Bellevue College Information Night Aimed at Black and African-American Families

Bellevue College is hosting a College Information Night aimed to encouraging Black and African-American students and their families to consider higher education at the college.

Bellevue College and the Bellevue School District will host the College Information Night which will cover a range of topics, with presentations about admissions, financial aid, academics, college life, and more. James Bible, president of the Seattle King County NAACP, will be the featured speaker. 

This information session follows a similar event held earlier this year for Latino students and their families, according to the college.

According to Bellevue College's own demographics, about 7.2 percent of its students were African-American in the 2010-11 school year.

“This kind of outreach is extremely helpful in communicating to students of color that college is a realistic and attainable goal. It’s about trying to dismantle institutional and individual barriers that stand in their way. We also want our college to reflect the communities that we serve, and making sure that college is accessible to all is something we take very seriously,” said Yoshiko Harden, vice president of diversity at BC in a prepared statement.

“For families, they will be able to learn more about the quality of education their son or daughter will receive at BC. And for the students, being on campus will help them picture themselves as college students one day,” said Henry Amaya of BC’s Multicultural Services office, who is helping to organize the event, in a prepared statement.

If you go

WHAT: Black/African-American Family College Information Night, sponsored by Bellevue College’s Multicultural Services and Office of Equity and Pluralism, together with the Bellevue School District.

WHERE: Cafeteria of the Jean Sarto Floten Student Union (C) building on the BC campus, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE in Bellevue.

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 11; 6 to 8:30 p.m.

WHO: Students in middle school and high school, along with their families; free childcare will be available for families with children, and a free dinner will be served to everyone who attends.