Elizabeth City State University will be on the lookout for its next head basketball coach after deciding not to renew Shawn Walker’s contract. Learn more about the circumstances that may have affected the decision in the Daily Advance story by David Gough below.
Shawn Walker (right) coaches Shykeef Daniels (left) in an Elizabeth City State basketball game at North Carolina, last November in Chapel Hill. ECSU relieved Walker of his head coaching duties on May 12. (Credit: The Associated Press)
Next season’s Elizabeth City State men’s basketball team will be led by a new head coach.
Shawn Walker was let go by the university on Thursday, May 12, after three seasons.
The university released the following statement to The Daily Advance via email on Wednesday:
“On May 12, ECSU parted ways with former men’s basketball coach Shawn Walker. We wish Shawn the best in his future endeavors and appreciate his time with the Vikings.”
In a phone interview on Wednesday, Walker, whose contract was up, expressed disappointment with the decision.
He pointed to his team’s winning record last season despite a number of roster issues: Zaccheus Hobbs dealt with injuries; center Samuel Sowunmi traveled back to his home country of Nigeria for Christmas and has still been unable to return to the United States due to a visa problem; Justin Faison, a guard who scored 17.5 points per game, transferred last summer; and five walk-ons were in the lineup by season’s end.
“This could’ve been my best coaching job in figuring out how to play a team that has no size and the whole first semester and we had no point guard,” Walker said.
“You can’t outcoach acts of God,” he added.
Walker’s final game with ECSU came on Feb. 22 with a loss to Bowie State in the CIAA tournament.
The former ECSU basketball player and coach expressed disappointment with how the university chose to handle his termination.
When ECSU moved on from George Bright as athletic director, Walker said he received a phone call from an “extremely reliable source” who advised him that the university’s next move might be terminating him.
Acting on what the source told him, Walker said he had cleared his personal stuff out of his office by the beginning of April, understanding that he may not have a lot of time left as the men’s head coach.
He voiced frustration about having to wait until the middle of May to finally be told he would no longer have a job at ECSU.
“Nothing changed between February, the last game, and May 12,” Walker said. “Coaches get terminated in March. If you terminate me in March and just say ‘You know what, he’s not my guy,’ then why are we waiting months after the season?
“You could’ve let me go if you’re unhappy and I could’ve applied for other jobs. Whether I would’ve gotten them or not, I would have had a chance. Now I basically have no chance. The coaching carousel is almost done.”
Questions emailed by The Daily Advance to the university regarding details of Walker’s termination and when officials expect to have a new coach had not been answered as of Thursday afternoon.
Walker’s last three seasons with ECSU were in fact his second stint with the Vikings; he coached the women’s team in 2001-02 and the men’s team from 2002-14 before leaving to spend three seasons with NCAA Division I Grambling State.
In 16 combined seasons as the ECSU men’s head basketball coach, Walker compiled a 236-218 record and won the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship in 2007.
During his return stint, his three teams combined for a 40-46 record with this past season’s team being the only one with a winning record. The 2021-22 Vikings went 14-13 and tied for sixth place in the CIAA.
The Vikings did not play in 2020-21 because the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season.
Though disappointed, Walker said he’s not mad at the university about his termination.
“Elizabeth City State has been good to me, has been good to my son — he grew up on that campus — and I am not mad with the university,” he said. “I’m going to support whoever the new coach is, going to support the university on a whole because the university itself didn’t make the decision. The people at the university did.”
If you don’t have a fashion sense when you step onto an HBCU campus, after being there a few days, you’ll at least start trying. Utilizing fashion as a form of expression and to make cultural statements, is something HBCU students take very seriously. Though not as serious, it is as innate as fighting for one’s rights. Whether rocking Sunday’s best or relaxing in ready to wear or school gear, having a well-executed ‘fit’ is something students take pride in. Knowing this about HBCU culture, and having attended an HBCU that is no stranger to bold fashion statements, Florida A&M University alumnus and entrepreneur David Castro took this into consideration when designing his latest collection of his headwear brand, Dungeon Forward. Dungeon Forward’s limited edition “The Yard Capsule” celebrates so many of the HBCUs we know and love.
As CEO, Castro has built a brand that shakes up the headwear industry, offering colorful designs and messages of empowerment on fitted hats, beanies, and more. When Castro envisioned The Yard Capsule collection, he knew he wanted to create something special that put a twist on his design blueprint. He sought to create a headwear collection that, when worn, would create a sense of pride that mirrored how students, alumni, and staff feel representing these institutions. “HBCUs cultivate cultural and personal pride in a country where the opposite intent is etched in history,” said Castro. “We imagine the collection enhancing the sense of pride for these institutions. In addition, we want to encourage people to be fans of HBCUs like they are fans of the universities that garner the most televised attention.”
David Castro, Dungeon Forward CEO (Provided)
The entrepreneur began small by acquiring the licensing rights from his alma mater. Fast forward to now, and Dungeon Forward has received rights for over 25 HBCUs. However, that’s not the end goal. In the future, Dungeon Forward wants to partner with student ambassadors at each of the featured campuses to engage them in the conversations that will move the culture forward.
The list of HBCUs featured in the collection includes:
Alabama A&M University
Alabama State
Albany State University
Alcorn State University
Bethune-Cookman University
Clark Atlanta University
Fayetteville State University
Florida A&M University
Grambling State University
Hampton University
Howard University
Jackson State University
Lincoln University
Morehouse College
Morgan State University
Norfolk State University
North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University
Kyle Jackson, a Bowie State University alumnus who has spent five previous seasons with BSU football, is entering his sixth in a new position. Learn more in the BSU Athletics release below.
Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson has announced that Kyle Jacksonhas been promoted to Defensive Coordinator after spending the past five seasons as the recruiting coordinator and coaching the linebackers for the Bulldogs.
“It was an honor to promote Coach Jackson as our defensive coordinator,” Wilson said. “Coach Jackson is a person that I had the opportunity to coach and watch him develop over the years. He has worked at multiple universities combined with his body of work at Bowie State he is the perfect person for the job. Coach Jackson ensures to put the players first and in the best position to be successful. I look forward to him leading the charge and upholding the standard.”
Now entering his sixth season in his second stint with Bowie State, Jackson was elevated to DC previously held by Antone’ Sewell who accepted a defensive coordinator position at Alabama State on March 1, 2022.
“It is an honor to be named Defensive Coordinator at a Nationally Ranked DII football program and not just any program, my alma mater,” Jackson said. “A place that gave me an opportunity and helped me grow into the man I am today.”
