Laurie Willis of the Livingstone College News Service recently wrote a profile of the college’s Bridge Program, an access initiative providing remedial learning and character building opportunities to students who may not otherwise gain entrance into college.

This program, and others like it at HBCUs around the country, are at the heart of the black college mission and America’s promise of the pursuit of happiness. For students of differing maturity levels, economic standing or family circumstance that led to poor grades or test scores, college shouldn’t be a lost opportunity.

HBCUs make it possible to achieve a competitive, four-year degree in spite of those circumstances – for people of all races and backgrounds. There are some who aren’t ready for the opportunity, but those numbers don’t reflect the numbers of students who make it through and change circumstances for themselves and the communities around them.