2022 JCSU Graduate Jarin Simmons to Compete for the Miss North Carolina Crown

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A recent Johnson C. Smith University alumna Jarin Simmons is preparing to make her state proud as she competes for Miss North Carolina. Learn more in the JCSU story below.

Photo Credit: Johnson C. Smith University

Miss Charlotte Jarin Simmons ’22 will be gracing the Miss North Carolina stage in February 2023 in hopes of taking home the crown for herself, aspiring young beauties, her community and her friend, the late Miss USA Cheslie Kyrst.

“I knew Cheslie since I was 15 or 16 years old,” she remembered fondly. “She was so stunning, and her personality was so bright and golden.”

After introducing herself, the two began a friendship that lasted into adulthood. While Simmons pursued an Interdisciplinary degree at JCSU, Kryst encouraged her to apply for pageants. Simmons promised to apply after she graduated so she could focus on school and modeling.

After transferring from UNC Greensboro to finish her college career at JCSU, Simmons found a community with her professors.

“I met the lovely Dr. Cindy Kistenberg and Dr. Erin DiCesare,” she said. “I was an online student, and they helped me move my schedule around so I could graduate on time. They really stuck their necks out for me, and I can’t thank them enough.”

“In my more than 16 years at JCSU, I have been the initial point of academic contact for hundreds of students,” said Kistenberg, professor of Communication and Theatre and academic advisor at JCSU. “After our initial 30-minute Zoom meeting, I knew Jarin would be a star student. I saw her passion and compassion in that first meeting, which made it clear to me that she would go on to make a difference in the world. Her future will reflect positively on JCSU.”

As graduation approached, Simmons made the decision to follow Kyrst’s advice. With more time on her hands, Simmons reached out to Kyrst’s coach to tell him she was interested in pageantry, and was eager to let her friend know, too. Unbeknownst to Simmons, Kyrst had passed away mere hours before she could share the news. 

Photo Credit: Drewe & Kate

“I was so shocked,” Simmons said. “The very day I decided to run was the day she passed away. I know that her legacy lives on, and I’m going to do this for me, for her and for our community.”

Simmons didn’t get a traditional start in the world of pageantry. When she was in middle school, she wanted to play basketball, but her mother LaRita convinced her to give modeling a try.

After attending modeling school for several years, Simmons was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition which causes the spine to curve sideways. Sometimes, treatment isn’t necessary, but Simmons found herself wearing a back brace to bed for a year.

In 2015, her doctor told her the scoliosis was still progressing, and that she would have to wear a brace all the time, or get a surgery to correct her spine. The only catch was she would be unable to play contact sports after the surgery, so the switch from basketball to modeling seemed like fate.

“I had the surgery in July, and it was successful,” she said. “And a month later, I walking in a fashion show in Charlotte in heels.”

It was in 2015 that Simmons entered her first pageant: Miss Teen Charlotte. She placed fourth runner up and won Miss Photogenic. Although she didn’t walk away with the biggest crown, this pageant is where she connected with Kyrst.

In 2022, she applied to her second-ever pageant, and was named Miss Charlotte. 

“When you have a title like this, you become a representative for young ladies and the city or state you represent,” she said. “I’m excited to embark on this new journey. I have a passion for my community. It’s not only about me, but about leaving a legacy and giving back to the community.”

Simmons is not only an aspiring role model, but also a fashion model. In 2018, she signed with Directions, a talent agency, and has modeled for brands like Belk, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Champion. She also uses her modeling expertise to consult other beauty queens and models during wardrobe showings. 

Her mother is proud of her daughter’s accomplishments, and glad she trusted her advice to model.

“I taught my daughter that what God has for you is for you, and if it’s yours, it’ll be yours,” said LaRita. “Life is full of teaching and learning experiences. If you fall down, just get back up and keep going.”

Simmons said she’s looking forward to the entire experience of “being beautiful, dressing up, walking across the stage” and giving her all. Outside of participating in the February Miss North Carolina Pageant, Simmons has committed to pursue her master’s degree in Communications at Queens University in the fall.

Join JCSU in cheering on this alumna in February as she vies for the N.C. crown.

Diddy Pledges Millions To HBCUs During BET Lifetime Achievement Award Speech

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Photo Credit: Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Two HBCUs will be receiving millions from celebrated artist and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs after he pledged the funds during an acceptance speech at the 2022 BET Awards.

Also known as “Love,” Combs was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifelong accomplishments in the entertainment industry. The three-time Grammy winner first shook up music music by founding the Bad Boy record label in 1993. Over the years the label roster has included popular acts like the Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, French Montana, Total, Danity Kane and Ma$e. He has since established a clothing brand, the Ciroc vodka brand, a clothing brand, REVOLT Media & TV, and more.

Many in the audience were pleasantly surprised to see a masked-up Kanye West appear on stage to dedicate the award.

“How do we crown our kings? How do we appreciate our kings?,” he began. “To think how far we could just make if off of inspiration, to hear the way somebody chopped a sample in. Me and [friend] rushin’ to see who could get the Bad Boy mixtape and play back the original version of ‘Benjamins,’ over and over, thinkin’ I was one of the Hit Men,” he laughed.

West also went on to highlight Combs’ business skills. “[Combs] understood contracts in a way a lot of us still don’t. Understood money in a way a lot of us still don’t. I go to him for advice to this day. He inspired so many of my choices. So many of my life choices. My wife choices. And here we are. Thanks for that, Puff.”

After appearing on stage and thanking many people in his life, Combs chose to not leave the stage as the only winner. Instead, he vowed pay it forward to two HBCUs that he is connected to.

“Before I leave, I want to donate a million dollars to Howard University, and also I’mma drop another million dollars on Deion Sanders and Jackson State because we should play for us,” he said. “Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

Diddy was a student at Howard University before eventually dropping out to pursue his music career. He received an honorary doctorate degree from the HBCU for his accomplishments up to that point in 2014. “Howard University didn’t just change my life – it entered my soul, my heart, my being and my spirit,” he at the time. “Nobody is going to invite you to the front of the line, you got to push your way to the front of the line.”

