Students from Mercer County high schools visit HBCU colleges

PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) — 31 high school students were able to visit colleges thanks to the Mercer County School system.

On April 26, 2024, the students went to visit two Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCU) in North and South Carolina. Dr. William White, who started the first tours in February to the Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas, brought the students to a more southern area.

The first college that the students visited was Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina, which is a private college. It provides programs such as liberal arts, business, STEAM, teacher education, and workforce support.

The campus welcomes students of all backgrounds, and the students visiting were given a tour of the campus as well. Lunch was provided afterwards.

After that tour, they went to visit Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. This college was founded in 1870 and was originally a college for teachers and teacher learning. Since then, it has expanded to many other different majors such as business, engineering, and sports management.

The students and chaperones met with the college’s president, Dr. Roslyn Artis, who is from Beckley, West Virginia. From this point in the trip, students could speak with football coaches, hear the college band, and learn a college song. Dr. Artis provided a private dinner for the students and chaperones and continued to educate them and help them with any resources they may have needed.

Mercer County Schools wants to thank the Mercer County Board of Education for their help and support for this tour. They also extend their thanks to Dr. William White for helping plan the trip.

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