Hampton President Receives the TMCF Educational Leadership Award

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2014111394106819Hampton, Va. – Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey was awarded the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) 2014 Educational Leadership Award. The award was presented at TMCF 26th Annual Awards Gala, themed “Developing Minds…Delivering Dreams.” This event will be held in Washington, D.C. Nov. 12, 2014.

The Educational Leadership Award is the highest volunteer award presented to an individual who has a demonstrated record of commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and education. The Educational Leadership Award is presented annually to a president of an HBCU who has demonstrated outstanding business, academic and visionary leadership through effective management of his or her institution.

“This award is usually presented to an educational leader from a publicly-supported HBCU, but Dr. Harvey’s success as President of Hampton University and his 30-year tenure as one of the longest tenures of any sitting president of a college or university in the country is outstanding,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., TMCF President and CEO. “Dr. Harvey salutes the legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall through his commitment and dedication to education and service.”

Harvey has served as president of Hampton University since 1978. During his tenure, he has increased enrollment, raised the endowment, raised the average SAT scores for entering freshmen, and implemented innovative programs, which have led to increased opportunities for Hampton graduates. Prior to joining Hampton, Harvey worked in various roles at Harvard University, Fisk University, and Tuskegee University.

Throughout his career as President of Hampton University, Harvey has demonstrated a strong commitment to the professional development of others. Fifteen of his administrative colleagues have been elected president and CEO at diverse institutions.

Harvey has served on a number of corporate boards including Fannie Mae, Newport News Shipbuilding, Signet Bank, and Trigon Blue Cross/Blue Shield.  He is currently the chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and has served on the President’s National Advisory Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, the Commission on Presidential Scholars, the NCAA Division I Board, and the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Development Advisory. He graduated from Talladega College and earned his doctorate in college administration from Harvard University.

Bureau Investigates Savannah State University Band Member Death

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Model_tiger_mascot_at_Grambling_State_Univ._IMG_3652 Referenced from – WJCI 

The SSU student newspaper originally reported a campus building was on lockdown pending a GBI investigation. We’ve tracked down school leaders to explain what’s going on.

We talked to campus police, the school’s spokeswoman, members of the student newspaper, and a GBI agent.

The Savannah State marching band is temporarily suspended. They did not perform at last night’s game.  We also know GBI agents are investigating the death of a band member. Savannah State’s spokeswoman says the band is suspended for violating the University’s student code of conduct. An article in the student run newspaper, Tiger Roar, reported the campus building where band student practice, Kennedy Fine Arts, was on lockdown Saturday. This due to a GBI investigation into the deaths of a band member.

Loretta Heywood, the spokesperson from the school, and Campus Police say this is not true. The band room is locked but the Fine Arts Building is not on lockdown.

Meanwhile, the original post of that article is no longer on the school’s site.

The GBI did confirm to WJCL tonight, through email, that there is an on- going death investigation at the University.  This investigation surrounds the death of a student band member who was found unresponsive in a dorm on November  1st.  At the time of death, the school issued a notice stating the death did not appear suspicious but the GBI will be investigating.

The GBI says the cause of death is pending autopsy results at this point.

The band did not play at Savannah State’s game Saturday. While there are several rumors as to why the band is suspended indefinitely, students say they the game didn’t feel the same.

“It’s sad right now, we feed off their energy. It was kind of different with them not being there at halftime,” said Brandon Bailey, SSU student.

“I don’t know the circumstances, but I do hope that they are back. Because we have the basketball seasons coming up. We have one more game against byu. Hopefully they are back,” said Edward Goubadil, SSU student.

Meanwhile, there is no confirmation if the death of this student and the suspension of the University’s band are related.

New Spelman College Cosby Chair Aku Kadogo Explores Activism in the Arts

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ATLANTA (Nov. 13, 2014) — Aku Kadogo, performer, theater director, choreographer and educator, has been named Spelman College William and Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Endowed Professor in the Arts for the 2014-2015 academic year. As the new Cosby Chair, Kadogo comes to Spelman with a global palette of experiences and performances in her portfolio.

aku-kadogo_smUnlike many artists whose performance tours take them to other countries, Kadogo works with communities in other countries such as Brazil, Cuba, Australia, and Senegal to build her performance works. She most recently served as a visiting faculty member at Yongin University in Seoul, Korea. As a performer, she has worked in film, television and theater. She is one of the original cast members of the award-winning Broadway production of …for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange.

