Rate this HBCU Day 59: Miles College

[DrBanneker]

We last covered Denmark Technical College which received an average score of 5.7.

See the updated leaderboard here

Miles College is a small college in the Birmingham area founded by the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (then the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church). This same church also helped found Lane College in Jackson, TN and Paine College in Augusta, GA which we previously covered. Though founded by a church, Miles College was liberal arts from the start with classes included home economics, Greek, Latin, and rhetoric. It was named for the then Bishop of the church William H. Miles.

Miles students were active in the Birmingham Civil Rights struggles organizing sit-ins and business boycotts and subsequently subject to intense harassment by the police.

Founded: 1898

City, State: Fairfield, AL (Birmingham metro area)

Type: 4-year, Private (Christian Methodist Episcopal affiliated)

Nickname: Golden Bears

Enrollment and percent Black enrollment: 1,520 (all undergraduate), 96% Black

Part-time student percentage: 7%

First Generation Student Percentage: 42%

Percentage of students from households under $30k/over $100k: 72% / 2%

Out of State Percentage: 37% (Top States: Georgia, California, Illinois, Florida)

Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 16:1

Admissions Acceptance Rate: Open admissions

4-yr/6-yr graduation rates: 14% / 24%

Transfer out rate: N/A

Male/Female percentages (Female:Male Ratio): 47% male/ 53% female (1.1:1)

Tuition: $13k

Median Federal Debt After Graduation: $33k

Median Parent PLUS Loans After Graduation: $16k

Median Earning 10-Years after 10 years from freshman year: $30k

Median Earnings for specific majors after 3 years after graduation:
Business Administration: $37k, Criminal Justice: $35k

Top Majors by Degrees:
Business Administration, Social Work, Biology, Communications

Endowment: ~$22M (incl. $1M from Charles Barkley)

Alumni Engagement: N/A

Athletic Conference: SIAC (NCAA Div II)

Mascot: Golden Bears

Notable Alumni:

Autherine Lucy - First Black to attend the University of Alabama (but run out by a mob and then expelled)

U.W. Clemon - First Black federal judge in Alabma; recently well-known as the author of a letter to President Biden urging that Ketanji Brown-Jackson not be nominated to SCOTUS

Bennett M. Stewart - Former US congressman from Illinois

Larry Dale Thornton - CEO of Thornton Enterprises, a seven restaurant McDonald's franchise operator in Birmingham (pic with father who founded the company)

Main Campus

Albert J. Sloan Alumni Stadium

Basketball Gym

Purple Marching Machine

Cheerleaders

Golden Stars Dancers

Miss Miles College

@CrimsonTider @DerrtySouthpaw @Theolodius_Black @NoMoreWhiteWoman2020 @Pirius Black
@ab.aspectus @Originalman @#1 pick @Ziggiy @SupaVillain @Tug life @Idaeo @get these nets @MostReal @Bryan Danielson @Rollie Forbes @Sonic Boom of the South @staticshock @Charlie Hustle @BigAggieLean. @Optimus Prime @How Sway? @DropTopDoc @Johnny seawolf

 

[CrimsonTider]

It has a law school but it’s in the hood but its way too small to get a real college experience

 

[DrBanneker]

It has a law school but it’s in the hood but its way too small to get a real college experience

breh how many HBCUs in major urban areas are not in or near the hood?

 

[AggiePride336.]

Got a friend that went to school and graduated from there; from Mississippi. Played football for them. I’ve never been to the campus, but in talking with my boy, he says he enjoyed the campus.

The graduation rates could be better. I’ll give them a 5.

 

[Charlie Hustle]

It has a law school but it’s in the hood but its way too small to get a real college experience

With it being a a smaller college what exactly does it lack that would limit “a real college experience?

 

[get these nets]

Great profile. Interesting alumni list. Had never heard of Ms. Lucy and her attempt to integrate the U. of Alabama. The two students who followed her years later are who I remember.

There was a news article that I saw about Miles, but waited until they came up in the series. One of the things we've discussed has been some HBCUs needing to establish pipelines to recruit stronger students. A few months ago Miles created a partnership with an area Community College.

Miles College signs MOU with Wallace Community College

www.miles.edu

Spoiler: the irony

Wallace Community College (WCC) (formally known as George C. Wallace Community College) is a public community college in Dothan, Alabama. It is named after the father of Alabama governor George Wallace

 

[CrimsonTider]

breh how many HBCUs in major urban areas are not in or near the hood?

