The Harley-Davidson Foundation sponsors YMCA Black Achievers, 2012 Black College Tour
On Sat., April 7, 73 Milwaukee- area high school students will depart from the Northside YMCA for the 21st annual YMCA Black Achievers Historically Black College Tour, which is generously supported by The Harley-Davidson Foundation. In addition to providing an inside look at the overall college experience, these visits will help students learn about the unique opportunities offered in a historically black college and university (HBCU) setting.
Students and chaperones will have the opportunity to visit seven HBCU’s in the Southeast, including:Winston- Salem State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Benedict College, South Carolina State University, Merharry Medical College, Fisk University and Tennessee State University.
Students participating in the Black College Tour are part of the YMCA Black Achievers program, a nationally-recognized college readiness initiative to help youth raise their academic standards, explore diverse college and career options, and develop a positive sense of self. Chaperones on the tour are Adult Black Achievers who serve as role models to students and provide counsel in the college application process and assistance with completing financial aid paperwork. To be selected for the tour,students undergo an application and interview process, and are required to have at least a 2.5 grade point average and three letters of recommendation.
“The Harley-Davidson Foundation is excited and very proud to sponsor the YMCA Black College Tour. For us it is important to help provide these deserving students the opportunity to see other parts of this country and be exposed to the university and college environment. Our hope is that our youth will begin to imagine what can be versus what is,” said Tonit Calaway, president of The Harley-Davidson Foundation.
Shaneé Jenkins, executive director of the Northside and Parklawn YMCA Family Centers and emerging leaders programs for the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, knows how highly impactful the Black College Tour is for those who attend, stating it is a multi-layered experience for students.
“2012 celebrates the 21st year that the Y has taken students to visit the best Historically Black Colleges and Universities throughout the country.
The visit affords students the opportunity to experience college life, establish lifelong relationships, and learn about all of the unique attributes each university presents. Once students return home, they are inspired to continue to strive toward academic excellence. Special thanks to our friends at Harley-Davidson Foundation, which continues to be an avid partner and asset to making this tour possible. We are extremely grateful for their unwavering support and sponsorship.”
For more information about the YMCA Black College Tour, or to follow students while they visit colleges, visit http://www.ymcamke.org/education/blackachievers. Student journalists will have the opportunity to post blog entries, allowing them to reflect on their experiences throughout the week-long tour.
