Bloomfield College Hosts National Hispanic College Fair
Fourteen buses carrying up to 40 students each made their way from central and northern New Jersey to Bloomfield College to attend the Northern New Jersey National Hispanic College Fair that was held on its campus in Westminster Hall on March 8.
The in-person college fair attracted 43 two-year and four-year, in-state and out-of-state colleges, plus the U.S. Army and others, who set up booths to offer college planning information to the more than 500 students in attendance. In addition to picking up literature and asking one-on-one questions, students were invited to set up college interviews and learn about the various financial aid and college financing programs available.
According to the event organizer, Career Council/National Hispanic College Fairs, Inc., a part of the excitement of the college fair convened on the Bloomfield College campus was that this was the first in-person college fair these organizations have assembled since moving to virtual fairs at the start of COVID in spring 2020.
“We were thrilled to host an in-person college fair on our campus for this special population of Hispanic students from across northern and central Jersey,” said Bloomfield College Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management Nicole Cibelli. “Bloomfield holds a federal designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution which means that, in addition to other criteria, at least 25 percent of our enrolled students must identify as Hispanic. At Bloomfield, our current Hispanic student enrollment represents 32.5 percent of the total undergraduate population, and the College receives federal funding to support the academic progress of all our Hispanic students.”
Bloomfield College is New Jersey’s only four-year higher education institution designated as a Predominantly Black Institution, a Hispanic Serving Institution and a Minority Serving Institution. With a focus on serving first-generation and low-income students who represent historically underserved populations in higher education, 91 percent of Bloomfield College students are from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
According to an American Council on Education and University Business Report, the College is cited among the nation’s top colleges for helping students from low-income families enter the middle and upper class. The College has also held the highest success rate among all New Jersey liberal arts colleges and universities in moving students forward in economic standing, according to a study by the Equality of Opportunity Project published in The New York Times. In addition, U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College’s rankings of Top National Liberal Arts Colleges ranked Bloomfield College highest in the state of New Jersey, and 27th nationally, in the Social Mobility category.
Career Council/National Hispanic College Fairs, Inc. has been collaborating with high school guidance counselors, their districts and distinguished institutions of higher learning to offer college fair experiences for more than 30 years to help students identify their best paths for post-secondary education that match individual goals, needs and budget.