Tennessee State University is preparing for its largest incoming class, with more than 2,500 freshmen and transfer students arriving to campus for the first time this school year. It’s part of a larger trend of HBCUs gaining popularity, and one of the main selling points for the school is campus culture.
Sabria Feagins is moving into a brand new residence hall at TSU. It features sleek finishes and lots of natural light in the common areas. And Feagins is already starting to make it feel like home with a strip of color-changing LED lights around the top of her dorm room.
“Makes it feel vibey and colorful,” Feagins says, remarking on the bright pink hue. A school spokesperson asks her if they can change to TSU blue. Indeed, with the tap of a small remote control, they do.
Feagins is a student athlete, competing on the school’s golf team and planning to study medicine. She knew based on her experience at a predominantly white high school that she wanted to go to an HBCU for college.
“Being around my people and seeing everyone and all the Black people here is just amazing to me.”
Even though Feagins’ dad went to TSU, she was originally attracted to another HBCU, out of state.
“But then, I came here on homecoming. And I was overwhelmed with all the excitement and joy, and everybody just seemed like a family.”
And that’s no accident says TSU’s associate vice president of students, Frank Stevenson.
“The family experience is what we celebrate,” Stevenson said. “Knowing that this is not just a big institution, but this institution is small enough where we can care and be very intentional about the student experience.”
Move-ins will continue for the rest of this week. Feagins says she’s looking forward to starting her classes and getting into her new college routine.