Elizabeth City State University was recently listed as the number one institution on the Best Value Schools website for “The 100 Most Affordable Small Colleges in America 2015.” Best Value Schools ranked 100 colleges for the best value to prospective students.
To find the average out-of-pocket costs of the institutions, Best Value Schools calculated the net price of attendance. This is determined by subtracting scholarships, government aid, and institutional grants from the published tuition rate of the school.
(Photo: ElizCity.com)
The list only included schools with fewer than 4,000 students.
Specialized schools, community colleges, and graduate schools were also excluded. Elizabeth City State University was recently named by Washington Monthly as one of the “Best Bang for the Buck” institutions.
ECSU has 28 undergraduate degree offerings and four graduate degree programs, flexible study options, and research opportunities.
FAMU President Elmira Mangum soon will be evaluated by university trustees, but on Tuesday she got an indication that all is not well with their relationship.
While her leadership style, independent decision-making and the perception that she fails to communicate with trustees all were mentioned, the bottom line is to move FAMU forward, trustees said at the conclusion of a daylong session on campus. Trustees return to the Grand Ballroom for their formal meeting Wednesday.
“The speed of the team is determined by the speed of the leader,” trustee chairman Rufus Montgomery said following the meeting. “If she un-balls her fist, we’ll be OK.”
Rufus Montgomery pictured on the right (Photo: Democrat)
Montgomery, who doesn’t shy away from asking the tough questions of FAMU leaders, and who expects a prompt response to his inquiries, chided Mangum for what he perceives as her disrespect for trustees. He brought up a litany of complaints to help frame his thoughts. These included her hiring decisions, her failure to promptly return calls or emails and her failure to keep them in the loop.
He brought up the fact that when Mangum recently visited China on an education mission, he wanted to know who would be in charge of the university while she was away and was told Provost Marcella David would be. But he then learned that David also was going to be away from campus.
Mangum, the first woman president in FAMU’s history, remained stoic throughout the lengthy discussion.
When asked if the remarks from board members surprised her, Mangum responded, “a little.”
“It’s the business of that board,” she said. “All I could do is receive it. It’s important to get feedback. It was important to know clearly we have to work on (the relationship). It’s not an option.
“I think we are communicating,” she continued. “They said I wasn’t. It was all about my failure.”
MK Asante, historically black Morgan State’s youngest tenured professor at the age of 26 at the time, recently sat down with BET.com to talk about his experiences as an author and filmmaker, his books, films and music career.
“Buck is my story, it’s my journey,” MK Asante said. “Buck is a book about education, it’s about miseducation, it’s about reeducation, it’s about self-education, it’s about street-education[…] so at its fundamental core Buck is a book about education.”
(Photo: theGrio)
About MK Asante:
MK Asante is a bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker, rapper, and professor who CNN calls “a master storyteller and major creative force.”
Asante is the author of the acclaimed memoir Buck, described by Maya Angelou as “A story of surviving and thriving with passion, compassion, wit, and style.”Buck made the Washington Post bestseller list in 2014 and 2015, is a Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” selection, an NAACP Image Award and Alex Award finalist, and winner of the In the Margins Book Award. His other books are It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop, Beautiful. And Ugly Too, and Like Water Running Off My Back.
CANTON, Miss. —A jury returned a guilty verdict Wednesday night in the trial of a man accused of fatally stabbing a Jackson State University professor.
Melvin Potts was found guilty of murder and vehicle theft. He was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison, as well as 10 years for vehicle theft.
Potts was convicted in the May 21, 2014, death of Garrick Shelton.
“This is bittersweet as they’re coming up on the anniversary of their loved one’s death. They’re also able to know justice was served in this case. The killer of Dr. Shelton will now spend the rest of his life behind bars,” District Attorney Michael Guest said.
Melvin Potts in court (Photo: WAPT)
“He’s disappointed. Any time you get convicted and you know you’re going to spend the rest of your life in prison, it’s a pretty dramatic event. I mean, he’s disappointed about that,” said Kevin Camp, Potts’ attorney.
