Inside the First Semester of Sacramento State’s Black Honors College
Credit: Sacramento State/Andrea Price - Sacramento State University held a launch celebration for the nation’s first Black Honors College in August.
- The BHC is open to all students regardless of race or major and is designed to support Black and African American students’ success.
- The first cohort of scholars in the program includes 80 students from over 30 majors across campus.
Not many college students can say former President Barack Obama welcomed them to the school year, but that’s exactly what happened for the inaugural class of the nation’s first-ever Black Honors College.
California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State) first unveiled plans for the Black Honors College (BHC) in February, describing the college as an “enhanced academic experience,” specially focused on “supporting Black excellence,” Sacramento State President Dr. Luke Wood told BestColleges at the time.
While the college is designed to serve Black and African American students, the program is open to all students, regardless of race, who are interested in Black history, life, and culture.
“I hope all of you will channel the knowledge that you gain here into a cause larger than yourselves,” Obama said in his video message.
“And I hope you’ll use this experience surrounded by so many examples of Black excellence to make life better for folks no matter what they look like or where they come from.”
BestColleges spoke with Dr. Boatamo Ati Mosupyoe, dean of students and chief administration officer of the Black Honors College, to learn more about the new college and her aspirations for the inaugural class.
Educating the ‘Courageous Leaders of Tomorrow’
BHC scholars will take classes specifically designed for them and are expected to attend biweekly seminars and three hours of weekly study time. Students will also have mentorship and paid internship opportunities through the BHC.
All general education courses for the BHC are capped at 30 students and are taught by professors with a “proven record of excellence in teaching” who are willing to incorporate “Black life, history, culture, and contribution” into their lessons, according to Ati.
Ati describes the first cohort of students as the “courageous leaders of tomorrow” and says the BHC gives students the opportunities to learn in a supportive environment.
“We care for their success. We care [about] their experience,” she said. “We care … so that they don’t experience some of the marginalization and feelings of rejection that some of our students have experienced.”
The inaugural cohort was celebrated in an official launch of the Black Honors College on Aug. 8 and included a message from Obama and a written message from Vice President Kamala Harris, which was delivered by Stephen K. Benjamin, a senior advisor to President Joe Biden.
“By establishing the first Black Honors College in the nation, Sacramento State serves as a beacon of leadership and a model for others. As an HBCU graduate, I know how important it is to ensure that Black students have the resources they need to thrive,” Harris’ letter read.
“You are the leaders of today and tomorrow. Always remember that there is no obstacle you cannot overcome, no barrier you cannot break, and no limit to your capacity for greatness.”
The program was also attended by international delegations, including dignitaries from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and South African politicians, including Morakane Mosupyoe, speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and Ati’s sister.
Speaker Mosupyoe and Wood signed a memorandum of understanding on stage, promoting “international, academic, cultural, and scientific exchanges” between the province and the university. Mosupyoe said South African students will be part of the second cohort.
“The African continent is rushing to bring students to Sacramento State to benefit from what the Black Honors College has to offer. South Africa does not want to be left behind,” she said.
Launching the Nation’s First-Ever Black Honors College
The idea for the BHC was the result of a work group formed by the California State University (CSU) to address declining Black student enrollment, retention, and graduation rates within the university system.
Wood served on the committee in his former position as vice president of student affairs at San Diego State University and led the efforts to bring the BHC to life.
“The report detailed the fact that many colleges and universities have systematically failed Black students in terms of climate, retention, graduation rates, and labor market outcomes,” Wood said. “This is an opportunity to do something that does not exist elsewhere.”
Around 6% of the student population at Sacramento State — or approximately 2,000 students — is Black. The university has the largest population of Black and African American students within the 23-campus CSU system and more Black and African American students than all but one of the University of California campuses.
And, in June, the California State Assembly recognized Sacramento State as the state’s first Black-serving institution, acknowledging the school’s efforts to increase Black student enrollment and graduation rates.
Overall, Ati said that the reception of the Black Honors College has been “very positive.”
“To get a message from President Obama to the students, from Kamala Harris to the students, for people to travel all the way from Africa to come here for the opening because they heard about the Black Honors College … it has been very, very positive, but I’m not discounting some haters,” she said.
Some social media users have expressed concerns about the BHC, suggesting that it may redirect university resources away from other programs.
Others question the college’s inclusivity, pointing out that there are no other race or culturally-aligned honors colleges at the university. Some fear that students in the BHC may receive preferential treatment over others.
Ati acknowledged those who have criticized the Black Honors College, recognizing that “as in life, we are going to have some haters.”
Future of the Black Honors College
When asked about her aspirations for the Black Honors College, Ati says, in the short term, she hopes to see the first cohort of scholars graduate and be successful in whichever career path they choose.
In the long term, she envisions the college becoming a premier destination for students, comparable to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
“People can also go to the historically Black colleges and universities, that’s fine,” she said. “But, I want to see the Black Honors College at Sacramento State being the place to go to, both regionally, nationally, and internationally. I want to see this elevated to where we are the Black Honors College.”
California does not have any HBCUs or predominantly Black institutions (PBIs), a federal designation for schools with at least 40% Black American students enrolled. However, the state is home to one historically Black graduate institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.
Both the University of California and California Community College systems also have relationships with HBCUs, although neither has a dedicated academic program geared to Black students.
In the spring, 70 more students are expected to join the Black Honors College as transfer students and will be required to enroll in one of the three minors offered by the college: leadership; leadership, land and real estate development; and health, aging, and leadership.
Ati, who has been at Sacramento State for 21 years, said it “means the world” to her that she gets to play a part in creating the environment for “Black excellence.”
“You can see I am passionate about this,” she said. “All of my heart and soul is in it, actualizing Dr. Wood’s vision.”