Howard University Ooh La La! Dance Line Wins the #RadiantDanceOff Contest

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It’s official, the Howard University Ooh La La! dance line reigns supreme, winning the second annual HBCU Dance #RadiantDanceOff Contest presented by The Radiant Collection from Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) leading feminine protection brands Tampax® and Always®, in partnership with HBCU Dance Corporation, Inc. This year, the Ooh La La! dance line competed against 19 HBCU schools nationwide in the #RadiantDanceOff to win $20,000 and custom uniforms created by Briana Bigham, a seasoned designer who has worked with some of the most popular labels in fashion.

“HBCU dancers are some of the hardest working women on the yard, and they give their all in every performance. Their skill and on-the-field radiance shined in every #RadiantDanceOff submission we received so choosing just one winning team was a huge challenge,” says Keelia Brown, founder of HBCU Dance Corporation, Inc. “The #RadiantDanceOff competition shines a light on the confidence and talent of the amazing women on the teams, and the prize from The Tampax and Always Radiant Collection will help them keep dancing.”

This was the second annual #RadiantDanceOff contest, a national online dance competition designed exclusively for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Created in 2017, the contest was designed to change the fact that African-American women avoid activities like dancing, and even compromise their style during their periods1. The contest highlights the bold moves and fierce styles worn by HBCU dance lines to show women everywhere that they can wear and do whatever they want with confidence, any day of the month, and showcases the incredible skill of majorettes across the country.

This homecoming season, eligible HBCU dance teams competed to earn one of the top five spots in the #RadiantDanceOff competition. As per last year’s program, eligible teams entered by submitting a two-minute video that was voted on by fans, alumni and students, along with a short essay highlighting why their team runs the yard. A panel then judged the five dance teams with the highest number of votes on:

“The Tampax and Always Radiant Collection is all about giving women the freedom to be the fiercest version of themselves any day of the month,” says Melissa Suk, Brand Director, North America Feminine Care at Procter & Gamble. “The women of Howard University radiate confidence every day, and we’re happy we can help them shine even brighter on the field.”

Official Contest Rules

For full details, see the Official Rules at http://radiantdanceoff.com/rules.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open exclusively to 2018 official female marching band dance teams of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as nominated for participation by their current team director, sponsor, advisor or coach. Submission Period ended on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 at 11:59:59 am ET. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Tampax is not the Sponsor or Administrator of this Contest. Sponsor: HBCU Dance Corporation, Inc.

Key Survey Findings

  • 4 in 5 African American women say they avoid wearing certain types of clothes during their periods for fear of leaks.
  • Nearly half of African American women say they bring a jacket or sweater to wrap around their waist during their periods when they’re going out to meet friends or on a date.
  • A quarter of African American women say they avoid dancing while on their periods.
  • Half of African American women say they use mostly pads for their period protection.

Survey Methodology

The Tampax and Always Radiant Collection HBCU campaign survey was conducted by MSL, and surveyed a total of 502 African American women, aged 18-35, with some college education, 2 year college degree, 4 year college degree, graduate degree, or a post-graduate degree. The survey was implemented between the dates of September 11, 2017 and September 15, 2017.

About The Radiant Collection

With The Radiant Collection from Tampax® and Always®, women can mix and match protection for every occasion without sacrificing their personal style.

  • Tampax Radiant tampons feature a CleanSeal™ re-sealable wrapper for quick and easy, discreet disposal and a LeakGuard™ braid to help stop leaks before they happen.
  • Tampax Pocket Radiant tampons offer the same incredible protection of Tampax Radiant Tampons, in a discreet, compact size.
  • Tampax Pocket Radiant features a CleanSeal™ re-sealable wrapper for quick and easy discreet disposal and a LeakGuard™ braid to help stop leaks before they happen.
  • Always Radiant pads feature a light, clean scent and absorb 10x their weight for protection you’ll forget is even there.
  • Always Radiant Daily Liners have a CleanGuard™ quilted core to absorb wetness and odors.

About HBCU Dance Corporation, Inc.

Founded in 2010, HBCU Dance Corporation, Inc. uses dance as a way to inspire students to attend (or stay in) college, preferably at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU). Through its college centric dance camps, annual scholarships, mentoring programs, healthy food initiatives and funding assistance services, HBCU Dance Corporation plays an important role in helping female students, ages 12-22, recognize their beauty, strengths and full potential, while helping them identify and achieve their goals in college and beyond. To learn more about HBCU Dance Corporation, Inc., visit www.HBCUDance.com.

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.

1The Tampax and Always Radiant Collection HBCU campaign survey, 2017

Aggie Repeat: NCA&T Beats Alcorn for Celebration Bowl Title

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North Carolina A&T continued its Celebration Bowl dominance by defeating Alcorn State 24-22 on Saturday in a rematch of the inaugural game in 2015.  

The Aggies improved to 10-2 overall and won their third HBCU national title in the past four seasons. The also retained their Celebration Bowl title after defeating Grambling State last season.  

Senior quarterback Lamar Raynard propelled the Aggies with 292 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

However, it was another senior who stole the show. Senior return man Malik Wilson sealed the game with a 79-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter. The touchdown swayed momentum back to the Aggies and quelled the Braves’ comeback attempt.  

“I am happy they kicked the ball to Malik (Wilson),” Aggies coach Sam Washington said. “For the third time this year, when the opposing team got ‘Big Mo’ (momentum) on their side, that young man returned a kick for a touchdown.”  

The touchdown paid huge dividends. 

After struggling to move the ball, Alcorn State found some success on the ground. In the third quarter, the Braves erased a 15-point deficit when junior quarterback Noah Johnson scored a 30-yard rushing touchdown.  

Johnson rushed for 120 of his team’s 328 rushing yards. He scored two touchdowns, including a 59-yard scamper late in the second half.  

As a result, Alcorn State battled back into the game. With 5:55 left, the Braves had one final shot with the ball on their own 28-yard line. The Braves ran five plays, but couldn’t get into scoring range. The Braves ultimately punted it back to the Aggies, where Raynard orchestrated a couple of first downs to secure the victory.  

“We just had to fight,” Raynard said. “I told my guys on the sideline, if something good happens, keep playing. If something bad happens, keep playing. We rallied together, and that last drive was the most important one of the game.”  

Raynard kept the Aggies in the game early. He hit his stride with touchdown passes to his favorite targets, sophomore Zachary Leslie and junior Elijah Bell. Leslie finished with six catches and 119 yards. Bell also caught six passes for 68 yards.  

The trio gave the Aggies a 17-6 lead at halftime. Their play was needed as the Aggies mustered only five yards rushing in the half.  

