholars for Society program that would 
       begin next summer. The idea is to have a number of recognized 
       scholars work with doctoral students engaged in related fields of 
       study.  Stillman would be a platform for building workable models 
       that could also be used at other schools. 
   *   offering a number of academic programs with guaranteed outcomes. 
       Specifically, Stillman wants to ensure appropriately credentialed 
       students in premedical, prelegal and teacher certification programs 
       a guaranteed admission to medical school, law school or placement in 
       teaching. 
 
    "Should we fail, we would pick up the tab for their senior year at 
Stillman," McNealey said. "I think we have the readiness in the faculty to 
take up the challenge. I don't have the slightest reservation about it. I'm 
quite sure we could make the promise and keep it." 
 
    The recruitment of students for these guaranteed programs (freshmen 
entering Stillman in fall 1998) began this fall. Although Stillman offers 
preprofessional programs in these areas now, the focus and components of 
the guaranteed programs will be different. 
 
    "There are schools in New York that guarantee a student will graduate 
in four years," McNealey said. "We're taking it a step further. This is how 
we become one of the leading liberal arts colleges in the country." 
 
                       Mary Holmes College 
 
    Founded in 1892, Mary Holmes College is an historically black college 
offering a two-year associate degree. Students from Mary Holmes College 
also come from a variety of places, including other countries. According to 
college officials, more than 70 percent of its graduates go on to attend 
four-year institutions of higher learning. 
 
    Mary Holmes is preparing for the 21st century by working to become the 
center of community education in West Point, Miss., and a significant force 
in development efforts for the future. 
 
    With newly hired president Dr. Elvalee Banks, a new emphasis on 
technology, partnerships made with local industries and schools, and 
expanded marketing strategies, Mary Holmes hopes to take a more active 
leadership role in the community in the next century. 
 
    Banks, who took the helm of the institution in August, describes the 
process as "seamless education."  It is a process requiring a multipronged, 
multilevel approach, involving all age groups in the community and playing 
a part in meeting the needs of the community, Banks told the Presbyterian 
News Service. 
 
    "We are committed to human resource development," Banks said. "We could 
do a lot to improve the skills -- not only at the high school level, but 
also in adult programs. We are not abandoning our mission to provide 
services to young people in traditional educational tracks, but we do have 
a commitment to economic development in the community." 
 
    Several programs are in the planning stages to realize the necessary 
lifelong learning, Banks said. Videoconferencing capabilities will expand 
the college's reach. Also, the college has initiated a program to provide 
free Internet access to the community. Programs are being planned to 
provide low-cost home computers in public housing facilities. 
 
    "We're going to use technology as a vehicle to catapult us to 
[community education and development]," Banks said. "Technology is our 
vehicle to grow and branch out beyond our current boundaries. Internet 
access to every household through the college gives Mary Holmes a symbiotic 
relationship with the community." 
 
    Since coming to her new post, Banks has been involved in talks to link 
the college with local schools, business, industry and the community. One 
goal, she said, is for a shared vision for community development. 
 
    Community leaders are apparently beginning to share Banks' vision. On 
Nov. 4, 1997, Bryan Foods, Inc., presented the college with a $25,000 
educational grant through the Sara Lee Corporate Grant Foundation for use 
toward common community education goals. 
 
    Banks said the community college's role must be multifaceted. In 
addition to traditional liberal arts junior college programs and 
certificate programs, the community college should provide early college 
start courses for students still in high school and be designed to take 
students to any institution of higher education desired. 
 
    Mary Holmes College also plans programs to assist the business 
community and to expand capabilities such as designing Web pages that would 
provide up-to-date information from the Internet on employment 
opportunities. 
 
    Kearns praised the incoming presidents for their vision and commitment 
to quality education for racial/ethnic students.  "I continue to be amazed 
by both the quality and competence of the leadership of our racial/ethnic 
schools and colleges," Kearns said. "The boards [of the institutions] are 
to be commended for their search for truly exceptional, talented 
individuals." 
 
    Newbern-Williams said that in many cases the PC(USA)'s racial/ethnic 
schools and colleges afford an additional opportunity or "a second chance" 
to those who need it by providing the kind of educational support required 
to students who need to bolster their skills in math, science, or English, 
enabling them to become successful as their studies advance. 
 
    "This second chance has resulted in confident, competent, qualified men 
and women who excel in society," Newbern-Williams said. "Our racial/ethnic 
schools and colleges provide an avenue to success in life and vocation, 
while also providing the development needed as students work toward good 
Christian faith." 
 
    For more information on PC(USA) racial/ethnic schools and colleges, 
write to the Higher Education Program Area, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 
100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396, or call Newbern-Williams 
at (502) 569-5644. 

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