Hundreds Attend Q House College & Career Fairs

by Andre Botero, Dr. Chaka Felder-McEntire and Myah Salazar Salvador

Myah Salazar Salvador, Dr. Chaka Felder-McEntire, Amelia Tamborra-Walton (Youth Council Director), Andre Botero, Yeendrol Norda (Youth Council Director), and Edmara Dominguez (Youth Council Chair) hosting the College and Career Fair.

The following essay was written by Q House Youth Council College Interns Andre Botero and Myah Salazar Salvador, and by Higher Heights Youth Empowerment Programs, Inc. Executive Director Dr. Chaka Felder-McEntire.

On Oct. 29 and Nov. 19, the Dixwell Community Q House Youth Council, in partnership with Higher Heights, the James Hillhouse Cheerleaders, the CT Department of Banking, and CHESLA, hosted two major post-secondary, community-based events that supported the Greater New Haven area. 

The annual College and Career Fair took place on Oct. 29 at the Dixwell Q House, welcoming more than 600 high school students, its largest turnout to date.

All New Haven public high schools were in attendance in addition to surrounding schools such as Hamden High School, Common Ground High School, Platt Technical High School from Milford, and New Haven Adult Education.

The James Hillhouse Cheerleaders kicked off the event with great spirit and an amazing performance, and they served as volunteers the night before, alongside the Q House Youth Council, to prepare the student gift bags and folders. Upon arrival, students received these gift bags and folders along with an overview of the day’s program from Andre Botero and Myah Salazar Salvador, Q House Youth Council College Interns through Yale’s Dwight Hall Urban Fellows program, who spearheaded both major events. 

Salazar Salvador noted, “As a student, researching a college or post-secondary institution on their website is not nearly as effective as having a conversation with their representative. As the Youth Council, our priority when planning events for the Greater New Haven community is to provide them with the tools they need to succeed.”

Students then engaged with representatives from more than 60 colleges and universities, spanning from Florida all the way up to New Hampshire, as well as organizations offering important financial and workforce resources. Now in its third year, the fair intentionally expanded its representatives from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Many students received on-the-spot acceptances and scholarships. 

In addition to colleges and universities, the fair also featured career opportunities, such as the New Haven Police Department, the Fire Department, the American Job Center, New Haven Hiring Initiative, M&T Bank, and Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center.

Part two of the initiative was the annual Affording College Workshop, held on Wednesday, Nov. 19, in partnership with Higher Heights, CHESLA, Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, and the CT Department of Banking. Over 150 students and families from the New Haven area learned about the extensive financial aid opportunities to pay for their post-secondary options, also the largest turnout of the event to date. 

Dixwell Alder Jeanette Morrison, Botero, and Salazar Salvador opened with a presentation on the range of tuition for different colleges and institutions, helping families understand the full range of options available. Shannon Reynolds, CHESLA’s Senior Program Specialist; Dr. Chaka Felder-McEntire; and Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center presented on the various financial aid resources available throughout the state. Reynolds focused on tuition-based programs, and Dr. Chaka focused on scholarship opportunities. Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center also shared the immunization process and how college-bound students are able to make their own appointments. 

“These two events are not just about college,” Dr. Felder-McEntire reflected, “but about helping students understand all their post-secondary options and the resources to fund them.”

Botero added, “We hope to reach even more students in the coming years so that every young person in the New Haven Public School System has access to the highest-quality resources and opportunities to pursue their goals after high school.”

The community partners look forward to hosting the College and Career Fair alongside the Affording College Event again in October and November of 2026.