“We knew Alcorn had a great defense as we watched film on them, and they play hard and fast,” Raynard said. “At times, we needed to step up and make plays. We did that as the offensive line protected well.”  

Alcorn State finished the season at 9-4. They had chances to find a rhythm early, but couldn’t punch it in. On their second drive, they drove for 84 yards on 14 plays. However, they ended up with only a 29-yard field goal from Corey McCullough. Later in the game, the Braves missed on a two-point conversion that would have tied the score.  

“We got to pick up our seniors and let them know that life is going to continue on, and they have to face the real world,” Braves coach Fred McNair said. 

Both teams will head home with things to work on in the offseason. They will be primed to make a return trip to Atlanta to play again next season.  

“Whenever you win on the national stage like this, it only helps with the kids coming to your program,” Washington said. “We are hoping this opportunity and this platform will increase our recruiting efforts.” 

This article was originally published via AJC.com

Spelman is Gifted $30M

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Center for Innovation & Arts Schematic

ATLANTA (December 13, 2018) — Spelman College has received the largest gift from living donors in its 137-year history from long-standing Spelman trustee Ronda Stryker and spouse William Johnston. The transformative $30 million gift will help build the Center for Innovation & the Arts, the College’s first new academic facility since 1996.

Chicago architect, Jeanne Gang, founding principal of the firm Studio Gang, has completed a schematic design of the 85,000 square footbuilding that will occupy a current parking lot at Spelman at the corner of Westview Drive and Lee Street.

“As former educators who believe strongly in social justice, Bill and I have great appreciation for how Spelman provides a superior education for students that encourages them to be global change agents,” said Stryker, a director of the medical equipment company Stryker Corp., as well as vice chair and director of Greenleaf Trust, an investment bank chaired by Johnston.

“Spelman alumnae are leaders across every field imaginable, breaking new ground, while tackling some of the world’s most challenging issues from health disparities to the digital divide. We are thrilled to support a building that will encourage students to master technology, innovation and the arts.”

Stryker has been a trustee of Spelman since 1997 and currently serves as the vice chair of the Spelman College Board of Trustees and chair of the Board’s Arts, Innovation & Technology Committee.

Consistent and extraordinary giving from the Stryker family has had a significant impact on Spelman. Their gift to establish the Gordon-Zeto Center for Global Education, for example, funded the expansion and ongoing operation of the College’s study abroad program. As a result, the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors report notes that Spelman sends more Black students to study abroad than any other baccalaureate college in the country with 75 percent of its 2018 graduating class having studied abroad.

Support from the Stryker family has benefitted numerous other Spelman initiatives, including the Spelman College Museum of Fine Arts, science initiatives, summer internships, the Annual Fund, the President’s Safety Net Fund, and renovations to Sisters Chapel and the Wellness Center at Read Hall.

“Ronda Stryker has been staunchly committed to the mission and ideals of Spelman College for more than 20 years. She has been an unstinting advocate for our students and has supported a wide range of strategic initiatives, critical to Spelman’s long term sustainability and the success of our students,” said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman.

“With this historic gift, yet again, Ronda’s support will be transformational. Her contribution ensures that Spelman students will be prepared to tackle the challenges of our changing world through innovation, creativity and the dynamic intersection of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (also known as STEAM).”

Including the generous gift from Stryker and Johnston, the College has raised more than one-third of the total cost of the CI&A, which received its first support from Leonard and Louise Riggio in 2016. The cost of the new facility, which includes an operating endowment and state of the art technology, is $86 million. 

The Center for Innovation & the Arts
The CI&A enables the College to bring together in one building its considerable strength in STEM with its award-winning programs in the arts. The hub of the building will be the Innovation Lab, co-directed by Brown-Simmons Professor of Computer Science Jerry Volcy, Ph.D., and Associate Professor De Angela Duff, MFA, whose work sits at the intersection of art, design, and technology, in consultation with Senior Adviser Topper Carew, Ph.D., a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab.

For the first time in the College’s history, the same building will house all of Spelman’s arts programs – art, art history, curatorial studies, dance, digital media, documentary filmmaking, photography, music and theater.

A major feature of the building will be its “Front Porch,” an element of the design that opens up the entrance of the CI&A to the Westside community and offers a set of ground floor amenities. They include an expansion of the award-winning Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, a digital theater housing publicly accessible performances, technology events, film screenings and a cafe.

A schematic of the CI&A demonstrates the innovation and intentionality behind creating a unique interdisciplinary environment. The facility will offer different scales of gathering and assorted modes of connecting and collaborating for learning and risk taking in the liberal arts.

ARTS@Spelman New Programming
Under the leadership of award-winning, innovative independent filmmaker, Ayoka Chenzira, Ph.D., division chair for the Arts, Arts@Spelman has developed a new initiative and several new majors and minors that join Music and Theater & Performance including:

• Documentary Filmmaking (major)
• Photography (major)
• Dance Performance & Choreography (major)
• Art History (major)
• Curatorial Studies (minor)
• Atlanta University Center Collective for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies, funded with a recent gift from the Walton Family Foundation
Several distinguished faculty have joined Spelman in the past three years either as permanent or distinguished visitors. They include photographer Myra Greene, filmmaker Julie Dash, director/performer/choreographer Aku Kadogo and playwright Will Power. Art historians and curators, Cheryl Finley, Ph.D., associate professor at Cornell University, and Lowery Stokes Sims, Ph.D., former curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and former executive director of the Studio Museum in Harlem, serve as senior advisers to the Art History and Curatorial Studies Collective. Andrea Barnwell-Brownlee, Ph.D., also a member of the Art History and Curatorial Studies Collective and director of the Spelman Museum, was recently named Atlanta’s Best Curator by Atlanta Magazine. 

Spelman innovation and arts leaders shared their thoughts on this significant gift:

Ayoka Chenzira, Ph.D., Division Chair for the Arts, Spelman College
“This generous gift by Ronda Stryker and William Johnston represents a deep understanding of the value of Black women’s research as it relates to artistic creative expression and the use and integration of technology to help discover and articulate new forms of imaginative processes that engage with global conversations. Spelman students will be at the forefront of these new discoveries as a result of this gift.”

Jerry Volcy, Ph.D. Co-Director, Spelman Innovation Lab, Brown-Simmons Professor of Computer Science
“Ronda’s gift takes us one big step closer to realizing a center that aims to prepare women of color to become tomorrow’s agents of innovative change.”

Topper Carew, Ph.D., Senior Adviser, Atlanta University Center Collective for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies
“The Stryker gift will further support the unprecedented ascendancy of the great Spelman women and their continuing stellar contribution to American society.”

