Rate this HBCU Day 22: Grambling State University

[DrBanneker]

We last covered Mississippi Valley State University which received an average score of 5.6.

See the updated leaderboard here

Staying on the theme of the SWAC, we now head to Grambling, Louisiana where the well-known Grambling State University and its Marching Tigers hold sway (I'm sure @staticshock got a story or two). The second largest Louisiana HBCU, it is well known far beyond the state due to the historic legacy of its football team as well as its well-known marching band, cheerleaders, and dance team---not to mention the Bayou Classic.

Grambling is a fit town for a HBCU. The town of Grambling was started during Reconstruction by slaves from nearby plantations who acquired land and began their own new community. They later formed the North Louisiana Colored Agricultural Relief Association Union which decided to start an industrial school for young adults. This "North Louisiana Agricultural and Industrial Institute" later became Grambling State. In 1901, when they started the school, they wrote Booker T. Washington asking for someone to run it. He sent Charles P. Adams, Grambling's first president, and the school started in earnest.

Basic data (all data 2021 unless otherwise noted)

Founded: 1901

City, State: Grambling, LA

Type: 4-year, Public

Nickname: Tigers

Enrollment and percent Black enrollment: 5,270 (4,405 undergraduate), 90% Black

Out of State Percentage: 46%

Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 24:1

Admissions Acceptance Rate: 72%

4-yr/6-yr/8-yr graduation rates: 12% / 29% / 38%

Transfer out rate: N/A

Male/Female percentages (Female:Male Ratio): 36% male / 64% female (1.8:1)

Tuition: In-State: $7.9k Out-of-State: $16.7k

Median Debt After Graduation: $36,750
Median Earning 10-Years after 10 years from freshman year: $33,961

Median Earnings for specific majors after 3 years after graduation:
Nursing: $70k, Biology: $33k, Business Administration: $33k, Education: $32k

Top Majors by Degrees:
Business Administration, Psychology, Biology, Criminal Justice, Communications, Education

Endowment: ~$7M

Alumni Engagement: 2% of alumni contribute

Athletic Conference: Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) (NCAA Div 1)

Mascot: Tigers

Notable Alumni:

Charles Blow, NYT columnist

E-40, rapper

Erykah Badu, singer+

Doug Williams - First Black QB to start and win a Superbowl (XXII) as QB for the Washington Redskins

Main Campus

McCall Dining Center

Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium

Tiger Marching Band

Tiger Cheerleaders

Orchesis Dance Team

Miss Grambling State University

@Blackgate @Crude @Bunchy Carter @kt773 @StatUS @hotbeezie @D-NICE @Hacksaw Jim Thuggin
@SupaVillain @Tug life @Idaeo @get these nets @Smokee Robinson @MostReal @Tee @Bryan Danielson @Rollie Forbes @Willie Lump Lump @staticshock @Charlie Hustle @Karume @BigAggieLean. @Optimus Prime @How Sway? @DropTopDoc @TheKongoEmpire @Son_Of_God @Theolodius_Black @mson @xoxodede @Anerdyblackguy @EndDomination @ab.aspectus @Originalman @#1 pick

 

[get these nets]

E-40, rapper

By coincidence, just happened today

Multiplatinum recording artist ‘E-40’ donates $100,000 to GSU to benefit music department, sound recording studio

GRAMBLING, La. — February 3, 2023 — Multiplatinum recording artist, actor, and entrepreneur, Earl “E-40” Stevens expanded his philanthropic reach with a $100,000 donation to Grambling State University. The funds will benefit the Music department, the World Famed Tiger Marching Band, and the...

www.gram.edu

 

[Bunchy Carter]

My alma mater:

 

[DrBanneker]

By coincidence, just happened today

Nice!

 

[Buddy]

Just found out today that I got a new teammate at work that went to Grambling
Welcome aboard breh!!

 

[shopthatwrecks]

had 4 cousins and 2 play nieces come out of grambling.... useta visit all the time...i

 

[DrBanneker]

My alma mater:

You liked it? Were you in the band or sports? How was Grambling as a college town?

 

[Rollie Forbes]

On the strength of Eddie Robinson and Doug Williams, this is the easiest 8 that I've given.

 

[supremeleader]

SU runs the SWAC

 

[Charlie Hustle]

I almost went to Gram. Gram had heavy involvement in my community growing up. Easy 8!

 

[DrBanneker]

I almost went to Gram. Gram had heavy involvement in my community growing up. Easy 8!

You grew up in N. LA?

 

[LevelUp]

 

[AggiePride336.]

My ex, before choosing to go to A&T, went to visit Grambling on a HBCU tour. Said there wasn’t really much to do out there, but she loved the campus and that was here 2nd choice. Not much experience with the school on my end. We did play them twice in the celebration bowl, so their football team seems to have been pretty consistently good.

Beautiful campus. I did not know E-40 went there. That outta state % is decent. Not surprising, because it’s an HBCU with some history and has always been pretty popular.

@Bunchy Carter what was your experience like there?

 

[Bunchy Carter]

You liked it? Were you in the band or sports? How was Grambling as a college town?

It was fine. I had to turn myself into a student, I went to college on accident lol

No I did not play any sports, I tried to play ball but they did not like California players, even dudes who were from the East Coast and Midwest did not get any love. But they really had a hatred for California players lol.

There is really nothing in Grambling because all the resources are squeezed from Grambling and sent over to Ruston. When I was there we only has a Sonic Burger (Which closed down 3 months after I arrived), Family Dollar, Churches Chicken, and 2 other places to eat (Gene's and someo other place I forgot).

Grambling has a lot of land but they never developed it and Grambling lake, but the lake is owned by the Army now

 

[Charlie Hustle]

You grew up in N. LA?

I’m a military brat. We moved down south after my dad retired. I did middle school and high school there.