UAPB Students Learn Veterinary Science through Hands-on Programming at Purdue University

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Several students hailing from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff recently traveled to Purdue University in Louisiana. Get the full story from UAPB below.

Six University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) students majoring in animal science recently had the opportunity to put their analytical skills to the test during a three-day visit to Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana. As part of Purdue’s Laboratory Investigative Veterinary Experience (LIVE), they participated in hands-on activities similar to those veterinary and animal science professionals undertake every day.

The participants included Cynamon Gates, Jurnea Stanley, Joseph Stewart, Tendai Musinga, Kalia Thomas and Emma Miller. The travel to Purdue University was funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture capacity building grant awarded to Dr. Jayant Lohakare, UAPB associate professor of animal science.

“Students were required to perform a necropsy dissection on piglets and learned how to determine their cause of death,” Dr. Lohakare said. “This included collecting, storing and processing samples from the dead animals for the correct diagnosis.”

Stanley, a sophomore participant, said she was a bit squeamish when she learned the group would be dissecting dead piglets. However, this activity quickly became one of her highlights of the program. 

“My favorite part of the experience was performing the necropsy to solve the case of the pigs mysteriously dying,” she said. “It was extremely new to me … but once the pigs’ internal organs were exposed, I was so excited to explore. I also enjoyed solving the other cases and understanding the difference between the normal and abnormal femurs as well as the different cell types and bacteria. The overall experience was great because I was learning while having a ton of fun.”

The program included labs related to microbiology, molecular biology and parasitology, while lecture topics included animal welfare science, human-animal bond science and toxicology. During workshops on lab animal medicine, students handled lab animals such as rats and mice and visited Purdue’s state-of-the-art small animal facilities.

Dr. Lohakare said the program was also a chance for students to learn more about Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs and research and career opportunities in veterinary sciences.

“I greatly enjoyed the beautiful, newly-remodeled campus and amenities Purdue University had to offer,” Gates, a senior participant said. “Seeing the research animals was an enjoyable experience as well. It really tied into the hands-on labs and PowerPoint presentations, making it a more interesting experience.”

Gates, who has aspired to be a veterinarian since she was five years old, said the program broadened her outlook on the field of veterinary medicine. She said she also gained a lot of helpful information through discussions with graduate students and faculty members in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

“I learned how much hard work and dedication it takes to become a specialist,” she said. “Many of the graduate students were currently obtaining their PhD, which I found out can be obtained before you get your DVM or while working on your DVM.”

She said she was encouraged and relieved when the graduate students reassured her that it is OK not to know which specialty or field to choose right away.

“The world of veterinary medicine is such a broad field,” she said. “Many of the students and professionals thought they knew exactly what aspect of veterinary medicine they wanted to pursue, but later realized there were many different field groups to choose from and discovered the right fit for them.”

On the last day of the trip, Dr. Lohakare and the student participants were able to meet and speak with Lizney Rudds, a 2019 UAPB alumna of animal science, who is pursuing her DVM at Purdue University. She provided her peers with information on the ins and outs of pursuing educational and career opportunities in veterinary medicine.

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.

Two Time HBCU Graduate Tapped As CEO of Recovery Centers Of America Capital Region

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Marcus Smith, M.A., a graduate of Morgan State University and Bowie State University, has been chosen as CEO for RCA Capital Region! Read the full story in the release below.

Recovery Centers of America Capital Region – a Maryland substance use disorder treatment facility an hour from Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia – today announced Marcus Smith has been promoted to chief executive officer.

In this role, Smith will lead the facility’s committed team of addiction professionals to provide high-quality substance use disorder treatment as well as deepen the relationship with the local community. He formerly served as clinical director of RCA Capital Region.

Smith brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having worked in the clinical treatment field for over a decade. He is a licensed clinical professional counselor in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, specializing in the treatment of adults experiencing depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and sexual and general trauma.

“I am excited to lead RCA Capital Region in the critical work of saving every patient’s life and strengthening bonds with our community so they know they can access proven treatment options at RCA,” said Smith. “Growing up in southern Maryland, an area deeply affected by the opioid pandemic, I had so many opportunities from education, athletics and community. My goal is to help ensure others can benefit from the same meaningful life experiences I had.”

Smith is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a clinical member of the Association of the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, and holds affiliations with the American Counseling Association, Maryland Counseling Association, and D.C. Mental Health Counseling Association, among other clinical professional bodies. He received his bachelor’s degree in communications from Morgan State University and a master’s degree in counseling from Bowie State University.

Located in the Washington, D.C., area, RCA Capital Region supports patients and families from the surrounding region and beyond. The facility is accredited by the Joint Commission and the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and was named a “Best U.S. Addiction Treatment Facility in Maryland” by Newsweek. It provides evidence-based inpatient treatment for substance use disorder as well as virtual reality treatment enhancement in collaboration with Johns Hopkins HealthCare Solutions.

To learn more about the programs and services offered by RCA Capital Region, visit here.

Howard University Alumna Taraji P. Henson to Deliver Commencement Address to the Class of 2022

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Howard University alumna, Academy Award-nominated actress, producer and director Taraji P. Henson will be heading to her alma mater to address the Class of 2022! Get the full story in the Howard release below.

Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, president of Howard University, announced today that alumna and Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress, filmmaker, philanthropist and entrepreneur Taraji P. Henson will serve as the 2022 Commencement orator during the 154th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 7, 2022. Henson, who was recently appointed by President Joe Biden to join the White House HBCU Initiative advisory board, will address the Class of 2022 and their families, University trustees, officers, faculty, staff and alumni. Howard University will confer upon Henson the honorary doctorate of humane letters.

“It is with great pleasure that the Howard University community will welcome alumna Taraji P. Henson back home to deliver the 2022 Commencement address,” said Dr. Frederick. “An accomplished actress and fierce champion for HBCUs and the African American community at large, Ms. Henson exemplifies the University tenets of excellence in truth and service. We could not be more excited to have her join us in celebrating the graduating Class of 2022.”

Henson is a 1995 graduate of what is now Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. She is an award-winning actress, producer and director, a best-selling author, and a noted philanthropist and advocate of mental health services in the African American community through her foundation, the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. She launched her foundation in 2018 to work toward eradicating the stigma around mental health issues in the African American community. The foundation, named in honor of her father, who suffered mental health challenges without resources or support, provides access to localized and Black culturally competent therapy resources sourced through a network of clinicians, service providers, counselors and thought leaders.

