Bill to Boost Cybersecurity Job Training at HBCUs Signed into Law

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There will be more HBCU talent in the cybersecurity field thanks to the passing of a new bill! Learn more in the release by Congressman Hank Johnson, of Georgia’s 4th District.

Photo Credit: Office of U.S. Sen Jon Ossof

Bipartisan bill establishes the “Dr. David Satcher Cybersecurity Education Grant Program” to expand cybersecurity education and boost job opportunities

50% of funds will go to HBCUs, tribal, and minority serving institutions

Georgia’s HBCU leaders celebrate bill being signed into law

U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff’s bipartisan legislation to boost cybersecurity job training programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) was signed into law.

 Sen. Ossoff and Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04)’s bipartisan Cybersecurity Opportunity Act creates the “Dr. David Satcher Cybersecurity Education Grant Program,” named after the former U.S. Surgeon General and Morehouse School of Medicine Dean, to expand cybersecurity training programs at HBCUs, tribal institutions, minority-serving institutions, and other colleges and universities that serve a high proportion of Pell Grant recipients.

 The bill, which was signed into law today as part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, requires that 50% of Satcher grant funds must go to HBCUs, tribal, and minority serving institutions in order to support greater diversity and equality of opportunity in the cybersecurity field.

 “This has been a long time coming, and it’s a big win for Georgia’s HBCUs and for cybersecurity in Georgia and nationwide,” Sen. Ossoff said. 

 “Now that this critical bill has finally been signed into law, HBCUs, their students, Georgia and our entire economy will reap the rewards of a more diverse, better-educated workforce that is more capable of protecting us against 21st-century threats,”said Rep. Johnson.  

 “It is vitally important that we do everything we can to increase the numbers of minorities in science. Scientists solve humanity’s problems – and minorities in the United States have historically had limited access to the tools that will enable them to be a more representative part of this effort,” Dr. David Satcher said. “We have the opportunity to do a better job much earlier in the development of the relatively new field of cybersecurity. I am honored that Senator Ossoff and Congressman Johnson chose to attach my name to this crucial initiative.”

The Senate bill was co-sponsored by Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tim Scott (R-SC), Angus King (I-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and John Boozman (R-AR).

“Cybersecurity training is one of the most necessary skills needed heading into the future as we see an increase in cybercrimes, putting private information, energy dependability, and national security at risk,” said Sen. Tillis. “This legislation will open new doors and opportunities for students at HBCUs, including the thousands of talented students at HBCUs in North Carolina, that they otherwise would not have had. I am proud of our work on this bipartisan bill, and I applaud the president for signing it into law.”

 The House bill was co-sponsored by Reps. Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Karen Bass (CA-37), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Dina Titus (NV-01), André Carson (IN-07), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Pete Aguilar (CA-31), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), David N. Cicilline (RI-01), Val Demings (FL-10), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), William R. Keating (MA-09), Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Jim Costa (CA-16), Marc A. Veasey (TX-33), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Steve Cohen (TN-09), G.K. Butterfield (NC-01), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Joseph D. Morelle (NY-25), Colin Allred (TX-32), Al Green (TX-09), and Ro Khanna (CA-17).

“Congratulations to Senator Ossoff and his colleagues on the passage of the Dr. David Satcher Cybersecurity Education Grant Program, which will create greater diversity in the important and growing field of cybersecurity and offer more opportunities to students at liberal arts colleges who want to pursue careers in cybersecurity,” said Dr. Helene Gayle, President of Spelman College. “This program, named after one of my closest long-time mentors, will increase research, education, technical, partnership, and innovation capacity for cybersecurity programs, research, and training experiences in an area that now touches every aspect of our lives. As a college whose mission is to educate the next generation of young women of African descent, I am enthusiastic about the many doors of opportunity this program will open to student populations that have been underrepresented in the cybersecurity sector.”

 “The legislation not only reflects the critical importance of protecting the nation’s digital infrastructure, but it also recognizes the irreplaceable value of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in preparing an analytically adept and highly-educated workforce to address emergent challenges,” said David A. Thomas, Ph.D., Morehouse College President. “Like the innovative Morehouse alumnus for whom the ‘Dr. David Satcher Cybersecurity Education Grant Program’ will be named, our students and graduates have the skills, ingenuity, drive, and expertise to shape our technological future.”

 “We are grateful to Senator Ossoff for his support of HBCUs and increasing opportunities for students to work in the cybersecurity field and applaud his bipartisan Cybersecurity Opportunity Act being signed into law,” Savannah State University President Kimberly Ballard-Washington said. “Our College of Sciences Technology is the only HBCU in the region to offer ABET accredited engineering technology programs and a Bachelor of Science in computer science technology with a cybersecurity track, and we are excited to grow this new program. The ‘Dr. David Satcher Cybersecurity Education Grant Program’ will directly impact Savannah State’s ability to graduate more students prepared to enter a global workforce, meeting the cybersecurity needs in all business sectors.”

