Every year, HBCU Students, HBCU Grads, and Friends travel from college to college enjoying whats called “Homecoming”. If you didn’t attend one you wouldn’t understand. For updates email info@hbcubuzz.com
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Do you envy other entrepreneurs who attract media attention for their companies? Do you see other business successes and silently wonder why they’re doing so well when your product is even better? It could be that it’s not a matter of product/market fit, but more a matter of founder/market fit. Entrepreneurs who succeed tend to possess specific skills others fail to hone.
Failing to be socially savvy can have a direct impact on the success of your company. Knowing how to schmooze at a conference or how to interact with well-known members of the tech Twitterati can significantly improve your business’s exposure. Many startup companies have enjoyed increased success simply because their founders were wise in the ways of social connections. It’s not necessarily the business with the better product that wins; it’s the company with the socially-savvy founder that is more likely to earn attention.
Entrepreneurs who are good listeners not only become better leaders, they also tend to outshine competitors. The more you develop your listening skills, the better prepared you are to notice tidbits others miss. Stop yourself from trying to think of your response while others are speaking and instead focus on listening intently to what others are saying.
Just as good listening skills are essential, so too are excellent communication skills. From the way you speak to team members to how you explain your company in front of a crowd, each aspect of your communication efforts needs to be finely tuned. Customers (and angel investors) respond better to entrepreneurs with excellent verbal skills. Making an effort to improve your communication skills continually is an endeavor you will never regret.
An entrepreneur without confidence is destined for mediocre success at best. It would be best if you believe in yourself as a business builder and as a leader. If you can’t confidently explain your business vision to others around you, don’t expect customers to come beating down your door.
Entrepreneurs who are risk-takers tend to achieve greater success than those who are timid and meek. Even if you tend to be more of an introvert, you can still improve your risk-taking skills. Try different marketing techniques, approach high-profile venture capitalists, or speak to journalists at tech conferences; anything you can do to get out of your usual comfort zone is fair game when becoming more of a risk taker.
Working on these skills can increase your odds of long-term success as an entrepreneur. Not only will you build a better business, but you will also create a better you in the process.
This post was written by Jeff Shuford, a writer at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. It is published here with permission.
Officials at four colleges announced the abrupt departure of their presidents last week — Marist, Muhlenberg, Auburn and, in North Carolina, Bennett College. Officials at the historically black college for women in Greensboro are not saying why Phyllis Worthy Dawkins is leaving or why the departure was effective on the day it was announced.
Dawkins served as Bennett’s president for three years and led the school’s successful fundraising campaign only four months ago that netted more than $9.5 million. The goal was to raise $5 million, needed to restore Bennett’s accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Dawkins led that charge and spoke of the need to revamp the school. She appeared on numerous local and national news shows in her appeals for support, such as NPR’s 1A program.
“The success of HBCUs is dependent on the size of the endowment,” Dawkins said on 1A. “We need people to contribute to the endowment, and then we just have to continue to get out there and beat the walls and continue to raise funds.”
Phyllis Worthy Dawkins left as Bennett College’s president on the same day that her departure was announced.
School officials are not saying why Dawkins left, and why so abruptly. Usually outgoing college presidents remain in office for several months to pave the way for a smooth transition.
Last May, Central State University graduate Austin Oten released his new clothing brand, Wrath, which is a skate-punk clothing brand geared towards skaters of all color. The black university graduate is someone who has always been inspired by fashion. ”An idea came to me to start a clothing brand that would fuse skate and punk culture,” he told HBCU Buzz. He says that Wrath is also for those who enjoy quality fashion. ”I started this brand to be an inspiration to my son, and I have a passion for fashion,” he said.
HBCU Buzz recently got the opportunity to catch up with Oten discussing things like what’s his favorite moment so far in regards to being a relatively new and small black-owned business, real life heroes that he gains inspiration from, and his alma mater, Central State University.
Tommy: Your clothing brand is now in its first month of being open to the public, what’s your favorite moment so far in regards to this new venture?
Austin: ”My favorite moment since our launch has by far been bringing along my Wrath Ambassador team, meeting this great group of individuals over the past month has been awesome. These guys have inspired me to grind that much harder because those that put in the work with us will continue down greater paths with this company.”
