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.”
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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.
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.
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.
PHILADELPHIA — The nation’s oldest historically black college, which has struggled with plummeting enrollment and financial woes in recent years, announced a plan Tuesday to balance the school’s budget and lure new, top-tier students.
An ambitious fundraising campaign and sweeping changes to the school’s business model were outlined by Cheyney University president Aaron Walton at a news conference.
“We will have a balanced budget,” he said, vowing to make it happen by June 30.
Among the revenue-generating plans is a local environmental company’s commitment to set up a new headquarters at Cheyney, he said, and Thomas Jefferson University’s construction of a medical facility on the campus about 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of Philadelphia.
Epcot Crenshaw Corp., a West Chester, Pennsylvania-based company that develops technology to solve environmental problems, will establish research labs, greenhouses and an aquaponics facility, were Cheyney students can get real-world experience in emerging environmental technology, he said.
A joint research project has already begun between Thomas Jefferson University and Cheyney that focuses on health disparities in the Philadelphia region. The collaboration also is designed to help Cheyney graduates enter postgraduate studies at Jefferson. Jefferson will also place a medical facility on campus to give practical experience to Cheyney students interested in health sciences.
The announcements come weeks after Daniel Greenstein, chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, told state senators that Cheyney was likely to lose accreditation and looked as if it would be short on cash by as much as $10 million. The university may have to operate as an unaccredited institution, he said, possibly offering career training.
After Greenstein and Walton met with Gov. Tom Wolf last week, Walton said all were committed to Cheyney’s future, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer .
Kenn Marshall, a spokesman for the state system, told the Inquirer on Tuesday that the chancellor stands by his remarks at the Senate hearing.
“We’re going to continue to work with Cheyney and support them,” Marshall said. “Obviously, President Walton has a plan, and we hope it’s successful.”
During the news conference, Walton said he expected the university to retain its accreditation and asserted that much of the $10 million funding hole Greenstein referenced is a cash-flow problem he expects to be resolved, the Inquirer reported.
The university hopes to raise about $4 million over the next few months under a new campaign to make sure the budget is balanced.
Without accreditation, the school is ineligible for federal and state financial aid — which most of its just over 400 students depend on.
Founded in 1837, Cheyney gave African Americans a chance at education when other schools would not.
Alumni include civil rights activist Octavius V. Catto; Bayard Rustin, a chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington; and “60 Minutes” broadcast journalist Ed Bradley.
NA&T Aggies has its first national champion in track and field.
Kayla White won the 200 meters tonight at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala. The senior from Miami covered the distance in 22.66 seconds.
And a bonus for Guilford County: High Point native Tamara Clark, running for Alabama, finished second in 22.99 seconds.
Earlier in the day, White finished second in the 60-meter hurdles in 7.92 seconds. Southern Cal’s Chanel Brissett won in 7.90 seconds.
The A&T women’s team finished seventh in the team standings with 18 points. Arkansas won the team championship with 62 points.
Not true says senior North Carolina A&T sprinter Kayla White. White did not start participating in track and field until the 11th grade. On Saturday, she became the first-ever N.C. A&T track and field athlete – indoor or outdoor – to win an NCAA national championship when she won the 200 meters at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Indoor National Championships at the CrossPlex.
White won the 200m in 22.62 to reclaim the fastest time in the world in 2019. White recorded the world’s fastest time in 2019 on Feb. 2 when she ran 22.82 at the University of Arkansas’ Tyson Invitational. Anavia Battle of Ohio State took the crown by running 22.80. That fastest 200m runner in the world once again resides at North Carolina A&T State University, a little school on the east side of Greensboro.
White really wanted to show off the for the athletes who didn’t decide their sport until later in life by doubling as a national champion, but she finished second in the 60-meter hurdle final to Southern Cal’s Chanel Brissett who finished in 7.90 to White’s personal-best 7.92.
