black college tour 2022 detroit

HBCU College Tours: Experience Black College Life First Hand

Did you know that there are over 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States, each with its unique culture and history? Exploring these institutions through HBCU college tours is not just a journey into higher education, but a deep dive into a rich heritage.

Are you a high school student looking to explore HBCUs? An HBCU college tour is your gateway to experiencing their unique culture and history while also getting a feel for the college environment. These tours, integrating visits to multiple HBCUs, offer a cost-effective way to compare campuses and experience HBCU campus life firsthand.

During these HBCU college tours, you'll attend admission sessions, campus tours, and get a chance to learn about academic programs, extracurricular activities, and campus life at each school. For parents and educators, this is an opportunity to guide students towards making an informed decision about their future.

Featured HBCU Tour: 32nd Street Theater HBCU Tour

We're excited to feature the 32nd Street Theater HBCU Tour, a renowned tour operator led by Rev. Dr. Kelcey A. West. Celebrating 29 years of operation, this Las Vegas-based tour has helped over 3,000 students experience the HBCU atmosphere. Their tours are designed to offer a comprehensive look at various HBCUs, combining education with a journey of self-discovery.

Don't miss this opportunity to explore HBCUs with the 32nd Street Theater HBCU Tour. Plan your transformative journey today by visiting 32nd Street Theater HBCU Tour Website for more details and to book your spot!

List of HBCU College Tours

Planning Your HBCU College Tour

If you are planning on visiting HBCUs, there are a few things you need to consider before embarking on your journey. In this section, we will provide you with some tips on planning your HBCU campus tour, including understanding HBCUs, selecting colleges to visit, and tour scheduling and costs.

Understanding HBCUs

Before planning your HBCU college tour, it is important to understand what HBCUs are. These institutions were founded prior to 1964 with the intention of serving the African American community. HBCUs offer a unique experience for students who want to learn about African American culture and history while pursuing their academic goals.

Selecting Colleges to Visit

When selecting colleges to visit, it is important to consider your academic interests, location, and campus culture. You can start by researching HBCUs online and creating a list of colleges that interest you. You can also reach out to college admissions offices for more information on their programs and campus culture. It is important to select colleges that align with your academic interests and career goals.

Tour Scheduling and Costs

Once you have selected the colleges you want to visit, it is important to schedule your tour in advance. Some colleges offer scheduled tours, while others require you to schedule your tour in advance. You can also use tour companies that specialize in HBCU college tours. These companies offer tour packages that include transportation, lodging, and meals.

When scheduling your tour, it is important to consider the costs involved. You will need to budget for transportation, lodging, meals, and any other expenses that may arise. Some colleges offer nonrefundable installment tickets, which allow you to pay for your tour in installments. You can also apply for HBCU scholarships or financial aid to help cover the costs of your tour.

In summary, planning your HBCU college tour requires careful consideration of your academic interests, location, and campus culture. You can research HBCUs online, reach out to college admissions offices, and use tour companies to help plan your tour. It is important to schedule your tour in advance and budget for the costs involved. With proper planning, you can have a successful HBCU college tour experience.

Maximizing the Tour Experience

When it comes to HBCU college tours, it's important to make the most out of your experience. Here are some tips to help you maximize your tour experience.

Rev. West advises students to “treat each day of our tour like the first day of school.” He encourages stepping out of comfort zones and engaging with new people, making each tour a unique learning experience. With a non-stop itinerary, students are immersed in a college-prep atmosphere from day one. They have the opportunity to explore different campuses, attend admissions presentations, and participate in workshops and activities.

Preparing for the Tour

Before embarking on an HBCU college tour, it's important to do your research. Research the schools you'll be visiting and take note of the programs, requirements, and tuition fees. You can also reach out to the admissions office to schedule a meeting with an admissions counselor or to request additional information. Furthermore, you should pack appropriately for the trip. Bring comfortable walking shoes, a water bottle, and a notebook to take notes.

If you're a high school student, you may want to consider joining a program like the Black College and University Tour or the Young Scholars Program. These programs offer organized tours of multiple HBCUs and provide opportunities to meet with admissions counselors, current students, and alumni.

Engagement During the Tour

During the HBCU college tour, it's important to engage with the tour guide and ask questions. Take note of the facilities, programs, and services offered by the school. Also, pay attention to the campus culture and student life. You can ask questions about the student organizations, sports teams, and other extracurricular activities.

It's also a good idea to connect with current students and alumni during the tour. Ask them about their experiences and what they like about the school. You can also ask for advice on applying to the school and how to succeed once you're enrolled.

Post-Tour Actions

After the HBCU college tour, take some time to reflect on your experience. Review your notes and think about which schools you liked the most. Research these schools further and consider applying. You can also reach out to the admissions office with any additional questions you may have.

In conclusion, HBCU college tours offer a gateway to not just academic opportunities but also a deeper understanding of African American culture and history. As Rev. West from 32nd Street Theater says, “It's about pursuing happiness and broadening horizons.” Start your journey today and embrace the rich legacy of HBCUs.

HBCU College Tours FAQs

What is a HBCU college tour?

An HBCU college tours are programs put on by different companies and groups that lets students visit more than one historically black college or University in the same trip using one or more types of transportation, such as airline and bus travel.

What is the #1 HBCU in America?

According to U.S. News & World Report's 2022–2023 Best Colleges rankings, the #1 HBCU in America is Spelman College, a private historically black women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Which HBCU has the most beautiful campus?

According to an article published by Cosmopolitan magazine in 2020, the HBCU with the most beautiful college campus is Spelman College (in Atlanta, GA), followed by Howard University (in Washington, D.C.), and North Carolina Central University (in Durham, North Carolina).

Can anyone go to a HBCU college?

The short answer is yes! African American education was the primary goal of HBCUs, which were founded before 1964. Although HBCUs were initially established to provide education for black students, they now accept all students, regardless of race or ethnicity. They offer them the chance to advance their skills and abilities.

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Second annual Detroit Black College Expo set for this weekend: What to know

Expo is free, scholarships and cash prizes will be offered.

Kayla Clarke , Senior Web Producer

DETROIT – The second annual Detroit Black College Expo Presented by Comerica Bank is set for this weekend.

It takes place Saturday (Sept. 24) from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Seniors, Juniors and college transfer students meet one-on-one with HBCUs and a variety of other colleges and universities to get educational resources.

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Everyone is welcome to this event and it is for students of all ages.

• When? Sept. 24, 2022, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
• Where? Wayne State University at the Student Center
• Cost? Free admission but parking is $8.50
• How to sign up? Click here to register.
• COVID protocols? Click here to complete online screening.
• Want a scholarship? Click here to register.

Guests to Wayne State University must complete online screening before coming to campus. They will scan the results on the iPads posted at the entrance to the Student Center. Masks are recommended.

Students have to bring copies of their transcripts. ACT or SAT test scores are not necessary, but you should bring them if you have them.

Application fees will be waived and scholarships will be offered. Cash prizes will also be offered.

The expo runs from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and an after-show runs from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be a Step Show and a “Dance Off” for cash hosted by celebrity ambassadors.

Click here to learn more.

Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Kayla clarke.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines.

Black College Expo coming to Detroit offering students scholarships and opportunities to succeed

DETROIT (WXYZ) — So many kids across the state of Michigan have lost ground in their learning due to the pandemic, but decisions about college and beyond are still looming.

That's why the Detroit Public Schools Community District is partnering with a national organization to offer students in the city an opportunity to look at historically Black colleges that may very well offer them scholarships to attend their colleges and universities.

Today I visited two DPSCD high schools as the Black College Expo rolled into Detroit and the excitement was off the charts. At Mumford High, hundreds of kids attended a school assembly to find out what these historically Black colleges have to offer them.

The energy of these students attending the Black College Expo Assembly was off the charts today at Renaissance High School where kids were also all dressed up for their Homecoming celebrations, but things got serious when it was time to talk about their future as college students.

I was asked to address the kids and share words of wisdom this afternoon. Today I visited Mumford High School, a neighborhood school which is in my old neighborhood.

“I did not come from privilege, I did not come from money, I came from hard work,” said WXYZ’s Carolyn Clifford addressing Renaissance High School students at the assembly.

