HBCUs Attempt to Heal from Untimely Tragedies
CAMPUS | OCT. 16, 2023
Morgan State students gather for a prayer circle. Photo courtesy of Deborah Barfield USA Today
By Hunter Nicole Stevens
Trauma can be a challenging burden for anyone but for college students, it can be especially difficult. The HBCU community has been devastated by recent on-campus shootings at Morgan State University followed by another Homecoming shooting at Bowie State University. These tragic situations raise the question of how to deal with untimely traumatic experiences.
The shooting at MSU left five injured, four of which were students, with the shooter still not in custody, and less than a week later two were left injured on BSU’s campus.
Morgan State students were invited to seek refuge at BSU's homecoming after the university canceled the rest of homecoming events only to relive the experience.
The shooting at BSU left two individuals injured, but there is no indication that either victims are Bowie students.
Homecoming is a staple of the HBCU community in which students and alumni celebrate their alma mater. But when these mass gatherings end in violent attacks, it leaves the surrounding community shattered.
“I ask our entire Morgan Family to keep our injured students in prayer as they recover from this heinous act of violence. Together, as a family and a united community, we will rise above this moment and reaffirm Morgan’s mark as one of this nation’s most consequential institutions,” Morgan State President David K. Wilson shared in a press conference on Oct. 5.
Local HBCUs are not the only ones facing crises on campus.
On Sept. 4, Morehouse College students Hugh Douglass and Christion Files Jr., Black college students passed tragically in a car accident.
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, Morehouse suspended classes to allow students a mental health day following the passing of Douglass and Files. The historically Black college shared an Instagram post to honor its legacy and share ways to get in contact with campus counseling services.
Jaden Perpignan, a senior computer science major at Morehouse College, recommended utilizing student counseling services during times like these.
“It’s paramount that students are aware of them [counseling resources on campus]. Everyone processes grief differently and they must know support is available,” said Perpignan.
Deborah Juniper Frye, grief recovery method specialist and owner of Grief Care Consulting LLC, also stressed that students should take advantage of university mental health resources.
“You don't have to do this by yourself. You don't have to suffer in your dorm room by yourself,” Frye expressed.“The avenues that are there on campus for you so that you can get the relief, the answers, the support, and the empathy that you need when you are struggling. Just like you reach out for help when you're not doing well in your class, you should also reach out for help when you're struggling with grief.”
Frye explained that grief does not solely come from death but from any kind of deep sadness from an unwanted change in life. In a college setting, students may grieve over things such as not getting good grades, not making a sports team, or not having many friends.
Frye also emphasized the importance of self-care when it comes to recovering from a loss.
“The same way you put your classes on your schedule, you need to put self-care on your schedule,” Frye said. “You need to have some time to pull away from the student life for a little to stay balanced in your own well-being so that you are able to go out and be a better person on campus for those that may not be doing as well as you are.”
Students at Howard experienced a similar somberness on campus after the passing of junior computer systems major Mycah Shaw last spring.
B.E.S.T You Programming, a campus organization dedicated to sisterhood and mentorship in which Mycah was a member, described her as someone who radiated “love and a light that shined in every room she walked in.”
Navigating campus life has been difficult for friends of Shaw.
Kayla Farris, a junior journalism major, said the atmosphere on campus hasn’t been the same since Shaw’s passing.
“The school environment definitely changes when you lose someone who you love and spent time with it becomes difficult when someone gets removed who used to be there,” Farris shared.
The outcome of such trauma isn’t always negative though.
Farris created a fundraiser for suicide prevention dedicated to her late friend titled Mycah’s Memorial Fund, which has received thousands of dollars in donations.
Farris’ fellow B.E.S.T You Programming members also partnered with the University to provide transportation to Shaw’s funeral.
“We were able to use the [Howard University] resources and we really appreciate the fact they paid for us to have transportation to be able to attend the funeral and be with the family,” Farris added.
The Howard University Counseling Service (HUCS) is available to all students who are interested in working through grief or other issues they may be facing. To schedule an appointment, call 202-806-6870. If you are dealing with an urgent crisis, the HUCS Crisis Line can be contacted at 202-345-6709.