“Aku Kadogo was selected as the Cosby Chair in the Arts because of her stellar achievements in theater, choreography and education,” said Myra Burnett, Ph.D., Spelman interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. “She is a global ambassador of performance art, traversing continents and cultures with ease, giving and receiving as she goes. She is an outstanding model of excellence for our students, emanating a creative, imaginative, and interdisciplinary spirit that we hope they, too, will develop. We are delighted that she has come to us for this year.”

Kadogo’s academic experience includes serving as director of the Black Theatre Program at Wayne State University in Detroit from 2006 to 2011. As a faculty member, she directed plays and musicals as well as taught dramatic literature and performance studies courses.

“It’s a great honor to be selected as Cosby Chair,” said Kadogo. “I’ve led an independent and unique life and this affords me an opportunity to share my vision with others.”

The theme of her term as Cosby Chair is  “Fearless Exploration of the Imagination!” During the academic year, Kadogo will teach courses through the Department of Drama and Dance and host globally recognized artists for lectures and performances. She also intends to explore ways in which African-American artists, curators, directors, and others articulate and maintain their cultural voice while immersed in an international art community.

“African Americans are missing from a lot of places in the international theater scene. I’m interested in finding out who is doing the work because if we go back to the Katherine Dunhams and Alvin Aileys of another generation, they were known and seen on the global stage,” said Kadogo, a Detroit native. “I find it to be a different world now. I want to examine where we come from [as African Americans and as artists] and how we link to others in the world.”

She added it’s important for her students to know the history of African Americans in the arts and to understand its present state in order to prepare for their future shaping and influencing their craft.

Kadogo’s fall semester course, “Urban Anthropological Approach to Performance Studies,” takes students through the creation of their own contemporary original work, which will incorporate music, dance and literature, and investigate ceremonial practices and political activism influenced by Asia, Africa, the South Pacific and the U.S.

Kadogo welcomes Marc Bamuthi Joseph to campus Nov. 18 for the conversation, “Where People Gather: Hip Hop, Activism and Innovation.” A Morehouse College graduate, Joseph was named by Smithsonian magazine as one of “America’s Top Young Innovators in the Arts and Sciences.” He is the artistic director of the seven-part HBO documentary “Russell Simmons presents Brave New Voices” and an inaugural recipient of the United States Artists Rockefeller Fellowship, which annually recognizes 50 of the country’s “greatest living artists.”

“I’m excited to have this conversation with an artist of another generation. I’ll be interested to hear how Joseph continues to develop as an artist and what it means for him to be an interdisciplinary artist,” said Kadogo.

“Where People Gather: Hip Hop, Activism and Innovation: A Conversation with Arts Activist Marc Bamuthi Joseph”

WHEN: 
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, 6 p.m. Free and open to the public.

WHERE: 
Cosby Academic Center Auditorium
Spelman College
350 Spelman Lane S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30314
Directions

WHY:  
The William and Camille Cosby Endowed Professorship was established in 1988. The recipient utilizes the post for one year to expand the college’s curricular offerings by designing a course rooted in their specific area of expertise, and facilitating interdisciplinary initiatives. The residency concludes with a special culminating event developed and implemented by the Cosby Chair. Kadogo’s culminating event “Salt City” is set for April 25, 2015. The performance features Jessica Care Moore, poet, publisher, playwright, performance artist and producer. Read more about Kadogo’s artistic journey in Inside Spelman.

About Spelman College
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a highly selective, liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent.  Located in Atlanta, Ga., the College’s picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students.  Outstanding alumnae include Children’s Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman; Sam’s Club CEO Rosalind Brewer, Broadway Producer Alia Jones, Former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman’s first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley, Harvard University Professor Evelynn Hammonds, Author Pearl Cleage, and Actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson.  For more information, visit www.spelman.edu.

