Young Zaire Horton knows the Tuskegee Airmen aren’t the only aviators connected to HBCUs, and he’s flying around the country to learn more. Atiya Jordan shares more in Black Enterprise.
(Photo Credit: Marsha Neilson)
Sixteen-year-old Zaire Horton is using his private glider pilot license to discover the importance of reaching back to knowledge gained about the Black history of aviation.
According to WDTN, the Chicago teen will be embarking on a solo trip in his motor glider with plans to visit seven HBCUs that were influential in teaching pioneering Black pilots during World War II.
“The seven states that my instructor and I have selected for my tour all house a historically Black university that played an instrumental role in the history of aviation,” Horton said.
(Photo Credit: adasmckinley.org)
Horton’s solo trip began in Chicago, and he has reportedly made his first stop in Xenia, Ohio, to visit Wilberforce University,the nation’s first private HBCU. This groundbreaking university was among other Black-owned institutions during the 1940s that fought vigorously for Black soldiers to pick up arms and fight.
“Most people don’t realize that Tuskegee wasn’t the only university or HBCU that was training pilots for World War II,” Horton said, as per CBS News.
By late 1939, Congress passed the Civilian Pilot Training Act, which launched a budget of $4 million to create hundreds of flight training facilities to be placed at colleges throughout the country. Although discrimination continued to exclude Blacks from these same initiatives, HBCUs remained vigilant in their efforts to integrate a 1940s program that trained civilian pilots, including Wilberforce University.
By age 14, Horton was learning how to fly a motor glider. He was able to soar the skies solo by 15 years old. When he turned 16, he obtained his glider pilot’s license. By 17, Horton expects to receive his private pilot and aeromechanics license before graduating from high school.
As a freshman, the teen pilot started taking classes at the College Preparation and Placement Program at Dunbar Vocational Career Academy in Chicago, CBS News reported. At first, he was a bit reluctant, but it wasn’t until his third weekend of the class, when his instructor, Umberto Ricco, took him flying, that his feelings changed.
(Photo Credit: Marsha Neilson)
“In Chicago, you don’t really hear too much about people flying just like me, I didn’t know,” Horton said.
Now, this indescribable feeling he gets when he flies is fueling his dreams of becoming a cargo or commercial pilot. And he wants to set an example for other teens.
“I want to encourage teens who would be interested to learn to fly without encountering some of the socio-economic barriers typically associated with careers in aviation.”Flying is another way to open doors, and I want to inspire them to experience that,” Horton said, according to WDTN.
Since changing its designation and also adding opportunities for students, Edward Waters University is celebrating first graduating class. Get the full story from Aaron Farrar at News4Jax below.
Edward Waters graduated its first class under its new status as a university on Saturday. (Credit: WJXT)
Edward Waters University — Florida’s first historically Black college — made history again Saturday as the school’s latest class became the first to graduate from the school under its new status of “university.”
It was a day of celebration and joy for the 130 graduates who were part of the historic and momentous day in the school’s more than 150-year history.
The new graduates were the first to get their degrees from the school under the distinction of “University.”
Co-Valedictorians Shaneaka Anderson and Na’im Brown were honored to be a part of history.
Edward Waters University Co-Valedictorian Shaneaka Anderson speaks at Saturday’s commencement. (Credit: WJXT)
“We all did our part in ensuring that we achieved this milestone and it is overwhelming just representing Jamaica,” Anderson said.
“I am lost for words. I am just excited to be here,” Brown said. “I am happy to have the distinction of valedictorian and share that with Shaneaka. We both worked so hard. We both came in together.”
EWU, Florida’s first Historically Black College or University, made the transition almost a year ago when it launched its first master’s program last fall — a Master’s of Business Administration.
Edward Waters University President Dr. A. Zachary Faison Jr. believes this change goes a long way.
“It is a complete transformation of our institution as we really move the academic needle in terms of the breadth and depth of our academic degree programs, the quality of our programs,” Faison said.
It’s been quite the academic year for EWU as students and staff worked untraditionally through the COVID-19 pandemic.
: Edward Waters University Co-Valedictorian Na’im Brown speaks at Saturday’s commencement. (CreditWJXT)
“These young people have stayed persistent and diligent and persevered to this very important day,” Faison said.
Faison said there are plans for another Master’s program — one in Education and Policy — possibly as soon as the fall, in addition to more bachelor degree options.
But for these new graduates, now Edward Waters University alumni, Saturday’s historic day was one of jubilation.
“I am just super elated,” Anderson said.
“It’s just a major blessing. A major blessing,” Brown said.
At 51, actor Anthony Anderson has officially joined the ranks of entertainers who have graduated from Howard University! Learn more in the release from Lindsay Lowe at Today!
Anderson with other members of Howard University’s Class of 2022. (Photo Credit: Brian Stukes / Getty Image)
“To quote Biggie, ‘IT WAS ALL A DREAM!’ Words can’t begin to describe the emotional roller coaster I’m on right now. It’s literally been 30 years in the making,” Anderson captioned a recent post about his graduation. “This spring I was finally able to complete the work to graduate from Howard University with a BFA degree from the Chadwick A Boseman College of Fine Arts!”
Anthony Anderson is officially a college graduate.
The “Black-ish” star, 51, just earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Howard University, and he celebrated his achievement on Instagram.
The Emmy-nominated actor shared photos and videos from graduation day on May 7, including a picture of him receiving his degree on stage with Phylicia Rashad, dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University, and fun group pics with other members of the Class of 2022. He also shared a photo of himself with commencement speaker Taraji P. Henson.
The Emmy-nominated actor shared photos and videos from graduation day on May 7, including a picture of him receiving his degree on stage with Phylicia Rashad, dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University, and fun group pics with other members of the Class of 2022. He also shared a photo of himself with commencement speaker Taraji P. Henson.
“Yesterday was a full circle moment. It’s never too late!” he wrote. “Things happen when they’re supposed to happen! I’d like to thank Dr. Wayne Fredrick, Dean Phylicia Rashad, Dean Denise Saunders Thomas and Courtney Bless Long for helping to make this happen for me! It takes a village.”
He also thanked his son, Nathan, for encouraging him to go back to school.
“Thank you to my son @hotboynato for inspiring me to return to school to finish my degree after he was accepted into Howard University,” Anderson wrote. “This is just the beginning!”
“Words can’t begin to describe the emotional roller coaster I’m on right now,” Anthony Anderson wrote of his graduation from Howard University. (Photo Credit: Brian Stukes / Getty Image)
Anderson attended Howard University as a young student but had to drop out before he graduated due to financial reasons, he shared on “The Tonight Show” in 2018.
“I was paying for college myself, and I ran out of money after my junior year,” he told Jimmy Fallon at the time. “I’ve been speaking with the university … about creating a curriculum that I can take online and at home and do some practical classes on campus so I can walk with my son in 2022.”
Plenty of people congratulated Anderson on his graduation in the comments, including Lionel Richie, who wrote, “This!!! Congrats my Brother!!!!”
“PROUD of UUUUUU! ❤️” his “Black-ish” co-star, Jenifer Lewis, also commented.
Comedian Mark Viera chimed in, “Congrats my dude! That’s incredibly special.”
Anderson is not the only celebrity to attend college in later years as of recent.
