RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Dozens of students from the Bahamas were welcomed at Richmond International Airport on Monday night. They will continue their studies at Hampton University after Hurricane Dorian slammed the country weeks ago.
When they arrived, the students told 8News they were grateful of the opportunity and thankful to be alive and continue their education after the devastating hurricane. The students were in for a big surprise during their welcome to Virginia.
Students, faculty and staff at Hampton University, one of Virginia’s historically black colleges, greeted Bahamian students in true HBCU fashion.
“We wasn’t expecting the whole crowd to be out and the drums,” said Jullian Dean, one of the 46 students who came from the University of Bahamas. “It was really heartwarming and a good welcome.”
The Bahamas and its citizens are trying to recover after Hurricane Dorian gutted the country, leaving more than 50 people dead. Dean said their beloved university was badly damaged.
“Our campus in grand Bahama was basically ruined, it’s underwater,” he told 8News. “So, to have a college open up their facilities to us for a semester and basically take care of everything, just grateful, very grateful!”
Thanks to Hampton University and generous donors, the students will get free tuition, room and board for the semester.
“They’ve already been through so much devastation and loss that we felt if we brought a sense of normalcy back to their studies at least that could help,” said Hampton University’s Dr. Pamela Moolenaar-Wirsiy.
The Bahamian students are in the U.S. on expedited student visas and are not wasting any time hitting the books. The students have already got their classes picked out and schedules in line.
Historically Black College (HBCU) Spelman College is now the benefactor of a major grant from the U.S. Department of Defense.
The women’s college has received a $2-million grant from the Department of Defense to support its continued growth in STEM education. According to the school, the grant money will be used to establish The Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM, which will serve as the hub for all STEM undergraduate research and training activities at the college.
“The Center aligns with the College’s strategic priorities and ensures that our students are empowered and equipped to enter competitive STEM fields,” said Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell. “We are honored to be awarded this grant, and to have the support of the Department of Defense in assisting Spelman in fulfilling its mission to diversify STEM.”
Spelman has been focusing on STEM and is one of six “model institutions for excellence” designated by the National Science Foundation for its impressive track record of recruiting, retaining, and graduating minority women in the sciences.” Spellman has increased the number of students pursuing STEM majors has grown over the last three years.
“In 2017, 26 percent of Spelman students received degrees in STEM compared to 16 percent at other HBCUs and 17 percent at other liberal arts colleges,” Business Journals reported.
“Spelman has a strong record of educating women in STEM disciplines; however, there is still a lack of representation among women of color in STEM-related careers,” said Dr. Tasha Inniss, Ph.D., associate provost for research.
The new center will address minority under-representation, particularly in computer science, mathematics, and physics.
Spelman also announced the launch an annual Women in STEM Speaker Series as a way to promote learning about data science and artificial intelligence.
COLUMBIA – South Carolina is one of only four states to participate in Project Pipeline Repair, an exclusive initiative of the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association utilizing collaborative partnerships with historically black colleges and universities and state higher education agencies to cultivate a highly qualified pool of minority male teachers and change the “teaching narrative” and critical role of minority males through targeted and early recruitment.
Claflin University is the partnering HBCU in South Carolina. State project leads from all participating states were responsible with identifying exposure opportunities and supporting related programmatic activities. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has provided generous support, used in part to promote the profession, raise awareness of the need and support recruits.
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education has partnered with Banton Media, a full-service marketing agency out of Myrtle Beach, to design, develop and deliver an integrated multimedia advertising campaign. The campaign will highlight the importance of minority male educators in the teaching profession, including existing and aspiring minority male educators, hoping to encourage minority males in high school and beyond to pursue teaching as a career. Banton Media’s services for the campaign (scheduled to launch in early August) will include graphic design, photography and video services, website development, public relations, social media, digital advertising, streaming TV and other traditional media.
Why the need? Recent data from the National Center of Education Statistics estimates that since 2014, ethnic and racial minorities make up more than half of the student population in U.S. public schools, yet people of color make up about 20 percent of teachers and a mere 2 percent are black men. South Carolina data reflects the national distribution. Statewide, people of color make up about 22 percent of teachers in South Carolina, with black men representing 2.8 percent and other male ethnicities at even lower percentages as reported by the South Carolina Department of Education.
Dr. Rusty Monhollon, CHE’s president and executive director, believes “Project Pipeline Repair is not only an opportunity to address the racial and gender disparities in our educational workforce, but it is also a viable solution to addressing the teacher shortage crisis that we currently face as a country and state. We must elevate the discussion to consider unconventional methods and untapped resources as possible solutions to this crisis. Minority men are an untapped resource, especially in the field of education.”
“This work is not new to South Carolina but requires concerted efforts and collaborative participation from essential stakeholders to create a pipeline of high quality and efficacious teachers and educational programs. CHE and other state agencies joined these efforts over three decades ago,” said Dr. John Lane, director of the CHE Division of Academic Affairs. “PPR is one of several initiatives developed to improve teacher education, and ultimately raise student academic achievement and address the teacher shortage crisis in South Carolina. However, it has uniquely helped CHE think about the role of HBCU’s contributing to education preparation.”
Dr. Regine Rucker, program manager in the Division of Academic Affairs with CHE and the project lead, added, “We were pleased to work with SHEEO and Claflin on this transformational project. Representation matters! It is imperative to do our best to provide an educational environment for all students that is inclusive and mirrors the national and global landscape. If efforts to prioritize the recruitment, retention, and advancement of minority males (students, teachers and administrators) at all levels of our educational system are to succeed, we must hear from them directly. Their insight and perspective on the challenges faced as minority men, as well opportunities missed, is often absent from many conversations, including education. Through this project, we wanted to give a face and voice to the experiences of minority males as students and professionals.”
