The Spring 16 line of the Epsilon Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated left their hEArts on this stage Thursday night! I am beyond proud of my Neos! They had precision, synchronization, impeccable timing, and most importantly ENTHUSIASM OWT OF THIS WORLD!!! OOOOOOOOOOO~OOP!
Clayton English won Last Comic Standing but he got his start at an HBCU. Darren Brand stars on MTV’s Wild N Out and together they share experiences attending an HBCU.
Trina hits the stage for BSU’s throwback concert series performing her classic hit single ‘Pull Over.’
She is accompanied by her performers, the ladies of Models Inc.
Founded by Bowie State alum, Aaron Handy with Iran “Bang” Paylor, Models Inc. was formed with three things in mind: To build self-esteem, enrich young adults, and create a safe place for youth and young adults to express themselves through artistic development and Runway performance. Visit Models Inc.
On October 11 at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, The Campaign for for Black Male Achievement and the Perception Institute presented its third “Black Male Reimagined III” with an emphasis on deconstructing the the black image and identity in the pre and post-Obama America.
The all-day presentation included performances, panelists, interactive discussions which explored the ‘realities, hopes, dreams, and challenges that are tied to the identity and perception of black men and women’ informed Vice President of Communications for the Campaign of Black Male Achievement, Rashid Shabazz.
Panelists included Tracy Martin and Ron Davis, both fathers of slain children Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, discussed the challenges within themselves and others in the black community.
As the fourth anniversary of Jordan Davis’ death approaches and the rise of police brutality among young black males, Davis’ father continues to stand up for the black community. “Families are more than a fifteen minute spotlight. The media leaves, yet we still have issues surrounding us so I have to stand up because you are my children since mine was taken away from me”.
Left to Right: Shawn Dove, Ron Davis, Tracy Martin Courtesy of Black Male Reimagined
Moderator and CEO of the Campaign for Black Male Achievement, Shawn Dove, inquired on the difficulty of expressing fear, anger, frustration, and hatred without being labeled as hypersensitive black male. Both Martin and Davis agreed to not deliberately neglect and disregard sensitivity because it creates ticking timebombs of stress, rage and resentment.
“Sensitivity is overlooked and as the head of the household we put a shield over ourselves. We let society tear us apart. We need to start loving people more. We need to let our sons know we love them because they are African American males with potential and help them instil respect, love, and God into their lives”, emphasized Martin. Davis concurred. “We need to learn as men how to cry and live simultaneously.
Davis recommended strategies to preserve the life and potential we as young people have yet to discover. “Seeing as how we get shot with our hands up or with our hands in our pockets, we don’t know what to do or say anymore. We need to make sure of our situations by creating safe zones for ourselves. Davis continues to suggest “if you don’t change the laws/policies, you are going to be right here on this stage with me. We have domestic terrorism but we are not here to be murdered”.
Since the killings of Jordan Davis an Trayvon Martin become catalysts for the Black Lives Matter Movement, the fathers, like other panelist have learned to manage the inevitable rage by using their platform to speak upon social change and the need for African Americans to be the change that we wish to see in the world.
The Wallace Foundation selected Virginia State University, among six other universities, to participate in a national $47 million initiative to develop models over the next four years for improving university principle preparation programs and to examine state policy to see if it could be strengthened to encourage higher-quality training statewide. VSU, along with district partners and the Virginia Department of Education, will receive $2.4 million in the first year to participate.
The University Principal Preparation Initiative seeks to explore how university programs can improve their training so it reflects the evidence on how to best prepare effective principals, and then to share these insights to benefit the broader field. It aims to address a longstanding concern that many university programs have not kept pace with the growing demands of the principalship.
UNCF-member historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) made significant progress in reducing student loan defaults rates, according to FY 2013 Cohort Default Rate data released last week. Two-thirds of the 37 HBCUs supported by UNCF reduced their FY 2013 Cohort Default Rates (CDRs) compared to the prior year, and some institutions cut default rates by 40 percent or more over the last two years.
“UNCF-member institutions have devoted tremendous time, resources and effort to reduce student loan defaults, all while using scarce funds to do their part, and these efforts are paying off,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF president and CEO. “Now, federal policymakers must step up to the plate to provide debt relief and better student loan services to the 80 percent of HBCU students who must borrow to get to and through college.”
Notably, all 101 eligible HBCUs produced three-year CDRs that fall below the 30 percent regulatory threshold. HBCUs were recognizedby the Education Department for innovative approaches toward default management and reduction, including best practices such as tracking measureable goals, engaging students at orientation with borrower topics, enhanced entrance and exit counseling, increased contact with delinquent borrowers and borrower tracking.
