“Black UNT” seems to only be known to those who are a part. The experiences of black identifying students at the University of North Texas is something to marvel when you realize how national they’ve taken the university. UNT is a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), and Black UNT has been at the forefront of its key importance on diversity. The wonder behind how viral they’ve been starts internally and strategically.
Black UNT Fast Facts and Figures:
- Black UNT still makes up 14% of the entire UNT population
- There are nearly a dozen organizations under the Black Student Union (BSU) umbrella
- UNT’s NAACP Chapter deputizes its executive board members in Denton County
- There are major related black organizations like UNT’s The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), National Association of Black Accountants, etc.
- Organizations like UNT’s Dedicated Men has focused on retention rates for black males
- Homecoming royalty and court has featured black student leaders
- The African Student Organization (ASO) has held the title of most student members next to non-black organization.
The black excellence exuding from UNT starts the minute a new wave of students walk onto campus.
The Black Student Experience (BSE) is a mentoring program that was founded in 2011 to help feed the need for black pride and fostered academic growth. Being a part of the 14%, It’s easy to see how you’re outnumbered compared to other populations. BSE is a weekend retreat connecting those students with black leaders, alumni and resources on campus and serves as an opportunity for students to discover their purpose and passions early on.
Xavier Parnell is the public relations coordinator for this year’s BSE retreat, and says that the importance of BSE is to first create a sense of family and community for incoming black identifying freshman and transfer students.
“When they come to orientation they aren’t really exposed to all the things that our community here has to offer, so the BSE program essentially is that space to help introduce them to those things,” said Parnell.
Parnell’s personal experience started before he became a coordinator in 2016. He credits BSE as one of the best choices he’d made in college. The program helped shape and mold him into the leader that he is today.
“My facilitators pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and do things I wasn’t sure that I could do. That translated into me becoming a facilitator in 2017. Now as coordinator, I’m able to do that on a larger scale. It’s a continuous cycle of breaking down walls, seeing students grow, and watching them become family.”
For incoming freshmen like Chidozie Ukpaka and Chigozie Ndumele, experiencing 2018’s BSE retreat before becoming emerged with everyday college life gave them that extra boost of confidence other freshman normally don’t attain their first semester. They credit the interactive activities with lessons behind the fun sticking with them.
“I assumed it’d be a struggle to find people that looked like me with a passion for higher learning and expanding their network,” said Ukpaka.
During the weekend retreat, she found both men and women who resembled for her the image of what a black president or vice president was supposed to be in their positions.
“During the 3-day retreat, I found a family that I knows will celebrate with me through my successes as well as pick me up during my defeats.
The mentorships Ndmele gained was great for him because he had that reassurance that somebody was always there if he needed to call on them.
“The whole experience was eye opening. It made me realize traits about myself that I didn’t even knew I had. One of the activities to get to know yourself and others was the ‘Life Map.’ I saw that you never know what people have been through just looking at them.”
Black UNT grabs its students by the reigns and draw them to the water to drink. The proof is in the pudding with individual successes through this program, and the hope is that the new black UNT will do Old UNT proud in this new era.