The SHEEO project director of PPR, Dr. Denise Pearson, said, “Project Pipeline Repair: Restoring Minority Male Participation and Persistence in Education Preparation Programs is an innovative and bold attempt to collaborate with states toward mitigating teacher shortages, increasing teacher diversity, and shifting to a more productive narrative about the teaching the profession. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, through the leadership of Drs. John Lane and Regine Rucker, demonstrates a commitment to student success and educational equity, with clear acknowledgement of the relationship between policy and practice. It remains an honor to work with the Commission on this initiative – I look forward to building on what we started almost three years ago with generous funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.”
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Moving up the ranks as one of the best Black colleges in the U.S. with a winning football team, Florida A&M University is on the rise and is planning to build on that success with a major fundraising tour.
Their multi-city, FAMU Rising Tour, kicks off in November in Orlando and goes through June. The university hopes to raise more than $12 million in donations for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
Last year, FAMU raised a little over $11 million in alumni donations.
“People are going to see that we are being nationally recognized for the great work we do here and I think that is only going to bolster our fundraising efforts,” said Dr. Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Vice President of University Advancement.
The university plans to use the money raised to focus on student scholarships, student success initiatives, FAMU athletics, and the arts and history.
This homecoming season, MACRO is excited to host its first ever event on an HBCU campus. The MACRO x HU Summit will be held on the campus of Howard University on Tuesday Oct 8th. Events will be held on campus in Cramton Auditorium Theater from 11am-10pm.
Founded by Howard alum Charles D. King, MACRO is a multiplatform media company created to represent the perspective and voice of people of color (POC). The mission is to empower people of color to change the dynamic of how we are perceived and portrayed. There’s no better way to accomplish that than creating opportunities for more POC to have a seat at the table when decisions are being made.
MACRO is well known for MACRO Lodge at Sundance. The world-renowned Sundance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in the United States. They host curated experiences, social events, and plenty of opportunities to network for actors, directors, and even more POC creatives in entertainment.
If you are a student interested in the entertainment industry, you definitely won’t want to miss the MACRO x HU Summit! MACRO, Howard, and Shea Moisture have all come together to bring Hollywood to Howard and leave students with an unforgettable day. There are a variety of events planned all day, from panels to an exclusive movie screening. And of course they’ve got students covered with food, giveaways, and more!
Panels will cover topics like what to know when navigating Hollywood, discussions with industry trailblazers, and even advice on the side jobs to aim for while working your way to the top. The Summit will also the screen the highly anticipated film “Queen and Slim.” With the screenplay from Lena Waithe and the characters acting as the black Bonnie and Clyde, it’s sure to be action-packed. It’s being screened early at the Summit and release nationwide November 27th.
When Jacquita Johnson graduated from Texas Southern University with a degree in health administration in 2017, she knew that being a change agent – and improving people’s lives – was in her future. She found the perfect avenue to make that happen – joining the Peace Corps and traveling to a village in South Africa to help with the HIV epidemic in that region.
“I realized that there were many avenues to be a catalyst for change and for me, the best way would be to work directly with those impacted at the ground level, fitting perfectly with the role of a Peace Corps Volunteer,” said Johnson. “TSU reinforced in me the need to always be of service to others. After a visit from Peace Corps recruiters, I decided to take the leap and submit my application; and I’m so glad I did! TSU and Peace Corps have been two of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.”
Johnson, along with Dr. Claudette Ligons, a former TSU faculty member and former Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and Dr. Jody Olsen, director of the Peace Corps, will conduct a roundtable discussion about the international opportunities that the Peace Corps offers to TSU graduates. The event, which is scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, from 9:30-10:45 a.m. in the Public Affairs Building auditorium, will highlight the first-hand experiences of Johnson and Ligons, as well as cover the application process for becoming a Peace Corps volunteer. Currently, three TSU alumni serve as Peace Corps volunteers, with more than 85 Tiger alumni serving since the Peace Corps was founded in 1961.
Dr. Olsen, PhD, MSW, who was sworn into office as the 20th director of the Peace Corps in March 2018, will serve as moderator of the discussion, bringing her extensive background as both a Peace Corps volunteer and administrator to the table. She began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer, serving in Tunisia from 1966-1968. She has since served the agency in multiple leadership positions—as acting director in 2009; deputy director from 2002-2009; chief of staff from 1989-1992; regional director, North Africa, Near East, Asia, Pacific from 1981-1984; and country director in Togo from 1979-1981. Prior to returning to the Peace Corps in 2018, Dr. Olsen served as visiting professor at the University of Maryland-Baltimore School of Social Work and director of the University’s Center for Global Education Initiatives.
TSU students, faculty, and staff, as well as the public, are invited to this free, interactive discussion.
ABOUT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
Texas Southern University (TSU) honors our designation as a special-purpose institution for urban programming and research. TSU is a comprehensive university providing higher education access to the nation’s underserved communities. TSU’s academic and research programs address critical urban issues, and prepares its diverse student population to become a force for positive change in a global society. TSU offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs and concentrations – bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees – organized into 10 colleges and schools on a 150-acre campus nestled in the heart of Houston’s historic Third Ward. The University’s enrollment has a population of more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate-school academic candidates. Texas Southern has been a distinguished educational pioneer since 1927, and the University has become one of the most diverse and respected institutions in Texas. TSU has positioned itself as a proactive leader in educating underserved students and many who are the first in their family to attend college.