 “As we know and have seen in recent months, cybersecurity is critical whether technology is used in private industry or government. Strong training programs at our nation’s HBCUs can play a major role in the development, education, and training of a diverse and innovative workforce of cybersecurity professionals,”said Dr. Cheryl Evans Jones, President of Paine College. “The legislation from Senator Ossoff will be a tremendous boost in developing, expanding, and strengthening cybersecurity programs at HBCUs to meet the growing needs of the field. This is particularly true of HBCUs such as Paine College in Augusta, Georgia as Augusta is a leader in cybersecurity with nearby Fort Gordon as the home of the U.S. Army Signal School, the U.S. Cyber Center of Excellence, and the U.S. Army Cyber Command.”

 “Producing more STEM majors and graduates with cybersecurity training is a national security imperative. As Chair of the 19 Universities that comprise the 1890 HBCU Land Grant Institutions, we have made it a system-wide priority to focus on rebuilding our infrastructure and addressing our deferred maintenance so we can take advantage of opportunities like the “Dr. David Satcher Cybersecurity Education Grant Program.” I want to thank Senator Ossoff for his work on this important effort and look forward to continuing to work with him and his colleagues on future endeavors,” said Dr. Paul Jones, President, Fort Valley State University and Chair, 1890 Council of Land Grant Universities.

$40K Awarded to ASU Forensic Department to Continue COVID Research

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Alabama State University will be able to continue efforts to battle COVID-19 thanks to a hefty grant extension. Learn more in the release by Hazel Scott at ASU below.

Dr. Gulnaz Javan (right)  and Dr. Sheree Finley work in Javan’s ASU Thanatos Lab.

Dr.  Gulnaz Javan, a nationally acclaimed forensic scientist at Alabama State University, and her team will be able to further their research related to COVID-19 thanks to the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF awarded an additional $40,000 to extend the Department of Forensic Science’s 2020 grant of $200,000 until August 2024.   The two-year program is titled “Infusing Collaborations in Forensics for Conceptualizing Student Innovation at Alabama State University (CSI-ASU).” 

“We will be able to continue research into the microbiome of death signatures of postmortem samples obtained at autopsy from COVID-19 infected and noninfected corpses,” said Javan. “This supplemental grant will keep the ASU Forensic Program involved in important research in order to learn more about COVID-19.” 

Javan, a professor of Forensic Science, is the principal investigator of the research. Co-principle investigators are Dr. Robert Green, chair of the Physical Science  Department and Forensic Science Program and associate professor of chemistry; Dr. Cleon Barnett, associate professor of physics; and Dr. Sheree Finley, instructor of chemistry. 

Javan noted that the University’s Thanatos Lab is one of the only two known labs in the United States that has access to study the postmortem microbiome of internal organs of cadavers from actual criminal casework. 

Finley said the $40,000 will go a long way toward continuing efforts to train students as they prepare for careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). 

“I am thankful that the NSF found our work meritorious. We will continue to work hard to produce state-of-the-art research and outstanding student researchers,” Finley emphasized. 

Barnett pointed out that the supplemental funding represents a significant step in ensuring ASU’s continuous rigorous training of the next generation of qualified individuals for the forensic workforce. 

“Our students will be exposed to cutting-edge research that will help them solve challenging problems in the forensic science community,” Barnett said.

Green is thrilled about the benefits the forensic biology and forensic chemistry students will continue to receive, which include allowing students to be trained and work side-by-side with STEM faculty on research projects at partner institutions and by contributing to and making use of highly competent experts in FEPAC-accredited programs to publish peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts.

“These changes will bring us closer to having FEPAC accredited programs, which will make our graduates much more competitive in the job market.  I commend Dr. Javan and our team on a job well done to secure funding for the students in the Physical Sciences Department and Forensic Science Programs,” Green added.

Dallas HBCU Freshmen Get Assistance From Charitable “Mafia”

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Several Paul Quinn College freshmen received some unlikely help as they moved into their dorms! Learn more in the story by Vince Sims at NBC DFW.

Paul Quinn College freshmen were provided dorm essentials like bedding, laundry supplies and household necessities

Students started moving in on the campus of Paul Quinn College in Dallas. 13 of those students are getting a helping hand furnishing their dorm room thanks to a group called Move-In Day Mafia.

The organization consists of a group of volunteers who assist Historically Black College and University, also known as HBCU, freshmen transfer into their new dorm rooms. This assistance includes providing room essentials like bedding, laundry supplies and other household necessities.

Freshman Joanna Nicolas appreciates the donation and assistance from Move-In Day Mafia.

“It’s really a good opportunity that they give to the families to provide for them because we don’t always know what families are going through,” Paul Quinn College freshman Joanna Nicolas said.

The students chosen by the organization all face financial hardships.

“In a way, it’s like a weight taken off of you to know you don’t have to worry about certain things when you already have to worry about school,” Nicolas said, adding that the supplies are a big help.

Tee J. Mercer is the founder of Move-In Day Mafia. Through volunteers and donations, the group is able to supply bedding, refrigerators, and other essentials.

“I need them to focus on just being a student and going to college,” she said. “I don’t want them worrying about where is the deodorant coming from. Where is the soap coming from?”

Mercer said removing this small burden will hopefully free their minds to focus on grades.

“You can just think and thrive and that’s why it’s important because I need them to just focus on what the rest of their lives are,” Mercer said.

These students will also get monthly care packages and will be supported through their college journey.

“For those that have come out of situations where the family wasn’t supportive or they don’t even know their family I need them to know from this point on you’ve got a family,” Mercer said.

