By Dianne Anderson
Soon rolling into town, the long-awaited Historically Black Colleges and Universities Fall Caravan is bringing dozens of schools in its traveling college fair, with one-on-one application help to grow new academic roots.
Students can learn a thing or two about earning a bachelor’s degree at an HBCU, scholarship information, get free snacks, not to mention the free swag while supplies last.
Each year, it’s a big deal with big attractions for local Black students.
“For many reasons, to connect to their roots and to get an education outside of their normal comfort zone of staying in California, and particularly to connect to different D9s [Divine Nine],” said Sa Lisa Thomas of Long Beach City College Umoja Scholars Program.
She said that specialized studies are usually one of the biggest draws for their annual turnout, also for the deeper education opportunities for Black students.
“There’s tons of attractions and reasons, but it also kind of depends on the schools that they’re interested in, [if they] like, arts, then we can name specific schools or that kind of excel in that. Or, the sciences, knowing that most African Americans that have degrees in STEM come from HBCUs,” she said.
Community is a big part of the appeal. Many students gravitate to HBCUs for the personal connections.
“Wanting to have that experience,” she said. “So much support.”
On Nov. 17, the event is held at the Liberal Arts Campus, LAC A-Quad, where LBCC is hosting HBCU Caravan to spotlight the California Community Colleges Transfer Guarantee Pathway, a statewide program with guaranteed HBCU admission for students meeting minimum GPA and unit requirements. The event runs from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. 4901 E. Carson St.
For those just getting started, choosing a school and getting into college is always the big first step, but students must also understand transfer requirements, financial aid eligibility and the costs of attending college out of state.
Eligible students transferring from a California community college to a partnered HBCU may receive up to $5,000 through California’s Cal-HBCU Transfer Grant.
Of the nearly 40 participating institutions featured on the LBCC HBCU Caravan roster, campuses include Grambling State University, Fisk University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University, and Xavier University of Louisiana, which often attract high student interest in pre-med, law, business, and STEM.
Part of the outreach also helps Black students rise above a long list of LBCC equity needs.
LBCC’s 2025–2028 Student Equity Plan identifies food insecurity, housing instability and limited technology access as barriers disproportionately affecting Black students. It also calls for more culturally responsive and equitable teaching practices and continued efforts to improve students’ sense of belonging and engagement.
There are gaps in student progress. Just 42% of Black students persisted from fall to spring, compared with 51% of students collegewide. Only 5% of Black students complete transfer-level English and math in their first year, half the collegewide rate of 10%.
Black students make up 14% of LBCC enrollment but 10% of students in its Extended Opportunity Programs and Services.
Through November, LBCC is also helping first-generation students navigate college and build connections through workshops, a resource fair, financial-literacy sessions. On Nov. 10 at the 1st Gen Luncheon, students can meet professionals across industries and build networks.
Statewide, along with the gaps, there is some progress, but just 40% of Black community college graduates earn an Associate Degree for Transfer, compared with 47% of community college graduates.
In The State of Higher Education for Black Californians, Campaign for College Opportunity study The study found that 82% of Black public high school seniors graduated in 2025, but only 45% completed the A-G courses required for admission to a University of California or California State University campus.
“Racial equity is not optional and is essential to the future of this state. When Black students are supported, when their success is prioritized, California becomes stronger, more innovative, and more economically secure. This is not theory. It’s fact. We are living through a time when equity efforts are being challenged across the country. Programs created to expand opportunity are being questioned or dismantled,” said Edward C. Bush, Campaign for College Opportunity Board Chair.
He said colleges must do more than open doors.
The study found that 82% of Black public high school seniors graduated in 2025, but only 45% completed the A-G courses required for admission to a University of California or California State University campus.
The report calls on California’s public colleges and universities to recommit to identifying, hiring, retaining and promoting Black faculty members. It also recommends embedding statewide goals for Black student attainment, equity and workforce preparation across the California Community Colleges, California State University and University of California systems, while regularly monitoring progress and ensuring alignment across segments.
For community colleges, the report urges stronger equitable placement and completion reforms so all students, particularly Black and other minoritized students, enroll in and complete transfer-level English and math within one year. It also calls for systematically analyzing disaggregated data to identify and address equity gaps.
After graduation, the disparities continue and affect intergenerational wealth, the study shows. Black UC and CSU graduates earn wages after 15 years that barely exceed what white graduates earn after 10 years. Those long-term repercussions for financial stability extend into homeownership rates, retirement readiness, and overall wealth accumulation.
“Even with recent improvements, graduation and transfer rates remain concerningly low, and significant equity gaps remain, as less than one in seven Black community college students are supported to earn a degree or approved certificate within six years, well below the rate for white students of one in four,” the study said.
