President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a bipartisan bill that will permanently provide more than $250 million a year to the nation’s historically black colleges and universities, along with dozens of other institutions that serve large shares of minority students.
In signing the bill, Trump said historically black schools have “never had better champions in the White House.”
“When I took office, I promised to fight for HBCUs, and my administration continues to deliver,” Trump said. “A few months ago, funding for HBCUs was in jeopardy. But the White House and Congress came together and reached a historic agreement.”
Michael Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund, thanked Trump and the thousands of advocates who lobbied Congress to support the bill.
“We enlisted more than 20,000 supporters to write and call their members of Congress,” Lomax said. “This activated army of advocates became the frontline of support for HBCUs, and they won the battle for our institutions.”
The bill restores $255 million in annual funding that lapsed Sept. 30 after Congress failed to renew it. Facing an end to the funding, some schools had started planning for deep cuts, with some telling staff their jobs or programs would be eliminated.
But lawmakers in the Senate recently reached a bipartisan deal that saved the funding. Their compromise added an amendment that will simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, the form that college students fill out to determine their eligibility for financial aid.
The legislation will allow the Education Department to gather certain information directly from the IRS, which will eliminate up to 22 of the 108 questions on the form. It’s also meant to curb a verification process some families face to make sure they provided the same information to the IRS and to the Education Department.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate’s education committee, called the legislation a “Christmas present for college students and their families.”
“This bipartisan provision stops families from having to give their same tax information to the federal government twice – first to the IRS, then again to the U.S. Department of Education,” Alexander said. “It should eliminate most of the so-called ‘verification’ process, which is a bureaucratic nightmare that 5.5 million students go through annually.”
The legislation, known as the Future Act, also drew praise from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who called it a “historic bill” that reflects the administration’s commitment to students.
My beloved Central State University family, this is good news! Let us congratulate our fellow Marauder Deon Jefferson, who recently been announced as Gather and Gown’s new designer for its 2020 bridesmaid collection!
In a press release, Gather and Gown officials said that the brand “will reveal eighteen new styles highlighting Deon’s electric personal style, his love for fashion history and his passion for dressing women of different sizes and personalities, which he calls “super powers [sic].””
“I think the industry is recognizing the fact that strapless dresses are beautiful, but there are they ways to make a bridesmaid look and feel spectacular for the wedding,” Jefferson said, hoping that his collection will provide a glimpse of the future of bridesmaid dresses.
“We wanted our bridesmaids to feel sexy but [look] appropriate for the occasion.”
In addition to designing the entire collection, Jefferson said that he also handpicked models for two photoshoots promoting the collection, selected both photographers, and chose a hair and makeup artist.
“I designed the entire Gigi bridesmaid collection listening to ‘Rhiannon’ by Fleetwood Mac, Jefferson said. “The line in the song ‘All your life you’ve never seen a woman taken by the wind,’ stuck with me throughout the design process.”
“It reminded me of the various beautiful and magical women who would wear these dresses. I even chose one special gown to bear the name Rhiannon.”
Jefferson has worked in the bridal industry for eight years. He was born in Ohio, and he currently lives in Florida.
Samples of his collection will arrive in stores towards the end of December.
Our very own Megan The Stallion, who attends HBCU Texas Southern University, recently revealed in a Billboard interview that she watches old Beyonce videos when she feels down.
“Everybody knows that I super love Beyonce,” she told Billboard. “I’m from Houston, she’s from Houston.”
“I’ve been listening to her all my life, and she’s just somebody, like, when I’m feeling like “Am I’m doing the right thing?” or like when I’m feeling the wrong way, I just go back and like watch her old interviews and I watch her, like, talk about the same struggles that I feel like I’m going through now.”
“If Beyonce can get through it, I can get through it [too],” she said.
HBCU family, many of us come from broken homes with only a single parent mother to fend for us or a single parent father trying to raise us upright the best way that he can, living in this country as a black man. Of course, some of us are luckier than others, enjoying the benefits of both parents being in the household, but still struggling to make ends meet.
It is all about perspective.
