North Carolina A&T State University is set to rename its Middle College after legendary former students known as the “A&T Four.” Learn more in the story by Jessie Pounds at the News & Times below.
From left to right: David Richmond, Franklin McCain, Jibreel Khazan and Joseph McNeil stand in front of the statue commemorating the A&T Four on North Carolina A&T’s campus. (Credit: N.C. A&T University Relations)
The Middle College at N.C. A&T has a new name that honors the students who started the sit-in movement.
The Guilford County Board of Education voted unanimously on Tuesday to rename the school the “A&T Four Middle College at North Carolina A&T State University.”
The board, however, did not take a vote on a prior recommendation to rename the Middle College at Bennett for former county commissioner and civil rights leader Carolyn Coleman.
According to Wanda Edwards, the district’s director of communications, the naming committee decided not to move forward with the proposal because the district is concerned that the school, which serves females, may not have enough students to open next year.
The school relies on students applying to attend rather than drawing from an attendance zone. According to Edwards, there has been declining enrollment during the last few years because the Bennett College campus was closed to in-person learning during much of the pandemic.
The district is waiting to see if enough students enroll before moving forward with renaming, according to Edwards.
The “A&T Four” — Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and David Richmond — launched the sit-in movement in 1960 when the A&T students sat down at the segregated F.W. Woolworth’s lunch counter in downtown Greensboro.
The A&T Four Middle College is an all-male public high school located on A&T’s campus. Students have the opportunity to take university classes at A&T and earn up to two years of college credit.
While the name change is effective now, it will not affect this year’s diplomas or other official documents. The district will officially transition to the new name on July 1.
“I love the name change,” said Trevor Rice, an A&T Four Middle College senior who came to the meeting on Tuesday.
Later in the meeting, Superintendent Sharon Contreras announced the federal waivers that had allowed this school district and others to provide free meals to students during the pandemic will soon expire.
Some schools in low-income areas will still be able to provide free meals to students through the Community Eligibility Provision which existed during the pandemic. At other schools, not all families have free lunch applications on file and many will need to apply and have their eligibility determined in order to continue to receive free meals throughout the next school year.
Contreras did not deliver her annual budget recommendations at the Tuesday meeting.
That is now planned for the board’s meeting on April 26.
President Joe Biden will speak at North Carolina A&T State University on Thursday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Credit: Andrew Harnik/AP
President Joe Biden is headed to the nation’s largest historically Black college and university this week to deliver remarks on his efforts to fight inflation.
Biden will deliver his remarks on Thursday in Greensboro at North Carolina A&T State University, a source familiar with the visit told McClatchy. N.C. A&T has the largest student population of any HBCU in the country.
The White House did not immediately provide comment.
It previously said in a Bureau of Labor Statistics’ statement that Biden would visit Greensboro this week to “discuss his Administration’s efforts to make more in America, rebuild our supply chains here at home, and bring down costs for the American people as part of Building a Better America.”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing last Friday that she did not have additional details on the trip to share, in response to a question about Greensboro’s two HBCUs and the possibility of a Biden visit to either one of them.
Greensboro is also home to Bennett College, a private liberal arts HBCU for women.
Biden’s visit to N.C. A&T will be his third stop at a historically Black college or university since taking office. Last December, he attended South Carolina State University’s fall commencement ceremony in Orangeburg. He delivered a speech on voting rights earlier this year, in January, at Clark Atlanta University in Georgia.
The president’s trip sends “a very positive message” to the HBCU community, said Thurgood Marshall College Fund President Harry Williams.
“He has been very transparent in his commitment to HBCUs,” Williams said. “This sends a very clear message of his consistent engagement with HBCUs and not just for photo ops.”
More than a third of the 101 schools that are considered HBCUs have received bomb threats and other threats of violence since the start of the year. The FBI says it is investigating the menacing acts.
The Department of Education said in March that it would work to send grant money to schools that have been targeted, and Biden in his annual budget asked Congress to set aside an additional $65 million in funding for Black colleges.
Biden also asked Congress to increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $2,000, which HBCU advocates say would lower costs for many students who attend those institutions. This month the president separately sought to ease the financial strain on Americans who borrowed money for school by extending a pause on federal student loan repayments through the end of August.
Inflation and the economy are urgent priorities for most Americans. Newly released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the Consumer Price Index increased by 8.5% in March from a year prior — the biggest spike in inflation in roughly 40 years.
The president’s trip to Greensboro on Thursday follows a visit to Menlo, Iowa, on Tuesday to talk about his administration’s attempts to lower costs for low- and middle-income families.
Biden lost Iowa and North Carolina when he competed for the presidency. Both states have Senate seats on the ballot this fall, which are currently filled by Republicans. Democrats are hoping to flip the North Carolina seat, in particular. It is held at present by retiring Republican Sen. Richard Burr.
Biden’s approval rating in the state is lower than his national average. He had a 35% approval rating in North Carolina and a 53% disapproval rating in a High Point University Poll released last week.
His approval ratings on inflation, 19%, and gas prices, 18%, were especially low in the survey, which had a margin of error of 3.5%.
Howard University alumna Janice Pettyjohn is making history at her alma mater due to a new position she’s landed with the Howard Bison. Get the full story from Nicolette White at Burlington County Times.
