Walk, run, cycle or dance to help students of color in Houston with United Negro College Fund
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- ABC13 invites you to get moving in support of students of color at the United Negro College Fund's Virtual Walk for Education.
On Saturday, Sept. 19, UNCF is challenging Houstonians to walk, run, cycle or dance in the morning to raise funds to support historically Black colleges and universities, and help students become active participants in society. Then, join UNCF's virtual celebration from 1-3 p.m., featuring celebrities, leaders, students and alumni from across the country.
Celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2020, the Walk for Education is critical in UNCF's mission to build a robust and nationally-recognized pipeline of underrepresented students who, because of its support, become highly-qualified college graduates.
Black and brown students are vastly underrepresented in honors and Advanced Placement courses in the U.S., according to data from the U.S. Department of Education, and are less likely to have access to college-ready courses.
Data shows only 29 percent of Black and Latino students are enrolled in at least one AP course at schools offering them. Meanwhile, only 57 percent of Black students have access to a full range of math and science courses necessary for college readiness, compared to 81 percent of Asian American students and 71 percent of white students.
Founded in 1944, UNCF helps more Black students attend and graduate from college. It awards more than 10,000 scholarships each year, and more than 500,000 students of color have graduated with the help of UNCF.
Four Texas institutions are among UNCF's 37 Member HBCUs, and benefit from the Virtual Walk for Education, including Huston-Tillotson University in Austin; Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins; Texas College in Tyler; and Wiley College in Marshall.
Seventy percent of UNCF scholarship recipients graduate with a degree, which is nine points higher than the national average for all students at four-year colleges.
