Page 404 – HBCU Buzz

Teammate Says Former Arkansas-Pine Bluff Standout Could Be ‘Best Of All-Time’

Posted on Aug 12, 2015

Former Arkansas-Pine Bluff offensive lineman Terron Armstead burst onto the scene with a jaw-dropping 4.65 time in the 40-yard dash at NFL Combine in 2013.

Just two years into his professional football career with the New Orleans Saints, at least one teammate sees Pro Football Hall of Fame potential in Armstead’s future:

“There is no ceiling for him,” Zach Strief told the New Orleans Times-Picayune . “He could be one of the best of all-time. I believe that.”

Armstead, 25, has only spent one season as a full-time starter, but he carries himself with the confidence of a veteran.

“Every year he’s gotten better,” said Saints offensive line coach Brett Ingalls. “This guy is a super athlete. He’s a confident guy, and he’s a tough guy, and he’s a smart guy. All of it doesn’t surprise us.”

The former All-SWAC star said he appreciates the feedback from his teammates.

“It’s great that he thinks that way about me,” Armstead said.

[Via HBCUSports.com]

Buzzing News

Judge Alford Dempsey Jr. Morehouse ’72 Named to The 2015 Gate City Bar Association Hall of Fame

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 12, 2015

The Gate City Bar Association has named four inductees for its 2015 Hall of Fame including Morehouse alumnus Judge Alford Dempsey Jr.

Gate City, established in 1948, is the oldest African-American bar association in Georgia and an affiliate of the National Bar Association. The Hall of Fame is the group’s highest honor for lawyers who have made significant contributions to the African-American community.

Read the full story here: GateCityHallofFame/DailyReport

Football

Dennis Norfleet transfers from UM to Tuskegee University

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 12, 2015

Dennis Norfleet, the former Michigan receiver/returner, has transferred and is listed on Tuskegee University’s football roster.

Norfleet, who played at Detroit Martin Luther King, holds the Michigan record for career kickoff return yards.

His status with the Michigan program changed in late spring. His high school coach at Detroit King, Dale Harvel, told The Detroit News in May that Norfleet was released from his scholarship at Michigan. Other media outlets reported he had been suspended.

First-year Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said recently he wanted Norfleet to remain at UM.

“A plan was put into place for Dennis to where he could accomplish all his goals athletically and academically,” Harbaugh said. “Our desire is that he gets his Michigan degree and that plan hasn’t changed from our viewpoint. In our conversations I’ve had with Dennis, that’s where it stands.”

angelique.chengelis@detroitnews.com

twitter.com/chengelis

News

Howard University Partners On An $18.5 Million Center For Power Optimization In Mobile Electronics

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 12, 2015

Washington, D.C. Howard University is a partner on a new, $18.5 million Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Power Optimization for Electro-Thermal Systems (P.O.E.T.S.). The ERC will be led Dr. Andrew Alleyne, Professor of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in partnership with University of Arkansas, Stanford University, University of Sao Paolo in Brazil, and the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden.

P.O.E.T.S. will attack the thermal and electrical challenges surrounding mobile electronics and vehicle design as a single system. Partners from around the world will build new technologies like three-dimensional thermal circuitry for cooling, next-generation power converters, and algorithms for coordinating the technologies automatically. They will look at those technologies from the microchip level all the way up to an entire vehicle.

“More than a dozen companies across the United States will also take part, testing the ideas and hiring students trained through P.O.E.T.S.,” said Dr. Sonya T. Smith, Howard University Professor of Mechanical Engineering. “The center will also engage with school districts to transition the breakthrough interdisciplinary STEM concepts to K-12 classrooms and inspire young people to pursue careers in these fields.”

The National Science Foundation began supporting Engineering Research Centers like P.O.E.T.S in 1985, to create and sustain integrated interdisciplinary research environments that advance fundamental engineering knowledge, enable technology and engineered systems, and prepare U.S. engineering graduates for success in the global economy. Academe and industry are joined in partnership through the ERC to achieve these goals.