“Kayla is a great athlete which we have seen time and time again,” said Duane Ross, the Aggies director of track and field programs. “Our plan this year, her senior year, was to do this.”
Ross said White has been a tremendous team leader for an Aggies team that just completed winning three straight indoor conference titles in both men’s and women’s track and field. Therefore, before her 200m race, he freed her momentarily from her team leadership duties.
“I told her this was about her. It wasn’t about me, it wasn’t about the team. It was about her being selfish and coming out of this race as a star,” Ross told his multiple first-team All-American.
White’s first and second place finishes gave the Aggies 18 points for the championships tying N.C. A&T for seventh place nationally among such schools as South Carolina and Alabama.
“I came into the 200-meter final with a chip on my shoulder because I felt the hurdles race was mine too. I really ran well in that race,” said White. “Going into the 200 race I just wanted to stay focus because I didn’t want to leave here without at least one national championship.”
That is not a bad weekend for a sprinter who was a dancer until the 11th grade. White said she had dreams of making it big dance until a high school track coach saw her hanging out at Miami’s Southridge High School. While others saw White’s God-given long legs as a pathway to her being a dancer, he saw something else.
“He said why aren’t you running track?” White recalls. “I had never done it before, so I decided to give it a try.”
The “try” did not earn her a lot of college offers. In fact, it wasn’t until she helped her high school’s 4×100 relay team qualify for regionals that she caught the interest of Alabama A&M. But Ross did not give up his pursuit. When the scholarship to Alabama A&M did not work out, White got a call from Ross.
Ross gave her an opportunity many other colleges in America were not offering. Six years later the duo has combined to make White the best indoor 200m sprinter in the world. It can also be said there is no shame in being the second-best 60mh runner in the country. With those two factors in place, the recent convert to track and field has a message.
“Come to A&T,” White said. “Athletes think you have to go to a big school to improve as an athlete. A school like A&T will teach you how to get better if you stay focused on the objective. It is like a family here.”
White still has her senior outdoor season ahead of her. Before that even starts she is already a two-time first-team All-American in the 60mh. She is also a first-team All-American in the indoor 200m and a second-team outdoor All-American in the 4×100 and 100mh.
She has combined to win an amazing 14 MEAC indoor or outdoor titles in her career. Now, she can dance all the way to the podium to claim her national title.
“I wanted this moment so bad coming into my senior year. I wanted to make sure I stayed focused during the offseason,” said White. “I trusted my training and it is paying off. It really means a lot coming in here from an HBCU because you really don’t see too many people coming from small schools and being able to compete against the Power Fives.
I wouldn’t classify myself as just an HBCU sprinter though. I’m one of the best sprinters in the nation.”
BIRMINGHAM, AL – South Carolina State University senior Tyrell Richard is the new NCAA indoor track and field champion in the 400 meters. The Georgetown, SC native nabbed the gold medal at the NCAA Indoor Championship at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala. Saturday with a clocking of 44.82, the fastest time in the nation this season.
Richard, running in lane six (6), took control at the break point and ran away from the field, including favorite Kahmari Montgomery of Houston, who had the top time in the prelims, 45.32 to Richard’s 45.65. Montgomery finished second with a clocking of 45.03.
The mark by Richard smashed his previous school record of 45.39 and also erased the MEAC record of 46.62 he established at the MEAC Indoor Championship just two weeks ago.
“Tyrell’s performance is a major milestone for SC State, our track program and the MEAC,” said Bulldog head track Coach Tim Langford. “He ran an awesome race. The goal was for him to get to the break point first and make everyone else march to his rhythm and he executed it perfectly.”
Richard is the second Bulldog sprinter in as many seasons to medal at the prestigious NCAA Indoor Track Championships. Last season, Demek Kemp earned a bronze medal with a third-place finish in the 60 meters.
