Texas Southern University pitcher Kamron Fields is bringing a different perspective to the MLB after sadly becoming the only athlete hailing from an HBCU. Learn more about his perspective in ABC Eyewitness article below.
Before hearing his name called in the 2021 MLB Draft, Texas Southern University pitcher Kamron Fields spent a season wondering if he’d ever return to the baseball field at all.
Texas Southern pitcher Kamron Fields (8) pitches against Ark.-Pine Bluff in Houston’s MacGregor Park on Friday, March 12, 2021 (Credit: Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle)
Now, with his eyes set on Tampa Bay, the Garland, Texas-native is calling on other athletes to follow their diamond dreams at historically Black colleges and universities.
In July, Fields stood alone as the only player drafted from an HBCU, with the 611th pick by the Rays in the 20th round of the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
But as COVID-19 infections swelled, shortening the 2020 season, Fields couldn’t help shake the feeling that 2019 might have been his last chance to play.
In the wake of international demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd last summer, a number of athletes playing for Power Five universities like UT and Texas A&M decided to take their talents to HBCUs across the country.
Fields was one of those players, making what he said was a principled move from UT after three years to spend his final season at TSU.
“I felt the best thing I could do at the time was use what I do best – and that’s play baseball – to help with what I want to see, and that’s progression in our communities,” Fields said. “I felt like by using and displaying my talents at an HBCU, I could represent them, and that was something that I knew could be immediate and effective.”
Tiger Nation took quickly to Fields, who in 13 appearances struck out 79 batters, and had a 5.03 earned run average in 68.0 innings pitched.
Fields’ selection by the Rays in July marked the first time since 2007 that TSU had a player selected in the MLB draft, becoming the highest selected right-handed pitcher in program history.
With high hopes for Tampa Bay, Fields is now encouraging athletes to use the game to contribute to change they believe in.
“Don’t be afraid,” Fields said. “If it was easy, everyone would do it. If it’s something that you truly care about, pushing the culture forward, continue to progress and push representation for HBCUs.”
Now retired from his basketball career, former Laker J.R. Smith is looking to his leftover NCAA eligibly to play golf at North Carolina A&T State University! Learn about this avid golfer’s plans in the article below by Blake Schuster at Bleacher Report.
Credit: Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR
JR Smith played 1,117 NBA games over his 16-year career. He earned an estimated $90.3 million for his work and has two championship rings to show for it. He’s also hoping he still has a bit of NCAA eligibility left.
Now 35 years old and retired from pro basketball, Smith is going back to school, enrolling at N.C. A&T and just maybe joining the HBCU’s golf team. Speaking to reporters at the Wyndham Championship Pro-Am in North Carolina on Wednesday, Smith confirmed he’ll begin taking classes on August 18 and is waiting for the NCAA clearinghouse to rule on whether or not he’ll be allowed to play golf at the collegiate level.
In the meantime, the No. 18 overall pick of the Charlotte Hornets in 2004 has been playing practice rounds with several members of the N.C. A&T team since late July.
.@TheRealJRSmith talks about his journey enrolling at North Carolina A&T and hopefully playing on the golf team 💯
“It’s not very often that somebody in his position really has an opportunity to do this and to be able to go ahead and move in that direction,” Aggies coach Richard Watkins told John Dell of the Winston-Salem Journal. “You know, he’s a former professional athlete, but it’s a set of circumstances where he didn’t go to college out of high school. His [eligibility] clock never started.”
Smith, who reportedly plays a 5 handicap, said former NBA star Moses Malone taught him how to play golf more than a decade ago and he’s been working on his game ever since. As he prepares to major in liberal studies at N.C. A&T, the 2013 NBA Sixth Man of the Year said he’s ready to embrace the challenge of becoming a student-athlete 17 years after bypassing college for the NBA.
“It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been in school,” Smith said “I’m excited about these new challenges, and I’ll have to really buckle down. I’ve got no free time now with raising kids and going to school so I’ll be busy.”
Golfer Willie Mack III has officially won the APGA Tour Championship Presented by Lexus! By Monday he was already in the lead when he exceptionally holed nine birdies over the second round. Prior to today’s win at the TPC Sugarloaf, the Bethune-Cookman University alum’s strong performance in the tour was chronicled in a PGA Tour article over the weekend, which you can read in full below.
Getty Images
APGA Tour star Willie Mack III continued his streak of impressive performances with a seven under par 65 Monday to take a one stroke lead after the first round of the Mastercard APGA Tour Championship presented by Lexus at TPC Sugarloaf.
The Flint, Michigan, native shot a five-under par 31 on the front nine before carding three straight birdies on the back in pursuit of his second straight victory following last month’s win in the Billy Horschel APGA Tour Invitational at TPC Sawgrass. Earlier in July, Mack took advantage of PGA TOUR sponsor exemptions to make the cut in both The Rocket Mortgage Classic (T-64) and The John Deere Classic (T-71). Owner of over 65 mini-tour wins and a two-time APGA Tour Player of the Year, Mack is headed to Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School in September.
Just one stroke back are Patrick Newcomb of Jacksonville, FL, and Aaron Beverly of Fairfield, California, who fired 66s on the 6,861-yard, par 72 layout in suburban Atlanta. Defending APGA Tour Lexus Cup Point Standings champion and 2020 Player of the Year Tim O’Neal is another stroke back at five-under par with Michael Herrera of Moreno Valley, California, in fifth place with a four-under 68. Landon Lyons of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Daniel Augustus of Bermuda; Mahindra Lutchman of Orlando; and Joseph Dent of Tampa follow at three-under with the final round set for Tuesday.
“I’ve been playing well. Been in a little groove,“ stated Mack, who had an eagle 3 on the 542-yard sixth hole. “I got a putting tip back home and the putter was hot today.” Mack hit a hybrid 247 yards away to within four feet and converted the putt to get to five under par after six holes en route to the round of the day. “There are a lot of people at the top,” he continued. “I know I’m going to have to go low again tomorrow.”
The players are competing for a $7,500 first prize from the tournament purse of $25,000 and a $30,000 bonus pool will be distributed in accordance with the season-long Lexus Cup Point Standings. Several players are in contention for the $17,500 first prize with Marcus Byrd of Knoxville, Tennessee, the point standings leader going into this week. Byrd stands in 11th place, six strokes back.
The Mastercard APGA Tour Championship is the tenth tournament of the landmark 2021 season, featuring a record 13-plus events and eight exemptions for APGA Tour players into PGA TOUR tournaments. TPC Sugarloaf is the sixth TPC property that has hosted the APGA Tour this year as part of its partnership with the PGA TOUR.
All activities are being conducted under social-distancing and health/safety guidelines in conjunction with regional authorities.
The tour continues September 20-22, when the players will be heading to the Bluestone Country Club in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, for APGA Tour Valley Forge. The tournament marks the first time the APGA Tour will play in the Northeastern United States.
Jackson State University recently introduced a new program, aptly named V.I.B.E., that is considerably reducing costs for digital textbooks. Get the full story from Alonda Thomas at JSU in the official release below.
