Hampton University’s Office of Student Activities & NPHC to March for Martin Luther King, Jr.

Posted by Michael Livingston II
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Hampton University will hold a march and a gospel concert in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (ThePoliticalCat)

More HBCUs are releasing information as to how they aim to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Now we have news that the Office of Student Activities and the National Pan Hellenic Council of Hampton University are organizing a march to honor the legacy of Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The program is set to take place on January 16th at 11:00 A.M., beginning at the Emancipation Oak on Emancipation Drive and ending at Ogden Hall. The celebratory program’s keynote speaker will be Brandon Jones, the youth development supervisor for Newport News Public Schools, and will also include spoken word performances from two Hunter B. Andrews PreK-8 School honor roll students, singing selections and reflections by class officers about the importance of celebrating King’s life.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday will be concluded with the annual MLK Day concert presented by the Hampton University Music Department and featuring the HU Concert Choir.

In Case You Missed It :: BET’s The Game [Recap]

Posted by Jecoby Carter
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So, unless you live under a rock, have no social networking devices, or was still baffled by Beyonce having and naming her child “Blue Ivy”, BET premiered season 5 of “The Game” and I’m here to give you a play by play, in case you missed it.

The show opened, with foreshadowing of different scenarios that would play out in the story line later. Melanie was talking about her “abortion” from last season, Jason was somehow lost in Mexico, and the bulk of the cast hovered over the “dead” body of the model Malik started dating in Season 4.

Melanie & Derwin

The storyline was confusing in the beginning, quiet frankly, mainly because the show has gone from sitcom to a “Black Soap Opera”. Melanie’s past came back to haunt her last night. There was really no purpose in her running into all of her ex’s because for some reason she still feels as if she has to lie to keep Derwin; all though most of Melanie’s actions are simply reactions to Derwin’s actions. I know it’s morally responsible, but Melanie telling the truth in every episode is getting annoying. She had an out, yet she still told Derwin the truth about the abortion. This is why I call her, “Dumb Girl Melanie”.

Malik, Tasha Mac, & TT

Malik and the super model have apparently been dating heavily, but she relapsed into the drug abuse, and was strung out on last night’s episode. Her “pusher”/drug dealer, actress Jennifer Coolidge, best known from her role as “Stifler’s Mom” in the box office hit “American Pie”, is a new character, who ultimately revives the super model from her overdose. Meanwhile, Tasha Mac, who’s character was lacking in comedy, was torn about dropping her son as a client. She ultimately decides to keep him after a heart-to-heart with TT about “Family First”.

Jason Pitts, and Chardonnay

Jason, who’s storyline has changed every time the wind blows, is now in a “Identity Crisis” about his skin color. New comer to the show, singer turned actress Brandy, played the Bartender, Chardonnay, at a bar Jason frequents. After a minor altercation, Jason proceeded to get her fired, but to make up for her loss he invited her to dinner. Somehow dinner turned into a trip to Mexico because of Jason’s cheap antics. The two enjoyed a drunken night together, and got married. After Jason, comes to his senses, Chardonnay teases him about marrying a black woman, then Jason goes off on a tangent about how he was teased by black women all his life, and how white women were his only comfort.

My Words

The show has never been the same since BET bought it. It’s becoming a little bit to “Black Man’s Struggle”. Just because you’re on a predominantly black network doesn’t mean that the quality of the work you produce has to be lower, or subpar. I just want better writers for “The Game”, and for them to let the soundtrack be instrumental, the lyrics distract from the action in the show!

Peep the Cast of the “The Game” Cast Introductions:

“The Game” Cast Introductions

Howard University Students Help Bring Life to Sudan

Posted by Kenneth Ware Jr
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Four sharp-witted engineering students are utilizing their skills acquired at one of the nation’s largest HBCUs to aid impecunious residents in North Africa.

These socially conscious young women are in Khartoum, Sudan to present at the Knowledge Management Capacity Conference on their unprecedented work to bring clean water to a village in Kenya through their handiwork with Engineers Without Borders.

“We are excited about this opportunity to showcase our work and to seek sustainable solutions that utilize appropriate technology,” said Shorma Bianca Bailey.

Bailey wears many hats as she leads the Howard delegation. She is a senior Chemical Engineering major and the 2011 White House Champion of Change for Women and Girls in STEM recipient.

Bailey is joined by the following phenomenal emerging leaders: Kristina Banks, Aleah Holt and Tena Hunter. John Tharakan, Ph. D., is their faculty advisor.

Howard University has a growing international footprint and the work being done by the students in EWB-HU and the Freshman Leadership Academy ensure that Howard University produces a plethora of global leaders.

“These young ladies are trailblazers and ambassadors,” said Barbara Griffin, Ph. D., Vice President of Student Affairs.

The Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs sponsored the travel to Sudan.

The team will present their paper titled Investigating the Water Quality and Quantity Issues in Choimim, Kenya. The EWB-HU members have worked on this sustainable water solution for the last three years.

“We are engineers and our core mission is to solve problems,” said Bailey.

Choimim is a rural community occupied with tea and cattle farmers and a lengthy six-hour drive from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. The people there do not have adequate water and the shortage is dire in the dry season.

The opportunity came after the 2011 Appropriate Technology Conference held on Howard’s Campus. At the conference, EWB presented their project about water sustainability in Kenya.

The group also shared their research on the process and logistics behind implementing engineering solutions abroad.

Howard was not the only institution of higher learning in attendance. Other participants included Morehouse College and the University of Maryland. Also in attendance were visiting professors from the University of Khartoum (Sudan).

The keynote speaker, Gada Kadoda, Ph.D., spoke of her involvement and leadership with the Barefoot College, which specializes in the development of women. The program trains women to become engineers for their communities, and empowers them financially, socially, and politically.

Barefoot College aims to equip women with the skills to create sustainable villages through efforts such as building solar panel grids.

Because Dr. Kadoda saw sustainability as a common thread between both Engineers Without Borders and the Barefoot College, she invited the members of the Howard University chapter to be student presenters at the Workshop on Knowledge Management Capacity in Africa: Harnessing tools for development and innovation in Sudan.

This workshop is co-organized by the Garden City College for Science and Technology and the University of Khartoum in collaboration with the International Network on Appropriate Technology (INAT).

The young engineers hope to provide a foundation on how to implement international projects on sustainability, and create a partnership between the engineering program at the University of Khartoum and Howard University.

“EWB-HU is committed to finding solutions across social, cultural and geographic boundaries,” said Bailey.

The Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland High Education Still Searching for Equality

Posted by Arielle Neblett
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The Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education aims to help improve the Maryland HBCUs (Lawyers' Committee)

David Wilson, the president of Morgan State University is currently involved in what some may call the modern day Brown vs. Board of Education, the higher learning edition. The president was one of the first witnesses to testify in the case of the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education vs. the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

According to an article from Afro.com, the lawsuit, which was filed in 2006, is seeking $2.1 billion to ensure that the HBCU’s of Maryland (Bowie State University, Coppin State University, Morgan State University and University of Maryland- Eastern Shore) can on the same level academically and financially compared to Maryland’s TWI’s (Traditionally White Institutions). Maryland’s TWI’s include Salisbury University, Towson University, University of Maryland College Park and University of Maryland University College.

The state of Maryland has been accused of running a “de jure segregation system” – a racially segregated system enforced by law. Maryland admits to having a de jure segregation system, but assures that it was put to rest with the 1954 case of Brown vs. Board of Education and no such policies are in practice today. The coalition however insists that the segregation is being practiced as far as funds are concerned.

This was the central point of President Wilson’s testimony. The president described the battle Morgan’s students face due to its lack of funding, the building maintenance and the strain it puts on the overworked faculty members. Students have been denied internships due to lack of proper equipment to undergird the students. One student, Muriel Thompson, called the condition of some of Morgan’s buildings “deplorable” and says if it wasn’t for her love for Morgan and her determination to receive a degree from the University, she would have “…turned around, the moment I stepped in Jenkins (an academic building on campus).” The prosecution team provided reports dating back to 1937, showing evidence of Maryland’s continuous acts of segregation in the education system.

The trial, which began on January 3, is said to last about six weeks. Stay updated with HBCU Buzz as we give you continuous details and the verdict.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters to Keynote FAMU’s Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation

Posted by Michael Livingston II
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Congresswoman Maxine Waters will serve as the keynote speaker at FAMU's 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation on January 13 at 10:10 a.m. in the Gaither Gymnasium.

The news coming out of Tallahassee is quickly reminding people why Florida A&M University is an annual, if not automatic, entry in any top HBCU debate. The school has secured Congresswoman Maxine Waters as the keynote speaker at Florida A&M University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation on January 13, 2012.

Here’s more on Maxine Waters:

 Currently, Waters is a senior member of the House Committee on Financial Services, serving as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises. She also serves on the subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity, and the subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

In addition, Waters serves on the House Committee on the Judiciary, where she sits on the Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet Subcommittee, and the Immigration Policy and Enforcement Subcommittee. An integral member of Congressional Democratic Leadership, Waters serves as a chief deputy whip and as a member of the Steering and Policy Committee.

Waters is considered by many to be one of the most powerful women in American politics today. She has gained a reputation as a fearless and outspoken advocate for women, children, people of color and the poor. Elected in November 2010 to her 11th term in the House of Representatives with almost 80 percent of the vote in the 35th District of California, Waters represents a large part of South Central Los Angeles, the communities of Westchester and Playa Del Rey, and the diverse cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood and Lawndale — all in California.

Waters’ background also includes co-founder of the nonprofit organization Black Women’s Forum, a key member of Bill Clinton’s presidential campaigns, and spearheaded the development of the Minority AIDS Initiative in 1998 to address the alarming spread of HIV/AIDS among African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities. Waters is a strong, educated black woman who has chosen to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. with the Rattlers of FAMU.  Her impressive track record of accomplishments and advocacy makes her the perfect fit to speak at Florida A&M University.

Paine College Prepares For Its Conference on the Black Experience

Posted by Michael Livingston II
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Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall

The ‘history’ of our HBCUs has always been emphasized, for you won’t find a proud student or alum who do not know their history. Paine College is one HBCU that has done a magnificent job of preserving their history, and making it relevant to today.

During the week of February 6-9, Paine College will be hosting its 31st Annual Conference on the Black Experience. The conference will “explore and celebrate contributions to the amalgam of history in the Americas, in particular North America, made by women of African Ancestry. Conference participants will examine the critical roles played by Africana women and how these roles have shaped [and continue to shape] the characteristic spirit of American culture.” (Natasha Carter, Director of Communications & Marketing) Former professors Dr. Leslie J. Pollard, and E. Fuller Callaway have taken on the task of coordinating this historic conference.

What makes the Conference on the Black Experience so unique is that it was conceptualized in February of 1891! To still continue the legacy of their predecessors is truly a testament to the college’s love and dedication to the community. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, and here is more on the Spelman alum:

Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall will be the keynote speaker for the Conference on the Black Experience. Guy-Sheftall was recently named the president of the National Women’s Studies Association, a professional organization that is “dedicated to leading the field of women’s studies, as well as its teaching, learning, research, and service wherever they be found.” Guy-Sheftall is the founding director of the Spelman College Women’s Research and Resource Center and the Anna Julia Cooper Professor of Women’s Studies. She has published a number of texts within African-American and Women’s Studies which have been noted as seminal works by other scholars, including the first anthology on Black women’s literature, Sturdy Black Bridges: Visions of Black Women in Literature (Doubleday, 1980), which she coedited with Roseann P. Bell and Bettye Parker Smith; her dissertation, Daughters of Sorrow: Attitudes Toward Black Women, 1880-1920 (Carlson, 1991); Words of Fire: An Anthology of African-American Feminist Thought (New Press, 1995); and an anthology she co-edited with Rudolph Byrd entitled Traps: African-American Men on Gender and Sexuality (Indiana University Press, 2001). Her most recent publication is a book coauthored with Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Gender Talk: The Struggle for Women’s Equality in African-American Communities (Random House, 2003). In 1983 she became founding co-editor of Sage: A Scholarly Journal of Black Women, devoted exclusively to the experiences of women of African descent.

For additional information and schedules, contact the School of Arts and Sciences at 706-821- 8326 or visit the website and click on Conference on the Black Experience at http://www.paine.edu/cobe.

The Power of the Statement Blazer

Posted by Robert Hoggard
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Celebrities embrace the power of the statement blazer

The purpose of a solid professional wardrobe is to have numerous pieces to choose from, all carefully designed and selected to make you more marketable and memorable to a potential employer. Some students wear colorful bowties while others opt for intricately designed stockings, but one of the most powerful messages that will convey your personality to an employer is the statement blazer.

Your goal is to be the standout in the crowd so the recruiter will be able to connect the outfit to the resume, so choose the blazer wisely. Whether it is black, blue, brown or forest green, be sure the blazer is a neutral color, but has amazing details such as a ruffled sleeve or a peplum hem to capture the recruiter’s attention. If the recruiter happens to be a fashionista, a conversation about the blazer might be sparked – another point towards being remembered and thus hired.

Statement blazers also signify confidence which is a characteristic that most companies are attracted. Pair a fitted statement blazer with two pieces of bold jewelry such as a large ring or a fierce necklace. If you need inspiration, check out Tracee Ellis Ross on Reed Between the Lines or pre-mom Beyonce – and hit the racks with a vengeance.

Tuskegee’s Joshua Eichelberger Among Those Recognized In SIAC Basketball Honors

Posted by HBCU Editors
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ATLANTA—Tuskegee University senior Joshua Eichelberger has been named SIAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week while Kentucky State University sophomore Brandon Darrett was named SIAC Men’s Basketball Newcomer of the Week. Stillman College senior Jamila McKinnis and Albany State University freshman April Thomas have been named SIAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week, respectively.

Eichelberger, a native of Detroit, MI, averaged 15 points and 11.5 rebounds in two games, including a 16-point, 13-rebound performance in a 79-69 win over LeMoyne-Owen. Defensively, the 6-5, 195-pound forward also averaged two steals and a block along with an assist while helping lead the Golden Tigers to a 2-0 record, including a win over in-state conference rival Miles. Eichelberger, who has recorded four double-doubles in seven games, is one of three players that currently ranks in the top seven of the SIAC in scoring (15.3 ppg, 7th), rebounding ( 8.9 rpg, 2nd), and blocks (1.9 bpg, 4th).

McKinnis, a native of Mobile, AL, averaged 13 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in two games this past week to earn her second player of the week honor this season. The 5-11 forward was a force on defensive end for the Lady Tigers, averaging two steals and five blocks per game, including an impressive eight blocks against Claflin, while helping her team to a 2-0 record for the week. Averaging 15 points and eight rebounds per game this season, McKinnis, who also averages a conference-leading 3.1 blocks per game, is currently the only player that ranks in the top four of the SIAC in all three aforementioned categories.

Darrett, a 6-7 forward from Evansville, IN, earns his second weekly honor this season, averaging 10.3 points, including a season-high 12 points against Fort Valley State, and 7.3 rebounds in three games. The Vincennes University transfer also averaged 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks on defense while helping the Thorobreds to a 3-0 record for the week with victories over conference-foes Albany State, Fort Valley State, and Paine. Darrett leads the Thorobreds with 1.6 blocks per game and a .556 shooting percentage from the field, ranking fifth and sixth in the SIAC, respectively, in those categories.

Thomas, a 5-1 guard from Bainbridge, GA, averaged 13.7 points and three rebounds in three games. The Bainbridge High graduate also averaged 2.7 steals and 1.3 assists in those three games, helping the Lady Rams to wins over Lane, Kentucky State, and Fort Valley State. Thomas leads all SIAC freshmen with 26 three-point field goals made, which ranks second in the SIAC, as well as scoring at 14.8 points per game, ranking fourth among conference leaders in that category.

For more information regarding SIAC men’s and women’s basketball, visit www.thesiac.com.

Ben Baxter
Assistant Commissioner for Communications & New Media
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)

Twenty-Five SIAC Football Standouts Named to 2011 Don Hansen All-Region Team

Posted by HBCU Editors
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ATLANTA—The 2011 Don Hansen All-Super Region Two Team was recently released and 25 football standouts from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) were selected to this year’s team.

The SIAC had eight first team selections, including on two on offense, five on defense, and one on special teams, led by Morehouse running back David Carter and Albany State linebacker Jamarkus Gaskins. Other first team selections include Kentucky State wide receiver Rapahel Amey on offense as well as Clark Atlanta defensive linemen Darel Strong, Stillman defensive lineman Jeremy Hall, Albany State defensive back Rashad McRae, and Morehouse defensive back Justin Oliver on defense along with Fort Valley State punter Marquette King.

Carter, a junior from Marietta, GA, led the SIAC with 1,495 rushing yards and scoring with 19 touchdowns while finishing fourth in Division II at 149.5 yards per game. The 2011 SIAC Player of the Year set an NCAA Division II record for most rushing yards in a half with 251 yards in the first half against Fort Valley State.

Gaskins, a senior from Tifton, GA, was a key anchor of the Golden Rams’ “Dirty Blue” defense, recording 73 tackles (42 solo) with 17.5 tackles for loss (75 yards) in 12 games. The 2011 SIAC Defensive Player of the Year finished with a league-leading 11 sacks, finishing 19th in the nation in sacks per game. He also had five pass breakups, three fumble recoveries for 67 yards, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Amey finished the 2011 season with 68 catches and 1,038 yards, both of which led the SIAC while catching seven touchdowns. Strong and Hall both ranked among the league leaders in tackles for loss with 17.5 and 15.5, respectively. McRae led the SIAC with 14 pass breakups, including five interceptions, while Oliver, who also had five interceptions, tied for third with 11. With 60 punts for 2,582 yards, King led the SIAC with a 43.0 yard punting average, which ranked fifth in Division II.

The SIAC placed ten players on the second team and seven players on the third team. Nine of the 10 SIAC football-playing institutions were represented on this year’s team led by Fort Valley State with six selections. Albany State and Morehouse both had four selections while Kentucky State and Lane each had three. Stillman had two selections while Benedict, Clark Atlanta, and Miles each had one.

The Don Hansen team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away at age 75 on Aug. 29, 2010. Hansen, from Brookfield, Ill., started and published Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988.  Don Hansen’s Football Gazette began selecting Division II All-Region squads in 2003.

The first-team and second-team All-Region selections advance to a national ballot from which the 2011 Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America team will be named later this month. A total of 106 players earned some form of Don Hansen All-Super Region Two honors.

 

2011 Don Hansen All-Super Region Two Team

 

First Team Offense

POS     NAME                                HT    WT     YR     SCHOOL                               HOMETOWN

QB       Micah Davis                       6-2    200    SR     Delta State                            Wesson, Miss.

FB        Isaiah Whitaker                   5-10  195    FR-RS Lenoir-Rhyne                         Salisbury, N.C.

RB        David Carter                      5-10  225    JR      Morehouse                           Marietta, Ga.

RB        Jonas Randolph                 5-10  185    SR     Mars Hill                                Daleville, Ala.

WR       Raphael Amey                   6-1    185    SR     Kentucky State                     Dumfries, Va.

WR       Chris Bowden                     6-2    190    JR      Wingate                                Forsyth, Ga.

WR       Mo William                         5-7    144    JR      North Alabama                      Atlanta, Ga.

TE        Josh Crumpton                  6-3    245    SR     Mars Hill                                Pickens, S.C.

AP        Denarius Appling                5-7    140    SO     West Georgia                        Griffin, Ga.

C          Darrell Leopold                  6-2    305    SR     Delta State                            Laurel, Miss.

OG       Edmund Kugbila                6-4    368    JR      Valdosta State                      Lawrenceville, Ga.

OG       Kyle Thornton                     6-4    345    SR     North Alabama                      Dallas, Texas

OT        Tyler Hodgson                   6-6    275    SR     Mars Hill                                Woodstock, Ga.

OT        Chandler Rearden               6-1    265    SR     Lenoir-Rhyne                         Greenwood, S.C.

PK        Colin Corpe                        6-2    180    SR     Lenoir-Rhyne                         Ocala, Fla.

 

First Team Defense

POS     NAME                                HT    WT     YR     SCHOOL                               HOMETOWN

DE       Zeke Andrews                    6-0    260    SR     Carson-Newman                    Eastman, Ga.

DE       Terrence Smith                   6-6    240    SR     Tusculum                              Riverdale, Ga.

DE        Darel Strong                      6-4    250    SR     Clark Atlanta                         Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

DG/DT  Jeremy Hall                       6-0    269    SO     Stillman                               Montgomery, Ala.

DG/DT  Robbie Mayers                   6-3    285    SR     Delta State                            Laurel, Miss.

LB        Marcus Dowtin                   6-2    226    SR     North Alabama                      Upper Marlboro, Md.

LB        Jamarkus Gaskins             6-2    217    SR     Albany State                         Tifton, Ga.

LB        Deon Lacey                       6-2    208    JR      West Alabama                       Brighton, Ala.

LB        Prince Simunyu                  6-1    230    SR     Brevard                                 Wake Forest, N.C.

S          Harrison Dreiling                 5-11  193    SR     Valdosta State                      Augusta, Ga.

S          Rashad McRae                  5-10  195    SR     Albany State                         Douglas, Ga.

CB        Dominique Davenport         5-10  180    SR     Delta State                            Baldwyn, Miss.

CB        Justin Oliver                     6-1    190    JR      Morehouse                           Pennsauken, N.J.

P          Marquette King                  6-1    191    SR     Fort Valley State                   Macon, Ga.

RS        Janoris Jenkins                  5-10  183    SR     North Alabama                      Pahokee, Fla.

 

Second Team Offense

POS     NAME                                HT    WT     YR     SCHOOL                               HOMETOWN

QB       Lee Chapple                       6-1    190    SR     North Alabama                      Alpharetta, Ga.

QB       Willy Korn                          6-2    201    SR     North Greenville                     Lyman, S.C.

FB        Jake Woerner                     6-1    220    FR     Brevard                                 Tiger, Ga.

RB        Travis Daniels                    5-10  205    SR     North Carolina-Pembroke       Washington, N.C.

RB        Matthew Willis                    5-8    205    JR      West Alabama                       Collins, Miss.

WR       Rashaad Carter                  6-3    205    SR     Tusculum                              Stone Mountain, Ga.

WR       Chance Dennis                   6-3    200    SR     Delta State                            Houston, Texas

WR       Deonte Gist                       5-9    175    SR     Tusculum                              Wellford, S.C.

WR       Christopher Slaughter       6-3    170    JR      Fort Valley State                   Fort Valley, Ga.

TE        Brandon Ellington               6-5    235    SO     Wingate                                Wilmington, N.C.

TE        Jovan Washington            6-1    211    SR     Kentucky State                     Cleveland, Ohio

AP        Brandon Lucas                   5-8    181    JR      Delta State                            Covington, Ga.

C          Jamie Dixon                       6-1    265    SR     North Alabama                      Muscle Shoals, Ala.

OG       Nick Allison                        6-4    290    FR-RS Mars Hill                                Asheville, N.C.

OG       Jessie Mitchell                  6-3    345    SR     Kentucky State                     East St. Louis, Ill.

OT        Mike Arndt                         6-4    290    SR     Wingate                                Matthews, N.C.

OT        Ryan Schraeder                  6-7    319    JR      Valdosta State                      Wichita, Kan.

OT        Mesh Wokomaty                6-6    308    JR      Valdosta State                      Dallas, Ga.

PK        Davis Brackett                   6-9    172    JR      West Georgia                        Marietta, Ga.

Second Team Defense

POS     NAME                                HT    WT     YR     SCHOOL                               HOMETOWN

DE        Kyle Hurt                           6-4    265    SR     Lane                                     Memphis, Tenn.

DE       Mark Hoskins                     6-2    280    SR     Delta State                            Louisville, Miss.

DE       Kevin Johnson                   6-3    215    SR     Mars Hill                                Valdosta, Ga.

DG/DT  Chigbo Anunoby               6-6    300    SR     Morehouse                           Jefferson City, Mo.

DG/DT  CJ Barksdale                     6-2    250    FR     Catawba                                Simpsonville, S.C.

DG/DT  Lawrence Virgil                   6-3    286    SO     Valdosta State                      Quitman, Ga.

LB        Courtney Daniels               6-0    227    SR     Fort Valley State                   Eatonton, Ga.

LB        Apollo Stretch                    6-2    245    JR      Newberry                               Columbia, S.C.

LB        Ixavier Triplett                     6-1    225    SO     Delta State                            Hillsboro, Miss.

LB        Fred Williams                     6-3    230    JR      North Carolina-Pembroke       Fayetteville, N.C.

S          Tyren Futch                       6-0    200    JR      Lane                                     Indianapolis, Ind.

S          Michael Green                    6-0    175    SO     Lenoir-Rhyne                         Kingsland, Ga.

S          Tyrell Kinder                     5-10  162    FR     Miles                                    Jackson, Ala.

S          Jamarius Robinson             5-11  194    SR     North Greenville                     Edgemoor, S.C.

CB        Marvin James                     5-9    175    FR-RS Mars Hill                                Macon, Ga.

CB        Janoris Jenkins                  5-10  183    SR     North Alabama                      Pahokee, Fla.

CB        Dwight Tillman                    5-11  190    SR     Delta State                            Baltimore, Md.

P          Andrew Jones                    6-0    185    JR      Delta State                            Madison, Miss.

P          Eric Watts                          6-4    220    SR     Brevard                                 Powhatan, Va.

P          Jack Fulford                      5-10  226    SR     Valdosta State                      Waycross, Ga.

P          Ronnie Partridge               5-10  180    SR     Stillman                               Ridge Spring, S.C.

RS        DeMario Barber                 5-9    185    SR     Fort Valley State                   Ashburn, Ga.

Third Team Offense

POS     NAME                                HT    WT     YR     SCHOOL                               HOMETOWN

QB       Luke Charles                      6-1    205    SO     North Carolina-Pembroke       Murphy, N.C.

RB        Nate Inman                         5-10  215    SR     Carson-Newman                    Fitzgerald, Ga.

RB        Teryan Rucker                    5-8    180    SO     North Greenville                     Gainsville, Ga.

WR       Dimitri Holmes                   5-10  165    FR     Mars Hill                                Athens, Ga.

WR       Tristan Purifoy                    6-0    185    SR     North Alabama                      Hanceville, Ala.

WR       Ronnie Tubbs                   6-3    180    JR      Albany State                         Yazoo City, Miss.

WR       Gerald Worsham                5-9    186    SR     West Alabama                       Birmingham, Ala.

WR       Freddie Martino, Jr.            6-0    193    SO     North Greenville                     North, S.C.

TE        Cody Harrington                 6-5    250    SR     North Carolina-Pembroke       Garner, N.C.

AP        Kelvin Jeter                        5-7    155    SO     Brevard                                 Gastonia, N.C.

C          Chase Gamble                   6-3    280    SR     Newberry                               Dallas, N.C.

C          Marlon Jones                    5-11  300    JR      Morehouse                           Powder Springs, Ga.

OG       Andy Nations                     6-6    347    JR      West Alabama                       Pascagoula, Miss.

OG       Chase Sherman                  6-4    285    SR     Delta State                            D’Iberville, Miss.

OT        Kendall Hunter                    6-6    338    JR      Delta State                            Mound Bayou, Miss.

OT        Lamar Young                     6-5    305    JR      Delta State                            Jonesboro, Ga.

PK        Taylor Baskett                    5-11  205    SR     North Carolina-Pembroke       Fayetteville, N.C.

Third Team Defense

POS     NAME                                HT    WT     YR     SCHOOL                               HOMETOWN

DE        Justin Blash                      6-5    300    JR      Albany State                         Alma, Ga.

DE       Anthony Daniels                 6-3    295    SR     Delta State                            Detroit, Mich.

DE       Josh Lewis                         6-5    234    SR     West Alabama                       Northport, Ala.

DE        Emanuel Williams             6-3    230    SR     Fort Valley State                   Baxley, Ga.

DG/DT  Cedric Hall                         6-4    250    SR     North Alabama                      Carthage, Miss.

DG/DT  Jamaa Massaline               6-0    260    SR     Benedict                               Sebring, Fla.

DG/DT  Mark Smith                        6-2    290    SR     North Greenville                     Greer, S.C.

LB        Demetrius Green                5-11  190    JR      Lenoir-Rhyne                         Cedartown, Ga.

LB        Cory Jones                        6-2    240    JR      Lane                                     Compton, Calif.

LB        Lakeem Perry                     6-0    225    SR     Catawba                                Louisburg, N.C.

LB        Rudy Cabral                       6-3    230    JR      Mars Hill                                Fairview, N.C.

S          Ricky Johnson                  6-1    200    SR     Fort Valley State                   Atlanta, Ga.

S          Nick Rosamonda                6-1    212    SR     North Greenville                     Debary, Fla.

CB        Jereme Green                     5-10  190    SR     North Greenville                     Charleston, S.C.

CB        Isaiah Johnson                   5-11  210    JR      North Greenville                     Fort Lawn, S.C.

CB        Matt Pierce                        5-10  198    JR      Valdosta State                      New Orleans, La.

CB        Jumal Rolle                        6-0    185    JR      Catawba                                Wilson, N.C.

RS        Michael Green                    6-0    175    SO     Lenoir-Rhyne                         Kingsland, Ga.

Ben Baxter
Assistant Commissioner for Communications & New Media
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)

The CIAA Announces 16 Finalists for the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award

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The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) announces the finalists for the fourth annual CIAA Division of the highly regarded Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award program.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the award program focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages those leaders to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact on their circle of influence.

“The CIAA is excited to highlight the contributions of our student-athletes in their community and the leadership skills they display in the classroom and on the court through this outstanding program by Lowe’s,” stated Dr. Mickey Burnim, chairman of the CIAA.

The 2011-12 women’s finalists are: Juliette Turner (Bowie State University), Ransheda Jennings (Chowan University), SheQuita Manning (Fayetteville State University), LaQwesha Gamble (Johnson C. Smith University), Elicia Gilliam-Washington (Livingstone College), Keyona Bryant (Saint Augustine’s College), Allyssa Lane (Shaw University), Marquilla Evans (Virginia State University), Dashia Chandler (Virginia Union University) and Courtney Medley (Winston-Salem State University).

The 2011-12 men’s finalists are: Darren Clark (Bowie State University), Lee Branscombe (Chowan University), Paul Goldsmith (Elizabeth City State University), James Otey (Johnson C. Smith University), Darrell Glass (Saint Augustine’s College) and James Shambley (Virginia State University)

“Lowe’s is proud to celebrate with the CIAA the superior contributions of its senior student-athletes in men’s and women’s basketball,” said Tom Lamb, Lowe’s senior vice president of marketing and advertising. “We want to congratulate all of the finalists from the CIAA’s member schools and commend them for their great character and for making an impact both on and off the court.”

The men’s and women’s winners will be determined through a voting process that runs concurrent with the basketball season and is divided into three categories: 1) online fan voting, 2) coaches, and 3) media. Each category accounts for one-third of the total vote. To vote: visit www.seniorCLASSaward.com/ciaa.

Lowe’s, a sponsor of the CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament, will recognize the men’s and women’s basketball winners on Lowe’s Day at the CIAA Thursday, March 1, 2012, between the 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. games

ABOUT THE AWARD:

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of senior student-athletes in four areas: classroom, community, character and competition.

The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors who are utilizing their complete athletic eligibility, remaining committed to their university and pursuing the many rewards that a senior season can bring. For more information, visit www.seniorCLASSaward.com/ciaa.

 

The UNCF Gives Hope to HBCU Students with Their Invaluable Efforts

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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The United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) Annual Mayor’s Masked Ball is a premier fundraising and social affair, and last year’s event was a spectacle. This great cause of humanity is described to incorporate celebrities, dignitaries, civic leaders, public officials, volunteers, and others in the annual local fundraising activities of UNCF.

Hosted on December 17, 2011 at the luxurious Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia by the sitting Mayor of the city and local corporate sponsors, the annual event gave minority students of the Atlanta University School system hope towards matriculation in the final coursework for their college degree.

Living up to their motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste,” the UNCF annually provides 10,000 students with 400 scholarship and internship programs in order for low to moderate income families to afford the luxury of attending college. Last year’s Annual Masked Ball event dedicated $1.2 million dollars for these very efforts.

“We generally give back to a whole array of educational initiatives,” said Bill Hawthorne, Macy’s chief diversity officer whose company donated $50,000 to the cause. “In the course of that giving though, we want to make sure that we are specifically supporting those institutions that were devoted to the [Black, minority, underserved] or lower- income community. The UNCF is one such organization.”

Representatives of other donors who attended the event were Anheuser-Busch Inc., UPS, Coca-Cola, and Delta Air Lines, who all donated a total of $225,000 respectfully.

“Students at our Atlanta UNCF member colleges and universities, and Atlanta students attending other UNCF institutions, look to UNCF for help getting the education they need and deserve,” said Maurice E. Jenkins Jr., UNCF executive vice president stated about the organization.

It is clear that historically black colleges and universities still have major significance and importance within the black community that is invaluable toward preparing this along with the next generation to success and happiness.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who credits attending a historically black university for helping him become the city’s Mayor, said, “I strongly believe HBCUs are vital in preparing the next generation of African-American business owners, attorneys, doctors, artists and civic leaders. I am a proud Howard University alumnus, and I believe I am the 59th mayor of Atlanta in large part because of my experiences there as both an undergraduate and law school student.”

With men and women required to wear black ties and long dresses to the event, the ball was celebrated for a great cause, to ensure the future of the black leaders of tomorrow.

NAACP Attorney and Howard University School of Law graduate Robert L Carter Has Died

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Robert L. Carter, second left (AP Photo/Courtesy of the NAACP)

Robert L. Carter, who as an NAACP civil rights attorney was an architect of the legal strategy used in the cases that led to Brown vs. Board of Education, the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision that declared school segregation unconstitutional, has died. He was 94.

Carter, a former U.S. district judge for the southern district of New York, died Tuesday in a hospital in Manhattan after suffering a stroke last week, said his son David.

With law degrees from Howard University School of Law and Columbia Law School, where he wrote his master’s thesis on the 1st Amendment, Carter initially considered an academic career.

Instead, fired up by the racism he experienced while serving as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Forces during World War II, he went to work at the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People’s Legal Defense and Education Fund in 1944.

His Army experience, he wrote in “A Matter of Law,” his 2005 memoir, “made a militant of me, and instilled in me a fierce determination to fight against racism with all my intellectual and physical strength.”

As chief legal assistant to general counsel Thurgood Marshall, Carter worked closely with the future U.S. Supreme Court justice.

An associate in their office later likened the charismatic Marshall to being “the wind,” while the more intellectual Carter was “the keel.”

“Carter was a vigorous, careful, devoted attorney fighting for black equality in the courts,” said Richard Kluger, author of “Simple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education and Black America’s Struggle for Equality.”

For more information, visit The Los Angeles Times

Stewart Fulbright, 1st Dean of NCCU School of Business, Dies at 92

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Dr. Stwart B. Fulbright (NCCU)

DURHAM, NC— Stewart Fulbright, a trailblazing black educator who piloted a bomber during World War II as one of the Tuskegee Airmen and later served as the first dean of the North Carolina Central University School of Business, has died, He was 92.

His son, Edward, says Fulbright died in Durham, N.C., on New Year’s Day after a short illness. A funeral is planned for Saturday at Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Born in Springfield, Mo., in 1919, Fulbright enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943. He was one of about 1,000 men trained in Tuskegee, Ala., as the first black pilots, navigators and bombardiers in the U.S. military.

Fulbright worked at NCCU from 1947 until his retirement in 1982, becoming the first dean of the business school in 1972.

Courtesy of the Associated Press

Grambling State Defeats Alabama A&M for the Tigers’ First Victory

Posted by Kev Keise
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Former Big East star Quincy Roberts led Grambling State to victory over Alabama A&M.

Quincy Roberts finished with 21 points and eight rebounds to lead the Grambling State Tigers to their first win of the season as they edged out Alabama A&M 60-55.

