Mahasin Nasir
Dr. Weaver
English 1102 Section 328
March 30, 2022
Summary
Fisk University is the oldest Historically Black University in Nashville, Tennessee with an exceeding and authentic academic and social profile. A large part of the university’s profile is how they have maintained academic excellence since 1866 and its cultural significance with the upbringing of black leaders. Because this is a major part of their website, Fisk uses tone to draw in their ideal audience who want to continue the upbringing of black excellence and legacy. These students would know that their attendance at Fisk University would continue to allow greater experiences and opportunities for black students to add to the historical legacy and leading academic culture.
Analysis
The impact of history has provided Fisk with an abundance of information and detail to use when advertising their school to prospective students. This history engages their readers/students to want to learn more and contribute to the culture. Coincidently, the use of context from their upbringing is a large part of attracting their students. With this, the website has a specific tone to appeal to a narrow audience of students who would seem to be intrigued or related to the history of the university. Further, the ideal readers imagined should take pride in maintaining the social and academic view of young, black intellectuals and continuing to diversify their community. Readers are drawn in by the statement, “Here, we produce true leaders and scholars that are ready to change the world” (Fisk University Welcomes). This statement being on the opening page draws in those prospective students who are about making change and being welcomed into a new community.
Seemingly, Fisk’s website uses a very influential and hospitable tone to draw in its audience. This tone goes hand in hand with the context they give about the university. History plays a big role in the creation and accreditation of the university. To show this, the website includes history all throughout its about page with 9 different subcategories detailing how they came about and what they are thriving for. With a welcoming tone on the history page, the founders emphasized how the university “would be open to all, regardless of race, and that would measure itself by ‘the highest standards, not Negro education, but of American education’” (Fisk University History). The overall tone in the ending sentence in the section is used to show the readers how education is inclusive, and race has no effect on who can further their education. It uses common, and in some cases relatable, racial history to appeal to its readers with a sense of familiarity about how anyone can make a change in a community that was originally meant to be segregated. This idea is accentuated on the missions and values page. The acronym “D.E.T.A.I.L.S.” is used and under the “D,” the idea that “individual differences…aids us in building a collective wisdom that results in more powerful and relevant solutions to our challenges” (Mission & Values) is used to show the prospective students that Fisk is referencing their own history to further this embracing tone throughout their website. These features combined show the influence and continuities history has on Fisk. It does the job of appealing to students who find value in being change-makers and building on a legacy.
In comparison with the history of the growth of Fisk, the history of music in Nashville displays a strong impact on the ideal community of students that the university advertises to. Historical artists like Etta James and James Brown recorded some of their biggest hits in Nashville. Considering that Nashville has a lot of musical significance and is home to the Ryman Auditorium, known for its raw auditory capability, Fisk embraces that history and attracts their ideal students as they promote their Fisk Jubilee Singers. There was a performance at the Ryman Auditorium for the 150thanniversary of the jubilee singers. They are promoted throughout the history page and even have their own page under the campus life category. Rising musicians who are potentially interested in the university can see the impact Nashville has had on music and how Fisk is maintaining that impact on their website. To further show this, under the Fisk Jubilee singers tab, their Grammy for “Best Roots Gospel Album” (Fisk Jubilee Singers) is the leading cover of the page. By including these small, yet significant, details, the website encloses its ideal prospective students and emphasizes their impact on today’s culture and history.
Another way the website imagines its ideal readers is by weighing the many interests students may have when starting college. College is a learning experience and students want the best outcome to be able to pursue their top interests. To acknowledge this idea about prospective students, the website advertises a dual degree program in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University and Vanderbilt University (Fisk Dual Degree Programs). By endorsing such a program, Fisk’s website engages their ideal students through lightly addressing the fact that some students come into college with more than one compacted interest. Fisk being aware of this shows prospective students that the university is encouraging them to take on all their interests and explore the opportunities and programs that they have to offer.
Response:
While exploring the Fisk University website and analyzing the rhetorical strategies used, I would say that I would attend this university. I value history and how it has an impact on the future and Fisk prioritizes that throughout its website with its own history. With the South being a very influential region in the U.S., I have no doubt that I could create, change, and influence history in the future by attending Fisk. Being that the university is also an HBCU, I would have a sense of belonging knowing that I am surrounded by people who look like me and not too far from my home in Georgia. My greatest admiration about Fisk’s website is the inclusion of the student-to-teacher ratio. As someone who tends to ask questions about the things I’m most interested in, the low student-to-teacher ratio makes me feel comfortable asking those questions and engaging more in my studies. Knowing that this university has the #1 Academic Stewardship Award, I would feel more than likely to be successful in my future endeavors. Embracing all of these details, Fisk has drawn me in through their rhetorical strategies and I would undoubtedly attend this university.
Sites: Fisk University. https://www.fisk.edu. Nashville, Tennessee.
