“I’m here today because I want you to know that my story can be your story,” Mrs. Obama is to tell students at Bell Multicultural High School in Washington on Tuesday, according to an advance text of her remarks. “The details might be a little different, but so many of the challenges and triumphs will be just the same.”
The first lady will add that whether students want to be doctors, teachers, mechanics or software designers, “you have got to do whatever it takes to continue your education after high school — whether that’s going to a community college, or getting a technical certificate, or completing a training opportunity, or heading off to a four-year college.”
Aides in Mrs. Obama’s office said she would visit other schools around the country and use social media to appeal to students, conveying the message that higher education is a door to a wider world. Mrs. Obama, the daughter of a pump worker at the City of Chicago Waterworks, graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School.
Many of Mrs. Obama’s supporters have been eager to see her use her résumé — before coming to Washington, she was an associate at the Sidley Austin law firm and a health care executive in Chicago — and her role as the first black first lady to expand her agenda. While she has also worked to help military families, her best-known initiative promotes healthy eating.
After controlling the No. 1 position for most of this year’s football season, the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats suffered a heart wrenching defeat to MEAC foe Norfolk State—dropping to the No. 2 spot in the HBCU Coaches Poll.
The Norfolk State Spartans managed to edge over the Wildcats in a 27-24 triumph, now moving to 3-7 on the year. Jackson State’s come-from-behind win against Alabama A&M pushes the Tigers to the top spot on the Coaches Poll but still trails behind the Winston-Salem State Rams in the Media Top 10 Poll at No. 3.
2013 Boxtorow FCS HBCU Football Coaches Poll
Week 11
(Records through November 9, 2013)
Rank School W-L Pts. Last Week
1. Jackson State (12) 8-2 144 2
2. Bethune-Cookman (2) 8-2 124 1
3. South Carolina State (1) 7-3 120 3
4. Tennessee State (1) 8-3 112 5
5. Alcorn State 8-3 77 9
6. Southern 6-4 75 8
7. Alabama State 6-4 65 4
8. Prairie View A&M 5-5 31 6
9. Delaware State 4-5 29 10
10. North Carolina A&T 5-4 20 7
2013 Boxtorow HBCU Football Media Top 10 Poll
Week 11
(Records through November 9, 2013)
Rank School W-L Pts. Last Week
1. Winston-Salem State* (11) 9-1 136 2
2. South Carolina State (1) 7-3 123 3
3. Jackson State (2) 8-2 119 4
4. Bethune-Cookman (1) 8-2 118 1
5. Tennessee State 8-3 93 5
T-6 Alcorn State 8-3 53 9
T-6 Virginia State 9-1 53 8
8. Southern 6-4 44 10
9. Alabama State 6-4 36 6
10. Tuskegee 8-2 34 7
Tuskegee University graduate Lonnie Johnson has been awarded nearly $73 million in royalties from toymaker Hasbro Inc., according to news reports. Johnson Research and Development Co. and founder Lonnie Johnson have been in a royalty dispute with Hasbro since the company filed a claim against the giant toy company for underpaid royalties, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution said.
Johnson holds more than 100 patents in a wide range of innovative technologies, but he is best known as inventor of the popular Super Soaker water gun, which has generated approximately $600 million in sales and has made him a hero to children nationwide.
Before launching his own businesses, Johnson served with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a senior systems engineer on multiple space-based programs, including Galileo, the Cassini Mission to Jupiter, and the Mars Observer. More recently, he has led an advanced technology research and development company that specializes in developing environmental and energy-related products in areas such as heat transfer, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and control systems. He also owns Excellatron Solid State, LLC, another high-tech company that introduced a multilayer lithium ion battery which represents a major breakthrough in battery technology. read more…
Cynthia Jackson-Hammond, who has held Central State University’s top office since July 1, offered some advice on risk taking:
“Taking a ‘big leap’ is the action one takes to accomplish what others think is an insurmountable task,” she said. “It’s seeing every challenge as an opportunity. When taking a ‘big leap’ I always think about who will be affected by my actions; the team of ‘others’ who should be a part of the action; and the long-range impact the action will have on future recipients.”
