PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Oct. 7, 2022) – Eight Prairie View A&M University students were among dozens from 56 Historically Black Colleges and Universities selected to attend the National HBCU Week Conference in Washington. The annual conference is organized by the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“The Initiative’s HBCU Week Conference is one of the largest HBCU events in the nation, bringing together thousands of HBCU constituents,” said Elyse Jones, Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for the HBCU Scholars Program. “This event serves as a forum to exchange information and share innovations among and between institutions. Stakeholders, which include students, faculty, federal agencies, private sector companies and philanthropic organizations, provide an overview of successful engagements that, if replicated, could improve instruction, degree completion and the understanding of federal policies that shape and support higher education.”
Among the 86 scholars that traveled to the nation’s capital for the conference were PVAMU students – Shelbi McNulty, K. Nathaniel Hall, M. Javari Henderson, Jaydyn Martin, Jasmin Jeffries, Trinity Brigham, Nile Howard, and Kennedy Paul. Earlier this year, Paul and Henderson were announced as scholars as a part of the White House Initiative.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Washington,” Henderson said. “As this year’s current WHI HBCU Scholar, it was a pleasure meeting and forming bonds with other high-achieving HBCU students. Although the experience was compacted with a lot within a few days, it revealed to me how much I’ve grown since stepping foot at my university. I realized I am a leader, change maker, campus influencer, voice of the people, and a spitting image of what exactly a Productive Panther truly is.”
According to Quincy Moore III, Ph.D., director of PVAMU’s Honors Program, the conference was a fantastic opportunity for students.
“Representation matters, and being present at this conference positioned the students to engage and network with executives, administrators and government officials,” he said. “Based on the outcomes from this trip, it exemplified and confirmed the productive nature of the scholars that are educated and graduate from our great institution. Our students conversed with members of Congress, received professional development, participated in a NASA innovation pitch competition, toured Capitol Hill, were invited to the White House, attended multiple networking events, and most importantly, had an opportunity to learn.”
Senior chemistry major Trinity Brigham enjoyed engaging with other HBCU students and learning their perspectives on various entities. “I connected and interacted with many like-minded individuals,” she said. “Coming to PV, I never thought I would get experiences like this, and I am so grateful to Dr. Moore and the Honors Program for the opportunity.”
This was the first time PVAMU students attended the conference. It represented “a continued effort to increase opportunities for our students to network with government, public and private corporations,” Moore said.
“It was an amazing endeavor, and I am proud of the representation from our great students. This conference was filled with incredible moments that will last a lifetime.”
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