A 16-year-old star gymnast is being hailed for joining Fisk University‘s first-of-its-kind gymnastics program. Learn more in the Black Enterprise story by Jeroslyn Johnson below.
Photo Credit: Twitter
An elite Black gymnast in Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas turned down a commitment to the University of Arkansas to join the first-ever women’s gymnastics team at a historically Black college/university (HBCU).
Morgan Price, 16, had already committed to the University of Arkansas last November and was set to attend the school after graduating from Coppell High School, NBC DFW reports. But Pierce had a change of heart and decided to make history instead.
Price is now set to attend Fisk University in Nashville and will be a part of the first women’s gymnastics team at an HBCU. It was a trailblazing decision made to inspire future Black athletes.
“WHEN THAT OPPORTUNITY CAME UP FOR ME YOU KNOW THE ONLY THING ON MY MIND WAS TO SUPPORT IT BECAUSE THEY DID IT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE JUST LIKE ME,” PRICE SAID.
The skilled gymnast has excelled in the sport since she was a toddler. After getting started at the age of two, Price continued to perfect her craft until becoming one of the best in her area.
“Gymnastics is not an easy sport, so I love the feeling of success,” she said.
In February, Fisk announced their plans to launch the first-ever women’s gymnastics team at an HBCU.
“Woman’s gymnastics exemplifies the values of Fisk University: determination, excellence, and a commitment to a more just and equitable future,” the school said in an Instagram announcement.
“THESE VALUES HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS, AND FISK COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED TO WELCOME THESE REMARKABLE STUDENT-ATHLETES TO THE CAMPUS STARTING THIS COMING FALL.”
Once Price committed to Fisk, the school shared its excitement on Twitter.
“We have our 5th signing. Congratulations to morgan price @morgan_gym2022 for committing to the fisk university gymnastics program. We can’t wait to see u in 2023,” they tweeted.
We have our 5th signing. Congratulations to morgan price @morgan_gym2022 for committing to the fisk university gymnastics program. We can't wait to see u in 2023 pic.twitter.com/ss1UP1Fs0v
What should be a happy day for many graduating high school seniors has been ruined by a shooting on the campus of Xavier University of Louisiana. Learn more in the Daily Mail story by Ronny Reyes.
An elderly woman was killed and two men were injured when a gunfight broke out on Tuesday at the conclusion of a high school graduation ceremony taking place at Xavier University, in New Orleans, police said.
New Orleans police said they have detained at least three suspects who allegedly opened fire at the parking lot outside the Convocation Center venue once the graduation ceremony ended for Morris Jeff High School seniors.
Police said a fight broke out between two women when someone opened fire, killing the elderly woman and injuring two men, WDSU reported.
Officials said the men had suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being shot in the shoulder and leg as they were taken to a nearby hospital.
New Orleans Police Department officials added that they had recovered several guns at the scene and that no arrests have been made yet.
One of the many seniors who graduated at the ceremony and witnessed the event told WDSU that the victim was his friends grandmother.
‘My friend’s grandma got shot, man,’ the witness said. ‘She got shot right there in the street like she was a dog or some s***, man.’
Witnesses told Fox 8 that a fight had appeared to broken out following the graduation ceremony, with about five to 12 gunshots allegedly fired as a result.
The senior who spoke with WDSU said family members were taking pictures with the graduates at the parking lot when they started getting concerned about a group fighting near a gazebo in the parking lot.
‘Then my cousin comes over and yells, ‘Run, run run, run. They about to start shooting,” the teen told the news outlet, saying that he heard at least two dozen shots as he ran away from the scene.
NOPD Deputy Supt. Christopher Goodly described the shooting as a ‘senseless act of violence’ and said the incident was still under investigation.
New Orleans City Councilman J. P. Morrell slammed the shooting, which took place in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, elementary school shooting and twelve days after three people were shot at another high school graduation ceremony at a Louisiana university.
‘This should’ve been one of the happiest days in these kids’ lives, Morrell tweeted about the latest shooting. ‘Now all their hard work is being overshadowed by another senseless act of gun violence.
Coppin State University has selected a head coach for its women’s basketball program, and it’s someone familiar. Learn more in the Baltimore Sun story by Edward Lee.
Photo Credit: Coppin State University
Coppin State announced Thursday that Jermaine Woods has been promoted to head coach of the women’s basketball program.
“I am beyond thrilled for the opportunity to be the head coach of the Coppin State University Women’s Basketball team,” Woods said in a statement distributed by the school’s athletic department. “I am grateful and would like to thank President Dr. Anthony Jenkins and [athletic director] Mr. Derek Carter for entrusting me with our amazing student athletes. My goal is to cultivate a culture that produces great people, exceptional students, and championship athletes. We will continue to build a program that represents the vision of our University and athletic department.”
As a member of Harper’s staff, Woods helped the Eagles enjoy a successful bounce-back season. After going 2-13 in 2020-21 in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, they compiled a 15-13 record last winter that included a 9-5 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and a school-record six victories against NCAA Division I nonconference opponents for their first winning season since 2013-14. Harper was named the MEAC Coach of the Year.
“We are thrilled to transition Jermaine Woods to the role of Head Women’s Basketball Coach,” Carter said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience, being an assistant coach at some outstanding programs and he’s obviously familiar with our current program. He understands the expectations of our athletic department and we are excited for him to assume this leadership role at Coppin State University.”
