Friends Remember James Jones, CAU Student Killed During Craigslist Robbery

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JONES_JAMESStudents at Clark Atlanta University are mourning the sudden death of a beloved classmate. James Jones, a 21-year-old junior was shot and killed in a robbery after responding to a deal on Craigslist about an iPhone 6.

Brenard Williams, captain of the football team said he knew Jones well and expressed his devastation to WSBTV in Georgia.

“He was a great young man, very humble, well dressed, he really represented the school well and I’m just sad he had to leave this way,” said Williams.

CAU issued a university-wide email stating, “This is a devastating loss for the Clark Atlanta University family. Mr. Jones was a serious scholar and a king, engaging spirit whose work and comportment spoke well of the University’s core values and those long ago instilled in him by those contributing to his upbringing.”

Police have charged 18-year-old Jordan Baker, 19-year-old- Jonathan Myles, and 21-year-old Kaylnn Ruthenberg in his death. For more information of the story see the video here.

 

Alonzo Lee Named Jackson State Defensive Coordinator

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JACKSON (JSUTigers.com) – Alonzo Lee, one of the best defensive minds in Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as I-AA), has been named by head football coach Harold Jackson as Jackson State’s defensive coordinator on Monday.

6687010_G“I am excited to welcome Alonzo Lee as our new defensive coordinator,” said Jackson. “His years of championship level experience will make him a tremendous addition to our staff.”

Over his career, Lee has proven that defense wins championships and he has won seven MEAC titles at four different schools. At two of the schools – North Carolina A&T and Hampton – Lee served as the defensive coordinator.

Lee has been defensive coordinator at Morgan State (2011-12, 2007-09), North Carolina A&T (2003-06), and Hampton (1997-03). During his first stint as defensive coordinator at Morgan State, Lee defenses ranked among the top two in the FCS. In 2008, the Bears led the nation in total defense.

In 2003, Lee’s defensive unit helped lead North Carolina A&T to win the 2003 MEAC Championship. The Aggies finished as the league’s No. 1 defense, and ranked in the NCAA (I-AA) in the following categories: third in the nation in total defense, third in pass defense, sixth in turnovers gained and 15th in scoring defense. Two years later, the Aggies defense ranked third in pass defense, forth in sacks and fourth in third down conversions.

Prior to coaching at A&T, Lee served as an assistant coach at Howard, Florida A&M and Hampton. He won his first MEAC championship as an assistant head coach at Howard in 1987. FAMU won three MEAC titles during Lee’s tenure (199-, 1995, 1996), and Hampton won two (1997, 1998) under the leadership of Lee as defensive coordinator.

In 1998 as Hampton’s defensive coordinator, Lee was honored as the National Assistant Coach of the Year for NCAA Division I-AA. Three years later he was honored by the All-America Football Foundation as an Outstanding Assistant Coach.

Off the field, Lee maintains a strong reputation as an exceptional leader and strong proponent of student-athletes receiving a quality education. From 2012 to the present, Lee has served as the Baltimore City representative for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

A native of Washington, DC, Lee graduated from Dunbar Senior High School in Washington, DC. In 1997 former Hampton head coach Joe Taylor at Eastern Illinois, where he participated in two NCAA Division II National Championship games, winning one in 1978. He was a three-year captain and led the team in tackles and was selected as an All-American as a senior. He graduated from Eastern Illinois with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation in 1982.

Article from JSUTigers.com

Taraji P. Henson Takes Home Entertainer of the Year Award

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tarajiphensonnaacpawardsTaraji P. Henson is extremely busy in the acting world, and people are taking notice. The Howard University Alumni and Empire star snagged the NAACP Image Award for Entertainer of the year, On Thursday February 6.

“I just love what I do…I’m very passionate about what I do, I take it very seriously. God gives us all gifts and for me I didn’t get into this to win awards although I’m very honored and blessed every time I’m nominated and get a chance to win one.” Henson exclaimed during her acceptance speech. “What it represents for me is that all of the beautiful people, and faces, and lives that I get to touch through the gift that God gave me, and I take that very seriously…”

Henson also took home the image award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, for her Role in the thriller “No Good Deed.”

Other big winners of the night included Selma star David Oyelowo with Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, Tracee Ellis Ross with Outstanding Actress in a Comedy series for her role in Black-ish, and How to Get Away with Murder with Outstanding Drama Series.

