TSU President Glenda Glover To Serve As Vice Chair Of Biden’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs

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Tennessee State University‘s president Dr. Glenda Glover has been selected to fill an important position for our nation. Get the full story from TSU’s Newsroom below.

Credit: Tennessee State University

Tennessee State University’s Dr. Glenda Glover has been appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the Vice Chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).  The Board will advance the goal of the HBCU Initiative, established by the Carter Administration, to increase the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education to their students and continue serving as engines of opportunity.
 
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting the vital mission of HBCUs.  Through the American Rescue Plan and by forgiving capital improvement debt of many of these institutions, the Biden-Harris Administration has already committed more than $4 billion in support.  Reestablishing the White House HBCU Initiative – and placing strong leadership at the head of the Board – will allow the administration to build on that financial commitment with continued institutional support.  
 
Dr. Glover serves as the eighth President of Tennessee State University, a position she has held since January 2013. Under her leadership as the university’s first female president, TSU has experienced a significant increase in alumni and corporate giving, research funding, and academic offerings. The University has also received the Carnegie R2 “high research activity” designation with Dr. Glover at the helm. In 2020 during the pandemic, TSU set a school record with nearly $71 million in research funding.

Her commitment and advocacy of HBCUs spans nearly four decades, including the work she has done as International President and CEO of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Through the sorority and as president of TSU, Dr. Glover has engaged in groundbreaking work to elevate the stature of HBCUs with historic fundraising efforts and marketing. Through her work as international president of AKA, she implemented a fundraising campaign to raise $1 million in one day for HBCUs. She exceeded this goal for four consecutive years raising more than $1 million in one day, which culminated in $2.5 million this past September. This massive fundraising effort resulted in the establishment of endowments at each of the 96 four-year HBCUs, including her alma mater, TSU.

Dr. Glover’s educational development began as a student at TSU, where she majored in mathematics. After graduating with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree, she pursued the Master of Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University. She then completed her doctorate in business from George Washington University, and later completed her law degree from Georgetown University. She is also a certified public accountant, and is one of only three African-American women to hold the Ph.D-CPA-JD combination in the United States.

Her career also includes serving on boards of publicly traded corporations Pinnacle Financial Partners, The Lenox Group, Citigroup-Student Loan Corporation, and First Guaranty Bancshares. Dr. Glover currently serves as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.

No. 1 Recruit Travis Hunter Commits To Jackson State University

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In yet another feat, Jackson State University has poached the top recruit in the game: Travis Hunter. Get the full story from Sam Cooper at Yahoo Sports below.

Source: Sports Illustrated

Deion Sanders and Jackson State have pulled off a signing day shocker.

Travis Hunter, Rivals.com’s No. 1 player in the class of 2022, announced Wednesday that he has committed to play for Jackson State.

Hunter, a two-way player listed by Rivals as an athlete, was committed to Florida State since March of 2020. There was also speculation that the Suwanee, Georgia, native could flip his decision to the in-state Bulldogs. Instead, he will drop down to the FCS level to play for Sanders at Jackson State, an HBCU located in Jackson, Mississippi.

Sanders, of course, was a star at Florida State before embarking on a Hall of Fame NFL career. Now he has pulled off arguably the biggest recruiting surprise in recent memory at his alma mater’s expense.

https://twitter.com/TravisHunterJr/status/1471166038834356237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1471166038834356237%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Fno-1-recruit-travis-hunter-commits-to-deion-sanders-and-jackson-state-171307497.html

Hunter announced his decision during a ceremony at his school early Wednesday afternoon. Hunter had Florida State, Georgia and Auburn hats in front of him but threw those to the side and had his mother toss him a Jackson State hat to make it official. Hunter then unzipped his jacket to reveal a Jackson State T-shirt. 

This isn’t the first time Sanders has lured players with Power Five offers to Jackson State. Last year, De’Jahn Warren, a top junior college cornerback, signed with Jackson State after previously committing to Georgia. Jackson State also signed four-star tackle Javonte Gardner, four-star defensive tackle Katron Evans, four-star receiver Trevonte Rucker, three-star defensive tackle Braezhon Rossand three-star linebacker Baron Hopson in its 2021 recruiting class. All of those players had offers from Power Five programs, but chose Jackson State.

That recruiting prowess has paid off so far. Sanders is currently in his second season as the head coach at Jackson State. The Tigers have an 11-1 record and won the SWAC title. They are set to square off against South Carolina State, the MEAC champions, in the Celebration Bowl on Saturday in Atlanta.

How long Sanders, who has a 15-4 record as a head coach, will stay at Jackson State remains to be seen. He has reportedly interviewed for multiple Power Five jobs, including TCU in the most recent cycle. The early on-field results have been strong and now Sanders’ recruiting chops have proven to be even stronger. 

Grambling State Set To Award Posthumous Bachelor’s Degrees to Natalie Desselle Reid, Jamarcea Washington

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Two well-deserving former Grambling State University students will receive bachelor’s degrees posthumously. Learn more about them in the GSU release below.

This week will be a cause for celebration and remembrance as Grambling State University holds its Fall 2021 commencement exercises this week. Unique to this semester’s ceremonies is the awarding of a posthumous degree to the late Jamarcea Washington on Thursday and the late Natalie Desselle Reid on Friday. Scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. each day, the events will be held in the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center and streamed live on Grambling State’s YouTube channel.

