Kia Young, 22, Student and President
College students often work part-time jobs and some even travel for spring 
break. NC A&T State University student Kia Young has taken those things a step further.
Kia, 22, has made the most of her collegiate experience in Greensboro. In the fall of 2014, she completed a study abroad program at Thammasat University, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, in Bangkok, Thailand. This semester helped shape her growth and expanded her knowledge of other cultures, but it also opened her eyes to the fact that only five percent of students that study abroad are African American.
“I saw a need to assist HBCU students in heightening their education by traveling the world.”
This led to Kia founding HBCU Travelers, a 501 (c) (3) public charity dedicated to encouraging and funding educational, 
international travel experiences for students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. HBCU Travelers believes that “travel contributes greatly to a student’s development because it introduces new ways of viewing the world, thus teaching lessons beyond what any classroom can.”
Kia, a senior Mechanical Engineering student, serves as president and along with her passionate team of six, they have been working tirelessly to raise $25,000 in scholarships.
In addition to her trip to Thailand, Kia has also visited Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Japan, and Mexico. After graduation, Kia will be moving to Louisiana to work full-time with Shell, but she will still be looking to expand HBCU Travelers and its footprint at NC A&T.
