A few decisions transformed "A Different World" from a struggling, rudderless sitcom to the classic it became. Much of that was due to Debbie Allen stepping in as creative force and aligning the set, characters and plots to align more closely with an authentic Historically Black College & University (HBCU) experience. Listen to the University of Michigan's nationally recognized Dr. Robin Means Coleman recount her research, which is found in essay form within Beretta Smith-Shomade's book Watching While Black: Centering the Television of Black Audiences.