Page 367 – HBCU Buzz

News

FAMU Alumnus, US Army Captain Killed in Orlando Shooting

Posted on Jun 14, 2016

On Sunday, June 9th in Orlando, FL, a gay nightspot, Pulse Nightclub, became the scene of a very deadly hate crime.

The gunman, American-born, 29-year-old Omar Mir Seddique Mateen changed America forever. Shocking details have been released, exposing that Mateen is no stranger to run-ins with the law. In 2013 and 2014 he was interviewed by the FBI after expressing sympathy for a suicide bomber, but was not found to be a threat.

Since 2007, Mateen worked at G4S Secure Solutions, one of the world’s largest private security companies. Even more disturbing, according to U.S. officials, the gunman allegedly called 911 during the attack, pledging allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which has been designated as a terrorist group by the United Nations, the European Union, and member states including the United States, Russia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Syria. Officials state that during this call, Mateen also referenced the Boston Marathon bombers.

Around 2 a.m., Mateen walked into Pulse Nightclub with an assault riffle and a pistol. Within minutes he took the lives of 49 men and women, ages 19 to 50-years-old and wounded more than 53 others.

Following a deadlock of nearly three hours with people trapped inside, Orlando police crashed into the building with an armored vehicle and stun grenades and killed Omar Mateen. Orlando Chief of Police John Mina states “It appears he was organized and well-prepared”. No accomplices have been identified at this time.

President Obama made a statement sharing sympathy with those impacted saying “this was an act of terror and hate…this could have been any one of us.”

When interviewed, the Afganistan-born parents of Mateen said they do recall their son being outraged after seeing two men kiss in Miami, but did not know him to have any religious or terrorist group affiliations. Mateens former wife Sitora Yusufiy told CNN that she and Omar’s relationship seemed fine initially, but took a turn for the worse when Mateen began abusing her just a few months after sharing vows in 2009. Yusufiy also mentions that Mateen had a history with steroids and was bipolar, though there is no formal documentation to support this.

Amongst those lives loss was Antonio Davon Brown. Brown attended Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) where he studied criminal justice and was active in the university’s ROTC program. Upon graduating in 2008, Brown selflessly made a decision to serve the country by joining the U.S. Army, where he served in Kuwait from April 2010 to March 2011. One year later, in March 2012, Brown was made a captain, where he served until his most recent position as a Troop Program Unit soldier in the U.S. Army Reserve. Brown’s alma mater, FAMU, released the following statement:

Our hearts go out to all of the families of those affected in the tragic shooting that took place in Orlando on Sunday morning. The horrendous incident happened not far from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Law School in downtown Orlando.

We are especially saddened by the news that one of the victims was part of the FAMU family. 29-year-old Antonio Davon Brown was a criminal justice major from Cocoa Beach, Florida and a member of ROTC during his time on the Hill. He graduated from FAMU in 2008 and is being remembered fondly by classmates and fellow alumni on social media. We will continue to update you about plans for a memorial or service of remembrance for alumnus Brown.

In the meantime, the Florida A&M University community stands with the entire Orlando community in the wake of tragedy. Our thoughts, and prayers for peace, are with everyone in central Florida and across this nation.

Spotlight

HBCU Young Alumni Series: Life After Graduation ft. Morgan McKenzie

Chymere A. Hayes

Posted on Jun 9, 2016

Often times, recent graduates become overwhelmed with different perceptions of life after graduation. Even for the ones who seemingly had it all figured out and calculated since freshman year, accepting this reality can be scary, because the years known to be the best times of their lives are coming to an end and now it’s time to execute those plans.

As the final year of college approaches, students are under this pressure to start thinking more about life post-graduation. It’s that moment to sum up everything college has taught them and gather all the connections and resources. Factors such as geographic location, salaries, benefits, etc. all make a difference now. Once the excitement of graduation subsides, brand new alumni are now in position to decide what’s next.

Fear aside, there is always a cluster of graduates who understand the days of their lives have just began, as there is now a golden opportunity for dreams and business plans to take off. After taking the time to converse with a few alumni of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, I decided to start a series dedicated to the go-getters who prove that life after graduation can be rewarding and by defying the myths of reality, life after graduation isn’t so bad after all. The overall purpose of this series is to document the journeys of success stories in the making and to graduates who managed to do the work, create opportunities for themselves, and have now reach a new level, or on the brink of achieving, success. Hopefully this sparks interest in continuing the conversation amongst other HBCU alumni.

This week on HBCU Young Alumni Series, we interviewed Morgan McKenzie an alumna of the North Carolina A&T State University and radio personality at 102 Jamz in Greensboro, NC. Straight Talk Radio with Chris Lea premiers every Sunday morning, covering a variety of topics that revolve mostly around political and socioeconomic topics, as well as hosting in depth conversations with residents of the Triad, NC area to help bridge the gap between issues within the black community and solutions.