A native of Alexandria, actress Natalie Desselle Reid graduated from Peabody Magnet High School and attended Grambling State University for 2 1/2 years. The acting bug bit her after a starring role in Grambling’s production of “Bubbling Brown Sugar.” After several productions as a thespian, she decided to move to Los Angeles and test the waters. Realizing Hollywood was not aware of her “arrival,” she became a receptionist, a soul food waitress, and lastly a tank mechanic at McDonnell Douglas.

Alexandria, Louisiana, actress Natalie Desselle Reid graduated from Peabody Magnet High School and attended Grambling State University for 2 1/2 years. The acting bug bit her after a starring role in Grambling State’s production of “Bubbling Brown Sugar.” After several productions as a thespian, she decided to move to Los Angeles and test the waters. Realizing Hollywood was not aware of her “arrival,” she became a receptionist, a soul food waitress, and lastly a tank mechanic at McDonnell Douglas.

Her break came when Robi Reed cast her in F. Gary Gray’s “Set It Off” which led to a guest-starring role on television’s “Family Matters.” After her initial foray into Hollywood, she found herself looking for opportunities while living in Inglewood, California, and then the call came. The role that established her as a comedic thespian aka “the funny chick” in Robert Townsend’s” B.A.P.S”, starring opposite Halle Berry. The films “How to be a Player”, “Cinderella” and televisions “Built to Last” and “For Your Love” followed.

In the 2000s, she played Janie Egins on the television show “Eve” for three seasons, and had one of her last film roles in Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family (2011). Her most cherished production was her family, which included her husband Lenny Reid and their three children Sereno, Summer, and Sasha. Her family will be present to receive the honorary Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual and Performing Arts in her memory.

Jamarcea Washington was a graduate of Southwood High School in Shreveport, LA. His path led him to Grambling State University where he majored in criminal justice and was a bass drummer for the World Famed Tiger Marching Band before his untimely passing in October this year. Affectionately known as “Jay”, his family will be present to receive the posthumous Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice in his memory.

Bluefield State College To Offer First-Ever Master’s Degree Program In Spring 2022

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Bluefield State College is one step closer to establishing itself as a university thanks to its ability to now offer its first Master’s Degree program! Get the full story from Bluefield Daily Telegraph below.

Credit: Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Bluefield State College continues to achieve milestones, and a major one has now been reached.

Starting with the spring semester, the college will offer its first ever master’s degree program, setting the stage for eventual university status.

The Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) on Friday approved the college’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

“Today’s decision by the Commission empowers Bluefield State College to launch the first graduate degree program in the College’s 126-year history,” said BSC President Robin Capehart. “By offering a graduate program, Bluefield State can now begin the process for pursuing university status.”

The master’s degree program will be interactive with a “hybrid” format of online courses and seat time.

“Building on Bluefield State College’s fully accredited undergraduate programs in the W. Paul Cole, Jr. School of Business, we are excited to expand into graduate education by offering a Master of Business Administration this spring to meet the educational needs of this region,” Dr. Ted Lewis, BSC Provost, said. “By offering this program in a hybrid format, students will gain valuable seat time and opportunities for in-person interaction, engagement, and experiential learning as well as the ability to meet face to face with business leaders.”

The MBA program is designed for both business and non-business majors, and will be offered in an accelerated format with courses offered primarily through online delivery. Students can complete the 36-credit hour program in as little as 12 months.

“Bluefield State College is gratified and excited to announce we will be offering the MBA program through the W. Paul Cole, Jr. School of Business,” said Karen Grogan, the school’s Interim Dean. “The Master of Business Administration program will be offered, beginning in the Spring 2022 Semester.”

The program will bring an “affordable and accessible” graduate business education for residents of the region and beyond.

Southern West Virginia employers surveyed by the Cole School of Business “expressed strong support for the program,” the college said in the announcement. “They saw the BSC MBA as a valuable way to help current employees strengthen their skills and business acumen, and facilitate the recruitment of new employees seeking to further their education while continuing to work.”

From here, the college will now seek program-specific accreditation of the MBA program as soon as possible. The Cole School of Business undergraduate business program is already nationally accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Capehart took over the college in early 2019 and one of his goals was to eventually achieve university status, a goal he previously accomplished as president of West Liberty University.

“Becoming a university would give us a higher aspirational level,” he said earlier this year after being formally inaugurated as the college’s new president, which had been delayed because of the pandemic. “Universities have a large reach in terms of attracting students. Becoming a university also attracts more international students.”

The path to achieve that, he said, is offering graduate programs.

“We have three graduate programs pending,” he said then of the process that includes a review by the Higher Education Policy Commission.

Now, one of those pending programs has been officially approved.

Another major goal of Capehart was to offer on-campus housing and that has also been accomplished.

BSC purchased the former Bluefield Regional Medical Center and transformed much of it (the emergency department remains) into a residence hall and classrooms, and that made the facility part of the BSC campus.

This summer, about 175 students started moving in to the former rooms for patients that had been renovated for students.

The first “quad” of the planned four units at Heritage Village behind the student center is scheduled to be finished by August 2022 and will house 30 students.

Enrollment is also strong.

“This semester, we welcomed a freshman class of nearly 600 students, 45 percent of our total enrollment,” Capehart said recently, “and nearly one-third of our freshman class are African-Americans. Overall, our minority and African-American student enrollment has risen from 3 percent three years ago to nearly 22 percent today.”

The BSC student body includes students from 33 different states and 15 foreign countries.

Prior to Capehart’s January 2019 arrival, Bluefield State had experienced a 40 percent decline in enrollment over the previous eight years. By the fall of 2020, BSC halted its enrollment slide and registered a 1 percent enrollment increase, one of only three colleges in West Virginia to show enrollment growth.

