WSSU Offensive Coordinator Leaves for University of Richmond

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Winston-Salem State University football’s, Steed Lobotzke, was named the new offensive coordinator at the University of Richmond this afternoon.

University of Richmond head football coach Danny Rocco announced that former Winston-Salem State and Wake Forest offensive coordinator Steed Lobotzke has been hired as Spider football’s offensive coordinator Friday afternoon.

Richmond Spiders fell to the No. 6 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 36-15, in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.

Lobotzke, WSSU’s offensive coordinator, was at the helm of the WSSU offense in 2014 that led the CIAA in scoring at 35.7 points per game, and spearheaded the Ram offense that recorded eight-straight 400-plus yard games. WSSU made it to the CIAA Championship game, but were upset, 21-17 by Virginia State. Winston-Salem State ended the year with a 9-2 overall record, and No. 24 national ranking in the final American Football Coaches Association poll.

“Coach Lobotzke is a great coach and was always prepared”, said WSSU head coach, Kienus Boulware. “He is very professional person that was always fair to the players. He has the talent to coach successfully on any level of football”, added Boulware.

“We will look to find his replacement as soon as possible, and we wish him the best of luck at Richmond”, says Boulware.

Texas Southern Stays Unbeaten With Win Over Southern

Baton, Rouge, La. – Chris Thomas made a tie-breaking free throw with 0.7 seconds left to give Texas Southern a 59-58 victory against Southern on Monday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.
The score was tied and Texas Southern was playing for the last shot when Christopher Hyder stole the ball and drove toward the Tigers basket. Madarious Gibbs came from behind and blocked Hyder’s layup. Thomas rebounded and was bumped by Southern’s Adrian Rodgers, and a foul was called as the final buzzer sounded.Deverelll Biggs led all scorers with 20 points for TSU (5-10,2-0).  Chriss Thomas added nine points and five rebounds.  Tre’Lun Banks led the Jaguars (4-12, 1-1) with 16 points.  Keith Davis and Rogers scored 13 and 11 points respectively.
After reviewing the play, the officials ruled that the foul came with 0.7 seconds left. Thomas made the first free throw and intentionally missed the second, so the Jaguars rebounded and called timeout.
Southern inbounded with 0.5 seconds left with a long pass to Rodgers, who caught the ball, turned and made a three pointer. But another replay review showed he released the ball after the buzzer, giving Texas Southern the victory.

Alcorn State’s Luther Riley Taking Personal Leave of Absence

Alcorn State basketball coach Luther Riley is taking a personal leave of absence. He expects to return to coaching this season.

“It’s dealing with myself,” Riley said. “It’s kind of evaluate some things. And I don’t have a definite date, but of course I’d love to be on the sideline and coaching, but I also just got to take care of what needs to be taken care of.”

“It had nothing to do with Alcorn, it had nothing to do with my team. It’s a personal leave of absence that’s directly relegated to me,” Riley said. “I appreciate the administration. It happened at a tough time (in the season), but, you know, things happen.”

The former Provine coach is in his fourth year with the Braves (2-12, 1-1 SWAC) and missed the last few games.

The school released a statement: “Assistant men’s basketball coach Shawn Pepp will lead the Alcorn Braves during coach Luther Riley’s leave of absence.”

The Braves are coming off a 68-62 win over Prairie View A&M and visit in-state rival Jackson State on Saturday (5 pm.).

“They (the team) understand that things happen,” Riley said. “They accepted it… But certainly it’s not easy. It’s not easy. But you have to do what you have to do at the time.”

Follow @rosdumlao on Twitter.

Referenced http://www.clarionledger.com/story/jacksonstatesports/2015/01/06/alcorn-state-luther-riley-taking-personal-leave-of-absence/21352747/

9 New Year’s Resolutions for Graduating Seniors

By: Jillian Rinehimer (USA TODAY) Unless you plan on attending grad school, this is the last time you can make a New Year’s resolution as a student. Which means this is the semester to finish all of the things you started, but never had time finish.

Whether or not you believe in New Years resolutions, add these nine goals to your senior bucket list and make this last semester count.

TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF ANY ORGANIZATION YOU ARE PART OF.

I wouldn’t say it is the time to sign up for a new position, but if you currently hold one then do something fun with it. Leaving a positive impression on your teammates and peers is a way to leave college with a bang.

STAY LOYAL TO THOSE FRIENDS YOU’VE HAD SINCE FRESHMAN YEAR.

The last few months are going to fly by and the stress of exams and graduation are going to build quickly. Don’t let that get in the way of your friendships, these are the friends you have made entering your adult life so treat them right!

MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIPS IS IMPORTANT, BUT YOU SHOULD ALSO TAKE TIME TO FOCUS ON YOURSELF.

Make sure you are where you want to be or are at least on the correct path to getting there. Starting with self-love and self-pride will set you on your way.

MAKE A PLAN FOR SUMMER.

If you know you aren’t going to work right away, lay out some goals for what you can achieve during that time off to make you feel accomplished. If you are banking on a job upon graduation, have a plan B incase it falls through. You don’t want to get discouraged so having a plan to travel or volunteer while still searching for jobs is a great back up.

MAKE A LIST OF THINGS YOU CAN’T LET GO OF.

Regrets aren’t healthy to hold on to. And when it comes to letting them go, it’s much easier said than done. But start off by recognizing something you have been dwelling on. Maybe write it down or say it out loud. Either way is a form of subconsciously accepting that a mistake has happened and you can hopefully leave it in your past once and for all. As with most things, I found that the more you do it, the easier it gets.

UNDERSTAND – AND ACCEPT – YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A GROWN ADULT.

If you haven’t started saving or paying for some of your own bills and are a little lost on the responsibility front, then ask questions. Even though you will never be too old to ask questions, there is a certain grasp on reality that most people expect you to have by the end of college.

And then there are the fun resolutions, after all these next few months are your last chances of freedom and time to explore as a twenty-something without full commitment to anything.

PLAN AN ADVENTURE.

It could be to the next town over or a last minute spring break trip but take advantage of your time off! The long weekends for holidays we don’t fully understand and days with no set classes are just waiting for you to use them as spontaneous getaways.

MAKE A TO-DO LIST.

You know those places you’ve always wanted to go and things you’ve always wanted to do, but didn’t manage to fit in to your four undergraduate years because something else always proved more pressing? Now is the time to do them and cross them off your list. You can’t keep putting activities off until next weekend anymore because there are only a few of those left.

HAVE FUN!

Making a social goal is easily attainable when you start holding yourself to that list of yours. Don’t stay in on a rainy night because you don’t want to get wet – it is your last time to be a carefree student. With that said, don’t overwhelm yourself with parties to the point where it looks like you fell into a desperate senior crisis, trying to fit in all the parties you can before graduating. Just make sure you get out on the weekends, if not to a party, then to a new restaurant with a friend.

As relatively slight tweaks to your routine, these nine changes will help you make the most of your senior spring and to welcome graduation with a little less anxiety. It is going to be an immense change no matter what. But the best part is, you aren’t alone. So embrace the change and look forward to creating a path that makes you truly excited for your future.

Jillian Rinehimer is a senior at Emerson College.

JSU Beauty Queen Shares Her Success Story

Kendra Lewis, a native of Clinton MS, made history in February 2013 as the first Black Miss Clinton which made her eligible to compete in the Miss Mississippi Pageant.

We recently had the chance to talk with Ms. Lewis about being the first Black Miss Clinton, how she first began entering beauty pageants, and the future of African-Americans in pageantry. 

Here’s our conversation… 

Adrienne: What did you like most about being the first Black Miss Clinton?

Kendra: I think the thing I like most about being the first Black Miss Clinton was being a trend setter and pioneer and also being a leader or advocate for other African-American young ladies to come in behind me. 

Adrienne: What influenced you to go after this particular pageant?

Kendra: I honestly wasn’t even trying. I was in the beauty and bold pageant in high school but I didn’t win. But the executive director of the Miss Clinton Pageant was there and after it was over she came to me and asked me to participate in the Miss Clinton Pageant under her. She said “I feel like you would be a great candidate and I feel like you would win”.