Since returning to Bowie State, Jackson has played an instrumental role in the success of the program. The Bulldogs finished the regular season ranked in the Top-25 within the last four seasons, advancing to the CIAA Conference Championship also in the last three seasons (2018, 2019, 2021) and winning in all three appearances. The Bulldogs have also advanced to the NCAA DII Playoffs the last four seasons (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021).
Most recently, the Bulldogs made program history, securing its third-consecutive CIAA Conference Title, while advancing to the NCAA DII Playoffs for the fourth-straight season in 2021. The Bulldogs also advanced to the DII football quarterfinals, which is the furthest in program history. Finishing the season with a 12-2 overall mark, the Bulldogs broke the record for most wins in a single season. Jackson helped coached another strong defensive unit which finished in the top-10 nationally in multiple categories including: Defensive TDs (1st), Tackles for Loss (1st), Turnovers Gained (2nd), Third Down Defense (2nd), Fumbles Recovered (2nd), Sacks (3rd), Red Zone Defense (4th), Fourth Down Defense (6th), Pass Efficiency Defense (7th), Total Defense (9th), Scoring Defense (11th). Additionally, inside linebacker Wesley Bowers was named to the Super Region II Defensive First Team and selected to participate in the Inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl.
In 2019, the Bulldogs finished the regular season undefeated (10-0) and were crowned CIAA Champions for the second-consecutive season. The Bulldogs finished the year with an 11-2 record and ranked in the Top-25 for the third-consecutive season. Jackson helped coach a defensive unit that finished in the top-10 nationally in multiple categories including: Interceptions (2nd), Tackles for Loss (2nd), Third Down Defense (4th), Defensive TDs (5th), Red Zone Defense (4th), Sacks (6th), Scoring Defense (7th) and Pass Efficiency Defense (9th). Outside linebacker, Jordan Carter was named to the All-CIAA Rookie Team.
In 2018, Jackson helped lead the program to its first 10-win season, first CIAA championship and its first NCAA playoff win in program history. The Bulldogs defense finished second in the CIAA for passing defense and led the conference in sacks. Inside linebacker, Daryll Ellison was named All-CIAA Honorable Mention.
The Bulldogs finished 9-2 overall and advanced to the NCAA Playoffs for the second time in school history in 2017. BSU’s defense finished No. 1 in the country in pass efficiency defense and ranked atop in the CIAA for scoring defense. Inside linebacker, Kyle Jacksonwas named All-CIAA Honorable Mention. “I want to say thank you to Coach Damon Wilson for giving me the opportunity and Coach Antone Sewell for laying the foundation. I am excited to lead this defense and continue the strong traditions that were built long before me!”
Prior to his return to Bowie State, Jackson spent the 2015 season at Division II Emporia State University as a Defensive Graduate Assistant. Jackson worked specifically with the defensive ends. He helped coach a defensive unit who increased their sack total from 18 in 2014 to 41.5 in 2015. The Hornets finished #7 in the nation after losing in the Quarterfinals of the Division II NCAA Playoffs.
Prior to Emporia State, Jackson spent the 2014 season as an assistant to the Director of Football Operations at Georgia State University (FBS) in Atlanta, Ga. While at GSU, Kyle gained a lot of knowledge of the game both on-and-off the field working closely with the recruiting coordinator and coaching staff.
Jackson was a four-year starter (2007-2010) at the linebacker position for the Bulldogs. His strong leadership and knowledge of the game helped him be named team captain in both 2009 and 2010 seasons. Jackson was an influential leader on the 2009 defense that finished ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense.
A native of Baltimore, Md., Jackson received his Bachelors of Science in Sport Management from Bowie State University. Jackson is a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State University Athletics and its 13 varsity sports teams, please visit www.bsubulldogs.com.
University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban is in hot water after accusing Jackson State University football coach Deion Sanders of using $1 million to bribe an athlete. Learn more in the story from Jean-Jacques Taylor at Andscape below.
(Credit: Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
‘Coach Saban wasn’t talking to me. Coach Saban wasn’t talking to Jimbo Fisher. He was talking to his boosters. … He was trying to get money.’
Alabama coach Nick Saban’s comments that Jackson State paid a recruit $1 million to play football at the historically Black college and university echoed far and wide Wednesday night. By Thursday morning, a source said, Saban reached out to Sanders’ representatives to chat.
Sanders isn’t interested in a private conversation.
“I haven’t talked to Coach Saban. I’m sure he’s tried to call. We need to talk publicly — not privately. What you said was public. That doesn’t require a conversation. Let’s talk publicly and let everybody hear the conversation,” Sanders told Andscape on Thursday.
“You can’t do that publicly and call privately. No, no, no. I still love him. I admire him. I respect him. He’s the magna cum laude of college football and that’s what it’s going to be because he’s earned that.
“But he took a left when he should’ve stayed right. I’m sure he’ll get back on course. I ain’t tripping.”
Sanders, who has done several Aflac insurance commercials with Saban, also issued a warning. As a former NFL star who has relationships with dozens of players he met either when he covered the draft for 14 years as an employee of NFL Network or as a head coach at the Under Armour All-America Game, Sanders said coaches don’t want him talking about what he knows when it comes to paying players.
“I don’t even wear a watch and I know what time it is. They forget I know who’s been bringing the bag and dropping it off,” Sanders said. “I know this stuff. I’m not the one you want to play with when it comes to all of this stuff.”
Saban, speaking Wednesday night to local business leaders in Birmingham, Alabama, to promote the World Games, spoke for several minutes about paying players, name, image and likeness (NIL) deals and their effect on college football.
Saban didn’t name the player, but Travis Hunter, ranked No. 2 on the ESPN 300 recruiting list, flipped from Florida State to Jackson State in December.
“Jackson State paid a guy $1 million last year that was a really good Division I player to come to school,” Saban said. “It was in the paper. They bragged about it. Nobody did anything about it.”
The Southeastern Conference publicly reprimanded Saban on Thursday for his comments.
Sanders dismissed the notion of Hunter earning anywhere close to $1 million.
“I don’t make a million. Travis ain’t built like that. Travis ain’t chasing a dollar. Travis is chasing greatness. Travis and his family don’t get down like that,” Sanders said. “They never came to us in search of the bag. They’re not built like that. This kid wants to be great.
“He wants my hands on him. He wants me to mold him. He wants me to be his navigational system through life. He wants to be that dude.”
Hunter, the first five-star player to sign with an FCS school, idolized Sanders as a kid. Hunter’s father rooted for the San Francisco 49ers, which is how Hunter became such a Sanders fan. Jackson State also signed receiver Kevin Coleman, the seventh-ranked wideout in the ESPN 300.
