Diamond Bar - The highly anticipated Annual Black College Expo (BCE) will return once again to Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, March 8, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Two Galleria Parkway. An after show is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thousands of Atlanta area students and their parents are expected to take part in this comprehensive college “Infotainment” fair. The day provides ample opportunities for aspiring students to meet with historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other institutions, interact with exhibitors and attend workshops.

Specifically, attendees will acquire pertinent information about the college admission process, college preparation, SAT & ACT prep, financial aid and scholarships. Some high school seniors, who bring their transcripts and test scores, may possibly be accepted on the spot at one of the participating colleges. There is also a “hot careers” component with professionals from around the country dispensing advice to students on how to break into these “hot careers”. “We’re looking forward to our annual stop in Atlanta and really appreciate the strong support we receive from area educators and community groups. Providing these pathways is just the first step as we try to make college a reality for more of our youth.” says BCE Founder, Theresa Price.

In addition to the vast array of exhibits and workshops, the day’s events culminate with scholarship presentations to deserving students. Black College Expo, through its non-profit foundation Black College Resources, has awarded nearly $300,000 in scholarships to date. The after show begins at 4:00 p.m. with scholarship presentations, followed by a step-show competition and appearances by prominent performers.

When the Black College Expo began in Los Angeles in 2000, less than 3% of enrollment at HBCUs came from California. Now in their ninth year, the Black College Expo, which visits seven cities annually including Los Angeles, Oakland, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston Washington, D.C and New York, has helped to increase those numbers tremendously, in some cases by as much as 50%. But it hasn’t stopped there. The Black College Expo continues to be a conduit to many other colleges throughout the country.

National sponsors for the 2007-2008 Black College Expo include: Nix Check Cashing, Southwest Airlines, Fed Ex, Los Angeles County Sheriff Dept., US Army, Universal Music, Capitol/EMI Records, Black Enterprise, Aerospace Corporation, Upscale Magazine, Internal Revenue Service, KFC/Yum! Brands, Union Bank, Nu Boss, CVS/pharmacy, Student Funding Group, Scion, Sallie Mae, Sallie Mae Fund, Safeway and Pro-Line’s Soft & Beautiful Botanicals and Motion lines.

For additional information about the BCE, tickets, scholarship program, or exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Black College Expo at: (909) 322-0190 or please visit our website at: www.blackcollegeexpo.com