Photo Credit: Charles A. Smith/JSU Communications

Now in Mississippi, NFL Hall of Famer and Jackson State University head coach Deion Sanders has completely transformed the HBCU’s football program. In addition to bringing top-of-the-line recruits to Jackson State football, “Coach Prime” has also brought his talented children into JSU’s sports programs as well. His sons Shedeur and Shilo Sanders are part of the football program, while his daughter Shelomi Sanders committed to school’s basketball program in February.

In addition to West’s dedication, there were performances from powerhouse artists who hold Diddy near and dear. Famous r&B group JODECI sand their hit single “Come & Talk to Me,” while Mary J. Blige gave a rendition of “I’m Going Down,” a track which was produced by Diddy.

TSU and NASA Announce Space Act Agreement for Educational Opportunities

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Texas Southern University has joined forces with NASA to provide opportunities including a pitch competition and more. Learn more in the release below.

TSU President Dr. Lesia L. Crumpton-Young (front, center) and NASA Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche (front, left) have signed the Space Act Agreement, which expands opportunities for education, workforce development and research between the University and government agency. They are joined by Dr. Lillian B. Poats (front, right), TSU’s Acting Provost; and (back row, l. to r.) Misti Moore, NASA Johnson Space Center Minority University Research and Education Project Manager and TSU alumna; Taylor Getwood, Mister TSU; and Bianca Elam, TSU senior.

Texas Southern University and NASA Johnson Space Center signed a Space Act Agreement that will expand opportunities for education, workforce development, and research.

Under the agreement, TSU and NASA will work collaboratively to facilitate joint research, technology transfer, technology development, and educational and outreach initiatives. The overarching goal is to create a sustained pipeline of diverse talent for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the surrounding companies that provide support for its operations.

“This Space Act Agreement is an embodiment of Texas Southern University’s commitment to its guiding principles of innovation, transformation, and disruption,” said TSU President Dr. Lesia L. Crumpton-Young. “This partnership will make a difference in the lives of our students and faculty. As the University continues to work tirelessly to provide opportunities for students and achieve unprecedented success at an accelerated pace, it is our belief that this partnership can be a model for other HBCUs throughout the country in changing the landscape of engineering and other STEM disciplines. “

As part of the agreement, TSU will host the NASA Technology Infusion Road Tour in September 2022. During this event, faculty and students will have the opportunity to showcase their research capabilities and speak directly with federal agency representatives from around the country. TSU faculty will also have the opportunity to engage with NASA’s Small Business Innovative Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Program directors and participate in prime contractor briefings.

“NASA’s Johnson Space Center has a long history of working with colleges and universities since the early days of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs to help us achieve our human spaceflight missions,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “We are eager to partner and collaborate with Texas Southern University in vital research and technology development initiatives that will enable us to meet our nation’s exploration goals and advance human spaceflight as we work to land the first woman and first person of color on the moon under Artemis.”

In addition, NASA-JSC will host a one-day Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Innovation and Tech Transfer Idea Competition for TSU students. This was established to develop new ideas for commercialization by seeking concept papers/business plans for multidisciplinary student teams at minority-serving institutions.

Jackson State To Host Over 100 High School Students For eSports Program

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This July, Jackson State University is looking to fill its campus with high schoolers interested in gaming. Learn more in the JSU release below.

Photo Credit: Charles A. Smith

Jackson State University will host over 100 local high school students in the Summer 2022 Corners to College HBCU program presented by The Black Collegiate Gaming Association (BCGA). The one-week overnight program, taking place July 11- 15, engages students with the exponentially growing world of eSports gaming and immerses them in HBCU culture and curriculum.

Students are also provided in-depth industry knowledge on the potential growth of eSports and the transition toward a university-level curriculum. It further prepares students for competitive eSports careers and gives students the opportunity to contribute to real-case studies and projects from BCGA corporate partners.

“The gaming industry is a huge untapped market for people of color,” says Almesha Campbell, Ph.D., assistant vice president for Research and Economic Development at JSU.

She adds that the industry is one way HBCUs could begin to look at creating generational wealth by recruiting and offering scholarships to gamers.

Photo Credit: Charles A. Smith/JSU

In 2021, per market and consumer data company Statista, the global eSports market was valued at just over $1.08 billion, an almost 50 percent increase from the previous year.

With the evolution of the eSports gaming industry becoming a viable job market, JSU appears to be at the forefront of innovation and cutting edge curriculum. It is one of the first HBCUs to create a Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, where the eSports program is housed.

“Due to this high market value, it is important for us to start preparing students to understand the business side of eSports, engage in internships at these gaming companies, and compete for scholarships, etc.,” says Campbell.

BCGA organized seven HBCUs across the nation to serve as charter member institutions for the program.

“I’m excited to create history again and bring some of the most deserving and amazing high school students to seven of our 16 HBCU member institutions with Corners to Colleges. We’re changing lives and educating hundreds of Blacks and women of color to enter and diversify the gaming industry,” says Keshia Walker, founder and chairwoman of BCGA.

Working in collaboration with BCGA, a number of corporate partnerships have been solidified, which includes Sony PlayStation, Intel, HyperX, and GameStop. These key relationships have aided JSU with financial resources to secure vital electronic hardware to implement the program effectively as well as accommodate growing student interests.

To be chosen for the Corners to College HBCU initiative, students must have a 2.5 or higher GPA, two letters of recommendation from a teacher/guidance counselor and a community representative or non-profit organization.

For more information and to apply to the program, visit cornerstocollege.org

Atlanta’s HBCU Staff Train On How To Respond To Active Shooter Situation

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Staff representing Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College recently worked to prepare for an active shooter situation. Learn more in the story by the FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team.

Photo Credit: FOX 5 News

Leaders from several of Atlanta’s top historically black colleges and university came together on Wednesday for active shooter training exercise.

Atlanta University Center Consortium joined forces with local law enforcement and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the arm of the Department of Homeland Security tasked with enhancing cyber and infrastructure security, for a table-top exercise.