Credit: QbanCigarPhotography
They call her Hellraiser.
But bar raiser might be a better nickname after the latest accomplishment of Lumberton native Janice Pettyjohn.
At almost 23, the Rancocas Valley Regional High School alumna is reaching new heights for womankind, becoming the first woman hired for a full-time football position at Howard University. But the road to Pettyjohn’s historic hire wasn’t always easy.
Growing up, Pettyjohn gravitated more to arts than sports.
“Ironically, I’ve always been artsy girl. So, painting, art, I still do to this day, that’s what my hobbies surrounded,” Pettyjohn said.
In fact, health issues put an end to any hopes to participate in youth sports before they could even begin. Still, Pettyjohn was determined to find a way to be involved in Lumberton Middle School’s extracurricular actvities.
“No one wants to come right home after school; you want something to do,” Pettyjohn said. “So I started managing the basketball team in seventh grade then I did it in eighth grade and it ended up just becoming something that I loved without realizing that I love because it just became second nature.”
As offseasons would come and go, time away from the court only increased Pettyjohn’s interest in sports. Soon, middle school basketball team manager turned into Rancocas Valley Regional High School football team manager. As Pettyjohn leveled up, RVRHS staff like former head coach Dan Haussman couldn’t help but notice her ability to get the job done.
“She was always organized, she took on a ton of tasks, and we never had to worry about game set up,” Haussman said.
But where Haussman really got to know Pettyjohn’s ability to rise to a challenge was in the anatomy and physiology class he teaches.
“I watched Janice work really, really, hard because that’s a college level honors course,” Haussman. “That’s when I really got to see the determination and the grit she exhibited as a student as well.”
In 2017, Pettyjohn graduated from RVRHS and took her studies to Howard University, one of more than 100 historically Black colleges and universities. There she enrolled in the university’s sports medicine residency program. It took no time for Pettyjohn to come aboard the Bison football team when former head coach Mike London offered her an undergraduate position as a graphic designer and equipment manager.
“And then from there, my name just kind of started floating around. And next thing I know, I’m working with operations, I’m working with the color commentating people on the radio, I’m working with the (sports information) department,” Pettyjohn said. “I was always the person kind of with that mentality like that if it has to get done, I’m going to be the one that gets it done.”
When Larry Scott took over Bison coaching duties he assigned Pettyjohn new recruitment responsibilities. She found herself being treated more like an adult and less like a student.
“… Despite the fact that I was at the time. He gave me the same responsibilities that he was doing and little did I know that he and Coach Scott both were preparing me for this job that they wanted me to have once I graduated,” Pettyjohn said.
In 2021, Pettyjohn graduated from Howard’s Sports Medicine Residency program with a minor in sociology. Her original post-graduate plan was to attend medical school but realized that her heart wasn’t in it.
Pettyjohn was offered a full-time position with the Bison and has since transitioned to assistant director of football operations in addition to taking on the responsibilities of director of on-campus recruiting. This new position was developed specifically for Pettyjohn.
She’s involved in the recruiting process such as campus tours and runs operations such as maintenance of the football facilities and assists with coordination for events.
The significance of not only being the first woman hired full-time, but also as a new college graduate making history is not lost on Pettyjohn.
“I’m super grateful for this position,” she said. “Being 22 years old and getting a full-time position at Howard fresh out of college — its rare. Coach Scott really saw the potential in me.”
With football being a male-dominated sport, Pettyjohn’s current position is typically filled by men. Yet Pettyjohn says the biggest hurdle she faced was working in a high-level career at such an early age.
“‘I’m 22, about to be 23, doing what some 30 year old’s are just getting started doing,” Pettyjohn said. “You’re finding coaches on my staff who have coached in the NFL, who have played in the NFL. Coaches, who I’m not going to necessarily say ages, but they’re over the age of 40 and 50, who have been in this game for quite some time. So it was definitely a matter of building trust.”
And at times where Pettyjohn isn’t giving herself enough credit, her coaches, players, and Howard faculty are there to lift her up.
“Two of our associate AD’s will literally just call me sometimes to say you’re doing a great job. Our academic advisors will just call me and say you’re doing it. And my coaches tell me all the time. So even when I don’t feel it, if I don’t give myself the credit, there’s always someone else there in my ear,” Pettyjohn said.
When Rancocas Valley Regional High School Principal Joseph Martin found out Pettyjohn’s history-making hire, he reached out to offer congratulations.
“To me what really grabbed me was that this is a story of a young strong woman finding such tremendous career opportunities in a male dominated sport/industry,” Martin said.
In her current role, Pettyjohn draws from her sociology background to understand the impact students’ backgrounds and resources have on their decision making. She has seen athletes ignore injuries to remain on the team.
“Sometimes, sports are all they know. Their futures solely depend on their athletic abilities,” she said.
In the future Pettyjohn hopes to create a rehab facility in a low-income area to ensure all student athletes can receive the treatment they need to maintain their athletic abilities and careers.
“Janice’s future goals will better level the playing field for athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing them with training, healthcare and other supports that will help them succeed both on and off the field,” Martin said. “Those goals are what we are most proud to celebrate at RV when we share Janice’s story!”
