International Law Firm Dedicates Fellowship, Library At Howard In Honor Of Alumnus Vernon Jordan

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In honor of powerhouse lawyer and Howard University alumnus Vernon E. Jordan Jr., a well-known law firm will not only be renaming a library on campus, but adding several fellowships too! Get the full story from the Howard release below.

(Source: Howard University)

Akin Gump announced the launch of the Vernon E. Jordan Jr. Fellowship, which will offer a paid internship for two third-year Howard University law students – one in the Fall semester, and one in the Spring – to work with the firm’s public law and policy practice in Washington. The fellowship is named in honor of the late Howard University School of Law alumnus, civil rights icon and longtime Akin Gump partner. The firm also announced it had made a commitment to donate $1 million in support of the Howard School of Law’s Vernon E. Jordan Jr. Law Library.  

“Despite Vernon Jordan’s singular influence and his vast individual capabilities, he recognized that the pursuit of one’s personal mission requires external support. Throughout his life, he was a humble recipient of help, especially as he so often worked behind the scenes on important projects, and he was always willing to lend a helping hand. No matter how high he climbed, he would always reach back to pull others forward,” said Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, president of Howard University. “We could not be more pleased to partner with Akin Gump through the Vernon E. Jordan Fellowship, and we are deeply appreciative of the firm’s generous donation to our law library. Through these actions, Akin Gump is helping preserve Vernon’s legacy of service and commitment to lifting up those around him.”  

The University announced the renaming of its law library in honor of Jordan in March 2021, following his passing on March 1. Akin Gump’s donation will provide substantial support for preserving the rich collection and innovating the library for future generations of scholars. 

“We are honored to have Akin Gump establish this prestigious fellowship in honor of Howard law alumnus Vernon Jordan Jr.,” said Howard University’s School of Law Dean Danielle Holley-Walker. “Mr. Jordan was a giant in the legal field and an inspiration for our law school community. He loved the law school and continues to be a guiding light for our students, faculty and alumni. We are deeply committed to celebrating Mr. Jordan’s legacy of excellence through this fellowship.” 

Following his graduation from Howard School of Law, Jordan served as executive director of the United Negro College Fund and president of the National Urban League before joining Akin Gump in 1981, where he remained until his passing. Throughout his career, he served as a trusted adviser to presidents, governments and CEOs and was recognized as a towering figure in both the civil rights arena and corporate America. 

Additional tributes to Mr. Jordan will include an endowed chair at Howard University’s School of Law in his honor to be announced at a later date. 

Howard University President Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick (left) and Vernon E. Jordan Jr. Esq. (right) (Source: Howard University)

“Vernon Jordan left behind a rich and unequaled legacy of service and mentorship. Through his life’s work and boundless generosity, he touched the lives of so many, and I consider myself so fortunate to have called him my mentor and friend,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “Through this fellowship and donation, we proudly support the Howard University School of Law’s efforts to carry forward Vernon’s tremendous legacy and ensure that his vision, commitment and sense of purpose will live on in the many students and future leaders who will pass through its doors.” 

“Throughout his career, Vernon held a unique place at the nexus of the law, business and politics – and he did so while paving the way for me and so many others to follow in his footsteps and achieve success,” said Tony Pierce, partner in charge of Akin Gump’s Washington, D.C. office. “I cannot think of a better way to honor his remarkable legacy than by the establishment of this fellowship and this donation that will help support and nurture future generations of leaders.” 

The Vernon E. Jordan Jr. Law Library’s mission is to excel in service by strengthening the Howard University School of Law community’s legal, research and educational goals through innovative programming, practice-oriented instruction and a collection across traditional and evolving formats. More information about the library may be found here. 

 “A fellowship in my father’s honor at Howard University School of Law, sponsored by Akin Gump, brings his love of the law and his work for economic equality together to benefit any number of current and future Howard law students,” said Vickee Jordan Adams, daughter of Vernon Jordan. “I speak for my stepmother, Ann, and our entire family when I say that we are proud to see this donation and commitment to aspiring professionals. My father took great pride in mentoring and supporting future generations, and I know he would be very pleased to see Howard University and Akin Gump— two institutions about which he cared deeply—following his lead with the Vernon E. Jordan Jr. Fellowship and donation.” 

The Vernon E. Jordan Fellowship is one of several talent recruitment programs hosted by Akin Gump. These include the Akin Gump/Robert S. Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship Program, which brings promising law students to the firm to gain important substantive experience. This year, the firm welcomed its largest-ever class of Strauss Scholars. (Learn more here.) 

TSU Student Develops App That Helps Children With Special Needs Build Relationships

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A Tennessee State University student who will cross the stage and graduate this upcoming weekend is leaving a lasting mark on his community. While studying, he created an app that will help children with special needs create relationships that will impact them for a lifetime! Get the full story from Lucas Johnson in the TSU Newsroom release below.

Aram Abubaker was presented with a challenge. A friend who worked with children with special needs was looking for something that would help enhance their social skills. Abubaker responded: He made an app for that.

Credit: Tennessee State University/Twitter

On Saturday, Abubaker will join nearly 800 undergraduate and graduate students receiving various degrees at Tennessee State University’s Fall Commencement ceremony. Abubaker is getting a doctorate in computer engineering, where he improved his software developing skills that aided him in making the PeerKnect app.

According to the app’s website, 93 percent of parents or therapists say their child or client has difficulty finding social interactions. The app is intended to provide children with opportunities for connection and to help develop social skills which can increase confidence and autonomy.

“Many parents with special needs children have a problem finding play dates or finding friends for their kids because they have some kind of special need,” says Abubaker. “The app facilitates the process of connecting parents, therapists, and businesses that work with children with special needs.”

By teaching or enhancing their social skills, Abubaker says the kids can become “more engaged, and feel less isolated.”

Emily Bruce is a board-certified behavior analyst and Abubaker’s business partner. In her therapy practice, she says many parents with special needs children ask about ways for them to connect socially, have a play date. She says many of them were unaware of sensory friendly events in their area, like a local mall in Nashville, Tennessee, that allows kids with special needs to take pictures with Santa Claus on a certain day and time in December.

Source: Braille Works

“There are a lot of businesses out there that will host these events because they want families of children with special needs to be included,” says Bruce. “So, we wanted to add that as a feature (to the app) where businesses can post their events. And then of course we wanted to get these families connected either with another parent, or with a therapist. We’re getting users every day, and it’s really wonderful to see people respond to this.”

Roseanna Martinez is a special education teacher in Phoenix, Arizona, who has been teaching special needs children for more than 20 years. She says she likes the connectivity the app provides.

“I think it’s a really neat idea,” says Martinez. “One of the things I find interesting is that parents can link up with other families with kids like theirs. That not only gives kids an opportunity to socialize with people who understand them, but it also gives parents a bigger community to work with.”

“The other thing that appealed to me is the sensory friendly places,” adds Martinez. “That’s a big deal. You never know till you get to a place how it’s going to be and how the kids are going to react. So, it’s nice that they (parents) have a little insight into that before they take their kids out.”  

Dr. Robbie Melton is dean of TSU’s Graduate School and Professional Studies and associate vice president of the university’s SMART Global Technology Innovation Center. She encouraged Abubaker to participate in the center’s “Everyone Can Code & Create” initiative, a partnership with Apple. The initiative improved Abubaker’s problem-solving skills, and aided him in finding solutions, such as developing PeerKnect.  