“I am honored and humbled to be returning to my Alma Mater, Howard University, to deliver this year’s Commencement address to the graduating Class of 2022 and their families,” said Henson. “Returning to Howard always feels like coming home, and I cannot wait to share this incredible moment with Howard students as they prepare to take the next step in their journeys to success.”

Henson holds numerous industry awards and nominations for her on-screen roles. In 2016, she was praised for her starring role as Katherine Johnson in the critically acclaimed drama film “Hidden Figures,” for which the cast received a Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture. In 2015, she began starring as Cookie Lyon in the Fox drama series “Empire,” for which she won a Golden Globe Award, received three Emmy nominations, won three BET awards, and became the first African American woman to win a Critics Choice Television Award for best actress in a drama series.

In 2005, Henson played opposite Terrance Howard in “Hustle & Flow,” for which the cast received a Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture. She also received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie for her starring role in the Lifetime Television film “Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story” in addition to Academy Award, SAG Award and Critics Choice Award nominations for best supporting actress for her performance in David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Henson has won numerous NAACP Image Awards for performances in television series and motion pictures, most recently for her performance as Miss Hannigan in NBC’s “Annie Live!” in 2021.

In Fall 2020, Henson launched her production company, TPH Entertainment, with producing partner Christine Conley, with a goal to create projects that challenge audiences to think differently and offer new perspectives and opportunities. TPH Entertainment has previously announced several projects, including “Two-Faced” with Bron Entertainment, which Henson will also direct, marking her feature film directorial debut. They also have “Time Alone” with Alessandro Camon and “Sorcerority,” which they will co-produce with Game Changer Films and Gabrielle Union’s I’ll Have Another Productions.    

A New York Times best-selling author, Henson’s autobiography, titled “Around the Way Girl,” chronicled her rise to success, how she overcame adversity and the world-class instruction she received from Howard University. Henson is currently in production on Blitz Bazawule’s “The Color Purple,” where she will star as Shug Avery.

In early 2020, Henson launched her own haircare line, TPH by Taraji, which has won numerous awards from industry titans, including Allure, Essence, InStyle, Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire, SELF and more. She just announced her expansion into body care with BODY by TPH, offering affordably luxurious, clean, unapologetically self-indulgent products in the bath and body care space.

Find more information about the 2022 Commencement here.

Howard University Releases Statement After Shocking Vandalism On The Yard

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Students on the Howard University campus made a stunning discovery earlier today, when they found that several Divine 9 plots were defaced on the Yard. Now Howard has released an official statement, and the search is on for who the culprit is. Get the story from N’dia Webb at The Hilltop below.

Photos compiled by N’dia Webb

Upon arriving at the Howard University campus this morning, students were shocked to find that five historic plots were vandalized. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity had their trees and plots covered in black spray paint. 

“The University is aware that some of the Divine Nine Greek-lettered organizational plots located on the Main Yard of Howard’s campus have been defaced. These senseless acts of vandalism are unacceptable and run contrary to the values of respect and tolerance that we as an institution strive to uphold. The deliberate damaging of any Howard buildings or artifacts is expressly prohibited. The individuals responsible for these acts will be dealt with accordingly,” Howard said in a statement provided to The Hilltop.

“The Divine Nine has a rich historical legacy, and many of our most esteemed alumni credit their affiliations with these organizations for empowering their success and service. These fraternities and sororities are foundational to Howard’s identity as an institution of higher education. We take these acts of vandalism very seriously and thank the many individuals who have reached out to express their care and concern. Howard University Police Department has launched an investigation of the incident, and the University will address this issue promptly.”

Many people took to social media to voice their disdain about the vandalization, and speculate about a possible culprit; a Howard alumna with the Twitter handle @ThePoshLife_ tweeting, “Hope @HowardU looks into this seriously. Our organizations have a long standing history on this campus and the world tbh [to be honest]. And MOST of our orgs [organizations] started right here.”

This story is ongoing and The Hilltop will continue to update as new information emerges.

Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick to Retire as 17th President of Howard University by June 2024

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Today Howard University President Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick has released plans to retire by 2024. Learn more in a letter released today by Howard University Board of Trustees Chair Laurence C. Morse, Ph.D. below.

After 34 years as an integral member of the Howard community – as student, faculty member, administrator, and, over the last nine, as president – Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick (B.S. ’92, M.D. ’94, MBA ’11) recently informed the Howard University Board of Trustees of his plan to retire from the presidency by June 2024, committing to remain in place to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. Dr. Frederick began as interim president in 2013 and assumed the permanent position in 2014. I join my fellow trustees in expressing my profound gratitude to Dr. Frederick for his tireless, unwavering efforts to lead our University to greater academic excellence, fiscal strength, and service to our community and country. Needless to say, given his outstanding performance, the board desired that he would have chosen to remain in office longer.

As an alumnus of the University, having earned a dual B.S./M.D. and subsequently a Master of Business Administration degree from the Howard University School of Business, Dr. Frederick is an exemplary model of the generations of leaders and innovators we have produced through quality education and scholarship. Having assumed his role as president in 2014, Dr. Frederick has embodied the strength of will, determination, vision, character and integrity found in our world’s most admirable leaders, qualities that have enabled him to position our institution for continued success for generations to come.
 
A fuller account of all that our community has accomplished under his leadership will be forthcoming in an upcoming feature in Howard Magazine and The Dig. However, for now, I want to highlight just a few of the many achievements that underscore Dr. Frederick’s singular commitment to the excellence of Howard University:  
 