A statue honoring revered HBCU football coach Bill Hayes is taking shape and ready to be brought to Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Get the full story from John Dell at Journal Now below.
Credit: Winston-Salem Journal
The next stage for honoring the legendary Bill Hayes is nearly complete.
A 12-foot bronze statue of Hayes is nearly finished, and it will sit outside Bowman Gray Stadium in honor of the former football coach at Winston-Salem State and N.C. A&T. The first phase of honoring Hayes, 78, was naming the football field at Bowman Gray Stadium after him last fall.
Donald Evans, a former star at WSSU, is the fundraising chairman for the Bill Hayes Bronze Statue and the Bill and Carolyn Hayes Scholarship Endowment campaign.
Evans says the progress on the statue has been swift and the plan is to have it installed this fall once he meets with city officials.
“We think in September or October we can have it ready to go so that’s what we are shooting for,” Evans said.
In the meantime Evans is continuing to accept donations to help with the statue and the scholarship.
The statue will be made of the highest quality of USA Bronze and it will be placed on a granite pedestal that will reach 12 feet high.
Credit: Donald Evans
“We really like the look of it so we wanted to give folks a chance to see what it’s going to look like,” Evans said.
When the statue is completed and put outside of Bowman Gray Stadium it will be the second statue in Winston-Salem of a sports figure. The other statue sits on the campus of Wake Forest and is of iconic golfer Arnold Palmer.
The three most impactful schools that Bill Hayes touched were Winston-Salem State, N.C. A&T and N.C. Central.
Hayes, who loves to play golf, will help raise money for scholarships to all three HBCU’s on May 13 at Maple Chase Golf & Country Club in Winston-Salem with a golf tournament in his name.
Maseo Bolin, a former quarterback for the Aggies, is excited about the golf tournament because of who is helping raise money.
“Mack Brown (the football coach at North Carolina) said he will be coming unless he has some pressing issues with his program, and Steve Forbes (the men’s basketball coach at Wake Forest) said he’s coming,” Bolin said.
Several of Hayes’ former players at A&T and WSSU are also playing in the tournament. Hayes, who was an All-American in his playing days at N.C. Central, was later the athletics director at his alma mater.
Bolin said the tournament should raise plenty of money for all three schools.
“Bill’s got a piece of his heart at all three institutions and each one of them mean the world to him,” Bolin said.
Bolin said that plan is to have a morning shotgun wave of four-man teams and an afternoon wave.
“A lot of teams have already signed up so it’s going to be a great day,” Bolin said about having the tournament on Hayes’ home course.
The William “Bill” Hayes Charity Golf Tournament is something Baseo said will be a yearly event.
“We are having a great start with this one so we definitely want to do it every year because it’s no secret HBCU’s need dollars to help kids get to college,” Baseo said. “And all of the proceeds will be divided up to all three schools.”
Tuskegee University has selected FAMU alumnus and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. member Dr. J. William Nicholas has been announced as the new band director for the Marching Crimson Pipers. Get the full story from the release below.
Tuskegee University has announced Dr. J. William Nicholas as the University’s new band director. Nicholas recently served as the Adjunct Director of Bands position at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, where he conducted the Wind Ensemble and taught instrumental conducting. He brings extensive experience in directing, performing, and quality instrumental conducting to the position.
“We look forward to working with Dr. Nicholas; his wealth of experience and leadership will help advance the Marching Crimson Pipers band program,” said President Dr. Charlotte P. Morris. “Nicholas adds to Tuskegee’s legacy in music education, and we are excited to see his vision, outreach, and programming initiatives.”
Nicholas is well-known in the secondary school band community; he has arranged for several bands across the southeastern United States over the last decade, including over ten high schools. From 2014 to 2019, he served as Director of Bands at Jones High School in Orlando, Florida. He grew the band program to 110 students, significantly increased student participation in audition-based honor bands, and earned consistent superior ratings on the District and State level. In 2018, in conjunction with the Jones High School Wind Ensemble, the Jones High School Concert Choir, garnered national attention on the “Ellen” show after receiving a $100,000 donation to fund a trip to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Additionally, he has arranged for the Edward Waters College “Triple Threat” Marching Band and the Allen University “Band of Gold” Marching Band. Nicholas has also served as a Session Coordinator for presentations at the Florida Music Educators Association Conference.
“I am tremendously excited by and grateful for the opportunity to join the Golden Tiger family, “said Nicholas. “For well over 100 years, bands at Tuskegee have represented this historic institution with excellence and pride. I look forward to continuing and elevating that tradition of excellence as Director of Bands.”
As an avid tuba player, Nicholas most recently performed as an on-call musician for several churches in the Orlando area. During his undergraduate study, he served as a principal tubist in the Florida A&M University Wind Ensemble and performed in numerous University chamber ensembles and chamber ensembles around the “Big Bend.”
A native of Orlando, Florida, Nicholas earned the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in band conducting at the University of South Carolina. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from Florida A&M University and Florida State University. His professional affiliations include the Golden Key International Honor Society, National Association for Music Education, and Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.
QuikLiq Is Redefining Safe And Convenient Drinking In Miami
Miami is a destination for plenty of parties and plenty of fun. But when those parties and fun include alcohol, things can get messy, or even dangerous. Thinking ahead, two fraternity brothers hailing from Clark Atlanta University came up with a solution. Rather than risk driving drunk or even getting stuck in heavy traffic, it’s now possible for people in south Florida to get their alcohol delivered.
