WILMINGTON, DE — Mayor Mike Purzycki and Wilmington’s HBCU Ambassador, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, recently announced details of Wilmington’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week, which will be held Sunday, September 17 through Sunday, September 24, 2023. This year’s events include a prayer brunch, 5K, Middle School College Tour, R&B Concert, Panel Discussion, A Conversation on Social Justice, College Fair, Comedy Show, Block Party, and Battle of the Bands over the course of seven days.
The major sponsor of the 2023 HBCU Week is the City of Wilmington. This year, 25 HBCUs and 10 corporations will participate, enabling students to engage with college recruiters and corporate partners one-on-one to discuss admission, scholarships, and internships. The 2023 HBCU Week will once again include the presentation of a $10,000 Mike Purzycki Changemaker Scholarship to a student who lives in Wilmington and has committed to an HBCU. The application link for the Changemaker Scholarship will open on September 23. To apply and review the qualifying criteria visit www.HBCUWeek.org.
HBCU Week was launched by Ashley Christopher in 2017, under the leadership of Mayor Purzycki, to expose local high school students to the history, pride, and academic offerings of HBCU colleges and universities, and to encourage young people to attain a new level of educational achievement. Since 2017, Mayor Purzycki and Mr. Smith said, participating HBCUs have granted over 6,500 admission opportunities to local students and have awarded more than $60 million in scholarships.
“HBCU Week has been extremely successful because of an outpouring of support from local students who crave more educational opportunities,” said Mayor Purzycki. “Each year we’ve expanded the program to include a concert, panel discussions, the HBCU Battle of the Bands, and – the highlight of the week – an HBCU College Fair that has continued to grow since its launch in 2017. Stephen A. Smith and Earvin “Magic” Johnson brought national prominence to HBCU Week in 2019, for which we will be forever grateful. Now in our 7th year, I am especially proud and privileged to again be able to offer a $10,000 Changemaker Scholarship to a student from Wilmington who has committed to an HBCU. HBCU Week 2023 promises to be a special event, and I can’t wait for our young people to learn about all of the possibilities and opportunities that HBCUs have to offer them.”
This year’s HBCU Week schedule, as presented below, features a College Fair, a comedy show featuring Chris Spencer and Bill Bellamy a Hip Hop and R&B concert featuring Fabolous and Monica, a panel discussion, the wildly popular HBCU Battle of the Bands, and more.
For additional information and to purchase tickets please visit www.hbcuweek.org.
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