By Taylor Johnson
The United College Action Network collaborated with Howard University on April 27 to highlight 25 local graduating students who are headed to the prestigious HBCU.
Hugh Durham, Howard’s executive director of admissions and recruitment, toured California throughout the month to celebrate graduates, including a visit to Sacramento. Around 75 people attended to celebrate the incoming freshmen at the Hilton Sacramento Arden West.
Statewide, Howard ambassadors and recruiters spoke at events about the university’s prestige and selective admissions. Only 2,500 of 42,000 applicants were accepted for the coming fall semester.
“They had talked about the benefits of going to Howard – some of the challenges, but the uniqueness and experience of going to the mecca of all Black colleges,” said Alan Rowe, founder of UCAN.
Rowe said a student graduating from his previous high school, Grant Union, was among those admitted to Howard. She will be the first Howard student admitted from Grant in the past five years.
“I want [young people] to know that anything is possible for us – higher education, pursuing our dreams, making our dreams reality, changing the world and making our voices heard,” he said.
He said he hopes the partnership with Howard continues to flourish as the university begins to pay attention to students in Northern and Central California. Rowe will also consider future partnerships with other HBCUs.
“It is critical in this time of division and divisiveness where people don’t want to acknowledge the history of our culture, our successes, our contributions, to continue to show that we can and will make the kind of impact that will continue to make this country great,” he said.