“I feel very blessed for the opportunity to have this,” Nicolas said.

To learn more about Move-In Day Mafia click here.

SC State Fires Athletic Director Stacy Danley

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South Carolina State University has decided that it does not see a future with former athletic director Stacy Danley. Learn more from staff at The Post and Courier.

Stacy Danley has been fired as director of athletics at South Carolina State. (Provided)

South Carolina State has fired athletic director Stacy Danley effective immediately, the school said in a statement on Aug. 9.

“S.C. State University has made the decision to move our athletics programming in a different direction,” school president Alexander Conyers said. “We thank Mr. Danley for his service to the university. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”

The school also announced that Keisha Campbell has been appointed interim director of athletics. She’s a member of the school’s athletics hall of fame in basketball and is a former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the year.

Danley, a former football player at Auburn, had been at S.C. State since 2017 after stints as AD at Alabama State and Tuskegee.

His department has been embroiled in controversy in recent months. Former women’s basketball coach Audra Smith filed a lawsuit alleging Title IX violations last February, and was fired the next day.

And former men’s basketball coach Murray Garvin sued the school last March, saying his program was underfunded. Danley was named in that lawsuit.

Garvin’s contract was not renewed in March of 2021.

Campbell previously served as head women’s basketball coach at S.C. State, was athletics director for Hampton University and worked as director of championships for the NCAA.

S.C. State recently named former West Virginia assistant Erik Martin to coach men’s basketball, and hired Rutgers women’s assistant coach Timothy Eatman as women’s basketball coach.

Five Ways to Survive Your Freshman Year of College

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Back-to-school season is officially here, and college freshmen are about to embark on what has long been called the “best four years of your life.” As exciting as college is, navigating the waters of a new environment can be scary and lonely but don’t worry, HBCU Buzz has got you! Here are five tips to survive your freshman year at college.

Prioritize your Education, Keep Your Grades Up

Start your freshman year off with good grades and land a high GPA. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re not spending the next four years trying to recover from a bad freshman year GPA. It might seem hard trying to balance academics with fun, but remember why you’re there and make the best of it by finding friends you can study with. Go to class, build a relationship with your professors, ask for assistance when needed, and stay on top of due dates by simply reading the class syllabus.

Get Out Your Room and Go to Events

During your freshman year, there are going to be several events catered to the freshman class, go to them! This is a great opportunity to meet people and get adjusted to your new home away from home. Cast your fears aside and go it alone if you have to,  you don’t want to miss out on forming lifelong friendships and maximizing your college experience. 

Find a Mentor

Having a mentor to steer you in the right direction during college has been very beneficial for many students. Finding the right mentor your freshman year can help guide your path regarding campus life, career advice, and personal matters. Some campuses may offer mentoring programs for students to connect with potential mentors, while some students may have to go out and find their mentors themselves. Students should consider what they want in a mentor and connect with upperclassmen, professors and faculty members, or alumni who align with their values. 

Get Involved! Find Clubs and Orgs on Campus

Find ways to serve your campus and make your mark early on by looking into organizations and clubs freshmen can join. You may also consider impacting your class by becoming a student leader with a position in SGA. Whatever you choose, make sure you make an informed decision and commit to it.

Be Optimistic

They don’t call college the “best four years of your life” for nothing, embrace the college experience and be optimistic about the journey. These are the times that you’ll look back on fondly for years to come. Your college experience is what you make of it, so make it count, make lots of memories and go in with a positive attitude. 

Your freshman year can become one of the best years of college by following these tips. You only get to do it once, so take it all in and enjoy this awesome opportunity of reinvention. We wish all incoming freshmen the best of luck this school year!

UMES Extension Restarts Specialty Farm Educational Bus Tours

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After four years, a UMES Extension bus tour will be highlighting farms and more across stops including Virginia State University! of Learn more in the story by Bay To Bay News.

UMES Extension Farm Bus Tours last held in 2018 resume Aug. 31-Sept. 1 to include a stop at the Virginia State University College of Agriculture’s annual field day.

UMES Extension’s Farm Bus Tour will be back on the road August 31 and September 1 for a visit to Eastern and Central Virginia, including a stop at Virginia State University College of Agriculture’s annual field day.

The tour, highlighting farms with sustainable and innovative agricultural practices, is returning after a four-year hiatus.

“Despite the many challenges farmers are facing today, there remain strategies and alternative methods for increasing farm profits,” said Berran Rogers, coordinator of UMES Extension’s Small Farm Program and organizer for the event. “Stops along the tour will introduce unique marketing approaches aimed at helping farmers work directly with the customer and leaving the middleman out-improving the bottom line.”

A sample of the stops lined up for the tour, Rogers said, include Virginia’s Bees Knees Farm & Creamery in West Point, Riverside Produce Farm and Muscadines in King William and Slade Farms in Surry.

Recipient of the Virginia Cooperative Extension’s 2021 Small Farm Outreach Program Volunteer of the Year, Bees Knees Farm & Creamery has been operating for five years and offers diversified sustainable meat (pork, chicken, turkey and goat), along with cheese and goat milk from the 20-acre farm. Tour participants can gain information on its diversified marketing strategy, including on-farm sales, farmers markets, online sales with drop-off points, food hubs and agritourism.