Actor and activist Leah Remini shared that she recently finished her first semester at New York University.
“Going to college for the first time at 51 after living most of my life in a cult and only having an 8th grade education hasn’t been easy,” Remini wrote on Twitter, referring to her upbringing in the Church of Scientology.
“But I took my first NYU final exams this week and I’m glad I decided to educate myself,” she continued. “It’s never too late. It’s tough, but it’s worth it.”
Anderson previously shared that he had to drop out of college when he was younger due to financial constraints. (Photo Credit: Brian Stukes / Getty Image)
Delaware State Women’s Lacrosse Team smiling after winning a game. Photo Courtesy of Pamella Jenkins, head coach of DSU Women’s Lacrosse.
Breathe, but not too heavy. Look, but do not appear guilty. Speak, but never answer back. These are the constant reminders of being Black In America. After playing three games in the hot southern heat, all the Delaware State women’s lacrosse team wanted to do was make it back to Delaware with ease. However, things went left when they got pulled over by Police in Georgia.
On April 20 at 10:31am, Tim Jones, black bus driver, was stopped by Police in Georgia. The officers claimed it was a traffic violation because buses are not permitted to drive in the left lane. The cops came on the bus to inform the students that they would be checking their luggage for any possible narcotics, such as marijuana, heroin, methane,and ketamine.
One of the officers said, “If there is anything in your luggage, we’re probably gonna find it….I’m not looking for a little marijuana, but I’m pretty sure you guys chaperones will probably be disappointed if we find it.” He then stated, “If there is something in there that is questionable, please tell me now because, guess what.. we’re not gonna be able to help. Trying to get the ladies to admit to ownership of the “imaginary” drugs, the officers told them they would go to prison, if they found something. The team told the officers they did not have any narcotics, but they were still skeptical and explained they still had to check their luggage.
The officers instructed Mr. Jones to open the bus trunk, as they proceeded to go through the ladies personal belongings. Everyone was confused as to why they were looking through the luggage, when there was no probable cause. The team members were in shock, as they witnessed the officers rambling through their bags. They brought the K-9 dog out to sniff their luggage. The cops began tossing underwear and other feminine products, in an attempt to locate narcotics.
Every time the students turned their heads, more officers appeared at the scene. The cops kept doubling, as they went from two to six officers. They checked bags for 20 minutes, then explained it was necessary, in case of child trafficking or drugs. The fact of the matter is the underlying racism the Delaware Women’s lacrosse team endured. The officers tried to get them to admit to having drugs, while there was none in their possession. The officers conducted an unlawful search because there was no probable cause. Majority of the team members had never experienced an encounter with the police, making this a traumatic incident for them.
Three officers talking while checking the DSU women’s lacrosse team bags. Photo Courtesy of Sydney Anderson, sophomore lacrosse player
Tim Jones, Pamella Jenkins, Saniya Craft, and Emily Campanelli all shared their opinions on the situation. Tim Jones states, “I felt that of course we were in Georgia, there’s some racial issues and there’s racial issues related. I really had a problem with them going through our stuff. There’s a bus full of females and it was invasive of them to go through personal items. It was more than what they said about being in the left lane because they brought dogs.”
Pamella Jenkins, head women’s lacrosse coach at DSU, ““When I saw the police come on the bus and then accuse us of having narcotics, I was reminded that living as black women in America, you are scrutinized when just trying to live. Unfortunately this is our reality daily and when they go low we must go high. I’m proud of how our team stayed calm and especially proud of Mica Lambert for asking the officer a thought-provoking question. It’s been a stressful few days, but our team handled that tense situation with the utmost class and respect.”
Saniya Craft, relative of Elijah McClain, asserts, “As a family member of Elijah McClain, I’ve realized what happens when police take advantage of their privilege and compromise their job. After seeing the police brutally murder my relative, I was petrified for what would happen to my teammates and I. As women of color, we are constantly facing adversity and this was an incident we had to overcome together.”
Emily Campanelli, senior lacrosse player, states, ““ I think the biggest surprise was seeing the dogs immediately pulled out regardless of what the citation was going to be. That shows the immediate effects of driving while black, especially through southern states and it makes you wonder how many people this happens to on a daily basis and how many people experience this worse than us. I truly believe that it was an illegal search and seizure because there was no probable cause to search the bags, there was no evidence or smell. He immediately saw a group of athletic girls teams and should have let us continue, but because the majority of the team are black women it was a different result. It is a sad day we had to encounter, but I’m glad everyone came outside.”
Despite the encounter the team members faced, they handled it with poise and remained strong. The Delaware Women’s Lacrosse Team truly embodies what it means to rise above racial disparity and keep composure in any given situation.
Police accuse DSU women’s lacrosse of possession of drugs in their luggage. Photo Courtesy of India Rosiere, freshman lacrosse player.
*READERS SHOULD PLEASE NOTE THAT THE POLICE AGENCY INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT WAS INCORRECTLY IDENTIFIED IN THE PREVIOUS EDITION OF THE STORY.
Fayetteville State University is looking forward to the stimulation of the local economy through the upcoming opening of a new innovation and entrepreneurship hub! Get the story from Ivey Schofield at The Fayetteville Observer below.
Fayetteville State University (Photo Credit: Melissa Sue Gerrits/The Fayetteville Observer)
At least 30 new jobs or businesses within two years. That’s the goal of Fayetteville State University for its new innovation and entrepreneurship hub, scheduled to open in the fall.
FSU Chancellor Darrell Allison said on Monday during the Fayetteville City Council meeting that this mission was personal to him. “Stuff like this is very much needed,” he said. “What better time than now?”
The hub will offer open workspaces for students and community members, conference rooms, technology like laptops and 3D printers, faculty consultations, business skills workshops, entrepreneurial summits and experiential learning opportunities for students.
Allison called it “a one-stop shop” and said that it will be “buzzing with business opportunity.”
The innovation and entrepreneurship hub will be in a 6,500 square foot building that previously housed the university’s bookstore within the Bronco Square Commercial Development, which totals 32,000 square feet.
Allison also cited a recent report that said Fayetteville had the highest number of Black businesses in the United States.
“In the paper, we can read it, but it’s important for our community to feel it: that we’re number one,” he said.
Growing equity
Cumberland County has other entities that help businesses, including the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development (CEED), Fayetteville Technical Community College and FCEDC, according to Robert Van Geons, president of the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation, in an interview Thursday.
However, the hub at FSU will be unique, consolidating different services to assist new businesses and providing extra support to people of color. “There isn’t anything quite like this,” Van Geons said.
Van Geons said the emphasis on supporting people of color was especially important because, “The minority business community, especially the Black business community, has faced historic challenges in growing equity.”
“If we can help people create businesses or grow businesses,” he said, “the equity can transform lives.”
Van Geons added that the FSU hub could form a conduit into the services FCEDC provides, including finding a bigger location and applying for grants.
“For an economy to be vibrant, it has to be diverse just like a community,” he said. “If we build a diverse and vibrant community and economy, that not only retains talent but also attracts talent.”
The finances behind it all
To establish the entrepreneurship hub, FSU has already allocated $600,000 to repurpose the space, and GoldenLEAF Foundation has provided $200,000, according to city documents.
