After a two-year break, the California Community College to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (CCC to HBCU) Transfer Caravan returned to San Joaquin Delta College on Nov. 4, giving students the chance to connect directly with representatives from schools across the country.
The event, hosted by Delta’s Counseling, Retention, and Transfer Services, brought 16 HBCUs to campus for tabling, workshops and on-the-spot admissions opportunities.
“It’s an HBCU resource tabling event similar to college night, but just with HBCU representatives,” said Alondra Hernandez, Student Program Specialist in Counseling, Retention, and Transfer Services.
The caravan travels through California each year, visiting community colleges to connect students with admission staff. This year’s tour began in Southern California before making its way North.
“Basically, we have an agreement with the California Community Colleges and some HBCUs that guarantee transfer admission to students who are interested,” Hernandez said.
The California Community Colleges system has partnered with about 40 HBCUs through the Transfer Guarantee Pathway, though not all schools attend each stop.
“It’s almost like a contract between the California Community College system and the participating schools, which there are about 40, but not all of them will be here,” Hernandez said.
“Some of the big names like Clark Atlanta, Xavier, Dillard, a bunch of the good, big name schools will be here,” she said.
The caravan skipped Delta College last year after the campus’s proposed date overlapped with the statewide Umoja Conference, which the caravan chose to attend instead. Hernandez said Delta was guaranteed a spot this year.
“Confirmed are 17 schools, but sometimes schools drop out,” she said. Of the 17 schools confirmed, 16 showed.
Some schools opted out of on-the-spot admissions but students were still encouraged to bring their unofficial transcripts.
In addition to tabling, there were presentations and workshops to help students understand the application process and transfer agreements.
For many attendees, the event provided valuable resources and exposure to new opportunities.
“I really liked that I was able to apply with the person tabling,” said Aryanna Hamilton, a STEM major at Delta.
“Also the application workshop where they showed us how to apply for the schools for free. College application fees can add up, so it’s cool that we have that option.” she said.
For others, the caravan served as an introduction to the legacy of HBCUs.
“I’ve never heard of an HBCU before, so it was kind of nice to come today and learn more about them,” said Logan Wade of Edison High School.“After today, I would definitely consider applying and looking more into schools.”
Hernandez said the event also works to dispel common misconceptions about HBCUs.
“I think there’s a misconception that HBCUs are only for Black or African American identifying students, which is a myth,” she said.
“All HBCUs are minority-serving institutions. Students benefit not only from the smaller populations and one-on-one experiences, but from being on a campus where they feel welcomed,” said Hernandez.