Before arriving in Baltimore in 2020, Woods was an assistant coach and recruiter at Virginia Tech from 2013 to 2015, Old Dominion from 2015 to 2017, and Wake Forest from 2017 to 2020.
Woods spent most of his playing career at Christopher Newport, where he set program record for 3-pointers in a game, in a single season, and in a career and left the Division III school ranked 10th in all-time scoring. He was named the Newcomer of the Year, tournament’s Most Valuable Player, and first-team selection by the Dixie Conference, a D3hoops.comAll American, and a two-time All-South Region choice.
Claflin University in South Carolina has formed a groundbreaking partnership with a university in London, opening up opportunities for travel, scholarships and more. Learn more in the WLTX story by Nydja Hood.
The partnership will provide international study, teaching, and research opportunities for students, faculty, and staff at both institutions.
Claflin University in Orangeburg has signed a memorandum agreement with London Metropolitan University to provide international study, teaching, and research opportunities for students, faculty, and staff at both institutions.
According to Claflin’s acting interim provost Dr. Verile Tisdale, the London university seemed to be a good fit for this partnership due to both universities having a significant minority population.
“They were looking for an outlet to determine how to better serve minority students and their minorities are several different nationalities as well as students that have different types of handicapped, because the average age of their student upon entry is 22,” said Dr. Tisdale.
The partnership was made official with a signing ceremony on May 26. Claflin president Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack and Vice Chancellor Lynn Dobbs of London Metropolitan University participated in the signing.
Through this partnership, students at both institutions will have opportunities for customized study abroad programs, international summer school, internships, and scholarships.
“They do have scholarships available that students can apply for. Housing is within the area. It’s a metropolitan campus.”
London Metropolitan University is a public research university in London, England with more than 12,000 students.
Dr. Tisdale says this partnership will be a benefit to both universities that have worked to provide academic opportunities to students who come from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
“They’re looking at how we did it, and that’s why this program is different in that they will have student exchange, faculty exchanges, and staff exchanges,” she said.
The goal is for the program to begin in time for the summer 2023 semester.
NorthCarolina A&T State University alumna Robyn Wallace has been serving up delicious healthy options with her husband Zak at Disney World in Orlando! Learn more in the Essence story by Arley Arion at Essence below.
ROBYN WALLACE, CO-FOUNDER OF LOCAL GREEN, SHARES HOW SHE PLANS TO COMBAT UNDERLYING HEALTH ISSUES WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY BROUGHT ON BY FOOD DESERTS THROUGH HER BUSINESS.
Disney World’s first Black-owned food truck is bringing healthy food alternatives to the iconic amusement park, showing thrill-seekers that you don’t have to sacrifice great flavor for healthy fare.
In March of 2022, Local Green — a fast-casual restaurant based in Atlanta that provides gourmet, healthy, and affordable food options, made history as the park’s first Black-owned food truck. It’s part of the new Disney Springs dining, shopping and entertainment part of Disney World.
Co-founded by husband and wife duo Zak and Robyn Wallace of West Atlanta, Local Green offers vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian dishes that serve as an introduction to plant-based foods. The menu speaks to the Black culinary palate, while still being good for the body.
Prior to stepping into her path as a restauranteur, Robyn was a data scientist for the Centers for Disease Control studying chronic health issues and the impact that food habits had on small communities, particularly those affected by food deserts.
Inspired by the desire to combat such conditions, which disproportionately impact Black communities, she combined her 20 years of experience in population health to provide food alternatives that could make a difference.
“And that’s not only because of my research, but that’s also because of what we experienced ourselves with death in our own families,” she tells ESSENCE. “That was really the thinking behind building out the recipes and the menu to address those needs.”
“We started seeing how everyone around us was dying at an early age; we had friends dying in their 50s and aunts that were dying in their 60s,” she adds. “But when we moved to the suburbs, we saw the difference. We saw neighbors who were sprinting up the street who were in their 70s and we also saw that there was a difference in what they were eating and what types of food they had access to that surrounded those communities.”
The difference she spotted was that going just 10 minutes outside of their predominately Black neighborhood highlighted the disparity in having proper access to healthy food selections from grocery stores to restaurants. That was how Local Green was born. Now the brick and mortar business is getting the food truck treatment to take its mission outside of Atlanta all the way to Orlando.
(Photo Credit: Aley Arion/Essence)
The menu items pays homage to the couple’s shared love for music and Zak’s time working within the Atlanta music scene with names like, “Oh Boy,” a classic vegan cheeseburger, the “Monsta” shrimp burger, and the popular “Rappers Delight,” which is a pescatarian take on the classic Philly cheesesteak.
“The pinnacles of our business are to support the community, but it’s the culture too. And culture for us is music,” she says. “It’s reflected on the menu item names and we just want to be able to give the community that energy.”
For Robyn and Zak, the draw to serve their community and now, their new home at Disney Springs, is more than a vocation, it’s their purpose.
“It really is a calling to be able to save lives in communities where they don’t have access to healthy food; so being here is a way for us to spread that mission,” she says. “The motive behind this was to make sure that people had access to something that they didn’t [before]. Being the first Black food truck and first Black woman restauranteur at Walt Disney is mind-blowing. And for me, it’s just the starting point. There’s so much more we can do.”
Starting in the fall, three North Carolina HBCUs will increase the amount of out-of-state students they are willing to accept, while two HBCUs in the area will keep their caps at the same level. Learn more in The Chronicle story by Jamael Smith below.