Now, the university is asking to partner with the city and county to help cover the rest of the cost, which is estimated to total $1.7 million.
During an April 14 meeting, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Chair Glenn Adams said that $250,000 was “a small investment for what we’re going to be able to do for this entire community.”
The county commissioners did not vote on allocating the money during that meeting.
On May 2, the Fayetteville City Council unanimously gave FSU $250,000 for the project.
Councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram said she was “all hands in” for the idea. “We are finally delivering on behalf of our small businesses,” she said.
Mayor Mitch Colvin said that the City Council was always looking for partnerships. “We look forward to working with you,” he told Allison.
The spring 2022 graduates of Wiley College got the surprise of a lifetime when their debts were cleared on commencement day! The Wiley release shares more below.
(Photo Credit: Wiley College)
Wiley College Class of 2022 graduated today with not only their degree but with their balances cleared by an anonymous donor. Over 100 students gathered on the Pemberton Sports Complex Field to participate in Wiley College’s 133rd Commencement Convocation and were surprised when they were informed that their balances were cleared by President & CEO Herman J. Felton, Jr. J.D., Ph.D.
Although Wiley College is committed to access and has reduced its tuition in the past years to $17,500 (tuition, fees, and room and board), students sometimes still will have balances. The COVID-19 Global Pandemic only exacerbated many students’ ability to pay their balances. The announcement of cleared balances for graduates was a welcome surprise as students and parents were demonstrative in the audience when they heard the news.
“Our commitment to our students goes beyond their time while they are enrolled. We are constantly communicating with donors to assist students in these ways so that they can begin their after-college experience with less debt. We are grateful for this anonymous donor who will assist the students in paying off their balances to Wiley College and help us achieve institutional goals of graduating our students with little to no debt .” – President Herman J. Felton, Jr., J.D., Ph.D.
The estimated total for balances owed to the College by the graduating class of 2022 is $300,000.00. The anonymous gift sets graduates on a continued path to success and allows Wiley College to strengthen its commitment to providing an affordable exceptional education. As Wiley College closes the academic semester and prepares for its Sesquicentennial Celebrations beginning in July, this is a great way to end the semester and start the celebration of 150 years of the College’s contributions to the world.
Jarvis Christian University recently made its debut, after remaining a college for years. The change is not only in the name, but in the opportunities the HBCU can offer as well. Learn more from Ana Conejo at Longview News-Journal.
Jarvis Christian College held a name-changing ceremony Friday evening in celebration of its transition to Jarvis Christian University.
For JCU, it’s not only a name change but a chance for the campus to serve more people and expand its opportunities, said President Lester C. Newman.
“It’s a historic day for Jarvis Christian University, as you know we were Jarvis Christian College, and now we’re expanding opportunities that we provide for the community to students and now we become a university. This is a great day. Not all schools can do this; you have to go through a process, and we were fortunate to be able to do that,” he said.
Newman now refers to JCU as a “communiversity” as he wants others to know that it provides more than a regular campus and is a school for the community.
“When we say communiversity, we want the community to think about us when they think about education. I want them to think more than getting a college degree,” she said. “We do workforce development. As a matter of fact during summer, we have enrichment programs with kids from 5 years old up to 16. We don’t only give them an opportunity to have recreation, but we also have educational opportunities for them.
“If you want to be exposed to anything that is educational, then Jarvis is the place for you, and we want to be that institution in that community.”
Now that JCU is a university, the transition means the campus provides graduate degrees to incoming students, which will be starting in January in some fields.
During Friday’s event, signs all over the campus were unveiled with the new name.
Newman said graduates during Saturday’s spring commencement will be the first class to graduate from Jarvis Christian University, as their degree will also have the new name.
For information on JCU and its new programs, go to www.jarvis.edu .
Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover and Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris smile at each other during Saturday’s TSU’s commencement. (Credit: John Partipilo)
Spring 2022 graduates of Tennessee State University received the speech of a lifetime when Vice President Kamala Harris delivered their commencement address today. Harris, a fellow HBCU graduate of Howard University, has made history as the first Black and first woman Vice President of the United States. Prior to joining the Biden Administration, she has held a lifetime of public service, including roles as District Attorney of San Francisco and Attorney General of California. She was sworn into the United States Senate in 2017.
Harris was joined at the commencement by longtime friend and Tennessee State University President Dr. Glenda B. Glover. “Today is extraordinarily special, because TSU continues to make history,” said Dr. Glover. “Tennessee State University, this day, May 7, 2022, we have present with us, the Vice President of the United States of America, the honorable Kamala D. Harris!” Dr. Glover, TSU’s 8th president, also serves as International President and CEO of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., of which Harris, is a member.
As Harris made her way to the stage, she was welcomed by Jada Hammer. The VP applauded the graduating business administration major for her accomplishments, and for holding one of the top grade point averages in her class. “Thank you Jada for that introduction, and for your 4.0! How about that,” she began. “I cannot say enough about the President of this university, Dr. Glenda Glover. Dr. Glover you have been a tremendous friend to me for many years. I thank you for your leadership, and Tennessee State University is extremely fortunate to have you as its leader.”
Vice President Kamala Harris waves to Tennessee State University graduates as she arrives for the commencement ceremony at Tennessee State University Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Vice President Harris delivered the commencement address to the students during the ceremony. (Credit: George Walker IV / The Tennessean)
As the graduating students begin to prepare for the next stage of their lives, she reflected on the journey that the graduates embarked upon with each other. “Graduates, I know it has been a long hard road, but you made it,” she said. “Look to your left and to your right, and look all around you. These are the folks who have been by your side, literally and virtually, since your first day as a Tiger.” She also spoke to her own HBCU experience, and what it can teach about keeping connections. “I speak from personal experience when I say, hear me now, there are future members of your wedding party in this class,” she said. “Someone sitting near you will ask you to be godparent to their child. Other years, you will reach out to some of the people around you when you’ve had a bad day, or a great one, and they will reach out to you too. And many of them might be present for your swearing in after your election into public office,” she said, referring to her own historic election.
“Class of 2022, you made it through,” became a running theme in Harris’ address. This class has survived an unexpected, and still ongoing pandemic. Through it all, they persevered and ultimately prevailed. “It cannot be denied that your class has traveled a stony road,” she said. “A pandemic, that took away so much of the college experience that you once imagined, and the world you graduate into is unsettled. It is a world where long-established principles rest on shaky ground.” She used the political and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine as one of the latest example, bur not the last. “In the United States, we are once again forced to defend fundamental principles that we hoped were long settled; principles like the freedom to vote, the rights of women to make decisions about their own body, what constitutes the truth…”
She also addressed the urgency that she should have. The global north and global south have existed throughout history. Global extreme poverty is on the rise, as is extreme wealth, she said. “In the United States, we are once again forced to defend fundamental principles that we hoped were long settled; principles like the freedom to vote, the rights of women to make decisions about their own body, what constitutes the truth, especially in an era where anyone can post anything online and pass it as fact.”
However, with what may seem like a bleak world to enter, Harris proposed that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, which will be guided by this graduating class for years to come. “Graduates, I look at this unsettled world and yes, I can see the challenges, but I’m here to tell you that I see the opportunities. The opportunities for your leadership. The future of our country and our world will be shaped by you” she said. “I stand before you today as the Vice President of the United States of America and as a proud graduate of an HBCU to say, there is no limit to your capacity for greatness. There is no obstacle you cannot overcome, and there is no barrier you cannot break.”
Vice President Harris’ full commencement speech can be seen in the event’s livestream on YouTube here.
Many HBCU students will benefit from a new program that will help them get the credits they need to graduate on time, or even early. Get the full story from Rebecca Kelliher at Diverse Education below.
In this Saturday, May 7, 2016 file photo, students cheer as President Barack Obama delivers the commencement speech during the 2016 Howard University graduation ceremony in Washington. (Credit: Ose Luis Magana/Associated Press)
To help students across the degree finish line, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) has announced an online course-sharing consortium for several public and private historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as well as other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) in five Southern states.
SREB is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on improving education at all levels in its 16 member states throughout the South.
“I believe deeply in the value of collaboration, particularly among small, largely under-resourced institutions,” said Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, president of Benedict College, a private HBCU in South Carolina and one of the consortium’s inaugural members. “We may have a course with only three students enrolled, which is not cost-efficient. But a course-sharing agreement allows that student to take a class at another institution to stay on track to graduation. We see this as a student support and retention tool.”
SREB consortium courses will count fully toward students’ GPAs, financial aid packages, and graduation requirements at their home institutions. Taking shared online courses will also not affect students’ cost of attendance.
“Students could take advantage of this to create new specializations in their degree programs,” said Dr. Stevie L. Lawrence II, vice president for postsecondary education at SREB. “Institutions could add majors that align with regional and industry needs, but that traditionally would not be offered. From SREB’s standpoint, we’re most excited about our ability to bring institutions together around this idea.”
The consortium grew out of the SREB HBCU-MSI Collaborative, a network of HBCUs and other MSIs in the South seeking to improve student success. Inspiration for the course-sharing idea came from a similar partnership piloted in winter 2021 between Benedict College and Dillard University, both HBCUs.
Through that trial program, Benedict and Dillard seniors who needed up to six credit hours to graduate in spring 2022 could take an accelerated online course. More than 90% of students who took part in the Dillard-Benedict partnership ended up on track to graduate this spring.
“If it were not for those courses in December, I would not be graduating on Friday,” said Bilaysia Deloach, a 20-year-old Benedict College student who graduates this week, a year ahead of schedule.
Deloach started at Benedict with ample credits from high school to graduate early, and she became determined to finish in May 2022 to save money. But in fall 2021, she found out that some classes for her major would not be offered at Benedict until the following year, delaying her timeline.
Yet through course-sharing, Deloach took an accelerated class online through Dillard in winter 2021. This pilot course-sharing agreement was supported by a grant from the United Negro College Fund, which provides scholarships for Black students and scholarship funds to 37 private HBCUs.
“I believe that all HBCUs should make this opportunity available to all students,” said Deloach. “Some of us don’t want to stay in college for extra time when we don’t have to. That way you can avoid student loan debt and having your parents go through a financial struggle by graduating early if you can.”
Deloach added that Benedict administrators checked in on her during the winter course to be sure she had what she needed. Lawrence noted that the SREB consortium aims to offer that same level of student support that he said is typical of HBCU culture.
“HBCUs provide this nurturing environment both in and out of the classroom, which we also want to bring into the consortium,” said Lawrence. “Like Dr. Artis did at Benedict, we can work to make sure students are logging into their courses and have the support they need, such as tutorial services, to go that extra mile and ensure success.”
Inaugural participants include Benedict College in South Carolina; Albany State University in Georgia; Clinton College in South Carolina; Fort Valley State University in Georgia; Langston University in Oklahoma; Southeast Arkansas College in Arkansas; and Texas Southern University in Texas. More members will be announced in the months ahead.
The consortium will be run through Acadeum, a software company.
Dr. Patrice Glenn Jones, executive director of online education and programs at Alabama State University, a public HBCU, pointed out how this consortium could also make HBCUs and other MSIs more accountable to students on campus as well as to fellow institutions.
“I’m excited how this consortium could make HBCUs up their online instructional design game,” said Jones, who specializes in virtual learning. “Students may take a course at another campus doing something better, then they could come back to their home institution to advocate for a stronger academic experience. That elevates us all. This is a step in the right direction.”
Jones added that consortiums for student services in addition academics may be the next frontier.
“Maybe one campus is doing a better job at helping students get financial aid or enough food to eat,” she noted. “Because for HBCUs to survive, we need to work together. That is what is so important and profound for me about this work.”
As they did with COVID-19, HBCU medical schools are creating a united front to tackle organ transplant disparities. Learn more in the Associated Press story below.
Meharry Medical College is shown May 4, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. A new initiative aimed at increasing the number of Black Americans registered as organ donors and combating disparities among transplant recipients has been announced by a coalition of the nation’s four medical schools at historically Black colleges and universities and organ donation and transplantation organizations, including Meharry Medical College. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
A coalition including the four medical schools at the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities has announced a new initiative aimed at increasing the number of Black Americans registered as organ donors and combating disparities among transplant recipients.
A new initiative aimed at increasing the number of Black Americans registered as organ donors and combating disparities among transplant recipients was announced Thursday by a coalition that includes the four medical schools at the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities.
The collaboration follows a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report, “Realizing the Promise of Equity in the Organ Transplantation System,” that found significant disparities in the nation’s organ transplant system. It was released earlier this year and commissioned by Congress, which wanted to examine equity within the donor organ procurement, allocation and distribution system.
The initiative — which was created by the Consortium of HBCU Medical Schools, the Organ Donation Advocacy Group and Association of Organ Procurement Organizations — plans to create new opportunities for Black medical and nursing students to shadow organ procurement organizations and transplant centers and collaborate with partner HBCUs that offer programs in nursing, public health, public policy and health care administration. The initiative announcement was shared with The Associated Press first.
The HBCU consortium behind the initiative includes the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences in Los Angeles, Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.
The initiative will have health professionals speaking to K-12 students in Black communities about the field and career pathways. It will also focus on community education, including creating accessible materials about transplantation for dialysis patients and hosting health fairs and blood drives.
Concerns about equitable access to organ transplants have existed for decades in America. But attention has increased in recent years after the global COVID-19 pandemic exacted a disparate toll among Black Americans and laid bare the nation’s long-standing racial health inequities caused by structural racism, unequal access to care and bias within the nation’s medical system.
“At the heart of all this is the profound disparity in transplants that are given and performed on African Americans versus whites in our country, and it’s a long-standing problem and issue,” said Dr. James E.K. Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College, in an interview with The Associated Press.
“And some of this messaging has to come from trusted organizations, which is another one of the reasons that we believe that the four Black medical schools have a very important role to play that quite honestly could not be filled by any other organizations in the country,” Hildreth said.
HBCU medical schools have historically served as a necessary pipeline for Black doctors and other medical professionals. Hildreth said the initiative will increase those numbers. The HBCU Medical School Collaborative was formed in 2020 to address health equity amid the pandemic. But Hildreth said the schools have a legacy of working together, often on disparity areas that the medicine and health systems historically have ignored.