By creating QuikLiq, Navarr Grevious and Mikáel Pyles are saving people in the Miami community time, money, and potentially dangerous situations. As a tech-forward digital marketplace, the company is the very first first black-owned alcohol delivery company in the world. “With our partnerships, we allow liquor stores to sell their inventory on our platform and deliver customers’ orders within 45 minutes or less,” said Grevious. “Our late-night delivery to 3 am has genuinely separated us from our competitors.” In fact, QuikLiq is actually the only alcohol delivery company in Miami open until 3 am.
Mikáel Pyles, Provided Photo
Ironically, the frat brothers came up with the idea for QuikLiq separately. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, seeing that they did almost everything together in college. They crossed together into the Gamma Kappa chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. in 2008. The following semester, they became President and Vice President of the chapter, and even added on work with Toastmaster’s International. “After our success working together in college, the thought of starting a business together outside of college was pretty much a no-brainer,” they said. “We both wanted to create something that would bring generational wealth to us and our families.”
With their determination, QuikLiq has quickly become a booming business. Customers can order convenient deliveries to the greater Miami area, which includes zip codes spanning North Beach and South Beach. Whatever they want is available at reasonable prices. QuikLiq is stocked with tequila, vodka, cognac, gin, champagne, wine, beer, and more. They even got mixers covered with juices and sodas.
A stand-out aspect of QuikLiq is the brand’s forward thinking. If you head to the QuikLiq website, you’ll discover that if you don’t know how to make a good drink, they’ve got you covered! With Quikie Recipes, learn how to make refreshing cocktails like Spiked Pink Lemonade, a Spicy Margarita, Awesome Apple Sangria, the Negroni, and the OG Old Fashioned.
Navarr Grevious, Provided Photo
To keep up with technology, QuikLiq can be easily accessed as an app on the App Store and Google Play. “My proudest moment as a company is QuikLiq becoming a fully automated app that operates throughout the Southeast region and growing nationwide,” said Navarr Grevious. “We have been creating and working on our App since 2018. It’s been a long time coming, so to be at this point is truly a blessing.” During the official QuikLiq launch party held in South Beach earlier this year, people finally were able to see the hard work when the app was announced to supporters. “Being on the stage with our entire executive team and announcing our app to the world, I felt like I was in a movie,” said Pyles. “Most of the time when people see a successful business, they only see the finished product. They don’t see the blood, sweat, and tears that go into creating that product. For us, creating this App took years of hard work and many ups and downs. So to finally be able to announce it and deliver it to the public, is a moment I will never forget.
As with many businesses, QuikLiq wasn’t always a successful endeavor. “We created QuikLiq as a bootstrapped, self-funded business with no help from outside funding or loans,” said Pyles. That route resulted in limited funding, resources and staff, but they were onto something. “Whenever you are creating something from scratch without a blueprint, there is always going to be a learning curve and unforeseen struggles.” Once things finally started looking up, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “We had to react quickly to the ramifications of the pandemic and adjust our business model accordingly. While many startups went out of business due to the pandemic, we adjusted and thrived—bringing in more revenue than we had prior. And, on the financial side, we started pitching to investors last year, and have successfully raised over $200K in funding. So, although our road to success has definitely not been smooth, we continue to believe in ourselves, and like we learned at our alma mater, we always find a way or make one!”
Follow QuikLiq’s success on Instagram, and order through the online apps or website in the Miami area today.
Morgan State University will be making history with its plans to add acrobatics and tumbling to its sports offerings! Get the story from the MSU release below.
Credit: Morgan State University
Morgan Becomes the First HBCU Division I Program Nationwide to Offer the Sport
Morgan State University Athletics Department announced the addition of women’s acrobatics and tumbling as its 16th NCAA varsity sport, with competition set to begin in 2023-24. Morgan is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) Division I program to offer the sport, and only the third school in Maryland (following Frostburg State University and Stevenson University) to add acrobatics and tumbling.
Morgan will also join the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA), a discipline of USA Gymnastics, to become its 40th member. Having met the required participation threshold, acrobatics and tumbling will become eligible for NCAA championship status—a major milestone for the sport and schools—once all participating NCATA programs reach NCAA sport sponsorship levels.
“As we approach the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, we are excited to expand upon Morgan State University’s long history of creating opportunities for female student-athletes,” said Erlease Wagner, interim vice president and director of athletics for Morgan State University. “The NCAA’s approval of acrobatics and tumbling as an emerging sport presented an ideal opportunity for Morgan to become the first HBCU to compete at the NCAA Division I level. Building upon Morgan’s historical success in Cheer competition, we believe the future is promising and look forward to fielding a competitive acrobatics and tumbling team.”
The NCAA added acrobatics and tumbling to its Division I Emerging Sports for Women program in 2020. Acrobatics and tumbling evolved from different disciplines of gymnastics, which includes the athletic aspects of competitive cheerleading. The format was created at the collegiate level to address the interest and abilities of young women competing in this skill set. During competition, individuals and small groups execute acrobatic lifts, tosses, and tumbling conducted on a floor. Participation is broken into six event meets varying in group sizes.