Described by VCE agents as “one of the most productive and immaculate farms in the region,” Riverside Produce Farm and Muscadines is a contender for the organization’s 2022 Farmer of the Year. The 40-acre farm wholesales their produce (melons, heirloom tomatoes and adding muscadine grapes next fall) to stores and food hubs.

Once a corn and soybean “big tractor” farmer on many acres, the third generation owner of Slade Farms has converted his operation to two acres of organic produce and heirloom seed plots, specializing in sweet potato slips and elephant garlic. The farm motto is “Responsible Farming with Profitable Results.” Keeping old varieties alive to preserve for future generations is his passion.

The Farm Bus Tour, funded in part by the “Increasing Farmers Access to Resources and Management Solutions” (IFARMS) initiative, is targeted toward small-scale and new and beginning farmers, Rogers said. Some of the focus areas include direct marketing, value-added products, agritourism, specialty crops, sustainable farming practices, woodland opportunities and natural conservation.

The tour starts (8 a.m.) and ends (7 p.m.) at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore campus. Registration includes bus transportation to three to four farm visits, educational packets, light refreshments and one night hotel accommodation on Wednesday, Aug. 31, in addition to VSU’s field day on Thursday, Sept. 1.

Registration is open at https://farmbustour2022.eventbrite.com with more information to come. Fees are $75 for a single registrant and $125 for a party of two. The deadline to register is Aug. 24. Anyone in need of special services or accommodations must call 410-621-5450, ext. 106 two weeks in advance by Aug. 10.

N.C. A&T Announces Second-Consecutive Record Year In Research Funding: $97.3M

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North Carolina A&T State University continues to be awarded record-breaking funding. Learn more in the story N.C. A&T release by Todd Simmons, Jamie Crockett and Jackie Torok below.

Sponsored research activities at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University expanded significantly in fiscal year 2022, supported by a second-consecutive record year in contracts and grants to A&T faculty: Researchers earned $97.3 million in awards.

That marked an increase of $19.2 million over the previous fiscal year and a nearly 62% in total research funding over the past two years. Faculty across the university are increasingly prominent as principal or co-principal investigators on significant federally funded projects of interest to North Carolinians and the world of science more broadly.

A&T faculty also were awarded eight U.S. patents in FY22 – the most ever in a single fiscal over the university’s 132-year history.

Among the many projects to win funding are efforts to keep food service workers safe from airborne viruses, increase flood-mapping capabilities, reduce household energy expenses, expand Alzheimer’s disease research frontiers and improve automatic speech recognition systems.

“It’s important to underscore that this funding, awarded competitively, is earned through the creativity and focus of our talented faculty,” said North Carolina A&T Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. “It enables them to make important, impactful advances in such areas as autonomous vehicle technology, biomaterials, nanoengineering and more.

“I’m grateful for the outstanding effort they collectively put forward.”

Projects that received funding included:

  • A $1.05 million N.C. Department of Environmental Quality grant to principal investigator Raymond Tesiero, Ph.D., in support of two research projects that will provide cost-effective solutions to low-income housing challenges by helping homeowners save energy and reduce household expenses. This and other research and apprenticeship projects in clean energy were piloted alongside colleagues Balakrishna Gokaraju, Ph.D., and Greg Monty, Ph.D., whose work resulted in a major award from the U.S. Department of Commerce last week.
  • A $600,000 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant to lead investigator Salam Ibrahim, Ph.D., will help establish an airborne virus transmission laboratory model to create and disseminate best practices to keep employees safe and address gaps in evidence-based decision-making that the COVID-19 pandemic revealed in the food-processing industry.
  • A $473,615 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grant to Leila Hashemi Beni, Ph.D., will support her team’s work to address gaps in flood extent mapping capabilities by using drones to gather data that is challenging to capture otherwise. The data will assist regional and federal agencies to better manage rescue operations and assess damages following a major storm event.
  • A $324,000 National Institutes of Health National Institute of General Medical Sciences grant to lead investigator Yeoheung Yun, Ph.D., will expand previous Alzheimer’s disease research by supporting Yun’s development of a reproducible, 3D membrane-free neuro-gliovascular-immune system. If successful, this project will “reduce animal use, fill the scientific gap between in vitro and vivo models and accelerate drug screening and discovery.” Yun, who has also designed a brain mini model to study Alzheimer’s disease, won the 2022 O. Max Gardner Award, the top annual recognition for faculty members in the UNC System, for his contributions to the field of bioengineering.
  • A $320,565 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for collaborative research on speech science to improve automatic speech recognition systems that are becoming ubiquitous in modern life. Joseph D. Stephens, Ph.D., is the principal investigator for the project, which has received funding through the NSF Build and Broaden Program. “We will help the science to become more inclusive by investigating how human listeners understand variable speech, and will help diversify the field by increasing the capacity and involvement of students from groups that are underrepresented in speech science,” said Stephens.

“Our faculty are deepening their leadership and reputations across numerous areas of scientific interest, both on their own and in collaboration with peers across campus and around the country,” said Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development Eric Muth, Ph.D. “The growth for which they were responsible last year is not only great for the projects they’re involved in now, but for those they will pursue in the future.”

