26-year-old Khalil Ogilvie faces a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of a FAMU grad student.(Credit: Leon County Sheriff’s Office)
Two have been arrested in the tragic slaying of FAMU alumna MaKayla Bryant. Get the full story from Christopher Cann at the Tallahassee Democrat below.
Khalil Ogilvie, 26, faces a first degree felony murder charge and remains in the Leon County Detention Facility without bail after police say a drug deal ended in gunfire.
According to investigators, Ogilvie agreed to meet Precious Charlton, 23, at the Providence Pointe apartment complex to exchange $650 for a quarter pound of marijuana.
Charlton picked Bryant up from the Governor’s Square Mall before they got the car washed, ate at an ice cream store and headed over to the apartment complex to make the exchange.
When the pair arrived, two men, one of whom police say was Ogilvie, walked over to the women who each “had handguns in their laps,” according to court records.
Precious Charlton was arrested Saturday on felony murder and drug charges. (Credit: WCTV)
That’s when police say Ogilvie approached Bryant and pulled out “a handgun in an attempt to rob (them),” according to an arrest affidavit that added, “(Bryant) grappled with Ogilvie over the handgun, and the gun went off.”
Charlton drove Bryant to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare where she died during surgery, an arrest affidavit said. She was a 22-year-old Florida A&M University graduate student who was remembered by her family and friends as a stellar student and inspirational leader of the university’s cheerleading team.
Charlton, a current FAMU student, was arrested Saturday and charged with third degree felony murder and possession of narcotics with intent to sell.
She identified Ogilvie in a police lineup but could not identify the other man, who she said looked to be younger, “possibly 18-20,” according to an arrest affidavit.
On Monday evening, TPD spokesperson Alicia Turner said no other suspects in this case have been identified.
MaKayla “MK” Bryant is being remembered by her Florida A&M University community. Learn about the life of the cheerleader, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member, and FAMU alumna in the story from Keka Araújo at Black Enterprise below.
(Credit: Photo Courtesy of MaKayla Bryant/Instagram)
Family and friends of a popular 22-year-old FAMU grad student shot at a Tallahassee apartment complex grieved the young woman’s tragic death.
MaKayla “MK” Bryant died after being hit by gunfire at the Providence Pointe Apartments late Wednesday afternoon. She was taken to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injury later that night. Details surrounding her death have not been released.
The pretty, talented and brilliant student graduated magna cum laude from FAMU in 2020 with a degree in criminal justice. She had gone back to the school for a master’s in psychology. MaKayla was also a Spring 2019 initiate of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
The Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. mourns the loss of MaKayla “MK” Bryant, the 27th initiate of Spring 2019 – The Tantalizing and Nascent Tribe of 50. pic.twitter.com/XPPprdt8me
The Chicago native was the treasurer of Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society and also the Rattler’s cheerleading captain during the 2019-2020 school year. She performed on the illustrious squad for four years.
“We would like to send our deepest condolences and prayers to the friends and family of MaKayla Bryant,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha expressed.
Her former coach Brandi Tatum-Frederick told the news outlet that MaKayla “brought energy, impact and discipline to the team.”
The woman couldn’t ascertain the loss of her prized cheerleader.
“She was a dynamic cheerleader and person. She was part of our family. This is the most devastating thing I’ve ever experienced as a coach. She will always be remembered.”
FAMU President Larry Robinson expressed his condolences and the significance of losing FAMU students via Twitter.
“The loss of a FAMU student always grieves me. I see the promise in every single one of them. Our goal is to prepare each of our students to reach their full potential. Losing one hurts. The FAMU family sends our prayers and condolences to her family.”
“It’s painful to lose one of our own. We send our deepest condolences to MaKayla’s parents, relatives, and friends. This hits close to home,” Dr. William E. Hudson Jr., Vice President for Student Affairs, told Local 7 News. “Counseling and bereavement services are available for our students and employees.”
We are distraught by the passing of MaKayla “MK” Bryant.
“Our goal is to prepare each of our students to reach their full potential. Losing one hurts. The FAMU family sends our prayers and condolences to her family.” – President @LRobinsonFAMUpic.twitter.com/TIWoVGFtyF
The vibrant student’s Beta Alpha chapter sorors– Marielle Cameron, Sasha Wright, and Victoria Hernandez–created a GoFundMe for their fallen sister. MaKayla’s mother, Lanette Carpenter, will receive the funds that will be used for funeral services, helping the family and traveling arrangements. The donation site has almost reached its goal of $48,000.
“MaKayla is deeply loved, admired and indefinitely adored by her sorority sisters and will leave a lasting imprint of perseverance and precision on us all.”
The Tallahassee Police Department is actively investigating MaKayla’s death. Detectives ask anyone who may have witnessed the shooting but did not speak with an officer on the scene to please call TPD at 850-891-4200. Our prayers go out to MaKayla’s family.
Howard University has received several bomb threats in the past month. (Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
A growing number of historically Black colleges and universities have had to lock down or postpone classes due to bomb threats on the first day of Black History Month.
In some instances, local police and sheriff’s departments were responding to the threats; in other cases, campus police were handling the response.
US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona called the threats “disturbing” and said they would not be tolerated.
“My team will continue to work with students, faculty, and alumni to make sure HBCUs continue to be a safe place for students to learn,” Cardona tweeted Tuesday.
These are some of the universities that reported bomb threats Tuesday:
Coppin State University
Someone called the Baltimore university and said there was a bomb on campus, Coppin State spokesperson Angela Galeano told CNN. She said the threat was immediately reported to campus police.A message on the university’s website said all classes would be online Tuesday. “If you are on campus, please, shelter in place, and wait for further instructions,” the message said. “Emergency officials are evaluating the campus and we will provide updates, as soon as possible.”Sabrina Taylor, the undergraduate program director at Coppin State, said she got a call at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday telling her not to come to work because there was an emergency on campus.
When she learned the emergency was a bomb threat, Taylor said she was saddened for the students. “Many of our students in the HBCUs, they are first-generation college students. And they are there to advance their education and to create opportunity — not only for themselves, but for their families,” said Taylor, an assistant professor at the school. “Now they have to deal with bomb threats.”
Sabrina Taylor said she felt unsettled and saddened by the news of the threat. Taylor said she immediately reached out to her students to check in and make sure they felt supported and safe.”I wanted to encourage them to be empowered and I wanted to encourage them to realize that even though they are being threatened and they are experiencing adversity, they are walking in their purpose,” she said. “They are on their path to greatness, and they cannot let individuals who their intention is to cause destruction, chaos and fear and doubt, stop them from walking and their purpose.”
Jackson State University
Jackson State University in Missisippi is one of the largest HBCUs in the country. (Credit: Rogelio V. Solis/AP)
“Jackson State University received a bomb threat this morning at 4:15 a.m.,” the university in Mississippi tweeted Tuesday. “The Jackson Police Department and JSU Department of Public Safety have swept the campus and found the threat unsubstantiated. An all-clear has been issued.”Calvert White, a 22-year-old studying social science and education, lives in an apartment 10 minutes from campus.
