In an upcoming event this Friday, Livingstone College President Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr. is going to discuss life as one of the HBCU’s longest-serving presidents, while being accompanied by his own daughter. Get the full story from the Livingstone release below.
Livingstone College will host its fourth installment of ‘Fridays at the Stone’ on March 25 and it will be a family affair.
Livingstone President Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr.
The featured speaker will be Livingstone President Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr., as he reflects on his 16-year tenure at Livingstone. The business spotlight speaker is Dr. Lisa Davis of Smiles by Design, the president’s daughter.
Networking begins at 7:15 a.m. at the Livingstone College School of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts, 530 Jake Alexander Blvd., South. The program will start promptly at 7:30 a.m.
Fridays at the Stone is a series of networking and relationship building events, hosted by Livingstone College. Each program typically features three elements: A Livingstone College program spotlight; a minority local business/nonprofit spotlight; and an alumni spotlight. There will not be an alumni spotlight in March.
Dr. Lisa Davis
Jenkins announced his retirement in February, effective July 1. He is the second longest-tenured president in the history of the college. Most recently, he was inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Hall of Fame and the CIAA announced it was creating a scholarship in his honor.
Davis has 20-plus years of dental experience, specializing in cosmetics, oral surgery and pediatric dentistry. A graduate of Rutgers Dental School, she completed her residency at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. She has also had specialty training at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
“Fridays at the Stone” is an intentional effort by Livingstone College to network and engage more with the community and business leaders, to facilitate relationship building and community partnerships, and to provide an opportunity for the community to learn more about Livingstone College and its programs.
The series is spearheaded by Pete Teague, Livingstone College special assistant to the president for community development; the Office of Communications and Public Relations; and the Office of Alumni Affairs.
Livingstone began the series in October, with the final program of this semester scheduled for April 22. This inaugural breakfast series is sponsored by First Legacy, a division of Self-Help Credit Union.
The event is free and will feature a continental breakfast served by the college’s culinary arts students.
The next generation of HBCU students must be innovative to solve the problems of tomorrow. Plus, with so much going on in the world, there are plenty of opportunities across science, technology, and other industries for students to do so. To provide students across the country with the resources to do so, the Propel Center has just announced a new program that will ultimately provide $1,000,000 in scholarships! The program was created with support from Apple and Southern Company to advance HBCU students and help transform the nation’s talent pipeline and workforce!
The Propel Center has become a leading source of innovation as a new global HBCU technology and learning hub. As one of the Center’s many outreach initiatives, the newly established 2022 Propel Student Impact Scholarships are now open to receive applications! “We at Propel are committed to not only building the ultimate Black talent pipeline, but also to supporting and sustaining the ever-changing global and diverse workforce experience,” said Dr. Charles J. Gibbs, president of the Propel Center HBCU Consortium. “I am honored and humbled that through this first-of-its-kind scholarship program, and true to our mission, we’re also able to open broader career pathways for our so richly deserving HBCU students.”
Students studying across several industries are being encouraged to apply for the opportunity to earn up to $10,000 each. Ultimately, 100 scholarship recipients will be chosen. Students are encouraged to apply if they are pursuing degree programs that include entrepreneurship, arts and entertainment, agri-tech, social justice, energy and health. If a student’s degree program happens to not be included in that listing, Propel Center still welcomes applications that can provide an explanation as to why they are still a valuable candidate. The scholarship team is on the lookout for rising sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate student applicants. In addition to receiving the scholarship funds, recipients will also have the coveted opportunity to engage with Propel Center’s corporate partners, such as Apple, through immersive work-based learning.
The act of voting is one of the easiest ways to empower our community. By simply making it to the ballot box or mailing your vote in, you can help direct resources to students and other people that would be grateful for the aid. To emphasize the value voting within the HBCU community, a new initiative featuring familiar faces has been established.
Launched by Civic Nation’s When We All Vote, the VOTE LOUD HBCU Squad Challenge was recently announced by the org’s co-chairs former First Lady Michelle Obama and NBA star Chris Paul. In anticipation of the 2022 midterm elections, the challenge was created to empower HBCU students to spearhead voter registration efforts on their HBCU campuses and within their communities. As part of the efforts, voter education and mobilization will also be part of the efforts. Because it takes a village, in addition to Mrs. Obama and Paul taking part in the Squad Challenge, supporting partners like HBCU Buzz, as well as BET, Baller Alert, Watch the Yard, and Xceleader’s Vote HBCU program have gotten involved as well.
A key benefit of the Squad Challenge is that participating HBCUs will be receiving grants of up to $3,000, and there is even a special prize incentive. The funds will support voting efforts like voter registration drives, educating voters, training new volunteers and more. Through the partnership with BET, HBCUs with the most creative and impactful Squad Challenge ideas will qualify for prizes like campus events and activations featuring celebrity appearances.
“As a proud HBCU graduate, I know that our Historically Black Colleges and Universities are the
heartbeat of Black culture, and it’s critical that we make sure voting is a part of that culture,” said Stephanie L. Young, Executive Director of When We All Vote. “For decades, HBCUs have led the way in social change, and I’m excited to work with students, alumni, educators and our partners on HBCU campuses to reach our communities in real and engaging ways that allow our voices to be heard in the midterm elections and beyond. And I’m also thrilled to start this work early to end the cycle of engaging these campuses only in the fall before major elections.”