The P.O.E.T.S. ERC aims to pack more power into less space for electrical technologies on the move by integrating novel 3-D cooling circuitry, power converters and algorithms for smart power management. Their work will enable the manufacture of lighten more compact and more efficient power electronic systems for electric vehicles, airplanes, construction equipment, handheld tools and other mobile applications.

Dr. Smith leads the Howard University team along with co-investigators Dr. James Hammonds, Mechanical Engineering and Dr. Charles Kim, Electrical Engineering.

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Contact: Dr. Sonya T. Smith, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, ssmith@howard.edu

Editorial

8 Things HBCU Graduates Should Do Before Attending Their First Homecoming as Alumni

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 12, 2015

Contributing Author: Taylor Bembery Twitter: @taylorbembery

You’ve made it across the stage at commencement and now you have the bragging rights of being an alumnus of your perspective alma mater, but for the past four, five, or hell; maybe six years, you have celebrated homecoming as an undergraduate student. You participated in all the festivities including the pre-game, the turn-up, and the horrible hangover the morning after but now it is time to elevate the celebration of your first real homecoming as an alumnus. Yes, first “real homecoming”, because everyone knows that homecoming is designated for alumni to prowl on their old stomping grounds; and now it is your turn. Homecoming season usually starts in late September and ends in early November, so here are some tips to make the best of your first homecoming experience as an alumnus.

1. Save your money, even if it’s funny.

Preparation is key. No matter if you have a temporary job to keep your head above water or you landed your financial rewarding dream job straight out of college, you should still be saving your money. Attending homecoming as an alumnus, you have to pay for travel accommodations, alumni parties, etc. The days of using your student ID to pay for meals and free entry to the homecoming game are over. Now you actually have to fund yourself.

2. Donate, If you can.

There is always a huge controversy on whether alumni from HBCU’s support their universities after graduating. Considering times may be hard and Fed Loan

Services are sending letters to mailboxes like clockwork; it is understandable that some recent graduates may not have the money for endowment. However, if you can’t donate your money, donate your time through giving advice or mentoring an incoming freshman that is majoring in what you received your degree in. Even donating as little as $25 to $100 makes a difference. Whether you are providing service or payment, it all moves your alma mater into a progressive direction.

3. Adapt a Healthier Lifestyle

For some, productivity slows down due to transitioning from college to “the real word”. You can’t control the changing and competitive job hunt but one thing you can control is your health. Don’t be the alumnus that let themselves go after graduating! Pick up good habits such as eating a well balanced diet, meditating, and committing to a fitness regimen. Those actions will ultimately contribute to a happier and healthier you!

4. Make Travel Plans Earlier

Dorm life on campus is over and you might not be able to crash at your friend’s apartment, so don’t wait until the last minute to book travel accommodations. Usually the best deals for flights and hotels are available one to two months prior to the event. Also, check with hotels in your college town before booking because they may provide alumni discounts on rooms.

5. Make a mends and reconnect with old classmates

If you’re still frenemies with someone because they were “talking” to the person that you liked on campus; squash the beef and get over it. I mean the whole idea of becoming an alumnus is basically a rites of passage to put away childish behaviors. Don’t hold a grudge with someone, reconnect with them and use homecoming as a reunion for positivity and fellowship.

6. Plan to share the “HBCU Homecoming Experience”

So you may have that cousin that never got the chance to go to college or maybe you have a friend that attended a “PWI” that doesn’t quite understand the passion you have for your HBCU. Share the “HBCU Homecoming Experience” with your family or friends by bringing them along to enjoy a weekend of life-changing festivities and memorable moments. Once unfamiliar people get a glimpse of the heritage, pride, and lifestyle at a HBCU, there will be no question that homecoming at HBCUs are the pinnacle of college experiences.