That is to say, if you come from one of these types of homes you cannot be a victim because of it. You have to know that you are a survivor who has people in your life who wants nothing but the best for you.
This kind of upbringing only made you who you are today and there is no reason to be ashamed of that.
One Morehouse College graduate would agree with me, writing that “This past weekend I was conversing with a friend about work. He stated to me how he desired to be promoted and work with a prominent executive at our company.”
When the black college grad, Chris Sumlin inquired more about what made his friend think that he was qualified for the position, his friend said this:
“They can’t say no to me. I come from nothing, and I’ve made it this far…”
“On the one hand,” Sumlin writes, “I appreciated and understood his confidence. This is a man who has overcome a lot of obstacles and as a result, believes in himself. I think that self-confidence is healthy, and so when he made that statement, I felt where he was coming from. As the conversation continued, he expressed more of his qualifications, and the conversation was pleasant. Unfortunately, after our interaction, I kept replaying his words in my mind. I couldn’t help but ruminate on the idea of “coming from nothing.””
He continued, “As a first-generation college graduate, I get it. I have often muttered those same exact words in conversations, in speeches, and even job interviews. I understand what my friend was saying when he made those remarks. As I often do after discussions with friends, I began to ask myself some deep questions.”
Sumlin later admitted to being guilty of using this negative phrase himself, challenging him to think more of his own upbringing, not just revisiting bad experiences but more so remembering the good times and how his earlier memories of childhood helped to shape him up to be the man he is today.
He writes, “As much as I remember boiling water for a hot bath, and eating beans and hot dogs for dinner, I learned so much about living on faith. My parents taught me so much about trusting God and being optimistic by example. There were moments when our lights would be caught off, and my Dad would make jokes, and we would reminisce about funny church stories. I’ve grown to become a man who can smile no matter what the obstacle because of how I saw my parents act when we faced hardships. No matter what, I always have a sense of groundedness because of my experience as a young child.”
I’ve always viewed education as a vehicle for progress and mobility. I understood that the best opportunity for both socioeconomic advancement and career fulfillment would have to be accompanied by a collegiate education.
While today I am a staunch advocate for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), ironically, HBCUs weren’t a consideration in my application process during high school. I wasn’t aware of the significance of the HBCU experience, and while I respected its dynamic history, I couldn’t have fathomed the indelible impact it would have on my life.
At HBCUs, Black excellence is not an outlier. Black excellence is a norm. HBCUs serve as pillars of heritage, progress and accountability, and to witness this magic transpire on a daily basis is to witness a wonder of this world.
I’m a native Alabamian and I’ve lived in Alabama my entire life, but when considering colleges, I was ready for something new. However, during my junior year of high school, my mother’s health began to decline. I believed she would get well, but graduation came, and I was still her caregiver. There was no way I was going to leave her side, so, Alabama it was.
Alabama A&M University became my choice. While they made it possible and financially manageable through scholarships, my college experience was far from easy.
I spent sophomore through senior years working two part-time jobs while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. I was a member of Alabama A&M’s Honors Program, served as president of our poetry club for two consecutive years and was named “Mr. Social Work” in our Social Work Association. I was pushing through all obstacles until the biggest life-changing challenge happened.
Earlier this year 14-year-old Sydney Wilson made history by becoming one of the youngest students to be accepted into Spelman College and now the DeKalb County native is making strides during her first year at the HBCU. According to Because of Them We Can, Wilson’s academic vigor landed her a spot on the Dean’s list.
Wilson completed her semester with a 3.76 GPA. The teen—who has had a passion for STEM from a young age—has taken a variety of classes focused on science, liberal arts and history. She says adjusting to life as a college student hasn’t been easy but she’s grateful for the growth that she’s experienced so far. “There have definitely been some ups and downs but the ups certainly outweigh the downs,” she told the news outlet. “It was a little hard in the beginning being away from my family but luckily I got to see them often. I am now able to see how the semester has impacted my life, refined my character and gifted me the ability to see things from different perspectives.”
