TOWSON, MD—The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools has announced that 40 book scholarships of $500 each will be awarded to high school seniors who participate in the fourth annual BCPS-HBCU Virtual College Fair.

The online fair will be held Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and feature 41 colleges and universities (all but one of them are historically Black colleges and universities). BCPS students in attendance at the fair will have the opportunity to apply for one of the scholarships. The application can be found on Naviance, and more information can be found on the BCPS HBCU College Planning Resource.

“In total, $20,000 in scholarships will be made available through our RISE for a Brighter Future campaign,” said Deborah S. Phelps, the foundation’s executive director. “RISE stands for ‘Relief in Securing Education’ and represents the combined efforts of area businesses, organizations, and individuals to provide additional support to students during this challenging time.”

BCPS students planning to participate in this year’s annual BCPS-HBCU Virtual College Fair can now register officially via a one-click registration link. The link also enables access for participants to the college fair. A second link gives students access to a survey through which they can choose if they want to be considered for instant admissions and by which schools.

All participating students are encouraged to complete the Common Black College Application (CBCA) prior to the fair. Pre-application is encouraged to receive virtual decisions from HBCUs. Many of the attending HBCUs will offer instant admission opportunities during their breakout groups. Seniors who complete the CBCA can apply to all 58 participating HBCUs, at once, for a flat fee of $20.

The BCPS-HBCU College Fair, which was founded and hosted by Milford Mill Academy for its first three years, has evolved into a school system initiative in its fourth year. This year, the BCPS Department of Student Support Services is partnering with Milford Mill Academy to host the fair.

Students who apply in advance will have the opportunity to join multiple one-on-one sessions for admissions decisions.

The following colleges are committed to participating:

Alabama State University

Alcorn State University (offering instant admissions)

Arkansas Baptist College (offering instant admissions)

Benedict College

Bennett College

Bethune-Cookman University (offering instant admissions)

Bowie State University (offering instant admissions)

Central State University (offering instant admissions)

Cheyney University (offering instant admissions)

Claflin University

Coppin State University

Delaware State University (offering instant admissions)

Dillard University

Elizabeth City State University

Fisk University

Fort Valley State University

Hampton University

Harris-Stowe State University (offering instant admissions)

Johnson C. Smith University

LeMoyne University (offering instant admissions)

Lincoln University (MO) (offering instant admissions)

Lincoln University (PA) (offering instant admissions)

Livingstone College (offering instant admissions)

Mississippi Valley State University

Morehouse College

Morgan State University (offering instant admissions)

Norfolk State University

Paine College (offering instant admissions)

Prairie View A&M University

Savannah State University

Shaw College

Spelman College

Talladega College (offering instant admissions)

Tennessee State University

Tougaloo College (offering instant admissions)

Tuskegee University

University of Maryland, Eastern Shore (offering instant admissions)

Virginia Commonwealth University (not an HBCU)

Virginia State University (offering instant admissions)

Vorhees College (offering instant admissions)

West Virginia State University (offering instant admissions)