“Once upon a time the bag was just a bag. Now, there’s equality among the big boys. We don’t have those types of bags. We don’t have the boosters and donors and givers,” Sanders said. “Leave me out of that mess y’all got going on.
“What about Kevin Coleman? Who’s he? He spoke on [his counterpart’s] behalf because you don’t want that to happen again. You don’t want that to happen next year that we get another big-time player or two or three or four. Now, that’s flipping the game. I understand the game. I get it. I’m not mad.”
A source said Hunter has two current NIL deals and two pending. The deals are worth less than $250,000.
I got A mil?😂But my mom still stay in a 3 bed room house with five kids 🤣
Saban also said Texas A&M paid all of its recruits to sign with the Aggies. Sanders said he didn’t think Saban was taking personal shots at him or Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher.
“Coach Saban wasn’t talking to me. Coach Saban wasn’t talking to Jimbo Fisher. He was talking to his boosters. He was talking to his alumni. He was talking to his givers. He was trying to get money,” Sanders said. “That was what he was doing. He was just using us to get to where he was trying to get to.”
Spelman College is one again creating a new lane in academics by establishing an endowed position for queer studies, which is the first of its kind at an HBCU! Learn more in the open letter from Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D. below.
Source: US Department of Education
Dr. Evelynn Hammonds, C’76, Barbara Gutmann Rosenkrantz Professor of the History of Science and Department Chair and Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University has been appointed the inaugural Audre Lorde Visiting Professor of Queer Studies, the first-ever endowed professorship in Queer Studies at a Historically Black College or University. Named after celebrated poet and civil rights and women’s rights activist Audre Lorde, the endowed professorship is attached to the Comparative Women’s Studies Program, housed in Spelman’s Women’s Research & Resource Center. The project was spearheaded by a national advisory committee that included Spelman Board of Trustees member, Colleen Taylor C’90; Dr. Dwight McBride, President of the New School; Prof. Cathy Cohen, Univ. of Chicago; writer/activist Gloria Steinem; and Center Director, Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall ‘66, staffed by Ms. Shenika Swan, Director of Planned Giving, Spelman College.
A pioneering scholar, before joining Harvard, Dr. Hammonds was professor of the History of Science at MIT where she was the co-organizer of the historic Black Women in the Academy Conference in 1994 – the largest gathering of African American women academics in the U.S. at the time. Upon moving to Harvard, Hammonds served as the first senior vice-provost for Faculty Development and Diversity and the first African American and first female Dean of Harvard College. In addition to developing and teaching a course on “Race, Gender, Sexuality and Science,” which will be available to Spelman and Harvard students in 2023, Dr. Hammonds will provide leadership for a long-term collaborative partnership between Spelman College and Harvard University. Hammonds is a distinguished interdisciplinary scholar in the fields of women, gender, and sexuality studies and the history of science, medicine, and public health. She is currently the president-elect of the History of Science Society. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine where she recently co-authored the well-received report, Transforming Trajectories for Women of Color in Tech on the status of women of color in technology fields. Hammonds is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Hammonds to campus,” said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman College. “Her current work, which focuses on the intersection of scientific, medical, and socio-political concepts of race in the United States will be of great benefit to our students engaged in studying similar themes in the Women’s Research and Resource Center. We are especially grateful for the generosity of Jon Stryker and the Arcus Foundation for the leadership challenge gift they provided to spearhead this distinguished endowed professorship at Spelman College.”
In January 2021, Spelman raised additional funds to match a $2 million gift from philanthropist Jon Stryker, who selected Lorde as the Professorship’s namesake for her life-long commitment to LGBTQ rights and progressive social change.
“Dr. Hammonds is an LGBTQ trailblazer, distinguished scholar, remarkable human being, and is the ideal person to occupy the Audre Lorde Endowed Professorship in Queer Studies as a visiting scholar. Her selection is even more meaningful as it is a true homecoming for one of Spelman’s most illustrious alumnae,” said Stryker.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, Dr. Hammonds will organize planning for a first-of-its kind international conference on Queer Studies that will include scholars and activists from the African Diaspora, South Asia and the Global South.
“It is such a tremendous honor for me to return to Spelman College as the Audre Lorde Visiting Professor of Queer Studies,” said Dr. Hammonds. “Lorde was an extraordinary writer, activist and friend whose work changed my life. It is such a privilege to be able to carry on her work at my dear alma mater.”
Audre Lorde had a strong connection to Spelman, speaking on campus on several occasions and donating her personal papers and other artifacts in 1995 to the Spelman Archives, a part of the College’s Women’s Research and Resource Center. The Audre Lorde Papers have been open to scholars since 2009 following a grant from the Arcus Foundation, founded by Stryker, which enabled the papers to be processed and displayed for students, faculty and researchers from around the world.
We are pleased to celebrate Dr. Hammonds’ appointment, and we wish her nothing but boundless success in the academic year ahead.
Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D. President, Spelman College
At the HBCU’s upcoming spring commencement, Morgan State University is honoring three leaders who have blazed trails in their respective fields and changed lives along the way. Learn more from the Morgan State release below.
Social Justice Advocate Colin Kaepernick, Education Equity Defender David Burton, and Noted Filmmaker and Storyteller David E. Talbert to Receive Honorary Degrees
Morgan State University President David K. Wilson today announced that three exemplary vanguards of social justice and the African-American experience will be awarded honorary degrees during the 145th Spring Commencement ceremony taking place at Hughes Memorial Stadium on Saturday, May 21. At the ceremony, the University will bestow honorary degrees to acclaimed Morgan alumnus and filmmaker David E. Talbert, who was previously announced as the commencement keynote; Morgan alumnus David Burton, the chief proponent in the landmark Coalition for Excellence and Equity in Maryland Higher Education (HBCUs) vs. the State of Marylandlawsuit; and Super Bowl quarterback and champion for social justice, Colin Kaepernick.
“Leadership, Integrity, Innovation, Diversity, Excellence and Respect are more than just words that appear on the flags that adorn our campus, or words that we utter casually when reciting our core values, they represent the embodiment of who we are and what a Morgan graduate stands for,” said President Wilson. “With this notion in mind, we intentionally sought a collection of individuals who truly embody these principles, and thankfully we have assembled a trio of diverse voices who have bravely stood—and kneeled—for the betterment and advancement of the voiceless, the marginalized and the disenfranchised.”
Trailblazers within their respective fields and causes, Morgan’s honorary degree recipients have uniquely impacted the trajectory of the African-American story on the stage and screen, in higher education and the corporate arena, as well as on the field and in the community.
