HBCU Alumni Launched A Thriving Wine Brand During The Pandemic

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Michael Lavelle Wines supports art, philanthropy, and more!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: Fort Valley State University

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: Your Doctor’s Immediate Care Team

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: Provided By Black News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: Rodnae Productions/Pexels

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

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

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

Abbott’s new initiative includes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: Erin Bloodgood

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wilson has been on the commission since 2013.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: SUSLA

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

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

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

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

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

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

President Belton echoed sentiments about Ellis’ service to SUSLA.

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

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

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

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

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

VUU Alumnus Nadarius Clark Makes History Two Ways With Virginia House Of Delegates Win

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Virginia Union University graduate Nadarius Clark has made history both as a Black man and as a young man by winning the seat of the 79th District House of Delegates. According to 13NewsNow, “Clark is officially the youngest Democratic delegate in all of the Commonwealth’s history to be elected to the General Assembly. He is also the first African American to serve the 79th District.”

Learn more about Nadarius Clark from his candidate profile recorded prior to his win in the by Adrienne Mayfield from Virginia news station WAVY10 below.

Nadarius Clark is a progressive community activist, organizer, and Democratic nominee for delegate in the 79th District. He comes from a military family with a background in business entrepreneurship. Clark grew up in a strong faith community, and his family attends Holy Light Church of Deliverance in Portsmouth.

Born in Norfolk, he attended I.C. Norcom High School in Downtown Portsmouth. He worked his first job at the age of 14 at his local 7-Eleven. After a house fire destroyed his family home in 2013, he went on to college and graduated from Virginia Union University, an historically black university in Richmond. These experiences gave Clark the necessary perspective and commitment to improve the livelihood of the people of Hampton Roads.

In 2016, after a KKK march disrupted classes at VUU, Clark co-founded the charter chapter of Generation Now Network, an organization committed to faith based activism, advocacy, and education. Clark has organized to elect Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover with the nonprofit organization Virginia For Our Future, and organized with the Virginia Democratic Party to help elect Rep. Bobby Scott, Sen. Tim Kaine, and President Joe Biden.

Clark got into this campaign to bring the same passion for community empowerment, racial justice, and the working class perspective to the Virginia General Assembly. If elected, Clark would also lend his perspective as the youngest delegate in over 200 years. Clark believes that representation matters, and that this is an opportunity to prove that Virginia is ready for the next generation of leaders in Richmond.

What do you hope to accomplish, if elected?

Clark got his start in political organizing as an advocate for racial justice, and he will continue to prioritize this issue in the Virginia House of Delegates. He will also fight for inclusive entrepreneurship, offering opportunities for people historically left out of government incentive programs and education credits to open up opportunities for all Virginians.

Clark supports financial reparations to the descendants of slaves and supports initiatives to utilize the emerging marijuana industry to invest wealth into communities decimated by the war on drugs.

Across the south, 1,747 monuments celebrating the Confederacy still stand in public view. Clark not only supports the removal of these statues, but their replacement with celebrated black leaders and heroes of Virginia, such as decorated war hero Sgt. William Harvey Carney and union spy Mary Richards Bowser.

What is the most important issue facing your district, and what is your position on it?

For Clark, the fight for climate justice is personal. As the youngest person on the ballot in Virginia this year, Clark is personally interested in the future of this planet. Born and raised in the Tidewater region, Clark has seen the disastrous impact of climate change and rising sea levels in Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Portsmouth.

Clark opposes continued construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline and pledges never to take fossil fuel money. He will support green infrastructure initiatives, like the ones found in HB-2292, that would put a moratorium on all new fossil fuel projects by 2022.

What is your position on Virginia’s overall response to the coronavirus pandemic, and what might you have done differently?

Clark brings the perspective of a community organizer and an expert in Democratic field organizing to the education and dissemination of the COVID-19 vaccine. Clark will fight for a state vaccine field initiative to educate citizens one-on-one in their own communities to ensure everyone understands the safety and importance of this vaccine.

What are the top three issues created by the coronavirus pandemic in your district, and how would you plan to address them?

Protecting Hampton Roads residents from higher eviction rates, fighting to protect and grow workers’ benefits, and investing in the economic growth of our communities are the three best ways to provide COVID-19 relief to the people of Hampton Roads. 

Four of the top-10 highest eviction cities in America are found in the Hampton Roads area. Clark believes we need statewide rent control and stronger investments in public housing. Additionally, Clark supports expanding tenants’ rights to ensure no Virginian is taken advantage of by predatory landlords.