Calvert White is a junior at Jackson State University. “I’m uneasy,” the Jackson State junior said. “HBCUs have a long history of physical threats just because of our existence. I think that the threats aren’t individual or coincidental — that it’s a clear attack on Black students who choose to go to Black schools.”Meet the man who created Black History MonthWhile it’s not clear who made the threat, “I think the uncertainty, especially in the age of Covid and heightened race relations, is part of the goal of whomever has been making the threats,” White said.Like so many, White said he’s unclear as to why this is happening.”But I understand that HBCUs are starting to see large influxes of students, supporters, donors, etc., and our presence is more important now than ever,” he said. “I think the idea of HBCUs in a current-day sense is taking over. They aren’t just looked at as a beacon of the past, but a marker of the future.”
Mississippi Valley State University
The university said a bomb threat was received through its guardhouse early Tuesday morning.”MVSU is currently on lockdown, and campus police are conducting a complete investigation,” a university Facebook post reads. “School officials are working with local emergency personnel to investigate and determine the extent of the threat.”Cristal Brown, whose 23-year-old son is a student at MVSU, said she was “very nervous, concerned,” when she heard about the threat.”Maybe it’s some sort of sick joke that someone or a group of individuals may find amusing,” Brown said. “Of course I am concerned about more threats. It’s heartbreaking learning that several other HBCU’s have been targeted,” she said. “I really do hope that find the person responsible and hold them accountable for their actions,” Brown said.Classes will be remote Tuesday, and the university is asking all on-campus students to stay in their residence halls. Only essential staff will be allowed on campus, MVSU said.
Morgan State University
Morgan State University is a historically black research university in Baltimore. (Credit Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“Due to a bomb threat, access to campus will be closed as the University works with emergency personnel to assess the situation,” the university in Baltimore tweeted Tuesday morning. “Everyone on campus should shelter in place until further notice. All instruction will be remote and all employees should telework,” Morgan State added. “Essential employees will be contacted by their supervisor with additional direction.”Morgan State professor Jason Johnson acknowledged the disturbing start to Black HIstory Month. “Over half a dozen HBCUs have received these threats in the last few weeks. Not exactly how you want #Blackhistorymonth2022 to begin,” Johnson tweeted Tuesday.
The university in Lorman, Mississippi, received “an anonymous bomb threat,” Alcorn State posted on its website Tuesday.”We are advising all students to shelter in place,” the message said. “Faculty and staff should not report to work until further notice.”
Tougaloo College
The college in Tougaloo, Mississippi, also received a bomb threat, according to a message on its website.”Due to today’s bomb threat, the campus will operate virtually,” the message said. “Although the campus has been cleared, for safety precautions, there will be no in-person classes/activities, and employees and students should not commute to the campus. All faculty and staff will work remotely today.”
Kentucky State University
“Due to a bomb threat made earlier this morning, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, @KyStateU is in lockdown status,” the university in Frankfort tweeted Tuesday. “The university is working with emergency personnel to evaluate the situation. University operations will be suspended until further notice & campus entry limited at this time.”
Fort Valley State University
The university in Fort Valley, Georgia, is on lockdown after receiving notice of a bomb threat, FVSU tweeted Tuesday.”Law enforcement is investigating. Campus is currently on lockdown. Residential students remain in dorms,” the university said. “Non-residential students and staff should NOT report to campus until further notice. Campus operations are suspended for the day.”
Howard University
The university in Washington, DC, has responded to bomb threats for a second day in a row.Howard, Southern University and other HBCUs receive bomb threats“The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Howard University Department of Police have issued an ‘ALL CLEAR’ in the investigation of a bomb threat made this morning at approximately 2:55 a.m.” Howard University tweeted Tuesday morning. “The Shelter-In-Place directive has been lifted.”On January 5, at least three HBCUs, including Howard University, received bomb threats. Nothing was found on any of the campuses that received threats, university officials said.
Xavier University
The university in New Orleans is working with authorities after receiving a bomb threat, Xavier tweeted Tuesday morning. “Campus will be remote until 12 p.m. today. Residential students should stay in their rooms until further notice,” the university tweeted. “Continue to monitor official university channels.”
University of the District of Columbia
A bomb threat was made around 3:20 a.m. Tuesday on the Van Ness campus, the university said. Authorities investigated and issued an “all clear” later Tuesday morning, the University of DC tweeted. The campus is now open.
Spelman College
The college in Atlanta received a bomb threat overnight, CNN affiliate WGCL reported.Atlanta police responded to Spelman around 3 a.m. Tuesday and an investigation was launched, WGCL reported. Atlanta police have since turned the case back over to campus police.Saigan Boyd, a 19-year-old Spelman student, said she woke up in her dorm about 5:30 a.m. and got an email about the threat within half an hour. “It was very disturbing honestly, she said. “It made me feel as though that I am not safe,” Boyd said. “As well as the timing could not have been ‘better’ as we entered in Black History Month.” Saigan Boyd is majoring in Dance and Psychology at Spelman College.Boyd said she feels that these attacks feel planned and strategized. “It makes me realize how there are still these terrorists that are trying to stop minorities from advancing or just getting a simple education from a predominantly Black institution,” she said. “I’m just ultimately tired of dealing with this level of unsolicited hatred,” Boyd said. “I’m just tired of being terrorized like how my grandparents were.” Boyd said she is more “disappointed and annoyed than anxious. I just feel that a lot of time has passed for us to keep going through this same pattern of racism.”
Edward Waters University
“Effective immediately, all in person activities, classes and operations including all meetings and athletic practices are cancelled until further notice,” the university in Jacksonville, Florida, tweeted early Tuesday morning. “The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been notified and is on campus investigating this matter. Please stay tuned to the EWU website, email and social media accounts for more information as it becomes available.”
CNN’s Amanda Watts, Shawn Nottingham and Tina Burnside contributed to this report.
HBCU athletic departments are switching up their conferences. Just last week, Hampton University announced that its athletics department would join the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) this summer. Now, the athletics department at Wiley College in Texas has announced that it will be joining the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in the upcoming school year. Get the full story from staff at The Marshall News Messenger below.
Credit: Wiley College Athletics
The Wiley College Department of Athletics will compete in an athletic conference with all members Historically Black Colleges and Universities as it heads to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference beginning with the 2022-23 season.
The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Board of Presidents voted to accept Wiley College as a member. It will join current schools Dillard University in New Orleans, Mississippi schools Tougaloo College and Rust College, Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. Oakwood University in Alabama and Southern University New Orleans were also accepted pending approval of their NAIA membership.
Wiley College will be the first school from Texas to compete in the conference. The Wildcats are very familiar with most of their future conference opponents as it has frequently played against them in nonconference, especially in men’s and women’s basketball.
The 2021-22 season will wrap up the Wildcats’ time in the Red River Athletic Conference. They have been a member since the conference was founded in 1998.
Over the past 22 years, Wiley College won regular season RRAC titles in men’s track and field (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), women’s track and field (2015, 2016, 2017), volleyball (2008, 2018), women’s basketball (2012-13, 2013-14), men’s cross country (2014) and women’s cross country (2014). It won tournament titles in men’s basketball (2007, 2014), volleyball (2008, 2018), women’s basketball (2013) and men’s soccer (2015).
Over 400 athletes earned All-Red River Athletic Conference.
Before competing in the RRAC, Wiley College was a member of the Big State Athletic Conference, the Interregional Athletic Conference and started in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Elizabeth City State University has broken ground on a new state-of-the-art facility with plans to help students prepare for careers in public safety, disaster response, homeland security, and more! Get the full story from the ECSU release below.
Credit: Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) broke ground today on its new Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) – or drone – facility. The open-air outdoor drone pavilion will be the only structure of its kind in North Carolina. The open-air netted area will utilize natural turf and weather conditions to mimic real-world flying conditions as students train for future careers in public safety, disaster response, homeland security, and more. UAS is a fast-growing public and private industry – more than 170,000 jobs are expected to be created by 2025.
“We continue to enhance and grow our signature aviation program which means our students get the knowledge and skills they need for an amazing career, and it serves as an economic driver for Northeastern North Carolina and the entire State,” said ECSU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon. “This new drone pavilion will be an asset to all sectors using UAS technology now and in the future, and serve as a regional hub to train personnel. These professions provide stability for families, and our graduates help meet demand in the airline, aerospace/defense contractor, military, and other state and federal industries.”
ECSU offers the only four-year Aviation Science Degree in North Carolina, and the UAS facility is a significant investment in northeastern North Carolina and beyond. The ECSU campus is located amid military facilities in southeast Virginia, the U.S. Coast Guard based in Elizabeth City, and the Tidewater and Albemarle regions. Its location allows for opportunities in UAS education, research, and training that simply is not available at other universities in the United States.
“UAS has experienced rapid growth, technological advancements, public safety benefits, and research applications to name a few. ECSU is taking full advantage of the UAS technology driven by industry demand for qualified operators, engineers, and researchers,” said Dr. Kuldeep Rawat, Director of the ECSU aviation program, and Dean of Science, Aviation, Health and Technology. “Our proximity to large areas of wetlands and coastal areas puts ECSU in a perfect location to perform many different, but equally important, educational and research collaborations.”
The MacKenzie Scott Foundation provided funding for the 100’ wide x 250’ long x 50’ high open-air netted drone pavilion. In November 2020, ECSU received a historic gift from Scott, and the university invested $1.5M of those funds for the UAS facility.
SKA Consulting Engineers of Greensboro, NC, designed the facility. The A.R. Chesson Construction Company of Elizabeth City is building the pavilion, which is expected to be completed late this summer.
Minority-owned small businesses often lack the support they need to access critical resources, and a new grant has been awarded to help with that. Learn more about the $200,000 grant that has been received by Delaware State University‘s College of Business in the DSU release below.
(L-r) Shannon Henry, Troy Farmer, COB Dean Michael Casson, and LIllie Crawford of the College of Business will lead the work of implementing the Community Navigator Program to help small businesses in Dover – and especially in the downtown area of the state capital. (Credit: Delaware State University)
Delaware State University’s College of Business has been awarded a two-year $200,000 grant from the University of Delaware’s Small Business Development Center to be a part of its Community Navigator Program to help underserved businesses access critical resources.
Del State’s College of Business (COB) is part of a statewide coalition organized by UD’s Small Business Development Center to provide critical support to historically underserved businesses in the First State. The COB is joined in this initiative by entities such as the State of Delaware’s Division of Small Business, United Way of Delaware, Delaware’s Black Chamber of Commerce, the Delaware Hispanic Commission, and others organizations.
The COB will use the grant funding to focus the Navigator Program on the Downtown Dover community by providing small business workshops, training sessions, and 1-on-1 support to entrepreneurs. The Navigator Program will support early-stage start-up businesses and those who are striving to grow through innovation and commercialization, and encourage practices that will result in sustainability.
The initiative will involve the work of the COB’s Delaware Center for Enterprise Development, the Garage Entrepreneur and Innovation Maker Space, the Innovation Café, and the Center for Urban Revitalization and Entrepreneurship.
As part of Delaware State University’s priority to be an economic development asset locally, the COB’s Center for Urban Revitalization and Entrepreneurship is currently based on the DSU Downtown campus. That Center will provide workspace, training, and other business development support, especially to minority-owned businesses.
“The COB is committed to leveraging our expertise and resources to spur innovation and create positive change in Delaware’s minority business communities,” said Dr. Michael Casson, Dean of the College of Business. “Thus, we are excited about this opportunity to leverage our Center for Urban Revitalization and Entrepreneurship and our Delaware Center for Enterprise Development, in partnership with the SBDC’s Navigator program, to provide business development training, counseling and resources to our communities of color.”
The statewide Community Navigator Program in Delaware is supported by a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration awarded to the UD Small Business Development Center.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff campus is shown in this Jan. 20, 2021, file photo. (Credit: Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has received a $500,000 gift to assist students in pursuing college degrees.
The donation from an anonymous individual donor is the second such gift to UAPB this academic year. The university received $250,000 in August from the same donor, according to the announcement Thursday.
The contribution represents one of the largest gifts from an individual donor and expands the university’s capacity to assist students with a variety of educational needs, financially, according to UAPB Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander.
“UAPB continues to increase successful outcomes for students,” Alexander said. “This gift will provide the much-needed flexible funding that allows us to assist students in achieving their objective of a college degree without the burdens of crippling financial debt.”
According to the terms of the agreement, the gift will help UAPB focus on the national Finish Line Strategy in assisting students and provides direct funding to college students as they address the financial roadblocks that might hamper their pursuit of college degrees, according to the news release.
“The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is an 1890 Land-Grant HBCU with a diverse student population, competitive degree offerings and stellar faculty,” according to the release.
“For more than 140 years, UAPB has worked to create an environment that emphasizes learning, growth and productivity while affording a basic need to its students: a chance to advance. UAPB offers certificate and associate degree programs, more than 40 undergraduate and master’s degree programs and a doctoral program in Aquaculture/Fisheries. Students are active in more than 100 organizations, including an internationally renowned Vesper Choir, Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South Band, Concert Bands, Wind Symphony and an accomplished athletics program.”
Jackson State University has been known to be a top contender in collegiate football, and that is largely thanks to the caliber of the players. For example, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, son of coach Deion Sanders, has just made HBCU history for his skill on the field. Get the full story from Khari Thompson at the Mississippi ClarionLedger below.
Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders has signed an NIL deal with Gatorade, making him the first HBCU player to sign with the company.
“I am a leader, I forge my own path and pave the way for others,” Sanders said in a video announcement. “Being a student athlete is a priority from the classroom to the game field. When I chose to attend an HBCU I new I had a responsibility. That’s to win. In just year one, I’m a SWAC champion, freshman of the year, and the first HBCU player to win the Jerry Rice Award.
Jackson State’s Shedeur Sanders runs for a touchdown against Bethune-Cookman during their game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. (Credit: Eric Shelton/Clarion Ledger)
“Being the first HBCU athlete to sign an NIL deal with Gatorade? That’s legendary. Shedeur Sanders. The work has just begun.
Sanders is the son of Jackson State coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. He led Jackson State (11-2) to its frist Celebration Bowl appearance and threw for 3,231 yards and 30 touchdowns en route to being named FCS freshman of the year.
Sanders also has NIL deals with Beats By Dre, and Brady Brand. He is the second college athlete, along with Connecticut women’s basketball player Paige Bueckers’, to sign an NIL deal with Gatorade.
“As one of the country’s best freshmen college football players, Shedeur Sanders is another incredible addition to the Gatorade Family,” said Chauncey Hamlett, CMO/VP of PepsiCo Beverages North America, South Division. “In his first year at Jackson State University, he’s already demonstrated the excellence and tenacity Gatorade athletes are known for and we’re excited to partner with him and build upon our commitment of supporting HBCUs and their athletes.”
After only four years since leaving the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) for the Big South, Hampton University is joining the Colonial Athletic Association. Get the full story from the Hampton release below.
Mark Sutton/Hampton University
Hampton University is joining the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), effective July 1, 2022, after a four year relationship with the Big South Conference. The announcement will be made at an 1 p.m. joint Hampton University/CAA press conference at Hampton University’s Student Center Ballroom. The press conference will be live streamed at media.hamptonu.edu.
“The move to the Colonial Athletic Association is the next step in the evolution of Hampton University Athletics,” said Dr. William R. Harvey, Hampton University President. “Several institutions in the CAA are located in our geographical footprint, which means that our student athletes will continue to spend less time traveling and more time in classes on campus. This move continues to keep the proper focus on academics, which is our chief reason for being. The conference’s geographic footprint, as well as occasional contests against institutions in the northeast, will reduce travel expenses while allowing for competition in several of the nation’s top media markets. Another important consideration is the large number of alumni located throughout the CAA region. Hampton University has enjoyed a very positive four-year relationship with the Big South Conference and hopes to continue competing against some of its teams, as well as teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.”
CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio could not be more excited for the conference and for Hampton University.
“We are pleased to welcome Hampton University, Monmouth University and Stony Brook University as the newest members of the CAA. All three institutions fit perfectly into the framework of the Conference’s vision that calls for our membership to work together to advance nationally competitive athletic programs – coupled with outstanding academic programs – that empower student-athletes as whole persons to strive at the highest level in every aspect of their lives. The CAA is excited for what the future holds and will continue to be focused on making decisions that ensure its membership is a competitive and sustainable model.”
The Pirates sponsor 17 sports at the Division I level, 15 of which are sponsored by the CAA: football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field, softball, men’s lacrosse and women’s volleyball. Women’s triathlon and co-ed sailing will not compete in the CAA. Since moving to Division I in 1995, Hampton has been a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference from 1995 – 2018 and the Big South Conference from 2018 until 2022.
Hampton’s athletics history includes memorable NCAA Tournament moments in 2001 when the No. 15-seeded Pirates upset No. 2-seeded Iowa State, as well as in 2014-15 making consecutive NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament appearances. The women’s basketball team has won five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships in a row and six in the last eight years. In 2016, Hampton University made history as the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to field a men’s NCAA Division I lacrosse team. In 2018, Hampton became the first HBCU to sponsor a Women’s Triathlon at the varsity level. The Hampton track program swept the 2019 Big South men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track championships in their first year of competition. In 2021, Hampton became the first male HBCU program to join the Southern Conference (SoCon) for men’s lacrosse.
On the football field, the Pirates have made five FCS Championship postseason appearances, as well as five trips to post-season play as a NCAA Division II member.
“On behalf of the entire Hampton University Athletic Department, student/athletes, coaches and staff, we are pleased and very excited to join the community that is the Colonial Athletic Association,” said Eugene Marshall, Jr., Hampton University Director of Athletics. “The CAA’s history and tradition both athletically and academically align perfectly with the ideals and core values of our visionary President, Dr. William R. Harvey, who believes in building leaders and champions in the classroom and field of play.”
Spelman College, a historically black college and university (HBCU) located in Atlanta, GA, has received a $12 million donation from Lettie Pate Evans Foundation to construct a new state-of-the-art academic facility on the Spelman campus grounds.
According to HBCU Buzz, the new building will bring creative disciplines, technology, and innovation into close collaboration.
Additionally, it’s one of the most significant donations in the school’s history!
What The Building Will Be Used For
The generous gift of $12 million will go towards building a new academic facility and creating leadership opportunities for young women.
They are using the funds to complete and develop the Center for Innovation & the Arts, which already has $81.5 million raised to date.
President of Spelman, Mary Schmidt Campbell Ph.D., said that, “The rapid convergence of art, technology, and entrepreneurship with the liberal arts and sciences are beginning to yield new solutions to old challenges.”
She added, “This new facility will be a dynamic learning environment that encourages Spelman students to master their chosen fields and utilize technology-inspired solutions to solve persistent urban problems.”
Ronda Stryker and her husband Bill Johnston contributed a $30 million gift towards the Center, which has been one of the most significant contributions thus far.
Why This Matters
HBCUs have a rich history of educating and empowering minority communities, but many struggles financially, unable to compete with larger, more well-funded schools.
Significant donations from philanthropists like Michael Bloomberg’s $100M to HBCU schools with the goal of an increasing number of Black doctors across the country can help level that playing field.
If you’re considering giving to your alma mater or another higher education institution, look for opportunities where your gift can have an outsized impact.
Look for programs that have been cut due to lack of funding, facilities in need of renovation or repairs, and scholarships for students (or a specific group) who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend.
Credit: Lee Morgan/The CW — (C) 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The magic of HBCU bands will soon soon be on display in the comfort of your home thanks to a new docuseries. March follows Prairie View A&M University‘s famous band, the Marching Storm. Beginning today, viewers will have the opportunity to see exactly what it takes to put together the shows you have come to know and love.
Beginning Monday January 24, tune into the new docuseries March and experience an integral part of HBCU culture. Created by Stage 13, the docuseries opens views up to just how the busy members of the Marching Storm are amid the demands of classes, practices and performances. If you know about HBCU bands, then you know it takes a big team and a whole lot of coordination to put these iconic shows together. Luckily, across eight episodes, you’ll get to know many of the 300 members of the PVAMU band.
If you aren’t familiar with Prairie View A&M University, just know its band isn’t the only thing this Texas HBCU does in a big way. PVAMU boasts notable alumni like entertainers Loni Love, Mr. T., Marcel Spears, and Kirko Bangz. Even activist Sandra Bland was a graduate of the university. PVAMU stands tall with successful academic programs that have allowed it to become such a top-ranked HBCU. It’s well known for its STEM programs such as engineering, nursing, and psychology, for example. In fact, PVAMU was the very first state-funded HBCU in the state of Texas, and students guard the school’s legacy with their success.
Credit: Lee Morgan/The CW — (C) 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The Marching Storm members in particular can tell you how much grit it takes to make it on campus. They must have high GPAs to keep their spot on one of the top bands in the country. In addition to the pressure of academics and performing, everything is taking place during a pandemic. During the docuseries, expect to watch difficult conversations further complicated by COVID-19, such as long-distance relationships, maintaining relationships with bandmates, and finding success in social spaces such as clubs on campus. No matter what, the March Storm’s musicians, dancers, drum majors and even flag team, must all do their part.
Learn more about the fast-paced band life of The Marching Storm when March airs on The CW beginning today January 24th at 8pm ET and PT. Then, catch the series on Sundays starting February 27th at 9pm ET and PT.
Bethune-Cookman University Board Chair Belvin Perry Jr. holds a town hall meeting regarding the status on the university Friday, April 9, 2021. (Credit: Nigel Cook/News-Journal)
Bethune-Cookman University has sued the alumni association that for decades has raised money and supported the school.
B-CU is demanding the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune National Alumni Association stop using the university’s name, logos and trademarks — as well as its founder’s name. The suit alleges the alumni group has nonetheless infringed on those trademarks and “falsely represents that it is associated with the university.”
Johnny McCray Jr., the association’s president who was also personally named in the suit, called it “unnecessary and unfortunate,” and said its members have voted to carry on, raising money for students who attend B-CU and other institutions.
The university’s lawsuit follows a Sept. 1 vote by the B-CU Board of Trustees to disassociate from the alumni group in favor of starting their own direct-support organization. The university, which is preparing for a 10-year accreditation review, cited a “need to have control and oversight over its fundraising activities.”
Later that month, the National Alumni Association of Bethune-Cookman University Inc., changed its name to the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune National Alumni Association, Florida Department of State records show. The organization claims 21 chapters across the United States and in the Bahamas.
The university pointed to “publicly disparaging remarks” about B-CU and its trustees by McCray. In the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Orlando, B-CU alleges the association has not filed an IRS Form 990 since 2016, causing it to lose its tax-exempt status.
That allegation is not true, said La-Vaughn Starks, the alumni association treasurer. She said the alumni have filed IRS forms for 2019 and 2020. The form that wasn’t filed in 2016 happened under a previous administration led by then-President Jennifer Adams, who’s a university trustee.
“I’ve been president of this association for 18 months. We have not had any financial issues,” McCray said. “In fact, we are working assiduously to clear up much of the mess that started during (the Adams) administration.”
He also said it’s not true that the alumni association has lost its tax-exempt status.
University officials declined to comment on the lawsuit, other than providing an emailed comment from spokeswoman Sara Brady that the suit “speaks for itself.”
Accreditation steers B-CU to start support organization
The university since 2005 has held the trademark “Bethune-Cookman,” the name with which the school has been associated since 1926. It also owns the service mark “Florida Classic,” associated with the annual football contest in which it competes with Florida A&M University in Orlando, as well as two logos.
Bethune-Cookman, in the lawsuit, notes that it is accredited with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and losing that accreditation would harm the school including losing access to federal student loans and grants, as well other funding sources.
SACS has revised its standards to more stringently require institutions “exercise sufficient direction and control over the fundraising activities of institution-related entities,” the suit states.
B-CU has, this year, created its own direct-support organization, as many other universities — including the University of Florida and Florida State University — have done.
Alumni Association leaders, namely McCray, have “a history of publicly disparaging the university and its Board of Trustees.” The lawsuit cites an opinion piece written by McCray and published in the St. Augustine Record, questioning the reason for former President Brent Chrite’s departure last year, and sharing that the alumni had voted “no confidence” in the leadership of the Board of Trustees.
Who owns Bethune’s name?
The university, its lawyers argue, is “inextricably associated” with its founder, Bethune. The alumni association’s use of the Bethune name as part of its name violates its cease and desist demand, as it creates a “false impression” that the former alumni association is associated with the university.
Additionally, the university alleges the association has continued to use its name and logos on its website, in emails and in other materials. The alumni association’s logo includes a collage of images, including Bethune’s face, the university’s marching band, the on-campus statue of its founder and other campus landmarks.
“The former alumni association’s intentional unauthorized commercial use of the university’s marks has deceived and is likely to deceive donors and the relevant consuming public into believing, mistakenly, that the former alumni association’s services originate from, are associated or affiliated with, or are otherwise authorized by the university, which they are not,” the suit sttes.
B-CU is alleging:
Trademark infringement
False designation of origin
Dilution by blurring
The university is seeking “corrective advertising for informing consumers and donors of its unauthorized use of the university’s marks and lack of affiliation with” the school, its full costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.”
McCray called the case “baseless,” considering the steps the association has already taken with regard to the school’s wishes.
“We immediately changed the name of our association, but that wasn’t good enough,” McCray said. “I sent out emails that we were not going to fight this. I explained to the members the intellectual trademarks they don’t want us to use, and we’re going to do it, but it takes time for a 90-year-old organization to dismantle things that have been in place for many years.”
McCray said he repeatedly offered to sit down with university officials and come to an understanding without going to court. Those offers were refused, he said.
“This is all a direct result of the leadership trying to dismantle and discredit the national alumni association,” he said. “It’s a sad day. We’ve done so much for the school in recent months and recent years.”
Johnny McCray Jr.(Credit: News-Journal File)
McCray said his organization raised nearly $300,000 for the school during a 90-day campaign last year. Alumni raised $116,000 for the Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Fund, and McCray said he personally contributed $25,000.
“Dr. Bethune started this school with five little girls and $1.50. She knew scholarships would be needed to send young students to school,” he said. “The national alumni association has developed a new mission where we are going to support individuals who want to seek an education. That won’t be limited to just Bethune-Cookman students.”
Several researchers at Tuskegee University have helped the HBCU lock in $2 million in funding from the National Science Foundation! Get the full story from the Tuskegee release below.
(L to R): Drs. Vijay Rangari (PI), Co-PIs: Drs. Jeelani, Zainuddin, Abebe, and Qazi
Tuskegee University was awarded a five-year $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to educate the next generation of STEM graduates in sustainable packaging materials. This National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award to Tuskegee University will establish a multidisciplinary traineeship in sustainable nanobiomaterials. This project is a partnership between three doctoral programs to develop innovative sustainable biomaterials for biodegradable packaging systems, including biomedical and food packaging. The project anticipates training 40 graduate-level students: including ten from the master’s program and 30 from the doctoral program within the Materials Science and Engineering, Integrative Biosciences, and Integrative Pathobiology Department.
Dr. Vijaya Rangari, Department of Materials Science and Engineering professor and principal investigator of the grant, says that the current generation packaging materials are made of polymer composites derived from petroleum sources.
“These materials are not degradable, and either end up in landfills or are incinerated, releasing toxic gases. Factors such as greater environmental awareness, societal concerns, and the depletion of petrochemical resources collectively drive a desire to develop new materials and products based on plant fibers and degradable biopolymers.,” explained Rangari.
The trainees will research the following fields: synthesis of calcium and silica-based nanoparticles from waste resources such as bone ash, fish scales, egg, and seashells. Antimicrobial functionalization of nanoparticles and short plant fibers using green synthesis methods. In addition, students will learn about the structural, morphological, and spectral characterization of as-prepared nanoparticles, fabrication of antimicrobial polymer packaging films using polymer blow films, 3D printing, and solution casting. The project will also support the study of nanomechanical, structural, morphological, and thermal characterization of as-prepared polymer composite films and antimicrobial inhibition, product design, prototyping, biodegradability, and commercial feasibility studies. The knowledge and training gained by the trainees will eventually result in modern design and manufacturing methodologies.
