FAMU Over Harvard, What Happened After a 16 year old Chose an HBCU

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headshot2014.jpeg.CROP.rtstoryvar-largeThere has been a swarm of media reports celebrating young African-American teenagers who have been killing it in college admissions. There are the DC-area triplets deciding between Columbia and University of Pennsylvania, the North Carolina young man who got into seven Ivy League schools and the New York teen who got accepted into all eight prestigious universities.

But what happens when an Ivy League school comes calling and you take a less expected path? What happens when you choose a different school, with less prestige, over the Ivy? What happens when a black kid decides that he would rather take his talents to Florida A&M University over Harvard University?

Ralph Jones Jr., a prodigious young man, who entered college at the age of 16 can tell you a little bit about that.

Jones first drew media attention back in 2010, when he shocked those who knew his story by choosing Florida A&M University over Harvard. At that time his path seemed clear. The then-16-year-old navigated through overwhelmingly intense social media criticism for his unexpected choice.

Does he regret it?

“No. No I don’t,” Jones told The Root, with zero hesitation. “It’s funny … the same kinds of people who were sending me [hate mail], you know they still send it, but on the opposite side, the support I’ve received has been immeasurable over the past four years. The opportunities I’ve had afforded to me I don’t think they could’ve afforded to me anywhere else.

“I was at Lockheed as a freshman, I interned at Apple with only two years under my belt. The things that I did there I don’t know anyone else who has done anything like me and I have friends at Cornell and Boston University and Georgetown and … they don’t have it,” he enthused.

“My résumé [is] one that I think is arguably comparable to any student right now in the nation who’s my age and … those opportunities came directly or indirectly from my time at FAMU. I don’t see myself doing anything differently in retrospect,” Jones added. Read Full at the Root

 

Among Youngest at HBCUs; Tuskegee University Names New President Brian Johnson

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BmbJFgjCAAALtSJThe historical university finds strong, energetic leadership in new president

Tuskegee, AL (April 29, 2014) – After an extensive national search, today Tuskegee University’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Brian Johnson, Ph.D., has been unanimously selected to become the seventh president of Tuskegee University. Dr. Brian Johnson will assume the role of president on June 15th, 2014, succeeding Dr. Gilbert L. Rochon.

Johnson Dr. Johnson is currently the Interim Vice President for Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness and Assistant Provost/Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Tuskegee University was built as the intellectual epicenter of African American culture and academia and remains one of the nation’s leading historically black institutions standing on a foundation of outstanding leadership in 133 years of service since its founding by Booker T. Washington. The university graduates over 75 percent of the African American veterinarians in the world and is the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) with a fully accredited College of Veterinary Medicine that offers the doctoral degree. Tuskegee University is also the largest producer of African American STEM graduates.

Dr. Johnson, age 40, is a dynamic, proven academic leader with a strong stature as a scholar, manager and administrator who will carry on the university’s vision of inspiring, supporting and educating the hands, hearts and minds of the next generation of great leaders. Dr. Johnson is one of the youngest individuals to be selected president of an HBCU in recent years.

“The Board of Trustees’ presidential search team worked very hard over the past six months to find the seventh president of our university,” said Chairman of the Board of Trustees retired Maj. Gen. Charles. E. Williams. “Dr. Brian Johnson is the perfect fit for these times and his selection was unanimous. We are pleased with his preparation to serve as our next president and he has our total support.”

Dr. Johnson is known as a vibrant and progressive administrator, professor, and scholar. He has authored or edited seven academic books, including two on W. E. B. Du Bois and one institutional history of his alma mater, Johnson C. Smith University, an HBCU. Dr. Johnson has received numerous academic and administrative awards including a 2012-2013 (A.C.E.) American Council of Education Fellowship where he served at Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis under the mentorship of Chancellor Charles Bantz. While there Dr. Johnson spent an extensive amount of time within the newly created Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, serving on Dean Gene Tempel’s Dean’s Advisory Council during the school’s formation.

“I am honored to have been selected as a servant and steward of a tremendous, powerful tradition and legacy,” said Dr. Johnson. “I see myself in the tradition represented in the Tuskegee man and woman. It will be a privilege to serve the Tuskegee alumni, Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and most of all – students.”

In his most recent role, Dr. Johnson had oversight of student learning outcomes assessment, academic program accreditations, coordination of risk assessment for academic affairs, new faculty orientation and special academic programming. Dr. Johnson served on the Executive Cabinet and the Capital Campaign, Chaired the University-wide Assessment Committee, and served as the liaison to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Tennessee Board of Regents – the sixth largest university system in the nation. Additionally, Dr. Johnson lead the university’s Performance Funding Planning and Strategic Planning efforts, serving on the administrative leadership team that earned a 12.9 percent increase in its Tennessee Performance Funding Plan, the largest increase granted among Tennessee universities for the 2013-2014 academic year.

