Just how much do college rankings like that of U.S. News & World Reports matter? Recently, writer Malcolm Gladwell and Dillard University President Dr. Walter Kimbrough got together to explore the effects these rankings have on HBCUs like Dillard. Learn about the conversation that took place on Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast in the Dillard release below.
Sabree Hill/Dillard University
The “Revisionist History” podcast takes a look at the “overlooked and misunderstood.” Entering its sixth season and sticking with its theme, the wildly popular podcast is turning its attention to the often-debated U.S. News & World Report college rankings. A long time critic of the magazine’s ranking system and the podcast’s host, Malcolm Gladwell spends two episodes exploring the validity of the ranking’s methodology.
The crux of Gladwell’s argument against U.S. News’ methodology is the algorithm that is used to determine a college or university’s quality. The first installment of the series reveals how the magazine came to own the college ranking space. More interestingly, the episode introduces listeners to the small liberal arts college team that found its argument against U.S. News’ methodology by hacking the algorithm.
In his exploration, Gladwell talks about another curious element of the widely-used college ranking–the peer assessment score. He does a mock peer ranking with an admissions director from a large well-known university, and Gladwell chats with a university president who hilariously talks about his plan to influence his institution’s peer assessment score by sending his homemade hot sauce to other colleges and universities. On a more somber note, Gladwell argues that the colleges and universities that stand to benefit the least from U.S. News’ ranking systems are HBCUs.
Enter “Project Dillard.”
With Dillard’s nationally renowned concert choir providing a melodic backdrop, Gladwell introduces his expansive audience to the “Jewel of Gentilly,” President Walter Kimbrough and some of the students with whom he chatted during his April 22 visit to Dillard.
Learning moreso about how finances, such endowments and bonds, are considered, Gladwell poses a question: What would Dillard’s ranking be if its finances were comparable to that of highly ranked predominantly white universities? Gladwell also wonders how the University’s rankings would differ if the student body profile were to change.
Ultimately, Gladwell bluntly questions what “better” colleges and universities look like in U.S. News & World Report’s eyes.
The first installment of the two-part series posted July 1 and the second part posted on July 8.
Two Prairie View A&M University alumni, Ivy Walls, a former PVAMU queen, and Jeremy Peaches, are taking a very hands on approach to feeding their community with Black Farmer Boxes! Learn all about the two graduates and their experiences as farmers in the Edible Houston article by Paula Niño Kehr below.
In the historically Black community of Sunnyside, in south Houston, two young Black farmers have created what they feel could become a sustainable and equitable model to help feed and reinvigorate food desert communities.
Ivy Walls of Ivy Leaf Farms and Jeremy Peaches of Fresh Life Organics met when Walls reached out to Peaches for help with her farm. Upon realizing that they were working on similar projects and had a similar vision to help the community in Sunnyside, the pair teamed up to create Black Farmer Box, a curated food box and growers’ program that aims to feed the community, empower its members to grow food for their families and as a business, and provide market outlets and visibility to Black and other minority farmers.
Walls moved to Sunnyside in early 2020, and soon realized that there was only one major grocery store for the area’s 20,000 residents— and the quality of the groceries was subpar. “Moving from a food oasis to a food desert was very shocking for me,” said Walls, who grew up in suburban Pearland.
More than 500,000 Houstonians live in areas like Sunnyside that the government has designated as food deserts, meaning communities that have little to no access to fresh foods and where residents often face chronic illnesses and food insecurity—issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic.
Walls started giving her Sunnyside neighbors produce that she was growing for herself and her family. “I would just go around saying ‘Hey, do you want a cucumber? Hey, do you want eggplant? Hey, do you want watermelon?” And people were just saying yes,” she said.
As Walls continued to grow food, the demand continued to be there, so Ivy Leaf Farms was born. Walls sold house plants, held pop-ups and started her own seed company to fund the farm so that she wouldn’t have to charge for produce. In August—the same month she left her job in public health to tend to the farm—she received a grant from Beyoncé’s Beygood Foundation and the NAACP to keep her effort going. But one person alone can’t feed a community, so Walls and Peaches joined forces to create a system that, along with other farmers, they hope can help do that. Hence, their motto: “Stronger together, fresher together.”
“We wanted to have a sustainable, equitable food system—not only for our communities, but for African American and minority farmers because we don’t actually have the true market outlets to sell our products that traditional communities [have],” said Peaches.
Jeremy Peaches, 28, was born in rural Mississippi but moved to Houston when he was 6. He grew up in Sunnyside and started getting involved in agriculture before graduating high school. Like Walls, he went to Prairie View University, where he was “the agriculture kid.” After college, he was back at his high school, Pro-Vision, where he built the largest aquaponics facility in Houston. Since 2016, he has been building urban gardens around Houston, educating youth, consulting, growing produce at his farm in Rosharon and working on various community projects.
At his warehouse at the Shrine of the Black Madonna, Peaches displays jars of pickled turnips to exemplify how Black Farmer Box can create business opportunities. The pickles were made by Curtis Lampley, a member of Blodgett Urban Gardens in Third Ward. Lampley started making pickles as a hobby, experimenting with all types of vegetables —okra, beets, jalapeños, squash—that he grew, purchased, or got from Peaches. People loved them and it got him thinking about selling them retail. It’s an example of how, by developing products that can go in Black Farmer Box or can be sold to restaurants or grocery stores, community members like Lampley are creating an enterprise instead of looking at farming or gardening simply as a hobby.
“We’ve been talking about food deserts for 10 to 15 years,” Peaches said. “Why are they food deserts? Grocery stores go to areas where consumers have money to buy their products. When you look at food deserts, the median household income may be $20,000 to $30,000, so a grocery store is not going to come. As we look at growing more food and gardening, we need to look at it from a business perspective or from a socioeconomic perspective because that’s the only way you can change the tide and make a community vibrant again.”
