CANTON, Ohio — Zada Johnson is a senior at McKinley High School in Canton. She was at the College Fair on Thursday to learn more about the application process and is glad it’s right next door to her school.
What You Need To Know
- The Pro Football Hall of Fame held a college fair during their Black College Football Hall of Fame Weekend
- Students met with dozens of colleges and universities
- Many historically black colleges and universities were also represented
The College Fair is a part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 3rd annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic Weekend, which runs through Sunday.
“I wish this would have come around my freshman year so I would have had, like, more ideas but it’s good that we get to have a fair like this because not many schools have this opportunity,” Johnson said.
She’s one of more than 1,000 students who attended, with 50 colleges and universities there to answer questions. More than 20 of those schools are Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Johnson said the University of Cincinnati caught her eye.
“They gave me scholarship opportunities, they have a good nursing program. That’s what I want to major in,” Johnson said.
Her classmate, Bri’rell Pinckney, said he already has a scholarship lined up at Ohio State University. But he’s looking at some HBCUs as a backup. He took advantage that Ohio State had a table here.
“I just thought I never had the opportunity to talk to them or connect with them one-on-one,” Pinkney said.
Johnson said this beats a virtual application.
“Sometimes online, they don’t get back to you as soon as you want them to and seeing them face-to-face is better and then they give you their social media accounts, which also helps,” Johnson said.
