Being Black at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI)

On Oct. 19 a panel held at South Carolina State University discussed the similarities and differences between Black students attending Primarily White Institutions (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This panel was meant to educate Black youth and introduce them to new perspectives on this topic. 

Attending the event was Shamani K. Richardson, a junior nursing major. She decided to share her experience from the event and her reasoning for choosing a PWI.

“I chose to attend a PWI because I was more looking for schools that had my major. Me personally, I don’t know if I would fit in at an HBCU. And I liked that it’s a smaller school where the student-teacher ratio is smaller.” -Shamani K. Richardson

“…sometimes things are very questionable. It all boils down to the people in power, sometimes we’ll speak out about problems but it’s up to them whether or not they want to listen” - Shamani K. Richardson speaking on school inclusitivity for Black students.

Also attending the event was Terrance L. Williams Jr. a Middle-Level Education Social Studies and English major. 

“In my major, there are not a lot of Black males in it. My classes are mainly white females in them and I feel that sometimes I have to establish that I belong here in this field where I am truly the minority.” -Terrance L. Williams speaking on personal struggles of being Black at a PWI

“My last two choices for school came down to a PWI and an HBCU. I chose my PWI because first the education program had a good reputation and I felt that it had all the resources I needed to succeed as an educator. I also wanted to be around a diverse population because in my field I will be dealing with diverse students every day and this experience at this school with preparing me for that.” -Terrance L. Williams

Overall, both students reported that the USC Aiken campus makes effort to be inclusive and there are support systems for Black students.