Two sophomores told me they were most interested in learning more about historically Black colleges.

“I was really excited for it,” said Mumford High School sophomore Randy Mayes. “I haven’t heard much about it, but I’ve been wanting to learn.”

36-year-old Mumford High School principal Damon Pitt, only in his second year, is thrilled about the Black College Expo coming here to expose his kids to new academic opportunities.

“Students need to be exposed outside their realm, “ said Mumford High School principal Damon Pitt. “It’s a special thing for our students.”

Pitt's presence is not lost on his students, in fact, Randy Mayes may now consider teaching in college due to his positive influence.

Tyrone Winfrey, Executive Director DPSCD Office of Community Affairs, crisscrossed Detroit kicking off assemblies at several schools. He says the opportunity is immeasurable.

Help with college is so important, especially considering the learning loss so many students have experienced from the pandemic.

I visited so many Detroit Schools over the years and have seen the kids struggle to pay for college or even application fees, kids just turn away because they can't afford the fees to even apply.

The Black College Expo will be at Wayne State University on Saturday from 10am-5pm and students are encouraged to bring several copies of their high school transcripts because acceptance letters and scholarships will be handed out on the spot.

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2024 College Tours

Joy   Matthews, CEO of The HBCU Kid™, is a native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and a proud graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. During her matriculation at UAPB, she also became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

The inspiration to create The HBCU Kid™ grew from Joy’s  love for being actively involved in her community. Her mission is to use The HBCU Kid™   as a vehicle for educating prospective and current students, alumni, family, and friends about the challenges, opportunities, and achievements surrounding Historically Black Colleges and Universities. By focusing on early adolescents, Joy hopes to cultivate the next generation of HBCU leaders.

The HBCU Kid™   brand identity is inspired by her son  Bryson, former Little Mr. University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 2013-14. The apparel  is designed not only to promote, educate, and inform others about  Historically Black Colleges and Universities, it is meant to be used as a symbol of pride for those who consider themselves  HBCU Kids.

As a sign of her commitment to the success of HBCUs around the country, Joy plans to donate a percentage of sales to HBCUs in the form of book scholarships.

“Where Education is acquired, where Heritage is embraced, and where Legacy is kept alive.” –   Joy   Matthews, CEO

“YOU CAN GO TO SCHOOL ANYPLACE, BUT NO SCHOOL WILL LOVE YOU AND TEACH YOU TO LOVE YOURSELF AND KNOW YOURSELF LIKE HILLMAN!”

Whitley Gilbert, A Different World

The HBCU Kid 2023 College Tours

The HBCU Kid’s college tours provide African-American students, parents, teachers, and counselors with the unique opportunity to visit multiple college campuses in a single trip. With more than 100 historically black colleges and universities in the United States, these multi-campus college tours give students a solid understanding of the history, culture, and traditions that have shaped the schools’ collective legacy, and a framework for comparison that will help them choose the right HBCU.

Date: March 17-19, 2024

Grades: 6th-12th, hbcus:  american baptist college, fisk university, meharry medical college, and tennessee state university, final payment due march 1, 2024, $675 per student ($100 non-refundable deposit) , pay the full amount today or in installments.

All-inclusive tour includes:

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Transportation
• (2) HBCU Kid shirts
• Museums and more
• Departures from Little Rock, AR

Frequently Asked Questions

How are students supervised.

Students are closely supervised. Our staff includes CEO of The HBCU Kid, tour facilitators, and chaperones. Students are closely monitored from the time they   board the buses by chaperones at a ratio of 7-to-1. Students are accounted for, are required to participate in all activities, and must stay with the tour group at all times. Chaperones take attendance several times a day at every event site and perform room checks every evening. Once we arrive at the hotel, students are expected to remain in their rooms and are given instructions of what to do in the event someone becomes ill or has an emergency at night. Students are not allowed to have any visitors visit the hotel room. Chaperones greet students at the point of departure and remain with students until all students have been picked up once the group returns to the point of departure. We only provide single-sex lodging.  

What should I expect on my trip?

The HBCU Kid wants the students to have an opportunity to engage in hands-on, interactive activities that focus on academic, leadership, personal, and college readiness development. Meeting face-to-face with admissions counselors. Gaining exposure to college life. As well as giving back to the community by volunteering. Through our creative formats, students leave with a plethora of new skills and knowledge to help them build toward a successful future.  

What does the fee cover?

The fee covers transportation, lodging, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and The HBCU Kid t-shirt. Students will need additional money for souvenirs and other incidentals. The total cost of this trip is located within each tour registration. There is a non-refundable deposit fee required to reserve your child’s spot . The full balance  is due on or before Final Payment Date. There will be no refunds issued four weeks prior to departure date. Please be advised that if you need to cancel for any reason, you will forfeit your deposit and any money paid towards the trip. The HBCU Kid has agreed to issue a credit in the event cancellation is inevitable.

Are there a limited number of spaces?

Generally, yes there are a limited number of spaces available for each event, based upon the mode(s) of transportation that have been selected. Registrations are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Where will students stay while on the trip?

Students and chaperones reside with accredited hotels with ratings of 3-stars or better. In most instances, groups stay in suite-style hotels which comfortably sleep 3 to 4 students per room. Students are generally allowed to select their roommates. Private rooms, Doubles, & Quads are available upon request for an additional cost.  

Where can I get a sample schedule?

Participants will be provided a full detailed itinerary once payment is made in full and/or 7 days prior to departure.

Are meals included?

Yes, meals are included. Each student will have the opportunity to eat breakfast each morning at the hotel during the allotted times ONLY. The cost of breakfast each day (with the exception of in-route meals) is included in the cost of the trip. If a student misses breakfast, there will not be an opportunity to eat until lunchtime. Therefore, we advise that students plan to wake up early enough to shower, dress, and eat breakfast before we depart for the day’s activities. Students are also welcomed to keep snacks and bottled waters in their backpacks to enjoy during the day. Lunch and dinner venues are subject to change. We typically choose meal venues that allow students to have many choices and options for meal selections.  

Can special dietary needs be met?

Vegetarian options are always available. If your student has food allergies or needs to avoid certain foods for health or religious reasons, please indicate it on your STUDENT REGISTRATION FORM or contact our office.

Get the Merch

The HBCU Kid™ is a specialty retailer selling high-quality apparel and accessories for children, teens and adults. The goal of the brand is to  help preserve the HBCU tradition by encouraging children and teens to consider HBCUs as their choice for higher education. 

Sponsor The HBCU Kid College Tour

Bronze sponsor.

• Logo on tour merchandise
• Logo with link on landing page
• Inclusion in social media posts pre and post-event (IG Stories, IG Posts, FB Posts)

Silver Sponsor

• Logo in post-event sizzle reel 
• Acknowledgment during live event 
• Exclusive #sponsored social media posts pre and post-event

Gold Sponsor

• Inclusion in all email communication pre and post-event

Our Sponsors

Get in Touch

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions prior to your departure.

[email protected]

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Breaking barriers: Michigan’s only Historically Black College set to reopen this spring

By: shanika p. carter - january 16, 2022 5:29 am.

D’Wayne Edwards of PENSOLE and Don Tuski, president of the College for Creative Studies (CCS) | Courtesy photo

Even before the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design debuts in Detroit on May 2, it is shattering records. 

The school will become the country’s first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to ever reopen — and education leaders said the institution is poised to make Detroit an epicenter of design and champion Black designers in a design field that remains overwhelmingly white. (About 73% of those in the design industry are white and 3% are Black, according to the American Institute of Graphic Arts, a professional association for design.)

Founded by Violet T. Lewis, a nationally renowned Black businesswoman and educator, the school was originally known as the Lewis College of Business and operated in Detroit from 1939 to 2013. After it closed because of accreditation challenges, there were numerous attempts to reopen the school that received its HBCU designation in 1987.

Now, it’s just a matter of months before Michigan’s first — and only — HBCU will welcome students to its campus at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

“I am tremendously excited about the reopening of Lewis College as Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design as an HBCU,” College for Creative Studies President Don Tuski said. “The impact will be great for Detroit and for many diverse students who will have another choice for design school.”

