The Black Student Union at Kansas State hosted its annual High School Leadership Conference on Feb. 17, continuing one of the organization’s long-standing traditions during Black History Month with the aim of growing community and celebrating Black culture through all aspects of life.

Black high school students from across Kansas attended the all-day conference to meet with BSU representatives, listen to keynote speakers and tour the campus.

Janiya Cato, vice president of KSUBSU, said providing space for Black students directly affects both the students and the university.

“It’s a great way to get Black retention back in K-State,” she said.  

Cato said it’s crucial to show high school students what K-State has to offer so they can make informed decisions about their future.

“It’s a comfortability thing,” she said. “It can be intimidating coming to a PWI [predominantly white institution], so when students come and see a strong community of people like them who have had similar experiences, it can really sway their decision.”

Noah McPhearson, president of KSUBSU, said he felt this intimidation as a high school student visiting K-State.

“I was the only person of color on my campus tour, which isn’t a bad thing, but just the reality,” McPherson said. “… This conference is a great opportunity to see what the Black community is about and what it would actually mean to attend K-State.”

McPherson said the conference felt surreal, recalling that one of his fraternity brothers first visited campus through the event.

“I was on the panel at the conference my sophomore year, and me being on that panel is a part of the reason my now fraternity brother ended up coming to K-State.”

KSUBSU was founded in 1969 with a mission to build community among Black students. The High School Leadership Conference is one of several initiatives to fulfill that mission.

“It’s crazy to see the actual effects of stuff we’ve done, when a lot of the time it feels like our voices have no effect,” Cato said.  “When members come up to me and say they came to K-State because of the conference, it’s so validating as a leader that I got to help someone find a home.”