ABOUT THE PEACE CORPS
The Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the United States to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers create sustainable solutions to address challenges in education, health, community economic development, agriculture, the environment and youth development. Through their Peace Corps experience, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today’s global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 235,000 Americans of all ages have served in 141 countries worldwide.
Morgan State University’s School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (SCMNS) has announced its receipt of a $499,999 grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Excellence in Research (EiR) grant will be used to advance interdisciplinary research at the interface of biology, chemistry and engineering with a focus on studying the role of nanoparticles in cyanobacterium for enhanced biofuel production. The project, titled “Excellence in Research: Oxidative Stress Induced Impact of Cell-Penetrating Nanoparticles on Cellular Constituents in a Cyanobacterial Model,” is being managed under the direction of principal investigator Viji Sitther, Ph.D., associate professor of biology at Morgan, and her co-principal investigator, Huan Chen, Ph.D., a research faculty member at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (National MagLab), a user facility funded by the National Science Foundation and the state of Florida. The grant will fund the project until the end of July 2022.
“Dr. Sitther’s partnership with the National MagLab represents an exciting step forward in the advancement of the missions of the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences and Morgan State University,” said Hongtao Yu, Ph.D., dean of the SCMNS. “This project enhances our research and scholarly activities as an R2 high research institution while providing our students with internship and graduate school opportunities. At a time when sustainable, carbon-neutral energy sources are needed more urgently than ever, Dr. Sitther’s research is a valuable contribution not only to our university but to the world at large.”
Morgan is one of several Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) to have received an EiR grant. However, Morgan is the first HBCU to study the effect of nanoparticles on the protein and lipid content of a model cyanobacterium. Through this research, Dr. Sitther and her team will gain a comprehensive understanding of nanoparticle-cyanobacterial interactions that will offer far-reaching benefits for biotechnological applications, leveraging research in the areas of environmental-safe remediation, biosensing, and bioenergy. Once concluded, the research might make a huge positive impact on the environment by leading to the creation of an environmentally safe alternative energy source to replace fossil fuels.
Led by the two female researchers, the project will also serve to train and mentor underrepresented students in this specific area of the sciences, with an aim of enhancing the participation of women in STEM. With many members of the current workforce of biotechnologists preparing to retire within the next decade, some experts are projecting that the U.S. may face a shortage in the talent pool, particularly as it relates to minority populations. To start, a total of four students will participate in the research: two undergraduates, one master’s-level student and one doctoral student. While all of the students will be mentored and trained in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in the biofuel program at Morgan, graduate students will also have an opportunity to receive training at National MagLab.
Dr. Huan Chen, research faculty member, National MagLab
“NSF awards (focus on) cutting-edge areas of basic research, and this project takes on an area of biofuel production where discoveries in nanotechnology have the potential to result in major advances,” said Don Millard, deputy director of NSF’s Division of Engineering Education and Centers. “Just as importantly, this award will enhance Morgan State’s research capacity, creating new opportunities for innovation. Undergraduate and graduate students will be given the ability to enhance their STEM learning by actually participating in research.”
Collaborations between the University and MagLab were first initiated in 2015, by Timothy Akers, Ph.D. an assistant vice president for Research Innovation and Advocacy at Morgan. Use of the state-of-the art facility at National MagLab has resulted in three peer-reviewed publications and this effort will continue through this funding.
The Foundation awarded these funds under the provisions of the NSF 18-522 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP). While the majority of the award will be utilized by the University for big data analysis, work to characterize lipids will leverage the world-leading analytical instrumentation and expertise at the National MagLab. The research team plans to use a recently-launched 21 Tesla FT-ICR mass spectrometer at the MagLab’s ICR facility, which provides the highest mass accuracy and resolving power in the field.
“This collaborative effort will facilitate the type of mentor protégé relationship that is most critical for training our next generation STEM Workforce and steadily increasing the number of women and underrepresented minority students,” said Willie E. May, Ph.D., vice president for Research and Economic Development at Morgan. “Receiving the funding to support our collaboration with MagLab will be a ‘game changer’ for Morgan.”
This latest grant marks a continuation of funding support that Morgan has received from NSF in recent months, including resources for SCMNS to launch the PERSIST Program as well as a separate one-year pilot program that will help increase students’ proficiency and success in computer programming with the goal of retaining them as computer science majors.
The School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences comprises five departments: Biology (including the Medical Technology Program), Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics (including the Actuarial Science Program) and Physics (including Engineering Physics). The school offers three master’s degrees — Bioinformatics, Mathematics and Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) — and two Ph.D. degrees: Bio-Environmental Sciences and Industrial and Computational Mathematics. Its mission is to provide comprehensive programs that will educate and nurture the next generation of scientists, mathematicians and technologists, and to advance the frontiers of science and technology through research and innovation in service to local, regional and global communities.
About Morgan Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 125 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
About the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory is the world’s largest and highest-powered magnet facility. Located at Florida State University, the University of Florida and Los Alamos National Laboratory, the interdisciplinary National MagLab hosts scientists from around the world to perform basic research in high magnetic fields, advancing our understanding of materials, energy, and life. The lab is funded by the National Science Foundation (DMR-1644779) and the state of Florida. For more information, visit us online at nationalmaglab.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest at NationalMagLab.