Research funding is already off to a brisk start in the current fiscal year, with a $23.7 million American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge grant announced last week from the U.S. Department of Commerce to create an energy workforce training program.Additional funding for A&T to work with other state and historically Black universities to diversify and expand the research workforce – as well as study in partnership with other North Carolina universities the microbial communities that inhabit the structures in which we live, work and play – will be announced today.

Albany State University Launches ‘University College’ For Freshmen

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Albany State University is offering a new program to help freshmen succeed! Learn more in the story below.

University College Ribbon Cutting

Albany State University (ASU) is launching a new program that focuses on helping incoming students succeed. The program, University College, will serve as a national model for how to effectively prepare first-year students for university-level expectations, bridge the gap between first-year students’ natural interests and academic success, and promote on-time graduation in every major.

“Providing a transformative first-year experience is key to supporting an effective transition to higher education for freshmen. This additional support will lead to an increase in retention rates, as students will learn to balance student life, and prepare for the academic rigor of upper-level courses,” said ASU President Marion Ross Fedrick. 

The students will participate in engaging and innovative learning communities where they will spend time exploring academic-related events and student engagement activities. In the learning communities, a cohort of students will enroll in three linked courses, centered around a specific theme. These courses are not an extra requirement but are required core courses or pre-requisites for a major. The Learning Communities include Future Nurses, Future Teachers, Speaking the Language of Criminal Justice, Songs in the Key of American History, Men Achieving Purpose, The STEM Community, The American Dream, and Embracing Global Commerce.

While the faculty to student ratio at ASU is 1 to 20, University College participants will attend classes on an even smaller scale. They will have dedicated advisors, as well as study abroad, internship, and on-campus work opportunities.

Students will enter their sophomore year as self-regulated learners committed to learning and invested in their academic success. They will have selected appropriate academic, networking and career opportunities, and will recognize the importance of self-care as a critical component of student success.

“University College is a place where first-year students will learn, grow, and build community. The program will touch every first-year student and provide both academic and non-academic support,” said Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Tiffany Pogue.

University College is founded on three principles to create and deliver best practices that foster the education, career development and student success of first year students; collaboration, connection, and engagement.

The community is invited to the University College Launch and Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, August 11 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The event will take place on the ASU East Campus, on the second floor of the James Pendergrast Library. Activities will include a tour of the program space, an introduction of the themed learning communities, and a welcome for the inaugural University College class.

Additional information can be found at www.asurams.edu/universitycollege.

There Are No HBCUs in Minnesota, So Three HBCU Grads Started a Band Camp to Introduce the Culture

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Bands culture is an integral part of the HBCU experience, and some HBCU alumni don’t want some high schoolers to miss it! Learn more in the story by staff at The Grio.

During the two-week summer camp, students play instruments and learn discipline and dance.

During the Northside United Summer Band camp, students play instruments, learn dance and discipline. At the end of the two weeks, families and neighbors are invited to watch them perform on the stage of the North Community High School.

The performance is the high-energy, “show style” marching band technique that is popular at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The camp is the brainchild of three art enthusiasts who are also HBCU alumni, the Star Tribune reports.

The Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands marching band performs on Sept. 23, 2016 on the South Lawn of the White House during a reception in honor of the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. Three graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities teach show-style marching band techniques to Minnesota students during a two-week summer camp. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Minnesota is not home to any HBCUs, so for the second year the three have offered a free marching band camp (including instruments) to Twin Cities students from fifth to 12th grade regardless of musical abilities, the Star Tribune reports.

The two-week camp is the result of a collaborative effort between staff at North Community High and LoveWorks Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, a predominantly black charter school whose students are kindergarteners through eighth grade. Camp leader Arthur Turner III (Shaw University), music teacher D’Shonte Carter, 25, and her husband Deondré Carter (both grads of Virginia State University) — the camp’s drumline instructor — work in different capacities at LoveWorks Academy.

“We hope that we’re igniting the fire that will give them a tool to be able to take their lives from where they currently are to wherever they want to go,” said Turner, executive director of LoveWorks Academy. He grew up in Norfolk, Virginia listening to the Norfolk State University marching band.

Sixteen-year-old DJ Gipson of Maple Grove High School may now feel a little fire. Though he admits to drumming in the school’s music room, he did not want to attend the camp. “My mom forced me to,” he said. But … he believes his mother did the right thing. “I would have just been outside right now, doing nothing.”

As for Terriana Carter-Ricks, the 14-year-old dancer who will start classes at North Community High in the fall, appreciates the “rigor” of the camp. “I like that they push us more.” 

The Carters and Turner believe they “are the only HBCU graduates teaching show-style marching band techniques in Minnesota,” according to the StarTribune.

D’Shonte Carter — a music teacher at LoveWorks Academy where she was once a student of then-music teacher Turner — hopes the performance that will mark the close of this year’s camp will lead to funding for arts programs for the entire year. The students “learn this for two weeks, and then in reality they don’t continue to learn during the school year,” said Carter to whom Turner introduced the marching band style performance during her LoveWorks Academy student days. “And there’s obviously a thirst for that. They want to do this. So do families. So my hope is that we as a state, and as this city, continue to provide these opportunities to students.”