“The Graduate School takes pride in providing both a supporting academic and social environment in helping students like Aram surpass their potential,” says Melton. “Aram is truly a role model!”

Abubaker says developing the app was hard work, but he believes it will help many people.

“I’ve spent hours working on this, and I’ve enjoyed the process, because I believe this is going to change people’s lives,” he says.

To learn more about TSU’s Computer Science Department, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/computer_science/.

For more information about the SMART Global Technology Innovation Center, visit https://tsu-smartinnovationtech.netlify.app/.

Firm That Represented HBCUs In 15-Year Lawsuit Donates Fees Worth $12.5M To HBCUs, Nonprofits

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After a grueling lawsuit on behalf of Maryland HBCUs that lasted over a decade, HBCUs and nonprofits all over the country will receive funds from the ruling. Get the breaking news from Pamela Wood at The Baltimore Sun below.

Michael D. Jones, partner with Kirkland & Ellis in Washington, D.C. April 3, 2018. (Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM)

The law firm that represented Maryland’s historically Black universities in a long-running lawsuit against the state is donating $12.5 million to colleges and nonprofits from the fees it was awarded when the case settled.

The Kirkland & Ellis firm, led by attorney Michael D. Jones, represented alumni and supporters of Maryland’s historically Black colleges and universities as they challenged systemic underfunding of the schools by the state government. After a 15-year legal and political saga, the case was settled this year when state lawmakers approved hundreds of millions of dollars in extra funding for the HBCUs in future state budgets.

As part of the settlement, the state agreed to pay $22 million in legal fees and costs, with $12.5 million going to Kirkland & Ellis. The remainder went to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, which also provided legal representation for plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Kirkland & Ellis is now sending all of the money it received back into the community because it took the lawsuit on a pro bono, or charitable, basis.

“So many of us became lawyers to fight injustice and give our clients a fair shake not only in the courtroom, but also in society. This case has allowed me, and my colleagues, to do just that,” Jones said in a statement. “I’m gratified by this entire experience, including knowing that this donation will go directly to helping future lawyers gain valuable experience and to fight for justice for others.”

People protesting at Morgan State University (Credit: Morgan State University)
  • $5 million to the Dillard University Center for Racial Justice in New Orleans to create an endowment that will fund paid internships for students at civil rights and public interest organizations.
  • $3 million to Morgan State University’s Robert M. Bell Center for Civil Rights in Education to fund the center’s racial justice initiatives and fellowships for students.
  • $2 million for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law to establish a fellowship program for students including those studying law at HBCUs.
  • $1 million to the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education for fellowships and internships, particularly on Capitol Hill.
  • $600,000 to Howard University’s Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center.
  • $600,000 to the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education, which is the group that brought the HBCU lawsuit in Maryland.
  • $250,000 to the African Methodist Episcopal Church Second District for advocacy work and scholarships for HBCU students.

Under the law sponsored by House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones that was passed this year, for the next decade, an extra $57.7 million per year will be divided among the state’s four public HBCUs: Coppin State University and Morgan State University in Baltimore, Bowie State University and the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore in Princess Anne.

University leaders have been working on plans for how to spend the money, which will start flowing in 2023. Ideas include expanding academic programs for in-demand fields such as technology and healthcare, providing more services and financial aid to low-income students and expanding graduate and certificate programs.

FAMU Rattlers Have The Best College Football Record In The State Of Florida

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Florida A&M University football isn’t looking to slow down anytime soon! Get the full story about their chart-topping success in the story from Kylah Thompson at The Famuan below.

Credit: Florida A&M University

After seven straight wins, FAMU Football boasts the best record (8-2) for any college football team in Florida for the 2021 season. FAMU football also earned national acclaim after ranking 25th in the CBS Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Power Rankings for week 11.

According to CBS, FAMU has what it takes to be bound for the playoffs despite experiencing a lag in early season momentum.

“The Rattlers have excellent speed on the perimeter,” reads the Top 25 list. “[They are] proving to be a matchup problem for anyone they face.”

According to Coach Willie Simmons, despite recent influxes of praise, the team has no plans to slow down anytime soon. He credits the team’s unwavering success to players’ discipline and focus both on and off the field.

“It’s about not being complacent,” Simmons said. “For us, it’s about setting our eyes on the process and not only the result. I feel like if we do that we’ll continue to have the results that take us higher.”

Rattlers and foes alike have praised Simmons for his tenacity that gets results. Simmons also acknowledged the quality of his players and their commitment to the legacy of FAMU Football.

“Recruiting defensive athletes is a huge part of what we do,” Simmons said. “When these young men can see the FAMU brand being highlighted on national television and major networks, it only helps our cause in attracting top athletes.”

Defensive Cornerback Guysen Bohler couldn’t be happier that he brought his talents to the FAMU football program to play for Simmons.

“I chose FAMU for the HBCU atmosphere,” Bohler said. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of the local culture to enjoy the experience and everything has met my expectations.”

Bohler also reflected on the chemistry that exists within the team that has helped them to maintain stride. He noted their resilience after making mistakes as their greatest strength at the moment.

“Team morale is high,” Bohler said. “Despite our two losses, we’ve been getting right with the little things, and honing in on our fundamentals.”

Bohler also expressed that the team’s ascent to being a national hot topic once again is as exciting as it is affirming. He wants the country to know that HBCUs are hotbeds for athletic greatness like no other.

“It’s a surreal feeling,” Bohler said. “It makes you feel like you’re at one of those big-time schools because we are. We’re just as capable and just as talented, and the only thing stopping us is us.”

Oakwood University Celebrates 125 Years

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On November 16, 2021, Alabama HBCU Oakwood University celebrated 125 years! Learn about the HBCU’s history and how the community is celebrating in the full story from Debbe Millet of Oakwood University, in collaboration with Southern Tidings below.

The administration and accreditation committee members celebrated the news of Oakwood’s initial accreditation in 1958 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. (Credit: Oakwood University)

November 16, 1896, is a date that will forever live in the sacred history of Seventh-day Adventist mission. On this date, the Oakwood Industrial School in Huntsville, Alabama, United States, opened its doors to 16 students. 

On November 16, 2021, Oakwood University is celebrating its 125th birthday. For more than a century, Oakwood University has launched thousands of graduates into orbits of service around the corner and the world.

Today, Oakwood University, a historically Black Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher learning, offers high-quality Christian education that emphasizes academic excellence; promotes harmonious development of mind, body, and spirit; and prepares leaders in service for God and humanity. 

The school’s motto, shared by faculty and students, is Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve. In everything it does, the school believes and practices God First, its current slogan. Consistent with its mission statement, Oakwood University is in the business of transforming lives — both for now and, more importantly, for eternity.

While the many accomplishments of Oakwood University are legendary, at its very beginning, prospects were less than promising. In 1895, church leaders G. A. Irwin, O. A. Olsen, and N. Lindsey traveled to Huntsville, Alabama, looking for land for an industrial school authorized by the General Conference. From the start, Adventist Church co-founder Ellen White championed Oakwood’s cause and is unquestionably worthy of the title “co-founder of Oakwood.”

In a letter (no. 313) written in 1904, White wrote, “It was in the providence of God that the Huntsville school farm was purchased.” As it grew from its meager beginnings, she continuously spoke out for the school, doing all in her power to make sure it prospered. She wrote, visited, prodded, sacrificed, prayed, donated, advocated, and cried for the fledgling institution to ever fulfill its God-given destiny.

