| Berea College has been named one of the top 100 colleges for African
Americans in the Kaplan/Daystar "Guide to Colleges for African
American Students" for 2000.
Each of the top 100 colleges was selected based its academic and
learning environment as well as its social environment for African
American students.
DayStar Educational Research is a firm founded by, and specializing
in, research on Africans Americans. The guide's evaluations were
based on a DayStar survey of more than 1,000 African American professionals
in higher education, and on each school's enrollment, graduation
rates, numbers of African American faculty members, services and
social outlets for African American students, as well as costs,
financial aid, and competitiveness of admissions.
Berea was established in 1855 when abolitionist Rev. John G. Fee
began what would become the first school in the South to educate
black and white students in the same classroom. Never historically
white, or historically black, Berea is a place where diversity
is encouraged and celebrated. This integral part of Berea 's mission
is reflected in it's biblical motto: "God has made of one
blood all people of the earth."
Interrupted in 1904 when Kentucky state law prohibited integrated
classrooms, the mission to enroll African American students resumed
in 1950. Today, students of ethnic minority represent one out of
every four students on campus. As compared to the national average
for predominantly white colleges in the U.S., where less than 4%
of the incoming student population is African American, Berea's
newly enrolled freshman class is comprised of 16% African Americans.
The college will celebrate the 50th anniversary of re-enrollment
of African American students during Homecoming festivities Nov.
17-19.
Berea College provides a high quality liberal arts education for
students with high ability and limited financial means. It is distinguished
by a work program that every student participates in, commitments
to equality and interracial education, service to the Appalachian
region, and an emphasis on perspectives and values deeply informed
by an inclusive Christian faith.
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