Wilson, who majors in biology, hopes to enter the medical field in the future. She wants to utilize animal science as an avenue to cure human illness. “I want to use animal science to try and solve human illnesses and ailments. I want to combine human anatomy and animal science to try and figure some things out,” she told KTVU. The school works in concert with the Morehouse School of Medicine to provide biology students with hands-on experience. “She has the opportunity to do real work, like hands-on work because of Morehouse,” said her father Byron F. Wilson. “It’ll be part of getting her that real-world experience.”
Wilson is slated to graduate from Spelman in 2023.
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the nation’s oldest historically black conference, proudly announces the 2020 John B. McLendon Hall of Fame Class.
The CIAA recognizes inductees for their excellence in the conference, significant contributions in the community, leadership in CIAA sports and commitment to the CIAA mission. This year’s class, which focuses on basketball honorees as the conference celebrates 75 years of the tournament, includes Antonio Davis (Livingstone College), Albert “A.J.” English (Virginia Union University), LeVelle Moton (North Carolina Central University), Leslie Speight (CIAA Official) and the 1983 Virginia Union Women’s Basketball Team.
The 2020 John B. McLendon CIAA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday, February 28, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. at the Charlotte Convention Center. The induction ceremony is a part of the ancillary schedule of events surrounding 2020 CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament, being held February 25-29, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the 2020 induction ceremony can be purchased HERE or by visiting ciaatournament.org.
Since its inception in 1967, the CIAA Hall of Fame has enshrined 288 honorees. In 2000, it was renamed after legendary coach and administrator John B. McLendon. Inducted in 1978, McLendon is also credited as one of the founding fathers of the CIAA Basketball Tournament which began in 1946. For more information about the CIAA and the John B. McLendon Hall of Fame, visit www.theciaa.com.
One of the greatest shooters in college basketball history at any level, Davis shot 56% on two-point field goals, 53% on three-point field goals, and 94% at the free throw line for his career. He is the only known player to have finished with 50/50/90 career shooting percentages. To put those numbers into perspective, no other college player in NCAA history has ever completed even a season with 50/50/90 shooting percentages.
Davis averaged 22.4 points for his career and led the nation in scoring at 35 points per game during the 1987-88 season. He also led the nation in free throw percentage three times throughout his career, shooting 90%, 94%, and 96% from the line over those seasons. Davis earned All-CIAA, All-District 26, and All-American honors while at Livingstone College and finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,800 career points.
English played for Virginia Union University from 1986–1990 where he scored 2,396 points, including a single-season school record of 1,001 points in 1989-90. In 1990, English was named CIAA Player of the Year, NCAA Division II National Player of the Year and helped lead the Panthers to their second national championship under Head Coach Dave Robbins. English was an All-CIAA selection three times (1988, 1989 and 1990) and was named to the CIAA All-Tournament team in 1989 and 1990.
English was selected by the Washington Bullets in the 2nd round (37th overall) of the 1990 NBA draft. He played two seasons for the Bullets, averaging 9.9 points per game, and signed a contract with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1993 before spending time playing professionally overseas.
Moton was a guard at North Carolina Central University from 1992-1996. He was named the 1996 CIAA Player of the Year following his senior season after averaging 21.3 points per game and shooting 75.8% from the free throw line. As a junior, he finished 16th in Division II in scoring at 23.5 points per contest. Moton was a two-time NCAA DII South Atlantic Region First Team and All-CIAA First Team selection.
Moton ended his career as NCCU’s all-time leading scorer with 1,714 pts and ranked first in three-point field goals (213), third in free throws (363), fifth in assists (278), eighth in field goals (569), and ninth in steals (110). He was a key member of three CIAA Southern Division Championship teams and was a part of the 1992-93 team that won a regional title and advanced to the NCAA Division II “Elite Eight”. Following his collegiate career, he played overseas until returning to impact local youth through coaching. He returned to NCCU in 2007 as an assistant coach and has maintained the position of Head Men’s Basketball Coach at his alma mater since 2009.