A witness testified Wednesday that Potts and Shelton met on Tagged.com a month before the slaying. Potts told police that he and Shelton agreed to meet for oral sex, according to testimony. Shelton picked up Potts on St. Charles Street near Ellis Avenue in Jackson on May 2, 2014, and they drove to Shelton’s home in Madison, the witness testified.
When Shelton spotted a gun in Potts’ waistband, he told him to leave, according to testimony.
Prosecutors said Potts told several stories about the motive for the killing, including self-defense.
“This is a self-defense issue, that basically you had an individual that was invited over to Dr. Shelton’s house (and) things got out of hand,” Camp said. “Dr. Shelton was the one who started the violence and unfortunately ended up getting killed by it.”
Potts testified that he shot Shelton after the professor cut him on the hand with a knife. Potts said he stabbed Shelton while they were wrestling over the knife.
Prosecutors said Shelton was stabbed 18 times.
Potts didn’t have an answer when prosecutors asked him why he didn’t leave after Shelton attacked him.
“When I shot him, he got back up, and he was angry,” Potts testified.
Potts was accused of taking Shelton’s Xbox, TV and car. Investigators said Potts told police that he took the Xbox to give to his brother.
Detectives found several text messages between Potts and Shelton that were sent before the killing.
“We want the jury to have all the facts, but I hope what the jury will focus on is not how he got to the house, but what happened in that house after Dr. Shelton was killed,” Guest said.
The former childhood star, Raven-Symone, has officially joined The View as a permanent co-host. Raven has been making a breakthrough from acting to daytime for a while now alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Nicolle Wallace and Rosie Perez on the talk show.
Raven expressed her enthusiasm saying:
(Photo: E! News)
[quote_box_center]The Disney Company has made another one of my dreams come true! Being a part of ‘The View’ family will be a wonderful growing experience for me.[/quote_box_center]
PHILADELPHIA – Harmony Cross, a former North Carolina Central University track and field student-athlete and Miss NCCU 2012-13, has been crowned Miss Black Philadelphia USA 2015.
Cross currently works as a student affairs administrator at Widener University. She earned her master’s degree from Temple University’s Education Leadership program, and her bachelor’s degree in public administration from NCCU in 2013.
During her time at NCCU, Cross was a member of the track & field team during her freshman year in 2009-10, primarily competing in the long jump, high jump and 60-meter hurdles.
As Miss NCCU, Cross was featured in Ebony Magazine’s HBCU Campus Queens spread, developed a mentoring organization on her campus entitled Lady Eagle Development, and founded NCCU’s Annual Women Empowerment Symposium, which was created to uplift the school’s female population through healthy conversations with world-renowned speakers and entertainers.
Cross is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and will be representing the city of Philadelphia in the Miss Black Pennsylvania USA 2016 Pageant. As Miss Black Philadelphia USA 2015, Cross will be speaking to urban youth and young adults about personal development, goal setting and achievement. She will be documenting her reign through her Miss Black Philadelphia USA Facebook Page.
The Miss Black Pennsylvania USA Scholarship Pageant is the official preliminary for Pennsylvania residents to compete in the Miss Black USA pageant.
Dr. C. Reynold Verret, a historically black college or university (HBCU) educator with a “proven record of leadership”, recently was named the new president of historically black Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, Louisiana. According to the university’s website, Dr. Verret was hand-picked from an initial pool of more than 300 candidates for the job.
Dr. Norman C. Francis, XULA’s president for 47 years, stepped down from leadership after nearly six decades of service to Xavier.
Prior to his new post Dr. Verret served as provost and chief academic officer at Savannah State University, also a historically black institution, since 2012. This is the first time XULA has had to select a new president, the university says.
[quote_box_center]Dr. Verret is uniquely qualified by his experience, education, and values to guide Xavier’s mission of promoting a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society. His journey from immigrating to the United States as a young boy to guiding institutions of higher education to success has equipped him with distinctive skills and understanding to lead an HBCU in general, and XU in particular.[/quote_box_center]
[quote_right]Dr. Verret stood out for his proven leadership[/quote_right]
“I would like to congratulate and welcome Dr. Verret to the Xavier family,” said Michael Rue, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “While there were a number of highly-qualified candidates, Dr. Verret stood out for his proven leadership and experience expanding enrollment and increasing graduation rates. His record of achievement, personal history, and values set him apart as the clear choice to carry on the ideals that our founder, St. Katharine Drexel, and our longstanding president, Dr. Norman C. Francis, wove into the fabric of this institution.”