Additionally, Clark has learned from, and organized alongside, labor leaders from all over the country and he will continue this advocacy in the Virginia House of Delegates. Especially in the wake of COVID-19, Clark understands we must fight to repeal Virginia’s disastrous Right to Work laws and join other states, like Maryland, in establishing a $15-an-hour minimum wage.

Grambling State University’s Head Baseball Coach James Cooper Resigns After 12 Years

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Grambling State University head baseball coach James Cooper is departing his position after twelve years, but on great terms! Get the full story from Brian Howard at GSU below.

Grambling State University alum and head baseball coach James Cooper announced his resignation on Tuesday to pursue an opportunity within the New York Yankees organization.

“We want to thank James Cooper for his outstanding contributions to Grambling State University and the baseball program,” Grambling State VP for Intercollegiate Athletics, Dr. Trayvean Scott, said. “Cooper has been one of the longest and most respected coaches in our conference. He continues to grow professionally, whether it was at Grambling State or in Team USA. We know he will continue to be successful and we wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Cooper, who will be the only African-American coach within the Yankees organization, led the Tigers to the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship and an NCAA Division I Regional berth in 2010. In his 12 seasons, Cooper guided the Tigers to a 232-329 overall record and a 140-129 SWAC mark. His 2017 team won the SWAC West Division and finished runner-up in the conference tournament in 2018. In addition, he was named the SWAC Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2017.

“The past 12 plus years have been very rewarding. I’ve enjoyed working for my Alma Mater, and can truly say I’m leaving this place better than I found it,” Cooper said. “I appreciate the opportunities for growth that Grambling has provided me as a man and a baseball coach. My family and I are forever grateful. I wish Grambling all the best. 

“Special thanks to Coach Wilbert Ellis, Mr. J. Lin Dawson, and Dr. Frank Pogue for believing in me and allowing me to be a D1 head baseball at the age of 27 in 2009. I couldn’t thank them enough. But this is not the end of the book, it’s just the end of a chapter, and it’s time to start a new chapter in my baseball life. I’ll always love and fight for Dear Ole Grambling. GramFam for life.”

Cooper, who was an outfielder for the Tigers and earned All-Conference honors under legendary head coach Wilbert Ellis, had numerous Major League Baseball draft picks, including Eldred Barnett (29th round) and Tanner Rayburn (33rd round). In addition, Torreon Woods was named a scout with the Oakland A’s, before going to the Chicago White Sox and Angel Peguero was selected a development coach within the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Since the summer of 2018, Cooper has been heavily involved in the USA Baseball program, serving as assistant coach for the 16U Team USA Baseball division and the 18U division. This past summer, Cooper completed his third stint with the program at the NTIS 15U age division, that was hosted at the Team USA Baseball headquarters in Cary, N.C.

Grambling State will begin a national search for a new head baseball coach after the conclusion of the 2022 season. Associate head coach Davin Pierre, who has served as a Tiger assistant coach the last 12 years, will serve as the program’s interim head coach for the upcoming season.

Technology Conference Brings Vital Resources​​ To HBCU Faculty, Staff And Administration

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The First-Ever HBCU Technology Conference Is Available On-Demand

The inaugural HBCU Technology Conference recently concluded. If you did not attend this virtual event created just for HBCUs, you will want to take a look at what you missed! The entire conference is now available on-demand.

Presented by HP and sponsored by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Intel, and Microsoft, this event featured separate tracks for IT, Faculty/Staff, and Students. The goal? Provide an experience for everyone across the HBCU campus. The conference focused on digital transformation and the future of education at HBCUs, and presentations provided valuable learning and sharing opportunities designed to help your entire campus work together towards a common goal.

The conference featured compelling general sessions with presenters and panel discussions to support your digital transformation efforts with an HBCU president’s roundtable, fireside chat with special guest, Congresswoman Dr. Alma S. Adamas, cyber security discussions, and discussions with HBCU CIOs, VPs, and industry leaders. The closing keynote from Hill Harper, actor, author, and CEO/Founder of The Black Wall Street Digital Wallet, is not to be missed. Learn about how technology can help HBCUs in their transformation journey and explore topics you’ll find of interest for professional development.        