Jackson-Hammond is the eighth person and the first woman to lead the historically black school in its 126 years.
About Central State:
Central State University is Ohio’s only predominately African American public institution of higher education. The University actively promotes diversity in its student body, faculty and staff, even as the institution adheres to its core historical responsibility to educate young African American men and women.
[divider]
HBCU Buzz is the Leading Source of HBCU News, and the Most influential brand in the HBCU Community. Like ‘the Buzz’ on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
A fraternity at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD, is coming under fire after members allegedly rejected a pledge because of his sexual orientation.
Brian Stewart, a former White House intern, had long dreamed of becoming a member of his university’s Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity because his childhood pastor and mentor had been a part of the organization.
He received a rejection letter the day after his interview from Alpha Iota — Morgan State University’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. Then, shortly after his denial by the fraternity, Stewart, through an undisclosed source, received a series of messages exchanged between members of the fraternity regarding his application.
One message, in part, reportedly stated that members of the fraternity should “give him the perception of a fair and equal opportunity” in terms of his rejection. Another message allegedly used an anti-gay slur.
“I couldn’t even be angry because I was so hurt,” he told the Baltimore Sun.
The Maroon Tiger, the student newspaper of Morehouse College, recently released their version of ESPN’s ‘The Body Issue” that shows 30 students from Spelhouse dressed in nude in response to ‘apprehension of HBCUs when discussing issues related to black sexuality and bodies’.
[quote_box_center]The Maroon Tiger: Last December, a piece entitled “Who’s Afraid of Black Sexuality?” appeared in The Chronicle of Higher Education. It received sustained attention. The article detailed apprehension in academic communities to candidly discuss Black bodies and Black sexualities. Nearly a year later, despite some advancement, the apprehension remains.
Reluctant to speak more candidly about black bodies and sexualities, many conservative institutions seem to have slowly begun entering previously uncharted waters regarding sexualities and identities. The changes, though sluggish in comparison to other institutions, are noticeable. A year ago, Morehouse added to its curricula a course on LGBT studies. Other black institutions, in a variety of ways, have followed suit. National discussions concerning mental health and physical wellness have also ensued.[/quote_box_center]
ESPN’s original ‘The Body Issue’ debuted Oct. 9, 2009 with six alternative covers featuring current No. 1 ranked women’s singles player Serena Williams and five other figures in sports.
Apparently, ESPN The Magazine is also a fan of the 12-page Morehouse edition:
Shoutout to Morehouse College and @themaroontiger for their very own body issue!! http://t.co/IKcOgA12ZN#ESPNBody
— ESPN The Magazine (@ESPNMag) November 1, 2013
Click here to view the digital version
About The Maroon Tiger:
Since 1925, The Maroon Tiger has served as a broad community of students and scholars maintaining a commitment to ethical leadership and promoting a global focus.
Seventy-eight years ago, Wiley College and the University of Southern California squared off at USC’s Bovard Hall in Los Angeles, California, for an exhibition debate. Wiley College, one of the oldest historically black colleges west of the Mississippi River, defeated USC, and the small school’s victory served as a profound example that skin color is not a determinant of intelligence or abilities. In 2012, the teams met for a second time on Wiley’s campus in Texas, which resulted in both teams as victors.
In the third rematch, held in a capacity-filled auditorium at USC on Friday, October, 25, 2013, the 78-year-old history was repeated when Wiley emerged as the victors. “We are elated about our win, but similarly to our views regarding the 2012 Wiley college and USC contest, we all know that anytime we can come together to celebrate our differences and be tolerant of opposing views, we all win,” said Dr. Haywood L. Strickland, Wiley College President and CEO.
