By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media
Twelve Inglewood Unified students left a school assembly last week with college acceptances — and for several, scholarship offers — after a visit from Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins, president of Coppin State University.
The visit is part of an effort to build a pipeline from California to the Baltimore-based Historically Black College and University (HBCU).
The acceptance offers were made during a presentation at City Honors International Preparatory School,a 2026 California Distinguished School, where Coppin officials introduced students to academic, financial and career opportunities.
While the event took place in Inglewood, Coppin officials said the recruitment effort targets students across California who may be interested in attending an HBCU but lack access to one in-state.
“Whether it’s Coppin or some other institution, the bottom line is you need to go to college,” Jenkins told students. “California, our nation and the world need your diversity, your intellect, your curiosity and your innovation.”
California has opened new pathways to HBCUs through Assembly Bill (AB) 1400, authored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D–Ladera Heights) and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2023. The law provides up to $5,000 for community college students transferring to HBCUs who agree to return to California to work after graduation, helping increase access to college and meet the state’s workforce needs.
For Black students in California, access to HBCUs remains limited.
Jenkins said Coppin’s Eagle Nation program — named for the university’s eagle mascot — offers Maryland in-state tuition rates to students from states like California with limited HBCU options.
“We started our Eagle Nation program… for students coming from a state with two or fewer HBCUs, I give them in-state tuition,” Jenkins said.
Coppin is part of the University System of Maryland, which helps keep tuition lower than many private HBCUs, positioning it as a more affordable option for California students.
Still, Jenkins told students that cost should not be the only factor.
“I want you to look at size. I want you to look at fit. I want you to look at cost,” he said.
With enrollment of about 2,500 students, more than 50 undergraduate majors and several graduate programs, Coppin offers a smaller campus environment than many California colleges — something Jenkins said translates into greater access.
“Do you want to be a part of a campus where the president knows your name?” Jenkins asked.
Smaller class sizes allow for stronger connections with faculty and more individualized support.
“When they come to Coppin, they find a home,” Jenkins said. “You’re going to find nurturing here. You’re going to find support.”
Coppin’s student body includes Black students from across the United States, as well as Latino and international students.
Coppin also offers the broader HBCU experience — including fraternities and sororities, student leadership organizations, cultural programming and community service.
For students coming from California, that experience offers something not widely available in-state.
That experience attracted Coppin State junior Shamonique Harris, a California native who joined the Inglewood visit as a Coppin ambassador.
Harris said she first met Jenkins during a stop at Long Beach City College.
“For a president of a university to be here, it shows how much they pour into their students,” she said.
She said she had been considering attending an HBCU but had not yet decided.
“I had been doing some tours and doing some research on HBCUs,”
Harris said. “I just didn’t know which one yet — but I made my way to Coppin.”
Now, she said her experience has affirmed that choice.
“You’re going to find support,” she said.
During his Los Angeles-area stop, Jenkins met with about 14 local businesses, focusing on internships, career pathways and job placement — what he described as “connecting the dots” between education and employment.
That effort aligns with AB 1400’s requirement that participating students return to California after graduation, linking education to workforce needs in the state.
At the same time, Coppin’s location places students within reach of major East Coast job markets, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York.
“Education is about transformation — how you see yourself and how you see the world,” Jenkins told students.
In response to a question from California Black Media, Jenkins said one of his biggest challenges is changing how HBCUs are perceived.
“We have to continue to build inroads on the myths and misleading stereotypes about HBCUs,” he said. “HBCUs are not less than. HBCUs are not inferior.”
Jenkins also pointed to declining male enrollment in higher education, particularly among Black students.
“We’ve increased our male enrollment by 53%,” Jenkins said.
The visit offered Inglewood students both immediate opportunity and a longer-term pathway.
Inglewood Unified Board of Education President Dr. Carliss McGhee emphasized expanding student options.
“We want our students to understand they have options — not just here in California, but across the country — and opportunities like this help make those pathways real,” she said.
“As a school district, our responsibility is to educate, challenge and inspire,” said Dr. James Morris, county administrator for Inglewood Unified. “Today is about inspiration.”
Jenkins said that inspiration must lead to outcomes — degrees, careers and community impact.
“We need to make sure that more young scholars like you are out in front, helping to shape where this nation is headed,” he said.
