4 HBCUs To Appear In NCAA March Madness Tournament

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Like clockwork, college basketball fans are gearing up to watch the NCAA’s best teams battle it out during the March Madness tournament. This year, four teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are set to take the stage during basketball’s Big Dance. 

If you’re in the market for a team to add to your tournament brackets, check out a few reasons you should consider an HBCU: 

North Carolina Central University (NCCU) men’s team claimed the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship title in a game against Norfolk State University. The NCCU Eagles, in team’s third consecutive year at the tournament, are set to take on North Dakota State during their premiere game in the first round on Wednesday.

Prairie View A&M University is making its first appearance in the tournament as Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) champs in 20 years. The Panthers came out victorious in a tight 92-86 game against Texas Southern University and will face Fairleigh Dickinson University on Tuesday.

Bethune-Cookman University’s Lady Wildcats defeated Norfolk State University, claiming the MEAC’s championship title. This marks the first NCAA appearance for the Lady Wildcats. When the team won the SWAC title 25 years ago, it didn’t come with an automatic bid into the tournament. The Lady Wildcats will go up against No. 1 seed Notre Dame in their tournament debut on Saturday.

Head over to Ebony to read more.

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‘I’m Home’: Trayvon Martin’s Mother Sybrina Fulton Returns To Grambling As Women’s History Month Keynote Speaker

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“Ms. Fulton is an important voice for social change today,” said GSU President Rick Gallot. “We are excited for our students to witness her example of how we can all champion progress for our community.”

The activist often shares memories of her attending Grambling State University for two years during 1984-1986. She explains that she really enjoyed the university, but wasn’t quite prepared for the Northern Louisiana weather!

As a GSU student, Fulton majored in English and minored in Communications. She later graduated from Florida Memorial University in Miami.

A current communication’s student at GSU, Sarah Renee Garner, who was touched by the Women’s Day speech says Fulton’s life and experiences greatly impacted her passion for social justice.

Garner’s college admission essay was entitled: “My Emergence in Social Justice: The Deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown.”


Sarah-Renee with Sybrina Martin

As a high school student, Garner’s counselors advised her to chose a less controversial topic; however, she decided to write about what mattered most to her. Every university to which she applied (except one), accepted her for admission. Three of them reached out to her and said they enjoyed her essay.

Although Fulton often looks forward to sharing her powerful messages with everyone from colleges, legal professionals, community and family organizations, and all other proponents of social justice, she explains that she is not your average speaker.

“I am not polished and speaking isn’t something I went to school for,” she said. “I am just being myself and attempting to empower the youth.”

Her messages don’t only appeal to people’s hearts as it relates to children, but is also one of hope and change, exemplified by her personal experiences and endeavors.

She discusses often what happened February 26, 2012, the night her son Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida.

After the tragic loss, Fulton did not give up. She has been fighting for social justice for the past seven years every day so that less mothers would have to experience the excruciating pain she feels.

During her powerful Women’s Day speech at GSU, she spoke some about how her son’s death became a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement and the book she and Trayvon’s father, Tracy Martin, co-authored entitled “Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story.”

This book/documentary is a six-part series produced by artist and entrepreneur, Jay-Z. Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin, shares and re-examined the intimate life story and legacy of a tragically foreshortened life and the rise of a movement that awoke a nation’s conscience.


“Receiving the opportunity to listen and learn from such a women of strength such as Ms. Martin, was life changing,” said Lauryn Smith, sophomore GSU student. “Her focus on activism, leadership and justice for many mother’s sons around the nation is forever encouraging.”

The Grambling alum has created the Trayvon Martin Foundation, a non profit organization with the main purpose to provide both emotional and financial support to families who have loss a child to gun violence.

Because of her continued effort to make a positive national change, Fulton was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in 2018 from the Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, where she also served as the 2018 commencement speaker.

“It was a blessing, I went from the 2018 Commencement Convocation Speaker at Benedict College to Doctor and I also received the key to the city from the Mayor of Columbia,SC., she said.”

She also created The Circle of Mothers, a weekend retreat for mothers who have lost a child to gun violence. She is a proud member of the Miami Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and the Metropolitan Dade County Section of the National of Negro Women, Inc.

“It was great spending the day with the mother of Trayvon Martin, author, activist and 1984-86 GSU Student Sybrina Fulton today!,” said GSU SGA President, Adarian Williams. “Thank you for your leading efforts to end violence and injustice, and pioneering the use of nonviolence to change society.
SGA President, Adarian Williams with Sybrina Martin
Sybrina Fulton poses with members of the Delta Iota chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated at Grambling State University.

“Trayvon was shot down so that I can stand up.”