(William Kelly/University Communications)
Jackson State University President Thomas Hudson today announced the university would cover the textbook fees for undergraduate students this fall through the JSU V.I.B.E program. This support will total $2.3 million in savings for undergraduate students. The announcement comes on the heels of the institution’s previous $3.2 million sponsorship to cover students’ tuition balances during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This global pandemic has been extremely challenging on our student scholars who have persevered despite the stress of the past year,” said Hudson. “The administration was able to use the government funding to clear approximately $3.2 million dollars in balances for our students from spring 2020 to summer 2021. This relief allowed nearly 3,000 students to have the means to clear their balances and continue their matriculation at Jackson State. This fall, we will provide relief in the form of a textbook waiver as another way to help our students afford the increasing costs of higher education.”
In partnership with the JSU Campus Store, the JSU V.I.B.E. (Virtual, Interactive Technology, Books, and Educational Supplies) program is an inclusive access textbook program that allows students to rent or purchase digital textbooks at a reduced cost. With today’s announcement, the university will cover these textbook fees for the semester.
Vaccination Incentive Program for On-Campus Students
Additionally, Jackson State will offer a residential student vaccination incentive program effective immediately. Residential students who apply for the incentive program and show proof of vaccination will receive a $1,000 housing credit, which will be dispersed in two (2) $500 payments for the fall and spring semesters, respectively.
“The African American community has been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and we want to do everything we can to encourage our students to get vaccinated,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Alisa L. Mosley, Ph.D. “Having students to get vaccinated prior to arrival will help protect our students while they are en route to return to campus. Additionally, we will continue to host our on-campus vaccination clinic to help make access to the vaccine as convenient as possible.”
The Jackson State initiatives are made possible through the federal government’s grant program, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
Beloved Dillard University President Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough has brought a spotlight to the university through being a gem in his own right, but his time there is coming to an end. Get the full story on his planned departure and why he will be missed so much from Jessica Williams at local New Orleans page Nola.com below.
Source: NOLA
Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough, who is credited with growing the university’s endowment and expanding its programming, will step down in May 2022 after a decade on the job.
Kimbrough, an Atlanta native, said Monday he is leaving Dillard’s Gentilly campus to pursue new opportunities. He said the average tenure of a university leader is almost seven years, a timeline he has exceeded.
The search for Kimbrough’s successor — the eighth leader of the historically black university — will begin immediately, university officials said.
“Dillard University and New Orleans have been awesome for our family, and we are thankful for the love and support,” Kimbrough wrote in a message to the university community. “But it is time for a new challenge where my gifts and graces match the needs of an institution at this point in their history, and Dillard is ready for someone new to do likewise.”
The self-proclaimed “Hip Hop Prez” has done much to strengthen Dillard during his tenure.
His accomplishments include convincing the federal government to forgive a $160 million loan made out to Dillard in 2007 to help repair millions of dollars in water and wind damage to the campus from Hurricane Katrina.
That forgiveness paved the way for Dillard to grow its endowment to more than $100 million, a 115% increase that is among the nation’s highest for historically Black colleges and universities, officials said.
Alumni contributions have also risen under Kimbrough’s leadership, going from 4% of Dillard’s annual revenue to 23% this year. That again places the university in the top tier for alumni gifts of all campuses nationwide.
Since Kimbrough came aboard, Dillard has introduced physics and film studies programs, and has restructured its nursing school as the College of Nursing. The university has also seen its graduation and retention rates rise since 2012.
Credit: Dillard University
“Walter is an innovative leader who has made an indelible impact on Dillard University,” board chairman and alumnus Michael Jones said. “His commitment to our mission has resulted in significant growth financially, academically, and in the community.”
Kimbrough’s use of social media to teach and interact with students sets him apart from other college presidents, observers have noted. So does his age — at 54, he is one of the youngest college presidents in the country.
Kimbrough earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree from Miami University in Ohio and his doctorate from Georgia State University.
Before arriving at Dillard in 2012, he served a nearly eight-year tenure as president of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has also worked in student affairs departments at various colleges over his academic career.
That career is not over yet, he hinted in a letter about his departure.
“In this season of increased presidential departures, particularly due to retirements, there are a number of exciting possibilities at a diversity of institutions for which my talents may match,” he said.
Rayquan Smith, an athlete at Norfolk State University, is the first HBCU male athlete to partner with Eastbay on NIL. Now, the player is looking to help other student athletes are advantage of the NCAA’s newest rules on getting paid from your likeness. Get the full story from Eugene Daniel at 13 News Now below.
Rayquan Smith (Credit: Norfolk State University)
For the first time ever, players can profit off their brand, and Norfolk State University football player Rayquan Smith is making the most of it.
Smith, who plays running back, has waited for this moment for years.
“It is long overdue,” he said.
In July, the NCAA. agreed to allow student athletes to be paid for their name, image or likeness, also known as NIL agreements.
According to the NCAA, players can engage in NIL agreements consistent with state laws, and where there are no state laws, athletes can still profit without violating committee rules.
“We put in the same amount of work, so I feel like we should get the same amount of money that we put in for,” said Smith, who has already established himself with various brands.
Because the rules are temporary, schools, like Norfolk State, are waiting for new guidance. Until then, the university’s compliance office works with players to make sure the deals are legal and align under the NCAA parameters.
Smith wasted no time signing deals and turning to social media to market his brands.
But he also has a message for other student athletes, especially those in HBCU’s.
“Now I feel like more college athletes will come to HBCU’s because they can get paid,” he said.
While he admits players at larger schools may be able to collect bigger checks, Smith says this is an opportunity to level the playing field for athletes at smaller universities.
“Don’t be scared to put your name out, email companies. Go email them or [send a direct message on social media]. No matter how many followers you got,” said Smith. “If they see you pushing out, your name is going to cross them sooner or later. Keep pushing. Keep pushing.”
The NCAA policies remain temporary until the committee agrees on more permanent rules or federal laws are passed. Many states, like Virginia, are also working on guidance.
This week, the Virginia Senate removed language from a spending bill to solidify NIL rules in the Commonwealth.
Girls Who Investis here to shake things up! Investing can seem overwhelming and intimidating, especially for women, as finance has historically been seen as a “boys’ club.” Girls Who Invest (GWI) is breaking down the intimidation factor, as well as barriers to entry, and is encouraging women to enter the industry and consider a path to leadership. GWI is committed to changing the face of investing, and they envision a world where 30% of investable capital is managed by women by 2030. With nine years to reach their goal, they’ve already made major headway.
Currently, less than 7% of institutional money managers are women, which means that women are missing from the rooms where important decisions are being made. Girls Who Invest is opening the doors to those rooms. They provide young women the tools and access they need to become inspiring and ambitious change-makers in the industry. By guaranteeing their Summer Intensive Program scholars a paid internship at an industry firm, they are making sure women have an entry point to the industry and that firms have a clear opportunity to hire more women.