HBCUs were established in the 19th century to provide educational opportunities to people of African descent interested in obtaining undergraduate and graduate degrees but, because of systemic racism, not welcomed at existing public and private higher educational institutions. The majority of HBCUs originated between 1865 and 1900, with the greatest number starting in 1867 — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation . The majority, about 89%, of HBCUs are located in the southern United States. Currently, the closest ones to Michigan are in Illinois and Ohio.

The new higher education program at Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design is being crafted with D’Wayne Edwards, Founder of PENSOLE Design Academy in Portland, Ore. He is laying out plans for the school with his co-founding partners at the College for Creative Studies, the Gilbert Family Foundation and Target. The Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design will serve as the pipeline HBCU for career education and professional development in the design industry, a field in education that Edwards said is not accessible in existing HBCUs.

With more than 33 years of expertise as a trained footwear designer for several major brands, followed by a career in teaching and education, Edwards’ inspiration for taking on this initiative is to make design opportunities and career possibilities more accessible to people of color through education that combines design and business.

“As educators, we also have to do our part and provide learning opportunities that help redirect these young minds into opportunities that they feel they are a part of and want to be a part of,” Edwards said.

Over the past 12 years, PENSOLE Design Academy has played a major role in the sportswear industry to pull new, diverse talent in design, Edwards said. Upon learning of the Lewis Business College and its founder, Edwards researched and pursued the history of the college. He also connected with the real estate agent listing the location and the family of Lewis, the school’s founder, which led to the process of reopening the college. Pensole Lewis College will offer programs in design, sustainability, business, and STEM.

Lewis founded the Lewis College of Business in Indiana in 1929. She moved the school, which was primarily for women, to Detroit in 1941. In 2018, then-Gov. Rick Snyder signed a bill sponsored by then-Sen. Ian Conyers (D-Detroit) renaming a portion of the John C. Lodge Freeway (M-10) in Detroit for Lewis.

Edwards admits that he had not previously heard of Lewis or the history of Lewis College, but he was drawn to her story and her entrepreneurial thinking. By blending design and business with the reinstatement of Pensole Lewis College, along with the relationships developed between the design industry and companies, Edwards said he is confident the institution will be sustainable and will increase racial diversity in both the participating companies and the design field.

Edwards added the feedback and support from the city of Detroit and the state have been positive.

“The state has embraced what we’re doing,” Edwards said.

At the end of December, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bills 5447 and 5448 , which reestablish the Lewis College of Business as the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design.

“I am proud to play a part in helping reopen the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design in Detroit,” Whitmer said in a press statement. “I am committed to expanding educational opportunities for Michiganders across our state to put Michigan first.”  

State Rep. Joe Tate (D-Detroit), who co-sponsored both bills, noted there has been bipartisan support for the legislation, and Sen. Marshall Bullock (D-Detroit), chair of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus, called the college’s reopening a “tremendous opportunity for Detroit and the Black community on so many levels.”

I am tremendously excited about the reopening of Lewis College as Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design as an HBCU. The impact will be great for Detroit and for many diverse students who will have another choice for design school.

– College for Creative Studies President Don Tuski

“I’m eager to see the ingenuity that will once again come from students at the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design, as well as the future they envision for their communities,” Bullock said in a press statement.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan also has thrown his support behind the college.

“As a predominantly Black city, this helps send a clear message that we are building one city, for everyone with opportunity for everyone,” Duggan said in a prepared statement.

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Shanika P. Carter

Shanika P. Carter is a freelance writer, author, and adjunct communications instructor. She is also the Principal Consultant of The Write Flow & Vibe, LLC (www.writeflowandvibe.com), offering writing, editing, and content development services to a variety of clientele, including fellow authors and businesses. Shanika has written for various publications, including Blackdoctor.org, The Lakeshore West Michigan, Rapid Growth Media, Grander Magazine, and Women’s Lifestyle Magazine. She is the author of the nonfiction book To Lead or Not to Lead, which was released in 2019.

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Spring 2024 Tour

R.e.a.l. — representing. excellence in education. and our. legacies. we conduct college tours every spring and fall for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders who have an interest in attending a college or university in their future. we exist to expose the youth to higher learning opportunities and experiences at historically black colleges and universities and provide a greater understanding of the legacy of these universities. the r.e.a.l. hbcu college tour is a 501c3 organization..

For more information email us at: [email protected] ​

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3rd Annual Detroit Black College Expo

• + Add To Cal Event Date Sep 30 , 2023
• Event Starts 10:00 AM
• Sat, Sep. 30 , 2023 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM + Add To Cal

Event Details

For more information visit the web HERE  or call (877) 427 - 4100

Join Reid Temple AME Church as we travel South to visit some of the top HBCU- Historically Black College Universities.

Allow your student to immerse in the history, music, art, food, and stories of each of these specially selected southern universities, while meeting students, civil rights activists exploring the campus, and hearing moving first-hand stories from the Civil Rights Movement.

Reid Temple HBCU Fall Tour

November 24th - December 2nd 

Travel to the American South to visit some of the top HBCU- Historically Black College Universities.

In visiting different campuses, our participants see that there is a world of opportunity beyond their immediate environment. While touring the campus, they interact with current students and obtain a glimpse of the college experience. During information sessions, they receive facts about admission requirements, academic programs, and financial aid. Each student walks away from the tour learning something about each school, and more importantly, about him/herself.

Make your cost $975

Pay your total at once or if you want to set up a payment plan follow this plan below.

Payment Plan:

July 30 $250 (Non Refubdable Deposit)

August 15 $180

September 15 $180

October 15 $180

November 1 $185.00

This is how we support our HBCU Tour travelers

Students will visit top hbcu’s and additional historic landmarks., students will hear from other students who have successfully transferred., students will meet with admissions officers. , students will see the campus and community to help them make an informed decision hear from hbcu graduates., students will learn about the people and events that began and continue the struggle for freedom and equality in the united states of america today., students may have the application fee waived for multiple hbcu by completing the “common black college app” . ​.

HBCU Tour will include

Campus tours

Luxury motor coach transportation       , scholarship and financial aid counseling      , commemorative t-shirt, lots of memories, take a look at our spring 2023 video.

Attractions and Sight Seeing Planned

Southern Heritage Classic Parade name to Bayou Classic Parade

Southern Heritage Classic Step Show and Battle of Bands

Southern Heritage Classic Game

National Center for Civil and Human Rights

16th Street Baptist Church

Birminham Civil Rights Institute

Gulf of Mexico Visit

World of Coca-Cola

Important Dates

Deadline to sign up for tour all deposits due , august 15th, all attendee retreat, october 28th 10:00am, mandatory parent and student meeting, november 4th 10:00 am, tour departure reid temple ame church, november 24th 6:00 am.

Tentative List of Schools we will attend

Florida A&M Univeristy

Albany state university.

Spelman College

Morehouse College

Clark Atlanta University

Tennessee State University

Fisk university.

Winston Salem University

North carolina central university.

Norfolk State University

Hampton university.

Alabama A&M Univeristy

Bethune Cookman

South Carolina State University

Benedict college.

Get in Touch Now

Let's get you connected with us. For more information or to learn more about the tour please send us a message.

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The BE Project Tour Requirements & What to Expect

HBCU tours are an opportunity for High School students to experience Black college life for themselves. The tours allow students to visit multiple college campuses and meet with representatives from each school to get an “inside look”. If the student in your family is considering attendance at a Historically Black College or University, these tours will connect you with current students and admissions professionals who will give you the information you need to make the best choice for your student’s future.

General requirements to go on a tour:

• Must be 9th – 12th Graders
• Register for the tour
• Letters of recommendation
• Financial obligation
• Attend mandatory meetings starting in the Fall
• Attend informational meetings in the Spring,  watch for announcements]

Each tour package includes:

● Transportation to and from each HBCUs

● Knowledgeable chaperones

● Fun with other students

The colleges toured each year are subject to change, however, in the past The BE Project has visited the following institutions:

• G eorgia: Clark Atlanta University,      Morehouse College, Spelman College
• Alabama: Tuskegee University, Alabama State University
• Mississippi: Jackson State University,  Tougaloo College
• Louisiana: Xavier University, Dillard University, Southern University, A&M College, Baton Rouge
• Texas: Prairie View A&M University, Texas Southern University
• Virginia: Hampton University,  Virginia State University, Norfolk State University
• Maryland: Bowie State University,  Morgan State University
• District of Columbia: Howard University
• North Carolina: North Carolina A&T  State University, John C Smith University, North Carolina Central University

Upcoming TOURS

2024 hbcu experience tennessee/alabama.