Texas Southern University To Host Community Policing Workshop Focused On Data And Reform

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April 27 event is co-sponsored by MEASURE, Houston Police Department and Mark43

HOUSTON (March 19, 2019) – Texas Southern University’s Center for Justice Research, along with co-sponsors MEASURE, MARK43 and the Houston Police Department, will host the 2019 Big Data Community Policing Workshop, a free four-hour training that includes breakout sessions by experts in the fields of law enforcement, social advocacy, research and technology. The event takes place on Saturday, April 27, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. in TSU’s Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs building. There is a networking breakfast before the program and a mixer concluding the event. Law enforcement leaders, activists, technology developers, students, analysts, concerned citizens and other stakeholders are encouraged to attend.

“Attendees will learn more about evidence-based policing and the role that data plays in the push for social change,” said Howard Henderson, executive director of the Center for Justice Research. “Working together, agencies, community organizations and individual citizens can make a difference in how our communities are policed.”

Established in 2018, the Center for Justice Research is a nonpartisan research center devoted to data-driven solutions for an equitable criminal justice system. The primary focus is to produce innovative solutions to criminal justice reform efforts by utilizing an experienced group of researchers working to understand and address the current challenges of the criminal justice system.

Henderson emphasized that each of the co-sponsors bring unique expertise and contributions to the discussion. MEASURE, based in Austin, is a not-for-profit research and public education organization which seeks to bridge divisions though data and public education in active partnership with local communities to address complex social problems. It has put on similar workshops in Austin and Dallas. The Houston Police Department will bring its own set of expertise to the discussion, with Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo scheduled to appear.

The workshop will feature breakout sessions covering topics such as Evidence-Based Policing 101, Intro to Compstat 360, Design Thinking, Mindfulness in De-Escalation, Dive into the Data, The New Officer, Faith Communities & Justice, and Raising a Village.

A lunch and learn session will focus on 21st Century Policing. 

The event is also sponsored by Mark43, a public safety software platform that helps empower communities and their governments with new technologies that help improve safety and quality of life.

To register for this workshop, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/measure-big-data-community-policing-workshop-2019-houston-tickets-56404535484?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

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 approximately 10,000 undergraduate and graduate-school academic candidates. Texas Southern has been a distinguished educational pioneer since 1927, and the University has become one of the most diverse and respected institutions in Texas. TSU has positioned itself as a proactive leader in educating underserved students and many who are the first in their family to attend college.

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Valuing STEAM Integration In KidsCamp Nationally And Globally

William Jackson and Aida Correa at WordCamp Greenville, South Carolina

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Cross-cultural and cross-curricular learning encourages applied cognitive tools during learning in the KidsCamp and Youth Camp environment.

Cross-curricular processes to learning, making a transition in math, writing, reading, comprehension when applied to STEAM helps to show that all learning is relevant, connected and valuable.

This is not the “you have to learn,” demands of parents there is the guided learning of “why you should learn,” and “the benefits to your life” guidance. Youth, teens and young adults need learning that is individual and in a team learning process as the teachers are the facilitators of learning in an environment of discovery and creativity. Kids and Youth Camp Conferences are growing and engaging ways to move.

STEAM – STREAM -CSTREAM
Hands-on learning that is projected based: students are provided a project to accomplish and the process is explained and they are let loose to explore the project to completion and provided learning avenues to discover and explore. Kids and youth are engaged in the learning process aided to build critical and higher order thinking in a collaborative environment with a goal that is measurable upon completion. Hands-on learning is transformative and changes the learning paradigm even for autistic children.

A stipulation, build relationships and build their interests and how it can be applied to their growth. In Kids and Youth Camp Conferences, there should be trust, passion,
engagement, and connections. Many times these cannot be created in structured settings like schools, so WordCamp conferences are unique and needed.

STEAM encourages learning scaffolding, problem-solving, sequencing, patterning, and critical along with higher order thinking skills. Youth, teens and young adult may not know when applied to build, designing, the Arts, discovery and innovation, it provides a new avenue for learning and how to apply that leaning for relevancy. Artists like Aida Correa understand the value for these connections and why the arts are important. Guiding new areas of thinking, rationalization, creativity and even building discipline.

Integration of core subject areas, creating a STEAM lesson integrates Science, Technology Engineering, Arts and Math as a 30-year professional educator teaching Physical Education and Technology (Engineering) creativity and innovation go
hand in hand. Kids want to build, break, design, construct and get messy from time to time. Web development builds reading, comprehension and literacy skills. Behaviors do change when the youth, teens and young adult learn that anyone globally will be able to read their content to they put their best foot-forwards in writing and posting content.

Collaborative planning with business and industry students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning, not just to meet learning standards in schools, there is the freedom of expression and sharing their passions in areas they can learn about online not just in a classroom or school setting.