A Plantation Farmer’s Property

The more than 350 acres purchased in 1896 were property owned by plantation farmer Peter Blow. Among the slaves owned by Blow was one named Dred, who would become famous for his role in the Dred Scott case. (Blow’s son, Taylor, gave Dred Scott his freedom in 1857.)

On the former slave plantation, the Alabama landscape was sloping and uneven; the red clay was hard as granite; the soil was barren from having been overworked; dense brush encircled the property; tree limbs sagged. It took vision and faith to see a future in this unpromising plot in the heart of the American South, 30 years after the Civil War.

The 65 towering oak trees on the original property inspired the name of this new institution. The Oakwood Industrial School opened its doors on November 16, 1896, with a principal, three teachers, and 16 students. As academic offerings expanded over the years and the number of students and staff increased, so Oakwood underwent changes in its name. 

The school was named the Oakwood Industrial School from 1896 to 1904, and then it became known as the Oakwood Manual Training School, the name from 1904 to 1917. Then the school was called Oakwood Junior College from 1917 to 1945 and was Oakwood College from 1945 to 2008. 

In 1943, Oakwood received its first accreditation, as a junior college, while already in the process of seeking senior college status. Fifteen years later, in 1958, it was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate and baccalaureate degrees.

The institution was named Oakwood University on January 1, 2008, when the school achieved university status after adding its first graduate program, the Master of Arts degree in pastoral studies.

As the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) member institution in northern Alabama, Oakwood participates in and benefits from UNCF’s fund-raising campaigns, including scholarships, as well as access to international educational opportunities.

Oakwood University continues to view education as indispensable in preparation for wider service to God and the human family. Oakwood University president Leslie Pollard said, “For 125 years, Oakwood has advanced the mission of Seventh-day Adventist education, creating competent Christian professionals for servant leadership. Since 1896 we have been in the blessed business of transforming lives.”

Principal administrators from Oakwood’s early, pre-college years were Solon Jacobs (1896), H. S. Shaw (1897-1899), B. E. Nicola (1899-1904), F. R. Rogers (1904-1905), G. H. Baber (1905-1906), W. J. Blake (1906-1911), and Clarence J. Boyd (1911-1917).

Presidential administrators of Oakwood’s college and university years were J. I. Beardsley (1917-1923), James L. Moran (1932-1945), Frank L. Peterson (1945-1954), Garland J. Millet (1954-1963), Addison V. Pinkney (1963-1966), Frank W. Hale (1966-1971), Calvin B. Rock (1971-1985), Emerson A. Cooper (Fall 1985), Benjamin F. Reaves (1985-1996), Delbert W. Baker (1996-2010), Mervyn A. Warren (Fall 2010), and Leslie N. Pollard (2011 to present).

Community Impact

The university has tremendous impact on the local community, hosting, since 1946, the annual Camp Meeting for the South Central Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, a 10-day spiritual, educational, and recreational retreat, accommodating 8,000 to 10,000 attendees in pre-pandemic years.

From its inception through the late 1960s, Oakwood operated a variety of businesses, including a laundry that supported both Huntsville and the Redstone Arsenal. “As part of the school’s industry recovery initiative, Oakwood operates two Edible Arrangements franchise stores, the Oakwood Farms Market, and the Oakwood University Memorial Gardens Cemetery. This initiative helps the university keep its tuition low by turning funds back to the campus, employing students, and teaching them the value of entrepreneurship,” Pollard noted. “One of the university’s goals is to reduce reliance on student tuition as the sole source of revenue. Profits from these industries support student scholarships and overall educational needs.”

Returning to its agricultural roots in 2017, Oakwood opened an organic urban farm, set to become the largest of its kind in northern Alabama. Oakwood intends to contribute to the natural food options in the surrounding community, which has been labeled a “food desert.” The university also opened the Oakwood Farms Market in 2020, which offers fresh produce and a variety of plant-based products. The market is a practical way of promoting a healthy lifestyle based on biblical principles.

Oakwood University’s initiative is part of a larger contemporary trend that highlights the importance of organic vegetable farming for human health and general well-being. Following advice by church co-founder Ellen White, Seventh-day Adventists have long advocated for a plant-based diet and useful outdoor work as ways of keeping body and mind healthy.

Oakwood University president Leslie Pollard and his wife, Prudence , stand near the Oakwood University mobile Market, which helps to address food insecurities in Huntsville, Alabama (Credit: Oakwood University)

Recent Developments

Healthy Campus 2020 (HC2020) is Oakwood University’s organized initiative to empower students to make healthy choices. This program was established as a response to the problem of preventable diseases, which affect the students. Healthy Campus 2020 has helped educate the campus regarding healthy lifestyle decisions, utilizing the eight laws of health to foster a holistic approach to a healthy mind, body, and soul. The goal of Healthy Campus 2020 is to make Oakwood University the healthiest campus in America.

The university has expanded the initiative to Healthy Campus, Healthy Community, by partnering with the Huntsville Hospital System to build and operate the Oakwood University Community Health Action Center adjacent to the campus at the corner of Sparkman Drive and Bronco Circle.

The center will encompass an ambulatory care clinic operated by the Huntsville Hospital within the Health Action Center. Oakwood students, employees, and community residents will have access to high-quality care at the walk-in clinic. Establishing this facility will also allow continuity of care from the walk-in clinic to in-patient care at Huntsville Hospital.

“Huntsville Hospital Health System is very pleased to work with Oakwood University in bringing this dream to fruition. The clinic will provide important health services to people throughout this community,” David Spillers, CEO of Huntsville Hospital Health System, said at a lease-signing event in February 2021.

“The Community Health Action Center launches Oakwood’s community-facing phase of our nationally-recognized Healthy Campus 2020 campus wellness initiative,” Pollard said. “Our event today underscores our Healthy Campus, Healthy Community commitment to our community. This vision began with a request from yours truly to the CEO of Huntsville Hospital to consider a partnership with Oakwood to transform the health outcomes of Northwest Huntsville.

“Oakwood University has been in the Huntsville community for 125 years, and so has Huntsville Hospital. Together, we plan to bring health and healing to the morbidities affecting the citizens of northwest Huntsville. The partnership today between Huntsville Hospital and Oakwood University is designed to improve the health status of underserved citizens of the city of Huntsville,” Pollard said.

“The completion of Oakwood’s 10,000-square-foot Community Health Action Center does not only deliver health care on one side of our facility — the other side of our facility houses real-life service-learning activities for our students and faculty as they deliver health education, nutrition education, job skills training, and the services of our Mobile Food Market. Faculty have planned life-skills classes, and after-school learning supports to children,” Pollard said.

Claflin University Students Welcome Development That Would Improve Social Life

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Proposed development at Railroad Corner in Orangeburg, South Carolina is being welcomed by Claflin University students looking to have more excitement around campus! Get the full story from Gene Zaleski at The Times and Democrat below.

University of North Carolina School of Government Development Finance Initiative Project Manager Sonyia Turner discusses the proposed Railroad Corner redevelopment project with Claflin University freshman Angel Lumar. (Credit: Gene Zaleski)

Claflin University students say they’re pleased the City of Orangeburg is planning to redevelop Railroad Corner, and they’re hopeful the plans bring more opportunities for students.

“It is a really good idea,” senior Erykah Weldon said Monday.