Media Contact:
Audrey Arthur
(404) 270-5892 office
aarthur3@spelman.edu
Twitter: @spelmanmedia

TMCF’s Leader, Johnny C. Taylor Announces “Important” New Alliance With University of Phoenix

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On Thursday, Nov. 13 the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) announced what can be a big push towards getting more students attending a public historically black college or university (HBCU) on online courses with its new partnership with the University of Phoenix.

TMCF President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr. commented on the “important” new alliance with the university that graduates the most minority students and the new online capabilities offered by University of Phoenix, saying, “Using technology to improve educational outcomes is a must today; and we are excited about the opportunity to partner with University of Phoenix on this innovative solution to help HBCUs offer online courses.”

“HBCUs look to TMCF for new opportunities and solutions like this to assist them with building their capacity as they continue to serve the students matriculating on their campuses,” he said. “This opportunity will give HBCUs access to online learning not previously available.”

Taylor impressively seems to be leading the TMCF to new grounds and is resilient in obtaining scholarships and grants for HBCU students during a time when HBCU leaders at some of the nation’s Black colleges complain about a lack of federal government grants and unfair treatment given by the Obama administration.

In October the Department of Education allotted federal support to universities and colleges nationwide in a pioneering $171 million effort to help increase professional development of low-income and minority students in S.T.E.M.

Just three HBCUs, however: Fayetteville State University, Prairie View A&M University and Hampton University, as a whole received $3 million in grants.

But despite all the emphasis on scarce federal support, the “scandalous” $25 million Koch brothers grant given to TMCF in June, and the uncertain future of HBCUs Taylor remains more than just a man who gets the job done.

He is “Changing the World … One Leader at a Time.”

“We’re proud to offer more scholarships and grants for nontraditional students as part of this new alliance, and we are thrilled to join the Thurgood Marshall College Fund in helping more HBCU students reach graduation,” said Timothy P. Slottow, President of University of Phoenix. “We are eager to help HBCU institutions expand their online education capabilities. It is an honor to help fulfill our mission by partnering with our nation’s vitally important Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”

3 Ways Black Greek Fraternities Prepare You For Employment

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For some students, joining a Black Greek Lettered Organization is at the top of the list of things to do while attending a historically black college or university (HBCU). There is no doubt that Black fraternities and sororities knows how to have a good time.

But they also offer an unique experience to grow and develop as a leader, a confident public speaker and provide some fantastic opportunities to network and operate with people within and out the organization.

Here are three ways going Greek puts you in a great position with future employers:

1. Black Greeks packs out events

There is a reason why several incoming freshman students attending HBCUs are often curious about Black Greek life. Oftentimes at HBCUs the Black Greeks are looked upon as role models with more influence than SGA, Royal Court and other organizations on campus, almost combined in some cases.

Usually Black Greek Lettered Organizations (BGLOs) packs the house at nearly all events. This is a sign that Black Greeks can greatly sell and influence others, and another skill employers like to see from new grads.

Plus, at the most basic level this is also why Black Greeks has a duty to give back.

2. Black fraternities work with people inside and outside the organization

Black Greek fraternity life can open doors to a plethora of collaboration and networking opportunities with other like-minded people–who, perhaps, before was just an opportunity wasted–from every nation known to man.

This means exchanging business cards, creating new relationships and networking with other gifted and talented individuals…although sometimes they are more like annoying little/big brothers. And that, the ability to act and react with actual human beings, is a skill employers want to see from new college grads. (Speaking of brotherhood.)

3. Black Fraternity members are “brothers for life”

In fact, they are also really, really good teammates.

Being in a Black Greek fraternity requires commitment, (hard) work and the ability to work in a team. If you are preparing to plan, organize and execute a great event on the yard, working in a team seems like the only way to get the real work done, and Black Greek fraternities and sororities are experts in teamwork.

According to an article called “The 10 Skills Employers Most Want In 20-Something Employees” by Susan Adams being able to work efficiently in a team is the skill employers say they most seek.