To learn more about Civic Nation and the VOTE LOUD HBCU Squad Challenge, head to the website here.
The government in the state of Kentucky is working to nominate new regents who will help bring Kentucky State University to financial prosperity. The HBCU has struggled with financial ruin and the resignation of its last president as well. Get the story from Tom Latek at Kentucky Today below.
A bill directing Gov. Andy Beshear to name new members to the Kentucky State University of Regents won final passage in the General Assembly on Thursday, after the Senate agreed to changes made by the House.
Senate Bill 265, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem David Givens, R-Greensburg, requires the Governor’s Postsecondary Education Nominating Committee to forward 16 names to Gov. Beshear by March 26, from which he would name eight regents by April 1. This would give the Senate until April 14, the final day of the session, to confirm those nominated. The House made changes to the bill, including delaying the Governor’s deadline to April 4. It also includes a one-time exemption to the state law for the political affiliation and geographic requirements of appointees, to move the process forward.
The Senate unanimously agreed to the House changes, which sends it on to the Governor’s desk.
During his Thursday press conference, Beshear said, “We are already undertaking the efforts to make sure that we can meet the schedule, which is very aggressive. But the sponsor did work with us ahead of time on some different assistance that we would need or some changes that we would need, to do our best to meet that schedule.”
The bill is being considered as a companion measure to House Bill 250, which would provide a $23 million loan to the Frankfort school, so it could meet its obligations through the end of the current fiscal year on June 30.
HB 250 is before the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee but has not yet had a hearing, and Beshear says that funding should go through as well. “Making governance changes for the future of the university ought to come with providing the funding to help it survive. Doing one without the other wouldn’t accomplish any goal because the university cannot survive without that $23 million loan.”
He added, “I support KSU. We need to do what it takes to continue KSU and its mission. As one of only two historically black colleges and universities in Kentucky, it serves a critical role in this Commonwealth, and I am 100% supportive of the institution, but agree we have to get it on the right track. We have to make certain changes and make sure that things which happened in the past don’t happen again.”
KSU announced last year that it faced a budget shortfall with unpaid bills and other debts, a ballooning payroll, and several years of poorly managed spending that outpaced revenue.
Beshear placed the university under state oversight after the sudden resignation of school president M. Christopher Brown, last summer. The school is currently searching for a permanent president.
KSU is also looking for ways to cut about $7 million from its budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
In alignment with efforts to further advance Morgan State University‘s momentum, the HBCU has announced several new leadership hires! Get the story from the MSU release below.
Following an historic and successful fall semester, Morgan State University President David K. Wilson announces new leadership appointments, as the University aims to fortify integral roles in several operational areas and continue its momentum through the new year. The appointments, among the most for the University in a given quarter, will see key hires managing a variety of units, including Human Resources, Alumni Relations, Procurement and Property Control, the University Counseling Center, the Honors College and the new Center for Innovative Instruction & Scholarship. In addition, several interim leadership roles have been filled until permanent appointees are named.
“Simply put, Morgan is growing, and for us to sustain and propel that growth, we need the top people in their chosen field to lead the charge. With this group of new hires, we’re confident in our ability to make significant strides towards bringing our enhanced 10-year strategic plan to fruition,” said President Wilson. “Whether through internal or national searches, we’ve identified quality candidates who are both well-suited to lead and possess the unique capabilities to be integral partners in Morgan’s ascendency.”
Morgan has more than 1,600 employees identified as non-faculty staff. Retirements and the strategic repositioning of units within the University have created several leadership opportunities. Tapping into a wide network of candidates nationwide, and evaluating select current employees, the University was able to address several immediate needs. Included among the new hires are the following:
Chevonie (Logan) Oyegoke has assumed the role of associate vice president and chief human resources officer. In this post, Oyegoke serves as a strategic partner providing leadership, management, policy direction and oversight for all University human resource management functions. Certified by the Society for Human Resource Management, she has nearly 20 years of human resources experience, including more than a decade in higher education, and holds advanced degrees in negotiation and conflict management and human resources management from the University of Baltimore and Bowie State University, respectively. Oyegoke joins Morgan having most recently served as associate HR director with the University System of Maryland.
Heidi Bruce has been hired as the new assistant vice president for Alumni Relations and Strategic Engagement. A Morgan alumna with more than 20 years of combined development and alumni relations experience, including key appointments at the University of Maryland, College Park, George Mason University and Ohio State University, Bruce serves as the primary strategist for alumni engagement, hosting and launching alumni programs and events, and is responsible for leading a comprehensive engagement strategy for some 30,000 Morgan alumni around the world. She most recently served as director of development for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
OluwaTosin Adegbola, Ph.D., has been promoted to serve as executive director of the Clara I. Adams Honors College while continuing in her role as special advisor to Morgan’s president and student mentor for the President’s Leadership Circle. Dr. Tosin, as she is known to students and colleagues, is an academic leader with an 18-year progressive career having achieved notable success directing initiatives critical to realizing academic excellence. In her new capacity, she is charged with reimagining the Honors College and developing it to operate with national best practices, in addition to producing nationally competitive candidates in the areas of prestigious fellowships, selective career placements and high-powered leadership. Tosin has served in a number of roles at Morgan since 2003, including as chair of the School of Global Journalism and Communication’s Department of Strategic Communication.