Deion Sanders Earns Coach Of The Year Honor With FCS Eddie Robinson Award

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Jackson State University coach Deion Sanders has been named coach of the year with his FCS Eddie Robinson Award! Get the full story from Craig Haley at The Analyst below.

Credit: JSU Athletics

One of the biggest coaching hires in FCS college football history has paid quick dividends.

Jackson State University certainly “believes” in the results under Deion Sanders, who on Tuesday was named the 2021 recipient of the Stats Perform FCS Eddie Robinson Award, which is presented to the national coach of the year in the Division I subdivision.

One of 17 finalists for the award, which is named for legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson and celebrating its 35th anniversary season, Sanders will be honored at the FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.

Just over a year after the school made the legendary cornerback a first-time head coach, the Tigers have set a program record with 11 wins and captured the Southwestern Athletic Conference title for the first time since 2007. The Tigers have qualified for the Celebration Bowl for the first time, set to face South Carolina State on Saturday in Atlanta.

“This is a team effort, it’s a valiant effort, it takes a lot, it does not just take me. I know it takes a visionary, but people have to really support the vision. And that’s what we did,” Sanders said.

After Jackson State hired Sanders in September 2020, he quickly instituted an “I Believe” mantra to suggest positive days were ahead for a program that didn’t have a winning season since 2013.

In his first campaign this past spring, the Tigers went 4-3, but one win was a forfeit. This fall, they’ve left no doubt, losing only once by five points to an FBS opponent, even while the 54-year-old Sanders, who’s known as Coach Prime, coached in and around a three-week hospital stay.

With Sanders’ son Shedeur, a freshman quarterback, leading the offense as the 2021 Jerry Rice Award recipient, and the defense ranking as the SWAC’s best, Jackson State has gone 11-1, including 9-0 against conference opponents. While it’s unfolded, an average of 42,293 fans flocked to six home games – a single-season record for an FCS school.

Jackson State’s turnaround has added another chapter to Sanders’ remarkable career. He’s one of the greatest cornerbacks in history, voted to both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. He starred at Florida State before the Atlanta Falcons selected him fifth overall in the 1989 NFL Draft, and he went on to win two Super Bowls and make eight Pro Bowls while playing for five organizations over 14 seasons.

A two-sport star, he also spent parts of nine seasons in Major League Baseball.

A 50-member, national media panel selected the Eddie Robinson Award following the regular season. Past recipients include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Mike Ayers, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore and two-time recipients Mickey Matthews, Sean McDonnell and Craig Bohl. Sam Houston’s K.C. Keeler, the 2016 recipient, was the runner-up for the second consecutive season.

Also at the national awards banquet, Stats Perform will present the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year) and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year. An awards show will begin airing the next day, Jan. 8, on Bally Sports Regional Networks.

2021 Eddie Robinson Award Voting Results

A first-place vote was worth five points, a second-place vote four points, a third-place vote three points, a fourth-place vote two points and a fifth-place vote one point.

1. Deion Sanders, Jackson State: 9-7-8-10-6-123

2. K.C. Keeler, Sam Houston: 9-5-5-6-7-99

3. Randy Sanders, ETSU: 11-4-7-2-1-97

4. Troy Taylor, Sacramento State: 7-7-5-3-4-88

5.(tie) Matt Entz, North Dakota State: 1-7-3-3-2-50

5.(tie) Brent Vigen, Montana State: 1-5-5-4-2-50

7. Eric Morris, UIW: 2-2-6-3-2-44

8. Jason Simpson, UT Martin: 3-3-1-3-2-38

9. Glenn Caruso, St. Thomas: 2-3-2-0-1-29

10. Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State: 0-2-2-4-4-26

11.(tie) Mark Ferrante, Villanova: 1-1-2-2-5-24

11.(tie) Bobby Petrino, Missouri State: 0-3-1-4-1-24

13. Buddy Teevens, Dartmouth: 2-0-2-3-0-22

14. Colby Carthel, Stephen F. Austin: 1-1-0-3-3-18

15. Bob Chesney, Holy Cross: 1-0-1-0-5-13

16. Buddy Pough, South Carolina State: 0-0-0-0-5-5

17. Chris Merritt, Bryant: 0-0-0-0-0-0

Pharrell Williams Receives Honorary Doctorate From Norfolk State University

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Artist and philanthropist Pharrell Williams was recently honored during his commencement speech at Norfolk State University. Get the full story from Megan Ambers at Blavity below.

Credit: Bloomberg/Getty Images

“I wanted to be able to make people feel the way Norfolk State’s band made me feel,” Williams said.

Over the weekend, Grammy award-winning musician and producer Pharrell Williams received a doctorate from Norfolk State University in Virginia.

University President Javaune Adams-Gaston presented Williams with the award and named Williams as an honorary member of the Spartan Legion, Norfolk State’s marching band.

Williams expressed his honor to be at the graduation and showed his appreciation to the 2021 graduates despite not attending Norfolk University. 

“I didn’t attend Norfolk State, but I was always present,” Williams said. “The pull of the green and the gold is strong. I am honored to have made this part of my work, my story, and still today; I can’t wait to see how far you amazing, impressive graduates of Norfolk State … how far you’ll go.”

Williams believes Norfolk, Virginia, will continue to thrive in the future because its local and past heroes always return, sharing the story of Willis Augustus Hodges as an example.  

“Like many of you here today, he was an activist,” Williams said. “He was 14 years old, chased by an angry mob to Canada, and guess what? He still came back.” 

“So yes, there is something in the water, and it has been there for a long time,” he said.

Williams explained he expects the city to look entirely different in the upcoming five years, crediting Norfolk’s “inclusive, energized, pro-business community.”