If Girls Who Invest sounds like something you would be interested in, now is the right time to speak up. GWI is looking for motivated, curious and diverse women from our amazing HBCUs to join their educational and career development programs. You may find a fitting opportunity in one of their two incredible programs: GWI Summer Intensive Program and the GWI Online Intensive Program. No prior knowledge of investing is needed, as GWI is willing to teach you everything you need to know. Apply before the next deadline, which is September 15, 2021. For more information about their programs, please visit Girls Who Invest online.
Wakati, meaning time in Swahili, represents a respect for where your hair has been and an optimism for all the places you want it to go. For the Wakati Hair brand, that message is embedded in our HBCU culture. And now, Wakati is looking for campus brand ambassadors at Spelman College, Florida A&M University, and Howard University to help get the message out through its first WakatiU Ambassador Program!
If you’re looking for a fun and unique way to impact your campus, this opportunity may be perfect for you! This opportunity is especially great timing because Wakati will be doing campus tours at all 3 HBCUs with the HBCU Blow Out Tour! Wakati has had close connections with HBCUs like FAMU, where the Wakati team worked with the school’s business students to tackle consumer challenges and develop brand elements that would ultimately help birth the Wakati Hair brand. They continue to collaborate with FAMU and other HBCUs to redefine and refine what beauty truly is. As a part of this commitment, we have created the WakatiU Ambassador Program.
Apply to be e a campus brand ambassador, you can become a campus curlfriend! The position will bring you a variety of perks and personal growth that will be of value for the rest of your college career and beyond. For example, you’ll have impactful influence as an ambassador on your campus for a global brand. You’ll be able to not only meet new people and inform them about how the Wakati brand can help their hair needs, but you’ll also be giving them new tools for empowerment! No matter your career path, you’ll be adding on immersive experience in marketing, branding, and event activations with this program, such as helping with the Wakati HBCU Blowout Homecoming Tour. And if all that isn’t enough, Wakati campus brand ambassadors can potentially earn $1,000 through a stipend paid for all that rewarding work!
A Wakati campus brand ambassador not only knows how to juggle work and school, but can look good doing it! Wakati is looking for sophomore and junior students who wear their natural hair, at least most of the time. It’s important to already be active on social media and in various spaces on campus so that you can hit the ground running. As far as time requirements, please be able to dedicate at least 5-8 hours a week for the program, and be able to host or be involved in at least two activations during the semester. Of course, one of those events would have to be homecoming, because who would want to miss that!
To apply, all you need to do is answer a few simple questions. Yes, you’ll have to fill out basic information about yourself and your HBCU life. However, a great way to prepare for this opportunity is to really think about what Wakati means, and how you can use the brand to fulfil your own career or campus improvement goals. Be prepared to share what you love about your hair, and what makes you the perfect face of the Wakati global brand.
Become a curlfriend and help redefine and refine what beauty truly is! Learn more about the exciting WakatiU Ambassador Program here. Applications are due by August 31st at 11:59am EST.
Jackson State University has everything on lock in sports and academics. Recently JSU announced a new dean for its College of Liberal Arts, and he’s quite an accomplished man. Get the full story from Kaitlin Howell at local station WJTV below.
Dr. KB Turner (Courtesy: Jackson State University)
On Wednesday, leaders with Jackson State University (JSU) announced Dr. KB Turner was appointed as dean of the College of Liberal Arts, effective August 11.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Turner to the Jackson State University family,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Alisa L. Mobley, Ph.D. “His academic experience, external collaborations, and vision will augment the College of Liberal Arts and the university’s strategic plan, and the university’s mission statement. I am confident that he will move the college forward in new and exciting ways.”
According to JSU officials, Turner most recently served as the chair of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Memphis, becoming the founding director for the Center for Community Criminology Research on the Lambuth Campus in Jackson, Tennessee.
Crerdit: University of Memphis
“It is an esteemed honor and blessing to return home to my alma mater, the great Jackson State University of Thee I love,” Turner said. “I fondly anticipate working with my new colleagues and building relationships. As a team, we will work to advance the mission of the College of Liberal Arts and Jackson State University. A priority of mine is to support the dedicated faculty, staff and students in the college as we work together to raise the profile of the college to the next level of excellence.”
Turner graduated from JSU with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He received his master’s degree in criminal justice with a concentration in public administration from The University of Nebraska at Omaha and earned his Ph.D. in political science from The University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
For decades, North Carolina Central University has produced world-class athletes, and it’s time to give NCCU its flowers! Learn about the athletes that represented NCCU well in Olympic arenas in the full story from Lewis Bowling at the News & Observer below.
Former NC Central head track and field coach Leroy Walker (left) with athlete Lee Calhoun are pictured in 1957. At the time, the school was known as North Carolina College. Calhoun won the gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1956 Olympics and went on to capture the gold medal in the same event at the 1960 Olympics. Courtesy Of NC Central University
Lee Calhoun stood at the start line of the Olympic 110-meter hurdles. An underdog, Calhoun was not content just to compete in the event that every four years plays host to the best athletes in the world. Calhoun, the first athlete from North Carolina Central University to qualify to participate in the Olympics, wanted to return to the Durham campus as the best 110-meter hurdler in the world.
Tokyo? Hardly.
These Olympic Games were in Melbourne, Australia. This was 1956.
Standing close to Calhoun, ready to compete in the same event, was a good friend from Duke University, Joel Shankle. Calhoun and Shankle were training partners in Durham.
In 1956, it was not common to see Black athletes participating alongside white athletes, much less training side by side. But that’s what Calhoun and Shankle did. Dr. Leroy Walker, the track coach at NCCU, and Bob Chambers, the track coach at Duke, got together and agreed that Calhoun should train at what was then called Duke Stadium — now Wallace Wade Stadium — with Shankle. With NCCU’s and Duke’s campuses separated by just a few miles, it made sense that these two world-class athletes who specialized in the same event should train together. Good competition in practice makes athletes push themselves to new limits, they figured.
Standing close to Calhoun, ready to compete in the same event, was a good friend from Duke University, Joel Shankle. Calhoun and Shankle were training partners in Durham.
In 1956, it was not common to see Black athletes participating alongside white athletes, much less training side by side. But that’s what Calhoun and Shankle did. Dr. Leroy Walker, the track coach at NCCU, and Bob Chambers, the track coach at Duke, got together and agreed that Calhoun should train at what was then called Duke Stadium — now Wallace Wade Stadium — with Shankle. With NCCU’s and Duke’s campuses separated by just a few miles, it made sense that these two world-class athletes who specialized in the same event should train together. Good competition in practice makes athletes push themselves to new limits, they figured.
MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF
Calhoun was born in 1933 in the heart of the South in the small town of Laurel, Mississippi. Even though he was thousands of miles away from home, at the start line of the 110-meter hurdles in Australia, Calhoun was full of confidence.