Beginning fall 2022, three of the five historically Black colleges and universities in North Carolina will be able to admit more out-of-state students.
Last year, the University of North Carolina System’s Board of Governors raised the out-of-state cap for all five HBCUs to 25%. On April 7, they voted to raise the out-of-state enrollment cap again for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University and Elizabeth City State University.
Now, the out-of-state cap for NC A&T and NCCU will be 35%, while the cap for ECSU will go up to 50%.
NC A&T saw a 31% increase in out-of-state applicants in the last year, according to Dawn Nail, interim associate vice provost for management and head of undergraduate admissions at NC A&T.
She attributes the rise to the growing reputation of NC A&T and HBCUs in the country. NC A&T is the largest HBCU in the nation and has been reported to be the most successful in North Carolina.
Nail also cited financial incentives, which come from out-of-state students paying more for tuition. Tuition for the 2020-2021 academic year cost about $13,500 more for NC A&T out-of-state students.
According to Chancellor Karrie Dixon, ECSU will be able to enroll about 100 more students, with nearly all of them coming from out-of-state.
“We have the capacity to accept more students, and I thank the Board of Governors for lifting the out-of-state enrollment cap, which is important for our continued growth,” Dixon wrote to WUNC Public Radio.
However, limits at non-HBCU UNC system schools remain unaffected. At universities including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, out-of-state enrollment is limited to 18% to prioritize educating in-state students.
Fayetteville State University and Winston-Salem State University, both public HBCUs, will maintain a 25% out-of-state cap.
The increase of out-of-state caps for the select HBCUs will not affect their emphasis on admitting in-state students. Nail affirmed that potential out-of-state students will not take the place of eligible North Carolina applicants to NC A&T.
According to Dixon, admitting all eligible in-state students “will continue to be the top priority for admittance to ECSU.”
NCCU officials declined to respond to a request for more information.
We have a power couple in the making! Two Meharry Medical College graduates are building their dream life together after two big accomplishments within a week. Learn more in the Black Enterprise story by Atiya Jordan below.
(Photo Credit: Twitter/ @DrDwight_MD)
This newly married couple are celebrating two special milestones—becoming doctors and the beginning of a long-lasting future together.
On May 15, Dwight Johnson II and Taylor Brooks graduated from Meharry Medical College, an HBCU in Nashville. Six days later, the pair expressed their love, promise, and commitment to one other at their wedding in Tomball, Texas. Now, they are reintroduced as Drs. Johnson and Johnson.
Dwight received his doctor of medicine degree in obstetrics and gynecology, while Taylor graduated a physician of psychiatry.
On May 22, Dwight posted two adorable side-by-side photos on Twitter of both his graduation and wedding day with his wife.
“So much to be thankful for in this past week,” Dwight wrote. “I was able to marry my best friend and then graduate as physicians together just 6 days later. God is so good. This is what #BlackLove mixed with #BlackExcellence looks like when you always keep God at the center of your life.”
— Dwight Johnson II, MD (@DrDwight_MD) May 22, 2022
(Photo Credit: Zola.com Wedding Registry)
The couple met at school through a mutual friend, according to the couple’s wedding registry. Dwight was instantly drawn to Taylor’s beauty and kindness. From conversations in the school library to an official date of dinner and bowling, Dwight mustered the courage to make her his girlfriend and ask her out to the med school prom. He won her over with the Love and Basketball approach with ping-pong to ask her to Cadaver Ball, and had the DJ play “Differences” by Ginuwine to set the mood while he asked her out.
The new graduates will continue their incredible medical journey with residencies. Taylor matched with the University of Maryland and Dwight matched with Howard University College of Medicine.
Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz is pleased to appoint Mummi Ibrahim as Arlington’s first Independent Policing Auditor. In this new role, Ms. Ibrahim will provide professional staff support to the newly appointed Community Oversight Board (COB). She will also be instrumental in conducting independent audits of police operations, receiving complaints from members of the public, and participating in investigations as appropriate.
About Mummi Ibrahim
Ms. Ibrahim has a long history in supporting grassroots organizing efforts focused on assessing legislation, legal remedies and policy recommendations related to police practices, as well as campaign strategies for prosecutorial accountability.
Most recently, Ms. Ibrahim served as a senior staff attorney at the Advancement Project, where her work focused on policing issues, including Section 1983 litigation trainings for lawyers seeking to represent individuals who have experienced harm due to police misconduct.
As an organizer and staff attorney at the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, she ran a campaign to end the practice of sentencing juveniles to life without parole. In this role, she organized a coalition comprised of hundreds of impacted community members and several social justice organizations to lobby for sentencing reform, drive a statewide legal strategy to end juvenile life without parole sentencing, and establish re-entry services.
She has also worked with the City of New Orleans Independent Police Monitor, overseeing disciplinary hearings, data collection, and policy reform within the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). Earlier in her career, she served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Audrey L. Thomas of the Superior Court of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Ms. Ibrahim is a native of Khartoum, Sudan. She received her bachelor’s degree from Hampton University and her juris doctorate from Howard University School of Law.
Background
In 2021, the Arlington County Board established the Community Oversight Board (COB) to improve transparency, accountability, and community trust in the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD). The COB will have the ability to independently receive, investigate, and make recommendations in response to complaints from the community. The ordinance also calls for an accompanying Independent Policing Auditor to support the work of the COB.
