On Thursday November 14th 2019, The Interdenominational Theological Center will host a communal response in celebration of the life of Alexis Crawford and students everywhere.
This celebration will host students from all institutions within the AUC.
Morehouse College of Religion’s Antonio Jones shares, “It is our hope and prayer that we will have your support in attendance. We understand the importance of community and aim to support our communities and student as we plan ways and think tanks so that life may be preserved.”
Our heartfelt condolences and prayers are with Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and especially the family and loved ones of Alexis Crawford.
FAMU’s football team is 6-0 in their conference, and 8-1 overall, but the FAMU Freshman of 1999 are the real winners.
This year’s homecoming season yielded significant wins on and off the field as the FAMU incoming freshman class of 1999 (FAMU Fall 1999) celebrated its 20-year college reunion by raising more than $196,913 for the University.
Did you know that this year alone, the FAMU has raised more than $11 million dollars from corporate and alumni giving—the incoming freshman class of 1999 was an anchor in this collective effort.
Above and beyond the ambitious financial goals of the campaign, FAMU Fall 1999 launched an aggressive digital campaign by developing graphics, multimedia videos, social media campaigns, and a website.
More than 300 alumni who entered FAMU in 1999 descended upon the “hills” of Tallahassee to commemorate their historical legacy gift and enduring admiration for the school. Congratulations on reaching the goal!
Students and alumni from Maryland’s four historically black colleges (Bowie State University, University Of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University and Coppin State University) rallied Wednesday for resolution to a 13-year-old federal lawsuit over disparities in academic programs.
The rally was held about a block from the state Capitol, as members of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland were urging lawmakers to support a settlement of at least $577 million, more than double the $200 million offered by Gov. Larry Hogan over 10 years.
Del. Darryl Barnes, who chairs the 59-member black caucus, said lawmakers plan to file legislation for a settlement, which he said would be positive for the state by helping students prepare for good jobs and boost the economy.
“This is not just good for our HBCUs, but this is good for the state of Maryland,” Barnes, a Prince George’s County Democrat, said.
Students attending the rally came from as far as Princess Anne — about 110 miles (170 kilometers) away on Maryland’s Eastern Shore — home to one of the colleges.
Vernon Johnson, a sophomore at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, said HBCUs need more financial support, for academic programs as well as financial aid.
“We’re standing for HBCUs,” Johnson said. “Today, we need to understand the importance of our HBCUs. We need to get funded.”
The lawsuit from 2006 alleged the state had underfunded the institutions while developing programs at traditionally white schools that directly compete with and drain prospective students away from HBCUs.
In 2013, a federal judge found that the state had maintained “a dual and segregated education system” that violated the Constitution.
Michael Jones, an attorney who has been representing a coalition in support of the schools, noted a 10-1 discrepancy in unique high-demand programs and unnecessary duplication of programs.
Seven decades of Florida A&M University (FAMU) Marching “100” Band performances have been catching dust on reel-to-reel film in the University’s Foster-Tanner Music Building. FAMU alumnus Dale Thomas is changing that.
Thomas, who graduated in 1986 with a music education degree, has organized a digitization project set to collect and preserve footage of the Marching “100” that will provide global access to the revolutionary era of band founder William P. Foster, Ph.D.
“Music has always been a part of the cultural history of Florida A&M University since 1887 and the Music Department, with its various musical ensembles, has helped to establish that culture,” said Thomas, who has been a band director in Oklahoma and Florida and has written articles and two books related to band history. “Collecting, preserving and making these historical and archival materials easily accessible, is important for the legacy of the programs.”
With more than 30 videos of recovered footage published on YouTube, Thomas has over 250,000 views spread across his channel. Some of the digitized video is included in the latest episode of the Black Entertainment Television (BET) lifestyle documentary series “We Own Homecoming,” which features the Marching “100.”
Streamed on Facebook Watch and hosted by Jasmine Luv, the weekly series will highlight the nation’s historically Black college and universities (HBCU) culture and homecoming traditions. Beginning Nov. 7, the Marching “100” will be in the spotlight, introducing the band to an even wider audience.
That attention is well-deserved, said Nashid Madyun Ph.D., director of the FAMU Black Archives and Research Center, which houses images of HBCU life from the early 20th Century and late 19th Century and houses films of the University’s football program from the 1950s to the present.