“We are extremely excited to add Morgan State University, a Division I HBCU, to the NCATA community,” said Janell Cook, executive director for NCATA. “The addition of Morgan State adds to recent program growth in Maryland and in the region and provides new collegiate opportunities for young women training in gymnastics and cheerleading. We look forward to working closely with their administration as they begin their search for a head coach and recruitment of student-athletes.”
In addition to its NCATA membership, nationally, Morgan becomes only the fifth NCAA Division I school with an acrobatics and tumbling program, and the third HBCU across all divisions (following Bluefield State College, West Virginia State University) to have a program.
“With Morgan State as the 40th NCAA institution to sponsor acrobatics and tumbling, we have reached a historic milestone in the growth of the sport,” Cook added. “This moment is a result of all the NCATA member administrators, coaches, and student-athletes who have invested in Acrobatics & Tumbling since 2009. I’m overjoyed for all who have contributed to reaching this goal.”
The addition of acrobatics and tumbling continues an expansion of opportunities for student-athletes at Morgan. In October 2021, Morgan announced the return of Division I collegiate wrestling following a 24-year hiatus.
A standout at Jackson State University made history Monday night with her draft into the WNBA Monday night. Ameshya Williams-Holliday is no longer a Lady Tiger, because she is officially on the Indiana Fever roster. Get the full story from Jack Maloney at CBSbelow.
BATON ROUGE, LA – MARCH 19: Jackson State Lady Tigers center Ameshya Williams-Holliday #4 attempts to pass during the first half of the game between the LSU Tigers and the Jackson State Lady Tigers during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament held at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 19, 2022 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Williams-Holliday was the SWAC Player of the Year at Jackson State
The 2022 WNBA Draft was filled with all sorts of awesome stories, but perhaps none better than Ameshya Williams-Holliday going No. 25 overall to the Indiana Fever. In the process, the Jackson State star became the first player selected from an HBCU in 20 years.
That alone is an impressive accomplishment, but Monday night was also the culmination of an impressive five-year journey for Williams-Holliday. Originally recruited to play at Mississippi State, she quit basketball in 2017 because she no longer enjoyed the game. After a few years and the birth of her son, Jace, she returned to the court in 2019 with Jackson State.
There, she became a star, winning the SWAC Defensive Player of the Year Award three times, and the SWAC Player of the Year Award this season. Boasting a 7-foot-2 wingspan, the 6-foot-4 center dominated in the paint, averaging 19.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game this season.
On paper, numbers like that would make her a surefire draft pick. In practice, the lower level of competition in the SWAC meant it was no guarantee.
“I think if I was at a Power 5 school, it would be a different story of me being drafted or trying to get my foot in [the WNBA],” Williams-Holliday said earlier this year. “People think [HBCUs] can’t compete with other top institutions [or] a Power 5 school, but that’s not true. I think we deserve to be on the same level. I do think if I was still at Mississippi State, I would be a first-round draft pick. Since I chose to go to an HBCU, I don’t know where I’ll be drafted [or] if I will be drafted.”
Late on draft night, Williams-Holliday finally got the call. The Fever selected her with the first pick of the third round, as the No. 25 pick overall. She got to share the special moment at a party with friends and family in Gulfport, Mississippi.
With the 25th pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, the Indiana Fever select…
Ameshya Williams-Holiday, from Gulfport, Mississippi. (West Harrison/Jackson State). pic.twitter.com/AhxN4kdrNK
“I came in smiling and they knew I had some good news cause I kept smiling,” Williams-Holliday said. “I just couldn’t stop smiling. I’m grateful, I’m thankful and I just want to thank everybody that helped me through this journey and kept pushing me to keep going and never give up.”
Williams-Holliday will now report to training camp with the Fever, which begins later this month. While it may be an uphill battle for her to make the roster as a third-round pick, there are a few factors that give her a chance. First and foremost, she’s a hard-working, defensive-minded player who fits the culture that interim GM Lin Dunn is trying to create in Indiana. Plus, Indiana is in rebuilding mode and has just four guaranteed contracts on the books, which means, unlike many teams, they will have plenty of roster spots up for grabs in camp.
Hampton University has lifted the heavy financial burden off of its students’ shoulders by wiping their spring semester balances clean. Get the full story from Atiya Jordan at Black Enterprise below.
Credit: Daily Press
The COVID-19 pandemic is still the cause of financial hardships for many families, including those carrying the load of paying for college expenses.
Hampton University, an HBCU in Virginia, has jumped at the opportunity to provide financial and economic relief from looming costs.
Hampton University’s President, Dr. William R. Harvey, announced that the University would be dissolving all outstanding student account balances for the Spring 2022 semester and will not increase tuition, fees, room and board for the upcoming new year.
“In keeping with the University’s efforts to help our students, there will be no increase in tuition, fees, room and board for the 2022-2023 academic year,” said Dr. Harvey, according to WTKR.
“IN ADDITION, ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT ALL OUTSTANDING BALANCES FOR THE SPRING 2022 SEMESTER WILL BE ERASED. WE HOPE THAT THIS ACTION WILL CONTINUE TO ASSIST OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AT OUR HOME BY THE SEA.”