7. Get Business Cards Made

Believe it or not, all the opportunity you are searching for may very well be at homecoming weekend. There will be alumni there that are seasoned in their career fields so: network, network, network! You may meet someone that can help you get closer to you dream job or gain a great mentor. Being that you are fresh out of undergraduate, you are going to flock to attend events that are for current students, however don’t forget to attend alumni mixers, day parties, tailgating events, etc. Leave a lasting impression by providing other alumni with a professional business card.

8. Have fun!

After you graduated and the commencement bliss wore off, you might suffer from an occasional case of the HBCU Blues. You may find yourself reminiscing on good times back in undergrad or possibly try to figure out how college went by so fast, but don’t go playing the world’s smallest violin too fast. There is no reason to be sad that your college days are behind you, so don’t hesitate to go to your first homecoming as an alumnus. Don’t forget to purchase new paraphernalia from your university once you get there, so when you leave you can still represent your HBCU in your hometown, work place, etc. Remember to have fun because homecoming only comes around once a year.

Taylor Bembery Short Biography:

Taylor Bembery is a graduate of Jackson State University from Detroit, Mich. Taylor has had the passion of learning and talking to others about their experiences since she could pick up a pen and pad. She focuses her life around The Seven F’s: Faith, Family, Finances, (her) Future, Fitness, Fashion and Fun. Her life motto is: “I love telling your story.” and she is determined to become a champion for people through storytelling.

News

Gunfire In Ferguson On The Anniversary Of Michael Brown’s Killing

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 10, 2015

CNN

A day of peaceful vigils to mark the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown’s shooting death turned ugly late Sunday when protesters threw rocks and bottles at officers, and police critically injured a man who they say fired at them.

The unidentified man in his 20s was undergoing surgery early Monday.

He unleashed a “remarkable amount of gunfire” against the officers using a stolen handgun, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said.

“We cannot continue, we cannot talk about the good things that we have been talking about, if we are prevented from moving forward with this kind of violence,” he said.

Belmar said those resorting to violence are not protesters.

“Protesters are people who are out there to effect change,” he said. There were “several people shooting, several rounds shot.”

Peaceful vigil, then chaos

The anniversary observations of Brown’s shooting death by a white Ferguson police officer started off peacefully Sunday.

Throughout the day, vigils honored the unarmed black teen. Attendants observed 4½ minutes of silence to signify the 4½ hours Brown’s body lay on the street after he was shot last year.

But the suspect’s gunfire shifted the focus Sunday night.

When officers first saw him, he was running away after allegedly exchanging gunfire with an unknown person.

Some gunfire rang out as reporters were talking to Ferguson’s acting police chief, Andre Anderson. A startled Anderson continued speaking, with a steady burst of gunfire heard in the background. Crowds scattered.

Detectives in an unmarked SUV turned on its emergency lights and pursued the suspect, only to be shot at, according to Belmar. The bullets hit the vehicle’s hood and windshield several times, Belmar said.

As the detectives got out of the car, the suspect allegedly turned around and fired again.

Then he ran toward a fenced area, where he continued firing — until officers struck him multiple times, Belmar said.

The four plainclothes officers involved in the shooting have between six to 12 years of experience, he said. They have been placed on administrative leave.

Night turns tense

By then, police presence had turned heavy, and rumors about the shooting flew.

Police and protesters faced off in a tense standoff on West Florissant Avenue, not far from Canfield Drive, where Brown was shot.

Several objects were thrown at police and some businesses damage read more

Football

TSU Tigers Voted No. 1 In HBCU Football Preseason Poll

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 8, 2015

The Tennessee State Tigers were voted the No. 1 team in the 2014 BOXTOROW preseason poll.

TSU, who is ranked in the top 25 in several FCS preseason polls, received nine of 20 first-place votes.

“I think it’s always great for your team to receive accolades,” said TSU head coach Rod Reed. “I vote each week and our players are in tune with this prestigious poll.”