“We are absolutely thrilled to bestow honorary degrees to David E. Talbert, David Burton and Colin Kaepernick for their individual, and collective, contributions to the progression of the Black narrative and pursuit of excellence,” added Wilson.
David E. Talbert
Receiving an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree, David E. Talbert is heralded as one of the most prolific theater-makers in America, haven written and produced 14 national tours, surpassed box office records and captured the hearts of audiences around the world. Talbert earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Morgan State University in 1989 and later attended New York University’s accelerated film program. He has garnered 24 NAACP nominations, winning the NAACP Trailblazer Award; and for his contributions and accomplishments in theatre, Talbert was named Best Playwright of the Year for “The Fabric of a Man,” and received the New York Literary Award for Best Playwright of the Year for his musical “Love in the Nick of Tyme.”
Most recently, Talbert celebrated the pinnacle of an already fruitful cinematic career, with “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey,” Netflix’s first original live-action musical, which Talbert wrote, directed and produced. This 20-year passion project and brainchild of Talbert bore a completely original and inclusive cinematic holiday experience that was viewed in more than 190 countries and translated into 32 languages. “Jingle Jangle” was nominated for 10 NAACP Image Awards and shortlisted by the Academy for Oscar contention.
Talbert remains connected to the Morgan Community having served as Homecoming Parade grand marshal during Morgan’s Sesquicentennial and guest lecturer engaging aspiring auteurs and filmmakers within Morgan’s Screenwriting and Animation program (SWAN).
David Burton
David Burton, founder and CEO of the Diverse Manufacturing Supply Chain Alliance (DMSCA) and DMSCA Supplier Development Foundation, will receive the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. A lifetime member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Burton received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Morgan in 1967, and a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in City Planning and Regional Science.
Years after his matriculation at Morgan, Burton’s fidelity to alma mater would forever be forged into the annals of its history as a key stakeholder and equity defender in what would become a transformative litigation and eventual legislation. Burton served a pivotal role in the now landmark Coalition for Excellence and Equity in Maryland Higher Education (HBCUs) vs. the State of Maryland lawsuit which sought to right decades of inequity and underfunding of Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Through his perseverance and leadership in this effort, the four Maryland HBCUs—including Morgan—received an historic $577-milllion settlement by way of passed state legislation.
Having previously served on the Obama Administration’s Small Business Advisory Council, Burton presently serves on the Advisory Board of Morgan State University’s Supply Chain Management and Information Systems Department, in the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management, and on the Advisory Board of the Morgan State University Robert M. Bell Civil Rights Center. During the span of his professional career, he has received numerous recognitions, included among them the Frank R. Parker Client Award from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Administration’s “Making A Difference Award” in appreciation for his dedication in ensuring inclusion of minority manufacturing participation in U.S. supply chains.
Burton served as a Regular Army Captain and is a decorated Vietnam veteran. He has a vast amount of experience in community and economic development, small business incubation and inner-city revitalization which he has utilized for the betterment of his community.
Colin Kaepernick
Super Bowl quarterback Colin Kaepernick will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree capping the trio of honorary degrees awarded at Morgan’s 145th Spring Commencement Exercises. The holder of the all-time National Football League (NFL) record for most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback, Kaepernick famously took a knee during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 2016 to bring attention to systemic oppression — specifically police violence — of Black and Brown people. For his stance, he has been denied the opportunity to regain his employment within the NFL to this day.
Since 2016, he has founded and helped to fund three organizations — Know Your Rights Camp, Ra Vision Media, and Kaepernick Publishing — that together advance the liberation of Black and Brown people through storytelling, systems change and political education.
Kaepernick sits on Medium’s board of directors and is the winner of numerous prestigious honors, including Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope honor, GQ magazine’s “Citizen of the Year,” the NFL’s Len Eshmont Award, the Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award, the ACLU’s Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award and the Puffin/Nation Institute’s Prize for Creative Citizenship. In 2019, Kaepernick helped Nike win an Emmy for its “Dream Crazy” commercial. In 2021, he released Colin in Black & White, a six-episode limited series on Netflix exploring his high school years. The show won two NAACP Image Awards. In 2022, he became a New York Times bestselling author for his acclaimed children’s picture book, “I Color Myself Different.”
Morgan will host its undergraduate Spring Commencement on May 21, beginning at 9:30 a.m. outdoors at Hughes Memorial Stadium. For more information about Morgan’s Spring Commencement Exercises visit the official commencement site online. Previous honorary degree recipients can also be viewed online.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Individuals receiving honorary degrees may not be present at the ceremony.
Spelman College alumna Stacey Abrams shared a valuable perspective as recent keynote speaker for her alma mater’s spring commencement. Learn more about what she had to say the story from Ashton Jackson at CNBC below.
Former Georgia House Representative and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams is introduced before speaking at a Souls to the Polls rally supporting Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on October 17, 2021 in Norfolk, Virginia. Zach Gibson | Getty Images
Two-time Democratic gubernatorial candidate and activist Stacey Abrams returned to her alma mater, Spelman College, to deliver the commencement speech on May 15. Abrams walked the new graduates of the all-women HBCU through her experiences as a student and how they shaped her career.
Abrams, 48, was the student body president at Spelman before she graduated in 1995 and attended Yale Law School. She served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2006-2017, during which she became the first Black Georgian to lead in the House of Representatives. Abrams is well known for her civic engagement efforts and voters’ rights advocacy.https://71bb89a8e506858ad9f7f728df5285b0.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
She says Spelman taught her to be confident and “bold in her ambitions,” something she hopes newly graduated Black women will emulate.
“You may have noticed I’ve gotten in trouble a little bit in the last few years for being a bit too forthright about my intentions. When people ask me questions about what I want, I don’t quietly duck my head or cover my mouth. If you ask me if I want to be the vice president, I say yes. You want to know if I want to be president, I say yes … There are those who hear that in arrogance. But I was taught at Spelman College to be bold in my ambitions, to believe that I am capable of whatever I can imagine.”
According to Abrams, these three key lessons helped her reach her greatest potential:
“Be fearless” is “dumb” advice
We’ve all heard the advice, ‘be fearless,’ before. However, whether it be a personal or professional goal, the idea of approaching something new fearlessly can seem daunting, and in some cases impossible.
Abrams says fear is not something we should get rid of, but something we should understand and embrace.
“For so many years, we have been told to be fearless. That is the dumbest advice I’ve ever heard,” she told graduates. “Fear is real. And it’s usually a warning. It’s a caution to not act but to understand what we’re facing. I believe in embracing my fear. I take it out to lunch.”
