TAMPA, Fla. — Getting a higher education plays a major role in opening up career opportunities and higher salaries. More African American and Hispanic men are enrolling in colleges and universities than ever before, but their college graduation rates continue to lag behind.
To combat this issue, Hillsborough Community College is throwing a four-day event called the Black, Brown and College Bound Summit.
The event is meant to encourage and inspire men of color to pursue higher education and get a degree. The hundreds of young men attending the summit will hear from speakers such as former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, New York Times bestselling author Ibram X. Kendi and keynote speaker is Emmitt Smith, an NFL Hall of Famer.
“I am very excited. I mean, I looked at the schedule deeply and I just love keynotes,” said Steve Emile, a student at HCC studying computer science.
“I view it as a networking opportunity. You know, like I said, I was clearly inspired by Congressman Castro and the other thought leaders there. And you know, I feel like I’ll be in an environment where I belong,” said Getulio Gonzalez – Mulattieri, a student at HCC studying philosophy and sociology.
This is the 15th year HCC has hosted the Black, Brown and College Bound Summit. The event started Wednesday and will go on until Saturday.