Ronald Mason Jr. Tells Us to Commit to Making Progress Everyday

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This story is a part of the series “President’s Corner” about the unique experiences, vision and leadership styles of each president at our nation’s 107 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Ronald Mason Jr. is the leader of the Southern University System  in the state of Louisiana. Its headquarters sits on the property of Southern University in Baton Rouge campus.

The System is exactly what it sounds like: a system of universities in the Louisiana state who’s earliest foundations began in 1880, and is the first of its kind among Black colleges.

With over 30 years of experience in the field Mason believes the System has the potential to make other higher education institutions think about running behind and following suite. He sits with Robert Hoggard of HBCU Buzz in this exclusive interview to talk about how the System operates, skills learned in higher education and working with the Obama administration.

Robert: What is the experience like leading the only HBCU University system? How do you balance your time overseeing five campuses?

President Mason: As a System, Southern has has the potential to be a model for higher education. We are reducing costs by centralizing business operations, expanding our community college onto the four year campuses, and creating an online college. The distance between the campuses is a challenge, especially Shreveport, but I enjoy the work as president and having good Chancellors to run the campuses helps.

Robert: You have over 30 years of experience in Higher Education. What has been the most meaningful thing that you have learned over the years?

President Mason: I have learned that you have to push but understand where people are, do the right thing in the right order, and commit to making progress every day.

Robert: In your position as a White House Board of Advisors for HBCU’s, what is your main goal? What do you want to see out of the Board because of your leadership and input?

President Mason: The PBA is supposed to be a link between the President, Corporate America and HBCUs.  I’d like to see it do more to make those linkages happen.

Robert: Both of your degrees come from Columbia and you have won the John Jay award for distinguished Alumni in 2008. How significant has Columbia been to your leadership over the years? What has Columbia taught you?

President Mason: Columbia changed my life.  When I left New Orleans to go there it was my first time on an airplane or outside of Louisiana. The seventies was a good time to be in New York.  Columbia taught me to see the world from the eyes of people with wealth and earthly power.  It also taught me the importance of the perceived value of the degree.

Here’s What to Know About the Next Attorney General Loretta Lynch

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After U.S. Attorney General and loyal friend to the president Eric Holder, the first African American to hold the position, announced his resignation a few months ago New York attorney Loretta Lynch is now said to be the nominee to replace him.

“She has spent years in the trenches as a prosecutor, aggressively fighting terrorism, financial fraud, cybercrime, all while vigorously defending civil rights,” President Barack Obama said, introducing Lynch recently at a ceremony at the White House.

Lynch will be the first Black woman to hold to U.S. Attorney General title but is no stranger to the big stage. She once oversaw a nationally headlined police brutality incident in New York much like the Rodney King case, according to The Root.

Also, Lynch says, as a toddler she saw students from North Carolina A&T State University who organized the memorable counter sit-ins in 1960.

Read more at The Root.

Howard University Theatre Department Tells the Truth About Nightingales

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Screen Shot 2014-11-13 at 8.46.21 PM(thehiltop) Against a dimmed, overhead light and a pair of prison bars suspended from the rafters above, the stage was given a stirring atmosphere. Haze crept across the set, spilling into the audience. Before long, the outside world no longer existed. The theatre was transformed into the confines of a prison, and the audience was there, during the summer of 1938.

An award-winning three-act play by Tennessee Williams, “Not about Nightingales,” tells the compelling story of a group of inmates who fight back through a hunger strike against the oppressive governance of the jail warden. Inspired by true events, Williams is able to create a despotic situation in 1938 that still holds firm for a contemporary audience.

With riveting performances from the cast and a powerful display from the design team, the Howard University’s Department of Theatre Arts brought “Not about Nightingales” to life at the Ira Aldridge Theatre from November 5 to November 9.

Under the direction of Eric Ruffin, and with an all-black cast, transparent themes concerned the disparaging treatment of blacks and homosexuals and the unlawful incarceration of young black men by a dominating, white bureaucratic society. These were but a few elements that reverberated throughout the play.

Production Dramaturg, Otis Ramsey-Zoe, wrote, “The world inside the prison is not divorced from the concerns of the outside world, and those issues creep into the play, including the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, Hitler’s rise to power, Mussolini’s dictatorship and the threat of war.”

