( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) Empowering LAUSD Graduates to Overcome Educational Disparities and Achieve Four-Year Degrees
Black College Success (BCS) is an LA-born initiative that empowers Black students from local high schools and universities. The goal is to attend and graduate from four-year universities and colleges. According to research, only 26% of Black LAUSD graduates matriculate to a four-year college or university, with 17% obtaining a degree within six years. These numbers showcase a critical gap in educational opportunities. BCS is determined to close this gap through trust and community. By partnering with select colleges and universities to create pathways for long-term success, scholarships, mentorship, and leadership development are offered to Black students from local high schools. In a landscape where universities are adjusting to the post-SCOTUS 2023 ruling environment and communities grapple with shifting cultural programs, BCS’s role becomes more critical than ever in the educational landscape.
Ibert Schultz is the BCS Executive Director of Black College Success. He has held senior roles at the Los Angeles City Council and Board of Supervisors. His focus is on policy issues and diversity platforms. He served in the Obama Administration and the US Department of Homeland Security and Transportation. Students foster connections through the Black College Success initiative for the next stepping stone into career hood. Schultz shares the strategies of BCS to increase enrollment and improve graduation rates and how BCS has been adapting higher education and support systems for students since the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling. He teaches us the approach when applying for scholarships for LAUDS students and addresses the systematic challenges and the financial impact BCS has on Black student education and success.
Given the statistics of Black LAUSD graduates, what specific strategies does Black College Success (BCS) employ to increase enrollment and improve graduation rates, particularly in light of the evolving landscape of university admissions and support programs?
I think it’s a whole ecosystem approach. We’re talking about access to college and helping students get into college. But it’s not just about understanding the process. It’s walking them through that process, hand in glove, and preparing them for what to expect when they get there – both the social-emotional and academic components.
We’ve done an intense job with our STEAM Academy, which helps students develop algebraic fluency. That ladders into the math and science elements they’ll face as first-year college students and helps them understand what it’s like to be students. They stay on USC’s campus and wake up to make it to class. They walk to the cafeteria. They gain transferable value and experience.
Once they go to school, we provide scholarships, technology, on-campus resource navigation, and mentorship. Our college success managers stay close to our students. They visit them, support them, and lend a helping hand. Ultimately, the final piece of this journey is helping our students find jobs—good jobs—in the career fields they’ve studied. Black College Success supports and addresses the barriers these students face throughout this long journey.
With the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling impacting race-based activities in admissions and the current administration’s measures affecting culture-focused programs, how is BCS adapting its approach to ensure that Black students still have access to higher education and the necessary support systems to thrive?
The Supreme Court certainly didn’t make access to higher education for Black students easier. It further stripped away one of the already limited tools designed to make things less hostile. When you think about the ongoing wave of policy rollbacks around culturally responsive programming, it’s become more of a feature, as opposed to a bug, of the system.
It’s part of a broader, critical effort where race is invisible. And the positive outcomes we see from affected groups or supportive platforms point to their resilience. Black College Success isn’t a systems change organization. We’re not about advocacy. We’re about helping our students work through the current system. So, we’re about doubling down. We’re investing more into programming that supports our students’ move through these institutional pipelines.
Our work thrives on the fact that even though we’re serving Black students, we’re stronger as a community. We establish partnerships with community organizations. We target career pathways. We know that not only does near-peer mentorship work, but culturally grounded mentorship and networks are necessary. Amid a lack of visibility regarding the who, what, when, where, and why, we also want to have and be able to share supportive data that tracks outcomes well beyond the superficial. So, the ruling has somewhat redrawn the map, but it hasn’t impacted our commitment to our students.
What is the approach for BCS when applying for and receiving scholarships for Black LAUSD graduates and students? What forms of mentorships, leadership programs, or assistance are made to ensure they graduate?
We serve students across South LA, including those in charter schools, homeschooled, or enrolled at LAUSD. We know that securing a scholarship isn’t just about filling out forms. It’s about helping students learn to speak the language the system understands. We guide them through that process and tell them, “not only is this for you, but you belong here.”
So, while we give scholarships, we remind our students that every time they secure one, it’s a win—for them, us, and the community. We support them by serving as their coaches, helping them source relevant opportunities, confirming how and when they should apply—always early and often—and serving as recommenders to have reliable advocates.
Considering your extensive experience in policy and diversity platforms, what unique insights do you bring to BCS in addressing the systemic challenges faced by Black students in accessing and succeeding in higher education?
Like many of us doing mission-driven work, I didn’t so much choose this path as it chose me. The systems I had to navigate and the communities I refused to leave behind shaped my journey.
As a Morehouse man, I was raised to believe that education isn’t just personal; it’s political. Law school at Michigan gave me the tools, and my time in New York, the Obama Administration, the LA government, and the private sector taught me the truth: talent is everywhere, but opportunity is hoarded. Again and again, I saw how one scholarship, one mentor, or one open door could shift a whole trajectory. That’s what brought me to Black College Success. We exist to build scaffolding — not just for college access but for thriving beyond it.
What forms of financial impact have you seen through BCS, and are there events and other opportunities to expand on the Black College Success Initiative for 2025?
From a financial perspective, we’ve provided more than 1 million dollars in scholarship funding to our students and helped students find over 1 million dollars in additional scholarship funding.
Beyond the financial cost of getting students into college, keeping them there is equally challenging. We give each student a laptop, which equates to more than 1 million in technology support. We help students apply themselves and establish their values and viewpoints, which can help them advocate for more aid.
I had a student who proudly showed up at Morehouse University, expecting to use a loan to pay for school. His dad was going to sign for it. Unfortunately, his dad didn’t qualify because of his credit. Because of our advocacy, Morehouse awarded him an emergency merit scholarship and closed that gap.
These are the type of students they want on campus—students from our program who want to make a change, not for themselves but for their community.
So, to answer the question, there’s the money we award and the next level of dreams we support. Regarding events, we hope to share an announcement soon regarding some community programming we believe will help the current momentum and drive necessary change at a broader level.
The challenges facing Black students aspiring to higher education are significant. However, initiatives such as Black College Success provide a focused path to achievement. With holistic support and a deep understanding of the communities they serve, the Black College Success Initiative is making an impact. To delve deeper into their impactful work, especially in light of the evolving educational landscape, we can explore how we can collectively support the next generation of Black leaders and scholars. Visit https://www.blackcollegesuccess.org/ for more information to get started.
Related Articles: The Black Business School is Revolutionizing Business Education, The CAFE Group Funds Black Leaders In Education