Bethune-Cookman, favorites to win the MEAC, are ranked No. 2. South Carolina State, Southern and Alcorn State complete the top five.

Overall, the MEAC and SWAC are tied for the most teams represented in the poll with four each.

“We are happy to be ranked high with the Bethune-Cookman’s and South Carolina State’s of the world,” said Reed. “We take it as an honor, but we understand that its preseason and that it celebrates accomplishments from last year. We have to focus on the season.”

“I think it’s always great for your team to receive accolades,” said TSU head coach Rod Reed. “I vote each week and our players are in tune with this prestigious poll.”

Bethune-Cookman, favorites to win the MEAC, are ranked No. 2. South Carolina State, Southern and Alcorn State complete the top five.

Overall, the MEAC and SWAC are tied for the most teams represented in the poll with four each.

Head over to HBCU Sports to read more.

Buzzing News

Dillard Awarded $10.5 Million From National Institute Of Health

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 8, 2015

Grants will provide research and training in developing environmental workforce

(NEW ORLEANS, LA) – Dillard University recently received a major grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Institute awarded the $10.5 million grant to Dillard’s Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ), which will train individuals in asbestos, lead, construction, and Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER). The award to Dillard was one of only 10 grants awarded nationwide to institutions including UCLA, Rutgers Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences, and the United Steelworkers.

The worker training initiatives will occur at strategic sites across the Gulf Coast and throughout the country with training programs established in Houston, Detroit, Pensacola, Savannah and New Orleans. Dillard’s consortium of training sites will attract and provide training for over 500 participants. Through formal arrangements with HBCUs, community based organizations, unions and industry; Dillard’s program staff will provide environmental health and safety training for underserved populations as well as currently employed workers within environmental remediation and related fields.

In addition to training and outreach, Dillard’s DSCEJ programming also includes a research focus, which is spearheaded primarily by the Center’s project director and principal investigator, Dr. Beverly Wright. Under her leadership, the Center has produced a number of publications as well as regional and national conferences regarding environmental justice-related issues.

Dr. Wright and Dillard’s DSCEJ have managed a number of projects from NIH, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Labor, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the past 20 years. The Center also led critical training and research efforts in the gulf coast region for small businesses, first responders, residents and hazardous waste industry workers following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as well as the Gulf Oil Spill in 2010. Additionally, following Hurricane Sandy, the DSCEJ was called on to lead clean up training efforts in New York and New Jersey. “We are extremely excited to be able to continue our work exhibiting excellence and developing sound practices which have advanced the quality of our training programs over the years. We are gratified and excited about the increased support from the NIEHS to do this most important work,” said Dr. Wright.

According to Theodore Callier, assistant vice president for Sponsored Programs, Dillard faculty and researchers have consistently secured increased support from the NIH in recent years. “Given the list of recipients, this latest NIEHS award demonstrates the level of confidence the agency continues to have in Dillard’s Center.”

Grant activities will begin later this month and continue through July of 2020.

Buzzing News

Anheuser-Busch Gives $150,000 In Scholarships To These 30 HBCU Students

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 6, 2015

Thirty college students from across the country came to St. Louis from July 23-25 for the fourth annual Anheuser-Busch Legends of the Crown leadership symposium, where they accepted $150,000 in scholarships while participating in workshops on career planning and leadership development.

Legends of the Crown, a program Anheuser-Busch created in partnership with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), is an investment in the development of the next generation of leaders at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Each student received a $5,000 scholarship.

Julio Suárez, senior director of community affairs for Anheuser-Busch, referred to it as a “scholarship-plus” program.

“We are providing the needed financial assistance,” he said, “and also coupling that with a great experience by coming here and exposing them to some great individuals.”

On July 24, students heard from Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour, who became America’s first African-American female combat pilot in 2002. Her keynote address was called “Zero to Breakthrough: How a Breakthrough Mentality Creates Breakthrough Results.” Armour went from beat cop to combat pilot in three years. Within a year she found herself flying over the deserts of Iraq supporting the men and women on the ground.

