Elgin Community College recently had universities recognized for their status as colleges and universities of color happening all at once in the month of September. September is the month typically students looking to transfer from community colleges like ECC end up finding the college to finish their degrees. This is because applications for acceptance typically need to be sent in the month of December. ECC had a few events to assist with helping students with this process of finding the right college for students to finish their degrees.

One event for the month in September was the Latinx event. Students received more information about colleges and universities labeled as Hispanic Serving Institutions. HSI colleges and universities include the University of Illinois at Chicago, Aurora University, Northeastern University, and a few others. These were just a few with representatives from each college to provide information about HSI colleges to students who wanted that information.

The other event ECC is having in the month of September is the Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCU fair. This was their third year having the HBCU fair for students of color at ECC. The HBCU fair had over a dozen colleges and universities represented to give information to students who wanted to attend at one of these colleges or universities. This event brings information about certain resources available at the represented colleges and universities at the HBCU fair Saturday, Sept. 28.

ECC having these events in the month of September sparked some curiosity about why ECC would want to have these events promoting diverse colleges for students of color all in the same month. A few reasons came to mind but assisting with this article to get the facts is Amybeth Maurer, the Director of First-year programs and Student Life here at ECC. She was willing to talk with me about these questions and more.

“The main reason behind having the Latinx event during the month of September was because the month is a national Hispanic month,” Maurer said. “We wanted to showcase what colleges and universities can offer to students.”

ECC invited colleges and universities that could offer students who are interested in them some more knowledge about the school’s culture, environment, and how they may help financially as well.

ECC students may not be aware of these colleges and universities that offer these great resources for Hispanic and Latino students. This was another reason the ECC administration wanted to get as many colleges and universities to the campus as possible to help make more students at ECC aware.

ECC administration had the same reasons for having the HBCU fair at the campus as well. ECC housed last Saturday, Sept. 28, historically black colleges and universities which many students very well could transfer to.

“The other reason we wanted to have the HBCU fair at the end of September this year was because of the college fair happening at the beginning of October,” Maurer said. “The HBCU fair will get these colleges and universities on student’s radars and give them more insight going into the college fair the next week.”

This is ECC’s third HBCU fair and attendance of students every year getting more information about these colleges and universities has been increasing steadily.

These events are to create an understanding of what they can offer to students. The resources they can provide in terms of financial support, the culture of these schools, the environment of whether they’re in the city or in a small town and students’ own responses from transferring to the college or university. It’s important to go to a college or university that offers not just great academics but offers a student life that will make you feel safe and welcome. ECC administration brings these events before admissions start rolling out from these colleges and universities to give students a chance to see what is out there and more from them.