By paying farmers up front or taking their products on consignment, Black Farmer Box ensures that they get paid without having to rely on selling at farmers markets, which typically limits them to selling only on weekends and requires them to have people working the markets. Farmers also get marketing from being in the box and can form a direct relationship with the consumer. They also have a backyard growers’ program through which people in the community can learn how to grow food in their own backyards. Anyone who goes through the program can then sell what they grow back to the box.
Between November and January, Walls and Peaches curated four Black Farmer Boxes. Each box contained fresh, organic produce from their respective farms and other products, such as eggs, sea moss, honey and sauces from other Black or minority farmers and entrepreneurs. The January box, for instance, contained spicy salad mix, daikon radish, carrots, cabbage, tatsoi, eggs and lemonade. Unfortunately, the winter storm that struck the Texas region in February took a toll on the crops and on the farmers, bringing the boxes to a halt.
As of April, Walls and Peaches expected to release their next box in May. Walls had also just leased an additional 2.5 acres with a grant she received from Kellogg’sto expand food production for both Ivy Leaf Farms and Fresh Life Organics. The pair also partnered with Cropswap, a California-based app that connects sustainable farms and consumers, to help with the logistics of distributing the boxes. Through the app, consumers can order, pay and select whether they want to pick up the box at a specified location or have the box delivered to them. Buyers will also have the option to donate a box. Because Walls and Peaches can hire their own delivery drivers, the partnership gives them another opportunity to create jobs in the community.
Walls and Peaches hope that Black Farmer Box can become something that can be replicated in other food desert communities, but even by joining forces, they know they alone can’t feed the entire Sunnyside community, so their goal is to bring attention to the neighborhood in hopes that it gets a grocery store. “This shouldn’t be our reality,” said Walls. “It’s silly to think that there’s only one grocery store for upwards of 20,000 people.”
In the meantime, people can support their efforts by becoming more aware of their local food desert communities and supporting the farmers there. If people buy 10% to 15% of their produce from urban farmers and gardeners, that will also go a long way.
Said Peaches: “When you donate to us, you’re not donating to Jeremy Peaches or Ivy Walls, you’re creating a job for someone like [my brother] who manages this warehouse and has his own business, his own product, his own farm within a year of doing the Black Farmer Box. When people buy his eggs, he’s going back to feed his family. Now he’s a contributor to the community.”
North Carolina A&T State University and North Carolina Central University are battling for a good cause after agreeing to have a COVID-19 vaccination contest! The two universities will have until September to try and vaccinate the most amount of people on their campuses. Learn all about the contest and what’s at stake in the WFNY News article by Chris Venzon below.
Credit: Kevin L. Dorsey
Two long-time rivals are putting aside their differences to fight a mutual enemy: COVID-19.
North Carolina A&T University and North Carolina Central University, two schools that have long competed against one another, are adding a new layer to the rivalry. From July 1 to Sept. 17, the schools have challenged each other to encourage faculty, staff and students to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The school with the most vaccinations in that time frame will be awarded a trophy at the Sept. 25 Aggie-Eagles football game.
The initiative is aimed at boosting vaccination rates at the universities as the Black demographic has lagged behind in-state vaccination rates since the vaccine became available, North Carolina health department studies show. Since May, more than 99% of new cases in North Carolina have occurred in people who are not fully vaccinated, NCDHHS officials said.
“The health, safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff is of utmost importance to us. We continue to educate our campus community about the vaccine, and were among the first constituent universities in the UNC System to establish a COVID-19 vaccine clinic for the North Carolina A&T campus and surrounding community,” said A&T Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr.
North Carolina ranks 12th-lowest in the nation in the number of vaccines administered per capita. Less than half of North Carolinians eligible for a COVID-19 shot are fully vaccinated, despite the presence of more than 2.1 million doses waiting on shelves for residents to take, according to data from the CDC.
Hampton University is working overtime to assist entrepreneurs and other business owners through a new entrepreneur program! Learn more about how a three-year $18 million grant is helping Hampton service its community in the article below from Trevor Metcalfe at Inside Business.
A new $18 million Hampton University workforce program is designed to help entrepreneurs and existing businesses. Courtesy file photo (Hampton University / HANDOUT)
Organizers of a new $18 million workforce development program are looking to help entrepreneurs, existing businesses and anyone affected by the coronavirus pandemic — for free.
Hampton University’s Virginia Workforce Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center opened in October and has already helped 200 people. The business incubator is designed to serve Hampton Roads residents and entrepreneurs and businesses across Virginia, program executive director Kermit Crawford said.
“We have a real strong network of staff members who can work with business owners and entrepreneurs,” Crawford said.
The free 11-week-program provides everything from training and mentorship to networking and access to capital. In addition to existing businesses, the program is for anyone who has a business idea they’d like to develop, Crawford said, mentioning military spouses as a good regional example. The program also has the power to connect participants with college partners like Old Dominion University, experts from the public and private business sectors and workforce agencies.
The program aims to help remove traditional barriers to success, including child care, transportation, and certification and business license costs. Crawford said it’s not trying to replace existing incubators, either.
“What we are trying to do is enhance services that are already here,” he said.
The program is funded by a three-year, $18 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Crawford said Hampton University is providing the program on behalf of the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, which was one of 38 initial applicants. Only eight programs were funded by the grant.
Workforce development can be traced back to the beginning of Hampton University, President William Harvey said in a news release.
Program applicants must be Virginia residents interested in business who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Crawford said. For more information or to apply for the program, visit virginiaworkforce.force.com.
Congressman David Scott and others are supporting a $100 million increase in funding for HBCUs! Get the full Essence story written by Donna M. Owens below.
Congressman David Scott (D-GA) has introduced legislation in the House of Representatives aimed at permanently increasing scholarship monies for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), specifically those who attend 1890 Land Grant institutions, schools funded by the Second Morrill Act of 1890.
The bill, H.R.4252, would provide additional funding for scholarships to students at 1890 institutions.