With upward trends in student retention and academic performance, faculty teaching, research and enrollment, Tuskegee University remains a globally competitive university that prepares graduates for success and service.

Dr. Johnson is a proud husband and father of two sons, ages 10 and 9.

About Tuskegee University

Founded in 1881 by Booker T. Washington, Tuskegee University is home to approximately 3,000 students from the U.S. and 30 foreign countries. The academic programs are organized into seven colleges and schools: 1.) Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science, 2.) College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, 3.) College of Arts and Sciences, 4.) College of Engineering, 5.) College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health, 6.) Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science, and 7.) School of Education.

Tuskegee University is accredited with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master’s, doctorate, and professional degrees. The following programs are accredited by national agencies: architecture, business, education, engineering, clinical laboratory sciences, nursing, occupational therapy, social work, and veterinary medicine.

To learn more about Tuskegee University, go to: www.tuskegee.edu.
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Hampton Comes Away with Game 3 Win over NSU

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rp_primary_Morgan_Boyd A seventh inning rally fell short, and the Norfolk State softball team dropped the third game of a conference series to Hampton on Sunday afternoon by a 7-6 score at the NSU Softball Field.

The Spartans were down by three going into the bottom of the seventh, but NSU got things goings to make it interesting. Senior Morgan Boyd singled into left, and junior Alina Moriarty singled with two outs. In the next at bat, Boyd got in just ahead of the ball on a play at third, loading the bases in the process.

Freshman Kayla McNair followed with a single into left center to score Boyd and Moriarty, but sophomore Whitney Williams got caught in a rundown for the final out of the game.

The loss dropped NSU’s regular season record to 12-6 in the MEAC and 19-23 overall. The Spartans enter the MEAC tournament next Thursday as the North’s No. 3 seed. They will play at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday against the No. 2 seed in the South, which has yet to be determined.

Sunday’s loss, which gave Hampton (26-18, 14-3 MEAC) a series sweep, featured a combined seven errors and five unearned runs.

Both teams got on the board in the first inning thanks to a combined five errors in that first frame alone.

Taylor McCoy doubled to score one run for Hampton, and a fielder’s choice bunt and an error added two more for a 3-0 lead.

The Spartans responded with two runs of their own in the frame. Sophomore Heather Dunning and Williams singled, and three straight errors on Hampton over the next three at bats scored a pair of runs.

In the fourth, the Pirates scored three more for a 6-2 lead, with all three runs scoring on a double by McCoy.

Senior Nikki Jones homered in the bottom of the fourth, and Boyd hit an RBI triple later in the frame to make it 6-4.

Jones’ homer was the team’s 36th of the season, breaking the program’s previous fast-pitch record of 35 set in 1997.

McCoy hit an RBI single in the sixth for Hampton for a 7-4 lead and what proved to be the winning run. McCoy hit 3-for-4 with four RBI in the game.

Boyd had two hits on the day for NSU, and McNair drove in a pair of runs.

Senior Jamie Schulle (13-14) suffered the loss after allowing six runs, three earned, on four hits in 3.2 innings of work. Senior Stephanie Wheatley allowed one earned run on three hits in 3.1 innings of relief. From NSU

Paine College On Lockdown After 2nd Shooting In 2 Days

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Paine College ShootingPaine and Georgia Regents University campuses were on lockdown, according to spokesmen from the schools.
Today’s incident took place about 1 p.m, a sheriff’s spokesman said. One student suffered a non life-threatening injury.

Police are still searching for two men who fired shots at a Paine College men’s residence hall Sunday, injuring a Deputies were called to the campus about 4:45 p.m. Sunday to assist Paine officers in the investigation. Two students told police they were coming down the stairs in Gray Hall when they saw two black men with a gun inside the building. The students ran from the buildings as the gunmen fired shots in the building and continued firing outside, according to a sheriff’s office incident report. One of the fleeing students was injured when he fell while running and hurt his finger.

Another student who was seated outside was hit in the shoulder with bullet fragments. Both students took themselves to Georgia Regents Medical Center for treatment. Witnesses told deputies a burgundy Toyota was seen leaving the area soon after the shooting.

The college was immediately placed on a lockdown, but has since been deemed safe, according to a statement released by Paine College on Monday.

It also stated that Paine College students were not involved in the incident. Richmond County investigators are reviewing surveillance video to identify the two gunmen.