CH: I remember meeting you back in 2008 and you were so shy and timid back then! Are you able to recall where did your shift start? Did you feel like you were less confident then? If so, where did you gain your confidence?

MC: You’re right about that…I’ve always been extremely shy and timid. When I was a child I barely talked to anyone unless they were family, or close friends. I consider myself to be an introvert. I’m very selectively social, and interacting with people can be a bit draining for me, but it is something I fight through every day because there is no way to success without communicating with people. I would say my confidence came from performing. I was a dancer/baton twirler for Golden Delight at North Carolina A&T. The dance team helped groom me to be the woman I am today through dance, showmanship, discipline, and leadership. Golden Delight allowed me to exude confidence in every way. Each performance gave me the opportunity to own who I am by being fierce! If you don’t speak up and believe in yourself, no one will take you seriously. Confidence is everything!

CH: Was radio something you had in mind when you were mapping out your career path as a freshman student at A&T?

MC: As a freshman student at A&T, I was an undecided major for a while. All I knew was that I wanted to be a part of the marching band, and I would figure out my career path along the way. Despite me being such an introvert, I’ve always been interested in broadcasting. I was undecided, but found myself registering for Journalism courses which lead me in the area of audio and video production. Music has always been a major part of my life, and to have a job in radio where music is the basis of the position was pretty dope to me. I landed an internship with 102 Jamz working for the Wild Out Wake Up Show with Kyle Santillian, B-DAHT, and Toshamakia and the rest is history! I still can’t believe I am now a co-host for a talk show on the radio station I’ve practically grown up listening to. I was just grabbing coffee and breakfast for the radio personalities, and now I am one! Pretty dope.

CH: I’d say! We all have different motives and perspectives when it comes to success, so considering where you are now, how has education, specifically at an HBCU, helped shape your definition of success?

MC: Attending North Carolina A&T was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. Oftentimes, while walking through campus I would look around in awe of all the beautiful, black students making their way to classes, which is a wonderful sight to see. I know that we are future leaders, and that our ancestors gave their lives so that we would be afforded the opportunity to become educated. Attending an HBCU gave me a sense of pride and identity. I was finally taught rich, black history without it being watered down. I was taught about Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Ancient Kemet, Black Folklore, The Greensboro Four, and more! It was exciting and inspiring. I’m grateful for my HBCU for introducing me to knowledge that helped me gain a sense of who I am and where I come from.

Morgan 2 (2) — Photo cred. DeÄan Pridgeon @deaanpridgeon

CH: What other facets of journalism are you interested in? Do you see yourself thriving career wise in that field for the long run or do you think you’ll switch things up a bit in a few years?

MC: I want to be involved in journalism in many ways. I like working behind the scenes in the area of production. I enjoy working with cameras and editing audio and video. I would also like to be in front of the camera at some point. I really admire the work of Marc Lamont Hill because he is a scholar, author and activist; all of which I aspire to be. You can find him dropping knowledge on CNN, BET, Huffington Post, and social media discussing topics ranging from politics to pop culture. I want to be multifaceted like him. I want to be able to use my platform to engage, and to inform. I definitely see myself thriving in the area of journalism whether it’s digital journalism, entertainment news, hard news…I’m game. I want to be a positive voice that incites change and encourages people to seek knowledge.

CH: What’s your favorite part about being a radio host on one of the most successful stations for R&B and Hip Hop in the triad area?

MC: My favorite part about being a radio host is that the topics covered on Straight Talk informs people and encourages them to think. Chris Lea and I pose questions on our show that people are afraid to discuss such as racism, mental health, and sexual identity. We give our listeners the platform to share their concerns and to ask questions so that they will be informed and open- minded. Also, being on-air is allowing me to find my voice—the voice I used to hide. I deal with anxiety and shyness presently, but being on a talk show forces me out of it and I love it. It’s a challenge, but it shows me that my voice has power and purpose.

Morgan1 — Photo/design cred. DRL Toons @drltoons

Editorial

Black Women Making Strides in Higher Education

Mariah Hickman

Posted on Jun 9, 2016

Students cheers as the class of 2014 celebrate during the graduation ceremony at Howard University in Washington, on Saturday, May 10, 2014. Rapper and music mogul Sean Combs delivered the commencement address at Howard University on Saturday. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

The real good news, bad news.

No, black women are not the most educated group in the US, but we are making major strides in higher education.

There have been several articles circulating that claim black women are the most educated group in the US. As wonderful as that sounds, we must interpret the facts correctly.

A report released by the National Center for Education Statistics found that between 2009 and 2010, black women earned 68 percent of all associate’s degrees, 66 percent of all bachelor’s degrees, 71 percent of all master’s degrees and 65 percent of all doctorate’s degrees awarded to black students.