“Just weeks ago, we in Congress heard directly from each of the nineteen presidents of the 1890 Land Grant African American Colleges and Universities,” Scott, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee shared with ESSENCE. “The college presidents shared with [us] how greatly beneficial, how much needed, and how grateful and thankful they are with the initial $80 million that started up our student scholarship program through the 2018 Farm Bill. And, they emphasized how important it is that we continue this great student scholarship program on an ongoing, permanent basis.”
Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) are among the original co-sponsors of the measure. They include: CBC Chair Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH); Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA); Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC); Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI); and Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT).
“Now with this historic legislation,” Scott added, “we in Congress are very proud to make this student scholarship program for the 1890s Colleges and Universities a permanent student scholarship program, with this increase of $100 million.”
There are 101 HBCUs nationwide, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. These public and private institutions established before 1964 have a principal mission of educating Black Americans. During the Civil War, the Morrill Land Grant College Act of 1862 set aside federal lands to create colleges to “benefit the agricultural and mechanical arts.”
The Second Morrill Act of 1890 provided each state with annual funds to support these schools. It required states with racially segregated public higher education systems to provide a land-grant institution for Black students whenever a land-grant institution was established exclusively for white students.
Today, there are 19 designated 1890 Land Grant African American Colleges and Universities: Alabama A&M University, Alcorn State University, Central State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Langston University, Lincoln University, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, South Carolina State University, Southern University System, Tennessee State University, Tuskegee University, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Virginia State University and West Virginia State University.
JEFFREY GREENBERG/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES
The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing on June 16 titled “1890 Land Grant Institutions: Investing for Agricultural Resiliency, Equity, and Global Impact.”Congresswoman Alma Adams, Vice Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture noted in a statement that while 1890s Land Grant Universities are “some of our largest and most impactful Historically Black Colleges and Universities. …these institutions still face major issues regarding state matching funds and insufficient infrastructure on campus to conduct cutting edge agriculture research.”
“It is a priority of mine to make sure the 1890s continue to have the resources to unlock the potential of millions of students across the country,” she added. “All stakeholders from Congress to the private sector must continue to ensure these engines of equity – the 1890s – continue to succeed.”
Plaskett, who chairs the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research, noted that she’s proud of the work done to ensure the 2018 Farm Bill helped provide critical support for HBCU scholarships, establishing centers of excellence, and addressing issues to ensure equity between the 1890s and their 1862 counterparts, Congress must continue those efforts.
“There is more work to be done to support our students, our researchers, and our extension professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenges associated with it, have underscored the fact that more work needs to be done to support these institutions. Our next generation of farmers deserve substantive funding to support important research initiatives,” she said in a statement. “I look forward to supporting existing farm bill provisions that will assist in the success of these agriculture programs and their students.”
The bill has not yet gone to the Senate. Sources on Capitol Hill told ESSENCE they expect that the bill will pass both the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support.
Elizabeth City State University is introducing a Board of Visitors to assist and in the ambitious mission of ECSU! Learn more about who will be included and how the new board will impact the university in the ECSU release by Robert Kelly-Goss below!
ECSU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon (Elizabeth City State University)
Elizabeth City State University has announced the appointment of the university’s Board of Visitors. According to ECSU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon, the Board of Visitors will include a maximum of 30 members dedicated to assisting and advising her and the Board of Trustees to advance the university’s mission. One-third of the board will be appointed over the next academic year.
“As ECSU grows, it is important to continue our efforts to expand the university’s efforts to advance its mission and priorities,” said Chancellor Dixon. “This volunteer board will work closely with ECSU senior leadership and trustees to bring more success for our students and our role in the communities we serve.”
Each member of the board will be appointed to a three-year term and is limited to a maximum of two terms. The board will meet twice a year to assist ECSU in accomplishing its mission, strategic priorities and promote its many programs to the general public as ambassadors for the university.
Credit: The University of North Carolina System
“We are excited about the energy, perspective and support these board members will bring to the university,” said Chancellor Dixon. “Their participation and active involvement on this board will assist us as we continue to forge our future.” The board currently consists of 11 members. They are:
Dr. Melvin T. Blackwell. Dr. Blackwell is a 1987 ECSU graduate and is the Senior Pastor of the Little Zion Baptist Church in Smithfield, Virginia;
Jennifer King Congleton. Ms. Congleton is a native of Winterville, North Carolina and currently serves as the administrator of chaplaincy and volunteer services for Vidant Medical Center in Greenville;
James E. Ford. Mr. Ford is an award-winning educator and the executive director of the Center for Racial Equity in Education and principal consultant at Filling the Gap Educational Consultants, LLC.;
Dr. Linda Bailey Hayden. Dr. Hayden is professor emeritus in the Department of Mathematics and director of the ECSU Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing Education and Research at ECSU;
Ernie Murphrey. Mr. Murphrey is the former vice chancellor for business and finance at ECSU, and formerly served as vice president for finance for the University of North Carolina System;
Robin M. Patterson. Ms. Patterson is a 1988 ECSU graduate and is currently the manager of global mobility and relocation for Colgate-Palmolive;
Attorney D. Cole Phelps. Mr. Phelps is the founder and managing attorney of The Law Office of D. Cole Phelps, PLLC.
Wendy Pierce. Ms. Pierce is a graduate of ECSU and is currently the team coordinator of community benefit and grants for Sentara Healthcare;
Bryan Spence. Mr. Spence is an ECSU graduate and is currently a senior program manager at LinkedIn;
Taylor Sugg. Mr. Sugg is a president with Towne Bank’s Currituck and Outer Banks area branches;
Clastrola Williams. Ms. Williams has 24 years of experience in facilities and engineering and currently works as a senior manager for facilities and operations at RTI, International in Raleigh.
Over 1,000 students at Fayetteville State University can breathe easier after their university cleared over $1 million in student debt for them! Read the full story below from Fayetteville State to find out why students were chosen for the relief, and how it will help them succeed.
Source: HBCU Connect
At Fayetteville State University (FSU), leaders recently utilized pandemic funding to clear the debt of all students who attended the university at any point during the pandemic. Any student with a past due balance was cleared. Students attending the FSU from fall 2019 to spring 2021 now have zero balances.
