For Alumnae, the Fight to Keep Bennett College Open Is a Fight for Black Women in Academe

Just before the end of the fall semester, as students at Bennett College were in the midst of finals, news came that the college could lose its accreditation. Tyler Binion, the college’s senior-class president, was devastated by the news.

As a high-school senior, Binion had multiple extracurricular activities on her application and was in the National Honor Society. But Bennett was the only college that offered her a scholarship big enough to cover what her family couldn’t afford. And after she got to campus, she was able to study abroad in China and Belgium, and won several internships with the college’s support.

As classes start for the spring semester, the prospect of Bennett closing its doors weighs on her. “It was a heavy feeling when we heard the news,” Binion said. “This is a beloved institution, and nobody wants to think about it not being open. We need people to step up and help save our institution.”

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges, Bennett’s accreditor, announced last month that it would rescind the college’s accreditation after previously putting the institution on a two-year probation, citing financial instability. Bennett appealed the decision, but needs to raise $5 million by February 1 to be in good standing.

To fend off closure, the college has launched a fund-raising campaign, including a national social-media push under the hashtag #StandWithBennett, a call for donations from other HBCUs, and involvement from local organizations in the Greensboro, N.C., area.

Bennett is one of only two remaining historically black colleges for women, along with Spelman College in Atlanta. Its closure would remove one of few dedicated paths for black women in academe. In an era of both accelerated college closures and a greater emphasis on diversity in higher education, the possible shuttering of Bennett carries special significance — especially from its alumnae, who are fighting to keep it open.

‘First in Their Family’

Marissa Jennings, a 2003 graduate, chose Bennett over other HBCUs because of what the college offered for black women of all backgrounds.

“Bennett College educates the average black girl,” said Jennings. “Yes, we have young ladies that are legacies, but a lot of these young women are the first in their family to go to college. Bennett cultivates them to be able to compete in the professional world, and we’ve been doing it for years under the radar.”

Bennett cuts a distinctive profile in higher education, even compared with Spelman. Tuition and fees at Bennett are about $10,000 less than at Spelman, and the acceptance rate is higher: 89 percent compared with 40 percent, according to federal data. Over 80 percent of Bennett students are Pell Grant recipients, while just 49 percent of Spelman’s students are recipients.

And compared with the rest of private higher education, a Bennett education tends to offer greater socioeconomic leaps for its students. According to an analysis published in The New York Times, Bennett ranks 30th out 578 private colleges in the likelihood that an average student would move up at least two income quintiles in adulthood.

Jennings credited Bennett for giving her a boost. For her senior project, Jennings created an app for young black women called SOCIALgrlz. She continued to develop the app after graduation with the help of a fellow Bennett graduate, and in 2016, the app won a community-service award at the South by Southwest technology conference. Jennings donated the award money to Bennett’s communication department as a thank you.

Shawn Hall, a 1993 graduate, was a third-generation Bennett student. As a senior in high school, she had several options for college, including a full military scholarship from Hampton University, a historically black institution in Virginia. But she was won over both by the generous financial-aid package Bennett offered and by the idea of being surrounded by black women in positions of power.

Through Bennett, Hall was able to visit the Soviet Union three weeks before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The trip inspired her join the Model UN and go on to an internship at the State Department. Since graduating from Bennett, Hall has also worked for the Department of Defense and the Department of Education. She credits Bennett for serving as a foundation for her career.

“While at Bennett I watched and felt myself blossom. I gained experiences I don’t think I would’ve gained at another institution,” said Hall.

Hall and other alumnae formed “Change and Progress for Bennett,” a campaign to ensure that the college will continue to inspire young black women.

“I’m emboldened by the fact that this has gotten people talking about Bennett again. We want to use this momentum to build a strong global community for black women,” said Hall. “It’s great when I see the hashtag, but what’s even better is when I see someone say that they’ve donated, because those are people who are fiscally involved in wanting to see us endure.”

The college is touting not only alumnae experience, but also how its identity fits societal needs. Laurie Willis, chief communications officer at Bennett, said she believes the market for black women in the work force has never been as important as it is now. Bennett exists at the intersection of race and gender, a space employers are looking to recruit talent from.

“Far too often people think, This is a black school, and I’m not black, so why should I care? But we’re turning out talented African-American women who are becoming leaders globally. Everybody benefits from that. Investing in Bennett is investing in American society,” said Willis.

‘Reimagining Bennett College’

Before Bennett was put on probation, the college reported annual deficits of over $1 million. In the last year, however, the college generated a surplus of $461,038. Officials say they are dedicated to improving the institution’s standing and are open to many different avenues.

“We are prepared, if our status remains, to start reimagining Bennett College,” said Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, Bennett’s president. “We need to make sure that Bennett is a place that students can come and feel as though they are prepared for the future. Bennett produces phenomenal, strong women who are leaders in their field, and we must be allowed to continue.”

The idea to turn to social media for fund raising was developed immediately after Dawkins and senior administrators received the news that Bennett could lose accreditation. Members of the college’s leadership team created the hashtag #StandWithBennett, and it has since become a rallying cry across social-media platforms.

Jessmine Cornelius, a junior at Prairie View A&M University, started using the hashtag after seeing it on Twitter. As a student of a publicly funded HBCU, she said she worries about the futures of small, private colleges like Bennett as similar institutions close their doors.

“HBCUs are all about preservation,” said Cornelius. “Preservation of history, of culture, and of tradition. There are only around a hundred HBCUs left compared to thousands of predominantly white institutions. We can’t stand by and let another close its doors.”

The campaign has gained attention from celebrities, but most of its success has come from community support.

Community leaders across North Carolina have pledged their support and made donations. Recently, the congregation of Word Tabernacle Church raised $21,000 for Bennett. Another church raised $16,000. Student government officers plan on reaching out to area colleges like Greensboro College and Elon University, as well as Morehouse, sometimes referred to as Bennett’s brother school, to ask them to raise funds on Bennett’s behalf.

The Women’s College Coalition has come out in support of its member institution. Several presidents of women’s colleges have personally donated to Bennett, and the group is encouraging students and faculty to donate what they can.

“Our primary capacity to be of help is to appeal to anyone who feels a commitment to inclusivity in our sector,” said Michele Ozumba, president of the coalition. “Bennett going away does a lot to take down higher-education access to young women of color, and that would be a tragedy.”

The college has a ways to go before it reaches its $5-million goal. Bennett remains an accredited institution throughout the appeal process. In the meantime, officials are submitting an application for accreditation through the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (the college is related to the United Methodist Church). Bennett is also looking into loan forgiveness and selling off assets.

As she gets ready to graduate in the spring, Binion said she’s thankful to Bennett for raising her confidence and teaching her to feel comfortable in a professional environment. She wants future graduates to be able to learn the same skills.

“Bennett changes the lives of girls. It manifests us into who we really are meant to be,” said Binion. “The impact that this school has on people who feel like they don’t have a voice in society can’t be taken away.”

Follow Zipporah Osei on Twitter at @zipporahosei, or email her at zipporah.osei@chronicle.com.