After starting his career at the high school level twelve years earlier, Speight began officiating in the CIAA in 1983 where he served as a basketball & football official for the conference until 2004. Speight officiated over 500 college basketball & football games,14 NCAA postseason football games, and 11 CIAA Football Championships & Classics as a CIAA official while also serving on the CIAA Tournament staff in various roles. He has worked four NCAA postseason tournaments in his career and was selected to work the 1991 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championship as well as the1988 NCAA Division II Football National Championship.
Speight also served as an official at the professional level in the National Football League, World Football League, and other professional leagues around the country. He has worked over 1,000 high school football and basketball games, including 10 AAU National Championships, and received numerous officiating awards. In addition, Speight had successful careers as an officer in the military and in education as an ROTC administrator, serving in both capacities for over 20 years.
Led by Head Coach Louis Hearn, the 1982-83 Virginia Union University women’s basketball team finished the season with a 27-2 record. In 1983, they became the first CIAA women’s basketball team, and just the second women’s team ever, to win the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. The Lady Panthers defeated previously unbeaten, and defending champion, Cal Poly Pomona, 73-60, in the national title game at the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The 1983 national championship team featured NCAA All-Tournament team selections Paris McWhirter and Barvenia Wooten. McWhirter would also be named Most Outstanding Player of the ’83 national title game.
ORANGEBURG, SC—South Carolina State head football coach Buddy Pough has been named the BOXTOROW Coach of the Year.
Pough had the biggest turnaround of the season after the Bulldogs finished last season with a 5-6 overall record and a 4-3 mark in conference play.
The 2019 season saw the Bulldogs finish 8-3 overall and 6-2 in MEAC play. He led South Carolina State to its 17th MEAC championship overall and the seventh in his tenure. The Bulldogs got a key program win over then-No. 8th ranked Wofford (champion of the Southern Conference) to start the season and never looked back.
Pough claims his third MEAC Coach of the Year honor during his career while sharing this year’s BOXTOROW Coach of the Year award with Damon Wilson of Bowie State.
The voters of the BOXTOROW Superlative Awards are comprised of media members from around the country that cover HBCU football.
The brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha at Morehouse College, Alpha Rho Chapter, just revealed their Spring 19 initiates in one of the most spectacular probate shows we have seen in recent memory. You can watch the video below.
KTAL/KMSS — “Wiley College has received a warning from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges that it may lose its accreditation,” shares NBC’s East Texas Matters:
According to SACSCOC Public Relations and Data Specialist Dr. Janea Johnson, Wiley College was issued a warning after they did not follow the five requirements by the accreditation board. If they don’t make the necessary changes within a year the college could be put on probation or they could lose their accreditation altogether.
These Core Requirements and Standards expect an institution to:
Employ administrative and academic officers with appropriate experience and qualifications to lead the institution.
Identify, evaluate, and publish goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to the institution’s mission, the nature of the students it serves, and the kinds of programs offered.
Publish 12 and implement policies for determining the amount and level of credit awarded for its courses, regardless of format or mode of delivery.
Have sound financial resources and a demonstrated, stable financial base to support the mission of the institution and the scope of its programs and services.
Manage its financial resources in a responsible manner. A Special Committee was not authorized to visit the institution. Read more via KTAL/KMSS-East Texas Matters.
“National studies still show that getting a degree leads to higher wages, but not all universities and colleges are doing their part. Every year, PayScale, a national wage analytics company, keeps schools honest by rating how well their students are doing by measuring their return on investment (ROI) 20 years after they graduated…”
On his official website for the upcoming presidential campaign, candidate Cory Booker shares his plan for historically black colleges and universities:
Supporting and Protecting HBCUs
Cory Booker is running for president to create opportunity for all Americans—especially communities that have been left out and left behind, like communities of color that have for centuries been deprived of wealth, opportunity, and their voices as citizens.
CNN
Cory believes that Historically Black
Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions
(MSIs) play a central role in creating pathways to opportunity and
empowering Black communities, and that’s why today he is outlining
actions he will take as president to ensure that America’s HBCUs and
MSIs are well-funded, affordable, and continue to deliver opportunity
for Black and Brown Americans.