  • Dr. Frederick has led a renewed emphasis on the pursuit of academic excellence and the quality of the student experience at Howard. Under his guidance, the University experienced the highest student enrollment census in our University’s history and significantly increased financial aid to our first-time in college (FTIC) students, achieving a dramatic improvement in student retention and graduation rates. During his tenure, the four-year graduation rate increased by 20 percentage points to 60 percent, and the six-year graduation rate increased 8 percentage points to 69 percent. Both percentages are the highest in our University’s history.
  • Across the University, Dr. Frederick was able to recruit, attract and retain numerous world-renowned faculty, furthering academic offerings and investing in new curriculum programs, such as the establishment of the Center for Applied Data Science and Analytics to catalyze applied data science research and instruction; the Office of Digital and Online Learning to oversee online program development and implementation; and the Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership.
  • Dr. Frederick has led the University on a momentous rise. U.S. News & World Report increased our ranking by more than 60 spots, placing Howard firmly in the top 100 among national universities. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education completed its decennial reaccreditation of the University, offering only commendations for the herculean efforts displayed by Howard, a first in Howard’s history. Both are extraordinary accomplishments.
  • Under Dr. Frederick’s deft guidance and skilled stewardship, the University has achieved an unprecedented turnaround in its fiscal health, and its financial outlook is now overwhelmingly positive. He took the helm at the end of fiscal year 2013-2014, when the combined University and hospital produced an operating deficit. Today, the University has $2 billion in assets and revenue greater than $1 billion, and the University’s past fiscal​ year bottom line was a robust high of $204 million. Additionally, as the endowment continues to grow toward the $1 billion mark, Howard was able to move $80 million from the endowment to fully fund the employee pension plan during the pandemic.
  • Dr. Frederick initiated significant investments in the University’s development and alumni relations infrastructure, leading to dramatic growth in financial contributions from alumni and philanthropic donors. Since 2018, the University has seen an 800 percent increase in fundraising resulting in over $350 million in philanthropic support. In addition, Dr. Frederick has overseen a doubling of our research grants and contracts funding portfolio, positioning the University to regain its status as a Research 1 institution.
  • Dr. Frederick’s leadership on the recently announced $785 million investment initiative to improve the infrastructure across campus will have lasting impact on our community. As the largest academic infrastructure investment in Howard’s history and a pillar of the Howard Forward strategic plan, it will visibly transform the University campus over the next five years to provide new and improved facilities for students, faculty and staff alike. This investment is in addition to the already renovated Undergraduate Library (UGL), Blackburn Student Center and Douglass Hall, which significantly enhanced the student experience spaces on campus.
  • Dr. Frederick engineered the partnership between Howard University Hospital (HUH) and Adventist HealthCare, which will not only further equip HUH to address the health care needs of our community, but also ensure the continuance of Howard’s 150-year mission of training diverse health care providers that share a common goal of caring for underserved populations. This effort will ultimately culminate in the building of a new 225-bed, state-of-the-art Howard University Hospital on Georgia Avenue NW in Ward 1, building upon HUH’s existing network of care to implement a fully integrated health care system that takes a best-in-class approach to clinical integration.
  • Lastly, Dr. Frederick’s leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic remains extraordinary, resulting in deep and profound community impact, including providing free testing on campus and opening clinics in underserved Washington, D.C. communities to eliminate obstacles to accessing adequate health care for the most vulnerable. Following his inspiration and example, the Howard community led the way in participating in vaccine trials to ensure that people of color were included in the development of the COVID-19 vaccine.
     

We appreciate that Dr. Frederick has given us ample time to find the next great leader of Howard University and remains committed to fulfilling key components of the Howard Forward Strategic Plan, along with other initiatives on his agenda. Over the next two years, Dr. Frederick will continue to give his undivided attention to advance our collective interests, drive impactful initiatives, and support the people that comprise our growing University community.   
 
The next president of Howard will follow Dr. Frederick’s lead in exemplifying our motto of truth and service by strengthening our legacy, embracing and expanding our community, and building on our strategic plan to prioritize the success of our students, faculty and staff. As we develop and finalize the selection process for our next University president, we will be sure to share more details with all members of our University community as they become available. In the meantime, I invite you to join me and my fellow trustees in celebrating Dr. Frederick for his extraordinary work and thanking him for his longstanding and continued dedication and service to Howard University.
 
Excellence in Truth and Service,
 
Laurence C. Morse, Ph.D., B.A. ‘73
Chair of the Howard University Board of Trustees

Hampton University Selects Alumnus And Retired Three-Star General Darrell K. Williams As New President

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Hampton University did not disappoint in its selection for a successor to outgoing President William R. Harvey. Darrell K. Williams is an alumnus, a retired military Lieutenant General, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and more. However, he will also be making history with his wife as the first president and first lady to both hold Hampton degrees! Get the full story in the release below.

Darrell K. Williams, class of 1983, has been named as Hampton University’s 13th President by the Board of Trustees

U.S. Army retired Lt. Gen. Darrell K. Williams, a 1983 graduate of Hampton University, will serve as the institution’s next president.

Williams, chosen president on March 30 by the university’s Board of Trustees, brings four decades of proven success in leading complex military and commercial business enterprises, as well as nonprofit and academic leadership experience, Board of Trustees Chairman Wes Coleman said. 

“Running a university is complex, as was made evident by the global pandemic. When President Harvey told us of his decision to retire, we knew we wanted to build upon what he has accomplished,” said Coleman. “We embarked on a search for a proven strategic leader. The skills Lt. Gen. Williams is bringing to Hampton encompass what institutions of our size need. In a global world increasingly dependent on technology, this kind of strategic leadership expertise and knowledge can only help to move our institution forward over the coming decades.”

Williams will succeed President William R. Harvey, who retires on June 30 after leading Hampton for 44 years.

Williams said he is honored to be chosen as Hampton’s 13th president and is looking forward to “returning to serve.”  

“I love Hampton and bring a wealth of strategic leadership experiences, including management of large global organizations, as well as the academic and nonprofit experience necessary to successfully lead the university,” Williams said. “I am thrilled to have been selected as the next president. I will work tirelessly with students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community to prepare our graduates for today and for the continuously evolving, technology-driven workforce of tomorrow.” 

Williams, of Alexandria, Virginia, is presently employed by Leidos, a Fortune 250 technology company, and serves as the Leidos United Kingdom vice president and managing director of the U.K. Ministry of Defence Logistics Commodities and Services Transformation (LCST) programme, providing global logistical support to U.K. military forces. Williams attributes his business and leadership roles at Leidos with helping to prepare him for this next exciting chapter at Hampton.  

Williams retired from the U.S. Army in 2020 after 37 years of service. His last leadership position was as the first African American and 19th director of the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). He oversaw a global workforce of over 26,000 civilian and military professionals. Under his watch, the DLA annually provided over $40 billion in global logistical support to all U.S. military services, designated international partner and allied military services, and 42 U.S. government organizations and federal agencies. During the early stages of the pandemic, the DLA provided over $1 billion in COVID-19 relief to the DoD and other federal agencies.  