Through the IT Staff track you can: 

  • Hear industry leaders share their transformation stories
  • Learn from your HBCU colleagues across the country as they share best practices through peer presentations
  • Build partnerships with other HBCUs to leverage shared services 

Through the Faculty, Non-IT Staff, and Administration track you can: 

  • Hear education experts share how technology can transform learning and help you prepare your students with future-ready skills
  • Workshop solutions for teaching and learning challenges that can be addressed through digital learning solutions
  • Create lasting connections that support your digital transformation efforts
  • Learn new strategies to implement at your own institution

We encourage you to register today in order to unlock all of the great gems shared in this year’s history-making HBCU Technology Conference!

New Show Highlights The Beauty of HBCU Black Love

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 Episodes of BlackLove: HBCU Edition Out Now

We love to see Black love! It’s something about seeing couples be there for each other through thick and thin, and look good doing it. Part of Black love story that we’re not hearing about enough is all the love found on our HBCU campuses. Thankfully, the show BlackLove: HBCU Edition is shining a light on this wonderful experience.

Through several episodes, get a rare look inside the relationships of:

Codie and Shone of Howard University 

Anita and Demetrius of Southern University 

Tia and Yasmine of Spelman College 

Leticia and Joe of Tuskegee University  

Sydney and Les of Hampton University 

Randall and LaShawn of University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 

And more!

The series shines a light on all the unique ways Black love can emerge. For example, Codie and Shone are best friends. “I met my best friend sophomore year at Howard University (we’re class of 2005), and she says I just came up to her and told her we should be friends,” remembers Codie. “I don’t know if it went down like that, but we have been besties ever since!” Tia and Yasmine are also best friends who met at Spelman as freshmen in 2006. “Spelman College forever has our hearts and has empowered us to truly be the change we want to see in the world,” said Tia.

These couples have brought the HBCU standard of excellence into their relationships, and are thriving for it! Some of the couples found love at first sight, some reconnected after years of being on each other’s radar. Several of the couples have kept their love alive despite living in different states or even different countries! Their stories aren’t nearly the same, but the love they have for each other is everlasting. 

Learn more and celebrate the heart-warming HBCU love stories created in partnership with Target by clicking here. 

Hampton University Alumna Sonja Stills To Become MEAC’s First Female Commissioner

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The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has selected Hampton University alumna Sonja Stills as its next commissioner, and she’s making history! Get the full story from Charles Hallman at the Spokesman-Recorder.

Credit: Matthew L. Smith/MEAC

Sonja Stills will be the next Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) commissioner, effective January 1, 2022. She becomes the conference’s first female commissioner and the first female head in HBCU Division I history.

Stills replaces the retiring Dr. Dennis Thomas.

“My vision is different from Dr. Thomas’,” declared Stills during her Oct. 28 virtual press conference with the media, including the MSR. “My vision for the conference involved some office restructuring that fits into the creativity and innovation that is necessary for the current times that we’re in, working with the membership.

A 1993 graduate of Old Dominion, Stills has a B.A. in human services counseling. She later earned her Master’s in counseling from Hampton University, is a 2002 graduate of the Sports Management Institute, and graduated from the NACWAA/HERS Institute for Administrative Advancement in 2008.

Stills has been with the MEAC for 19 years, beginning in 2002. She was promoted to league chief of staff and chief operating officer in January 2021. Among her duties during her tenure are negotiating corporate partnerships, including a contract with Nike with member schools; developing two strategic and long-range plans for the conference (2008 and 2022-22); and taking over as MEAC’s esports director in the summer of 2020.

“That’s a sport that has been my biggest challenge and biggest joy,” admitted Stills, whose vision includes a MEAC varsity esports league one day.

 The MEAC currently has eight institutions. When a reporter asked about future expansion, Stills stressed, “We’ve always been looking at membership expansion, but it’s very important that we look at it in a methodical way, that we don’t just have to get a school here, school there. They have to align with our mission. We need to make sure that it fits our footprint.

“One of the things we are going to be focusing on is giving us a national platform,” said Stills to an MSR question on how she plans to keep the MEAC in the national spotlight. “We have our long-term relationship with ESPN. So having more opportunities to put our HBCU memberships in front of a national audience, that’s going to be key.

“We’re looking for ways that we can tell the story of the conference and its legacy.”

Furthermore…

Destiny Pitts was selected to the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award watch list as one of 20 best shooting guards in the country, the WBCA and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced last week. This is the third time the Detroit native and former Minnesota star has been named to the prestigious watch list.

Pitts in her first season at Texas A&M was named 2021 SEC Sixth Woman of the Year. Before her time at the school, the guard was Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2018) and two-time All-Big Ten selection (second team, 2018; first team, 2019).