– See more at: http://www.blackmediascoop.com/hbcu-scoop-paine-college-on-lockdown-after-2nd-shooting-in-2-days/#sthash.aj0weuev.dpuf

The Next Generation of Republicans

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Op-Ed, Reince Priebus

This spring, I received word that a group of students in Ohio decided to form a College Republican chapter on their campus. As chairman of the Republican National Committee, it was welcome news to hear that our Party continues to grow at institutions of higher learning across the country. Young people can be very effective messengers in their communities. So I was especially pleased to hear that this new College Republican chapter would launch on the campus of Central State University, a Historically Black University, in Ohio.

With the announcement of a new chapter at Central State, we are witnessing part of an exciting trend toward bi-partisanship on HBCU campuses across the country. Just earlier this school year, for example, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, re-chartered their College Republican chapter. Now, CSU is following suit.

I encourage more young people to join the ranks of the Republican Party and become a part of this movement. Over the past five years, millennial’s support for the President has decreased while support for Republicans has increased.

While the media often likes to report that the Republican Party doesn’t traditionally do well with earning the support of young people and black voters, College Republican chapter launches at HBCU’s paint a different picture of the future.

The Republican Party is building support in places where Democrats and the current administration for years have offered a lot of talk but not much else; we’re listening and engaging with voters the other party has essentially taken for granted.

As Republicans we want all college students, including those from HBCU’s, to have every opportunity imaginable to chart their own course to success and enjoy the benefits of their hard work. We know young black entrepreneurs share our vision for getting the government out of the way of starting a business and expanding the freedom to work. The Republican Party encourages entrepreneurship and believes in entrepreneurs from the black community and from urban centers building up neighborhoods and creating jobs.

As we prioritize freedom and equal opportunity for all, it will mean less debt for our youth to pay off and more jobs for those entering the workforce. We create this prosperity by making government less expensive and less intrusive and by eliminating barriers to upward mobility. Republicans offer solutions that address these concerns.

Governor Kasich, in Ohio, expanded school choice by quadrupling the number of scholarships available to students who want to leave underperforming schools and attend quality ones. He has also made progress in driving down college tuition costs, making higher education more accessible and affordable. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has also aimed his efforts at expanding educational opportunities and reforming workforce training programs. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has proposed creating economic freedom zones that would facilitate the creation of new jobs in economically distressed areas.

These policies and principles are not just about making government work for people but also about empowering individuals and communities.

There remains a lot of hard work ahead, but we are making gains and are proud of Central State’s new College Republican Chapter. The future leaders of our country are on campuses such as CSU and will have a profound impact on public policy for years to come.

They are part of our nation’s next generation of Republicans. With their successful launch, the CSU College Republicans are planting the seeds of freedom and opportunity. I look forward to watching them grow both their campus chapter and the Republican Party. As members and ambassadors of the GOP, these students will share our positive message and vision for the country from the halls of academia to a neighborhood near you.

Reince Priebus is chairman of the Republican National Committee. 

HBCU Buzz is the leading source of HBCU news. Like ‘the Buzz’ on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. 

New Internship Program Will Place Morgan State Engineering Students at Johns Hopkins

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johns-hopkins-university-leveringplaza-600xx3264-2173-0-0Johns Hopkins University and Morgan State University plan to announce a new internship program for Morgan State students.

The Extreme Science Internship program would help place Morgan State engineering students in paid summer internships at Hopkins, other research universities, national laboratories and technology companies. The Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute will pay for the $500,000 five-year program.

Hopkins President Ronald J. Daniels and Morgan State President David Wilson will formally sign an agreement establishing the program Friday.

Hopkins’ Extreme Materials Institute researches how to improve materials under extreme conditions, for example military vehicles that may encounte Read More 

Budget Board Approves $6M Loan to SC State

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colleges.niche Referenced from NEWS Talk The Budget and Control Board on Wednesday approved a $6 million loan to keep South Carolina State University afloat for the rest of the school year, but how it continues to operate after that remains questionable.

President Thomas Elzey called the 3-1 vote a lifeline for the state’s only public historically black university. He had requested nearly $14 million to pay bills that began piling up last fall.

The loan “will help us continue to tread water,” said Elzey, who took the school’s helm last June. “We want to be able to rise out of the water.”

The loan allows the university to pay its oldest bills while others will continue to go unpaid as school officials seek money from the Legislature.

Gov. Nikki Haley, who chairs the board, said it needed to do something immediately to give confidence to the school’s accreditors, students and parents.

“This is extremely symbolic in terms of what we do today,” she said. “By the time the Legislature is able to do something, every one of these vendors will start to give up on South Carolina State. We need enrollment to go up. What parent is going to send their child to a school we won’t even let pay their bills?”

