“I was able to flourish in a way I had not thought possible before,” said Roberson, a Kannapolis, N.C., native who attended North Carolina Central in Durham and now teaches world and U.S. history at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne.

The HBCU experience encouraged her and other members of Fort Wayne’s Iota Chi Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority to organize an HBCU College Fair for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Turner Chapel AME Church, 836 E. Jefferson Blvd.

Attending an HBCU surrounds a student with African-American history and culture and a highly supportive atmosphere he or she may not get at other colleges and universities, said Roberson, chair of the local sorority’s Target I Education Enrichment Committee, which organized the college fair.

Local AKA sorority members also believe many students here may not know about HBCUs, so they wanted to bring information about them to students, she said. HBCU schools were founded at a time when African-American students couldn’t attend colleges serving white students.

Sorority members contacted the more than 100 HBCUs from around the country to invite them to send a representative or information to the college fair, and at least 20 schools will be represented in person or with information, Roberson said.

Sorority members geared the event for students in their early years of high school, but younger and older students are welcome to attend, she said.

Along with finding out more about HBCUs, students and parents also can learn about financial aid opportunities, Roberson said.

HBCU College Fair

WHAT: Fort Wayne’s Iota Chi Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will hold an HBCU College Fair to provide students and families with information about Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

WHEN: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Turner Chapel AME Church, 836 E. Jefferson Blvd.

SCHEDULE

Sessions planned during the college fair include:

10 a.m.: HBCU Defined

10:30 a.m.: Divine Nine

11 a.m.: Achievement

11:30 a.m.: Self-Awareness

Noon: Communication

12:30 p.m.: Engagement

1 p.m.: Networking

1:30 p.m.: Developmental Skills