• Alabama State University 
• Alabama A&M University 
• Tuskegee University 
• Mehary Medical College 
• Fisk University 
• Tennessee State University 
• Lane College 

COMPLETED TOURS

Seattle: the be project spring 2023 hbcu experience.

This tour  traveled to the following Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  

• Xavier University
• Dillard University
• Southern University
• Grambling  State University
• Tougaloo College
• Jackson State University

Texas: The BE Project Spring 2023 HBCU EXPERIENCE

This tour traveled to the following Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  

• Wiley College
• Texas Southern University
• Prairie View A&M University
• Huston-Tillotson University
• Jarvis Christian College
• Paul Quinn College

OHIO: The BE Project Spring 2023 HBCU EXPERIENCE

• Central State University
• Johnson C Smith University
• Shaw University
• North Carolina A & T University
• Bennett College

HBCU Tour Payment

Please Call 206-769-9709 to Verify Payment. Please take picture of time date and amount on receipt 

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Explore GO's HBCU Campus Tours!   

As of 2020, there are 107 historically black college and universities in the united states that are identified by the united states department of education. hbcu's are institutions of education higher than high school level in the united states. these colleges and universities were established before the civil rights act of 1964.  .

A few well known HBCU Campuses include: 

Spelman College

Howard University 

Hampton University

Morehouse College

Florida A&M University

Tuskegee University

Clark Atlanta University 

and 100 more HBCU's to complete the list! ( Full List ) 

Itinerary 

Sample Itinerary: 3 Days/2 Nights

Choose from the optional attractions below OR customize to your preferred attractions, meals and more! 

Departure (Motorcoach, Flight, Ferry, Train Transportation) 

Optional Add On Boxed Lunch 

Campus Tour, Admission Session

Suggestions: Howard University, Morgan State University, Bowie State University, University of District of Columbia

Group Sit-Down Dinner at University Dining Hall 

Hotel Accommodations (2 Nights) 

Overnight Security Provided (2 Nights) 

Day Two 

Lunch at University Dining Hall 

Suggestions: Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, Coppin State University

Group Sit-Down Dinner at University Dining Hall

Suggestions: Selma University, Alabama State University, Alabama A&M University, Tuskegee University

Optional Group Sit-Down Dinner

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HBCU College Tours

HBCU Tours is a unique experience that provides students and families with the opportunity to explore historically black colleges and universities. The tours allow individuals to gain a deeper understanding of what these institutions have to offer and the impact they have made in education and beyond. Whether you are a high school student considering your options for college, or a family looking to support a future student, HBCU Tours will provide you with valuable insights and memories that will last a lifetime.

HBCU Virtual Tour 2024

Save the date: april 6th, 2024.

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We're excited to announce that registration is now open for the HBCU Virtual Tour 2024! Join us for an exclusive opportunity to explore a curated selection of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) from across the nation. Connect with representatives from renowned institutions such as Alabama A&M, Florida A&M, and many more. Gain valuable insights into each school's unique offerings, academic programs, campus culture, and admission process. Whether you're a prospective student, parent, or educator, this event is your chance to discover the rich legacy and educational excellence of HBCUs. Register today to reserve your spot and embark on a journey of exploration and empowerment!

The fall tour registration is now open! We will be hosting another HBCU tour event on October 16th featuring different HBCUs than in the Spring. Don't miss your chance to explore all of your options.

• Alabama State University
• Florida A&M University
• Morgan State University
• Southern University and A&M
• Tuskegee University

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Contribute to the improvement of our events by sharing your insights through our Demographic Information 2024 questionnaire. Your responses are anonymous and essential for enhancing our programs. Help us create more inclusive and tailored experiences. Thank you for your valuable input! Note: You only need to complete this form once. If you have already filled out this form for the 2024 year, you do not need to complete it again.

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Relive the Genesis 2023 HBCU Tour Experience

2023 hbcu virtual tour recap, 2023 hbcu tour recap.

HBCU BUS TOUR

The annual Historically Black College and University Bus Tour exposes aspiring college students to the world of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in order to promote increased college attendance at these institutions of higher learning. Over 10 original partner HBCUs from Pennsylvania to Georgia are visited throughout the tour, and the majority of these institutions become the future academic homes of our college tour participants. Currently the tours service interested candidates in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Candidates are required to attend a series of preparatory workshops to strengthen their prospects for college admission.

• ACT/SAT Preparation
• Financial Aid & Scholarships Resources
• College Essay and the Academic Resume
• Interview Skills, Dress for Success
• College Orientation

The outreach spans to high school administrators, principals and educational leaders throughout New York and New Jersey. If you are an administrator and would like to share this opportunity with your school, please contact us.

HBCU Partner Schools

Clark Atlanta University

Hampton University

Howard University

Lincoln University

Morehouse College

Morgan State University

Norfolk State University

North Carolina A&T State University

Saint Augustine’s University

Spelman College

Virginia State University

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Michigan's only Black college reopens with inaugural design class, high hopes

Detroit — Isaiah Walker has spent the past decade trying to channel his passion for design into a career.

After graduating from Southfield Lathrup High School in 2013, he attended Oakland Community College and worked locally in luxury retail before moving to New York City to work as a junior buyer and intern as a brand director. 

A pivotal moment came for Walker after he moved back to Michigan in 2020 and heard the state's only Black college was being revived with a focus on design. He applied, was accepted into the inaugural class and last week became one of four students to get a summer internship with Carhartt, the global premium workwear brand headquartered in Dearborn.

"What I hope to gain from the internship," said Walker, 27, "is knowledge, better connections inside the industry and hopefully a full-time job with Carhartt." 

Nearly a decade after Michigan’s only Black college closed, a new chapter of the school began last month when it reopened with its first class of 30 students and a new mission to partner with industries to create a pipeline of job-ready workers trained in design.

The Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design  quietly opened during the first week of May. It resurrected the former Lewis College of Business, Michigan's only Historically Black College and University that had operated for 74 years in Detroit training young Black women in business skills before closing in 2013. 

The school was brought back to life in one of the nation's largest majority-black cities, which is in the midst of its own revival, and aims to offer educational opportunities, especially for the African American community.

It's unique because of the school's format and the prospect it could become the nation's only HBCU to close and then reopen.

Leading the school's renaissance is D'Wayne Edwards, one of the first Black individuals nationally to design athletic shoes. He is operating with the financial support of Detroit investors and philanthropists, Dan and Jennifer Gilbert, through the Gilbert Family Foundation, along with Target and other corporations that are partnering with the school to make tuition free for students. 

It is temporarily operating under the auspices of Detroit's College for Creative Studies until the federal government recognizes it as one of the nation's 100 HBCUs .   The school needs to grant degrees before it becomes an HBCU so Edwards, the college's president,   has been working with leaders in Detroit, Lansing and Washington, D.C., to get the designation.

For now, the Pensole Lewis College is focusing on training diverse students in design through a model Edwards created and used at PENSOLE Design Academy, a Portland, Oregon-based education institution for 12 years.

Many institutions offer an education in fashion design, said Edwards. But few offer training in performance and functional footwear and apparel design like the Pensole Lewis College does.

His model also differs by working directly with industry leaders to help create intensive training known as "master classes" for students to learn the culture of the company and become a pipeline of workers, Edwards said. The companies co-create the curriculum and pay the $13,500 tuition of each student and the lodging for those who come to the college from outside Metro Detroit. 

"Our curriculum is designed the way kids would work at a company," Edwards said. "The way that we teach is the way that they will work. Our environment is more like a design studio environment, less like an educational environment."

At the end of the master classes, the students often will secure internships and jobs with the company that sponsors the training because company officials have spent more time with prospective workers beyond traditional interviews that are more limited, Edwards said. The companies are also looking for diverse talent.

"You could look at it as a six- to 12-week job interview," Edwards said. "The company is able to see the work habits, they are able to get more of a glimpse of the whole person. All of our programming is geared toward kids getting jobs."

Students come from afar

Eleven students from Detroit and 19 others from across the country participated in the inaugural Pensole Lewis College master class .