Who runs the world? GIRLS!

That very same report found that black students have more than doubled almost all of the degrees they earned between 1999-2000 and 2009-2010. In 10 years, associate’s degrees increased by 89 percent, bachelor’s degrees increased 53 percent, master’s degrees increased 109 percent and doctorate’s degrees increased by 47 percent.

Though these results show progression the battle is not over. According to the 2010-2014 American Community Survey black women hold 23.3 percent of black women hold a bachelor degree or higher in comparison to 38.1 percent of white women and 55.4 percent of Asian women.

Despite the survey one thing is certain, black women and the black community in general are making it a priority to get the education they have long been locked out of.

Community

Now That The Three HBCUs Included In Senate Bill 873 Are Gone, Black University Calls For ‘Full Repeal’

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Jun 8, 2016

The pushback of the historically black college or university, or HBCU, community has paid off, something that Black University is calling a big win for black college students across the nation. The three historically black colleges included in the Access to Affordable College Act (Senate Bill 873) have been removed, but two schools still remain, according to statement by Black University.

On Thursday, June 2 Black University, a collective coalition of Black North Carolina HBCU students dedicated to education, says the entire bill should now be removed. “Black University calls for the full repeal of Senate Bill 873,” the statement read. “Although HBCUs are not included anymore, UNC-Pembroke and Western Carolina will still be greatly impacted. This is simply a discrimination bill as well as being a non-sustainable plan for these institutions, both of these universities should have the right to manage their own money.”

Black University continues, “The “poor performance” that occurs is a result of the gradual decrease of funding over the past years, this is not at the fault of the students or faculty at these schools.”

What’s more, according to the statement, the NC black college leaders who didn’t fight back against the bill “committed a disservice to their students, alumni, and faculty.”

“Silence is violence and students will not allow any HBCU administration to play both sides of the fence when their loyalty should be with students of their prestigious institutions and solidarity with other HBCUs,” the statement read.

Check out the entire statement below.

Official Statement Concerning SB873#StudentPower pic.twitter.com/oYKu9J4k9e

— Blvck University (@BlvckUniversity) June 2, 2016

Entertainment

FAMU Student Gets Internship Of A Lifetime

Janae A Faison

Posted on Jun 7, 2016

Lots of college students dream of getting that one big internship that’ll rocket start their career. Well, that’s exactly what’s happening to FAMU student and Broadcast Journalism major, Javonni Hampton. Hampton just landed an internship with CBS, an incredible opportunity, she says.

Javonni, born and raised in Orlando, Florida, says she first started making her way into the field of broadcast journalism back in high school, and says she joined ten organizations and also was the president of six of them. Her interest gained in journalism and broadcast media after she produced a 15 minute narrative feature about the portrayal of African American women in the media.

“Being involved in those different organizations and clubs, it allows you to be able to be a leader as well as a follower, be able to speak your mind and let your opinions to be known, and that kind of paved the way for me to be comfortable in broadcast journalism,” explain Javonni.

“The more women there would be in media, it would promote female evolution just like at one point, when women didn’t have the right to vote and now you’re seeing more women in TV shows and becoming journalists. It’s like the more women that [join the media], it’s kind of impossible to tell every woman “no”,” says Javonni.

In college, Javonni became an anchor for FAMU’s “News 20 & Five” while being a contributing Multimedia Journalist.

“I’ve kind of been shadowing the new cast and wanting to be able to sit at the anchor desk and I had the opportunity to audience and I took full advantage of it.”

Since FAMU is a partner with CBS, finding out about the internship wasn’t hard, it was making sure that she had everything she needed to be qualified, which made it a bit difficult Javonni explains.

“I had to do a resume, get letters of recommendation, had to write an essay, make sure my GPA met the requirements, a lot of stuff. I don’t know how long I waited to hear back from them (CBS), but I did and I got it.”

Javonni has big plans on leaving her mark on the world of news especially amongst African Americans and other minority groups.

“A lot people aren’t informed about the world around them. Media is centered around the music industry and gossip and if it’s not on social media, then people really don’t know what’s going on,” explains Javonni.

“Even if I don’t become a news anchor in the future still being an inspirational speaker or have my own talk show, or anything that I’ll be able to use my voice to help people I’d be more than happy with.”

She will start her internship this summer, and plans to make the most of this experience, Hampton says.

Advice

Tasha Smith Addresses Leadership At The 20th NASAP Anniversary

Mariah Hickman

Posted on Jun 7, 2016

“I now live in the house that was on my vision board 10 years ago,” testified actress and comedian Tasha Smith on June 3 at the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals (NASAP) 2016 Student Leadership Conference at Bowie State University.

