Shelton State and Stillman College to Co-Host HBCU Week Events September 5-8

September 1, 2023 – In cooperation with Stillman College, Shelton State Community College will celebrate HBCU Week September 5-8, 2023, with a full calendar of activities “celebrating rich history and embracing education.”  For a complete listing of all planned celebrations, visit HBCU Week 2023.

Shelton State was designated a Historically Black College and University in 1976.  It is one of six Historically Black Community Colleges in Alabama and shares this distinction with Stillman College.  Co-hosting events together for the first time, leadership at both institutions is excited about this cooperative venture.

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were established to offer higher education to African American students, but there is so much more,” stated Anika Lodree, Dean of Shelton State’s Fredd Campus.  “HBCUs embrace education by providing students with a well-balanced curriculum, a nurturing learning environment, and creating spaces for students to feel a sense of belonging, interact, and build lifelong relationships.  We feel that the events of HBCU Week and the cooperative spirit between our Colleges reflect these attributes.”

HBCU Week, designated by President Jimmy Carter in 1980 to be held on the second week of September, is a time to honor and reflect on the history of the nation’s historically Black institutions.  HBCUs account for 25% of all African American science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees and 14% of African American engineering degrees.  Non-Black students make up 24% of enrollment at HBCUs, according to research by the National Center for Education Statistics.  With 14 total HBCUs, Alabama is home to more historically Black institutions than any other state.

All HBCU week events are free and open to the public.

Visit sheltonstate.edu to learn more or apply.