In Kids and Youth Camp Conferences, they become the teachers and parents become the students and parents are the support mechanism during the Kids and Youth camp process.

What is learned in the traditional classrooms are applied in hands-on lessons to reveal that all learning is connected and relevant to building ideas for careers that are now, new and exploratory and ones that have not been created yet?

The engagement of individual learning and the connectivity of collaborative learning are powerful tools especially for children of color and culture. This provides an avenue to show them that their “being” is important and they can both individually and collectively make a difference in the world around them.

Youth, teens and young adult in Africa and Canada are expecting their participation in WordCamp conferences and if they are not invited are protesting along with their parents. The ability for WordCamp to expand and grow is dependent on the support, encouragement, and advocacy for Kids and Youth Camps. The United States of America with all its resources still cannot dominate the world with tech able people, globally WordCamp conferences express collaboration, connections and the integration of STEAM.

STEAM educators like William Jackson and Aida Correa also, show that Representation Matters because of their diverse cultural backgrounds. Children of color and culture
need to see people of color and culture teaching them, mentoring and guiding their growth.

HBCU’s WordCamp Conferences R4U

HBCU’s WordCamp Conferences R4U and HBCU students should be attending with the support and encouragement of HBCU instructors, staff, faculty and administration.

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Representation matters can be seen with Wm Jackson a 31-year career, professional educator that encourages HBCU students, faculty, staff and administration to
attend and participate in WordCamp Conferences.

Having spoken in Calgary, Canada in Alberta, San Jose, Costa Rica in Central America and a sponsor of WordCamp, Kids Camp and Youth Camp Conferences in Africa.
Wm encourages HBCU’s t seriously consider the benefits and career impacts for HBCU students that attend these dynamic conferences.

As a speaker, volunteer, organizer, sponsor, and advocate of WordCamp conferences I encourage HBCU instructors to encourage students to attend conferences and become
engaged in local Meetups in their respective cities. The knowledge gained is invaluable and the networking potential phenomenal. The term “it’s not what you know, but who you know,” tells a valuable story. Networking is vitally important. What you know in your brain cannot be appreciated unless you have others that can appreciate your knowledge and potential to learn more.

The expansion of People of Color (POC) attending tech conferences is increasing as the need and demand increases for those with technical knowledge grows.
There are growing numbers of POC that love tech, embrace being nerds, enjoy bring geeks.

Attending WordCamp conferences locally, nationally and internationally are refreshing reminders that geeks are everywhere, in every city, state, country;
People of Color embracing tech and learning to be producers not just consumers.

Productivity brings engagement in conversation about the dynamics of not just WordPress (which over 35% of web pages are designed on globally). This affects
graphic design, e-commerce, apps, Google analytics, SEO, marketing and achieving entrepreneurial dreams.

HBCU students can change the narrative because of their engagement their children as well will be exposed and inspired to start their own businesses.

The WordPress community is just that, a community that sees beyond just the simplistic nature of the web. They see the unlimited possibilities of self-employment,
intellectual design, community engagement, and social activism.

Social media is increasingly dominated by POC’s building brands, building business relationships, applying marketing strategies, and helping entrepreneurial dreams to be fulfilled.

The development of new technologies, apps, and platforms geared to business are allowing more to be engaged in online environments for communication, collaboration
and business ventures.

What should be encouraged is the involvement of HBCU institutions taking advantage of platforms like WordPress and encouraging students to attend WordCamp conferences.

If HBCU students do not understand the language of their professions they cannot sit at the tables of tech companies to become influencers.

HBCU students are learning that much of what they are learning in the classroom may be outdated as industry standards change, they need to be attending, contributing and even speaking at conferences like WordCamp. It should not always take alumni coming back to HBCU institutions speaking when students themselves have valuable information they can share from involvement and exposure.

The benefits are enormous and lasting.

The Girl Next Door Can Code!

The Girl Next Door Can Code!! Why children of color and culture need to attend WordCamp, KidsCamp and Youth Camp conferences.

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William is a graduate of South Carolina State University and is a 31-year professional public school educator.

A past professor with Edward Waters College, teaching educational technology, social media and STEAM. Professor Jackson is an advocate for youth, teens and young
adults of color and culture to participate in tech conferences. A WordCamp engager his blogs are read nationally and internationally. He can be found on Twitter:

Access to technology has unprecedented abilities to empower and encourage girls of all ages. Clubs like “Girls Who Code” in Jacksonville can be seen at the Jacksonville Main Library involving dynamic and skill building sessions. Saturdays are not the same anymore, girls are actively learning new things to prepare them for careers never thought of before and even creating their own businesses using technology that has a foundation in STEAM and web development.