I thought to myself okay I thought she was being sweet and trying to tell me I did really good and she felt like I should have won but I said to myself, why not I wouldn’t mind giving it a try. So I tried it out and I ended up winning Miss Clinton and also becoming the first black Miss Clinton. I didn’t even know it was a preliminary to Miss Mississippi 2013. You know she told me “you won the crown now you have four months of extensive training to get ready for Miss Mississippi”, and I’m thinking oh wow but it was a great experience and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Adrienne: How did this experience shape you as a person?

Kendra: Miss Mississippi and the whole Miss Clinton pageant experience really was an eye opener. It helped me kind of come into what exactly I wanted to do. I want to start Mississippi’s first charm school so it kind of gave me the name to go behind my platform. I want to open up Mississippi’s first charm school in Clinton so with me being a Clinton-lebrity I guess (laughs), it kind of helps me kind of develop and brand myself so I can market myself in Clinton and all over Mississippi.

Adrienne: Do you think it is inevitable for another African-American to become the next Miss Clinton?

Kendra: Oh yes, it has to happen again. I’ve already passed the crown off to a young lady outside of Clinton, MS. This was the first time we used girls outside of Clinton because we didn’t have enough girls to enter but one of the things that I said I would implement as the first African-American Miss Clinton would be opening up the doors of the pageant to get more African American women involved so that way the legacy will continue. I predict in the next two years there would be another black Miss Clinton.

How the HBCU Experience Prepared Me for Ivy League School, Life

When I graduated from Dillard University on May 10, 2014, I was the first person in my family, like many others that day, to graduate from college. While walking across the stage at the UNO Lakefront Arena, I felt like I was not only taking that stride with pride for my mother, but for all of my ancestors who wished they had the same opportunity to conquer such a feat. It was one of the proudest moments of my life, but I knew I was just getting started on this journey called life.

As senior year approached, I questioned what it was I wanted to do next. My long term goal for my career is to run for office and become the first black Speaker of the House, but I knew I needed something else to do in the interim. My interest in the intersection of the black community (along with other marginalized communities) with politics, religion, education and social justice is what wakes me up in the morning, and I asked myself how can I continue to be of service to others? I contemplated attending law school or divinity school and even considered the Peace Corps, but it was the day I was accepted to Yale, that I became fully aware of what I wanted to do.

Yale University is an Ivy League filled with prestige and possibility because of the access it provides. I told my mom I was accepted to Yale and she was more excited than I was. I decided to attend Yale Divinity School because of the environment I would be in; I would be able to learn more about religion among the nation’s top future leaders, and how to use religion to help further advance my community. I was excited, I am excited, and figured the journey from a Black Ivy League to a real Ivy League would be the next step.

And this is where it begins: I subconsciously labeled Yale as a “real” Ivy League in the same context of a Black Ivy League, and it is this sentiment that has compelled me to pen this letter. I was so determined to enter an Ivy League, I had almost forgotten where I came from. I didn’t question my implicit intentions then, but it is now, that I am explicitly exposing them.

A prime example is the “controversial” story about Ralph Jones, Jr., a young black teenager who was accepted to Harvard and Florida A&M University but instead decided to go to Florida A&M University. People thought it was a preposterous; how could this young man choose an HBCU over an Ivy League? And it was not until recently when I begin to question what narrative I was personally leading. Why was I so hyped about attending an Ivy League? What makes an Ivy League better when:

It was an HBCU that originally allowed me to aim higher;
It was an HBCU that gave me a backbone;
It was an HBCU that heard my cries and wiped my tears;
It was an HBCU that taught me about my heritage in history;
It was an HBCU that developed me into the leader I am today;
It was an HBCU that encouraged me to shoot for the stars and take a moon, too;
It was an HBCU that told me that I can be what I want to be, despite what my high school counselors and others may have said;
It was an HBCU that took a chance on me and;
It was an HBCU that gave me infinite amounts of courage.