The Debaters: Nathan Leal and Lyle Kleinman for Wiley and Christian Patterson and Clara Purk for USC debated on the topic, “The role of race should be expanded in university admissions.” Wiley argued the negative and USC argued the positive.
USC Debater Christian Patterson stated he was the only black in one of his classes at USC and that without his presence; non-black students could express opinions on minorities based on stereotypes. He held that having diverse classrooms plays a role in dispelling stereotypes. USC debaters further argued that universities need race-conscious admissions for diversity and that diverse classrooms enhance students’ learning experiences.
Wiley’s Debaters Leal and Kleinman stated they, too, believe in having diversity on campus, but they said they oppose the policies applied to achieve it. They argued that race-conscious admissions treat the symptom, a lack of diversity, but fail to address the problem. Schools, they said, must do a better job of preparing all students for admission to elite colleges.
For the past several months President Barack Obama has stood upright against opposition from Republicans who want to repeal Obamacare and the government shutdown debacle. But his approval rating has not had similar success as of late.
Obama’s approval rating now stands at 42 percent, an all-time low, reports say.
[divider]
“The NBC/WSJ pollsters argue that no single reason explains Obama’s lower poll standing,” writes NBC senior political editor Mark Murray. “Rather, they attribute it to the accumulation of setbacks since the summer — allegations of spying by the National Security Agency, the debate over Syria’s chemical weapons, the government shutdown and now intense scrutiny over the problems associated with the health care law’s federal website and its overall implementation.”
The Lincoln University established a ‘Sustainability At Lincoln University – PA’ Facebook page to promote the university’s sustainability efforts, including its 1,854 Acts of Green recently initiated as part of Campus Sustainability Day (CSD).
Those interested in the university’s sustainability efforts are encouraged to visit and click “LIKE” at www.facebook.com/gogreenlu
The page will represent a hub for information and engagement on sustainability issues at the university.
The saga continues for entrepreneur Sean Combs. Combs, better known as ‘Diddy’, recently made time to talk to the Life & Style Editor and Chief Managing Editor at The Hilltop, the student newspaper of Howard University, about his latest business venture: ‘REVOLT’.
In an interview conducted by Maya Cade and Dominique Diggs, hip-hop’s wealthiest man talked about his friend and classmate Wayne A.I. Frederick, the new interim president of Howard, stereotypes of black individuals in power and how his new project came about.
“The idea of REVOLT came across to me because I felt like music did not have a home…there needed to be a place that was solely about music,” Diddy told The Hilltop.
“Just like ESPN is the home for sports and CNN is the home for news, REVOLT will be the new #1 home for music.”
About the Hilltop:
Since 1924, The Hilltop has provided news and information to Howard University and the greater D.C. community and has worked diligently to fulfill its mission as the student voice of Howard University and the surrounding community.
Some Norfolk State players get an unsettling feeling when they drive or walk past Scope. Bitterness, anger, overwhelming disappointment – it all comes flooding back.
Their coach doesn’t have that problem. He won’t go near the place.
Since the Spartans ended a promising season with a stunning 70-68 loss to Bethune-Cookman in the quarterfinals of the MEAC tournament in March, first-year coach Robert Jones has gone out of his way to avoid the site of the disaster.
No hockey game, concert or stand-up act will change his mind.
“That’s one of the things I don’t do,” said Jones, who recently skipped former NSU women’s coach James Sweat’s induction into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame because it was held at the venue. “I’ll go around the Scope before I’ll drive past the Scope – unless I absolutely have to – because of last year.”
And it’s because of last year that the Spartans enter this season with such grand expectations. Picked to win the MEAC in a recent poll of the league’s coaches, NSU returns 11 letter-winners from a team that underachieved only at the conference tournament.
The Spartans were 21-10 overall and 16-0 in the MEAC before blowing a 13-point second-half lead against Bethune-Cookman.