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“Through this grant, our graduates will help bring much-needed diversity to the nation’s advanced technology workforce. It is also anticipated that the knowledge gained by the students through their involvement in new research areas developed through this grant will eventually result in modern design and manufacturing methodologies that may well lead to patentable processes for the production of biodegradable packaging polymer composites for various applications in food and biomedical industries,” he continued.
The Tuskegee NRT effort will produce many minority graduates, including a considerable number of women with Ph.D. degrees in STEM. An area of focus for the traineeship includes faculty support and training to mentor the trainees and provides trainees with opportunities to mentor. These graduates will become excellent role models for many young students and help bring much-needed diversity to the nation’s advanced technological workforce in Sustainable Nanobiomaterials.
“This grant will allow Tuskegee University to increase the number of African American PhDs significantly in Materials Science and Engineering and maintain its lead in this effort,” said Dr. Shaik Jeelani, vice president for research and dean of Tuskegee’s Graduate School, and research team member.
The grant’s involvement also includes Dr. Shaik Zainuddin, associate professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Dr. Woubit Abebe, professor in the Department of Pathobiology; Dr. Desmond Mortley, Research Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences; Dr. Byungjin Min, associate professor of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Dr. Maria Calhoun, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Temesgen Samuel, associate dean for Research and Advanced Studies, in the College of Vet Med, and PD, Center for Biomedical Research/RCMI.
The policy now changes to “requests, encourages, and appeals to” staffers , in accordance with governor’s directive. Mask-wearing is still required, and the student vaccine policy does not change.
Virginia State University said Thursday it will comply with a directive from Gov. Glenn Youngkin to not require COVID-19 vaccines for state employees, opting to go instead with a policy that “strongly requests, encourages, and appeals to” university personnel to get their shots.
University spokesperson Gwen Williams Dandridge confirmed in an email to The Progress-Index that vaccines will not be required, nor will reporting of an employee’s vaccination status or being tested “as a term of employment.” Masks, however, will still be mandated for everyone on campus.
“[T]he VSU administration strongly requests, encourages, and appeals to all employees to receive COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots as part of our campus efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and maintain a safe and healthy campus environment,” Dandridge said in the email. “VSU will continue to enforce a strict mask mandate for all employees at all times when on campus except when eating or alone in an individual office.”
Wednesday, Youngkin issued an executive order rescinding the vaccination requirement for all employees of Virginia’s executive branch of government. That includes the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of the commonwealth, as well as executive branch agencies and authorities, and staffs at Virginia institutions of higher learning.
That order had been issued by Youngkin’s predecessor, former Gov. Ralph Northam.
As of last fall, Dandridge said, 91% of VSU employees had complied with the vaccination requirement, which led to a COVID on-campus positivity rate of less than 1%. VSU will continue to offer free testing, vaccination clinics and masks to its workers.
The change does not affect VSU’s vaccine and mask requirement for students on-campus, Dandridge said. Those protocols “will remain in effect,” she wrote.
“VSU has created a culture of responsibility and safety,” Dandridge said.
The governor’s directive will also apply to the area’s other colleges, Richard Bland College and John Tyler Community College.
The entrepreneurial dreams of a Stillman College business major are coming true after he came out on top in a pitch competition. Get the full story from David Miller in the Stillman release below.
Campus mentors, family helping fuel “Trey the Barber,” Tuscaloosa enterprise
Too broad. Not attainable. Under-developed.
Judges’ feedback of Lorenza James III’s full-service barber franchise at the River Pitch competition two years ago was discouraging. James, then a freshman at Stillman College, had been building his “Trey the Barber” brand since December 2017, operating in shops and independently.
His aim changed as his client base grew, and his knowledge of the industry revealed gaps in services for African American customers. Washes, conditioning, cuts, non-surgical hair replacement – a full suite of services at shops in the $1.2 trillion industry of Black hair care was a no-brainer, and Tuscaloosa was the perfect launching pad, James thought.
Though his business plan was a bit more developed than his competitors at River Pitch, he failed to place. The critiques stung, he said, but the feedback helped sharpen his focus and strengthen his desire to get his enterprise established.
“Ultimately, the competition was to win [$1,000] and expand,” James said. “You get some advice, too, but hearing ‘no’ put me in a whole different mindset.”
James, now a senior at Stillman, has since opened 8Fifteen, LLC in downtown Tuscaloosa, a multi-room shop that’s undergoing renovations while serving clients. There, he cuts hair and sells skin and hair care products. Soon, he hopes to expand barber services and reach the ultimate goal of a full-service shop for African American customers.
James currently has 568 clients on his roster, with nearly 130 who are recurring each week or every other week.
“I also have two digital billboards in Tuscaloosa – one next to Cookout on 15th (Street) and one on Highway 69 – that have been up since the beginning of October,” he said. “I’ve gained about 25 new clients since then.”
With his enterprise trending positively, it may have seemed a curious decision to enter the 2021 River Pitch competition. James didn’t need the affirmation of panelists or peers. An injection of capital – a $1,000 prize for placing – would help, but he wasn’t hurting for support. For James, re-entering the competition on Nov. 9 was a chance to showcase the progress he’d made and present a more developed plan.
This time around, James would impress the judges and walk away the winner of Booth 10 and a $1,000 prize.
“I sat down and listened to every pitch before me,” James said. “I took note of what they were all doing: one idea was underdeveloped; one guy didn’t make eye contact with the judges. So, once I went, I felt confident. [Judges] were in awe that I had everything put together.”
A winding road
James is a Tuscaloosa native and graduate of Paul W. Bryant High School. His heart was set on playing college basketball when he enrolled at the University of North Alabama. When he didn’t make the team, and he lost his motivation in the classroom.
James was put on academic suspension and would leave UNA.
“Stillman accepted my GPA and ACT score,” James said. “I got another chance.”
Though the opportunity to play basketball at Stillman didn’t work out either, James would experience college with his cousin and close friend, Caleb Watson, who died in April 2018. Watson’s memory is a cornerstone for the growth of 8Fifteen, James said.
“He was my best friend,” James said of Watson. “We got close when he hit 18 and I was about 15 or 16. We started to link up, play ball, play games together. It just worked.
“When he died, I decided to take business seriously and never let up.”
A network of support, education
Isaac McCoy, dean of the Stillman College School of Business, helps foster entrepreneurship at the college and works with students to re-tool their business plans, which are typically in early stages of conceptualization.
Shortly after McCoy’s tenure as dean began in 2018, he heard of James’ plans and decided to engage him. McCoy describes James as “charismatic” and someone who “exemplifies the spirit and the culture” of entrepreneurism.
“There are a number of people who have an idea and share it, but there’s a different level with someone who can activate it right now,” McCoy said. “Trey (James) was like, ‘I got something right now. I’m trying to make millions now.’ What’s unique was that his business
was in conjunction with his academic pursuit, which wasn’t hindering his entrepreneurial spirit.”
