There’s a certain kind of magic that lingers on the campus of a Historically Black College or University — a rhythm in the air, a pulse that beats beneath the Georgia sun, steady and proud. If you’ve ever walked across the yard of Savannah State University, you know that feeling. It’s in the way the trees sway with history, in the laughter that carries across the Student Union, in the pride that radiates from students dressed in orange and blue.

For me, working at Savannah State University wasn’t just a job — it was a calling. Every day, I walked the same paths that generations of dreamers and doers once took. As an employee and first-year orientation instructor, I got to witness the start of those journeys — when students, some nervous and unsure, arrive wide-eyed and full of potential. And every time I saw them, I’m reminded of what an HBCU truly stands for.

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The Purpose of Attending an HBCU

The purpose of attending an HBCU goes beyond earning a degree. It’s about becoming.

HBCUs like Savannah State were built for us — for those who once weren’t given a seat at the table, for those who had to build their own. These institutions were founded on faith, resilience, and the unshakeable belief that Black excellence could thrive even in the face of adversity.

When I met new students during orientation, I can see the transformation beginning even before classes start. They may not fully grasp it yet, but they’ve just joined something sacred — a lineage of scholars, leaders, and trailblazers who paved the way for them. I’d tell them that here, they will not only learn from textbooks but from legacy. They will learn that their voice matters, that their story matters, and that they carry with them the pride of a people who have always made a way out of no way.

At Savannah State, we didn’t just teach — we nurture. We affirm. We push. We pour into our students because we know what it means to be poured into. That’s the beauty of an HBCU: it teaches you to see yourself as enough, to understand that your identity is not a limitation but a crown.

Every fall, I watched students step onto the campus unsure of their place, and by spring, I see them walking taller, speaking with confidence, and claiming their purpose. That’s what happens when you are surrounded by people who look like you, believe in you, and remind you daily that you belong here.

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The Purpose of Homecoming

And then comes Homecoming — the soul of the HBCU experience.

There’s something electric about Homecoming week at Savannah State. It’s as if the campus takes a deep breath and exhales joy. Alumni return like royalty, students buzz with anticipation, and the campus transforms into a living celebration of history, culture, and pride.

From the parade that winds through the heart of campus to the sound of the band echoing across the field, Homecoming is a love song to the past, present, and future. It’s the reminder that this isn’t just a school — it’s a family.

As an employee, I get a front-row seat to the reunion of generations. I watch alumni embrace old classmates, their laughter echoing like it did decades ago. I see them share stories of dorm life, late-night study sessions, and the professors who changed their lives. There’s something beautiful about watching our current students see their future selves in those alumni — successful, confident, and grateful for the foundation Savannah State gave them.

And for me, it’s personal. Homecoming reminds me why I do what I do. It’s seeing a student I once welcomed during orientation now walking across the field as a graduate, waving proudly to their family. It’s watching the joy on their faces as they realize they’ve become part of something eternal — something that will always welcome them home.

Homecoming is a time when we pause to say, thank you.
Thank you to those who came before us.
Thank you to those who continue to uplift us.
Thank you to the ones who will come after, carrying the torch even higher.

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Why It Still Matters

In a world that often questions our worth and challenges our history, HBCUs like Savannah State stand as living proof of resilience. They remind us that excellence is not new to us — it’s in our DNA. And Homecoming is our way of saying, “We’re still here. We’re still rising.”

When I stand on the yard during Homecoming and look around — at the students in their fresh Savannah State gear, the alumni proudly wearing shirts that say “Class of ’95,” the band playing with precision and pride — I feel it deep in my chest. This is legacy in motion. This is what it means to belong.

For those who have never experienced it, Homecoming might look like a week of events and parties. But for us, it’s more than that. It’s a revival. It’s where we recharge, reconnect, and remember who we are.

Because when you attend an HBCU, you don’t just earn a degree — you inherit a story. You become part of a tapestry woven from hope, struggle, brilliance, and love. And every year, when we gather for Homecoming, that tapestry grows a little richer, a little more vibrant, stitched together by shared experiences and unbreakable bonds.

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The Legacy Lives On

Working at Savannah State University has taught me that the purpose of an HBCU isn’t just to educate the mind — it’s to empower the spirit. It’s to create leaders who lead with compassion, pride, and purpose. And as an orientation instructor, I see that spark ignite in every new student who walks through our doors.

When I watched them stand tall at the end of the semester, when I saw them come alive during Homecoming, when I hear them shout “Hail SSU!” with pride — I know they’ve found what so many of us have found here: home.

And that’s the beauty of it all. You may leave campus one day, diploma in hand, but Savannah State — like every HBCU — never really leaves you. It becomes part of your heartbeat, your purpose, your story.

Because here, every lesson, every laugh, every Homecoming reminds you of one simple truth:
We are legacy.
We are excellence.
We are home.

HAPPY HOMECOMING, SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY!