It’s the beginning of a new chapter for more than 2,700 incoming freshmen at Howard University.
“I’m feeling excited, but nervous at the same time,” said one new student.
Another said, “I grew up knowing always knowing that Howard would be the place I ended up.”
Members of Howard’s class of 2030 and their families came from around the country and the world, cars filled with all the items they needed.
For some parents, move-in is bittersweet.
“Nervous,” one mom said. “Wishing that she didn’t have to go, but I’m happy for her.”
Here are some quick stats on the incoming class:
- 33% of the incoming students are first-generation students
- 211 students are entering with a 4.0 GPA
- Less than half are deemed Pell-eligible students
“I’m just encouraged; they keep getting smarter,” Howard University Interim President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick said. “The only downside of that is that I just worry about how many we can take and the fact that if you come from a low-income circumstance or a school district that wasn’t the greatest and you don’t get the same prep, does that put you at a disadvantage?”
The new students are moving in on the heels of enrollment issues. For weeks, News4 has been reporting on more than 500 students who were unenrolled from the university for missing tuition payment deadlines. Some students say they were waiting for scholarships and financial aid to post.
Howard maintains it reached out to incoming students about the deadlines multiple times and says more than 200 students have been reinstated.
“We’re going to continue to tweak our enrollment management process to make sure that we don’t leave those students behind or we don’t take away their opportunity,” Frederick said.
Reese Rentie said his son was among those students who were reinstated.
“One hundred percent stress,” Rentie said. “He had 80% of his tuition, was on a scholarship, so we only had a little bit to pay.”
Help came from an unexpected source.
“Some young men — alumni from Howard — they actually heard about my son’s story and cleared his balance,” Rentie said.
Now that the 2,700 freshmen are prepared for a new start, the administration along with parents say they want to ensure the young scholars have what they need to succeed.
“I’m really excited for her to be on campus. It’s great to be back,” Howard University parent Leslie said. “It’s just awesome to have a full-circle moment, to come here and bring your babies.”
Classes start Aug. 17.
from Local – NBC4 Washington https://ift.tt/bnaJzdR
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