LUTCHER — Numerous historically black colleges and universities were present recently at the HBCU Expo held in the Lutcher-based First Community Antioch Baptist Church’s Family Center.

The expo’s goal was to highlight the programs of study offered by HBCUs, TeamHBCU committee member Shalanda Harris Walker said.

“We, also, wanted the students to go get the information that would allow them to make an educated choice when selecting an institution of higher learning,” Walker said.

Organizers said more than 175 students from nine parishes attended the expo, which Walker would become an annual event.

The event included a panel discussion moderated by radio personality La Tangela Sherman.

The group discussed various stories regarding their attendance at HBCUs.

Panelists included St. James Parish Councilman Kendricks Brass, educator Chandra R. Darville, attorney and Southern University board member Patrick Magee, physician Camalyn Woodard-Gaines, retired educator Mary J. Carpenter, retired-Social Security Administration administrator Belinda Rodgers and Dillard University Administrator David D. Page.

“Pick your college friends carefully,” Woodard-Gaines said. “You have to remember that if you are in a difficult course of study and friends are not — you can’t hang with them all the time. You need to find friends who are in the same discipline as you are!”

The colleges and universities in attendance were Alcorn State University, Dillard University, Fisk University, Grambling State University, Jackson State University, Morehouse College, Southern University and Southern University Law Center, Spelman College, Tougaloo College and Xavier University.

White Castle-based KKAY provided a live feed during the event.

Jacque Jackson is largely credited with the orchestration of this event, Harris Walker said.

— By K. Wesley White Sr.