When the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in 2020, it caused unprecedented setbacks for young people. During this challenging time, Cathy Cahill, president and CEO of the Mann, and Shelley Sylva, TD Bank’s Head of Business Development and Community Outreach in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, came together with a vision. They decided to create an HBCU Festival at the Mann, which is a popular, outdoor music venue in Philadelphia. The two leaders recognized the power of such a festival not only to connect students and families with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and career opportunities, but also to bring the community at large together.
At first glance, a college fair at a performing arts center might seem unlikely. However, the idea was, in fact, a natural extension of Mann’s longstanding commitment to community enrichment. As Cahill explained, “We’ve built robust education and engagement initiatives to support that community. We advanced and further shaped those efforts following a study we commissioned in 2018 that identified workforce development, out-of-school time, and creative placemaking as areas of huge need in the West Philadelphia neighborhood we call home.”
The inaugural HBCU Festival took place in 2023 and on May 17, 2025. the Mann will once again host the event, with “every hour filled with performances and master classes by notable HBCU choirs, drumlines, step and dance teams, and other performing arts groups.” At the heart of the festival will be an interactive college fair where students can meet representatives from a variety of HBCUs, as well as representatives from industry.
However, the festival is more than a one-day event. It is part of a broader effort to support Philadelphia’s youth. “The HBCU Festival is a platform for young people to imagine what their futures might look like, just like our year-round apprenticeship and music education programs are,” shared Cahill. She added, “All of these things work together to meet young people where they are. And, along the way, while these efforts are stoking the imaginations and career aspirations of young people, there is the potential that we are helping to build a workforce for the arts sector of the future.”
As Heather Malin, author of Teaching for Purpose: Preparing Students for Lives of Meaning, demonstrates, the arts and exposure to the arts are highly important to young people in terms of building relationships with others, understanding others, and being understood. These types of connections are essential as young people move throughout their lives and within communities.
Students from HBCUs presenting at the Festival.
The Mann is not doing this work in isolation. TD Bank, a longtime partner, sees the festival as a key piece of its broader mission to invest in future leaders and create inclusive pathways to professional success. Paige Carlson-Heim, head of U.S. Social Impact at TD Bank, underscored this commitment, stating, “TD recognizes that HBCUs are a cornerstone of education across our country, creating a talent pool that helps to advance America’s institutions, workforce, and economy. As a bank, it’s critically important that we find the best talent to deliver for our customers and communities. The HBCU festival is an opportunity for us to engage early with all students and families who are eager to learn about HBCUs.” She added, “The festival not only presents an opportunity for all students and their families to learn, engage, and be inspired by the legacy of HBCUs through education and celebration of the performing arts, but it is also an opportunity to connect our shared communities. ”
With the combined efforts of the Mann and TD Bank, the HBCU Festival is poised to shape the future of those youth who attend. It is also a reminder that in times of uncertainty for many, the arts, education, and community engagement have the potential to inspire, uplift, and pave the way for opportunity.