The University utilized funding from The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III), part of the American Rescue Plan signed into law on March 11 that provided $39.6 billion to institutions of higher education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In alignment with the UNC System’s focus on access and affordability, we leveraged this funding to meet the needs of our students and reduce student debt. As a result, 1442 FSU students are entering into fall 2021, completely university debt-free. We paid $1,653,959 to delete all past-due debt of students,” said Carlton E. Spellman, vice chancellor for Business and Finance.
Credit: Fayetteville State University
FSU also used some of the HEERF III funds to offer free classes to 1,400 students via 30-60-90 Summer School program. The program gives undergraduate students who are falling behind an opportunity to close learning gaps by earning three to seven credits in summer school. The goal of this program is to break up the four-year journey for undergraduates into yearly targets. The university found that, if an undergrad can complete 30 credits toward graduation in an academic year, it dramatically improves their chance of graduating on time.
“Student success is one of my priorities,” said Chancellor Darrell T. Allison. “On this Independence Day weekend, it gives me no greater joy than to know we have been able to assist in our students’ financial independence by completely wiping the slate clean of their university debt.”
HBCUs are often underfunded, so when an HBCU can reach a fundraising record it’s an important milestone to celebrate. Recently, Benedict College surpassed its own goals while trying to support students during the pandemic. Get the uplifting full story from Simone Jamison at local FOX station WACH 57 below!
Fundraising during the pandemic hasn’t been an easy job. But, Benedict College is one institution going above and beyond to help keep students safe and offset the struggles of the pandemic.
Benedict College alumni set a historic record – raising over one and a half million dollars this year. It’s a milestone for the HBCU that came with unique challenges.
“As an alum and a fellow ‘HBCU’er’, I think it’s extremely important for us to develop that legacy of giving back,” said Cedelle Gates, Benedict College’s National Alumni Association president.
With students forced to take classes online – some without access to WIFI or digital technology off campus – Benedict College’s assistant vice president of alumni relations and advancement Ada Brown Belton spearheaded the campaign to cover expenses.
“For us, there is always going to be a lack of resources,” said Belton. “We have 62 clubs around the nation that was really a part of this effort. I think it does a lot to encourage our students.”
Belton says the alumni funds support endowed scholarships, sports, current operations and go to general student support – including a coronavirus emergency fund.
“This year was our 150th plus celebration year. Very important, very significant. I just considered it a privilege to be a part of this whole process,” Belton added. “We were determined to meet the goal of 1.5-million and so we are very excited about that.”
Cedelle Gates also chimed in.
“It’s extremely important in that it demonstrates our [alumni] support of a college itself, and our gratitude for the level of education that the college afforded us,” Gates said.
There are 2,140 students that attend Benedict College, as of fall semester, and with these funds, and others rolling in faculty and staff are hopeful of increasing those numbers. As well as getting more students to stay — and graduate.
Starting this Fall 2021, Talladega College will expand their academic offerings by adding a Masters of Business Administration program, among others! Get more information on what Talladega is bringing to the table for its students in the release from Talladega below.
Credit: Talladega College
We have a dual responsibility to cater to our people,” said Dr. Jonathan U. Elimimian, Dean of Business Administration for Talladega College.
Talladega College was recently approved by the Board of Trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission to offer a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. The seven areas of concentration for the program are accounting, management, marketing, finance, logistics, healthcare management, and entrepreneurship, which enables graduates to control their own destiny. The program can be completed in as little as a year and is offered online or through hybrid learning.
According to Dr. Lisa Long, Provost and Vice president of Academic Affairs for Talladega College, the new program directly aligns with the College’s strategic goal of promoting student success through innovative curriculum offerings.
“One of our goals is to expand program offerings to include more postgraduate, continuing education, and online degree programs; the MBA program is inclusive of all of the aforementioned components,” added Long.
Credit: UNCF
Unlike most MBA programs, Talladega’s program only requires candidates to have a bachelor’s degree and enroll in prerequisite courses, which consists of coursework that equips students with the necessary knowledge required to successfully matriculate through the MBA program.
Course offerings for the 2021 – 2022 academic year include, but are not limited to leadership, advanced accounting, human resource management, managerial economics, and healthcare. According to Elimimian, the College has strategically recruited professors and instructors who are experts in an array of research-based business practices, which are viable to the success of the MBA program.
The College also offers a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems (MSCIS). “For a college to be able to offer a master’s degree program shows evidence of the president’s foresight and his willingness to promote and improve the institution,” said Elimimian.
“Talladega encourages scholarship and this program will put the College on the map,” he added.
The entire athletic department at Bethune-Cookman University has a legend, Reggie Theus, coming to lead the way! Not only will he coach men’s basketball, but he will head the entire athletic department, which includes golf, football, and baseball. Learn about Theus’ athletic history and how he plans to excel at B-CU below in a The Tennessee Tribune article by Ron Wynn below.
Former NBA and University of Las Vegas star Reggie Theus last week became the latest big name Black athletic personality to take over an HBCU program. Theus agreed to become both the athletic director and head basketball coach at Bethune-Cookman University, with the appointment reportedly taking effect this week. He replaces Ryan Ridder as basketball coach. Ridder left for a similar position at the University of Tennessee-Martin. Theus’ previous coaching jobs included stints at New Mexico State, Cal State Northridge, the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and G-League’s Los Angeles D-Fenders. He’s also been a coach in the Big 3 and said he plans to continue coaching there for the upcoming season.
Source: TNT Tribune
But unlike the recent hirings of Deion Sanders at Jackson State and Eddie George at Tennessee State, Theus has also assumed control over the school’s entire athletic department. He will oversee football, baseball, cross country. golf, tennis, track and field for both men’s and women’s teams, as well as women’s volleyball, bowling and basketball. Most importantly, he’ll also be making a push for fundraising, Bethune-Cookman recently became a new member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Theus was a two-time NBA All-Star as well as an All-American in college and brings tremendous credibility and expanded visibility and exposure for Bethune-Cookman, not just in basketball but across the board. There are still relatively few Black athletic directors except at HBCUs, and even fewer that have his track record.
