Today, the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities  announced its 2015 HBCU All-Stars, recognizing 83 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students for their accomplishments in academics, leadership, and civic engagement.
[Related: Google ‘Embeds’ Engineers at HBCUs to Boost Diversity in Tech]
The All-Stars were selected from more than 450 students who submitted applications that included a transcript, résumé, essay, and recommendation. Over the year, the HBCU All-Stars will serve as ambassadors of the White House Initiative on HBCUs by providing outreach and communication with their fellow students about the value of education and the role of the initiative as a networking resource. Through social media and their relationships with community-based organizations, the All-Stars will share proven practices that support opportunities for all young people to achieve their educational and career potential.
“The Obama administration is committed to promoting excellence, innovation, and sustainability across our nation’s HBCUs,†said Ivory A. Toldson, acting executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs. “This year’s class of All-Stars has distinguished itself as exemplars of the talent that HBCUs cultivate …. We are confident these impressive students will help the White House Initiative on HBCUs meaningfully engage with students, showcase their talent, and advance our agenda to advance academic excellence at HBCUs.â€
In addition, the All-Stars will participate in this year’s White House HBCU Week Conference in September as well as various national events; in addition to Web chats with Toldson, other staff, and professionals from a range of disciplines. The All-Stars will have exceptional opportunities to engage with other HBCU scholars and to showcase their talents across the HBCU community.
(Continued on next page)