The club targets girls in 5th to 12th grade, many of the girls have a serious interest in coding, web development, and STEAM elements. Stephanie Boilard, Library Associate, Jax Makerspace Jacksonville Public Library – SBoilard@coj.net Black Girls Code – www.blackgirlscode.com/ will be involved in WordCamp Miami this year. Their girls will be building web sites and involved in STEAM based project learning. Learning HTML (hypertext markup language) the language of the Internet and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) used in web page development. Understanding of JavaScript, PHP, and other programming languages is important in the competitiveness of this dynamic industry.

Interpreting the terminology can sound very nerdy, but nerds are global; nerds and geeks are running the world. They are making discoveries, innovations to address global challenges that will be analyzed, categorized, prioritized and solved with technical precision.

The Girl Next Door Can Code
It is highly recommended girls have keyboarding experience and familiarity with desktop computer Windows and Apple Operating Systems. There is a need for diversity in various Operating Systems because girls need skills to work in the diversity of careers. The knowledge gained in tech can earn scholarships, internships,
collaboration in projects, networking in social and business events and help girls to become business owners and entrepreneurs.

Girls need to understand the coding process, the unique language that required creative thinking and innovative awareness. There are other opportunities for growth by girls attending KidsCamp conferences associated with WordCamp conferences
that can be found nationally and globally.

KidsCamp Jacksonville will be held Saturday, June 30th in Jacksonville, Florida https://2019.jacksonville.wordcamp.org/ The Organizers William Jackson and Aida Correa are educators with a passion to empower kids and getting them involved in STEAM initiatives, especially kids of color and culture.


KidsCamp Organizers Nationally and Globally
Looking at WordCamp Central https://central.wordcamp.org/ there is a global presence that teaches the fantastic collaboration of STEAM and KidsCamp.

They have wonderful learning opportunities for youth and teens. They understand the future success and growth is with kids and Youth Camp conferences. WordCamp is volunteer lead conferences where speakers are the experts, innovators, and creators of their Brands and willing to share their knowledge. The awesomeness is that youth, teens and young adults are participating on equal footing as adults, their requirements are somewhat different, parents need to attend with the kids and both are encouraged to work together in project-based learning activities.

In the era of global collaboration, KidsCamp and Youth Camp teachers like Aida Correa, William Jackson, Mary Job, Christina Workman, Tapiwanashe Manhombo, Great Anthony, Ericka Barboza, Leandro Gomez, and others are integrating the elements of STEAM into their curriculum’s to embed higher order and critical thinking skills.

These skills are necessary for entrance into business, commerce, and various industries.

Africa is leading the way globally with new Youth and Kids Camp, the development of digital infrastructures are creating awesome opportunities for digital business growth.
Opening new ways to empower kids that attend the fast growing conferences for youth, teens and young adults that are being dominated by young ladies, young women, and girls. Because of the immediate ability of WordCamps to encourage networking, the building of brands that encourage the building of entrepreneurial desires and the creation of businesses is unprecedented.

Girls and women can have a solid web presence with the support of an “open source” community with a global support system of diverse individuals, conferences, meetups, and KidsCamps to ensure that failure is not an option. Everyone is supported, nurtured, encouraged and empowered. The diversity of color and culture is an asset and a blessing. Parents are seeing that KidsCamp conferences are the source of inspiration, encouragement, and activism.

The list of KidsCamps grows along with the diversity of its organizers, advocates, teachers, promoters, volunteers and sponsors. The growth of WordCamp conferences are dependent on the ability of KidsCamps to be successful to encourage a new generation of bloggers, micro-bloggers, podcasters, business owners, social media innovators and STEAM advocates to grow with the help of knowledgeable men and women who have grown to be influencers across the spectrum of digital growth and innovation.

Texas Southern Theatre Presents “Home for Thanksgiving”

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HOUSTON (March 20, 2019) – Texas Southern University Theatre presents “Home for Thanksgiving,” an engaging and humorous family drama written and directed by TSU Associate Professor of Theatre Thomas Meloncon. The story takes place in the modest home of Julia and Lola St. Julian in Dippity Do, Louisiana. Bobby St. Julian is the first in his family to attend college and is headed to the prestigious Princeton University. Something happens to Bobby at Princeton and when he returns home, the humble country boy has mutated into someone unrecognizable.

“Home for Thanksgiving” will appeal to every emotion and run on the following dates and times in the Ollington Smith Playhouse (3100 Cleburne St. Houston, TX 77004):

  • Thursday, April 11, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. 
  • Friday, April 12, at 7 p.m. 
  • Saturday, April 13, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. 
  • Sunday, April 14, at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for the general public and $5 for students with a valid TSU ID. Tickets can be purchased at the door (cash only) or online at thanksgiving.brownpapertickets.com. For more information contact professor Rasarito Rodriguez-Gonzalez by email (rosarito.rodriguez@tsu.edu) or the TSU Box Office at (713) 313-7157. 

