President Obama Fights for Education, Job Creation in State of the Union Address

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President Barack Obama during the State of the Union. (The Grio)

“I’m a Democrat but I believe in what Republican Abraham Lincoln believed…a government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves and more.”-President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union Address this past Tuesday. There were many speculations of what he was going to say. The hot button issue was the economy, job creation, and President Obama handled himself with poise and confidence.

President Obama’s stance was clear: Congress needs to get its act together for the betterment of the American people. He made many examples of how this economy could survive from the use of natural resources to creating jobs right here in America.

The most pressing issues for HBCUs in the State of the Union address was the emphasis on education. There were more than enough lines that could be recited, and many things targeted to those students receiving education. President Obama insisted that education must be enforced early in a child’s life. He mentioned how many teachers work non-stop for modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pockets for school supplies. President Obama wants to keep the hard working teachers on the job and reward them for their work, while replacing the teachers who aren’t helping kids learn.

President Obama continued to stress the importance of receiving education. He charged educational systems to require every student to stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18. If this was to happen, I wonder how much crime rates would go down?

Every student dealing with student loans cringes everytime they see Sallie Mae in their mailbox. President Obama wants to lower those high interest rates and give more young people a chance to earn their way through college by doubling work study opportunities. There are many students struggling in college where there is help needed right on their campus.

“Higher education shouldn’t be a luxary every family in America should be able to afford.”

Despite the rhetoric, there is doubt that anything the President says will actually come to light. After all, he must still deal with the Congress that has fought him every step of the way. “All Americans watching tonight have their different views,” said President Obama. “All Americans are thinking nothing in Washington will get done, because Washington is so broken, but do you blame them?

Can you really blame those who have doubt? Congress argues so much on who is right rather than what benefits the people.

So as the 2012 presidential elections are coming up and Obama’s first term comes to an end, what would you like to actually see happen? More jobs in America, lower interest rates on loans, or better teachers? Take all these points into consideration and register to vote.

Make your voice heard!

Kevin Powell to Speak about Barack Obama, Hip Hop & Leadership at Virginia Union University

Posted by Michael Livingston II
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Renowned activist and write Kevin Powell will be setting foot on the campus of Virginia Union University this Thursday, February 2 at 11:00 A.M. He will be speaking on the topic “Barack Obama, Hiphop, Leadership, and the American Dream” in the historic Coburn Hall.

The event is presented by Virginia Union’s Office of Counseling Services, Office of Student Activites, and the School of Humanities, as well as Men About Positive Purpose and the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

Kevin Powell is widely considered one of America’s leading political and cultural voices in these early years of the 21st century. An acclaimed community activist and award-winning writer, Powell was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, and is the product of a single mother-led household, extreme poverty, fatherlessness, and violence.

In spite of these harsh circumstances, Powell studied at Rutgers University in New Jersey and he has become one of the most prolific and respected writers and voices of his generation. He is the author or editor of 11 books, including his newest title, Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, and The Ghost of Dr. King: Blogs and Essays, a collection that examines American leadership, politics, and social issues like gender violence, immigration, and equality for all Americans.

Central State University Hosted Its Ninth Annual National Urban Education Conference.

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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Teachers and educators from across the United States and beyond received an opportunity to deepen their understanding of multicultural education on Wednesday, Jan. 18, when Central State University’s Institute of Urban Education held its ninth annual National Urban Education Conference.

The annual event began in 2003 and was envisioned as a conference that would address the issues facing students in large, urban areas. The event started off small, with the first conference only drawing 35 people. Attendance increased, however, attracting visitors from several states, including Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, California, Colorado, New York, Michigan and Illinois. As popularity and interest grew, the conference began to transcend national boundaries.

“We actually had a young gentleman from Belize come to the conference,” said Philip Coates, the program coordinator at the Institute of Urban Education. “That’s when we began joking about it being an international conference. But it is very much a national conference.”

According to Coates, 475 to 525 people attended this year’s conference. Entitled, “Multicultural Education: Becoming Culturally Relevant in the 21st Century,” this year’s event explored the challenges faced by educators who are trying to acquire a skill set that includes culture as an important tool. Cultural relevance, says Dr. Kaye Manson Jeter, the executive director of the Institute of Urban Education, requires that educators integrate the daily activities of the larger community into their lessons and the learning experience.

“Many times we want to find all sorts of reasons why a student doesn’t learn in our classes,” said Jeter. “But we need to look at ourselves. If something happens in the community, you have to take what happened and do something with it when you start to teach.”

Many attendees came to hear the keynote speaker, Ed Dunkelblau. A licensed clinical psychologist, Dunkelblau is past president of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor and a consultant for Fortune 500 companies on the applications of social-emotional intelligence in the work environment. While speaking with his audience, Dunkelblau emphasized the importance of good social and emotional skills. He explored various definitions of success, pointing out that none of the models of success can be achieved without the cultivation and development of social-emotional intelligence.

Global thinker and author David Livermore also took the stage at the conference, sharing ideas and concepts that appear in his new book, The Cultural Intelligence Difference. Livermore provided his audience with an understanding and definition of cultural intelligence, the ability to meaningfully and adequately instruct students from across a wide cultural spectrum. He helped attendees assess their cultural intelligence and provided practical ways of improving cultural intelligence.

Terry McMillan Will Visit Central State University for Annual Women’s Conference

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On the yard and around the community, people are Buzzing with excitement  over the news of author Terry McMillan to be featured in a Women’s Conference held on the campus of Central State University.

The Women’s Conference is “dedicated to providing a medium where women can become empowered and educated sharing experiences, uncovering inner strength, and engaging in a variety of learning experiences”.

The one-day event encourages women who have successfully created change to share their wisdom toward overcoming obstacles and achieving good fortune, creating avenues for other women in addition.

Notable author McMillan headlines the conference that begins at 8 a.m. with hopes of lasting throughout the day. Her critically acclaimed writings, such as Waiting to Exhale, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and her recent feat, Getting to Happy (the anticipated sequel to Waiting to Exhale) have led critics to praise McMillan as having “changed the publishing world forever.”

The women of Central State University, a Black institution celebrating 125 Years of Excellence, should attend this great occasion whose banner is: “Exhale, Experience, Excel: Living Like You Mean It!”

 

HBCU Buzz Artist Spotlight: The Innovators of Howard University

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Pacman & Ché of The Innovators

Tired of the same old brand of hip hop that you hear on your local campus? Hip hop has been long overdue for Innovators like rapper/producer/engineer Ronny Shaw (Pacman), rapper Ali Howard (Ché) and producer/videographer/manager Christian Jones of Howard University. The three sophomores have come together to make what the group has christened “innovative conscious” music.

The history of the Innovators begins at Lovett High School in Atlanta, Georgia where Ché and Pacman met. Being two of the few black students at the school, Ché and Pacman formed a bond through hip hop that led them to decide that they would attend the same university. It was at Howard University that they formed like Voltron, but all three are from Georgia—Christian Jones is from Decatur, Ché is from Atlanta, and Pacman is from Lithonia. Christian came into the fold when Ché posted a status on Facebook searching for a videographer.

“At Howard, everyone you meet here has a talent. You just have to talk to them,” said Jones.

The Innovators have made their own lane in the rap game, and their friendship and love for hip hop is genuine. The unity and creativity of the Innovators is evident in the group’s track, “Love. China. Japan. Dreams.” Pacman says about the track: “Ché’s lyrics go a certain way, and if you look at my words, I basically rhymed his verse backwards.” Pacman and Ché use their different interpretations of love to create this unique song structure that shows their dedication to their craft. “If you listen to my “Love. China. Japan. Dreams. verse, it’s talking about nature as a part of love”, says Ché.

“We wanted to get back to the art of hip hop,” says Pacman, who credits J Dilla and Myka 9 as big influences on him. “If you listen to what’s considered hip hop, it’s really just new age rap music that people mistake for hip hop. People who are doing hip hop love their craft, and they take pride in being students of the craft. Studying rhyme schemes, understanding the art of rhyming, actually taking time to focus and take time on it.”

“We create a lot of our songs in context,” says Ché. “We’re not just going to have this song that’s just focused on talking about chicks right now. You’re going to have to think if you want to get it, otherwise you just have good listening music.”

Che continued with the deeper meaning behind their music. “After listening to this, the listener’s subconscious is going to be loaded. If they keep listening to us, it might slowly change the way they think.”

When asked about the current state of hip hop, the Innovators explained that people are forgetting about the culture, and opting to just be rappers. “As much as it is an art, it’s a culture,” says Jones. “I feel like [hip hop] is in a good place because so many aspects of the culture are being represented. In terms of the art form, people are kind of forgetting about it.”

Check out “Love. China. Japan. Dreams.” and stay tuned for more from the Innovators. Follow them on Twitter: Pacman (@PacManAdv), Ché (@TheReal_Che) and Christian Jones (NoLansLand)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHKolUzckvA&w=610&h=340]

Alabama A&M students hold protest rally, seek more respect from administration

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HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — The president of the student government association at Alabama A&M University said at a protest rally Wednesday that the school has steadily deteriorated since he arrived as a freshman in 2008.Now a senior, Andrew Foster said he organized a student rally on the campus quad to give a voice to students who have been disregarded by the Alabama A&M administration.

“The morale, the spirit, it was up there,” Foster said of his freshman year. “And me, not knowing behind the scenes what was going on, it seemed everything was OK.

“But as the years progressed, it’s just steadily going down. We’re like at an all-time low. The morale, the spirit, it’s not there.”

Told of those comments, Alabama A&M President Dr. Andrew Hugine “was very taken aback,” according to Vice President Wendy Kobler.

Hugine — who was out of town Wednesday on school business — even met this week with Foster for a “very long conversation,” Kobler said. “Not one bit of this has been brought up (to Hugine).”

Citing an overall lack of respect from the administration, students sounded off on a variety of issues at the midday rally that drew about 150-200 students and lasted about 40 minutes. Among the popular complaints was the announcement of a campus dress code for students in the fall as well as a lack of student voice in student campus events, including graduation ceremonies.

Students even pointed to the 12 percent drop in enrollment for fall 2011 as evidence the administration is doing a poor job of listening to the concerns of students.

A series of students took turns speaking at the rally — straining to be heard because the bank of power outlets typically used for events on the quad was not operational for the rally.

Foster said he’s never known of a problem with having power on the quad for microphones and said the power was cut because of the rally. Foster said the outlets were working on Tuesday.

Kobler said she was checking into the problem with the power source.

Foster and other members of the SGA that spoke at the rally said the graduation ceremony had been moved from Louis Crews Stadium to Elmore Gym without input from students. The ceremony was also split into two ceremonies because of the lost seating capacity in the gym.

Kobler said there are no limits on friends and family who can attend graduation.

In a statement released by the school, moving the ceremonies from the stadium to the gym was a cost-saving measure because the gym has always been prepared for graduation in the event of inclement weather. Kobler said the venue change had been presented to the board of trustees, which includes an non-voting SGA representive.

At the rally, Candice Johnson, a senior class senator at-large, said she had been contacted by the administration to get student input on the graduation changes.

“But look what we had to do to get their attention,” Foster said. “It shouldn’t have taken all of this to get their attention.”

Kobler said she was unaware of any possible changes to the graduation plans.

On the dress code issue, Kobler said that while it will go into effect in the fall, the administration is still talking with faculty as well as students in crafting the details of the policy. Foster said he was expecting to serve on a committee to formulate the dress code but no committee had been formed before the school announced the dress code would be in place.

“The dress code is not bad at all,” Foster said. “It’s just that students did not have a voice on that dress code.”

Courtesy of AL.com

FAMU, Howard & Hampton Among Several HBCUs to Participate in Black College Fair

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The second annual Staten Island Black College Fair will be held Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. inside McKee High School, St. George. (Staten Island advance photo)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The second annual Staten Island Black College Fair will be held Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. inside McKee High School, St. George.

The free program invites parents and potential college students to visit the school where representatives from over 16 historically black colleges and universities have already signed up to participate, said Tammy Greer-Brown, chairwoman of the Education Committee of the NAACP, which is sponsoring the event.