The Theus hiring continues what’s been a welcome trend for HBCUs the past couple of years. More high profile Black former top athletes are choosing Black colleges as places to work, and their presence also provides incentive for more coverage from mainstream publications and outlets. Anticipation for this fall’s revived Southern Heritage Classic, the first matchup between teams coached by Sanders and George, is extremely high.
Source: Pinterest
Jackson State’s last games this spring all were aired on either ESPN, ESPN 2 or ESPNU rather than the streaming service ESPN +, which is where all TSU’s games were shown. It will be instructive to see whether the Tigers earn a promotion to the main broadcast channels in the wake of George’s hiring. They certainly got a huge boost in national publicity when he was hired, and the addition of former NFL head coach Hue Jackson, as well as the son of former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher, to his coaching staff has no doubt ensured far more attention and coverage, both locally and across the state, than the Tigers have gotten in quite a while.
Ultimately, how these coaches fare on the court or field will determine their fate. But the hope is that as more big name former star Black athletes embrace coaching at HBCUs perhaps they can also attract more topflight Black high school athletes to consider Black colleges as viable places to play college basketball and football.
In turn, that may also get HBCUs more exposure and coverage on mainstream outlets. Time will tell whether this proves the case, but the early results are very promising.
The progressive Virginia Union University is joining institutions like the University of Richmond, Sweet Briar College, and more with the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges! Learn more about the agreement in the VFIC release below!
Ayasha Sledge
Virginia Union University, an HBCU located in Richmond, Virginia, officially becomes the sixteenth member of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC) on July 1, 2021. This new affiliation is the result of a conversation that began two years ago among VFIC board members, and it recognizes the aligned missions of Virginia Union and the other fifteen schools in the VFIC consortium: to teach a broadly pragmatic liberal arts and sciences education in environments that value and encourage ethical leadership and responsible citizenship.
“Virginia Union University is pleased to join the consortium of VFIC colleges and universities,” says Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, President and CEO of Virginia Union University. “Our priorities align closely with the VFIC’s mission, which is to provide a top-quality and affordable education as we prepare tomorrow’s global leaders. Virginia’s private colleges and universities offer a unique academic experience and are critical to the creation of a diverse and inclusive workforce.”
Virginia Union University was founded in 1865 to provide newly emancipated slaves with an opportunity for education and advancement. Today, the university offers a broad range of educational opportunities that advances liberal arts education, teaching, research, science, technology, continuing education, civic engagement, and international experiences. Virginia Union University is nourished by its African American heritage and energized by a commitment to excellence and diversity.
“It’s impossible to overstate my enthusiasm for Virginia Union’s membership to the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges,” says Gary Thomson, founder and president of Thomson Consulting and chairman of the VFIC board of directors. “While I believe Virginia Union will benefit from being part of a consortium of notable institutions, I even more firmly believe our organization will benefit from Virginia Union’s talented executive leadership, dedicated faculty and staff, as well as the engaged student body.”
With a focus on offering students “The Promise of a Limitless Future,” Virginia Union provides an intellectually challenging and spiritually enriching environment for learning, empowers students to develop strong moral values for success, and develops scholars, leaders, and lifelong learners of a global society. The university community places the highest value on innovation, spiritual formation, integrity, diversity and inclusion, and excellence.
“The future of higher education in Virginia has become all the brighter because of our new partnership with such a premier academic institution,” says Thomson. “As the current chairman of the VFIC, I know I speak for all our Trustees in welcoming Virginia Union and sharing in the excitement of our collaboration.”
Wide receiver Quaydarius Davis is heading to Jackson State University after leaving the football program at University of Kansas. Learn more about why he’s looking forward to playing at Jackson State, including his excitement to be coached by Deion Sanders, in the Top247 article by Brian Down below!
Credit: Mike Roach/247 Sports
Quaydarius Davis, a Top247 receiver in the 2021 class who signed with Kansas, is heading to Jackson State to play for coach Deion Sanders.
Davis, who prepped at Dallas Skyline and signed with Kansas in February, was released from his letter of intent with the Jayhawks in the spring.
“The coaching staff, all the people around it, there is a lot to it that makes we want to (go to Jackson State),” Davis said. “There is a lot to it.”
The 6-foot, 193-pound Davis is the No. 23 receiver in the class of 2021 industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
The chance to play for Sanders’ program was appealing to Davis.
“It’s going to be a great experience,” Davis said. “He’s a Hall of Famer. Not too many people get chance like that. He going to teach me a lot. I have to learn a lot. There is going to be a lot to it.”
Although Davis heads to Jackson State as a receiver and Sanders was an all-time great on defense, Davis figures he can pick up a ton of tips.
“I can learn a lot from him,” Davis said. “There are levels to the game. It’s like I am starting all over again, something new from high school.”
Sanders has compiled a lot of talent since arriving at Jackson State, and that appealed to Davis as well.
“They are trying to build something very big,” he said. “They are trying to do something nobody has every done. That is why Deion Sanders is the man. Prime Time. I respect him a lot. He is teaching us how to be young men and change yourself.”
Davis will be eligible for the fall. He had not visited Jackson State prior to arriving for the start of summer classes.9COMMENTS
“It is very exciting to me,” he said. “You get another opportunity and a chance to show what you got. I am very excited.”
Art is life, and Spelman College has chosen a new executive director for its Museum of Fine Art! Learn about who she is and how she will lead the museum toward more success in the article below.
Credit: Spelman College Museum of Fine Art
Spelman College announces artist, curator, and museum professional Liz Andrews, Ph.D., as the new executive director of the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. A gifted museum professional at the intersection of the arts and social justice who has worked in colleges and arts organizations across the nation, Dr. Andrews will begin leading the Museum on August 2, 2021.