The Democratic presidential candidate will head to Clark Atlanta University to give a speech on Thursday, Nov. 21, according to a press release sent to BET.
There, she will honor the historic legacy of some of the most persistent and fearless fighters, from the Black washerwomen who went on strike in 1881 to domestic workers’ rights activists almost a century later, the press release states.
On Thursday (Nov. 7), Warren went to North Carolina A&T, one of her campaign stops in the state, where she took part in a live recording of the political and pop culture podcast “On One With Angela Rye,” according to Fox News.
In October, she spoke at Benedict College during a criminal justice forum along with fellow Democratic hopefuls Bernie Sanders, Julian Castro, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar, according to Fox News.
Earlier this year, Warren announced her proposals for tackling higher education’s biggest issues, which include the underfunding of HBCUs, a plan for universal free public college and the cancellation of student loan debt, she wrote on April 22 in a post for Medium.
Warren recently endorsed by Black Womxn For, a group of prominent Black women organizers from across the country.
Those interested in attending the event on Nov. 21, which is open to the public, must RSVP.
The HRC Foundation over the weekend convened nearly 50 students for its 14th annual Historically Black Colleges & Universities Leadership Summit. For more than a decade, HRC has held an annual summit for LGBTQ student leaders from many of the nation’s historically Black institutions. The summit caps a year during which HRC’s HBCU program has launched a number of new initiatives, including a series of on-campus engagement events and the creation of #HBCUOutLoud Daythat celebrates the visibility, awareness and stories of LGBTQ students, staff and alumni of HBCUs.
“We were absolutely thrilled to welcome these student leaders for the 14th annual Human Rights Campaign HBCU summit,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “After expanding the HBCU program to campuses across the country, it is thrilling to see so many students come together, learn from each other and increase their collective strength as advocates, particularly in a climate where the federal government is threatening their very existence. The commitment and dedication demonstrated by these young leaders to honor their identities and dreams is inspiring. We look forward to having them return to their campuses with a renewed commitment to fighting for equality and inclusion.”
David shared a special message with the HBCU students about their power, with the simple message, “We need you more than you realize.” Watch his remarks here.
This year, the 49 attendees represented 33 HBCUs from 12 states, Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands. They hailed from Alabama State University; Albany State University*; Benedict College*; Bowie State University; Claflin University; Coppin State University*; Dillard University; Elizabeth City State University*; Fisk University; Florida Memorial University*; Hampton University; Howard University; Jackson State University; Johnson C. Smith University; Mississippi Valley State University*; Morehouse College; Morgan State University; North Carolina A&T State University; North Carolina Central University; Philander Smith College; Prairie View A&M University; Savannah State University; Shaw University; South Carolina State University; Southern University A&M College; Spelman College; Texas Southern University; Tuskegee University; University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; University of The District of Columbia; University of the Virgin Islands; Virginia State University; and Winston-Salem State University*. (HBCUs noted with an asterisk were represented for the first time at this year’s summit.)
During the summit, participants developed leadership skills in the key areas of self-awareness, awareness of others, courageous actions and collaboration to advocate for LGBTQ equality and other social justice issues. Topics covered included the intersection of race and sexual orientation; mental health and wellness; organizing and the Black community; inclusive leadership; and harnessing political power.
The five-day summit is the only leadership development and advocacy training program that empowers LGBTQ HBCU students to act as change-agents on their campuses and in their communities. Students leave with the skills and competence to lead resourcefully and effectively through the intersections of race, religion, gender identity and expression, class and sexual orientation.
The HRC Foundation’s HBCU Program mobilizes and supports HBCUs in enhancing policies and services that promote excellence in LGBTQ inclusion, equity and engagement. The program is supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation and the David Bohnett Foundation. For more information about HRC’s HBCU Project, visit http://www.hrc.org/hbcu.
WACO, Texas – The Bulldogs of Bowie State ascend to No.11 in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll released today following Saturday’s 60-21 road win at Elizabeth City State to close out the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record. Bowie State will take its unblemished record into Saturday’s (11/16) Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championship game against Fayetteville State. COMPLETE POLL (PDF)
September 29, 2018: Bowie State player run on to the field during CIAA football action between Bowie State University and Winston-Salem State University in Bowie. Photo by: Chris Thompkins/Prince George’s Sentinel
Ferris State (Mich.) overcame a 9-0 deficit with a strong second half performance to beat then-No. 14 Grand Valley State (Mich.), 21-16, and claim their second straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title. With the win, the Bulldogs remain No. 2 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The loss drops Grand Valley State to No. 19.