For additional progress on student loan debt, delinquencies and defaults, UNCF recommends that federal policymakers:
Reduce the need for low-income students to borrow by increasing grant and work-study opportunities
Make federal student loans less costly for students and their parents
Hold federal student loan servicing contractors accountable for serving students at a high level
Establish a single, simple and automatic income-based repayment plan for all federal student loan borrowers
Four NC A&T State University students claimed a victory of Black Enterprise’s TechConneXt Summit BE Smart Hackathon. A&T team members Angelica Willis, Brandon Long, Ashana and, Jean Beya developed “Let’s Go Black:” Where Culture Meets Adventure One Road at a Time, an app that helps anyone discover all things relative to the black experience while located anywhere in the nation that brought them the winning title. The IOS application helps users discover and devise a customized road trip experience and helps them support black owned businesses by sending them push notifications when in the vicinity of an African American business.
The 24-36 hour hackathon challenged each team to use their creative and development efforts to create an innovative In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) app. The participants’ primary focus was to develop an app for usage within a Toyota vehicle, also the lead summit sponsor.
Students from Edward Waters College and Duval County Public Schools attended the Florida Blogging Conference, a national and international social media and technology conference, at Full Sail University. William Jackson, Educational Technology; Social Media; and STEAM professor at EWC, hosts students during this conference and other similar events, to provide them the opportunity to network with industry professionals, build their knowledge base and confidence, and recognize their ability to speak on their own as they grow towards their career.
Students attended workshops during the FlBlogCon that were aimed toward integrating social media and technology in education, commerce business, and developing branding and marketing strategies. The conference, established 6 years ago, is designed to provide students the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real world careers.
Ronald A Johnson, Ph.D., was inaugurated as Clark Atlanta University’s fourth president on October 8 at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel in Atlanta. Immediately after assuming his role at CAU on July 1, 2015, Dr. Johnson moved to restructure every degree program at CAU for students to enhance their portfolio and boost their competitiveness in the global workforce. CAU moved up in rank to #18 in the Top 20 Best HBCU’s by US News and World Report during Dr. Johnson’s first year as president. He intends to “broaden and sharpen CAU’s efforts.”
Dr. Johnson previously served as the dean of the Texas Southern University Jesse H. Jones School of Business and a finance professor since 2011. He also served as dean of West Carolina University’s College of Business and has taught several majors of study to include finance and economics at Florida A&M University, Northeastern University, and Howard University.
The contents of this video are extremely rare. The contents are so uncommon that you may not believe your eyes. Believe them!
While growing up, Alan’s father and grandfather were both members of the white supremacist, hate, and terrorist organization, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Not only did Alan choose another path, he did so and blazed a trail. Alan became a man of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., attended a historically black college/university, married a black woman, his sister married a black man, and his father and grandfather even renounced their memberships from the KKK!
In 1987, the hit show A Different World, made its television debut. A Different World was the first television show to display the HBCU experience. During and after the airing of A Different World, the interest in HBCU’s spiked across the country. The show deflected negative African American stereotypes and positively showcased college life of the young, gifted and black. Since, “The Quad” will become the second show in history to depict the HBCU experience, many viewers may hope to find traces of A Different World.
From a far, “The Quad” seems like a drama series heavily based around the fictitious “Georgia A&M University Marching Band.” In the 3 minute trailer, “The Quad” delivers the following:
A newly installed and compelling female President played by Anika Noni Rose.
A band director with seemingly twisted morals and values.
Freshman students battling vigorously for marching band positions.
A multitude of serious chain reactions; caused by a brutal band hazing ritual.
Oh….and a 2 second close up of Jasmine Guy, most notable for her role as Whitley Gilbert in A Different World.
From the preview, my mind is anticipating a television drama focused on the HBCU marching band experience, which differs from the shows tagline; “Ever Wanted to Go to a HBCU? Welcome to The Quad.”
The tagline insinuates that the show will either persuade its viewers to attend an HBCU, or evoke feelings of jealousy from viewers who passed on an HBCU opportunity. But if the marching band is not a personal desire, the trailer gives little reason why one would want to go to an HBCU.
Although, HBCU bands are most beloved, Historically Black Colleges and Universities are capable of more than a halftime show. Horrific band hazing, resulting in the loss of life, has already brought shame and pain to the HBCU community. Placing these entities as the main focus of an HBCU plea is problematic.
HBCU’s are multi-facet with deeper meaning and value. Most, began just after slavery, affording African Americans an opportunity to receive higher education as early as the 1860’s. HBCU’s offer a sense of family, that can sometimes rival the love of actual family members. Inside the walls of HBCU’s are mathematicians, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs future leaders and other successful men and women. HBCU’s have been and continue to be one of the staples of the African American community.
Yes, HBCU’s are full of energy, camaraderie and house some of the best bands in the land, but if we are convincing the world of its greatness, the camera lens must widen.