Who are your inspirations?
Austin: ”One of my biggest inspirations to start my company was Jay-Z verse on ’What’s Free’ by Meek Mill. It made me want to be an owner. Nothing like having something to call your own.”
Tommy: Any comments on being a black-owned and startup business?
Austin: ”Yes, being a black owned business is a tough thing in today’s society because there’s a lot of negative stereotypes that come with being a black owner. I’m here to change that mold, I believe conducting yourself with a certain level of professionalism is the way.”
”We may not be a million dollar business yet but we will continue to display proper service as well as supply our customer base with quality clothing.”
Tommy: How has Central State University impacted your life for the better?
Austin: ”Man Central State was the best thing that happened in my young life. Taught me so many lessons inside and outside of the classroom. I learned how to carry myself no matter if I’m amongst friends or a room full of CEOs and that confidence is still here today.”
Tommy: Who is Wrath, or what is your target audience/customers?
”Wrath Brand is a skate-punk clothing brand geared towards skaters of all color and also those who enjoy quality fashion. I started this brand to be an inspiration to my son but also because I have a passion for fashion.”
Shop now at wrathbrand.com.
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is stepping up her campaign outreach to the Black community.
The California senator is seeking to mobilize students and graduates of historically Black colleges and universities — known as HBCUs — as well as the country’s nine Black fraternities and sororities.
The effort getting underway Wednesday includes adding a new section to her campaign website that will make it easier for people connected to these groups to organize and to advance her candidacy.
Supporters will be encouraged to host events that could feature Harris’ senior campaign members or surrogates.
HBCUs and Black Greek organizations are a natural constituency for Harris. She graduated from flagship HBCU Howard University and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, America’s oldest sorority started by and for Black women.
Since getting into the 2020 race in February, Harris has visited more HBCUs than any other candidate.
The new outreach is a recognition that she needs to do more to organize this network of schools and Greek organizations.
“As we look to realize the promise of the first African American female president, we must be intentional about organizing these communities to ensure they feel part of this campaign and incentivized to take political action going forward,” Missayr Boker, Harris’ national political director, told The Associated Press.
Fifty Houston-area high school rising seniors are experiencing a life-changing, week-long program at Texas Southern University this week thanks, in part, to the generosity of an entrepreneurial benefactor and the sponsorship of two dedicated entities – the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and Strada Education Network.
TSU is hosting these 50 students as part of the TMCF Fleischer HBCU Scholars program – with the goal of serving first-generation, under-resourced prospective college students by providing a unique opportunity to experience college life, entrepreneurship and business throughout the week. Students reside on campus at TSU, attending classes, developing business plans, visiting local companies, talking with business professionals, interacting with college students, and hearing presentations from various professionals on campus.
TSU is one of three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) selected by TMCF to participate in the pilot version of the Fleischer Scholars program funded by Strada Education Network. When the original program started in Arizona, the Fleischer Scholars program was intended to provide deserving Arizona-area high school juniors with an opportunity to experience college life, entrepreneurship, and business during a week-long residential program.
Program participant Tarah Peart, a rising senior at William B. Travis High School in Fort Bend Independent School District, said she became aware of the program because of exposure at her school’s campus through posters and her counselor. Never having been on a college campus, Peart said she was interested in attending because of the cost-free week-long stay and campus experience. She says she is looking forward to the program’s fun activities and the competition. “It’s very interactive, that is what I like about it.”
To kick off the program at TSU, participants attended a session where entrepreneur Mort Fleischer, founder of the program, and Fleischer Scholars alumni Josh Elizetxe served as keynote speakers. Paquita Yarborough, Ed.D., program director for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and Patricia Roe, vice president of philanthropy at Strada Education Network, were also in attendance.
“I actually believe we will never achieve the American dream until we get those people who are less privileged economically into the mainstream of this country,” said Mort Fleischer, “I believe this environment allows people to succeed and I am an example of that.”
“This particular program has several facets to it that we feel will have a huge impact on the community and Texas Southern University,” said Yarborough, “We want them (students) to learn more about TSU, learn about business and entrepreneurship, have some exposure to college life, socialize and build their network.”