This year’s 46th NAACP Image award was hosted by Black-ish star Anthony Anderson

Hampton University Museum to Honor Elizabeth Catlett

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Hampton University Museum will be showcasing a new exhibit in honor of the 100th birthday of the late African-American artist Elizabeth Catlett. The school has acquired more than 125 examples of the artist’s famous prints making it one of the largest and most complete collections in the country.

Curator Vanessa Thaxton-Ward, who was responsible for the selection of images, tells The Daily Press “It was fun – and difficult.” Thaxton-Ward has chosen 50 images that touch on Catlett’s lengthy career along with ones the museum has never seen before.

Growing up in Washington, DC, Catlett would spend hours cutting out paper dolls as child as well as making animals figures carved from soap in high school. Although she was denied admission to the Carnegie Institute due to the color of her skin, Catlett was still accepted into Howard University.

In 1943 Catlett came to Hampton and taught sculpture. Even after her leaving the university to study in Mexico City the artist still worked closely with Thaxton-Ward before her death in 2012.

“And because she to tried to make sure than Hampton had most of her prints, that makes her special to us,” said Thaxton-Ward.

The “Elizabeth Catlett: A Celebration of 100 Years” exhibit will open on November 14.

For more information contact the museum here.

Former Clark Atlanta Professor Awarded $400K By a Jury

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A Fulton County jury awarded former CAU professor Deborah Cook $400,000, $300,000 in damages and $105,000 in attorney fees. Cook was one of 54 faculty members let go in 2009 due to what the college termed as an “enrollment emergency” of plunging student admissions.

According to her defense attorney, Patrick McKee of Newnan’s McKee & Mitchell, the biology professor had been with CAU since its merger of Clark College and Atlanta University in 1988. One of the original members of the school’s Department of Biological Sciences, court filings say that Cook’s annual evaluations showed that she consistently met or exceeded expectations.

“She had been awarded significant grants, won number accolades and been promoted throughout her career,” McKee told The Daily Press. According to the courts, Cook’s final evaluation in 2007 ranked at 5, the highest possible score.

According to the Daily Press, Cook’s career began to unwind in 2008 when CAU’s new president, Carlton Brown, declared an enrollment emergency. Defined in the faculty handbook as a “sudden or unexplained progressive decline in student enrollment the detrimental effects of which are too great or too rapid to be offset by normal procedures outlined in the handbook,” Brown explained his decision in the defense portion of the pretrial order.

“The enrollment shortfall resulted in a drop in anticipated tuition revenues of $4 million and a corresponding decrease in available operating revenue for 2008-2009,” said the defense account. Brown estimated that enrollment would only be 3,400 students, down from 4,068 in 2008.

Brown’s estimate caused CAU to cut 54 faculty members and around 30 staff members.

McKee filed a breach of contract against CAU in 2013 claiming that the university had not met the requirements for declaring an enrollment emergency laid out in the handbook, nor had it followed the procedures for laying off faculty members once an emergency had been declared, according to The Daily Post.

Judge Kimberly Adams ruled in favored of Cook and on Jan. 30 the jury awarded the professor $300,000 on damages and $105,000 in attorney fees.

CAU’s attorney, Duluth solo Gary Thomas, declined to comment on the case.

South Carolina State May Close For a Year

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According to WLTX, “A House subcommittee has approved a measure that would close South Carolina State University to allow the school to correct its finances.”

2000px-SC_State_Univ_Logo.svgSouth Carolina State University (SCSU), an HBCU located in Orangeburg, South Carolina and a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund may potentially close to better service it’s students.

From WLTX:

“The Higher Education and Technical Colleges subcommittee approved the measure on a 3-1 vote Tuesday afternoon. The bill still must go to the full House Ways and Means committee, and potentially the entire House, for consideration. If approved, the school would shut down July 1st, and remain closed for the 2015-2016 school year, and then reopen. All programs, both academic and athletic, would be affected.”

Heres what SCSU Twitter Account had to say;

The shocking news could force some 3,000 South Carolina State students to transfer to another school in order to continue their education without interruption. Furthermore, it would allow more than 500 faculty and staff members to lose their jobs and the university now has to forfeit all of their athletic teams within the Division 1 FCS and the MEAC conference from season play.

SCSU owes $17.5 million, according to WLTX. 