“Norfolk will not be the city that limits its peoples’ own potential, but instead, it will feed it,” he said. “Five years from now, it will be a very different Norfolk.” 

Williams recently spoke out against injustice and police brutality in his hometown of Virginia Beach. In March 2021, Donovon Lynch, Williams’ cousin, was fatally shot by a police officer. The shooting was later determined to be justified by a grand jury. 

The producer, who expressed dissatisfaction about the city’s handling of his cousin’s case, announced that he would not bring his music festival, Something in the Water, back to the city. 

“That was a toxic situation that was hurtful to my family,” he said at the time. “If you’re cool with it going down like that, then you’ve got to do some soul searching.”

In addition, he urged the graduates to be intentional with their spending dollars and to support local businesses. 

“We are the emerging majority,” he said. “Don’t wait until Election Day. Vote with your wallets today, tomorrow, and the next day. Does the business owner look like you? Shop there.”  

“You have the ability to create the city that you deserve, the life that you deserve,” he added before closing his speech. 

Learn All You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About A Career In The NFL

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If you’ve ever dreamed about a career in the National Football League, then we have great news for you! As it turns out, the NFL has been looking for you too. Earlier this week, NFL officials held the day-long “HBCU Careers In Football Forum,” and more than a few gems were dropped. Attendees represented over 40 HBCUs, with over 175 undergraduate students in attendance. 

The league has been very intentional about recruiting HBCU talent, and it could be you!  According to a statement from the NFL, “There is a fulfillment unlike any other that comes from working alongside like-minded individuals to achieve a common purpose. Whether you are working to deliver a memorable Super Bowl or aiding the process of delivering games to millions of fans on Sundays— we believe all of us play an important role in fulfilling the NFL’s mission of working to unite people and inspire communities.” So no matter what you have plans to do with your education, there is definitely room for opportunity.

Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

The event commenced with a warm opening by Jamil Gittens, who serves as the Director of Football Administration and Club Services for the NFL. “We are super excited to have you, he told the students.” The HBCU Careers In Football Forum is a part of the NFL football operations of the National Football League’s mobility efforts to increase opportunities for minorities interested in pursuing careers in sports. This year’s event will bring students from HBCUs with the hope and the desire to inspire, develop, and connect you with a wonderful plethora of opportunities within the industry of professionalism within sports. “ said Jamil Gittens, director  of football administration and club services for the NFL. The conversation was held December 8th from 10am-4pm.

Gittens and other NFL heavy-hitters were a significant part of the virtual event’s success. With seven events spread throughout the day, students heard from professionals all across the league. For example, the first event, “Business Operations Inside the League Office,” featured executives Hans Schroeder (EVP & COO of NFL Media); Dave Jurenka (SVP & General Manager of NFL Media); Nana-Yaw Asamoah (VP of New Business Development at the NFL); and Anna Isaacson (SVP, Social Responsibility at the NFL). The subsequent events featured leaders in communications, coaching, and diversity, equity and inclusion from teams like the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Washington Football Team. Multiple HBCU leaders were also involved in the event, including Ariel Escobar (Director of Football Operations at Tennessee State University) and Paula Jackson, Ph.D. (Associate Director of Athletics at Hampton University).

If you have a strong interest in the career opportunities within the NFL, don’t just watch the games on TV! Learn all about topics like working in college athletics, developing your elevator pitch, and even what perspectives executives can offer students like you! Explore NFL careers by clicking here.

N.C. A&T Golfer JR Smith Earns 4.0 GPA In First Semester

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North Carolina A&T State University got a new star player when JR Smith was accepted to their golf program. Now, as it turns out, they have a star student as well! Get the full story about JR Smith’s 4.0 GPA at N.C. A&T in the Bleacher Report story from Tim Daniels below.

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Former NBA guard JR Smith celebrated earning a perfect 4.0 grade-point average (GPA) during his first semester of college at North Carolina A&T State University.

Smith, who generated headlines for being a 36-year-old freshman on the Aggies’ golf team, posted an Instagram video after finding out his final grades from the fall semester:

The two-time NBA champion also made a couple posts on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/TheRealJRSmith/status/1470774473141927945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1470774473141927945%7Ctwgr%5Ehb_1_7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F10020841-jr-smith-reflects-on-getting-40-gpa-in-ig-video-cant-even-describe-the-feeling

Smith achieved the 4.0 while taking part in the first half of the golf season, which included four tournaments across September and October. The campaign takes a winter break before resuming in March.

In October, he said Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul was among the players to reach out to say they’ve been tracking his progress.

“I got a lot of great feedback,” Smith told reporters. “Chris Paul was telling me guys were talking about it in the locker room. Guys are really looking for my scores, so I got to take care of business so when I see them it ain’t going to be too much backlash.”

The New Jersey native didn’t take the traditional path to college as he was selected in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft out of St. Benedict’s Prep School.

He circled back to higher education after a successful 16-year NBA career that included stops with the New Orleans Hornets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.

Smith wrapped up his career by helping the Lakers win the 2020 NBA championship.

Now the 2012-13 Sixth Man of the Year is finding success at N.C. A&T both on the golf course and in the classroom.

Oakland’s First-Ever Independent Inspector General Is Coppin State University Alumna

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A Coppin State University alumna is making history in Oakland, California! Learn more about Michelle N. Phillips in the release from the City of Oakland below.

The Oakland Police Commission is pleased to announce that Michelle N. Phillips will serve as the City of Oakland’s first ever Independent Inspector General, effective early January.