Laura Dorsey-Elson, Ph.D., who previously served as director of instruction in the School of Global Journalism and Strategic Communication, has been tapped to serve as director for the newly launched Center for Innovative Instruction & Scholarship (CIIS). After a national search, Dr. Dorsey-Elson was selected to lead the Center’s work, providing faculty, staff and graduate teaching assistants (TAs) to create innovative and active learning environments and produce collaborative scholarship on teaching and learning. Dorsey-Elson brings 25 years of professional experience in higher education as both a faculty member and an administrator with extensive proficiency in organizational training and development.
Erin Oliver-James has assumed the role of the new director for the Office of Procurement and Property Control. As the head of the Office, Oliver-James is responsible for oversight and management of the department and its internal units. A graduate of Hampton University and the Campbell University School of Law in North Carolina, Oliver-James has more than 10 years of leadership and procurement experience. She comes to Morgan from Events DC, where she managed the Office of Contracts and Procurement and its more than $80 million in annual procurements.
Sonya Clyburn, Psy.D., has been hired as the new director for the University Counseling Center. Dr. Clyburn provides leadership, supervision and management for the Counseling Center, which has taken on an increased importance during the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to overseeing policy and program development and implementation and providing crisis management interventions to the campus community. Dr. Clyburn is a licensed clinical psychologist with nearly 20 years of professional experience, including a previous stint at Morgan serving in both a clinical and faculty capacity. Holding advanced degrees from American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University and Bowie State University, she spent the past seven years overseeing a private practice based in Kensington, Maryland, before her return to Morgan.
While Morgan has been diligent in selecting a number of permanent hires for leadership roles, the University has elevated others in an interim capacity until long-term hires are identified. Among the recent interim hires are Erlease M. Wagner, interim vice president and athletic director; Phyllis Keys, Ph.D., interim associate vice president for Academic Affairs; Natasha Lewis-Williams, interim associate vice president for Student Affairs; Douglas F. Gwynn, Ph.D., interim associate vice president for Student Affairs; and Dale P. Alston, interim director for the Murphy Fine Arts Center.
“This is a unique period within the University’s history. As at many institutions nationwide, the prolongment of the pandemic has prompted some longtime Morgan staffers to pursue retirement and others to reevaluate employment options. However, at Morgan, we’ve embraced this as a great opportunity to bring in new energy and new ideas,” said Sidney Evans Jr., executive vice president for Finance and Administration at Morgan. “We will continue to work diligently and effectively to recruit and fill as many positions as possible from within or outside of the University. If there are candidates available and looking for a great place to excel and make a difference…then Morgan is the place they want to be.”
Grambling State University alumna Alexia P. Hammonds has taken time away from her busy schedule as a successful entrepreneur to teach fitness to the student body that she was once a part of. Get the scoop from the GSU release by De’Vante Martin below.
The accomplished Alexia P. Hammonds is back and determined to make a difference at Grambling State.
Hammonds is currently back at GSU teaching yoga classes from Monday through Thursday at 4:15 p.m. in the newly opened recreation center.
The all-level class is challenging students’ minds and bodies, including stretching, strengthening the core, and building endurance.
“Between (GSU President Rick Gallot) and (former GSU Vice President) Martin Lemelle, they talked me back into finishing my degree,” Hammonds said.
Hammonds attended Grambling from 2000-04, majoring in political science and crossing the sorority of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Within her mentoring of young girls, Hammonds says the word she always uses is “finish,” and she wants to be a living example of that.
Before coming back to finish her degree, Hammonds taught yoga, Pilates, and dance internationally. She also became a teacher trainer, where she has helped many people get credentials in teaching fitness. Hammonds has also made her mark in the beauty industry as she is the Founder of Eat. Sweat. Undress and the first-ever black woman to formulate hair fragrances in Grasse, France.
She has taught at multiple levels, including professionals such as the NBA and NFL.
“This is my first time teaching at an HBCU, which is really special,” Hammonds said.
While teaching in the intramural, Hammonds says her class has really grown.
“I really enjoy it because not only am I taking them through a workout, but I am also making sure they are retaining the information for each class that they come to,” she said.
Hammonds believes this will help create building blocks for each class physically, and also mentally for students. She believes yoga will help alleviate stress for students and will give them an avenue for mediation and physical health.
Although the university pushed the word of students having their own mat, some did not have one. Hammonds has also provided mats for the students who did not have one, and she has purchased over 60 mats for the class.
The students have also had their effect on Hammonds. She says they have inspired her to be a better person.
Hammonds thinks Grambling could really go far with yoga. She says she would love for GSU to have its own satellite Pilates studio.
“It starts with the mat because that’s the most economical thing,” Hammonds said. She also teased the option of Grambling having teacher trainer classes for yoga and Pilates starting this summer.
The possibility of these classes includes GSU students and anyone in Grambling over the age of 18, and it gives the chance to find a trade.
Hammonds also threw out the possibility of GSU adding yoga and Pilates classes to GSU’s Kinesiology department. The classes are still in the works, but if added they will be electives in the department.
Hammonds said he is also going to be working with multiple sports teams on campus including the football, baseball, and softball teams.
With her busy schedule between fitness, beauty, and fashion, Hammonds still is making time to be a difference at GSU, making it the first HBCU to teach yoga and Pilates in a classical way, and Hammonds is the driving force behind that.