“I am deeply honored to be elected as the next president of Xavier and am excited to engage the entire Xavier community in envisioning a future that sustains the university’s distinct mission in a changing higher education environment and that responds to societal need,” said Dr. Verret. “Upon arriving in this country as a refugee from Haiti in 1963, I was supported by many who nurtured my love of learning and science and gave me the encouragement and confidence to persevere. During my tenure at Xavier, I will continue paying it forward, helping generations of young people realize their dreams, regardless of their backgrounds.”
Tommy G. Meade Jr. is the Editor-in-Chief atHBCU Buzz. Follow him on Twitter.
Courtney Barnes just scored what’s been dubbed the interview of the year.
Jackson State University campus police was pursuing a man in an SUV on June 8 when the man driving the vehicle struck a Jackson Police Department officer’s patrol car.
According to reports, the suspect is still on the run as of Wednesday, June 10.
[quote_box_center]From The Clarion-Ledger: The driver of the SUV fled the scene of the accident. A vehicle was in the process of being towed when the driver disobeyed the officer and left the scene, Assistant Chief of Campus Security Lindsey Horton said. JSU is working to determine if the driver is a current student, WAPT reported.[/quote_box_center]
The officer involved in the incident is said to be recovering.
[quote_box_center]“The police officer got behind the man and started going so fast his car started spinning out of control,” Barnes said. “Girl, he hit the poll. His head went to one side and his body went to the other side and this is the result. Lord, be with this young man. He needs a blessing.”
“The police officer was merging towards the front and the car gunned a little right … and it was a full twist about and the police car just twist around like a tornado, girl,” Barnes explained. “And the Lord just shook it up and the man just got injured.”[/quote_box_center]
You can watch Barnes’ full account of the accident in the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=920-DaPdbKo
Tommy G. Meade Jr. is the Editor-in-Chief atHBCU Buzz. Follow him on Twitter.
South Carolina State University announced Thursday that it will keep its accreditation for another year.
South Carolina State was placed on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools last year because of finance and governance issues. It continues on probation.
Announcing the decision, Acting President Dr. Franklin Evans said “S.C. State University is open for business and we are here to stay.”
On Tuesday, a five-member delegation appeared before a SACS compliance and review committee to show why SCSU should retain its accreditation.
“We are very pleased by the commission’s decision,” Evans said. “The meeting was productive and fruitful. Of all the possible options open to the commission, this is clearly the best possible and most reasonable outcome.”
Evans said 90 percent of the committee’s questions dealt with financial issues and only one question focused on the quality of academic programs.
Evans said, “My response highlighted the many national accreditations of specific programs of study, the credentials of the faculty and the excellence of our teaching and learning, affirming that the academic quality and reputation of South Carolina State University are very strong.”
Albert Joyner, one of the nation’s most successful owners of McDonald’s franchises and philanthropist, passed away in Jackson, Mississippi on Wednesday June 3, 2015. He was 69.
Joyner was a fervent family man and is survived by his wife, Danita, and four children – Michael, Allison, Danielle and Albert Jr. He is also survived by his brother, Tom, and nephews Thomas Joyner, Jr. and Oscar Joyner.
Albert and Tom Joyner pictured. (Photo credit: BlackAmericaweb.com)
Albert shared his brother, syndicated radio personality Tom Joyner’s, passion for education and served as an active board member of the Tom Joyner Foundation.
Known for his dry wit and keen business acumen, he bought his first McDonald’s franchise in Mobile, Alabama. With the success of this first restaurant, he formed My Joy, Inc. and went on to own numerous franchises in Birmingham and Jackson, Mississippi. Mack Wilbourn, one of the first minority McDonald’s franchises in the Southeast, as well as Joyner’s mentor and friend, has said that one of his greatest accomplishments was mentoring Albert Joyner.
Always with an eye to make something happen – Albert collaborated with his brother to break the regional record for the most cars served in a McDonald’s drive-through in an hour at one of his Jackson Mississippi locations. At the end of the hour, 419 cars had been served, breaking the previous record of 288 at a Baton Rouge McDonald’s.