“I’ve kind of got, like, a bitter taste in my mouth about that place,” junior guard Jamel Fuentes said. “When I see it, it kind of makes me angry a little bit.” read more…
“HBCUs have always been in a situation where a lot of them have had to struggle. A lot of that has to do with inequitable funding.” – Marybeth Gasman, University of Pennsylvania
Current financial problems facing the storied Grambling State University football program are a sign of funding inequities that are shortchanging students and threatening the very existence of a growing number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
On Oct. 19, in protest of severe budget cuts that have decimated the football facilities and led to the firing of Coach Doug Williams, the Grambling State Tigers players refused to take the 160 mile trip to Jackson, Mississippi for their scheduled matchup with Jackson State. The Grambling players’ boycott of the Jackson State homecoming game sent shockwaves through the Southwestern Athletic Conference and highlighted the dire financial status of many of our nation’s 105 HBCUs. read more…
Draconian higher education budget cuts in Louisiana being pushed by Governor Bobby Jindal are a big part of the Grambling problem. According to the New York Times, state funding for Grambling is “down 56 percent since 2008. In response, the university has laid off more than 120 staff members and reduced the number of degree programs to 47 from 67.”
This has left the football program in shambles, with players forced to practice and play in unsafe and unsanitary facilities while sometimes enduring thousand-mile bus trips for away games. The Grambling football experience is unique, but it is also symptomatic of a larger problem that extends beyond the football field to the financial offices and classrooms of the institutions that have traditionally produced the lion’s share of African American professionals.
With lower endowments, cut-rate tuition fees, fund raising challenge and a disproportionate number of first-generation, low-income students, HBCUs have been hit especially hard by the economic downturn. Recent cuts in government aid and other funding streams have been the last straw for several of them. St. Paul’s College in southern Virginia closed its doors in June. Atlanta’s Morris Brown College recently declared bankruptcy.
At this year’s Magic City Classic in Birmingham, Alabama, Toyota announced plans to donate 22 Prius cars to select HBCUs in the Southwestern Atlantic and CIAA conferences. School administrators will be granted one-year leases to the vehicles as part of the Toyota Green Initiative (TGI) program which aims to help students at historically black colleges and universities to live more sustainably.
At a press conference held at Alabama Power, Toyota VP of Product Communications Jim Colon told NewsOne that Toyota developed the TGI campaign after realizing that, despite the Prius’ 50-miles-per-gallon track record, the hybrid hadn’t quite resonated with people of color.
“It’s stimulating a dialogue in African-American communities that ‘we’re part of this too,’” Colon said. “It’s just not isolated to one group. We have the thinking; we have the background; we have the intelligence that everybody else has, and we’re going to use it. We’re going to empower ourselves, and we’re going to try to figure out how to make our lives better. Why should we be less healthy than everybody else?”
TGI Coalition member and former “Love That Girl” star Tatyana Ali recalled how some students were shocked to learn that the Hollywood vet isn’t rolling around in a Maybach. read more…
Morgan State’s club team will play in the inaugural HBCU Lacrosse All-Star Classic on Nov. 17 at Howard University’s Greene Stadium in Washington.
The event, which is backed by US Lacrosse, will begin with a high school all-star game at 1 p.m., followed by a college all-star game at 3 p.m. The college game will feature a North-South showdown, with players from the Howard and Morgan State men’s club teams forming the core of the North squad, and players from Hampton and Morehouse anchoring the South team.
Organizers hope to have 120 participants in the two games, including from other teams at historically black colleges and universities. Admission to the event is free. read more…
Career Town Network (http://www.careertown.net), whose solutions help employment professionals successfully and efficiently fill job openings, received a $350,000 investment from the Emerging Market Fund (EMF), which provides capital and connections to diverse, early stage high potential companies based in Ohio.
The Columbus, Ohio-based company has created a low-cost, user-friendly virtual career fair software platform with built-in technology that provides recruiters with a more sophisticated way to organize, assess and match qualified candidates. “This capital is going to help us advance our product at a pivotal point in our development,” read more…