This week the country marked National HBCU Week to recognize the accomplishments of historically black colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Earlier this month, leaders from the country’s 101 HBCUs convened in Washington, D.C. for the annual National HBCU Conference, where they spoke to Congress of the ongoing importance of HBCUs, and where President Donald Trump announced that religiously affiliated HBCUs would now receive full federal funding.
“Previously, federal law restricted more than 40 faith-based HBCUs and seminaries from fully accessing federal support for capital improvement projects. This meant that your faith-based institutions, which have made such extraordinary contributions to America, were unfairly punished for their religious beliefs,” Trump said in his Sept. 10 address to the conference.
“This week, our Department of Justice has published an opinion declaring such discriminatory restrictions as unconstitutional. It was a big step. And from now on, faith-based HBCUs will enjoy equal access to federal support,” Trump added.
Among the leaders present was President Reynold Verret of Xavier University of Louisiana, the only Catholic historically black college or university in the United States.
In his testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor, Verret emphasized the “critical role” of HBCUs in education.
Verret told CNA that in his testimony, he emphasized that as the U.S. grows in diversity, “the majority of our talents will be black and brown. And if we fail to cultivate that talent, we will actually do ourselves a great damage,” he said.
Students are not always fortunate enough to attend good schools, he added, and if black talents, such as those of Dr. Ben Carson, are not fostered, they will be lost. Carson was a prominent pediatric neurosurgeon before his run for president in 2016 and his current position as U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary.
Speaking about Xavier in particular, Verret said that the faculty encourages their students to consider the needs of their communities and their country when choosing their majors.
“The education of the student at Xavier or at a school like ourselves, it’s not just a benefit to that individual student, but a benefit to the larger community that he is contributing to, and to the nation,” Verret said.
The notion of putting one’s talents at the service of another is a critical part of Xavier University’s Catholic foundation, Verret added.
“It’s very much in our legacy at Xavier, that that expectation of contributing to more than just me…and we speak of that to our students,” he said. “That the majors that they engage in, whether it’s preparing for medicine, preparing for law, or becoming a major artist, will only have meaning when they put it in service of people. It’s not so much about my BMW, or my salary.”
The seeds of Xavier University were planted by then-Mother Katharine Drexel in 1915, when she and her Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament founded schools to serve Native American and African American populations throughout the United States, including a Catholic secondary school for African-Americans in Louisiana.
By 1917, she also established a preparatory school for teachers, one of the few career tracks available to Black Americans at the time. A few years later, that school was able to offer other degrees as well, and became a full-fledged university in 1925.
In a sense, Verret said, Mother Katharine “rescued the Church from herself” at the time, because she opened an institution where students of all colors were welcome. Xavier University was also the first Catholic university where men and women studied together, he added.
The spirit of Mother Katharine, now St. Katharine Drexel, and her mission to provide a quality education to those in need is still foundational to the mission of Xavier today, Verret said.
“Mother Katherine, when she came here with her sisters in 1915…she had in her mind those who needed an education,” Verret said. “…and every 15 years, maybe even 25 years, we look at ourselves and say – who else needs our service? If Mother Katharine was beginning today, she would have others on her list as well, because this is our mission.”
When it comes to academic performance, Xavier is a school that “is punching above our weight,” Verret said.
Though the school enrolls only 3,000-some students, Xavier ranks first in the country for the number of black graduates who will go on to complete medical school, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
It is also ranked among the nation’s top four colleges of pharmacy in graduating African Americans with Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) degrees, and is number one in the nation in awarding bachelor’s degrees to African American students in the biological and biomedical sciences, the physical sciences, and physics, and number three in the nation for the number of African American graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D. in science and engineering fields.
Verret said that Xavier’s achievements show the important role that smaller, specialized colleges, such as HBCUs, or women’s colleges, or other religiously-affiliated colleges, can play in American higher education.
“That diversity of education (options) to satisfy young people’s needs is important to us, and HBCUs are one part of that landscape.”
HBCUs were founded at a time where it was illegal for black students to attend other institutions of higher education, and so they catered to black students out of necessity. Xavier is still predominately black, Verret said, but it always has been and continues to be accepting of students of all ethnicities and creeds, which was something Mother Katharine anticipated.
“We have an important reservoir of experience and knowledge and intuition about what America should become, which came from the children and descendants of former slaves,” Verret said, but students of all races and creeds are able to receive a good education at Xavier.
Among the other ethnicities at Xavier are a large group of Vietnamese students, as well as students from Iraq who came to the United States during the Iraq war, Verret said. More than 71 percent of Xavier students are African American, while just 19 percent are Catholic, in large part because African Americans in the south are primarily from Protestant or Evangelical ecclesial communities, Verret said.
Still, Verret said, it is important to have HBCUs as predominately black institutions, where black students who are still a minority in this country can go and not feel like they stand out.
Speaking from his own experience as a young college student, Verret said that HBCUs offer students a place where their race is “not an issue.”
“I’m not the representative (of blacks or African Americans). I am the editor of the school newspaper. I am one of the members of the chemistry club, I’m not the black member of the chemistry club,” he said. “It’s a certain freedom that many whites in the United States cannot understand because they’re not experiencing that.”
As for its Catholic identity, Verret said the school has a strong sense of Catholic service and social justice engrained into its mission.
As one example of service, Verret said that every year, student deans and other peer leaders volunteer their time to help move in new students on campus. When asked why they did so, Verret said one of the student leaders told him: “So that they’ll know next year, it’s their turn.”
The school’s sense of service can be seen in its mission statement, which notes: “The ultimate purpose of the University is to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society.”