The goal was to share best practices, increase inter-agency coordination, and to understand the roles of each when responding to a possible active shooter situation.

“This community-wide exercise should reassure our parents, students, staff, and other constituencies that we place their safety as a top priority as we learn, work, and thrive at the Atlanta University Center,” said Dr. Michael Hodge, Executive Director for the Atlanta University Center Consortium.

Wednesday’s exercise does not stem from any specific threats, but comes amid outrage at recent mass shootings across the U.S. Those include a racist attack last month that killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket, and the shooting deaths May 24 of 19 children and two adults at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school in which the gunman was killed. In Southern California, one person was killed and five injured May 15 after a man authorities say was motivated by hatred of Taiwan opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners. Also, just last week, a gunman opened fire at an Alabama church killing three people.

It also comes after a series of bomb threats at HBCUs across the country earlier this year, including several in Atlanta. CISA advisors have been working with HBCU leaders on addressing potential threats and increasing security and potential response since those threats.

“Universities should be safe spaces where students can focus on learning and preparing for their futures,” said Dr. David Mussington, CISA’s Executive Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security. “In the wake of mass shootings across the nation, we must do everything we can to keep our campuses secure. Following today’s exercise, Atlanta’s HBCUs and our first response partners are better prepared to coordinate together if a real-world situation were to occur.”

Atlanta’s HBCUs are uniquely situated that allows them to pool resources due to location.

“The close geolocated campuses of the AUC create, in practice, one large campus community.  The collaboration and close engagement of the campuses and our partners in the community continues to provide a safe and secure environment,” said Dr. Hodge.

Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Spelman College, Morris Brown College, AUC Robert Woodruff Library and the Interdenominational Theological Center all participated in Wednesday’s exercise.

This is the second time this year CISA has held a table-top exercise with Atlanta HBCUs.

Alabama State Signs Rare Reverse Transfer Agreement With South University

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In order to close the gap in the nursing and healthcare worker shortage, Alabama State University has entered into a reverse transfer agreement with South University in Montgomery. Learn more in the ASU release below.

Obtaining a nursing degree will take less time and be more affordable for Alabama State University biology graduates and current senior biology students thanks to a Reverse Transfer Agreement signed Wednesday, June 22, on the ASU campus between Alabama State University and South University.

“This is the first MOU of its kind with an HBCU. The partnership will help promote nursing in the State of Alabama and fill a void, a gap in workforce development. We know that there is a shortage of nurses and healthcare workers across the country; therefore, this agreement will respond to that shortage,” said Dr. Tanjula Petty, Assistant Provost for Student Success and Special Initiatives at Alabama State University.

The Reverse Transfer Agreement specifically allows current Alabama State University seniors and graduates in the Biology Sciences Pre-Health degree program to have access to South University nursing program faculty, staff,  students and programs before entry into the nursing program and have the opportunity to take part in a number of activities (TEAS Exam prep class, Intro to Dosage Calculations pre-class, Nursing luncheons, Discussions, etc.).

“Alabama State was able to align a number of the courses that the students would need to be able to go and work on a nursing degree. Once those students graduate from Alabama State University or if they are in their senior year and they know that they want to go into nursing, then those courses have been aligned and they can apply at South University and go straight into the nursing program… they won’t have to take some of those prerequisites because they would have already taken them at ASU,”  said Petty. “Out alumni can use the same opportunity as our seniors.”

Petty noted that under this Agreement, ASU alumni and graduates who enroll in South University’s nursing program under the Agreement will receive a 30 percent tuition discount, as well as other financial considerations, grants and scholarships for which they may qualify.

Justin Jackson, director of Community Outreach and Development at South University, said the Agreement brings together two great institutions to create a pathway for ASU students to pursue their goal of entering the nursing profession.  

“This program will work with students as they matriculate through Alabama State to ensure that they are prepared for the nursing program when their time comes. This partnership will strengthen South University’s nursing program by potentially providing highly qualified, highly motivated students and increase the program’s diversity (race, gender, class and prospective).  Alabama State University is known for producing some of the most talented students in the country from a variety of backgrounds,” Jackson said.

Both institutions said this agreement exemplifies the way that Alabama’s educational institutions can work together for the greater good of their students.

“It gives me great pleasure to be here today to sign this historic Agreement between two established institutions. It demonstrates our collective commitment to giving our students every opportunity to succeed,”  said Dr. Carl Pettis, ASU’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.  “To fill a void, we will be working together collectively, an example of CommUniversity, which is one Dr. Ross’s biggest items in our Strategic Plan. This agreement will help us fill a void not only in the state, but also in this country.”

Opening educational opportunities is a priority for both universities, said Dr. Gilbert Singletary, Vice Chancellor and Provost of South University.

“The nursing industry itself has withstood a tremendous loss over the last two years…Partnering with this great institution, we are proud to say that we are joining forces to make a difference in tomorrow,” Singletary said.

Petty emphasized that Alabama State University is always seeking opportunities for its students to continue their success after ASU. “…Students will gain a degree in Biology from Alabama State University and a Nursing degree from South University,” Petty said…”This is what this partnership is all about, making sure we promote a pathway for our students to be successful; not just for undergraduate students here at Alabama State University but for our graduates as well.”

Revered Coach Ray Greene Remembered By Alabama A&M University Community

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Although former Alabama A&M University coach Ray Greene may be gone, he will not be forgotten, thanks to the community that dedicated years of his life with. Learn more in the AAMU release below.

Exceptional Collegiate and Professional Coach

One of Alabama A&M University’s most revered coaches has died in Huntsville, Ala.

Coach Ray Greene earned an undergraduate degree in physical education and recreation from the University of Akron and the master’s degree in education administration and supervision from the University of Miami (Fla.).  He embarked upon a career as an elementary and then high school teacher in Akron, Ohio, before becoming the first African-American teacher in the school system in Ft. Pierce, Fla.

