The first-ever Central Illinois Historically Black Colleges and Universities fair was held Thursday night at University High School in Normal.
The fair brought HBCU’s from around the country to Normal in order to connect with young Black students. This fair is usually held in Chicago, but to make it more accessible, students in Normal organized the event in Central Illinois.
“Just having the showcase feel makes it feel more at home. And I hope that that’s how they feel and they’ll be interested in going to an HBCU. And I also hope that they’ll have the opportunity to talk to colleges that they may not have talked to,” said Chayil Beasley, head of the student leadership team.
Bringing the opportunity to the Twin Cities allows more Black students the ability to connect with a school they may not think was within their reach.
“We wanted to bring it here so that the students in Central Illinois would have a short drive to be able to have all the same opportunities that they could have up north,” said Andrea Markert, principal of University High School.
Over 15 HBCUs and 270 students attended the event, where networking with colleges and universities took place alongside workshops to better prepare students for life after high school. Students were able to get info on FAFSA, the Black Common App, and more.
“We want to make sure that they not only survive, but we want them to thrive and to do great things. And this is the first step where they’re making connections with colleges. In contrast, maybe ordinarily they would not have had that opportunity,” said Dr. Carla Campbell-Jackson, a founder of the Mentoring and Providing Scholarships program.
The goal of the event is to bring awareness to students that their dreams are within reach; they just need to take the opportunity.
“We’re hoping that they learned that whatever their idea was about HPC use can become a reality. I hope they learn the black excellence behind it and the history behind it and how they are obtainable for anybody,” said Nina Harden, founder and visionary of the event.
