North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has experienced back-to-back record-breaking student enrollment. The rising numbers reflect a growing trend among historically Black colleges and universities nationwide while elsewhere undergraduate enrollments have declined during the pandemic.
N.C. A&T’s enrollment has grown by more than 20% over the past seven years. Last year’s headcount of 13,322 surpassed all previous enrollment totals, and the current academic year did the same with 13,530.
Higher education leaders say they think one reason for the HBCU resurgence is that the schools provide nurturing environments for a generation that grew up with a Black president. They also point to social unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.
A&T second-year elementary education student Jayden Seay says a major draw for him was a sense of belonging in a competitive academic environment — a stark contrast he says to his K-12 schooling experience. He recently spoke on campus at an education event headlined by First Lady Jill Biden.
"While I walked through the halls, I’d see people who looked like me," says Seay. "But when I entered my classes I was often the only student of color. I was always in honors and gifted classes and I found myself needing to prove that I belonged there year after year. Unfortunately, many students in our country struggle with belonging in school. Teachers make a difference."
After graduating, Seay plans to join the 2% of educators who are Black men and teach in underserved communities.
A&T remains the largest HBCU in the country, and according to the university, it enrolls more Black first-year students annually than the top ten U.S. News and World Report’s national universities combined.