Howard University Student Kathlyn Archibald-Drew Crowned Miss British Virgin Islands

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Kathlyn Archibald-Drew, a bold Howard University economics student, has been crowned Miss British Virgin Islands! Get the full story from Dean Greenaway at The Virgin Island Daily News.

Kathlyn Archibald-Drew bested five other contestants Sunday night and was crowned Miss British Virgin Islands.

The 20-year-old Howard University student, or Contestant No. 6, walked away with the title of Miss Intellect and held the highest score following her personal interview.

Prior to hearing her name announced as the winner, a nervous Archibald-Drew waited patiently as Jareena Penn, Contestant No. 3, won six of the 10 pageant segments, including Miss Popular, Miss Poise, Best Introduction, Best Swimwear, Best BVI Promotion and Best Evening Wear.

The 19-year-old is a National Bank of the Virgin Islands employee and is a business administration student at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.

“She’s beautiful, smart, talented and it’s such an honor to work with her, that I thought it made perfect sense,” Archibald-Drew, a Howard University economics student, said of Penn. But she was pleasantly surprised after hearing her own name announced as the winner.

“I didn’t expect this outcome, but I’m so happy with it. This really means the world to me to get to represent within the territory and abroad,” she added. “It’s exactly what I wanted to do. Hopefully, I can carry forward my platform that can honor us and bring us joy.”

Among her prizes, Archibald-Drew, who was the first runner-up in 2019’s Junior Minister of Tourism competition, won a $25,000 educational grant, a $3,000 cash prize and a 2021 Honda CRV.

The pageant, she said, gave her an opportunity to come face to face with her community, outside of her family and her church.

“I really want to serve the BVI in an ambassadorial position and I want to better understand the expectations of women in the world, the standards that came with it, and I figured that a beauty pageant would be the best way to do so and I’ve learned a bunch and I think it’s the best decision I’ve ever made,” she said.

Archibald-Drew, whose platform centered on ambassadorship, said she loves to talk about the BVI, how wonderful it is and why people should visit.

Penn, who won a $1,500 cash award among her first runner-up prizes, said the pageant was a great way to be an ambassador for her “Unmask Her Rape” platform.

“Being a survivor and having the confidence now to speak up and tell my story — I want to give other victims that confidence to become empowered as well,” she said.

The second runner-up was Contestant No. 4, Sylvanna Charles, a 26-year-old Elmore Stoutt High School English and theatre teacher who over the years have won five pageant titles: BVI Festival Princess (2005); Teen BVI (2010); Anguilla Talented Teen (2011); Miss Virgin Gorda (2013) and Miss Bold and Beautiful (2017).

The other contestant were Reba Smith, 19, a general studies student at Stoutt community college. She won the Best Cultural Costume segment.

Chenae Walters, 25, a National Parks Trust terrestrial warden, won Miss Congeniality.

Keyona Cameron, 18, a Stoutt community college student majoring in small business and entrepreneurship, and who owns Tephia Cosmetics, won Miss Photogenic.

Natalie O. Hodge, chairperson of the Miss BVI Pageant Committee, told The Daily News she believed the pageant went exceptionally well and explained the process of posting contestants’ personal interviews with judges online — a segment that pageantgoers and in this case viewers — are not often privy to.

“I guess a lot of people are surprised, but once again, the reason why we wanted to implement this new strategy of posting the personal interview was so that persons don’t be surprised because as you can see, she was the clear front runner coming into the pageant, based off the personal interview,” Hodge said of Archibald-Drew. “Clearly, she kept up a consistent performance throughout the evening as a front runner.”

The pageant’s theme was “A Cultural Identity. Perseverance. Resilience. Evolution,” and was originally scheduled for Aug. 1, but was postponed because of the July COVID outbreak that saw up to 1,600 persons infected.

Archibald-Drew, who was crowned by 2019’s Miss BVI Bria Smith late Sunday night at the Eileene Parsons Auditorium in Paraquita Bay, will now preside over November’s Virgin Islands Culture and Tourism Month activities.

It marked the first time in history that the pageant wasn’t held on the night preceding the annual August Festival Parade. Typically, Miss BVI is showcased during the parade to start her reign.

In three of the last four years, there has been no parade, starting with the floods of August 2017, the ongoing recovery in 2018 from Hurricane Irma the year before, and in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Also for the first time, the pageant offered both in-person and virtual audiences with a pay per view with watch party locations around the BVI.

Hodge said some 300 persons attended virtually “and I heard the watch party locations had a full house at the various locations.”

SCSU Mourns Colin Powell, A Leader Who Left Departing Graduates With Valuable Advice

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The South Carolina State University community is mourning Colin Powell, and reflecting on a man that once gave graduates sound advice during a commencement. Powell was also an honorary inductee of SC State’s Reserve Officer Training Corps. Get the full story from T&D staff below.

Retired Gen. Colin Powell smiles as he looks out at the crowd in Oliver C. Dawson Stadium during South Carolina State University’s spring commencement exercises in May 2011. (Credit: Christopher Huff/T&D FILES)

Retired Gen. Colin Powell visited Orangeburg in May 2011 to encourage South Carolina State University’s graduates to strive for success and help make the U.S. a better place.

The former U.S. Secretary of State, who died Monday, told graduates they have a responsibility to help solve America’s problems.

“Don’t look for superman to fix it, don’t look for the government to fix it,” he said. “The solution is right here in this field. All of us have an obligation to fix it.”

Children need responsible, loving adults in their lives, but often parents aren’t meeting that need. If they don’t have loving adults to follow, they will follow non-caring adults who set poor examples, he said.

America needs more mentoring programs, more Boys and Girls clubs, more church clubs – anything that provides responsible, caring adults, he said.

He urged the graduates to help students reach their full potential.

“Make it a part of your life. Make it a part of your existence,” Powell said. “Don’t worry about trying to save the world. Save a kid. Save two kids. That’s what we have to do, one at a time.”

During his visit, Powell was inducted into the South Carolina State University Reserve Officers Training Corps Hall of Fame.

Powell joined the ROTC at the City College of New York, where he said he learned a lesson about success.

Success is about doing your best for your society, your organization, he said.

