First-Ever Ciaa Virtual Day Party Celebrates Nation’s HBCUs

June 12, 2020

CIAA Virtual Vibe Will Benefit CIAA General Scholarship Fund, Saturday, June 20th from 3pm – 7pm, EST

Charlotte, NC (June 10, 2020) - The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, (CIAA®), the nation’s first African American athletic conference, in partnership with Visit Baltimore, will host CIAA Virtual Vibe, the first-ever CIAA Virtual Day Party on Saturday, June 20. The fun-filled summer event will be simulcast live from 3pm-7pm (EST) on the CIAA’s Instagram, Facebook and YouTube platforms and will benefit the CIAA General Scholarship Fund.

The CIAA Virtual Vibe will feature four prominent disc jockeys (DJs) from NYC, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. The DJs will spin hits from different eras and genres to celebrate the rich tradition, history, and impact of the CIAA and its member institutions while highlighting the culture of excellence at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Each DJ is scheduled to perform a one-hour set featuring all CIAA schools over the course of the event. During each institution’s highlighted time, students, alumni, faculty and staff are encouraged to join in the conversation, share fond memories and support the CIAA General Scholarship Fund.

“Thank you to Al Hutchinson and the Visit Baltimore team for supporting this effort,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams. “We’re thrilled to kick off the summer with a celebration of HBCUs and our CIAA institutions. Now more than ever, it’s vital that we acknowledge and support the colleges and universities that have educated our students to be advocates and leaders in the global community for over 150 years. The CIAA is known by its alumni, students, friends and fans for its electrifying Day Parties with our distinctive tradition of food, basketball and dance. We hope you’ll stop for moment to celebrate the importance of HBCUs, especially in these critical times.”

The unique experience will also serve as a fundraising opportunity for the CIAA conference. Beginning today, and throughout the June 20th event, tax-deductible donations can be made to the CIAA General Scholarship Fund by going to www.theciaa.com.

“With so much pain in the world right now, Visit Baltimore was eager to partner with the CIAA for this exhilarating event to celebrate CIAA institutions and all HBCUs,” said Al Hutchinson, President & CEO of Visit Baltimore. “We hope the CIAA Virtual Vibe provides a moment of joy for fans and gets them excited to join us in Baltimore for the 2021-2023 CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament. Alongside host institution Bowie State, we can’t wait to roll out the red carpet for fans in Baltimore.”

In December 2018, the CIAA announced that its annual Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament would move to Baltimore, MD for 2021-2023. The tournament dates for 2021 are February 23-27. General tournament information including hotel, tickets and the city of Baltimore can be found at www.ciaatournament.org.

For the latest information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com. You can also like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Fans can subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive notifications on the latest CIAA video content.

CIAA Virtual Day Party Tentative Schedule of Events

3 PM – DJ Tanz (Featured schools: Claflin University, Johnson C. Smith University and Livingstone College)

4 PM – DJ Darryl Krush (Featured schools: Elizabeth City State University, Virginia State University and Virginia Union University)

5 PM – DJ Quicksilva (Featured schools: Shaw University, Saint Augustine’s University and Winston-Salem State University)

6 PM – DJ Envy (Featured schools: Bowie State University, Lincoln University (PA) and Fayetteville State University)

About the CIAA

Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. In 2020, the conference celebrated the special 75th anniversary of its Championship Basketball Tournament - an event that has become a must-see in the African American community. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. Chowan University is an associate member in football and women’s bowling. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

About Visit Baltimore

Visit Baltimore is the official sales and marketing arm for the City of Baltimore. The 501(c)(6) organization generates economic benefits for stakeholders through the attraction of convention, group and leisure visitors. In 2019, spending by travelers totaled $6 billion in direct spending throughout the city, supporting 86,827 total jobs and generating $750 million in state and city tax revenues. For more information, please visit baltimore.org