The Glee Club’s first stop will be this Saturday, March 9, at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. Tickets for the 6 p.m. concert at 600 Center Street North are available on Eventbrite and the Glee Club’s website mcgclub.com. The Glee Club will then travel to Ohio, New York, Boston, Maine, and back to the Big Apple for the CODA Concerts Choral Festival in Carnegie Hall on March 18, among other shows. The tour also includes stops in Washington, D.C., and Tallahassee. In Florida, the Glee Club will perform with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall.
The national tour comes on the heels of the Glee Club’s international performance in Algeria in January (http://bit.ly/2TkXd9a). Representatives of the choral group also shared their talent with audiences in Honduras in August.
Washington, D.C. (March 5, 2019) – Howard University hosted a Republic of Congo delegation of health and higher education officials on Feb. 26. A key goal of the trip was to advance research into sickle cell disease, which has greatly impacted many children in Africa.
Congo Minister of Health and Population JacquelineLydia Mikolo and Minister of Higher Education Bruno Jean Richard Itoua led the delegation. They met with Howard University Provost and Chief Academic Officer Anthony Wutoh, and Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease Director Dr. James Taylor.
“This visit is another step for a project that has already been initiated for both countries,” Minister Mikolo said. “We hope that now we are going to take practical steps. For us, it will really make a difference.”
In 2016, Madame Antoinette Sassou Nguesso, the first lady of the Republic of Congo, led a health delegation visit to Howard University on June 9, 2016. During the visit, Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick pledged to develop and strengthen collaborations between the Howard Center for Sickle Cell Disease and the newly established National Sickle Cell Disease Center of Brazzaville.
Brazzaville is the capital and the largest city in the Republic of Congo. Dr. Taylor along with Sergei Nekhai, Ph.D., the deputy director of the Howard Center of Sickle Cell Disease, and Juan Salomon-Andonie, the center’s administrative director, visited the Congo in 2018 to learn more about the current state of the disease in African nations.
Provost Wutoh listed the number of ongoing Howard University research partnerships in Africa, including Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, and Zambia. He said he looked forward to fostering deeper collaboration with the Republic of Congo.
“We certainly want to expand our work and our collaborations,” Wutoh said. “This is a unique time and unique opportunity for Howard University to collaborate with the Congo. Both President Frederick and I understand the ipmact of sickle cell disease, and we look forward to partnering further with the Republic of Congo.”
Beyond sickle cell disease, Dawn G. Williams, dean of the Howard University School of Education met with the delegation to discuss potential ties to Congo universities in the education sector.
The Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease has a long history of treating a high volume of patients in the United States. It has participated in every major clinical trials that have led to FDA approved medications for sickle cell and continues to make major scientific contributions to the field of non-malignant hematology.
A. Elira Dokekias, general director of the National Center of Sickle Cell Disease of Congo, said the disease remains a very big problem in at least 25 African states, as well as in parts of India and Middle Eastern countries. In certain African countries, he said nearly half of children with sickle cell disease die by the age of five.
“Mortality is very high,” Dokekias said. “That is why the First Lady of Congo decided to get engaged in the fight against this disease and establish the Brazzaville center.”
Salomon-Andonie of the Howard Center for Sickle Cell Disease said Howard and Congo officials also had meetings at the National Institutes of Health to learn about potential funding mechanisms for training and capacity building.
“The training can happen both ways,” Salomon-Andonie said. “We are very excited we are at the point where we can further the relationship.”
Howard University’s Center for Sickle Cell Disease was founded in 1972 by the late Roland B. Scott, M.D. and has a distinguished history of leading clinical investigation in sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease is a hereditary blood system disorder prevalent in African Americans and many other people of African descent throughout the world.
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For media inquiries, please contact Sholnn Freeman, Howard University communications, sholnn.freeman@howard.edu
About Howard University
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.
Institutional leaders, elected officials, advocates and other supporters of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were in attendance Tuesday for the United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) inaugural State of the HBCU Address, which put forth a comprehensive legislative agenda for Congressional members to further support HBCUs and their capacity to be engines of socioeconomic mobility for the students they serve.
