Essay On Howard University

Institutional History/Introduction

Howard University is one of the oldest and well-known historically black universities in the United States located in Washington, D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood. It is a private, federally charted historically black research university established in 1867. It was later named after Oliver Otis Howard, who was a union general in the Civil War and director of the Freedmen's Bureau. Howard University is committed to remaining one of the top research universities in the nation. The University is also committed to having excellence in truth and service which has enabled them to produce the most on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. There are several notable facts

This list includes 49th Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris, actor Chadwick Boseman, artist Sean “P-Diddy” Combs, author Toni Morrison, and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. This list goes on to include many other prominent graduates including businessman, athletes, celebrities, and politicians.

There are nine historically African-American Greek letter sororities and fraternities. They form the National Pan Hellenic Council which began at Howard. Five of the “Divine Nine” credit their start at Howard. These include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, and Gamma Tau Fraternity. Visitors can see the unique lettering on The Yard where many activities take place throughout the year.

The university rankings for Howard are exceptional. According to the Princeton Review, in 2020, the School of Business is the greatest resource for minority students. Also in 2020, the U.S. News and World Reports Howard as being the #2 Best HBCU. Howard was also ranked #1 in 2020 as being the “Best Law School for African Americans”.

Governance

The university attracts thousands of applicants each year. With over 1,194 full-time and adjunct faculty, Howard admitted over 12, 886 students into its 13 schools and colleges. According to the university’s website, the graduation rate is was at 64% in 2022, whereas the retention rate is at 91%. Twenty-three percent of its students transferred out as of August 31, 2022.

As a HBCU, Howard takes pride in its commitment to diversity, which is reflected in its faculty members. This gives students exposure to a variety of perspectives and experiences. According to their faculty profile chart, the faculty composition consists of African American, white, Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian ethnicities. Over 90% are tenured and full-time assistant or associate professors.

When compared to its peers, other HBCUs in our nation, Howard outweighs them by awarding the highest number of degrees in all degree levels. Although Howard is more expensive than its peers, the financial aid award amount in the highest. Another interesting statistic is the higher salaries for Howard faculty than any other HBCU. These are some of the statistics that show Howard’s commitment to academic excellence and student