McCoy lauds James as an “example” of entrepreneurship, not just for students, but for African Americans who aspire to launch businesses. McCoy said learning from failure and overcoming the perceived expectation of it is a critical benchmark for Black business success, and he’s proud of James for continually following through on his plans.
“Dean McCoy has poured into me about staying focused and continuing to grind,” James said.
James also credits Eddie Fraction, interim director of bands at Stillman, for being a “positive force” and motivator. The pair are collaborating on a mentorship project called “Teach, Inspire and Elevate” to help area youth stay in touch with the arts and teach them life skills.
“And I can’t forget my girlfriend, Tykenya (Reid), who always has my back and gives me a chance to breathe when things aren’t going good,” James said. “And my grandfather (Dr. Rev. Lorenza James), he always finds time to ask me questions about my business and life that gets me thinking and helps set up my tasks.”
The road ahead
James has taken an old-school approach to building his brand and strategizing for the future. For instance, in lieu of social media blitzes and paid promos with influencers, he’s relied mostly on traditional advertising methods and has devoted time to “things that make you great,” like reading books.
James said this strategy was encouraged by Smash tha Legend, a barber who started in a suite in Baton Rouge before expanding to Houston.
“I traveled to Houston to check on him and ask him questions about barbering,” James said. “But he was telling me about life.”
While some of James’ work lives on his social media accounts, he continues to rely on word-of-mouth marketing and authentic relationships with his clients. He took this same approach to research, visiting Great Clips and Sport Clips shops for ideas on how to model his operation.
“Honestly, a lot of Black guys look at me funny when I tell them about Great Clips and Sports Clips,” James said. “But those shops have full-service models on a small scale, but a lot of locations. So, I wanted to know what makes them work.”
James said he’s confident in his unique approach to business and his path to creating the “biggest Black franchise in cosmetology.” His next step: the grand opening of 8Fifteen in April.
President Colette Pierce Burnette (Credit: Rodolfo Gonzalez/Gonzofotoz)
By her own account, the 2016 movie “Hidden Figures” altered Colette Pierce Burnette’s life.
“My husband and I saw that movie together, and I kept saying: ‘That happened to me! That happened to me!'” the outgoing president of Huston-Tillotson University said about the lives of trailblazing Black women who toiled almost invisibly in the fields of math and science.
Seeing “Hidden Figures” helped spark a “fire in the belly” to make sure that higher education became more equitable. She came to Huston-Tillotson at a time when historically Black colleges were stepping into the national spotlight — and she could do something significant about those inequities, some of which she experienced personally.
Burnette, who conquered the fields of engineering, information technology and higher education management, had many times been the only woman — and the only Black woman — in the room. Early conclusions were ignored; her work was discounted.
Burnette, who just turned 64, is no longer a hidden figure.
In fact, the Austin Chamber of Commerce has named Burnette its 2021 Austinite of the Year, not only for her work in accelerating and expanding the city’s historically Black university, but also for her citywide civic leadership, including crucial service as co-chair for the Mayor’s Task Force on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities.
“In every room I’ve been with her, she has encouraged courageous leadership,” said Nikki Graham, the 2021 chairwoman of the Austin Chamber of Commerce. “She’s collaborative. She wants people to work together. But she’s not afraid to push the status quo and make people see things differently. She has played a key role in this important time in our city’s history.”
Laura Huffman, president and CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, said the Austinite of the Year Award is given to people for making outsize contributions to the community. She said she feels Burnette helped turn longtime talk on issues such as social justice, economic opportunity and affordability into action, especially by making Huston-Tillotson a locus of that action.
“In every sense of the spirit of this award, she has made extraordinary contributions in a very short time,” Huffman said. “Her impact was felt immediately and deeply on the most important issues our community has been struggling with, and on the opportunities we have to fix those problems. … She’s practical, but she’s also aspirational. She truly believes that Austin’s best days are ahead of us — and I love that about her.”
Raven Robinson, left, greets Colette Pierce Burnette at. A2015 news conference where Pierce Burnett was named the president of Huston-Tillotson University. Jay Janner/American-Statesman
Burnette gets choked up when she thinks about the new honor — she has earned many — which is often given to leaders who have devoted lifetimes to improving Austin.
“When I found out, I was speechless,” Burnette said. “It’s big. But not for me — I mean, not just for me. It’s big for a lot of people. I may be the face of it, but I’m not it. I am a vessel. People say: ‘How do you do it? How do keep up the stamina? How do you keep up the energy?’ It’s just not me. … I have an army of people behind me.”
‘There was no mediocrity’
Burnette was born in 1957 in Cleveland, Ohio, where she also grew up. Her father, who moved to the North from Mississippi during the Great Migration, was one of 18 kids. He finished the sixth grade. Her mother, a Cleveland native, graduated from high school.
“My mom and dad are the smartest people I know,” Burnette said. “But they didn’t have the opportunities.”
Schooling, therefore, was paramount for the Pierce children.
“I thought college was the 13th grade,” Burnette said. “I did not know that it was optional until I got to Ohio State, and then I realized that people were there by choice. My dad knew that my sister and I were going to college.”
A child of the 1960s — “protected from but not protected from” the great swirl of social changes — Burnette attended the still-new John F. Kennedy High School, a Black public school in Cleveland with high standards.
“Education truly is the great equalizer,” Burnette said. “In my school, there was no mediocrity. It was all excellence.
“When I go back to my high school reunions, I have judges in my class, a college president — myself — doctors, very successful entrepreneurs. So even though we were quote-unquote ‘low income,’ you don’t know it until you look back on it.”
Early on, the girl from a large, strong family was good at math.
“My grandmother used to get butcher paper from the local deli, which was owned by Italians — there were very few stores that were owned by Black people in my community,” Burnette recalled. “She’d paste the butcher paper up on the walls around the kitchen. While I was eating, I’d recite my times tables — all the elements of math — and my spelling words, etc.”
At Ohio State University in the 1970s, she was the only Black engineering student in her graduating class, and also the first Black Ohio State student to intern at an engineering job.
“When I walked in my chemistry class, the only thing I recognized was the beakers and the Bunsen burners,” Burnette said. “I was the only girl in that class and the only Black. But my upbringing made me know that I could do anything. I was a bit fearless.”
Minnie M. McGee, an administrator who had attended a historically Black college in the South, had been hired to recruit and retain Black students in Ohio State’s engineering program.
“She built a cocoon where I could just be me,” Burnette said. “Where someone was pouring into me and making me proud of who I am so my own gifts could come out, without me apologizing.”
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree, she took a job as an engineer at Proctor and Gamble, running the computer lab at a plant that made Tide and Crest.
Soon after, Burnette met and married now-retired Air Force Lt. Col. Daarel Burnette, who had attended Morehouse College, a historically Black college in Atlanta.
“I knew absolutely nothing about active-duty military life,” she said. “I knew he was cute. He is from the South, and I am from the North. He is introverted, and I’m extroverted.”
The couple raised two children, Daarel Burnette II, a journalist now working in Washington, D.C., and Daana Burnette, a producer in Los Angeles.