“I would say to young people everywhere. … What have you contributed to your society, your organization? Have you done your best every day? If you do that, other forms of success will arrive,” Powell said.

PVAMU Receives $225K Grant For Scholarships Amid 25-Year Partnership With ACC

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Prairie View A&M University‘s 25-year partnership with American Campus Communities is being celebrated with a $225,000 grant and several scholarships for students! Get the full story from PVAMU below.

Long-term partners Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) and American Campus Communities (ACC: NYSE) celebrate their 25-year partnership with the establishment of two academic scholarship programs and a new endowment.

The investment will support and highlight the academic nature of ACC’s mission. Over the next five years, ACC will support PVAMU students with a total contribution of $225,000 to be distributed as follows:

  • An annual $15,000 American Campus Communities “Next Step” Scholarship supporting students with great financial need;
  • Two annual $5,000 “Success by Design” scholarships, awarded to two students majoring in mission-related fields, such as architecture and design; An added goal is to encourage equity and diversity in career paths that can directly impact the student housing sector; and
  • An annual $20,000 investment in the American Campus Communities Endowed Scholarship Fund to aid the general support needs of full-time undergraduate students.

“The endowment, as well as awarding scholarships to students who will represent the next generation of diverse thinkers, is such a meaningful way to acknowledge and commemorate our longstanding partnership with ACC,” said Prairie View A&M University President Ruth J. Simmons. “We appreciate ACC’s unwavering commitment to PVAMU.”

All of the initial scholarships were recently awarded to PVAMU students for the 2021-22 school year. The “Next Step” scholarship was awarded to a total of fifteen students in $1,000 increments. The inaugural “Success by Design” scholarships were granted to PVAMU upperclassmen Shantel Hood and William A. Spriggins V. Both are juniors in the School of Architecture.

“I’m extremely humbled and honored to receive this scholarship; the timing of the blessing was perfect. I plan on using my funds towards my tuition balance and a self-built desktop to perform software AutoCAD, Revit and Photoshop, to name a few. I would like to say thank you to ACC for the scholarship opportunity and PVAMU for making my transfer experience great,” shared Spriggins.

William A. Spriggins V

In 1996, PVAMU and ACC began a shared mission to create an academically focused living and learning environment. Since then, the partnership has delivered more than $137 million in student communities and nine phases of modern academically-oriented housing, serving nearly 5,000 students with on-campus housing accommodations.

“We will forever be grateful to PVAMU as our first university client for believing in us since our founding days — this is our way of saying thank you while helping to invest in future leaders,” said Bill Bayless, chief executive officer at ACC.

In addition to ACC’s grant establishments with PVAMU, the partnership will continue to grow via a series of expanded student housing models. The most recently completed project, University View, features a “program house” concept, in which students of shared academic pursuits reside together. The ideal is designed to encourage peer development and mentorship – ultimately propelling residents from university life as engaged scholars to successful professionals. Program House members will have a range of aptly designed ways to work together to address global issues and challenges in a setting that is unique and well-poised for students. The student housing community, the latest project of the ACC-PVAMU partnership, hosts 540 students.

Morgan State University To Establish Three New Innovative STEM Research Professorships

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Morgan State University will establish three new STEM endowed research professorships in science, psychometrics (human behavior) and engineering thanks to a Maryland state department! Get the full story from MSU below.

The Maryland Department of Commerce today announced the award of $3 million in endowment funding to Morgan State University to establish three new research professorships in Brain Science, Psychometrics and Predictive Analytics, and Cybersecurity Engineering. The endowments were made through the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative (MEI), a state program created to spur basic and applied research in scientific and technical fields at Maryland-based colleges and universities.

“Morgan is serious about continuing along its path to recognition as a world-class research university anchored in urbanism and the HBCU tradition of excellence. Through the support of the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund, we will leverage these three fully funded endowed professorships to further advance and make critical contributions to rising areas of STEM,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University. “This is a significant first for our university, placing us in an advantageous position not only to build for our future but to ensure there is a future for others, and we’re excited about all of the possibilities that await.”

The three endowed professorships are the first in Morgan’s 154-year history and will place the university in a strong position to recruit some of the world’s best researchers and academic minds. It will also position the university to become more competitive in several emerging research areas.

The Endowed Chair in Brain Science will be housed in the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences and will serve as the anchor faculty for the new Center for Brain Health Disparities, a transdisciplinary research and training center that will conduct cutting-edge research in brain science with a focus on the brain health of African Americans.

The Endowed Chair in Psychometrics and Predictive Analytics will reside in the James H. Gilliam Jr. College of Liberal Arts and will build the expertise to develop and use culturally sensitive and technically appropriate assessment tools for high stakes testing and the measurement of human behavior.

And the Eugene M. DeLoatch Endowed Chair in Cybersecurity Engineering, named for the founding dean and dean emeritus of the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. School of Engineering, is being positioned to make a transformative impact on Morgan’s research landscape by developing a critical strength in emerging areas such as the “Internet of Things” and secure embedded systems design, in hopes of fostering interdisciplinary research collaborations with faculty across the university and beyond.

To establish the new professorships and ensure their continued success, Morgan is matching the $3 million in MEI funding with another $3 million earmarked from funds received from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This will bring each endowed professorship to $2 million.

“The transformational gift that we received from MacKenzie Scott continues to have a positive effect on the trajectory of Morgan, further demonstrating the power of private philanthropy and how it can make a profound difference when applied to existing opportunities, such as the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative,” said Donna J. Howard, Morgan’s vice president for Institutional Advancement. “It is our hope that this example of how resources can be thoughtfully leveraged will open the door for other philanthropists who may want to invest in Morgan and its research.”

Morgan was one of eight Maryland-based colleges and universities that provided a total of $21.2 million for endowment of new research professorships during this MEI award period. The schools raised more than $10.6 million in private funding for the chairs, and Maryland Department of Commerce approved matching grants of $10.6 million to support the endowments.

“Maryland’s culture of innovation is one of our strongest assets and a major driver of economic growth and new business attraction,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly M. Schulz. “We are proud to support this large and impressive cohort of E-Nnovation awardees as they continue their important, cutting-edge research.”

The Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative was created by the Maryland General Assembly during the 2014 legislative session and has provided $64.9 million in funding to leverage $71.2 million in private donations. The funding can be used to pay salaries of newly endowed department chairs, staff and support personnel in designated scientific and technical fields of study; fund related research fellowships for graduate and undergraduate students; and purchase lab equipment and other basic infrastructure and equipment.

Added Wilson, “This is just the beginning for us, as we look to build upon these three fully funded endowed professorships and are hopeful to add more in the coming years. We are truly growing the future and leading the world here at Morgan.”

Albany State University Sees Third Consecutive Year of Fundraising Growth

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Albany State University has not only hit its target for the 2021 fiscal year, it has surpassed expectations for the last three years! Learn more about Albany State’s success in the article released by the university below.

Credit: Albany State University/LinkedIn

Albany State University (ASU) has seen fundraising success by raising $1.1 million in fiscal year 2021, making it the third year of consecutive growth. This resulted in awarding $256,976 in scholarships to 409 students. 

“The financial support ASU Foundation provides our students has an important impact on their academic excellence and student success,” said President Marion Ross Fedrick. “The Albany State University alumni, campus community, friends and supporters came together once again in support of student access and success.”

From fiscal year 2020 to 2021, the ASU Foundation saw an increase of 505 donors. Alumni participation has also increased consecutively the past three years, with a 65% increase from 2019. 

“Even in a challenging year, our alumni, supporters, and over 700 new donors, which included over 250 new alumni donors supported our students through giving. We are appreciative of the generosity of our Ramily and friends,” said Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the ASU Foundation, A.L. Fleming. “Each gift not only makes a difference for our students, but directly impacts the southwest Georgia community.”

A $40,000 donation from the Million Dollar ASU Scholarship Club includes funds for student-athlete scholarships on the ASU Women’s basketball, volleyball and softball teams. Greater 2nd Mt. Olive Baptist Church, a long-term supporter of ASU, is the founding organization of the Million Dollar ASU Scholarship Club. The club is made up of members from local churches, community leaders, and friends and family of ASU. 

The ASU Athletics Golf Classic raised $44,700 toward student-athlete scholarships. An estimated 70 plus golfers came out to participate in a golf day full of food, fun and Golden Ram pride. 

Golden RAM Tuesday, a day of giving for the ASU Foundation raised $103,877. The ASU Foundation exceeded its initial fundraising goal of $25,000 by raising $76,659 in 24 hours. 

The ASU Foundation is underway to reaching their $2 million goal for fiscal year 2022, with over $700,000 already raised. 

As the University grows, the need for support grows alongside it. 

“Homecoming is the perfect time to see how ASU’s impact has grown, as seen in newly renovated facilities, excellent academic programs and scholarly activity,” added Fedrick. “We hope that coming home will inspire our alumni and friends to consider making a contribution.” 

“I would like to stress the importance of our donors and contributors, who make it possible for the ASU foundation to help students stay in school through need and merit-based scholarships. Thank you for making this all possible,” said ASU Foundation Board Chairman, Gregory Hylick. 

In addition to supporting students, the ASU Foundation supports the University’s colleges, departments and programs, faculty and facility needs across the University.

ECSU Granted $1.3 Million for Talent Search Program Preparing Middle And High School Students

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Amid its journey to support more middle and high school students in higher education, Elizabeth City State University has received a $1.3 million grant! Get the full story from the ECSU release by Robert Kelly-Goss below.

Elizabeth City State University has been awarded a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to implement the TRiO Talent Search Program, a program to assist middle and high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed in higher education. 

“This is an exciting grant and supports ECSU’s mission to educate future generations of students in Northeastern North Carolina,” said the director of the Office of Sponsored Programs, Annemarie Delgado. “Antonio Rook, the grant’s principal investigator, and Dr. Kim Stanley, the co-investigator, are to be congratulated for their hard work on this important grant and program.”

The Talent Search program, according to Mr. Rook, is designed to give middle and high school students who would be first-generation college students the opportunity to gain academic knowledge and an understanding of financial aid and the college application process. 

The program will provide students with financial literacy training, “that will ensure that they can make appropriate decisions regarding their financial future.” A priority will be placed on STEM education due to, according to Mr. Rook, “a need to increase the number of students who successfully pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”

The focus of this grant is also being placed on students living in disadvantaged counties within Northeastern North Carolina. Many of the students come from low-income households and would be first-generation college students and require mentoring and guidance to achieve success in higher education.

“We will be implementing services at schools for 500 students in Bertie, Beaufort, Tyrrell and Washington counties,” he said. 

Dr. Stanley says these students will receive the services through their schools and will be provided with tutoring and academic counseling through full time advisors. Staff, she said, will be employed to deliver instruction and other services to the students. 

In addition to in-school services, the program will offer students a summer program. The program, to be held on the ECSU campus, will provide students with STEM academic and career guidance, and personal and social development programs. 

Mr. Rook says this is a five-year-cycle grant and will fund the program through 2026. This is also not the first time ECSU has received the TRiO Talent Search grant. Mr. Rook says that the program was successful at ECSU in the past and he looks forward to future success in assisting first-generation college students in achieving their goals and dreams. 

The Talent Search program is one-of-eight federal TRiO programs authorized by the Higher Education Act to help college students succeed in higher education. It recognizes that students whose parents do not have a college degree have more difficulties navigating the complexity of decisions that college requires for success. 

Last year, ECSU was awarded $1.8 million for a TRiO student success program. That program aims to support student success efforts for first-generation Vikings currently enrolled at ECSU. 

Delaware State University Signs Historic Agreement With USAID

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Delaware State University has entered into an agriculture-focused agreement with the government agency USAID, and it’s a partnership unlike any of its kind! Get the full story from the DSU release below.

Samantha Power, Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, and University President Tony Allen celebrate the signed agreement between Del State and the USAID that will facilitate collaborative efforts that will uplift disadvantaged communities throughout the world with solutions to challenges of food safety, agricuture, capacity building and many other areas.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power joined Delaware State University President Tony Allen today on the Dover campus to sign the first-ever Memorandum of Understanding between that agency and one of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to “advance agriculture-led economic growth, resilience, nutrition, and water security, sanitation, and hygiene” in conjunction with the USAID “Feed the Future” Research Initiative.