De Angela Duff, MFA, Associate Professor, Co-Director of the Spelman College Innovation Lab
“Ronda Stryker’s gift empowers Spelman College to educate 21st century, women-of-color visionaries who will create a cultural paradigm shift by embracing creativity at the intersection of the arts and technology and harnessing the power of innovation.”

About Spelman College 
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College’s picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Spelman is the country’s leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The College’s status is confirmed by U.S. News and World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 51 among all liberal arts colleges and No. 1 among historically Black colleges and universities. The Wall Street Journal ranked the College No. 3, nationally, in terms of student satisfaction. Outstanding alumnae include Children’s Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman, Starbucks Group President and COO Rosalind Brewer, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman’s first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley, global bioinformatics geneticist Janina Jeff and authors Pearl Cleage and Tayari Jones. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu.

UNCF Stands with Bennett College

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(WASHINGTON, DC) – [December 13, 2018], Despite a 10 percent increase in fundraising, improvements in infrastructure, a two percent increase in enrollment and a grant to assist with accreditation efforts, on Dec. 11, UNCF (United Negro College Fund) member institution Bennett College was removed from membership by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).  Bennett has appealed the SACSCOC decision, and in the meantime, still maintains its SACSCOC membership. SACSCOC placed Bennett College on probation in 2016.

“At UNCF, not only do we stand by our member institutions, but we are also committed to supporting our members with the tools and resources to further enhance their sustainability and success. The fact that Bennett College has made significant improvements since being placed on accreditation probation two years ago is a testament to this Institution’s willingness and diligence  to do everything it can to meet the standards set forth by its accrediting body and to ensure  its students receive well-needed federal financial aid,” reported UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael Lomax. “Bennett College has always maintained a mission-centric culture, driven by the pursuit of academic excellence and providing its students with the best education possible. And we stand with them.”

“UNCF stands with Bennett College,” remarked UNCF Vice President of Public Policy & Government Affairs, Lodriguez Murray. “The Institution’s president, Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, the Board of Trustees and other administrators have worked diligently to increase enrollment. Thanks to strong support from its alumnae – ranked in the Top Three in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) alumni giving – the College has done a remarkable job at increasing fundraising. Under the terms of its probationary period, the College has made every effort to provide evidence of a sound financial base and resources and has demonstrated more financial stability. Bennett, along with twelve other HBCUs, received a deferment from the U.S. Department of Education for its HBCU Capital Finance Program loan. The Department is committed to reimbursing Bennett $1.185 million, and it is our hope that the Department will issue that refund in the coming days to assist Bennett and show increased financial stability. It will be disastrous if the state of North Carolina loses this historical institution that has served the community for well over a century,” Murray concluded.

Bennett College graduates women of color through a transformative liberal arts education and remains accredited and open for business. The Institution has been a pillar of the Greensboro, North Carolina, community since 1873 and provides educational access to students while promoting inquiry, civic engagement, social justice, lifelong learning and equity for all.

# # #

About UNCF
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 21 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges

Morris Brown President Stanley Pritchett To Resign

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Stanley Pritchett, who joined the Morris Brown College leadership team to help steer the school through a financial crisis and remained there for more than a decade, announced plans to resign at the end of the year, the college announced Tuesday.

The college’s Board of Trustees will name an interim president to serve until a permanent president is appointed. 

The college, located near downtown Atlanta, lost its accreditation in 2003 because of ballooning debt. Pritchett served as acting president and accepted the job full-time in 2010. 

During that time, the college grappled with near bankruptcy and hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid water bills. Pritchett helped negotiate arrangements to resolve those and other financial issues.

Morris Brown, which had about 55 students last fall, hopes to regain its accreditation next year.

Wiley College President Graduates from JSU

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(Jackson, Miss.) It has been an arduous, challenging and triumphant journey for Wiley College President Herman J. Felton Jr. One could say that statistically, the Jacksonville, Florida, native was never supposed to make it out of Jacksonville, obtain a doctorate or become one of the youngest presidents of an HBCU for that matter.

A product of poverty, he was the third child born to a 17-year-old mother. Felton shared that his grandmother died when his mother was 13, and his grandfather, a Navy and World War II veteran, was left irretrievably broken. “His soul died when his wife died,” Felton said. “So, my mom was essentially raised by her older sister.”

Eventually, Felton’s mother struck out on her own. By the time she was 25, she was raising six children alone. “We grew up in the inner city of Jacksonville, and I did everything that everyone else did in my housing complex,” he states, offering no further clarification on what that “everything” was exactly. Perhaps some things are better left unsaid, plus those days are far behind him now, and he has accomplished so much with so little.

At 18, he had a 1.29 GPA and failed to finish high school. Instead, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps where he was diagnosed with dyslexia. “That was a blessing. It crushed the myth in my mind (that I wasn’t smart), that (instead) I was suffering from a learning disability,” he says.

In order to stay enlisted, Felton had to complete his high school diploma or GED within one year. He then confessed to the woman in charge of testing that when he attempted to read words and letters they appeared jumbled. “She instantly knew what it was and told me to pick out a topic that I really loved, which was black history,” he explains. “She gave me a bunch of books, and we started doing exercises with flip cards.” Before he knew it, he was reading a full paragraph – a paragraph led to a chapter, and a chapter became a book.

Felton subsequently received his GED, and after spending eight years in the Marines, he was honorably discharged in ’97. Back in his hometown, he sold cars and worked as a collections agent before landing his “dream job” with the U.S. postal service.

However, the Marine said he knew he wanted to pursue higher education. So he enrolled in community college until a recruiter convinced him to attend Edward Waters College and the “rest is history.”

Three years later, Felton graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and was awarded a full scholarship to the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida.

What could be considered ironic, Felton points out, is that he was a Virgil Hawkins Scholar. Hawkins sued to desegregate the University of Florida, and the lawsuit waged on for nearly 10 years. Finally, Florida officials agreed to a settlement and extended admissions to all Florida residents regardless of race with the caveat that Hawkins would never enroll.

“But he laid down so that we can stand,” says Felton, who is also the co-founder of the Higher Education Leadership Foundation (H.E.L.F.), an organization established to ensure a pipeline of “transformational, highly skilled and principled leaders are identified and cultivated to meet the needs, challenges and opportunities facing the nations HBCUs.”

Once Felton received his law degree, he was offered a directorship position at Murray State in Kentucky where he was schooled in fundraising, worked in the president’s office and taught government law. As destiny would have it, former Edward Waters College President Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins Sr., was tapped to lead Livingstone College. He gave the young alum a call and said: “it was time to come home.”

Felton started as Jenkins executive assistant and worked his way up to chief operations officer then senior vice president for institutional advancement.

