HBCU Interlink Alliance Meets on Faculty Development

By Rose Scott

Atlanta, GA – Presidents of eight Historically Black Colleges and universities are gathering in Atlanta for a two day forum on advancing education for African American students.

WABE's Rose Scott reports, the group called the Interlink Alliance will focus on sharing strategies in teaching.

Ohio University president Dr. Roderick McDavis started the Alliance.

He says it's an opportunity for schools like his to share ideas about higher education with HBCUs.

Some of the topics include faculty and student leadership development.

All those initiatives lead to one common goal says Spelman College president Dr. Beverly Tatum. That includes a long term vision of sharing what's learned with a wider higher education community.

One crucial area centers on new teaching strategies for today's student.

Spelman professor Ayoka Chenzira says that will help faculty.

“We're the faculty that are teaching the first generation of students who were raised on the internet, this is a new breed of kid.”

The conference will wrap up with keynote speaker John Wilson, Jr., the executive director of the White House Initiative on historically Black colleges and universities.