Verizon is looking for someone with answers to world’s biggest challenges

Earlier this month Verizon launched its Powerful Answers Award, shared the official rules and began accepting entries in three core focus areas of healthcare, education and sustainability.

Winners will be chosen in each core focus area, with the top prize being $1 million and additional prizes of $850,000, $700,000, $500,000 and $285,000.

(Full details can be found on http://www.powerfulanswersaward.com/.)

Verizon Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam officially launched the Powerful Answers Award earlier this month.

The Award is intended to spark innovative thinking and problem solving across industries and to generate ideas, solutions and answers for some of the world’s biggest challenges.

Tech experts spoke at the event about their collaboration with Verizon and the solutions they hope to see, including Dr. Margaret Honey, president and chief executive officer, New York Hall of Science, and David Cohen, chief executive officer, Techstars.

To watch the live broadcast of the launch event, go to http://news.verizonwireless.com/.

Verizon’s Powerful Answers Award:

Verizon’s Powerful Answers Award is an effort to discover ideas that deliver the best new solutions in three core areas of focus: education, healthcare and sustainability. Entries will be judged by panels of experts, and $10 million total in prizes will be awarded to the winners, who will be announced at 2014 CES.

Former HBCU Buzz Show Guest Jennifer Turner hosting Blogger Meet Up 4/22

Former guest on The HBCU Buzz Show, Jennifer Turner, is looking for you to meet her next Monday for fun, fitness, and cardio!

Fitness Activator, Jennifer Turner, and MAD COOL FITNESS are at it again and hosting a MAD COOL CARDIO Blogger Meet-Up on Monday, April 22nd at 7:00 p.m.  Want to get in shape for the Summer the MAD COOL FITNESS way?

Definitely join her next week for some awesome fitness and fun in NY! MCC

Tuskegee named a leader for women and minorities in STEM

2010-09-08_08-06-14.529Tuskegee University was named a top leader in STEM education for women and minorities by Forbes.

The HBCU is rank 6 out of 20 premier colleges in a list naming the best colleges in STEM for women.

(See full list here.)

Though 57 percent of all college students are women, women only represent 45 percent of college math majors, 20 percent of computer science majors and 20 percent of engineering majors, according to the American Council on Education.

President Obama announced last year a proposal to invest 1 billion dollars into STEM education.

“If America is going to compete for the jobs and industries of tomorrow, we need to make sure our children are getting the best education possible,” said President Obama.

Read more on Forbes ranking here.

About Tuskegee University:

Tuskegee University is an independent and state-related institution of higher education.  Its programs serve a student body that is coeducational as well as racially, ethnically and religiously diverse.

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Watch: Behind the scenes look at Bethune-Cookman football program

Take a look at Bethune-Cookman University’s football program behind the scenes.

About CatEye Network:

CatEye Network is a division of the Bethune-Cookman University Athletics department that offers original programming, live streaming, and behind-the-scenes access to all sports and student involvement. Free content is provided via the CatEye Network YouTube channel.

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Norfolk State Basketball Head Coach Anthony Evans leaves for Florida International

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Coach Anthony Evans resigned from Norfolk State to coach the Florida International University Panthers.

Coach Anthony Evans rebuilt Norfolk State University’s basketball program, led the school to a MEAC title last year, lost Kyle O’Quinn and three other starters and then followed up by going unbeaten in the regular season this year–losing to Florida in the NCAA tournament.

There is no doubt why coach Evans is a “hot coaching commodity.”

Evans recently resigned from Norfolk State where he spent the last six years to assume a job at Florida International University in Miami, Fla.

He went 99-94 at Norfolk State and will take over for coach Richard Pitino.

“…this opportunity, it’s an opportunity of a lifetime to be honest for me and my family,” said Evans after his arrival in South Florida. “It’s huge.”

Associate Coach Robert Jones was named as the interim coach for the 2013-14 season.

Coach Jones has been an “essential part in the Spartans continued rise” during the last fives years with the program.

He took to his Twitter account to thank all who wish him well.

Read more here.