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.

Australia Say, Speaks-Out Against Rape Culture At Fisk University

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Students from the Fisk University are upset with the administration over the recent mishandling of a sexual assault case to an elected female campus representative, the 83rd Miss Fisk University, Australia Say.  

In an open letter Australia Say discussed the assault and everything she encountered after. She explained feeling uncomfortable and unsafe on the campus that she represented. As safety and well being for the students should be a foremost concern, shes explains why this isn’t the case at Fisk.

“I was told that because he was not found responsible/liable, there was not much the University could do.“


This has become system, too often when women are confronting the issue through the proper channels, they are placated too. Because of the shameful and immoral failure done, students are asking the entire administration to reconsider its policies.

Australia Say, Fisk University

Dear Fiskites,

I am Australia Say, a Senior Biology major, and the 83rd Miss Fisk University. On August 19, 2018, a fellow student leader sexually assaulted me. After the assault happened, I did not know where to turn. I dealt with very intrusive thoughts, thinking that people would judge me or blame me for this assault. I asked God how could this happen to me? I was not yet ready to report this situation, but someone reported it on my behalf and without my knowledge. The Title IX coordinator investigated the case. After I made my statement, Campus Safety issued a no contact order that stated we were to not have any contact with each other but there were no specifications regarding how far we had to be from each other.

During the time of the investigation, I was preparing to go to Atlanta to represent the University at the Miss National Black College Hall of Fame Pageant. I was not okay, but I was still expected to compete. It felt as if I was supposed to put aside my feelings about what happened, be silent, and continue to represent the University in this pageant. On October 11, 2018, I received correspondence stating that the case would be closed because there was not sufficient evidence to continue. Soon after receiving the news, my attacker started taunting me, coming within 5 feet of me, and staring from across the cafeteria. He acted as if he knew he got away with what he did. Once again feeling uncomfortable and unsafe on the campus that I represented, I reported my sentiments and worries about this harassment. I was told that because he was not found responsible/liable, there was not much the University could do. On October 18, 2018, an email was sent out to the campus that another sexual assault took place. This announcement came just two months after I was assaulted and one week after my case was closed with no consequence. I felt as if there was nothing that could be done to keep me or others safe on the campus that I represented. Knowing the school had let my case fall through the cracks and seeing that another assault happened, completely disturbed my spirit. As homecoming week approached, I expressed to University officials that I did not want my assailant to attend my coronation. They continued with the rebuttal that since he was not found responsible/liable, they could not restrict him from attending.

A meeting with Fisk University Legal Counsel was then set up. While speaking to legal, legal stated that what they could do was put a 50-foot stipulation in the no contact order. They also said that I should enjoy the night whether or not he was in attendance because it was for me. However, it was not something that I could just put off or ignore. Administration did not seem to understand that. We, as a University community, must start holding people accountable for their actions. Whether you have enough evidence, or not, there should be something in place to make students feel safe. Even though Fisk University allows you to take some time away from campus and refers you to the sexual assault center and the University counseling center, the University still fails to make victims of sexual assault feel safe. To the women and men who have been through this, I am letting you know, as a SURVIVOR of sexual assault, that it is okay to cry. It is okay to not be strong. It is okay if you do not want to talk about it. It is okay to not report until you are ready. It is okay to NOT be okay. We cannot continue to let our attackers take our power or our voice from us. If no one believes what happened to you, I do. If you feel as if your voice is not enough, I can help you let your voice be heard. I am here to be a voice to the voiceless and fight for the women and men on this campus. #ThisEndsWithMe and I will no longer be silent.

With Much Love,

Australia Say

The 83rd Miss Fisk University

RoweDocs: The New Wellness Experience Online Serving HBCU Students

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Founder and CEO Dr. Latisha Rowe began RoweDocs to put the care back into healthcare.  As a new doctor, she felt pressured to rush through patients and constantly prescribe drugs.  

Founder and CEO Dr. Latisha Rowe

With preventable patient mortality and drug-resistant bacteria also on the rise, she knew it was time for a change.  Today, Rowe operates her own practice. She has created a pipeline for non-emergency primary care patients to be seen quickly by doctors through video chats.

RoweDocs is a valuable resource for HBCU students, whose healthcare is often overlooked and underfunded.  This wellness experience means no wait lines, with discussions in the comfort of your dorm or on the go. Gone are the days when your academics and activities get put on hold for a doctor’s visit. Feeling your primary care physician doesn’t have time for you can lead to a decline in mental health.