“She’s worked hard all summer in developing her game,” A&M Coach Gary Blair told the MSR last week on Pitts, who returned for her sixth season of eligibility. “Her leadership, score and ability—she shot 46% from the three-point range. I want to see that same percentage from her [this season].”

Pitts told the MSR she hopes “to be a complete player” this season.

‘Marathon Teaching Institute’ At NCCU Looks To Meet The Nation’s Need For Black Male Teachers

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A new teaching program at North Carolina Central University is looking to meet the need that our nation has for male Black teachers! Get the full story from Laura Brache at The State below.

Chester Crowder is a senior elementary education major at N.C. Central University. The Raleigh N.C. native is in the NCCU Marathon Teaching Institute’s first cohort and received a generous $25,000 scholarship towards his education. Laura Brache

Growing up in Wake County, it wasn’t until high school that Chester Crowder had a Black male teacher. Garner High is a Title 1 school, meaning it has enough low-income students to qualify for federal aid, and most of its student body is Black. “That was my first time having an African American (teacher) that wasn’t a coach,” Crowder said.

Having that kind of role model earlier would have helped with his academic development, he said. “I feel like everything would’ve been different,” he said. “Especially the way I learned in class and the way I enjoyed education would’ve been different.”

“That’s why I’m here,” said Crowder, a senior transfer student now majoring in elementary education at N.C. Central University. “That’s why.” He’s talking about the School of Education’s new Marathon Teaching Institute, which is trying to increase minority male representation in education, especially among Black men. N.C. Central is one of North Carolina’s 10 historically Black universities and one of five HBCUs funded by the state. According to a recent U.S. Department of Education report, African-American men make up only about 2% of the nation’s public school educators.

As one of four members in the inaugural cohort, Crowder received a $25,000 scholarship. Along with mentorship and training opportunities, he is also guaranteed a job in the Durham Public Schools system as soon as he graduates. Since August, he’s volunteered weekly at Lakewood Elementary School in Durham, just a few miles down the road from NCCU’s campus. It’s where he’ll spend his last semester as a student teacher and, eventually, work full time. When asked what the opportunity means to him, Crowder literally exhaled. “Just like that,” he said with a laugh. “It’s crazy. I never expected it. Playing football in college (at Chowan University), I never got that much [money]. So, it was definitely life-changing.” ‘FOR OUR CULTURE

The Marathon Teaching Institute has been two years in the making, said Quintin Murphy, chief recruiting and retention officer for the NCCU School of Education. It launched last August.

Murphy said while the university is well known in North Carolina for its nursing and law schools, he hopes the institute will bring his school the same kind of recognition. “We want to make sure that we have that same strength towards preparing our teachers for their futures right here on this campus,” he said. And it’s not just about the future teachers, but the students they will be serving.

Read more at: https://www.thestate.com/news/state/north-carolina/article255175797.html#storylink=cpy

At NCCU’s Men’s Achievement Center, Roderick Heath is the director of the African American Male Initiative. Drawing from his past life working in K-12 schools, Heath says making education more viable for underserved communities is a priority. “As I started digging into my research on non-cognitive behaviors (attitudes and skills not measured on tests), I looked at how important it was to have a male figure, or even a teacher, throughout your K to 12 journey,” Heath said. “A lot of these young men didn’t have one other than in sports.”

Read more at: https://www.thestate.com/news/state/north-carolina/article255175797.html#storylink=cpy

Roderick Heath is the director of the African American Male Initiative at the North Carolina Central University Men’s Achievement Center. Credit: NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY

MINORITY GRADUATION, SUSPENSION RATES That resonates with Crowder who, before high school, never had a teacher who looked like him. Even Heath says the only Black male figure he had between elementary and high school was his high school football coach.

A North Carolina public schools report for 2020 shows that 85.2% of Black students graduated in four years or less from high school compared to 90.8% of white students. Even fewer Latino students graduated in four years or less: 81.7%. Short and long-term suspensions and expulsions were also highest among Black and Native American students in 2020. The same goes for chronic absenteeism. “Look at Black males dropping out of school, the graduation rates. If we have some strong men in the building to curb some of these behaviors and even to give them a conversation,” Heath said. “It’s all about being relatable.” Durham is already a hub for Black male teachers, principals, and superintendents, says Heath. The plan is to next create an NCCU-to-classroom pipeline. “We’re going to knock on doors, we’re going to go in homes, we’re going to go just like a coach would to recruit players, but we’re gonna recruit minority males to come to North Carolina Central and teach,” he said.

