In April, our College & Career Pathways team took seven West End House teens on an unforgettable 10-day college tour across six states to explore Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Boston, Yawkey Clubhouse, our teens visited nine inspiring campuses—each rich in history, culture, and community.
HBCUs were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide higher education opportunities for Black students in response to systemic exclusion. With no HBCUs in Massachusetts, this trip opened doors and broadened perspectives for our teens as they begin imagining life after high school.
Meet Vaanka, a high school senior and longtime club member. Curious and creative, she’s passionate about everything from creative writing to science. She loves exploring how things work, getting lost in Wikipedia rabbit holes, and discussing big ideas. Outside of school, she enjoys movies and trying new foods.
As the first in her family to attend college, Vaanka is approaching her future with both excitement and uncertainty. “I don’t want the fact that I’m scared of what’s going to happen to stop me from going to college,” she shared.
During the HBCU trip, Vaanka experienced a strong sense of belonging on the campuses:
“Everyone has your back. People aren’t willing to let you fail. I’ve heard a lot about college, but I didn’t hear that part of it before.”
She also reflected on the power of representation:
“I’m a young Black girl in America, and it’s really good seeing people that look like me. It’s like seeing greatness in one area… a whole bunch of geniuses under one big roof. It makes you think of yourself differently—you feel proud to be who you are.”
Now, Vaanka is applying to a variety of schools—both near and far from Boston—including some of the HBCUs she visited.
Â
Along for the ride was Ezaura Mazza, one of our College Pathways Coaches. Ezaura is a seasoned youth development professional who joined West End House in January. Prior to that, they spent three years as the Teen Education Coordinator at the Boys & Girls Club of South Boston. With a background in Political Science, Ezaura has long been committed to working in education—particularly outside of traditional classroom settings—supporting young people as they explore who they are and who they want to become.
This was actually Ezaura’s third time leading an HBCU exploration tour, having organized two previous trips during their time at BGC South Boston. They are a passionate advocate for the value of real-world college exposure:
“The real-life experience breaks stereotypes. Meeting current students and hearing their stories really broadens teens’ perspectives.”
They also emphasized that spending 10 days away from home promotes personal growth, friendship-building, and self-discovery—just as important as learning about academics and campus life. For their first HBCU trip with West End House, Ezaura especially loved seeing bonds form between our teens and those from the Yawkey Clubhouse in Roxbury, and appreciated the meaningful sendoff:
“Spending the night at West End House before departure made it feel like the start of something special.”
A heartfelt thank you to Joseph and Terry Rothchild, whose generosity makes this life-changing trip possible for our teens every year. Their support allows our young people to explore bold new possibilities and find the college community that feels like home.