At a live press conference at 6pm, students and stakeholders shouted #KillTheBill pertaining to the bill the SCSU owes. Many people spoke including the school’s Alumni president and they all were confident that the school will not close if the SCSU community stays together.

C-SPAN Black History Tour – Fisk University President

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C-SPAN is hosting a historically black college and university tour, where they will visit several HBCUs in honor of Black History Month. Wednesday, Fisk University President H. James Williams sat down with C-SPAN host, Pedro Echevarria.

Williams, H. James. Interviewed by Pedro Echevarria. Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Washington Journal, 2015. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.

Marketing Major Creates Own Online Business for Women

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darien-11Darien Grant, founder and owner of HerCorporatePremiere.com, is a resume writer who specializes in working with recent female college graduates. She has created a professional and personalized resume writing service that addresses the challenges facing female college graduates as they begin their journey into Corporate America. Her past successes in writing effective resumes, along with her passion to help people succeed, inspired her to create HerCorporatePremiere.com.

HerCorporatePremiere.com offers customized career consulting for women’s transition from college to corporate. Here a few questions to better understand her purpose and goal of HerCorporatePremiere.com

Adrienne: What inspired you to create this type of business?

Darien: Honestly, I was tired of walking into meetings and conventions and not seeing anyone else who looked like me! As a recent graduate working in Corporate America, I’ve gone through all of the interview processes, and I’ve faced the HR questions about my ability to perform having come from and HBCU. I really want to help other young women with similar backgrounds prepare for, and get their dream jobs!

Adrienne: Why do you think it’s important for women to be recognized in Corporate America?

Darien: I’ve done resumes for several demographics, but I chose young women specifically because I’ve noticed a lack of confidence when applying to these positions with larger companies. I read in a study recently that, men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. It’s usually invoked as evidence that women need more confidence in their ability. It’s just so surprising that men are confident at their skill set at 60%, but women don’t feel comfortable stepping up to the plate until they’ve checked each item on the list. I want to work with young women to show them how to properly put together their resumes to showcase their best skills, and give them the proper training so that they can speak on their past experiences and skills with confidence.

Adrienne: What advice do you give to women applying for these types of jobs?

Darien: I tell young women all the time that you cannot get anywhere without set career goals and the work ethic necessary to get to where you want to be. Take the time to invest in yourself and your career. Figure out exactly what it is that you want to do, create a plan, set goals, figure out what training and tools you’ll need, and then execute!

Adrienne: Has being an entrepreneur always been a goal of yours? Why or why not?

Darien: I haven’t always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I have just always had a passion for helping others prepare for interviews, and getting their professional portfolios together. So I love that I am now still able to utilize my degree working in Revenue Management during the day, but am also able to own my own business on the side where I get the opportunity to work with college students and recent graduates across the country.

Adrienne: Where do you see your business in 5-10 years from now? Do you plan to expand it?

Darien: I am interested in growing my business by visiting colleges and hosting workshops on resumes, interview prep, and business etiquette. I also hope to expand the brand by hiring and training a team of resume writers. And who knows, there may be a HisCorporatePremiere in the future!

Adrienne: What habits helped make you successful?

Darien: I think that always staying busy, productive, and proactive have helped me to become successful. I actually used to be the type of person to sit back, tell people what I was going to do, and over-think all of my decisions. I realized that never got me anywhere. My business really got off of the ground when I started to focus and really put my all into it.

Adrienne: What is the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?

Darien: I think my decision to make the company a “female-based business” was extremely important in developing my business plan. I received several questions about why I only wanted to cater to females, but I knew in my heart that this demographic that I was led to help. Maybe in the future, I will expand my brand to males, but right now, helping young women is my passion.

Adrienne: What is your favorite part of being a black female entrepreneur?

Darien: I’m still new to being a business owner but my favorite part so far has been learning how to market and brand my business. I have been using Google Analytics a lot lately to track who visits the site, and it’s so interesting just to see the different demographics. I love utilizing that information to cater my marketing to better reach my target audience.

Adrienne: Describe/outline your typical day as an entrepreneur (related to your business).

Darien: I typically wake up around 5am each morning to work on blog posts for the site, and/or complete resume packages. I go to my job from 8-5, and after work, I am back to the resumes! I usually use my evenings to talk to my team about new concepts and ideas that would be great for the business.

Adrienne: How do you find people to bring into your organization that truly care about the organization the way you do?