Howard University has an occasion to celebrate, as the women’s basketball team has just won its very first NCAA tournament! Get the full story from WJLA below.
Brooklynn Fort-Davis had 15 points and 10 rebounds, Krislyn Marsh added 14 points and 17 rebounds and Howard beat fellow No. 16 seed Incarnate Word 55-51 on Wednesday night in the first women’s First Four game.
Howard (21-9), in its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001, advanced to play overall No. 1 seed South Carolina (29-2) in the Greensboro Region.
Howard guard Gia Thorpe (13) celebrates a basket during the second half of a First Four game against Incarnate Word in the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament Wednesday, March 16, 2022 in Columbia, S.C. (Credit: AP Photo/Sean Rayford)
Iyanna Warren made a floater in the lane and followed with a long jumper on Howard’s next possession to extend the lead to 47-42 with 4:53 left.
Fort-Davis ended Howard’s three-minute scoreless stretch with a shot under the basket for a 49-46 lead with 1:20 remaining. She added a basket at 43 seconds and a free throw with 35.8 left for a four-point lead. Kaniyah Harris gave Howard a seven-point lead in the closing seconds before Destiny Jenkins beat the final buzzer with a long 3-pointer.
Destiny Howell, the MEAC tournament most outstanding player, picked up two fouls in the first quarter and played just nine minutes in the first half before finishing the game with 11 points for Howard. The Bison shot just 30.9% from the field, but held a 53-34 advantage on the glass.
Tiana Gardner scored 16 points for Incarnate Word (13-17) in the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance. Jaaucklyn Moore, who led the Southland Conference at 17.6 points per game, added 14 points. Chloe Storer beat the third-quarter buzzer with a long 3-pointers, following an offensive rebound, to give Incarnate Word a 38-35 lead.
Howard missed 14 straight shots in the first half, going six-plus minutes without a point, before Fort-Davis’ putback ended the field-goal drought to get within 22-19. Howard shot just 28.6% in the first half, including 1 of 12 from 3-point range, but outrebounded Incarnate Word 27-15 to stay within 28-26 at the break.
Howell gave Howard its first lead, 35-33, since it was 17-15 with a steal and fast-break layup to snap her string of 10 straight misses with 1:36 left in the third quarter.
Howard and Incarnate Word are two of the four automatic qualifiers in the First Four games, after winning conference tournaments, as he NCAA expanded the tournament field to 68 teams.
A Virginia HBCU is going above and beyond to aid causes of social justice and housing security. It was recently announced that Hampton University will be donating its resources to help those displaced by the ongoing Russian takeover in Ukraine. Rather than just fundraise, or stand idly by as stranded Ukrainians are losing their homes, the university will become a hub of refuge. The invitation has also remarkably been extended to international students studying in Ukraine before the takeover as well. Get the full story in the Hampton University Office of University Relations release below.
In a humanitarian effort to help those college students and families affected by the current conflict in Ukraine, Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey has announced that it will invite 50-100 Ukrainian and international college students presently studying in Ukraine to continue their education on HU’s campus this summer.
“The collective Hampton University faculty, staff and students are heart-broken because the war-torn country of Ukraine must deal with atrocities like the bombing of maternity wards, hospitals and other civilian areas,” said Hampton University President, Dr. William R. Harvey. “I think this partnership is something that can be beneficial to a great number of students and families. My entire career has been focused on helping people to achieve and meet their goals.”
Ukrainian and international college students affected by the combat will be able to attend classes at Hampton for the 2022 Summer Session, receive room, board and tuition for the summer, and have the option to stay at Hampton at the regular tuition and fees rates once the Summer Session is over.
In 2019, Dr. Harvey reached out to Dr. Rodney Smith, the President of the University of the Bahamas, the former Vice President for Administrative Services at Hampton University, and offered a similar agreement to students from the University of the Bahamas who had their north campus obliterated because of Hurricane Dorian.
For more information, please contact Dr. Charitta D. Quimby, Vice President and Presidential Chief of Staff at 757-727-5231.
BREAKING: Howard University faculty announces they will go on strike next week if an agreement is not reached by this Friday. pic.twitter.com/lPcNKkO93I
Members of Howard University‘s faculty have threatened to go on strike over complaints of their working conditions.
During a demonstration Wednesday that saw multiple Howard professors in attendance along with students, some university faculty threatened to execute a strike starting next week if they could not reach an agreement with the university by this Friday.
The tension on campus seems to be stemming from frustration from non-tenured track faculty members who have said that Howard is not doing enough to allow them to be successful at their jobs. The main concerns from the educators center on adequate pay, job stability and appreciation for the work that they do to teach Howard students every single day.
According to interviews that were reported by journalist Chuck Modiano on campus and posted on Twitter, the instructors have sent a proposal to Howard’s administration that was also signed by tenured track professors in conjunction with the non-tenured track professors.
A few of the supporters at the demonstration said that Howard was not negotiating in good faith with the educators and that a huge aspect of the institutional dysfunction was falling on these professors and they are being asked to pick the pieces up.
The faculty members said they would begin their strike on March 23 if their ultimatum is not met.
Howard did not immediately release a statement addressing the demonstration on campus Wednesday.
