Article by Phoenix writer Angelo Tsassis ’22
Last week, Hugh Goffinet, a sophomore currently attending Howard University, gave a virtual presentation for Kellenberg students. The purpose of his presentation was to speak about his experiences attending an HBCU, a historically black college/university.
HBCUs have been around for nearly 200 years, with the first one that opened being Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, established back in 1837.
Mr. Goffinet spoke about his experiences attending Howard, as well as his personal journey of researching his own family’s history. The presentation included a brief overview of the rich history of HBCUs and what they have to offer. Mr. Goffinet also discussed the importance of acknowledging black history.
The event had a strong turnout, as many Kellenberg students were excited to hear Mr. Goffinet, who studies African-American history at Howard, discuss the advantages of attending an HBCU. “Mr. Goffinet said he didn’t appreciate his black side until he went to Howard. For example, they don’t have European history there. They have an African-American history class. There’s lots of different courses to keep an eye open for.” says Junior Rhodney Andre, one of the students who attended the event. He added that, “Prior to the presentation it was in the back of my mind, but now I’m seriously considering it based on his experiences. It seems like it could be for me.”
With the prospect of college taking a hold on many students’ lives, and us being in the midst of Black History Month, students were left appreciating the new perspective they had been given.