INDIANAPOLIS — It’s about to go down!!! The 36th Annual Circle City Classic Weekend kicks off today as the Jackson State Tigers and the Kentucky State Thorobreds roll into town. It’s a great time for the city of Indianapolis to celebrate the greatness of our HBCU’s.
It’s bigger than just a football game. More importantly, it’s an opportunity for the historically black colleges and universities to come to the midwest to recruit some of our best and brightest students. The football game is just a marketing tool to get kids in this area interested in the culture of the HBCU and man it’s a great atmosphere to become a part of.
I totally missed out on the experience because I went to both Purdue and Indiana Universities. Although I had a great time in college it was nothing compared to the experience of the love that our kids get while attending the HBCU. Yes, I graduated from IU, but it was strictly a business agreement. I paid them my money and they allowed me to attend classes. I completed those classes and they gave me a degree. I shook their hand and walked out.
At the HBCU that’s not the case. I’m not telling you what I heard, I’m telling you what I know. Both of my parents went to Texas Southern in the 1950’s when black students couldn’t attend the predominantly white institutions (PWI’s). My wife and my son are both proud graduates of Jackson State University, THEEILOVE
As a father of a kid that just recently graduated from JSU I can tell you first hand that those professors and administrators loved my child. They pushed him to get the best out of him and never gave up on him when he didn’t do his best. They would actually call my wife and I to keep us in the loop. That’s NUTS!!! Folks from the university calling to keep you in the loop? They didn’t care that much when he was in high school. I’m dead serious.
If I had it to do all over again I would most definitely attend the HBCU because of the love and nurturing that the students get. Here’s something that most people don’t understand from a job perspective. When the major companies are recruiting they show up to the HBCU first when they are looking for their minority candidates. By the time they show up at IU or places like they they aren’t necessarily looking for minority candidates. That’s real talk.
Did you know that 60 percent of black engineers, 50 percent of black teachers, 40 percent of black health professionals and 70 percent of all black dentists and physicians earn degrees from HBCU’s. You can’t argue with the numbers.
When places like Eli Lilly are looking for black candidates they’re going to places like Florida A&M not IU. There is a pipeline running from FAMU to Lilly and it has been for years. That’s as real as it gets right there. Don’t ever discount the value of the HBCU to our community. It’s as valuable as it’s ever been.
Now I know that a lot of folks will say that I’m contradicting myself because a few weeks ago I disagreed with Jemele Hill’s article about our top recruits going to the HCBU in the Hot Joint entitled “Fords and Lamborghinis.” Don’t get it twisted, if you are a Top All-American recruit coming out of high school you’ve got to go play at the school that can nurture your talent with a $400 million training facility and the opportunity to play at the highest level. This conversation has nothing to do with sports. This conversation today has everything to do with academics.
I’d be crazy to tell a kid that could actually play at Alabama not to go to Bama and instead go to Alabama State. That’s makes no sense but that’s an entirely different subject. You can read that joint later. I left you the link to get to it if you’re interested.
Getting back to our real subject, outside of opportunities that the HBCU can afford our students it’s a great place to meet life long friends. My wife has a bond with folks from all over the country that she went to JSU with that I’ll never have. Ninety-eight percent of the students that looked like me that I went to college with were from Indiana and most of them were from my home town of Gary, IN. so I already knew them before I even went off to school.
I’ve got a house full of folks coming in to get it in for the Circle City Classic that rep JSU because of the bond that my wife and her friends and family have with that school. I love it. So with that being said, Let’s GO!!!! JSU ROCKS THE HOUSE!!! THEEILOVE all day errday!!! I’ve been adopted into the family and I’m about to kick it too. Don’t miss out of TheJayGravesReport “Welcome to Indy” Day Party today. It’s going to be NUTS!!! Stop me when I start lyin’!