Gifted with expertise in football, tennis and track, Greene would develop into an exceptional collegiate and professional coach. At the college level, he steadily expanded his coaching acumen through stints at Iowa State, Michigan State, Alabama State and Jackson State, moving into the head coach position at North Carolina Central University and Alabama A&M University.

Professionally, Greene was affiliated with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.  He also served as assistant head coach of quarterbacks and wide receivers for the Jacksonville Sharks (WFL) and in a similar post for the Tennessee Valley Vipers.

Greene was recognized as Coach of the Year (twice) by the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC); Birmingham Grid Forecasters; Atlanta Touchdown Club and the Arena Football League (assistant coach).  He was a member of four hall of fame organizations, published articles and even poetry, and served on several community boards.

Funeral service, coordinated by Royal Funeral Home, was scheduled for Thursday, June 23, at the First Missionary Baptist Church, 3509 Blue Spring Road, in Huntsville, Ala., at 12 noon, with Dr. Julius Scruggs serving as the eulogist and Dr. Don Darius Butler officiating.  

Savannah State Alumna Becomes First Black Woman to Earn Doctorate In Biochemistry at FIU

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An HBCU will give you the push that you need to reach your greatest heights. Trailblazer and Savannah State University graduate Chantrell Frazier knows this to be true from experience. Learn more in the story from the Nyamekye Daniel at the Atlanta Black Star below.

Chantrell Frazier is the first Black woman to earn a doctorate in biochemistry at Florida International University in Miami. (Photo Credit: Florida International University)

Chantrell Frazier has made history as the first Black woman to earn a doctorate in biochemistry at Florida International University, but the future professor said she could not achieve the accomplishment without certain priorities in place.

The 5’11” basketball player with chest-length dreadlocks, who wears a Black history T-shirt under her white lab coat, said it was pivotal to complete her undergrad at a Historically Black College and University. Frazier started her higher education path as a student-athlete at Savannah State University.

The Tampa native chose the school not only because it was her grandparents’ alma mater but because she felt it was the foundation she needed to ground her ahead of graduate school.

“Who can look out better for us than ourselves?” Frazier told Atlanta Black Star.

“It prepared me to not falter. It prepared me when things got difficult not to quit,” she said.

Unlike Savannah State, where Frazier’s professors, deans and most other students looked like her, she was one of few Black faces among 56,000 students at Miami’s top public university. She is the second Black person to earn the maximum degree in biochemistry at FIU. The first Black man graduated just a year before Frazier.

Still, the 28-year-old was not thinking about being a trailblazer when she enrolled in the school known for its research program. Instead, Frazier wanted to enrich her love for forensic science, which she kick-started with a bachelor’s degree at the HBCU. Always being a high achiever on the basketball court, Frazier also wanted to do something significant in her career.

“I don’t know how far I would have went, but I just took it to the farthest I could,” said Frazier.

While at FIU, Frazier examined human body odor’s chemical and biological aspects to see how investigators could use it develop forensic identification. Through her research, she was able to identify a person’s sex based on their body odor. She also worked on projects to determine if mosquitoes are attracted to certain human scents. Frazier plans to present her dissertation in Tanzania.

Frazier’s passion for the field comes from spending hours watching “NCSI” and Criminal Minds” with her mother, a 9-1-1 dispatcher who studied forensic science as well. Still, her career choice sometimes gets her raised eyebrows from people who assume it would increase mass incarceration. Frazier points out that the science can also be used to exonerate and keep innocent people from being wrongfully accused.

After six years of researching human scent and leading several labs at the college, she now plans to start a postdoctoral teaching fellowship at Framingham State University in Massachusetts. The fellowship will prepare Frazier for a career as a chemistry professor where she will continue to be a leader in STEM. However, she is already an inspiration to other minds.

Her biggest motivation was setting an example for her four younger sisters and two younger brothers.

Since Frazier has earned her doctorate, three of her sisters have graduated high school, one of her siblings has graduated college and another is on her way to Edward Waters University, an HBCU.

“It’s just being an example for them showing them that the ceiling is open,” Frazier said, “because I feel like I’ve broken a lot of glass ceilings with what I’ve done.”

It was not uncommon for the Frazier family to aim higher, however. Four of Frazier’s relatives have doctorate degrees. Frazier also wants to see more Black people break into the STEM field. She said the winning theory for reaching your academic goals is: “Find your tribe and don’t quit.”

Howard University-Owned Commercial Station Named #1 Music Station In The DMV

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A Howard University-owned station just earned a top spot! Learn more in the story from The Dig below.

96.3 WHUR has reclaimed its place back at the top as the #1 music station in the DMV, according to the May 2022 Nielsen Ratings. The stand-alone station in the nation’s 8th largest market of corporate giants, WHUR has slain its competition in several key areas, including #1 overall among the all-important group of adults between the ages of 25 and 54 and among women in the same age group.

The climb back to #1 has been steady under the leadership of General Manager Sean Plater who officially took the reigns of the heritage Howard University owned commercial station in April 2019.   Plater made some strategic changes in August 2019 with the hiring of blockbuster talent on and off the air starting with veteran Program Director Al Payne.  

“WHUR has always been a leader in the industry. We are known for making the necessary adjustments at the right time to stay true to our mission of delivering excellence in broadcasting and community service.  That direction has not changed and so we made some important tweaks in the right places at the right time to get us back to the top,” said Plater.

WHUR top 5 radio shows

Here’s a quick glance at the station’s rating success:

#2 Steve Harvey Morning Show (6 a.m. – 10 a.m.)

#1 Autumn Joi Live (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.)

#1 Frank Ski with Nina Brown (3 p.m. – 7 p.m.)

#3 Daily Drum with Harold Fisher (7 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.)  

#2 Quiet Storm with John Monds (7:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.)

WHUR also reigns supreme on the weekends. Coka Lani commands the #1 slot Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5.pm.  Gospel hosts Jacquie Gales Webb and Anthony Brown also capture the #1 position with Webb commanding of 1 out of every 5 radio listeners on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. 

“We are very proud of our #1 position.  But we know we can’t rest on our laurels. We will to continue to do the work to capture and engage the DMV to keep listeners entertained and informed 24/7,” said Payne.