Turner hopes students will see marching band as a pathway to scholarships, college and a successful career.

“Kids fall in love with sports because you hear about the million-dollar contracts. They don’t realize that you can be a principal musician for the orchestra and make pretty good money.”

Alcorn State adds HBCU Legend to its Basketball Coaching Staff

HBCU Basketball legend Cyrus “Cy” Alexander joins the men’s basketball staff at Alcorn State University.

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Veteran coach Cyrus “Cy” Alexander is joining the men’s basketball staff at Alcorn State University.

On Tuesday, Aug. 9, Alcorn State announced that Alexander will be working under the direction of men’s basketball head Coach Landon Bussie. Alexander joins Ben Mandelbaum as the second assistant coach to join Bussie’s staff in the last 10 days. With these two additions, Bussie has completed his staff for the upcoming 2022-23 season.

After receiving last season’s SWAC Coach of the Year, Bussie has added two accomplished assistant coaches to his staff in order to continue pushing the program forward.

Alexander’s impressive resume includes serving as head coach of notable programs such as North Carolina A&T, South Carolina State, and Tennessee State. He has compiled more than 375 wins throughout his career as a head coach, all while winning six Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournaments. He has also won six MEAC regular season titles. 

“Cy is a veteran coach that I’m just excited about having on my staff,” expressed Bussie. “I know I can learn from him and become a better head coach just from having him within the program. He just brings so many things to us, and I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Morgan State is On a Mission to Become Marylands’s first R1 HBCU

Morgan State is working hard to make history as the first Maryland HBCU to gain R1 status.

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Morgan State University is making strides to go where no other HBCU has gone and gain R1 status.

As of right now, no HBCU in the nation has R1 status, Morgan State University is seeking to change that. R1 status means “Doctoral/Very High Research Activity” and is the highest ranking awarded by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Morgan State President David Kwabena Wilson says the University is fit for the title.

“It’s so important for Morgan to be a resident on the penthouse level of research because there’s no other institution—no other HBCU—on that floor like us, and we’re moving boldly towards reaching the higher echelon of Carnegie Classified universities,” said Wilson “Attaining R1 (‘very high research’) classification is a lofty goal for Morgan, but we are primed for the challenge, understanding that attaining R1 will not only raise our profile within the research and scientific community but also help to ensure Morgan students have access to the expertise, facilities, and curricula to prepare them for an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

SOURCE: MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

According to Technical.ly, there are the main criteria for R1 schools to fulfill:

  • Award at least 20 research/scholarship doctoral degrees during the update year, which takes place every three years and
  • Spend at least $5 million in total research expenditures, as reported through the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research & Development Survey
  • Score high on the Research Activity Index calculation, which is an aggregate level of overall and per capita research activity. The calculation takes research spending and research hiring measures before dividing it by the number of full-time assistant, associate and full professors.

In an effort to meet these qualifications, Morgan State has created the National Center for Equitable Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Systems and invested $20.1 million to start designing a $150 million-dollar science center. They are also competing to land a $120 million Department of Defense (DoD)-affiliated research center.

According to Technical.ly, Wilson described the center as the university’s “North Star.”

“It underpins Morgan’s 10-year strategic plan and our campus’ full commitment to providing upward social and economic mobility for our students,” said Wilson. “It is quintessential that we are preparing Morgan graduates for the work of the future and the future of work. We are intentional about achieving R1 classification and this intentionality is rooted in investing wisely in ourselves.”

Maryland Higher Education Secretary Dr. James D. Fielder describes this striving toward R1 status as an opportunity to create more equity in STEM fields.

“The R1 distinction recognizes the strength and quality of the institution’s research programs, and the diversity perspective of these programs are critical to promoting positive change for our state’s workforce and our robust economy,” Fielder told Technical.ly. “The distinction would also allow Maryland’s HBCUs to further engage with industry, and to increase student diversity within STEM education programs, which is an integral part of the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s four-year State Plan.”

Dr. Willie E. May, Morgan State’s vice president for research and economic development told Technical.ly. “Let’s face it. It’s a merit badge, we’ll proudly wear that merit badge, but as I was trying to make a point: What we have to do is make sure that we continue to serve our community and prepare students to be successful in their careers, in life — and prepare them to support this country in our global competitiveness.”

Morgan State has a 10-year strategic plan to reach R1 status by 2030 but May believes the university is on track to reach it by 2027. He added that the university will strive to support the surrounding community by being Maryland’s preeminent public urban research university. 

“We’re not going to try to be Hopkins, College Park or UMBC,” May said. We’re going to focus an increasing amount of our research on addressing problems of the urban condition.”

Florida Memorial is Training the Next Generation of Black Pilots

Florida Memorial University is making strides to diversify the aviation field and produce more Black pilots through its aviation program

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Florida Memorial University is one of the few HBCUs that provide an aviation program.

 According to Zippia, Black pilots make up less than 2% of commercial pilots nationwide and FMU is seeking to change that.

During an interview with NBC News, the chairman of Florida Memorial University’s board of trustees and an FMU alum, William McCormick noted how a Florida Memorial alum, Capt. Barrington Irving once held the record as the youngest person to fly around the world at 23 years old. They are looking to produce more Black pilots like Irving, but finances raise an issue.