During the address, UNCF president and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax called on federal policymakers to make significant investments in HBCU infrastructure and innovation, reform financial aid and evaluate regional accreditors’ treatment of HBCUs. UNCF also released its new Congressional Honor Roll, a list that currently recognizes 59 members of Congress who go above and beyond in their policymaking and support for HBCU success.
“The state of our HBCUs is resilient,” Lomax said. “In spite of obstacles and barriers, assaults and attacks, underinvestment and devaluation … they persist.”
“To finish the season the way he finished it, with a very young team, that was impressive to me,” Danley said. “I took very good notes. After we sat down at the end of the year and I heard his plan and his thoughts, I looked at our reality, and I knew at that time this was the man for the job.”
The Bulldogs finished the 2018 season with a 5-6 record, but won four of their last five games.
With the basic decision made, Coach Pough and SC State will enter contract negotiations. So we don’t know how much longer Buddy Ball will be in Orangeburg, but the uncertainty surrounding his status has now been cleared.
“It’s always a relief to know exactly what the next chapter of your life is going to be,” Pough said. “This is a situation here that’s still fluid of sorts. We’ve got some work to do to make sure we get all the pieces in place, but we think we’re close.”
Pough is four wins away from becoming the all-time winningest coach in SC State football history and he’ll have the chance to achieve that later this year. Willie Jeffries currently holds the record.
SAVANNAH, Ga.- Savannah State University has named Shawn Quinn as the Tigers’ new head football coach. Quinn becomes the 26th head football coach in the programs history following a nationwide search. Quinn who has been serving as the SSU interim head football coach since December 2018, will take over a program that is making the transition from Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to Division II.
Hired in February 2018 as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator and linebacker coach, Quinn led a defense that finished the 2018 season ranked first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in pass defense (138.5 yards per game), and second in total defense (316.2 yards per game). SSU finished third in the FCS in pass defense and 19th in total defense.
Quinn came to Savannah State from The Citadel where he served as a defensive analyst for the 2017 season. Before that, he was the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Tennessee Tech University (2016-17).
A native of Chicago, Quinn has also coached at Western Carolina University (2013-16), Charleston Southern University (2012), Georgia Southern University (2010-11), Northwestern State University (2009), Louisiana State University (2008), University of Louisiana Lafayette (2002-07) and University of Tennessee (1999-2002).
A four-year starter along the defensive line at Carson-Newman College, Quinn was an All-South Atlantic Conference (SAC) selection, helping the Eagles claim four conference championships. He graduated with a degree in history and political science in 1995 before earning a master’s degree from Lincoln Memorial University.
SodexoMagic, Central State University’s food service provider, has contributed $1.3 million to the University. The gift will be used for upgrades to the McPherson Memorial Stadium sports complex. The contribution brings the University closer to an estimated funding amount of $2 million for the improvements, which includes a weather-resistant synthetic field and a track surface that will permit year-round collegiate and community activities.
“As a corporate partner with CSU, we’re delighted to make this contribution and support Central State’s efforts in improving their facilities as they continue and serve more students.” “We’re definitely strong believers in CSU’s mission and vision for the future. There’s a special place in our hearts for this University,” said Jeff Ervin, Sodexo district manager.
Central State University also received a $1 million contribution in 2018 from Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Both Mr. Johnson and SodexoMagic are ardent believers in the mission and vision of the University.
“We’re very thankful for the support from Mr. Johnson and SodexoMagic,” said Jahan Culbreath, CSU’s vice-president of Institutional Advancement. When complete, the improvements to the stadium will spur recruitment efforts and benefit countless CSU students and the community for many years to come.
Although this gift is their largest single contribution, SodexoMagic has been a strong supporter since 2007, by advancing student learning through meaningful internships and permanent career opportunities for Central State graduates.
