Nearly 5,000 people took the time out on a rainy Saturday to attend the 13th Annual New York Black College Expo, an opportunity for students to meet representatives from national colleges and learn about the programs they offer. The Downtown Brooklyn campus of Long Island University (LIU) hosted the event.
“It’s a great opportunity for Long Island University to partner with [the] Black College Expo,” Sara Panarelli, LIU’s executive director of admissions, told the AmNews. “We’ve worked with them for years and it’s a wonderful partnership…We believe in their mission and it’s in line with LIU’s mission to ensure that we’re getting opportunities for students and families to hear not only from us, but also from other colleges, about the college process, learn about the scholarship process, hear about all that LIU has to offer, and what our School of Roc Nation offers.”
High school-, middle school-, and even some current college-age students showed up at the event with family members and in friend groups. They were able to talk with representatives from 50 different colleges and universities, including several from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Some of the schools with booths at the Black College Expo were able to offer scholarships and immediate acceptance offers to interested students.
The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment was one of those offering on-site admissions at the expo. “If students are applying for vocal performance majors, we have actual auditions happening right now on campus,” said Ariel Johnson, the partnership manager who is also an alum of the Roc Nation School. “That’s the only major that we have that needs an audition, but we have our staff and our director of that program here on campus, hosting auditions. He’s upstairs playing piano, listening to students speak and sing. These are things that we offer to our students.”
Karen Juanita Carrillo photos
Most booths were packed with curious students. LIU had some of its current students, like Neidjh Senatus, a junior in its marketing program, present to cheer on those attending the expo.
Jasmine Gates, founder of the Los Angeles, Calif.-based New Black History Makers (newblackhistorymakers.com) apparel company, had a booth at the expo as well. In speaking about how important it was to attend the Black College Expo, she said, “Being at the Expo—it’s just a necessary resource for our Black students. It’s one place where they can come and learn about different majors, learn about different schools, get scholarships, so it’s really beneficial.
For our brand, with the students coming in here with the mindset to go to college, it’s on that train of being a history maker—they’re doing something positive, so it really does work well together, because they’re thinking about their next steps and then I have the merchandise that affirms it.”