Born in Tuskegee, Alabama, Albert Joyner attended Tuskegee Institute High School and graduated from the famed Tuskegee University (née Institute), majoring in physical education.
In lieu of flowers, click hereto make a donation to the Al Joyner Memorial Scholarship Fund, benefiting students at Tuskegee University, his alma mater.
It’s a “New Era” at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Register today and discover what you can become!
About Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
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FAMU’s academic achievements are what set it apart as a unique learning experience. In 2014, FAMU was recognized among the 2014 U.S. News & World Report’s “Best National Universities.” The U.S. News & World Report lists FAMU as the top public historically black college or university in the nation for 2015. It is also listed among The Princeton Review’s “Best in the Southeast” colleges and is one of the top picks for providing a high quality education at an affordable price in Florida, according to The College Database (2013).
WASHINGTON—The Department of African Studies has received a grant of $1.7 million from the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen foreign language instruction and international studies programs.
The four-year grant is offered under the Title VI National Resource Center and Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS) programs. Howard is established as one of ten National Resource Centers for Africa Studies, along with Yale University, the University of Florida-Gainesville, the University of Illinois-Champaign, Boston University, Harvard University, Michigan State University, UNC-Chapel Hill, UW-Madison and the University of Minnesota. The grant also will provide fellowships to students studying critical foreign languages and will support the addition of two new African language course offerings.
“Howard University is a pioneer and leader in the study of Africa and international affairs in the U.S. academy and worldwide, and this grant helps consolidate and expand that legacy,” said Department of African Studies Chair Dr. Mbye Cham. “The grant represents a significant boost to the Africa-related academic, teaching, research and service activities of Howard University and will also contribute to meeting critical national needs. We are thrilled to be able to provide significant funds to support graduate and undergraduate students over the period of the grant.”
The grant will help the universities strengthen the capacity and performance of American education in foreign languages, international and area studies, teacher preparation and outreach to K-16, four-year and community colleges.
At Howard, the grant provides FLAS fellowships to select graduate and undergraduate students across all schools and disciplines to undertake African language training and pursue Africa-related course work and research in their disciplines. FLAS fellowships provide academic year tuition and stipends of $33,000 for five graduate students per year and $25,000 for two undergraduate students per year. Up to five summer fellowships of $7,500 for undergraduate and graduate students also will be available.
Two new African language courses – Zulu and Amharic – have been added in spring 2015 to the existing Swahili, Arabic, Wolof and Yoruba language courses in the Department of World Languages and Cultures.
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Since 1998, the University has produced two Rhodes Scholars, two Truman Scholars, a Marshall Scholar, 30 Fulbright Scholars and 11 Pickering Fellows. For more information on Howard University, call 202-238-2330, or visit the University’s Web site at www.howard.edu.
When Empire star Serayah got the call that Taylor Swift had enlisted her to join the star-studded “Bad Blood” video, the singer/actress was knocked over by the offer.
“Well, initially, her management contacted my management, they proposed the idea to me,” she tells Billboard. “And I completely loved it and so we went from there. It seemed like [from] the ideas for it and the treatment for the video, I was just like ‘Oh, my gosh! This is so dope. I can’t wait’.”
Serayah reveals that Swift was familiar with her thanks to her role of Tiana on the hit Fox drama. “Yeah, actually– her and the director of the video [Joseph Kahn had] seen me on Empire and they were like, ‘Oh my gosh, let’s have her on the video!'”
Serayah pictured. (Photo credit: Billboard.com)
Next up was hitting the set, where Serayah was not only greeted by Swift but also a who’s who of celebrities, ranging from supermodels (Gigi Hadad, Karlie Kloss,Cindy Crawford) to multi-hyphenates (Selena Gomez, Zendaya) to chart-toppers (Hayley Williams) and actresses (Hailee Stenfeld, Ellen Pompeo, Mariska Hargitay).
Despite all that star power on set, Serayah says there was nothing approaching diva behavior. In fact, the shoot even included burger hangout sessions. “Everyone was really chill and just having fun, mainly,” she said.