According to ATP Flight School, a flight school program for an experienced student costs $71,000 and may cost as high as $91,995 for a student with no experience. This is why McCormick stresses the importance of community support and partnerships.

“A lot of kids who don’t look like me can come to the program because they can afford to pay for flight time,” McCormick said. “We have to fix that so our students from an HBCU can join the program with ease, too. We want to be a pipeline for Black pilots just like we did with teachers and principals. But we need partnerships with people who care” McCormick told NBC News

McCormick found the community support he was looking for in Freddie Figgers, owner of Figgers Communication, the nation’s only Black-owned telecommunications. Figgers teamed up with Vince Young, a Black car dealership mogul, and former pilot, to donate $50,000 to FMU’s aviation program.

“When I learned about how outstanding the aviation program is at Florida Memorial, we at the [Figgers] Foundation felt the need to help,” said Figgers. “I understand the road to becoming a pilot is long and hard and carries a large price tag, and we as a community have to do our part to change the numbers and give our kids a chance to be great.”

As a former pilot Young highlighted the importance of aviation. “Having something to hang on to like aviation really allows you to discover that there are no ceilings and that you can keep growing” He said. “It just makes you so much better, more focused, and more skilled at everything you do.”

McCormick has high hopes for the future of the aviation program at FMU.

“We have young people who are very interested in this field,” he said. “The hope is that the airlines will partner with us and increase the chances of our students getting in and through flight school.”

Fisk University’s New Gymnastics Team has Officially Started Practicing

The first HBCU gymnastics team has officially started practicing for the 2023 season.

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Fisk University is the first HBCU to launch a gymnastics program.

Earlier this year Fisk announced its new Intercollegiate Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team and they have now officially started practicing for the 2023 season.

In a new TikTok video posted by @zyiaalexys, the new recruits can be seen practicing their flips and flexing their skills in the gymnastics gym. The video has over three hundred thousand views and has received many supportive comments.

@zyiaalexys

first hbcu gymnastics team!! lets get it!💙💛. #trending #viral #fypシ #gymnastics #fiskuniversity

♬ Let’s Go – Key Glock

One user said, “As a retired gymnast who always wanted her hbcu to have a gymnastics team I almost shed a tear cause seeing this is beautiful.” Another user showed their support for the new team saying, “Oh it’s over for these other universities.”

Although the roster for the new team has yet to be updated on Fisk’s Athletics website, 15 recruits have been confirmed on the Fisk gymnastics Instagram page.

Leading the new team to victory is the newly appointed Athletic Director and new Gymnastics Coach Corinne Tarver. Tarver is the first Black gymnast to win an NCAA all-around title in 1989 and was named a U.S. National Team member during the 1985-1986 season. She also has a national floor title and two team titles with Georgia, in 1987 and 1989, to her name. 

The future of gymnastics at Fisk is bright according to President Dr. Vann Newkirk. “Fisk University has always been an educational leader and this women’s gymnastics program will embody all the qualities that define the Fisk experience: excellence, determination, and a commitment to a better tommorrow” Newkirk said in a statement.

Denny’s and Getty Images Partner to Launch Grant for HBCU Students

Getty Images and Denny’s have teamed up to provide a grant aimed at preserving HBCU history.

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Yesterday, Getty Images and Denny’s announced their partnership to foster the Getty Images Photo Archive Grants for HBCUs.

Getty Images and Denny’s announced their new partnership and grant at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, during the Preserving the History of HBCUs Together panel discussion.

The panel’s participants consisted of Brenda Lauderback, Denny’s Board Chair; Cassandra Illidge, Vice President of Global Partnerships and Executive Director of the HBCU Grants Program at Getty Images; and Thomas K. Hudson, J.D., President of Jackson State University.

From left: Thomas K. Hudson, J.D., president of Jackson State University, Brenda Lauderback, Denny’s board chair, Cassandra Illidge, vice president of global partnerships and executive director of the HBCU Grants Program at Getty Images, and EBONY Media’s Chief Operating Officer Keija Minor. Image: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images. SOURCE: EBONY

Ebony reports that through this partnership Denny’s will disburse stipends to students attending the HBCUs who have been chosen as the recipients of the Getty Images Photo Archive Grants for HBCUs. These HBCUs include Claflin University, North Carolina Central University, Jackson State University, and Prairie View A&M University.

This program will support the digitization of the visual history of HBCUs so that it can be “honored, revered and accessed for years to come” according to Ebony. Getty Images plans on making over 100,000 photos will be available for licensing in the “Historically Black Colleges & Universities Collection” on their website.

“First, I want Getty Images to work with every HBCU. Second, I would love to see Black archivists—I want to see students come out of school and be employed at companies like EBONY or Getty Images or Denny’s or back at Jackson State, said Illidge. “Ultimately, the goal of this program is to make a difference in the way the world views history and this will provide a wealth of content for publications and textbooks to be filled with historical events that are relevant to us and were photographed by us.”

In partnership with the Getty Family and philanthropic organization Stand Together, the grants are committing $500,000 towards the digitization of HBCU photographic archives, with the respective HBCUs retaining full ownership.