“For decades, the Spelman Museum has celebrated art by women of African descent. We are thrilled to welcome a museum professional as talented as Dr. Andrews to lead the important curatorial and education work at the Museum,” said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman. “Her social justice scholarship, embrace of innovative technologies and appreciation for interdisciplinary collaborations make her the right leader at the right time for the future of the only museum in the country that is dedicated to work created by Black women.”
With a dedication to artists and re-envisioning art history, Dr. Andrews’ scholarly work is focused on the intersection of art and social justice. Her dissertation, “Envisioning President Barack Obama,” focused on the role of visual images in the 2008 election of Barack Obama as the nation’s 44th president. She argues that elections are about more than voting for leaders; they are battlegrounds upon which cultural values are visualized and contested.
“I am honored to take on this role at such an exciting time for the arts at Spelman College and a moment of great change for museums, arts and culture,” said Dr. Andrews, who has spent the last five years as the executive administrator in the Director’s Office of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. At LACMA, she expanded her role to collaborate on projects and priorities across museum departments, including diversity and inclusion efforts and curating exhibitions.
This fall, Dr. Andrews will open two shows at LACMA with co-curator Christine Y. Kim: the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s “Obama Portraits Tour” and a companion exhibition, “Black American Portraits.” Her other curatorial projects at LACMA included “Alex Prager: Farewell, Work Holiday Parties” (2020), and two Augmented Reality Monuments: Glenn Kaino’s “No Finish Line” (2021) and Ada Pinkston’s “The Open Hand is Blessed” (2021).
Liz Andrews, Spelman College
“At LACMA, Liz Andrews has blended her effective administrative skills with her creative academic and curatorial work to focus on social justice and equity as a path to the future of art museums,” said LACMA CEO and Director Michael Govan. “She is herself on a path to help shape our field.”
Dr. Andrews’ career is defined by a long-standing commitment to engaging undergraduate students through research and the arts. Prior to LACMA, she was a doctoral student at George Mason University, where she co-taught the multi-year Mason Science of Diversity Project. After graduating, she continued to engage with undergraduate students as a guest instructor in Art History at George Mason. Her classes challenged students to reconsider the roles of art in society and develop critical research projects. While working as an administrator in the Department of Photography & Imaging at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, Dr. Andrews advised students and organized public conferences on Black figures and beauty.
A native of Denver, Colorado, Dr. Andrews attributes her commitment to social justice to her father, attorney Irving P. Andrews. She holds a B.A. in American studies from Wesleyan University, a M.A. in arts politics from the Tisch School of the Arts, and a Ph.D. in cultural studies from George Mason University.
The debate team at Wiley College has found amazing support in the Denzel Washington Family Foundation. $1 million is heading towards the team’s way over a decade to help them keep up with the history that the team has established since the 1930s. Read the release from Wiley below to learn about how the funds will be dispersed, and how it will make a difference at Wiley.
Credit: Wiley College
Award-winning actor Denzel Washington’s family foundation has made the fourth $100,000 installment toward a $1 million commitment to support student members of the legendary Wiley College debate team.
The historically Black college in Marshall, Texas is home of “The Great Debaters,” which became popularized by a 2007 film Washington directed and starred in as Professor Melvin B. Tolson, the legendary Wiley debate team coach who led the college on a 10-year winning streak in the 1930s and pioneered interracial collegiate debates during the Jim Crow era.
“Supporting the next generation of brilliant minds in the art of debate at Wiley College will open so many doors of opportunity for these students during college, career, and beyond,” said Denzel Washington, who last visited the campus in 2018 for a debate competition. “We are honored to continue supporting the best and the brightest in the land and look forward to The Great Debaters continuing to do what they do best: win.”
Washington’s family foundation made an initial $1 million commitment in 2007—donating $100,000 per year for a decade—to revive the debate team, which had dissolved after Tolson departed Wiley in 1947. The foundation continued its ten-year $1 million commitment in 2018. Funds are used to recruit debate team members and provide them with scholarships.
“We are grateful for the Washington family’s generosity for 15 years and counting to Wiley College’s phenomenal debate team, which, because of this support, can live out our motto to ‘Go forth Inspired,’” said Wiley College President Dr. Herman J. Felton. “Being a dominant force as home of The Great Debaters makes us a very attractive option for those skilled in debate, and this financial support further amplifies the benefits of becoming a Wiley debate scholar.”
Wiley is located roughly 150 miles east of Dallas and serves just over 800 students, most who are first in their families to attend college and are Pell-grant eligible. The nationally renowned debate team is now called the Melvin B. Tolson/Denzel Washington Forensics Society, named after the legendary coach and the inspirational actor and philanthropist. While they took a break from competing during the pandemic last year, the team of 30 members has consistently won national competitions—including the prestigious Pi Kappa Delta national championship in 2014 and 2016—and will resume competition this fall, under the leadership of coach Caleb Williams.
Jaylon Bolden is a recent graduate of Wiley and was a member of the debate team for the past five years, competing on topics ranging from current events to policy to history. Bolden has been awarded $80,000 in scholarships over the years, thanks to the Washington family’s support, and hopes current and future debate scholars share in the impactful and rewarding experience of being a part of the award-winning team.
“All throughout high school I just knew I was going to play football in college, but we make plans and God laughs. Coming to Wiley to be a part of the Tolson/Washington Forensics Society was divine intervention,” Bolden said. “I was a part of a legacy that was so much bigger than I could ever imagine. Traveling the country to compete on behalf of my college, being a leader on campus, and having it paid for by Mr. Washington, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”
The fight for civil rights will always be a global issue, so recently dean and graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff recently traveled to share their thoughts in a presentation. Read about the presentation, called “Catalytic Moments in Movement Building: The Role of Women and Youth Activists in the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter Movements,” in the article by Will Hehemann below.
This year, the Office of International Programs (OIPS) at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff continued to offer educational programming to governmental and higher education institutions in Japan, said Pamela Moore, associate dean for global engagement at UAPB.
