By Lauren Wilson, 1st Episcopal District
I arrived at Wilberforce University on August 4, 2008, as a college freshman, wondering what to expect. With a lot of greenery and a handful of buildings physically struggling, my parents asked me if I was sure I wanted to stay. Without a second thought, I replied, yes. Wilberforce was and still is the foundation of my love for HBCUs. I did not know then that I would not finish my education there, but my love for Wilberforce remains the same. My parents transferred me to the oldest HBCU in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and I did not know what an “Orangeburg” was. To be fair, I needed to find out what and where Wilberforce, Ohio, was, too. I transferred because of accreditation issues at Wilberforce. I left kicking and screaming, not understanding why my parents would make that decision. I later understood the importance of attending a school in good financial standing and a bright future. In retrospect, my parents made the best decision, but my connection to Wilberforce will always be true.
Dawn Dance is the most anticipated event every year. Dawn Dance is traditionally an event held Saturday night until dawn and is included in a week of events for students and alumni. Dawn Dance was created because Wilberforce is a small liberal arts institution without a football team to host a traditional Homecoming. For many years, Dawn Dance allowed alumni to visit the campus, reconnect with former classmates, meet the newest bulldog students, and recall the wonderful memories of their time at Wilberforce. This year’s ultimate goal was to return events to campus to generate a revenue source for the University, support the revitalization of the campus culture, support our initiative to increase enrollment by inviting graduating seniors to campus to experience alumni weekend and encourage alumni to stay connected and engaged.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Vann R Newkirk, Sr., the 23rd President of Wilberforce University, to learn more about him and his vision for the university. Dr. Newkirk wants to change the narrative and bring positive publicity to Wilberforce because he believes it has great potential.
Here are some takeaways from our conversation.
- His specialty is working with colleges that have many challenges. He owned a consulting company focused on accreditation, helping schools such as Paul Quinn, Edward Waters, Allen University, and countless others.
- While discussing what the Wilberforce Renaissance would look like, he mentioned that the criticalproblem for Wilberforce was not having at least one thousand students. Small private institutions can only operate fully to their greatest potential if they have one thousand students or more; therefore, he is currently assessing what buildings and programs are worth keeping.
- He is currently building a 300-bed apartment complex (10 units, 36 students per building) that he hopes will be up and operating by the Spring.
- Wilberforce has five years to raise 5 million dollars, which the UNCF will match. Building connections is key to not only raising the necessary funds but also maintaining positive relationships.
Wilberforce deserves a leader who cares about and believes in the institution. I appreciate Dr. Newkirk’s transparency and faith that things will turn around.
Wilberforce is not on life support- Dr. Newkirk.
You can donate here: https://wilberforce.edu/donate/
Watch Lauren’s Interview with President Newkirk
Watch Lauren’s Recap of the Dawn Dance