Another example of the school’s Catholic mission, Verret said, is in its spirit of camaraderie and solidarity in its successful pre-med program. Often schools will try to scare off medical or pre-medical students by telling them: “Look to your right and look to your left. One of you won’t be here (by the end),” Verret said.
“That notion, that doesn’t exist at Xavier. We gather and pull each other so that we should all go cross that finish line together.”
Enrollment is back up at Xavier after a couple of years of decline following Hurricane Katrina, Verret noted, and the way that the school, as well as other HBCUs, will preserve their legacy is by “telling their stories” and telling of their current successes, Verret said.
“The other HBCUs are of very different sizes and very different complexions. But at the same time, what I can say is the uniting theme is that they continue to educate and graduate students who go on and are at the core of what America needs to be.”
Ayn Rand once said: “The question isn’t who’s going to let me, it’s who’s going to stop me.” This is a quote Ms. Senior for the 2019-2020 academic school year, Damaria Joyner, chooses to live by and keep her motivated.
Ms. Senior DSU, Damaria Joyner
Raised in the Foster care system in Boston, Massachusetts, Damaria was raised by a single mother who managed to work long hours at night while still caring for three young children. Growing up in this circumstance, she viewed it as a way for her to stay focused on her studies, to beat all odds. “Growing up, I’ve never really had any role models, just people and circumstances I did not want to be like. I really just want to break all my generational cycles,” she stated.
The first step she needed to take to break this cycle was actually attending Delaware State University. “I’m from Boston, and there’s no Historically Black Colleges/Universities around there. It actually takes me about seven hours to get home. Being so far away from home was a struggle at first, but I knew I had a purpose and I had to make the best of this opportunity. I’m very close with my sister, and had to fill this void of being homesick. I got heavily involved on campus, joined different organizations on campus, building these relationships with my Hornet family. Since my freshman year, I met some of my ‘bestest’ friends who I know are going to be in my life for a lifetime. I am also a part of the Delta Lambda chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, and I would forever be thankful for that. I came into college with just one sister, and now I got a bunch.”
When asked about some of her most memorable experiences at Delaware State, she described it to be very life changing. “I took several risks here at DSU. I couldn’t dance and was literally dancing in front of the whole school at coronation,” she stated. Her time at Delaware State helped boost her confidence as she took on some of her wildest dreams. “Coronation this year was based on Beychella, and I had to make Beyonce proud.”
“Besides becoming Ms. Senior, being an AKA was one of my top memorable experiences at DSU. My Probate Day was literally one of the best days ever. My adrenalin was crazy! From March 25th, 2018 I was officially an Alpha Woman! From that moment my life has never been the same. Since I joined, I can definitely say that there has been major growth in the way I view myself as a black woman in society.”
Throughout her years at DSU, Damaria explained that there were several obstacles she faced, but learned to bounce back from every situation. “College was literally the most stressful thing I’ve ever done, but that just shows I can withstand anything.” When asked, “How will your position as Ms. Senior impact your life after DSU,” she stated, “I know I can achieve it. DSU helped showed me that I can do anything!”
Damaria Joyner
The new Ms. Senior DSU further stated that “my platform when running for Ms. Senior was P.E.R.I.O.D. which stands for perseverance, excellence, resilience, integrity, opportunities, and determination. For my platform, I wanted to use a popular slogan that everyone uses and will remember. P.E.R.I.O.D. is a mindset and constant reminder I will get the job done, PERIOD! In other words, you got to always remember that I will persevere, excel in everything I do, be resilient, have integrity, offer and take on opportunities that will change our lives, and always be determined to reach our goals.” Very confident with her platform, she hoped that she would be able to impact at least one of her peers throughout this process.
Attending an HBCU was one of her best decisions. “This experience helped me grow as a black woman in society. Like I said before, coming here taught me that I can do anything. Like I really achieved every goal I set for myself — literally, no regrets!” Reminiscing about her time at Delaware State, her closing remark was: “I will forever be a hornet. I love my HBCU.”
In its eighth year, the Hoop for All Foundation continued to advocate and promote cancer awareness, prevention and treatment through its annual three-on-three basketball tournament located at Banneker Park in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Sept. 14.
With a specialized focus on brain cancer, the nonprofit organization raised roughly $1,500 for two cancer patients through various fundraising efforts and monetary donations.
Since the first tournament in 2012, founders and 2014 Howard graduates Kiera “KB” Thomas and Ayokunle “Ayo” Amoo have seen growth in all areas including attendees, volunteers and sponsorships.
Founders Kiera “KB” Thomas (left) and Ayokunle “Ayo” Amoo (right) at the 6th annual Hoop for Hope basketball tournament at Banneker Park in September 2017.
“The growth has been outstanding. It’s what we expected but also more than we could’ve ever imagined. Our committee has really become the backbone of what we do. They help us tie lose ends while Ayo and I can really focus on other things,” shared Thomas.
For future events, “I would like to see more women involvement in the foundation outside of the committee [members]. [I am] looking forward to kicking off events for women to play and participate,” Thomas said.
Guest appearances included three-time NBA All-Star Steven Francis and streetball veteran Randy Gill, better known as “White Chocolate” who attended Bowie State University.
“When I got drafted, [Banneker] was one of the first courts I ever refurbished. So when I found out about the tournament, it was only right for me to come back to where I started. It’s a good opportunity for people like myself to give a helping hand,” Francis told freelance journalist Nayo Campbell.