It has been a controversial academic year for Howard, to say the least. The school made national headlines in the fall after students protested for around a month to bring attention to faulty living conditions on campus as well as other grievances.
The standoff between the students and the administration ended after a confidential agreement was reached between the two parties.
“While the specific terms of the agreement are confidential, it can be said without any hesitation or reservation that the students courageously journeyed on a path towards greater university accountability and transparency and public safety,” Donald Temple, a lawyer representing the students, said at a news conference at the time according to NBC News . “And this agreement marks a meeting of the minds between them regarding the issues of concern.”
Howard’s NAACP chapter president, Channing Hill, also spoke on the subject.
“We got what we came for. We got increased scrutiny,” Hill said at the time. “We got increased transparency and increased accountability. And by virtue of this protest, we garnered everything that we were entitled to.”
Only time will tell if Howard’s faculty and the administration can also reach an agreement that will settle the university’s latest controversy in the next few days.
HBCUs that have been affected by bomb threats will receive mental health resources, security, and other resources thanks to new federal funding. Get the full story from the release below.
This is the second time Howard University in D.C. has recently faced a bomb threat. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo
Today, Vice President Kamala Harris and the U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that have recently experienced a bomb threat resulting in a disruption to the campus learning environment, are eligible to apply for grant funds under the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) program.
Project SERV provides short-term immediate funding for local educational agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher education (IHEs) that have experienced a violent or traumatic incident to assist in restoring a safe environment conducive to learning.
“The recent bomb threats experienced by HBCUs have shaken students and fractured their sense of safety and belonging, which are critical to their academic success and wellbeing,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “We, at the Department of Education, recognize how these threats evoke a painful history of violence against Black Americans in this country that is especially traumatizing to HBCU students, faculty, and staff. Today’s announcement will improve access to Project SERV grants for HBCUs as these institutions work to address students’ mental health needs, shore up campus security, and restore learning environments so that they can get back to doing what they do best—educating the next generation of great leaders.”
The Department will work with HBCUs that have received recent bomb threats to determine if Project SERV can help with immediate needs, such as targeted mental health resources or enhanced security to restore the learning environment on their campuses. Funding for Project SERV is limited, and awards typically range from $50,000 to $150,000 per school.
“The bomb threats against HBCUs, particularly concentrated in Black History Month, constitute a uniquely traumatic event, given the history of bombings as a tactic to intimidate and provoke fear in Black Americans during the long struggle for civil rights in the 20th century,” said Dietra Trent, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. “In this context, even the threat of bombings at HBCUs can have a deep and unsettling impact on students, faculty, and staff that significantly disrupts the learning environment. Our HBCUs are pillars of strength and resiliency, and we will continue working to promote policies and practices that fortify that strength and advance educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity through these institutions.”
The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to ensuring the safety and well-being of students, staff and faculty, and addressing these repeated threats to HBCU campuses. Following the first reports of the threats, Secretary Cardona and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas hosted a briefing with more than 40 presidents of HBCUs from across the nation to share information about grant programs, training resources, and other tools available to HBCUs to strengthen campus safety and security. Biden-Harris Administration leaders have also recently visited HBCU campuses, hearing firsthand about the need to modernize and update their operations, including campus safety and security, and the need for more resources to help bolster mental health services due to increased apprehension across the campus community.
In addition to today’s announcement, the Department will provide HBCUs with a compendium of the resources that are available across the Federal government. These other resources can help with long-term improvements to campus mental health programs, campus safety and emergency management planning and response.
An HBCU that experienced a recent bomb threat may receive more information about the opportunity for support under Project SERV by emailing project.serv@ed.gov.
The legacies of Morehouse College and Spelman College are being honored with a new Polo Ralph Lauren capsule collection! Get the full story from Dan Heching at People below.
The collection is conceptualized and designed by Morehouse and Spelman alumni at Ralph Lauren
Polo Ralph Lauren is celebrating a facet of American collegiate life never before examined at the brand.
The capsule marks the first time the brand has produced “a collection and campaign with an all-Black cast including its photographer [Nadine Ijewere], director, cinematographer and talent – predominantly sourced from students, faculty and alumni at both institutions,” a release from Ralph Lauren said.
The collection, which includes outerwear, knits, tailored suits, dresses, footwear and accessories, also marks the fashion brand’s first of its kind, with garments conceptualized and designed by Morehouse and Spelman alumni working at Ralph Lauren.
“This collection expresses the spirited history, deep sense of community and legacy of timeless dressing at historically Black colleges and universities,” said Ralph Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer of the company.
“It’s so much more than a portrayal of a collegiate design sensibility. It’s about sharing a more complete and authentic portrait of American style and of the American dream — ensuring stories of Black life and experiences are embedded in the inspiration and aspiration of our brand.”
The collection celebrates the “sartorial traditions and history” of Spelman and Morehouse colleges, the release said.
Specific featured items include “white patchwork eyelet and silk wrap dresses,” symbolizing the garments traditionally worn during the Spelman induction ceremony, and wool flannel blazers, serving “as an homage to the Morehouse blazer, a garment traditionally bestowed to students during their first days on campus.”
The overall collection references styles worn by students of both institutions from the 1920s to 1950s, with photography and video from the campaign imparting a retro feel.
After its unveiling on Tuesday, Polo Ralph Lauren’s new HBCU collection elicited a mixed reaction on social media, with some on Twitter wondering if the throwback era was the appropriate choice.
