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Norwalk students are discovering many lessons as they visit prospective colleges. The students from the Carver Center have been learning about admissions qualifications and financial aid, but student-journalist Tomar Joseph shares how he learned that problems can create opportunities. The challenges faced by Dr. William H. Councill, the founder of Alabama A&M, may become Tomar's opportunity.
Tomar Joseph writes:
Rolling out of bed at seven in the morning, members of Carvers Youth Development Program and the Rock Climbers visited Alabama Agricultural & Mechanics University or Alabama A&M.
Alabama A&M is a "Historically Black College and University" or HBCU. It was founded in 1875 by Dr. William Hopper Councill, a former slave who lived on this same land. He was separated from his family, sold and shipped to North Carolina and South Carolina. Dr. Councills problem led to his purpose. He vowed if he were ever free, he would start a school to educate blacks. He came back and bought the land and the University of Alabama A&M became a reality.
A&M is the only HBCU school in northern Alabama. It is located in the city of Huntsville, and the campus is considered a city within a city. Huntsville has over 450,000 people and is the home of NASA. The space shuttles are built in Huntsville and then transferred to Florida or Texas.
There is a complex named after George Washington Carver. I learned one of the past presidents of A&M, Richard Morrison, had studied under Carver at Tuskegee University. Morrison wanted to honor Carver with a building bearing his name. In 1891, A&M was designated a land-grant college and receives land-grant funds under the Morrill Act of 1890.
Alabama A&M is a Division 1 school in sports and plays in the South West Athletic Conference.) They have sports such as football, baseball, basketball, womens basketball, womens softball, and womens volleyball.
Alabama A&M has a graduation rate of 85 percent and it offers Bachelor of Science degrees and Bachelor in Arts degrees in over 50 majors.
I thought A&M was a wonderful school in a wonderful city. The campus is beautiful and full of life. If I had a chance to attend this school I would.
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