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Charles Grant, Bowie State Coach Caught on Video Body-Slamming Student

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(NBC Washington) Bowie State University fired a former NFL player from his volunteer football coach position after TMZ Sports posted video of him body-slamming a student.

University police is investigating Charles Grant. He can be heard shouting and cursing at the student before throwing him to the ground then into the bleachers as people are heard laughing in the background.

Grant is a former defensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints. He was on the team the season it won Super Bowl XLIV.

Grant previously was brought up on an involuntary manslaughter charge after a deadly shooting outside at a bar in Georgia. The charge was later dropped, and he pleaded no contest to public fighting.

In a statement, Bowie State said in part, “The Department of Athletics has zero tolerance of behavior that violates the University’s core values and jeopardizes the welfare of student-athletes.”

VIDEO – Pamela Wilson, Virginia State’s 1st Female President

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(Associated Press) Hampton University Provost Pamela Valleria Wilson Hammond has been named interim president of Virginia State University.

Hammond will lead the historically black land-grant university during a national search for a permanent president. The university announced Hammond’s appointment on Thursday in a news release. She is the first woman to serve as Virginia State’s president.

Hammond’s appointment is effective Jan. 1. She will succeed Keith T. Miller, who has announced that he is resigning, effective Dec. 31. The change in leadership comes amid concerns over declining enrollment and financial woes at the university in Ettrick.  Hammond has served as Hampton’s provost since 2009.

3 Ways Black College Students Can Save Money In College

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Saving money while attending an HBCU, or any college can be difficult to keep up with, especially when you want the best college experience your campus can offer. Of course your loans and other financial avenues cover your entire tuition including books but after you’re done with school you are stuck with possibly lifelong payment plans toward borrowed student loans.

Here are some ways to decrease student debt after college.

1. Consider a different housing plan

According to U.S. News an average four year college board price is $9,500. Ask your financial advisor for the cheapest route there is. Even if you’re in the most expensive dorm there is still hope. Consider becoming a resident aid or assistant. Most schools knock off your housing tuition or pay up to half of your board.

2. Rent Textbooks instead

If you don’t plan on keeping textbooks for research purposes, consider renting textbook online. Most are twice as cheap than buying books from your university. Amazon is a great way to buy and rent textbooks for a cheaper price than your local college book store. In doing so more of your tuition money could generate toward paying for extra fees like lab fees.

3. Take advantage of fee waivers

Some college campuses charge an arm and a leg for college ID’s, car decals, and sometimes library fees. If they seem too expensive you can negotiate a fee waiver, if applicable, with your financial advisor.

UAPB Dean: “Federal Grant Funding is Becoming More Difficult to Obtain”

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After suffering from a very bad last week the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has some great news buzzing on campus.

UPAB’s School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences, or SAFHS, has been given federal funds in the amount of $1.5 million through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) 1890 Capacity Building Grants Program that will help fund future research projects conducted by university professors, according to reports.

Dr. Edmund R. Buckner, associate dean for Research and Extension Programs at UAPB, cheered on the university’s huge success in obtaining a federal grant, something he says has been difficult to do lately, commenting, “We are very pleased that our research and Extension faculty have been successful in procuring grant funding to help conduct their work.”

“Federal grant funding is becoming more difficult to obtain. Our faculty’s success in competing for increasingly scarce funding highlights our commitment to the university and the people we serve,” Buckner said.

Last week Pine Bluff faced public scrutiny when multiple news outlets reported how the UAPB athletics program wrongly allowed more than 120 student-athletes to compete and practice while being ineligible under NCAA rules and regulations.

Read more on federal funds and UAPB’s athletics program:

In a press release UAPB Chancellor Dr. Laurence B. Alexander made a comment on his disapproval in the additional penalties smacked on by the NCAA, saying “[The university] remain disappointed even with the reduced penalties imposed by the Committee.”

Alexander added that the university may seek an appeal to the initial decision made by the NCAA to hold more penalties against the athletics program than what the university previously self-assessed and self-reported to the non-profit association.