The Community Oversight Board, which was appointed in spring 2022, consists of seven voting members and two non-voting members with prior experience in law enforcement. All COB members are residents of Arlington, are appointed by the County Board, and reflect the demographic diversity of the County.
Harris-Stowe State University has selected seasoned coach Michael Cook as its next head men’s basketball coach! Learn more in the HSSU release below.
Harris-Stowe State University’s Interim Director of Athletics, William Carey, is thrilled to announce Michael Cook as the next head men’s basketball coach.
“After a national search that comprised of interviewing a very impressive group of coaches, it was evident that Coach Cook was the individual to lead the Harris-Stowe State University Men’s Basketball program,” Carey said. “He is a competitor and he is a teacher. From the first time we spoke, his passion and determination to develop young people both on and off the court has been clear and I look forward to seeing his vision for Harris-Stowe men’s basketball come to life. It is our privilege to welcome Coach Cook, his wife, Latisha, and their family to Hornet Nation.”
Cook comes to Harris-Stowe from Fort Scott Community College, where he coached 13-seasons. Under his leadership, over 45 of his players have went on to play at four year schools, nineteen players are ranked on the all-time scoring list, nineteen on the all-time rebounding list and ten players on the all-time assist leaders. Currently, six of his players are overseas and five are playing semi-professional basketball. Also, the program posted the most single-season wins in the 2017-2018 season, which is only the 5th time the program posted a 20-win season.
“I am humbled and honored to be named Harris-Stowe State University’s next head men’s basketball coach,” said Cook. “I would like to thank President Dr. Collins Smith and Interim Director of Athletics, William Carey, for entrusting me with the future of Harris-Stowe State University basketball. I look forward to getting on campus and working with the student athletes to help them achieve their goals.
The 2020-21 season was a historical season for the Fort Scott Greyhounds as they were Conference Co-Champions, nationally ranked as high as number 11 and finishing seventeenth. Coach Cook was also named Conference Coach of the Year for the third time, the most of any DII coach in the conference. The Greyhounds had five members named All-Conference and one member named All-Region while the team led the nation in steals, and scored over 100 points in five games.
During the 2019-20 season, Cook’s 142nd career win lifted him to the top of the leader board for wins at Fort Scott. Cook’s focus on academics is uncontested as his teams have consistently been ranked in the top five in GPA for the conference, including in 2009-2010, when they were ranked fifth in the nation.
Senior Woman Administrator, Brittany Stewart stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Coach Cook to the Athletics Department here at Harris-Stowe State University. We are doing some exciting works here and we are hopeful that his talent, enthusiasm and fresh ideas will be invaluable for us! We also extend our heartiest welcome to his family. Coach, congratulations on being part of our growing and dynamic team here. We’re honored to have you with us!”
Cook was a two-year starter for Eastern Oklahoma State College from 1988-1990 prior to transferring to Pittsburg State University, where he started from 1990-1992. During his senior year, the team compiled a record of 21-8 and was ranked fourth in the nation.
Cook earned his bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University and his master’s from Northcentral University. He is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa.
Cook is married to the former Latisha Kelley. He has four children – two daughters, Rayven and Mataya, and two sons – Lakelon and Andrew. He also has three grandchildren – two grandsons, Adrian and Avery and one granddaughter – Andi.
Najuma Atkinson, an alumna of Fisk University, was just selected for a top position at entertainment company Hasbro! Learn more in the Business Wire release.
Dolph Johnson retires after more than two decades with company
Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS), a global play and entertainment company, today announced that Najuma (Naj) Atkinson has been appointed Chief People Officer. She assumes this position following the previously disclosed retirement of Dolph Johnson, Global Chief Human Resources Officer, after more than two decades of service at Hasbro.
In her new position, Ms. Atkinson will lead Hasbro’s global Human Resources organization, building a people and culture strategy that attracts and retains top talent, supporting the acceleration of Hasbro’s brand blueprint. Ms. Atkinson will also champion the company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, an area where she’s had long-standing commitment. Fostering an environment where leaders and team members exemplify Hasbro’s values of treating people with fairness, dignity, and respect, and always operating ethically.
“Naj has already been a terrific addition to our team with her global HR experience, digital-first mindset, and deep expertise developing talent, and I’m thrilled to continue working with her as Chief People Officer,” said Chris Cocks, Chief Executive Officer, Hasbro. “She understands the capabilities and new technologies needed to recruit top talent to execute the Hasbro gameplan and position us for future success.”
Mr. Cocks continued: “On behalf of our Board, senior management team and all of Hasbro, I also want to express my deep appreciation to Dolph for his countless contributions to Hasbro over the last 20-plus years and his transformative work leading our global Human Resources organization and strategy. He has been a loyal teammate, friend, and mentor, and we wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement.”
Ms. Atkinson joined Hasbro in October from Dell Technologies, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President of Global HR services. Prior to that role, she spent two decades at the company serving in positions of increasing responsibility across Human Resources, Customer Experience, and Strategy functions. Ms. Atkinson holds a bachelor’s degree from Fisk University in Political Science and a master’s degree in Organizational Management from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN. She is extremely passionate about community service—especially efforts supporting underserved youth in the community.
Fayetteville State University has selected Roberto E. Bryan Jr., who is earning a Master of Science in Criminal Justice at FSU, to serve as its new police chief and head of campus security! Learn more in the FSU release below.
Fayetteville State University (FSU) has tapped Roberto E. Bryan Jr. as its new associate vice chancellor for police and public safety/chief of police, effective June 7, 2022. Bryan comes to Fayetteville State after nearly three decades in law enforcement, including in the U.S. Army where he was commissioned as a Military Police Officer.
