At the 2024 installment of our HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Recruiting webinar series, HBCU Recruiting: How to Stand Out and Maximize Your Impact, we were joined by a panel of top University Recruiting leaders – Tracy Kidd from Cummins, Jennifer Newbill from Dell, and DaJuan Lucas from Vanguard – to discuss some of the most pressing HBCU recruiting topics. From gaining firm-wide support for HBCU engagement to debunking the idea that HBCUs are “pay-to-play,” below is a summary of their conversation.

The 3 Pillars of Successful HBCU Engagement

First, Veris Insights’ Strategy Lead and BIPOC ERG Co-Lead, Jacynta Smith, outlined the three pillars of successful HBCU engagement: authenticity, intentionality, and partnership. Jacynta emphasized the importance of each pillar in crafting a robust and effective HBCU engagement strategy and provided actionable steps for employers to implement these pillars.

Get the three pillars in one downloadable document with our HBCU Engagement Cheat Sheet.

Leveraging the Firm to Deepen HBCU Partnerships

Many UR leaders report that business leaders and internal stakeholders often have an outdated perception of HBCU engagement, thinking it merely involves “making a call, showing up, and the work is done.” So, we asked the panelists about their experiences developing partnerships with HBCUs and the internal resources they utilized to build those partnerships. The key takeaway? Securing executive buy-in and participation is crucial.

*Note: HBCU Battle of the Brains is a case competition targeting STEM and business students. Dell partnered with them to provide various opportunities to participating students, including a visit to Dell’s experience labs for hands-on workshops and networking opportunities with Dell’s business line leaders.

Reframing the Idea That HBCUs Are “Pay-to-Play”

Some recruiting professionals describe HBCUs as operating under a “pay-to-play” model. Our three panelists explained why this term is misleading, and why UR teams should instead view their efforts as investing in strategic partnerships.

*PWI = Predominantly White Institution – a school that is at least 50% white

Debunking the Myth of Oversaturation

Finally, let’s address the myth of oversaturation. A key challenge we hear from UR leaders is that it is hard to stand out on HBCU campuses. There is this sense that if you’re not already established on campus, there’s no point starting now, because the competition is just so high. 

In reality, our research shows that competition is high only at certain HBCUs and that those who cling to the myth of immense competition are overlooking a breadth of HBCU talent. For example, we found that, as of March 2024, nearly half of HBCU students surveyed had not yet interviewed with an employer – that’s half the rate of Black/African American students at PWIs. 

Notably, this gap closes significantly when comparing students at the Top 10 HBCUs, which had interview rates comparable to PWIs. So, for employers willing to engage with HBCUs outside of the Top 10, there is a world of talent and institutions who are looking forward to partnering with you.

 

To delve deeper into these insights and learn more about effective HBCU recruiting strategies, watch the full webinar recording here.