“We got married in July, and we got orders to move in August — to Warner Robins, Georgia,” Burnette said about a place not unlike the setting for “Hidden Figures.” “I had to get 20 references for a job. I interviewed with an older white guy — all of them were Georgia Tech graduates. … They called me the ‘sassy Negro.’ … But I come from big family in Cleveland. That did not intimidate me.”
She faced another hurdle when she went to pick up an application for the officer’s club.
“She told me: ‘There is criteria to join this club,'” Burnette said. “‘Well, my husband is an officer, is that criteria?’ She didn’t believe me. My husband had to come back that afternoon to pick up the application.”
While there, she earned her Master of Science degree in administration from Georgia College, a public liberal arts school in Milledgeville
The Burnette family moved often, living across the country and abroad.
“My husband’s career was good to me,” Burnette said. “I would have stayed in Ohio for my whole life. I’m from Cleveland, went to school in Columbus, and took my first job in Cincinnati. I’d still be working for Proctor and Gamble.”
Among other jobs, Burnette worked for The Washington Post as a systems analyst, and she ran her own computer consulting firm, CompuMent.
While her early adult career was spent in the corporate world, she moved over to education when her husband retired.
Burnette started by teaching community college and then earned her Ed.D. in higher education administration from the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League school. She is also a graduate of the management development program at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.
Before coming to Austin, she held numerous administrative positions at universities across the country.
“We learn backwards to live forwards,” Burnette said. “Everything in my life has prepared me for my journey in Austin and for my presidency of Huston-Tillotson. I am praying and hopeful that my journey at Huston-Tillotson will now prepare me for my next chapter — and I don’t know what that is. “
Leading a university and a community
Burnette joined Huston-Tillotson as president and CEO on July 21, 2015, the first woman to hold that position since Huston and Tillotson colleges merged in 1952.
Many Austinites don’t know that Huston-Tillotson was the first institution of higher learning in Austin, established in 1875, two years before St. Edward’s University and eight years before the University of Texas.
The school’s rich history — though often hidden in the heart of the city — attracted Burnette. So did the community that surrounded it.
“As I drove around East Austin and saw the remnants of it — you’d see where there used to be a barbershop, but now there’s just a sign … or a school that is not in the best condition anymore,” Burnette said. “It really reminded me of the community that I grew up in. I had the feeling that I was home in a very odd way in East Austin.”
Although she did not attend a historically Black college herself, she had long been a proponent of the schools. A member of Delta Sigma Theta, a historically Black sorority with a strong presence at Ohio State, she remains very engaged with the organization.
During the past couple of years, the general public has learned more about the reach of historically Black colleges and historically Black sororities and fraternities because of interest in Vice President Kamala Harris, a graduate of Howard University and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
“HBCs have been important since their inception,” Burnette said. “The world is finally recognizing the beauty of these schools and how they built the middle class.”
Huston-Tillotson, however, was financially fragile when she arrived. Enrollment was down. As president, she gave speeches about perseverance.
“Not using as an excuse that you came from a quote-unquote ‘underprepared’ high school,” Burnette said. “Preparation is relative. Grit is a good part of preparation. It is sometimes even more so than the reading, writing and arithmetic part of it.”
She credits her predecessor, Huston-Tillotson President Larry L. Earvin, with setting the stage.
“When I arrived, I read something in the Statesman about the college not facing outward,” she said. “I only knew about facing outward. … If Cleveland had had a historically Black college with such rich history in the middle of my community, how wonderful that would have been.”
Injured at the airport early in her tenure, Burnette took Uber back and forth to Huston-Tillotson. She always chatted with the drivers.
“Eight or maybe nine of the first 10 didn’t even know the university existed,” Burnette said. “I could not understand that in a city like Austin with a university in the heart of the city — and people didn’t know it was there.”
That has changed substantially during the past seven years.
“Colette has transformed Huston-Tillotson,” said Graham, formerly with Bank of America, now the head of Hector and Gloria Lopez Foundation, which supports students who identify as Latino, low-income and first-generation in their pursuit of higher education. “She has increased HT’s endowment, made it a central focus of the community, and made clear the needs of college attainment for young men of color in order to build the highly skilled, talented workforce we need in Austin. She has put a finer point on the needs of HBCs in keeping with a trend we see nationwide.”
Huffman goes even further in her assessment.
“I believe that Dr. Burnette has made the students and the institution of HT part of the economic success of Austin,” she said. “I do think part of growing the university is making sure that economic opportunities are available to the students, to the teachers, to the staff — and that they are helping drive the success of the community. I think she’s done that.”
Making a ‘Beloved Community’
“Austin is such a magical city,” Burnette said. “There is so much opportunity here. There are so many things my students have been able to do, and be a part of, and to be able to blossom. We have a long way to go as an institution, but we are at that stage.”
Although here for just seven years, Burnette has put down deep roots and has served on numerous citywide boards and committees, despite holding down a daunting day job.
“I am a self-proclaimed lifetime member of the Austin community,” she said. “Nobody can take that away from me. … You are not going to get rid of me.”
As Austin looked once again for answers about social justice and equity in light of the Black Lives Matter movement, Burnette discovered many others in Austin who shared her passions.
“I’ve always been a social justice warrior,” Burnette said. “I met people who really leaned into wanting Austin be a beloved community as Dr. King defined it.”
As Mayor Steve Adler put together the Mayor’s Task Force on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities, he sensed that Burnette fit the job of co-chair of the task force, along with Paul Cruz, then chief of Austin schools.
“I am not a token,” she said. “I am unapologetically a Black female. I was hesitant to do it, because my job was so complicated.”
Improving Austin’s effectiveness at social equity helped her day job. She discovered that she could not recruit effectively for a historically Black college if the city’s reputation was not inclusive. Also, she could draft local leaders in her efforts to build up Huston-Tillotson.
“It put me in a position to meet more people and share the gifts of the institution in a more public way,” Burnette said. “I met the movers and shakers and thought leaders in the city.”
As a result, enrollment is up and Huston-Tillotson is no longer fiscally fragile. So why leave her position at the college?
“I have stood in my purpose as president of the university,'” Burnette said. “And my purpose in the community. A mentor once told me, ‘You always leave the party when you’re having fun.’ The university is in a really good place right now.”
She has but one regret regarding her Huston-Tillotson tenure: She did not build more buildings.
“We have the land. We need a new academic building, and we need a new residence hall. Our gym is not air-conditioned. We don’t have a student union,” she said. “I kept looking for a private-public partnership. … That’s not going to happen by June 30. But the next person is going to get that done. You rarely get to see the tree from the seeds you plant. I want to come back for the ribbon cutting, and I hope I just get to touch the scissors.”
In the near future, Burnette will continue to teach a course in social justice in higher education leadership at the University of Texas. She has thought about running a nonprofit that has social justice and higher education as part of its mission.
“Look, Colette has the energy, the intellect and the influence to make sure Austin achieves its fullest potential,” Huffman said. “She’s also someone whose enthusiasm is contagious. You find yourself wanting to work with her.”
“She has a background in business and a unique set of skills that help her relate to elected officials, business people and academics alike. She’s a unifier,” Graham said. “She brings all people to the table at HT while shining a light on the needs of the surrounding community.