Smith said leadership is simple; either you’re born with it or you’re not. You cannot become a leader you just are one. She identified five critical characteristics that she believes every natural born leader possesses.

Leaders have a vision.

Smith said she faced poverty, was subject to physical and sexual abuse and battled a drug addiction, but despite her adversity she always had a vision. Her vision was one that showed there was more to life. She had dreams of acting.

“I now live in the house that was on my vision board 10 years ago,” said Smith. She encourages all leaders to have a plan and a vision to achieve their goals.

Leaders are fearless.

“You can’t be afraid of the word ‘NO’,” said Smith. There will be bumps along the road, but you must push forward.

At the age of 15 Smith said that she met actress Tisha Campbell and invited her to dinner at her house. Though she was nervous she took a leap of faith and Campbell agreed. Smith said she was mortified when a roach flew across the room during their dinner, but because of her fearlessness that dinner date blossomed into a 30-year-old friendship that helped launch her career in the process.

Leaders are themselves.

Many can hear Smith’s voice ringing in their ears easily while reading, “MAAARRRCCCUUSSS.” Smith said she never shied away from her roots because who she was is what landed her where she is. She brings an authenticity that cannot be denied.

Leadership is the same. Be yourself, always. People will follow in your footsteps.

Leaders are patient.

“Do not expect instant gratification,” warned Smith. She said that too often we start things and do not follow through because we don’t see results are quickly as we would like. Everything that we do is a seed. Yourself, your dreams and your visions are all seeds. “Don’t let someone else get your harvest,” Smith said. If you start something finish it. Leaders complete their mission at hand.

This years’ NASAP Student Leadership Conference was hosted at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. It united over 40 historically black colleges and universities, hundreds of student leaders representing their respective Student Government Associations’, Student Activities Boards’ and National Pan-Hellenic Councils’ while celebrating its 20^th anniversary.

Spotlight

One Stop Hair Product and Extension App Created by Two HU Alum

Sonia Montalvo

Posted on Jun 7, 2016

If at any point, there was ever a need to merge the accessibility and convenience of a mobile app, and the need to buy hair and haircare products, it’s now, and one has to look no further than ile.

Co- Founders Bharat Wood and Alex Aaron, have been working on ile the company and brand for a little over 18 months. Both Howard Alum, Wood presented his idea to current partner Alex Aaron in summer of 2014, and a month ago they soft launched the ile app. Ile the app proposes to be the end all be all for purchasing anything hair related. Units, wigs, natural hair products, and hair extensions, can all be purchased on the centralized one stop shop. Geared towards African American Women, Both Bharat and Alex saw the need to foster a space in the beauty industry, a 684 million dollar market.

Aaron says, “We didn’t want to create any new brands, it wasn’t like we were trying to enter the market and come up with a new hairline or new product, we were saying hey there’s a lot of existing brands out there and what if we create this online market place…”

Growing day by day, ile has the potential to take the market by storm. Where there are so few African American distributors in the beauty market, both Wood and Aaron saw the need to shake things up. Noting that the hardest part of getting ile off the ground, was getting their foot in the door. “one thing we struggled with, is kind of proving yourself. Any time your new in an industry it’s like “Who the hell are you guys and why the hell should I listen to you?”

Bharat notes that another drawback was that when dealing with hair companies, they’re usually segmented by regions and coasts. “Popular brands on the east coast are almost virtually unknown on the west coast, and are almost virtually unknown in Texas or Chicago” Wood states that getting people to trust the different brands is a goal of theirs.

With Aaron on the Pitching side of ile, Wood focused his energy on the coding and overall layout of the app. Making sure it was a seamless process, and user friendly. The app launched a little over a month ago, and the guys are extremely excited about it.

Though the brainchild is theirs, the gentlemen hope to have the company grow to a point where they can pass the torch off to a female executive board. Aaron says that there are “endless possibilities in the matter.”

With 15 product brands and 2 hair extension brands featured on the app, the goal is to bring smaller brands to the Black owned products to the forefront. “I really want to go back to partnering with the brands that were created by African Americans in the hair Industry. At the end of the day African Americans know their hair best. A lot of the hair care brands that women may use by default just because they’re in Target or in Wal-Mart probably are good for what they’re trying to do but they’re not the best, because they are not made for them specifically.” Says Bahrat. “Our next big push is partnering with these Mom and Pop brands that are really tailored, made by African Americans for African Americans.”

With the app, users are able to see in depth and detailed descriptions of the products, as well as YouTube tutorials and reviews.

To download the ile app, please follow the links below,

Download ile on the Apple Store

Dowload ile on Google Play

“Use coupon code ‘HBCU‘ to receive 10% off all hair care products. Also, FREE shipping on all hair extension and wig orders shipped within the United States!”