The MOU details a broad scope for collaboration between the partners over the next four years that are aimed at “enabling disadvantaged communities and individuals to share in a future of economic prosperity based on sustainable practices and the benefits of environmental and natural resource security. These solutions include: improvement of crops and livestock, food safety, reduction of post-harvest losses, research on fruits and vegetables, improved agronomic practices, extension, capacity building, and access to clean water.”

“This historic partnership grows from our shared commitment to having a global impact on food security, water security, development, and human rights” said Dr. Allen. “As the nation’s most diverse, contemporary HBCU, we understand how to meld cutting-edge research with our expertise at working efficiently with diverse, low-resource communities. With Administrator Power’s visionary leadership, we have found the perfect partner for those endeavors in USAID.”

The collaboration will involve USAID in facilitating new curricular and learning opportunities for Delaware State University students as well as facilitating student and faculty participation in leading research fellowships (such as the Jefferson Science Fellowship, the American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS] Fellowship, Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship, etc.). It will also link University research to the USAID’s RFS Innovation Lab Network, a Farmer-to-Farmer international volunteer coaching/placement program, and sub-award opportunities for Minority Serving Institutions across RFS’s university research and volunteer programs.

“These are critical collaborations,” said Dr. Michael Casson, Dean of the College of Business and Interim Director of the Global Institute for Equity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, which will be coordinating most activities from the University side. “We know that both food and water insecurities around the world are spiking upward again, and that here in America we are not immune to the challenges impacting Africa, Asia, and Latin America.”

Samantha Power (in front) stopped by the Water Analysis Lab and met chemistry students.

The MOU envisions Delaware State University facilitating additional USAID collaborations with the other eighteen 1890 Land Grant universities and HBCUs by collaborating on special projects such as workshops, conferences, forums, and other community outreach initiatives.

Professor Ezrah Aharone, Director of the Center for Global Africa, emphasized that the USAID partnership will build on existing initiatives at the University: “Agribusiness was central to our recent CGA-APRM Conference that was opened by Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone.  The CGA is now piloting initiatives in Sierra Leone to strengthen intersections between COVID-19, food security, and nutrition.  Capacity-building support from USAID will help to scale and replicate our operating model in the 41 nations that comprise our alliance with the African Peer Review Mechanism.”

“I am pleased to see the formation of this partnership between USAID and Delaware State University that will harness the skills and expertise that DSU has to offer to help tackle critical global challenges of poverty, food and water insecurity, climate change, and backsliding on democracy and human rights,” commented U.S. Sen. Chris Coons. “These collaborations are critical for deepening the American people’s understanding about the importance of these issues and diversifying the talent pool working to address them. I hope to see similar partnerships with other Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions across the country, and I am proud to see President Allen and Administrator Power leading the way.”

“Developing this collaboration was the work of many months,” said Marikis Alvarez, Associate Dean for Research in the College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology. “USAID entered these discussions with a thorough grounding in the specific strengths that Delaware State University and other HBCUs bring to the table, especially with regard to working successfully with diverse, low-resource communities around the globe.” He noted the importance of the September 2021 HBCU International Development Conference in raising general awareness of HBCU interest and capacities with respect to global development.

Michael B. Jordan And Serena Williams Partner In $1 Million HBCU Venture Capital Competition

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Two celebrity allies of the HBCU community are announcing a competition where students and alumni can win up to $1 million. Get the full story from Tomas Kasshun at Blavity below.

Credit: Getty Images

Jordan and Williams will award the winners during halftime of the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Basketball Showcase.

Aspiring business founders who are current students or alumni from HBCU have a chance to win up to $1 million from Michael B. Jordan’s Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic competition. The contest, which requires participants to submit innovative business proposals, is launching in partnership with venture capital firm MaC Venture Capital, as well as Serena Williams’ investment company, Serena Ventures. 

Jordan and Williams will award the winners during halftime of the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic Basketball Showcase Finals in New Jersey on Dec. 18, the organization said in a statement to Blavity. Hampton University, North Carolina Central University, Howard University and North Carolina A&T University will be the schools featured at the HBCU college basketball showcase, which will air on TNT.

Executives from MaC Ventures, Serena Ventures, Invesco, Thirty Five Ventures, Harlem Capital Partners and Cake Ventures will continue to work with the winners in the coming months.

“HBCUs are an integral part of our educational ecosystem and have long been centers of entrepreneurial excellence. We are thrilled to be partnering with Michael B. Jordan and MaC Ventures on highlighting the brilliant student and alumni founders,” Serena Ventures General Partner Alison Stillman said in a press release.

MaC Venture Capital General Partner Michael Palank also commented in the release: “Talent is ubiquitous but access to opportunity is not.”

“Two of our partners are HBCU alumni and we could not be more excited to uncover and support the amazing entrepreneurial talent we know is thriving at these universities,” Palank continued.

Leading up to the basketball showcase, Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic will partner with the Esport nonprofit, Cxmmunity, to host an NBA 2K tournament. The event, scheduled for Dec. 13, will also feature a band showcase and a live musical performance, as well as college and career opportunities.

Tickets for the basketball portion of the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic start at $25. Proceeds from the event support organizations which aim to advance HBCUs, as well as the local Newark community in New Jersey. 

“I am thrilled to finally announce the four HBCUs that will be competing in the inaugural Legacy Classic,” Jordan said, according to Variety. “Invesco QQQ and Turner Sports have been amazing partners in helping bring this experience to life. I grew up watching basketball games on TNT, so I am confident they will deliver this set of games to a true audience of basketball fans and their families in an exciting way.”

Jordan was seen in a recent ad for the NBA‘s 75th-anniversary celebration. The actor drives a bus full of children in the ad and takes them through “NBA Lane,” an imaginary neighborhood that includes current NBA stars and iconic basketball legends.

Kate Jhaveri, chief marketing officer at NBA, said Jordan “has an authentic love for the game of basketball.”

