College and high school students from Long Beach and surrounding areas had an opportunity to connect with more than 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities at Long Beach City College this week.
LBCC hosted the HBCU Caravan on its Liberal Arts Campus on Wednesday, Oct. 29, which was an event that brought representatives from HBCUs to the college campus and let students meet directly with admissions staff, receive hands-on application assistance, learn about scholarships, and ask questions about academic programs and campus life. This year marks the event’s 10th anniversary — but, officials said, only the second time visiting LBCC.
“Today’s theme is ‘Our Road to Greatness,’ reminding us that the journey to success begins with access to opportunity,” LBCC Board President Uduak-Joe Ntuk said during the event. “Today the opportunity is right here at Long Beach City College.
“HBCUs have a long, powerful history of producing leaders, innovators, and change makers,” Ntuk added. “They embody the excellence and community that we value here at Long Beach City College.”
Long Beach City College hosted the HBCU Caravan, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, to offer college and high school students from the area an opportunity to connect with more than 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
The HBCU Caravan is part of the annual California Community Colleges HBCU Transfer Guarantee Program tour, which builds transfer pathways and promotes awareness of the academic and cultural opportunities at HBCUs, according to a press release.
There were more than 200 students from LBCC and other local community colleges, including Santa Monica College, Pasadena City College, Compton College and Cerritos College. Long Beach Unified School District high schoolers also attended, officials said.
“Our responsibility is to show (scholars) what their next path is, because while we love them and we want them here, we want to connect them to their next journey,” said LBCC Vice President of Administrative and Business Services Candace Jones, who helped bring the caravan back to the college. “HBCUs provide a really great opportunity for them.”
With about 13% of LBCC’s student body identifying as Black or African American, the college has made efforts in the last few years to find ways to make sure they have as many opportunities as possible, Jones said. This includes having support staff who show up for LBCC’s Black students and opening its Black Student Success Center.
Some of the HBCUs at the event on Wednesday included Alabama State University, Bowie State University, Huston-Tillotson University, Morris Brown College, Texas Southern University, and Xavier University of Louisiana, among others.
Students also got free swag bags and food; there were giveaways and step performances by fraternities and sororities as well.
Many students said they took away a lot of information about HBCUs from the event.
“It was very inspiring,” said Precious Scott, an LBCC student majoring in biology. “Each and every college that I’ve been to, they ask you what your major is, what you are looking for in a school, and they also supply you with information about their school and your major.”
Scott said she appreciates her community college providing these resources for first-year students and returning students like herself. Scott was interested in learning about the pre-med programs at HBCUs to pursue her career goals of becoming a naturopathic doctor, she said.
“Events like this help you expand your horizons on what college looks like, feels like,” she said, “and how to navigate being a student and dealing with life at the same time.”