Abrams also explained that without identifying your fears, you won’t be able to conquer them. She urged the audience to “never let anyone tell you it’s wrong to be afraid.”
“Fear is healthy. It is caving into fear that’s dangerous. You see, I’m not afraid of fighting against those who tell me that we can’t have economic justice in America because they’re wrong and I’m right. I’m not afraid of saying that we should all have the right to voice our opinions in our elections whether we agree with one another or not. I’m not afraid of these things because I understand why fear happens.”
“I want you to hold on to your fear, get to know it, give it a name, give it a nickname, but never give it control.”
“Learn your lessons, not your losses”
While recalling her 2018 loss in the race for governor of Georgia, Abrams says many expected her to accept failure and “be quiet and sit still.”
However, Abrams said that remaining resilient even when it’s hard makes all the difference.
“There are those who think that when you don’t win those things you try for, that your failure defines you. It is not failure that defines you, it is your response to failure that tells you who you are.”
Abrams let students know that they would face many losses in the future, but having gratitude and working hard will pay off in the end.
“You’re going to face a great deal of loss. But when we focus on not getting, we ignore what we have received … I stood for governor not because I wanted the title, but because I said I wanted to do the work. And when I didn’t get the title, I still had the work to do. I wasn’t exempted because I didn’t get the platform. This is a lesson I learned at Spelman. That not getting everything you want doesn’t mean you got nothing from it. I learned my lesson that it was enough to try if I was willing to try again and try again and try again.”
“Know what you believe”
When Abrams joined the Georgia House of Representatives, her title was minority leader, a title she says already symbolized loss.
“They put in my title that I was about to lose. If you are in the minority and the other guy’s title is majority leader, the imbalance is kind of obvious from the beginning.”
After accepting the role, Abrams started to understand that despite the title, her opportunity to make an impact would create major change.
She advised graduates to let their character and work ethic speak for themselves.
“You will for most of your lives, for most of your admissions, for most of your lessons, be in the technical minority. But if you know what you believe about yourself and about your work, then you will never be in the minority.”
Recent Claflin University alumna Miranda Dantzler-Williams, her mother and sister tragically passed in a horrible Mother’s Day accident involving a sheriff’s deputy. Learn more about how the community is choosing to remember the family in the story by Ann McGill at Live 5 News below.
Loved ones of a Colleton County woman and her two daughters killed in a wreck with a Charleston County deputy say the three were inseparable.
53-year-old Stephanie Dantzler, 28-year-old Shanice Dantzler-Williams, and 22-year-old Miranda Dantzler-Williams died Sunday night around 11 p.m. The wreck happened in Ravenel on Highway 17 near New Road.
As the family prepares for three funerals, loved ones remember the three women as tight-knit, kind and loving.
“They all were close, if you see one, you see the other two, Stephanie Miranda, Shanice,” Pastor Eric Campbell said. He is the family’s spiritual leader and cousin by marriage. Stephanie and her daughters were members of his church.
“Stephanie had an idea about adopting a highway, so she was very excited about that,” Campbell said. “She was working on that all year this year.”
“My sister was a sweet loving person, always smiling,” brother Eric Dantzler said. “She would give you the shirt off her back. Everybody loved her, we are a close-knit family.”
Stephanie was the oldest of three. Her brothers Eric and Darrin say her girls were smart, kindhearted young women. The oldest, Shanice Dantzler-Williams was an accountant who worked for Colleton County.
“She was just a sweet person, she was just like Stephanie, she was outspoken like that, have fun,” Eric said.
The day before they died, the family had just celebrated Miranda Dantzler-Williams’s graduation from Claflin University in Orangeburg.
“She was the life of the party,” Eric said. “Miranda called us at school, you know, she need something she called us, checking on us. Just so sweet when she graduated, it touched our hearts, ‘cause she came a long way.”
Miranda received a degree in criminal justice and was in the process of deciding what she wanted to do in the future.
“Miranda was the type that during worship, she would express her worship and praise through crying,” Campbell said. The last few services, she did a lot of crying. Maybe it was a message she was sending, that we didn’t know at the time.”
Funeral arrangements have been finalized. Visitation will take place Friday, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Koger’s Mortuary at 508 South Jefferies Blvd. in Walterboro.
The funeral will take place Saturday, at 11:00 a.m. at Walterboro Christian Center located at 320 Robertson Boulevard in Walterboro.
Jackson State University students will be able to receive business clothes for interviews and other meetings thanks to continued donations. Learn more about two donations to the Tiger Career Closet in the JSU release below.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. has been donating its time, energy and financial resources to the Tiger Career Closet since its grand opening in 2017. (Photo by William Kelly/JSU)
Jackson State University’s Tiger Career Closet received two generous gifts this spring.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch partnered with the Mississippi Women Lawyer’s Association to sponsor a professional clothing drive during Women’s History Month. The partnership netted a multitude of women’s business attire and shoes that were donated to the Tiger Career Closet.
“The professional clothing drive for JSU students gives us an opportunity to empower the next generation of women in the workforce. The donated attire may be just what she wears when she lands the job at her interview or makes an impression her first day on the job,” said Fitch.
Executive Director of the Career Services Center Lashanda Jordan, Ph.D., expressed her gratitude for the attorney general’s benevolence. “We appreciate their efforts to partner with us and secure professional attire for our students,” she said.
The Tiger Career Closet, which opened in November 2017, allows JSU students to receive one business outfit complete with shoes and accessories free of charge per semester.
Emoni Price, a second-year graduate student, works in the career closet and has also shopped there.
“When I first started working here, back in August, I didn’t have a lot of professional business wear simply because I had lost a lot of weight. So, a lot of my clothes no longer fit me. They told me about the closet, and I was able to pick up a few things,” she said.
Keeping the spirit of giving going, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.’s Alpha Delta Zeta Chapter raised $1,200 for the Tiger Career Closet. The organization has been supporting the initiative since the closet’s inception. This year marks the sorority’s largest contribution to date.
“It’s important because we like to give back to our young people, and that money is going to go to good use. It helps prepare them for the next steps in their professional career. It’s important that we do our part to help get them to the next level,” said Latisha Skinner, president of the Alpha Delta Zeta Chapter.
Skinner explained that JSU is the organization’s home base, and it has a plethora of sisters who are alumnae of the university. “One of our focuses is to make sure we do our part, and the career closet is the way we do that,” she said.
La’Kitha Hughes is a life member of the sorority and serves as international secretary. She shared that the group is looking forward to returning to in-person volunteer work when the time comes.