“It was the absolute best gift a mentor could give a mentee. He gave me an opportunity to understand every facet of an institution,” explained Felton, who had his hands in everything from external relations, managing the cabinet, serving as athletic director to vice president for student affairs while still holding down his duties as VP for advancement.

The 47-year-old said that his mentor extensively prepared him for his next phase in life, which was heading Wilberforce University where he spent two years. Now, the 17th president of Wiley says one of the most important decisions he faces as a leader is ensuring he is doing the right thing on a daily basis.

“No matter how much it hurts or whom that decision impacts, it is a constant struggle to do the right thing without emotion,” says Felton, before adding that some HBCUs are distressed assets. “Not all of them, but some of them. It’s not a negative connotation because it’s still an asset, but it’s distressed at times. You have to figure out how to maneuver what some believe to be monolithic institutions.”

Remaining current and viable while serving students, showing an academic rigor that is uncompromising, while looking forward with the past in mind is Felton’s rule of governance. He explains that a false move like eliminating a program that seems to be the right thing to do but not understanding context can put an administration in trouble.

Apart from vision and core values, the president says Wiley’s mission is the most important to him. “For 146 years, Wiley College has been a continuum of excellence in the civil rights space and liberal arts education, and I want to continue as my 16 other predecessors did,” he says, “which is doing what the United Methodist Church and the school believes to be essential to Americana and that is producing good human beings that transform the world and the people they encounter.”

A distinction that appears to set Felton apart from other university presidents is the fact he wears a fitted baseball cap or “fitted cap” nearly everywhere he goes. He offers no other explanation for his choice in headgear other than he likes it. However, he does mention that the hat engages others and breaks down walls simultaneously without him having to say a word.

“For me, it is a constant reminder to remember who I am, where I came from and whom I represent,” he says.

Trap music is also a consistent part of his routine. Although he starts his morning off with gospel music, when he walks out the door he is “trapping for the rest of the day.” Nuanced in the music are messages that he says resonate with him.

“It’s more about self-actualization than it is about the words. There are so many reaffirming messages to remind you that you have a charge to keep. You are representing many other people. You are worthy. You are capable. You are competent,” he says, before pointing out that implicit to him in the music, whether it be rappers Rich Homie Quan, 2Chainz or T.I. that hustling is not bad, and it is not necessarily tied to “slanging dope.”

“Hustling is about grinding and being excellent and being the best at what you do. It’s a mindset. I challenge myself daily through metaphors and 16 bars. That is where the challenge comes for me, and it is undergirded in the faces of the kids who walk on my campus,” he says.

Although Felton stresses mentorship as critical for individuals ascending to senior-level positions, he also includes understanding board governance, external constituents, fundraising and being student-centered as mainstays of leadership in higher education.

“I welcome students who are active, who question the process. However, I also welcome and favor teaching them how to do that,” he shares.

He exhaled deeply when asked before Friday’s graduation ceremony how it feels to know that he is receiving his doctoral degree in executive leadership – a degree he has pursued for nearly 10 years. “It is unbelievable to accomplish the task of obtaining the ever elusive Ph. D., so I am grateful, just grateful, to get there,” he says, before crediting Jackson State University President Dr. William B. Bynum Jr. for aiding him in the process.

“Dr. Bynum is a phenomenal individual. I started this program in 2008 with my fellow cohorts, and now George French (president of Miles College) and I, miraculously, are walking out the door together, and it is because of the leadership of Dr. Bynum.”

-JSU-

The Cast Of ‘A Different World’ Gave $100k Check To This HBCU

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The cast of A Different World is giving back to a historically black college and university (HBCU) in need.

According to EBONY, the cast of the former NBC sitcom partnered with Ford to give Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas a $100,000 check. Cree Summer, Jasmine Guy, Darryl Bell and Kadeem Hardison presented the check to the university as part of Ford’s Ultimate Homecoming Takeover initiative.

Afterward, they stayed to discuss the impact of the show.

“We had different classes, different colorings, different backgrounds, different aspirations and that’s one thing I loved about A Different World,” Jasmine Guy said of the show. “It showed the true spirit about what being Black is, and that it is diverse within itself.”

The show, which premiered in 1988, was an instant hit. Featuring a cast of educated Black students, the series opened up the conversation on taboo issues such as race, sex, and equal rights.

Though the show only ran for five years, its impact is still felt today. A new promo for Freeform’s Grown-ish‘s upcoming second season pays tribute to the iconic opening title sequence of A Different World. 

Current DC Development Deal Threatens Livelihood of Howard University Hospital + College of Medicine

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#HowardMedicineMatters is an effort to save the Howard University Hospital and College of Medicine from GREAT danger.

If you are a student or graduate of a historically black college of university,  you should know that the nation’s only HBCU, teaching-hospital and College of Medicine are in jeopardy.

Here is a synopsis of what is going on in layman’s terms:

There is a new “East End” hospital coming to the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

When the city was accepting proposals for this hospital, Howard University submitted an awesome proposal. So great in fact, that major elements of this proposal were accepted but there is one issue: HOWARD UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL WAS NOT SELECTED!

Can you believe the George Washington team was selected!!!?

We are NOT completely surprised either, that the Howard University team was shut out. This is sad. This is also mirrors a pattern history books have shown us far too long.

What does this mean?

Currently, Howard University Hospital (HUH) is the only Level 1 trauma center in the area.

For medical students, in order to become certified in a sub-speciality, the students have to have a facility to learn in, that will grant them a certain amount of exposure to their specialty. Currently this is HUH.

Example: Let’s say a student is studying to be an OBGYN. The requirement may be for him/her to view/assist 100 baby births. Currently, this is possible at HUH. With this new hospital coming to the area, business/resources will be greatly impacted. The new hospital will impact the types of patients HUH receives as well as the volume. After the new hospital opens, the student may only be able to view/assist 50 births due to the volume of patients the new hospital pulls …therefore meaning it will be much harder for students to execute, learn, and become the top-producing African American physicians that HU is know for creating, because the exposure will ultimately be impacted.

Did you know that right now there are 1,700 physicians working in the city that were trained at Howard University! Why would anyone cut the production of this pipeline of professionals?

What do we want?

Don’t be confused… the new “East End” hospital is a wonderful possibility and Howard University stands in full support of increasing the medical access to DC residents in Wards 7 and 8! This is their mission, they would never want to impede that! Howard University simply wants access for its medical students so they are afforded the opportunity to learn in the new, cutting-edge hospital too. HUH has already pioneered the medical movement in Wards 7 and 8 and it seems unfair that they would be cut-out of any proposal that directly supports the mission of HUH….. Not to mention Howard essentially submitted the winning proposal in the first place!