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National Cancer Institute Awards Over $200,000 to Researcher at Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University (CAU) announced last week that Dr. Valerie Odero-Marah, associate professor and researcher in the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development (CCRTD), has received a new grant of $289,494 from the National Cancer Institute to support her research.  Her project, titled “The Role of SNAIL Signaling in Prostate Cancer Metastasis,” will be conducted for the next three years. 

African-Americans have the highest bone density as compared to any other race.  This project will study whether SNAIL protein (a protein found in the human body) is higher in African-American prostate cancer patients compared to other races, and whether these cancer cells expressing SNAIL are more attracted to high bone density found in African-American men, resulting in more aggressive prostate cancer.

Dr. Shafiq Khan, director of CCRTD, said, “We are proud of Dr. Odero-Marah and her achievements noted by this prestigious award.  The funds will help us to continue to develop therapeutic strategies for fighting prostate cancer, bringing us closer to a medical solution.”

Full article at cau.edu

Howard’s AKAs now accused of witness tampering

Seniors Laurin Compton and Lauren Cofield accused the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. chapter on Howard University's campus of violating their human rights.
Seniors Laurin Compton and Lauren Cofield accused the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. chapter on Howard University’s campus of violating their human rights.

Howard University’s Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter was recently accused of witness tampering in the ongoing lawsuit case of Laurin Compton and Lauren Cofield.

(On Feb. 28 in federal court, the two seniors at the University and sisters alleged that their human rights were violated by sorority members when Compton and Cofield could not wear sorority colors of pink and green, among other innocuous and some serious hazing rules.)

Judge Rosemary Collyer slammed the tampering as “deplorable” and “supercilious” and decided not to sanction the sorority for the tampering.

The plaintiff’s outspoken attorney, Morgan State University graduate J. Wyndal Gordon took to his Facebook page and said:

AKA SORORITY, INC. “GUILTY” OF WITNESS TAMPERING: “The Court finds that the actions of AKA were deplorable and inadvisable, as at least AKA’s counsel now concedes, and had the impact of impeding testimony.” Compton, et al., v. AKA Sorority, Inc., et al. And we’re just getting started. –The Warrior Lawyer!!

Read more at the Huffington Post.

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14,616 Students Denied Student Loans: The 5 Hardest Hit HBCUs

plus-disaster-495x340After the Department of Education began to implement stricter requirements for PLUS loan applicants under 34 CFR § 682.201 (c)(2), over 14.616 students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were forced to abandon their studies in the fall of 2012 after a dramatic spike in loan denials.  The parents of the students applying for Parent PLUS loans suddenly found they could be denied loans if they had a major change in their credit within five years of applying for a loan.

Over 80% of budgets for HBCUs comes from the financial aid of students.  Thurgood Marshall Fund President Johnny Walker says only 1,900 of the 14,600 students whose education was interrupted have been issued loans.

The 5 schools that saw the most students denied loans in the fall of 2012 were the following:

1. North Carolina Central University (NC): 609 students denied loans 
2. Howard University (DC): 607 students denied loans
3. Florida A&M University (FL): 569 students denied loans
4. Prairie View A&M (TX): 528 students denied loans
5. Grambling State University (LA): 523 students denied loans

Advocates for HBCUs are calling the situation a catastrophe. This week in Washington, many HBCU Presidents are convening to talk about the problems their institutions are facing.  The President of Tuskegee University Dr. Gilbert Rochon, told an audience at the annual National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) in Washington that the Parent PLUS loan change in “credit worthiness” have hurt HBCUs badly.  Julianne Malveau, the former President of Bennett College in North Carolina, said there was a “gag order” imposed on some Black college administrators on the PLUS loan issue last fall when students were leaving school because they could not get loans. Read Full

American Baptist College officially named as HBCU

ABCNewLogoLast week (Thursday, April 11) American Baptist College President Dr. Forrest E. Harris announced that the U.S Department of Education has approved the University’s recognition as a Historically Black College and University.

ABC joins this historic list after a concentrated appeal that started in June 2012 and was later presented to Secretary Arne Duncan.

(A school must be established before 1964, be accredited by an entity recognized by the US Department of Education and serve African-American students to be considered a historically black college, according to Higher Education Act of 1965.)

