Delaware State University – along with some of its students – had the opportunity to shine a little in the national spotlight when BET’s Black College Tour stopped at the campus Sept. 24 for the first time.

    Black Entertainment Television and Grass Roots Productions is visiting DSU and 15 other historically black colleges for the 2008 Black College Tour program that will air in December. A 60-second spot that highlights DSU’s part in the tour also will be broadcast 10 times on BET between Oct. 6 and 13.

    DSU spokesman Carlos Holmes said BET producers looking to film at the campus called him about six months ago. The network has been doing the tour for seven years, featuring a few of the approximately 80 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which Holmes said don’t always get much national coverage.

    Bringing out approximately half of the student population, a crowd of 1,500 was treated to an afternoon of live entertainment, sponsorship booths and student competitions in music, spoken word and basketball. Students received complimentary gifts and samples from sponsors, while still learning about internships and advocacy legislation that would reduce college debt, he said.

    At one point, Holmes said students were watching entertainers at a front stage while some fraternity brothers broke out into their step routines in another area.

    “It was a positive event overall,” he said. “The students behaved wonderfully.”

    However, for a few students the event wasn’t just a chance to socialize and have a good time. More than 60 volunteered to help work the event and a few mass communications students got to work television and stage production to get some hands-on experience with a cable television network.

    Broadcast journalism senior Asia Brown was awarded the chance to conduct interviews with performing artists and students as well as taping on-camera standalones.

    Brown said she only heard about it a short time before BET came and thought it would be a great opportunity.

    “I’m trying to be a personality in radio, TV,” she said. “I want to show the world Asia B.”

    After a cold audition Sept. 23, BET producers picked Brown from the eight students who tried out.

    She said the day was fun and crazy, filling her with all emotions, adding she was sad when the BET crew left. Although she wasn’t nervous at the time, now she’s concerned with how the spots will look, as she hasn’t seen any of the results.

    “The wind was blowing like crazy,” Brown said.

    One moment that stands out was when she was interviewing hip hop rapper Murphy Lee, a member of the St. Lunatics with Nelly. Brown said it seemed like the whole campus was watching and snapping camera shots, with all the girls really excited and going crazy over him.

    Brown, who is from the Bronx in New York City, also said it’s nice to see some place small like Delaware State University get some recognition.

    “I see stuff like that all the time in New York City,” she said of events like the one at DSU. “It was cool for them to stop by.”

    Holmes said BET staff was very impressed with the number of volunteers, student enthusiasm and the campus itself. They hadn’t had that good of a response at other campuses they’d been at to date and hope to come back next year, he added.

Email Jayne Gest at jayne.gest@doverpost.com