This is a turning point for Oakland and demonstrates the community’s call for stronger police accountability, since the position of Inspector General was the result of a ballot measure expanding Measure S1 and passed with a resounding majority (81% of the vote, according to news reports).

“Michelle Phillips is a mover and shaker who will thrive here in Oakland. Her dynamic leadership in Baltimore showed she can implement the kind of transformative reform strategies the Oakland Police Commission is looking for from its inaugural Inspector General,” said Police Commission Chair Jackson.

Ms. Phillips brings to Oakland extensive experience as a criminal justice professional in areas of Community Policing and Police Science research. She previously served as the Deputy Inspector General of Investigations for the City of Baltimore, where she was responsible for streamlining and improving all aspects of the Investigations Unit to meet and exceed national best practice.

Prior to her work for the City of Baltimore, Ms. Phillips was responsible for managing large scale research projects dedicated to understanding and improving community policing at the National Police Foundation. She was also instrumental to the creation and integration of a national open-source database for officer involved shootings.

Ms. Phillips earned her B.S. in Criminal Justice from Coppin State University and her M.S. in Criminal Justice, with a specialization in Law and Courts from the University of Baltimore. Ms. Phillips is a certified fraud examiner and certified inspector general investigator.

“Ms. Phillips speaks with thoughtfulness and genuine humility and displays an underlying fierce commitment to a fair and just system. It’s because of this, and the agencies the community voted to put in place, that I believe Oakland is poised for its next chapter,” said Police Commission Vice Chair Milele.

Reporting to the Oakland Police Commission, the role of the IG will be to ensure the Oakland Police Department (OPD) is performing to the highest standards and complying with its policies and

constitutional policing practices. The IG will also be responsible for reviewing and investigating how the City of Oakland is handling police misconduct by reviewing the work and efforts of the Community Police Review Agency (CPRA), as well as how OPD is addressing and complying with federal reforms.

Upon her appointment to the position of Inspector General, Ms. Phillips said: “The City of Oakland’s passage of Measures LL and S1 displays the City’s undeniable dedication to positive, progressive and transparent police reform and accountability. I am excited to be a part of such a monumental time for the City of Oakland and am honored and committed to serving the people of Oakland.”

Spelman College Receives $12 Million Donation For New State-of-the-art Academic Facility

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Spelman College has just received one of its largest donations in history! At $12 million, the donation will help Spelman to build a modern new academic building. Get the full story from the Spelman release below.

A $12 million gift from the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation will place Spelman College closer to opening the doors of a state-of-the-art academic facility designed to bring creative disciplines, technology, and innovation into close collaboration.

“Spelman College is an exceptional institution,” said Russ Hardin, president of the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation. “We are pleased to support the Center for Innovation & the Arts with a grant that will allow Spelman to fulfill its ambitions in arts, technology and innovation.”  

The Center is designed to become a catalyst for interdisciplinary interaction by clustering together numerous arts departments, now scattered across the campus, to create a vibrant community of innovators, collaborators, artists, musicians, and scientists.  

“The rapid convergence of art, technology, and entrepreneurship with the liberal arts and sciences are beginning to yield new solutions to old challenges,” said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman. “This new facility will be a dynamic learning environment that encourages Spelman students to master their chosen fields, and utilize technology inspired solutions to solve persistent urban problems.” 

This is the second largest gift that the College has received in support of the Center. In December 2018, The Center received its largest contribution; a $30 million gift from Ronda Stryker and her husband Bill Johnston. To date the College has raised $81.5 million toward the completion of the building.

“The Center stands to redefine the way the arts are accessed at Spelman and lead to groundbreaking, cross-disciplinary discoveries,” said Trustee Lovette Twyman Russell, C ’83.

“Spelman is one of the greatest assets to Atlanta and I’m happy to know that one of the city’s most influential foundations wants to invest in the success of our students by supporting the new Center for Innovation & the Arts,” said Russell. “The College’s demonstrated strength in STEM, coupled with its extraordinary assets in the arts, position Spelman to become an epicenter for artistic expression and digital innovation.”

The Center will be the home to Spelman’s existing Innovation Lab, the forthcoming Center for Black Entrepreneurship and will include a “ front porch” atrium that will link Spelman to its Westside community. Complete with community-facing spaces such as a second gallery for the Spelman Museum of Fine Art, “The Porch” will also include a dance performance studio, a high-tech digital black box theatre and a small café/retail outlet that faces a public plaza. 

The Center will also include several digital media and gaming labs, and a multi-purpose classroom/event space. On the upper two levels of the building, a double-height atrium is envisioned as a multi-zoned area to enhance learning, teaching, practice, and the exchange of ideas across disciplines.

Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans was a generous philanthropist and accomplished businesswoman. She was the wife of Joseph B. Whitehead, one of the original bottlers of Coca-Cola.  Gifts to Spelman from the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation and associated Woodruff and Whitehead Foundations over the last six decades total more than $36 million.  

Morris Brown College’s Federal Financial Aid Reinstated After Nearly 20 Years

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Morris Brown College is getting much-needed support after having its federal financial aid program reinstated! Get the full story from the Morris Brown release below.

Morris Brown College (MBC) is proud to announce its reinstatement to participate in the Federal Financial Aid program administered by the United States Department of Education. This announcement comes on the heels of receiving accreditation candidacy by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), a Virginia-based accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This monumental achievement came after nearly 20 years of effort, marking a historical milestone for the 140-year-old college.

