IN NOVEMBER 2019, DIRECTORS FROM CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY, HAMPTON UNIVERSITY, NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY, AND SPELMAN COLLEGE CAME TOGETHER AT AN HONORS CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS, LA. AS COLLEAGUES, WE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND UPON THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HBCUs TO SHARE OUR GREATEST NATURAL RESOURCES – EACH OTHER – IN WAYS THAT WERE MOST EFFECT OR BENEFICIAL FOR OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR STUDENTS. AS FRIENDS, WE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER PROFESSIONALLY, PROGRAMMATICALLY, AND PERSONALLY. THUS, THROUGH COLLEGIALITY AND FRIENDSHIP, THE IDEA OF A COLLECTIVE WAS ESTABLISHED.
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BY MARCH 2020, THE GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC TRANSFORMED THE LANDSCAPE OF HOW WE WORKED. ACROSS OUR INSTITUTIONAL SILOS, WE BUILT COMMON PROGRAMMING TO FACILITATE CONNECTION AND TO SUPPORT INTELLECTUAL COMMUNITY IN A VIRTUAL SPACE. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, WE EMERGED AS A DIGITAL COLLECTIVE WITH CLAFLIN, HAMPTON, NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL, PRAIRIE VIEW, AND SPELMAN AS THE FOUNDING INSTITUTIONS. FORMALIZING OUR COLLABORATION THROUGH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HONORS COLLECTIVE (A²HC), WE SOUGHT TO ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING COMMUNITY AMONGST OUR STUDENTS AS A SHARED VALUE OF HONORS EDUCATION THAT REFLECTED A CORE VALUE WITHIN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE.
ABOUT OUR LOGO
THE PENTAGONAL SHAPE (5 SIDES) OF OUR LOGO REPRESENTS OUR 5 FOUNDERS AND 5 FOUNDING INSTITUTIONS. THE SELECTED SHADES OF BROWN REPRESENT THE VARIOUS SHADES OF BLACKNESS. THE ADINKRA SYMBOL WHICH IS THE FOCAL POINT OF OUR LOGO REPRESENTS OUR COMING TOGETHER IN SHARED WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. THE PLACEMENT OF THE COLORS IN REMINISCENT OF STAINED GLASS AND REPRESENTS OUR BELIEF IN INTELLECTUAL SOVEREIGNTY AS A SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE.
MOREOVER, IN THIS SAME TRADITION, A²HC ALSO SOUGHT TO ELEVATE THE VALUES OF FRIENDSHIP AND SHARING AS VIRTUES TO EXTOL AMONG HONORS STUDENTS. ULTIMATELY, WE BELIEVE THAT WHAT DISTINGUISHES A²HC IS THAT WE ARE TEACHING COLLECTIVE, COMMITTED TO TEACHING AT EVERY TURN. SOME STUDENT FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES; WE INSTRUCT STUDENTS ON HOW TO CAPITALIZE ON THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOCUSING ON THEIR ACCEPTANCE VALUE, MEANING, AND METHODS FOR MAKING THE BEST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY. WE TEACH.
SINCE 2020, WE HAVE HOSTED VIRTUAL PROGRAMS TO EXPOSE OUR STUDENTS TO INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTION FORUMS, AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT EXPERIENCES, WE PROVIDE LONG-TERM, HOLISTIC SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS; AND SINCE OUR FOUNDING, WE HAVE HAD WONDERFUL OUTCOMES. WE BUILT A MODEL FOR TEACHING INTER-UNIVERSITY COURSES, USING DIGITAL APPARATS; AN ARCHIVE OF INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENTAL LESSONS; A LIBRARY OF APPLICABLE LITERARY SOURCES; A DEFT MODEL FOR TARGETED MENTORING; AS WELL AS FUN AND ENGAGING SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF HIGH ACHIEVING STUDENTS.