Morgan State Bears Announce Alumnus Keith Goodie As Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach

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Morgan State University‘s basketball team has new leadership coming in! Learn more in the MSU release below.

Morgan State University and head men’s basketball coach Kevin Broadushas announced the addition of Keith Goodie to the program as assistant coach. Goodie joins Chretien Lukusa as Broadus’ assistant coaches for the upcoming 2022-23 season.

“We’re extremely excited to have Keith join the Bears,” said Broadus. “His ability to build relationships with players, parents, coaches and administrators align with our staff and culture here at Morgan State. He brings extreme value to our staff and program.”

Goodie comes to Morgan State after serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Delaware State University from 2020-21 under head coach Eric Skeeters. Goodie filled in as head coach of the Hornets for the final two games of the 2020-21 season. Delaware State posted its lone MEAC victory of the season, 82-75 over Morgan State with Goodie at the helm in the 2020-21 finale.  

During his second year with the program in 2019-20, he helped lead the Hornets to a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament victory for the second straight season, posting a 68-64 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore in an opening round game. Also during the 2019-20 season, the Hornets rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to upset defending MEAC champ North Carolina Central 68-66 on a buzzer beater by senior guard John Crosby, a 2019-20 All-MEAC Second Team selection and conference scoring leader. Crosby topped the 30-point mark in three straight games during the season, the first DSU player to accomplish the feat since the 1988-89 campaign. 

Goodie’s first year with the Hornets (2018-19) was highlighted by an upset road victory against First State rival Delaware and the team’s first MEAC Tournament win since 2015. 

“I am excited and honored to be at such a high-level university and learn under one of the best coaches in the country,” said Goodie. “The culture that coach Broadus continues to build here is special. I look forward to working with a great staff and helping our program achieve a standard of excellence on and off the court.”

Prior to the Hornets, he was a member of Todd Bozeman’s staff at Morgan State from 2007-to-2015.  He was the Bears’ Director of Player Development before serving as an assistant coach. 

Goodie was on the Morgan State staff during the school’s back-to-back MEAC championship run in 2009 and ’10. The Bears combined for a 50-22 overall record (.694), including a 28-4 mark in MEAC regular season games (.875) in those years. He also helped lead the team to MEAC championship game appearances in 2011, 2013 and 2014. 

Before joining the Morgan State staff, Goodie spent nine years as an A.A.U. head coach for the Baltimore Select (1998-2007) where he helped develop and mentor over 50 Division I players, a list that includes Sam Cassell, Carmelo Anthony, Michael Lloyd and MSU’s all-time leading scorer Reggie Holmes.

Goodie was selected to work as a member of the Adidas All-American Camp from 2004-06. He also spent time as a youth coach with the Cherry Hill Recreation Center (1984-97).

Goodie was a standout point guard for the University of the District of Columbia Firebirds. He ranked among the league’s leaders by averaging 19 points, 9 assists and 3.4 steals during senior season. He transferred to UDC from Essex Community College where he was JUCO All-American.

The Baltimore native earned his bachelor’s degree from Morgan State University. 

Goodie and his wife, Faye Marie, have two children, Keith Jr. (37) and Keondra Elise (31) and two grandchildren.

Former Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Andrew Gillum Indicted On Wire Fraud Charges

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Florida A&M University alumnus Andrew Gillum has vowed to fight his recent charges after being indicted for wire fraud. Learn more in the CNN story by Steve Contorno and Evan Perez below.

Then-Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum holds a press conference on November 10, 2018, in Tallahassee, Florida. Photo Credit: Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images

Andrew Gillum, a once-rising Democratic star who nearly won a 2018 race for Florida governor, was indicted on Wednesday along with a close political ally on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud and making false statements.

According to a news release from the United States attorney for the Northern District of Florida, Gillum and a longtime associate, Sharon Janet Lettman-Hicks, are accused of making “false and fraudulent promises and representations” related to money that they had received from 2016 to 2019. The money was diverted to a company owned by Lettman-Hicks and then funneled to Gillum for personal use, the US attorney’s office said.

Gillum and Lettman-Hicks face 21 charges, according to the news release. Gillum, a former CNN political commentator, is scheduled for an initial appearance at 2 p.m. ET Wednesday at the United States courthouse in Tallahassee, where he resides. 

In a statement released before the government announced the charges, Gillum declared his innocence and suggested the case against him was political.

“I have spent the last 20 years of my life in public service and continue to fight for the people,” Gillum said in the statement. “Every campaign I’ve run has been done with integrity. Make no mistake that this case is not legal, it is political. Throughout my career I have always stood up for the people of Florida and have spoken truth to power.”

The release also included a joint statement from Marc Elias, a prominent elections attorney, and David Oscar Markus, a Miami criminal defense lawyer, who said, “The government got it wrong today.”

The allegations cover a time when Gillum was a candidate for Florida governor. He eventually became the party’s nominee in August 2018, but lost to Republican Ron DeSantis that November by less than 33,000 votes.

77-Year-Old Becomes Playwright and South Carolina State University Graduate

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After delaying college for decades, a recent South Carolina State University graduate can check walking the stage and writing a play off his list. Learn more in the CBS News story by Caitlin O’Kane below.

Timothy Brown decided to go back to college in his 70s, thanks to a VA program that helps veterans go back to school. At 77 years old, he’s a graduate – and a playwright. Photo Credit: Larry Hardy/The Times and Democrat

Timothy Brown is a Vietnam War veteran, a father and a grandfather, but one thing always remained on his bucket list: finishing college. Brown had enrolled in college when he lived in Compton, California in the 1960s, but dropped out so he could focus on work.

Brown eventually moved to South Carolina and started taking some classes at a local school, but only for one semester. Then, in 2018, he found out about a veteran affairs program that helps vets go back to college. He decided to seize the opportunity and enroll at South Carolina State University – majoring in drama. He was 73 years old at the time. 