From 2015 to 2017, Williams led the Army Combined Arms Support Command and the Fort Lee, Virginia, military installation. There, he was responsible for Army Logistics University and the Professional Military Education and the training of thousands of Army logistics junior officer, warrant officer and non-commissioned officer students. Additionally, he led the installation’s strategic engagement with the Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights communities, and he assured the welfare and safety of the over 25,000 students, staff and faculty, families, and support organizations. 

Early in his career he served as a leadership and logistics instructor at Fort Lee and was named as an Army instructor of the year, one of his many awards. 

Williams, a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, earned his bachelor’s degree in 1983 at then-Hampton Institute. Williams also holds three graduate school degrees: a master’s in business administration from Pennsylvania State University; a master’s in military art and science from the Army Combined and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and a master’s in national security strategy (distinguished graduate) from the National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.

Selection process

Williams was chosen from almost 300 applicants. The Board of Trustees created a presidential search committee in January 2021, after Dr. Harvey announced his retirement. Storbeck Search of Diversified Search Group, a Media, Pennsylvania-based firm, led the university’s initial selection process. 

Based on a select set of competencies and through interviews, the applicants were narrowed to a pool of 15 and then three finalists. These three candidates were presented to the Board of Trustees. The board voted Williams as president at the end of March, and he accepted the position on April 8.

Personal life

Williams met his wife, Myra Richardson Williams, while attending Hampton. She also graduated from the university in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree. The couple, married in 1987, will be the first president and first lady to both hold Hampton degrees. 

While a student, Williams was Mister Freshman 1979, a three-year Reserve Officer Training (ROTC) scholarship cadet, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and senior class president. Myra Williams was a four-year member of the Hampton concert choir and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

The couple has two grown children. Daughter Jocelyn Williams Cooper and her husband, Gerron E. Cooper, reside in Springville, Virginia. Son Colin E. Williams is a lawyer and works in New York City. 

Middle College At N.C. A&T Renamed For A&T Four To Honor Sit-In Movement

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North Carolina A&T State University is set to rename its Middle College after legendary former students known as the “A&T Four.” Learn more in the story by Jessie Pounds at the News & Times below.

From left to right: David Richmond, Franklin McCain, Jibreel Khazan and Joseph McNeil stand in front of the statue commemorating the A&T Four on North Carolina A&T’s campus. (Credit: N.C. A&T University Relations)

The Middle College at N.C. A&T has a new name that honors the students who started the sit-in movement.

The Guilford County Board of Education voted unanimously on Tuesday to rename the school the “A&T Four Middle College at North Carolina A&T State University.”

The board, however, did not take a vote on a prior recommendation to rename the Middle College at Bennett for former county commissioner and civil rights leader Carolyn Coleman. 

According to Wanda Edwards, the district’s director of communications, the naming committee decided not to move forward with the proposal because the district is concerned that the school, which serves females, may not have enough students to open next year. 

The school relies on students applying to attend rather than drawing from an attendance zone. According to Edwards, there has been declining enrollment during the last few years because the Bennett College campus was closed to in-person learning during much of the pandemic.

The district is waiting to see if enough students enroll before moving forward with renaming, according to Edwards.

The “A&T Four” — Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and David Richmond — launched the sit-in movement in 1960 when the A&T students sat down at the segregated F.W. Woolworth’s lunch counter in downtown Greensboro.

The A&T Four Middle College is an all-male public high school located on A&T’s campus. Students have the opportunity to take university classes at A&T and earn up to two years of college credit. 

While the name change is effective now, it will not affect this year’s diplomas or other official documents. The district will officially transition to the new name on July 1. 

“I love the name change,” said Trevor Rice, an A&T Four Middle College senior who came to the meeting on Tuesday.  

Later in the meeting, Superintendent Sharon Contreras announced the federal waivers that had allowed this school district and others to provide free meals to students during the pandemic will soon expire.

Some schools in low-income areas will still be able to provide free meals to students through the Community Eligibility Provision which existed during the pandemic. At other schools, not all families have free lunch applications on file and many will need to apply and have their eligibility determined in order to continue to receive free meals throughout the next school year.

Contreras did not deliver her annual budget recommendations at the Tuesday meeting.

That is now planned for the board’s meeting on April 26. 

In NC Visit, President Biden To Deliver Inflation Address At Nation’s Largest HBCU

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President Joe Biden is set visit North Carolina A&T State University as part of his visit to the state taking place later this week. Get the story from Francesca Chambers below.

President Joe Biden will speak at North Carolina A&T State University on Thursday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Credit: Andrew Harnik/AP

President Joe Biden is headed to the nation’s largest historically Black college and university this week to deliver remarks on his efforts to fight inflation.

Biden will deliver his remarks on Thursday in Greensboro at North Carolina A&T State University, a source familiar with the visit told McClatchy. N.C. A&T has the largest student population of any HBCU in the country.

The White House did not immediately provide comment.

It previously said in a Bureau of Labor Statistics’ statement that Biden would visit Greensboro this week to “discuss his Administration’s efforts to make more in America, rebuild our supply chains here at home, and bring down costs for the American people as part of Building a Better America.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing last Friday that she did not have additional details on the trip to share, in response to a question about Greensboro’s two HBCUs and the possibility of a Biden visit to either one of them.

Greensboro is also home to Bennett College, a private liberal arts HBCU for women.

Biden’s visit to N.C. A&T will be his third stop at a historically Black college or university since taking office. Last December, he attended South Carolina State University’s fall commencement ceremony in Orangeburg. He delivered a speech on voting rights earlier this year, in January, at Clark Atlanta University in Georgia.

The president’s trip sends “a very positive message” to the HBCU community, said Thurgood Marshall College Fund President Harry Williams.

“He has been very transparent in his commitment to HBCUs,” Williams said. “This sends a very clear message of his consistent engagement with HBCUs and not just for photo ops.”

More than a third of the 101 schools that are considered HBCUs have received bomb threats and other threats of violence since the start of the year. The FBI says it is investigating the menacing acts.

The Department of Education said in March that it would work to send grant money to schools that have been targeted, and Biden in his annual budget asked Congress to set aside an additional $65 million in funding for Black colleges.

Biden also asked Congress to increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $2,000, which HBCU advocates say would lower costs for many students who attend those institutions. This month the president separately sought to ease the financial strain on Americans who borrowed money for school by extending a pause on federal student loan repayments through the end of August.