With it being a a smaller college what exactly does it lack that would limit “a real college experience?

Students and resources.

The only plus about Miles is that it’s in Birmingham so you got stuff to do outside of campus

 

[DrBanneker]

I forgot to add these images from this book:

Miles College

Emerging from post-Civil War America, Miles College was formally founded in 1905 by the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Efforts to found the college began in 1898 as part of the struggle to create equal educational opportunities for Birmingham's African-American middle class and expanding...

books.google.com

 

[DrBanneker]

Had never heard of Ms. Lucy and her attempt to integrate the U. of Alabama. The two students who followed her years later are who I remember.

Yeah she sued to get in to get a graduate degree in library science and her first day there was chased by a mob and had to hide in a building for three hours before the police got her out. The others were undergrads I think.

Wallace Community College (WCC) (formally known as George C. Wallace Community College) is a public community college in Dothan, Alabama. It is named after the father of Alabama governor George Wallace

But but but he changed, he became a new man

 

[Charlie Hustle]

Students and resources.

The only plus about Miles is that it’s in Birmingham so you got stuff to do outside of campus

I agree that the lack or students and resources can be an issue. However, I think that resources can be more focused specifically when it pertains to the the student /teacher ratio.

The size of the student body when I was in college averaged around 3000 of on campus students. I do feel that the size created a better sense of community and also, smaller classes were more beneficial to learning versus large classrooms of 100+ students. I could go to any professors office and ask questions about an assignment I might not understand all the way and I feel that real face time with my professors made me feel like they actually cared. My friends that when to bigger schools, specifically PWIs always complained about having to relay on tutoring services to drill down on a topic. That in it self has pros and cons of course.

 

[Pirius Black]

My wife almost got a job out there. The President at the time was an ex Howard University admin who got ran off in 09 because of shyt housing conditions. He interviewed her and she said the vibes were very unprofessional and the administration was a shyt show. But a very fine campus, located in the hood but its aite.

 

[staticshock]

Miles is one of our rivals. If we can’t get Tuskegee on the schedule for the Turkey Day or Labor Day Classic, then we play Miles.


One thing I appreciate about Miles is how they looked out for kids who were displaced & affected by Hurricane Katrina. They had a ton of New Orleans kids back then because along with open admissions they made it to where those affected by the hurricane went to school for free or they took a ton of money off their tuition cost I forgot which one.

They’re a SIAC school but their band is pushing our sound like a SWAC band. Whenever they play at Fort Valley I try to make the game to check ‘em out.

I’ll give Miles a 7.

 

[get these nets]

Yeah she sued to get in to get a graduate degree in library science and her first day there was chased by a mob and had to hide in a building for three hours before the police got her out. The others were undergrads I think.



But but but he changed, he became a new man

Yeah, those devils like him have blood on their hands. Especially those who held power. Nothing changes that. Copping pleas/claims of turning over a new leaf late in life definitely don't change that blood.


I'm glad your profiles touch on the ugly history of the country, and how instrumental HBCUs were in changing the trajectory of American history. And how so many HBCU alumni were on the frontlines of challenging ugly policies and systems. Two entries ago, Mr Shuttlesworth and Rev. Abernathy at ASU and now Ms. Lucy at Miles U.


*Over the course of the series, it has surprised me that a handful of members who promote buffoonery and negativity say that they attended the schools being covered. Thought that they would carry themselves differently being aware of and connected to such rich legacies. But, hey everybody is an individual.
.

 

[NoMoreWhiteWoman2020]

I’ll give it a 6; it serves its function, giving marginalized students and those who lack the resources to go to larger schools. The graduation rate is lower than wanted, but I would like to compare it to say Jacksonville State, or university of west alabama to see how the numbers compare.

 

[Charlie Hustle]

Miles is one of our rivals. If we can’t get Tuskegee on the schedule for the Turkey Day or Labor Day Classic, then we play Miles.


One thing I appreciate about Miles is how they looked out for kids who were displaced & affected by Hurricane Katrina. They had a ton of New Orleans kids back then because along with open admissions they made it to where those affected by the hurricane went to school for free or they took a ton of money off their tuition cost I forgot which one.

They’re a SIAC school but their band is pushing our sound like a SWAC band. Whenever they play at Fort Valley I try to make the game to check ‘em out.

I’ll give Miles a 7.

Their current Head Band Director Willie Snipes Jr., was the first student to earn a music degree from the college and made he made Head Band Director at 35.

I like watching Miles perform. They always surprise me especially for their size.