“Orangeburg has two HBCU’s or two colleges and there is not a lot to do in Orangeburg at all. That is why it is so crazy. This should be more of a college town, really. They should attend to their students,” she said.

The Summerville resident said she and many of her friends travel outside Orangeburg to find outlets that are attractive for college students.

“We go to Charleston or Columbia to even find stuff,” she said. “We don’t even have a movie theater or anything. There really is not much to do besides on campus and the food offerings are not that good either.”

City of Orangeburg officials went to Claflin’s campus on Monday as part of an effort to talk with students about the proposed redevelopment of Railroad Corner.

The city is seeking input on three scenarios for the redevelopment of Railroad Corner, which is bounded by Russell Street, Boulevard Street and Magnolia Street.

Claflin freshman Angel Lumar said redevelopment would be great.

“It is an old area. Kids don’t really have much do to other than bad things, so it is giving them something to look forward to and be proud of with their college town,” she said.

Lumar, who lives on campus, says there are not many places to hang out in Orangeburg except for campus, Cloud Nine and houses that university students rent.

“There is not much for us to do,” Lumar said. “There are not many movie theaters.”

She’d also like more food options.

“That would be great to have new restaurants and new foods to choose from,” she said.

Claflin junior Timothy Outing said the redevelopment, “will bring a lot to Orangeburg.”

Outing said when he is not on campus, he typically hangs out at Cook-Out.

“Along that strip would probably be the best place to add restaurants,” Outing said.

Orangeburg needs more to keep college students here during college and after graduation, such as “bowling alleys, movie theaters,” he said.

Outing said he is happy the MAX Family Entertainment Center has opened on Red Bank Road, but says there needs to be something in the city or within walking distance for students.

“If you open up more attractions, that will allow more students to come to the universities,” he said. That “will allow Orangeburg to grow.”

Crossing the railroad tracks is a problem, Outing said.

“I remember doing that my freshman year,” he said. “I think that is the only problem with some freshmen, depending on what type of connections they have.”

Outing said the tracks can be dangerous and that something should be done to improve safety for both motorists and pedestrians.

Claflin junior Nya Grantham said she likes the idea of the corner being developed.

“I think that it would be beneficial for college students because some of us don’t have cars or other resources to go to Columbia or Charleston,” Grantham said. “The fact is that is closer, like walking distance. It would be beneficial to us students.”

Grantham said she feels safe around the railroad tracks and says signs are visible.

“Just go in groups and be safe,” she said.

Community public input meetings were also scheduled for Monday evening and Tuesday morning. The Tuesday meeting will be held at 9 a.m. at the City Gym at 410 Broughton Street in Orangeburg.

Three development scenarios have been proposed for Railroad Corner based on information provided at public engagement sessions.

The three development scenarios are:

• Scenario A — Preserve and infill: The primary objective is to preserve all the buildings on the site and restore them with targeted retail and commercial uses and overlaying the area with mixed uses and residential uses. Tax credits would be available under this scenario.

The scenario includes:

– Commercial space: 19,300 square feet

– Apartments: 35,800 square feet

– Cultural: 6,700 square feet

– Parking spaces: 124

– Total development cost: $16 million

– Anticipated public investment: $4.5 to $5 million

The scenario would add a six-story, mixed-use development with ground-floor commercial and upper-story residential. Under this scenario, the former State Theater would be a potential museum or cultural space.

The scenario would preserve the service station building along Russell Street and include multi-family units along Treadwell Street.

Scenario A’s program is limited in size due to the preservation of all historic structures. Therefore, this program adds height at the intersection of Russell and Boulevard streets to create a project that could be attractive to a private developer.

As the smallest program with the most preservation, Scenario A will require the most public investment to be feasible.

• Scenario B — Reuse and energize: The primary objective would keep some historic elements on the site, but not necessarily the buildings.

This scenario would reallocate building facades or foundations or materials in new ways that aim to activate the site and give it a sense of nostalgia, maintain the sense of place and history, but provide the benefit of some new architecture.

This design would open up the site, creating walk-through opportunities with urban and plaza spaces combined with retail.

The design would allow individuals to walk to Railroad Corner or arrive there as a destination.

More specifics under this scenario:

– Commercial space: 14,300 square feet

– Apartments: 51,200 square feet

– Cultural: 6,700 square feet

– Parking spaces: 132

– Total development cost: $18.2 million

– Anticipated public investment: $4.5 million to $5 million

Scenario B preserves the State Theater building, the building adjacent to it to the north, and preserves the facades of the shops along Russell Street.

Scenario B adds a four-story, mixed-use development with ground-floor commercial and upper-story residential. Scenario B reimagines the former State Theater building as a cultural space (potential museum), extends multifamily units along Treadwell Street and redevelops the former gas station into new commercial space.

Scenario B allows for a slightly larger program than Scenario A. However, due to the preservation of some of the existing buildings, Scenario B will still need similar public investment as Scenario A to be feasible.

• Scenario C — Regenerate and overlay: Building entirely new.

This design scenario would incorporate and maintain pedestrian areas and add a mixed-use development. There would also be more flexibility when it comes to building footprints and parking.

A new build would still aim to focus on the use of materials with an eye toward the area’s history.

More specifics under this scenario:

– Commercial space: 11,400 square feet

– Apartments: 62,400 square feet

– Cultural: 6,700 square feet

– Parking spaces: 132

– Total development cost: $18 million

– Anticipated public investment: $4 million to $4.5 million

Scenario C assumes that none of the existing buildings can be preserved due to structural or cost reasons.

Scenario C adds a four-story, mixed-use development with ground floor commercial and upper-story residential.

Scenario C includes a new cultural space (potential museum) where the former State Theater is located, extends multifamily units along Treadwell Street and redevelops the former gas station into new commercial space.

To align with the guiding public interests, Scenario C would incorporate murals and other artistic elements to integrate the rich history of the Railroad Corner site.

Scenario C can support a larger program and will require the least amount of public investment to be feasible.

The effort

The City of Orangeburg engaged the University of North Carolina’s School of Government Development Finance Initiative in December 2020 to analyze the redevelopment feasibility of the corner, and assist with attracting private investment for the redevelopment of the site.

Since August of this year, both the city and DFI engaged project architect Perkins & Will to help refine and update the development scenarios.

Following the public input sessions, DFI will present its findings to Orangeburg City Council for the selection of a final preferred development plan.

Orangeburg City Council will vote on the development plan. The plan will then be taken to a private development firm to build it out.

New Program At Morris Brown College Connects Students With MBA Graduates

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If you’re interested in taking your education in business to the next level, you may want to take a good look at Morris Brown College! Learn how MBA graduates are helping Morris Brown students earn similar accomplishments in the story from staff at The Atlanta Journal below.

Credit: Bita Honarvar

Morris Brown College boasts a new mentorship program that matches local MBA professionals from eight prestigious schools with its growing base of diverse students. The inaugural program will support a select number of full-time juniors and seniors along with a unique cohort of first year students from the College’s adult education program.

“This wonderful opportunity offers an educational and mutually beneficial experience for both the mentor and mentee, and Morris Brown is excited and motivated to bring it to fruition,” said Dr. Kevin James, president of Morris Brown College

Mentors are expected to provide student participants exposure to new career & industry possibilities as well as general business guidance, including insights into various functional areas, best practices of networking, and interviewing strategies.