“Historically Black colleges and universities have uniquely been centers of both intellectual discourse and cultural influence for more than 150 years,” said David A. Thomas, Ph.D., president of Morehouse College, per Polo’s release.
“The Morehouse partnership with Ralph Lauren intelligently, creatively and boldly puts this intersection on full display, reflecting the breadth of impact we have had in driving societal transformation throughout our history.”
The Polo Ralph Lauren Exclusively for Morehouse and Spelman Colleges Collection will be available in an exclusive presale for students, faculty and alumni of the schools to purchase on March 28, and will then be open up to the public on March 29.
Two former HBCU football coaches are joining NFL coaching staffs, hires that observers say are a small but significant step toward filling the NFL’s coaching pipelines and bolstering Black colleges’ reputations for preparing pro-level coaching talent.
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Tuesday that they hired Isaac Williams as assistant offensive line coach. Williams coached North Carolina Central University’s offensive line in the 2021 season, when the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference school went 6-5. From 2018 through 2020, he coached tight ends, offensive linemen and was the run game coordinator for Morgan State University, another MEAC program. Williams played college football at Alcorn State, another HBCU which if famous for producing the late Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair.
The Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams have also hired K.J. Black, former offensive coordinator for the Rattlers of Florida A&M University, to work as an offensive quality control assistant working with quarterbacks. Black also played college football at an HBCU, quarterbacking Prairie View A&M to the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship
Both hires were hailed as important on Monday by Alonzo Carter, an assistant coach at San Jose State and an executive committee member of the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches.
Isaac Williams, formerly a coach at North Carolina Central and Morgan State, was hired as assistant offensive line coach with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFL is still being sued by Brian Flores over alleged racial discrimination in its hiring of head coaches. Flores is also now a Steelers assistant coach.
“I’m very excited for Isaac and KJ,” Carter said. “It’s big. There’s a lot of bright young minds in HBCU football and when they get that attention, they deserve it.”
No source tracks the number of former HBCU coaches currently working in the NFL. But while most NFL coaches have at least some college coaching experience, they tend to come from larger institutions, particularly in the so-called Power Five conferences, which are known for pumping out NFL draft picks.
Carter said that for both Black and Williams, networking was key; both participated in weekly Zoom calls that Carter arranged during the pandemic that gave young, Black coaches the chance to network with coaches on the NFL level.
Williams also participated in the NFL’s Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Internship, where he worked on the Kansas City Chiefs’ staff with renowned offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy.
“What I love about Isaac,” Carter says, “He told me when former Steelers offensive line coach Adrian] Klemm left, ‘I want to get that assistant offensive line coach job with the Steelers.’ And he went out and did just that.”
The NFL overall is still mired in controversy over its treatment of Black coaches after former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the league and several teams for racial discrimination, alleging a glass ceiling for Black coaches in landing the top job in NFL programs.
Flores, whose lawsuit is still pending, was hired last month by the Steelers as linebackers coach, putting him on the same coaching staff as Williams. The Steelers’ head coach is Mike Tomlin, the second-longest tenured head coach in the NFL and who, briefly this offseason, was the only Black head coach in the league.
HBCU Students Enter Pitch Contest to Win $5k by May 1st
HBCUs have always had the entertainment industry on lock. When it comes to acting and directing, we have icons like director Spike Lee of Morehouse College and actress Taraji P. Henson of Howard University, There are also multi-faceted alumni like host/actress/entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey of Tennessee State University and host/actor/entrepreneur Terrence J, of North Carolina A&T University. To keep the legacy ongoing, a new pitch contest is looking to support the next generation of HBCU filmmakers.
We are encouraging students to apply to Fox Soul’s Screening Room HBCU Pitch Contest for the chance to win $5,000. Although our HBCUs are full of the best and the brightest talent, there can only be one winner. For the chance to win the coveted cash prize, take the plunge and submit a powerful idea for a short film. This opportunity could take your filmmaking degree to the next level. Fox Soul’s Screening Room is a show starring host Vivica A. Fox, highlighting the next generation of Black filmmakers, so this opportunity could elevate your college filmmaking experience to the next level.
Applying for this contest is easy. To enter, you’ll need to submit a concise 1-minute pitch video, and then fill out a short application. You must be currently enrolled as an HBCU student to enter, whether part-time or full-time. Fox Soul welcomes you to use anything that will help you get your point across. That can include using props, graphics, and non-professional actors! You can only submit one idea so make sure you put your best concept forward. Applications are open until May 1, 2022, but we encourage you to apply as soon as possible! For more information head to the official Fox Soul pitch competition website here.
Also, don’t forget to watch the Screening Room on Fox Soul on Tuesdays! The series is in its second season and you can catch it Tuesdays at 5pm PT/8pm ET online on Fox Soul.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — March 14th, 2022 — Luke Lawal Jr. Founder of HBCU Buzz and Entrepreneur, today announced the launch of $HBCU, his own social token (a type of cryptocurrency), via Rally to educate HBCU students on the benefits of web3. Coin holders will have access to expound their HBCU experience through learning and gaining access to one of the fastest-growing phenomena(crypto), being able to network with professionals, collaborate on projects, buy limited merchandise and attend courses on web3, and more. Alumni and other supporters who purchase the coin will have access to online education as well and will be able to support the HBCU community, receive exclusive merchandise and support scholarships for current students.