Luckily, RoweDocs is there to assess your medical concerns quickly and easily. It’s as easy as calling the RoweDocs office to schedule, confirming the appointment, and logging in a few minutes before start time.  The cost of RoweDocs doesn’t put a dent in your pockets either. The cost is $100, which is similar to the cost of an urgent care visit. Yet in some cases, you can use your insurance and pay a copay.

Dr. Rowe continues to support HBCUs even beyond RoweDocs.  For those students who became educated as doctors, she founded the Minority Virtual Physicians Society.  This one-of-a-kind society has helped her to increase minority physician engagement in digital health. By creating this, she provides a space for physicians of color to discuss challenges and expand their portfolios. Dr. Rowe and RoweDocs serve as the definition of black excellence that HBCUs were founded on.

The opportunities students dream about reaching may not always exist. And in that case, she encourages building your own door to success.  Dr. Rowe faced financial burdens as a single mom and the fear of her business not living up to its potential. Yet with hard work and determination, she now services black communities and more nationwide.  Spelling out the last name of its founder, RoweDocs is a Reliable Online Wellness Experience.  

For your on-the-go healthcare needs, make an appointment at rowedocs.com.

Prairie View A&M Panthers Head To The NCAA Tournament, First Since 1998

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The Prairie View A&M Panthers beats Texas Southern, 92-86, to claim SWAC title and advance to NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998. Less than 24 hours after claiming the SWAC Championship in Birmingham, PVAMU learned of its next opponent.

The Panthers will face Fairleigh Dickinson for a shot at the No. 16 seed—which would pit them against No. 1 seed Gonzaga—on Tuesday.

“Twenty-one years,” Prairie View A&M athletic director Fred Washington emphasized, as he stood at a translucent podium addressing the team and a room full of school staff and supporters Sunday evening.

His message was straight-forward.

For a team that swept the conference regular-season and tournament titles for the first time in school history, the Panthers have a chance to rewrite another page of history.

“It’s an exciting time here at Prairie View,” said head men’s basketball coach Byron Smith.  “We have to be focused, well single minded focused, because going into this tournament it’s a one and done deal.  We like how we are playing and we like the focus of the team and the direction we are going.  We like how the team is playing together and being very unselfish.”

The Knights of Fairleigh Dickinson finished as the Northeast Conference (NEC) champions with a 20-13 overall record.  The Panthers finished as the Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions with a 22-12 over record.

This will be the third time in the history of the two programs that these teams would have met.  The first time was on November 15, 2001 with the Panthers defeating the Knights 77-66.  The second meeting was on November 24, 2012 with Fairleigh Dickinson taking the win with an 84-70 victory.


Here’s 5 Reasons Why Mentors Matter

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If you trace all the way back to biblical days up until the 21st century, you will find that mentorship was the “secret sauce” for many who made extraordinary accomplishments and contributions. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was mentored by Benjamin E. Mays; Maya Angelouwas the mentor of Oprah. Steve Jobs mentoredMark Zuckerberg. It’s evident: Mentors matter.

Success coach and serial entrepreneur, Lenika Scott, out of Raleigh, North Carolina, discusses the value of having mentors and how the relationship can chart the course and shape the trajectory of your life and destiny.

5 REASONS WHY MENTORS MATTER

THEY CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY

Probably one of the most critical aspects of mentorship is that it provides a structure for accountability. Whenever a protégé has goals to achieve, they often subject themselves to their mentor to help them stay focused and on the path. However, it is not the mentor’s job to ensure that the protégé is working or meeting their goals. The mentor is there to ensure that accountability can take place and goals can be achieved.

THEY SAVE YOU TIME AND ENERGY

Having the right mentor in your life will help you to save time, and that translates to money. A mentor should be that person who already has the level of success that you desire and one who is eager to see you succeed and win. With their wisdom and guidance, you will end saving time by not reinventing the wheel. This doesn’t negate that you have to put in the same effort of work and energy, but the beauty is—you have information and strategies that can shorten the time it takes for you to get results. That’s a win-win!

THEY REDUCE LEARNING CURVES

Your learning curve is greatly reduced because you get to leverage the “knowledge” of your mentor. Imagine if someone took 10 years to accomplish something but it only took you two years to accomplish the same thing. You are afforded the advantage of learning the shortcuts and secrets to get to the end goal. What we can easily see is that knowledge transmission is definitely a major aspect of mentoring. We could maybe even say this is what mentoring is about—teaching what we have learned and learning what is yet to be experienced.

THEY HELP YOU AVOID COSTLY MISTAKES

This is a biggie. This helps the protégé to avoid mistakes, traps, and pitfalls. Why? Because someone has already gone before you and is keenly aware of where the hidden traps and pitfalls are. Imagine having a trailblazer who has already gone ahead of you in a deep, dense forest and created a clear path—all you have to do is follow the path, arriving safely without any casualties. It is still true that success leaves clues.