Terry Comer, a Morris Brown College graduate (2003) and Harvard Business School alumnus (2006) is helping to spearhead the program alongside an impressive grouping of local MBA alumni.

“I’m excited to support Morris Brown’s resurgence, particularly given how instrumental the College was in my personal development as a business leader. This program has tremendous potential and would not be possible without the broader Atlanta MBA community being so generous of their time,” Comer said.

The collection of mentors represents a diverse group of our nation’s most respected MBA programs. All of the mentors hold senior leadership positions within established startups to Fortune 500 companies, spanning a variety of industries from retail to digital infrastructure. Together, these talented MBAs with a wide range of professional experiences and backgrounds, including 10 who are Presidents of their companies, are coming together to exclusively support Morris Brown College after its recent accreditation candidacy announcement.

At the conclusion of the first 8-month period, mentors and mentees are expected to complete surveys to best evaluate the program’s impact as well as identify future opportunities for expansion and improvement. The objective is to continue to serve the College for many years to come as Morris Brown expands its enrollment.

HBCU Alumni Launched A Thriving Wine Brand During The Pandemic

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Michael Lavelle Wines supports art, philanthropy, and more!

Purchases in the wine and spirits industry have been on the rise amid the pandemic, but how many consumers know what they’re drinking? It’s not always easy to find a quality bottle for a low price. But of course, four HBCU alumni found a way! The resulting product is Michael Lavelle Wines, a black-owned wine brand being sold around the country.

The bond of Howard University graduates Terrence Lavelle Low, Aaron Michael Coad, Brandon Crump, and their business partner Devin Kennedy, who they met while in school, grew tighter thanks to a mutual appreciation for wine and entrepreneurship. Their journey to creating a trustworthy brand began with heavy research into the history of wine, winemaking and the state of the wine industry at the time. They found that their peers tended to educate themselves more on drinks like tequila and vodka, and sought to bridge the gap. They also sought to expose minority wine drinkers to culturally relevant wine craftsmanship. To bring a refreshing new wine to the market, the founders “took creative license to develop a disruptive brand fused with art, education, and most importantly, unmatched wine experiences to fill this void.” With the founders having careers in industries from technology to fashion, they all brought something different to the finished product. Together, they were able to work through bottle shortages and other obstacles in the pandemic to emerge with a product they were proud of.

Launched on Juneteenth in 2020, Michael Lavelle Wines hit the market by choosing Iris Rosé as the brand’s first varietal. “We strategically launched the Iris Rosé as the first varietal because of consumer trends and timing,” said the team. “In fact, according to NielsenIQ, sales of rosé wine in the US increased from $110 million in 2017 to $757 million year to date May 22, 2021. This is a stunning 584% increase.” Iris Rosé was created with  cabarnet and pinot grigio grapes from coastal California. The tantalizing flavor has fruity notes of fresh strawberries, morello cherries, and lemon verbana. In the first nine months after launching, the rose became the winery partner’s best-selling e-commerce brand!

For many reasons, Michael Lavelle Wines is blossoming into the high quality, premium wine brand that the founders had dreamed it’d be. The team was intentional about only partnering with small batch wineries, which make it easier to ensure the integrity of every bottle’s flavor is maintained. And while sales are doing well online, the brand is available in states around the country with high concentrations of Black communities: Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; Richmond, VA; and Inglewood, CA. In fact, many of the brand’s first retail partners were Black-owned businesses! All the commercial success has even allowed the brand to partner with nonprofits like “The Roots Fund.” Some proceeds for each bottle purchased online go toward a scholarship fund helping an HBCU graduate to live abroad in France to earn an MBA in Wine Business and Management! 

Always looking to level up, the team banded together to open an art gallery “We’re proud of our latest expansion, Gallery Lavelle, which elevates emerging and prominent contemporary artists creating work in the scope of African, Black American, and indigenous identity,” they said. Through solo and group exhibitions, Gallery Lavelle was created to encourage dialogue amongst artists, winemakers, and communities they serve. All the while, the platform promotes the visibility and elevation of historically underrepresented groups.  Created as an ode to the richness of culture in the founders’ hometowns of Chicago and Washington, DC, local artists in those areas are now receiving a well-deserved spotlight. 

To learn more about the founders and the brand, check out the website, Instagram, and Twitter pages of Michael Lavelle Wines today!

HBCU Alumni Launched A Thriving Wine Brand During The Pandemic

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Michael Lavelle Wines supports art, philanthropy, and more!

Purchases in the wine and spirits industry have been on the rise amid the pandemic, but how many consumers know what they’re drinking? It’s not always easy to find a quality bottle for a low price. But of course, four HBCU alumni found a way! The resulting product is Michael Lavelle Wines, a black-owned wine brand being sold around the country.

The bond of Howard University graduates Terrence Lavelle Low, Aaron Michael Coad, Brandon Crump, and their business partner Devin Kennedy, who they met while in school, grew tighter thanks to a mutual appreciation for wine and entrepreneurship. Their journey to creating a trustworthy brand began with heavy research into the history of wine, winemaking and the state of the wine industry at the time. They found that their peers tended to educate themselves more on drinks like tequila and vodka, and sought to bridge the gap. They also sought to expose minority wine drinkers to culturally relevant wine craftsmanship. To bring a refreshing new wine to the market, the founders “took creative license to develop a disruptive brand fused with art, education, and most importantly, unmatched wine experiences to fill this void.” With the founders having careers in industries from technology to fashion, they all brought something different to the finished product. Together, they were able to work through bottle shortages and other obstacles in the pandemic to emerge with a product they were proud of.

Launched on Juneteenth in 2020, Michael Lavelle Wines hit the market by choosing Iris Rosé as the brand’s first varietal. “We strategically launched the Iris Rosé as the first varietal because of consumer trends and timing,” said the team. “In fact, according to NielsenIQ, sales of rosé wine in the US increased from $110 million in 2017 to $757 million year to date May 22, 2021. This is a stunning 584% increase.” Iris Rosé was created with  cabarnet and pinot grigio grapes from coastal California. The tantalizing flavor has fruity notes of fresh strawberries, morello cherries, and lemon verbana. In the first nine months after launching, the rose became the winery partner’s best-selling e-commerce brand!

For many reasons, Michael Lavelle Wines is blossoming into the high quality, premium wine brand that the founders had dreamed it’d be. The team was intentional about only partnering with small batch wineries, which make it easier to ensure the integrity of every bottle’s flavor is maintained. And while sales are doing well online, the brand is available in states around the country with high concentrations of Black communities: Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; Richmond, VA; and Inglewood, CA. In fact, many of the brand’s first retail partners were Black-owned businesses! All the commercial success has even allowed the brand to partner with nonprofits like “The Roots Fund.” Some proceeds for each bottle purchased online go toward a scholarship fund helping an HBCU graduate to live abroad in France to earn an MBA in Wine Business and Management! 

Always looking to level up, the team banded together to open an art gallery “We’re proud of our latest expansion, Gallery Lavelle, which elevates emerging and prominent contemporary artists creating work in the scope of African, Black American, and indigenous identity,” they said. Through solo and group exhibitions, Gallery Lavelle was created to encourage dialogue amongst artists, winemakers, and communities they serve. All the while, the platform promotes the visibility and elevation of historically underrepresented groups.  Created as an ode to the richness of culture in the founders’ hometowns of Chicago and Washington, DC, local artists in those areas are now receiving a well-deserved spotlight. 