Morris Brown College earning accreditation candidacy is a major achievement demonstrating the institution can meet quality standards and its engagement in continuous improvement. Candidacy indicates that the institution is compliant with the rigorous standards and criteria it has set forth, in addition to being evaluated by an on-site peer team, including the professional judgment of its evaluation team and the Accreditation Commission, based on the institution providing sound instruction and student services. As of July 1, 2020, the United States Department of Education holds all accrediting agencies to the same standard and it no longer holds a distinction between regional and national accrediting agencies. In 2002, Morris Brown’s accreditation was revoked due to debt and financial mismanagement, which barred students from applying for Federal Financial Aid. After obtaining accreditation candidacy, Morris Brown College became eligible to participate in the Federal Financial Aid programs.

Financial aid is any type of college funding that does not come from family, personal savings, or earnings. It can include grants, scholarships, work-study jobs, federal or private loan programs. Financial aid can be used to cover educational expenses such as tuition/fees, room/board, books/supplies, and transportation.

FAFSA can be used to determine eligibility for the following programs:

  • Federal Student Aid –Pell Grants, Student loans, and Federal Work-Study.
  • State Financial Aid – HOPE Scholarship and Grant programs.
  • Institutional Financial Aid – Institutional Scholarships offered by a college.
  • Private Financial Aid – Private Scholarships provided by businesses or other organizations.

“We are elated about the reinstatement of Federal Financial Aid at Morris Brown College- this is history! I want to thank the team for their hard work and for making this possible. Students can now pay to attend Morris Brown College which happens to be one of the most affordable colleges in the entire state of Georgia at $4250.00 each semester. It is my goal that our students graduate with little to no debt. Morris Brown College is now a viable option to everyone as we are historically a haven for all hungry souls. It is a new day for Morris Brown College. This is truly The Hard Reset!” as quoted by President Kevin James.

Founded by formerly enslaved religious leaders at Big Bethel AME Church in 1881, MBC is the first college in Georgia to be owned and operated by African Americans. The iconic Fountain Hall and the current Morris Brown College campus is where Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois wrote “The Souls of Black Folk” in 1903. Notable alumni include Alberta Williams King, mother of Martin Luther King, Jr., and James Alan McPherson, the first black writer to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

FAMU Faculty Awarded Grant From Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation To Study Health Disparities

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Faculty at Florida A&M University have been awarded a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation! Get the full story from Andrew Skerritt at FAMU Forward below.

Photo caption: from left-top- Selina Darling-Reed, Karam F. Soliman,  Arlesia Mathis, Fran Close; from left: bottom, Sandra Suther, Elizabeth Mazzio, Remelda Saunder-Jones, Sarah Buxbaum

A Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health (CoPPS, IPH) team of researchers has secured a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) grant to examine maternal and child health disparities in the Big Bend region.

The team led by principal investigator Selina Darling-Reed, Ph.D., associate dean and associate professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, received $469,128 for 18 months from BMGF for a study titled “Maternal and Child Health Disparities: HBCU partnership initiative.”

Darling-Reed said the funding represents the University’s first BMGF research grant.

“We are grateful for the funding and opportunity that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given us to gain a better understanding of the impact of socioeconomic, lifestyle and environmental factors on Maternal and Child Health in the minority community using a multidisciplinary approach,” she said. “We are hopeful that the results from this study could have a significant impact on health disparities and mortality inequities experienced in mothers and infants in the Big Bend Area of Florida and in many minority and underserved communities throughout the country.”

The study, which runs from October 2021 to April 2023 seeks to answer such questions as what is the relationship between lifestyle, including diet, factors, behaviors, and maternal and fetal health outcomes in minority women in Florida, using Florida Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics data; what nutritional services and educational services do minority women receive; what breakdown products of biological molecules are detected as an indicator of poor maternal outcomes and external changes to the DNA occur in minority women peri and post pregnancy that correlate to specific lifestyle health disparities.

Researchers are seeking to determine the impact of poor nutrition, environmental, or lifestyle factors on pregnant minority on maternal health and the future health of their infant in the Big Bend area. They also want to improve the poor maternal and child health outcomes among minority women, said Darling-Reed.

The seeds for the grant proposal were sown during a meeting with FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., and BMGF representatives. Following that meeting, Associate Dean for IPH in CoPPS, IPH Cynthia Harris, Ph.D., identified several faculty members with a track record of maternal and child health research. Harris then introduced those faculty members to BMGF representatives, who informed them of the opportunity to develop a maternal health research proposal.

“This is such a wonderful opportunity and opens up the door for a sustained fruitful research partnership with the Gates Foundation,” Harris said. “Dr. Darling-Reed will provide phenomenal leadership with an outstanding talented team of maternal and child health faculty in public health, basic sciences, economic, social and administrative pharmacy, and the health care community.”

The team includes co-principal investigators, Professor Fran Close, Ph.D.; Associate Professor Sarah Buxbaum, Ph.D., and Associate Professor Arlesia Mathis, Ph.D., faculty from the Institute of Public Health, and Professor Sandra Suther, Ph.D.,  director of the Economic, Social, and Administrative Pharmacy Division, and Associate Dean of Research and Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Karam F Soliman, Ph.D.;  and Elizabeth Mazzio, Ph.D., assistant professor of research of Pharmaceutical Sciences Division in partnership with Primary Healthcare physician Dr. Remelda Saunders-Jones.

An adjunct professor at FAMU, Saunders-Jones has served the Big Bend region as a primary care physician for more than 20 years and is president of the Gunn Medical Society.

Black Students Talk Tech Creates Program For HBCU Students Interested In Tech, Entrepreneurship

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Technology is one of the most important things needed to keep a successful business running. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs may have a great business idea, but may not be technology savvy. Thankfully, if you are an HBCU student interested either in technology, business, or both, a new program has emerged to provide a solid foundation of knowledge. 

