When Martin University announced it would pause operations at the end of the semester, I felt the weight of that moment, and I know I was not alone. For more than 50 years, Martin has been a vital pathway for first-generation students, working adults and minority learners, offering not just classrooms, but a community invested in our success.
This decision left many of us grappling with what such a loss would mean for our community and for educational equity across Indiana.
Let me be clear: Martin didn’t stumble because its mission was flawed. It faltered because the higher education landscape shifted around it. In contrast, Indiana’s only Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) was expected to carry out its work without the structural support that others receive. As someone who has spent years chronicling the stories of Indiana’s diverse communities, I believe we owe it to ourselves to speak plainly about how we arrived at this point and what must happen next…