“I’m sitting in class with my grandkids. I always told them, ‘Hey, you know, you guys are my grandkids.’ You know, they’re in their early 20s and here I am in my middle 70s,” Brown told CBS News. “But it was real good. I mean, I had no problem adjusting. They welcomed me very much, so everything turned out.”

Brown said he was like a father – or grandfather – figure to his classmates and school opened his mind to new experiences, like acting. 

“I think what happened – in fact, I know now what happened – is sometimes you have a talent inside and you don’t even know you have the talent,” he said. “I had the talent inside, but I didn’t even realize I had acting talent inside of me.”

He not only had to take acting classes, but also playwriting classes, and he had to write a play in order to graduate. For his play, Brown was inspired by a real-life experience – traveling 6,000 miles round trip to see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak in 1968.

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Timothy Brown traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. – 6,000 miles round trip – to see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak in 1968, just months before he was assassinated. TIMOTHY BROWN

“It’s a true story where we actually drove a church bus…from Los Angeles all the way to D.C. for Dr. King’s last march,” Brown said. “When he finished his speech that day, he came down off of the podium, and we just happened to be in his path. So, we were able to shake his hand, and i was able to take a snapshot of him and my pastor.”

“So, it was a rewarding trip and experience because we never dreamed we would have this opportunity to shake the man’s hand,” he said.

Brown said if he hadn’t received the opportunity to go back to school, me might not have put this memory to paper and written a play. “I guess sometimes in life, your dreams actually do come true. That’s exactly what happened in this case,” he said.

This year, at 77 years old, Brown finished school and received his college degree. But he hopes this isn’t the end of the road for his play, which he wants to turn into a real production at the university. If the school agrees, he’d like to star in production alongside his fellow classmates.

“I do believe in my heart that we need to put this out so that the younger generation, younger folk, can see this and say, ‘Okay, our ancestors, some of those in the front of us actually did a lot to sacrifice so we could have these freedoms and equality that we have,'” he said. “I feel that if they could actually see that, and if we could reach two or three, I think it would be worth it. Just so they can appreciate what we went through so they would have an easier day.”

Questions Remain After Former JCSU Standout Jovontay Williams Dies In Police Custody

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The family of Jovontay Avery Williams is mourning his loss and fighting for answers after he passed away in police custody earlier this month. Learn more in the story by Jonathan Limehouse at The Charlotte Observer below.

Jovontay Williams ​earned Division II All-American honors as a junior at JCSU in 2013, ​the school’s first All-American since 2008​. Photo Credit: Johnson C. Smith University

Christa Williams says no one told her how her son, Jovontay, died.

“The information that I have is nothing,” Williams told The Charlotte Observer on Friday. “I don’t know if my son has been shot, strangled or anything.”

Jovontay Avery Williams, 32, died while in custody at Northeast Medical Center on Monday, June 13, hours after an early morning encounter with police, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said.

Around 2 a.m. on June 13, police responded to a report of shots fired into a home in the 300 block of Featherstone Drive in northeast Charlotte. Neighbors alerted officers to Williams, who was seen yelling and acting “erratically” behind another home, CMPD said.

“He wasn’t really actively communicating with officers,” police Lt. Bryan Crum said during a news conference last week.

Officers tried to calm Williams down before using a “soft, empty hands” technique to detain him after he tried to force his way into another home, Crum said.

A “soft-empty hands” technique means officers do not use weapons or strikes, a police spokesman told the Observer last week. Officers will use their hands, pressure points, an arm bar or a clinch to move a suspect’s hands behind their back to be handcuffed, the spokesman said.

Williams was taken to Atrium Health University hospital in “life-threatening condition” before being transferred to Northeast for “more intensive care,” police said. CMPD, however, has not released a cause of death nor details about Williams’ condition.

CMPD referred the Observer to the State Bureau of Investigation about Williams’ condition during and after the incident.

SBI spokesperson Anjanette Grube told the Observer in an email that the investigation is ongoing and the medical examiner would determine the cause of death.

Officers found a firearm and drug paraphernalia at the scene, CMPD said in a news release.

“Suspected narcotics” were discovered near Williams, Crum said.

Police told Christa Williams they found a “white powdery substance” laying in the grass beside her son, she said.

“My son isn’t like that,” Williams said.

‘WE WANT TO GET FACTS’

Christa Williams said Jovontay called her every day, including the Sunday morning before his death.

She told the Observer that police informed her of his death following the news conference.

“They called me after announcing my son’s name on TV,” she said. “They not supposed to put his name out before the family knows.”

A CMPD news release sent at 3 p.m. that Monday says Jovontay Williams’ next of kin was notified of his death, but it does not indicate when that happened.

CMPD declined to say when Christa Williams was notified and referred the Observer to the SBI.

The only thing Christa Williams said she knows for sure is that her son died with a medical problem, which he never had a history of.

“Jovontay, myself and my family are not the kind of people that’s just gonna get out here and make a nuisance of ourselves,” Williams said. “We want to get facts.”

Williams’ son did not hang around a lot of people, she said. He only had three best friends. He was a “loner,” Williams said, which is why she does not understand why he was “on a street she never heard of.”

“My son don’t know nobody in that area that I know of,” Williams said.

Williams said her son, his girlfriend and 3-year-old son had moved into a west Charlotte apartment the week before his death.

Jovontay Williams and his younger sister at a Johnson C. Smith University football game. Williams died in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police custody on Monday, June 13. Photo Credit: Christa Williams

Williams said her son was not perfect. He drank, smoked marijuana and had some prior run-ins with law enforcement as a teenager, she said.

A background check of Jovontay Williams also shows traffic offenses in North Carolina and a 2016 felony larceny charge that was dismissed. He also was charged with misdemeanor drug offenses in DeKalb County, Georgia, from 2007 to 2009. Williams also was charged with felony possession of a knife or firearm during commission of or attempt to commit a certain crime in 2007. All his cases are settled, records show.