$HBCU coin will be the first cryptocurrency available to the HBCU community.
$HBCU coin is available at Rally.io
“HBCU students, alumni and supporters deserve the opportunity to learn about and participate in cryptocurrency from a trustable source. 10 years ago HBCU Buzz pioneered a space for Black college news, becoming the leading news outlet in the HBCU community. In our second decade, we are excited at the opportunity to educate students and alumni on the numerous benefits and advantages of understanding crypto. $HBCU seeks to pioneer a new space, this time in the metaverse. As a former student, proud alum, and avid HBCU supporter myself, the $HBCU coin is minted with purpose and consideration for each niche audience.”
$HBCU coin will allow students to gain knowledge about the crypto industry, while potentially building shared value with $HBCU holders allowing alumni and supporters the opportunity to continue their support for and connection to Black colleges, beyond graduation. The goal is to create an online campus experience for students and give them exclusivity to: purchase limited merchandise and receive free giveaways, access events like homecoming, take online courses on the crypto industry and more, participate in virtual screening, communicate and network via a private network, and learn about and receive access to private events. There will be different tiers coin holders will be able to choose from, when purchasing $HBCU coins. Each tier will include: a tailored educational workshop, access to exclusive virtual events, Rally Rewards, NFTs, and exclusive trades on cryptocurrency.
“As a Black creator, the future of crypto intrigues me. Being able to create one of the pilot coins in the marketplace for both the educational and minority communities, is a part of my purpose. The HBCU experience is life-changing as is, and I wasn’t sure it could be topped, but it just got even better!
Lawal will be doing a $HBCU coin giveaway to students, alumni and supporters in his fanbase that have been a loyal part of the HBCU Buzz family. The educational sector continues to drive Lawal to brainstorm ideas to connect back to the HBCU community. He understands the importance of cultivating knowledge in cryptocurrency and providing guidance to younger generations. Students, alumni and supporters can show their support and esteem for the HBCU community and purchase $HBCU coin by creating a Rally account and clicking on the ‘Buy’ button on the $HBCU page.
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ABOUT HBCU BUZZ
HBCU Buzz is a multimedia company focusing on amplifying the Black College community. HBCU Buzz is the “Leading Source of HBCU News, Sports & Entertainment” servicing each of the 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Founded in 2011, The Buzz provides news relevant to HBCU campuses. The Black, millennial owned-and operated marketing agency serves as an outlet to educate and inform prospective and current students, alumni, family, and friends of relevant news, challenges, opportunities, and achievements surrounding Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
ABOUT RALLY
Rally is a social token and NFT platform that allows creators, artists, and organizations to launch their own independent, digital, community-driven economies and keep 100% of what they earn. These economies connect communities across platforms like Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, and Shopify. Supporters can use tokens and NFTs to unlock benefits including unreleased content, private communities, backstage passes, early access to tickets, and exclusive merch – all while showing their fan loyalty.
Rally rewards community innovation, activity, and engagement by paying supporters and creators more than $1 million in weekly monetary rewards. Best of all, no crypto experience is required – Rally offers a suite of traditional web2 APIs to make it easier for creators to integrate with their sidechain, including the authentication of fans and blockchain exploration.
Rally was built with regulatory compliance as a major priority in order to ensure creators and supporters have the tools they need to meet regulatory obligations.
In an order to reposition itself financially, Florida Memorial University has had to make some very difficult decisions in terms of its employees and degree programs. Get the full story from The Miami New Times by Alex Deluca.
The entrance to Florida Memorial University, a South Florida institution that dates back to the mid-19th Century. (Credit: Screenshot via Google Maps)
After being placed on yearlong probation in July by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Florida Memorial University (FMU) is taking drastic measures to address financial issues in order to keep its accreditation for the fall 2022 semester — including discontinuing 16 degree programs and eliminating the positions of at least four tenured professors.
“I’ve never seen it happen before,” attorney Randy Fleischer says of the latter move.
Fleischer is representing four tenured professors at FMU that were notified they’ll be out of a job come May: Richard Yaklich, Abbass Entessari, William Hopper, and Telahun Desalegne.
“There was no cause for terminating any of them,” the lawyer adds. “There was no discipline, no notice. It’s just thank you, see you later, we’re eliminating your departments.”
After being sanctioned by the SACSCOC, the school — the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in South Florida — created the SACSCOC Task Force, a 12-member committee of faculty and administrators. In November, the school’s board of trustees approved the group’s recommendations to slash some salaries by 10 percent, discontinue less-popular degree programs, and eliminate certain faculty positions to address dire financial issues threatening the school’s accreditation. At the time, FMU did not reveal which programs or positions would be eliminated, but for the most part, tenured professors felt their positions were safe.
That’s because tenured faculty positions are indefinite appointments that were created to protect academic freedoms and keep professors from being fired for unpopular opinions they may have stated or published. According to the American Association of University of Professors, tenured professors “can be terminated only for cause or under extraordinary circumstances such as financial exigency and program discontinuation.” According to Scott Jaschik, editor and cofounder of the publication Inside Higher Ed, being “immune from layoff in all but the most extraordinary circumstances” is one of the ultimate protections that come with tenure.