He succeeds former Chief Renarde Earl who retired in December 2021.
“Roberto Bryan brings a rare combination of local, national, global and military law enforcement service and experience to our university police department that make him an exceptional leader who can step into this role immediately,” said Fayetteville State University Chancellor Darrell T. Allison. “His robust relationships in our communities will help us strengthen and elevate the work we are able to accomplish on and off campus. When I look into the faces of parents and guardians of many of the students at FSU, my first commitment that I express to them is that we will do all we can to keep our students safe and protected. With today’s announcement in naming Mr. Roberto Bryan as our next Chief of Police, I am even the more confident in making that promise to our families.”
Bryan is a career law enforcement professional, having served his first patrol starting in 1994 as an officer for the City of Durham, North Carolina. He went on to a decorated career with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), serving in assignments as near as Washington, D.C., and Florida and as far away as the Caribbean, and Central and South America. He retired from the DEA in 2019 as a Special Agent with 22 years of service. He then joined the Fayetteville Police Department where he served as a police major for two years. Bryan’s extensive knowledge of policing and law enforcement is due to a broad range of experience, particularly in supervisory, sensitive, analytical, and technical components which significantly strengthen organizational impacts.
Bryan is a U.S. Army veteran and graduate of North Carolina Military Academy (OC-38) at Fort Bragg, where he was commissioned as a Military Police Officer. He earned a B.S. in criminal justice from East Carolina University in 1993 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in criminal justice at Fayetteville State University.
“I am honored to become the new associate vice chancellor for police and public safety /chief of police for Fayetteville State University,” Bryan said. “I am looking forward to the collaboration with the students, faculty and staff in maintaining a safe and secure environment for this institution of higher education both now and in the future.”
Bryan has received numerous awards and recognitions for his exemplary service, some of which include the United States Attorney’s Office Officer of the Year, the West Palm Beach Police Department Distinguished Service Award, Commendations from the Ecuador Minister of Interior and Commanding General of the Ecuadorian National Police as well as numerous DEA accolades. He has also earned numerous police senior management and advanced law enforcement certificates and is a member of several local and national law enforcement organizations.
Bryan and his wife of 26 years, Paulette, have two children.
Damon Wilson, a former head coach at Bowie State University and member of Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity Inc., is the new coach at Morgan State University! Learn more in the MSU release below.
Morgan State University today announced the hiring of Damon Wilson as the Athletics Department’s 23rd head football coach, effective June 1, 2022. Wilson, who brings a championship-level coaching pedigree and an extensive resume in collegiate football, replaces former Bears Head Football Coach Tyrone Wheatley, who left the program for a role as a position coach with the National Football League’s Denver Broncos.
Wilson comes to Morgan after serving for 13 seasons as the head football coach at Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland. There, he achieved three straight Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championships, in 2021, 2019 and 2018; five NCAA playoff berths; and three CIAA Coach of the Year honors.
“In Coach Damon Wilson, we have secured a high-caliber, proven leader, with an impressive record of winning, to oversee our football program and elevate it back to national prominence,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University. “Among the top-level coaching candidates that the incoming athletic director and I had the pleasure of evaluating, Coach Wilson was the standout, possessing an uncanny ability to recruit and mold talent. We welcome him to the Morgan team and look forward to his collaboration with Athletic Director Dena Freeman-Patton to earn Morgan a football championship.”
Because of the unexpected departures of both the former head football coach and athletic director, Morgan was compelled to initiate simultaneous national searches, with a higher priority on filling the latter. Upon her hiring, the incoming athletic director, Dena Freeman-Patton, began consulting with the firm conducting the search for the next head football coach, to review potential candidates and provide feedback/recommendations to President Wilson.
“Working closely with higher education placement firm Renaissance Search and Consulting, in conjunction with the University’s internal advisory committee, we were able to conduct a thorough and inclusive national search for the Bear’s next head coach,” said Freeman-Patton. “I thank everyone involved in this comprehensive effort, including the stellar candidates who were evaluated. Coach Wilson was our top choice, and I look forward to working with him to build a successful program and continue ‘The Morgan Way.’”
The University will host a press conference on June 10, 2022, at 10 a.m. in the University Student Center to officially introduce Wilson as Morgan’s new head football coach. The press conference will also be live streamed via the University’s and athletics department websites.
(Photo Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr./The Washington Informer)
Before assuming his most recent head coaching role, Wilson served as assistant head coach/running backs coach at Prairie View A&M University and as running backs coach/special teams coordinator for Texas Southern University. His coaching background also includes two previous stops at Bowie State University: as strength and conditioning/running backs coach and special teams coordinator (2007–2008) and as associate head/running backs coach and special teams coordinator (1999–2004).
His accolades include American Football Coaches Association Division II Coach of the Year (2021), Bowie State University Coach of the Year (2019, 2018, 2015, 2009) and CIAA Northern Division Champion (2021, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2009). He also assisted in fundraising for the building of a new, $1.1-million synthetic football field in 2010.
“Thank you to President Wilson and Ms. Freeman-Patton for presenting me with this opportunity to lead such a storied football program as its next head coach,” said Coach Wilson. “Morgan is a great university in a great position to grow. I look forward to working with the student-athletes to build on the University’s legacy as well as engaging with the alumni and other supporters of the program to ensure that our student-athletes have the support needed for them to be successful on and off the playing field.”