So after being slammed by the NCAA for allowing as many as 124 ineligible athletes to compete UAPB seems to be finally back to normal.

Just another day in the week.

HBCU President Makes Controversial Remarks on Rape to Female Students

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(The Grio) A video posted to YouTube of a speech by Lincoln University President Robert R. Jennings has incited controversy over what some people believe are insensitive comments about rape.

During the speech, Jennings speaks of recent incidents on the college’s campus where women made false rape accusations against male companions who had spurned them after their sexual encounters.

In the video, Jennings is seen speaking to an all-female assembly of students at the HBCU. The speech took place in September but was posted to YouTube last week.

The entire speech lasted 26 minutes, but the posted clip lasts four minutes.

Towards the end of the clip, Jennings says: “When you allege that somebody did something of that nature to you, you go to jail. I don’t care how close they are to finishing the degree, their whole life changes overnight. Why am I saying all this, ladies? I’m saying this because, first and foremost, don’t put yourself in a situation that would cause you to be trying to explain something that really needs no explanation had you not put yourself in that situation.”

Jennings defended his speech to the Philadelphia Inquirer: “No one would ever discourage a young woman on this campus from reporting a sexual assault.”

Read more here.

Q&A With BET’s ‘106 And Park’ Guest Co-Host, JSU Student Kris Campbell

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Jackson State University student Kris Campbell recently co-host with Bow Wow on BET’s 106 & Park. The Buzz had the opportunity to interview him.

Robert: What’s going on man? How did this opportunity happen with 106?

Kris: I am honored to interview with HBCU Buzz. You all are the dopest media outlet entity to stay connected with other HBCU life. But your guess is just as good as mine. After auditioning for a couple BET gigs and and internships with BET, I guess my name was just in an email list and a previous personality video of mine was remember. All I know is that, I woke up to an email for BET NYC Casting, which I have saved in my email as a contact, stating that they were undergoing a new segment with 106 & Park called 106 Nation Fan Cohost, where a die hard 106 fan got to cohost the show along with one of the personalities. They apologized for other roles that I did not land but they believed that this opportunity would be perfect for me and then they listed time slots and asked my availability. I immediately responded and the rest was history. It really happened.

To share the same screen with him was a dream come true. It was inspiring to hear and see him handle the business of the show and nothing more than humbling to realize that I am blessed to have this experience.

Robert: What was it like hosting with Bow Wow?

Kris: Terrance J and Bow Wow are two of my role models. I have always looked up to all the male 106 hosts but these two stuck out to me. They both remind me of what I want myself to come close to being one day. I have followed Shad (Bow Wow) his entire career. From his rap game to his acting gigs to his clothing line to the rebranding of his person from Bow Wow to Shad Moss creating a more mature persona to accompany his growing career, I have looked up to him for some time now. To share the same screen with him was a dream come true. It was inspiring to hear and see him handle the business of the show and nothing more than humbling to realize that I am blessed to have this experience. He cracked a few jokes on me here and there but it was all good vibes from start to finish. At that moment, while we shared that mutual space and objective, I knew that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It was nothing but fuel to my fire. 

Robert: What’s after JSU?

Kris: After JSU, I plan to move to NYC to attend the graduate marketing program at either NYU or Columbia. I need something to compliment my mass communication skills. Being a student entrepreneur, I know there are many things I need to learn to grow my businesses and be the stereotype shattering African American mogul that I know I am destined to be. While in New York, I plan to intern at a radio station, being my 5th internship, while pursuing an on air personality gig. I also want to grow my T-shirt line Konnor Brooklyn, as well.

Robert: Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Kris: In 10 years from now, I see myself at the pinnacle of my career. Multiple businesses, movies, appearances, and more, I see it in my near future. I want to leave a mark…a legacy on Earth that will inspire people to chase their dreams. In 10 years, I see myself doing everything I said I was going to do since I could remember. I see financial stability. I see me traveling the world with my family. I see me owning night clubs in the hottest cities. I see me giving back to the community. I see a lot of things for me on down the road. lol The list goes on and on.

I’m social, intelligent, attractive, and so much more…Kappa just fit me.

