This week, HBCU Pride Meets Detroit Promise.
On Wednesday, October 29, 500 Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) seniors will gather at Michigan Central for the UNCF Empower Me Tour — a national event that brings the HBCU experience directly to students through college access, culture, and community. The Detroit stop, presented in collaboration with UNCF, Ford Philanthropy, and the DPSCD Foundation, is dedicated exclusively to DPSCD students.
“When opportunity meets access, transformation follows,” said Kerrie Mitchell Campbell-Mabins, President and CEO of the Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation. “We’re proud to be part of this powerful collaboration with UNCF and Ford Philanthropy to bring the HBCU experience directly to our students. This event gives them visibility, connection, and confidence, and that’s what can change a student’s trajectory.”
The DPSCD Foundation helped make this opportunity possible by facilitating the partnership that brought the Empower Me Tour to Detroit and funding transportation for all participating students. Through the Foundation’s support, seniors from each of the District’s 23 standard high schools will have the means to attend — ensuring representation from every school and removing barriers that might have otherwise limited participation.
Throughout the day, students will meet HBCU recruiters, explore scholarship and financial aid opportunities, and take part in on-site admissions interviews with the chance to earn immediate college acceptances or scholarships. They’ll also hear from dynamic speakers and industry leaders who have walked in their shoes, including several proud DPSCD alumni such as Justin Kimpson (Cass Tech) and Teia Wallington (Cass Tech).
For many students, traditional college tours can be out of reach. The Empower Me Tour removes that barrier by bringing a network of HBCUs directly to Detroit. By connecting with multiple universities in one day, students can explore academic pathways, ask questions, and imagine themselves on campuses that have shaped generations of Black excellence.
The Power and Legacy of HBCUs
For more than a century, HBCUs have stood as beacons of achievement, community, and culture, producing generations of scholars, innovators, and leaders who have defined excellence in every field. These institutions are not only places of higher learning but also spaces of belonging — where students are seen, supported, and celebrated for who they are.
For Detroit students, the chance to experience HBCU culture is an introduction to legacy. It’s a moment of reflection and pride, a bridge between who they are and who they can become. It opens doors to possibility, showing that their roots and brilliance are part of a larger story of resilience and success.
The Empower Me Tour is more than a college event. It’s a reflection of what’s possible when partners unite to invest in Detroit students. By helping bring this national experience home — and ensuring students have the means to fully participate — the DPSCD Foundation continues to advance its mission to remove barriers, open doors, and create lasting pathways for success.
To learn more about how the DPSCD Foundation supports transformative opportunities for students, visit www.dpscdfoundation.org
