Yannick Crowder had 15 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals to lead Florida A&M over Allen University 94-65 on Monday night for its first win of the season.
The Rattlers (1-7, 1-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) tallied 25 steals, in forcing 28 turnovers.
It was Florida A&M’s first win since a 58-55 victory over Hampton on Feb. 21, which snapped an 11-game losing skid.
Reggie Lewis added 16 points, Markee Teal 12 and Brandon Hosley, D’Andre Bullard and Jeremy Dean chipped in 11 points apiece for the Rattlers.
Florida A&M shot 54.9 percent from the field (39 of 71), while holding the Yellow Jackets, an NAIA school, to 31.9 percent (22 of 69).
Jeremy Crawford scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets. Richard Johnson, who was 4 of 15 from 3-point range, added 17 points and Austin Bennett had 13 rebounds for Allen.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The accreditation of Nashville’s Tennessee State University and Fisk University was reaffirmed by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges Tuesday. The association also placed Fisk University on probation for one year.
Last year, TSU received a warning status during its 10 year review, which required the school to address concerns and demonstrate compliance with requirements and standards related to institutional effectiveness programs.
“We are pleased and not surprised that the SACSCOC has decided to reaffirm TSU’s accreditation,” Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan said in a release.
He continued, “The faculty and staff deserve much credit for their work and dedication to address concerns related to institutional effectiveness and the use of outcomes to improve TSU’s programs.”
Despite Fisk’s one year probation, the school will continue to be eligible for federal, state and foundation contracts and grants and its students will remain eligible for financial aid and other forms of student support.
The announcements regarding the schools’ accreditation came during the SACSCOC’s annual meeting held in Orlando, Florida.
Adedoyin M. Adeyiga helps lead an experiment for chemistry students (from left) Jasmine Smalls, Tyler Bowe, and Jessica LaRoda. Many alumni from his program at Cheyney University have gone on to graduate school. (MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer)
On the campus of Cheyney University, a school that is no stranger to financial hardship, professor Adedoyin M. Adeyiga is a rainmaker.
The African-born chemistry professor, whose father is a king in Nigeria, has secured more than $5 million in grants for programming to increase minority participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). An additional $1.35 million is pending.
Adeyiga, or “Dr. A.” as he is known on campus, works furiously to stop students from shunning a subject and career path that many consider scary and intimidating.
“It can be done,” Adeyiga, 43, said. And the reward is “a better chance at getting a job than in some other [college] majors,” he said.
The $5 million awarded since 2005 has been used to help establish scholarships, buy equipment, improve curriculum, hire faculty, and form relationships with other universities to give Cheyney students the chance to work in research labs across the region.
The programs have helped spur a growing number of the university’s STEM alumni to go on to graduate school.
This has happened against a backdrop that finds the historically black college founded in 1837 striving to improve worrisome overall graduation rates. At the same time, building renovations and new construction are under way on campus, crucial programs were saved when the state restored some funding in the last budget season, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education reaffirmed the school’s accreditation in March, rescinding a warning it had issued in 2009.
DOVER — The television camera pointed toward a stage filled with top Delaware State University administrators, and about 100 students and staff members crowded into a room decorated for a big announcement.
All around, placards, posters and banners proclaimed, “DSU goes to Mars.”
“Imagine that,” DSU President Harry L. Williams said at a media event. “DSU on Mars. … We will have one of our own connected to this major effort.”
Not in the way you might think, though.
DSU isn’t starting its own space program. Nor is it involved in any plans to have the first person touch Martian soil. It’s a little more complicated than that.
While not exactly leading the charge to the Red Planet, DSU’s Optic Science Center for Applied Research will play a supporting role in NASA’s Curiosity Rover mission, which was set to launch the day after Thanksgiving.
DSU’s research helped build the rover’s ChemCam, a device that will use lasers and spectroscopy to analyze the contents of rocks on the surface of Mars.
“I feel honored and privileged to be part of a huge program,” said Noureddine Melikechi, founder and principal investigator of the optics program. “A small but important part.”
The Howard University Lady Bison put on a show in front of their home crowd as they defeated the Coppin State Lady Eagles on Dec. 3, 63-52, to claim their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) win of the season.
The Lady Bison (2-5 overall, 1-0 MEAC) found success with aggressive defense scoring 31 points off 28 turnovers by the Eagles (2-5 overall, 0-1 MEAC).
Junior Tamoria Holmes scored a game-high 22 points, shooting 10-for-22 from the field and tying fellow junior Cheyenne Curley-Payne with five steals. Curley-Payne was a point shy of a double-double with a game-high 13 assists, and nine points. Junior Saadia Doyle tallied her fifth double-double of the season, finishing with 14 points and grabbing 10 boards.