And it is this courage that allowed me to be where I am today. My love and appreciation runs so deep, but it was not until I was placed in a different environment that I began to realize it. I am grateful to be afforded the opportunity to attend and experience Yale, but I am even more grateful for my HBCU experience; it has truly made me into the person I have dreamed of becoming.

It wasn’t easy, but my soror Dorothy Irene Height once said, “Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.” The legacy that an HBCU leads, will naturally allow you to accomplish your goals.

So to you considering whether you should attend an HBCU, I believe you should go for it. The opportunities (social, academic and professional) an HBCU presents are infinite and worthy, I promise. I thought about what an HBCU meant to my life, and it means more than what words can express. The love, hope and community you build, will truly help you throughout the rest of the days of your life.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @Nikki_T

104 Years of “Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor: Black Fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi Celebrates Founding

Updated: 1/9/2015 6:38 am, EST 

“Today, we congratulate the men of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated as they celebrate 104 years of “Achievement In Every Field Of Human Endeavor,” writes Iota Phi Theta Fraternity National Director of Communications, Bryan Maule Jr. in a letter congratulating the Kappas on their success and ongoing leadership in their local communities, in particular the Black community, over the years.

Founded on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, Kappa Alpha Psi boasts over 150,000 members to date and has more than 700 chapters throughout the United States, Nigeria, South Africa and other related major countries.

Kappa Alpha Psi, along with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, which was founded on the campus of Butler University, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, founded at Cornell University, are the only three Black Greek Lettered Organizations within the “Divine Nine” founded on a predominantly white campus.

Notable Kappa members include, Marc Lamont Hill, Cedric The Entertainer, Tavis Smiley and Johnnie Cochran.

Here is what some Kappas and others are tweeting about on the fraternity’s founding date celebration:

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @MeadeReport

5 Things You Should Accomplish This Spring

By Itopia Mills, HBCU Buzz Staff Writer

2015 is here! and there are so many great things to look forward to with this upcoming spring semester at our nation’s historically black colleges and universities that is just days away.

During the next few months students will be preparing for graduation, summer school, internships and more. Here is a list of a few things to help prepare you for the spring semester en route to success.

Get hold of a summer internship

January is the time to apply for summer internships. Check out websites like Indeed, ED2010, InternMatch and LinkedIn for perfect matches on opportunities in your career field.

Secure a job

If you are graduating in May or June it is time to get on the job hunt.

You can also check out Indeed, LinkedIn or SnagAJob for the latest job postings. Also, go by your school’s career center and do not be afraid to network. Reach out to old friends, mentors and internship bosses for a lead on any openings.

Travel

…because college is the last time period in your life to have little to no responsibilities and a ton of free time.

Take advantage of traveling while you can. Connect with some friends to make a travel bucket list and sightsee the neighboring states. Whether it is a few weekends during the semester, spring break or the summer; travel and make lasting memories.

Do schedule for summer school classes

Summer school can puts you ahead of track.

If you plan on returning back to campus in the fall and do not have any summer plans yet, think about picking up a few credits during the summer. If your school has blocks of classes during the summer you can take classes during the first block and work or intern for the rest of the summer.

Schedule for admissions testing

If you are graduating in spring, summer or fall, plan now for testing. Whether you are taking the GMAT, MCAT, GRE or LSAT it’s important to plan ahead. A site like BenchPrep is a great tool for test preparation and planning. Planning ahead will help you figure out all of the details from registration, fees to test location and date.

Start the New Year off write with these steps and you will be sure to have a great spring semester. Happy New Year![td_smart_list_end]

Howard’s Edward Brooke, Dies at 95 – First African-American Senator Elected by Popular Vote

United States senator elected by popular vote, dies at the age of 95 the Republican Party said. Brooke was a Massachusetts Republican who was the first African-American man to be popularly elected to the United States senate.

In 1966, when he was first elected to the senate, Brooke was Massachusetts attorney general. This was during a time when the country was still rife with racist notions.

While there were two other African-American senators before Brooke’s election and after the Civil War, these senators were not picked by popular vote.

Until the early 20th century, senators were picked by state legislature and not by democratic means.

Once in the senate, Brooke joined a small band of liberal Republicans who often opposed the Republican president, Richard Nixon.