Classes are being held in the Icon Building along the Detroit River until a permanent location can be found. In the evening, students continue their work at the College for Creative Studies' A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education on Milwaukee Avenue in Detroit.  

The first class was   sponsored   by Carhartt with a focus on footwear and clothing design. Other brands that are expected to sponsor master classes in the future include top footwear brands such as Nike, Jordan, Adidas, New Balance, Timberland, Vans and Asics and along with apparel companies such as North Face and J.Crew, Edwards said.

The students from outside Michigan came from places such as the Caribbean, Canada and England, and stayed at the Hotel St. Regis Detroit in the New Center neighborhood during the five-week course. While the class included five women, most of the students were African American men.

Among them was Detroit resident Trevon Fleming who has been wanting to attend Pensole since he saw the academy on social media in 2014 when it was operating in Portland, and he was studying clothing design while attending a now-defunct art institute in Novi.

When he heard that PENSOLE was relocating to Michigan, he applied and got accepted. He said learned from elite designers and teachers about designing functional workwear shoes during the five-week class. 

"My opportunities now are limitless," said Fleming, 29, a freelance designer. "This is going to be a brand new journey, a brand new outlook for the city."

For Carhartt, the company's involvement was natural since it started a design project with Edwards at the Portland school, said Ben Ewy, the brand's vice president of global product design, research and development. 

"We were so impressed with the work they did, when we heard they were going to be restarting the Lewis College, now the Pensole Lewis College, we said we have to be involved," Ewy said. "We believe in them and their mission."

'Changed family lives'

The leaders behind the Pensole Lewis College had similar paths.

Violet Lewis, a native of Ohio, founded the original college in 1928 in Indianapolis because she wanted to create a place where students, particularly Black women, could get a high-quality business education because opportunities were lacking. She eventually closed the Indianapolis school after opening the Detroit campus of the Lewis College of Business in Midtown in 1939.

The Lewis College of Business originally offered Black women courses in secretarial skills but expanded course offerings and became an accredited junior college and served as a pipeline for students to find jobs working for auto companies. The federal government designated the school an HBCU in 1987, and was one of three HBCUs founded by a woman. But the college closed in 2013 because of lack of funding, Edwards said.

"When the Lewis College first began, there were few very, very few Black secretaries and very, very few Black accountants,” said Violet Ponders, Lewis' granddaughter who also worked for the college beginning in 1976 and served in many roles including as one of the last interim presidents.

"It was created to serve that need for businesses," said Ponders, "but it was also created to provide training, which then provided a source of income, then changed family lives."

Edwards long wanted to work in design when he was growing up in Inglewood, California, southwest of Los Angeles, as the youngest of six children raised by a single mother.

He discovered he had a gift to draw when he was 10 and considered a path as an artist but then discovered design, particularly sneaker design.

"Growing up in the 80s, with no Google or Instagram or social media, I couldn't find other people who looked like me who did it," Edwards said.

He didn't go to college because he couldn't afford it and didn't know where to go. He graduated from high school, worked for a temporary service and then as a file clerk at LA Gear. He tried to get a design job, but they told him he needed a college degree.

LA Gear had suggestion boxes throughout the office, and Edwards started putting sketches in the boxes every day of athletic shoes. Six months later, the owner of the company called him into his office and offered him a design job. He was 19.

He discovered a few years later that he was the second Black footwear designer in the industry. He began working at Nike in 2000 as the design director for the Michael Jordan brand; he started getting emails from young people with sketches and questions about how to become a footwear designer.

He started guiding these young people and created a competition at Nike, Future Sole , to identify young people with talent who didn't have a chance to go to college. Over four years, close to 800,000 young people wanted to be part of the program.

Edwards wanted to do more of that work, so he left his shoe designer position in 2011. He created his model of teaching product design and started teaching with 41 students from around the globe. The University of Oregon hosted the course. 

"There were 800,000 kids who were just like me when I was young and growing up in Inglewood who wanted to design sneakers," Edwards said.

He partnered with ArtCenter in California, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design in New York and taught his program to prove the concept, Edwards said. Eventually, he started his own academy in downtown Portland and began partnering with top brands in the region.

CCS President Donald Tuski met Edwards while he served as president of the Pacific Northwest College of Art and spoke with him about relocating to Detroit.

"He was doing something very special," Tuski said. “When I see something that is really important, that works, that helps students fulfill their dreams of becoming a designer, it made sense for me to stay in contact with D’Wayne.”

The collaboration with CCS was also important, Tuski said, because in order for the Pensole Lewis College to be an HBCU, the school needs to grant degrees. For now, CCS is the accredited institution under which Pensole Lewis College is operating. But the goal is for the school to eventually be operating on its own, he said.

Another who worked to persuade Lewis to move his design education model to Detroit was Allen Largin, creative and innovation director at Rock Ventures in Detroit.

Largin met Edwards when he was a Brighton High School sophomore and won the Nike competition that Edwards created to identify young talent. He kept in touch with Edwards over the years as he began a career in footwear design, then landed in his current position. Dan Gilbert — founder and chairman of Rocket Cos., which owns Rock Ventures — encouraged Largin to convince Edwards to move PENSOLE to Detroit.

Largin said he sent articles to Edwards to show him things were happening in Detroit. But he didn't get any movement until the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, after which companies began pledging money to Black communities. Largin suggested that Gilbert's Rock families of companies match another founding partner's pledge to give Edwards the resources he needed to reopen the Lewis College of Business, and bring in the College for Creative Studies and get the blessing of the Lewis family.

"It was a perfect storm of everything coming together," Largin said. 

What pushed Edwards over the edge was when Largin mentioned the closed HBCU in Detroit. Edwards said he went online and read all the articles he could find about the college and the story behind Lewis finding the school and moving it to Detroit.

"It really resonated with me because we had a lot of similarities with trying to start our own school," Edwards said.

He also read how Lewis' family had unsuccessfully tried to reopen the school. Lewis got the family's support in reviving the school.

He discussed the idea with Tuski to bring the Lewis College back as a design-focused HBCU because the nation's other HBCUs have focused on business, law, engineering and other fields.

"Detroit is one of the most creative cities in America," Edwards said. "On top of that, being one of the cities with the highest black population in America, it just felt like it had to be here."

'A real beacon'

Laura Grannemann, executive director of the Gilbert Family Foundation, said the foundation has been working with Edwards for a couple of years to bring what she described as an "innovative" and "internationally renowned" program to Detroit to support local institutions, and bring back an HBCU.

As one of the two founding partners of the Pensole Lewis College, along with Target, the Gilbert Family Foundation hopes to attract other philanthropic and private partners. Grannemann said the details of the financial commitment are still being worked out but said it would be at least a five-year financial commitment to ensure Edwards could scale the program to bring in as many students as possible. 

The program is aiming to draw upward of 800 students a year eventually, according to Grannemann. 

"It’s a different model to get students critical access to education and get students on a pathway to direct job opportunities across the country," she said. "Our hope is hundreds of thousands will take advantage of these educational opportunities. … We think this can be a real beacon for the city of Detroit."

The Pensole Lewis College will host the master classes for the next year and a half under the College of Creative Studies, Lewis said. It will also offer associate degrees, planned for fall 2023, when the  Pensole Lewis College hopes to receive federal recognition as the only HBCU in Michigan.

In December, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation to pave the way for the HBCU recognition.

U.S. Department of Education officials didn't offer a timeline for a decision. But the secretary of education would approve the designation, which makes a school eligible for federal funding.

When the Pensole Lewis School gets HBCU recognition, federal law requires it be a junior or community college or offer an educational pathway to a bachelor's degree. It also must be accredited or pre-accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association.

The Pensole Lewis College will be offering associate degrees in product design, business and eventually in manufacturing, Edwards said.

Edwards is planning a community open house to see the space where students are taking masterclasses inside the Icon Building on Sept. 25, the same day that Lewis opened the original school in 1928.

"We want to do it differently," Edwards said. "It's not about a kid coming here to earn a degree. It's about a kid acquiring the knowledge they need to get a job. Our goal is to partner with industry to become that pipeline."

[email protected]

Michigan’s only Historically Black College returning

The hbcu is expected to open in 2022.