Howard started the match a little rattled by an instant turnover and foul which gave Coppin a lead at the 18:14 mark. After regrouping, HU turned up their energy and took the lead back with a strong drive and finish to the rack from Curley-Payne. With the lead, the Lady Bison maintained their intensity offensively, scoring 14 more points to CSU’s 14 with just 11:34 left in the first half.
As both teams went blow for blow, the score was knotted for the fifth time (31-31) with 18 seconds left in the first half.
Community activist Bill Thomas is considering moving to Hampton so he can run for the city’s school board.
He currently lives in Suffolk.
The Hampton University official is a staunch conservative who believes that opening charter schools would force public schools to increase their standards and performance.
He’s detailed his disdain of public schools and the current state of education on radio, TV and in print columns published in local newspapers including the Daily Press.
Thomas in his 11th year as HU’s associate vice president for governmental relations. He also serves on the Christopher Newport University Board of Visitors.
The state of public education has him so agitated the he’s seriously considering moving to Hampton in time to file for candidacy ahead of the May 2012 election, Thomas told me last week.
He’s already involved in the Hampton community and has plenty of contacts, Thomas added.
At a civic engagement forum last week sponsored by Hampton Watch, he said four strangers slipped him pieces of paper with the same simple note scratched on each: “Please run.”
The support surprised him.
“People see me sometimes as a controversial figure; it’s not typical for people to agree with me,” he said. “Most people are against me, they say I’m against children and public schools, which I am.”
He clarified that he’s not against children. Read Full Article at Daily Press
Click here for HBCU Buzz’s first story about the documentary made by the students at East Baltimore Community School.
The East Baltimore Student Documentary was born as a result of Denise Parker, CEO of Fulfilling the Promise Consulting having a desire and passion to give back to the youth growing up in East Baltimore. The documentary project provided youth who were part of the Freedom Schools Summer project (through Elev8) at Collington Square Middle School an opportunity to cultivate the skills necessary to create a documentary. Students at East Baltimore Community School also participated in the project as part of the after school program also through Elev8.
Students spent 6 weeks honing journalism, interview, videography and film skills while showcasing key community leaders and landmarks in their East Baltimore neighborhood. This ground-breaking documentary will have its exclusive Baltimore Premiere on Tuesday, December 20th at the American Brewery, one of the key landmarks highlighted in the film.
What: The East Baltimore Documentary Project, Exclusive Baltimore Premiere
When: Tuesday, December 20th
Red Carpet and press interviews: 4pm
Direct all media inquiries to lisabrownhall@ghettofashionista.com
Film Showing: 6pm
Where: American Brewery
1701 N. Gay Street
Baltimore, MD 21213
About Fulfilling the Promise- Fulfilling the promise is a non-profit consulting firm dedicated to the empowerment and development of both youth and seniors. Founded by Denise Parker the organization has successfully developed and executed programs in a number of Baltimore City Public Schools with a focus on mentoring, life lessons, Rites of Passage, culturally enriching field trips and general life lessons for both young men and women throughout the city. As a result of her success at mentoring, the partnership with Elev8 was born. The East Baltimore Documentary Project is the result of hard work, dedication and a true passion for the youth of Baltimore City.
Dr. Julian White’s fate as the Florida A&M University band director has not been sealed, as his termination status has been changed to administrative leave with pay.
White was originally supposed to be terminated on December 22 but the decision to fire White was changed, as said by FAMU attorny David Self.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has recently stated that the university cannot use disciplinary action on any person- student, faculty, or otherwise- until the investigation into the death of Robert Champion has been completed.
White’s attorney was quoted as saying that the decision was “a step in the right direction.” White has been vocal in his criticism of the university’s handling of hazing incidents since his tenure as band director, stating that FAMU did not take the allegations seriously enough to consider punishing the band members involved. He has also stated that he was unjustly removed from his position and has petitioned for his job back.
The death of Robert Champion has cast a dark cloud on the university, and while White’s career is in purgatory, university president James Ammons seat is getting hotter. The Board of Trustees for the university has not exactly given their full support behind Ammons, but Ammons says he is not thinking about his future with the university, but the student body and the image of Florida A&M University.
“The university is much bigger than James Ammons,” he said. “I’m not focusing on whether I have the support of the board. My focus right now is on this family who has lost a son and on this university, and how we’re going to move forward and repair the image of the university.”
Details have emerged that four Florida A&M University students who were expelled for their alleged involvement in the hazing that led to the death of fellow band member Robert Champion have been reinstated.
The four students will be allowed to return to school since the investigation is still ongoing and they have not been arrested on charges if they exist. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement asked FAMU not to discipline anyone until an in-depth investigation was conducted.
Robert Champion, 26, was a drum major for the Florida A&M University the Marching 100 band when he was found unconscious on a bus heading back to the university after the school’s loss to Bethune-Cookman University in the 2011 Florida Classic on November 19th. Champion was seen vomiting right before he lost conscious.
The Marching 100 activities has been suspended due to the death of Champion and subsequently these four students were singled out and punished for their alledged involvement in the incident.
Band director Julian White was the one who expelled the students, and ironically he was fired not too long after. White has since been put on administrative leave with pay.
The President of Alabama A&M University held a press conference Tuesday, December 6, to proudly share with a group of students, faculty and staff the fact that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) did not pose any sanctions against the University after a year-long cloud.
President Andrew Hugine, Jr., convened the 6:30 p.m. press conference in the Clyde Foster auditorium of the College of Business and Public Affairs following his return from the annual meeting of SACS in Orlando, Fla.
Not only did the accrediting body clear the University of “unfounded” allegations, he said, but it also did not place the institution on any warning status or probation, said Hugine. “The University remains fully accredited with SACS-Commission on Colleges.”
The agency did request that the University come to some resolution on “the issue related to the legal authority and the Research Institute” and report progress by April 2012. AAMU was also urged to monitor its financial resources “in light of the present economic environment.”
The SACS inquiry dates back to January 19, 2011, fueled by complaints about a series of issues from a group of alumni, an employee and a memorandum of record from a trustee member, stated Hugine. A second round of complaints from the group resulted in SACS’ second request for information in July.
Out of the shadows of the Civil War, historically black colleges and universities were created to make educational advancements and bring order to the imbalance in equality in America for freed slaves in the aftermath of Reconstruction. In the face of racism and segregation, African Americans dealt with America’s rejection and detest of them into institutions of higher education created to give them a haven from the hatred.
Out of the shadows of Gotham City, four HBCUs—Hampton University, Howard University, Virginia State University & Virginia Union University—arrived to play on the biggest stage in sports entertainment: Madison Square Garden. The Mecca of Basketball played host to these 4 universities making a name not just for themselves, but for the entire HBCU family.
This game is a reflection of the HBCU brand, as only so few black schools are allowed the opportunity to grace the temple that is Madison Square Garden. Beginning in 2006, the Big Apple Classic serves as an open invitation to let the world see what the HBCU culture is about. The bands, the stepping, the live crowd audience, the passion of the alumni, the enthusiasm of the students—there is nothing like the HBCU brand.
At the Big Apple Classic, all the world’s a stage, and these four HBCUs are merely players—but instead of exits, HBCUs are making their entrance and maintaining their presence in the national spotlight.
Out of all places to do so, here at the Garden, where Willis Reed walked out of the locker room despite a severe thigh injury to give his Knicks the emotional charge that they needed to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals.
Like Willis Reed in that transcendent moment for New York Knicks basketball, HBCUs are amazingly resilient and indomitable, able to overcome any and all obstacles—accreditation issues, tragic student deaths, controversial administration and faculty decisions—on their way to a greater destiny.
Out of the shadows of predominantly white institutions HBCUs came, for as much as PWIs can lay claim that dozens of their schools play at the Garden annually, the ambiance, the intensity and the excitement of the Big Apple Classic is unparalleled and unrivaled.
The Big Apple Classic is about celebration much more than it is about the competition. Negro spirituals and Psalms were the alma mater for every HBCU in the heyday. If freedom was the master plan, than the HBCUs were the blueprint to that plan for those brave predecessors.
If Virginia Union and Hampton do or don’t win the championships in their respective conferences, on December 4th 2011, the Garden became Eden for those two proud HBCU teams as they hoisted the trophies and toasted to the fruit of their labor. Howard and Virginia State are far from ruled out of the championship race, but this cold December loss may serve as the most bitter of any loss that they face during the season. Everything is bigger in New York.
NEW YORK— Has the battle of the Real “HU” come to its conclusion? Never, but Hampton did add another notch under its belt with a 71-53 win over its rival, Howard University.
The crowd was electric as two of the “Black Ivy League” teams squared off at the historic Madison Square Garden in New York City. Hampton controlled the tempo for the majority of the game, going on a 24-2 run to seal the victory. This doesn’t settle the debate over “The Real HU” but it adds another chapter to this HBCU rivalry.
Chris Tolson has 8 of his game high 15 points in that 24-2 run. Both Danny Agbelese and Darrion Pellum recorded their first double double of the season, with 11 points and 10 rebounds for Agbelese and 13 points and 10 rebounds for Pellum. Agbelese also had 3 blocks on the night.
They couldn’t stop Howard from getting near, opening the second half with a 17-5 run to close the gap to 41-40 with 14 minutes left in the game. The Howard University Bison were led in scoring by 12 points from both Simuel Frazier and Mike Phillips.