Darien: The people on my team that I look to for guidance and advice are the ones who help me out with ideas, marketing, social media promotions, and new business concepts without me even having to ask. They see the vision of the company and are working just as hard as I am to help see it grow!

MEAC Leaders Struggling to Draw Fans, Despite Success

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Norfolk State has been one of the most consistent teams in the MEAC over the last couple of years, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the team’s attendance numbers.

NSU  (15-9, 8-1) is averaging just 1,670 fans per game so far, according to the Virginian-Pilot. But take away last week’s game against rival Hampton, which pulled in nearly 5,000 and the number is a lot lower. So far, six times the team has drawn under 1,400 fans.

NSU isn’t the only team that’s had trouble drawing a crowd to its games. Even NC Central, which appears headed towards its third-straight 20 win season, drew less than 2,000 fans per game last year.

Read more at HBCUGameday.com.

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Former Prairie View QB Lovelocke Invited To NFL Combine

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Former Prairie View A&M QB Jerry Lovelocke was selected to participate in the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Lovelocke threw for 39 touchdowns and 18 interceptions over the last two seasons as a starter.

The Combine is Feb. 17-23 in Indianapolis, where 323 college players will be evaluated by NFL scouts.

Read more at HBCUSports.com.

UNCF Leader to Speak at Miles College

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Dr. Michael Lomax will help Miles College, a historically black college or university (HBCU) in celebrating Black History Month at the end of this month. Lomax, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) CEO, is one of many notable scholars featured in the school’s George T French Jr. Lyceum Speakers Series, reports say.

“The Speakers Series — in its second year and named for the college’s current president — is patterned after the W.E.B. DuBois Lectures at Harvard University and recognizes people of outstanding achievement who contribute to a better understanding of African-American history and culture,” according to Al.com.

On Feb. 23 Lomax will speak on campus at building Brown Hall at 11 am.

UNCF is a private provider of scholarships and educational funding for African-American students, as well as a supporter of college readiness that Lomax has held the CEO position since 2004.

As CEO Lomax supervises all of the organization’s 400 scholarship programs. During his current tenure, UNCF has obtained over $1 billion in scholarship and assisted over 90,000 students in earning college degrees and helping them to get careers.

For more information on Miles College Black History Events, visit miles.edu.

Why Gay Black Greek Members Should Speak Up for LGBTQ Community

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“Why does it seem like you all discriminate against gay people,” one student blurted out yesterday evening in the Q&A segment of the on campus event entitled ‘The Misconception of Greek Life” to a row of Central State’s “Divine 9” members, who were all lined up horizontally and facing the seated audience as they prepared for target practice.

The question maybe took some by surprise, but most of the older Black Greeks who has been around for a while now—and knows the game and how to play—probably saw this coming already. You just had to wait long enough for some individual confident in himself to ask a question many of whom are silent on the matter about…

“Honestly, we don’t…” and blah blah blah, replied one of the Black Greek members in line, his legs appearing to buckle a little. Everybody knows when you begin with saying words like, “honestly,” or “we don’t haze,” nine times outta ten someone is also calling your bluff.

I knew, and really I have always known, that when it comes to African-American Greek fraternities and sororities, people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) ought to keep their sexual life private. Not because it is a crime to be ‘gay,’ or that all gay people are bound to go to hell or something, but particularly at an HBCU, that is just the way it is.

Being discrete, especially regarding an alternative lifestyle, or who you choose to love, is an unspoken rule within the Black Greek fraternity and sorority culture that extends to each of the country’s 105 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), respectfully.

Everyone knows to not make known that type of information, and certainly not to tell because, when wanting to go Greek, telling someone, anyone about your closeted lifestyle is like the equivalent to signing your own death warrant.

Even in the 21st century where a handful of states are legalizing gay marriages, and the President of the United States himself has had a change of heart, most Black Greeks simply do not wish to discuss any more on “the gay question” than required, which is not a damn thing, because, perhaps, the truth hurts.

The fact is, gay people are widely discriminated against by most, if not all, members of the Divine 9 during the selection process, when Black Greek members debate on, or sponsor individuals willing to commit to a lifetime of service to their organizations.

Later someone somehow managed to give an honest, well-thought-of outlook on the matter when answering the student’s question, liberating us all from the few lackluster responses before. But as we continued yesterday’s program and its ironic title of ‘mistaken beliefs’ on Black Greek life, I found myself thinking about who I am, and where I have come from, and the obstacles I have had to overcome just to get my three letters that I proudly represent day-to-day.

