HBCU leaders to explore liberal arts impact at Wiley University

MARSHALL, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) — Wiley University will welcome various university presidents for a two-day campus visit and dialogue on ‘The Transformative Power of Liberal Arts Education.’

The November 6-7 event will include a fireside chat, strategic conversations on the importance of collaboration among private liberal arts HBCUs, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

A primary goal is to enhance the pathway for students from participating schools to enter Wiley graduate programs.

Leaders from Clinton College, Bennett College, Shorter College, Morris Brown College, and Paine College will unite to discuss and explore the liberal arts tradition, its impact, and access to graduate education.

Respective provosts from the institutions will join Dr. Pamela Richardson Wilks of Clinton College, Dr. Teresa Hardee of Bennett College, Dr. Jeffrey Norfleet II of Shorter College, Dr. Kevin James of Morris Brown College, and Dr. Lester McCorn of Paine College.

The event starts with a fireside chat in the Julius S. Scott, Sr. Chapel titled, ” There is a Model of Excellence: Private, Small HBCUs and the Liberal Arts Experience.

The conversation will examine the historical roots of liberal arts education within HBCUs and its continuing relevance in preparing students.

Topics will include the role of faculty in shaping learning environments, the art of debate and difficult dialogue, innovation in access to graduate education, and the evolving definition of quality and readiness in liberal arts institutions.

Following the chat, Wiley University President Dr. Herman J. Felton Jr. will host a guided dinner.

The dinner dialogue will contribute to developing a position paper examining how the liberal arts tradition at private HBCUs fosters graduate readiness, critical thinking, and civic engagement in the changing world.

Day two will feature a Provost’s Roundtable centered on “Smart Classroom 2.0 Ideation.”

It will explore how technology and innovation can further strengthen teaching and learning across small, private HBCUs.

The event will conclude with an MOU signing ceremony on the chapel stage.

The signing will symbolize the shared commitment among these institutions to collaboration, academic excellence, and the value of liberal arts education within the HBCU community.

For more information about this event or Wiley University, contact Catherine G. Sellers, Executive Director of Marketing, Communications, and Brand Management at csellers@wileyc.edu or (903) 927-3386.