To be fair, a 3 minute trailer will not provide enough content, to declare a definitive conclusion of the show’s ability to display the depth of HBCU life. Although most trailers, aim to provide part of the purpose (while holding back a few surprises), the previews are never too far from the overall plot.
So, will “The Quad” bring back life to HBCU’s on television? The answer depends on how you classify “life”.
You can answer the question for yourself after “The Quad” premieres on BET in January 2017.
The National Science Foundation donated $400,000 to Winston Salem State University to create a psychology research program. The grant aims to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM majors, within graduate programs and professional fields.
The grant will develop an honor’s curriculum in the Department of Psychological Sciences for undergraduate psychology students. The three-year grant will create three new research-focused courses and a summer cultural neuroscience institute that will immerse students in mentored research. It will also fund renovations and upgrades of lab spaces at Coltrane Hall and the establishment of a psychology colloquium series that will attract a diverse group of researchers and scholars to WSSU.
A short film titled “Against The Wall” is shining a light on ongoing cases of police violence aimed at the black community. The four-minute PSA, created by directing duo Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz along with social justice nonprofit Sankofa, is an attempt to further ignite a conversation around police brutality in the U.S.
The powerful PSA features stars and notable activists, like Jordan, Michael K. Williams, Van Jones and Sophia Dawson, literally pressed against a wall, mimicking the position many are told to assume before they are arrested. While they stare unflinchingly into the camera, real recordings of 911 dispatchers and national newscasts detailing the deaths of unarmed black men play in the background.
Before the end credits roll, the words “Black Is Not A Weapon” appear on the screen in white lettering. Co-director Gerard Bush said those words and the film itself point to the “weaponization” of blackness in America, challenging non-black people to confront their own racial bias and discover empathy for the black community.
“How you do it is less important than your commitment to use whatever platforms you have to speak to issues that matter…Get engaged, get involved, get educated and decide what you can do to make a difference.”
—President Obama at North Carolina A&T State University | ESPN, The Undefeated
On October 11, 2016, President Barack Obama made his way to Greensboro, N.C. to participate in a conversation led by Stan Verrett with ESPN and The Undefeated, hosted by a respected and renowned Historically Black College and University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
With his normal casually poised and smooth demeanor, the conversation began with a mention of the National Museum of African-American Culture that recently opened in Washington, D.C. and how it chronicles the evolution of the African diaspora in America. The significance in this as a starting point was the acknowledgment of what we have accomplished collectively and how the strength and humanity of perseverance lead what we’ve been able to accomplish. It also set the tone for the continuation of the conversation to follow.
When asked about his personal heroes, he referenced Arthur Ashe and the great and late Muhammad Ali, both with very distinct personalities, yet transformative in their own right. He also talked about the challenges faced by the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela, how their leadership through unfathomable situations shifts his perspective when there is this pressure to sustain and lead an entire nation. Just the same, he finds motivation in the everyday people, whom he’s been dedicated to serving during and before his term as president and making their lives better.
Photo credit: Delaney Vandergrift, NCAT
In terms of current challenges we face in America, our president touched on removing vanity from our personal goals and understanding that one’s place and purpose has so much to do with what we can do for others. As president of the United States for the past 8 years, he’s listened to the concerns of the people and taken those issues into account when deciding what needs to be done.
“One of the benefits of defeat is to take some of the vanity about what it is you’re trying to achieve…it’s not about me; it’s what I can do for someone else.”
Proceeding a student-athlete’s question regarding what can be done, he advised all of us to use whatever platforms we have to speak on things that matter. He used the My Brother’s Keeper initiative as an example of what can be done and encouraged mentorship as a way to get involved within our communities. This program, along with Let Girls Learn started by Michelle Obama, prioritizes the youth as the leaders of tomorrow. While discussing his experience growing up and that of inner city youth that are a part of these programs, he made a powerful statement:
“Understand the power in second chances and redemption.”
As it saddens many Americans to see the President’s reign come to an end with the upcoming election, there was an emphasis on the importance of social, political, and economic activism to continue to build upon the groundwork that has been established by both President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. There is a responsibility that all of us have to maintain the positive aspects of his presidency and bridge the gaps on things that need to be changed. He spoke on the vitality of black excellence, how our work as individuals and as a community is: “…the foundation stone for building the kind of black middle class, wealth, and ultimate success that will be important to the entire nation.”
Photo credit: Delaney Vandergrift, NCAT
Last but not least, the topic of HBCU’s were presented. In contrast to what critics have to say about what hasn’t been done, President Obama addressed the many ways in which the historically black colleges and universities in this country thrive, including the increase in funding, the consistent effort put into maintaining these institutions, and their ability to produce the most qualified structure of alumni in an array of America’s leading industries.