Last August, the University made a similar announcement to alleviate financial burdens for undergraduate students. HU paid all outstanding balances owed by continuing undergraduate students enrolled at the end of the spring 2021 semester.
To help assist with last year’s costs, Hampton also issued a $200 book scholarship to all enrolled students for the Spring 2022 semester.
In April 2020, Dr. and Mrs. Harvey made a $100,000 matching donation, which provided each student on campus $100 to assist with travel costs. In May, the University sent direct deposits to each 2020 and 2021 graduate with a federal student loan of $500 toward repayment of that loan. Students who did not have student loans received reimbursements of $150.
According to WAVY, the University also announced last year that its campus minimum wage would increase to $15-per hour in the new year. In addition, all faculty and staff were gifted an end-of-the-year bonus of $200.
“The holiday season is a time of sharing. In that spirit, I am giving every Hampton University employee an Appreciation Bonus of $200 as a Christmas gift, and the University is increasing the minimum wage from $13 an hour to $15 an hour, effective January 1, 2022,” Harvey previously announced. “It is my hope that the Appreciation Bonus and the wage increase will be beneficial to you and your family.”
Alabama A&M University‘s next incoming President Dr. Daniel Wims is seeking to tighten the HBCU’s relationship with the surrounding Huntsville community. Get the full story from Keneisha Deas at FOX 54 below.
Credit: FOX 54
Alabama A&M University is gearing up to install its new president, Dr. Daniel Wims. Under his new leadership, they hope to further strengthen the school’s relationship with the city of Huntsville.
As Alabama A&M prepares to welcome a new president, the school is working to strengthen its community partnerships.
Alabama A&M University is gearing up to install its new president, Dr. Daniel Wims. Under his new leadership, they hope to further strengthen the school’s relationship with the city of Huntsville.
Yvette Clayton, AAMU Director of Career Development Services, says, “We want [the] Huntsville community, the business and government communities, to know, one, we have, you know, majors that they’re looking for. We have students that can help to meet their needs. And we have the capacity to even go beyond that with terms of research and contract projects.”
The city of Huntsville has a big STEM presence, and Clayton, says they have programs tailored to those industries. “If you think about the Redstone Arsenal and all of the logistics, that they’re really about, we want them to know that we have logistics in undergrad and within our MBA program and in the systems and materiel program, in our College of Engineering.”
Clayton says the university is looking to improve its partnerships. “I think that there’s always an opportunity to improve, and I think that President Wims is really doubling up efforts to strengthen those partnerships and to make sure again, they are aware of that some people don’t even know we’re here, you know, and so just to make sure that people see this beautiful campus on the hill.
“We have a lot of projects and I think we have even more than that we would like to embark upon with industry partners that are interested in working with us.”
Patricia Johansson, who is white, was a 36-year-old senior at Winston-Salem State University when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, her daughter said.
“One of her professors took aside and told her that she might want to go home a few days,” Charity Johansson of Pittsboro said of her mother. Patricia Johansson told her professor, “If I can’t be here today, then I can’t be here at all.”
Patricia Johansson remained on the campus that day and eventually graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English, becoming the first white person to receive a degree at WSSU, a predominately Black school, according to Archway, the university’s magazine.
Johansson later received a master’s degree at Wake Forest, according to the Wake Forest University website.
“She had very fond memories of her time at Winston-Salem State,” Charity Johansson said of her mother.
Patricia Adams Johansson died Thursday night of natural causes at the Reynolds Hospice Home in Winston-Salem, her daughter said. Johansson was 90.
In September 2017, Patricia Johansson told Archway that WSSU “gave me the opportunity to go to a school I could afford.”
Johansson drove to the campus daily while she managed her family at her Tobaccoville home, her daughter said.
“She loved being a mother,” Charity Johansson said. “That was the most important thing in her life.”
Patricia Johansson instilled her love of the environment, books and travel into her six children, Charity Johansson said.
“She read a lot of Southern fiction,” her daughter said. “She read Shakespeare to us before we were born.”
Patricia Johansson joined the faculty at Wake Forest University as an English instructor in 1969, the Winston-Salem Sentinel reported in July 1983. In 1970, she was appointed as an assistant to the dean. Four years later, Johansson received the excellence in teaching award at Wake Forest.
Johansson also served as the director of the university’s overseas study center in Venice, Italy. In 1998, Johansson retired as an associate dean of the college at Wake Forest.
Toby Hale, of Winston-Salem, said he worked as one of four associate deans at Wake Forest with Johansson.
Hall said he will remember Johansson’s “kind spirit and her genuine love of learning, her students and her family.”
Raymond Farrow, of Chapel Hill, and Ashley Hairston, of Durham, said they are Johansson’s former students who traveled with Johansson to Venice for the university’s program in Italy. Hairston is an associate dean of academic advising at Wake Forest.
Farrow said he will remember Johansson’s love of poetry.
“She was a powerful mentor to many students, including myself,” Hairston said.
Several Tennessee State University students traveled to Houston to connect with leadership, learn more and explore opportunities at WM. Get the full story from Brian Taylor at Waste Today below.
One visiting TSU student says the day-long visit “changed our perception of WM.” (Credit: Tennessee State University and Stones River Group)
Houston-based waste and recycling company hosts 30 students from Tennessee State University.