Valdosta State (Ga.) returned to action, beating then-No. 20 West Florida, 26-21, and clinched at least a share of the Gulf South Conference title. The Blazers remain No. 1 with 28 first-place votes. The rest of the Top 5 remained unchanged with No. 3 Tarleton State (Texas), No. 4 Minnesota State and No. 5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) all registering victories on Saturday.
There are three Top 25 matchups in the final week of the 2019 regular season and two of them have conference title implications. First is No. 5 Ouachita Baptist hosting No. 20 Henderson State (Ark.) in the Battle of the Ravine. The second matchup has No. 8 Slippery Rock (Pa.) traveling to No. 13 Kutztown (Pa.) in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship game. The final matchup has No. 9 Central Missouri traveling to No. 13 Northwest Missouri State. If the Mules win, they will capture their first out-right Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association title since 1988.
PRAIRIE VIEW – Prairie View A&M University Interim Athletics Director Alicia Pete has removed the interim tag from La Tonia Thirston, promoting her to Director of Sports Information.
“Ms. Thirston has become one of the most respected and dependable assets within our athletics department,” Pete said. “She’s been an integral part of our teams success and is one of our department’s unsung heroes.”
With nearly two decades of athletics communications experience under her belt, Thirston arrived at The Hill in November 2016. Following the departure of Duane Lewis to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, she took over the reins of the PVAMU athletics communications department in an interim role in February 2019.
She has overseen the publicity efforts of an impressive run of success for Panther athletics, having led the promotional tactics for the 2018 SWAC Softball and Men’s Outdoor Track championship-winning teams as well as the 2019 SWAC Men’s Basketball, Bowling and Soccer championship squads.
Additionally, Thirston has served as the lead statistician at all Panther home sporting events and has been actively involved in various external operations as well as the day-to-day management of communications efforts within the athletic department.
Thirston is an active member of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America), BCSIDA (Black College Sports Information Directors of America), as well as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, and Who’s Who of America.
The native of Waukegan, Illinois earned her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology in 1991. Thirston has two daughters, LaTajia and LaTyahna, both of whom are students at Prairie View A&M.
A Jackson State University football player has been suspended after being charged with vehicular manslaughter. Tiffany Harris, 36, of Byram, was killed in April after being struck by a car driven by 21-year-old JSU player Trevarius Clark, Bryam Police Chief Luke Thompson told WAPT-TV. Thompson could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
According to a statement released by JSU Tuesday afternoon, Clark has “been suspended from the football indefinitely” pending the outcome of his case.
According to JSU’s roster, Clark is currently a junior at the university.
Harris died on April 18 after being hit by a car at Siwell Road and Byram Drive, the station reported. Clark was injured during the accident and taken to the hospital.
Thompson noted that state law requires evidence and blood samples to be taken when there is a fatal crash.
A mugshot of Clark was not immediately available.
JSU suspended two other football players Tuesday after they were arrested and charged with robbery.
Jakaiszer Glass, 20, of Holcomb, and Carl Jones, 21, of Greenwood, were arrested Tuesday by JSU, according to Hinds County Jail records. Details of what led to the charges were not immediately available Tuesday afternoon.
“It took us a couple of weeks to get in contact with their families, but once we reached out, they were on board. They spoke on behalf of Omar, Kristen and Donald at our homecoming brunch where we presented the scholarship,” said Damilola Laguda, Director of Creative Strategy.
“It was very emotional. Many of us were in tears, but there was love across the board. When they sent their child to Howard, they gained a family. We will continue to support and uplift them in any way we can.”
In total, the families donated between $1,500 and $2,000 which helped the class award scholarships to six students. Additional funds–presented by the Hoop for All Foundation–were given to two cancer patients at Howard University Hospital.
The Hoop for All Foundation, founded by Ayo Amoo and Kiera “KB” Thomas, donated $1,000 to the homecoming scholarship fund and gave out two separate donations to cancer patients. Amoo and Thomas are also apart of the class of 2014.