Inflation and the economy are urgent priorities for most Americans. Newly released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the Consumer Price Index increased by 8.5% in March from a year prior — the biggest spike in inflation in roughly 40 years.

The president’s trip to Greensboro on Thursday follows a visit to Menlo, Iowa, on Tuesday to talk about his administration’s attempts to lower costs for low- and middle-income families.

Biden lost Iowa and North Carolina when he competed for the presidency. Both states have Senate seats on the ballot this fall, which are currently filled by Republicans. Democrats are hoping to flip the North Carolina seat, in particular. It is held at present by retiring Republican Sen. Richard Burr.

Biden’s approval rating in the state is lower than his national average. He had a 35% approval rating in North Carolina and a 53% disapproval rating in a High Point University Poll released last week.

His approval ratings on inflation, 19%, and gas prices, 18%, were especially low in the survey, which had a margin of error of 3.5%.

Recent Howard University Graduate Makes History As First Full-Time Woman On Bison Staff

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Howard University alumna Janice Pettyjohn is making history at her alma mater due to a new position she’s landed with the Howard Bison. Get the full story from Nicolette White at Burlington County Times.

Credit: QbanCigarPhotography

They call her Hellraiser.

But bar raiser might be a better nickname after the latest accomplishment of Lumberton native Janice Pettyjohn.

At almost 23, the Rancocas Valley Regional High School alumna is reaching new heights for womankind, becoming the first woman hired for a full-time football position at Howard University. But the road to Pettyjohn’s historic hire wasn’t always easy. 

Growing up, Pettyjohn gravitated more to arts than sports.

“Ironically, I’ve always been artsy girl. So, painting, art, I still do to this day, that’s what my hobbies surrounded,” Pettyjohn said. 

In fact, health issues put an end to any hopes to participate in youth sports before they could even begin. Still, Pettyjohn was determined to find a way to be involved in Lumberton Middle School’s extracurricular actvities. 

“No one wants to come right home after school; you want something to do,” Pettyjohn said. “So I started managing the basketball team in seventh grade then I did it in eighth grade and it ended up just becoming something that I loved without realizing that I love because it just became second nature.”

As offseasons would come and go, time away from the court only increased Pettyjohn’s interest in sports. Soon, middle school basketball team manager turned into Rancocas Valley Regional High School football team manager. As Pettyjohn leveled up, RVRHS staff like former head coach Dan Haussman couldn’t help but notice her ability to get the job done. 

“She was always organized, she took on a ton of tasks, and we never had to worry about game set up,” Haussman said.

But where Haussman really got to know Pettyjohn’s ability to rise to a challenge was in the anatomy and physiology class he teaches. 

“I watched Janice work really, really, hard because that’s a college level honors course,” Haussman. “That’s when I really got to see the determination and the grit she exhibited as a student as well.”

In 2017, Pettyjohn graduated from RVRHS and took her studies to Howard University, one of more than 100 historically Black colleges and universities. There she enrolled in the university’s sports medicine residency program. It took no time for Pettyjohn to come aboard the Bison football team when former head coach Mike London offered her an undergraduate position as a graphic designer and equipment manager. 

“And then from there, my name just kind of started floating around. And next thing I know, I’m working with operations, I’m working with the color commentating people on the radio, I’m working with the (sports information) department,” Pettyjohn said. “I was always the person kind of with that mentality like that if it has to get done, I’m going to be the one that gets it done.”

When Larry Scott took over Bison coaching duties he assigned Pettyjohn new recruitment responsibilities. She found herself being treated more like an adult and less like a student. 

“… Despite the fact that I was at the time. He gave me the same responsibilities that he was doing and little did I know that he and Coach Scott both were preparing me for this job that they wanted me to have once I graduated,” Pettyjohn said. 

In 2021, Pettyjohn graduated from Howard’s Sports Medicine Residency program with a minor in sociology. Her original post-graduate plan was to attend medical school but realized that her heart wasn’t in it. 

Pettyjohn was offered a full-time position with the Bison and has since transitioned to assistant director of football operations in addition to taking on the responsibilities of director of on-campus recruiting. This new position was developed specifically for Pettyjohn.

She’s involved in the recruiting process such as campus tours and runs operations such as maintenance of the football facilities and assists with coordination for events.

The significance of not only being the first woman hired full-time, but also as a new college graduate making history is not lost on Pettyjohn.

“I’m super grateful for this position,” she said. “Being 22 years old and getting a full-time position at Howard fresh out of college — its rare. Coach Scott really saw the potential in me.”

With football being a male-dominated sport, Pettyjohn’s current position is typically filled by men. Yet Pettyjohn says the biggest hurdle she faced was working in a high-level career at such an early age. 

“‘I’m 22, about to be 23, doing what some 30 year old’s are just getting started doing,” Pettyjohn said. “You’re finding coaches on my staff who have coached in the NFL, who have played in the NFL. Coaches, who I’m not going to necessarily say ages, but they’re over the age of 40 and 50, who have been in this game for quite some time. So it was definitely a matter of building trust.”

And at times where Pettyjohn isn’t giving herself enough credit, her coaches, players, and Howard faculty are there to lift her up. 

“Two of our associate AD’s will literally just call me sometimes to say you’re doing a great job. Our academic advisors will just call me and say you’re doing it. And my coaches tell me all the time. So even when I don’t feel it, if I don’t give myself the credit, there’s always someone else there in my ear,” Pettyjohn said. 

When Rancocas Valley Regional High School Principal Joseph Martin found out Pettyjohn’s history-making hire, he reached out to offer congratulations. 

“To me what really grabbed me was that this is a story of a young strong woman finding such tremendous career opportunities in a male dominated sport/industry,” Martin said. 

In her current role, Pettyjohn draws from her sociology background to understand the impact students’ backgrounds and resources have on their decision making. She has seen athletes ignore injuries to remain on the team. 

“Sometimes, sports are all they know. Their futures solely depend on their athletic abilities,” she said.  

In the future Pettyjohn hopes to create a rehab facility in a low-income area to ensure all student athletes can receive the treatment they need to maintain their athletic abilities and careers. 

“Janice’s future goals will better level the playing field for athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing them with training, healthcare and other supports that will help them succeed both on and off the field,” Martin said. “Those goals are what we are most proud to celebrate at RV when we share Janice’s story!”

