The HBCU caravan, which began in 2015, made its return to the Fullerton College quad on Oct. 30, bringing recruiters, alumni and admissions representatives from more than a dozen historically Black colleges and universities around the country. Representatives from colleges, such as Talladega College, Clark Atlanta University, Howard University and Spelman College educated transfer students about their programs and scholarships.
The HBCU caravan makes stops throughout the country, linking students to scholarships and resources. For example, Cal-HBCU Transfer Grant Program provides up to $5,000 for transfer students, The Moore Family Scholarship provides up to $3,000 for active Umoja members, and Hoffman Agency HBCU Scholarship provides full tuition and housing for up to two years for students pursuing a degree in communications.
“We went from nine HBCUs 10 years ago as partners to over 35 schools, transferring two students per year to over 60 students every year to our partner schools,” said Helen Young, assistant project director for the California Community College to HBCU Transfer Guaranteed Program.
The caravan exposes students to a broad range of HBCUs, from liberal arts institutions to universities with specialized programs.
“We are a liberal arts college that specializes in business and criminal justice,” said Lon C. Weind, Talladega College’s director of recruitment. “Local law enforcement agencies even come to our campus to use our training equipment.”
He noted that the college’s modern facilities reflect the high-quality resources that appeal to both aspiring students and working professionals.
The event began with a keynote from Fullerton College President Cynthia Olivo, NOCCCD Chancellor Byron Breland and Cal State Fullerton President Ron Ronchon, a former Tuskegee University graduate. Acclaimed R&B singer-songwriter Sherie performed the African American national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” A panel of former HBCU alumni, including a journalist who worked for CNN and has interviewed Kamala Harris, shared how an HBCU education contributed to success in their careers.
According to Fullerton College President Cynthia Olivo, the HBCU caravan’s arrival on campus stemmed from the North Star Committee, a task force that attended the African Diaspora Education Summit in Ghana in 2024. It’s part of the college’s goal of becoming a Black-serving institution.
According to Olivo, recent initiatives to support Black students include the forthcoming Men of Color Center, the Division of Ethnic Studies and Student Equity, proposals to update the college’s mission statement, and efforts to increase the hiring of full-time tenure-track faculty of color.
“This semester, we hired 14 faculty and four of them happen to be African American,” said Olivo. “From what I have heard from faculty who have been here a long time, having four African American faculty get hired in one cycle is the most we’ve ever had.”
After the event’s opening keynote and panel, all attendees including faculty and prospective students could explore the booths of the visiting colleges. Fullerton College psychology major and SoCal native Mishayla Sargent previously attended an HBCU, and prefers that environment over a predominantly White institution.
“I moved around a lot, and I found that I like it better where there’s more people that look like me, and I feel more included,” said Sargent.
During the event, the 120-member Inglewood High School Sentinels Marching Band, complete with a full drum line and majorettes, played variations on pop songs, as a Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity trio performed a step and stroll show.
“When the frats are out here and the marching band, it reminds me of the things I used to do at Howard, and it made me happy because I don’t see that much stuff like that over here,” said Sargent.
By bringing high school students like the Sentinels to campus, Olivo said she hopes to increase outreach efforts and boost enrollment of Black students.
“I am happy to report that in spring, the outreach department is working on organizing an African American high school conference, so that we can make sure the young students out in the high schools in the region come to our college and see what we have to offer,” said Olivo.