The fact that Cory is running for
president of the United States is a testament to the vital role of
HBCUs. Cory’s mother is a graduate of Fisk University, and his father,
born into poverty and raised by a single mom, graduated from North
Carolina Central University after members of his church sent around a
collection plate to help him pay for his first semester.
The role HBCUs have played in Cory’s life is not unique. More than one in five Black Americans with a bachelor’s degree received their degree from an HBCU, and HBCUs are responsible for educating a majority
of all Black teachers, doctors, judges, and engineers. Despite these
contributions, they are challenged by significant under-investment and,
as a result, endowments at HBCUs are at least 70 percent smaller than endowments at non-HBCUs.
“I am here today because of the power of these institutions to uplift and bring about opportunity to Black Americans.”
– Cory Booker
Cory’s plan for HBCUs and MSIs would:
Ensure that HBCUs and MSIs are able to provide a world-class education in world-class facilities. Cory would:
Build on the investments of the Future Act by
investing an additional $30 billion in competitively-awarded grants by
the Department of Education to enable HBCUs and MSIs to expand and
improve STEM education and help with recruitment, retention, and
graduation rates. Importantly, an investment of this scale would provide
schools the security of funding for years to come, avoiding a situation
where STEM funding for HBCUs can be held hostage by Congressional Republicans seeking leverage to push their legislative agenda.
Provide $30 billion in grants to
upgrade infrastructure, including facilities and technology, at HBCUs
and MSIs to ensure all students have access to a world-class education
in world-class facilities.
Build on his bill, the HBCU Capital Financing Improvement Act,
which would allow more institutions to access financing to improve or
construct classrooms, libraries, laboratories, dormitories,
instructional equipment, and research instrumentation. Cory would also
double the total amount of loans available through the HBCU Capital
Financing Program.
Put HBCUs at the center of the fight against climate change. Cory will require that at least 10 percent of his $400 billion 50-State Climate Moonshot Hubs are
based in HBCUs and MSIs. Each hub would be focused on reasserting our
global leadership in Research and Development (R&D) and leading the
way in tackling the most important challenges in basic science, applied
research, manufacturing, and commercialization.
Expand collaboration between HBCUs and federal agencies. Cory would:
Sign into law the Parren Mitchell Minority Business Education and Empowerment Act,
a bill proposed by former Rep. Elijah Cummings that would require the
SBA to collaborate with HBCUs to establish Small Business Development
Centers and develop entrepreneurship curricula.
Fight to pass the HBCU PARTNERS Act, which would direct federal agencies to make a concerted effort to support HBCU participation in federal programs and grants.
Make college affordable for all Americans. Cory would:
Fight to pass the Debt-Free College Act,
which would help students who attend public colleges, HBCUs, or MSIs
graduate without debt by providing public funding to cover the full cost
of college, including tuition, fees, and living expenses.
Double the value of Pell Grants from
$6,200 to $12,400, which about three in four students at HBCUs rely
upon, and ensure that Dreamers are eligible to receive them. He would
also fight to pass the Restoring Education and Learning Act
to extend eligibility to incarcerated individuals. And, Cory would
require that HBCUs and MSIs make up 10 percent of higher education
institutions in the Second Chance Pell Grant Program.
Work with Congress to pass the What You Can Do for Your Country Act,
which would strengthen and expand the Public Service Loan Forgiveness
(PSLF) program that provides debt cancellation to those who enter public
service like teachers, social workers, public defenders and those who
serve in the military. Borrowers would have their student debt cut in
half after five years in public service and receive full debt
forgiveness after 10 years in public service. Cory will also fight for
his STRIVE Act, which would forgive loans for teachers incrementally and provide full forgiveness after seven years.
Forgive student loan debt for
low-income students who are struggling to repay their debt and for those
who received degrees from failed for-profit colleges.
Make it easier to apply for student
aid by simplifying the FAFSA for low-income students who qualify for
other programs, as in his Simplifying Financial Aid for
Students Act. He would also make the FAFSA more accessible for all by removing the prior drug conviction question on the FAFSA.