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Eight years ago Michigan’s first and only Historically Black College shut down. The Lewis College of Business and Design in Detroit, an institution that had been in operation since 1939, was thought to be closed for good until a bill signed this week changed that.

Tuesday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 5447 and 5448 to facilitate the reopening of the Lewis College of Business as the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design.

The Lewis College of Business operated in Detroit until 2013. The college originally received its Historically Black College (HBCU) designation in 1987, and it will request and HBCU recognition from the state when it reopens.

“I am proud to play a part in helping reopen the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design in Detroit,” said   Governor Whitmer. “I am committed to expanding educational opportunities for Michiganders across our state to put Michigan first.”

Related: Grant allows Michigan schools to invest in students’ mental and physical health

Dr. D’Wayne Edwards is the founder of the Pensole Design Academy in Oregon and and is slated to be president of the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design.

“Thank you to Governor Whitmer and all of our partners for helping the grandchildren of Violet T. Lewis , Pensole and College for Creative Studies establish an HBCU in the state of Michigan,” said Edwards. “Our goal is to celebrate Violet T. Lewis’ life’s work she established in the city of Detroit in 1939. Today moves us forward to another major step in continuing her legacy with the support of our founding partners College for Creative Studies, Target, and The Gilbert Family Foundation.”

The Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design is expected to open in 2022, on the campus of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

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XI PHI's 2023 BLACK COLLEGE TOUR

Xi phi returns to campus-based black college tour in 2023.

Xi Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. continues its mission of providing opportunities for scholars to attend historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), with its Annual Omega Black College Tour (OBCT) on February 21, 2023.

The tour is transitioning from the six-week virtual program that was sponsored in 2022, to an on campus program in 2023. The tour will include several of the nation’s top HBCUs including Morgan State, Bowie State, Virginia Union, Virginia State, Hampton University, Norfolk State, Delaware State and Howard University.

As with previous tours, the program seeks to promote the benefits of a college experience at an HBCU, while placing an emphasis on them being essential to helping scholars compete in the 21st Century’s knowledge-based society.

“It is hard to imagine a time when the need to produce students who can excel in STEM-related occupations has been greater,” said John L. Staton, Founder of OBCT. “To be career-ready in our knowledge-based society, student learning must go beyond mastery of core subjects and include 21st century knowledge and skills like critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and technology literacy.”

The six-week virtual program comprises several of the nation’s top HBCUs who hosted sessions on their respective missions and academic offerings, in addition to providing information on tuition, scholarships and financial aid. Schools on the 2022 tour included St. Augustine, Delaware State, Morgan State, Hampton, North Carolina A&T, Morehouse, Spelman, Clark Atlanta, Bowie State, and Winston Salem State. Xi Phi will also award two $500 scholarships for the best essays on how to mitigate gun violence, or recommendations for redesigning high school curriculums to help African-American scholars better prepare for college.

XI PHI's 2024 BLACK COLLEGE TOUR

Harlem que’s legacy of scholarship continues.

Xi Phi Chapter's renowned Omega Black College Tour (OBCT) officially returned to campuses this year, offering high school scholars a unique and immersive experience. Following three years of curtailed programming because of the pandemic, the tour transitioned back to its traditional format, while adhering to all necessary COVID-19 precautions.

This year, participants had the privilege of stepping onto the grounds of some of the nation's leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), like Howard University, Hampton University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, Norfolk State University, Winston-Salem State University, South Carolina State University, Claflin University, Johnson C. Smith University, Morgan State University, Delaware State University, Livingstone College, and Morris Brown College.

The OBCT goes beyond a typical campus tour, by offering intense history- based workshops, while creating a sense of empowerment and belonging. Each HBCU dedicates time to showcasing its unique mission while highlighting its diverse academic offerings. Additionally, students gain valuable insights into various financial aid options, including scholarships and grants that are crucial to making these institutions more affordable.

The Omega Black College Tour recognizes HBCUs critical role in shaping future generations of leaders. "This is not simply an education, it's an act of reclamation of self in a world that would deny the black experience," says Donnell Bolden Basileus of Xi Phi Chapter. "HBCU scholars build on the accomplishments of those who dared to dream and became successful in the face of unimaginable odds."

"For 165 years HBCUs - often with great difficulty - have not only survived and exceeded challenges to their existence but they have been highly successful with their goals of educating Black scholars while sharing emphasizing community service. The 2nd District proudly supports the mission of Xi Phi Chapter’s Omega Black College Tour throughout the fraternity nationally and presents it as an example of excellence to the Divine Nine," said Delrecole "Rico" Gales, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity’s 2nd District Representative.

Harry Watson II, CUP President, the nonprofit funding arm for OBCT stated many scholars received admittance to institutions such as NYU, Penn State, Villanova, and others, but their decisions to visit and enroll in HBCUs reflect the transformative power of an HBCU education. “This year marks our 38th college tour with over 2000 students participating since its inception, demonstrating our dedication

To support Xi Phi’s Omega Black College tour, click here: https://www.xiphichapter.org/cup.php and help deserving scholars take the first step toward their future by exploring the rich legacy and boundless possibilities HBCUs offer.

Omega Black College Tour

The Xi Phi Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Black College Tour was founded in 1986 by John L. Staton, a career educator and administrator who spent more than 35 years with the New York City Department of Education. John was initiated into the fraternity at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio in 1966. Since it was founded more than 1,500 students have been on the tour.

Staton wanted to dispel the myth of HBCUs being inferior institutions, so he created a platform to showcase the countless graduates who had become many of the world’s most recognized and accomplished persons in their fields. The platform would also introduce students to college life at an Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

He also believed that organizing a tour of these campuses would put the transformative power of a college education on full display, and help students dream beyond their current circumstances, while showing them a rigorous but supportive and nurturing environment where they could flourish.

“I’ve come to realize that the times I’m outside of my element is when I’ve experienced the most growth, so it’s really important to me to get students out of their comfort zone and expose them to a world far outside the bubble in which they live,” Staton said.

The program is at its best when students buy into the fact that their current circumstances aren’t an impediment to achieving their goals according to Staton. “We attempt to spark their intellectual curiosity and surround them with students from similar backgrounds who are on track to graduate during every campus we visit. On the last tour we reinforced the campus visits with a one-day trip to various memorials in Washington, D.C. so that they were bombarded by even more success stories about world renown African-Americans with the goal of searing into their young minds that success in whatever they choose to do is within their reach,” he concluded.

To learn more about the Omega Black College Tour and its diverse activities, contact [email protected].

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Jared Goff and fiancée Christen Harper got in on the NFL draft action Thursday night.

Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft festivities in Detroit, Harper gave her Instagram followers a peek at her ensemble for the big night: a little black dress and a heart-shaped purse.

“Draft day!” the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit alum posted in an Instagram Story.

Later in the night, Goff — who is set to wed Harper this summer following their June 2022 engagement — hit the stage in Detroit with some of his Lions teammates before the first round officially opened.

Upon taking the podium, newly extended Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown led an electric Goff chant with Detroit faithful.

Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson got in on the fun, along with Detroit native and superfan Eminem.

"JARED GOFF, JARED GOFF!" The D shows love to its QB1 👏 📺: #NFLDraft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC 📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rC6YEVyYAx — NFL (@NFL) April 26, 2024

The first overall pick by the Rams in the 2016 NFL Draft, Goff spent the first five years of his career in Los Angeles before a blockbuster January 2021 trade sent him to Detroit as part of a quarterback swap with then-Lions star Matthew Stafford.

Stafford led the Rams to a Super Bowl win during the 2021 season while the Lions, under first-year coach Dan Campbell, got off to a rocky start with a 3-13-1 record.

Now entering their fourth season together, Goff and the Lions are looking to build off a 12-5 campaign in 2023, which included the team’s first division title in 30 years and an NFC Championship game berth.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported in late January that “Detroit is expected to have contract extension talks” with Goff in the offseason, a deal that “is expected to make Goff one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.”

In the meantime, Goff, 29, and Harper are preparing for their upcoming nuptials — something the model has taken the reins on.

“She’s been doing a great job with it. I’ve been fairly uninvolved… but I’ll give my input when asked,” Goff recently told The Post’s Jenna Lemoncelli . “But she’s done a really good job of getting everything ready for the wedding and the day-to-day. There’s tasks for her to handle kind of every day.”