Pat Roe of Strada Education Network wants program participants to become familiar with career pathways and with employers so that when they enroll in college, they have actually been to a campus, with the opportunity to experience personnel at the campus, understand the layout and what is expected of them.
“Most important we want to establish pathways to careers that are also embedded with internship opportunities and exposure to employer partners,” said Roe. “We believe that if you are on a career track you should have experiences with networking, with employers, and with internships that will help you make a smoother transition into your career.”
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 9,700 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.
Reparations are emerging as a front-and-center debate and likely to be a hot topic during the 2020 election.
Black leaders including actor Danny Glover have been outspoken about the need for the U.S. government to pay African Americans reparations for the slave labor of their ancestors.
The conversation was ignited by a stirring essay Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote for The Atlantic, “The Case for Reparations,” in 2014.
On Wednesday, Coates made the case in person in front of Congress. You can [and should] read hiscomplete testimony, courtesy of The New York Times. Presented below are seven especially powerful statements Coates made during his testimony:
It’s impossible to imagine America without the inheritance of slavery.
…for a century after the Civil War, black people were subjected to a relentless campaign of terror, a campaign that extended well into the lifetime of Majority Leader McConnell.
We grant that Mr. McConnell was not alive for Appomattox. But he was alive for the electrocution of George Stinney. He was alive for the blinding of Isaac Woodard. He was alive to witness kleptocracy in his native Alabama and a regime premised on electoral theft.
…there is, of course, the shame of this land of the free boasting the largest prison population on the planet, of which the descendants of the enslaved make up the largest share.
The matter of reparations is one of making amends and direct redress…
… if Thomas Jefferson matters, so does Sally Hemings. That if D-Day matters, so does Black Wall Street. That if Valley Forge matters, so does Fort Pillow.
…the question really is not whether we’ll be tied to the somethings of our past, but whether we are courageous enough to be tied to the whole of them.
This post was written by Samara Lynn, a writer at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. It is published here with permission.
Texas Southern University is now home to the region’s first Shared Autonomous Shuttle. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday morning on the campus of TSU to commemorate the launch between METRO and Texas Southern University in conjunction with project partners First Transit and the Houston-Galveston Area Council.
METRO introduced the University District Circulator in which a driverless EasyMile SAV shuttle travels on the Tiger Walk, a one-mile pedestrian walking loop, providing connections to multiple points and buildings on campus for students and faculty. The shuttle can carry up to 15 passengers and travels using a pre-programmed route, equipped with a sensor and intelligent vehicle system to detect obstacles and avoid collisions. This shuttle is the eighth SAV initiative for First Transit and the first such shuttle on a university campus in this region.
“I often talk about Texas Southern University being the ‘heart and soul’ of Houston,” said TSU President Austin A. Lane, “Well, today, that rings true more than ever. TSU is so proud to be METRO’s pilot institution for this groundbreaking and innovative service.”
In every aspect, the shuttle’s presence on the TSU campus connects to the university’s Top Five priorities: student success and completion, academic program quality and research, culture, partnerships, and finance.
“It sets TSU apart and it creates a feeling of pride, knowing that, once again, TSU is on the leading edge,” said Lane. “This has a positive impact on our campus culture.”
Dr. Carol Lewis, a Transportation Studies faculty member in the university’s College of Science, Engineering & Technology, played a major role in facilitating this emerging technology coming to TSU. Through this unique pilot program, TSU students, faculty/staff and community members have an opportunity to engage with this emerging technology. It provides an alternative option for mobility within the campus and generates hands-on research for students and faculty members interested in the Transportation Studies program.
During the summer pilot program, the shuttle operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5 p.m.–8 p.m. and is open to the public. For more information on the shuttle and how to ride, visit https://bit.ly/31FvS1W
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 9,700 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.