THEY FOLLOW A PROVEN BLUEPRINT:

The blueprint is what a mentor provides that takes you to your desired destination. Here is where the protégé can be put on a path of execution because a great mentor has no problem showing you and helping you to easily navigate where you’re trying to go. They want to see you succeed and have your best interest at heart. The strategies, insight, and wisdom they provide will potentially position you to take a quantum leap or as described in the business world, 3X, 5X or 10X your results.

With a mentor, you are privileged to have the gift of “access”—however that access is defined and on whatever level that looks like—it’s more than enough to be extremely grateful for and not taken for granted.

This post was written by Roz A. Gee, a writer at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. It is published here with permission.

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Kayla White Named NCAA Division I Indoor Track Athlete of the Year

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EAST GREENSBORO – Senior North Carolina A&T track and field star Kayla White has been named the NCAA Division I Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year as announced by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association on Tuesday. 

It sounds like an individual honor in a sport that majors in highlighting individual honors. Even to Kayla White a few years would have thought it an individual honor, but she has changed. 

“Once she got to the point where she was winning a lot, we had to teach her the importance of leading others,” said Duane Ross, the Aggies director of track and field programs and the 2019 USTFCCCA Southeast Region women’s track and field coach of the year. “It was hard for her to understand at first – the need to be a leader on a track and field team. But we told her it’s important you serve your team. You get them to be their best while staying at your best. I’ve got to say she started to get it and she has done a wonderful job being our leader.”

White, who also earned Southeast Region women’s track Athlete of the year by the USTFCCCA two weeks, uses three simple words, to sum up, Ross’s words.  

Leaving a legacy. 

White sees the relevance of other student-athletes from small Division I schools and or schools who are not in the ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12 or Pac-12 seeing what she accomplished and believing they can achieve it too – athletes like her teammates, Bethune-Cookman athletes and the Aggies who will follow in her footsteps after she graduates in May with her journalism degree. 

“I just want to leave a legacy, not only for my teammates and my university but for (historically black college and university) athletes all over the country,” said White. “I think that is so important.”

Last weekend, White shook up the collegiate track and field world by becoming the first N.C. A&T Aggie to win an NCAA national championship. White won the 200m at the 2019 NCAA Track and Field Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala., in 22.62, which is the fastest time ran in the world this year.

White also just missed winning a national title in the 60-meter hurdles after finishing second, two/tenths of a second behind Southern Cal’s Chanel Brissett. White had the opportunity to compete for three national titles. She recorded one of the top-16 times in the country in the 60 meters during the indoor season qualifying her for the championship meet. The start time for the 60m race was too close to the start time for the 60mh which would not have given her enough recovery time. 

N.C. A&T Aggie Kayla White Runs The World’s Fastest 200m

Therefore, she chose to compete in the 60mh and withdrew from the 60m. She is only the seventh athlete in NCAA indoor meet history to score in both the hurdles and the 200. No one in NCAA indoor meet history has ever totaled 18 points in those event two events. Her 18 points helped the Aggies finish tied for seventh nationally. 

White’s remarkable season extended beyond the NCAA indoor championships, however. Her brilliance in the 60mh, 200m and 60m had the Aggies ranked as high as 14th in the country this season. 

She helped the women’s track and field team win their third straight MEAC indoor title by winning the 60mh and 200 at conference indoor championships on Feb. 23. White was named the Most Outstanding Track Athlete by the MEAC after scoring 28 points and breaking meet records in the 60mh (8.07) and 200m (23.53). 

On Feb. 9, at the Tyson Invitational, she ran a 22.82 in the 200m. At the time, it was the fastest time in the world. She lost her claim on that recognition for a few weeks when a 22.80 was recorded, but she reclaimed the distinction at the NCAA indoor meet. She also won races at the Virginia Tech Invitational (60m; 7.25), the Carolina Challenge (200m; 23.03, 60mh; 8.07), and the Tyson Invitational (200m; 22.82).

White still has her senior outdoor season ahead. Her next race will likely be at the Florida Relays hosted by the University of Florida, March 28-29. 

She will come into the outdoor season with two first-team All-American honors in the 60mh, one first-team, All-American honor in the indoor 200m and second-team All-American honors in the 100mh and the 4×100. She also has combined to win 14 MEAC indoor or outdoor titles in her career. 

The legacy has been left.

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This Magistrate Thinks Discrimination Suit Against Delaware State Should Proceed

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By Randall Chase, The Associated Press

A federal magistrate says a white man who lost his job at historically Black College Delaware State University should be allowed to pursue his racial discrimination lawsuit.