“Moreover, his participation in ‘NBA Lane’ stems from our shared commitment in spotlighting HBCUs,” Jhaveri told Adweek. “He’s working on his upcoming Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic on Saturday, Dec. 18, on TNT that will feature a HBCU doubleheader, while highlighting HBCU life and culture. We’re fortunate to work with our ‘NBA Lane bus driver’ who not only has a strong connection with our fanbase, but equally shares the values of our league and fans.”

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Releases Fact Sheet On Strategy For HBCUs

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The Biden-Harris Administration is setting the record straight on its historic investments and support for HBCUs and we’re all ears. The White House has worked to be transparent in its efforts as an ally to HBCUs, from U.S. Trade Ambassador Katherine Tai’s recent visit to Johnson C. Smith University to Kamala Harris’ attendance at Hampton University in honor of National HBCU Week. Recently, our own HBCU Buzz founder Luke Lawal sat down with Cedric Richmond, who is a Morehouse College alumnus and serves as Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office Of Public Engagement. During the conversation, Richmond dispelled myths about White House support toward HBCUs and clarified how the Administration’s additional aid will materialize into real benefits for the HBCU community. Check out that footage, and the Administration’s fact sheet below.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a proud history and legacy of achievement. In the face of discrimination against Black Americans by many institutions of higher education, HBCUs fostered academic excellence and created pathways to opportunity for Black students throughout our Nation. HBCUs vary in size and academic focus and serve a range of diverse students and communities in urban, rural, and suburban settings.

HBCU graduates are leaders in every field and include barrier-breaking public servants, scientists, artists, lawyers, engineers, educators, and business owners. There are several HBCU graduates serving in senior roles in the Biden-Harris Administration, including Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Cedric Richmond, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, and Vice President Kamala Harris – the first HBCU graduate ever to serve as Vice President of the United States.

Despite this record of success, disparities in resources and opportunities for HBCUs and their students persist, and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted continuing and new challenges for HBCUs. In order to promote our shared prosperity and advance equity for all Americans, the Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized and delivered historic levels of investment in and support for HCBUs. Those actions include:

Historic Investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

  • American Rescue Plan. The American Rescue Plan and other pandemic relief funds provided nearly $3.7 billion in relief funding to HBCUs. This is in addition to approximately $1.6 billion in debt relief to 45 HBCUs (13 public institutions and 32 private institutions) earlier this year.
  • FY 21 Grant Funding. In FY21, the Department of Education awarded a total of $1 billion to build the capacity of institutions that serve large numbers of students of color and low-income students. $500 million of this funding went directly to HBCUs.
  • FY 22 Budget Request. The President’s FY22 budget requests a total of $1.06 billion for HBCU-specific funding in Higher Education Act (HEA)—an increase of $239 million over last year’s level. The budget would triple the mandatory Title III funding at the Department of Education— for a total of $252 million. Title III mandatory funds provide formula grants to all HBCUs to invest in capacity-building initiatives and student success programs. The President’s budget request includes funding for research opportunities at HBCUs, labs, IT infrastructure, workforce development programs in STEM, and DOJ funding for Violence Against Women Act programs at HBCUs, among other priorities.
  • Teacher Quality Funding. Through the FY22 budget request and the Build Back Better plan, President Biden has proposed $60 million for the Augustus Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program to support teacher preparation programs at HBCUs and minority-serving institutions (MSIs).

Strengthening the White House Initiative on HBCUs

  • In September, President Biden signed an Executive Order to re-establish the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through HBCUs and issued a proclamationrecognizing National HBCU Week.
  • The President’s Executive Order calls for a whole of government approach to support HBCUs in responding to and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and bolster HBCUs in a number of ways, including by breaking down barriers and improving access to Federal funding and other programs, particularly in areas of research and development.
  • The Order specifically directs senior officials in the Executive Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President to consult and collaborate with the Initiative on policy priorities for HBCUs.
  • Federal agencies must submit plans by February 1st of each year to describe how they are increasing HBCU access to Federal programs and improving Federal recruitment activities at HBCUs to build pathways to Federal employment.
  • During HBCU week, President Biden also named Tony Allen, President of Delaware State University, as Chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs. The Board, originally established by the Carter Administration, is meant to engage key stakeholders in fields such as education, business, and philanthropy to advance the goals of the HBCU Initiative.

Ensuring Continued Support for HBCUs through the Build Back Better Plan

  • The President’s Build Back Better plan would provide tuition subsidies to students who attend HBCUs with a family income below $125,000. It would also provide free community college to students who attend one of the 11 HBCUs that are also community colleges.
  • Build Back Better also includes a $5 billion increase in funding for HEA Title III and Title V, which can be used by HBCUs, Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), and MSIs to strengthen their academic, administrative, and fiscal capabilities, including by creating or expanding educational programs in high-demand fields (e.g., STEM, computer sciences, nursing, and allied health). Build Back Better would direct an additional $2 billion toward building a pipeline of skilled health care workers with graduate degrees from HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs.
  • Recognizing the historic underfunding of HBCUs and other institutions that serve large numbers of students of color, the President’s plan also would invest $40 billion in upgrading research infrastructure, half which would be reserved for HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs.
  • The President also proposed creating a new national lab focused on climate that would be affiliated with an HBCU.

ESSENCE’s Girls United Summit Was Jam-Packed With Great Conversations and Great People

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This Year Marks the First In-Person Summit

If you want a one-stop-shop to talk about all things girls, look no further than the Girls United brand! On October 9th, GU hosted its 2021 Girls United Summit presented by CBS Original The Equalizer and sponsored by American Airlines and McDonald’s, and it was the place to be! The first in-person event from the girl power incubator covered the hot-button issues on everyone’s mind in one event, including relationships, mental health, career outlook, social activism, and gender identity. Created by ESSENCE, most known for its 51-year-old magazine, Girls United has created a space for young girls and women of color to discuss important issues affecting them, learn about helpful resources and opportunities, and to be inspired by the hard work of those who look like them.

Credit: Derek White

Girls United lined up a solid list of leading ladies as panelists and contributors of this year’s GU Summit. The Summit was hosted by rapper and actress Jazz Anderson. Other guests included Marsha Barnes, Founder of The Finance Bar; Tammy Bins, a Boeing 737 First Officer; actress and poet Ernestine Johnson; singer and songwriter KeiyaA; Chelsea Miller, who is an organizer and co-founder of Freedom March NYC; DJ Miss Milan; McDonald’s Owner/Operator Danesha Smith, Cierra Thompson, the executive director of Miss Black International Ambassador Pageant, and many more!  To top things off, leaders representing Girls United were also leading efforts. They included GU co-creators Rechelle Dennis and Sophia Dennis, plus associate editors D’Shonda Brown and Brooklyn White. 

The features of the summit kept participants engaged all day! With the Boss Up Workshops, you could level up any area of your life. They included Entrepreneurship 101: How To Start Minding The Business That Pays You; GU Sister Circle: What I Wished I Knew About Money In My 20s; Life In 4K: How To Create The Content Of Your Dreams; Embracing and Releasing Emotions; and Paying Homage to Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ Icons. While the summit was streamed online, those who attended in person enjoyed a mocktail bar, aura photography and reading experience, plus a customizable jewelry bar! 

Credit: ESSENCE.com

Be on the lookout for the next Girls United Summit in 2022! You can surely expect great people, great conversations, and a great time! Watch the replay of this year’s GU Summit on demand at www.essence.com/gusummit!

Fort Valley State University To Teach Students, Community About STEM With ‘Fab Lab’

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Fort Valley State University will be opening the eyes of students, teachers, and more in its community with an innovative Fab Lab! Learn about how the engaging digital fabrication lab came about thanks to Chevron in the FVSU release below.

Credit: Fort Valley State University

The Chevron Corporation announced a major financial contribution in support of two long-standing community partners, Fab Foundation and Fort Valley State University (FVSU), to create a digital fabrication lab for the middle Georgia community.

Fab labs are designed to foster innovation, learning and invention: a place to play, to create, to learn, to mentor and to invent. Fab labs, with their suite of digital fabrication tools and prototyping machines — including laser cutters, 3-D printers, vinyl cutters and milling machines — are inspiring young people across the United States, to learn about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

“Working with leading education organizations such as The Fab Foundation and Fort Valley State University, we have a tremendous opportunity to support students, teachers and the middle Georgia community to advance their learning and innovation experience through digital fabrication and prototyping,” said Melissa Rosenblatt, Chevron Social Investment Manager. “This collaborative partnership is part of our $15 million racial equity commitment that will also provide career and technical training that can lead to well-paying jobs for young people of every race, gender and socioeconomic status.”

“The Fab Foundation has partnered with Chevron since 2014 and launched fab labs across the United States to support STEM education,” said Sonya Pryor-Jones, Fab Foundation Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer. “We are excited to continue this partnership and support Chevron’s HBCU Social Equity project. This new project will expand our work together with the intention to provide access to advanced technologies and create more equity in STEM. We hope to complement the rich history and commitment of HBCUs to serve the educational needs of Black Americans and, together accelerate opportunities for African American students in STEM and digital fabrication.”

“Fort Valley State University is proud of its 30-year partnership with Chevron through its Cooperative Development Energy Program,” said Dr. Paul Jones, Fort Valley State University President. “This expanded partnership will allow us to build on this relationship and to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and STEM education in the middle Georgia community.”

Chevron-supported fab labs include facilities in: Bakersfield, Richmond and Santa Clara, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; Pascagoula, Mississippi; Houston and Odessa/Midland, Texas; and Washington, D.C.. These labs have served more than 50,000 people so far.

Bowie State University Takes Part In Expanding Data Science Infrastructure

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Bowie State University is taking part in a collaboration with the National Institutes of Health as well as 11 other institutions to create equity in the data science and analytics space. Learn about the key details in the recent Bowie release below!

Credit: Bowie State University

Bowie State University will expand its expertise in data science by joining with 11 other institutions, including the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Harvard Medical School and Vanderbilt University, to form an artificial intelligence/machine learning consortium (AI/ML) aimed at advancing health equity and researcher diversity through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Artificial intelligence and machine learning is the next level of data science and analytics. Artificial intelligence is the development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, while machine learning is the concept that a computer program can learn and adapt to new data without human interference.

The NIH AIM-AHEAD program seeks to expand representation of researchers and communities underrepresented in AI/ML modeling and applications through mutually beneficial partnerships. Faculty and students in Bowie State’s Computer Technology program will help build the computing infrastructure to support training, research, and assessment of the large-scale data being collected by HBCUs and minority serving institutions (MSIs) to better assess the health care needs of underrepresented populations.

“A lot of opportunities developed as a result of what was observed among different communities regarding the impact of health disparities in the incidence of COVID-19,” said Dr. Anika Bissahoyo, Assistant Director for Research, BSU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. “This initiative is a broader opportunity to support those communities by building a consortium of organizations and partners that already focus on underrepresented communities.”

The AIM-AHEAD coordinating center team consists of four core sections: leadership, data science training, infrastructure, and data and research, which will work in tandem. Bowie State will serve as the only HBCU on the infrastructure core team and will support the National Alliance against Disparities in Patient Health (NADPH) to achieve several milestones, including engaging HBCUs and MSIs to determine their existing data infrastructure. The program is expected to improve the capabilities of emerging technology, but also help HBCUs and MSIs build their capacity in machine learning, data, and analysis to make an impact on health equity issues.

Bowie State offers five curriculum modules used by faculty members within their classes to include data curation, data management, data visualization, data analytics, and machine learning, which has impacted 1,400 students so far. The modules, developed by a multidisciplinary team of faculty, lead by the College of Business and funded by the National Science Foundation, were infused in the areas of accounting, finance, economics, information systems, biology, psychology, and sociology. BSU students who are studying machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data science and analytics will directly assist faculty with carrying out the scope of work for Bowie State University.

“Engaging HBCUs and MSIs will prove to be beneficial in achieving the milestones for the infrastructure core,” said Dr. Lethia Jackson, professor chair, BSU Department of Technology & Security, and co-principle investigator for the AIM-AHEAD infrastructure core. “By partnering with these institutions, we will help NIH determine solutions for health disparities through science driven community research, technology, training, and education in the health sciences.”