Apparently, no one was ready for Ava DuVernay’s recent series, When They See Us. Across social media, discourse about the movie ranges from whether or not people would tune in at all to how weighty and emotionally stirring it was to watch. Judge Greg Mathis posted a disturbingly tearful picture on Facebook expressing his angst about the film:
An extremely angry Twitter user tweeted their reaction upon watching:
And Kandiss Edwards, a Georgia educator, told BLACK ENTERPRISE that post-traumatic syndrome is why she wouldn’t watch the film immediately:
I knew the Kalief Browder story before I watched the documentary about his suicide. What I didn’t realize was how the story would cling to the marrow of my bones and stay with me. Kalief’s story gave me anxiety for weeks after watching. I’m determined to be more careful this time around with When They See Us. I will watch the movie, but first I have to make sure I am emotionally prepared.
BE‘s own Alfred Edmond penned an op-ed on why he may never watch stating, “I’ve reached a stage of my life where I do my best to avoid unnecessarily re-traumatizing experiences.”
The film gives a nuclear lens into the lives of Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana, Korey Wise, and Kevin Richardson, who are widely known as “The Central Park Five,” and the hell they experienced as young teens wrongfully accused and convicted of assaulting, raping, and sodomizing a white woman jogger, in New York City in 1989.
In an effort to bring justice to a victim who was brutalized and robbed of the memory necessary to identify her attackers, the New York State justice system and national mass media made victims of five black men, aged 14-16, in the most callous, coercive, and corrupt way. Sadly, each entity received their props. The news media got its ratings, the NYPD got its confession, the prosecutor, Linda Fairstein, got a conviction and went on to be a top-selling author of crime fiction, the justice system got its contribution to mass incarceration—all off the backs of black and brown boys. Yet, they had also gotten it ass backward. Mathias Reyes confessed to the crime 11 years later. Salaam, McCray, Santana, Wise, and Richardson were each cleared by DNA technology, exonerated and poorly compensated to the tune of $41.3 million by New York State.
DuVernay certainly does her part as she continues to highlight and produce content that brings nuance to injustices suffered by African Americans. Her work deserves our eyes, collective contemplation, and action. While it is understandable, the personal reasons, why many choose not to engage When They See Us, watching is important for the greater good. Support for DuVernay and other social justice warriors is the least we can do. As black people, we must be aware of the aggressive criminalization of black and brown people—which lends a hand to mass incarceration. We must know these stories and be familiar with the entities who benefit from our demise. In the weeks since the miniseries premiered, Fairstein has gotten her share of attention. The former prosecutor has been dropped by her publishing company and forced to resign from her post as a Vassar College trustee—and rightfully so. In another instance, black Columbia law students were successful at forcing another prosecutor’s hand. Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lederer, who was associated with the Central Park 5 case, is no longer teaching at the law school at students request for her resignation.
And though these justified actions against Fairstein and Lederer are not exactly justice enough, they do serve as retribution of sorts. And trust, this ain’t karma at all. It is an example that shows that it is not OK to abuse leadership, nor railroad people, particularly when it involves their freedom. It is collective action in the fight against injustice and oppression. It’s how we as a people do our part.
This post was written by Ida Harris, a writer at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. It is published here with permission.
HOUSTON (June 19, 2019) – Texas Southern University President Austin A. Lane has been selected as an Honorary Co-Chair for the National Black MBA Association Incorporated’s 41st Annual Conference & Exposition, “Transcend the Power of You – Empowered to Lead, Equipped to Succeed.” The event will be held in Houston, September 24-28, 2019, at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
“It’s an honor to be selected to serve as a co-chair for this extraordinary organization,” said President Lane, “I look forward to interacting with those who will attend the conference and gaining knowledge that will benefit the students and faculty of Texas Southern University.”
The 41st Annual NBMBAA Conference and Exposition will focus on the power that each member possesses to control their professional destiny through focused planning and preparation. Conference tracks will be aligned to address leadership competencies needed to accomplish career goals and objectives.
Conceived in 1970, the National Black MBA Association is one of the largest non-profit organizations advocating minority business professionals year-round. Its mission is to lead in the creation of education, wealth building, and growth opportunities for those historically underrepresented throughout their careers as students, entrepreneurs, and professionals.
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 9,700 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.
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), with presenting sponsor, Apple, hosted The Pitch 2019 innovation and entrepreneurial competition for 100 hand-selected Historically Black College and University (HCBU) students from 37 different HBCUs in the heart of “Black Wall Street” at the historic Tower at Mutual Plaza, in Durham, NC.