But the HBCU collaboration has since grown and they have identified kidney transplants and donations as an area of concern because Black nephrologists — doctors who diagnose and treat acute and chronic kidney problems — account for less than 7% of the industry and only 5.5% of transplant surgeons are Black.
About 80% of Meharry graduates go on to work in underserved communities, Hildreth said, and 85% are Black. The vast majority of them come from households with lower incomes than a typical white medical student would have.
“Minorities and people of color have been consistently underrepresented throughout medicine, and the field of organ and tissue donation and transplantation is no exception,” said Dr. Clive Callender, a transplant surgeon and medical professor at Howard University College of Medicine, who is seen as a trailblazer for organ donation equity. “This collaboration will allow us to save thousands of lives across the country by strengthening relationships between health care workers, Black and minority patients, and organ and transplantation professionals.”
According to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health, Black Americans make up the largest group among people of color in the United States who are in need of organ transplants. Black Americans are almost four times as likely as white Americans to develop kidney failure, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
And while Black Americans make up about 13% of the U.S. population, they account for 35% of people with kidney failure, which accounts for the majority of transplants. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine — or NASEM — report set a benchmark to increase organ transplants to 50,000 annually by 2026; 41,354 transplants were performed in 2021, an increase of 5.9% over 2020.
However, while 28.5% of the total candidates currently waiting for transplants are Black Americans, they only comprised 12.9% of organ donors in 2020. The total number of white Americans on organ transplant waiting lists is about 1.4 times greater than that of Black people, but the number of candidates waiting for a kidney transplant is almost the same between the two groups.
“By the time they get on the list, there’s a great deal of urgency. And because of the long waits, many of them, of course, don’t make it to get a transplant,” Hildreth said of Black candidates.
Annual transplant records were set last year across three major areas including 24,669 kidney transplants, 9,236 liver transplants and 3,817 heart transplants. And out of 57 organ procurement organizations nationwide, 49 saw increases over 2020, and 45 set all-time records for donors recovered in a single year.
But the disparities still exist.
Jill Grandas, executive director of DCI Donor Services, an organ procurement organization that serves Tennessee, New Mexico and California, said DCI will be working with the HBCUs on the ground in communities and among health sectors to raise awareness about transplants and becoming organ donors. She said her team encounters levels of mistrust among Black Americans and other people of color that is rooted in a historical lack of confidence in a health system that has exacted harm upon their families and communities.
A lack of industry leaders working to break down “barriers of trust” through education and direct programming is another factor, Grandas said. There also needs to be a lens of accountability placed on organ procurement and transplant centers to ensure they’re working to address disparities, Grandas added.
“Equity is an issue that must be addressed,” Grandas said.
Renée Landers, former deputy general counsel for HHS who was on the authoring committee for the NASEM report, said she hopes the initiative spurs more action to address transplantation and donor disparities but also ones across the health field.
“Having this particular focus on building or encouraging people of color to go into the health professions as physicians and other kinds of caregivers is really important,” said Landers, a law professor and faculty director of health and biomedical law at Suffolk University Law School in Boston. “And Black medical schools can play a really significant role in that.”
Victoria Crawford, a coach with long-term HBCU experience will lead the women’s basketball program at Fisk University. Learn more from the Fisk release below.
The Fisk University announced today their new coach for women’s basketball in former University of Memphis star Victoria Crawford. The Birmingham, Alabama native takes over a program that went 9-19 overall for the season. Crawford coached this past season at Lincoln (IL.) College, Lincoln announced that the school will cease operations after this semester.
“We are happy to welcome Coach Crawford to the Fisk family,” said Fisk Athletic Director Dr. Larry Glover.”She has an impressive resume. We look forward to her being an asset to the university.”
Crawford was a prolific scorer in high school leading the state of Alabama as a senior in scoring with a 27-point average per game earning her a scholarship to Memphis. As a senior at Memphis, she was named the Conference USA Sixth Player if the Year award in 2004. That year she also set the school’s single season steals record.
From 2005-10, Crawford played professionally overseas and was invited to several WNBA camps. After her playing days were over, Crawford spent five seasons at Miles (AL.) College as the associate head coach. She then went on Southern Mississippi University as an assistant in 2017 to 2018. In 2019, she returned to Birmingham and was named the head coach at Lawson State Community College. She then went on to lead Lincoln (IL.) College where last year her team went 7-17.
Crawford takes over a program that will have 11 returners. Rising junior Zipporah Davis (SO/Memphis, TN.) is the leading returning with an average of 11.3 points per game. Davis scored a career high 32 points in team’s first round tournament lose to Dillard University. Rising sophomore Laila Eliotti (FR/Jonesboro, AR. )’s 35 points at Oakwood University was a single game high for the team. Maya Allen, who will be a senior next year, was the only other returner to average in double figures with 10.5. The cupboard isn’t bare for Crawford. With the rich tradition of talent in the Nashville area, it shouldn’t be difficult to have a winning season soon.
“I would like to thank (Fisk President) Dr. Van Newkirk and Dr. Glover for entrusting me with the program here,” said Crawford. “The City of Nashville and the State of Tennessee is loaded with some amazing student athletes. My staff and I look forward to serving this community and competing at a high level on the court. I am ready to get to work and help build a winning tradition.”
Left, Dr. Robert M. Franklin; upper right, Health Commissioner Justan Encarnacion, lower right, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith. (CreditL The University of the Virgin Islands)
The University of the Virgin Islands announced Thursday that Dr. Robert Franklin, Jr., former president of Morehouse College, will deliver the keynote address at the 58th commencement ceremony of UVI, taking place on May 12 at the Orville E. Kean Campus on St. Thomas and on May 13 at the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix.
Returning to an in-person event for the first time since 2019, the university will welcome graduates and their guests to celebrate the successful completion of their collegiate studies as they prepare to begin new chapters in their academic and professional lives, according to the release.
“The Board of Trustees, our faculty, staff and administrators are looking forward with great excitement to gathering in person once again to commemorate the remarkable achievements of our graduating students,” stated UVI President Dr. David Hall. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University’s commencement ceremonies were held in a virtual format for the past two years.
“As a university family, we are collectively anticipating the experience of a live commencement,” noted President Hall. “Sharing the energy and joy of this significant occasion with the Class of 2022 will be unforgettable.”
According to UVI, addition to celebrating the academic achievements of its newest alumni, UVI will bestow honorary degrees on Dr. Franklin, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith and USVI Commissioner of Health Justa Encarnacion, signaling the university’s appreciation for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions in their respective fields of professional endeavors, stated the release.
Dr. Robert Franklin, Emory University’s Distinguished Professor of Divinity, is a renowned scholar, academic leader, and theologian who spent a portion of his sabbatical at UVI and shared his thoughts on moral leadership and the role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) when he spoke at the University’s 60th Charter Day Anniversary event.
Dr. Nunez-Smith co-chaired the Biden-Harris Administration’s Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board and served as chair of the Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, ensuring that a comprehensive plan and strategy was developed to curb the devastating incidences of COVID-19 in the United States and the world.
At the helm of the V.I. Department of Health, Commissioner Encarnacion provided critical leadership, advice, and service to the Territory and the University throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to keep the Territory’s residents and visitors safe, healthy and educated about resources available to overcome COVID-related challenges.