Goff does have a favorite part of the planning process, though.

“The food, the drinks, the music and all that is the fun stuff,” he said. “I’ve definitely been a part of that.”

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Detroit Lions draft picks 2024: Round-by-round selections

The Detroit Lions are looking to build off their most successful season in 32 years when they play host to the 2024 NFL draft in downtown Detroit, Thursday-Saturday.

The Lions are coming off a 12-5 regular season and advanced to their first NFC championship game in 32 years. There, they fell in heartbreaking fashion to San Francisco, squandering a 24-7 halftime lead in a 34-31 loss.

Now, the expectations are high for this group entering Year 4 under general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell. The Lions are finally Super Bowl contenders, and they can put a stamp on another solid offseason with this draft class.

Here's a look at the Lions' seven picks in the 2024 draft class:

Detroit Lions draft picks 2024

Round 1, Pick 29 overall:

Round 2, Pick 61 overall:

Round 3, Pick 73 overall (from Minnesota):

Round 5, Pick 164 overall:

Round 6, Pick 201 overall (from Tampa Bay):

Round 6, Pick 205 overall:

Round 7, Pick 249 overall:

More: Detroit Lions NFL draft picks history: Their 5 best and 5 worst first-round selections

Detroit Lions past five first-round draft picks

2023 (No. 12 overall): Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

2023 (No. 18 overall): Jack Campbell, ILB, Iowa

2022 (No. 2 overall): Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan

2022 (No. 12 overall): Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

2021 (No. 7 overall): Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Who did the Detroit Lions draft? Tracking every pick in 2024

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Detroit’s Only Black College Reopens With Inaugural Design Class, High Hopes

Detroit News Kim Kozlowski June 12, 2022

Isaiah Walker has spent the past decade trying to channel his passion for design into a career.

After graduating from Southfield Lathrup High School in 2013, he attended Oakland Community College and worked locally in luxury retail before moving to New York City to work as a junior buyer and intern as a brand director.

A pivotal moment came for Walker after he moved back to Michigan in 2020 and heard the state’s only Black college was being revived with a focus on design. He applied, was accepted into the inaugural class, and last week became one of four students to get a summer internship with Carhartt, the global premium workwear brand headquartered in Dearborn.

“What I hope to gain from the internship,” said Walker, 27, “is knowledge, better connections inside the industry, and hopefully a full-time job with Carhartt.”

Nearly a decade after Michigan’s only Black college closed, a new chapter of the school began last month when it reopened with its first class of 30 students and a new mission to partner with industries to create a pipeline of job-ready workers trained in design.

The Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design quietly opened during the first week of May. It resurrected the former Lewis College of Business, Michigan’s only Historically Black College and University that had operated for 74 years in Detroit training young Black women in business skills before closing in 2013.

The school was brought back to life in one of the nation’s largest majority-Black cities, which is in the midst of its own revival, and aims to offer educational opportunities, especially for the African American community.

It’s unique because of the school’s format and the prospect it could become the nation’s only HBCU to close and then reopen.

Leading the school’s renaissance is D’Wayne Edwards, one of the first Black individuals nationally to design athletic shoes. He is operating with the financial support of Detroit investors and philanthropists, Dan and Jennifer Gilbert, through the Gilbert Family Foundation, along with Target and other corporations that are partnering with the school to make tuition free for students.

It is temporarily operating under the auspices of Detroit’s College for Creative Studies until the federal government recognizes it as one of the nation’s 100 HBCUs . The school needs to grant degrees before it becomes an HBCU so Edwards, the college’s president, has been working with leaders in Detroit, Lansing, and Washington, D.C., to get the designation.

For now, the Pensole Lewis College is focusing on training diverse students in design through a model Edwards created and used at PENSOLE Design Academy, a Portland, Oregon-based education institution for 12 years.

Many institutions offer an education in fashion design, said Edwards. But few offer training in performance and functional footwear and apparel design like the Pensole Lewis College does.

His model also differs by working directly with industry leaders to help create intensive training known as “master classes” for students to learn the culture of the company and become a pipeline of workers, Edwards said. The companies co-create the curriculum and pay the $13,500 tuition of each student and the lodging for those who come to the college from outside Metro Detroit.

“Our curriculum is designed the way kids would work at a company,” Edwards said. “The way that we teach is the way that they will work. Our environment is more like a design studio environment, less like an educational environment.”

At the end of the master classes, the students often will secure internships and jobs with the company that sponsors the training because company officials have spent more time with prospective workers beyond traditional interviews that are more limited, Edwards said. The companies are also looking for diverse talent.

“You could look at it as a six- to 12-week job interview,” Edwards said. “The company is able to see the work habits, they are able to get more of a glimpse of the whole person. All of our programming is geared toward kids getting jobs.”

Students come from afar

Eleven students from Detroit and 19 others from across the country participated in the inaugural Pensole Lewis College master class.

Classes are being held in the Icon Building along the Detroit River until a permanent location can be found. In the evening, students continue their work at the College for Creative Studies’ A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education on Milwaukee Avenue in Detroit.

The first class was sponsored by Carhartt with a focus on footwear and clothing design. Other brands that are expected to sponsor master classes in the future include top footwear brands such as Nike, Jordan, Adidas, New Balance, Timberland, Vans, and Asics, along with apparel companies such as North Face and J.Crew, Edwards said.

The students from outside Michigan came from places such as the Caribbean, Canada, and England, and stayed at the Hotel St. Regis Detroit in the New Center neighborhood during the five-week course. While the class included five women, most of the students were African American men.

Among them was Detroit resident Trevon Fleming who has been wanting to attend Pensole since he saw the academy on social media in 2014 when it was operating in Portland, and he was studying clothing design while attending a now-defunct art institute in Novi.

When he heard that PENSOLE was relocating to Michigan, he applied and got accepted. He said learned from elite designers and teachers about designing functional workwear shoes during the five-week class.

“My opportunities now are limitless,” said Fleming, 29, a freelance designer. “This is going to be a brand new journey, a brand new outlook for the city.”

For Carhartt, the company’s involvement was natural since it started a design project with Edwards at the Portland school, said Ben Ewy, the brand’s vice president of global product design, research and development.

“We were so impressed with the work they did, when we heard they were going to be restarting the Lewis College, now the Pensole Lewis College, we said we have to be involved,” Ewy said. “We believe in them and their mission.”

‘Changed family lives’

The leaders behind the Pensole Lewis College had similar paths.

Violet Lewis, a native of Ohio, founded the original college in 1928 in Indianapolis because she wanted to create a place where students, particularly Black women, could get a high-quality business education because opportunities were lacking. She eventually closed the Indianapolis school after opening the Detroit campus of the Lewis College of Business in Midtown in 1939.

The Lewis College of Business originally offered Black women courses in secretarial skills but expanded course offerings and became an accredited junior college and served as a pipeline for students to find jobs working for auto companies. The federal government designated the school an HBCU in 1987 and was one of three HBCUs founded by a woman. But the college closed in 2013 because of a lack of funding, Edwards said.

“When the Lewis College first began, there were few very, very few Black secretaries and very, very few Black accountants,” said Violet Ponders, Lewis’ granddaughter who also worked for the college beginning in 1976 and served in many roles including as one of the last interim presidents.

“It was created to serve that need for businesses,” said Ponders, “but it was also created to provide training, which then provided a source of income, then changed family lives.”

Edwards long wanted to work in design when he was growing up in Inglewood, California, southwest of Los Angeles, as the youngest of six children raised by a single mother.

He discovered he had a gift to draw when he was 10 and considered a path as an artist but then discovered design, particularly sneaker design.

“Growing up in the 80s, with no Google or Instagram or social media, I couldn’t find other people who looked like me who did it,” Edwards said.

He didn’t go to college because he couldn’t afford it and didn’t know where to go. He graduated from high school, worked for a temporary service and then as a file clerk at LA Gear. He tried to get a design job, but they told him he needed a college degree.

LA Gear had suggestion boxes throughout the office, and Edwards started putting sketches in the boxes every day of athletic shoes. Six months later, the owner of the company called him into his office and offered him a design job. He was 19.

