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Meet Michelle, Raise Me’s Accounting Manager and proud Clark Atlanta alum.

As part of Raise Me’s Black History Month programming, this week we’re learning about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). I sat down with Michelle Evans, Accounting Manager at Raise Me, to learn about her experience attending an HBCU. Our conversation showed just how powerful an intentionally inclusive space can be to one’s feeling of belonging and identity development. Check out our interview below!

What school did you attend and when did you graduate?

Michelle: I went to (CAU) in Atlanta, GA and I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in 2009 and my Master of Accounting in 2010, so I did their 5 year program. 

Why did you choose Clark Atlanta specifically?

Michelle: In a nutshell, I knew someone there. My sister graduated from Clark Atlanta in ‘05. I was in high school when she was attending. When she came home for summer break, she was just telling me about all of her experiences, how she loved going to an HBCU, and all of the friends and connections that she had made.

The one thing she said that really resonated with me was, “There was no better feeling than going to a place with people who look like you, who are all striving for something better.“

Tapping into my Blackness was important to me. I knew the positive experience my sister was having and knew that was something that I wanted as well.

In your opinion, what’s the value of attending an HBCU for Black students?

Michelle: I can’t speak for all HBCUs, but I know specifically that Clark Atlanta is really good at hiring faculty members that know the struggles Black students may face in the United States. I loved that regardless of what class I was in, my professors really pressed upon the history of our culture. They taught us about the leaders, advocates, and change seekers within the African American community. They really made sure that they highlighted individuals that you don’t always hear about. In American history class, you don’t often hear about the lesser known Black community leaders that got us to the MLKs and the Malcolm X’s and the Rosa Parks. That’s one of the great things about going to an HBCU. It didn’t matter what class I was in, Marketing, English, or Accounting, they made sure to highlight POC change makers in those fields.

There are also a ton of practical benefits of attending an HBCU. Accounting majors were a part of the business school, where all students took a mandatory class called ‘First Year Seminar.’ CAU made sure we all had support creating resumés our freshman year. They also taught us how to dress for success; you had to come to class suited and booted! They told us, “Okay, we know you don’t have money, but here are all the discount places you can go to make sure that you look the part.” They never made you feel bad about your circumstances.

I also loved “Luncheons with the CEO.” Every semester, Dr. Dennis Kimbro, First Year Coordinator at the Business School, made it a point to bring in leaders from places like the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Coca-Cola to sit down with students. Students would attend symposiums with visiting CEOs, who would come around and have real, meaningful conversations with groups of students. That’s where I learned about creating an elevator pitch, and the professors would help you draft up those things.

By the time we graduated, we were prepared for the culture of corporate America. 

How has your HBCU experience shaped you into who you are today?

Michelle: I think having the experience at an HBCU has really brought me into the person that I am today, just being outspoken and uniquely myself. I’m loving my Blackness and loving who I am. It also opened me up to so many opportunities to grow professionally. Many of our professors were business owners who employed students to give them real work experiences, to help them break into their fields, and to give students their first shot in Corporate America. My partner also went to CAU and got her first internship freshman year from a professor who saw her as a bright student and asked her to come work for his company. I thought that it was really amazing that CAU professors sent the message,  “Hey, there is a space for you, and I’m creating that space for you. So it’s okay.” I don’t know if I would have been as outgoing or confident to seek out those opportunities without our professors giving me that boost.

What are your favorite memories from CAU?

Michelle: So many! I remember when I first got to Atlanta, I thought I was going to be miserable, and I wanted to go home, mainly because I landed at the airport at 7pm it was 97 degrees and I thought “WHY AM I MELTING?” My sister picked me up and said “Oh wow, this is such a nice night!” I said, “Excuse me??? How is this nice??” And then ‘Laffy Taffy’ came on the radio, she turned it up full blast, rolled down the windows, and sang her heart out. I smiled, knowing it was going to be a very interesting culture, but it’s where I needed to be.

From my first pep rally, to my first football game, to making my first friend (who’s actually still my really good friend), I wouldn’t change my experience for anything. Anything.

Thank you, Clark Atlanta University, for letting me know what’s real.

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your experience!

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