“Each of these eminent individuals is deserving of this tribute from the University. Dr. Nunez-Smith, an outstanding medical educator, has been a national leader and voice of reason and insight in the midst of the pandemic. Commissioner Encarnacion is an exemplary public health leader and source of wisdom for our community. Dr. Franklin is a riveting speaker and a reservoir of hope. We are grateful and honored to share our Commencement Day with them, knowing that their life stories and successes can further inspire and instill in our students a sense of the greatness that lies within each one of them,” said Mr. Hall.
Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith will be recognized with an honorary degree at the Kean Campus on St. Thomas which will be accepted by her mother, Dr. Maxine A. Nunez, and Commissioner Encarnacion will be honored at the Sheen Campus on St. Croix campus, UVI said.
UVI said it awards honorary degrees to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in the arts, sciences, humanities, and other areas. This year, each honorary degree recipient will be awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Recipients can be nominated by any member of the University administration, faculty, student body, staff, alumni, or Board of Trustees.
According to the release, in consideration of the ongoing challenges with Covid-19, all attendees to the university’s in-person ceremonies will be required to present proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a valid negative COVID-19 test taken 24 hours prior to commencement. The University is working closely with the V.I. Department of Health on its protocols and to provide free testing. Attendees are strongly encouraged to wear face masks and to maintain social distance and sit in family groups. On both campuses, admission to the ceremonies will also require a ticket.
More information is being revealed in the recent departure of Florida A&M University’s former athletic director Kortne Gosha. Get the full story from Brett Rutherford at WFSU.
Kortne Gosha was introduced as the new VP and director of FAMU Athletics in this November 2019 photo taken at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando, Fla. He attended the Future of FAMU Athletics Fundraising Breakfast, hosted by the FAMU National Alumni Association, with Florida A&M University’s President Larry Robinson.
On April 20, FAMU Athletic Director Kortne Gosha resigned without notice. The abruptness of his departure caught many FAMU stakeholders by surprise. Now, public records requested by WFSU show more of what led to Gosha’s exit during what appeared, from the outside, to be a successful tenure.
“My alignment and core values are very important to me, and there is no secret that we created a transformational student-athlete experience second-to-none that has elevated Florida Agricultural & Mechanical—that will place them on a trajectory far beyond my tenure,” Gosha said in a statement accompanying his resignation.
“I am incredibly proud of the work and the people that have done that work in such a short time. We have elevated the program and institutional reputation to a level of new credibility.”
Now, an investigation by WFSU shows more of what led to Gosha’s exit during what appeared, on the outside, to be a successful tenure.
Under Gosha, FAMU became the first school to make LeBron James’s Nike brand their official uniform sponsor. The football team is coming off a 9-3 season which saw them reach the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. And although the school’s move from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) was not orchestrated by Gosha, he oversaw the transition. Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction for an athletics department that was still rebounding from a five-year NCAA probation and a self-imposed postseason ban for the 2019-2020 school year.
Shortly after Gosha announced his resignation, FAMU released a report from GrayRobinson, a Florida law firm independent of the university. The firm was hired by the school to investigate the athletics department under Gosha’s leadership. The report outlines numerous failures which involved unauthorized licensing deals, unauthorized hiring of personnel, and NCAA violations. The report also said Gosha created a hostile workplace by failing to work cooperatively with other FAMU departments.
“It is clear from reviewing emails between Gosha and other FAMU administrators that Gosha was aware of his lack of authority and still failed to obtain the necessary approvals before entering into potentially legally-binding transactions,” wrote GrayRobinson attorney Scott Cole in a report called “Analysis of Grounds for Disciplinary Action Against Kortne Gosha.” The report is dated April 19, the day prior to Gosha’s resignation.
In a release of records, more information about that report made clearer the issues that plagued Gosha’s tenure as FAMU Athletics Director.
Unauthorized Licensing Deals
In February 2022, FAMU announced a deal with Urban Edge Network (UEN) had been reached, giving rights to UEN to stream FAMU sports content on their live-streaming platform, HBCU League Pass+. The GrayRobinson report stated that “Gosha and his team began direct negotiations with Urban Edge Network (UEN)” despite not being authorized to do so. Grambling State University announced a similar deal with UEN around the same time.
After the deals were announced, HBCU Gameday, a site covering HBCU athletics, reported that the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) sent out a reminder to all member schools that they are not authorized to sign national media rights deals to broadcast games linearly or digitally. The site also reports that UEN is now threatening to file a lawsuit against the SWAC, claiming that the conference is interfering in a business deal between them and PepsiCo. HBCU Gameday also obtained an e-mail sent by SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland in response to PepsiCo when they expressed concern about the UEN rights deals.
“It has been brought to my attention that several entities have approached some of our corporate partners and others regarding media buys for SWAC games.
“Just for your information, SWAC Conference games cannot be streamed or broadcasted on a national basis outside of the Conference agreements. In addition, Member Institutions cannot grant permission to other entities to broadcast games either linear or digitally on a national basis; all Conference games are restricted and can only be negotiated by the Conference Office,” the email said.
A month later, the SWAC announced a national media rights deal with a different company. Allen Media Group announced on March 15 that they were launching a streaming platform called HBCU GO and had reached a deal with the SWAC, beginning in the 2022-2023 season.
This wasn’t the only time Gosha was accused of participating in an unauthorized licensing deal. Earlier this year, the FAMU logo donned the NY Racing Team’s car that raced in a NASCAR event in Las Vegas. E-mails show Gosha authorized it, with no licensing contract in place, and without approval from the university’s Office of Communications.
“Gosha did not have delegate authority to bind the university to this licensing deal but proceeded to do so without executing a formal contract,” said the GrayRobinson report.
Personnel Problems
Records obtained by WFSU show Gosha tried to fire a former employee, Dakarai Calhoun, for what Gosha claimed was selling athletics equipment without authorization. There was also an anonymous letter about Calhoun that was submitted to the university’s audit department. The letter accused Calhoun of “stealing jerseys and helmets and giving them to players,” at the end of the season. It also claimed a fear of retaliation as the reason the author was anonymous.
An internal investigation by FAMU found the claims to be unsubstantiated. The only evidence was a video showing Calhoun removing a TV from the athletics office. When questioned, it was found the TV belonged to Calhoun and he provided a receipt. He also showed evidence that the allegedly “stolen” helmets were still there.
Gosha provided a list of items he claimed Calhoun had taken. Among that list, the TV, a MacBook, keys, helmets, miscellaneous tools, jerseys, golf products, 30 pairs of khakis, tennis, and track products. The MacBook was located, still in the office.
The list provided by Gosha “provides little additional information beyond Gosha’s July 12, 2021 statement that Calhoun removed ‘helmets, tools, apparel, a TV, and various supplies,’” said the GrayRobinson report.
The report says Calhoun also provided copies of text messages showing athletics administration staff told him to provide clothes for the administrators to wear for travel and give to donors. Calhoun also gave investigators proof that he was doing what athletics officials told him to do.
According to the public records obtained by WFSU, Calhoun’s wife is Rica Calhoun, the university’s chief compliance and ethics officer.
Gosha’s disregard of university hiring procedures was also called into question.