In a presidential proclamation observing 2011 HBCU Week, President Obama remarked:

HBCUs continue a proud tradition as vibrant centers of intellectual inquiry and engines of scientific discovery and innovation. New waves of students, faculty, and alumni are building on their rich legacies and helping America achieve our goal of once again leading the world in having the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020.

The private historically black college is now the 106th HBCU in the nation.

About American Baptist University:

Founded in 1924 by black and white Baptists, American Baptist provides educational opportunities for gifted students who have limited academic experiences and resources but unlimited potential for leadership in society.

 

 

 

Shocking Facts on Student Loans:where do we go from here?

The Education Department, led by Arne Duncan, was expected to earn $33.5 billion off of student loans made during the 2013 fiscal year, according to budget documents.

The agency’s Direct Loan program delivered a $24 billion profit on loans made in 2012, and nearly $227.5 billion on 2011 loans.

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In fact, over the last five fiscal years, the Education Department has generated $101.8 billion in profit from student borrowers, thanks to low borrowing costs for the government and fixed interest rates for students, budget documents show.

Some student advocates have charged that the department is profiting off the backs of students.

After a requests from Huffington Post, Education Department spokesmen did not respond to requests for comment.

The White House is expected to propose on Wednesday that some student loans move from a fixed rate of interest, presently determined by Congress, to a variable rate that moves with borrowing costs determined by the market, people familiar with the matter said.

Where do we go from here?

Will the fractured system of student loans be fixed to a reasonable plan for all college students?

It’s hard to say what that looks like, however, it is clear that the monies accumulating  from student loans is absurdly high. Therefore, if loan rates dropped it would be better for innocent college students.

Nevertheless,producing a balanced budget is never the easiest thing to do. However, we must work toward better solutions to saving the flawed educational system at-large.

Where do we go from here?

We must realize that what is present is not always what is best. The current will forever need change to make it better. When the nation realizes this the nation will be in a better state educationally.

Where do we go from here?

Lower loan rates, lower tuition, more grants and scholarships; which will lead to more college graduates. Which may lead toward less violence and less poverty. We must always look for ways to include the marginalized because the plague of being left-out needs to be left-out.

Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers to be honored 50 years later

Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers, listens as her daughter Reena Evers-Everette announces events commemorating the 50th anniversary of his assassination during a news conference in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, April 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers, listens as her daughter Reena Evers-Everette announces events commemorating the 50th anniversary of his assassination during a news conference in Jackson, Miss.

The widow of civil rights leader Medgar Evers, who was killed by a white supremacist outside his Jackson, Miss., home in 1963, laments that her husband is remembered primarily as an assassination victim.

This June, to mark the 50th anniversary of his slaying, a series of events will pay tribute to Evers’ work toward racial equality during his 37 years.

‘‘I see this as a celebration — one where we celebrate the man, what he did, and what his actions are still giving to us today, and to the future,’’ Evers’ widow, Myrlie Evers-Williams said Thursday.

Evers was the first field secretary in Mississippi for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He led marches, investigated racial violence, and organized voter registration drives. Through it all, he promoted a message of peace and unity.

During a news conference at a Jackson library named for Evers, Evers-Williams and daughter Reena Evers-Everette announced the details of the weeklong celebration. The first event, a memorial service, will be held June 5 at Arlington National Cemetery, just outside Washington, D.C.

Evers served in the Army and fought at the Battle of Normandy. A symposium at the Newseum in Washington will also be held on June 5.

On June 10 and 11, there will be tours of civil rights sites around Jackson, a civil rights film festival and a day of learning and dialogue for young people in collaboration with the University of Mississippi’s William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation. June 12 will mark an international day of remembrance, including a celebration at the Mississippi Museum of Art, the chiming of bells and a tribute gala.

A decade ago, the anniversary of Evers’ slaying was marked with a memorial at his graveside, his daughter said. This year, she wanted to shift the focus from mourning to celebration.

‘‘I told my mother, ‘The 50th is coming up and I don’t want it to be about his death. I want it to be about his life,’’’ Evers-Everette said.

Full story.

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North Carolina A&T university placed on lockdown after man with rifle reported on campus

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North Carolina A&T State University has been put on lockdown after reports of a man with a rifle on the Greensboro school’s campus.