To learn more about the founders and the brand, check out the website, Instagram, and Twitter pages of Michael Lavelle Wines today!

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Fort Valley State University Appoints Dr. Lawanda Greene To Direct New Nursing Program

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Fort Valley State University has established a new nursing program, and recently announced that nursing industry maven Dr. Lawanda Greene will be the founding director. Learn more about why Dr. Greene is a great fit for her new role in the FVSU release below.

Credit: Fort Valley State University

Fort Valley State University (FVSU) recently announced the appointment of Dr. Lawanda Greene as its founding director of nursing. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at FVSU is newly approved by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. Dr. Greene will begin her appointment effective January 1, 2022.

Dr. Greene earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Georgia Regents University (now Augusta University); a BSN in Nursing from the Medical College of Georgia; and a Master of Public Health from Georgia Southern University.

Dr. Greene is an associate professor and board-certified Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP). She currently serves as the Master of Science (MSN) Coordinator for an AGACNP program at Middle Georgia State University.

Commenting on her appointment, Dr. Greene said, “I am delighted to be selected as the founding director of the nursing program at Fort Valley State University. The opportunity to lead a new program to prepare future nurses is extremely pivotal during this time of change in healthcare. It is vital to prepare nursing students to meet the holistic needs of each patient under their care.”

Dr. Greene started her career in academia as an assistant professor and taught courses in the ASN/BSN programs. She previously served as chair of the curriculum committee before moving into the MSN program in 2016. Dr. Greene was instrumental in developing the program, taking the lead for course development, assisting with the accreditation process, setting program and course outcomes, and aligning the program objectives with professional standards and the university’s mission.

Credit: Your Doctor’s Immediate Care Team

She was named program Coordinator in 2017. Her current responsibilities include student recruitment, program organization, course implementation, initiating clinical contracts, developing handbooks and clinical paperwork, creating new graduate-level programs, leading the MSN committee, and training new faculty.

“The care of patients in rural, underserved communities is critical as many health conditions can be prevented or detected early, decreasing healthcare costs, improving patient satisfaction, and decreasing morbidity and mortality,” said Dr. Green. “ I pray that God will instill in me the wisdom to develop and implement a program that will produce a diverse pool of competent and compassionate nurses who have a servant’s mindset and lead innovative healthcare initiatives in the communities they serve to improve patient outcomes. ”

In August, FVSU announced an educational partnership with Phoebe Putney Health System, Inc.  to launch a new BSN program that aims to address the critical need for nurses in rural Georgia. A $240,000 investment from Phoebe will support the development of the BSN degree at FVSU providing students the education, training and career path opportunity to become licensed registered nurses to work in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Steve Harvey And Robert Smith Collaborate To Provide HBCU Students With Grants And More

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HBCU students are about to get more “freedom” thanks to a new partnership with entertainer Steve Harvey, billionaire Robert Smith, and the Student Freedom Initiative. Learn more about which HBCUs will be supported and more in the full story from staff at BlackNews.com below.

Credit: Provided By Black News

Steve Harvey has always had soft spot for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Now the acclaimed comedian, television show host, entrepreneur and philanthropist is taking his longstanding passion to new heights. Through his Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation, an organization in which he shares with his wife dedicated to cultivating the next generation of responsible leaders by providing educational enrichment, mentoring, life transformation skills and global service initiatives. The Foundation has officially signed on as a strategic partner with the Student Freedom Initiative.

Founded and helmed by tech investor and philanthropist Robert F. Smith, a billionaire touted by Forbes as the richest Black person in America, the Student Freedom Initiative provides a vast array of resources aimed at helping higher education students attending Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), including HBCUs, achieve professional, personal and financial freedom. The Harveys’ participation helps more than triple the number of schools participating in the Student Freedom Initiative from 9 to 29, impacting nearly 80,500 students.“Access to quality, affordable higher education is one of the most important steps our community can take towards achieving racial equity,” says Harvey, a former stand-up comedian and host of the long-running television game show Family Feud. “My team and I are proud to support the work of Robert F. Smith and the Student Freedom Initiative to highlight the outstanding job done by HBCUs and other MSIs to elevate the social and economic mobility of our students to achieve their greatest potential.”

The Student Freedom Initiative’s team has expressed excitement over the Harveys’ decision to lend their celebrity and expertise to their philanthropic passion project. “We are pleased to welcome the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation in support of our critical mission to advance the narrative surrounding minority-serving institutions and the students they support,” says Smith, best known for nabbing headlines in 2019 when he gifted $34 million to Atlanta’s historically Black Morehouse College, paying off the student debt of the entire graduating class, a total of 400 students. “Together, we look forward to sharing and promoting the extraordinary talent of our students in a competitive global economy. Expanding the number of participating HBCUs in the Student Freedom Initiative program and partnering with the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation are two major steps towards closing the wealth gap and creating a lasting impact on the entire HBCU and MSI ecosystem.”

A hallmark of the Student Freedom Initiative is providing an alternative funding source that helps students and their family members avoid taking out student loans, such as Parent PLUS loans, which are unsubsidized federal loans with exceedingly high-interest rates and fees. A growing body of research confirms that students of color, especially Black students, are overburdened with crushing, disproportionate levels of student debt. For example, more than 70 percent of Black students go into debt to pay for higher education, compared to 56 percent of white students, according to the American Association of University Women. The Brookings Institute finds that the Black-white disparity in student loan debt more than triples after graduation, with Black college graduates owing $7,400 more on average than their white peers, often adversely affecting their creditworthiness, ability to save money or build wealth.

Currently, the Student Freedom Initiative is offering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at an initial cohort of HBCUs to apply to receive grants of up to $20,000 per academic year to pay for their schooling, filling in any funding gaps that persist after they receive any other financial aid awards. Students are asked to back the money they owe back into the fund “pay it forward style” to benefit future students in need, but only after they have graduated and are working. The repayment amount is based solely on their income. The nonprofit is also helping to give HBCU students a leg up in their careers through a partnership with the internX.org program, connecting them with training resources and internship and job opportunities at Fortune 500 companies.

Finally, through its strategic partnership with Cisco and AVC Technologies/Computex, the Student Freedom Initiative is also providing pro bono technology infrastructure upgrades to a select number of HBCU campuses, in an effort to protect them from the threat of potential cybersecurity attacks, much like the ransomware attack that recently crippled Howard University.

Student Freedom Initiative Executive Director Mark Brown says the partnership with the Harveys builds upon the progress the nonprofit has made over the last year and a half, building out a scalable infrastructure and establishing strategic partnerships to increase the resilience of MSI institutions and the global competitiveness of their students. “Now in our second year, we look forward to continuing to grow the number of participating institutions in our program to other Minority Serving Institutions and to serve more students,” says Brown, an alum of historically Black Tuskegee University in Alabama. “We are also grateful to the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation for its leadership and for joining us on this journey.” Harvey says he too is excited about growing the new partnership: “We look forward to other partners joining us in supporting what started with Morehouse College, but now encompasses the totality of the ecosystem who seek to achieve an enduring, scalable solution,” he says.

The selected institutions include Alabama A&M University, Benedict College, Bennett College, Bowie State University, Dillard University, Fisk University, Interdenominational Theological Center, Jackson State University, Jarvis Christian College, Lemoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morris College, Norfolk State University, Shaw University, Texas College, Texas Southern University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, University of the Virgin Islands, Virginia Union University and Voorhees College.

