Cynthia Neal Spence, Ph.D., C’78, associate professor of sociology and director of the Spelman’s Social Justice Fellows program and the College’s UNCF/Mellon Programs, debunked several misleading myths about historically Black colleges and universities during a recent visit at Duke University.
In addition to debunking myths, such as faculty at HBCUs don’t engage in research, Dr. Spence also discussed strategies for more effective outreach and recruitment of undergraduates from HBCUs for graduate programs.
“Mentoring is very important for all involved,” said Dr. Spence, who was featured in
faculty conversations hosted by
The Duke Center of Exemplary Mentoring and the Duke Graduate School.
“When you can do one-one-one with a student, you begin to understand how to engage someone of a different color, how to engage students who perhaps don’t look like you and don’t have backgrounds like yours. The mentor becomes more broadly educated because of this interaction.”