Calhoun first made a name for himself May 10, 1952, at the CIAA Track and Field Championships, competing for NCCU, then known as North Carolina College. He finished first in the 120-yard high hurdles and the 220-yard low hurdles. In 1953 at the Evening Star Track Meet in Washington, D.C., he beat Shankle in the 70-yard high hurdles. Calhoun’s national acclaim found a spotlight when he won the 120-yard high hurdles at the Penn Relays in 1953, where most of the country’s best track stars competed. In 1956, before the Olympics that year, Calhoun tied the world record in a meet in Philadelphia in the 50-yard high hurdles with a time of 6.0 seconds. He again beat Shankle and also beat another top hurdler in the world in Harrison Dillard. The next day, Calhoun won the 70-yard high hurdles in 8.3 seconds, tying the world record. At a track meet in Durham, he won the 100-yard dash, not his specialty.
Calhoun had already brought notoriety to the NCCU campus by winning an NCAA championship in the 120-yard hurdles earlier in 1956 in Berkeley, California (and he won that NCAA event again in 1957). Calhoun had also won the AAU 110-meter hurdles in 1956. Along with that, he knew that Shankle, his friend and training partner from Duke, was also one of the fastest hurdlers in the world, and they had run against each other many times. Another reason for Calhoun to be confident was that he had been tutored by one of the best track coaches in the United States at the time, NCCU’s Walker.
THE BIG RACE AND ITS AFTERMATH
In the 110-meter hurdles at the 1956 Olympic Games, Calhoun exploded out of the start line, with Shankle just behind him in the lane to his left. Calhoun was being closed in on by his United States teammate, Jack Davis. At the finish line, Calhoun lunged his shoulders forward and crossed the line in 13.5 seconds, a new Olympic record. Jack Davis had also finished in 13.5 seconds, and Shankle finished in 14.1 seconds. Shankle won the bronze medal.
Calhoun’s lunge forward at the finish line won the gold medal; he was the best in the world in the 110-meter hurdles.
Upon their return to Durham, Calhoun and Shankle were treated like heroes. A throng of fans, many from NCCU, greeted them at the airport. A motorcade was formed from Raleigh-Durham Airport to carry the two athletes to Durham, where a parade was held on Main Street. Bands from NCCU, Duke and local high schools marched down streets full of people. Calhoun and Shankle were presented keys to the city by Durham Mayor E.J. Evans.
AN OLYMPIC LEGACY
Edwin Roberts brought more track and field glory to NCCU at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, where he won the bronze medal in the 200-meter dash and another bronze medal in the 4×400-meter relay. From 1956-1976, an Eagle student-athlete represented NCCU in every Olympic Games.
Roberts also competed in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, but did not medal, although he finished fourth in the 200-meter dash. Norman Tate of NCCU competed in the triple jump in the 1968 Olympics Games in Mexico City. Also in the 1968 Olympics, Roberts competed again. In the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, Roberts ran in his third straight Olympics. NCCU’s Larry Black won a gold medal in the lead leg of the 4 by 100-meter relay and won a silver medal in the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.19. Julius Sang and Robert Ouko, also NCCU student-athletes, earned gold medals as part of the 4×400- meter relay team. Sang also won a bronze medal in the 400-meter dash with a time of 44.92. In the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada, NCCU’s Charles Foster placed fourth in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.41.
Having Olympians from NCCU in six consecutive Summer Olympics from 1956 to 1976 was an accomplishment attained by few universities, and the streak would almost certainly have continued had the United States not boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics in protest of the Games being held in Moscow, after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.
This long line of NCCU track and field Olympians all competed under Walker’s direction. He also served as head coach for the United States men’s track and field team in the 1976 Olympic Games, and went on to become the first Black president of the United States Olympic Committee.
On the coaching side, former NCCU men’s basketball coach John McLendon, who coached at NCCU in the 1940’s and early 1950’s, was chosen as the first Black assistant coach on a United States Olympic basketball team for the 1968 Games in Mexico City. The basketball arena on the NCCU campus is in part named for him.
Amba Kongolo, one of the best women’s basketball players to ever play at NCCU, also represented NCCU in the Olympics, playing for the Zaire Olympic team in Atlanta in 1996.
As this year’s edition of the Olympics comes to a close in Tokyo, with athletes representing North Carolina across several events, one small campus in Durham can claim with pride to have contributed mightily to the U.S. teams on the Olympic stage.
Delaware State University is returning to Wilmington – with the help of Capital One.
Capital One is donating the six-story building at One S. Orange St. to the university, marking the return of Delaware’s only historically Black college and university to Wilmington’s city limits for the first time in about 10 years.
The building, which contains about 35,000 square feet, is valued at around $4.7 million, the institutions said in a Thursday morning announcement.
It will initially headquarter the university’s school for graduate, adult, and continuing education students; a new partnership with Wilmington-based Teen Warehouse and its workforce development center; and an incubation hub for micro and small businesses with a focus on minority and women-owned companies.
Capital One stopped using the 146-year-old building in late 2018 as it consolidated its Wilmington workforce to Delaware Avenue. The building later went on the market.
There were some offers made, the company said, but the pandemic largely froze the market.
That’s when Capital One picked up the phone, said Joe Westcott, the Delaware market president. Capital One launched a five-year, $200 million commitment last year to support growth in underserved communities and help close gaps in equity and opportunity.
Offering the school to DSU fit into that mission.
“We made the determination that if we could find the right partner, donating the building to a great use to the city would be a great option to us,” Westcott said.
The company and DSU are also enhancing their recruiting relationship to expand opportunities for students to pursue careers within the Capital One, emphasizing roles in the fields of business analysis, tech development, and product development, according to a press release.
The bank will be assigning a recruiter to work with the university to increase Capital One hiring of its graduates. It will also aid the early talent pipeline by extending access to Capital One programs for freshman and sophomores, including First Gen Focus (for first-generation college students) and the HBCU Tech Mini-Master, a two-week coding skills program to prepare students for STEM-focused internships.
A conference room inside One S. Orange street in Wilmington. Courtesy of Capital One
“I’m a city resident,” Westcott said. “I work in the city. We’re really honored to help enable Delaware State to come back to the City of Wilmington.”
DSU President Tony Allen said one of his goals when he took over the school in early 2020 was to expand its footprint in the city. His past experience in the corporate world with Bank of America was helpful, he said, in that he has strong relationships with corporate partners in the city like Capital One.
During his time at Bank of America, Allen was involved in the company donating one of its four downtown buildings to the Longwood Foundation to be used for multiple charter schools.
The Longwood Foundation is one of multiple institutions that gave Delaware State a seven-figure award over the last year, part of a historic round of donations to the university.
DSU raised some $20 million in philanthropic funding during 2020. That’s not including the $20 million donation DSU received last year from MacKenzie Scott, a philanthropist and the ex-wife of Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.
DSU also just finished the year-long acquisition process of Wesley College and is expanding its footprint in downtown Dover.
Allen, who has an ambitious plan for the school to be home to 10,000 students in 10 years – a goal that would nearly double the current number of students – said this latest development is another opportunity for DSU to grow. After receiving the call from Capital One, university officials toured the space and then agreed to take the building.
Tony Allen, Courtesy of Delaware State University
Wilmington is home to a large number of DSU graduates who live and work in the city, Allen said. The early talent pipeline created with this latest partnership with Capital One will “open up the doors for more kids who might not be considering college, let alone Delaware State,” he said.