For more details about the Student Freedom Initiative, visit StudentFreedomInitiative.org

4 HBCUs To Receive $5 Million In Scholarships To Further Diversity In Clinical Trials

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Students from 4 HBCUs will be able to be supported with 300 scholarships over the next several years! Get the full story from the press release below.

Credit: Rodnae Productions/Pexels

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced the launch of a new initiative designed to help create a more inclusive clinical trial ecosystem through new approaches to training, education, and improving the clinical research infrastructure within the U.S. This effort builds on Abbott’s commitment of engaging populations who have historically been under-represented in medical research and will improve health by increasing access to innovative treatment options available within the trials process and increasing insights around how different groups respond to new therapies.

People of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds make up nearly 40% of the U.S. population and are disproportionately impacted by chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Yet due to historical and societal barriers, these groups are still heavily under-represented in clinical trials – at times representing just 5% of trial enrollments. This gap compounds existing health equity challenges and limits options for patients battling complex health conditions.

Abbott’s new initiative is focused on reducing barriers to access and building on the company’s focus over the last several years of enhancing diversity within its own clinical trials. The initiative also supports Abbott’s 2030 Sustainability Plan focused on innovating for access and affordability, addressing health disparities and removing barriers to support its purpose of helping people live fuller, healthier lives.

Abbott’s new initiative includes:

  1. Funding and scholarships for future trial leaders
    Through new partnerships with the four HBCU medical schools, the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, the Howard University College of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, and the Morehouse School of Medicine, alongside the National Black Nurses Association and National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Abbott has dedicated $5 million to fund nearly 300 scholarships over the next five years to support the next generation of ethnically diverse nurses, doctors and researchers who will lead and support future clinical trials. Increasing the diversity of doctors and nurses within the clinical trial landscape will also help advance trust in clinical research in diverse communities across the U.S.
  2. Diversity in Research Medical Advisory Board
    Made up of leading independent doctors, trialists and health advocates, Abbott’s new Diversity in Research Medical Advisory Board (MAB) will counsel on methods to reduce barriers to access within under-represented populations and communities of color and provide feedback on how Abbott can continue to drive diversity enrollment within select company clinical trials.
  3. Dedicated internal funding to improve access to Abbott trials
    Abbott will dedicate internal funding to improve access for women and under-represented communities within Abbott trials. This funding will support additional trial sites for select Abbott trials, new investigator training opportunities and trial components to eliminate barriers to participation such as transportation vouchers and interpreters where needed.
  4. Convening Industry for Change
    Abbott will convene patient advocates, industry experts, trialists and a diverse set of physician thought leaders to develop and publish an open-source perspective to highlight key learnings around increasing clinical trial diversity across the health tech industry.

“The best health care product is a product that helps the most people, providing the greatest benefit. As an industry, we need to set new standards to make sure that our clinical trials remain representative of the people our products are designed to help,” said Robert B. Ford, president and chief executive officer, Abbott. “We want to continue to break down both existing and emerging barriers to participation in clinical trials so we can help more people have greater access to therapies that have the potential to change lives.”

Clinical Research: The Foundation of Future Innovations
Clinical trials are the most effective way to understand how new medical devices, diagnostic tests, medicine, and therapies impact the health of human patients. They also represent opportunities to potentially treat patients battling complex conditions who haven’t responded to traditional therapies.

Improving representation from diverse populations in clinical trials is paramount to reducing health disparities and better understanding the impact of the next generation of health care therapies across all populations. Yet according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), people of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as well as women, continue to remain under-represented in clinical trials.

In many communities, several barriers to access have historically disrupted enrollment into clinical trials, including lack of access to trial sites, a lack of clarity around the trial process, lack of trust and language barriers between patients and their physician. In addition, a shortage of diverse investigators leading trial sites – along with too few research nurses and research coordinators representing diverse communities – compound the challenge of increasing enrollment into clinical studies.

“The importance for people considering being a participant in a clinical trial to have a doctor or nurse who looks like them, who speaks their language and who understands their needs and those of their community cannot be overstated,” said Melvin Echols, M.D., FACC, cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at the Morehouse School of Medicine and a member of Abbott’s newly formed Diversity in Research Medical Advisory Board. “Abbott’s ability to build on its experience in supporting trials in communities of color and develop a platform to expand access to cutting edge therapies can truly change the care continuum for more patients.”

Innovating for Greater Access and Equity in Health
Abbott’s work to drive diversity in medical research is one example of the company innovating for greater access and affordability in health, the key priority of Abbott’s 2030 Sustainability Plan. An important part of this work is advancing health equity, working side-by-side with communities the company serves to address health disparities and remove the barriers that prevent people from living healthy lives.

To deliver results, Abbott has laid out long-term targets for the business, and made expanding access to care a key principle for community partnerships. This includes the pioneering Future Well Communities program to remove social barriers to better diabetes care, anchor sponsorships of the American Diabetes Association’s Health Equity Now initiative and Easterseals’ Black Child Fund, as well as local initiatives in Chicago and Austin to address hypertension with the American Heart Association, and new community partnerships in Minneapolis and Chicago. The company also recently announced a three-year partnership to be the Global Partner of the Real Madrid Foundation to provide health and nutrition education alongside malnutrition identification and prevention for at-risk children around the world.

Delaware State University Hosts History-Making HBCU Aviation Directors’ Summit

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The Aviation Program at Delaware State University has made history with an aviation directors’ event that some have said was a long overdue. Get the full story from Doc Louallen at news station PHL17 below.

Delaware State University’s Aviation Program recently hosted the first-ever HBCU Aviation Directors’ Summit. The summit took place on November 8th and 9th, 2021.

This was the first time directors from aviation programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S. had ever come together to discuss their challenges and share ideas for their flight training and aviation management programs. Attendees said this summit was long overdue.

“The purpose was to collaborate and share best practices, learn about new programs in the military and with different airlines that are interested in doing business with HBCUs that have aviation programs,” said Lt. Col. Michael Hales, Del State Aviation Program Director, who organized the summit. “That led to huge discussions about how we could fix some of the problems that we all share.”

In addition to Lt. Col. Hales, among the HBCU aviation directors who attended the summit were: Dr. Willie Brown, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; Orestes Gooden, Elizabeth City State University; Dr, Terence Fontaine, Texas Southern University; Dr. Jorge Guerra, Florida Memorial University; and John Murray of Hampton University.

The prominent topical backdrop of the summit was the work of training and graduating more pilots of color to go into the aviation industry and military. As such, a significant part of the summit involved discussions with attending representatives from four airlines – Alaska Airlines, PSA Airlines, Republic Airlines and United Airlines – as well as Col. David Snow from the U.S. Army Cadet Command and Commander Christopher Williams, the director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Commander of the U.S. Naval Air Force.

HBCU Aviation Directors – (bottom l-r) Del State Lt. Col. Michael Hales, Dr. Willie Brown of UMES, Orestes Gooden of Elizabeth City State University; (top) Terence Fontaine of Texas Southern University, John Murray of Hampton University, and Jorge Guerra of Florida Memorial University – all participated in the inaugural HBCU Aviation Directors Summit.

“It was a phenomenal collaboration of a group of HBCUs immersed in aviation, as we shared some new concepts in flight training, student management, fleet operations, student opportunities, jobs,” said Mr. Orestes Gooden. “You name it, we discussed it.”

