Why Former Students Do Not Give Back To Their School?

A question posed by an HBCU member: After seeing the "Great Debaters" movie I read that Wiley College was in financial trouble, as well as several other HBCU's. I looked at several website that would show endowments and there was not a HBCU on the site. Several years ago when my kids were searching for colleges they all applied to HBCU's as well as other colleges. Their grades were good, they applied early, went to visit the schools, and heard from these schools later than any school applied. None of the HCBU's offered scholarships, or even the competition of earning a scholarship, even athletic scholarships. I checked a little further and found that many of the HBCU's had very small endowments, even though they have been around 75-100 years or more. I wondered why? Are we just takers? We take the HBCU experience, and education and never look back financially? We attend Homecomings, Band Battles, and other social functions, but how are building for the next generation? I did not attend an HBCU, and neither did my childern, but I have supported The United Negro College Fund with small donations I could afford. In short I am as guilty as those that attended an HBCU in not supporting them. Can a forum be opened to ask why the majority of former student do not give back, or is it a investment and management problem with the funds being given to the schools.

I dont think HBCU graduates give as much as they could, but to say HBCU grads don't financially support our schools is very much an exaggeration in my opinion. If the majority of black colleges werent properly funded then you'd see a lot more Morris Brown situations popping up. Both my parents are HBCU graduates and give money. My uncle and aunt are HBCU graduates and give money to their perspective schools also. The HBCU grads I know are doing their part and so am I. To me, this issue includes both white and black schools. I dont think this is just an HBCU thing. PWC's are bigger, have more alumni thus getting more money. But I know plenty of PWC grads who havent been back and dont contribute.

Attending Homecomings in itself is giving back to the school! Like Truth said it's not just an HBCU issue. We can come up with excuses all day as to why we don't give or why we do give but it'll all be speculation until we talk to each HBCU alumni and find out why we do what we do. Every alum's situation is different. You'll hardly ever find a recent graduate giving a significant donation right out the blocks. Giving back comes once they establish a foundation to build on and have enough to give.