More than 30 Tennessee State University (TSU) students recently traveled to Houston to visit the WM (formerly Waste Management Inc.) corporate headquarters and meet with some of the company’s senior executives.
The students from the Nashville, Tennessee, historically Black university are participants in the Leadership TSU program and were accompanied by Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Frank Stevenson.
During their visit, the students heard from WM executives about the personal and professional experiences that have shaped their careers, and about the company’s approach to sustainability.
“It was just very mind-blowing and very impactful seeing those [executives] and what WM is doing,” says Anarra Williams, a senior food and nutritional science major from Dayton, Ohio. “When I first got there, I just thought those were people who pick up our trash, but they really are honing on their sustainability piece—something I want to be a part of.”
Nykole Allen Clark, a senior business administration major from Las Vegas, adds, “That exposure to them and the company itself totally changed our perception of WM. As a business major, I saw a lot and heard a lot to help me in my preparation as a student and as a leader. It was an ‘a-ha’ moment for me.”
In their day-long visit, the students met with WM on several topics, including the company’s approach to sustainability and how that focus shapes its operations. As an example, WM says it focuses on materials recovery solutions at its area landfills, such as its 183-acre site in Nashville, home to what WM calls the only mixed construction and demolition (C&D) materials recovery facility in Davidson County, Tennessee.
Students also engaged in question-and-answer sessions with WM leaders. Tamla Oates-Forney, who oversees WM’s “people team,” fielded questions from students about her experience as a black female executive in corporate America, describing education as an opportunity equalizer and commenting on why diversity and inclusion are important in leadership and the workplace.
“The Houston trip was amazing; to have WM roll out the red carpet of leadership experience for our students was simply breathtaking,” says Stevenson. “They were intentional about making sure our students had a glimpse into their company’s culture. It was amazing conversation and dialogue between students and the WM executive team. I think our students were surprised at all of the components of WM.”
The Leadership TSU visit is an extension of a three-year partnership between WM and TSU first announced in late 2021. Through that partnership, WM has committed $300,000 to TSU. WM says half of that funding will be directed toward sustainability research conducted in collaboration with TSU’s Colleges of Agriculture and Engineering and the other half will provide need-based scholarships each year to up to 10 students from the Nashville area who attend TSU.
“The energy and curiosity of these student leaders was truly inspiring,” says Eddie McManus, Mid-South area vice president for WM. “This visit was a great way to kick off our relationship with TSU, and we look forward to all that is ahead, including building out the research program and getting to know more students through the internship and scholarship opportunities.”
Savannah State Athletics has hired Aaron Kelton as the 27th head football coach, Director of Athletics Opio Mashariki announced Tuesday morning.
Kelton arrived on campus this morning to meet with the team and administration. Kelton and Mr. Mashariki will hold a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
“We are very excited to welcome Aaron Kelton to Savannah State, “Mashariki said. “Following our national search, we had a very tough choice to make. We feel confident Aaron Kelton is the right leader for our football program as we continue to create a winning culture.
“We would like to thank Russell DeMasi for stepping in to serve the program in the interim.”
“I am excited,” Kelton said. “I’ve been excited since I found out. It’s such a great opportunity to work with great kids in a great region of football and to be at a school like Savannah State that is so rich in tradition. I am looking forward to getting to know the kids and getting after it.
“I would like to thank Mr. Mashariki and President Ballard-Washington for seeing that I am the guy who can do this job.”
Kelton comes to Savannah State from Howard University where he was the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator. He also served as interim head coach at Howard in 2019.
Prior to that, the Boston, Massachusetts native was the co-defensive coordinator at Morgan State, and the head football coach at Shorter University. He also served stints at Williams College, Columbia University, Virginia State University, Concord College, Clarion University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Through his nearly three-decades of coaching experience, Kelton has served as an intern with four NFL teams and coached over 30 all-conference players. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Springfield College and is a master’s degree candidate at Virginia State University.
Kelton was one of four finalist for the head football coach position at Savannah State, following a national search that yielded 63 applicants.
Kelton will take over a program that had back-to-back winning seasons, including an 8-2 finish in 2021.
Many Grambling State University Lady Tiger volleyball players have been left in shock and wondering what to do without scholarships after their entire roster has been cleared by the head coach. Get the story from Wilton Jackson at Sports Illustrated below.
Grambling State University Head Volleyball Coach Chelsey Lucas (Credit: ARKLATEX)
New Grambling State volleyball coach Chelsey Lucas decided to cut every player on the team, according to Kori Johnson of KSLA-TV in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Lucas, a 2007 Grambling alum, became the team’s head coach in February. She had previously told all 19 players on the team that she would be making some roster changes, according to GSU’s sports communication director Brian Howard.
However, personnel within the department did not know the full extent of the changes that Lucas had planned. Lucas’s move to release every player was not previously discussed, according to Howard, and is something that is typically left up to the coach’s discretion.
The volleyball coach met each player individually and advised them that their scholarships would not be renewed.
Destiny Johnson, who was a sophomore defensive specialist on the team, tweeted a statement on Monday, said she was “sick to her stomach” and very “upset” about being cut from the team and losing her scholarship.