“We want to have many more students to have the opportunity to work in their schools and working to digitize all of their images, giving them an experience they may never have had if they didn’t have this program in place,” said Lauderback. “Also, the opportunity for many more HBCUs to be a part of this program—we want to this grow. We know that if we can control our narrative in our schools and amongst our people, we are better off. We don’t need other people telling our story.”

VP Harris Meets With HBCU Leaders About Abortion Bans

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Recent legislation on abortions has affected colleges and universities nationwide, especially HBCUs. Learn more about the important conversation that HBCU leaders just had with Howard University alumna and US Vice President Kamala Harris in the story by Erika DuBose at The Black Wall Street Times.

Vice President Kamala Harris listens to attendees during a roundtable with college presidents about reproductive rights at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, in Washington, Monday, Aug. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Vice President Kamala Harris recently hosted a roundtable discussion about the effects of abortion restrictions on college students. The first Black VP met with leadership from several colleges and Universities. 

Harris was joined by Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. The two hosted a discussion about the health, safety, and well-being of college students during a time when reproductive rights are being trampled. 

According to the White House, restrictions on abortion disproportionately affect college students. Black college students, in particular, face unique challenges. 

Nearly three-quarters of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) are located in states with strict abortion restrictions. HBCU students face many barriers to accessing reproductive healthcare – and comprehensive health education.

HBCU students in red states face barriers to reproductive healthcare, abortion

According to Kalaya Sibley, a college student at Dillard University, an HBCU in Louisiana, “I believe everyone should have a right to make decisions about their bodies. Knowing that people who look like me, and even just women in general, have to experience these roadblocks … is defeating.”

Data has shown that young, Black women forced to carry a pregnancy are less likely to graduate college with a higher degree. Additionally, women who experience unintended pregnancies are four times more likely to end up living under the federal poverty line. 

Additionally, the cost of abortion is a barrier for many women. Medical abortions can cost up to $750, while procedural abortions can be twice that cost. 

And that’s just one of the reasons VP Harris considers these conversations about college students to be integral. She gave accolades to college leadership who are continuing to provide access to abortion care for their students, faculty, and staff.

Meanwhile, HBCU presidents and other college leadership have vowed to continue supporting their students. Thomas K. Hudson, the President of Jackson State University, plans to continue providing comprehensive reproductive education and care to students on campus and off. 

And that matters to students like Sibley, who is considering where to attend law school in the wake of the Supreme Court dismantling Roe V Wade. According to Sibley, “I don’t see myself attending law school in a southern state,” she stated, mentioning Jim Crow and the history of slavery in Southern States. She continued, “the limiting of abortion access was the cherry on top for me.”

Dr. Yolanda Page Departs Dillard To Take Over As Provost at Savannah State University

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Dr. Yolanda Page, a alumna and former vice president for academic affairs of Dillard University, will be moving on to another HBCU. Learn more about how she will be taking her talents to Savannah State University the release below.

Dr. Yolanda W. Page arrived at Dillard as a first year student in 1987. As is the case for so many other Bleu Devils, Page quickly came to love “Fair Dillard,” and that showed throughout her career. She began her academic career as an English instructor at Dillard in 1994. She also served as chair of the English Department and as assistant dean of humanities. After leadership stints at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Page returned to Dillard in 2013 to serve as vice president for academic affairs. The Shreveport native has announced that she will be moving on from Dillard to take over as provost at Savannah State University, the oldest institution of higher learning in Savannah, Georgia and the oldest public HBCU in the state.

In her new role, Page will be responsible for planning, developing and implementing the overall academic vision and goals for Savannah State. The Georgia HBCU has an enrollment of approximately 3,600 students. Savannah State boasts 30 baccalaureate majors and degrees, five graduate programs, and nearly 150 faculty.

“Dr. Page is a dedicated daughter of Dillard who has made major contributions through accreditation, re-establishing nursing at Dillard, obtaining approval for a master’s in nursing, and establishing a strong pre-law program. We wish her well as provost,” said Dr. Rochelle L. Ford, president of Dillard.

In the coming weeks, Ford will announce an interim vice president for the Division of Academic Affairs.

Under Page’s leadership, Dillard has experienced a number of successes in academics. The University’s nursing program experienced improvements after a self-imposed restructuring. As a result the last three cohorts have met the NCLEX pass rate requirement. Most recently, the nursing program announced its plans to offer a Master of Science in Nursing which will be the first graduate program in Dillard’s history. The business program achieved national accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. The University also implemented online courses for the first time and now offers its criminal justice degree online. Dillard also reaffirmed its ten-year SACSCOC accreditation through 2030. In addition, since 2013 the Division of Academic Affairs has secured approximately $35 million in state and federal funding. Of that amount, Page secured approximately $4.9 million in external funding through her own grant writing efforts and relationships. 

Page has received numerous awards in recognition of her leadership including the Council of Independent Colleges Chief Academic Officer Award in 2020 and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education recognized her as one of 25 Outstanding Women in Higher Education (2017).

“It goes without saying that leaving Dillard is bittersweet,” said Page. “I met my husband at Dillard, we were married in Lawless Chapel and my sister is a Dillard nurse, so this is like leaving a part of myself behind.”

A 1991 graduate of Dillard, Page served on the Student Government Association and became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Beta Upsilon chapter. 

Page will continue to serve at Dillard until she begins at Savannah State on September 6.