Howard loses its first MEAC game of the year, and drops to 2-5 on the year. They play Delaware State next in Burr Gynasium. Hampton reaches .500 at 4-4 with the win, and 1-1 in the conference. Hampton will suit up to play Fordham University so they will stay in New York.
HBCU: Savannah State University
Classification: Senior
Major: Mass Communication, Public Relations & Advertisement
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
“I believe style is all about self-expression and how you want to present yourself to the world,” says Danehsia Ferguson. Our Stylish Buzz of the Week states that it’s safe to say that her style is “Effortlessly Glamorous.” She adores classic feminine pieces that accentuate her silhouette.
“For me this fall, it’s all about playing up muted shades,” said Ferguson.
Currently, the sophisticated fashionista inspiration is Kourtney Kardashian and Angela Simmons. Ferguson feels that these two ladies have a way of inexpensive pieces and making it look like a million bucks!
This season, Ferguson’s closet consists of blazers and coats from consignment shops such as the Goodwill & Plato’s Closet.
“It’s a great place to find a classic look while saving a pretty penny,” said Ferguson.
What sets Ferguson apart from any other “fashionistas” is that she is not a fan of quick & current trends. For her it’s all about playing up the basics (the pencil skirt, the dark wash jeans, and the little black dress).
Style is not the only thing Ferguson has to show for; she has the beauty along with the brains. She is a Student, blogger, event planner and journalist with dreams that stack higher than the New York skyline. Ferguson is constantly searching for balance between college and making her dreams into reality.
Her mission is to become a premiere urban journalist by age of 25. As of right now, she is a Public Relations major at the prestigious Savannah State University and an intern for Emmis Communications (HOT 97FM).
Ferguson lives by the motto; “Things may come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustle.” -Derek Blasberg.
NEW YORK— The battle of the Virginia HBCUs has been decided. Damion Harris scored 17 points, Wesley Simmons scored 13 points and pulled down a team high 9 rebounds as the Virginia Union University Panthers defeated the Virginia State University Trojans 67-54 at the Big Apple Classic in the historic Madison Square Garden.
The two CIAA rivals have been battling for HBCU supremacy since the conference was formed in 1912, and both teams put on an amazing performance in front of the live crowd in New York City.
Another battle that always sparks the audience attention is the one on the sidelines. The Virginia State Woo-Woos and the Virginia Union Rah Rahs are keeping the crowd hype and supporting their respective HBCUs with their high energy, loud chants and high stepping.
Virginia State University was led by Khalil Tate with 14 points and 5 rebounds. Kenny Mitchell followed up with a double double, notching 13 points and a game high 10 rebounds. Ibn-Shaeed Rassoul scored 12 points.
The Big Apple Classic served as the CIAA opener for both squads. Virginia Union improves to 5-3 on the season and now will play West Virginia Wesleyan College on Tuesday, December 6 in Buckhannon, West Virginia. Virginia State falls to 1-7 on the season and will go on to play Concord University on Athens, West Virginia.
Virginia Union Hangs On To Defeat CIAA Rival Virginia State 67-54
ATLANTA—Morehouse College junior Shawn Allen has been named SIAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week while Miles College senior Sammeika Thomas has been named SIAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after their strong performances this past week. Kentucky State University freshman Brandon Darrett has been named SIAC Men’s Basketball Newcomer of the Week while Kentucky State University junior Jasmine Davis has been named SIAC Women’s Basketball Newcomer of the Week.
Allen, a native of New Orleans, LA, averaged a double-double with 21.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest in three games this past week, including a career-high 27 points in a win against Stillman College. The 6-3, 185-pound guard also averaged over three steals and two assists for the Maroon Tigers. Allen leads Morehouse in scoring, rebounding, and steals while currently ranking in the top six of each category in the SIAC.
Thomas, who was named SIAC Player of the Year last season, averaged 15.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in three games for Miles College this past week. Defensively, the 6-1 forward from Birmingham, AL averaged two blocks and a steal while leading the Lady Bears to a pair of wins over the University of West Alabama.
Darrett, a native of Evansville, IN, averaged 10.5 points and seven rebounds for Kentucky State in two games. The 6-7, 190-pound forward was a force on defense, averaging one steal and 3.5 blocks for the week, including a career-high five blocks in a double overtime win against Claflin University.
Davis, a guard from Cincinnati, OH, averaged 19.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and two assists in two games. The 5-7 transfer from Southeast Missouri State University scored a career-high 25 points in the Thorobrettes’ 68-58 win over Claflin University.
For more information regarding Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference basketball, visit the men’s and women’s basketball pages at www.thesiac.com.
Yannick Crowder had 15 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals to lead Florida A&M over Allen University 94-65 on Monday night for its first win of the season.