A University Alert is in affect NCAT is on lockdown everyone is NCAT


The university updated its website Friday morning to advise that students should stay inside and lock their doors and windows.

The school has more than 10,000 students and more than 2,000 employees.

NC A&T spokeswoman Nettie Rowland says no shots have been fired and police have a description of a suspect. Rowland says the entire campus is included in the lockdown, including scores of Guilford County high school students who attend an on-campus high school focused on math, science and technology.

Greensboro Police Spokeswoman Susan Danielson said the city’s officers are aiding campus police.

Source.

Michelle Obama to speak at Bowie State commencement this May

First lady Michelle Obama will speak at Bowie State University’s commencement on May 17, the White House said Thursday.

The school, Maryland’s oldest historically black college and one of the oldest in the nation, is celebrating its 148th anniversary. The school is “part of the rich legacy of historically black colleges and universities that have been instrumental in educating generations of African Americans,” the White House said in its announcement.

Obama will also speak at Eastern Kentucky University and a Tennessee high school, the White House said.

The announcement comes a day after the first lady entered the policy debate over gun control with a deeply personal address on violence to a conference in Chicago.

The White House announced in March that President Barack Obama will speak at the Naval Academy graduation in May, the first time he has done so since 2009.

Read full:

FAMU Professor Selected As President of Southern Conference of African American Studies, Inc.

Dr. David H. Jackson Jr., chair of Florida A&M University’s Department of History, Political Science, Public Administration, Geography and African American Studies has been named President of the Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc.  for the 2013-2014 year.

“I am honored to be selected as the next president of the Southern Conference on African American Studies, Incorporated, a group that has focused on preserving and sharing information on the African-American experience for thirty-four years,” Jackson said.

“Professional associations like SCAASI continues to provide opportunities for faculty to publish research on topics related to African Americans and an avenue for intellectual exchange among scholars interested in African-American studies.”

Jackson said he also wants to create new systems of recruitment and retention during his term and expand on “scholarly opportunities for faculty throughout the country.”

SCASSI was started as a program in 1979 following a successful statewide Black History and Culture program at Texas Southern University.

The program originally was meant to bring together persons across the state of Texas who had interested in interpreting and recollecting black history and culture.

FAMU recently hosted the SCAASI 34th annual meeting in Tallahassee.

Professors from Tallahassee, California and New York participated in the conference along with FAMU faculty and students.

In addition incoming guests were given a tour of historic African-American sites in Tallahassee and were welcomed to FAMU’s campus with a reception at the FAMU Black Archives.

Rand Paul Reaching Out To African Americans at Howard University

120106_rand_paul_82Rand Paul came to Howard University on Wednesday and argued to students at the historically black college that the Republican Party hasn’t changed.

It seemed at first like Paul misspoke.

But Paul did, in fact, intend to say the GOP is the same party it’s always been. That might seem like a strange strategy for a speech to black students by a white Republican senator from Kentucky, representing a party that has been almost completely estranged from African-American voters for the last few decades.

Paul, however, said he wanted to “resurrect” the history of the GOP prior to the Civil Rights era.

“The story of emancipation, voting rights and citizenship, from Frederick Douglass until the modern civil rights era, is really in fact the history of the Republican Party,” Paul said. “How did the Republican Party, the party of the great emancipator, lose the trust and faith of an entire race?”

Paul spent a substantial portion of his 20-minute speech (for which he read from teleprompters) talking about the history of the GOP and race, and returned to that theme often during a 30-minute question and answer session with students.

The event went remarkably smoothly for Paul, a 50-year-old freshman senator who identifies himself as a Tea Party lawmaker and may run for president in 2016. But his most off-note moment came as he explained why he wanted to talk so much about race and the history of the GOP and Democrats.

Read more here

 

Re-Cap: The HBCU Buzz Show 4/9 “Accidental Racist” & Dawn Richard!

Have you heard the single “Accidental Racist?”  Well you know The HBCU Buzz Show crew had some opinions on that! Also Britney Griner for the NBA or not? You be the judge! Our special guest was the beautiful & talented Dawn Richard (formerly of Danity Kane & Dirty Money)! Enjoy!

Check it out now at: http://blis.fm/hbcu-buzz/22-accidental-racist/