Tim Campbell, a 2015 UAPB alumnus, leads protesters in a march down Capitol Avenue at Little Rock in June 2020 following the killing of George Floyd. During a 2021 presentation for the U.S. Embassy at Tokyo, Campbell spoke about his activism, Black Lives Matter and movement building. (Special to The Commercial/DJ Bruce Bruce)
She and a recent UAPB graduate participated in an event hosted by the U.S. Embassy at Tokyo, presenting on topics including the civil rights and Black Lives Matter movements and women and youth activism.
During the virtual event, Moore and Tim Campbell, a 2015 UAPB alumnus, gave a presentation titled “Catalytic Moments in Movement Building: The Role of Women and Youth Activists in the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter Movements.” The event was attended by an audience of over 200 Japanese citizens, including students, academics, journalists, representatives of non-governmental agencies and government officials.
Kelsey De Rinaldis, assistant cultural affairs officer for the embassy, said the U.S. Mission in Japan aims to provide its Japanese audiences with authoritative, complete and unbiased information on the U.S. When planning cultural programming, cultural affairs personnel select diverse experts from across the U.S. who can provide the nuanced context necessary to understand current events in America.
“Through our events, we are able to showcase American values like diversity and inclusion, as well as explain U.S. policy,” De Rinaldis said. “We are also telling the American story in a way our audiences may not have heard. This story, personalized by our experts, enables our audiences to relate to the subject and internalize the lessons shared. This unites us over similarities and fosters conversations about how we can collectively benefit from this shared story, culture and history.”
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
The Black Lives Matter movement has gained attention in Japan in recent years, where it has organized protests and founded several chapters.
While there is quite a bit of information in the media about the Black Lives Matter and civil-rights movements in Japan, not all of it is authoritative, complete and unbiased. It is therefore important for Japanese audiences to listen to American experts discussing the situation in the United States, especially those that can speak first-hand to what they have experienced like Moore and Campbell.
Dr. Pamela Moore, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
During the presentation, Moore stressed the personal nature of African American social movements.
“We are talking about a history that has personally defined us and our communities,” she said. “The presentation focused on the concepts of movements and movement building in the context of the struggle for human, social and economic equality throughout African American history in the U.S.”
Campbell spoke about the history of student activism in Little Rock and also addressed movement building in the contemporary context. During his presentation, he detailed how the Black Lives Matter movement started as a simple hashtag and transformed over time into a rallying cry against police brutality towards the African American community.
The movement continued to evolve further, encompassing different groups with different objectives. Today, the official Black Lives Matter organization is decentralized with chapters spread out across the country that focus on social justice issues at the local level.
Campbell, who recently earned a master’s degree at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, spoke about his own experience in movement building. He helped organize protests and marches for justice and equality that took place in Little Rock in June 2020 following the killing of George Floyd and other African Americans during encounters with police.
“I reached out to local allies with community service initiatives who I knew had great platforms,” he said. “After getting in touch with them, we organized three rallies at the state capitol. The rallies stayed safe, and no one was hurt or injured. They provided a healthy space for people who were experiencing hurt and anguish to express themselves.”
His efforts were quickly noticed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who appointed him to serve on the Task Force to Advance the State of Law Enforcement in Arkansas.
The group, which consisted of 20 community leaders, made recommendations to the governor on ways to enhance trust between law enforcement and communities, as well as improvements or changes needed to enhance the profession of law enforcement to ensure compliance with standards. Since it was founded, the task force has made 27 official recommendations to police policy.
“I was able to build a great relationship with Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who was very receptive to the issues and the deep emotions felt at the time,” Campbell said.
GLOBAL ACTIVISM
Campbell also spoke about how the Black Lives Matter movement ignited activism in Europe, Africa and other parts of the world.
He shared a personal anecdote about how the protests in Little Rock ended up inspiring activism in the West African nation of Gambia, where he had served in the Peace Corps for 2½ years. Over the course of the protests in Little Rock, Campbell would post updates, videos and calls to action on social media.
“A close friend in Gambia took notice of what I was posting and reached out to me,” Campbell said. “He asked many questions about what I was doing and why I was doing it, and I explained the issues that Black Americans were facing in relation to policing. My friend quickly felt a passion and an emergence of empathy for the things I was articulating.”
A few days later, Campbell was surprised and gratified when his colleague informed him that he had requested a permit from the U.S. Embassy in Gambia to organize a movement to support the Black Lives Matter cause.
“It wasn’t until three days later that I received a video that brought me nearly to tears,” he said. “I saw my counterparts in the streets of Gambia in front of the U.S. embassy supporting the Black Lives Matter cause and chanting the same chants I would post to my Facebook page.”
During her part of the presentation, Moore emphasized how the goals of particular social movements vary over time and between different communities. For instance, she gave examples of how the civil-rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s was expressed in different ways across the country by different organizations and their leaders.
“The civil-rights movement was quite diverse and decentralized,” she said. “We had nationally-prominent leaders – most of whom were men – who had such power and presence that there was a perception that, for example, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the leader of the movement, when in reality, he led the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which was based in Atlanta, Georgia. That organization did have influence, but it was not the only organization engaged during the civil-rights movement.”
Moore explained how organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee operated primarily in the south, emphasizing non-violent strategies and concentrating on voting rights, desegregation and equality and fairness under the law.
National organizations such as the NAACP, National Council of Negro Women, Urban League and Congress of Racial Equality organized and engaged in activism in the south and other parts of the country.
And some organizations, primarily on the coasts or in large urban areas, expressed the struggle for justice in more radical ways. These included the Nation of Islam, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party and the Black Panther Party.
“Most of the time, when it comes to social movements, there are no predetermined formulas that guarantee success,” she said. “Rather, catalytic moments tend to occur and have great effect. It’s important to understand that change may be slow. Sometimes an event can occur and spark reaction years down the road that leads to even greater impact.”
PROMOTING CHANGE
An example of this phenomenon was Fannie Lou Hamer’s iconic attendance at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, Moore said. A civil-rights activist, Hamer helped found the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which challenged the state’s all-white delegation at the convention.
