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photos taken at hbcu week
photos taken at hbcu week
Original photo by Anaya Balkcom
Culture

Discovering Culture and Community: My HBCU Week Experience

Anaya Balkcom
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at DESU chapter.

HBCUs are an integral part of the black community. During a time when institutions were trying to deny access to black students, HBCUs allowed black students to receive an education and find their voice. 

One hundred and eighty-seven years later, HBCUs are still lighting the path of black students, allowing them to receive an education and an outlet for their creative abilities. 

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend three events Hosted by HBCU Week. These events allowed students to learn more about HBCUs and why they benefit the black community. 

The first event, “The Middle School College Tour,” I attended was held on the Delaware State University campus. For this event, middle schoolers were allowed to tour the Delaware State University campus and receive a glimpse of what their life would be like as students at the university. 

From performances by the cheerleading team to discussions with the SGA and Mister, and Miss Delaware State University, the students were surrounded by not only Del State culture but HBCU culture at its finest. 

photo from HBCU week panel
Original photo by Anaya Balkcom

The next event, “ My HBCU Experience Panel Discussion,” was held at a high school in Middletown, Delaware.  The event aimed to share how HBCUs can impact your life. The discussion was led by five phenomenal panelists who spoke life into the high schoolers and had an honest conversation about the realities of college. 

The last event I attended was an HBCU College Fair held in the Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington. The HBCU college fair allowed students from different states to speak to HBCU representatives from all parts of the country. Here, students were able to receive on-the-spot decisions and possible scholarships. 

A stage was also set up with an MC to foster a celebratory spirit and keep the students entertained and engaged. 

While those were just a few events set up by HBCU Week, which I received a sponsorship to attend, the organization provided one event for every day of the week. To kick off the start of HBCU week, a Gospel Brunch took place on Sunday, followed up with a 5k run, an HBCU week concert featuring Jadakiss among several other talented artists, ending the week with Battle of the Bands. 

HBCU week was an amazing and immersive experience that I believe all students looking to attend an HBCU should seek more information about. For more info and updates for the next HBCU week, follow @hbcuweek on Instagram.

Anaya Balkcom is a current sophomore attending Delaware State University, and pursuing a degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Convergence Journalism. Prior to attending Delaware State University, Anaya graduated from The Ursuline High School where she was a member of the Female Empowering Voices Program. During this time Anaya was selected to represent her school in a CBS news special on the topic of New Rochelle Students inspired by Vice President Kamala Harris. It was at this time Anaya discovered her true passion found in the area of Mass Communications. From there, in Anaya’s senior year of high school, she explored different avenues in Mass Communication through an internship BronxNet Open 2.0 with BronxNet TV Station. During this internship Anaya created, hosted, edited, and programmed feature segments. Through this she gained exposure to the world of television and film. Upon entry into DSU, Anaya became a member of the campus radio station and composed articles for the campus newspaper. You can also find Anaya’s latest work in the media on Spotify, under the podcast titled “All in With Anaya Morgan.”