Social Media Movement:

Share your sentiments on social media using #HowardMedicineMatters. Tag @MayorBowser, tag @HowardU.

Tell:

.@MayorBowser, @HowardU students deserve a seat at the table. #HowardMedicineMatters Allow the Black students at the only HBCU hospital access to new opportunity TOO!

#HowardMedicineMatters, @MayorBowser, there is blood on your hands if the @HowardU Hospital and College of Medicine lose accreditation or close! REWRITE the proposal to include Howard. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL!

Take action:

Sign the petition!!

Read the Howard University News Release, then:

On Monday, December 3rd, 2018 at noon, rally in front of HUH to show you support equal access and opportunity . hu students need access to learn from new facilities too!

…medical students of all disciplines

…medical professionals,wear your scrubs

all those who support, come out and rally.

We cannot let the current deal pass.

The council vote is December 4th. We have one day to make Mayor Bowser realize the impact of this potentially fatal decision.

Just write Howard into the current proposal. That is all we want.

Howard University 400 Medley Relay Squad Sets New School Record at the H2ound Invitational

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BALTIMORE (November 30, 2018) – Senior KaSandra Kaplan (Detroit), sophomore DeAngela Fobbs (Upper Marlboro, Md.), and freshmen Madison Freeland (Glenside, Pa.) and India Jackson (Philadelphia) etched themselves into the Howard University record books as they set a new school mark in the women’s 400 medley relay, posting a 3:58.09 time, at the H2ounds Invitational session one.

“This is a great achievement,” said Howard Men’s & Women’s Swimming & Diving head coach Nicholas Askew. “I know the hard work those four put in during practice and it showed today.”

The previous mark was established at the 2017 Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Championships.

Other notable performances from session one included sophomore Kegan Ford (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago) registering the school’s fifth-fastest time in the 50 Free (21.23) while men’s 400 medley relay squad of Ford, seniors Alexander Barnes (Rockledge, Fla.) and Farion Cooper II (Nassau, Bahamas) and newcomer Miguel Davis, Jr. (Prince George’s County, Md.) produced the third-best mark in the program’s history (3:29.20).

Currently, both squads sit fourth overall in the event. Loyola (Md.) leads after session one.

To view Friday’s results, please Click Here.

Howard concludes the weekend with session two and three at the H2ounds Invitational, hosted by Loyola (Md.).

For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

15 Things You May Not Know about Alanis Morissette

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Beloved Canadian songstress Alanis Morissette may have slipped out of the music scene for a while but her widely successful tunes continue to dominate even today.  While you may know the basics about Alanis, such as the fact that she was born in 1974 and has a twin brother called Wade, there’s a lot more to that you oughta know about the teen angst superstar of the 90s.

  1. Alanis recorded her very first song when she was just 10 years old, called ‘Fate Stay with Me’.
  2. Her first album, released in Canada back in 1991, was actually a pop album, since her alternative rock phase came much later. Considered the Debbie Gibson of Canada at the time, she opened shows for Vanilla Ice and featured beloved Friends actor Matt LeBlanc in the video for her single ‘Walk Away’
  3. Alanis is also something of a fitness buff, having worked as an aerobics teacher as well as forming part of a swim team. She has revealed that she has a strong passion for sports and dancing.
  4. She has one wicked sense of humour, featuring in a viral spoof of Fergie’s popular hit: My Humps
  5. “You Oughta Know” features contributions from Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ bassist and guitarist Flea and Dave Navarro, brought in by Maverick Records’ Guy Oseary to add something extra to the now iconic track.
  6. In 2010,  Alanis married rapper Mario ‘Souleye’ Treadway and the two are still happily together to this day. Alanis has admitted the marriage was one of the smartest decisions of her life: “with Souleye, when I first met him, I could see that there was this limitlessness to where we could go.”
  7. Among her high-profile relationships, the most infamous had to be her 3-year engagement to Ryan Reynolds, The two met at a birthday party for Drew Barrymore.
  8. Alanis was introduced to the entire Maverick Recording Company team (who produced Jagged Little Pill) in her sweatpants. According to EW, “they said, ‘You need to go over and meet everybody at Madonna’s label.’ And I said, ‘I’m in my f—ing sweatpants!’ And they said, ‘Well, you gotta go now!’ So my first meeting with the whole team was me in my sweatpants. It was horrifying. Thankfully, they loved my music.”
  9. Earlier this month, singer Michael Buble hinted that he formed part of a secret poker ring together with Alanis and other well-known Canadian celebrities, including Celine Dion and Drake.
  10. The successful track “Hand in my Pocket” was written in just one hour, according to co-writer Glen Ballard, “I saw her write that in front of me, like, in an hour,”
  11. “Ironic” almost didn’t make it onto the album… it was actually Glen Ballard who pushed Alanis into it as she wasn’t convinced of its long-term worth.
  12. A Broadway show that will be based on Jagged Little is currently in the works according to an interview with Alanis in Billboard. Tom Kitt will be composing, the same guy behind the theatrical production of Green Day’s American Idiot.
  13. ‘Hand in my Pocket’ was supposed to be the theme song for “Dawson’s Creek”, rather than Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait” but the producers failed to secure the rights to the song and by the time the series was set to premier, Alanis Hit was out of Warner Brother’s price range. However, the series finale does actually feature the song in it’s opening credit sequence, which is played out like an old home movie.
  14. Jagged Little Pill features a secret track called “Your House (A Capella)” at the very end that will only play if the album is played on a loop.
  15. She recently rewrote the lyrics of her hit single ‘Ironic’ to better reflect the ‘ironies’ of modern society… and they’re awesome!

The UNCF STEM Scholars Program Scholarship is Now OPEN

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The UNCF STEM Scholars Program is a ten-year initiative designed to identify and provide scholarship and academic support for a total of 500 talented African American high school students who aspire to earn STEM degrees and to pursue careers in STEM fields.

The application is now open.

Visit UNCF.org/STEMApplication for full details.