“This is a wonderful project, and we want to continue giving back to the community because that’s who we are, and that’s what we’re about. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated is a community-conscious organization. We want to make sure we give back to our community right here in Jackson and help our students,” said Hughes.
Lavenita Cottrell, associate director of the Career Services Center, praised the sorority for the ongoing assistance it has given the Tiger Career Closet. “They have always been here to support us no matter what,” she said.
Cottrell shared that the monetary gift will allow them to purchase more clothing and accessories for students. “Because we realize that when some students come over, we may not have their size, so we go shopping specifically for students when we do not have anything in the closet for them. So, this helps us make sure every student is served.
JSU students can shop the Tiger Career Closet by contacting the Career Services Center here.
Slain Alabama A&M University graduate Jelani Day had moved on to graduate school when he suddenly went missing. It took nearly three weeks for him to be identified, and his mother wants to ensure the same never happens to another family again. Learn more in the story by 102.7 WBOW below.
Governor Pritzker signed into law on Monday a bill that was directly inspired by the disappearance and death of Jelani Day.
The bill requires Illinois coroners to notify and consult the FBI if they are unable to identify a body within 72 hours of the body being found. It’s a much shorter time than Carmen Bolden-Day had to wait when her son went missing in August.
“I want them to remember that every time they have to do something in that way, to go look for somebody, to make sure that this person is identified,” Bolden-Day said. “They have to identify that with Jelani, because they didn’t do that for Jelani.” ‘I cried tears of joy’, Jelani Day Bill heads to the Illinois House
Day’s body was found in the Illinois River on Sept. 4, but his remains weren’t officially identified until 19 days later. In those 19 days, Bolden-Day continued to look for her son, keeping her hope alive.
“I was out there looking for him when all along, they actually have my son somewhere in the mortuary, in a in a box somewhere, that they hadn’t identified it as him,” Bolden-Day said.
She wants to make sure others don’t go through that same pain.
“It’s important to me that this bill is enacted. It’s important to me that is it has became a law,” Bolden-Day said. “And it’s important to me that is recognized as the Jelani Day Bill.”
“My fear was they’ll get these notifications and they’ll just learn over the course of a quarter or half a year, ‘Oh it’s another coroner notification from Illinois. File it in the Illinois file,’ and it really wasn’t going to do what the sponsor ultimately wanted.”
The law officially goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023. The bill’s sponsors said it is all about coroners using all resources at their disposal to solve these cases.
Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation has kept its promise to heavily invest in HBCUs and their students! Learn more in the release from Olafimihan Oshin at The Hill below.
Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at NRG Park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston. Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards on May 15, 2022, will include performances by Scott, Ed Sheeran, Becky G and other artists who have enjoyed chart-topping success. Sean “Diddy” Combs will emcee the show, which is being broadcast live from the MGM Grand Arena and will air live on NBC and its Peacock streaming service. (Credit: Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Rapper Travis Scott’s foundation, the Cactus Jack Foundation, has announced it will grant $1 million in scholarship funds to 100 college students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
In a statement on Tuesday, the foundation said the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund will grant up to $10,000 in scholarships to students who are maintaining an average GPA of 3.5 and face financial hardships in college.
This year’s recipients include graduating seniors from 38 HBCUs,such as Florida A&M University pharmacy major Nisha Encarnacion, Fisk University computer science major Chisom Okwor and North Carolina Central University mass communications major Jordan Massey.
The announcement comes after Scott’s first performance since a stampede killed ten people and injured hundreds during his performance at Astroworld music festival in Houston in November. The victims were between the ages of 9 and 27.
In March, the “Sicko Mode” singer launched a $5 million initiative called “Project HEAL,” aiming to work toward solutions to help those in marginalized and at-risk communities.
His new scholarship fund is named after Waymon Webster, a former dean of Prairie View A&M‘s graduate school.
“Excellence abounds in every Black household, but too often opportunity does not – and Black students are left behind or counted out. So that’s what my family and I set out to change,” Travis Scott said in a statement, adding “we are already looking forward to increasing our work next year.”
“Black students are less than half as likely to graduate from college as white students, and financial pressure is the primary reason,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial said of the donation.
“We applaud Travis Scott and the CactusJack Foundation for investing in the next generation and congratulate the 100 Waymon Webster Scholarship recipients on their graduation.”
Concertgoers and families of the deceased at Astroworld have filed hundreds of lawsuits against Scott and event organizers, alleging they didn’t take the necessary steps to prevent the stampede and didn’t immediately stop the performance despite knowing there was a problem in the crowd.
Dillard University President Dr. Walter Kimbrough made a hospital pitstop before this past weekend’s Spring commencement for a heart-warming reason. Learn more in the story from Kelly Hayes at Fox 5 Atlanta below.
Credit: Fox 13 Tampa
When a college student went into labor just hours before her graduation ceremony, the university stepped up in a big way — bringing a private ceremony to the new mother’s hospital room.
Jada Sayles went into labor and was eventually admitted to the hospital around 4:30 a.m. local time on May 14, which was the same day as her graduation from Dillard University, a private, historically Black university in New Orleans.
Dilliard University’s outgoing president, Dr. Walter M Kimbrough, shared a post about the touching weekend, saying he was in contact with Sayles and decided to bring the graduation ceremony to her the next day.
Jada went into labor on Friday evening. Texted me around 4:30 am Saturday saying she was being admitted, & the baby was born on her graduation day, May 14th. So we rolled up to the hospital so I could finish my tenure in the most special way. #myDUpic.twitter.com/JieETrXVgy
“Texted me around 4:30 am Saturday saying she was being admitted, & the baby was born on her graduation day, May 14th. So we rolled up to the hospital so I could finish my tenure in the most special way,” Kimbrough wrote on Twitter.
Kimbrough also shared footage of the private ceremony, which was captured by his wife, Adria Kimbrough, Esq. Sayles’ family was also in attendance, FOX 8 in New Orleans reported.
Dressed in her cap and gown while holding her new baby in her arms, Sayles received a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections, according to her LinkedIn profile.
“I even did the tassel part of commencement! This really was a very sweet moment. I’ll never forget it,” Kimbrough said in a second post.
On her part, the new mother also detailed the memorable weekend, writing: “I thought I was gonna walk across the stage to get my degree, instead I got my baby. My sweet face decided to make his way on MY big day (now his).”
“Shoutout to my university for still bringing my graduation and degree to me,” Sayles continued. “Ima college graduate & mommy, talk to me nice!”
