IU participates in annual Black Expo

Indiana Black Expo's 33rd Annual Summer Celebration ended Sunday at the Indiana Convention Center and RCA Dome in downtown Indianapolis with representatives from IU's eight campuses in attendance. \nIU-Bloomington's involvement began Thursday at the Urban League in Indianapolis. IUB presented a three-hour symposium called "I am IU: An Exploration of Black Student Life," aimed at high school juniors and seniors.\nAnthony Scott, IU's Office of Communications and Marketing's multicultural marketing strategist, said the symposium turned out to be a success with great attendance from high school students and their parents.\n"The room was filled to capacity," Scott said. "The audience was all rising juniors and seniors -- they were able to ask questions about financial aid, activities, social events, class structures -- those types of questions to current students, faculty and staff."\nIU representatives set up at the Convention Center Friday through Sunday. IU faculty, staff and current students were present at the RCA Dome to speak with high school and continuing students about IU's admission requirements and its cultural and academic support programs.\n"Black Expo gives IU the opportunity to remind people of the educational experience we have to offer," Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Support Frank Motley said in a press release. "We want to make certain that minority students and their parents in Indiana and throughout the country know about the high-quality academic programs and services we have at all of our campuses."\nIU has been involved with IBE for three consecutive years. IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis representatives have been involved since IBE's inception in 1970.\nScott said this year's booth had a great turnout, with many different types of people stopping by to ask questions.\n"A lot of people were very interested in the IU booth as a whole," Scott said. "High school students, elementary school students, parents, community leaders and non-traditional students interested in going back to school stopped by the booth." \nWith this year's success, Scott said he believes this will be a reoccurring event that IU will be involved with.\n"I believe we will be (at IBE) every year from now on," Scott said. "We have found there have been many misconceptions about IU-Bloomington. When students in high school have the perception that black students are not welcomed at IU, we have current students who can tell them how welcoming the Bloomington campus and community really is. This is the largest expo in the nation, and to be able to receive over 3,000 people -- (students) have the opportunity to ask questions that they haven't been able to ask before."\nMotley said he is also a supporter for IU's involvement in the IBE.\n"I am proud of the University's longstanding support of Black Expo, and we look forward to supporting it for many years to come," he said.\nScott said that there was one ingredient that made this year's involvement a success.\n"One thing that is pertinent to the success of the event is the many volunteers -- faculty, staff and students -- people who are willing to give up their personal time to help out," Scott said.\nIBE's Summer Celebration came to a conclusion Sunday evening with a free concert featuring Patti LaBelle at American Legion Mall in Indianapolis.