The program enables highly capable young people to pursue undergraduate STEM majors and prepares them for successful careers in a variety of STEM professions. The application is open for high school seniors who are entering college as first-time freshmen in fall 2019. 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To qualify, applicants must:

  • Be African American
  • Be a citizen, legal permanent resident, or national of the United States
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on an unweighted 4.0 scale
  • Pursued a rigorous course of study in high school in math and science courses, including pre-calculus
  • Have demonstrated financial and unmet need as measured by the student’s college or university
  • Show evidence of readiness for and commitment to pursue STEM majors, including biological/life sciences, physics, chemistry, computer science/engineering, information sciences, engineering (industrial, mechanical, electrical or chemical), mathematics
  • Complete all of the application essays
  • Arrange for a letter of recommendation to be submitted via the UNCF application portal
  • Be enrolled for the first time at a U.S.-located, accredited college or university (with the exception of students concurrently pursuing a high school diploma while taking college-level courses) in the fall as a full-time, degree-seeking, first-year student
  • Complete and submit the application by the deadline of March 3, 2019, 11:59 p.m. EST


APPLICATION PROCESS

  • Submission of one letter or recommendation submitted by a high school STEM teacher or a STEM program sponsor/mentor (an individual who has engaged the student in a STEM program during the school year and/or summer, and who can provide insight into the student’s academic performance and potential for success in pursuing a STEM degree)
  • Completion of all essays
  • Completion of application form to include demographic information and student record of leadership and community service record

APPLICATION TIPS

  • Here are some things you can do to prepare for submitting a competitive application:
  • Begin thinking and talking to parents, counselors, and teachers about your plans and what you will need to do to be ready to be a strong candidate for college admission and student aid.
  • Carefully consider which of your teachers and STEM program sponsors to ask for a letter of recommendation. They will help us better understand what type of student you are by providing insight into your academic performance and potential.
  • Apply for federal student aid. Go to FAFSA.ed.govto familiarize yourself with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to get more information on federal student aid. If you are a finalist, UNCF will use this form to confirm your citizenship and better understand your financial need.
  • Review your transcript to be sure that your GPA and the courses you have taken make you eligible for this program. Also, be sure to keep your grades up so that your mid-year transcript is favorable.
  • Let UNCF get to know you through your essays and help us to better understand your interest, goals, motivation, and experiences that have shaped your decision to pursue an undergraduate STEM degree.

 

PROGRAM BENEFITS

  • Tiered tuition scholarships based on your demonstrated financial need:
    • Up to $2,500 per academic year for freshmen and sophomores, $5,000 for juniors and seniors, and an additional
    • Up to $5,000 for students whose academic programs require a fifth year
  • Scholarships are renewable for five undergraduate years, contingent upon:
    • Maintenance of a 3.0 (out of 4.0) grade-point average + Continued full-time enrollment to degree in an eligible STEM major
    • A $5,000 stipend based on a STEM-related project/internship of the student’s interest
  • Academic support and mentoring
  • Access to online academic support service and resource platform and other STEM-discipline support services

Participation in:

  • K-12 STEM Summer Institute (pre-college)
  • UNCF Student Tech Empowerment Workshop
  • Career-development support:
  • Mentoring, training and education
  • Access to entrepreneurial training in launching new tech ventures through competitive Venture Accelerator program + High school/pre-college STEM summer leadership institute

Visit UNCF.org/STEMApplication for full details.

Howard Alumna Ezinne Kwubiri Named H&M Head of Diversity & Inclusion

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However, last year, the company faced strong criticism regarding the cultural insensitivity of the marketing one of its childrenswear products online. The company’s immediate response was swift, “Our position is simple — we have got this wrong and we are deeply sorry. This incident is accidental in nature, but this doesn’t mean we don’t take it extremely seriously or understand the upset and discomfort it has caused.”Seeking to prevent any similar mistakes from happening again, the company is now rolling out a series of new initiatives designed to increase diversity of representation at all levels of the business, and ensure that the shared experiences, cultures and expertise of its workforce adequately inform its commercial and strategic activities.

To hear more, BoF sat down with Ezinne Kwubiri, the newly appointed head of inclusion and diversity, North America.

Ezinne Kwubiri, North America Inclusion and Diversity Manager | Source: Courtesy

What does your role entail?

I report directly to the president of H&M North America — as well as working closely with Annie Wu, the global head of inclusivity and diversity who is based in Stockholm. I’m coming from a completely different organization and I want to challenge the status quo. I see myself as the new blood, the new person in the office that is coming with a fresh perspective. I want to challenge the mindset across the board, from the way we do our promotions, to our hiring process, to how we interact with our employees and customers, as well as their communities— who all deserve our support and celebration.

How is the company responding to the criticism it received earlier in the year regarding an e-commerce marketing image?

We are, of course, still very aware of what happened, and still very aware we made a mistake. We’re determined to continue moving forward in a positive way and to create genuine change. One of our values at H&M is constant improvement and we really mean it. These challenges and opportunities are bigger and more important than one incident. We want to know what does real representation really look like at a global scale retailer? How do people feel when they’re walking through the door and how do they feel while working here? Hopefully within the next couple of months people can really see how we have become increasingly active in our communities to build a process of authentic interaction, representation and, importantly, support.

How is H&M approaching its reorientation to ensure it is representative in the future?

We knew we did not want to build our strategy in a reactionary way — filled with the unconscious biases it is being designed to tackle. So, it was really important that we put real data and information first in coming up with our plan. Prior to my joining, the global office in Sweden did a lot of the legwork as far as looking into what our employees are saying and how our customers are feeling. In addition to that, we’ve partnered with external consultants in order to provide further demographic data and launched a series of focus groups that we’ve conducted with our customers as well as internally. This is to take the temperature of the brand, to see how people feel when they think about H&M and see this in data we can use to create positive change.

What areas will you focus on initially as a result of your findings?

We are looking specifically at race, gender, age and sexual orientation, as well as disability and many other areas. For the US, we are seeking to do three things, to educate and raise awareness, to become better advocates for the communities we are a part of, and finally to challenge the status quo and accepted mindset about how we achieve things.

We want to know what does real representation really look like at a global scale retailer?

When we talk about educating, it’s really listening to what the people are saying and ensuring that our teams are equipped with the necessary skills. For the executive management team, we have rolled out a two-step awareness-raising training programme — designed in collaboration with an external expert — focused on unconscious bias and diversity of thought and perspectives. Trainings have already been conducted with prioritised business functions in head office, as well as the executive management team across the organisation. Currently, we are setting up the plan for the remaining functions — all the way through to our store associates to receive the same training.

As advocates, we have also launched a new programme that we’re calling Champions of Change, which is essentially our employee resource group. This internal community will share cultural experiences from diverse backgrounds and differing operational perspectives. We want to offer an open forum for supporting each other and learning from each other. Believing in people is another of our values at H&M and we see our team members and the H&M family as our most effective agents of positive change.

To challenge the mindsets of our management teams, and all of our employees, we have also developed an internal advisory council, which will drive our strategy for inclusivity and diversity throughout our work and our workplaces.

What role does community play in your plans?

Advocating within and on behalf of our communities is fundamental. We are really committed to becoming better advocates in our local communities. I want to empower the team members in our stores who know their markets and communities best, to seek out and support local causes that are meaningful and important to them — and in turn foster that authentic community partnership.