“DSU’s HBCU roots are important to Wilmington because many of our residents are Delaware State University graduates and have contributed significantly to our city’s success,” Wilmington mayor Mike Purzycki said in a statement. “So, the city where HBCU Week was born and nurtured couldn’t be happier about this announcement.”
The building donation also comes at a unique time. There has been a lot of recent focus on the Ignite HBCU Excellence Act. The bipartisan legislation is led by U.S. Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., as well as U.S. House Reps. Alma Adams, D-N.C., and French Hill, R-Ark. It would provide federal funding to renovate, repair and modernize campus facilities at HBCUs.
That would both allow DSU some funding to help renovate and modernize the old Wesley College buildings and also help the infrastructure in Wilmington.
Delaware State has no plans to close its other New Castle County location in Marshallton. New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer awarded $5.5 million from the Cares Act to help the university build its own molecular diagnostic lab at the Kirkwood Highway facility, a former United States Army Reserve site awarded to the university in 2013.
Working with Testing for America and the county, DSU in six months has lowered the cost for COVID-19 testing. It will now expand the facility to test and analyze other infectious diseases.
DSU is also renovating part of the Kirkwood campus. Once completed, the school will have a presence in northern Delaware that exceeds 100,000 square feet, it said.
“It gives us the ability to have tentacles in literally every part of the state,” Allen said. “When you put together the footprint we now have in downtown Dover and Wilmington, we have more prowess than we had before.”
Ky’Wuan Dukes, a redshirt freshman receiver, was the first athlete from a historically Black school to sign with the Charlotte restaurant chain. Photo: Jorge Torres
Ky’Wuan Dukes, a redshirt freshman receiver, became the first athlete from a historically Black school to sign with the Charlotte restaurant chain.
Ky‘Wuan Dukes was scrolling through his Instagram feed one day last month when he stumbled upon a shocker: Vayner Sports, a New York agency that represents athletes, was reaching out to him with a potential endorsement deal.
Bojangles, the note said, was looking to sign college athletes to promote its food products, and Dukes, a redshirt freshman receiver at Johnson C. Smith University, was seen as a potential fit.
Dukes, who transferred to JCSU this year from Elizabeth City State University, described his feelings at that moment as “shocked.”
Now, less than a month later, he is a local face for Bojangles’ new chicken sandwich — the first student-athlete from a historically Black college or university (HBCU) to sign a deal with the Charlotte company. He joins the likes of Clemson University’s DJ Uiagalelei and the University of North Carolina’s Sam Howell, both football players who have signed with Bojangles.
Dukes declined to say how much he was paid for the endorsement deal, made possible in July when the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) changed its longstanding rules to allow college athletes to benefit from their names and images, but he described the deal as “a blessing in disguise.”
“It was something positive that I needed to see,” he told QCity Metro. “I was just happy for the opportunity.”
For its part, Bojangles said in a statement that Dukes, who grew up in Statesville and played for Statesville High School, was a “natural fit” because of his North Carolina ties and familiarity with the brand.
Ky‘Wuan Dukes got a scholarship to play foot ball for Elizabeth City State, but the Covid pandemic canceled his freshman season and he transferred to JCSU. Photo: Jorge Torres
“We’re thrilled to have Ky’Wuan join Team Bojangles as the first HBCU athlete on our roster,” Jackie Woodward, chief brand and marketing officer at Bojangles, said in the statement, which was emailed to QCity Metro. “We look forward to continuing our partnerships with HBCUs and athletes throughout our footprint.”
As a high school student, Dukes finished with 1,596 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns for the Statesville Greyhounds. He was named First-Team All-Conference twice, and First Team All-Piedmont twice.
He got a scholarship to play for Elizabeth City State, but the Covid pandemic canceled his freshman season and he transferred to JCSU.
Dukes said he hopes the new NCAA rule will bring added exposure to college athletes, especially those at HBCUs.
“It’s already hard for us as it is,” he said of HBCU student-athletes. “I’m glad we get that rule because…we are able to promote ourselves from marketing and be introduced to things we’ve never really seen.”
Before the rule change, Dukes said, many student-athletes were hurting financially while trying to balance academics and sports.
While many received scholarships and small stipends, he said, they still struggled to make ends meet while their schools profited off their names and athletic ability.
“It’s definitely a big help,” Dukes said. “Students that have parents that aren’t fortunate and don’t have things..now they can do it for themselves. This is definitely a good thing to happen for us.”
QCity Metro reached out to JCSU Head Football Coach Kermit Blount for comment, but he did not return our calls.
Here are some other HBCU athletes who have signed endorsement deals:
Jackson State University defensive end Antwan Owen signed with Three Kings Grooming, a black-owned hair product shop in New York.
Norfolk State University’s Rayquan Smith signed six endorsement deals with various companies within the first month.
Tennessee State University’s Hercy Miller, son of rapper/entrepreneur Master P, recently signed with Web Apps America, worth a reported $2 million.
Alabama A&M University’s Zabrien Moore and Gary Quarles each signed deals with Boost Mobile.
There are 50 public HBCUs, like Bowie State University and The University of Maryland Eastern Shore. They have thrived with in creating new programs and opportunities for students, but the funding is complicated. Independent donors have propelled these HBCUs, but it’s the states that need to show just as much enthusiasm. Learn why in the full story from Danielle Douglas-Gabriel at The Philadelphia Tribune below.
President of Bowie State University Aminta Hawkins Breaux at the student center on campus July 20, 2017, in Bowie, Md. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Katherine Frey
Bowie State University is creating seven new online degree programs in education, science and technology, while Morgan State University plans to add more than two dozen new degrees.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is expanding agricultural programs and funding scholarships for graduates from a local community college to continue their studies at the school.
The new efforts come as the schools and other public historically Black colleges and universities are benefiting from record government and philanthropic support. There is a deeper respect for the work they do with limited resources, and fights for fiscal parity within their state higher education systems are starting to pay off.
Maryland’s four HBCUs, for example, will receive $577 million over a decade, after the state recently settled a 15-year court battle over inequitable funding. Corporations such as Novartis, Apple and Google are providing tens of millions of dollars in grants to public HBCUs. And author MacKenzie Scott has given $580 million to 23 historically Black schools, many of which are public.
Still, higher education experts say there is no easy way to undo decades of state and federal neglect. Investments in public HBCUs is on the rise, but the legacy of inequity can complicate the reach of those dollars.
Eastern Shore President Heidi M. Anderson told a congressional committee in June that the average age of buildings on the campus is 44 years old and the school has more than $90 million in deferred maintenance. Tackling the backlog of repairs and renovations will require more time and more resources, Anderson said in an interview with The Washington Post.
“People say, ‘You’ve got $20 million from MacKenzie Scott, your alumni are giving at a higher level, you have this settlement from the state,’ but we’re still behind,” she said. “It means continual advocacy with legislators . . . in Annapolis and in D.C.”
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There are 50 public historically Black schools in the nation. Some are rural with an agrarian focus. Others are in urban centers and known for educating local teachers, nurses and engineers.