Credit: Michael J. McGee
Developing a Fundraising Strategy
With a 12-person committee spearheading the fund, it took only four months to reach their $10,000 goal. Without a class directory, the group took to social media to maximize their online fundraising efforts.
“Social media was really it all. We branded ourselves and marketed solely towards our class. We created playlists, had a unique hashtag and kept thinking of creative ways to reach everyone,” said Miyisha Tribble, Events & Corporate Partnerships Coordinator. “Since our social strategy was solely centered around the class of 2014, it was easy to pick up where we left off once we graduated.”
Partnerships with promotional groups who hosted various homecoming events also contributed to the total amount. Tribble partnered with Live Nation to provide the class with discounted Saweetie tickets. With a promo code, portions of ticket sales went toward the scholarship.
Events alone raised $1,200.
“We also partnered with GoHamHU and came with clear ideas about why this scholarship was important and how their events could also be profitable. Some events were percentage-based and some were a flat rate. They saw the financial gain but also showed so much support,” Tribble said.
“We also had happy hours in New York City, Atlanta and Philadelphia that contributed toward the scholarship. That helped everyone get involved in their own city,” added Gifts Officer Diamond Young.
Future Fundraising Goals
The class of 2014 has raised the most money out of all recent graduating classes. In May, the class of 1969 raised over $1 million for their 50th anniversary legacy fund. Their success became a huge inspiration for what the class of 2014 has planned in the future.
“Those are the goals we have down the line. This is just the beginning. We are going to take our fundraising efforts to the next level. We want to build upon Howard’s legacy,” said Dominique Perkins, Co-Director of Creative Strategy.
“As a class, we care about the community. Seeing the class of 1969 raise over a million dollars was very encouraging,” marveled Laguda. “Those are the goals we have for our 10-year and beyond. Service represents a key part of our identity. Howard raised us that way.”
In Truth & Service
Although the class of 2014 left the Mecca five years ago, the scholarship shows their continued testament to building upon the university’s legacy of truth and service.
Howard’s class of 2014 at the Tailgate on October 12, 2019.
“Every homecoming people spend a significant amount of money between outfits, parties and travel. We spend all of that to have good time. Are we matching that with what we’re giving back to the university? We need to push our class and all alumni to come together and raise money for Howard,” Young said.
“The scholarship is saying ‘I’m here to reinvest in the next generation’. We partied hard but we were about our service. We’re coming bigger and better for our 10-year reunion. Our goal is $100,000. The fact that we exceeded our expectations means we’re going to do it again,” bragged Tribble.
“As alumni, our goal should be giving back to Howard and making it a better experience for the people coming after us. We partied with a purpose and it yielded great results for us and the students,” said Perkins.
The class of 2014 continues to seek the embodiment of truth and service. Homecoming weekend was no exception.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), has teamed up with TikTok to present the 2019 TikTok & TMCF HBCU Scholarship Program. This program provides scholarships to creative HBCU students who display their school spirit in a TikTok video and have a minimum GPA of 2.8. Select applicants will receive a scholarship of up to $10,000. Up to 20 scholarships will be awarded.
In addition to the scholarship with TMCF, TikTok is also on an HBCU tour with Warner Records. The tour is stopping at 14 HBCUs showcasing Warner’s upcoming talent and spreading the word about the scholarship. HBCU students have until November 13, 2019, to create a video using the hashtags #HBCUproud and #contest in the caption when posting.
WHAT TO EXPECT
After creating your a video showing us your HBCU school spirit using #HBCUProud + #contest in your caption you should expect the following: From 11/14 -11/20, keep an eye out for a push notification from TikTok or message in your email inbox. If you receive a notice from TikTok, you have 5 days to reply to the email. (Check your spam/junk folder to ensure you do not miss important emails about the scholarship). Upon receiving your information, a representative from TMCF will contact you with a release form for your permission to verify the following:
Current enrollment as a full-time student at an HBCU
Current grade point average of 2.8 or higher
Demonstrate financial need for the 2019-2020 academic year
Dont forget: Your TikTok video must have #HBCUProud + #contest to be eligible.
All videos with captions #HBCUProud + #contest posted between October 10 – November 13th will be eligible to win. Click here to get started!