One such issue that Brooke opposed was the build-up of troops in Vietnam. Later on, when the Watergate scandal came to light, Brooke was also one of the first Republican senators to call for Nixon to resign.

In 1972, he was re-elected by an almost 2-1 margin. However, by the time his third term came around in 1978, he was involved in a very public divorce proceeding.

Read more: http://www.chinatopix.com/articles/30991/20150105/first-african-american-senator-elected-by-popular-vote-edward-brooke-dies-at-95.htm#ixzz3NxRc6cic

Kentucky State Softball Program Donates Equipment to Bryan Station High School

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky State Softball Head Coach Oscar Downs, Assistant Coach David Morton and freshman Brittney Gately stopped by Bryan Station High School (Lexington, Ky.) on Thursday, Dec. 4, to donate equipment for the high schools softball program.

Bryan Station was in the news recently when a fire broke out in their concession stand at the softball field. The second floor took most of the damage but the team’s equipment, which was stored in the bottom level of the building, was damaged by smoke and water.

“Anything that the players didn’t keep in their practice bags was destroyed by the fire,” one Bryan Station administrator said.

With practice for the upcoming season set to start in mid-February, the team has been working hard to raise the funds needed to replace the estimated $25,000 worth of equipment that was lost during the fire.

“This donation of equipment from Kentucky State University softball will really help our team to get back to training and preparing for the upcoming season,” Bryan Station Co-Athletic Director Ryan Harrington said. “We still have a ways to go to be ready for the season, but this will allow us to continue practicing.”

Since both Kentucky State and Bryan Station’s official colors are green and gold, the new equipment will fit right in with the BSHS’s color scheme.

“We’re happy to do our part to help a local program,” Downs said about Kentucky State’s donations. “We understand how expensive equipment can be, so to be able to help in their effort to rebuild was important to our program.”

Morgan State AD Confirms MEAC/SWAC Bowl Game Will Be Played In 2015

The presidents of the MEAC and SWAC member schools have agreed to play in a postseason football bowl game in 2015, according to Morgan State athletics director Floyd Kerr.

Kerr made a Dec. 20 call-in appearance to The Carlos Brown Show on WUBR-910 (Baton Rouge, La.) where he confirmed rumors that the MEAC would forego its automatic bid to the NCAA FCS playoffs to have its conference champion compete against the SWAC’s champion.

It’s a game, created by ESPN, Kerr says will pay each conference $1 million.

“The presidents of each league have decided that, yes, this is going to happen,” Kerr said, “ESPN is the driving force behind it and it’s been vetted quite well.

Kerr said the MEAC delegates, presidents and commissioner Dennis Thomas spent the past year pondering the impact associated with no longer participating in the playoffs, including the perception of being separated from “the mainstream as African-Americans and black colleges” versus the need for the conference to “take charge” of its own financial destiny.

Citing a “climate of change” within in NCAA’s structure and noting that all members of the conference are LRIs (limited resource institutions), Kerr indicated the primary obligation for the conference was to be able to adequately fund its athletic programs, which so far, has been a challenge. LISTEN HERE

Alpha Man Stuart Scott, Longtime ESPN Anchor, Dies at Age of 49

“He didn’t just push the envelope,” says Dan Patrick, a sports radio host and former ESPN anchor on the passing of Stuart Scott, “He bulldozed it.”

Stuart Scott, who was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, is remembered for his authenticity, passion for journalism and his respect for sports and the impact it has on its watchers. Scott died at the age of 49 after his long battle with Cancer.

ESPN:

Among the features of the new ESPN studio in Bristol is a wall of catchphrases made famous by on-air talent over the years. An amazing nine of them belong to one man — from his signature “Boo-Yah!” to “As cool as the other side of the pillow” to “He must be the bus driver cuz he was takin’ him to school.”

That man is Stuart Scott, and his contributions to the sports lexicon are writ large. But they are only one aspect of his legacy. When he passed away, he left behind so much more. He inspired his colleagues with his sheer talent, his work ethic and his devotion to his daughters, Taelor, 19, and Sydni, 15. He defied convention and criticism to help bring this network into a new century. He spoke to the very athletes he was talking about with a flair and a style that ESPN president John Skipper says, “changed everything.”

