April 29, 2024, Princeton, WV: Thirty-one high school students embarked on an adventure on April 26th to visit two Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCU) in North and South Carolina. Dr. William White, who facilitated the first tours in February to the Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas, wished students to visit some colleges on the southern route.
The first stop was at Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. Livingstone is a private institution with programs in business, liberal arts, STEAM, teacher education and workforce development programs. They welcome students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Students were given a tour of the campus and the guides answered questions for our students.
After lunch provided by Livingstone College, the students and chaperones traveled to Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. Benedict College was founded in 1870 as a teachers’ college but has since expanded to offer majors in business, communications, engineering, social work and sports management. There they met with Benedict College’s President, Dr. Roslyn Artis, a native of Beckley, West Virginia. She remained with the group throughout the campus tour. Students had the chance to speak with the football coaches at Benedict, hear the band, and even learned a Benedict College chant. Dr. Artis provided a private dinner for the students and chaperones and continued to answer questions. Both tours provided students with many opportunities to think about during the ride home back to West Virginia.
Mercer County Schools is proud to have been a part of planning this tour and gives special thanks to the Mercer County Board of Education for their support and Dr. William White, for his passion and assistance in the planning.