In a report March 7, the magistrate recommended denying the school’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. She said Jeffrey DeMoss has pleaded sufficient facts to show that race was a motivating factor in his termination.

DeMoss has alleged, among other things, that he overheard former university President Harry Williams call him a “White fat (expletive)” in a phone call. DeMoss also says a school official told him that his termination was motivated by race and the university wanted a Black person in his position.

DeMoss was executive director for dining and auxiliary services and operations director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center.

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Blackbaud Welcomes Students from South Carolina HBCUs for STEM

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CHARLESTON, S.C., March 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good, today will host a group of students from South Carolina historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) at the company’s world headquarters in Charleston, S.C. The students are part of the South CarolinaChamber of Commerce Education & Workforce Foundation’s SC HBCU STEM program, which gives students hands-on experience and exposure to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers. 

During today’s program, students will hear from Blackbaud’s IT and Human Resources leaders as they are introduced to the company and its various STEM careers. Through presentations, meetings, and a networking lunch, students will learn from Blackbaud engineers, and recruiters as they prepare to enter the workforce. Rich Friedberg, Blackbaud’s chief information security officer, will present on cybersecurity careers, while Heather Templeton, senior director, Software Development will speak about women in engineering.    

“We are privileged to host this talented group of students and look forward to highlighting some of the outstanding STEM career opportunities available at Blackbaud,” said John Mistretta, executive vice president, Human Resources at Blackbaud. “At Blackbaud, we take our commitment to the communities we serve as seriously as we take our commitment to our customers. Through this important program, we are proud to continue our evolving journey of diversity and inclusion while empowering the next generation of leaders in the state of South Carolina.”  

Power your passion

The SC HBCU STEM program was developed to help connect students at South Carolina’s HBCU institutions interested in STEM careers with companies across the state. The program offers a select group of students—primarily juniors and seniors who hold high GPAs and have shown interest in STEM careers—a unique opportunity to interact, learn from and work with South Carolina companies and business leaders in STEM-related fields.

Blackbaud’s support of STEM education and its commitment to diversity and inclusion continues to make an impact throughout the company’s worldwide operations, as well as in the local communities surrounding the company’s world headquarters in Charleston. 

Read full PR Newswire

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NCCU Students Are Mourning the Death of Mikel Bell

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Sophomore student at North Carolina Central University, Mikel Bell died Sunday March 10th, in an off campus apartment complex near the university in Durham. The police at Durham Police Department is handling the investigation. Below is a statement from the University.

Dear Eagle Community,

It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the loss of Mr. Mikel Bell, a sophomore studying Art with a concentration in Visual Communication, from Charlotte, N.C., who died today, March 10, 2019, at an off campus apartment complex off Old Chapel Hill Road in Durham. The Durham Police Department is handling Mr. Bell’s death investigation.

As we mourn the passing of a member of the NCCU community, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Bell. Please know there are resources and services available to students, faculty and staff. Grief counseling is being provided on campus this evening and began at 7 p.m. in the Chidley North Residence Hall, Resource Room 142A. Students seeking support can also contact the Counseling Center Monday – Friday,  8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 919-530-7646 and after hours at 919-530-6106.

Additional services are provided by the Office of Spiritual Development and Dialogue, Monday through Friday, by calling 919-602-6967.

For faculty and staff, assistance is available through Compsych, the University’s Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, by phone 24-hours a day, seven days a week; please call 866-301-9634 or go online athttps://www.guidanceresources.com (University ID: EAGLES).

I also would ask that we keep Mr. Bell’s family, friends and classmates in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time. I have extended our sympathy to his father on behalf of NCCU. The untimely loss of a young Eagle is devastating and deeply emotional. The death of a student is always hard to understand and accept. Please be sure to take care of yourself and those around you.

In Truth and Service,

Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D.

Chancellor

Hampton Alumnus Dr. Henry Kyle Ranger Opens New Pharmacy in Virginia

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HAMPTON, Va. (March 11, 2019) — Dr. Henry Kyle Ranger, Hampton University graduate, class of 2011, has officially opened his own pharmacy in Williamsburg, Va. The grand opening was Wednesday, March 6, 2019.

The pharmacy is called The Prescription Shoppe LLC, and is located at 5223 Monticello Avenue, Ste C, Williamsburg, VA 23188. The phone number is 757-206-1630.

“I’m excited about opening this pharmacy. This is something I’ve wanted to do for years; it’s always been a dream of mine. I really feel that customer interaction is lost when you go to the big chains, but when you come here, it’s more of a one-on-one experience. Throughout my whole career, I’ve taken pride with my relationships with my customers and it’s made an impact in their lives and allowed me to be successful. When you’re a customer, you’re family, which what I truly believe,” said Dr. Ranger.