The resolution calls for the university to pay back the money by July 2015. But how it will repay the money remains unclear. Up to $500,000 of the loan must be spent on financial consultants. Most of the rest will go to two companies. As of March 31, the school owed nearly $4.8 million to its food vendor and $2.4 million to its maintenance contractor items Haley called essential for students. Other bills that are at least four months past due tallied $1.1 million.

Johnson C. Smith University First HBCU to Admit Latino Frat, Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity

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latin

L-R are JCSU students and founders of the Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc.: Omar Cossio, Yerisson Cardenas,  Francisco Cerrillo, Sergio Montesdeoca, Luis Bryan Dominguez, Juan Carlos Hernandez Campillo

Charlotte, N.C. – April 28, 2014 — The National Executive Board of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. recently welcomed Johnson C. Smith University as the newest institution to offer membership to its brotherhood. It is the first Latino fraternity at Johnson C. Smith University and at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU).

Johnson C. Smith University Colony is the 127th undergraduate entity of Lambda Theta Phi and the fourth in North Carolina. The six founding brothers at JCSU include: Omar Cossio, Yerrison Cardenas, Francisco Cerrillo, Sergio Montesdeoca, Luis Bryan Dominguez and Juan Carlos Hernandez Campillo.

The students began the process of starting the fraternity three years ago when the university began recruiting undocumented Latino students. “Because of the blooming Latino community, we felt we needed an organization that could connect us under a common bond of culture and pride in our Latino heritage,” said Cerrillo, an information systems engineering major. “Although we are a new and relatively small Greek organization on this campus, we are dedicated to making positive change on the campus of JCSU and passionate about helping the surrounding Charlotte community. We hope to continue paving the way for future members to break down negative stereotypes about Latinos and minorities as a whole.”

Founded on Dec. 1, 1975, at Kean University in Union, N.J., Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. is the first nationally recognized Greek-letter organization founded as a Latin fraternity. The membership of Lambda Theta Phi is open to all college men who support its values of scholarship, respect for all cultures, community service, and the advancement and fair treatment of Latinos in the United States. Lambda Theta Phi was the first Latin fraternity to be recognized by the North-American Inter-Fraternity Conference (NIC), a member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO), and has over 140 chapters and colonies across the United States.

 “This is by no means an exclusionary organization,” added Cerillo. “Anyone is welcome to join if they meet the GPA and program requirements for the interest group and maintain strength and resolve during the subsequent induction process. Within the North Carolina Sector of Lambda Theta Phi, we have members of Jamaican, Pakistani, French and mixed-race origin, just to name a few.”

Grambling State to be Featured in Washington Museum

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bilde Grambling State University will be featured in the National Museum of African American History and Culture when it opens in spring 2016 in Washington.

“Having a space in a prominent museum like the new National Museum of African American History and Culture just for Grambling State will bring more attention to GSU and its students and alumni,” said GSU President Frank G. Pogue. “I look forward to visiting Washington, D.C., to see it after the museum opens.”

The museum is the only national museum devoted solely to documenting the history and culture of African Americans. “(It) will tell the American story through the lens of the African-American experience,” said Elaine Nicholas, the museum’s senior curator of culture during a recent visit to the GSU campus. “Eleven exhibits will tell those stories using ionic artifacts.”

Grambling State, with a primary focus on its legendary football program, will be joined by a section featuring longtime GSU head football coach Eddie G. Robinson, the winningest coach in NCAA Division I football. In addition, there will be an area dedicated to the Bayou Classic, the annual fall football classic between GSU and Southern University and the only HBCU classic aired live on national television. Read Full

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus to Visit Central State University

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Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, will visit the campus of Central State University in Ohio on April 30th to speak to students during the launch of a College Republican chapter at the Historically Black University (HBCU).

Priebus will speak with students and school administrators about expanding educational opportunity and economic empowerment in addition to touring the university.

The visit is scheduled for 12PM.

About Central State:

Founded in 1887, Central State University academically prepares students with diverse backgrounds and educational needs for leadership and service in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world. 

HBCU Buzz is the leading source of HBCU news. Like ‘the Buzz’ on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. 

NC A&T State on Lockdown After Gunman Report on Campus

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north-carolina-a-and-tNorth Carolina A&T State University is evacuating several buildings and advising other students to take shelter after a report of a man with a rifle on campus.

An alert posted on the university’s home page and Twitter account shortly after 10 a.m. Monday advised of the campus-wide lockdown after the man was spotted in a campus building. According to a university spokeswoman and a string of Twitter messages from the university’s account, campus police received a report of an armed gunman in the General Classroom Building. The advisory says police are sweeping and evacuating the building.

