HBCU College Fair Arrives in New Jersey and Beyond

A Major HBCU College fair will be held from November 16th to the 22nd in New York, Philadelphia, and all areas of New Jersey for students planning to attend a four-year college.

Malcolm Bernard is a volunteer black-owned organization that works with the community and states to educate aspiring students about Historically Black Colleges and Universities and their opportunities to apply. They do this by holding workshops to teach students about the different HBCUs and annual College Fairs in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia. 

“Since 1999, the organization founded by my late husband, Malcolm, has partnered with community groups and state agencies to introduce nearly 200,000 diverse students to Historically Black Colleges and Universities to help students reach their higher education goals,” says Barbara Bernard – Executive Director.

There are currently 101 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States that strive for higher education. Many notable figures in the country, including scientists, celebrities, Civil Rights leaders, and political leaders, attended an HBCU.

Originally, it gave African Americans the opportunity to receive higher education because of segregation in the South during Jim Crow. These Schools are located in areas with a large population of African Americans, such as Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Louisiana, Florida, and Maryland.

“When I was there, Jim Crow was just abolished, and our president was allowing Caucasian students to enroll at our college. He wanted West Virginia State to become a living laboratory. They came in droves since it was cheaper than a predominantly white institution,” Nancy Butler, an alum of West Virginia State Class of 1964, said.

 Since the abolishment of that law, these institutions have integrated and become schools that created a new culture in the Black community. Greek organizations founded on their campus by students that aim to uplift the black community. Many people who’ve gone to these schools believe in the importance of these institutions, the culture found on their campuses, and the strong relationships between alums and other graduates of Historically black colleges.

“ I got to learn alongside students who looked like me, talked like me, had fun like me, and faced the same struggles I did being a young Black adult in America,” Amber Courtney, an alum of Bethune Cookman, said. “It gave me an awareness that I wasn’t alone in my hurdles or in my journey to overcome them. Going to an HBCU also challenged the narrative I saw so often- that young Black people were ghetto, dangerous, or unambitious… I wouldn’t trade my HBCU experience for anything.”

As of November 6, the organization expects representatives from 37 HBCUs for the 6-day event in South Jersey, Trenton, Central Jersey, North Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York. The colleges come as far north as Delaware State to as far south as Xavier University in Louisiana. The events will be at community centers, high schools, and colleges.

New York’s will take place on November 16th at the Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and North Jersey’s at Kean University on November 21st from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

 Trenton, New Jersey, will be at Mercer County Community College from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on November 17th. John F Kennedy Recreation Center will host the South Jersey event on the 18th from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

 North Jersey will be at Kean University on November 21st from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Central Jersey will be at Raritan Valley Community College on November 22nd from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The organizers encourage students to register for the event in the closest area of their community and visit the event. They recommend students bring a copy of their classes’ academic transcripts for the recruiters to review and a letter of recommendation from a teacher, coach, or personal connection, like a parent.

Parents are also welcome to attend the event on behalf of their children and ask questions about the school and its resources. Visitors may ask, “What security measures are in place on campus? What scholarships are offered? What companies have hired your students? I’d like to know the campus demographic.”

The event is free for the public, and people can register on their website. Registration will remain open until the event ends.

• Malcolm Bernard College fair HBCU Search: https://www.hbcu-cfnj.com/hbcu-school-search
• Malcolm Bernard HBCU College fair event location and registration:https://www.hbcu-cfnj.com/events