As everyone may or may not know, we the founders of ShoppeBlack, are both Howard Alum. In fact, we’re also members of the same incoming class (HU c/o 2000). Oftentimes, we discuss so much that goes on at Howard and how the institution made such a huge impact on our lives. As graduates of HBCUs, we oftentimes feel very heartfelt sentiment about our days on the yard but don’t always give back in the ways that we should. Maybe we’re still scorned by those long registration lines or attitudinal employer in the A-building. Whatever the reason, that shouldn’t stop us from ensuring that our institutions have the capacity to lead 21st century education and provide the opportunity for to prepare thousands of young minds to serve as our world’s next leaders.
That said, we’d like to invite you to participate in a study being conducted by a dear friend, fellow HBCU alumnus, Sakinah Rahman. The survey is a continuation of her research started during her time as an MBA student at UPENN’s Wharton School of Business in 2013 examining the academic niche and student retention strategies employed at select colleges and universities.
Thanks for your feedback and please share! Our voices, after all, do make a difference.
-Shantrelle + Tony
HOWARD ALUMNI SURVEY
A university has no greater ambassador than its alumni. This study is to hear what attracted and helped retain Howard alumni as undergraduates understanding that the attraction as well as retention policies employed inform Howard’s value proposition. I chose the survey method of study to interject the voice of alumni into the conversation surrounding student retention strategies and academic brand.
Who better to communicate to prospective families, donors, and legislatures the value of a Howard education than the woman or man the University trained. The survey questions regarding the Howard college experience is:
- to gain insight into the University’s graduation rates (current four-year rate is 42%*)
- promote a profile of HBCUs and HBCU students different from media and policy reports
- provide the quantitative and qualitative data to compare to the strategies utilized at other institutions in development of a best practice case study
With a new President and the University’s upcoming sesquicentennial anniversary in 2017, this is an exciting time to examine Howard’s value proposition. I want to make your voice heard!
The goal is 100 responses. I’d also love if you’d share the survey link on Facebook, Twitter, and email to your friends, sorority sisters, frat brothers and acquaintances not connected to social media!
*Source: US News & World Report. Howard’s six-year graduation rate is 60%, on par with the U.S. national average.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F9YRPBR
About Sakinah Rahman:
With 17 years of public finance experience, including ten years of commercial and investment banking experience and most recently as a nonprofit executive, Sakinah recently created S3 Rock Research, LLC, a market research firm specializing in survey design and analysis for data-based strategies. Ms. Rahman authored Spelman College: A Case Study of Student Retention Strategies, which was published in Opportunities and Challenges at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 2014. For the past two years, Sakinah has served as a guest lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.
Sakinah earned a B.S. in Finance from Morgan State University and a M.B.A from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Questions or more feedback? Contact Sakinah directly at sakinah_rahman@hotmail.com.