Black Students Talk Tech (BSTT)  is an immersive opportunity for HBCU students led by Black tech leaders. The program was created by Black Women Talk Tech, an organization that provides a community to Black female owners and leaders  of tech startups. Realizing that it is often information and connections that hinder Black entrepreneurs, they created BSTT to ensure students learned about business early. With the right foundation, these students can become the innovative professionals we need in the next generation. To be able to cover enough concepts, BSTT was created as a 6-week program, which will take place every Saturday from January 8th to February 12th 2022.

If you are interested in BSTT, apply as soon as possible, as only 50 students will be accepted. Interest in technology and entrepreneurship is preferred, but all majors will be accepted. Students will need to enter the program already having a well-formulated plan for a pre-existing or future  business.  They are looking for undergraduate HBCU students in their second or third year with a 2.5 GPA or above. 

Participants will be able to learn how to start a tech startup, apply start-up practices and learn scalable tech. They will also be able  to pitch their business idea directly to tech companies, be matched to corporate mentors, and have access to career talks and office hours. In fact, the pitch competition winner will be offered an all-expense paid trip to New York City! Students will also be offered the opportunity to engage in workshop sessions, which include:Education & Office Hours with the tech industry’s best and brightest

  • How to scale your business
  • How to build an app with no code
  • How to build a product that users love
  • How to Build a Business Plan
  • How to Draft Your Pitch Deck
  • Careers in Tech
  • Leadership Skills in Tech and Business

Luckily, the application deadline has been extended! Now, students have until 11:59pm this Sunday December 12th to submit their applications. Click here to apply now.

Meg Thee Stallion Graduates From Texas Southern University

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Today is graduation day for Megan Thee Stallion! Many around the world are congratulating the super star for keeping up her Texas Southern University studies despite being at the top of her rap career. Get the full story from Jade Lawson at Good Morning America below.

Credit: Twitter/Megan Thee Stallion (@theestallion)

Megan Thee Stallion is getting hotter by one degree. The Grammy-winning artist received a bachelor’s degree in health administration from Texas Southern University on Saturday.

“Megan Pete, a.k.a. Megan Thee Stallion, is one of 843 graduates who will celebrate their accomplishments achieved at Texas Southern University,” the university announced in a statement.

Ahead of the big day, the hitmaker took to social media to share her excitement and inspire her fans.

“I want y’all to remember that you can do whatever you wanna do and be whoever you wanna be, cause look at me,” she wrote.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXRL77zFspN/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=acf7f71f-7e5d-4979-bfe7-3a11cd62d2b9

The Houston native started her college journey at Prairie View A&M University, another historically Black college or university in Texas. Pete is rooted in a rich legacy of HBCU alumni following in the footsteps of her mother, grandmother, aunt and uncle, who all attended PVAMU. She later transferred to Texas Southern, where she will cross the stage today.

Despite fame, she vowed to finish college not only for herself but for the influences in her family –- her grandmother and late mother, Holly Thomas.

The rapper has been a strong advocate for higher education, awarding several college scholarships to students over the last two years and proving to be an inspiration for millions of her fans.

Crossing the stage, she joins a prestigious roster of HBCU alumni who are activists and entertainers, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey, Jesse Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Michael Strahan and Stephen A. Smith.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVd5vRyvfx9/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b95dd3ee-f7cd-4dcc-9556-ea3a7a8ef62a

This has been a breakout year for Pete. She took home awards for best rap performance and best rap song for her No.1 hit “Savage” at the 63rd Grammys.

In November, she was honored at the 2021 Glamour Woman of the Year awards, when she took a moment to embrace her accomplishments as a college student rather than a hip-hop phenomenon.

“I win a lot of awards as Megan Thee Stallion, but tonight I choose to accept this award as Megan Pete,” she said, “a soon-to-be college graduate from Houston, a woman who has built a successful career in a male-dominated industry.”

Megan Thee Stallion plans to open an assisted living facility in Houston, which she has said will provide more opportunities for graduates and economically support her home city.

TSU Professor And Student To Attend Alumnus Michael Strahan’s Blast Off Into Space

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Texas Southern University will be represented well when alumnus Michael Strahan goes on a very important trip in Houston this weekend. This Saturday, the current host of Good Morning America, and former NFL star and will be blasting into space! Read the full story from Pooja Lodhia at local station ABC13 below to learn more about the student and professor that have been invited to witness when Strahan blasts off! It’s an opportunity that neither thought they would ever have.

Credit: ABC 13

When GMA host Michael Strahan blasts off on a Blue Origin rocket, one lucky student and one lucky professor from his alma mater will be there to watch.

“He told me, I was like, ‘Woah! Mind blown,'” laughed Angel Mata, a senior at Texas Southern University.

“I’m just completely blown away,” added aviation professor Ed Pataky. “I grew up with the space program. Never saw a launch, and now I get to do it.”

Texas Southern University is the only institution in the state that offers a four-year Aviation degree. At least 80 students are enrolled in the program.

“If you think about it, in some of these neighborhoods in Houston, you’re never going to get an opportunity to speak to a pilot or an aircraft mechanic,” explained TSU Director of Aviation Dr. Terence Fontaine.

Texas Southern is the only HBCU in the country with flight simulation programs.

Fontaine hopes the Blue Origin launch will inspire more students to pursue aviation – a field that has historically lacked diversity.

“It’s a beautiful field, aviation. I’ve loved it all my life, so just trying to give back and try to help these kids realize something I’ve realized my whole life,” Fontaine said. “For these kids to be able to talk to somebody like Michael, who walked the same hallway that he did, I think means a lot.”