Improvements to the stadium join an impressive list of recent University advancements and upgrades: repaved interior roads and sidewalks; security and IT/wi-fi upgrades; opening of the new CSU Xenia location (YMCA) for community extension services; and the Hallie Q. Brown Library renovation.
The stadium renovations will be completed this fall along with the grand opening of the new Academic/Wellness Center and a 250-bed apartment-style residence hall to accommodate current and projected increases in enrollment. Other initiatives reflecting the continued growth of the University include: the addition of new degree programs in Exercise Science, Agriculture Education, Sustainable Agriculture, and most recently the introduction of the Masters of Business Administration degree program, and the College of Business Summer Banking Institute, a work-force training program.
This Nike campaign #JustDoIt features the dance team of Alabama State University the Honeybeez. Dream Crazy campaign has been highlighting stories of people who achieve things that began as a highly improbable thought.
“Any dream is possible. If you just want this crazy dream to happen, you just have to put the work in.” You know what some people consider a crazy dream? A body positive world. One that’s full of confidence. A world that’s dripping in self-love. But that’s the “crazy” world that Montgomery’s Honeybeez are fighting for. #justdoit
Morehouse students impressed the judges with their sales skills and won four top prizes.
The winners were: Kristopher Mathis, a senior in business marketing major, who won $1,000 for first place; Darnell Braxton, a junior business finance major, who won $500 for second place; Omar Smith, a sophomore business administration major, who won $250 for third place; and James Jones, II, a senior business finance major, who won a trophy for fourth place.
All winners selected by judges from Rocket Mortgage.
HOUSTON – Texas Southern University’s Board of Regents has opted to remove the interim label from Vice President of Athletics Kevin Granger on Friday.Granger
At their meeting on Friday, the Board approved a 3-year contract for Granger, who had been serving as the interim Vice President of Athletics for most of the academic year.
“It’s a great honor for me to get this opportunity,” Granger said in a statement. “This is a school where I grew up, a school I love, and shed blood, sweat and tears for.”
Granger took over the position from Dr. Charles McClelland, who left to become the commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
“To gain the trust of [TSU President] Dr. Austin Lane, and for him to have the confidence in me to continue the program that Dr. McClelland left behind means a lot to me,” Granger said.
A TSU alumnus, Granger led the Tigers basketball team to two SWAC championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1994 and 1995. His No. 10 jersey was later retired by the program.
At Sunday night’s Oscars, Morehouse College Alum, Spike Lee won his first competitive Academy Award and landed a full-circle moment, giving a shoutout to his famously snubbed 1985 film Do the Right Thing. The director, who won best adapted screenplay for BlacKkKlansman (an award he shared with Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, and Kevin Willmott), delivered a rousing speech that ended with him urging viewers to get active in the next presidential election.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTo3XYm33WU
“Let’s all mobilize. Let’s all be on the right side of history . . . let’s do the right thing!” he said, capping a speech that began with a bold declaration: “Do not turn that motherfucking clock on!”
The category was announced by Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson, a frequent Lee collaborator who made sure to let the director know that the Knicks, his beloved basketball team, also won their game that night. After his win was announced, Lee quickly made his way to the stage and leapt into Jackson’s arms.
He began his speech by thanking his family, including kids Satchel and Jackson, and shouting out Black History Month (and pointedly noting that February is the shortest month of the year). Lee also brought the speech back around to his family, thanking his grandmother “who was a Spelman College graduate, even though her mother was a slave” and who helped put him through Morehouse College and New York University. “I give praise to our ancestors who built this country,” he added.
Lee’s Do the Right Thing mention at the end of his speech arrives 30 years after his landmark film was snubbed in the best-picture category (and Lee, too, was snubbed in the best-director category). The director was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2015, but the Do the Right Thing snub has gone down as one of the most notable missteps in Oscar history. This year’s ceremony marks the director’s first win in a competitive category. BlacKkKlansman, based on the true story of a black detective infiltrating the K.K.K., was nominated for six Oscars overall.