He discovered a few years later that he was the second Black footwear designer in the industry. He began working at Nike in 2000 as the design director for the Michael Jordan brand; he started getting emails from young people with sketches and questions about how to become a footwear designer.

He started guiding these young people and created a competition at Nike, Future Sole, to identify young people with talent who didn’t have a chance to go to college. Over four years, close to 800,000 young people wanted to be part of the program.

Edwards wanted to do more of that work, so he left his shoe designer position in 2011. He created his model of teaching product design and started teaching with 41 students from around the globe. The University of Oregon hosted the course.

“There were 800,000 kids who were just like me when I was young and growing up in Inglewood who wanted to design sneakers,” Edwards said.

He partnered with ArtCenter in California, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design in New York and taught his program to prove the concept, Edwards said. Eventually, he started his own academy in downtown Portland and began partnering with top brands in the region.

CCS President Donald Tuski met Edwards while he served as president of the Pacific Northwest College of Art and spoke with him about relocating to Detroit.

“He was doing something very special,” Tuski said. “When I see something that is really important, that works, that helps students fulfill their dreams of becoming a designer, it made sense for me to stay in contact with D’Wayne.”

The collaboration with CCS was also important, Tuski said, because in order for the Pensole Lewis College to be an HBCU, the school needs to grant degrees. For now, CCS is the accredited institution under which Pensole Lewis College is operating. But the goal is for the school to eventually be operating on its own, he said.

Another who worked to persuade Lewis to move his design education model to Detroit was Allen Largin, creative and innovation director at Rock Ventures in Detroit.

Largin met Edwards when he was a Brighton High School sophomore and won the Nike competition that Edwards created to identify young talent. He kept in touch with Edwards over the years as he began a career in footwear design, then landed in his current position. Dan Gilbert — founder and chairman of Rocket Cos., which owns Rock Ventures — encouraged Largin to convince Edwards to move PENSOLE to Detroit.

Largin said he sent articles to Edwards to show him things were happening in Detroit. But he didn’t get any movement until the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, after which companies began pledging money to Black communities. Largin suggested that Gilbert’s Rock families of companies match another founding partner’s pledge to give Edwards the resources he needed to reopen the Lewis College of Business, and bring in the College for Creative Studies and get the blessing of the Lewis family.

“It was a perfect storm of everything coming together,” Largin said.

What pushed Edwards over the edge was when Largin mentioned the closed HBCU in Detroit. Edwards said he went online and read all the articles he could find about the college and the story behind Lewis finding the school and moving it to Detroit.

“It really resonated with me because we had a lot of similarities with trying to start our own school,” Edwards said.

He also read how Lewis’ family had unsuccessfully tried to reopen the school. Lewis got the family’s support in reviving the school.

He discussed the idea with Tuski to bring the Lewis College back as a design-focused HBCU because the nation’s other HBCUs have focused on business, law, engineering and other fields.

“Detroit is one of the most creative cities in America,” Edwards said. “On top of that, being one of the cities with the highest black population in America, it just felt like it had to be here.”

‘A real beacon’

Laura Grannemann, executive director of the Gilbert Family Foundation, said the foundation has been working with Edwards for a couple of years to bring what she described as an “innovative” and “internationally renowned” program to Detroit to support local institutions, and bring back an HBCU.

As one of the two founding partners of the Pensole Lewis College, along with Target, the Gilbert Family Foundation hopes to attract other philanthropic and private partners. Grannemann said the details of the financial commitment are still being worked out but said it would be at least a five-year financial commitment to ensure Edwards could scale the program to bring in as many students as possible.

The program is aiming to draw upward of 800 students a year eventually, according to Grannemann.

“It’s a different model to get students critical access to education and get students on a pathway to direct job opportunities across the country,” she said. “Our hope is hundreds of thousands will take advantage of these educational opportunities. … We think this can be a real beacon for the city of Detroit.”

The Pensole Lewis College will host the master classes for the next year and a half under the College of Creative Studies, Lewis said. It will also offer associate degrees, planned for fall 2023, when the Pensole Lewis College hopes to receive federal recognition as the only HBCU in Michigan.

In December, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation to pave the way for the HBCU recognition.

U.S. Department of Education officials didn’t offer a timeline for a decision. But the secretary of education would approve the designation, which makes a school eligible for federal funding.

When the Pensole Lewis School gets HBCU recognition, federal law requires it be a junior or community college or offer an educational pathway to a bachelor’s degree. It also must be accredited or pre-accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association.

The Pensole Lewis College will be offering associate degrees in product design, business and eventually in manufacturing, Edwards said.

Edwards is planning a community open house to see the space where students are taking masterclasses inside the Icon Building on Sept. 25, the same day that Lewis opened the original school in 1928.

“We want to do it differently,” Edwards said. “It’s not about a kid coming here to earn a degree. It’s about a kid acquiring the knowledge they need to get a job. Our goal is to partner with industry to become that pipeline.”

View the original article.

Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton eligible for 2025 Ryder Cup despite joining LIV Golf

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, both members of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Marco Simone last fall, are still eligible for the 2025 team at Bethpage Black under the DP World Tour’s current guidelines. The pair left for LIV Golf earlier this year but have a pathway to be on the team, DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings told reporters .

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The newly appointed Kinnings dispelled previous concerns — which were even voiced by Rory McIlroy — that Rahm and Hatton’s defections to LIV Golf might prevent them from representing Europe in Long Island, N.Y., next year.

Rahm and Hatton must simply remain DP World Tour members to be eligible for the Ryder Cup, Kinnings said. That means the pair will incur fines every time they tee it up in a LIV Golf event, but if they pay those penalties and play in the minimum number of DP World Tour events each calendar year to retain membership (four), they can still be on the team.

“I think there’s been a slight misconception because the reality is, under the current rules, if a player is European, and is a member of the DP World Tour, and abides by the rules as they currently are — so if you don’t get a release and you accept the sanctions — there is no reason why players who’ve taken LIV membership and maintained DP World Tour membership, could not a) qualify and or b) be available to for selection,” the CEO said.

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The change from 2022

Rahm and Hatton’s eligibility situation is in direct contrast with that of several other LIV players who chose to withdraw their DP World Tour membership last year. Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia resigned from the tour last year, effectively ending their Ryder Cup careers to avoid paying large fines. Meanwhile, Rahm and Hatton (and other European LIV members such as Adrian Meronk and Thomas Pieters) have kept their memberships.

According to The Telegraph’s James Corrigan , Kinnings consulted the DP World Tour rules department to ensure that Rahm and Hatton could play in the four required events while also serving their LIV-related penalties. Since LIV Golf plays 14 events each year, Rahm and Hatton need to serve a 14-week ban to carry out their suspensions. But instead of serving those suspensions at the end of the LIV season, Rahm and Hatton can serve them whenever LIV has an off-week but the DP World Tour does not, as revealed by Kinnings. As long as both players pay the appropriate fines — which will likely total more than $1 million each — they will be eligible to either qualify for or be selected for the European Ryder Cup team.

“It’s not a loophole,” Kinnings said. “Rules are for all of the membership and it’s important for people to know how those apply and they apply to every member.”

What are the future implications?

Not every player will want to battle constant fines and suspensions to maintain their Ryder Cup eligibility, but the news reveals that joining LIV Golf doesn’t necessarily prevent pros from teeing it up in the biennial match-play event on either side — LIV’s Brooks Koepka made the United States team last year.

Although the Ryder Cup requirements were not changed, Kinnings was willing to read between the lines of the DP World Tour rules to ensure Rahm and Hatton have a pathway to Luke Donald’s 2025 team. That effort is noteworthy as the professional game continues to operate in a fractured system, and the road to unification remains murky.

Rahm and Hatton were critical parts of Donald’s plan at Marco Simone — Hatton was 3-0-1 and Rahm 2-0-2. The duo played together in foursomes twice, winning the first match of the Ryder Cup and halving their Saturday game.

Required reading

• What Jon Rahm’s shocking move to LIV means for golf’s future

(Photo: Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images)

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Gabby Herzig is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering golf. Before joining The Athletic, she worked as a breaking news writer for Sports Illustrated’s golf vertical and a contributing editor at Golf Digest. She is a graduate of Pomona College, where she captained the varsity women’s golf team.