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One decision on a two-lane road can change a life. Del Woods left Philadelphia for a small HBCU campus in Ohio and discovered a community that turned quiet potential into confident leadership. In this conversation, our National Alumni President shares how a no-excuses business program, a famously tough professor, and a family-style campus culture forged the skills she now uses to lead, build, and serve.

We dig into what makes Wilberforce different: intimate classrooms where you learn to think on your feet, dorms that build lifelong bonds, and mentors who expect your best even when resources are tight. Del explains how those experiences power her work today across a full-time role, multiple ventures, and the National Alumni Association. She lays out a clear, practical playbook for impact: pay your national and local dues, join or launch a chapter with just five members, recruit students who will thrive in a high-touch environment, and help finish funding the new dorms so more students can live on campus and stay connected.

You’ll also hear why visibility matters now more than ever. From college fairs to social media, we talk about wearing our colors, telling our stories, and making sure future students know where Wilberforce is and what The Woo stands for. Along the way, we honor the legacy of notable Wilberforce figures and the everyday heroes who keep the community strong. If you believe in HBCU excellence and the power of alumni to shape the next generation, this one’s for you.

If this conversation moves you, subscribe, share it with a fellow alum, and leave a review. Then take one action today—dues, a recruit, a donation—and be the force that keeps Wilberforce thriving.

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A tiny campus in Ohio became a launchpad to the world. We brought together four Wilberforce alumni for an energizing, unscripted reunion that celebrates how a small HBCU forged big courage: professors who refused mediocre work, a choir director who taught self-advocacy, and a community that funded buses to the Million Man March. From classrooms to Cairo, they share how confidence, rigor, and family-first culture turned students into leaders, authors, educators, and creators.

We swap stories that feel like living history. There’s the moment a president rested a hand on a student’s shoulder at the pyramids and said, “This is what it’s about.” There are red-inked papers returned until sources were solid, and a campus where the alma mater still rings like a promise. No band, no football, no problem—the prestige is in people who show up excellent when no spotlight is guaranteed. You’ll hear about study abroad in England, LA alumni singing the alma mater at the gate, and the anthem God Is lifting graduates and grandmothers to their feet.

We also shine a light on what’s new: a candid fatherhood memoir from a longtime stay-at-home dad, a love-forward poetry collection and performance plans, a novel and production company bringing short films to life, and an educator-led anthology amplifying Black teachers. Threaded through it all is an ethic of collaboration over gatekeeping: time, talent, and open doors for the next generation. If you’ve ever wondered how an HBCU can change your life, this is your blueprint—value yourself, raise your standards, and build together.

If this conversation moved you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more alumni spotlights, and leave a review with the campus lesson you still carry today. Your story might be the next one we highlight. Look at What Wilberforce Did!

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What changes when educators stop whispering their stories and start saying them out loud? We went live to introduce Voices of Education, a new anthology that brings together teachers, advisors, and leaders across K–12 and higher ed to tell the truth about classroom life—mentors who saw more in us, rookie mistakes that taught the real lessons, and the quiet breakthroughs that keep us going.

We kick off with gratitude and a clear mission: give educators a platform to be seen and heard. Anthony Brown shares how he wrote from a place of responsibility and thanks, honoring the people who pushed him to claim his calling—then reveals a personal transformation that reframed his purpose. A higher ed advisor draws on her first‑gen story to guide new students through the maze of college choices, while a social studies powerhouse shows how a Black history teacher made the past feel urgent and alive. And when K rystal opens up about leaving the classroom to run a restaurant, the conversation reframes “leaving” as another way to teach—through leadership, jobs, and community care.

Midway, we ask everyone to capture the power of education in a single word. The responses—empowered, knowledgeable, full of possibilities, transformative, powerful, and liberating—anchor a bigger theme: learning frees people. These aren’t slogans; they’re lived moments, like an elementary teacher who chose discipline as love or an assistant principal who bridged a hesitant student to college. Along the way, we highlight HBCU advocacy, culturally responsive teaching, first‑generation support, classroom management, and the real work of coaching, STEM entrepreneurship, and National Board Certification.

If you’re a new teacher, you’ll find guidance and solidarity. If you’re a veteran, you’ll feel your influence honored. If you’re pivoting careers, you’ll see how purpose travels with you. Grab Voices of Education through the authors to support them directly, share the teacher who changed you, and join us at our upcoming gala book signing. Subscribe, leave a review, and pass this along to someone who needs a reminder that their story still matters.

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