He attempted to hire Phillip Butler as the women’s track and field coach—but the hire never went to approval by the university’s Human Resource Office. Gosha also allegedly gave Butler an offer letter that had university president Dr. Larry Robinson’s name on it—despite Robinson being completely unaware of any sort of offer being made, and his name being used. Gosha sent the letter to Robinson in an email claiming he worked with the university’s Human Resources department, but also admitted he had not involved HR until after he and his staff had already carried out the screening of the candidate and made the decision on the offer.
Robinson was not pleased.
“The hiring process, president’s approval hiring/firing within the department of athletics is not a ‘formality’ rather, it is a requirement,” said the report.
Gosha also tried to give Butler the title ‘Director of Track and Field’ despite the initial job posting being for a women’s track and field coach. In addition, the now-former athletics director tried to hire Butler as a consultant, before the employment was secure. During the time Butler was allegedly doing consulting work, he was using the track@famu.eduemail address. A review of the account showed Butler sent and received emails from the address, including from Gosha. He was conducting university business on a university email account without being an employee of FAMU. Using the email, Butler was recruiting, setting up student housing for athletes, and ordering clothing and equipment. Butler also had access to students’ personal information.
WFSU discovered that Butler’s use of the email address resulted in “potential FERPA violations by permitting athletics staff, university employees and students to interact with and unknowingly provide privileged and/or confidential information to a non-university employee.”
FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, is a federal law that protects the privacy of students’ educational records and governs in what circumstances what information can be released, and to whom.
Two days after Gosha sent the email to Robinson, the president rejected the hire.
The pattern of miscommunication and sloppiness culminated in a self-reported NCAA infraction. During a January trip to a meet, the FAMU Track team was given a cash per diem to pay for meals in addition to the university purchasing meals for the track students. NCAA rules state that no more than one set of expenses can be claimed. Gosha authorized the food purchases, having missed the memo regarding the cash per diem.
The Post-Gosha Gameplan
The university is now searching for a new athletics director and announced an 18-member vetting committee that will submit recommendations to Robinson.
“We will build on the recent and historic achievements of this program with a keen focus on the success of our student-athletes in the classroom and in competition. The AD will work with our coaches and staff to meet and exceed the expectations of fans, friends, supporters, and those entities with compliance authority on and off-campus,” Robinson said. “I’m looking forward to the Search Committee doing its work thoroughly and expeditiously to help find the next leader of our athletic program at Florida A&M University.”
Michael Smith is now the interim athletic director, a role he initially tried on back in 2013. FAMU will conduct a national search for its next athletic director and will attempt to make a swift hire.
Gosha’s main supporter has been head football coach Willie Simmons. In a statement sent the day Gosha announced his resignation, Simmons said “know that no one is more disappointed in the recent events within the university athletic department than me. I’ve known Kortne for many years and was one of the first people (if not the first) he talked to here at the university when he expressed interest in our AD position. I witnessed firsthand the transformation made to this athletics department under his leadership.”
There had been some hints that Gosha’s time at FAMU would be short-lived. In a November 2021 Board of Trustees meeting, the university board chairman, Kelvin Lawson, called for a vote of confidence for Gosha, something that does not happen unless a person is in danger of being fired.
The Southern University Jaguars community is mourning a lost taken too soon, during Mental Health Awareness Month nonetheless. Get the story from Megan Ambers at Yahoo News below.
After allegedly posting her farewell note to social media, a Southern University and A&M College(SU), student was found dead in the Mississippi River, after her family became concerned over her whereabouts.
Miller, whose age has not been disclosed, attended an HBCU college in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The Southern University Jaguars cheerleader shared a lengthy message that worried her family and friends on her Instagram account.
In the post that has now accumulated over 65,000 likes, Miller spoke about alleged suicidal thoughts during her younger years and how long she has fought the urges.
“May this day bring me rest and peace,” Miller wrote. “I have fought this urge since my early teenage years.. I gave this life all the fight I had. To everyone who has entered my life I’m so grateful and I can only imagine how this may find you. I have been surrounded by people who may have honestly thought that I was okay, but I havnt been okay for a while.”
The college student then reflects on dealing with Covid, suffering from an injury and feeling alone most of the time.
“I struggled so much through just this year alone. From covid, to tearing my acl, to nearly failing all of my classes,” Miller wrote. “To the people in my life I pray you learn to vocalize your feelings and get help always!!! I failed at that and I’m afraid it’s to late.”
Miller then talks directly to her mother, who she thanks and reassures her that she is at peace and acknowledges that she had written suicidal notes before, but she was at her breaking point this time.
“MOM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, I pray you know I’m at rest now! You would’ve given anything to see me happy, you have given everything to see me happy,” Miller wrote. “I’m happy in the water where everything is still and peaceful. I have written so many suicide notes in my life but finally, I’ve reached my end.”
She wrote that she hoped that this would teach people to check on their “strong” friends and always be present. Miller said that she felt like she was letting so many people down and losing her connection to God.
“I hope this teaches everyone to check on your “strong” friends, be present always! I’m contradicting myself but NEVER give up!!! I know that I’m letting a lot people down by what I’m about to do,” Miller wrote. “But… truth is I’ve already let down so many people throughout my life and it just feels unbearable. I’ve lost my connection to God. The devil seems to have won. & that is okay, I blame no one for this!”
She concluded her post by apologizing to all of her family and friends, revealing that she has tried to make everyone in her life happy. While she loved everyone in her life, she had had enough fighting and hoped that those close to her found peace in her decision.
Dear Jaguars,
Our entire campus community is deeply saddened by the untimely death of Arlana Miller, a freshman who was majoring in agriculture on the Baton Rouge campus. Arlana was a native of Texas and one of our Southern University cheerleaders. pic.twitter.com/FJ7qMPTamn
“I thank everyone for all they’ve done & IM SORRY IM SO SO SORRY. But thinking about how everyone else would feel about my death is not enough either, I’ve tried to please and make everyone else happy my entire life. I’ve been dead inside for too long. To everyone I love, just remember that this is not your fault and I pray you don’t find guilt in my situation,” Miller wrote. “To my grandad… I wish you were here to tell me I’m being stupid, to tell me it’s not worth it, but you’ve left me & found your own peace.”
“I’ve always been stubborn and prideful just like you,” she continued. “I always dreamed of becoming so many things that I am today, but they just aren’t enough. I’m not enough. I havnt felt enough for a while.. but I say all this to say, I’m done fighting. My battle is over and I pray everyone finds peace in that.”
The Southern University and A&M college released a statement via Twitter expressing their deepest sorrows for Miller’s untimely passing, noting that she was a Texas native and majoring in agriculture.
“Our entire campus community is deeply saddened by the untimely death of Arlana Miller, a freshman who was majoring in agriculture on the Baton Rouge campus,” the tweet read. “Arlana was a native of Texas and one of our Southern University cheerleaders.”
The school offers its sincerest condolences to Miller’s family, friends, and others and provides counseling for those who may need extra support during this dark time.
“We offer our sincerest prayers and condolences to her family, classmates, teammates, and all who knew and loved her. The mental and physical well-being of our students is one of the University’s highest priorities,” the tweet read. “therefore, our University Counseling Center (UCC) and partners are available for any students who may need support during this difficult time.”