Robert: Man, it hurt me to see that you’re a Kappa. I thought I almost had a friend. Why Kappa and not Sigma? Sigma is the best fraternity in all the land.

Kris: Sigma? What’s that? Any who, the reason I pledged kappa was simple. I grew up in a small town called Livingston, Al. One day our trailer got shot up while I was in it and the next day my mom split the family and moved my younger sister and I to Mobile, Al. My older brothers and dad stayed back. In Mobile, I joined The Elite Chapter of the Mobile Kappa League. Long story short, after exposing me to things I knew I would have never been exposed to if we had stayed back in Livingston, The Mobile KL changed my life. It is responsible, along with a few life lessons here and there, for the person you’re interviewing today. So I knew that if I had pledged anything, It would be Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, because that’s all I knew. I owe myself to the bond because the men that advised the Mobile Kappa League, took a small town boy and created a man. I could never see myself straying away from their lessons. And besides, I’m one smooth brother and those other colors just don’t sit well with me. I’m social, intelligent, attractive, and so much more…Kappa just fit me.

Why AKAs and Deltas Are Upset With Tiny

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TINY

“It started way back in 1913…” Well, you know how the Greek chant performed by members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. goes.

The story goes, back in 1913 on the campus of historically black Howard University, 22 undergraduates who were originally initiated into the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. left the group and founded Delta Sigma Theta. Still today, Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the first Black Greek Lettered Organization founded by African American women, insists that without AKA…well, you get the point.

So you can imagine the sometimes heated rivalry between AKA and Delta in “The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be” sorority contest.

They don’t need to be upset with me it was a joke.

That’s why when photos of Tiny, the wife of the “King of the South” rapper T.I., went viral on social media people definitely had questions, comments and Illuminati convictions on why she threw the Greek signs up. Some people had nothing better to do but to favorite and retweet posts and watch as sparks fly on their Twitter timelines, who was probably first to break the shocking news.

(That would be me…)

Veronica Wells writing for Madame Noire says Tiny’s latest behavior is almost comical.

“Whether it’s ‘Weave Trip’ with her sidekick Shekinah, releasing a diss record to her own husband or permanently changing her eye color, the girl knows how to make us look,” Wells said on Tiny jumping in on a picture being taken of a few AKAs and Deltas, and throwing up both their hand signs.

“…I was looking and laughing at a couple of pictures that popped up on Twitter. Apparently, Tiny knows a few Deltas and AKAs and when they were posing for a picture, throwing up their respective Greek hand signs, Tiny didn’t want to be left out. So not only did she jump in on the picture, she threw up the hand signs too. Both of them, AKA and Delta’s,” she said.

“They don’t need to be upset with me it was a joke,” the hip hop wife said in a tweet responding to her critics.

Tiny clearly hasn’t been to a historically black college or university (HBCU) because everyone knows about Greek affairs at Black colleges. But what’s most surprising here is that Tiny’s friends who are AKAs and Delta’s seemed to allow her to throw up the signs in the photos anyway. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

What’s next for Tiny? find out on the next episode of celebrity misbehavior.

A Shot at Redemption: The CIAA Championship Game That Wasn’t

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(HBCU Gameday) November 15, 2013. A day that will live in infamy in the hearts and minds of CIAA and HBCU football fans.

It was supposed to be CIAA football’s crowning moment. It turned out to be its darkest hour.

Two nationally-ranked football teams, Winston-Salem State and Virginia State, were set to battle for the CIAA Championship in Winston-Salem. After years of taking a back seat to basketball, CIAA football was finally going to take center stage for the nation’s oldest conference made up of historically black colleges. Coming on the heels of WSSU’s national championship game appearance, it was the moment officials hoped would signify the conference’s arrival on the D2 national stage.

Only it never happened. And we may never know exactly why.

What we do know is this: The CIAA Championship Game was cancelled after an bathroom altercation at the championship banquet that left one student-athlete (Winston-Salem State quarterback Rudy Johnson) headed for the hospital while another one (Virginia State running back Lamont Britt) headed for the Forsyth County Jail.

The fight made headlines around the sports world, landing on pretty much every major website and national television news.

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