Ensure access to affordable child
care at HBCUs, community colleges, and other MSIs and invest in the
child care workforce by passing his Preparing and Resourcing Our Student Parents and Early Childhood Teachers (PROSPECT) Act,
which provides grants to MSIs and community colleges for student
parents who need child care and invests in infant and toddler
educators.
In addition to the most comprehensive plan to support our HBCUs, Cory
has put forward a set of proposals to close the racial wealth gap and
create opportunity in Black and Brown communities. One of his signature
proposals, “Baby Bonds,”
would give every child in America a savings account of up to $50,000 to
use for things like higher education, purchasing a home, or starting a
business—the kinds of investments that change life trajectories. A study
by Columbia University
found that Baby Bonds virtually erases the racial wealth gap among
young adults and gives every American a shot at economic opportunity.
Cory has also put forward a sweeping plan
to reverse decades of exploitation and create economic opportunity in
Black and Brown communities, including through the creation of a
Community Justice Fund, a historic new effort singularly focused on
restoring wealth in traditionally marginalized communities. In addition,
his Opportunity and Justice for Workers plan
lays out a bold vision for an economy that works for all, including a
massive expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, provisions for
closing the gender pay gap, ensuring universal paid family leave, and
putting high-quality, affordable child care within reach.
Our campaign is built by people like you. We won’t take a dime from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists.
Click an amount to start your donation. If
you’ve saved your information with ActBlue Express, your donation will
go through immediately.
ATLANTA, GA — “North Carolina A&T Aggies wins their 3rd straight Celebration Bowl title in a 64-44 shootout victory over Alcorn State on Saturday,” writes HBCU Gameday‘s Stephen-Michael Thompson Jr. in a detailed game recap:
Heavily debated but anticipated, the Celebration Bowl puts the MEAC champion and SWAC champion in a bowl game atmosphere in Atlanta. Once again, the Celebration Bowl was a gold rush as North Carolina A&T won over Alcorn State, 64-44.
ASU’s Felix Harper went to work early against the Aggie defense. After letting up a field goal early, the Aggies responded. Kylil Carter threw a dart for the Aggies to Elijah Bell for 53-yards, capping a drive where the Aggies took over a minute to drive 65-yards. The Braves came right back, taking only six plays to drive 74-yards for a touchdown. Harper found Chris Blair to finish that drive. Read more via HBCU Gameday.
When it comes to contributing to the education of students attending historically black colleges and universities, some companies just make a donation, which is cool, but, for the likes of Ford Motor Company, they are actually involved in doing more than just giving money.
When it comes to contributing to the education of students attending historically black colleges and universities, some companies just make a donation, which is cool, but, for the likes of Ford Motor Company, they are actually involved in doing more than just giving money.
I had the opportunity to actually see and experience what goes on when a corporate company commits to an HBCU. The tour made stops at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, Tennessee, for the Southern Heritage Classic, the annual rivalry between Jackson State University and Tennessee State University; Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field, Prairie View, Texas, for the Prairie View A&M University Homecoming, where the Panthers took on the Dragons of Virginia University of Lynchburg; and the final stop at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium, Durham, North Carolina, for the North Carolina Central University Homecoming, where the Eagles went up against the Spartans of Norfolk State University.
I attended the homecoming for North Carolina Central University, where southern hospitality was definitely in full effect. I witnessed and even participated in ‘car karaoke’ but done in a Ford F-150 and there were numerous interactive games people enjoyed and giveaways including Ford ultimate tailgate prize package where someone received a Ford-branded package complete with two padded lounge chairs, two tumblers, and a 45-quart cooler.
For nearly 15 years, Ford has donated more than $2 million to support the Tom Joyner Foundationand continues to do so. “Through its support of the Tom Joyner Foundation, the Ford Motor Company has changed the lives of countless families,” says Tom Joyner. “The scholarship dollars provided by Ford have helped students graduate from HBCUs, relieving them and their families of financial burden and allowing them to pursue careers, especially in the STEAM fields.” For every ride & drive at the homecoming game, Ford donated $20 to the Tom Joyner Foundation.