Coach Wilson was a standout student-athlete before joining the coaching ranks, playing for the team he currently coaches. He holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and a Master of Arts in Organizational Communication from Bowie State University.
He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association, CIAA Coaches Association, National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated.
Dillard University has tapped Elon University dean Dr. Rochelle Ford to succeed current President Dr. Walter Kimbrough! Learn more in the Dillard release below.
(Photo Credit: Dillard University)
The Dillard University board of trustees announced, today, that Dr. Rochelle LP. Ford, APR will serve as the University’s eighth president. Ford is currently the dean of Elon University’s School of Communications where she leads more than 80 faculty and 1,500 students with six undergraduate major programs of study and one graduate program. Ford is a 2021 fellow in Clark Atlanta University’s HBCU Executive Leadership Institute. Succeeding Dr. Walter Kimbrough, Ford will assume her role as president July 1, 2022.
“Dr. Ford is a dynamic, charismatic and visionary leader,” said Michael D. Jones, Esq., chair of Dillard’s board of trustees. “Students, faculty, and trustees were blown away by her insight, passion and drive. As impressive as Dillard has been over the past 150 years in producing history makers and change agents, there is no question that, under Dr. Ford’s leadership, the best is yet to come.”
Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, executive director of the HBCU Executive Leadership Institute, recalls Ford as an “outstanding fellow” from the institute. “The way she grasped what we were doing in terms of competencies, let us know that Dr. Ford would become a president. Her colleagues also saw that she had the disposition and knowledge to succeed in a presidential search.”
“I feel very blessed and honored to be selected to service Dillard University, which is a national treasure committed to producing leaders who live ethically,” said Ford. “Dillard’s alumni think precisely and act courageously to make the world a better place. I aim to continue that legacy and ensure the sustainability of Dillard for generations to come.”
Having built a robust resume in higher education administration and instruction, Ford has earned a reputation as a hard-working transformative leader. Her scholarship and experience include diversity, equity and inclusion, public relations, advertising, journalism, and media.
The following are some of Ford’s many accomplishments:• The second dean in the history of Elon’s School of Communications, Ford increased student enrollment approximately 15% between 2018 and 2021. Among many factors, Ford credits relationship-rich, engaged learning for the school’s enrollment success.
• Ford completed the HBCU Executive Leadership Institute microcredential on navigating board governance.
• At Syracuse, Ford co-chaired the university’s successful Middle States Commission on Higher Education re-accreditation and initiated a university-wide required common first year experience.
• With the recommendations of the School of Communication’s Faculty Technology Committee, Ford made strategic investments in her unit’s technological infrastructure including creative software, establishing video distribution through OTT, providing media analytics and social listening tools, enhancing video over fiber optics and audio over IP, updating and increasing camera coverage for Elon Athletics and Elon Sports Vision, and branding through digital signage in addition to other resources.
• At Elon, she led a reorganization of the academic departments to provide students with more access to administrators, improved faculty and student mentoring and strengthened academic curriculum and industry partnerships. Ford also hired more than 10 full-time faculty and more than 10 part-time instructors.
Before entering her role at Elon, Ford served as Syracuse University’s provost faculty fellow, implementing its strategic plan. She also served as the chair of the public relations department in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Prior to Syracuse, she helped establish the Academic Center for Excellence at Howard University and served as the associate dean of research and academic affairs in Howard’s School of Communications.
Among Ford’s numerous publications are “Administrative Challenges and Organizational Leadership in Historically Black College and Universities” and “Setting a New Agenda for Student Engagement and Retention in Historically Black Colleges and Universities”, both co-authored with Charles B.W. Prince.
In 2018, Ford was inducted into the PRWeekHall of Fame. ColorCOMM listed her as one of 28 Most Influential Black Females in Communications in 2021.
A native of Gahanna, Ohio, Ford earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism with a specialization in public relations from Howard, her master’s degree in journalism with a specialization in public relations from University of Maryland, College Park, and her Ph.D. in journalism from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. She also earned a graduate certificate in higher education administration from Harvard University.
Active in both her discipline and her community, Ford is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, where she holds an Accreditation in Public Relations. She is also a member of the National Black Public Relations Society, the Arthur W. Page Society, the American Advertising Federation, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the Alamance County Chamber of Commerce’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and the United Church of Christ. Dillard is affiliated with the United Church of Christ as well as the United Methodist Church.
Ford will be the second woman named Dillard’s president in a permanent capacity. Dr. Bettye Parker Smith served as interim president 2004-2005, and Dr. Marvalene Hughes served as president 2005-2011.
Jackson State University is honoring an attorney alumnus with a new pre-law center! Learn more in the release from Jackson State below!
Jackson State University students who aspire to have a career in law will now have a space dedicated to making those goals a reality. The JSU College of Liberal Arts unveiled the new Bob Owens Pre-Law Center, located on the second floor of the Dolly M.E. Robinson Building. A large gathering of family, friends, colleagues, and elected officials attended the event honoring alumnus Bob Owens, J.D., ’73.
President Hudson and Attorney Bob Owens standing in front of the Bob Owens Pre-Law Center (Photo Credit: Jackson State University)
“I want to give thanks to Attorney Owens. Twenty-four years ago in the Fall of 1998 you came and spoke to our class,” recalls President Thomas Hudson, J.D. “I was a student here at Jackson State University and just during that short time you poured something into us and into me that I feel sparked everything that you’re seeing here today. It’s that life of service, that legacy of excellence. We’re just so thankful it culminated in this moment where we can have the Bob Owens Pre-Law Center that we needed when we were students here.”