Pursing the opportunity to become a part of the consortium has been a collaborative effort campus-wide. In addition to Dr. Jackson, the co-principle investigator, other faculty and staff include: subject matter expert Dr. LaTanya Brown-Robertson, special assistant for Research & Development, College of Business; subject matter expert Dr. Azene Zenebe, chair, Management Information Systems Department; Gale Bassette, special assistant to the Provost for Federal Contracts Administration; and Dr. Velma Latson, assistant professor, Department of Technology & Security. Dr. Latson is also co-director of the HBCU Data Science Consortium—an HBCU-led consortium designed to bring together researchers, academics and others in industry around furthering data science opportunities and collaboration among HBCUs. She is also a member of the South Big Data Hub.

Fayetteville State University Acquires Bronco Square Shopping Mall In $5M Deal

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Fayetteville State University has locked in a piece of vital real estate with its recent purchase of the Bronco Square Shopping Mall. Get the full story from Kristen Johnson at The Fayetteville Observer.

Fayetteville State University announced a $5 million acquisition of Bronco Square Shopping Mall on Tuesday, in addition to a new entrepreneurial hub, free-standing Chick-fil-A and a Starbucks on campus.

Chancellor Darrell Allison announced the university’s purchase and expansion at a “Changing of the Keys” ceremony in Bronco Square’s parking lot and said the school now owns 100% of the shopping center debt-free.

“We want to play our part in this city, in this region, in this county so that we can, too, be a more viable partner here,” Allison said. “As Fayetteville State grows, so does Fayetteville, so does Cumberland County, so does this region.”

Fayetteville State University announce the purchase of the Bronco Square strip mall on Murchison Road on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. (Credit: Andrew Craft, The Fayetteville Observer)

The university used to own 50% of the shopping mall and Gary Ciccone, a former Fayetteville lawyer, owned the other half. Ciccone also donated $150,000 to the university at the event.

Home to a salon, barber shop and as of last year, a McAllister’s Deli, the Bronco Square Shopping Mall has had several businesses and served as an income stream to the university for 20 years. The school’s book store located at the square will be moved to the library on campus, with the space it occupied being converted into an innovation and entrepreneurship hub for small businesses in the community, Allison said.

The new hub, with a $200,000 investment from the Golden LEAF Foundation and support from the region’s state legislators, is set to open in May. 

FSU’s announcement of the acquisition comes the week of the university’s homecoming, which was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returns this year with safety guidelines for the school and community participating.

Economic expansion at FSU

County Commmissioner Glenn Adams speaks with FSU Chancellor Darrell Allison before a special event that announced Fayetteville State University’s purchase of the Bronco Square strip mall on Murchison Road. (Credit: The Fayetteville Observer)

Allison said homecomings are an essential part of a university’s economic impact to the school and greater community. In addition to the university being a historically Black university and asset to the city, he said the school is also an “economic engine.” 

“There’s a part that we play,” Allison said. “We want to make sure that we are generating revenue and we are generating jobs, and we are creating opportunities for employment and we are producing in multiple fashions not just producing diplomas but producing dollars and resources.”

Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin, an FSU alumnus, gave remarks at the event, saying he looked forward to working with Allison on the new development. 

“We made a goal as a city to prioritize the development and growing the city of Fayetteville up Murchison Road,” Colvin said. “We know that we can’t do that without meeting the stakeholders and resources.” 

Colvin also said because the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted some of the greater economic and personal challenges in the community, innovation and entrepreneurship were one way to rebuild. 

“The pandemic exposed some things about our community that we are a service-based, hospitality-based community,” Colvin said. “We know that this industry was robbed at the drop of a dime with the pandemic so we have to retrain and retool our people and our workforce.”

Also in attendance at the event were state Sen. Kirk deViere and Reps. Marvin Lucas and Billy Richardson. All are Democrats who respresent Cumberland County.

County Commissioner Glenn Adams, who also is chairman of the FSU board of trustees, praised the legislators’ attendance at the event.

“I think it is important for our delegation, the members of Raleigh, come on this campus and see what’s happening on this campus,” Adams said. “The economic impact of Fayetteville State University to the state of North Carolina and to Cumberland County is just phenomenal and we cannot for any instance think that it doesn’t impact us.” 

Adams said the partnerships between the university, city and county government, and private investors showed that the school was “committed to the Murchison Road corridor” and the vision of Allison and the board of trustees was to “be united with this community, not just this block.”

New restaurants on campus

The new free standing Chick-fil-A will be placed at the corner of Bronco Square and the Starbucks will be built on campus, according to Trevor Ferguson, the president of higher education for Aramark, the university’s food and restaurant partner. 

“The student experience is paramount to driving recruiting and retention to students here at Fayetteville State University, and we’re excited to be apart of it,” said Ferguson at the event. 

The group will be working closely with the university to work out details of the new restaurants In the coming weeks, he said.

Alcorn State University Eyes An End To Mississippi’s Teacher Shortage

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Thousands of Mississippi’s students are being affected by a lack of qualified teachers in the state. According to Alcorn State University Interim Dean Dr. Malinda Butler, the university plans to do something about it. Learn about ASU’s detailed plans to bring more teachers into the workforce in the release below.

A student in the Mississippi Delta raises his hand during class. (Credit: Jackie Mader/The Hechinger Report)

Alcorn State University has joined the fight to end the teacher shortage in Mississippi.

The Mississippi Human Capital Task Force, a group that includes Alcorn’s President, Felecia M. Nave, recently released a report on the state’s teacher shortage along with recommended actions to end the shortage and strengthen the teacher workforce.

The University’s School of Education and Psychology plays a significant role in equipping new teachers to thrive by scheduling tutorial sessions and workshops and offering classes to assist teacher candidates with testing challenges. The School also provides alternate route programs —Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) for certification — at the elementary and secondary levels. This initiative is designed to encourage aspiring educators who hold non-teacher degrees to receive certification at the “AA” level with only 33 credit hours.

The School has developed programs and partnerships with schools within the University, state education agencies, and school districts. To meet the demands for highly qualified new elementary teachers, the School has revised its curriculum to include coursework that addresses the changing demographics of communities and allows for an easier transition of teacher education candidates from community colleges.

