HBCU World is taking historically black colleges and universities to a new level. Using 3d virtual world technology, HBCU World is a project geared toward bringing HBCUs to economically-challenged youth, who often don't recognize their potential to seek out and achieve a higher education. But in order to succeed, we need your vote: http://pep.si/hbcuworld

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:

The HBCU World project is focused on connecting minority and at-risk students with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Utilizing virtual world technology provided by Linden Lab, the creators of Second Life, HBCU World will create an accessible, interactive, 3d "campus" to help teach and inform students about their options for achieving a higher education. By reaching out to potential students Online, in an engaging and interactive way, we believe we can provide greater exposure to HBCUs, who traditionally have difficulty recruiting students who often do not have the means to explore these campuses in a real-life scenario.

Things we can accomplish via an HBCU World campus in Second Life:
-- Provide a comprehensive directory of HBCUs, along with profiles about each school and its programs
-- Offer interactive, virtual tours of individual HBCUs, to inform students about admission requirements, programs & campus life, as well as the rich history of HBCUs
-- Allow students to meet with faculty, current students and administration online, in real-time, to ask questions and receive admissions counseling and guidance
-- Offer interactive financial literacy programs which will teach students about the economic realities of attending college, as well as advise them on student grants and loans that are available to them to help ensure they can complete their degrees
-- Develop and conduct immersive & interactive distance learning programs for Continuing Education, to ensure high school and non-traditional students meet the minimum requirements for a successful college experience
-- Provide an interactive, online meeting space for faculty seminars, which instructors are often unable to attend in person due to college budetary constraints
-- Offer online Career Fairs for existing students at a fraction of the cost that it would take to conduct them on campuses or in other locations

Drop-out rates amongst minority and other economically-disadvantaged youth are at an all-time high in the U.S. today -- it is a national epidemic. In order to correct this, we must find economically-feasible means of reaching these students, of helping them understand that they do have options, and a choice. Historically Black Colleges and Universities are especially suited to help these students succeed...IF students know they exist.

By joining the more than 700 colleges and universities already using Second Life to provide educational services to students, we believe we can provide an economical means for intervening with these at-risk students.

If you support our project's goals, please consider going to the Pepsi Refresh site to help us obtain a funding grant and achieve our vision. Visitors can vote once per day in June, so please, vote each day, and share the link : http://pep.si/hbcuworld