The video also meant that the performers got the chance to take on some rather fierce alter egos, including Serayah as Dilemma. “It’s just a character. I think we’re all just playing characters, our alter-girl that we would love to be… just [an] amazing strong type of woman that can do kicks and stunts and things like that,” she says. “I think it was just a character we were all fascinated with.”
Mikael Moore, who once had worked on “The Hill” in the nation’s capital, says he has known one of music’s biggest stars, Janelle Monae, for some 10 years now. “She was walking down the street with a guitar slung over her shoulder,” he explains, adding that he was still a student at the historically black Morehouse College for men in Atlanta, Ga., “and she asked me to come to her concert–and it was amazing.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Janelle Monae and the artists signed to Wondaland. (Photo credit: Billboard.com)
Moore, 35, left his position as Rep. Maxine Waters’s chief of staff last year to work full-time with Q.U.E.E.N. singer Monae.
“If not for the game changer that is Janelle Monae, I would have stayed in Washington,” Moore said.
Currently Moore, along with managing Monae, heads up the five-person label signed to the Atlanta-based custom record Wondaland including, Jidenna, Roman GianArthur, Deep Cotton, and St. Beauty. Billboard’s Jem Aswad writesthat the artists “hew a bass-heavy fusion of R&B and hip-hop.”
“It’s not just one type of artist, but there’s a connective tissue,” said Moore. “It’s about the collective rather than individuals — Janelle is the proprietor, but they’re partners with her.”
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – Graduateprograms.com has announced its Spring 2015 ‘Top Social Work Grad Programs for Value.’ Graduateprograms.com defines ‘value’ by posing the following questions to students: how satisfied are you with your graduate program? Did you make the right choice? Would you choose this program again?
Alabama A&M University fell 2nd on the list of top social work graduate programs nationwide.
“I believe it’s a great thing,” says Omauri Whitlow, who is studying agribusiness management at the university. “I have a friend who closely works with the social work program and this past summer he was awarded opportunity to go study in Washington, D.C. and work with the social work department in that area where he’ll be helping kids get out of poverty; get out of oppression; get out of bad homes, and find them a really wonderful place to stay. And I believe that A&M focusing on that really gives us a differentiation within the market — gives us a big pull and a lot of value to our school and student body.”
Even students studying outside the social work program at Alabama A&M take pride in the nationwide ranking from graduateprograms.com
Even students studying outside the social work program can understand and vouch for the top ranking.
“A&M offers a great program here in social work,” says Biology Education Graduate Student Tavarus Hartsfield. “Recently, my sister graduated from the social work program and has actually been offered a job in Atlanta, Ga., so I can understand why we are ranked number 2.”
Program rankings, compiled using data gathered between September 1, 2012 and March 31, 2015, encompass reviews posted by more than 7,500 social work students participating in over 500 social work programs nationwide. Ratings are based on a 10-star system (with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best).
Click here to see the top 25 list of Social Work Programs for Graduate Program Value.
It’s about time we recognize black college football on a grand scale. In the first-ever Celebration Bowl game where the conference champion from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference faces off against the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion, loyal black college football fans and college recruiters and recruiting organizations nationwide will bear witness to the talents of student-athletes attending historically black colleges or universities (HBCUs) live on ABC, ESPN officials announce.
Duer Sharpe, the SWAC Commissioner, said he was pleased with the announcement. Commenting on the national television broadcast Sharpe said it “will provide the nation with a front-row seat into the passion, pride and heritage of the SWAC and HBCU football.”
“We could not be more pleased to have the Celebration Bowl kicking off the college football bowl season on ABC,” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president, ESPN Events. “Not only will the first annual Celebration Bowl deliver a first-class postseason experience to the teams, their fans and their alumni; the live telecast on ABC will bring the thrill and pageantry of the bowl to fans across the nation.”
“We are excited about today’s announcement that the Celebration Bowl will be telecast on ABC,” said Dennis Thomas, commissioner, MEAC. “We are eagerly looking forward to participating in this wonderful opportunity to showcase our student-athletes, coaches, institutions and our conference on this national stage. We are appreciative to ESPN for their continued partnership and commitment to this postseason experience.”