“Wait a minute, you’re black and a woman? Did you have any obstacles?” she said about the questions she’s been asked. “In my journey, I acknowledge the obstacles but don’t give them more power.”

Allstate And The Tom Joyner Foundation Teams Up To Support Black Colleges

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 6, 2015

NORTHBROOK, Ill.– Allstate will donate up to $200,000 to the Tom Joyner Foundation as part of the company’s Quotes for Education (QFE) program to support current and future generations of students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Between August 1 and November 30, 2015, Allstate will donate $10 per quote for every person who receives an insurance quote from a participating Allstate agent and mentions “Quotes for Education,” or quotes online at www.allstate.com/HBCU.

Funds raised through the program will be given to the Tom Joyner Foundation and earmarked for general scholarship funds to assist students attending HBCUs. Additionally, for the fourth year, HBCU supporters will have the chance to cast their vote on www.allstate.com/HBCU for the HBCU of their choice to receive an additional $50,000 in scholarship funding from Allstate.

“HBCUs need support and funding now more than ever,” said Cheryl Harris, senior vice president at Allstate and alumna of Florida A&M University. “Our hope is that the HBCU community will join Allstate and the Tom Joyner Foundation in supporting this program that will create educational opportunities for the next generation of HBCU students.”

According to a 2014 study by The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, half of the HBCUs surveyed have a black student graduation rate of 34 percent or lower within six years. Through the QFE program, Allstate and the Tom Joyner Foundation are challenging HBCU advocates to invest in the future of HBCUs across the country by giving back, honoring the distinct missions and legacies of their alma maters.

“With more than 100 institutions across the country, HBCUs have a heritage and history worth investing in and protecting,” says Tom Joyner, a Tuskegee University alumnus and chairman and founder of the Tom Joyner Foundation. “During these trying economic times, the annual scholarship gives hope and helps these students continue to strive for academic success. HBCUs are part of my DNA and I’m so glad to share the love, pride and passion that I have for the HBCU community and investing in future generations of HBCU graduates.”

NSU Spartans Happy To Sign Wideout Quinta Funderburk

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 4, 2015

NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State head football coach Latrell Scott bolstered his receiving corps with the addition of transfer wideout Quinta Funderburk, who has signed a grant-in-aid to play for the Spartans.

The 6-3, 200-pound Funderburk, who last played at Syracuse University, has one year of eligibility remaining.

Funderburk, a native of Chesapeake, Va. and former star at Oscar Smith High School, has spent the last three years at Syracuse. He originally signed with Arkansas after his high school career.

“Quinta gives us another big, athletic target in our passing game,” Scott said. “We’re glad he has the opportunity to come home and finish his college career.”

Funderburk enrolled at Arkansas in the spring of 2011 but did not play for the Razorbacks during the 2011 season. He then transferred to Syracuse, where he sat out the 2012-13 year per NCAA transfer rules. Funderburk played in 12 games over the last two seasons for the Orange, catching three passes for 50 yards.

Funderburk earned his bachelor’s degree in child and family studies from Syracuse earlier this summer.

At Oscar Smith, Funderburk made 65 catches for 1,464 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior in 2010. He was named to the VirginiaPreps.com all-state first team and was an All-Tidewater first-team pick by the Virginian-Pilot, as well. Funderburk was part of Oscar Smith’s VHSL Group 6A state championship team as a sophomore in 2008, and made 62 catches for 1,150 yards and 12 scores while helping the Tigers reach the state semifinals as a junior in 2009.

Via NSU Athletics

Buzzing News

Tuskegee’s Davida Smith Makes 2015 Distinguished HBCU Alumni List

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 4, 2015

Davida Smith is chair of Tuskegee University’s Chemical Engineering Advisory Board. She is also commercial contracts manager in contracts and procurement at Motiva Enterprises.