The Cast of ‘West Side Story’ Opens Up In New HBCU Buzz Roundtable

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See West Side Story Beginning December 10, 2021

With its December release, Steven Speilberg’s adaptation of West Side Story is perhaps the most highly anticipated musical of the year! Follow lovebirds Tony and Maria in the classic story as they fall in love despite being caught in the middle of a fierce neighborhood gang rivalry. Academy Award winner Speilberg directed and produced the film, while Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tony Kushner wrote the screenplay!

Ariana DeBose as Anita and David Alvarez as Bernardo in 20th Century Studios’ WEST SIDE STORY. Photo by Niko Tavernise. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Our exciting West Side Story HBCU Roundtable featured actresses Rachel Zegler (Maria), Ariana DeBose (Anita), and actor David Alvarez (Bernardo). If you’re familiar with the West Side Story play or original 1961 film, you’ll appreciate this ensemble. In the film, Maria is swept off her feet for the first time by Tony, who has tried to turn his life around after being a member of the racist Jets gang. But with her brother Bernardo serving as head of the rival Sharks gang, the relationship immediately becomes a problem. Through it all, in their shared apartment, it is Anita who tries her best to support the polarizing interests of the brother and sister. 

We had the golden opportunity to sit down with a few cast members of the film, and we hand-picked several HBCU students to ask them the questions. From asking about the historical context of the film,  to what it takes to make it in the industry, the students wanted to cover it all. Comedian Kyle of the Mic hosted the roundtable, with students representing HBCUs such as Bowie State University, Texas Southern University, Howard University, and Grambling State University.

Cameron Nolan of Morehouse College: In the 1961 West Side Story film, one could say the central theme was following your heart, and doing so despite what the world may say. So as actors, actresses, performers- really creators in general, how do you stay encouraged in pursuit of your dreams?

Anita: It’s an ongoing thing every day is different, I can tell you that. I’ve personally been working in the industry for 10+ years and I’ve had lots of success and it looks very shiny on the outside, but you get to the sparkly moments it’s been a real roller coaster. So many different microaggressions I’ve experienced. It’s been really intriguing to see how I present. I’ve been deemed ethnically ambiguous. I’ve been told I’m not black enough for one part, I’ve been told I’m not Latina enough for another part. But if I could just live in the gray, I was very hireable. So I think ultimately in order to keep going in an industry where you don’t feel seen, you have to have undying faith in yourself. Belief that you have something to offer, and the realization that just because one door doesn’t open doesn’t mean that another one won’t. You keep knocking down the doors until the one door opens, or the two doors open, and the people that see you, those are your people. And you start changing their minds, because if you change one mind you can change another mind. Beyond that, there’s no recipe. I don’t think there’s a recipe for keeping yourself going beyond holding on so tightly to your dreams, and a decent amount of self-care!

David: I think a big thing is it’s really about persistence. It’s about having confidence in yourself and what you have to bring to the table. Because a lot of times people out there are just not gonna believe in you. They’re just not gonna believe in you. And you’ve got to be that person to look at yourself in the mirror and say ‘I can do this, I believe in myself, I know my worth and I have a lot to offer to this world.’ So it is a roller coaster ride like Ariana said. You have great moments, but behind those great moments is 1,000 failing moments and it’s about not letting those failures get to you. I mean now that we’re here it’s incredible to know that all this hard work, all these learning experiences and can be brought to the table in a meaningful way, and also being part of this project is opening so many doors for so many communities to be able to trust themselves and be valued and be respected.  So I’m just very fortunate to be a part of this and it’s not an easy ride. It’s not an easy ride at all. But if you love the art, if you love what you do, it is worth it in the end.

A scene still from 20th Century Studios’ WEST SIDE STORY. Photo by Niko Tavernise. © 2021 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Rachel: It’s remembering that other people’s success is not in any way your failure. Root for your friends, we notice. It’s putting good out and getting good back. The universe works in a very real way. But it’s also a lot of hard work and it’s not just showing up to every attempt it’s not showing up. You know in my case it’s not showing up to every audition for other people but it’s showing up for myself and making sure that I am there and I am centered and I am ready because I can’t give 100% if I’m not at 100%. So take care of yourself beyond everything and just remember to root for other people’s successes as well. Learn from them.

Kendal Robinson of Howard University: West Side Story was deemed significant by the United States Library of Congress, and was also selected for the National Film Registry in 1997. In this film, can we expect the same impact and significance in the Steven Spielberg 2021 film, and also what culturally relevant themes can we expect to see? 

Rachel: I think it still holds the same cultural relevance so I do expect our film to have that same impact, but there’s also cultural sensitivity but I think the 1961 film lacked severely. It’s the way that the culture is represented on all fronts. There was a big historical context overhaul that was done with Tony Kushner’s script and it was a real conversation surrounding racial tension, political tension, social tension, the 1957 climate for someone and the Robert Moses clearance project that was displacing low income communities out of their homes if you lived in a certain 20 blocks to make away for the Lincoln Center for the performing arts which was a rich white person thing, that all of these low-income communities that were being forced out of their homes wouldn’t even be able to enjoy. So not only is that the reason I think it will be culturally impactful because it’s a conversation that’s still ongoing and that we’re still having surrounding gentrification today. But it’s also the type of cultural conversation you can expect from our film.

The full roundtable conversation is up now on our HBCU Buzz YouTube, so be sure to tune in. Just as importantly, make sure you watch the new West Side Story out in theaters beginning December 10, 2021!