I thought I was gonna walk across the stage to get my degree, instead I got my baby. My sweet face decided to make his way on MY big day (now his). Shoutout to my university for still bringing my graduation and degree to me. 🎓 Ima college graduate & mommy, talk to me nice! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/3KyVReqyUJ
Central State University will establish a Workforce Training and Business Development Center at their Dayton Campus after a multimillion-dollar investment from the federal government.
The U.S. Department of Commerce awarded the university $3.6 million in ARPA funds to “tackle workforce shortages” exacerbated by the pandemic.
The money will fund short-term workshops and undergraduate programs in advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, information technology and advanced data management. The university will acquire state-of-the-art equipment and software, and hire instructors to make its four-year courses more relevant to the current job market.
Students will also be able to get certificates and credentials to increase their skills and help them retain their current jobs, even if they are not seeking four-year degrees, Provost F. Erik Brooks said.
“Universities such as Central State must use our knowledge, our skills, our expertise to solve contemporary problems facing the communities where we are found. We must venture out of our ivory towers and go into the towns and cities where we are situated and we must provide practical solutions to improve the lives of those in our communities,” Brooks said.
Workshops can be as short as five days, or as long as three months, but students will walk away with the qualifications to gain employment in manufacturing, IT or other industries, CSU officials said.
Central State’s Dayton Campus, located at 840 Germantown Street, is located in a sector of the city of Dayton that is the most lacking in economic opportunity, said Associate Provost for Research and project director Morakinyo Kuti.
“Underrepresented individuals, particularly African Americans, have borne a disproportionate share of negative COVID-19 health, economic, and educational outcomes,” CSU President Jack Thomas said Thursday. “These disparities have further widened the socioeconomic gap that exists between African Americans and the majority population. Central State’s Workforce Training and Business Development Center will provide employment-related training and educational programs to increase the ability of underrepresented individuals to gain meaningful employment.”
Central State has contributed an additional $896,848 towards the center’s creation. A Department of Commerce statement indicates that the venture is expected to help fill 300 jobs and generate $1 million in private investment from companies looking to hire workers.
“There’s a demand from employers for people with skills for jobs that are vacant,” Kuti said.
The university is projecting a 50 percent spike in fall 2022 enrollment, going roughly from 2,000 to 3,000 students physically attending at the Wilberforce campus, and a similar jump for online classes, going from 4,000 students to 7,000.
“Ohio has a proud history of leading the country in manufacturing innovation,” said U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, this investment at Central State will help create hundreds of jobs and prepare the workers Ohio needs to compete. Central State is one of Ohio’s premier universities and I’m glad to see its strength is being recognized.”
A new plaza has been unveiled for Bowie State University Lt. Richard Collins III, a student who was tragically killed in a hate crime. Learn more in the story from Jack Moore at WTOP News.
The Lt. Richard Collins III Plaza includes two walls, one featuring an engraved plaque honoring Collins, a fountain, and another wall displaying a unity mural created by UMD and Bowie State students. (Credit: WTOP/Neal Augenstein)
Five years after Lt. Richard Collins III was stabbed to death on the University of Maryland College Park campus, the school has unveiled a plaza dedicated to the Black ROTC graduate, designed to be a “permanent reminder” of the senseless killing and efforts to stamp out racial hatred.
“The plaza was born out of tragedy … And it stands now as a permanent reminder of the mission we must all pursue in creating a more just and equitable world,” University President Darryll Pines said during the ceremony Monday.
Collins, who was days away from graduating Bowie State University and had been commissioned into the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant, was waiting at a campus bus stop after visiting friends on the College Park campus in May 2017, when a white University of Maryland student approached the group of friends and plunged a 3-inch pocket knife into Collins’ chest after ordering him to move out of the way.
The Lt. Richard Collins III Plaza includes two walls, one featuring an engraved plaque honoring Collins and another wall displaying a unity mural created by UMD and Bowie State students.
The Lt. Richard Collins III Plaza includes two walls, one featuring an engraved plaque honoring Collins and another wall displaying a unity mural created by UMD and Bowie State students. (WTOP/Neal Augenstein)
Pines listed the names of other prominent Marylanders whose names grace buildings and other campus spaces, such as Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.
“And now you add the name of Lt. Richard W. Collins III,” Pines said. “This is a name and legacy that will mean something to every person who sets foot on our campus.”
Under rainy skies, the dedication ceremony drew a program of speakers, including pastors, social justice activists and elected officials, and Collins’ parents, Richard Collins II and Dawn Collins.
Dawn and Richard Collins arrive at the dedication ceremony for the plaza honoring their son, Lt. Richard Collins III. (Credit: WTOP/Neal Augenstein)
In emotional remarks, Dawn Collins, who said she remained heartbroken and in agony over the loss of her son, said she hoped the campus plaza named for him would be a “lasting, symbolic place,” that honors her son’s spirit and that serves to repudiate all forms of bigotry. “I said all of it,” she said. “There’s no little one, big one. All of it — gotta go.”
Richard Collins II, who positioned his son’s killing in the long history of violence against African Americans and referred to it as a lynching, said of the plaza honoring his son: “He shall forevermore be the sentinel that faithfully stands watch over this hallowed ground.”
In the wake of Collins’ killing, UMD and Bowie State also formed the Social Justice Alliance, “to break down racial barriers between the two campuses,” Dawn Collins said Monday. “We want to groom young minds on both campuses to work to gather to be active agents of social justice.”
In addition, the Collinses launched a foundation in their son’s name and worked to strengthen Maryland’s hate crime laws.
While Collins’ killer, Sean Urbanski, then 22, was charged with a hate crime in addition to first-degree murder, the hate crime charge was thrown out by the judge during Urbanski’s December 2019 trial, because the judge said prosecutors failed to show Urbanski stabbed Collins to death specifically because he was Black.
“It was white supremacist violence that took the life of Lt. Richard W. Collins III,” said Rev. William Lamar IV, of the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church of D.C., adding, “This is also the story of Buffalo as well. This will not stop by our platitudinous rhetoric … it will not stop until we attack head-on the myths that this nation lives by.”
He closed his remarks with a call to do more: “A plaza is not enough.”
“We are part of a club that we didn’t want to be part of. Our children watch over us from above now, murdered in hate crimes,” Bro said.
Pointing to the attack in Buffalo, she said, “I can guarantee you, in about three weeks, it will be old news, and we see this time and time again. We require blood sacrifice to even get interested and involved for three weeks. How much more bloodshed does there need to be before we, as individuals, step up and say no more.”
Allison Malone is cemented in history as the very first graduate with a unique engineering major at the University of Arkansasat Pine Bluff! Learn more about her experience in the UAPB release by Will Hehemann below.