Former Coach And Athletics Director Bill Hayes To Be Honored With Statue At Bowman Gray Stadium

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A statue honoring revered HBCU football coach Bill Hayes is taking shape and ready to be brought to Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Get the full story from John Dell at Journal Now below.

Credit: Winston-Salem Journal

The next stage for honoring the legendary Bill Hayes is nearly complete.

A 12-foot bronze statue of Hayes is nearly finished, and it will sit outside Bowman Gray Stadium in honor of the former football coach at Winston-Salem State and N.C. A&T. The first phase of honoring Hayes, 78, was naming the football field at Bowman Gray Stadium after him last fall.

Donald Evans, a former star at WSSU, is the fundraising chairman for the Bill Hayes Bronze Statue and the Bill and Carolyn Hayes Scholarship Endowment campaign.

Evans says the progress on the statue has been swift and the plan is to have it installed this fall once he meets with city officials.

“We think in September or October we can have it ready to go so that’s what we are shooting for,” Evans said.

In the meantime Evans is continuing to accept donations to help with the statue and the scholarship.

The statue will be made of the highest quality of USA Bronze and it will be placed on a granite pedestal that will reach 12 feet high.

Credit: Donald Evans

“We really like the look of it so we wanted to give folks a chance to see what it’s going to look like,” Evans said.

When the statue is completed and put outside of Bowman Gray Stadium it will be the second statue in Winston-Salem of a sports figure. The other statue sits on the campus of Wake Forest and is of iconic golfer Arnold Palmer.

For more information on the statue go here.

Hayes helping to raise money for HBCU’s

The three most impactful schools that Bill Hayes touched were Winston-Salem State, N.C. A&T and N.C. Central.

Hayes, who loves to play golf, will help raise money for scholarships to all three HBCU’s on May 13 at Maple Chase Golf & Country Club in Winston-Salem with a golf tournament in his name.

Maseo Bolin, a former quarterback for the Aggies, is excited about the golf tournament because of who is helping raise money.

“Mack Brown (the football coach at North Carolina) said he will be coming unless he has some pressing issues with his program, and Steve Forbes (the men’s basketball coach at Wake Forest) said he’s coming,” Bolin said.

Several of Hayes’ former players at A&T and WSSU are also playing in the tournament. Hayes, who was an All-American in his playing days at N.C. Central, was later the athletics director at his alma mater.

Bolin said the tournament should raise plenty of money for all three schools.

“Bill’s got a piece of his heart at all three institutions and each one of them mean the world to him,” Bolin said.

Bolin said that plan is to have a morning shotgun wave of four-man teams and an afternoon wave.

“A lot of teams have already signed up so it’s going to be a great day,” Bolin said about having the tournament on Hayes’ home course.

The William “Bill” Hayes Charity Golf Tournament is something Baseo said will be a yearly event.

“We are having a great start with this one so we definitely want to do it every year because it’s no secret HBCU’s need dollars to help kids get to college,” Baseo said. “And all of the proceeds will be divided up to all three schools.”

For more information go here. 

Dr. J. William Nicholas Announced As The New band director for the Marching Crimson Pipers

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Tuskegee University has selected FAMU alumnus and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. member Dr. J. William Nicholas has been announced as the new band director for the Marching Crimson Pipers. Get the full story from the release below.

Tuskegee University has announced Dr. J. William Nicholas as the University’s new band director. Nicholas recently served as the Adjunct Director of Bands position at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, where he conducted the Wind Ensemble and taught instrumental conducting. He brings extensive experience in directing, performing, and quality instrumental conducting to the position.

“We look forward to working with Dr. Nicholas; his wealth of experience and leadership will help advance the Marching Crimson Pipers band program,” said President Dr. Charlotte P. Morris. “Nicholas adds to Tuskegee’s legacy in music education, and we are excited to see his vision, outreach, and programming initiatives.”

Nicholas is well-known in the secondary school band community; he has arranged for several bands across the southeastern United States over the last decade, including over ten high schools. From 2014 to 2019, he served as Director of Bands at Jones High School in Orlando, Florida. He grew the band program to 110 students, significantly increased student participation in audition-based honor bands, and earned consistent superior ratings on the District and State level. In 2018, in conjunction with the Jones High School Wind Ensemble, the Jones High School Concert Choir, garnered national attention on the “Ellen” show after receiving a $100,000 donation to fund a trip to perform at Carnegie Hall. 

Additionally, he has arranged for the Edward Waters College “Triple Threat” Marching Band and the Allen University “Band of Gold” Marching Band. Nicholas has also served as a Session Coordinator for presentations at the Florida Music Educators Association Conference. 

“I am tremendously excited by and grateful for the opportunity to join the Golden Tiger family, “said Nicholas. “For well over 100 years, bands at Tuskegee have represented this historic institution with excellence and pride. I look forward to continuing and elevating that tradition of excellence as Director of Bands.”

As an avid tuba player, Nicholas most recently performed as an on-call musician for several churches in the Orlando area. During his undergraduate study, he served as a principal tubist in the Florida A&M University Wind Ensemble and performed in numerous University chamber ensembles and chamber ensembles around the “Big Bend.”

A native of Orlando, Florida, Nicholas earned the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in band conducting at the University of South Carolina. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from Florida A&M University and Florida State University. His professional affiliations include the Golden Key International Honor Society, National Association for Music Education, and Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.

Nicholas will begin his new role on June 1.

Fraternity Brothers Establish The First Black-Owned Alcohol Delivery Service

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QuikLiq Is Redefining Safe And Convenient Drinking In Miami

Miami is a destination for plenty of parties and plenty of fun. But when those parties and fun include alcohol, things can get messy, or even dangerous. Thinking ahead, two fraternity brothers hailing from Clark Atlanta University came up with a solution. Rather than risk driving drunk or even getting stuck in heavy traffic, it’s now possible for people in south Florida to get their alcohol delivered.

By creating QuikLiq, Navarr Grevious and Mikáel Pyles are saving people in the Miami community time, money, and potentially dangerous situations. As a tech-forward digital marketplace, the company is the very first  first black-owned alcohol delivery company in the world.  “With our partnerships, we allow liquor stores to sell their inventory on our platform and deliver customers’ orders within 45 minutes or less,” said Grevious. “Our late-night delivery to 3 am has genuinely separated us from our competitors.” In fact, QuikLiq is actually the only alcohol delivery company in Miami open until 3 am.

