ORAU will provide technical, training and coordination support to help take the annual Alfred Street Baptist Church Foundation HBCU Festival virtual for the first time in its history. The ASBC Foundation event is the nation’s largest annual event celebrating Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and will take place on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021.
“We are managing seminars to provide information to high school students on topics like paying for college, STEM careers, Greek life and scholarships,” said Angie Lester, who leads the team managing the project. “We are also managing a virtual festival floor with over 70 HBCUs and 25-plus sponsors and supporting organizations offering information, internships, scholarships and next steps for high school students and those in college seeking next steps.”
For nearly two decades, the ASBC Foundation’s signature event has enabled more than 50,000 Black youth—many of whom are first-generation college students—to directly connect with the nation’s iconic HBCUs, while also providing a wealth of vital information about the college admissions process, financial aid, academic disciplines, and the vibrant cultural aspects of Black college life.
The 2020 ASBC Foundation HBCU Festival welcomed 10,000 prospective students and their families, produced 1,766 offers of admission to high school seniors, and awarded more than $5.4 million in scholarships—and 2021 is poised to be even bigger. As title sponsor, Google Cloud will provide funding support, and technology infrastructure for the festival.
A majority of the 70+ HBCUs participating in the 2021 Festival will conduct on-site interviews and offer instant admission. There is no cost to attend and/or register for this year’s Festival. Since the Festival’s inception, participating HBCUs have awarded more than $40 million in the form of academic scholarships and/or waived fees.
“We are proud to manage the virtual platform for the ASBC Foundation HBCU Festival which includes many of our Minority Serving Institutions Research Council members,” said Andy Page, president and CEO of ORAU. “We are always honored to partner with HBCUs on research to solve the nation’s scientific challenges, and to provide opportunities for highly talented students to embark on careers in the sciences.”
For more information about the 2021 ASBC Foundation HBCU Festival, please visit alfredstreet.org.