Members of The Pitch 2019 first place team winning team were:
Over the course of a very intense week of learning, the team created an innovative app for school teachers called GRADE FLIP. The app is designed to make the process of grading papers more efficient allowing them more time to spend with their students. Team members won a MacBook, and DJI Mavic Air drone.
“The Pitch 2019 has honestly changed my life! I’m blessed to have met so many talented students and to have been mentored by the TMCF staff and sponsors,” said winning pitch team member Sydney Holness. “My team worked so cohesively and tirelessly to build our business idea to the best of our ability and we will bring it to fruition. Even students who weren’t on teams together plan to stay connected to collaborate on future business ideas. Thank you TMCF for giving me the opportunity, and space to grow as a business mind, I will never forget it.”
Head over to TMCF.org to read more.
William Jackson and Aida Correa are attending multiple community
events sponsored by Ford Motor Company and the Southern Ford
Dealers across Florida.
William Jackson and Aida Correa are attending multiple community events sponsored by Ford Motor Company and the Southern Ford Dealers across Florida. Selected as part of 25 Blogging Influencers that attended the Florida Blogging and Technology Conference in 2018. Several of the events are highlighted in this blog.
The Black History Month Unity Networking Mixer in Orlando, Florida, sharing
this event on social media channels to encourage community collaboration to
build partnerships in mentoring and business. Ford sponsors many activities across the state, this effort through the #FordVIP and #ConnectFord program addresses the use of social media and digital platforms to reach out to communities to broaden the vision for unity, collaboration, business growth and family/community engagement.
William and Aida residents of Jacksonville and part of the 25 member team FORDVIP Bloggers that blog using multiple platforms and report on state-wide activities that are sponsored by Ford. Each event represents family oriented
and community based to engagements promoting the beauty of diversity,
awesomeness of inclusion and the need for increased community service. What better way to create a vision of diversity and inclusion, to allow bloggers of diverse backgrounds to share their experiences through their eyes using their
talents, skills and abilities using social media.
The Unity Mixer was attended by several hundred business and community
organizations that contribute to building youth and teen leadership skills, advocates for STEAM and educational success in Orlando and surrounding areas. The ROLEX 24 auto race held at Daytona International Raceway gives a view into the world of motor racing that many do not get to see and experience. Bloggers like William, African American, educator and speaker at national and international WordCamp conferences shares his views why people of a diversity should experience attending races with their families.
Aida of Latina background, Puerto Rican shares from the perspective of a mother, grandmother, Artist what her views are of the fun women can have with their families attending motor sports.
Cultural backgrounds should not limit the involvement and engagement of activities
that are different and out of the norm. What better way to experience life than to
do things that are different, exciting, new and innovative.
Pictured are operations managers and marketing specialists that coordinate with
William and Aida to provide maximum exposure for the Southern Ford Dealers that
are sponsoring events that promote family engagement and unity in their communities.
Attending community events like the Women On The Rise that celebrates women
doing phenomenal things in their communities that influence youth, teens and young
adults is more than a movement it is a passion for the direction of change.
Attending these events are pictured:
Theresa Campbell (Regional Marketing Specialist Orlando Region), Aida Correa
(FordVIP Blogger), William Jackson (FordVIP Blogger), Chaun Brown (Orlando
Sales Operations Manager for Ford), Cayla Whitcomb (Sales Business Development Specialist).
When Michael Sorrell became president of Paul Quinn College 12 years ago, he assessed the dire situation his school was in and made a bold choice: No more football.
“I mean, we’re in Texas. We’re an HBCU in Texas,” Sorrell said. “I got a little flak for that, OK?”
But to him, eliminating the program was the only way the historically black college in Dallas, which was founded in 1872 by a group of preachers from the African Methodist Episcopal Church to educate freed slaves and their children, could get back on track.
Football had cost the school roughly $600,000 to $1 million a year, he said, and scholarships went mainly to the players. Meanwhile, other students struggled, faculty and staff members were leaving, and buildings had fallen into disrepair.
“We were roughly 18 months to 24 months away from closing. We had financial problems. We had academic problems. We had morale problems, and it was the prototypical scenario for an institution that had been struggling for a long time and the end of the road was coming,” he told NBC News in a phone interview.
