Yahoo Movies It’s college application season. This event connects Sacramento students with HBCU alumni
Essence Webb isn’t shy about her alma mater, and she knows many other graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities are just as proud of their experiences.
That’s why she’s helping to organize an upcoming informational fair for Sacramento-area students and parents to learn about HBCUs. She wants to help get the word out so more Northern California students think about opportunities at HBCUs, most of which are in southern states.
Webb, originally from Sacramento’s Meadowview neighborhood, attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Webb, along with other Southern alumni, started the Sacramento Chapter of the Southern University Alumni Federation.
The Sacramento federation is hosting its second annual HBCU Informational and HBCU Alumni Round Up where they gather students, parents, HBCU alumni and supporters in Sacramento to discuss the HBCU experience.
The event will take place at COA Elite Gym, located at 5460 Florin Perkins Road, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Feb. 18. Webb encourages attendees to wear their alma mater’s paraphernalia.
Webb said the purpose of the event is to gather HBCU alumni and supporters throughout Sacramento for a “homecoming style” evening that provides information, answers questions and connects Sacramento HBCU alumni with one another, as well as future HBCU students.
“What stood out is the network students and the parents were able to make with current HBCU alumni that live here and the information alumni were able to provide to students and parents about being from California and how going to a HBCU impacted them,” said Webb when asked about last year’s event.
Like last year, Webb is expecting alumni from North Carolina A&T, Clark-Atlanta, Tennessee State, Prairie View A&M, Grambling State, Howard, Shaw, Xavier, Virginia State, Claflin, and Morgan State to represent their HBCUs.
Webb’s mission is to bring HBCU awareness to Sacramento-area students by connecting them to alumni who can provide support and mentoring.
“There are a lot of alumni who actually live here and went to several different HBCUs. It was good to connect and network with them,” said Webb. “I love to see the look on their faces to go somewhere and talk about their HBCU to students and parents.”
People can purchase tickets ranging from $5 to $75 on Eventbrite, which includes refreshments and a raffle ticket. Student tickets cost $5 and individual adult tickets are $20. There group rates that cost $30 for groups of 4, and $75 for groups of 10.
Vendors can sign-up for $25, until Feb. 3.
All proceeds and raise funds go toward scholarships for students who currently attend, or plan to attend, Southern University.
Webb can be reached by emailing susacalumni@gmail.com for further any questions or additional information.