Davida Smith pictured. (Photo: Black Engineer)

She has held various roles in contracts, procurement and project management in upstream and downstream for Shell. Under her tenure as chair of Tuskegee’s ChE board, she says alumni giving and support of the Department has increased.

The board has bought software, computers, printers and a server, provided scholarships, finance and advice for student chapters of American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Chemical Engineering Honor Society mega Chi Epsilon). In addition, she said, the board supported the successful efforts of the Department and School of Engineering toward accreditation, and reviewed and advised on the curriculum.

“We have developed a corporate-to-student and student-to-student mentoring program, sponsored industry trips increasing student awareness of what goes on in a plant, supported student efforts for permanent and summer employment, increased department visibility in industry and aided in recruiting of students and increased professionalism by sponsoring a Dress for Davida Smith success day,” Smith added.

More on HBCUBuzz.com: Tuskegee Tops ‘Best Historically Black Colleges & Universities’ List

More on HBCUBuzz.com: Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby Won Her Case on Judge Judy While A Tuskegee Student

Head over to BlackEngineer.com to read more.

News

Report: Nigerian Troops Frees 71 People From Boko Haram Captivity

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 4, 2015

Nigeria’s military has rescued 71 girls and women in firefights that killed several Boko Haram fighters in the country’s northeast, as the government steps up effort to drive out the armed group.

Army spokesman Colonel IT Gusau said on Thursay that 12 people were rescued on Wednesday and 59 on Thursday from villages about 40km from Maiduguri, the biggest city in the northeast.

Women and children rescued by Nigerian soldiers from Boko Haram extremists in the northeast of Nigeria arrive at the military office in Maiduguri, Nigeria, Thursday, July 30, 2015. Soldiers rescued 71 people, almost all girls and women, in firefights that killed many Boko Haram militants in villages near the northeastern city of Maiduguri, Nigeria’s military said Thursday. — Photo: AP Photo/Jossy Ola

“During the operation a number of terrorists were killed,” said Gusau adding that a total of 29 women, 25 children and five elderly men were part of those freed.

Some of the captives said they were in the clutches of the group for as long as a year.

One young woman, Yagana Kyari, told the Associated Press news agency that she was just “waiting for death” because the group had constantly threatened to kill their victims.

Hundreds of captives were freed in March when Nigeria’s military declared it had seized back all towns held by Boko Haram.

But the group continued to launch suicide bombings and attacks from remote villages.

Earlier this week, the army said it had freed 30 other hostages, including 21 children.

Boko Haram has abducted thousands of civilians, including children, in raids on villages and towns inside Nigeria and abroad.

The movement has also forced young teenage girls and women to become suicide bombers.

In just over a week, suicide bombers have killed at least 47 people in attacks at crowded places, including a market and a popular bar, in towns in both Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon.

Dillard University Mourns The Loss Of One Of Its Trailblazers

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 4, 2015

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of one of Dillard’s trailblazing daughters, Dr. Barbara Guillory Thompson, who died on Sunday, August 2, 2015.

Pearlie Hardin Elloie, left, and Barbara Guillory Thompson visit the Tulane uptown campus in summer 2013, 50 years after they entered the university. (Photo: Tulane.edu)

Barbara Guillory Thompson served Dillard University in many capacities for 42 years. She retired from the university as chair of the Division of Social Sciences, chair of the sociology department, University Marshall, and chair of the tenure and promotions committee. Thompson also served as direor of institutional research from 1974-1976. She is a native New Orleanian, a product of the public school system, and a cum laude sociology graduate from Dillard’s Class of 1957. She earned an M.A. in sociology from Louisiana State University in 1960. She was the first Black female student to live in the dormitory at LSU. She wrote a thesis on the “Career Patterns of Negro Lawyers in New Orleans.” By 1960 she was ready to challenge another educational barrier, and became a litigant in a class action suit against Tulane University. The court decision made possible the attendance of Black students at the graduate and undergraduate levels. She completed the requirements for the Ph.D. degree by writing a dissertation on ”The Black Family: A Case for Change and Survival in White America.” Thompson made a tremendous impact outside the academy by advocating equity for voiceless government workers.

