Baltimore’s Coppin State Builds Pipeline for California Students to Attend HBCU

April 1, 2026

Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins, president of Coppin State University, visited Inglewood Unified School District to recruit California students to the Maryland-based HBCU, extending college acceptance letters and scholarship offers to twelve students during a school assembly. The recruitment initiative addresses California's limited in-state HBCU options by offering out-of-state students Maryland in-state tuition rates through Coppin's Eagle Nation program.

Who is affected

Twelve Inglewood Unified students who received college acceptances and scholarship offers
California students, particularly Black students, seeking HBCU educational opportunities
Community college students eligible for AB 1400 transfer funding
Coppin State University and its current student body of approximately 2,500 students
Inglewood Unified School District and City Honors International Preparatory School
Approximately 14 local Los Angeles-area businesses involved in workforce partnerships

What action is being taken

Coppin State University is actively recruiting California students through the Eagle Nation program, which offers Maryland in-state tuition rates to students from states with two or fewer HBCUs
Dr. Jenkins is conducting recruitment visits and presentations at California schools
Coppin officials are meeting with Los Angeles-area businesses to establish internships, career pathways, and job placement opportunities
California is providing up to $5,000 through AB 1400 to community college students transferring to HBCUs who agree to return to California after graduation

Why it matters

This initiative addresses a significant educational equity gap for California's Black students who lack access to in-state HBCUs and the unique cultural, academic, and support experiences these institutions provide. The partnership between Coppin State and California businesses creates a strategic workforce development pipeline that allows students to gain HBCU education while ultimately serving California's economic needs. By offering in-state tuition rates and personalized support in a smaller campus environment, Coppin makes HBCU education more financially accessible and academically supportive for California students who might otherwise be unable to attend such institutions due to cost or geographic barriers.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint