Leaders of Montgomery’s faith community were invited the Alabama State University campus on Saturday, Feb. 23 for breakfast, updates and a tour of the New ASU Stadium during the annual “It’s a Great Time Breakfast.”

The event, which was held in the club lounge of the New ASU Stadium, featured a full breakfast provided by Gourmet Services Inc.

While dining, clergy and  youth ministry leaders heard from officials about new and exciting developments occurring at ASU.

Attendees watched the special “Our House” video featuring acclaimed Hollywood actor Samuel L. Jackson that played before the inaugural game (Turkey Day Classic) in the New ASU Stadium in November.

Facilities management director Gina Jobe-Ishman shared fun facts about the stadium and instructions on how to reserve the facility for events. Vice President for University Relations Danielle M. Kennedy told the group about ASU’s new academic programs and recent recognitions, and ASU Interim President William H. Harris offered remarks.

Harris reflected on the success of the stadium’s opening and discussed how returning ASU’s football tradition to the campus will allow more people to see the totality of ASU’s offerings.

That day in November (Thanksgiving), there were more people on this campus of ASU than at any time in our history, and it was a great time to see that many people,” Harris said. “We need people to see ASU, so they can begin to see and feel where the University is, and that’s why we’re here this morning.”

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Huntsville, Ala. —- The President of Alabama A&M University and a league of dedicate staff members will traverse the state of Alabama on a five-day bus tour of select metropolitan and rural areas February 25-March 1.

AAMU President Andrew Hugine, Jr., will be accompanied by student leaders, as
well as staff from Admissions and Alumni Affairs, on the first “Community Engagement Presidential Bus Tour.” The extensive bus tour will depart Huntsville for central Alabama, proceed for two days through the east central and Black Belt region of the state, continue down to the Gulf Coast region, and then conclude on March 1 in west Alabama.

“The tour provides a great opportunity for our alumni to involve themselves in efforts that further and positively expose our wonderful university throughout Alabama,” commented Sandra S. Stubbs, director of alumni affairs at AAMU. “It also opens doors for continuing engagement with community leaders.”

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By Gail Kerr | The Tennessean

NASHVILLE – Twelve-hour days. Seventeen speeches. Eleven receptions. More cold calls than she can count. And a personal check for $50,000 toward an unprecedented alumni fundraising goal.

In a nutshell, that’s Glenda Baskin Glover’s first 45 days as president of Tennessee State University.

She arrived at a Tennessean editorial board meeting wearing a crisp suit in the school colors: blue and white. Glover, a 1974 TSU alum, makes an engaging first impression. She says “it’s good to be back” in Nashville, and her smile shows she means it.

She is charming, and looks you in the eye. She listens well. She doesn’t resist answering hard questions. There’s not a hint of defensiveness, something TSU’s administrators have had in the past. She conveys a new day of openness.

Glover’s goals are ambitious, and Nashville and the TSU community should embrace them. She has a vision of academic progress, customer service to better serve students and their parents, strong fundraising, a campus with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion, and “shared governance,” where faculty and students have a voice. The latter, she stresses, comes with a caveat: She has the final say.

Her focus so far, Glover said, has been “internal unity.” Her predecessor, Portia Shields (who served as interim president), did a world of good in cleaning up many things at TSU, but there is still a deep rift between faculty factions. Glover said she’s actually been surprised that tension hasn’t been more apparent.

“I don’t see it like I thought I would see it,” she said. “I can’t say it’s not there. But it’s not to the extent it’s making me lose sleep at night.”

She is also determined to personally reach out to businesses and attend community events, to push Nashville to embrace the university as it never has.

As part of that goal, she wants to hear from you. Glover will hold a town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kean Hall on the TSU campus. It is free and open to the public. There will be designated parking and a shuttle service.

“Some questions may not be kind,” she said. “It is what it is.”

Read more here.

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