How to create your TikTok video
If you are new to TikTok, click this link to learn how to create an account, select music, create a video, and edit a video. You can also visit TikTok’s support page here. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, November 13, 2019, at 11:59 PM PST.Official Rules For official contest rules, please click here.
In a news conference, Atlanta Police Erika Shields said:
Crawford’s body was found in a park off Columbia Drive in DeKalb County
Police are securing arrest warrants for Crawford’s roommate and the roommate’s boyfriend
Crawford previously reported unwanted kissing and touching from her roommate’s boyfriend to police
Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields identified the suspects as Jordyn Jones, 21, and Barron Brantley, 21.
“To all the APD investigators who worked on this diligently and around the clock. I say ‘Thank you.’ Thank you for treating Alexis like she was one of our own,” an emotional Shields saidThe president of Clark Atlanta University sent a letter to students and faculty on Friday evening that said, “Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with her family and with everyone who knew and loved Alexis.”
“Investigators say this was an isolated, off-campus incident and there was never a threat to any other members of the community,” added CAU president George French Jr. The school offered on-campus counseling for mourning students.
Panther Family, we are devastated by the tragic reports regarding our own Alexis Crawford. We are here for you!
Family members told Channel 2 Action News that Crawford talks to someone in her family every day, no matter how busy she gets. That’s why they believe something was terribly wrong.
We talked to Crawford’s mother last week about the disappearance.
“Usually if we go a day without talking to her or something like that – she’ll call us and be like ‘Aw mom I was sleep. Mom I was studying, I was at work.’ But she hasn’t said anything yet,” Monica Wright said.
Spelman College today announced a matching gift of up to $2 million from billionaire philanthropist Jon Strykerto create a chair in queer studies, the first position of its kind at a historically black college or university (HBCU). The chair will be named after the black lesbian poet and activist Audre Lorde.
Stryker is the founder and president of the Arcus Foundation, which supports LGBTQ rights and the protection of the great apes. His estimated $3.9 billion fortune stems from Stryker Corp., the medical equipment firm his grandfather founded in 1941. He says he donated, in part, because the advancement of LGBTQ rights depends on education.
“The more that people understand queer history and LGBTQ issues, the more likely they are to accept and support the LGBTQ community,” Stryker told Forbesin an email. “By empowering and educating the next generation, we can help make a future where LGBTQ people have full and equal protections under the law.”
The chair will teach classesin queer studies—allowing students at the all-female Atlanta college to concentrate in the subject as part of its comparative women’s studies major—and direct community-wide conversations and advocacy around queer issues. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, founding director of Spelman’s Women’s Research and Resource Center, says Spelman would be the only HBCU in the country with a queer studies program.
Guy-Sheftall says a host of factors has stymied efforts to introduce queer studies programs to HBCUs in the past, including religious affiliations, a dearth of faculty with expertise and occasional alumni resistance. She says she faced similar challenges when she worked to establish the women’s studies major at Spelman in the 1980s.
“There was some angst about how serious or rigorous or faddish it was, or was it going to disappear?” she recalls. “There was a lot of anxiety—what can students do with women’s studies and queer studies? They do the same thing [as they can] with a history, English or philosophy major.”
The position will build on other initiatives at Spelman related to gender and sexuality. In September 2018, the college received a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to establish an Institute for the Study of Gender and Sexuality. And in 2017, Spelman announced it would admit female-identifying students regardless of their gender assignment at birth and would allow a student who transitions to a man while at Spelman to complete their studies. Those moves have placed Spelman among a growing number of women’s colleges redefining their admissions policies to include transgender students. Guy-Sheftall says this environment, in addition to student activism and conversations with the larger community, prompted the Women’s Research and Resource Center to seek funding for a queer studies faculty position.
“We were getting more students who were already out and queer, and even parents of those students asking the question, ‘Is this a place where my daughter or son can thrive?’” Guy-Sheftall says. “Parents, the general political climate and activism among queer students on our campus pushed colleges and universities to respond to students who were willing to be out.”
Guy-Sheftall says the connection between Spelman, Audre Lorde and Stryker’s Arcus Foundation is a natural one. The poet donated her personal papers and articles to the college in her will, and the foundation provided a grant to make the papers publicly accessible in 2009. Lorde’s relationship with Spelman dates back to her friendship with the college’s first black female president, Johnnetta Cole. Lorde’s son Jonathan Rollins says his mother would have been “over the moon” about the chaired position at Spelman named in her honor.