Amari Smith, a Howard graduate and the tournament’s ultimate ride-or-die supporter, has volunteered for seven years–the longest out of all committee members. Despite residing in New Jersey, she makes an effort to come out every year.
“Everything about it makes me return! The founders started this as students and it has grown and helped so many people. For many of us, cancer survivors and patients include our family members, loved ones and friends, so it really hits close to home,” Smith said.
She continued.
“I’ve seen how grateful people are that Hoop for All exists, the impact its made on the community and the awareness that it brings to us all. I’m a supporter forever and will continue to do whatever needs to be done.”
Over the past seven years, Hoop For Hope has remained consistent with its recurring theme of cancer awareness and hasraised thousands of dollars for breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, blood cancer and childhood cancer.
“The event impacts and motivates the surrounding community. We bring a unique street basketball experience while educating the people,” said Amoo. It’s always important to give back. No matter how big or small. This tournament is and will always be a part of our lives. We were called to do this as sophomores at Howard and the tournament will continue for generations to come.”
An event for all ages–the tournament featured dunk and three-point contests catering to all skill levels, interactive activities, giveaways, food and live halftime musical and choreographed performances by the Howard University Bisonettes, Kaviar Sundays and K. Dub.
Partners and sponsors included Target, Gatorade, Red Bull, Under Armour, Howard University Hospital and the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation.
According to Amoo, next year’s focus will be cervical cancer. Information and updates on partnerships, sponsorships in addition to team and volunteer registration for 2020 can be found here.
“Godfather of Harlem” is a sobering look at what it’s like to be the city’s Robin Hood.
The premiere episode moved very quickly, likely simulating what it’s like to be confronted with change after 10 years away in prison. In the first scene, Forest Whitaker’s drug kingpin character Bumpy Johnson is seen leaving the legendary, loud Alcatraz prison. His loyal wife is there to pick him up, and something funny happens. As they drive by the famous Apollo, he is happy to see it’s still there but has to ask who headliner James Brown is.
His excited wife brings them to her new apartment, where a surprise party awaits. However, the joyous occasion seems to be more about the party goers instead.
Many at the party happily greet Bumpy, but they are quick to mention their issues and ideas— all of which are insinuated to need his funding. In his lifetime, Bumpy would often help residents in Harlem with costs that ranged from Thanksgiving turkeys to putting a child through college. But you can tell he is drained already from the self-serving conversations as he sneaks out the party early.
“Godfather” is a gem in that it gives viewers a historical context of New York in the late 60s. It’s unprecedented for any show or film to explore so much about Bumpy, including what it’s like to coexist in the streets with the Italian mafia. In Episode 1 Bumpy clashes with the Italians over territory they snatched from him during his prison stint. He’ll need better tactics, smarts, and manpower to reclaim what’s his. With so much at stake, the Episode 2 is likely to be very action-packed.
Another dynamic to watch out for will be the introduction of Bumpy’s relationship with Malcolm X. As the head of the Nation of Islam, his old friend Malcolm X seems to want drugs off the streets, and is happy to help fight off the mafia. You’ll have to watch the next episode to see how Bumpy leverages it all. He needs all the manpower he can get.
DALLAS, Texas – The Grambling State University football team got an early touchdown after Geremy Hickbottom’s 14-yard pass connected with Quentin Guice, but the Tigers were unable to sustain the lead as Prairie View A&M picked up a 42-36 victory on Saturday night at 96th State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl.
Prairie View A&M (2-2 overall, 2-1 SWAC) answered to Grambling State’s scoring drive with an impressive 60-yard rush by Dawonya Tucker. Following Amaury Martinez’s PAT, the score was tied at 7.
With their next ball possession, the Tigers came very close to scoring again in the end zone after Hickbottom’s 26-yard pass to Devante Davis connected for 26 yards, but red zone errors prevented the touchdown. Grambling State was, however, able to take the lead of the game, 10-7, after Mendez’s 24-yard field goal kick was good.
The Tigers wanted to stretch the lead a little more, and they were able to do so after a 10-yard rush into the end zone by Katrelle Starks. Following the PAT, Grambling State led, 17-7.
Grambling State’s 10-point advantage was short-lived after Tucker’s 13-yard rush for a touchdown. At the end of the first quarter, the Tigers were still up, 17-14.
Prairie View A&M tied the score at 17 in the second quarter after Martinez’s 27-yard field goal kick was good.
The score of the game was broken after Joseph McWilliams’ 42-yard interception touchdown. Following the PAT, Grambling State had the 23-17 advantage over Prairie View A&M.
Turning Point The Panthers answered to the Tigers’ last scoring drive with back-to-back touchdowns; Jalen Morton’s three-yard touchdown rush and a 20-yard pass from Morton to Chris Johnson. Prairie View A&M extended their lead of the game to eight; 31-23 into halftime. In comparison, the Panthers tallied 359 total yards to the Tigers’ 187.
The second half of the game worked in both team’s favor as Prairie View A&M scored eight more points off a touchdown and two-point conversion by Morton in the fourth quarter, followed by a 36-yard field goal by Martinez from the next ball possession.
The Panthers had a 19-point lead (42-23) but it wasn’t over for the Tigers. A two-yard rush by Charles Wright and 55-yard scoop and score by Quincy Mitchell had Grambling State only down by seven points (42-36).
In the end, Grambling State was unable to score again to take the lead and win the game.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Oprah Winfrey shocked attendees at a North Carolina fundraiser by announcing a donation of more than $1 million toward the United Negro College Fund.