Spotlight

Howard Grad Brandon Dean Wants To Become Brighton, Alabama’s Next Mayor

Sonia Montalvo

Posted on Jun 6, 2016

Often referred to as the “Obama of Brighton Alabama,” Brandon Dean is in hopes to becoming the next Mayor in the city’s upcoming August election.

Running for office in Brighton was nowhere in sight on Brandon’s list of goals. Graduating from Howard University with a degree in Political Science, his plan was to become a political finance director. “I wanted to work on national campaigns helping candidates raise money.” After graduation, a series of events led him home and Brandon found himself trying to figure out what would be best for him. Trying to gauge the problems and interests of Brighton’s 3,000 resident strong community, he realized that he could use his talents bring change to his hometown. Brandon told himself that if he found that the residents were serious about wanting transformation in Brighton, that he would put his best foot forward.

“Though I was born here, there were so many things that I did not appreciate, that I didn’t understand fully about the people and the circumstances under which they were living.”

Dean says that during his time at HU he served as an ally to leadership and administration, as well as an adversary in challenging them to bring change. “It was representative of my entire career at Howard University, there were many challenges, and there were many places where we disagreed, but ultimately coming out, the appreciation for what Howard University is, is undying…what I bring back to Brighton, so much of it I learned and developed from Howard University.”

Brandon says that if elected into office one of the problems he hopes to address initially will be the murder rates within Brighton city. With over 23 murders in the past 2 years in the close knit town, Brandon sees it as an issue that needs to be addressed. He also notes that substance distribution and substance abuse are major problems too. Noting that he knows a lot of the drug dealers are not in the business of intentionally tearing down their hometown, Brandon want’s to show them that there are other ways to become financially stable. “I’ve never met one who believes that they sell drugs so that they can destroy the fabric of the community that they grew up in, or to say that “I sell drugs because I want to hurt people or ruin lives,” unfortunately many of them see this as the only option for them to have economic security, and so It’s the job of a leader like me to change those conditions, so that people see other opportunities, so that people have realistic options for providing for their families.”

If elected, Dean will make history as becoming the youngest mayor the city has ever seen. The 24-year-old Howard alum, hopes he can bring change to the community and become a pillar for the community’s residents.

Elections take place August 23^rd, and Brandon Dean hopes to bring his Howard education, and his political savvy to Brighton Alabama, a place very near to his heart.

News

NCCU Law Dean Phyliss Craig-Taylor Nominated by President Obama to HBCU Board of Advisors

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jun 6, 2016

Phyliss Craig-Taylor entered the third grade with a cigar box where she kept a sad and unusual collection – the debris thrown at her, one of just a handful of black students, by her white classmates.

After school, she and her mother would move the sticks, stones and occasional shards of glass into a larger bag, which would eventually be used in court to further racial integration efforts. It was an experience that propelled Craig-Taylor to become both a lawyer and an advocate for social justice.

The youngest of 12 children growing up on an Alabama farm, she would go on to attend the University of Alabama and Columbia University, while most of her older siblings earned their degrees at colleges founded to educate African-American students.

Now dean of the N.C. Central University law school, Craig-Taylor was recently tapped by President Barack Obama to serve on an advisory board for historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs.

Founded during the era of segregation, the nation’s 100 HBCUs, including 10 in North Carolina, still play an outsized role in educating minority students. About 15 percent of bachelor’s degrees earned by African-Americans came from HBCUs in 2013, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

I have seen the role that they [HBCUs] have played in advancing opportunities for African-Americans in this country because I lived it. It’s not somebody else’s story.

The advisory board was formed to help shape education policy that affects these schools, many of which have faced enrollment declines and financial problems in recent years. It’s a subject about which Craig-Taylor is passionate.

“I have seen the role that they have played in advancing opportunities for African-Americans in this country because I lived it,” she says. “It’s not somebody else’s story.”

Johnson Akinleye, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at N.C. Central, says Craig-Taylor has both the passion and experience to promote HBCUs effectively.

“She will be a strong voice, and intelligent voice, a voice that is well aware of the pertinent issues that surround HBCUs,” says Akinleye. “Who she is and where she comes from, her experience and background, make her a very knowledgeable person to explain these issues.”

Facing hostility head on

Craig-Taylor and her siblings grew up working the fields to raise cotton and vegetables, but they were urged to pursue a different kind of future. While her parents hadn’t been to college, all 10 of their surviving children earned degrees, mostly from HBCUs.

Active in the civil rights movement, her parents framed their childrens’ education as part of that struggle. That’s why they opted to send Craig-Taylor and two of her siblings to white schools, despite the hostility they faced.

The debris Craig-Taylor collected in the cigar box was used in one of several court cases that ended the choice policy in favor of more deliberate integration.

