Like many of the other African-American students in the Ph.D. program, Mr. Ricanek also earned his bachelor's and master's degrees here. It's given me a lot of confidence. Gary L. Lebby, chairman of the electrical-engineering department, went out to lunch last month with four of the five Ph.D. students he advises. Here, they can actually come to my office. That's our bragging right.
Students also get special attention outside of academics.
Before she could enroll here she needed help finding a school for him and paying for day care. The university stepped in to help on both counts. Like Ms. Griffin, most of the other African-American students here will be the first in their families to earn an advanced degree. Christopher Grace is from Abbeville, Ala., a town of about 3,500 people, where no one he knew had a doctorate. Then you realize it's no miracle.