In keeping with the university’s strategic plan to foster student success through student-centered programs, the Bob Owens Pre-Law Center’s premiere program will be the Bob Owens Pre-Law Academy. The academy will serve as an accelerated and interdisciplinary boost to prepare students for the LSAT exam and the difficulties of Law School. The center will bring together new program delivery models and challenging initiatives that will aid JSU students interested in attending top-tier law schools.
“We envision Jackson State as a major pipeline for law schools around the country, for this to be accomplished we’ll need each of you to be ambassadors for JSU and the Bob Owens Center,” expressed Owens.
The Bob Owens Academy will focus on implementing preparatory programs, special projects, events and co-curricular activities. The undergraduate academy welcomes students from various studies to apply if they possess a serious desire to work in the field of law.
“The center does not promote any particular major. A student with a strong academic record and a strong interest in pursuing law will be considered,” says KB Turner, Ph.D., dean of the College of Liberal Arts. “Research shows that students with a background in biology, physics, history, and English tend to also be accepted at compatible rates as those students with degrees in social sciences, like political science or criminal justice.”
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, KB Turner, Ph.D. (Photo Credit: Jackson State University)
JSU alumnus Charles Irvin, Ph.D., will serve as the advisor for the Bob Owens Pre-Law center. During the ceremony Irvin praised Owens and his family for investing in the future generations of lawyers who will graduate from Jackson State and pursue law degrees. Irvin also spoke about his plans to lead students of the Bob Owens Academy to success.
“Establishing a successful pipeline means those students need to be ready and what does it mean to be ready? It’s rigor, it’s exploration, exposure, advantage detail and yield. You’re going to need a certain GPA and you’re going to need a certain LSAT score those are practical implications that we’ll deal with,” stated Irvin.
Attorney Owens stands as one of the nation’s legal luminaries. He is the founding partner of Owens Moss law firm, a fixture on West Street in Jackson, Miss. Owens’ firm has been listed in the Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, which includes only the most distinguished law practices. For almost five decades, Owens has quietly garnered countless million and multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of egregiously wronged clients. However, he cites his greatest professional satisfaction as working at Central Mississippi Legal Services where he was the managing attorney handling consumer and civil rights cases. Owens was successful in litigating cases involving constitutional rights of pretrial detainees, ensuring their civil and humane treatment.
Owens has been recognized with some of the highest awards in the legal profession, including the Jack H. Young Sr. Award for the lawyer contributing the most to the profession; the R. Jess Brown Award; and the NAACP of Mississippi Lawyer of the Year Award.
After graduating from Jackson State University, Owens earned his juris doctor degree from Florida State University College of Law. He is married to the esteemed Chancery Court Judge, Denise Sweet Owens, who attended George Washington University School of Law. They have four children – Selika is a pediatrician and the other three are lawyers: Bobby (Northwestern School of Law), Brittany (Harvard School of Law), and Jason (University of Chicago Law School).
The Owens endowed gift represents a synthesis of his love for Jackson State University, his respect for the legal profession, and his hope that the highest aspirations of lawyers yet to come will be realized. The first class of the Bob Owens Academy will enroll in Fall 2022.
Head men’s basketball coach Jason Crafton may be a powerhouse coach at the University of Maryland at Eastern Shore, but he’s even more talented than many may assume. Learn more about coach Crafton in the story by Nick Lorenson below.
(Photo Credit: Michael Thomas Shroyer/USA TODAY Sports)
Crafton called a G-League game, was a video coordinator under Jay Wright, had his own segment on an NBA pre & postgame show, and is a D1 head men’s basketball coach. What can’t he do?
As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, UMES head coach Jason Crafton was left wondering what he could do with so much spare time. Like many other people, he began a project.
“When our season got canceled, I was just looking for things to do to fill the gaps. I ended up being a guest on a podcast for the Sixers and Blue Coats,” Crafton told Mid-Major Madness. “I had a lot of fun with that.”’
The fun soon caught the attention of the 76ers front office and the kid from New York created new volunteer opportunities for himself.
Over the years, Crafton had become a native son of Philadelphia. After graduating from Division-II Nyack College in 2003, former Villanova head coach Jay Wright took him in as a video coordinator at the age of 21. Two years later, current Saint Joseph’s head coach Billy Lange took Crafton in for his first assistant coaching job at the Naval Academy. The young riser in the business has stuck around the mid-Atlantic since.
“Jay Wright is the guy who brought me into the business, Billy Lange is the guy who identified me,” Crafton said. “Billy Lange was the guy who spotted me and was like, “This guy could be good.” Then we started active interactions about getting into the business in my college days.”
After some promotions and a head coaching job at his alma mater, Crafton found his way back to the Philadelphia area in 2018, becoming an assistant coach for the G League Delaware Blue Coats. Although his coaching career went in a completely different direction, he made some great connections in that season and just like the 76ers he trusted the process.
It only took another year until he found himself back as a head coach, earning his first D1 head gig at Maryland Eastern Shore. It was a struggle the first two years as the Hawks only won five games in his first year and were one of two non-Ivy League institutions to sit out 2020-21 but that also gave him a lot of time to reflect on what he had learned not only through coaching but at school.
