Beyond the Yard- Hilltop Highlights

Tatiana Carter (’24, B.S.) is a biology and performance double major in the College of Arts and Sciences. Carter received a scholarship from the Howard University Alumni Association’s Emergency Scholarship Fund. The fund offers need-based scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students at any of the University’s 14 schools and colleges who require financial assistance to continue their studies and graduate.

Carter spoke to Development Writer Kelvin Childs about her experiences. This has been edited for length and clarity.

Why did you choose to go to an HBCU? And why did you choose Howard?

My mom went to an HBCU. She went to Central State University. I would always go with her whenever she went back for homecoming. I just really like the culture and she was always telling me about Black culture, but she always gave me an option that wherever I want to go, I can go.

This just really resonated with me, and I chose Howard, because – first of all, a funny story that I tell people is I somehow, I kind of forgot I even applied to Howard until after I got my acceptance letter. That’s when I really was, “Oh wow, I did get in,” because I think I kind of blacked it out of my mind. I thought, “Oh, that’s such a high school,” I didn’t know if I would get in.

I was happy that I got into Howard, but I graduated high school in 2020. And so right when I was supposed to pay my visit to Howard, the world shut down. But I just decided to just take the leap and go to Howard.

It was an opportunity for growth with me. I knew that this was a really good school. It’s far enough from home that I’ll be able to grow but not too far, so I can go back if anything’s needed. And so, Howard seemed like the place for me. If so many people before me came and they’re very successful, I wanted to make my mark just like them.

And how is your time at Howard helping you do what you do today?

I’m grateful that I’m highly involved on campus. I’m in Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated. I serve as the second vice president in the National Pan-Hellenic Council Inc. I work with the sports medicine department in Athletics, which is what I want to end up doing as my career.

Just being around all these high opportunities – and it’s not even just being highly involved in general, but it’s being highly involved at Howard – a lot of people know the work ethic it takes in order to get into Howard and to stay at Howard.

You’re surrounded by so many successful people each day. Even if I shadow for a sports medicine practice, the doctor is like, “Oh, yeah, I usually don’t let students shadow unless you’re already in physical therapy school.” But he was like, “OK, well, I used to teach at Howard. I know your work ethic. I’ve talked to other people. I know the head of sports medicine there.”

Just being able to say you go to Howard opens so many doors for you. So many students who fought their whole life to get here – high-ranking students, valedictorians, salutatorians – all come to this school, and we all have the goal to be successful.

So even when you have those rough days, it brings you back because you’re like, “I want to strive harder because my friends are striving harder.”

What are your thoughts about the HUAA Emergency Scholarship?

I see the HUAA Emergency Scholarship as a great resource. I’m thankful that I’m able to give back by being able to speak about my story so other people know that this is a resource as well as letting the alumni know their money is going to great use. I seriously would not have been able to finish my senior year without it. So, I think it’s just a really great resource.

It’s really for students like me who’ve tried going to the UNCF [United Negro College Fund] route, the TMCF [Thurgood Marshall College Fund] route and just applied to many scholarships and unfortunately didn’t get them.

Just being able to know my alumni association is helping me and they have my back is great. Even if you guys couldn’t grant me an emergency scholarship, the HUAA also sent me many resources. Being able to lean on your alumni is a great resource for me.

Why should alumni give to the University?

Students like me would not have been able to continue. I would not have been able to efficiently continue at Howard without the emergency scholarship. This was my first year living off campus, but since I’m a senior I had such a high class load I wasn’t able to work a 9-to-5 – I just literally thrive off of babysitting – and so just being able to have an extra cushion meant knowing I don’t have to stress myself out anymore. I was able to focus more on my classes and still hit everything that I need to do like rent, gas and all that stuff. It just was really helpful in making sure that my bill was paid off and then I can use all the money to be able to deal with my outside problems.

Is there any question that hasn’t come up in this discussion that you would like to raise?

I think giving back to Howard as a whole is good, but also giving back to the smaller entities that are affecting the students on a day-to-day basis makes an even greater impact.