I want to make sure that when someone thinks about H&M, that they know truly what we stand for. From the kind of company that we are to the diverse and inspirational individuals we both employ in the company and empower in the community. My job is a completely new role for H&M, and the company buy-in behind these projects goes all the way to the top and stretches throughout the organisation.

Bianca Golden, NYC Teacher Keeps It Real With Students

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When a Black, HBCU-educated woman is passionate about the work she does, you’ll know it. This is exactly the case for former America’s Next Top Model contestant, Bianca Golden.

The once Lincoln University Lion is currently teaching in New York, which can unquestionably come with a unique set of challenges being located in the inner-city.

Golden was born and raised in New York herself, hailing from Queens where she attended Hillcrest High School.

On the show, Golden got eliminated just before the final three, lasting 12 out of 13 episodes. One of the areas of opportunity mentor Tyra Banks indicated for Golden was her attitude. Nearly a decade later, Golden has taken her advice, grown herself, gotten another degree and is now changing the lives & attitudes of the students in New York City. She shares one of these moments with us:

“I’m Not easily impressed but Y’all are impressive”

“…To ME, that’s a problem!”

“if you don’t like me because I have checked you several times, I am okay with that.”

“i’m okay with y’all not liking me, if, by the end of the day yall ate better people!”

Y’all know better than that. Y’all ARE better than that.”

It takes strength to recognize your flaws and even more power to conquer that flaw. Golden works daily to pour into the students of New York, trying to help her students steer clear of issues she faced in the city at their ages. Bianca, thank you for sharing your beautiful testimony.

You count on a teacher who received an education on the campus of a culturally strong, mundane-rebuking historically black university to “keep it real”.

—

Bianca Golden is signed with Major Model Management in New York, Fusion Model Management in South Africa, Click Models in Boston and Ford Models in Chicago. She was one of the models in the finale of Project Runway (Season 5). She has modeled in Essence, Cosmopolitan, The Source and for various brands. She has also taken part in Farah Angsana Spring 2010 presentation as well as multiple fashion weeks and BET’s Rip The Runway shows. Bianca has also appeared on The Tyra Banks Show several times.

Bowie State Tops West Alabama to Advance in NCAA Region 2 Playoffs

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BOWIE, Md. – After capturing their first CIAA championship a week ago, the Bowie State University Bulldogs (10-2) received a birth into the NCAA Division 2 Super Region 2 playoffs for the second consecutive season. This year, BSU defeated West Alabama, 41-35, to win their first ever playoff game.

In the first quarter, Martin Tyriq scored on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Harry Satterwhite, to put West Alabama on the board at 7-0. At the 10-minute mark in the second quarter, Bowie State’s Jordan Crockett caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Amir Hall to tie the score at 7-7.. Hall followed that up with a 3-yard touchdown run, strengthening the Bulldogs lead, to 14-7. West Alabama’s Jonnas Spivey recorded a 38-yard pass from Satterwhite, to tie the game, 14-all. Gene Carson connected on an 18-yard field goal, giving Bowie State a 17-14 advantage at halftime.
Carson connected on another field-goal, this time from 18 yards to give the Bulldogs a lead at 20-14 at the 9:08 mark of the third quarter. At the 7:34 mark, BSU’s Bryan Ellis rushed for a 3-yard touchdown (his career first), giving Bowie State more breathing room at 27-14. The Tigers of West Alabama responded with 1:51 left in the quarter, with Tyler Rogers 14-yard score, closing the Bulldogs lead to 27-21.

In the fourth quarter, Christian Saulsberry quieted the 1,531 Bowie State fans in attendance, with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Satterwhite, giving West Alabama, the 28-27 lead.
However, Hall answered by running for a five-yard touchdown, giving the lead back to Bowie State, 34-28. With 9:08 remaining on the Bulldog Stadium scoreboard, Roger Richardson intercepted a UWA pass and returned it 36-yards, putting Bowie State up, 41-28. Tyler Rogers scored from two yards out at the 5:09 mark of the fourth quarter, to narrow Bowie State’s lead to 41-35, but fortunately for the Bulldogs, the clock ran out on West Alabama as the Bulldogs claimed the victory and advanced to the second round for the first time in school history.

Hall finished the game completing 31-of-48 passes for 360 yards and one touchdown. He also paced Bowie State in rushing yards with 51 and one score. Crockett had a BSU personal-best day, leading all receivers with 131 reception yards on seven receptions and one touchdown. Lansana Sesay matched Crockett’s receptions (seven), tallying 86 yards while Gilbert Lunsford added five catches for 50 yards.

On defense, Tre’von King recorded a game-high 10 tackles followed by Richardson with seven and Tevin Singleton with six. Thomas Riddick and Derrick Tate recorded five tackles each. As a defensive unit, Bowie State recorded 62 tackles, one sack, and three interceptions.

Satterwhite led West Alabama (8-4) on offense with 289 passing yards while Rogers accounted 55 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns. West Alabama’s Qua Boyd was the teams’ reception leader with 97 yards on eight catches. Danny Rambo paced West Alabama with seven tackles while teammates Terry Samuel and Jordan Jones were responsible for six and five tackles in the loss. With the win, Bowie State advances to the second round to face top-seeded Valdosta State next Saturday in Valdosta, Ga.

HBCU fans may remember Valdosta State as the team that denied Winston-Salem State a national championship in 2012.

NCAT Aggies Punish NCCU Eagles 45-0, Return to Celebration Bowl

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DURHAM – North Carolina A&T got everything it wanted out of its 45-0 win over archrival North Carolina Central in football action Saturday afternoon at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. We can start with the fact that N.C. A&T shutout their archrival in the most lopsided contest between the two schools since the Eagles rejoined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2011.

Also, in the everything went their way category was junior all-conference wide receiver Elijah Bell who looked completely healthy, at least healthy enough to make 10 grabs for 122 yards and two touchdowns putting one career TD reception shy of tying the school record.

Speaking of someone who looked injury-free. After missing last week’s game against Savannah State, Aggies quarterback Lamar Raynard had his best game of the season. He threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns on 16-for-23 passing and he did not throw an interception.

Raynard’s longtime teammate from high school into college, Marquell Cartwright, rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. His performance carried him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second straight season.

Running Back U continues to be a serious issue for N.C. A&T opponents. The 2018 season marks the eighth time in nine seasons the Aggies have had a 1,000-yard rusher. The only exception in that span was 2012 when Mike Mayhew ran for 848 yards. Cartwright will also lead the MEAC in rushing for the second consecutive season.