Sharee Gilbert, FMU’s director of communications and marketing, tells New Times the decision to eliminate 18 positions — including staff, administrators, tenured and nontenured faculty, and vacant positions — was not an easy one. Sixteen degree programs in the Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, and Education will also be discontinued. Gilbert says fewer than five students graduated with degrees from the discontinued programs, which include English, engineering/physics, mathematics, sociology, accounting, and marketing, over a five-year period.
“In order to protect the legacy and sustainability of FMU, these decisions had to be made. Data proved it to not be of benefit to keep faculty and staff on and to keep programs open that were underperforming,” Gilbert said in a statement to New Times. “Decisions such as these are not easy to make…The decisions were a part of a data-driven process, which in turn created data-driven results and were not personal in any way.”
An infographic listing the programs that will be discontinued at FMU (Credit: Florida Memorial University)
In early February, the four tenured professors received notice that their “position is included in the program closure, effective May 14, 2022.” Though the letters included a link to Florida’s unemployment benefits website and the reemployment assistance hotline, the school never used the words “laid off” or “terminated.”
“While we regret the hardships this will cause, great care and research went into this decision,” states the letter addressed to Richard Yaklich, a tenured associate music professor. “This is a necessary step to strengthen our programs, regain financial stability, and stabilize enrollment.” (A copy of the letter is embedded at the end of this article.)
Fleischer and the faculty members he’s representing allege that the terminations violate FMU’s handbook, in that they were issued without proper notice or cause. Fleischer argues that the positions were eliminated “under the guise of program closures” but were discriminatory because his clients are all in their 50s or 60s. He has filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on their behalf.
“This just this really hurts,” says 57-year-old Richard Yaklich, who worked at FMU for 22 years. “And to be honest with you, to be my age — it’s going to be very hard for me to even try to secure another position.”
Yaklich was hired in 2001 as an assistant music professor and spent years working his way up to an associate professor role when he achieved tenure. He served on the school’s board of trustees for four years as president of the faculty senate, which represents the faculty and “participates in the governance of Florida Memorial University in accordance with standards set forth by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the American Association of University Professors.”
Yaklich says he had open disagreements with FMU President Jaffus Hardrick during board meetings and was always “very vocal” about issues at the institution. Now he believes his position was eliminated in retaliation for his prior complaints.
“To me, it really feels like some of the things that go on there — you’re supposed to be on board with the president,” Yaklich says. “And if you’re not, then they don’t want you there.”
Instead of going to vacation spots like Cabo or Miami, several Howard University students opted for the classroom instead to support high schoolers. Get the full story from Sydney Stallworth at KSDK.
(Credit: KSDK)
For most college students, spring break means it’s time to hit the beach. But students from Howard University are using their week off classes to help others, and they’ve come all the way to St. Louis to do it.
Every year, hundreds of students from Howard University travel to different parts of the country to do service projects over their spring break. The program is called Alternative Spring Break, or ASB.
It only makes sense that a group from one of the most notable HBCUs in the country came to Sumner High School — a school with a rich Black history stretching back to the 1800s.
And their work extends beyond the walls of Sumner High.
“We were able to find Sumner. We were able to find Annie Malone along with Hawthorne Leadership School for Girls and Covenant House to work on our initiative of youth empowerment,” said Sydelle Davis, a senior at Howard University and is this group’s ASB site coordinator.
The college students came to mentor Sumner’s students, and they’ve already made a big difference.
Davis said it took some time for Sumner students to work through the nerves of having college students around. But, once the ice was broken, connections formed quickly.
“I think after the first hour, the first class, everybody let their walls down a little bit, got a little loose with us,” Davis said. “We had a fun time making TikToks. One of the students is a rapper. He did a little performance for us. So, it really set the tone for the rest of the week.”
ASB is a tradition that runs deep at HU.
Truth Burney is a junior at Howard and another trip leader. She started participating in ASB when she was a freshman.
“They truly take everyone who can come and who has the heart to serve,” she said.
Each Howard student has been paired up with a small group of Sumner freshmen, sophomores or juniors. The Howard students shadow these high schoolers during the school day, help with schoolwork and talk about the possibilities that await them in their future.
It’s clear that starting the conversation has made all the difference for these students. Some juniors in Mr. Northway’s social studies class shared their thoughts on having the Howard students on campus for a week mentoring them.
“It’s all about spirit and culture here at Sumner. So, to have students that come from a college that also has that kind of heart in their community, it’s amazing,” Regina Washington said.
Dru Garth-Dukes said she really wants to get her college degree.
“I have two graduates in my family, so it’s kind of on my chest to graduate and go to college,” she added.
Chanel Harris told the class, “I’m not really the type to give speeches or really put myself out there. I just want to say I’m so glad you all came out to see us. I know a lot of us in the school are really glad you all gave us the opportunity.”
Sumner High is home to some famous alumni. Arthur Ashe, Chuck Berry, Ethel Hedgeman Lyle, Tina Turner… their walk of fame in the building stretches far — literally. Students said there are more faces that’ll soon be added to the wall.
“You are looking at future billionaires. You’re looking at future business partners. You’re looking at the next Tina Turners and Dick Gregorys that came from this school. We are those, most definitely,” junior Stephon Riggins told the classroom.
The Howard students are also spending their afternoons working with kids at the Annie Malone children’s home across the street from Sumner. They’ll be in town until Friday.