The Charlotte Observer reports that former talk-show host and OWN television network chief made the surprise announcement Saturday while speaking at Charlotte’s 17th annual Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Luncheon.
United Negro College Fund officials were hoping the luncheon would help raise $500,000 for deserving area students to attend historically black colleges.
At the time of Winfrey’s address, a running tally at the event showed that about $1.15 million had been raised. That’s when Winfrey said she was going to match the total, prompting a standing ovation from the stunned audience.
Just two years after Central State University fought its way out of a financial downturn, the school is growing and its leaders are determined to make sure it doesn’t befall the same fate as other troubled historically black colleges.
Since being removed from state fiscal watch in April 2017, CSU has built new facilities, added research and degree programs and worked with Ohio politicians to become eligible for millions more in federal grant dollars.
But, outgoing president Cynthia Jackson-Hammond Jackson doesn’t take credit for recent successes that have started to eclipse past problems.
“Any successes that have come under my administration were the result of the state, alums, faculty, students and partners all seeing what a gem this institution is,” said Jackson-Hammond.
Trouble began for Central State in 2013 when the school’s net assets declined by more than $7 million over two years, audited financial statements from the Ohio Department of Higher Education show. Today, Central State remains the only Ohio university to have been placed on fiscal watch.
Central State has evolved though, and financial stability is the new norm, said CSU board of trustees chairman Mark Hatcher, who joined the board at the end of 2014.
“It’s like night and day,” Hatcher said. “Central State is in a much better place than where it was when I started.”
‘A huge win’
As Central State has rebounded from its budget woes, the school has looked to capitalize on its momentum.
One way it has done so is by taking advantage of its status as a land-grant university, a designation that makes it eligible to receive special government funding.
Before the 2014 Farm Bill, Central State was not fully recognized as an 1890 land grant institution by the federal government, Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton has said. A tweak to the 2019 Farm Bill, sponsored by Turner and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, made Central State eligible for as much federal funding as other colleges with the designation.
With the alteration, CSU will get around $7.4 million more in grant funding this year. The university stands to receive around $12 million total in state and federal grants due to the Farm Bill change.
“That direct investment in our community is a huge win for us,” Turner said.
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, announced this week that Central State University will receive $7.4 million more in federal funding because of a change to the 2019 Farm Bill he supported. Turner also announced he is supporting a commission to find more opportunities for historically black colleges to conduct defense research.Photo: Staff Writer
Turner has also worked to secure $30.7 million in federal funds to establish a stronger partnership between the Department of Defense and historically black colleges and universities, such as CSU. The investment in DOD research at HBCUs will foster “an inclusive and innovative future for our country,” Turner said.
On top of its tighter relationship with state and federal authorities, Central State is expanding into areas less-studied by universities.
In July, CSU established its own hemp program after Gov. Mike DeWine approved a measure allowing it to be researched at colleges. The federal government legalized hemp cultivation last year.
Hemp —like marijuana —comes from the cannabis plant. However it contains less 0.3 percent THC. The university’s aggressive creation of the program made it Ohio’s first public institution to research hemp.
“It’s a crop that we know is going to take off in the state…There’s so much money to be made relative to other crops,” said Criag Schluttenhofer, an assistant professor overseeing CSU’s hemp program.
Products made with cannabidiol, a hemp byproduct, have soared in popularity. Some of Central State’s research will examine CBD products and will also look at what type of hemp is the best to use and grow in Ohio.
As the demand for hemp products increases, Schluttenhofer hopes that Central State’s research will make the university an authority on it.
“‘We feel that this is one of the ways that we can really contribute,” Schluttenhofer said.“It’s still a new crop so everybody is on the same level when it comes to research, everybody has an opportunity. We see it as us making our mark and helping the agricultural community at the same time.”
Craig Schluttenhofer oversees Central State University’s newly established hemp research program. The university launched the program last month after Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill into law allowing universities to research the substance.Photo: Staff Writer
‘Evaluate everything’
Enrollment, one of the factors that plunged Central State into budget trouble, has increased at the school.
CSU’s fall enrollment fell by more than 30 percent from 2,503 in 2011 to 1,742 in 2016, according to the state.
The enrollment drop made Central State leaders more cognizant of issues surrounding access to higher education and how to help students stay and graduate on time, Jackson-Hammond said. CSU began working more closely with area community colleges in an effort to make sure transfer students were prepared, Jackson-Hammond said.
The changes appear to be paying off.
For the first time in five years, Central State’s enrollment rose above 2,000 during the fall of 2018 to 2,099 students. The number of students on campus this fall is just slightly less at 2,033, said CSU spokesman Robert Vickers.
“Part of good assessment is asking what have you done? what worked? what didn’t work?” Jackson-Hammond said. “We evaluate everything, not just enrollment but also our academic progress.”
Another factor that may be helping enrollment is improvements made to Central State’s campus.
In 2015, the university opened a new $33.5 million student center. Retired NBA star Magic Johnson, who has been a longtime supporter of the school, was on campus to celebrate the opening.
This fall CSU is also completing a new residence hall for students.
The 250-bed facility was slated to be completed before the start of the academic year in August, but it’s still being finished due to construction delays caused by the May tornado outbreak. Around 30 students were temporarily displaced.
Along with the weather delay the room shortage was also caused by a “high demand” for housing on campus, according to the university. Though those kind of growing pains can be a short-term problem, Hatcher said.
“Where we find ourselves sitting today is all about growing the institution,” Hatcher said. “(We’re) laser focused not only on enrollment but retention too.”