Mikáel Pyles, Provided Photo

Ironically, the frat brothers came up with the idea for QuikLiq separately. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, seeing that they did almost everything together in college. They crossed together into the Gamma Kappa chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. in 2008. The following semester, they became President and Vice President of the chapter, and even added on work with Toastmaster’s International. “After our success working together in college, the thought of starting a business together outside of college was pretty much a no-brainer,” they said. “We both wanted to create something that would bring generational wealth to us and our families.”

With their determination, QuikLiq has quickly become a booming business. Customers can order convenient deliveries to the greater Miami area, which includes zip codes spanning North Beach and South Beach. Whatever they want is available at reasonable prices. QuikLiq is stocked with tequila, vodka, cognac, gin, champagne, wine, beer, and more. They even got mixers covered with juices and sodas. 

A stand-out aspect of QuikLiq is the brand’s forward thinking. If you head to the QuikLiq website, you’ll discover that if you don’t know how to make a good drink, they’ve got you covered!  With Quikie Recipes, learn how to make refreshing cocktails like Spiked Pink Lemonade, a Spicy Margarita, Awesome Apple Sangria, the Negroni, and the OG Old Fashioned.

Navarr Grevious, Provided Photo

To keep up with technology, QuikLiq can be easily accessed as an app on the App Store and Google Play.  “My proudest moment as a company is QuikLiq becoming a fully automated app that operates throughout the Southeast region and growing nationwide,” said Navarr Grevious. “We have been creating and working on our App since 2018. It’s been a long time coming, so to be at this point is truly a blessing.” During the official QuikLiq launch party held in South Beach earlier this year, people finally were able to see the hard work when the app was announced to supporters. “Being on the stage with our entire executive team and announcing our app to the world, I felt like I was in a movie,” said Pyles. “Most of the time when people see a successful business, they only see the finished product. They don’t see the blood, sweat, and tears that go into creating that product. For us, creating this App took years of hard work and many ups and downs. So to finally be able to announce it and deliver it to the public, is a moment I will never forget.

As with many businesses, QuikLiq wasn’t always a successful endeavor. “We created QuikLiq as a bootstrapped, self-funded business with no help from outside funding or loans,” said Pyles. That route resulted in limited funding, resources and staff, but they were onto something. “Whenever you are creating something from scratch without a blueprint, there is always going to be a learning curve and unforeseen struggles.” Once things finally started looking up, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “We had to react quickly to the ramifications of the pandemic and adjust our business model accordingly. While many startups went out of business due to the pandemic, we adjusted and thrived—bringing in more revenue than we had prior. And, on the financial side, we started pitching to investors last year, and have successfully raised over $200K in funding. So, although our road to success has definitely not been smooth, we continue to believe in ourselves, and like we learned at our alma mater, we always find a way or make one!”

Follow QuikLiq’s success on Instagram, and order through the online apps or website in the Miami area today.

Morgan State University To Become First Division 1 HBCU To Offer Acrobatics And Tumbling

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Morgan State University will be making history with its plans to add acrobatics and tumbling to its sports offerings! Get the story from the MSU release below.

Credit: Morgan State University

Morgan Becomes the First HBCU Division I Program Nationwide to Offer the Sport

Morgan State University Athletics Department announced the addition of women’s acrobatics and tumbling as its 16th NCAA varsity sport, with competition set to begin in 2023-24.  Morgan is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) Division I program to offer the sport, and only the third school in Maryland (following Frostburg State University and Stevenson University) to add acrobatics and tumbling.

 Morgan will also join the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA), a discipline of USA Gymnastics, to become its 40th member. Having met the required participation threshold, acrobatics and tumbling will become eligible for NCAA championship status—a major milestone for the sport and schools—once all participating NCATA programs reach NCAA sport sponsorship levels.

 “As we approach the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, we are excited to expand upon Morgan State University’s long history of creating opportunities for female student-athletes,” said Erlease Wagner, interim vice president and director of athletics for Morgan State University. “The NCAA’s approval of acrobatics and tumbling as an emerging sport presented an ideal opportunity for Morgan to become the first HBCU to compete at the NCAA Division I level. Building upon Morgan’s historical success in Cheer competition, we believe the future is promising and look forward to fielding a competitive acrobatics and tumbling team.”

The NCAA added acrobatics and tumbling to its Division I Emerging Sports for Women program in 2020. Acrobatics and tumbling evolved from different disciplines of gymnastics, which includes the athletic aspects of competitive cheerleading. The format was created at the collegiate level to address the interest and abilities of young women competing in this skill set. During competition, individuals and small groups execute acrobatic lifts, tosses, and tumbling conducted on a floor. Participation is broken into six event meets varying in group sizes.

 “We are extremely excited to add Morgan State University, a Division I HBCU, to the NCATA community,” said Janell Cook, executive director for NCATA. “The addition of Morgan State adds to recent program growth in Maryland and in the region and provides new collegiate opportunities for young women training in gymnastics and cheerleading.  We look forward to working closely with their administration as they begin their search for a head coach and recruitment of student-athletes.”

 In addition to its NCATA membership, nationally, Morgan becomes only the fifth NCAA Division I school with an acrobatics and tumbling program, and the third HBCU across all divisions (following Bluefield State College, West Virginia State University) to have a program.

 “With Morgan State as the 40th NCAA institution to sponsor acrobatics and tumbling, we have reached a historic milestone in the growth of the sport,” Cook added. “This moment is a result of all the NCATA member administrators, coaches, and student-athletes who have invested in Acrobatics & Tumbling since 2009.  I’m overjoyed for all who have contributed to reaching this goal.”

 The addition of acrobatics and tumbling continues an expansion of opportunities for student-athletes at Morgan. In October 2021, Morgan announced the return of Division I collegiate wrestling following a 24-year hiatus.

Ameshya Williams-Holliday Becomes First HBCU Selection To WNBA Team In 20 years

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A standout at Jackson State University made history Monday night with her draft into the WNBA Monday night. Ameshya Williams-Holliday is no longer a Lady Tiger, because she is officially on the Indiana Fever roster. Get the full story from Jack Maloney at CBS below.

