In 2011, the?University of California-Historically Black Colleges and Universities (UC-HBCU) Initiative?was launched, a visionary effort to boost the number of African American/Black Ph.D. graduates from the UC system. Today, with 85 Ph.D. fellows from 24 different HBCUs across 10 UC campuses, the initiative is a testament to the success of investing in connections between UC faculty and HBCUs.
On October 28th, 2023, the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) hosted the UC-HBCU Fall Luncheon in Oakland, and the event was nothing short of a celebration. This occasion united a community of over 70 past and current Ph.D. fellows, UCOP senior leadership, and other distinguished guests. Members of the UCOP senior leadership in attendance included:
- Michael V. Drake: M.D.; 21st president of the University of California
- Yvette Gullatt: Chief Diversity and Student Affairs Officer of the University of California System
- Pamela Jennings: Executive Director of Graduate Studies at the UC Office of the President
- Sandra Wluff; Assistant Director, Graduate Studies at UC Office of the President
President Drake graced the occasion with a captivating speech, sharing insights from his life journey — a compelling narrative that resonated with everyone present.
A heartfelt tribute was paid to?Professor Kenneth Boutte?and?Dr. Carole Hom, champions of diversity and inclusion in academia, whose decades of service were honored at the event.
The evening took an interactive turn with a workshop organized by?Dr. Taisha Caldwell-Harvey?and?Dr. Akilah Reynolds, licensed psychologists from the??Black Girl Doctor. Their session encouraged profound reflections on the past year and strategic planning for the future, offering exercises that left a lasting impact.?
As the day unfolded, I seized the opportunity to connect with my fellow Ph.D. fellows, posing a simple yet profound question: "Why grad school?" Here are the insightful perspectives from nine fellows:
- Elijah (UCLA, 4th year):?"I wanted to be my own boss, and grad school was the perfect avenue. I hope to create programs bridging science and community."
- Nefertiti (U.C.I., 5th year):?"It is a pathway out."
- Donipolo (U.C.I., 4th year):?"I was confused between work vs. grad school. I applied to both and got into grad school. Now, I love research. It’s the best decision I made. I found my passion. I feel lucky and feel immense gratitude."
- Jada (UC Davis, 1st year):?“I want to be a role model to other black girls back home and show that there are careers/paths outside of what we were exposed to in our hometown. Also, I want to increase the number of black women who are chemistry research scientists and bring my voice and perspective to the very uniform table that is currently science research.”
- Desiree (UCLA 2nd year Ph.D.):?"I’m the first person in my family to achieve a high level of education. I was also encouraged by my professors in undergrad and my upperclassmen at the time to go for it since I have a passion for research. Thankfully, there were programs that allowed me to meet and do research with graduate professors who also gave me a little more insight into what Grad school would look like. By the time I got to senior year, I was sure that this was what I wanted to do.”
- Sheriff (UC Davis, 4th year):?"It happened accidentally. I fell in love with my plant research during my first semester at Fort Valley State University. I want to use my training here to see how I can help farmers in Gambia, where I’m from."
- Jhay (UC Irvine, 4th year):?"When people would ask me what I wanted to be as a child, I would answer “a pediatric neurosurgeon or engineer.” Now, if you ask me, I will take a minute and then respond, “Do you want the short version or the long version?” I chose graduate school to be the best version of myself. A lover of science who educates others. An advocate for marginalized ethnic populations in STEM and women in STEM. A face for every Black child who has high hopes for themselves and refuses to have their dreams deferred. Graduate school is where I can become all that and so much more."
- Joe (U.C.I., 1st year):?"I cannot give a definitive position regarding why I elected to pursue grad school. I am realizing more and more that I am, now more than ever, at an adaptive point in my life where I am learning exactly what it means to be who I am without the typical external influence of parents or peers. For so long, I have gone through life accomplishing what I was “guided” to do or needed to do without being allowed a moment to determine if “this” is what I wanted, whether it was a life growing up in poverty that did not allow me the room to choose or the strong push of an elder. But now, in my pursuit of a more specialized higher education, I am the one making the choices that can shape an output to be one way or another while finally being offered some stability and grace to mess up and try again. I say all that to say that I started this journey, acknowledging that I am still new to it, under the premise that this is what I am supposed to do, and now…I am evolving in my decision to choose it and make it my own."
- Christian (U.C.I., 1st year):?"It’s always been important as a first-generation college student to find a sense of community in academic spaces. Coming from an HBCU made me aware of the need for spaces in all settings for historically excluded individuals, coupled with my own experience with the lack of representation in STEM in the academic setting, propelled me to pursue a Ph.D. in order to open and make academic spaces more equitable for everyone.”
With the backdrop of the beautiful city of Oakland, atop the Oakland Marriott overlooking the bay, the UC-HBCU Fall Luncheon was a remarkably inspiring day. As I eagerly anticipate the 2024 reception, these experiences, these stories of determination and purpose, remind me of the transformative power of higher education.