ALL-AMERICAN AT JCSU

Jovontay Williams, a native of Charlotte, played football at Johnson C. Smith University, an historically Black university, from 2012 to 2014. As a junior defensive lineman in 2013, he earned Division II All-American honors — the school’s first All-American since De’Audra Dix in 2008.

“He came to us very passionate about the game,” Williams’ coach, Steven Aycock, told the Observer.

Aycock says Williams taught him about “humility” and “patience” — two principles he will always cherish.

“He was one of mine,” Aycock said. “He was a solid individual who would do anything for you. That’s just who Jovontay was.”

The former Golden Bulls coach described Williams’ smile as “infectious,” and heralded him as “a man of his word.”

“He was a fine young man,” Aycock said.

Golden Bulls defensive lineman Jovontay Williams celebrates sacking Davidson quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, in September 2013. Williams died while in custody at a hospital on Monday, June 13, 2022. Photo Credit: Jeff Siner

Williams received an invitation to the Carolina Panthers’ rookie mini camp in 2015.

We didn’t get a chance to talk on a monthly basis, but like I do with all my former players, when they run across your heart, you check on them right then,” said Aycock, now the deputy commissioner for Atlanta’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

The two last spoke through messages on Instagram, and Aycock said Williams told him about how he had become a new father. Williams loved his family, especially his mother and baby sister, Aycock said.

“He loved his mother and his sister unconditionally to the moon and beyond” he said. “That was a different love.”

‘A SAD SITUATION’

Steve Joyner Sr., athletic director at JCSU, said the Charlotte school is “saddened” by Williams’ death.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jovontay’s family and friends,” he said in a statement to the Observer. “We also lift up residents of the community where the incident occurred.”

“It’s a sad situation for both sides,” Aycock said. “The city of Charlotte and his family.”

Christa Williams said she’ll have to keep relying on the news to find out what happened to her son because no one is telling her anything.

Jovontay Williams with his mother, Christa, left, and younger sister, middle. Williams died in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police custody Monday, June 13. Photo Credit: Christa Williams

At a news conference on Featherstone Drive on Monday, Williams said figuring out and dealing with her son’s death has “been hell,” WBTV reported.

The SBI is investigating Williams’ death because it happened while he was in police custody, police said. CMPD Internal Affairs also is reviewing the involved officers’ actions, Crum said. A criminal investigation for the gunshots also is underway, police said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Williams family pay for funeral costs.

Lincoln University In Missouri Removes Test Scores From Admission Requirements

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Lincoln University in Missouri is making applications easier for potential students thanks to a helpful new change. Learn more in the story by Ryan Pivoney at the News Tribune below.

Photo Credit: Whitney Matewe

Lincoln University in Jefferson City dropped its standardized testing requirement for admissions, making completion of high school or a GED program the only requirement for enrollment.

Lincoln, a Historically Black College and University with an open enrollment policy, announced the change and its immediate implementation Friday. Students applying to enroll at LU for the fall semester can apply with or without ACT and SAT scores.

“Since our founding in 1866, Lincoln University has helped students rise above barriers to quality education. This change to our admissions policy removes an obstacle that often hinders prospective students,” University President John Moseley said in a news release. “Making standard test scores optional is another step forward in our commitment to opening doors for students, to promoting equity, diversity and accessibility.”

Lincoln’s School of Nursing may continue to use ACT and SAT test scores or general nursing exam scores for admission, Moseley said, and some scholarships within the agriculture department may also maintain their standardized testing components.

The university’s new automatic scholarship structure, known as the Blue Tiger Advantage Scholarship, still requires freshmen to have an ACT or SAT score to determine award amounts. The scholarships are awarded based on a matrix factoring standardized test scores and GPA.

Moseley said Lincoln is working on a new Blue Tiger model with a “very strong likelihood that there will be academic scholarships based solely on high school overall GPA.”

He said it would likely be implemented for the fall 2023 class.

The move at Lincoln follows that of several other public universities in the state that have made reporting test scores optional, such as the University of Missouri and Truman State University. Missouri State University makes submitting test scores optional if the prospective student meets GPA requirements.

Standardized tests have been criticized for racial bias that results in disparities for minority students. In 2021, the National Education Association released a report titled, “The Racist Beginnings of Standardized Testing,” in which it called standardized tests “instruments of racism.”

“It’s been a big topic of conversation just because there’s really been research to show that ACT scores don’t necessarily reflect how well a student’s going to perform in college,” Moseley said. “And there’s been a lot of questions as it pertains to students of color and the relevancy, so I think it’s a step in the right direction for us.”

Moseley said Lincoln puts value on a student’s drive and potential when considering them to be admitted.

“Test scores often fail to reflect what a student can achieve,” he said. “We look at GPA, high school performance and their commitment to excellence. At Lincoln, we provide students with support needed to succeed and that support starts with their college acceptance.”

Lincoln has reformed several areas of its admissions process in an effort to boost enrollment. In addition to dropping testing requirements, the university added automatic scholarships, recently cleared student balances and is strengthening recruitment approaches to increase the number of students on campus.

Despite Hurdles, FAMU Marching ‘100’ Band Reaches Paris For Louis Vuitton Performance

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Florida A&M University‘s famous marching band is getting settled in Paris in anticipation of a very important performance! Learn more in the story by Andrew Skerritt at FAMU News below.

Band members rehearse on Monday

Florida A&M University’s Marching “100” Band arrived in Paris Sunday morning to prepare for their performance at the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fashion on Thursday. 

But for the group to cross the Atlantic required teamwork and cooperation from administrators, staff, parents, alumni, and Louis Vuitton executives to overcome sizable logistical hurdles given the tight deadlines.

“You cannot do a major thing without teamwork,” said Assistant Director of Marching and Pep Bands Darryl L. Baker, who handled the arrangements and worked out the logistics in the weeks since the Band received the invitation to perform. Baker credits the President’s Office, College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities’ Dean Valencia E. Matthews, Ph.D., the Office of University Advancement, the Office of International Education and Development, the Provost’s Office, alumni, and elected officials for ensuring that the trip took place. 

“Everybody came together,” Baker said. “Imagine the amazing things FAMU can do when we all work together.”