“All the time, energy, (and) dedication I put into the volleyball program here at Grambling State has been thrown right back in my face,” Johnson said. “My entire team has been robbed of our last years to play the sport we love by a woman who has come in and disrespected and belittled us since day 1.
“I’m so upset that the AD has made no effort to look further into this. Grambling State University especially the athletic department should be truly ashamed of themselves. We deserve so much better.”
Howard told KSLA-TV that recruiting efforts have already started to replace the players who were cut from the roster.
“It’s her decision to make, and she has some quality players coming on board,” Howard said. “I think 13 or 14 are coming on board at some point. So, I hate to say out with the old, but in with the new a little bit.”
Trayvean Scott, GSU’s athletic director, said in a statement that “just as the transfer portal empowers student-athletes, our coaches are also empowered to make the decisions they deem necessary to advance their programs.”
Before returning to Grambling, Lucas spent six seasons at two other Southwestern Athletic Conference programs in Arkansas Pine-Bluff and Alcorn State. She coached three years at UAPB where she posted a 37–44 record overall and a 37–17 mark in conference play. Prior to UAPB, she spent three seasons at Alcorn State from 2016 to ‘18.
Purchase your tickets to AFRICON before they sell out!
To belong to the Black diaspora is to be part of an incredible global community. It’s full of rich history, diverse shades, beautiful people, and a legacy of success. Get a taste of what that looks like by attending the second annual AFRICON this spring, where you’ll unlock a conference and culture fest unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
May 25-28, 2022, experience what it looks like to unite the Black diaspora in an event brought to you by Amplify Africa and the Africa Channel. We welcome you to join us in Los Angeles for a packed weekend full of events, pop culture, activism and innovation. Feel how powerful it is to be part of the Black diaspora over the course of four days with panels, special guest speakers, a music festival, a marketplace, a gala and more. The events kick off Wednesday May 25th with the celebration of Happy Africa Day, and the fun keeps going from there.
Enrich yourself and learn from the greats with an amazing selection of speakers that you won’t find anywhere else. Among them include:
Ava Hall (Former Head, BET International)
Jidenna (Musician)
Charles Kuykendoll (Global Lead, Talent Brand & Events at Stripe)
Tunde Balogun (Co-founder, LVRN)
Rema Morgan-Aluko (VP of Software Engineering, Fandango)
Abdul Abdullah (Founder & CEO of Culture Management Group and Afrochella Festival)
And many, many more
Aside from networking, there is a lucrative opportunity for ambitious entrepreneurs through a pitch competition. Startups in their early stages will be eligible to win $10,000, media exposure and more. To begin, submit a pitch application by Monday, April 25, 2022. Semi-finalists will be granted perks that include two tickets to AFRICON, a feature with Amplify Africa and more. Finalists will compete on the AFRICON Business and Tech Stage on Friday, May 27, 2022.
There is much to look forward to at AFRICON, and the Afro Ball is definitely one of them. The ball is a fun, fashion-forward event with a purpose. As it went with a philanthropic motive, this year organizers are looking to raise $500,000 through a partnership with iHeartAfrica Foundation and ChakaBars. The funds will go towards helping a community in Goma, Congo resettle after being displaced by a volcanic eruption. The event also celebrates the changemakers who work to honor the diaspora. Past honorees have included artist Jidenna, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Influencer Jackie Aina, Motown Records Chairman/CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam, and more. HBCU Buzz is proud to serve as a media partner to AFRICON 2022. Get more information about all of the exciting events and purchase your tickets today here before they’re all gone.
Music can unite crowds and even teams, and the Tennessee State University football team isn’t exempt. Learn more about the team’s singing tradition after each practice thanks to their talented coach in the article by Mike Organ at the Tennessean below.
He’s also leaning on his acting career, which included a stint on Broadway and appearances in several television movies and shows.
The former Tennessee Titans All-Pro running back took eight years of voice and singing lessons during his acting career and now has his players trying to carry a tune in an effort to bring his team together.’
After each spring practice, George has his players gather on the sideline. He selects one position group to step to the front to lead the team in singing the alma mater.
“I learned through singing it’s a vibration; getting in the right pitch, the right harmony,” George said. “When you’re an ensemble it brings you together. You’re always striving to get in tune with one another. That’s one thing that I’ve preached since I got here; to be in tune as one.”
Will singing together help the Tigers, who were 5-6 in George’s first season in 2021, play better? George hopes so. If not, at least they’ll sound good when they sing.
“If anything we’ve accomplished something as a team in that we’ve learned the song acapella,” George said. “We may not sound great yet but we’re still striving for that. It has allowed us to collectively come together to accomplish something no matter how big or how small or how mundane it is.”
Chayil Garnett, a transfer from Auburn, has already proven to be the best quarterback in spring practice. He’s leading the first-team offense and also wants to be the best singer.
“I’m getting there; I’m trying to be the best even though I’m not really a singer,” said Garnett, who started the last game last season against Mississippi State. “I like that we’ve implemented that in spring practice. Last year we didn’t really treat the song with much honor and respect. Learning it is a good way to make everybody buy in and it’s giving us an edge about being at Tennessee State.”
Along with Garnett, George said some of the best singers are former Cane Ridge stars Jahsun Bryant, a middle linebacker, and Devon Starling, a running back.