BATON ROUGE, LA – MARCH 19: Jackson State Lady Tigers center Ameshya Williams-Holliday #4 attempts to pass during the first half of the game between the LSU Tigers and the Jackson State Lady Tigers during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament held at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 19, 2022 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Williams-Holliday was the SWAC Player of the Year at Jackson State

The 2022 WNBA Draft was filled with all sorts of awesome stories, but perhaps none better than Ameshya Williams-Holliday going No. 25 overall to the Indiana Fever. In the process, the Jackson State star became the first player selected from an HBCU in 20 years. 

That alone is an impressive accomplishment, but Monday night was also the culmination of an impressive five-year journey for Williams-Holliday. Originally recruited to play at Mississippi State, she quit basketball in 2017 because she no longer enjoyed the game. After a few years and the birth of her son, Jace, she returned to the court in 2019 with Jackson State. 

There, she became a star, winning the SWAC Defensive Player of the Year Award three times, and the SWAC Player of the Year Award this season. Boasting a 7-foot-2 wingspan, the 6-foot-4 center dominated in the paint, averaging 19.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game this season. 

On paper, numbers like that would make her a surefire draft pick. In practice, the lower level of competition in the SWAC meant it was no guarantee. 

“I think if I was at a Power 5 school, it would be a different story of me being drafted or trying to get my foot in [the WNBA],” Williams-Holliday said earlier this year. “People think [HBCUs] can’t compete with other top institutions [or] a Power 5 school, but that’s not true. I think we deserve to be on the same level. I do think if I was still at Mississippi State, I would be a first-round draft pick. Since I chose to go to an HBCU, I don’t know where I’ll be drafted [or] if I will be drafted.”

Late on draft night, Williams-Holliday finally got the call. The Fever selected her with the first pick of the third round, as the No. 25 pick overall. She got to share the special moment at a party with friends and family in Gulfport, Mississippi. 

“I came in smiling and they knew I had some good news cause I kept smiling,” Williams-Holliday said. “I just couldn’t stop smiling. I’m grateful, I’m thankful and I just want to thank everybody that helped me through this journey and kept pushing me to keep going and never give up.”

Williams-Holliday will now report to training camp with the Fever, which begins later this month. While it may be an uphill battle for her to make the roster as a third-round pick, there are a few factors that give her a chance. First and foremost, she’s a hard-working, defensive-minded player who fits the culture that interim GM Lin Dunn is trying to create in Indiana. Plus, Indiana is in rebuilding mode and has just four guaranteed contracts on the books, which means, unlike many teams, they will have plenty of roster spots up for grabs in camp.

Hampton University Dissolves All Student Balances For Spring 2022 Semester

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Hampton University has lifted the heavy financial burden off of its students’ shoulders by wiping their spring semester balances clean. Get the full story from Atiya Jordan at Black Enterprise below.

Credit: Daily Press

The COVID-19 pandemic is still the cause of financial hardships for many families, including those carrying the load of paying for college expenses.

Hampton University, an HBCU in Virginia, has jumped at the opportunity to provide financial and economic relief from looming costs.

Hampton University’s President, Dr. William R. Harvey, announced that the University would be dissolving all outstanding student account balances for the Spring 2022 semester and will not increase tuition, fees, room and board for the upcoming new year.

“In keeping with the University’s efforts to help our students, there will be no increase in tuition, fees, room and board for the 2022-2023 academic year,” said Dr. Harvey, according to WTKR.

“IN ADDITION, ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT ALL OUTSTANDING BALANCES FOR THE SPRING 2022 SEMESTER WILL BE ERASED.  WE HOPE THAT THIS ACTION WILL CONTINUE TO ASSIST OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AT OUR HOME BY THE SEA.”

Last August, the University made a similar announcement to alleviate financial burdens for undergraduate students. HU paid all outstanding balances owed by continuing undergraduate students enrolled at the end of the spring 2021 semester.

To help assist with last year’s costs, Hampton also issued a $200 book scholarship to all enrolled students for the Spring 2022 semester.

In April 2020, Dr. and Mrs. Harvey made a $100,000 matching donation, which provided each student on campus $100 to assist with travel costs. In May, the University sent direct deposits to each 2020 and 2021 graduate with a federal student loan of $500 toward repayment of that loan. Students who did not have student loans received reimbursements of $150.

According to WAVY, the University also announced last year that its campus minimum wage would increase to $15-per hour in the new year. In addition, all faculty and staff were gifted an end-of-the-year bonus of $200.

“The holiday season is a time of sharing. In that spirit, I am giving every Hampton University employee an Appreciation Bonus of $200 as a Christmas gift, and the University is increasing the minimum wage from $13 an hour to $15 an hour, effective January 1, 2022,” Harvey previously announced. “It is my hope that the Appreciation Bonus and the wage increase will be beneficial to you and your family.”

Community Partnerships Help Alabama A&M Grow

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Alabama A&M University‘s next incoming President Dr. Daniel Wims is seeking to tighten the HBCU’s relationship with the surrounding Huntsville community. Get the full story from Keneisha Deas at FOX 54 below.

Credit: FOX 54

Alabama A&M University is gearing up to install its new president, Dr. Daniel Wims. Under his new leadership, they hope to further strengthen the school’s relationship with the city of Huntsville. 

As Alabama A&M prepares to welcome a new president, the school is working to strengthen its community partnerships.

Alabama A&M University is gearing up to install its new president, Dr. Daniel Wims. Under his new leadership, they hope to further strengthen the school’s relationship with the city of Huntsville. 

Yvette Clayton, AAMU Director of Career Development Services, says, “We want [the] Huntsville community, the business and government communities, to know, one, we have, you know, majors that they’re looking for. We have students that can help to meet their needs. And we have the capacity to even go beyond that with terms of research and contract projects.”

The city of Huntsville has a big STEM presence, and Clayton, says they have programs tailored to those industries. “If you think about the Redstone Arsenal and all of the logistics, that they’re really about, we want them to know that we have logistics in undergrad and within our MBA program and in the systems and materiel program, in our College of Engineering.”

Clayton says the university is looking to improve its partnerships. “I think that there’s always an opportunity to improve, and I think that President Wims is really doubling up efforts to strengthen those partnerships and to make sure again, they are aware of that some people don’t even know we’re here, you know, and so just to make sure that people see this beautiful campus on the hill.

“We have a lot of projects and I think we have even more than that we would like to embark upon with industry partners that are interested in working with us.”