“It’s very significant because Audre discussed her identity as a black lesbian feminist warrior poet—and no element of that was any more or less important than any other element of it,” he says.
Queer studies is a relatively new discipline but has come a long way since Yale University rejected playwright Larry Kramer’s offer to donate millions to endow a professorship in gay studies in 1997. There are more than two dozen higher education institutions that offer at least classes related to LGBT issues, according the College Equality Index.
As a matching gift, Stryker’s $2 million is contingent on Spelman’s fundraising efforts. Guy-Sheftall says it will take about two years to raise the sum, meaning the chair can hopefully be hired by 2022.
Stryker says he intentionally chose to structure the grant on a matching basis. “I firmly believe that there should be a community aspect to giving like this,” he told Forbes. “By making this gift a matching donation, it ensures that the Spelman College community and network of alumnae and donors have a stake and ownership in the Queer Studies chair.”
Stryker’s sister, Ronda—who sits on Spelman’s board of trustees—made the largest gift by a living donor in the college’s history when she and her husband gave $30 million to build Spelman’s Center for Innovation & the Arts in 2018.
Historically black colleges and universities are ‘on the brink of disaster,’ according to The Hechinger Report.
HBCUs enroll and graduate one-quarter of all black college students in the states in which the institutions operate, according to a July 2019 University Business story on the United Negro College Fund’s “HBCUs Punching Above Their Weight” report.
Some 15 HBCUs have closed since 1997, and the total endowments of all of these institutions is about 70% smaller than that of non-HBCUs, according The Hechinger Report, which urged leaders to broaden their market campaigns and find new ways to engage alumni.
Yet, ongoing racial tensions in the country and harassment of black students on some campuses have driven an increase in enrollment at HBCUs, according to research done by The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education.
About one-third of HBCUs have experienced record increases in applications and enrollment over the past three years, the report found.
“Morgan has never said to a student, ‘You can’t come here because of your race,’ unlike the traditionally white institutions in the state of Maryland,” Morgan State President David Wilson told The Post. “Morgan is an HBCU. It will always be an HBCU.”
While HBCUs comprise just 8.5% of the country’s four-year institutions, these schools award 26% of the bachelor’s degrees and 32% of the STEM degrees earned by black students, according to the UNCF report.
“The findings are just confirmation of what the HBCU leadership community has been saying all along,” Roderick L. Smothers, president of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas, told UB in July. “When you look at the outcomes, one has to pause to ask how our institutions are doing this miraculous work with the resources we have.”
The institutions also help power local, regional and national economies, generating 134,090 jobs and $14.8 billion each year.
“If you put 100 HBCU presidents in the room, and asked what their most critical needs are, I think we would all say, ‘scholarships for students and money to close the affordability gap,” Smothers told UB.
The Department of Defense awarded Gour Pati, professor of physics and engineering, a $239,908 grant from the U.S. Army to develop and build a millimeter wave quantum sensing system at DSU.
As the principal investigator, Pati, and his researchers, recognized the increasing importance of millimeter wave sensing and imaging in commercial and military sectors, as well as how it is driving the development of low-cost sensors. Pati’s success in winning the DoD grant engages DSU scientists and students in the work of furthering this advancement.
Rydberg atoms have hypersensitive response to microwave, millimeter wave and terahertz radiation. They have tremendous potential to find applications in modern communications, remote sensing and many other fields, including medical science. Pati and his team will develop a real-time millimeter wave sensor using laser-induced fluorescence in Rydberg atoms.
The funding will allow him to purchase a specialized laser, and several key optical and microwave components, which are at the heart of the quantum sensing system.
According to Pati, the grant will help him develop a first-of-its-kind research infrastructure at DSU and enable the University to compete in the quantum science and technology arena, recently identified as the U.S. National Quantum Initiative. More importantly, DSU graduate and undergraduate students will be engaged in research, education and training in this area, which is highly relevant for building their career in defense and private industries.
“This equipment award could provide the U.S. Army with new capabilities in field sensing using Rydberg atoms,” said Dr. Paul Baker, atomic and molecular physics program manager at Army Research Office. “Specifically, this equipment will expand Delaware State University’s ability to perform measurements with high sensitivity, broad spectral range, and high-dynamic range.”
