Kendrick Barnes , Allen University- c/o 2016, English
Name : Kendrick Barnes
HBCU : Allen University
Graduation Year : 2016
Major : English
Email : kendrickbarnes64@gmail.com
Where are you from? Who introduced you to HBCUs?*
I am a native of Barnwell, South Carolina. My classmate from High School introduced me to my HBCU and it was a group of us that started out together.
Why did you choose an HBCU over a pwi?*
I choose Allen University over a PWI because all my life I’ve attended a white school and the majority was white , the valedictorian was white and it was always the same thing when it came to who got selected and nominated for everything.
I wanted to see difference and I wanted to see change. I had already decided once I graduated from high school I was going to be with people who looked more like me. I wanted to be amongst people who did struggle to make it, and didn’t have anything handed to them. I wanted to be amongst people who were given second chances. I wanted to be amongst people who felt the same way I felt when it came to getting a quality education.
What is the story of your "experience" at Your HBCU given its heralded status as a stellar and prestigious institution?*
My story at my HBCU .. wow .. well my journey started back in August of 2012. I remember my mom dropping me off on a Saturday morning and it was a long line of students waiting to be checked in. She kept asking me “kendrick are you sure you want to stay ?” I replied “yes This is where I need to be.” Those were my exact words.
From there I became on fire to be a student and began to help out around the school. My first semester I made the Deans List, then my second semester I became a residential assistant. My job was to come up with programs and events for the guys in the residence halls to do when there weren't events going on campus. That same semester of spring '13 I became the Sophomore class president I was excited!
Then the fall of 2013 my life changed forever I pledged the BEST AND I MEAN THE BEST FRATERNITY known to man Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated! I was initiated into the Alpha Omicron Chapter. Then spring 14 we of course celebrated our centennial as being 100 years old as a fraternity. Later that semester I ran again and became the Junior class president as well as the president of my fraternity.. at the end of my Junior year I had to cross one last hump and that was to be the Student Body president I ran and of course I won!!!!
I cried tears of joy because I tried to be the SB President three times back in grade school , but each time I attempted to run the GPA requirement was too high I mean like nearly 4.0 in order to run. But the third time was the charm because I ran an honest and hard fought campaign.
My dear Allen University gave me my second chance as well as others.
My Allen University is a school that gives students the chance to be themselves and not change their identities to “fit in.” Allen University is a school that believes in quality education and almost all of the professors hold Ph.Ds and their expectations are extremely high!
From my Allen University I learned to always walk with my head held high, to walk with the idea knowing I come from royalty, to walk with the idea of knowing I have the tools to change the world.
As I type this post I’m tearing up because this school has blossomed me into the great man I am today! Allen University will always have a special place in my heart I love my HBCU and the hands that taught me to work, those who showed me how to love and those great educators who taught me how to think ! I love you all!
"First time" experiences at your HBCU?*
My first time experience was addressing the entire school as being the student body president when I gave my Welcome address I was beyond nervous, but as I begin to speak the nervousness went away. In my heart I knew that at that moment I needed to be there and address my students.
Who are the professors that have impacted your life in and out of the classroom? How did they do that?*
Wow! So the professors who really impacted me in a major way... well honestly all of them did! There were times that I really hated to go to class because they would chew me out when it came to my work. At times I would become lazy and didn’t want to preform, then at the end of the semester I would expect decent grades when I wasn’t putting in all that I could have..
The just a few of my favorites was my English 101 & 102 professor Mildread H. Steed she gave me the basics on how to write a paper and how to argue with facts and back my claims with evidence.
The next teacher who really taught me how to deconstruct and tear up a piece of work and do a concrete analysis was Dr. Charlene M. Spearen I had her several years back to back for different classes and each year the expectation grew higher and higher due to she finally seeing the work I could produce when i actually put my all into it.
Another teacher who really helped my writing was Dr. Emily Murray she was an excellent instructor her class wasn’t as hard, but she did not play around about her work. She was relaxed and sometimes I would use that as a sign of weakness and I would sometimes not give my best work again, but that changed quickly once I made a bad grade on a test for her.
This professor not only taught me about writing and literature she was what really made my HBCU experience a TRUE experience was Dr. Nancy D. Tolson she taught me, and the students she taught all about African American History and the TRUE contents and it’s origins and some famous pieces of literature that came from OUR history!
She not only provided pieces of literature from African American History she gave pieces of Literature from all around the world. She taught us how to understand another culture and not judge it because it is “different” the book that really was my favorite was the “ The Alchemist” one of her famous quotes that I still remember to this day is “if you can learn about Shakespeare and Harry Potter you can learn about your own culture and history!” I can go on and on about the English Dept at Allen but they all were great even down to the Dept Chair Dr. Kevin Trumpeter he was also laid back but was an extremely difficult professor who did not believe in spoon feeding his students their education he challenged all to work hard ! Each teacher taught me valuable lessons that I now apply to my life and my studies in grad school
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Allen University
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Students: 600
- Athletics: Allen University currently maintains intercollegiate teams for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s track & field and cross-country, women’s volleyball, and men’s wrestling.
- Notable Alumni: Tywanza Sanders - 2014 - Victim of the Charleston church massacre**Clementa Carlos Pinckney - 1995 - Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, 73rd District (1997- 2000) SC Senate District 45 (2000-2015)**Joseph DeLaine - Minister and civil rights leader who worked with South Carolina NAACP on the legal case Briggs vs Elliot in 1952. It was one of the four cases argued under Brown vs. Board of Education**Lewis C. Dowdy - 1939 - American educator; Sixth president and first chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University**
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