Tammy Renae Greer, a former HBCU student at Howard University, established the Staten Island HBCU Experience 13 years ago. Greer, who has served as the group’s executive director and staff member since its founding, has dedicated her life to the institution. Key partners like Curtis High School Principal Gregory Jaenicke, the Staten Island chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Youth Council, the New York Center for Interpersonal Development (NYCID), and Moms of Black Boys United have supported the organization, which provides resume evaluation, financial aid, and scholarships to students of color.
Over 100 HBCUs were established in the United States before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when Black students were not allowed to enroll in most colleges. Martin Luther King Jr., Justice Thurgood Marshall of the US Supreme Court, and Vice President Kamala Harris are notable HBCU alums. The annual college fair for the Staten Island HBCU Experience will be held at Curtis High School on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
The institutions cater to the special requirements of students of color, and those who choose to enroll in HBCUs typically excel, with many going on to have distinguished careers and taking advantage of the strong alumni networking networks at these institutions. Grant writer Greer thinks that Staten Island schools aren’t doing enough to meet the needs of Black and brown pupils. The fairs open doors for high school students from Staten Island by introducing them to recruiters, alumni, and current students.
Greer believes that teachers genuinely care about their students and that HBCUs offer a nurturing environment. She also holds that simply because people of color belong to the same color family, it doesn’t always follow that they aren’t varied.
Greer is pleased to hire more staff members in addition to the volunteers who already manage the Staten Island HBCU Experience in the hopes that it will continue to expand. Greer feels especially driven to grow the charity because her kids are now grown up and she is cancer-free.
