Black Excellence Project

"Education is the gateway to everything you want in life…I wouldn’t have picked anywhere else to go for my undergrad." - Bidemi Animashaun, c/o ’20
"One thing I’d change about my college experience is … meeting more students, studying with more people … hearing other people’s stories." - Mahdi Fugfugosh, c/o ‘21
"I am the first one in my family to be college educated … it was important [for me] to be that first one to open the door." - Stephanie Parrish, c/o ’21
"[My advisor] helped me avoid the trap of taking unnecessary classes." - Nick Campbell, c/o ’21

The Black Excellence Project

Amplifying Student Voices

The Black Excellence Project documents student success via multimedia and film, capturing Cal State East Bay's Black student graduates' stories of their perseverance in obtaining their undergraduate degrees. The project seeks to strengthen support for Black students by amplifying their experiences while also bringing attention to institutional best practices that are crucial to enhance Black student success. These stories are being shared via a social media campaign across multiple platforms.

Click the link below to follow the project! Live 9/29

Keep a look out for new content every week on the Black Excellence Project website.

Social Media Campaign

social media campaign link

Meet the Creators

Highlighting Student Success

Black Excellence was co-created by Sarah Aubert, Academic Programs & Services Analyst, and Steven Cleveland, Ethnic Studies Entitled Lecturer & History Lecturer, DEI Student Center African American Fellow, in partnership with Cal State East Bay’s Institutional Effectiveness and Research department. As first generation college students themselves, Sarah and Steven are uniquely qualified to understand the challenges that can lead to student success or failure, and are deeply passionate about sharing our students' stories.