LAURINBURG – Byron Revels knows that some parents are unable to tour college campus with their children, so he is bringing schools to them.

Revels, a Laurinburg native and 1995 graduate of Scotland High, has organized a college fair that includes all 11 of North Carolina’s historically black colleges and universities or HBCUs. The fair will take place Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Highlands Building at 17160 Plant Road.

“Not all parents can take their students three hours away to a school. They don’t have the funds or the time. And it’s wise to have a few choices, so then you’re talking about two or three trips,” said Revels, a truck driver, who attended an HBCU himself.

Though the colleges are all considered historically black colleges and university, Revels said the fair is open to everyone. Although the schools were established to serve black students, HBCUs have long enrolled students of all races and ethnicities – a trend that has become more prevalent over the years. The percentage of HBCU students who were either white, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander, or Native American was 17 percent in 2015, up from 13 percent in 1980, according to the Pew Research Center.

“Here is a chance for people to come out regardless of age, race, sex or religious background. Everyone should be able to come out and see what campuses are there for them,” he said.

The idea to put the event together grew out of a suggestion by a former mentor when Revels was a student at Winston-Salem State University. Revel’s former choir director suggested that he combine a choir concert with a college fair. He didn’t do it at the time, but revisited the idea later adding the HBCU component.

“The idea came back up, and I thought about it for a while and decided to have the HBCUs because I had never seen that done,” Revels said. “A lot of the time when you have a collage fair historically black colleges don’t always show up, or if they do, they’re overshadowed by larger colleges like UNC or Duke. And they sometimes don’t have the budget to promote themselves.”

He hopes the event will give students of all ages, races and walks of life an idea of what these colleges have to offer. Revels wants as many members to the community as possible to come because even if they are not interested in college themselves they can pass the information along to someone else who might need it.

There will be financial aid officers on hand to give those interested an idea of what kind of assistance might be available to them.

Revels reached out to the school systems in Scotland, Robeson, Richmond, Hoke, Marlboro, Moore and Cumberland counties hoping to attract students to consider a college they may have failed to considered.

He has gotten responses and positive feedback from several school systems and others in the community.

“Marlboro County is bringing some students. Hoke County will be there, and Cumberland will send some students,” he said.

Revels is making plans to bring the event to Fayetteville and Charlotte and hopes that his momentum will grow.

Representatives will be on hand from Shaw, North Carolina Central, and St. Augustine’s Universities in Raleigh, Winston-Salem State University, North Carolina A&T University and Bennett College in Greensboro, Elizabeth City State University, Johnson C. Smith College in Charlotte, Barber Scotia College in Concord, Livingstone College in Salisbury and Fayetteville State University.

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By Beth Lawrence

Staff reporter

Reach Beth Lawrence 910-506-3169