Read more at ESPN.go.com.

VIDEO “Selma” A Must See Film!

I was born in the early Fifties, which means the Civil Rights Movement unfolded over the course of my formative years. And like the average black kid growing up in that tumultuous era, I can distinctly recall having a very visceral reaction to the nightly news coverage, since I had such a personal stake in the outcome of the events.

One of the most consequential flashpoints in memory was when a trio of voting rights marches were staged in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Launched by locals with the help of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the first demonstration came to be known as Bloody Sunday because of the way the police viciously attacked the 500+ participants with teargas and billy clubs, all at the direction of a racist Sheriff named Jim Clark (Stan Houston).

Fallout from the shocking media coverage garnered the attention of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (David Oyelowo) who agreed to get involved. And after an aborted second attempt to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the controversy blossomed into a nationwide cause célèbre with 25,000 people willing to risk their life and limb descending upon tiny Selma, including cultural icons like Harry Belafonte, Nina Simone, Joan Baez, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Peter, Paul and Mary.

 

VIDEO – Oprah Shares a Poem Commemorating the Civil Rights Movement

From all over the country they came to march for change. Black and white, old and young, every creed and occupation, they came as one. Watch and listen as Oprah shares a poetic narration of the history of the civil rights marches from Selma, Alabama, to the state capitol in Montgomery.

Bowie State Head Coach Darrell Brooks Achieves Milestone In Win Over Livingstone

BOWIE, Md. – The Bowie State University men’s basketball team earned a hard fought 84-83 win over the defending CIAA Champions of Livingstone College on Thursday evening. The win moves the Bulldogs to 9-4 (1-0 CIAA) on the season while the Blue Bears fall to 6-4 (0-1 CIAA) on the year in the setback. The BSU victory was also the 100th career win for head coach Darrell Brooks.

Senior Cameron Knox (Baltimore, Md.) led all players with a career-high 31 points, tied his career-high assists mark with four and knocked down all 11 of his free throws. Junior Andre Jackson (Baltimore, Md.) added 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds off the Bulldogs bench.

The Blue Bears were led by Eric Dubose (Brooklyn, N.Y.) with 22 points followed by Eric Mayo (Shelby, N.C.) with 18 points. Mayo hauled down a team-high 13 rebounds to go along with four of the Blue Bears’ seven blocked shots. Dwight Williams (Jacksonville, Fla.) was responsible for nine rebounds. Ty Newman (Easton, Md.) along with Robert Flint contributed 15 and 10 points respectively for Livingstone.

Livingstone took a 40-35 lead into halftime on 16-of-31 (51.6 percent) shooting from the field and held a 26-14 advantage on the glass during the first 20 minutes of action.

The first half featured four ties and four lead changes as Livingstone led by seven (40-33) at the 1:58 mark and Bowie State held an eight point advantage (29-21) at the 6:26 mark.

Livingstone maintained a lead the majority of the second half until the second of two free throws by BSU’s Andre Jackson gave the Bulldogs their first lead at 57-56 with 8:25 left in the game. A Newman layup at the 5:13 mark shifted the advantage back over to Livingstone at 63-62, but that’s the last time the visitors would hold a lead.

Thirty seconds later, a pair of free throws by Bowie State’s Knox shifted the advantage back over to the Bulldogs for good. The Bulldogs led by seven twice in the final 2:39 but Livingstone was not ready to throw in the towel.

Bowie State’s defense caused 21 total Livingstone turnovers which resulted in 26 Bulldogs points but the Blue Bears were able to hold a 44-32 rebound advantage.

“The 100th win is significant but even more significant was our team being 1-0 (in the conference) … That’s where we wanted to be after tonight”, said sixth year head coach Darrell Brooks. “This league is tough and you have to win games at home and you have to do well in cross division games.”

The Bulldogs return to the home hardwood on Saturday (January 3) afternoon, hosting the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls in a 4 pm conference clash.