In May, Marching Band Director Shelby Chipman, Ph.D., received the first email from a representative: Would the Incomparable Marching “100” Band be interested in traveling to Paris to perform live at the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fashion Show in the legendary Louvre museum? It marked a return to Paris for the Band that performed in the 1989 Bastille Day Parade.

The producers of the event wanted to include a live marching band. They had seen videos of the Marching “100” performances and wanted the best. Chipman commended Baker for doing “amazing job coordination various aspects of the trip with stakeholders in Tallahassee and Paris.”

Contracts and logistics would not be a problem. Director of Woods Nicholas Thomas, Ed.D., would work on the arrangements of the tunes producers selected. Percussion Assistant and Choreographer Tova Lovely would work on the routines. But other paperwork could jeopardize the trip, Baker initially feared. 

Marching 100 Band staff Darryl Baker and Nicholas Thomas at a Band rehearsal in Paris on Monday.

“I was worried about passports. I knew many of the students, and some of the staff didn’t have passports,” said Baker on Monday as the students rehearsed at a venue along the Seine River in a Paris suburb. FAMU is home to many first-generation college students who have never traveled abroad and didn’t possess a passport. The all-expenses-paid invitation was for 35 students and 10 staff members. Among those selected to travel, 24 lacked a valid passport, including 20 first-time travel documents, Baker said.

Time was scarce. A routine passport application by mail takes eight to 11 weeks, while an expedited application by mail takes five to seven weeks, according to the U.S. State Department website. Students could obtain an expedited passport if international travel is within three business days, but they had to make an in-person appointment in a city such as Miami or Atlanta, which had a designated office. Some of the students were in South Florida and Atlanta.

Beyond the expense of traveling to the appointment, there was the cost of the rushed passport application -$250. First-time passports cost $165, plus $60 for the expedited service fee. Same-day service was another $35. Louis Vuitton executives agreed to cover the expense of expediting the passports.

 “Louis Vuitton said, ‘we want to do this.’ They asked, ‘what are your issues? If you can get over here, we will take care of you,’” Baker said. “They wanted to have that representation here. It speaks to the legacy of the FAMU Marching ‘100’ that they were willing to invest in this group of American students.” 

Band officials initially reached out to officials in Georgia but then turned to U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, a FAMU alumnus, for assistance. Lawson’s Office connected Band staff with the office of Congresswoman Frederica Wilson of Miami. 

Wilson’s scheduler, Joyce Postell, also a FAMU alum, helped set up 24 appointments for first passport applications and renewals on the Monday and Tuesday ahead of the June 18 departure. Students had to find transportation to get to those appointments.

Sebastien Zephir

When Sebastien Zephir, a junior elementary education, and trumpeter, first heard about the trip, he was “very afraid” his lack of a passport would cost him the chance of a lifetime.

“No one had traveled outside the U.S. in my family, other than my mom. I am being a leader for my brother,” said Zephir, the son of a Haitian immigrant. During a break in rehearsal, Zephir described the experience as surreal. “Every time I lay down, I can’t believe I am in Paris. It’s amazing.”   

While the lack of passports was being resolved, there was other paperwork to process. David Self in the FAMU General Counsel’s Office dealt with the producers on the contract. 

University International travel required forms to be filled out and signatures from the dean, provost, and president. The Office of International Education and Development asked for forms to be submitted 35 to 40 days before travel. But it was less than three weeks between when Chipman announced the plans at the June 3 Board of Trustees meeting and the Band’s scheduled June 18 departure.

 “For the shining stars of the school, the Marching ‘100,’ to be able to do this, it’s great,” said Baker. In the weeks leading up to the trip, Baker was awakened daily by 3:59 a.m. email from his French counterparts (Paris is six hours ahead), as they discussed details of the Band travel to Paris, rehearsing four consecutive days and then performing at the Louvre museum. 

“It’s work, but it doesn’t make me feel like work,” Baker said. “It makes me feel good.” 

 The Marching “100” performs at 2 p.m. Paris time (8 a.m. Eastern) Thursday at the Louvre. The Band will appear in a video that is scheduled to air at 1:45 p.m. (7:45 a.m. Eastern). The event is in-person and also can be seen online. 

Paris Fashion week begins Tuesday, June 21 for designers to show their male spring 2023/summer 2023 ready-to-wear collections.

3 Family Members Share Name and Morehouse Education

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Three generations of family members all have two things in common, Morehouse College and their names! Learn more Alex Whittler at FOX 5 Atlanta.

Heartwarming photos of three generations of Morehouse men on campus have been shared thousands of times online.

“I don’t even know these people yet, but they made me feel like family already,” Norman Thomas III said of his future classmates.

He wasn’t sold on attending Morehouse despite years of persuasion from his immediate family, until a campus tour, when he saw just how much other young Black men at the school lift each other up.

His dad, Norman Thomas II, said decades ago, that same brotherhood hooked him on the historically Black college. So, little Norman’s recent decision “literally brought me to tears,” he said.

“I promised myself, if I have any children, all of them are going there,” Norman Thomas Sr. said.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say the Thomas-Morehouse legacy originated with Norman Senior, but he’ll say it’s stupefying to see men who look like you do things you never dreamed.

Photo Credit: Fox 5 Atlanta

“My father would talk about Martin Luther King Jr. speaking on campus and having those conversations. They were bigger than life for me,” Norman Jr. said.

This fall, Norman III will live in the same dorm as his grandfather. That was the backdrop for a photo shoot that does more than celebrate a recent high school graduation.

“I wanted to capture this while my dad is here,” Norman Jr. said. “To capture all three of us on campus.”

Those three Normans have quite a bit in common, but only two out of three can say they shared the same form and likewise two-thirds studied something along the lines of education. Little Norman is interested in sports medicine.

Sure, this is one beautiful way to honor one’s family legacy, but the Thomas said these photos empower other young Black men to create their own.

“We love to push each other. Everyone is going to push you to be the highest you can be. There’s no settling,” Norman II said.