We attended a brunch where NCCU’s Tymia Atkinson (a junior Social Work major who plans on attending law school to specialize in sexual and domestic violence law after graduating) received Ford’s 2019 Community Service Leader Award and we viewed an “Ode to the Builders” commercial spot, filmed at the Ford River Rouge plant, that was narrated by Angela Bassett. The brunch was hosted by 97.5 radio personality SHOWTIME.
I got the opportunity to speak to Dibrie Guerrero, who is the multicultural marketing manager for Ford Motor Co.
WHY IS INVESTING IN HBCUS AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE FOR FORD MOTOR CO.?
“Ford Motor Co. touches the lives of people everywhere; globally we are known for making and selling the most technologically advanced, reliable and fun-to-drive vehicles in the world, but we are also dedicated to driving human progress not only through the freedom of movement but within our communities. Education is the foundation for success. It is key to making lives better, creating social change and building strong communities and HBCU’s provide an environment that prepares future generations toward contributing to their communities, builds confidence and gives them the skills they need to cultivate a career. At Ford, we are all about working toward the future together.”
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE HBCUS AND FORD?
“Driven by the F-150 HBCU Truck Tour, our partnership with HBCUs is deep and longstanding. Providing our platform to further educate the world on the importance of HBCUs and the importance of building a strong foundation for a strong future is what continues to drive that passion within us. We believe in leadership and pride and we couldn’t be any prouder than always supporting HBCUs, it’s what makes us Built Ford Proud.”
“Homecoming and ‘classic season’ is the best time to celebrate the history and traditions of our historically black colleges and universities,” Guerrero also states. “Ford is proud to support historically black colleges and universities through this fall’s F-150 Truck Tour.”
Read more about the great work being done at HBCUs.
This post was written by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton, a writer at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. It is published here with permission.
ASU News — Albany State University (ASU) will pay tribute to a legendary administrator and an iconic family with the renaming of two buildings on campus. ASU shared a press release.
The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved a University recommendation to name the East Campus Student Center as the C.W. Grant Student Union and the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Complex as the Jones Brothers Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Complex.
“At all institutions, there are reminders of individuals who left an everlasting mark,” said ASU President Marion Fedrick. “It is both a privilege and an honor to recognize. Dr. C.W. Grant and the Jones family for their commitment to the institution. They are true examples of those who have lived out excellence.”
Dean Grant, as he was affectionately known, served as the Vice President of Student Affairs at ASU for 30 years. The Golden Ram community mourned his passing in late September.
“We will continue to honor his legacy,” Fedrick said. “The naming is in recognition of his outstanding service to the institution.”
“I could spend the rest of my life trying to correctly phrase what Dean Grant meant to the University,” said Glenn Singfield, a local businessman and ASU supporter. “If I did, it would come out the same and that is, Dean C.W. Grant committed loyalty with honor to the University. He was unwavering in his loyalty but the honor that he had always prevailed because he always did what was right for the institution. The institution is a fixed structure, but also a moving piece that includes faculty, students, and the entire Ram Nation. Dean Grant was willing to share his resources. He gave back monetarily when others thought it would be thievery; he gave.”
The Jones Brothers (Oliver, Melvin, Wilbert, Caldwell, Major, and Charles) are widely recognized as the only family to produce six brothers who played professional basketball, including four who played in the NBA. All six brothers attended Albany State College and collectively played as centers for the ASU men’s basketball team for eighteen consecutive years. One of the brothers, Oliver Jones, served as head coach of the basketball team for 28 years. The basketball court will be named in his honor to further recognize his contributions to the institution.
“There are few individuals, let alone families, who have had the impact of the famous Jones family to ASU athletics and to the institution. We are delighted to honor them in this way,” Fedrick said.
“Coach taught us to win basketball games, but his real legacy came in teaching us how to win in the game of life. “Whenever Coach Jones would walk in a room, he had this presence that would fill the entire room. He is the type of guy that knows just the right thing to say to get the best out of every person,” said alumnus Grady Caldwell. Jones recruited Caldwell for the ASU men’s basketball team more than 20 years ago. “Narrowing him down to simply a basketball coach would be a disservice to the type of person he is and what he has done for a lot of people at ASU. He’s done a lot for athletes and students in general. Coaching basketball games was just a small part of what he did.”