TSU Student Shot and Killed During Robbery, Two Weeks Before Graduation

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url-1A senior at Texas Southern University just weeks from graduating was shot and robbed off campus Friday night.
Friends say it happened after 21-year-old Dominique Hosea caught a man breaking into his car in a nearby neighborhood. They added that he just was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
Around 10:30 p.m., he and his girlfriend left a campus festival. As they walked to their car in the 3800 block of Burkett, they caught the car burglar in the act.
“All of the cars on that block were getting broken into and he just happened to walk up, when they were going into his car,” Bert Williams, a TSU alum, said.
That’s when police said the thief took out a gun. Friends think Hosea may have been trying to protect his girlfriend, when the man opened fire, shooting Hosea twice.
The 21-year-old fell to the ground; his friends heard the bullets.
“Next thing we hear two shots, so we are like ‘oh my goodness what is that?” said Williams.
Hosea was taken to the ICU at Ben Taub Hospital. Friends said Hosea is just two weeks from graduating – they had hoped to see him get his diploma.
Now, they just want whoever did this to get punished.
“People work hard for what they have, for somebody to just come and take it, for them to shoot and not care. If you take somebody’s life, you have to be a monster,” Myosha Lee, another TSU alum, said.

NSU Men’s Basketball Volunteers with Norfolk Public Schools

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rp_primary_Men_s_Basketball_Community_ServiceThe Norfolk State men’s basketball team volunteered with Norfolk Public Schools on Monday morning as part of the basketball program’s continuing emphasis on community service initiatives this year.

Players stuffed goody bags for elementary students at the NPS warehouse in the city of Norfolk. The bags were filled with various literacy materials and school supplies for younger students.

It was part of the second annual PreK/K Round-Up for Norfolk families and put on by Norfolk Public Schools. The event is designed to promote early enrollment for PreK and Kindergarten children. The goody bag was one of the handouts given to each child.

FAMU Alumna Mitzi Miller Named Editor in chief of EBONY Magazine

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5359c0b747488.preview-300Florida A&M University (FAMU) alumna Mitzi Miller has been named the editor-in-chief of EBONY magazine. The announcement was made on April 22 by Desiree Rogers, CEO of Johnson Publishing Company.

“Mitzi is a gifted editor with tremendous energy and passion, and her strong editorial background will catapult the EBONY brand to greater heights,” said Rogers in the announcement. “We are thrilled to have Mitzi in our JPC family and are excited to see the new direction she will bring to the magazine.”

Miller most recently served as editor-in-chief of JET magazine. Before that, she served as the editor-in-chief of SET Magazine. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from FAMU. READ FULL

FAMU Student Antwan Ivey Collapses, Dies

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Antwan+IveyStudents at FAMU are mourning the loss of a fellow Rattler. The university held a vigil for 24-year-old Antwan Ivey Wednesday night.

Ivey, a Charleston Southern University transfer, died last week. Friends say he collapsed while playing basketball at the student recreation center at FAMU. We’re told he died of cardiac arrest.

One of Ivey’s professors, E. Gaynell Sherrod, Ed.D., says, “When I heard about what happened, I was away during research and I came that weekend. When they told me, my knees almost buckled because we had started to bond. In a quiet way, he was very present in the classes always.

Ivey was known for his smile and admired for his athletic abilities.

Two Bowie State University alumni Launch Leadership and Educational Services Company

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543937_513010862052303_457727989_nLeslie Hall and Jamin Gallman, both graduates of Bowie State University, recently launched a Leadership and Educational Services company throughout the greater Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area. This game-changing company spearheaded by Leslie, who has a Bachelors degree in Sociology and former gubernatorial appointee to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents and Jamin Gallman, who has a Bachelors in Computational Mathematics and former Student Government Association President has the potential to restructure the practices of student leadership across the nation. Leslie will be graduating from Howard University School of Social Work with a Masters of Social Work in the Community, Administration and Policy track. Jamin, is entering in his 2nd year at the University of Maryland, College Park –Robert H. Smith School of Business earning his Master of Business Administration.

With a keen interest in leadership and training, they have founded Innovative Leadership Strategies, LLC. also known as “ILS”. The company’s mission is to provide leadership development consulting, social impact awareness and community based training to higher education, non-profit and urban communities.
The company has innovatively designed “Signature Leadership Programs” which are one of the hallmarks of the work that they do.

While Innovative Leadership Strategies is just officially launching, the company has been at work for almost two years, performing workshops and leadership retreats at Bowie State University and at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

For more information or to learn how to book ILS, please visit the website at
www.innovating-leadership.com