“My mother would tell me that one day this could be used as evidence in court to show that people should not be treated this way,” Craig-Taylor says. “We understood our experience was part of a larger journey.”

When a high school counselor told Craig-Taylor that she wasn’t college material, the 15-year-old left school and went to East Alabama University, an HBCU her sister was attending.

Buzzing News

Magic Johnson To Give $2.5M In Scholarships To South Carolina State Business Students

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jun 6, 2016

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Five-time NBA Champion Earvin “Magic” Johnson will partner with SC State University to raise $2.5 million toward an endowed scholarship, which will bear the global businessman’s name. Such a philanthropic effort is the first in university history. The Earvin “Magic” Johnson Endowed Scholarship Fund will support scholars who are working toward earning their degrees from the SC State University School of Business.

“I am overjoyed by the opportunity to continue my commitment to higher education through my partnership with SC State University. Since visiting the university over a year ago, we have worked to develop meaningful ways to contribute to its success. This endowment will help continue the legacy of our nation’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). I encourage all corporate and socially responsible citizens to support our HBCUs,” said Earvin “Magic” Johnson, chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises.

More than one year ago, Johnson visited the Orangeburg, South Carolina.C. campus. He spoke before a crowd of several hundred during the School of Business’ weekly Executive Speaker Series. It was during that appearance, he committed to help strengthening and catapulting the university’s firmly rooted land-grant mission of research, teaching and service.

“We are certainly honored that Earvin is teaming up with SC State to assist in achieving what will be the university’s largest single philanthropic investment to date,” said Interim President Dr. W. Franklin Evans.

“His partnership not only marks a milestone in the university’s history, but this partnership will produce an indelible impact in the university’s legacy,” Evans continued.

The SC State University School of Business is recognized among the best in business education for institutions of higher learning. It is among the top 5 percent in the world to receive the premier accrediting distinction by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The university will announce further details about the scholarship at a special fundraising event on Sunday, June 12 in Washington, D.C., where Johnson is expected to make a major announcement about his partnership with SC State, the only state-assisted historically black university. Special guests will include SC State alumnus Congressman James E. Clyburn, ’61, SC State University Board of Trustees Chairman Charles S. Way Sr., Interim President Dr. W. Franklin Evans, President and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Johnny C. Taylor Jr., and several alumni who are military general officers.

Graduates from the School of Business have earned graduate degrees from prestigious schools such as Harvard University, University of Virginia, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of South Carolina, Clemson University, College of Charleston and the Hult International Business School in London. Upon earning their degrees from SC State, students gain employment at top companies and agencies including Boeing, BMW, Altria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Pfizer, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Cigna and TOMY International.

“The School of Business is beyond grateful for Mr. Johnson’s partnership. The Earvin “Magic” Johnson Endowed Scholarship will benefit our students, who are inspired by him and desire promising careers as entrepreneurs and forces-to-be reckoned with in the business world,” said Interim Dean of the School of Business Dr. Barbara Adams.

Johnson’s announcement comes on the heels of an unprecedented time in giving for the university. Overall private giving has increased more than 361 percent over last year, from $915,959 to $4.2 million. Additionally, alumni giving has increased 81 percent, from $437,275 to $972,304.

According to A.L. Fleming, associate vice president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the SC State University Foundation, the surge in contributions reflects the increase in public confidence of the university.

“More individuals and corporations are contributing to the university because they believe in the power of SC State University to transform lives and inspire greatness. Alumni recognize the lasting impact of the university in their professional and personal lives; and corporations – either by word of mouth or by witnessing the professional contributions of their employees with SC State degrees – know undoubtedly that SC State adds value to the workforce landscape,” said Fleming.

“I have no doubt that this established partnership will inspire more to begin investing or increasing their level of giving to SC State University,” continued Fleming.

For more information, please contact A.L. Fleming at aflemin6@scsu.edu or (803) 536-8542.

News

Meet the Two HBCU Grads Who Competed for Miss USA 2016

Brittany Ireland

Posted on Jun 6, 2016

Yesterday in Las Vegas, dozens of women competed for the title of Miss USA 2016. As each of the educated, poised women graced the stage, one could not help but notice the melanin radiating

through the ball gowns and sashes. Black girl magic made not one, not two, but several appearances! More than this, a couple of ladies vying for the crown hailed from historically black colleges and university, how exciting!Check out the contestants that got us excited!

Pageant winner, 26-year-old Army reserve officer and IT analyst Deshauna Barber is a proud alumna of Virginia State University. Barber is also a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Congratulations to this queen. Go Trojans !