Ceremonies unveiling the new names will be held on the listed dates below.
The Jones Brothers naming will take place on Saturday, January 25 (Basketball Homecoming)
The C.W. Grant Student Union naming will take place on Friday, March 27 (Founder’s Day)
The Jones Brothers HPER Complex Fund has been created to raise money in support of all basketball operations, complex operations, and basketball scholarships. The goal for contributions is $100,000 annually. The C.W. Grant Fund is in support of student leadership and success programs. The goal for contributions is also $100,000 annually.
To donate toward each fund, please text ASUGIVES to 71777, call 229-500-3286, or visit the ASU GiveTo website and select the desired gift designation.
Details surrounding each naming ceremony will be released in the coming weeks.
###
Follow Albany State University on Twitter and Facebook @AlbanyStateUniv
The Trump administration’s latest efforts to turn away refugees and asylum seekers are undermining the system of refugee protection built after World War II. That system came about in part because of a horrific choice made by the United States during the war. Motivated largely by anti-Semitism, the United States failed to resettle hundreds of thousands of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany, condemning them to imprisonment and death.
The Trump administration is resurrecting this prewar framework — a racist, exclusionary system that shut out nearly all nonwhite, non-Western European refugees. Once again, desperate people who turn to the United States for help are being forced to return to the deadly circumstances of their home countries.
During World War II, even as the government sought to keep people out, some Americans, including key administrators at historically black colleges and universities, worked to bring people to safety — and their example offers lessons for us today.
As the Nazis took power in Germany, Jews faced immediate danger. Despite the pogroms and concentration camps, however, Jews fleeing Nazi rule couldn’t just come to the United States. For one thing, they had to prove they would not be a “public charge” — i.e., that they could support themselves financially — before they would be eligible for a visa to the United States. Since the refugees were required to leave almost all of their money in Germany, they had little hope of supporting themselves upon arrival in the United States and were forced to secure affidavits from U.S. citizens, typically relatives, who pledged to support them — a lengthy process.
The public charge rule was an onerous obstacle but not the only one. Jewish refugees needed travel visas from each country they might cross in their journey to the United States and needed to prove they would not pose a security risk. Would-be immigrants also faced years-long waiting lists for visas that were essentially a death sentence, a point made by Rep. Emanuel Celler (D-N.Y.) on the House floor in 1943. “It takes months and months to grant the visas,” Celler said, “and then it usually applies to a corpse.”
The U.S. government was well aware of Nazi atrocities as early as the 1930s, yet that knowledge did not spur federal action.
“One of the greatest crimes in history, the slaughter of the Jewish people in Europe, is continuing unabated,” Treasury official Josiah E. DuBois Jr. wrote in a scathing 1944 memo. He warned that “this Government will have to share for all time responsibility for this extermination” and backed up his assertion with pages of documentation showing that State Department officials, driven by anti-Semitism, actively blocked the rescue of Jews desperately trying to escape Europe. A few weeks after the memo was written, President Franklin D. Roosevelt finally formed the War Refugee Board, which is credited with saving as many as 200,000 Jewish refugees.
Private organizations and individuals had long before stepped up to help refugees circumvent barriers erected by U.S. immigration policy. Beginning in the mid-1930s, the American Friends Service Committeedrew on its networks to find strangers who would pledge to support refugees as a way to sidestep the public charge rule. The Rockefeller Foundation formed the Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars to place academics expelled from German universities at U.S. universities, where they would be eligible for work visas.
Finding jobs was not a simple task, even when placing highly qualified professors with degrees from distinguished institutions. The same anti-Semitism that fueled efforts to keep Jews out of the United States also pervaded academia. In the aftermath of the Great Depression, American faculty members who had seen their salaries slashed resented the idea of refugee scholars who might add to the strain on already limited university resources.