The challenges Paul Quinn College faced are not unique, experts said, even if its solution was one of a kind.
Last month, when billionaire philanthropist Robert Smith thrust historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) into the national spotlight by pledging to eliminate up to $40 million in student loans for Morehouse College’s almost 400 graduates, his gift was heralded as both historic and likely life-changing for those students.
But student loan debt is merely a symptom of a systemic problem that dates back to the schools’ beginnings, according to Marybeth Gasman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and an expert on HBCUs.
Head over to TMCF.org to read more.
Jacksonville, Florida – The winds of change officially swept through the Edward Waters College Athletic Department on Tuesday as Paul Bryant was introduced as the ninth director of intercollegiate athletics in program history.
Bryant comes to EWC with over a decade of experience as an Athletic Director, with five of those years serving as AD at NCAA Division I institutions. Bryant has also served as athletic director at one Division II institutions, one NAIA institution, and has a wealth of experience as an Athletics Administrator as well.
“When we started this journey, we made a concerted effort to find a leader, a leader of young people, a leader of staff that can take Edward Waters College to heretofore unprecedented heights,” stated EWC President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr. “Today is a great day of excitement as we look forward to the future of athletics here at Edward Waters College,” Dr. Faison further added.
Most recently, Bryant served as the Director of Athletics at Grambling State University from 2017-2018. Under his purview at GSU, the Tigers won Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championships in football, women’s basketball, and men’s basketball. In addition, four Grambling State programs made it to the SWAC Championship of their respective sports. Bryant engineered facilities upgrades at venerable Eddie G. Robinson Stadium in Grambling, which included installation of Field Turf and new digital scoreboards in just eight months.
Prior to his time at GSU, Bryant spent three years as the Director of Athletics at South Carolina State University. While at SCSU during the 2014-15 year, the SC State football team claimed a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship and the men’s tennis program won and represented the MEAC in the first round of the NCAA Division I Tennis Championship. Bryant also created the “Kennel Booster Club” and oversaw the renovations of the Hardeep Judge Tennis Center.
Bryant also served as the Director of Athletics at Stillman College from 2013-2014, where he oversaw three athletic programs that won Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) division and tournament championships in men’s & women’s tennis and baseball.
He also has served as Director of Athletics at Eureka College, Associate Director and Interim Director of Athletics at Urbana University. Bryant also has coaching experience, serving as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Urbana as well as Sinclair Community College
Bryant holds a bachelor’s degree from Alaska Pacific University as well as a master’s degree in Education from Urbana University. Bryant will also receive his doctoral degree in Higher Education Leadership/Athletics from Northcentral University in July.
“I am excited and I am enthused to be here as the ninth Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Edward Waters College,” remarked Bryant. He also said, “Our athletic department will be disciplined in everything that we do, in the classroom, on the playing field, and in the community.” “In everything that we do, we will walk and talk like champions.”
For New Bern, N.C., native, Ny’Quasia Brown, the dream of attending college was one she was set on realizing.
On June 15, 2019, the Jacksonville, N.C., teen graduated from White Oak High School at the age of 16 with more than $1.5 million in scholarships.
“I’ve always wanted to go to an HBCU (historically black college or university),” Brown said. “When I started doing my research, I looked at colleges that ranked high in the nation where I knew I could also get a great education.”
She quickly put North Carolina Central University (NCCU) at the top of her list and has since confirmed her enrollment as an Eagle freshman, entering with the class of 2023. Her goal is, after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, to attend NCCU School of Law.
The university’s chancellor, Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D., called Brown to congratulate her on her achievements and formally welcome her to the university upon learning of her college decision.
To get to this point, Brown spent two years working with her school’s counselors, Sandra Young and Rena McAllister, not only to apply for colleges, but also find the resources to pay for her education. Her persistence paid off greatly: to date, Brown has amassed over $1,543,500 in scholarships. These funds include the People Helping People scholarship offered by the State Employees Credit Union along, with awards from the Jacksonville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., White Oak High School and NCCU.