Crafton graduated Nyack with a communications degree. If coaching wasn’t going to work out, he was probably going to work in that field. He’s used it in different ways in all of his stops. Wherever he was a head coach, he tied it into a podcast. At UMES he created the “Hone Your Craft” podcast and had several notable guest appear including Clark Kellogg. With so much free time, why not hop on a podcast and talk about the 76ers? Only the NBA and G-League played over those couple of months where nothing else was going on. He did so with the “Coat Check” podcast and impressed others with his knowledge.
After killing it, the Sixers G-League affiliate the Delaware Blue Coats brought him in to be an analyst for their studio show on DEtv for their bubble season. Although it was via zoom, he thrived and the 76ers asked him to get into a bigger role, working pre and postgame for the NBA team during the playoffs. While he was there, he had his own segment on the pregame show called “Inside the Matchup” where he talked about scouting tips and things that he thought Doc Rivers was going to do. It was all volunteer and kept him busy while his Hawks were not playing.
“You have coaches that talk about their connection with the pro game. I coached there and am actively brought back to do things,” Crafton said. “I think it adds more value to our program. I think it’s a win-win for everybody.”
That value was shown this season as not many people were high on the Hawks. They hadn’t played in a season, had no one proven player and many ranking systems had them dead last in the country. You can only move up, right?
It’s exactly what they did and proved to the country they weren’t going to be stepped over during the whole month of November. In the season opener they lost to Saint Joe’s at the buzzer, at the time, many people thought that was a must-win game for Crafton’s former boss, Billy Lange. Ten days later, they pulled off the win against an A10 team in Fordham, winning its first non-conference road game in five seasons. That Rams team ended up having one of their best seasons in the past 30 years. Then later in the month, they battled an NCAA Tournament team in UConn, only losing to the Huskies by nine points. They definitely proved they were better than dead last.
Incredible effort last night on a National stage. There was a March feel to this game! We will build off of this experience. S/O to our true supporters and to ALL of the new fans we made in Connecticut last night. WE appreciate you! Let’s keep building! #1WAYpic.twitter.com/zzxSfSQpJA
“We tried to play with as much edge as we possibly could. One of the themes of our program is tenacity,” Crafton said. “I thought the guys had some anger, frustration from having a season canceled and watching other teams play.”
UMES would continue to battle, finishing 6-8 in MEAC play and going to the postseason for the first time since 2015. They would lose by double digits to Coastal Carolina in the first round of The Basketball Classic, but another opportunity came across for Crafton.
He would get a call from ESPN2 to call the first basketball game of his career. The Blue Coats needed someone to call their playoff opener against the Long Island Nets and UMES had a day off, why not?
“When the G-League playoffs begin, I randomly get a phone call that they needed someone to do the first round,” Crafton said. “Which was my first calling of a game, I had done a lot of pregame, halftime, postgame stuff, different segments but that was pretty cool to call a live game for ESPN2.”
Crafton killed the call but had to get his roster ready for next season. Like every other coach in the country, he has been working in the portal and using his connections as leverage. Although he lost one of his top scorers in Dom London, he has reloaded with a ton of JUCO talent and a potential All-MAAC player in Canisius transfer, Ahamadou Fofana. There’s even more on the way for a program that is on the rise and is looking to make its first NCAA Tournament in school history.
“I think the first phase is trying to get yourself out of the gutter and bring yourself to some kind of respectability, competitiveness. I think we’ve done that, made the first step. The second step is the hardest step, becoming a program that wins championships or consistently has winning seasons,” Crafton said.
UMES is very close to that and in a different spot from where they were just a few seasons ago. With Crafton’s hard work and versatility, UMES is a program on the rise. The 76ers organization knows it.
A student at Meharry Medical College will be making history when she graduates this weekend! Learn more in the release from Afrotech by Samantha Dorisca.
(Photo Credit: Igor Alecsander)
At 21-years-old, Zindzi Thompson will reportedly make history as the youngest Black female to graduate from Meharry Medical College.
Destined For Greatness
The celebratory moment was pre-meditated for the South Carolina native as — from an early age — Zindzi was set on becoming a doctor.
“I have always wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember, there’s nothing else that I wanted to be,” Zindzi said, according to News Channel 5.
Ten years later, Zindzi went to Mary Baldwin University in Virginia to obtain a four-year degree through a gifted program open to 20 women. Although the five-hour move was difficult for her parents, they refused to get in the way of their child’s dream.
“A big part of the process has been letting her go and achieve her goal. And that’s been the hardest part. The academics for her and knowing that she was going to do it was easy, but not having your daughter through those years was the hard part,” Samuel Thompson said to News Channel 5.
Zindzi Will Make History
By the age of 16, Zindzi’s pursuit of higher education led her to Meharry Medical College. Now, she is set to walk the stage on Saturday, May 28. Although her journey is inspirational, it also included moments of uncertainty. However, Zindzi affirms it is important to persevere through the storm, and her recent feat is proof.
“Just don’t give up. Just push through. If you have to re-take a course, re-take it and do better — you can definitely do it, it’s not impossible,” she said.
Following Family Footsteps
What’s more, Zindzi will fulfill a family tradition, joining at least a dozen loved ones who previously graduated from her soon-to-be alma mater.
“It’s definitely a mountain. I’m so, so excited. Tomorrow, I’ll be called a doctor — Dr. Thompson,” Zindzi said, according to News Channel 5.
Zindzi’s next chapter will lead her to St. Louis. There, she will begin a psychiatry residency at Washington University Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.