Miss USA Bio:

Deshauna is 26 years old and was born in Columbus, Georgia. Due to her father’s military career she relocated multiple times to states including North Carolina, Nebraska, Minnesota, Virginia and finally to Washington, D.C. After graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Management from Virginia State University, Deshauna moved to Washington D.C. where she is currently working as an IT Analyst for the U.S. Department of Commerce. Being the daughter of a retired Army Master Sergeant it is no shocker that Deshauna decided to join the Army. She commissioned as a Quartermaster Officer in 2011 and is currently a Logistics Commander for the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit at Fort Meade, Maryland. Deshauna loves to dance, hike and enjoy quality time with her family. Deshauna has a passion to serve the men and women in the U.S. military, specifically focusing her platform on PTSD treatment for soldiers returning from deployments and suicide prevention in the Armed Forces.

Desi Williams, proud 2-time Hampton University alumna and professor holds a doctorate in physical therapy and a bachelor of science in health and physical education from Hampton University. Desi was also Miss Hampton University 2010-11. Congrats on the Top 10 Desi, and happy early birthday (June 14). Go Pirates!

Miss USA Bio:

Desi Williams received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Hampton University, where she also earned a B.S. in Health & Physical Education, minoring in Leadership Studies. She works as a faculty member at her alma mater as Interim Director of the William R. Harvey Leadership Institute and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy.

A licensed clinician, certified yoga instructor, and Reiki Level I practitioner, Dr. Williams aspires to be a positive role model for others. Her efforts resulted in the 2014 book she co-authored and published, entitled Love Affair with my Hair: Why Black Women Cheat on Health as well as her Hampton University legacy, the HU 5k by the Bay. Desi enjoys serving as a public and motivational speaker and is the spokesperson for her city’s annual marathon event. Desi represents that the modern woman can truly have it all!

Combining her work behind the camera with her education, Desi dreams of becoming the female Dr. Oz!

In addition to these two ladies representing historically black colleges and universities, co-host Terrence “J” Jenkins, is also a graduate of an HBCU – North Carolina A&T State University. HBCUs have a few reasons to be proud, including a crown.

Community

HBCU Graduate, Deshauna Barber Named 2016 Miss USA

Chymere A. Hayes

Posted on Jun 6, 2016

Miss USA Deshauna Barber — Photo cred: Fox news

What an honor it was to have witnessed Miss District of Columbia, 26-year old Deshauna Barber, be crowned at this year’s Miss USA pageant on June 5, 2016. Not only is the face of the United States of America now an African-American woman and the third black woman to ever do it, but she is also an HBCU alumna, hailing from Virginia State University. She is the 2nd HBCU graduate to earn the crown since Howard University’s Shauntay Hinton in 2002. It’s also fair to mention that the event was hosted by popular actor and television host, Terrence J., who is also an HBCU graduate, alumni of the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

The most striking attribute to conclude about this young lady was duality and her ability to exhibit and maintain a standard of both strength and beauty. Having a background in the U.S. military as logistics commander for the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit in Fort Meade, Maryland and IT expert for the U.S. Department of commerce, she epitomizes what it means to have brains and beauty. With diligence, grace, strength, poise, intelligence, and an all around amazing aura, she represents black culture, her family, her alma mater, and black women extremely well.

Life is but a dream: A message from #MissUSA 2016, Deshauna Barber!https://t.co/mYMHzv7KYY

— Miss USA (@MissUSA) June 6, 2016

News

2016 Greek Picnic Schedule

Brittany Ireland

Posted on Jun 4, 2016

ATTENTION: Alphas, AKAs, Nupes, Que Dawgs, Deltas, Sigmas, Zetas, SGRhos, and Iotas..especially neos! Are you looking forward to a summer of taking random road trips and making unforgettable memories ? Each organization – Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Iota Phi Theta – knows how much of a good time Greek picnics can be.

There is no need to hunt all over the internet, we have compiled a 2016 list of Greek picnics that tend to draw a crowd.

You’re welcome.

Vote for your favorite picnic today

Entertainment

HU Students Use Short Film To Display The Infamous Financial Aid Runaround

Sonia Montalvo

Posted on Jun 3, 2016

In an effort to not “disrespect” or “bring shame” to HBCUs, students and alumni often stay quiet about the long draining and sometimes ridiculous experiences they have when dealing with their schools’ financial aid departments. There’s been this myth, that if students talk about the way HBCUs handle their financial aid processes, that will bring negative press to their respective universities. But what if it was delivered in a funny and satirical manner? What if, we let people in on the inside joke that are our HBCU financial aid woes? Tevin Scott, has done just that with his new short film The “Real HU”.

A series of tweets with the hashtag #TakebackHU, as well as other protests and campaigns inspired Tevin to create a film that delves into what a lot of students go through at the beginning of each semester, and that’s getting cleared for school.

