- Pine Bluff, Ark. - It's National HBCU Week, do you know what an HBCU is and what the history of one? Well, there are 105 Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCUs) presents 3% of the nation's institutions of higher learning, they graduate nearly one-quarter of African Americans who earn undergraduate degrees. Forty percent of HBCU students pursue four-year degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) areas and three quarters of all African-Americans Ph.D's did their undergraduate studies at an HBCU. HBCU's are important engines of economic growth and community service and will continue to play a vital role in helping America achieve the goal set by President Obama of having the highest proportion of college graduate in the world by 2020.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) will be celebrating it's cultural of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) during their celebration of HBCU week. UAPB is the only four-year public HBCU in the state of Arkansas. They will be celebrating National HBCU Week with an assembly Tuesday, September 18th at 11:00a.m. in the auditorium of the Henderson-Young Hall. The assembly will feature a reading of the HBCU Week proclamation written by President Barack Obama and a panel discussion on the topic, "Remembering Relevant for the Next Generation." Dr. William Harvey, Dean of the School of Education at North Carolina A&T University will serve as a special guest on the panel along with Trina Fletcher ('09), Danny Burl ('13), Nalita Holt-Blount ('13), and Obumneme Nwankwo ('13), President of the Student Government Association. The event is free and open to the public.
In conjunction with National HBCU Week and the rest of the activities at UAPB, Thompson Hospitality (the food service for UAPB) will host an Welcome Back Barbecue at 12:30p.m. on the lawn next to the L.A. Davis, Sr. Student Union. Attendees will be able to meet Edmond McClendon, director of Food Services and other Thompson Hospitality staff along with enjoying UAPB Jazz Combo and other campus talent. The cost for non-meal plan diners is $7.05 (tax included).
Then the day's activities will finish off with a Pride Rally at 1:30p.m. outside the L.A. Davis, Sr. Student Union with a portion of M4 Marching Band and the UAPB Cheerleaders.
Wednesday, September 19th, they will concluded their HBCU week celebrating activities with a Movie on the lawn the showing of "Drumline" starring Nick Cannon at 8:00p.m. that night.
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed Executive Order 12232, which established a Federal program to overcome the effects of discriminatory treatment and to strengthen and expand the capacity of historically black colleges and universities to provide quality education. Since that time Each President has subsequently issued an Executive Order on HBCUs.
- Pine Bluff, Ark. - It's National HBCU Week, do you know what an HBCU is and what the history of one? Well, there are 105 Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCUs) presents 3% of the nation's institutions of higher learning, they graduate nearly one-quarter of African Americans who earn undergraduate degrees. Forty percent of HBCU students pursue four-year degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) areas and three quarters of all African-Americans Ph.D's did their undergraduate studies at an HBCU. HBCU's are important engines of economic growth and community service and will continue to play a vital role in helping America achieve the goal set by President Obama of having the highest proportion of college graduate in the world by 2020.