Problems of the past
Though its in better shape now, Central State has a history of financial trouble.
Then-Gov. George Voinovich and the Ohio Black Legislative Caucus in 1996 asked the school’s board of trustees to resign amid financial turmoil, according to Dayton Daily News articles at the time. The state had found CSU was rife with financial mismanagement and infrastructure problems.
In the 1990s, the fixes would have cost around $71.2 million which is equal to around $116.4 million today. As of last year CSU’s operating revenues accounted for less than $68 million, according to the state.
The university’s most recent issues started nearly seven years ago and led to the state placing the school on state fiscal watch after it fell below a state threshold measuring financial health for two years in a row.
The state measures every public college’s fiscal health with something called a “Senate Bill 6 score,” an annual rating of 0 to 5. Any school that falls below a 1.75 two years in a row is put on notice.
To get removed from fiscal watch, a university must meet a rating of at least 2.4 and must also re-mediate all conditions that led to its financial troubles.
Central State scored a 1.3 in 2013 and a 1 in 2014 before increasing to 2.3 in 2015, a score it remains at today. CSU cut expenses by more than $10 million in 2015 to facilitate the budget rebound.
“Each of our colleges and universities is unique and therefore the solution to emerging from fiscal watch is likely to look different at each institution,” said Randy Gardner, chancellor of ODHE. “However, growing enrollment and programs are certainly positives for any campus and CSU is to be commended for its efforts in that regard.”
‘Fully committed’
Though Central State may be on more solid financial footing now, the business of higher education is changing rapidly and causing problems for other schools.
Historically black colleges in particular have struggled to deal with the changing landscape of higher education. At least 17 HBCUs have closed or all but dissolved over the last several years, according to a report from the Dayton Daily News’s sister paper, the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Wilberforce University, the oldest private historically black college in the country, is located just across the street from Central State and ran an operating deficit of more than $19 million in fiscal year 2017.
Although HBCUs are “not monolithic,” Jackson-Hammond said the closing of other black colleges is something Central State’s leaders pay attention to.
James Shack Harris, left, and Earvin Magic Johnson were in attendance at Central State University on Friday to celebrate the opening of the new $33.5 million CSU Student Center. TY GREENLEES / STAFFPhoto: Staff Writer
“We are an institution fully committed to Montgomery and Greene counties in making sure there is a quality enhancement because of Central State University,” Jackson-Hammond said.
Much of Central State’s future will be in the hands of a new president though. Jackson-Hammond plans to retire at the end of spring semester after leading the school for eight years.
The board of trustees is launching a national search to find Jackson-Hammond’s successor.
It’s important, Hatcher said, for Central State’s next president to have as firm of a grip on the institutions needs as its current one. For the school’s successes to continue, Hatcher said trustees need to find the right person for the job.
“It’s critical that we find the right leader who can build upon what Cynthia has done and continue to elevate the institution to the next level. It’s primed to do that,” Hatcher said. “We need a dynamic person who sees where we’re at and sees where we could be 10 years from now.”
Billionaire Robert F. Smith’s surprise pledge to pay off the student loans of Morehouse College’s class of 2019 will cost $34 million and will now include federal educational debt amassed by parents.
Students, parents and guardians received the details in an email Friday from the Atlanta school. Smith, the founder of private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, first disclosed the gift in May during the graduation ceremony. Smith’s pledge made national headlines and focused further attention on the soaring cost of college and the debt burden faced by graduates. Student debt has emerged as a key issue among Democratic presidential candidates. Earlier this week, Weill Cornell Medicine in New York said billionaires Sanford Weill and Maurice “Hank” Greenberg will lead a $160 million effort to curb debt for qualifying medical students there.
“It is our hope that our graduates will use their newfound financial freedom to pursue their career goals, to lead and serve the community, and to remember the spirit of the gift given to them by paying it forward to support the education of future classes of Morehouse Men,” David Thomas, the school’s president, said in a statement.
Do you want to have a brotherhood bonded together in a bond of love? “Divine 9” organizations on the yard at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, has always been a pillar of college life, but you will have to put in some work if you want to stand out from the rest of the crowd. From having a good GPA to creating a name for yourself on the yard, being picked up by a “Divine 9” organization requires much more than you might think. Here are 4 ways to get noticed by a “Divine 9” organization.
1. Have a good GPA
It does not matter which organization on the yard that you might want to join, having a good GPA is a great way to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Let us say a 3.0 and above is what you should be shooting for. That is not to say that a lower GPA would not make you qualified to get picked up by a “Divine 9” organization, but lots of Black Greeks prefer quality over quantity any day.
2. Create a name for yourself on the yard
As an incoming freshman, there is not a lot of organizations that you can join. However, you want to find some way to create a buzz around your name, so that “Divine 9” organizations will notice you. Maybe it is by serving the HBCU community or working as a tutor on the yard. Find some way to create a name for yourself.
3. Be knowledgeable about the “Divine 9” organization that you want to join
This is important. Black Greeks want to know what you already know about their organization prior to them picking you up for the summer, and or fall line.
Study, study, study and practice makes permanent. Also, make sure that you do this discretely.
You may even find some luck and will have a member of a “Divine 9” organization to confine in. This saves you on countless hours of time.
4. Be you
Always be yourself. Just because you are wanting to pledge a “Divine 9” organization does not mean you necessarily have to change who you are as a young man or a young woman.
Do not forget that, if and when you cross the burning sands, your letters do not make you who you are, but having integrity gets you the most respect.