And yes, everything went right for the Aggies defensively as well. In what was a complete annihilation of the Eagles offense, the Aggies held NCCU (4-6, 2-4) offense to 41 yards. That includes minus-21 yards rushing from NCCU. Saturday marked the 19th time the Aggies have shutout the Eagles in the 90-year history of the storied rivalry.

“That’s what we do. That’s what we’re about. Stop the run,” said N.C. A&T coach Sam Washington. “They play into what we do, so we knew we could give them a considerable amount of problems. The thing you worry about is are the kids going to deviate from what we do because their eyes start to deceive them. But they didn’t. They did a good job of executing the game plan.”

Oh, but things got even better for the Aggie faithful as the nighttime sky began to cover the Bull City. The Aggies 51st all-time win over the Eagles was completed at 5 p.m. At 5:13 p.m., the Aggies piled into the Walker Physical Education and Recreation Complex to celebrate their fourth MEAC title in five years after closing out the regular season 9-2 overall and 6-1 in conference play.

What they did not know as they jumped up and down with exuberance, was if they were going to be outright champions and earn a third Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl bid in four years, or if they were going to share the title with Florida A&M and wait to be handed an FCS NCAA playoff berth Sunday afternoon.

FAMU held the Aggies fate in their hands. A win by the Rattlers and the Aggies would have to share the title, miss the Celebration Bowl and settle for a possible playoff berth. As players and coaches watched on their hand-held devices FAMU face rival Bethune-Cookman in the annual Florida Classic on an app, the Rattlers were at the B-CU 10-yard line trailing 26-19 with 37 seconds remaining.

B-CU’s Tydarius Peter’s 90-yard pick-6 to seal the game for the Wildcats sends the Walker Gym lobby into another frenzy as a new celebration breaks out. At 5:27 p.m., the Aggies realized they were headed back to Atlanta. They also realized they had their second straight outright MEAC championship and their 10th MEAC title in school history. Yes, everything went right for the Aggies.

“We have a championship coaching staff. That has been proven year after year after year,” said Washington. “And we have a bunch of great players to be proud of. Four championships in five years say a lot. The one year we didn’t win the conference, we went to the playoffs. Forty wins for this senior class? That’s a tremendous feat on any level.”

It also means four straight postseason appearances for the senior class. That has never happened before in the history of Aggies football. N.C. A&T has won 11 straight true road games and 13 straight away from BB&T Stadium.

N.C. A&T’s path to Atlanta in 2018 was an interesting one. They opened the season with two impressive wins. They first defeated FCS No. 6 Jacksonville State before downing FBS foe East Carolina on the road. Three weeks later the Aggies had their 15-game winning streak snapped in a 16-13 upset loss to Morgan State on a last-second field goal at BB&T Stadium. On Oct. 13, the Aggies held a 21-6 lead over FAMU before losing 22-21 on a last-second field goal at BB&T Stadium.

The loss put FAMU in the driver’s seat for the outright title that they had a chance to clinch three weeks ago. But a loss to Howard put the Aggies back in contention for the Celebration Bowl bid. N.C. A&T’s 28-12 win over Savannah State last week put the Aggies in a position to steal the outright crown.

They did their part as they jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead on a 4-yard miraculous grab from Bell and a 35-yard TD run from Cartwright. Sophomore Noel Ruiz then booted a 32-yard field goal before sophomore Jah-Maine Martin ran in from 10-yards out to give the Aggies a 24-0 halftime lead. After Cartwright scored on a 1-yard run 2 ½ minutes into the second half, it became apparent there was nothing for an Aggie fan to do but pull out their cell phones and scoreboard watch.

“We appreciate you guys,” Raynard told @BCUGridIron on Twitter, Saturday.
That’s because the Wildcats helped to make everything go right for the Aggies on Saturday.

Howard University Wins Fourth Straight MEAC Volleyball Championship

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WASHINGTON, D.C.,—Howard University won its fourth straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) volleyball championship Sunday evening in Burr Gymnasium, sweeping North Carolina A&T State 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 25-16). The Bison claimed the MEAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The NCAA Selection Show will be on Sunday, Nov. 25 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

Jurnee Tipton led the Bison (20-10) with nine kills on a night when offense was at a premium. She had 12 digs to go with her offensive production, while Tamia Dockery added 28 assists and 14 digs for yet another double-double. Both Tipton and Dockery were named to the All-Tournament Team, as was Outstanding Performer Kira Porter.

Fola Wilson led the Howard defense with 20 digs.

“This was an ugly game offensively,” Shaun Kupferberg, Howard head coach and the tournament’s Outstanding Coach, said. “And a lot of that has to do with A&T’s defense. They’re a defensive-minded team, just like us, and that showed through tonight.”

Both teams hit below .100 for the match, and in the first two sets, the Aggies – the No. 3 seed from the Southern Division – were game. In fact, the Aggies (14-12) were within two late in the first set, having cut the lead to 24-23.

But Tipton answered with a kill on the next point, giving the Bison a 1-0 lead in their fifth straight championship match appearance.

North Carolina A&T State then jumped out to an 8-2 lead to open the second set, finding that margin on an Edie Brewer kill. But the Bison answered by scoring 10 of the next 14 points, tying the set at 12-12 after Courtney Dalton and Indira Dandridge paired on a block. Howard’s momentum carried from there, and the Bison led 19-15.

But the Aggies had another spurt in them, and a Courteney Pitt kill gave them a 25-24 lead and set them up to tie the match at 1-1. But Howard answered with two Kailyn Williams kills and a Porter strike to close out the set 27-25.

The Aggies led 3-1 early in the third set, but Howard used a 10-2 run to go up 11-5 and take control of the set. The clincher came when Fatimah Shabazz committed an attack error, ending the set and giving the Bison another trophy.

“They’re all different,” Kupferberg said of his four straight titles. “It’s so hard to compare one year to the next. We’ll enjoy this one tonight and then focus on getting ready for the NCAA Tournament.”

“I feel a closeness with this year’s seniors simply because I’ve been with them longer,” Porter said. “And that makes this one really sweet.”

Pitt and Brewer joined Porter, Tipton and Dockery on the All-Tournament Team, as did Florida A&M’s Maria Yvette Garcia and Bethune-Cookman’s Jordan Jefferson.

Outstanding Performer: Kira Porter, Howard
Outstanding Coach: Shaun Kupferberg, Howard

All-Tournament Team
Jordan Jefferson, Bethune-Cookman
Maria Yvette Garcia, Florida A&M
Tamia Dockery, Howard
Kira Porter, Howard
Jurnee Tipton, Howard
Edie Brewer, North Carolina A&T State
Courteney Pitt, North Carolina A&T State