Heath says the School of Education will provide the academics while he and Murphy will provide students with mentorships with other principals, both locally and nationwide. They will rely heavily on the school’s alumni network of “eager and prepared” educators across the U.S.

Chester Crowder is a senior elementary education major at N.C. Central University. The Raleigh N.C. native is in the NCCU Marathon Teaching Institute’s first cohort and received a generous $25,000 scholarship towards his education. Laura Brache

Crowder was formally inducted into the MIT inaugural cohort on Aug. 22. To be considered, students must be a minority male student majoring in education or counseling and be willing to participate in community service projects. Students also must have a cumulative 2.7 GPA or higher and meet all NCCU Teacher Education Program requirements. For the $25,000 scholarship, students must be male elementary education majors with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher. They must commit to volunteering at a local elementary school during their junior and senior year and to work in Durham Public Schools upon graduation. Miles Turmon, a senior elementary education major from Easley, S.C. was the second scholarship winner with Crowder.

Hampton Alumna Nicole Barnwell Uses Nonprofit To Directs High School Students To HBCUs

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Nicole Barnwell, a Hampton University alumna, is taking matters into her own hands to expose high school students to HBCUs! Get the full story from Symone Davis at Yahoo News below.

“I would describe my experience at Hampton as transformative. I would describe it as enlightening, and I would describe it as fun, so much fun,” Barnwell said.

When Hampton University alumna Nicole Barnwell thinks back to her time on the yard — from homecomings that feel like family reunions, seeing Black and brown faces fills up classrooms, and experiencing the joy and appreciation of the African diaspora — she beams with pride.

While on campus, Barnwell noticed the lack of high schoolers coming to visit Hampton University. Once she returned to New York City, she understood why. In an interview with The Grio, she argued that Black high school students aren’t uninterested in attending historically Black colleges and universities. Moreover, they don’t even know these schools exist.

Courtesy of Nicole Barnwell

“The students I came across in the inner city were just lost, in a sense. You know, they didn’t have as much direction as it related to, you know, visiting HBCUs or even understanding what they were, or what the acronym stood for,” Barnwell explained.

So Barnwell took it upon herself to bridge the gap. In 2016, she launched The HBCU Hub, a New York City-based nonprofit organization helping youth discover, prepare, gain admission to, and enroll at historically Black colleges and universities.

Every year, The HBCU Hub accepts one class made up of rising high school juniors and seniors. From October through June, the cohort participates in a series of programming, including panel discussions with HBCU counselors and alumni. In addition, they participate in financial-aid sessions to learn about scholarships.

Courtesy of Nicole Barnwell

“So when it comes to students being able to afford HBCUs, that’s a number one area that we focused on. That’s the number one complaint we receive. People say HBCUs are too expensive and we can’t afford them. We get a lot of counselors who speak on that as well. They prefer to just send students to the local city and state schools because usually they have a little bit more help with financial aid,” Barnwell added.

More than 40 students have completed the program, earning $14,000 in scholarships for the students heading to HBCUs, and also helping students win close to $200,000 in third-party or institutional scholarships.

Oumou Kaba, a current sophomore at Clark Atlanta University, is a proud alum of the HBCU Hub. She’s beyond grateful for the relationships fostered through the program.

Courtesy of Oumou Kaba

“One of the highlights is, I was going to events where I got to meet other African American students or other students of color, who were interested in going to an HBCU,” Kaba said. “I also love the panel discussions. I’m really close with one of the panelists. She’s like my mentor. And also the scholarships and the networking. I feel like if it wasn’t for the Hub, I would have been confused and I wouldn’t have been able to navigate my way through CAU.”

In September, the HBCU Hub hosted their third annual New York City HBCU Week program. This year’s event featured online college access workshops, HBCU panel discussions, and live entertainment.

A Look Back At Spelman’s Beginnings

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Before Spelman College in Atlanta became a global leader in educating women of African descent and arguably the nation’s most prestigious historically Black college and universitie, or HBCU, the school had a different name — the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary College.

Spelman, of course, did not become a college until 1924 after the name switch and has since played a critical role in shaping history’s finest Black women.

We wanted to know more about the students who applied to enroll in this particular HBCU in the 1800s, so we talked to Spelman’s archivist and gained valuable insight into the college’s courses offered at the time and the earliest student body in the country’s oldest higher education institution for Black women. 

