Are you going? HBCU Week lands again in Wilmington with events, outreach: Education roundup
Block parties, concerts, Battle of the Bands, a social justice discussion, a 5K run, thousands in scholarships, hundreds of students packing the Chase Fieldhouse — Wilmington needs to gear up for this HBCU Week.
The foundation and its stacked events for this week aim to teach more Delaware students about opportunities at historically Black colleges and universities and get them excited to reach for higher education. It all started Sunday.
In this roundup, we'll catch you up on this and other education updates you may have missed.
[ Did we miss another good education story? Tell me about it: kepowers@gannett.com. ]
HBCU Week begins in Wilmington
The seventh annual HBCU Week in Wilmington kicks off this week, with everything from concerts and block parties to a 5K run and Battle of the Bands.
The official HBCU College Fair will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22, at the Chase Fieldhouse. Some 25 historically Black colleges and universities are expected to take part, with firsthand stories, information and scholarship opportunities. Online registration is available.
Ashley Christopher, a double HBCU alumna herself, is the founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, started in 2017, seeking to encourage enrollment and “sustain a pipeline of employment from undergraduate school to corporate America,” according to her website. With over 6,000 acceptances offered, over $50 million in scholarships secured, the foundation says it looks to expose high school students to the history and legacies of HBCUs.
The same energy is coming to Delaware's largest city.
Learn more about events to expect, online.
Last week ICYMI: UD sees record applications for a 5th year. Freshman class gets smaller: Education roundup
Newark teen's earthquake innovation lands $10K scholarship
A 17-year-old attending the Charter School of Wilmington just won $10,000 in scholarship funds earlier this month.
Suraj Reddy was recognized for his project that "theorized and designed a novel metamaterial that can enhance seismic resistance in common construction materials," according to the Davidson Fellows Scholarship Program. In other words, the Newark teen designed a material that could help make wood or steel more resistant to the impact of earthquakes.
He's one of 21 students across the country to land the honor.
"This fellowship is a motivating experience that enhances my desire for innovation and impact," the high school senior said in a press release. "I hope that I can use this new opportunity to inspire my peers around me to take their own innovative ideas to fruition.”
In the future, Reddy hopes to work in energy and aerospace startups. This summer, he used "advanced computer simulations and additive manufacturing techniques" to test a special geometric design that ultimately showed "outstanding seismic resistance." The fellowship said this project offers potential for immediate, low-cost and scalable applications in areas prone to catastrophic earthquakes.
All of this year's fellows will be honored at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The Davidson Fellows Scholarship has provided more than $9.4 million in scholarship funds to 428 students since its inception in 2001.
“The innovations and new thinking added by each class of Fellows serve as an inspiration for future scholars to apply novel technologies and groundbreaking ideas to solve the world’s most difficult problems,” Bob Davidson, founder of the Davidson Institute, said in a statement.
New home for graduation: After controversial arrest, Christina schools move graduation from University of Delaware
New executive director takes over Delaware Law Related Education Center
DELREC just got new leadership as the new school year starts to take shape.
New Executive Director Betsy Renzo heads the center after graduating from Temple’s Beasley School of Law and Sandford University’s Graduate School of Education; serving as a federal law clerk; practicing family law; working with Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP and with the Defender Association of Philadelphia — and carrying seven years’ experience as a classroom teacher in the region.
"I don’t think we could have designed a person with a better background to meet and fulfill DELREC’s mission,” said Daniel Attaway, the board of trustees president announcing a selection in late August.
Wilmington campus: Delaware Tech catches up on lost time with renovations aimed to support a future workforce
That mission has been to assist Delaware schools on any and all law-related education initiatives, according to the center — perhaps best known for running the Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition, Project Citizen and the “We the People” competition.
DELREC said Renzo is taking over "as the organization is embarking on a new mission to assist the Delaware Judiciary in its efforts to improve the overall diversity of the Delaware Bar and Bench," focusing in part on better outreach to area schools about careers in law.
"We need every student to know that their voice matters, that they are included in the conversations, and that they have the tools and knowledge to advocate for what they want and need," she said.
Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: HBCU Week to land in Wilmington with events and outreach
