School District Of Philadelphia Hosts Fair To Promote Historically Black Colleges
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Hundreds of area students will flock to the School District of Philadelphia Wednesday for the regions only information fair for historically Black colleges and universities.
Although historically Black Colleges and Universities make up only three-percent of all institutions of higher education, they graduate more than half of all African-American professionals and public school teachers.
"My HBCU gave me that opportunity, which is why I am where I am right now as a pharmacy student," says Chantel Farmer, 28. She is a 2008 graduate of Cheyney University, the nation's oldest African-American institution of higher learning. Farmer says it was Cheyney that gave her the first leg up.
"I just couldn't afford college," she says, "I was turned away from another nursing program the first day because I couldn't afford it-- but Cheyney stuck by my side and made sure that I accomplished my goal."
Today, is she just two years from finishing her doctorate in pharmacy at Florida A&M University, another HBCU.
"We have tons of schools there from all over the country," says Barbara Bernard, executive director of the Malcolm Bernard HBCU College fair, where 40 colleges and universities will provide key information.
"What the admonitions are, what scholarships are available, what is required to get a scholarship," she says.
Also, if students bring their original sealed transcript, they can be admitted to a school on the spot.
The free college fair kicks off Wednesday at 400 North Broad Street from 3:30pm-7pm.
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