The “Real HU” dropped on May 22^nd and received thousands of views in its first week. Tevin is really excited about the positive feedback. “While I was writing I had in my mind that it was supposed to be controversial, I thought we were going to get back lash for it”

The 23 minute short follows Reggie Jordan, A senior at Howard University on a quest figure out how to pay off his $4,000 fine so that he can register for classes.

Reggie, played by Howard University student Marcus Livingston Jr., Thinks of everything from A to Z to come up with the money. From robbing the A building, to becoming a campus weed man, it gets hectic in the mind of Reggie as we watch him brainstorm.

Marcus, or Reggie, or whatever you’d like to call him once you watch the movie, says that he hopes the film sparks conversation with both HBCU and PWI students alike, to show that all students face problems when it comes to their schools.

“I just want people to look past the comedy and understand the deeper message of the project. This controversial project is a discussion that has been prolonged for far too long. HBCUs and many other institutions across the nation have all experienced something similar to the trials of Reggie Jordan, and no more students deserve to be robbed of an education because of a problem we all have to help solve.”

Both Livingston and Scott have worked together on various projects, but Marcus says this one was different. Noting that in previous projects, their formula has been to go with the funniest shots and to go from there. This time around Livingston states, “We were so patient with every single shot.” Livingston is extremely grateful that Tevin trusted him with the vision for the character.

Giving his character Reggie, fuel from his own life, Marcus was able to empathize the character, and his go get it mentality. Livingston originally denied acceptance to Howard University, was determined that he would turn then no into a yes. Marcus stepped out on faith to audition for the theater program even though he wasn’t admitted into Howard as a student. Not promised anything before his audition, but still given a chance to go for a spot, Livingston was accepted into the program.

A faculty member then helped to pull some strings which assisted in Marcus receiving an institutional acceptance. “Reggie has some similar characteristics as myself and my personal life as I have been through many obstacles to get the things I want most in life…

My tenacious personality helped with me getting in character and it worked out perfectly in the end.”

Scott says that there’s still work to be done on The “Real HU” to get it film festival ready, but the objective is to have it seen everywhere. The Real HU is definitely a film worth watching, not only for the sake of laughing until you cry, but to see that all students everywhere face problems within our institutions that need to tackled.

“Being fortunate enough to tell Reggie’s story, I took away a number of things. After living through Reggie, I immediately understood how crucial controversy can be. This film can easily disturb some higher ups at institutions but as I said before, this is something that should have been addressed years ago. We’re at a point where people outside of the HBCU community are beginning to attach stigmas and discredit the worth of these phenomenal institutions. So let’s stop now, take a couple steps back, and clean up what we missed in the past before it’s too late,” says Livingston.

Buzzing News

Here’s What This Teen Did To Pay His Tuition In Full At Tennessee State

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jun 2, 2016

MEMPHIS — A teenage boy in Tennessee used hard work, planning and dedication to earn enough money to pay for college before he even starts.

“I just stay away from the negativity and try to always be positive,” Kevuntez King told WHBQ. King said he grew up in a single-parent home with him mother, whose influence paved his way to success.

“She just taught me how to be independent like she had it, (and) she just wanted me to go get it myself,”

he said.

From age 12 to 17, King sold newspapers with one goal: earn enough to pay for his entire college education. And he did just that.

“When it came down to school, my mom didn’t have to come out of pocket to do anything or I didn’t have to take out any loans to go to school,” he told WHBQ.

He earned $200 every Sunday for five years straight and was just accepted into Tennessee State University.

King has this piece of advice to share:

“Make sure you surround yourself with people that’s trying to go up in life and not trying to bring you down. Just stay positive and always believe in yourself and push for it.”

Baseball

Alabama State’s Joseph Camacho named Louisville Slugger All-American

HBCU Editors

Posted on Jun 2, 2016

RJIYYIPJLUCXMOC.20160519032303 TUCSON, Ariz. – Alabama State baseball pitcher Joseph Camacho has been named to the Louisville Slugger All-America team, announced today by the Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

The El Paso, Texas, native, who is both a three-time SWAC Pitcher of the Year and three-time first-team all-conference performer, was named as an third-team All-American. Camacho is 10-0 this season with a 2.04 ERA with one save in 14 appearances with 12 starts. In 83.2 IP, he allowed only 70 hits, 26 runs (19 earned), with 21 walks and 82 strikeouts. He threw two shutouts this season, with six or more strikeouts in nine of 12 starts, while allowing three runs or less in 11 of 12 starts.

It was the continuation of the one of the most stellar careers in the history of Hornet Athletics, as Camacho is 36-4 in his career with a 3.28 ERA in 58 starts and 46 appearances. Camacho is unbeaten in his last 36 starts (31-0, 5 no decisions) as the 2016 SWAC Champion Hornets (38-15) will make their first appearance in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament against the Florida State Seminoles Friday at 5 p.m. CT.