I did not ask to be put on pedestal as a “role model” to students on campus and elsewhere I may go as a member of a African-American fraternity, the youngest member of the NPHC, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., and like many before me I have always believed that what you do in your private life should remain just that, private.

But considering this, and as the spotlight blurred my vision while facing the audience, who continued to shoot left and right and up and down many more good (and of course, some absurd) questions, I asked myself what is the best way I can begin to speak out against this issue that will only persist if no one else is brave enough to talk about it.

“Maybe,” I said to myself, “I should have responded to his question…”

Why Diddy Is Upset With Fox Show Empire

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Fox’s new television show Empire seems to be causing drama on and off the screen. The new hip hop drama apparently has gotten Sean “Diddy” Combs up in arms.

A source told earhustle411 that Combs’ son Quincy was a definite for a role on the hit show, but Diddy put everything to a hault when it was discovered that his oldest Quincy would have to give up a percentage of his music rights to Fox.

“Diddy kicked up a huge stink and called all the top brass at 20th Century Fox TV to get them to change their rules over music rights,” but he didn’t get his way. “He said there was no way his son was signing over his intellectual property. So he banned him from the show,” the source said.

Ban? That’s kind of harsh. But Quincy could possibly have another chance at the show for its now-in-the-works season of Empire and cast, though Mr. Puffy will have to let up on his issues with the music rights in order for that to happen.

Director of the show Lee Daniels is said to be excited about the opportunity to have Quincy on the show.

Quincy, who is an up and coming Actor and Singer, will have to do like all others on the show and sign that dotted line if he wants in. This could be a big opportunity for Quincy who is trying to make a name for himself in the music industry.

The 23 year old just recently dropped a song featuring Rapper French Montana called “Friends First.”

Rivals Prairie View and Texas Southern Clash in 2014 SWAC Championship Rematch

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In what will be a reminiscent of last year’s men’s and women’s South Western Athletic Conference 2014 basketball championship games, Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern will face off in a double header on Saturday.

Going back to last season, including the championship game, the two teams are evened out at two games apiece.

Texas Southern women’s team (11-9, 8-1) comes into the game in first place in the conference after six straight victories. Prairie View (9-12, 6-3) was riding a six game winning streak when Alabama State stopped them in their tracks, winning 73-65.

From the men’s perspective both the men’s Texas Southern and the Prairie View basketball team come in with a history of tough games, with the margin of victory being too close for comfort in four of the last five game match ups.

Texas Southern (11-11, 8-1) is having a decent season and as of late the Tigers are catching fire at the right time, coming off of 3 consecutive victories with just one loss in the New Year.

PVAMU comes into the game trying to right the ship after starting off with a mere 6-16 record and going 4-5 in conference play. After 4 wins in their last six games the Panthers will look to avenge their earlier loss against Texas Southern when they met in a closely contested game last month.

Winston-Salem SGA Announces HBCU Political Action Summit

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On Feb. 11-14 the Student Government Association (SGA) at Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina will host a Political Action Summit and Public Forum on campus, featuring a star list panel of Black scholars that include Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry, Dr. Corey D. B. Walker, and more.

From the school’s website, “We wanted to bring together representatives from all of the HBCUs in the state to discuss what we, as students, can do to support the sustainability of these institutions that mean so much to our state,” said SGA president said Olivia Sedwick.

“By providing our students with the information they need to be advocates for HBCUs,” Sedwick said, “we believe we can impact the future of our schools.”

Read more here.

SWAC Tennis Members Plays Against LSU in Triple header

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The Jackson State men’s tennis team and Alcorn State men’s tennis team will both take on a hot Louisiana State team on Saturday.

Jackson State is coming off of a 0-7 loss to both North Carolina State and Middle Tennessee State on Jan. 30. Alcorn State is coming off of a 3-0 loss to Mississippi State, putting up a good fight against the ranked Bulldogs but lost in straight sets.

Jackson State and Alcorn State both previously played against NC State in a triple header, winning all of their matches. But these two teams will face an uphill battle against the 4-1 Tigers of LSU.

The Tigers have beaten many of their opponents through sheer domination, having just lost only eight sets in doubles matches this season.

In addition, these two teams haven’t given LSU much of a fight in recent history as they both lost to LSU in the last two seasons.