Episode of docuseries executive produced by President Nicole Hurd and Daveed Diggs to be screened on campus

During a visit to Lafayette Sept. 24, 2024, actor, writer, and producer Daveed Diggs sat down with President Nicole Hurd and filmmaker Jaye Fenderson to discuss a shared passion—access to education. 

Last month, the fruits of their labor were viewed across the country when The Class, a six-part docuseries executive produced by Hurd and Diggs and directed by Three Frame Media, aired on PBS on March 18. 

Now, the Lafayette community will have a special opportunity to experience the docuseries for itself with a screening of the first episode, to be held 4:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, in the Landis Cinema of Buck Hall (219 N. 3rd Street).

Following the screening, the community is invited into conversation with President Nicole Hurd, filmmakers Jay and Adam Fenderson of Three Frame Media, and the featured college adviser, Mr. Cam, during a Q&A session. This event is free and open to the public, with a reception to follow.

The Class follows six students in the graduating class of 2021 at Deer Valley High School in Antioch, Calif., as they navigate challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Cam, an adviser working with the College Advising Corps at Deer Valley, supports and propels his students toward a bright future in college. 

Deer Valley High School students featured in The Class.

College Advising Corps, an organization founded by Hurd, places recent college graduates in underserved high schools to steward students through the college application process. 

“I am so grateful to be able to share this labor of love with the world,” says Hurd. “The stories of Mr. Cam and his students show firsthand the light and promise that young people bring to the world, and how increasing opportunity makes such a difference in our society. I cannot wait for our community to see this series that is so full of heart and demonstrates the power of mentorship and college access programming.” 

At a sneak peek of the series shown during Diggs’ visit to campus, viewers witnessed firsthand the struggles Deer Valley students faced with housing insecurity, college applications, financial instability, and a global pandemic during their senior year. Mr. Cam, returning to his alma mater as a resource to these students, serves as a beacon of hope and positivity in their lives. 

The values on display throughout The Class, and its message of improving access to education, are echoed on Lafayette’s campus under Hurd’s leadership. In 2023, the College increased its no-loan threshold to $200,000, improving access to low-income and middle class families without the weight of student loan debt. The College has also enrolled its most diverse class in history, with 15% being Pell-eligible. Even in the application process, where the College has shifted to considering up to six activities (rather than the available 10) on the Common App, the burden on applicants to stretch themselves thin in the pursuit of a college education is reduced.