LBCC will be hosting its second-ever Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Caravan on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the LAC A Quad, where there will be 21 HBCUs offering students help with transfers, applications, and even on the spot admissions.
“The caravan itself is an opportunity in California to take admission professionals from various colleges, HBCUs, and bring them to our campuses so our students have an opportunity to see and hear about the different HBCU experiences as well as then connect with admission professionals,” LBCC’s Vice President of Administrative and Business Services Candace Jones said.
Although one of the focuses of HBCUs is to create educational opportunities for Black students, Jones mentioned that HBCUs “serve a host of different communities”, so therefore all students are encouraged to attend.
Students will have the opportunity to win a $250 Southwest Airline gift card during the raffles that occur every half hour until the event is over beginning at 10:30 a.m., along with other smaller gift cards.
The event will also have free food from local hamburger food truck StormBurger, and students can choose between receiving a burger, a chicken burger, or a grilled cheese sandwich, with each option including fries and a drink.
In the past, some colleges and universities have reviewed students’ applications, and offered them admissions into their colleges at the event, however these opportunities may depend from school to school.
Jones mentioned that students can expect a step show performance from a CSULB Black fraternity and sorority, as well as a live DJ.
“(They) are actually going to come out and do a little step show for the community, kind of highlighting the experiences that happen on HBCU campuses,” said Jones.
Speeches from the Board President of LBCC Uduak-Joe Ntuk, President Mike Munoz and representatives of HBCUs will be held.
Angela Fowlkes, coordinator of the Black Student Success Center, shared how HBCUs aren’t common on the west coast.
“The Black representation in the institutions is not prevalent here on the west coast, so we want to make sure Black scholars get to experience being in some institutions that want to maximize their Black excellence and potential,” said Angela Fowlkes, coordinator of the Black Student Success Center.
Folks mentioned that this caravan is the second HBCU Caravan that LBCC has hosted, with the first being in 2017.
Since LBCC is the host of the HBCU Caravan, they have invited other students from local community colleges to attend like Santa Monica College, Compton, Cypress, Rosemont, Pasadena City College and Cerritos.
Jones mentioned that the main goal of this event is to “connect our students to the various HBCU admissions professionals,” and they have decided to do so in an interactive way through all the activities that will be provided.
Black student success coach Grace Dower believes the HBCU event will be helpful for Black students at LBCC since it will provide awareness to the partnerships that LBCC has with some HBCUs that guarantees a student’s admission to one HBCU.
“I think it’s going to be very successful and help LBCC students because a lot of people don’t even know about HBCU’s opportunities to transfer, especially with the guarantee and all the opportunities that come with that guarantee,” Dower said.