Dr. Malinda Butler, interim dean for Alcorn’s School of Education and Psychology, expressed pride in the success of the School’s efforts to combat the teacher shortage in Mississippi.

“These efforts have been very beneficial, and we look forward to increased benefits,” said Butler. “The efforts have increased the number of teacher candidates qualifying for admission and graduating from the program. For example, in spring 2021, the number of undergraduate candidates receiving initial licenses increased from 11 to 16 from 2019-2020, compared to 2020-2021, resulting in a 45 percent increase. Regarding the Alternate Certification Programs (MAT), candidates receiving their “A” level license increased from two the previous year to 17.”

Butler also spoke about the Robert Noyce Scholarship grant that supports recruiting individuals to become STEM teachers. The grant program assists candidates in meeting the testing requirements and pays the student’s tuition up to $10,000 per year during their junior and senior years. Other efforts include moving some class offerings to weekends to accommodate non-traditional and working students, the revision of the School’s recruitment plan, and participating in several local and statewide school districts’ college recruitment fairs and on-campus recruitment activities.

Preparing the next generation for success is at the School’s core, which is why Butler and her staff are adamant about preparing teachers to equip the next generation of professionals for success.

“We prioritize the preparation of highly qualified, proficient, and effective elementary and secondary school teachers and other professional educational personnel. It is our responsibility to address the need to increase the supply based on the demand for teachers. We continue to work with our stakeholders to identify their needs and look for innovative ways to address the teacher shortage.”

New Grambling State Program Caters To Students, Military Community With Quality Trainings

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Grambling State University has entered a new partnership with a company that will help it offer continuing education to students, military members and their families, and the GSU community at large! Get more information from the GSU release below.

Grambling State University’s Office of Continuing Education and Service-Learning has partnered with ProTrain, a leader in continuing education to bring quality training to GSU students and the community that meets national, regional, and local requirements leading to careers in high demand fields. Served industries include: healthcare; information technology; business and leadership; and industrial and skilled trades. Course offerings are ideal for both career entry and career advancement opportunities.

Left to right: Dr. Rory Bedford, Michelle Hopwood and Miloni Perera (Credit: Grambling State University)

The partnership offers various programs for individuals, corporate, and government including Military Tuition Assistance (TA), Military Spouses Scholarship (MyCAA), Wounded Warriors, Veterans, Vocational Rehabilitation, and those that are Unemployed or Underemployed (WIOA).  While all persons who desire to retool or enhance their current educational skills can take advantage of the resources available through the Office of Continuing Education and Service-Learning, the ProTrain agreement provides special opportunities and financial assistance for the military community.

“ProTrain is proud to serve our military and their families in helping them achieve their educational goals,” said ProTrain Chief Operating Officer Kevin M. Smith, a retired U.S. Army colonel.

The partnership also provides an affordable solution for students seeking in-demand careers.

“When we began working on this agreement, we wanted to make sure that we could meet the needs of both the community and the student body as it relates to career readiness,” said Dr. Rory Bedford, director of Continuing Education and Service-Learning. “We are excited that our partnership with ProTrain expands our course offerings towards our goal.”

He said that participants will be able to retool and gain important training to enhance and further their careers in an online format. In addition, students can earn a degree and add certifications that place them in a position to be more marketable than those who do not have certifications.

“When we approached Dr. Connie Walton, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, she worked in concert with us to make sure that the courses and agreement met guidelines provided by the University of Louisiana System,” Bedford said. “President Rick Gallot and the University of Louisiana System recognized the value of the partnership and approved the agreement.”

ProTrain Chief Executive Officer Betty L. Gardner said that education is the key to our future.

“It is the one gift that we can give ourselves that neither the economy nor other forces can take from us,” she said. “Our communities and society continue to benefit from the quality education with which we reward ourselves. ProTrain provides the real-world employer with relevant, highly sought after, training for real people. Education is the bridge to your future.”

Over the past month, Bedford, Miloni Perera, Michelle Hopwood, and others have been meeting with representatives from ProTrain to receive training to launch the program. It officially launched on the GSU website on October 1, 2021.  Access to course information and payment methods are available at https://gram.theknowledgebase.org/  or email hopwoodm@gram.edu or pereram@gram.edu.

New Campaign To Support HBCU Students On Journey To Voter Rights Advocacy

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For decades, HBCU students have been at the forefront of the voter rights movement. Through protesting  they have combated racism, voter suppression, and more to not only get their voice out but meet the needs of the community and make real change!  Now, a new campaign is helping this generation’s voters have a widespread impact.

Credit: James Lawler Duggan / Reuters

With origins rooted in the South, Black Voters Matter (BVM) has made an intentional effort to build up its relationships with Black students at a time where voter suppression is rampant and the grassroots nature of student activism is crucial. Through the campaign, campus activism will be supported through education and assistance in structuring efforts on campus and beyond. BVM will also provide grants as a part of the campaign through its newly established Take The Field Fund, which has amassed a solid $25,000. 50 grants will be disseminated through the fund. Student groups will be able to receive up to $500 each for efforts like campus sit-ins and campus rallies drawing attention to voter suppression. 

The  leadership of Black Voters Matter recently shared why the campaign is so vital to aid in the activism of Black students. “The Take the Field campaign is not just about building Black power; it’s about building youth power, as well,” shared Black Votes Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown. “College campuses, particularly HBCUs, are anchor institutions within our community. As we seek to transform and advance our vision for the Black community we believe that college students are a core constituency group to make this happen. With this campaign, we are empowering our young people to speak up, start a national dialogue about the issues impacting them, and begin building the nation they want to see.”

Cliff Albright, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter, also highlighted how important timing is in the activation of this campaign. “This homecoming season, we’re urging student activists to Take the Field for voting rights,” he said. “College students have been at the forefront of progressive policy change for decades; some of the most powerful and consequential protests in our nation’s history took place on college campuses. We’re proud to launch this campaign with our local, national, and university partners — particularly at HBCUs — to continue that rich tradition and inspire another generation of freedom fighters.”

To apply for a Take The Field grant and learn more about Black Voters Matter, please click here today. Grant applications are due October 31, 2021 so don’t wait to apply!