Public HBCUs are more reliant on federal, state and local funding than their majority-White counterparts, making those partnerships critical to their viability, according to research by Krystal L. Williams at the University of Alabama. That reliance also makes the schools more vulnerable in economic downturns and when states withhold support.
States have a fraught history with their HBCUs. The disparities in funding are well documented and have led to lawsuits in Maryland, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina. Funding shortfalls, small endowments and limited access to capital have created inequities that are visible on many campuses.
A 2018 Government Accountability Office report identified extensive need for repairs and replacement of aging facilities at public and private HBCUs. State HBCUs reported average deferred maintenance backlogs of $67 million and a dearth of resources to address them.
“Public HBCUs’ ability to optimize federal, state and private dollars are bound by issues of infrastructure, capacity, academic offerings, organizational agility . . . and relationships with state actors,” said Terrell Strayhorn, director of the Center for the Study of HBCUs at Virginia Union University. But “these aren’t intractable problems.”
Some states are taking steps to help.
Virginia upped its appropriations for its two public HBCUs – Norfolk State and Virginia State universities – in the state budget signed this year. The legislature is providing money for technology upgrades and other capital improvements.
“While it’s awesome to have people recognize and understand our value, we hope that recognition continues,” said Makola M. Abdullah, president of Virginia State University. “Our institutions have been providing incredible value for the state, and all we’re asking is if you continue to invest . . . we’ll continue to provide that value.”
Abdullah chairs the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ Council of 1890s Institutions, which advocates for the 19 HBCUs founded on federal land like VSU and Eastern Shore. Although states are obligated to match federal dollars for all land-grant universities, the historically Black ones are often shortchanged. But Abdullah has noticed a greater willingness among states to fix the problem.
Take Tennessee, where a recent audit found the state shorted its Black land-grant Tennessee State University as much as $544 million from 1957 to 2007. Earlier this month, a bipartisan legislative committee tasked the state’s higher education commission to submit recommendations by September to rectify the disparity.
Some Tennessee lawmakers are looking to Maryland’s $577 million HBCU settlement as a model.
Maryland will provide Eastern Shore, Morgan State, Coppin State University and Bowie State a total of $57.7 million annually for 10 years starting in fiscal 2023. The funding is considered supplemental and not meant to supplant state appropriations. It can be used for scholarships, faculty recruitment and new academic programs to make the four state universities more competitive.
There are limitations. The money cannot be used to upgrades facilities, even though many of the academic programs being added would benefit from better infrastructure.
“I can build out these new, innovative academic programs, but I’m putting them into facilities that are not conducive for today’s learners or those new programs,” said Aminta Hawkins Breaux, president of Bowie State. “So that only gets us half of the way there.”
Bowie State and Eastern Shore, like many HBCUs that received donations from MacKenzie Scott, invested the money in their endowments and have been using the earnings to fund scholarships. Breaux said when she arrived at Bowie State in 2017 there was less than $10 million in the endowment, which today stands at $31 million.
“If you won the lottery today, you wouldn’t go out and spend it all,” Breaux said. “We’re looking at the short-term needs and helping students get through their education . . . but I also want to make sure Bowie State remains viable for future generations.”
Breaux is encouraged by the state’s recognition that HBCUs are economic engines, and thankful for allies like Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, D, who played a vital role in ending the legal battle.
Anderson said funding Eastern Shore and other public HBCUs is a matter of investing in the communities they serve. Students in the agricultural school regularly work with local farmers, while those pursuing health-care degrees at the university fanned out in Somerset County to administer coronavirus vaccines. Building out these partnerships and programs requires sustained commitments from the state and federal government.
If anything, Black colleges have more allies in philanthropic circles, statehouses, Congress and the White House trying to help.
President Biden is proposing unprecedented investments in HBCUs through his two-part economic plan, including billions of dollars to modernize campuses, boost research and cover some tuition for the neediest students. The administration is also asking for an increase of $600 million more for minority-serving institutions, historically Black and tribal colleges, and community colleges in the 2022 budget.
It’s not yet clear how much federal funding will head to historically Black schools, as Biden’s budget and economic proposals go through Congress. Still, HBCU advocates are encouraged by the administration’s opening gambit and confident that bipartisan support from lawmakers will deliver results.
“We’ve had very positive feedback from both parties,” Harry L. Williams, president of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which supports public historically Black colleges. “There are challenges on our campuses where we need those dollars to improve facilities just as states need them to improve their roads.”
Strayhorn at Virginia Union, a private HBCU, sees federal investment as one of the best ways for small Black colleges without name recognition to gain financial footing. Philanthropists are largely familiar with schools like Howard University, but less so with St. Philip’s College in San Antonio.
A number of lesser-known HBCUs are plagued by financial instability, dwindling enrollment and low graduation rates. Strayhorn said some of those problems are a matter of location and a shrinking population of college-age students – the same issues facing small liberal art schools – but others are the result of the legacy of discrimination.
In the absence of Biden’s proposals, members of Congress are exploring other routes to supply HBCUs more funding. A group of lawmakers, led by Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.), has introduced legislation, dubbed Ignite HBCU Excellence, to invest in infrastructure, while Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) is pushing to make permanent agricultural scholarships for students attending land-grant HBCUs.
Williams at Thurgood Marshall is confident that the public interest in Black colleges is sustainable. Calls for racial justice following nationwide protests delivered record donations and other outpourings of support, but even as public attention may have waned the interest among philanthropists, corporations and policymakers remains, he said.
“This is not a fad,” Williams said. “We are now at a place where it is structural.”
It truly pays to be a student attending Grambling State University! First, the university just forgave $1.5 million in student debt! GSU is also considering making history with the first HBCU gymnastics program! Learn more about both opportunities in the exciting Ebony article below!
Credit: Grambling State University
Grambling State University is looking to make history as the first Historically Black College and University to offer women’s gymnastics. Plus, ithas set aside $1.5 million to forgive student debt.
According to a report from The Associated Press, after Grambling hosted a gymnastic conference full of 100 Black and brown gymnasts for the Brown Girls Do Gymnastics conference, Raven Thissel explained interest in creating a full gymnastics program on its campus.
“Our university leadership is looking at young gymnasts in our community, and realizing and understanding the path from toddler gymnastics tumbling to the Olympics for a Black and brown gymnast is arduous. How can we make it a smoother one?
In one possible angle, the university’s plan to forgive $1.5 million worth of student debt can help. As a growing number of HBCUs have recognized how systemic racism and the COVID-19 pandemic has created financial and emotional challenges for today’s students and their families, canceling the debt means that it can impact the overall student experience, from mental health to retention to graduation.
For Brown Girls Do Gymnastics (BGDG), the 2015 founded organization by Derrin Moore provides “scholarships, coaching, training and other forms of support to athletes from underrepresented and marginalized groups,” which can also aid in more student-athletes choosing to go to an HBCU over a PWI (Predominantly White Institution). In addition to helping student-athletes develop, BGDG also provides workshops to assist parents with supporting their children and information on how to graduate from entry-level programs to the elite level.
