This December, KR Scholars proudly hosted its inaugural HBCU Bridge Holiday Homecoming, a meaningful community gathering designed to bring program alumni “back home” while reinforcing our commitment to supporting students to and through high school—and from campus to career.
The HBCU Bridge Holiday Homecoming was intentionally created to show scholars what long-term support looks like beyond college acceptance. By centering alumni engagement, peer-to-peer mentorship, and service, the event highlighted the full ecosystem of care, accountability, and community that KR Scholars works to build around current and future HBCU students.
A cornerstone of the event was alumni-led mentoring and real conversations. HBCU Bridge alumni returned to share their college journeys, lessons learned, and advice with current 11th and 12th grade scholars navigating key decisions around college choice, persistence, financial responsibility, and career exploration. These authentic, near-peer conversations helped students see themselves not only as future college students, but as future alumni who will one day return to uplift the next generation.
In addition to mentorship, scholars participated in a hands-on community service project, assembling 100 HBCU Bridge Blessing Bags for individuals experiencing homelessness in the Richmond community. Each bag was thoughtfully packed with essential items, reinforcing the importance of service, empathy, and civic responsibility. By integrating service into the event, KR Scholars continues to instill the value that success is not only about personal achievement, but also about giving back and strengthening the communities that support us.
The Holiday Homecoming also created space for relationship-building, shared meals, and celebration—reminding scholars that community, connection, and collective impact are just as critical as academic preparation. For many students, this was their first opportunity to engage with alumni who had recently walked the same path, making college feel more accessible, attainable, and sustainable.
The HBCU Bridge Holiday Homecoming reflects KR Scholars’ holistic approach to college readiness—one that goes beyond applications and acceptance letters to focus on mentorship, service, and long-term success. As we continue to grow and expand The HBCU Bridge Program, events like this reinforce our mission to empower students not just to enroll in college, but to persist, graduate, and return as leaders within their communities.