Jaguar Nation,
We mourn the loss of Arlana Miller, a Freshman Southern University Cheerleader.
We ask for your prayers, love, and support.
Our deepest sympathy to The Miller family, SU Cheer, & friends.
— Southern University Jaguars (@SouthernUsports) May 5, 2022
The Southern University Jaguars tweeted their condolences to Miller and her family, the SU cheerleading squad, and her friends. The school also mentions offering grief counseling to anyone in need.
“Jaguar Nation, We mourn the loss of Arlana Miller, a Freshman Southern University Cheerleader,” the tweet read. “We ask for your prayers, love, and support. Our deepest sympathy to The Miller family, SU Cheer, & friends. We love you Arlana #ForeverJag Grief counseling is available.”
Many people who have been affected by Miller’s story have shared their feelings concerning her alleged suicide and encourage people to seek assistance and help those who need a helping hand.
A Facebook user named Dria Derricho spoke out on Miller’s death, encouraging others to check up on people and make sure that they know that you support them and love them. It is unclear whether Derricho knew Miller personally.
“I hate reading things like this, it’s so sad to think or even read about! To anyone battling with these issues. These temporary feelings never last it will get better. Continue to fight and push through BETTER DAYS ARE COMING!!!! I don’t think I can sleep after this,” Derricho wrote. “SUICIDE IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH!!!!! YALL BETTER WAKE TF UP! PLEASE DON’T JUST CHECK UP ON PEOPLE BUT BE THERE FOR THEM, LOVE THEM, SUPPORT THEM, & HELP THEM! ALL THE TIME NOT JUST TEMPORARILY! I JUST WISH I COULD’VE HELPED IN SOME KIND OF WAY ! Rip Arlana Miller #su#mentalhealthmatters#arlanamiller”
If you or someone you know is suffering from depression or suicidal urges, there are ways to get help. You can use these resources to find help for yourself, a family member, or a friend.
Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255); En español 1-888-628-9454.
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania just received a windfall, and the funds will be put to good use. Get the story from TaRhonda Thomas and 6ABC Digital Staff below.
The nation’s first historically Black college has received a multi-million dollar investment from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
“It’ll give students here a significant leg up and opportunity,” said Greg Reaves of Mosaic Development Partners as he stood alongside leaders and supporters of Cheyney University.
Cheyney will receive $5 million from the state to support a growing program at the university.
“All of this investment is to give students, like the students here at Cheyney, the foundation they need to take advantage of opportunities like the ones that are becoming available right here,” said Governor Tom Wolf.
The investment will support a program called ‘ThinkUbator.’
In the program, the university partners with private companies to give students hands-on paid internships and jobs on campus.
Currently, there are four private companies operating with students through Cheyney’s Life Sciences Center.
The goal of the investment into the ThinkUBator is to grow opportunities in STEM careers. It’s a particularly important mission at HBCUs.
“Black Americans make up 11% of the total workforce but only 6% of the life sciences workforce,” said Director Vanessa Atkins of the Life Sciences department at Cheyney University.
One of the students to benefit from the investment is sophomore Kishore Owusu, who already has an internship as part of the program.
“I’m ecstatic that other students will have opportunities like those that have changed my life,” he said.
Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-7th District) said, “This is a moment that this university deserves.”
But some Cheyney students say they deserve more.
“$5 million is not enough,” said Autumn Mitchell, one of a handful of students and alumni who got together to file a discrimination complaint.
The complaint alleges that the state doesn’t invest in Cheyney the way it invests in predominately white schools.
“There’s a lot of repairs that need to be made,” said Mitchell. “We are just asking to have the same opportunities as any other university.”
Wolf agrees that more can be done for the historic school that has an enrollment that hovers at around 600 students.
“Is there more to do? Absolutely,” said Wolf. “So I am in full agreement with the students who want to see more done at Cheyney.”
Cheyney University President Aaron Walton says the damaged parts of older buildings that students mention in the discrimination complaint are not in use.
He added that dorm improvements, will start by this summer.
It’s incremental progress from a university that was on the brink of losing its accreditation just a few years ago.
“I listen and we take advice from students, but we must run the university to make it sustainable for another 185 years,” said Walton.
This new multi-million dollar investment could potentially pave the way.
“It’s the beginning of great things to come,” said Cheyney Council of Trustees member Ryan Boyer.
Malik Smith, who played football at Fisk University before being drafted to the NFL, will not be the only one in his family heading to the league. Camryn Justice at News 5 Cleveland delivers the exciting true story.
Malik Smith (left) and Tyreke Smith (right) (Credit: AP Photos)
Two Cleveland Heights brothers are ready to make a splash as they begin their journeys into NFL, as defensive end Tyreke Smith heads to Seattle Seahawks and tight end Malik Smith hopes to earn a spot on the Cleveland Browns roster.
The Smith brothers graduated from Cleveland Heights High School, with older brother Malik focusing on basketball and Tyreke playing football. Tyreke went on to play football at The Ohio State University while Malik went on to play basketball at UNC Asheville, Bryant, and finally Fisk University.
While Malik hadn’t played football since his Pop Warner days as a kid, he always had a love for the game—and his younger brother gave him some encouragement to switch gears and focus on making a career on the gridiron.
“I took a visit to my brother’s school to go visit him and they have a basketball court inside their football facility, so I was working out getting ready for basketball and one of the coaches that walked in with my brother had been watching me for the last few days,” Malik said.
After the coach saw his 6’6″, 265-pound frame and his ability to dunk, Malik was pushed even harder to pursue football.
“I literally got in the car and I looked at my brother and was like ‘hey, let’s do this,'” Malik said. “I came home and told my parents ‘hey, I’m going to play football’ and they looked at me like I was crazy, but that’s how it started.”
A few weeks later, in a room together surrounded by family and friends, the Smith brothers both had plenty to celebrate.
On Saturday, Tyreke got his ticket to the NFL when the Seahawks selected him in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
“I was right there when he got the call. We got excited, everybody was jumping up and down and he was still on the phone with [Seahawks head coach] Pete Carroll when I got my call,” Malik said.
Just after Tyreke was drafted by the Seahawks, the Browns reached out to Malik.
“When he got off the phone I was like ‘bro, I’m going to Cleveland man” and there was a whole ‘nother turnup session,” Malik said. “It was joyous. There were a lot of emotions going on, a lot of tears.”
The two brothers are now both on a path to pursue their dreams in the NFL, and one day maybe even go head to head.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” Tyreke said with a smile. “We’re right across from each other so it’s definitely a matchup.”
Tyreke said that he couldn’t be more proud of Malik, who is equally proud of him.
“It’s just a blessing. I’ve been all the work he’s been putting in behind the scenes, all the workouts he’s been going to just trying to force himself to learn the game at a quicker pace,” Tyreke said. “It’s just a great thing to see and just made me so happy to see him and how happy he was and how motivated he was and how determined he was to take this opportunity and go to the next level. I was just so happy. As his brother I’m just his biggest fan, I can’t wait to see what he does.”
While Tyreke boards a flight out to his new home in Seattle, Malik will head back home to Northeast Ohio to participate in the Browns rookie minicamp from May 13-15 at CrossCountry Mortgage Fieldhouse where he’ll compete for a place on the roster.