Allison Malone (Photo Credit: University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)
Allison Malone of Memphis, Tennessee is the first student to earn a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). The degree program, which was initiated in 2019, trains students to meet the demand for more efficient means of production in the agriculture industry.
Malone is graduating with a job in hand. She has accepted a position as an agricultural engineering trainee for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Dover, Delaware.
She had already completed an internship with the Dover-based office. However, due to the pandemic, the internship took place online, and she completed any in-person work in the NRCS offices in Shelby County and Jackson, Tennessee. This semester, she also had the opportunity to work with the NRCS office in Pine Bluff.
“I’m excited to see a new part of our country and learn new parts of conservation,” she said. “While NRCS conservation work in the south tends to be more focused on irrigation and farm conservation practices, work in Delaware seems more focused on wetlands restoration and work with poultry operations. Of course, my family is both excited and sad about my move, but I’ve been preparing them for me leaving for a long time – they have always known I wanted to live in another part of the world someday.”
UAPB Chancellor, Dr. Laurence B. Alexander, awards Allison Malone the Chancellor’s Medallion Award for maintaining the highest GPA in the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences. (Photo Credit: University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)
During her junior year, Malone joined the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program. She received full tuition, books and the cost of room and board. Her internships with the USDA were also arranged through the program.
“I really appreciated the smaller classroom environment at UAPB,” she said. “I wasn’t just a number. Professors at UAPB know your name and are always there for you. My professors were always making sure I was on track with my studies and that I never missed out on any important opportunities that would further my education.”
Malone said Alicia Robinson-Farmer, instructor and regulatory science undergraduate coordinator, was a great source of support who helped her apply for the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program. Laura Hildreth, program coordinator for UAPB’s STEM Academy, taught her how to network and grow professionally.
She credits Dr. Obadiah M. Njue, assistant dean for Extension and outreach, with helping her choose her major and making sure she chose to study at UAPB in the first place. She met him when she was involved in an agricultural conservation project for high school students organized by Brown Missionary Baptist Church in Southaven, Mississippi.
“At the summer apprenticeship, I was the student manager of a team of 11 – I happened to be one of the youngest participants and the only girl in the group,” Malone said. “I managed two gardens and a farmers market, where we sold everything that we grew. I ended up giving a tour to program organizers and visitors, and Dr. Njue was in attendance. He seemed impressed by my work and told me to keep UAPB in mind when I started looking for universities. He told me he would make sure I had access to scholarships and financial assistance to afford my studies.”
Malone said she has loved the outdoors and been interested in plants since she was a child. Later, she became interested in engineering. Specifically, she started to research civil engineering, which would allow her to design public works, and biomedical engineering, through which she could design prosthetics.
“Civil engineering didn’t seem engaging enough,” she said. “And biomedical engineering was out of the question once I found out that you have to be in the operating room during surgeries that involve prosthetics – I can’t stand the sight of blood.”
It was not until she participated in the agricultural conservation project for high school students that she learned about the possibility of pursuing a degree in agricultural engineering.
“Prior to that, I didn’t know there was a major that combined my two greatest interests,” she said. “Dr. Njue told me they were in the process of establishing a degree program in the field at UAPB – this pretty much sealed the deal for enrolling at UAPB. I started majoring in plant science, and switched majors once they finalized the program in agricultural engineering during my sophomore year.”
At UAPB, Malone served as president of the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) club and Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society. She was a member of STEM Academy, Alpha Chi National College Honor Society and the Carolyn F. Blakely Honors Program. She was secretary and second soprano section leader for the Vesper Choir and a member of the Yard Voices of Praise gospel choir.
“I am extremely proud of Allison,” Dr. Tracy Dunbar, chair for the UAPB Department of Agriculture, said. “She will be receiving the Chancellor’s Medallion Award for maintaining the highest GPA in the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences. She is going to work for the USDA NRCS and is looking to go on to graduate school. This is the type of experience that I would like for all of our students to have at UAPB.”
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
Dr. Josie E. Wells, the very first female faculty member at HBCU Meharry Medical College, will be honored in a very special way. Learn more in the story from staff at Main Street Nashville below.
Meharry Medical College will unveil a historical marker on campus this month honoring Dr. Josie E. Wells, one of the first three women to graduate from Meharry with a medical degree in 1904. She was also the college’s first female faculty member. (Photo Credit: Mark Humphrey/Associated Press)
Meharry Medical College will hold an unveiling of a new historical marker honoring Dr. Josie E. Wells on May 20. The marker will pay tribute to Wells’ lifelong accomplishments and contributions to the Nashville community.
As a recognized humanitarian and woman of many firsts, Wells was one of the first three women to graduate from Meharry with a medical degree in 1904. She was the college’s first female faculty member. In addition, after years having worked alongside its first president and hospital superintendent, George W. Hubbard, Wells became Hubbard Hospital’s first female superintendent in 1912.
“More than one-half of the educated Black physicians in the Southern states were graduates of Meharry Medical College, but of the many graduates of the era, few were women,” Sandra Parham, executive director of Meharry Medical College Library & Archives, said in a news release. “How family, money, academic or societal pressures may have impacted the women medical students, one can only imagine, but the opportunities for them were few and the constraints against their success, powerful.”
In collaboration with Dr. James E.K. Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry, Parham submitted the application for the marker in Wells’ honor to the Metropolitan Historical Commission of Nashville and Davidson County in October 2021 after learning of Wells’ accomplishments. Parham sees the addition of the historical marker on Meharry’s campus as an opportunity to not only officially memorialize Wells’ significant contributions, but also to share with the city the rich history and legacy Meharrians such as Wells have contributed to the Nashville community.
“Gender barriers that proscribed women’s life and professional possibilities were institutionalized nationwide, and more so for Black women. Wells’ accomplishment of becoming a doctor in 1904, and later a hospital administrator, is all the more noteworthy,” Parham said.
Historical markers are only considered when the proposed event, person, structure or place’s historical significance is proved to be or to have taken place 50 or more years ago. Once the city approves the casting of a historical marker, it takes approximately three months to see the marker erected to its approved site.
Wells’ approved marker will join those of noteworthy Meharrians Hulda Margaret Lyttle and Donley Harold Turpin. Lyttle was a member of the first graduating class of Meharry’s Nursing School, and Turpin was the dean of Meharry’s Dental School in 1938 who gave his personal finances to the school to keep it afloat during the Great Depression.
The unveiling will take place at 1 p.m. May 20 on the lawn in front of the former George W. Hubbard Hospital, 1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd. The public is invited to attend.