The game came down to the wire and clutch free throws by the Tigers (1-11) secured their victory. In the final minute collectively, Roberts, Brandon Dorsett, Bryant Purvis and David Copeland  hit 7 of 8 foul shots.

The Tigers trailed 4-0 early in the game but scored 11 straight points that gave them an 11-4 lead at the 11:42 mark. Tigers didn’t trail since; at halftime they lead 36-28.

The Bulldogs (2-9) opened the second half with a 8-2 run making the score 38-34 at the 15:13 mark, they then went score for score until a 3-pointer by Xavier Rogers that pushed the Tiger lead to 47-40 with 9:57 left. Alabama A&M wouldn’t go away but there was too much Quincy Roberts. Down the stretch Roberts scored seven consecutive points for the Tigers. Casey Canty scored 24 points for Alabama A&M and Jeremy Crutcher pitched in 14.

Florida Memorial’s President Henry Lewis Wants Stronger Connection Between College & Community

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FMU President Henry Lewis III has a vision for his HBCU. (eleutheranews.com)

Florida Memorial University, the only historically black college or university in South Florida, moved from St. Augustine to Miami in 1968. Nearly forty-five years later, one of the objectives of the new president, Henry Lewis III, is to connect the university, formerly known as Florida Memorial College, to the Miami-Dade County community.

Since Lewis was named president in 2010 he has travelled frequently from FMU’s campus in Miami Gardens to speak in Overtown, with future speaking engagements planned for Liberty City, North Miami, Opa-locka and Miami Lakes. Throughout Miami-Dade County, his message is the same: Florida Memorial University has unlimited potential. Community involvement will help FMU become a more powerful, educational and social force throughout south Florida.” His vision is to make FMU a “world class university,” moving it from good to great.

In a recent interview, Lewis gave me examples of the traditional “town and gown” model where colleges and universities are separated from the local community. Once enrolled, even local students become isolated from what goes on off-campus. Item No. 8 on his Vision 2020 Plan is to “implement community service-learning for all FMU students.”

Community service-learning is not a new concept. In 1985 Campus Compact was created by then presidents of Brown, Georgetown and Stanford universities and the president of the Education Commission of the States, to coordinate community engagement of students and faculty. Now Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents in 34 states, and 6 million students are participating.

Campus Compact members in the state of Florida include Barry University, Bethune-Cookman University, Florida A&M University, Florida State University, Miami Dade College, the University of Florida, and the University of Miami. Each institution develops its own program. FMU will begin with service-learning experiences that are beneficial for both students and the community.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/05/2575186_fmus-new-president-wants-stronger.html#storylink=addthis#storylink=cpy

Bowie State Alum Issac Redman Overcomes the Odds to Play in the NFL

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Issac Redman of Bowie State University

The lawyers cost money but they could keep her son out of jail, so Leslie Redman kept paying them until there was nothing left and she had to declare bankruptcy. Soon came the creditors to collect for the various unpaid bills, and they took the car and the house. Her husband vanished, leaving her with just her daughter and her son, Isaac, who prosecutors threatened to send to prison for 20 years.  There was no way she’d let that happen.

“We can always get another house,” she told her children.

So if you think the Pittsburgh Steelers lost something big when running back Rashard Mendenhall went down with a knee injury, that they won’t be able to replace him with someone as driven, as relentless, then you don’t know about Isaac Redman, the man who will line up in his place against the Denver Broncos in Sunday’s AFC wild-card contest. Redman once had everything – big colleges knocking at his door, the promise of a bright career, a smooth ride to the NFL. Then, the schools, the house, his reputation and everything else were all gone. And building it all back has been a far longer process.

“My mom stood by me,” he says. “She sacrificed everything.”

He was a high school star in Paulsboro, N.J., a town just outside Camden in the Philadelphia suburbs, a running back who was impossible to stop. Big schools called. There were scholarship offers and recruiting visits. Iowa was persistent. Temple was close to home and it seemed right. Then came April 17, 2003, and a party in a nearby town. He and another young man were accused of first-degree sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl in a car outside the house. He was 18 and about to finish high school.

Redman declines to elaborate on the details of that evening, but he eventually took a plea deal (resulting in three years of probation and no jail time) that convicted him of fourth-degree sexual contact (humiliating or degrading intimate touching). Leslie Redman says there were family pressures that led to the complaint and that someone familiar with the charges eventually apologized to Isaac for the fact they were brought.

But before the case was resolved, he faced 20 years in prison. Suddenly the colleges stopped calling. A low SAT score gave Temple reason to put his scholarship on hold, his once-gleaming future clouded. He spent months in a legal haze, with no college, no football, nothing but the fear he had lost it all.

When Isaac was arrested, Leslie cried for a week. “I knew he wanted to do so much with his life and it might not happen,” she says. “But I have faith in God and I keep praying and if you do that, God will take care of everything.”

A friend who rents houses called and said she had a house they could have free of charge. It was small, with no closets and barely enough room for Leslie, Isaac and his sister, but it was a house. It was a new start and what else could they be but grateful? With Temple stalling and nothing else looming for him, there came another surprise. It was something small, not much, but what choice did he have? Bowie State, a Division II school in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. was willing to take a chance.

Again, Isaac Redman could be nothing but grateful.

Read the rest of the story at Yahoo! Sports