After spending its first two seasons exploring the scene at Southern University in Baton Rouge and Langston University in Oklahoma, BET´s wildly popular reality series, COLLEGE HILL - the Number One original series in BET history - moves east to Virginia State University. The new season of COLLEGE HILL debuts on Thursday, March 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT with a special one-hour premiere.
"COLLEGE HILL has always been a hit show on BET," says BET President of Entertainment Reginald Hudlin. "This season we´re going all out. It´s a great looking show with a hilarious cast and storylines that will shock, amuse and touch viewers."
VSU is a small state-supported university of 5,000 students located in Petersburg, Va. The cast of COLLEGE HILL 3 spent three months trying to co- exist in a "banging" off-campus mansion, equipped with a pool table, a Jacuzzi and enough drama to fill every square inch of their home away from the dorm. The roommates enjoy temporary housing in the historic Ragland Mansion in Petersburg, Va., a 10,000 sq. ft. landmark built in the 1850´s and recently restored. Ragland offers a ballroom, twin parlors, a solarium, a library and nine suites/master bedrooms, all with private bath and period marble fireplaces. However, none of the COLLEGE HILL 3 roommates ventured beyond the second floor, as the attic is rumored to be haunted!
While exploring the familiar themes of the black college experience and boy/girl relationships, the new cast of season three turns up the heat at VSU. Tempers fly, tears flow, and secrets are revealed as eight college students struggle to live under one roof. The No. 1 house rule: "No sex on the couch!" From the camaraderie of Homecoming celebrations and sexy hot tub scenes, to break-ups and an emotional visit to Rosa Parks´ funeral - emotions and conflicts are at an all-time high.
Although the previous casts included a plethora of colorful personalities, the VSU students take it to another level. Among the elite eight selected to participate in the show are a white male and a Puerto Rican female. "There definitely are not a lot of white people at Virginia State University," says one of the housemates. "I believe that will give a different view of what a white person sees when he goes to a historically black college." Time can only tell how that will play out!
BET partnered again with Edmonds Entertainment to produce this season´s 13-episode run and nearly doubled COLLEGE HILL´s production budget, allowing producers to offer a more expansive view of collegiate life at an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).
"We gave the producers more resources than ever this year and it´s sexier, edgier, and funnier," added Hudlin.
Executive producer Tracey Edmonds said her enthusiasm for the show increases with each installment. "We had the full cooperation of Virginia State, so we had a chance to delve a lot more into some of the academic issues and things going on on-campus," said Edmonds. "There are a lot of great story lines this season."
Like their predecessors, the COLLEGE HILL cast keeps it real and raw when the cameras are rolling. Especially when they´re in the hot tub playing ´truth or dare´ or hosting unwanted visitors, such as the 47-year-old frat brother who never quite learned when to leave the party. They aren´t household names - just yet. But by the time the series concludes, their antics will surely have earned them a multitude of new followers.
Among this year´s cast members are:
Deirdra, 21, is a senior mass communications major from Hartford, CT. She´s a career cheerleader who thinks that a lot of women on campus are jealous of her because she´s one of the "woo-woo" girls. "They're just mad because we look good."
Audrina, 21, is a junior economic/finance major from Poughkeepsie, NY. She is working her way through college. She´s friendly, smart and confident, but tough - she´s definitely not someone you´d ever want to cross. "Girls who wear heels need Jesus."
Rodney, 23, is a senior sports management major from Newport News, VA. He considers himself one of the more popular guys on campus, claiming that the ladies fight for his shirtless delight. He´s a frat boy and a member of the basketball team who always "keeps it funky."
Arlando, 21, is a junior business management major from Portsmouth, VA. He´s describes himself as a cool cat with a tendency to get wild when the situation calls for it. He´s also a frat boy who gets a lot of attention from his female co-eds.
Ray, 23, is a senior mass communications major from Richmond, VA. When Ray´s not in class or writing his newspaper column, he morphs into Mr. Trojan, the school´s mascot. Ray has an alternative lifestyle which he tries to keep low-key.
Bianca, 22, is Puerto Rican and is a freshman from Virginia Beach, VA who is just starting college. She´s a little dilly, but not necessarily naive. She thinks of herself as fun and flirtatious. "I´m a lot smarter than people think I am."
Anya, 21, is a senior mass communications major from Portsmouth, VA. She´s outspoken, big on family and feels it´s perfectly acceptable to date three or four guys at the same time, but "it´s one at a time with the sexual thing."
Will, 18, is a white freshman from Lynchburg, VA, majoring in mass communications. His one goal in life is to play in the NFL. He´s not the only white guy attending VSU, but he´s probably the only one who imitates Paul Wall and openly admits that he "likes the black females."
With this delightfully eclectic mix of personalities and cultures, combined with the proven track record of ratings success, COLLEGE HILL viewers are guaranteed a well-rounded education on what life at an HBCU is really like!
