This year’s CFC College Fair has also broadened its scope to include a Career & Trades Fair
Real Chicagoans know that when the calendar lands on September, it’s time to get ready for the Chicago Football Classic.
Celebrating the rich history of HBCU football, “The Classic” has hosted some of the top football programs from Historically Black Colleges and Universities around the country for a weekend filled with all the things that make HBCU culture what it is. Alumni can come explore various black business vendors, tailgating in the Soldier Field parking lots and no HBCU football game is complete without a battle of the bands.
But Chicago Football Classic founder Larry Huggins goes the extra mile to make sure that this fun-filled weekend is “more than just about a football game.”
Last year, the Chicago Football Classic awarded over $1.5 million in scholarships to area students that attended their annual college fair which hosts over 30 HBCUs from around the country. And this year, for the 22nd Annual Classic which takes place Saturday, September 14, they have big plans to duplicate that success.
On Monday, Huggins and the Chicago Football Classic announced that some local heavy-hitters will be lending a hand to make sure that students from Chicago and its surrounding areas will be in attendance for this year’s college fair as well as the game this year which will feature the Howard University Bison taking on the Hampton University Pirates.
Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Office and the Chicago Bears Foundation have both pledged to sponsor 1,000 students each to attend this year’s CFC. Local hoop legends Derrick Rose and Anthony Davis will sponsor 4,000 students from the Englewood Community to attend. And Former DePaul star and two-time NBA Champion Mark Aquirre will be sponsoring free transportation for pre-selected students.
This year’s CFC College Fair has also broadened its scope to include a Career & Trades Fair, along with a Financial Literacy Summit, with college advisors prepared to guide students and families through the basics of saving for college.
At Monday’s press conference, Huggins emphatically proclaimed, “Chicago, you ARE ready for some football!”, and he also explained the importance of the addition of the Career Fair. “The one component that I felt was important to bring this year was a Career Fair. When you stop and think about the fact that young men and women who go through a 3-, 4-, or 5-year apprenticeship will finish making over $100,000 a year…think about that. That’s why we’ve got to focus on more professional training as it relates to our students.”
Huggins closed the press conference with a message from the heart. “For the 22 years we have been doing this game, we have invested over $30 million in the game itself. But when you look at the thousands of kids who have gone to college because of this game, you can’t put a price on that.”
About Post Author
