USNA Cultural Collaborator and parent volunteer Ashley L. Upkins shares her take on USN hosting hundreds of parents and students for the 2023 Nashville HBCU Fair.
By Ashley L. Upkins, USNA Cultural Collaborator
The Nashville Historically Black College and University Fair was a huge success. The fair was hosted by University School on Saturday, August 26, 2023 in partnership Father Ryan High School and Franklin Road Academy. Hundreds of parents and students from local public, private, and charter high schools meet with representatives from Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Spelman College, Morehouse College, Tougaloo University, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, to name a few.
While students were given the opportunity to visit HBCU interest tables, parents had the delightful opportunity to hear from Tim Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown, the charismatic and entertaining authors of "The Guide to College for Black Families.”
Jason D. Hamilton Sr., Founder and President of FinAide app, empowered the families by providing an informative and in-depth presentation on the college financial aid process and upcoming changes to financial aid policies.
Food truck vendors like “Roasted” were on-site throughout the day. A special thank you to the event volunteers, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Harpeth Hall, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, and USN’s Director of Diversity and Community Life Roderick White and Director of College Counseling Aaron Fulk for their amazing commitment to making the fair a success.
The senior has been awarded one of the most highly selective merit scholarships in the nation, making it two consecutive years that University of Virginia has selected a USN student for a full ride covering the cost of instruction, housing, and meals.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.