Xavier Samuels, Chair of Advisory Board for the Aviation Program at Texas Southern University (TSU) said the summit was a gathering of HBCU Aviation Directors that should have happened a long time ago. “We learned a lot, developed a lot, and came up with strategies that will help improve our aviation program at TSU,” he said.

Dr. Brown noted that the summit brought a group of HBCU aviation directors together who could become a force in helping to increase the number of minority pilots flying for commercial airlines and the military.

“When you look at underserved communities and what the missions are for HBCUs, we have not only succeeded in many areas, but we now are starting to shape the path of aviation education for the modern day future,” Dr. Brown said.

Lt. Col. Hales said the group is already planning to meet again next year and make it an annual HBCU Aviation Directors’ Summit.

“If we use our collective voice, the industry and the military will respond to us because right now they are seeking students and graduates of color coming out of aviation programs,” Lt. Col. Hales said.

All of the attendees – especially the HBCU aviation directors – gave the inaugural summit high marks.

JSU Alumna Dana World-Patterson Tapped To Lead Milwaukee Fire And Police Commission

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Trailblazing Jackson State University alumna Dana World-Patterson has been nominated to lead the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission! Get the full story from Elliot Hughes at the Milwaukee State Journal below.

Credit: Erin Bloodgood

Dana World-Patterson, a prominent local advocate for victims of human trafficking, has been nominated to replace Ann Wilson on Milwaukee’s Fire and Police Commission.

World-Patterson’s addition to the commission would provide the oversight body with “her understanding of crime victims and the role of public safety agencies in protecting vulnerable individuals,” Mayor Tom Barrett said in a statement.

The nomination will continue an exodus of commissioners who unanimously voted to ouster former Police Chief Alfonso Morales in the summer of 2020 — a legally dubious move that cost taxpayers $627,000 in settlement payments.

Of the seven commissioners who participated in that vote, Wilson is one of three who still retains her seat. The others, Vice-Chair Everett Cocroft and Fred Crouther, have terms that continue into 2024.

Barrett initially nominated Wilson for another term earlier this year, but the Milwaukee Common Council rejected her confirmation on a 9-6 vote in March.

The Fire and Police Commission serves as the oversight body for Milwaukee’s fire and police departments, and wields authority in personnel and operational matters.

Commission rules permit Wilson to remain on the board until her replacement is confirmed. She participated in the unanimous vote to confirm Jeffrey Norman as Morales’ successor last week.

Wilson has been on the commission since 2013.

World-Patterson is the chair of the Human Trafficking Task Force of Greater Milwaukee and the founder and CEO of Foundations for Freedom, a nonprofit that focuses on preventing human trafficking an supporting victims.

“I am excited and honored to serve the city of Milwaukee on the Fire and Police Commission. The opportunity to lift my voice to ensure a more responsive and effective city government is an important and weighty task,” World-Patterson said in a statement.

World-Patterson has also run a business teaching etiquette lessons since 1990, and it was through that enterprise that she became involved in the fight against human trafficking, according to the Foundations for Freedom website.

After noticing issues among the girls she was instructing, World-Patterson asked how many of them had ever been touched inappropriately and 14 out of 15 said they had, according to the website.

Foundations for Freedom was founded in 2014. World-Patterson is a graduate of Jackson State University and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Southern University Law Center To Help Gamers Hone Brand Development With New Esports Lab

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Southern University Law Center is planning to open an esports lab that will take the professional branding of gamers to the next level thanks to a new partnership! Get the full story from Jonah Gilmore at BR Proud below.

Esports is a trending entertainment industry combining multiple disciplines from law to computer science. The Southern University Law Center has established a partnership with Esport Supply to construct an esports lab where students can compete, build personal brands, and develop professionally.

“It’s an opportunity for students to see what’s going on behind the screen and not just in front of it,” said Chris Turner, Coordinator of Southern University Law Center’s Mixed Reality Virtual Innovation and E-Sports Institute.

Through a partnership with Esport Supply, a state-of-the-art facility will be placed on the bluff. According to Turner, the space will be used to help students develop intellectual property, work on trademarks and work on their own brands.

“They will be able to operate in a space outside of the campus walls,” said Turner.

The project will create a relationship with the industry and develop programming, allowing for a pipeline to success.

“So whether it be the legal aspect, intellectual property or whether it be trademarks associated. You will be able to develop the business of esport and gaming instead of ‘hey, I’m in front of the game all day,’” said Turner.

Once completed, a dedicated community gaming facility will hopefully benefit the Southern University System.

Turner, who is a gamer, said, “I look at gaming and esport now as one of the biggest forms of gaming. Everything you have in law and traditional sports, you’re going to have in esport.”

He said this is only the start of changing the culture and mindset of the community and beyond.

“Through the work at the law center, we can bring in industry, bring in resources and just build curriculum and certification to give our kids here in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas a chance to do something they never thought about,” said Turner.

Design planning and technology assessment are underway. A launch day is in the works and will be released soon.

Southern University at Shreveport Chancellor Rodney Ellis To Step Down In December

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Southern University at Shreveport (SUSLA) Chancellor Rodney Ellis recently announced plans to step down by the end of the year. Learn more about why he plans to leave and the plans now in the works for his successor in the article from Carolyn Roy at ArkLaTex news.

Credit: SUSLA

Chancellor Rodney Ellis is stepping down as chancellor of Southern University Shreveport at the end of the year.

According to a statement released late Monday afternoon by SUSLA, Ellis recently informed Southern University System President Ray L. Belton of his intent to resign his position effective December 31, 2021.

Ellis, who has served as chancellor of Southern University Shreveport (SUSLA) since 2016, has also requested to take personal leave until his effective resignation date to focus on personal and family matters.

“It has been an honor to serve the students and citizens of this great community and to work with the incredibly talented and dedicated team of faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners to advance SUSLA’s mission,” Ellis said in the statement.

Under Ellis’ leadership, SUSLA has seen historic levels of philanthropic support from individual, community and corporate partners.

“Dr. Ellis’ contributions to the university through innovative strategies to secure major partnerships and by leveraging public/private gifts have been transformational throughout the campus,” said Stephanie Rogers, chief advancement officer at SUSLA. “He has left an indelible footprint at SUSLA — one that will impact our students, our workforce and our overall community for years to come. We are grateful for his service.”

President Belton echoed sentiments about Ellis’ service to SUSLA.

“I would also like to thank Dr. Ellis for a tremendous display of leadership at Southern University Shreveport and in the surrounding community for the past five years,” Belton said. “Under his leadership, the campus has seen a significant expansion of associate degree programs and stackable credentials that are delivered across the system and indeed he leaves the Shreveport campus well-positioned for reaffirmation of accreditation at its decennial review next month. His contributions are felt throughout the university system and I have had the great pleasure of working with him during his notable tenure at SUSLA.”

According to the statement, Belton plans to visit the campus this week and meet with the members of the SUSLA community. 

Belton has tapped Vladimir Alexander Appeaning — current Southern University System vice president for strategic planning, policy and institutional effectiveness — to serve in an interim leadership role on the Shreveport campus effective immediately.

Appeaning’s public service career spans more than 22 years in higher education and state government. In addition to his role with the System, Appeaning also serves as vice chancellor for academic compliance and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accreditation liaison for Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge.

Additionally, he is an adjunct professor of public policy and administration in the Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences on the Baton Rouge campus.