“It’s just giving families a little edge,” Moore said. “We want to give them information so they can step into the gymnastics arena and be confident and advocate for their girls.”
More than half of the 18 women invited to last month’s Olympic trials were Black and Black women make up nearly 10% of the scholarship athletes at the NCAA’s Division 1 level. Also as celebratory is that more than 10% of USA Gymnastic members self-identify as Black.
hanks to powerhouses and all-around GOATs like Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas, this uptick in student-athletes with gold medal aspirations can be a boon to HBCU athletic programs.
“Simone [Biles] has opened the eyes to so many women of color saying, ‘Hey, you can do this, too.’ It’s not just little skinny white girls that can do it. Anyone can do it,” Cecile Landi, Biles’ co-coach alongside husband Laurent, said.
For those looking to capitalize on the opportunity of the BGDG, whether applying directly through the organization or choosing to utilize Grambling University’s student debt absolution, one must have their debt be their own and not that belonging to a third party.
Grambling joins a litany of other HBCUs that have announced a debt forgiveness plan and aims to use funds from the “American Rescue Plan Act” to aid interested parties.
The eight cohort of HBCU Scholars has just been announced, and it a solid list of over 80 students! Learn who the scholars are, and why the scholars program is so important in the full story from The U.S. Department Of Education below.
The 2019 HBCU Scholars
The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Initiative) today announced its eighth cohort of HBCU Scholars. This program recognizes 86 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students for their accomplishments in academics, leadership, civic engagement and much more.
Currently enrolled at 54 of our nation’s HBCUs, the scholars were selected from an applicant pool of over 200 students who submitted completed applications that included a transcript, resume, essay, and letter of recommendation. Applications also required the signature of their university president, adding a level of prestige to this application process.
“The HBCU Scholars announced today all have demonstrated remarkable dedication to their learning and exemplify the talent that our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities have nurtured for generations,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The students who hold this honor are committed to creating a more just and equitable society through their civic engagement. They are leaders and change-makers in their communities, and I cannot wait to learn from them as they serve as ambassadors both for the White House Initiative and their institutions of higher education.”
“As President of the State of Florida’s first Historically Black College or University I am exceedingly pleased to support the tremendous work of the Initiative in its most recent selection and recognition of the nation’s highest achieving scholar students from across our 105 historic institutions,” said Edward Waters University President & CEO, Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr. “The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities Scholars Program’s longstanding commitment and emphasis upon platforming the very best and brightest amongst our students and showcasing their exceptional high scholarship and demonstrable leadership on a national stage speaks directly not only to the continuing contemporaneous relevance of HBCUs but equally underscores the uncontroverted depth of extraordinary talent that our institutions continue to produce and possess.”
Over the course of an academic school year, the HBCU Scholars selected through this program will serve as ambassadors of the Initiative and their respected institution. The Initiative will provide scholars with information about the value of education as well as networking opportunities. Scholars can also share these resources with their fellow students.
Through their relationships with community-based organizations, and public and private partners, all of which are gained through this recognition, scholars will also share promising and proven practices that support opportunities for all young people to achieve their educational and career potential.
This cohort of HBCU Scholars will also participate in national and regional events and monthly classes with Elyse Jones, HBCU Scholar Program Coordinator, Initiative staff and other professionals from a wide range of disciplines. All HBCU Scholar events are designed to connect HBCU students with non-profit, business, and federal leaders to discuss professional development while identifying challenges and providing equitable solutions to barriers that HBCU students face when preparing and entering the 21st century workforce.
“Supporting the next generation of student leaders who will continue their education and graduate from HBCUs has been the highlight and joy of my career with the Initiative” says Elyse Jones, HBCU Scholar Program Coordinator. “It is my honor to announce these 86 students who will continue to make meaningful contributions to our country. Each student selected into this program has demonstrated their commitment to their academic achievements and improving their communities. I look forward to working with them as partners I can’t wait to see what they will do as leaders.”
Selected HBCU Scholars will be invited to the 2021 HBCU Week National Annual Conference, which will take place September 7-10, 2021. This year’s conference theme is “Exploring Equity.” During their time at the conference, they will participate in sessions about entrepreneurship, innovation, and personal and professional development. Most importantly, they will also have opportunities to engage with one another and showcase their individual and collective talent across the HBCU community.
More information about the HBCU Scholars’ activities will be provided in the coming months as they serve as ambassadors of the White House Initiative on Historically Black colleges and Universities.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Below is a list of the 2021 HBCU Scholars in alphabetical order by their hometown state, and including the city they are from, the school they attend and the school’s location. (Sorted by School Location)
ALABAMA
Athens- Michelle Dees—attends J.F. Drake State Technical College, Huntsville, AL
Mobile- Jerika Edwards—attends Dillard University, New Orleans, LA
Montgomery- Austin Smith—attends Alabama A&M University, Normal, AL
Montgomery- Lydia Williams—attends Alabama A&M University, Normal, AL
The North Carolina A&T State University has three athletes running in the Olympics on the 4×400 relay! After setting a world record, four initial athletes made N.C. A&T proud. Now, you can read as three of the athletes were interviewed by Meagan Jordan at Rolling Stone below!
Trever Stewart and Randolph Ross Jr., two of the members of A&T’s record-setting relay team, who are competing in Tokyo. Charlie Neibergall/AP; Thurman James/CSM/ZUMA/AP
Over the past year, North Carolina A&T State University’s track team has been making history for their record breaking performances. The men and women’s team are the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to rank in the top 5 of the NCAA Division I Championships. The men’s 4x400m relay team held the fastest world time this year with a time of 3:00.23.
Now, all but one member of the relay team is going to the 2021 Olympics, despite all four qualifying initially for the games. Trevor Stewart and Randolph Ross Jr. — son of A&T’s track coach and former Olmypian Duane Ross — are representing the United States, and Akeem Sirleaf will be representing his home country, Liberia. Daniel Stokes initially qualified for the 4x400m relay team for his mother’s home country of Mexico, but only the top 16 teams get to compete — and Mexico came in at 18. Despite all odds, A&T has proven itself to be a mecca of champions. “I’m elated for our athletes. They worked hard this year and it’s nice to see them be rewarded with those championship finishes,” says head coach Duane Ross. “An Olympian is what nearly every track athlete aspires to be. I’m honored to have helped these athletes reach that dream.”
Rolling Stone spoke to the four members of A&T’s 4x400m relay about life on the track, future dreams and even some of their favorite playlists. With a load of preparation required for the Olympics, including a 15-hour flight, reaching the athletes was a bit difficult. Between Zoom calls, texts and a noisy phone call with Stewart, who is already in Tokyo for the mixed relays taking place July 30th, here is an edited version of those conversations:
Daniel, how did you feel when you received the news that despite qualifying originally, you weren’t going to the Olympics?
