Historically black college fair set for Saturday

The mission and programs of historically black colleges and universities will be on display Saturday in Greenville.

The Pitt County Historically Black Colleges and Universities Coalition is holding a free college fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Family Life Center, Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church, 1095 Allen Road.

Besides visiting with college recruiters, students and their families can get scholarship information and attend seminars on avoiding high-cost student loans and learning money management, said Shirley Williams, the coalition’s first vice-president. Military recruiters will be present. There also will be entertainment and door prizes.

North Carolina is home to 11 historically black colleges and universities.

“This year, we’re trying to reach out to all of eastern North Carolina — everywhere east of (Interstate) 95,” said Williams, a 1979 graduate of Elizabeth City State University.

“What we are finding is, most kids in most of the high schools around here can’t name even two of the HBCUs in North Carolina,” she said. The fair is a way to get the institutions’ names in front of college-bound students, especially those who find the idea of attending larger schools intimidating, she said.

The program will start with a talk by Judge Paul A. Hardison, a graduate of North Carolina Central University School of Law and a district court judge from Onslow County.

“He is a real staunch believer in community involvement and serves as a youth adviser at two churches, and he established a program for youthful offenders where they had to bring their report cards to him every period,” Williams said. The program helped many students improve their grades and they went on to college, she said.

From 9:45-11 a.m., the N.C. Institute of Minority Economic Development and College Foundation of North Carolina will present a hands-on program about managing finances and avoiding high-interest student loans.

Throughout the rest of the day small groups of students will be selected to receive door prizes and participate in other events targeted toward college preparation.

For more information, contact Williams at 412-0400 or e-mail wssudst@suddenlink.net.