“One day we were sitting and talking about college and Ny’Quasia was beginning to receive mail from several institutions,” said Crystal Gill, Brown’s mother. “She started filling out applications and looking into scholarship opportunities and said, ‘Mom, I’m going to college for free.’”
Her mother credits the Counselor’s Corner at her daughter’s high school for helping Brown achieve her goal. “There is a book of scholarships they keep in the front area of the office and Ny’Quasia was there diligently, multiple times each week.”
Gill, who also has two children who are younger than Ny’Quasia and one who is older, didn’t want Brown to choose a college far from home, but she practiced a piece of counsel she passes on to other parents: “Don’t lead your children, guide them.”
And, Gill knows what makes her daughter thrive: “Ny’Quasia is very independent and has a mind of her own, and I support her. I see her being a successful attorney. She will be phenomenal and make changes in the world.”
Dr. Christopher Barnes, principal of White Oak High School, concurs.
“My first interaction with Ny’Quasia showed me she was a very vocal and confident freshman. She has become intense and determined about success beyond high school,” Barnes said. “Her ability to know what she is after, where she is going and how to get there is admirable. She is a mold-breaker.”
One specific example of Brown’s early abilities to mediate and negotiate came when she saw an opportunity to create an inaugural Black History Spirit Week at her high school.
“I brought the idea to my principal, Dr. Barnes, and I saw it as a way to be a leader and spark a change following a challenging situation with my classmates,” Brown explained.
Barnes said that Brown is solutions oriented. “She brought with her the assumption that I cared and I didn’t shut her down.”
She hopes that the week now will be celebrated annually at her school and has already spoken to junior class officers at her high school.
Since her story began generating publicity and speaking requests, Brown has provided her words of wisdom to other young people who are looking to follow in her footsteps. The keys to her success thus far are simple: “Leadership is very important; take advantage of every opportunity you are given. Place God first. Utilize your full potential. God has blessed me with a community and family that have supported me when I couldn’t do it for myself. Always remember that you have to sow a seed.” She also credits her godparents, Will and Natisha McCarter, for playing a role in her success.
NCCU will welcome Ny’Quasia Brown as part of its first-year class of 2023 in August 2019.
When a South Carolina store owner called security and threatened to notify police on a group of black men for talking too loud, putting their negro hands on his merchandise and—most egregiously—paying him no attention, the young men learned a valuable lesson about racial profiling and being black in America. However, it turns out that the group in question was not a roving band of unruly thugs, but an HBCU professor on vacation with his scholar/athlete sons.
Every year in early June, thousands of high school graduates head to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for “Senior Week” to celebrate their high school graduations. But instead of simply sending his sons to the resort city unsupervised, college professor Chris Carraway decided that he would take his two sons himself as a reward for completing their high school education and earning college scholarships.
“Myrtle Beach has a reputation and I didn’t feel comfortable with my 18-year-olds going down there without supervision,” Carraway told The Root. “So I took the week off and went down there with them to just hang out.”
Along with his sons, Carraway, who lives in Columbia, S.C., also invited his sons’ friends to join them for the “boys weekend.” The group decided to go shopping at Myrtle Beach Mall and were patronizing Fun Wear Sports when they were approached by the owner of the store, Michael Means, clad in a grease-stained shirt and wearing a haircut that was either a tribute to David Bowie or troll dolls.
And troll he did.
“As soon as we walked in, you could just feel him staring at us,” Carraway said, describing an ancient phenomenon experienced by the Freedom Riders, fugitive slaves and every black person who works at an all-white company.
“It was almost as if he was expecting us to … Well, I won’t speculate why he was staring. But he was staring,” explained Carraway. “Of course, being who we are, black people in South Carolina, that’s not too unusual.”
The graduates continued to shop and talk among themselves as Means watched them closely. After one of the boys made a funny comment that tickled the group, the unamused store owner asked the boys what they were laughing at. Carraway said he quickly stepped in and told the store owner that it was none of his business, at which point which Means reportedly told the group to stay together because he couldn’t “keep an eye” on all of them at one time.
That’s when one of Carraway’s sons pulled out his phone and started recording. The video shows Paul Blart, the Racist Mall Cop yelling to the group, unprompted: “Nobody touch anything unless you wanna buy.”