Stokes: So, The Olympics only take the top 16 countries for the 4×400 relay. We [Mexico] were 16 but we dropped to 18 during the time of the NCAA Championships, because I wasn’t on the relay. Mexico called me to compete in the Bahamas with their 4×400 to get us into the top 16. We competed with several other countries to at least get a time of 3:02, which was the cut off for the top 16. We ran 3:02, but we didn’t run fast enough. Once I found out, after a few hours of being a little upset, I just had to accept it and let it go. With track and field, you have to be used to accepting things and letting them go because being so caught up can hinder your performance on the track.
Akeem, what’s your story behind running for Liberia ? How did you qualify in the first place?
Sirleaf: Originally, I was born in Africa, Liberia, and then I came to the States when I was five, and we moved to Philadelphia, and then my mom moved to Minnesota when I was in seventh grade. In 2016, after my freshman year in junior college, I qualified for the World Junior Trials in Clovis, California. I ran and competed and qualified to make Liberia’s team, but they disqualified me because they said I took too many steps on the line. I then got a call from Emmanuel Matadi, who is the captain of the Liberian team. He was like “We saw you, we saw your time and we saw that you’re Liberian. Would you consider running for Liberia?” I talked to my mom about it and she was like, “it would be a good opportunity for us to represent your native country and the family. But it’s what you want to do, we’ll support you no matter what.”[Then] I qualified for the 2020 Olympics in 2019 when I ran 45.4 in the 400m and then 20.3 in the 200m. 2019 was like my foot in the door, because prior to that, in 2018, I had to red shirt because I was coming from a Junior college and my credit didn’t transfer over. So, 2018 was just a learning process.
In 2019, you broke Liberia’s record with your 45.4 in the 400m and the 20.3 in the 200m. How did that feel?
Sirleaf: To me, I feel like records are meant to be broken. Yes, you have the record now but you never know who is going to come and break it, so you just got to enjoy it while you can.
Randolph, Your dad went to the 2004 Olympics and now you are in the 2021 Olympics. How does that legacy feel?
Ross Jr. : It feels amazing and honestly it’s just a blessing being able to compete on that stage, just as he did. My dad set a pretty high standard, running in college and professionally and making the Olympics. Whenever I have kids, hopefully they go through the track program, it’ll be nice to say that me and your grandpa, along with your great aunt [on Randolph’s maternal side] were all able to compete in the Olympics.
What does your playlist look like when you are warming up? Is there a certain playlist or song that puts you in the mood to run your race?
Ross Jr. : My music is different everyday I compete. But if I had to pick an artist that would be most likely to pop up, it would be either J. Cole or Mac Miller.
Stewart: It will be a lot of early 2000’s rock. But depending on the day it’ll be rock, hip hop and rap, it varies depending on how I feel. For rock, I listen to mostly Nirvana, my favorite song is “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” It’s definitely a warm up song. I had friends in college that all graduated before I did and pretty much they listened to a wide variety of music and they put me on to rock.
Stokes: I listen to a lot of rap and R&B. I listen to rap warming up before races but I listen to R&B while waiting to warm up. My playlist consists of a lot of L.A. artists that most people don’t know but I got some G Herbo, Bino Rideaux, BlueBucks Clan, and Big Sad 1900.
Sirleaf: For my warm up lap, I like to listen to R&B, something slow to calm the heart rate. When I start doing my drills, that’s when I listen to Meek Mill and something to just get me right and get the blood flowing and have the energy.
Daniel, your home state of California was the first to legalize medical marijuana in 1996. What is your opinion on Sha’Carri Richardson’s situation? Do you think weed should be tested as a part of athletes’ drug tests?
Stokes: In my opinion, it was never that serious. I’m from L.A. where kids have been smoking since middle school and still became successful in anything they do. It’s legal, so I don’t see a problem with what she did. Weed shouldn’t even be on the banned list, it’s not performance enhancing at all. The track and field community needs to understand that the track world needs to change with the times. Many people don’t watch track because we are stuck in old ways from the rules to the actual meets. We want track to be on the level as MLB, NFL, and the NBA but the track committee is so old fashioned. The more we change with the times the better and more recognized track can be outside of the Olympics.
Akeem, you had a slightly different opinion regarding Richardson. What is your opinion on the situation?
Sirleaf: People have different ways of coping with a loss of a family member. Some people tend to look to drugs or drinking to get away. I feel like she should have had a better way to handle that situation instead of taking the easy way out and smoking. But if she would have had better company around her and people to protect her, she would have handled the situation differently and better. She’d still be running in the 100m for the U.S. instead of being disqualified.
When do you run and how are you feeling leading up to it?
Stewart: I run July 30th and the 31st and then again on August 7th and 8th. I’m feeling great. Just going to get some training and relax a little bit. I feel better than I did before I left. Before Tokyo, I was a little sluggish, a little stiff in certain areas and had a weird mindset going into it. But now that I’m actually here, I feel more relieved.
Akeem, you are still in the states, when are you leaving for Tokyo ?
Sirleaf: That’s the question I’m asking the coach. The 200m isn’t until later on in August, so I’m not really sure what dates I’ll be running.
What event are you looking most forward to?
Stewart: The 4×400 relay. I love all of my events, my event is just basically running a whole lap. So either way, if I’m on the track then I am happy. But I love the 400m because it’s just a lot of effort going into it and I have a whole history of running it. I first started running the 400m in high school after they told me that I was too slow to run the 100m and the 200m, so they put me in distance and I didn’t have the lung capacity to run miles, so that’s when they put me in the 400m. My first race was disgusting, I ran a 0.51 but now I’m at 0.44 lows. My vision is to bring back two golds, in the mixed relay and in the 4x400m.
Sirleaf: I’m running the 200m and 4x100m. I’m looking forward to any event that can get me on that podium. I’m excited because not many people get the opportunity to do this and run for a country, so for me to be selected to run for my country means a lot and I’m just excited to get out there and compete.
What contributed to your time drop?
Stewart: Mainly compassion. I always had people like my mother, grandparents, and certain friends from high school that were behind me. Knowing that they were always there and that they wanted me to be the best that I could possibly be helped me become a better person, not just on the track but off the track as well. I knew I had to hold myself accountable for certain things.
Akeem, your times have also improved from the time of junior college up until this point. What contributes to this?
Sirleaf: My junior college coach helped me get to that point, and Coach Ross just elevated everything. He helped with my recovery, with how I attacked the race and how I went into the race being confident in myself. Being with Coach Ross is a blessing. If any kid is looking for a home, definitely contact Coach Ross because if you want to do this for a living he will help you get to that point.
How do you think A&T has prepared you for this moment?
Stewart: A&T pushed me to be the best that I can possibly be and now it’s to the point where I know what I’m capable of. Time and time again, I’ve been told ‘you don’t know what you’re capable of but I can see it in you.’ So now that I see it in myself, I know I can go as far as I possibly want to.
Ross Jr. : It just shows that our athletes have a future beyond the collegiate level. Some people were shocked when we performed the way we did at nationals, but this just shows that talent can come from anywhere no matter how small the school is.
Sirleaf: The point of every school is to prepare you for the next level in your life and the next chapter. A&T is like a family, everyone greets you and welcomes you with open arms and just supports you through it all.
