About HBCU Twin Cities
HBCU connections already run deep in Minnesota. In 2027, we’re bringing students, families, institutions and alumni together to carry that story forward.
The event overview
The HBCU Twin Cities College, Career & Culture Summit takes place February 19–20, 2027, during Black History Month. Presented by Urban Youth Conservation, The Urban Conservation and We Educate Brilliant Minds, it brings HBCU exploration and college planning closer to Minnesota students and their families.
Proudly hosted by NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center
Founding Community Host Partner · Supporting access to HBCU education, opportunity, and community connections in Minnesota.
Friday · February 19 · 9 AM–5 PM CST
Designed for high school juniors and seniors and the educators who support them. The proposed program combines HBCU introductions, application readiness, scholarship guidance, alumni stories and college culture.
Saturday · February 20 · 9 AM–2 PM CST
Students, families, alumni and community members come together for a college fair, application support, Parent Academy, career exploration, athletics and HBCU Culture Live.
Students and families attend the daytime summit free. The alumni reception is Friday, February 19, from 5–8 PM CST. All times are Central. Participating institutions and final sessions will be announced as they are confirmed.
Adults seeking a second chance in education can explore the Reentry Scholars Program through the Second Chance Leadership Initiative™, grounded in SAFE. ALIVE. FREE.™. The focus is reentry, higher education, workforce development, leadership and community reintegration.
Friday, February 19 · 3–5 PM CST
Saturday, February 20 · Noon–2 PM CST
NorthPoint Conference Center
1256 Penn Avenue North, Suite 5200
Minneapolis, MN 55411
HBCU roots, Minnesota connections
Historically Black colleges and universities were established before 1964 with a central mission of educating Black Americans. They expanded access to higher education in an era of legal segregation, creating a legacy of learning, leadership and community. Read the NCES history and definition.
Here in Minnesota, that legacy is visible through graduates, mentors, families and organizations connecting young people with HBCU opportunities. The local story includes alumni fellowship, college fairs, student send-offs and campus tours—and the people who keep those connections alive.
MN HBCU Alumni traces its beginnings to Twin Cities graduates seeking one another out. Its story describes more than twenty years of connection and a renewed alumni gathering in November 2022.
MN HBCU Alumni reports participating in six college fairs, hosting an HBCU panel and HBCU Night with the Minnesota Twins, and launching a student send-off welcoming more than 25 incoming and current students.
Achieve Twin Cities documented the annual Thinking Career and College Early Fair at Harding High School. With Saint Paul Public Schools and PROCEED, it connected grades 6–12 and their families with more than 70 college and career organizations, including HBCU representatives.
Urban League Twin Cities’ Black Gems program combines college and career preparation with guided HBCU tours. These efforts show how exposure, preparation and mentorship can work together.
These examples document Minnesota’s broader HBCU connections; they are not previous editions of this summit or announcements of 2027 partnerships.
Back in Minnesota · Forward together
The excitement behind 2027 is the opportunity to turn renewed HBCU connections into real next steps for Minnesota students. Our invitation to HBCUs is to meet the next generation, reconnect with local alumni and help families see what an HBCU future can look like.
Introduce Minnesota students to academic programs, campus life and admissions pathways—and give them space to ask their own questions.
Bring institutions, alumni, educators and families into the same conversation. Make the distance between Minnesota and an HBCU campus feel more manageable.
Pair the energy of HBCU culture with practical conversations about applications, affordability, careers and follow-up after the weekend.
This is the organizers’ vision for the return of HBCU engagement in 2027. Participating colleges and their own messages will be shared as they are confirmed.