Here’s a quick look at Spelman’s beginnings and the HBCU’s critical role in shaping some of the world’s most remarkable Black women.

Spelman’s Early Beginnings 

After former president Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, which freed enslaved people in areas in rebellion against the United States, Black Americans began to want one of the most important things to accomplish in life — seeking and gaining higher education.

Some of these people defied expectations and went to Spelman.

Spelman began in Friendship Baptist Church’s basement, founded and pastored by Rev Frank Quarles.

Quarles played a critical role in establishing the brother school of Spelman, Morehouse College, as well. 

The school opened on April 11, 1881. 

Back then, Spelman was considered a “Model School” to student-teachers.

“In Atlanta and other places across the South,” said Holly Smith, the college archivist at the Spelman’s Women’s Research and Resource Center, “various black communities sought to build schools and provide educational opportunities for youth and elders alike in the face of limited resources, white supremacy, and numerous obstacles.”

“I believe what attracted many students was the idea of an institution dedicated to Black women, focusing on education and community work,” Smith told us in an email. 

Spelman’s Early Exemplars

Of the school’s guiding principle, Smith believes there’s no doubt that religious instruction and its primary purpose helped to shape Spelman’s students in its early beginnings. 

The early catalogs are a critical archival resource, as they include criteria for students, she pointed out via email.

“The 1882-1883 Catalogue states, “Applicants for admission must be at least fourteen years of age and must give satisfactory testimonials of good moral character,” said Smith. 

She continued, “Pupils should aim to be present the first day of school, that they may be classified and thus lose no time.”

“Physical, social, moral and religious culture will occupy an important place in the general system pursued,” said Smith. 

“Religious and moral instruction is the foundation of all our teaching. We believe if this is neglected, all else is in vain. The motto of the school is our whole school for Christ.”

Our Whole School for Christ

Smith added that the already noted motto means “To train the intellect, to store the mind with practical knowledge, to induce habits of industry and a desire for general information, to inspire a love for the true and the beautiful, to prepare the pupils for practical duties of life, are the objects earnestly sought to be accomplished.” 

Education’s moral components were also necessary then, and presently, we discovered: Smith shed light on Spelman’s connections to black churches and the American Baptist Home Mission Society, and the Women’s Baptist Auxiliary Home Society (an auxiliary of the ABHMS founded by Sophia Packard and Harriet Giles). 

“Many of the students became teachers, nurses, and serviced in diverse communities across the country and internationally, spreading Spelman’s reputation.”

Holly Smith

She also gave us some insight into Spelman’s early beginnings, saying, “It is noted that the first class of students consisted of ten women and one girl – eleven students in all.”

“The early catalogs listed the [students’ names] and their hometowns,” said Smith. Several of them “came from Atlanta, with others coming from around Georgia.” 

She is referring to Spelman’s earliest student body, expressing that “It is profound to think of Spelman educating women of diverse ages and various backgrounds from its earliest days.” 

“Many of the students became teachers, nurses, and serviced in diverse communities across the country and internationally, spreading Spelman’s reputation,” said Smith. 

“They were early exemplars of Spelman.”

Spelman’s Early Curriculum 

Spelman’s organization in the 1800s isn’t what we know the elite Black college to be today. 

According to Smith, the early curriculum does not look like what the school would associate with a modern college. 

In so doing, the early years have un-dated grads, and later course curriculum included primary grade levels. These included first grade, second grade, etc. 

“In thinking back to the curriculum,” said Smith, “the faculty and staff balanced different educational needs and personal development for the early students with support from the surrounding African American students.” 

As we looked in the first-course catalog from 1881, there were two study courses — the regular department and the academic department. 

“The study’s normal department course was three years and consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, and history,” said Smith. 

She added that “The students’ academic course, also three years, included algebra, physiology, Latin, botany, and chemistry.”

Additionally, during Spelman’s first term (11 April 1881-15 July 1881), there were 80 students; the following time (3 October 1881-1 June 1882) increased to 173. 

Spelman Today

Today, Spelman boasts a student body with more than 2,100 students from 43 states and ten foreign countries and is consistently ranked among the nation’s best HBCUs.

Specific characteristics about the school, like location, prestige, and alumni giving, attract some of the best and brightest undergraduates in the country to Spelman’s doors on-campus. 

It’s safe to say that the students who attended Spelman in its humble beginnings and other Black colleges in the country at the time were probably among the first to declare these words:

“There is nothing like the Black college experience.”