At the time, the National Democratic Party only granted Hamer’s party two seats at the convention. Hamer then made the famous comment on national TV, “We didn’t come all this way for no two seats.”
“That moment may not have seemed so catalytic, but something great happened as result of Hamer’s challenge to the Democratic Party to allow African Americans to participate in party activities,” Moore said. “Although she did not win, the Democratic Party began to integrate its ranks. But for that historic moment at the 1964 convention, I really wonder if we would have had an African American president and vice president and a fearless leader like Stacey Abrams in Georgia.”
De Rinaldis said the UAPB-led program resonated with Japanese audiences, who were able to draw parallels between historical figures in their own history, namely women who played roles in social movements and those who fought for greater equality.
“It was especially relevant as the Black Lives Matter movement continues to gain popularity in Japan, demonstrating the global impact this American movement has had,” she said. “We challenge our Japanese audience to view the success of these American social movements as inspiration and to identify ways in which they can apply these shared lessons to the obstacles they currently face.”
Promoting racial equity and justice is a key priority within U.S. foreign policy, De Rinaldis said.
“What sets America apart is not that we are perfect,” she said. “It’s that we deal with our imperfections and challenges openly to move forward and defend our fundamental values. Systemic racism and injustice are prevalent in America, but they are not exclusive to America … By acknowledging that there is much work to be done by all to achieve equality, justice and inclusion, we are able to have honest conversations with each other and formulate solutions together. There is always much the United States and Japan can learn from each other, so it is paramount that we provide a platform for these conversations.”
Will Hehemann is a writer/editor with the UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences.
Norfolk State University alumnus Michael Chase has come a long way, and he credits his alma mater with his growth. Read the inspiring story from alum Sharon Riddick Hoggard below on how Chase now uses his platform to extend himself to help the next generation of Spartans.
Ask Michael Chase, senior engineer at Netflix and 2012 graduate of NSU, what Norfolk State means to him, and he will tell you that the University faculty instilled in him confidence. “NSU gave me a lot of confidence in the ways I didn’t know I needed,” Chase said. “Confidence is key. It allows you to speak eloquently when you are speaking about your skills.”
That confidence played an important role in a journey that allowed him to take internships and positions from government to large corporations, to traditional industries in the world of finance to high-tech firms willing to carve out new frontiers. At Netflix Inc., the world’s leading entertainment streamingservice companywith 204 million paid memberships in over 190 countries, Chase explained his role as an engineer by saying he unravels challenges and creates solutions. “We solve issues that usually affect large numbers of customers, or partners and solving them with code — just trying to piece together how data flows from our system that ends up with a video playing on your screen or device.”
A DNIMAS (Dozoretz National Institute for Mathematics and Applied Sciences) scholar and computer science major, with a concentration in computer engineering, Chase began forming his confidence by working on projects in labs at Norfolk State. “I worked in the gaming lab with Dr. Rasha Morsi and served as a tutor in the STARS program,” he recalls. “Dr. Morsi is a leader in creative gaming. She really believed in me. She involved me in million dollar contracts and gave me credit for the work. She gave an incredible amount of freedom and trust that I would deliver.”
Chase continued to hone his programming skills by also participating in coding and robotics competitions. “Michael liked to program and was adept at it,” remembers Dr. Thorna Humphries, graduate program director and associate professor of computer science, who had Chase as a student in software engineering and operating systems. “He also participated in ARTSI, a collaborative robotics initiative,” she said. “He liked problems that challenged him in respect to programming. He took pride in the software products that he developed, in particular the one for his senior project. I knew that he would work diligently to become successful in the industry.”
Chase credits these opportunities, internships, faculty and others for helping him to get employment at Netflix. His internships, while at NSU, included two stints at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Department of Commerce where he worked at the IT Help Desk assisting employees with computer issues. Working through the University’s Career Services Center, Chase received assistance in putting together his resume and got wind of an internship opportunity at JP Morgan Chase, the multinational investment bank and financial services holding company based in New York City. He snapped up the internship and worked with databases in the New Jersey office. Chase’s journey, impacted partly by NSU’s Career Services and his internship at JP Morgan Chase, taught him the necessity of giving back.
“My experience with the Career Center and JP Morgan taught me about reaching back, building those bridges so that there is that open communication. After I graduated, and whenever I found opportunities, I made it a point to reach out to Norfolk State however I could. I like to connect students with opportunities to advance their academic success and professional lives.” Discussing his belief in reaching back to help others, Chase mentioned his role in helping to bring the Netflix Boot Camp to NSU. He said he simply spoke up in a meeting of Netflix executives planning a trip to Washington, D.C.andsuggested they visit NSU. “NSU showed up extremely well. The company was convinced that the University would be a great partner because the faculty and students exhibited knowledge and skills. It left an impression.”
Dr. Aurelia Williams, InterimViceProvost for Academic Administration, sought out Chase to participate in the computer science department’s Computer Science External Advisory Board. He grabbed the chance not really knowing initially how he could help. “I saw it as an opportunity to make things happen like the Netflix boot camp. I thought if we could just get NSU exposure to the west coast and Silicon Valley, it would be an immediate match or connection.” Chase served as head of the external advisory board from 2014-2020 and is still a board member. “His role on the board,” said Dr. Claude Turner, professor and computer science department chair, “was instrumental in bringing the Netflix initiative to NSU.”
Chase believes that companies like Netflix wholly embrace diversity and inclusion because they recognize that their customers want to see stories that they can better identify with. “We want to tell stories that entertain the world so people see themselves in these stories. We have to have diversity in the writing room, diversity in the greenlighting room, and diversity in production,” said Chase. “That trickle-down effect is the power of diversity at the company and throughout all levels in the organization. It’s important to make sure that you have a wide array of voices as you’re solving these challenges that affect people all around the world.”
“Morally, it’s the right thing to do. Companies that are more diverse deliver higher revenue and better products.”
