Hampton U. Business Students Must Look the part

[econgrad71]

"Afros are OK but cornrows and flowing dreadlocks are not for business administration students at Hampton University."

What are the thoughts on hair styles and business opportunities in AGGIE land?

www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp?S=4392957&nav=23ii

[Gator]

Sid Credle must be a cousin of mine.

Students need to be made aware that culture or the atmosphere matters when pursueing career opportunities.

[aggielove]

I don't think any of the students have anything to complain about - you know what you're getting in to by applying for that program at Hampton.

I'd have to agree with the people quoted in the report on the stance that it's highly dependent on the work environment, however, no major Black executives wear their hair other than in the conforming looks (maybe they conformed a while ago and never changed?).

If an individual feels that they don't want to conform, take the education given and become an entrepreneur. I think that's a route we should direct more people toward anyway.

[SHB2K]

Wow! Hampton has no idea about the changing business environment. All that dress-up stuff is fine, hell, I conform to it every day. BUT, soon Jay-Z, Diddy, 50 Cent, etc... are gonna be appearing on that top 25 Black businessmen list (its bound to happen) and what are they gonna say then?? These are men that use crude language in their music and wear du-rags and bulletproof vests in their videos, and that just goes to show that money sees no "outward appearance." I think they outta focus their efforts on encouraging their students to DEFY the norms as opposed to conforming to them. If they give their students the quality of education for which they so adamently brag, they will have NO problem getting courted and hired, REGARDLESS of their cornrows or locks.

But hell, we're talking about Hampton, I digress.

[Gator]

Scott,

Life is about numbers. JZ and 50 cent are just 2 out of thousands that run businesses and cooperations. Kids these day can not rely on just the hip hop world to give them job opportunities. Before you learn to rebel, you need to know what you are rebelling against.

"If they give their students the quality of education for which they so adamently brag, they will have NO problem getting courted and hired, REGARDLESS of their cornrows or locks."

Wake Up! This is America, that statement doesn't fly when you're black.

[econgrad71]

scotthallb2000...you raise excellent points. However, saying that... "Jay-Z, Diddy, 50 Cent, etc... are gonna be appearing on that top 25 Black businessmen list", is that suppose to be an indicator of the business world to come? Or, is that an indicator of a segment of the business world that is far from reality... far from the real business worlds of Xerox, IBM, Government and other industries?

[aggielove]

That's why I made the point about entrepreneurship. If you want to change certain perceptions, you have to go out on a limb and do your own thing. When there are more mid-market to low-level major corporations started, owned and operated by Black americans, then and only then can perceptions change.

The reason I say businesses have to be at those levels above is because Black people already own the predominant majority of small businesses in this country - we already have the entrepreneureal spirit. What needs to happen is step up from the small businesses, to at least mid-size businesses.

[Gator]

a-love,

You still have to persuade people (black, white and brown) to do business with you in order to step up.

[SHB2K]

gator2 said:

Wake Up! This is America, that statement doesn't fly when you're black.

Oh, but it does Gator! Lets think about this now, Americans LOVE to be entertained, and all of the guys I named are flourishing in the entertainment business. If you don't believe that Jay-Z and 50 Cent have to deal with Jimmy Iovines and Clive Davis types on a day-to-day basis, you are sadly mistaken. My point is, when you've got a hot commodity (in their case, hits), you have the bargaining world at your mercy no matter how you look, what you drive, and how your breath smells. I'm not saying go in to an interview for a billion dollar corporation with jeans and tim's on...

I'm just saying don't cut your locks (signs of strength and revolution) to "conform" to some unrealistic standards, because at the end of the day, when your Black, they're gonna look at you differently regardless of the fact that you have a fade or an "even-steven."

Believe me, I am a 6'6" Black man that walks around an ALL-WHITE law firm all day. Every time I walk out of the copy room, someone doubles back because they can't believe their eyes. (I'm sure most of us have the same stories) I dont have locks... how do you explain that?

Back to my point, Jay Z and 50 have undeniable talent (one more-so than the other), and when you have that, it doesnt matter that you dirve hummers with 30 inch wheels on em, nor does it matter that you degrade women. Hell, they'll prolly let you call their momma a name on a record if it makes them a dollar.

[Gator]

Those are a few compared to trying to impact on the masses. When you're trying affect things in volume it's a big difference.

[da1andonle]

I like the Example of the rappers but even the rappers know when its time to put the kids stuff up and break out the real clothes. How many children out there now want to be rappers and try to emulate exactly what they see in the video then later on in life cna't get a job. I teach high school and it saddens me to see our athletes dress up for game day but sag in thier dress pants showing everbody the grill that mama just bought last weekend.

I like I think more places ought to do it. Its kinda like what we'ev told young girls for years you know the one about the uniform and the prostitutes. The students at hampton now have to wear thier uniform.