HBCU leaders coming to Atlanta for college conference

Clark Atlanta University student Kendall Youngblood, 22, transferred from the University of Connecticut to CAU.The Milwaukee native attended boarding schools and was recruited by some of the nation's largest colleges to play field hockey. Here’s why she made the move to an HBCU. (Video by Ryon Horne, Eric Stirguss)

An estimated 1,000 students, educators, faculty and education leaders from the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are expected in downtown Atlanta for a conference that starts Thursday aimed at promoting ideas to support the schools and their students.

The United Negro College Fund Leadership Conference, held at the Marriott Marquis, will include dozens of companies for on-site hiring, workshops and the Empower Me Tour, a full day of free career readiness panels and workshops for Atlanta area college students. The tour, scheduled on Friday, is also open to non-HBCU students.

“We are excited to provide a platform for students to build connections with employers and mentors through the Empower Me Tour,” Paulette Jackson, Vice President of Development for UNCF, said in a statement.

Atlanta is home to five accredited HBCUs.

For more information about the conference, click here.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week premiered the first of a three-part series on HBCUs. Part two is now online, along with a link to our HBCU Journeys podcast. Click here to read the series.

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