The City Council of New Orleans appointed her a member of the New Orleans Civil Service Commission from 1981-1992, and chair of the august body from 1989-1992. She was the first Black, the first woman, and the first non-attorney to be named chair. Thompson was active in numerous professional and learned societies, such as the American Sociological Association and the Southern Sociological Association. She has numerous publications, some written independently and some co-authored with her late husband Daniel C. Thompson.

In 2004, Dillard University awarded her an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters and in 2013 she received a Presidential Citation. At that time, the University also replaced her honorary degree that was lost in Hurricane Katrina. She was the recipient of numerous other honors and awards ranging from membership in the Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame, to citations from the governor, mayor, and UNCF. She was a board member for Chatham School for Girls, a consultant for Minority Issue with Innovations Consulting, Inc., and a proposal reader for the Department of Education.

Funeral services will be held at Noon on Thursday, August 6, 2015 in Lawless Memorial Chapel on Dillard’s campus. Visitation is from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

More on HBCUBuzz.com: Dillard Announces Physics and Film as Signature Programs

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Buzzing News

Magic Johnson, Tracy “T-Mac” McGrady, And 2Chainz To Build Awareness About The Country’s 107 HBCUs

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Aug 2, 2015

Lots of people in the historically Black college and university (HBCU) community often point out how celebrities, especially those who went and graduated HBCU, don’t give back to their HBCUs, “our” schools, and are nowhere to be found when it’s time to help raise awareness about the importance and significance of the country’s 107 HBCUs. The exception to the rule are NBA stars Magic Johnson and Tracy “T-Mac” McGrady, and the rapper 2Chainz, who graduated with honors from historically Black Alabama State University. Through Magic Johnson’s company ASPiRE, a marketing collective specializing in HBCU relations, these three celebrities are set to “launch a 20-campus Hoops-N-Hip Hop® Tour reaching 100,000 black college students,” Black Enterprise reports.

“The partnership provides a huge opportunity to use our voices to support the efforts of the nation’s 107 HBCUs to build awareness and attract talent,” said seven-time NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady. He added: “HBCUs are a cornerstone of our community, having graduated some of the most notable African Americans across the spectrum, including medicine, technology, the arts, sports, and beyond. With more African Americans entering college today than ever before, it is imperative that we do all we can to support HBCUs as they continue to provide a high-quality education.” 2Chainz, who also was a great athlete playing basketball at Alabama State, “deeply cares about the HBCU community,” says David Leeks, co-owner of 2Chainz management company, Street Execs. The tour is scheduled to start during the month of September. Head over to Black Enterprise to read more.

Tommy G. Meade Jr. is the Editor-in-Chief at HBCU Buzz. Follow him on Twitter.

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Buzzing News

12 Things To Know About Claflin University

HBCU Editors

Posted on Aug 2, 2015

1. Claflin University is located in Orangeburg, S.C. which is approximately 30 miles from Columbia, S.C.; 75 miles from Charleston, S.C.; 150 miles from Charlotte, N.C.; and 225 miles from Atlanta, Ga.

2. Founded in 1869 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Claflin is also the first historically black college or university established in the state of South Carolina.

3. In 1999, the Claflin College Board of Trustees adopted a resolution to restore the institution to its original historic name, Claflin University. It had changed from Claflin University to Claflin College in 1979.

HBCU of the Week: Claflin College photo — Founded in 1869, Claflin University is the oldest historically black college or university in South Carolina. It is also the first college in the state to welcome all students regardless of race or gender.

5. Claflin made history in 2013 when it achieved a record 52.2 percent in annual alumni giving rate – first among historically black colleges and universities. Claflin remains No.1 HBCU in annual alumni giving percentage and ranks among the best in the nation among all colleges, according to U.S. News and World Report.