The award is the result of a merit competition administered by the Army Research Office under policy and guidance of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, to increase the capabilities of Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions to perform defense research. The Army Research Office is an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory.
Renu Tripathi, DSU professor of physics and engineering, will participate as co-PI on this project.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– African Americans make up only six percenti of U.S. physicians. With the goal of driving diversity among U.S. physicians, Oakwood University and Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) announced a new agreement to help more African Americans attend medical school.
The agreement was signed Thursday, October 24, at Oakwood’s campus by Leslie N. Pollard, Ph.D., D.Min., MBA., president of Oakwood University, and William F. Owen, M.D., FACP, dean and chancellor of RUSM. Oakwood and RUSM are establishing an educational pathway program, making it easier for Oakwood graduates to study medicine at RUSM. Qualified Oakwood students who earn full acceptance into the medical school will receive a scholarship covering full tuition for the first semester.
Oakwood University has consistently been a top producer of Blacks that are accepted and go on to attend medical school. Oakwood is currently the fifth ranking Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the U.S., according to the American Association of American Medical Colleges and as reported by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. Oakwood is coupling the longstanding excellence of its pre-med program with its UNCF grant-supported Career Pathways Initiative to grow its relationships with institutions such as RUSM. Developing partnerships such as this will provide additional opportunities for continued student success and professional growth.
“We engage this hopeful relationship with Ross University School of Medicine on behalf of interested Oakwood students. Our students will join the generations that have been blessed through their work,” said Oakwood University President Leslie Pollard.
“African-American doctors are woefully underrepresented in the physician workforce, leading fewer African Americans to see a doctor,” said RUSM Dean and Chancellor, William F. Owen, Jr., M.D., FACP. “This has significant negative healthcare outcomes in communities already prone to high rates of chronic diseases. Working with Oakwood and other HBCUs, using novel student engagements, validated support programs and senior-level commitments to success, we’re working to address that long overdue challenge to increase the diversity of our nation’s physicians.”
As part of its continued commitment to addressing diversity, RUSM’s parent company, Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), signed on to the HBCU Partnership Challenge created by the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus, pledging to invest in creating strategic collaborations with HBCUs and working to increase diversity in key workforce sectors. Over the past year, RUSM has announced six similar agreements with minority serving institutions, including Charles R. Drew University, Dillard University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tuskegee University, Saint Peter’s University and California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Having recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, RUSM’s 14,000-plus diverse alumni practice medicine throughout North America and across all specialties, including a high percentage of graduates who enter the in-demand field of primary care. More than a quarter of RUSM students identify as black or Hispanic, with RUSM earning a 96 percent USMLE Step 1 first-time pass rate in 2018. RUSM also achieved a 92 percent residency attainment rate for first-time-eligible 2018-2019 graduates, and of the 647 RUSM medical students who attained residency in March of 2019, 82 were black and 61 were Hispanic.
About Oakwood University
Oakwood University, a historically Black SDA institution of higher learning, offers quality Christian Education that emphasizes academic excellence, promotes the harmonious development of mind, body, and spirit, and prepares leaders in service for God and humanity. The school’s motto, shared by faculty and students, is: Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve. In everything it does, it believes and practices God First, its current slogan. Consistent with its Mission Statement, Oakwood University is in the business of transforming lives – both for now and, more importantly, for eternity. Founded in 1896, Oakwood University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC). More information about Oakwood can be found on their website at www.oakwood.edu.
About Ross University School of Medicine
Ross University School of Medicine is an institution of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a global education provider headquartered in the United States. The organization’s purpose is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Founded in 1978, RUSM has more than 14,000 alumni and is committed to educating a diverse group of skilled physicians. RUSM is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP, www.caam-hp.org). For more information, please visit: www.medical.rossu.edu.
About Adtalem Global Education
The purpose of Adtalem Global Education is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Adtalem Global Education Inc. (NYSE: ATGE; member S&P MidCap 400 Index) is a leading global education provider and the parent organization of Adtalem Educacional do Brasil (IBMEC, Damásio and Wyden institutions) American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain University, EduPristine, Ross University School of Medicine and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. For more information, please visit adtalem.com
