Dr. William Harvey tells Liz French how he is creating a new paradigm for this modest-sized undergraduate university.

With its extensive research in early cancer detection, proton beam cancer treatment, meteorology, and adult stem cells, Hampton University is transcending the role of the typical undergraduate institution.

“We’ve developed a new paradigm, focusing a great deal on research that you typically only see done at large comprehensive universities,” said Dr. William Harvey, president. “But we don’t conduct research for research sake. We are trying to save lives and improve the human condition with our findings.”

For example, Hampton University’s Center for Atmospheric Sciences is engaged in a number of satellite research experiments. Several satellites are presently orbiting the Earth, providing critical data on atmospheric conditions, including ozone, water vapor, aerosols, and solar energy input. Just a few months ago, the Hampton, Va.-based university launched its sixth satellite weather forecasting instrument at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The geosynchronous imaging fourier transform spectrometer is a joint venture between the French government, which provided the launch rocket; NASA, which created the satellite; and Hampton University, which collects, analyzes, and disseminates data from the satellite.

Harvey explained that the technology will more precisely track weather patterns to give ample warning in the case of a hurricane, tornado, or other types of storms. “It will help farmers monitor crop erosion and prepare those on the coast for catastrophies such as hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” he said.

On the clinical side, Hampton University has been involved in cancer research for nearly 20 years, and it is in the process of building a $200 million treatment facility. When it’s completed in 32 months, the facility will house one of five proton beam cancer treatment centers in the country. In addition, one faculty member has six patents on a breast cancer early-detection device.

Students must be involved in all research projects, explained Harvey. “It could be one or two on a project, or it could be 10, but that experience will advance their development and deepen their understanding of academic concepts.”

Unconditional education
A historically African-American university, Hampton was founded in 1868 during the Reconstruction to educate newly-freed slaves. Over the past 138 years, it has blossomed into a world-class educational institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 14 master’s degree programs, and doctoral and professional degrees in nursing, physics, physical therapy, and pharmacy. It was recognized in 2004 by US News & World Report as one of the top southern universities and was ranked in the October 2004 issue of Black Enterprise as the third leading college for African-American students in the US.

As the university’s reputation has grown, so has its student body. When Harvey became president in 1978, 2,700 students were enrolled. Today, admissions hover around 6,300. “We are getting 8,000 to 10,000 applications for every 1,000 positions in our freshman class,” he said.

At the same time, the SAT scores of the students applying to Hampton have risen 300 points. “We market Hampton as a first-rate institution with the right environment for living and learning. As a result, most of our applicants in recent years have scores between 1,000 and 1,400,” said Harvey. The university has taken it a step further by awarding various scholarships to students with high scores. Students who score between 1,200 and 1,300 are offered tuition, while those who score between 1,300 and 1,400 are granted tuition plus room and board. In addition to those incentives, students who earn between 1,400 and 1,600 points receive a free computer and books.

Hampton University reserves 20% of its freshman placements for those who don’t meet traditional admissions standards but show great potential. “Our theory is that some students have not reached their potential by the time they reach the 11th or 12th grade. If a guidance councilor, principal, or alumnus recommends a student for this program, we will certainly take that individual into consideration,” said Harvey.

“Conditional” students are required to take a reduced class load during their first year and are prescribed an academic program. Harvey explained that a student may have a 3.5 GPA but scored poorly on the SATs, or s/he may have excelled on the math portion of the test but struggled with the verbal. “We look at them much like a doctor would to see what is lacking, and then we write a prescription. Our programs are suited to meet the students’ individual needs.”

In accepting conditional students, Harvey noted an interesting phenomenon. During the first year, a performance gap exists between them and traditional students, but that gap narrows over the course of their education until it finally disappears senior year. “We track a number of metrics, and we noticed that after four years, these two groups of students are virtually the same.”

When Harvey came on board, he and his cabinet began meeting monthly with student leaders, including appointed SGA officers, class officials, and the editors of the school newspaper and yearbook to get students more involved in happenings at the university. “We’ve seen some remarkable results,” he said, adding that some of the 18 buildings constructed during his tenure were born from this committee. “I get an exhilarating charge when I meet with them and see that despite all the wrong in the world, these young people are going to make it a better place to live.”