Page 528 – HBCU Buzz

Florida Memorial University celebrates Founders Day

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

Florida Memorial is committed to the pursuit of excellence and continues to educate youth, intellectually and spiritually.

Florida Memorial University celebrated its Founders Day today, March 12 at the Susie Halley Religious Center in Miami Gardens, Florida. Florida Memorial’s history and traditions reach back to 1879.

For more news and updates visit Florida Memorial University.

About Florida Memorial University:

The only historically black university in southern Florida, Florida Memorial University serves a culturally diverse student population through programs in liberal and professional education.

[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.

Buzzing News

Bennett College to host biennial Lifestyle Empowerment Conference

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

In 1873, Bennett College had its beginning in the unplastered basement of the Warnersville Methodist Episcopal Church (now known as St. Matthew’s Methodist Church).

Bell Media Group at Bennett College will host its biennial Lifestyle Empowerment Conference Saturday, March 23 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The event is located in the Global Learning Center on 521 Gorrell St. Greensboro, North Carolina.

The Lifestyle Empowerment Conference provides students with the tools they need to feel empowered and motivated to be leaders in their classrooms, internships, professions and ultimately in this world.

Click here for more information.

[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.

Buzzing News

Central State University invites the community to enjoy concert, art exhibit

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

Mural of Paul Robeson, a gifted scholar, athlete, actor and singer, on the campus of Central State University.

Press Release

Central State University College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Department of Fine & Performing Arts “An Ohio Center of Excellence” invites the community to come out and enjoy The Percussion in World Music Concert & Art Exhibit, Friday, April 12, 2013. The Art Exhibit runs from 4p.m. to 7 p.m.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. at the Paul Robeson Cultural and Performing Arts Center, main auditorium, 1400 Brush Row Road Wilberforce, Ohio.

For more information, contact Dr. Lennard Moses at 937-367-6157 or 937-376-6403. Email: lmoses@centralstate.edu

About Central State University:

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.

[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.

Buzzing News

Cheyney University MPA Program presents forum “United For Change: Collaborative Solutions to Reduce Gun Violence”

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

campus2_970 — Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the oldest of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in America.

Cheyney University Masters of Public Administration Program will host a forum on Wednesday, March 27 entitled “United For Change: Collaborative Solutions to Reduce Gun Violence.” The event will be at 5:30 pm in the Caucus Room of Philadelphia City Hall.

Distinguished public service professional and author Dr. Harvey L. White will be the moderator for the event.

The public is invited for free.

“Our neighborhoods, our populations and our cities are vulnerable daily to violent thoughts and behavior,” said Gedeon M. Mudacumura, Associate Professor of Public Administration, Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences. “Violence is not simply an issue of adequate gun laws, but a matter of culture, conflict and anger in communities. This discussion will address how private organizations, public agencies and individuals can collaborate to address violence. We invite the community to participate in this discussion and share your strategies as valued members of Philadelphia.”

Two Tennessee State football players suspended indefinitely, face felony charges

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

030513 Michael German mug — Michael German, a redshirt sophomore, completed 60 percent of his passes for more than 2,751 yards last season.

Two Tennessee State University football players have been suspended from the team indefinitely after allegedly causing thousands of dollars in damage to another student’s car on Feb. 9.

TSU’s starting quarterback, Michael German, 21, and defensive back Joseph Johnson, 20, were accused of jumping and dancing on the roof and hood of a student’s 2011 Ford Fiesta. Those actions caused “in excess of” $3,000 of damage to the vehicle, according to an affidavit.

They have both been charged with felony vandalism between $1,000 and $10,000.

German was booked on the charges Monday, while Johnson was arrested on Feb. 28. The affidavit claims that German “gave a statement regarding his actions that caused the damage.”

German, a redshirt sophomore, is one of the most successful quarterbacks in TSU history. He completed 60 percent of his passes for more than 2,751 yards last season — the fourth most in a single season at TSU. German, however, was benched for a series during TSU’s Sept. 15 game against Austin Peay State University due to a violation of team rules.

Johnson is a redshirt sophomore, who transferred to TSU from Marshall University.

TSU Assistant Vice President of Public Relations and Communications Kelli Sharpe said the two players will be suspended indefinitely, pending the outcome of an investigation.

Source.

[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.

Entertainment

You Know MLK Jr., But Do You Know Izola Ware Curry?

Brittney Quarles

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is regarded as one of the most prominent faces of the Civil Rights Movement, hailed for his triumphs and sacrifices throughout the 1950s. And while his legacy has lived on today, many do not know that Dr. King was almost assassinated several years prior to his rise as the most iconic and celebrated Civil Rights leader.

In September 1958, Dr. King was an emerging activist who was hosting a book signing for his book, “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story” at Blumstein Department Store in Harlem, New York. While signing books, Dr. King was approached by a 42-year-old black woman, Izola Ware Curry, who asked if he was really Martin Luther King Jr. After responding yes, witnesses say Curry promptly took a letter opener out of her purse, closed her eyes and plunged it into Dr. King’s chest.

With the help of local police officers, first responders and the Harlem Hospital surgical team, Dr. King fortunately survived the stabbing, but doctors said because the opener grazed the surface of his aorta, if she had stabbed harder or if someone removed the object improperly, he probably would have drowned in his own blood.

“If I had sneezed, I wouldn’t have had a chance later that year, in August, to try to tell America about a dream that I had had. If I had sneezed, I wouldn’t have been down in Selma, Alabama to see the great movement there,” Dr. King famously said ten years after the incident in his last speech, ”I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.”

While local media reported Dr. King’s attempted assassination in the following weeks, the story did not become national news because he was not a prominent public figure at the time.

But mystery remains surrounding attacker Izola Curry. Who was she? What happened to her? And why did this woman attempt to kill one of the greatest civil rights leaders?

Two filmmakers claim that their upcoming documentary, When Harlem Saved A King, will answer all of these questions and also shed light into Curry’s life, who has remained, as of now, virtually unknown to the public.

“Everybody is fascinated with this story about Dr. Martin Luther King. Everything you hear about him is from history books, but this puts a different spin on Dr. Martin Luther King’s rise to fame and it’s absolutely true,” says executive producer Wayne Davis in an interview with theGrio.

Alabama State QB impress NFL scouts as receiver

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

ASU QB impressing scouts at receiver — ASU QB earns praise as receiver from NFL scouts

He acquired a variety of nicknames from his week at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, but “Raw Dog” may fit him best.

Alabama State quarterback Greg Jenkins doesn’t care what NFL general managers call him, as long as they call him on April 27.

The senior attracted coaches at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Troy University and Alabama State with his arm and his legs, but it is his hands that are catching the attention of NFL personnel after switching from quarterback to wide receiver in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January.

“Going into it, I was playing strictly quarterback, but we had a few injuries at the wide receiver position and I approached the coach,” Jenkins said. “Going into the game, my agent had let me know that if I wanted to play wide receiver, I could. I approached it as an opportunity to play wide receiver and also help the team out. It worked out well for me.

“I won’t say I’ve abandoned the idea of being a quarterback but all of the attention (from NFL personnel) is at wide receiver. Any way I can provide for my family and help the team out really doesn’t matter as long as I can accomplish my dream of playing in the NFL.”

It seemed like a long shot at best when he was invited to California to participate in the college football all-star game, but that was before he moved to receiver. Lining up at receiver in all-star practice, he did what Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson couldn’t at Senior Bowl practice — impress scouts with his hands and his burst of speed off the line.

He picked up a variety of nicknames, but the one he likes most is “Raw Dog,” a reference to his decision to step in at receiver with no prior practice and without gloves.

“Since the all-star game, I’ve had interviews with the Rams, Raiders, 49ers, Falcons, Jaguars, and the Redskins called coach (Reggie) Barlow for my information,” Jenkins said. “The Jets showed a lot of interest, too.”

Read more here.

[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.

Entertainment

A First: Vogue Germany Features Tina Turner in April 2013 Issue

Brittney Quarles

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

Tina Turner is making headlines around the globe for gracing the cover of Vogue Germany. This is the first time the 73-year-old grande dame of rock and R&B has graced a cover for the storied magazine franchise.

For the April 2013 issue of the international imprint, the “legendary singer is seen rocking her signature honey blonde-highlighted hair, a silky navy blouse and what appears to be a black skirt for Vogue’s German edition, which was shot by Claudia Knoepfel and Stefan Indlekofer and styled by Nicola Knels,” writes Julee Wilson of The Huffington Post.

Turner is being praised for looking fierce on the cover, as is Vogue Germany itself for selecting a mature woman as a positive innovation. “It’s kind of a surprising choice for Vogue Germany, which generally prefers young starlets and models-of-the-moment for its cover features–but it’s a welcome one,” opines Hayley Phelan of Fashionista.com.

Oklahoma Senate new bill could harm Langston University

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

Langston University is a land grant historically Black institution of higher learning.

The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday passed a measure that would allow Oklahoma State University to offer accounting courses at its Tulsa campus, something currently reserved for Langston University.

Senate Bill 59, by Sen. Brian Crain, now heads to the House after securing approval by a vote of 36-10.

Currently, only Langston is allowed to offer courses in accounting, sociology and psychology in Tulsa, said Crain, R-Tulsa.

Many students take a bus to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater to take the accounting courses rather than take them from Langston University in Tulsa, Crain said.

The Senate also passed Senate Bill 58, also by Crain, that makes it optional rather than mandatory that Langston offer courses in Tulsa.

Sen. James Halligan, R-Stillwater, said the situation has been a long-standing issue in Tulsa and needs to move forward toward a resolution. Halligan is the former president of Oklahoma State University.

The measures passed despite criticism from Sen. Jabar Shumate, D-Tulsa, who said the measures run afoul of an agreement the state made with the Office of Civil Rights with the U.S. Department of Education regarding Langston University following a complaint that was filed.

Shumate said he was concerned that the measures could jeopardize federal funding to other higher education institutions in the state.

Likewise, Langston University President Kent J. Smith, Jr. said neither measure was favorable to Langston.

He said the university has no intention of not offering courses in Tulsa.

If OSU in Tulsa offers accounting, it will create a very serious problem, Smith said.

Read more here.

[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.

Buzz Killer

The First to Plead Guilty in FAMU Hazing Case

Brittney Quarles

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

A man charged in the hazing death of a Florida A&M drum major is going to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors, his attorney said Friday.

Caleb Jackson, 23, Jackson was arrested and charged with felony hazing resulting in the death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion.

Caleb Jackson will plead guilty to felony hazing and manslaughter as soon as April, attorney Chuck Hobbs said at a hearing at the Orange County Courthouse.

Jackson currently is being held in the Leon County Jail for violating his probation.

“He has two hopes, the first being able to help the state with respect to understanding and getting a clearer picture of what happened the night Robert Champion died,” Hobbs said. “He is hopeful that he can play some small part in bringing closure to the family.”

Hobbs said no promises or guarantees have been made by prosecutors regarding Jackson’s cooperation.

“It would be his hope that by cooperating, such would bode well when it comes time for his sentencing,” Hobbs said.

Man charged for cyberstalking Jackson State president

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

Jhamerius Darshawn Mack, 20, of Raymond is charged with two felony counts of cyberstalking and is jailed at the Hinds County Adult Detention Center. / Special to The Clarion-Ledger

A 20-year-old Raymond man is charged with two counts of felony cyberstalking for allegedly threatening Jackson State University President Carolyn Meyers via social media, officials said today.

Jhamerius Darshawn Mack of Raymond, who investigators say is not a JSU student, is jailed at the Hinds County Detention Center at Raymond, JSU spokesman Eric Stringfellow said today. He confirmed that the threats were made against Meyers, named JSU’s first female chief in December 2010.

JSU’s Department of Public Safety said today that Mack’s arrest March 5 stemmed “from tips received about threatening statements posted on social media sites.” JSU officials said in a news release that the FBI, Hinds County District Attorney’s office and the Mississippi Attorney General’s office assisted with the investigation.

The threat was “bodily harm via a Facebook post,” Stringfellow said.

Mack’s Facebook page says that he is a 2013 pre-dentistry graduate of Hinds Community College. The last postings on the page are for March 4, the day before his arrest.

Hinds County Assistant District Attorney Jamie McBride said his agency is familiar with the JSU investigation, and that charges against Mack will be brought by prosecutors for consideration before a Hinds County grand jury..

In a news release, JSU Department of Public Safety officials would not release additional details citing the ongoing investigation.

Stringfellow said that security at the Administrative Tower on campus, which houses Meyers’ office, had been upgraded before the Christmas holidays, but that it had nothing to do with threats against her.

“Everyone must sign in,” he said. “It’s just a change in policy. There is a security guard assigned to the building, and he is stationed there.”

Source.

[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.

Buzzing News

Louis Farrakhan to address Tuskegee University

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 12, 2013

Louis Farrakhan is the leader of the largely African-American religious movement the Nation of Islam.

The national leader of the Nation of Islam, The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, will address the university community during a three-day visit, March 20-22. Invited by the Tuskegee University Muslim Student Association and the Black Belt Deliberative Dialogue, the leader’s visit is part of an ongoing series of addresses at HBCU campuses.

In addition to meeting with students and faculty, he will speak to Tuskegee University about education, the need for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and his plan to improve the economic conditions of black Americans. There will also be a viewing of the film, “World Friendship Tour,” a documentary about the leader’s post-Million Man March visits to Muslim nations. Afterward, there will be a question and answer session with Farrakhan.

A former musician and entertainer, the minister became a follower of Elijah Muhammad in 1955 and has been the leader of the Nation of Islam since the late 1970s. He is best known for leading the Million Man March on Washington in 1995 and the Million Family March in 2000. In 1979, he founded The Final Call, an internationally circulated newspaper that reports on the activities and interests of the religious organization. He is also the author of “A Torchlight for America,” a book which applied the guiding principles of justice and good will to the problems perplexing America.

The events below are open to the public.

Visit Tuskegee University for more information on events.

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.

[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.

Buzz Killer

Rep. Jim Clyburn monument at South Carolina State turned into “boondoggle”

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 11, 2013

Rep. Clyburn is the Assistant Democratic Leader, the number three Democrat in the House of Representatives.

When it was established in 1998, the James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center in Orangeburg, South Carolina was supposed to be a major hub for transportation, education, and research in the country. It was also a chance for Rep. Jim Clyburn—an alumnus of South Carolina State University, where the center is housed—to restore “a unique mission” to his alma mater, according to an op-ed he wrote in the Charleston Post & Courier in 2010.

Clyburn, who is the third most powerful Democrat in the House, secured the initial funding and a federal designation for the center created in his name.

But more than a decade later, the $107 million, 33-acre complex has turned into a boondoggle.

Despite the center’s creation in 1998, construction did not begin until 2010. And since then, only one building has gone up. Four others remain unfinished. Some $24 million has been spent, and yet no transportation research is taking place.

The center also lost its funding eligibility because “federal officials were not pleased with SCSU’s performance,” according to a 2011 report by the South Carolina legislative audit council. That audit found various reasons for the construction delays—some of them bordering on the absurd, such as that the university did not verify that it owned the land it planned to build on. Questions were also raised about the use of funds for travel expenses.

But the congressman thinks the problem is political.

“The facility and the school have become victims of vicious manufactured attacks by political partisans,” Clyburn said in a statement provided to Whispers, though he declined to share who those partisans might be.

For years, the center was plagued by an unsubstantiated rumor—and no one seems to be sure where it started—that $50 million had gone missing, a rumor the legislative audit council sought to put to rest in its report.

“But it still comes up in stories,” John Rosenthall, the university’s vice president of research and economic development, told Whispers with a sigh.

Read more here.

[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.

Buzzing News

Langston University prepares for 116th Founders Day

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 11, 2013

Langston University will celebrate its 116th Founders Day Tuesday, March 12 in Langston, Oklahoma. The event will take place at 11:00 a.m. in I.W. Young Auditorium.

The Honorable Rick Brinkley (R), who is currently serving as a member of the Oklahoma Senate, will be the guest speaker.

Celebrating 116 years of rich tradition and developing leaders from a diverse student body through excellent teaching, research, community service and public and private sector partnerships, the university will also commemorate the inauguration of Dr. Kent J. Smith, Jr. on March 14, the university’s 16th president.

Click here for more information on the ceremony.

About Langston University:

Founded as Oklahoma’s only historically black college or university (HBCU), Langston University is dedicated to enhancing the intellectual, social and economic condition of the students it serves by affording them excellent teaching, research and services programs and opportunities.

[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.

Buzzing News

FAMU search for new president picks up steam

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 11, 2013

famu_entrance_920_medium — Provost Larry Robinson has served as interim president ever since James H. Ammons resigned in July.

Florida A&M University’s search for a new president will be shifting into high gear next week. It’s possible at least one finalist for the position will be on campus for an official visit late next week.

The presidential search committee, made up mostly of members of the Board of Trustees, is meeting next Monday and Tuesday at FAMU’s law school in Orlando.
No deadline for applying to be FAMU’s next president has been established. According to FAMU officials, the search will remain open until a new president has been hired.

Trustee Dr. Spurgeon McWilliams, vice-chair of the search committee, said the late notice of next week’s meetings in Orlando will prevent him from attending. He has been part of several presidential searches at FAMU, and actually cast the decisive seventh vote in 2007 when trustees decided 7-6 to hire James H. Ammons, who resigned in July. Provost Larry Robinson has served as interim president.

Source.

[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.

Buzzing News

U.S. Department of Education Announces Exec. Director of Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans

Tommy G. Meade Jr.

Posted on Mar 11, 2013

David J. Johns graduated with honors from Columbia University in 2004 with a triple major in English, Creative Writing and African American Studies.

David J. Johns, the former senior education policy advisor to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), has been appointed as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans.

As executive director, Johns will work with federal agencies and with communities to identify the best practices to improve black student achievement.

“David’s expertise will be critical in helping to address the academic challenges that many African American students face, and I am delighted to have him on our team,” said U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. “His wealth of knowledge and passion will help the Department move forward in its quest to ensure that all children are college and career ready.”

Read more here.

[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.