Among the schools confirmed to participate so far are Hampton University, Howard University, Shaw University, Florida A&M University, and Morehouse College, with many more to come, said Ms. Greer-Brown.

The event will also include workshops on financial aid as well as volunteers who can help students fill out college applications on site.

This year’s sponsors are Richmond County Savings Foundation and the Staten Island Foundation. Local partners include: Leadership Through Sports, One Way Youth Ministry, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Staten Island Athletic Club, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and many otther churches, community-based organizations and volunteers.

The school is located at 290 St. Mark’s Pl.

Courtesy of SILive.

Alcorn State Prof. Accused Of Sexually Harassing by a former ASU Basketball Player

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Rudy Chestang, a former Alcorn State University (ASU) Braves basketball player, has filed a lawsuit against the university and Dr. Alvin T. Simpson, a psychology professor, for sexual harassment, according to WJTV.com.

SEE ALSO: Spike Lee: Hollywood Doesn’t Know About Black People

Chicago-native Chestang arrived in Lorman, Miss., in 2005, after accepting an athletic scholarship to what is affectionately known as the “reservation.”  Confident that he was finally on the road to providing financially for his family back in the Windy City, Chestang was living his “dream”:

I felt basketball was my way to the American dream to help my family, Chestang said. It was the grown-up brotherhood thing that I was looking for.

According to Chestang, the dream became a nightmare when a basketball game forced him to miss a psychology exam in 2008.  Enter, Dr. Simpson, a tenured professor at Alcorn State and adored by students for his unique and innovative approach to psychology and his willingness to serve as mentor to students in his program.

Chestang is now accusing Dr. Simpson of sexually propositioning him in exchange for the opportunity to retake the test.

If I wanted to take the test, I [could], but it had to be at his house, Chestang said.

According to the 6’8″ ball player, what he discovered when he went to Simpson’s house with a friend shocked him to his core: Read Full Story

Prairie View A&M basketball legend Greg Burks is giving back to Flint-area through assistant coaching

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Greg “Toine” Burksis usually even keel about most things in life.

He’s never been pompous and he doesn’t like to brag about his past accomplishments in basketball.

However, next month will be a memorable one for the 1998 Flint Northern graduate.

Burks will enter The Prairie View A&M Sports Hall of Fame on Feb. 4.

The ceremony will be held in Prairie View, Texas, at the Willie A. Tempton Memorial Student Ballroom beginning at 11 a.m.

The 30-year-old alumnus is eager to return to his college alma mater for such a prestigious award.

“It’s a tremendous honor, and it’s something that I didn’t set out to achieve when I got to college,” said Burks. “I just wanted to go there and play the game the right way and I just felt I always had something to prove as far as basketball was concerned.”

He will be enshrined alongside eight others in the hall’s 18th class. Burks starred for the Panthers from 1998-2003 in men’s basketball.

For his career, Burks averaged 17.1 points, 4.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 117 games. He was twice named to the First Team All-SWAC squad and he led his group to a conference title in 2003.

After college, Burks played professionally in Germany for seven seasons. In February 2011, he officially retired from the sport.

He is currently Flint Southwestern’s boys varsity basketball assistant coach. This is his first season serving in that role.

The Knights are 4-9 overall.

“He’s been truly instrumental in helping us both offensively and defensively, and also as far as practices, he makes sure the guys are here and where they’re supposed to be,” Southwestern head coach Nathaniel Perry said. “I think it’s very easy for him to garner the kids’ respect on this team, because I try to make sure they know about his accomplishments.”

Southwestern’s sophomore point guard Malik Young may be benefiting from Burks’ direction more than anyone else.

He takes full advantage of having a former professional basketball player — who played the same position — to learn from on a daily basis. Read Full Article

Missing Hampton Alumni, Stacey Nicole English found dead in Atlanta

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The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office said Wednesday that the body of a woman found under a tree in south Atlanta has been identified as Stacey Nicole English, the Atlanta bank employee reported missing last month.

English’s Volvo S260 was discovered, with the engine running, on Dec. 27 less than a mile away from the wooded area where two men searching for scrap metal located the body Monday. The 36-year-old SunTrust instructional designer was reported missing by family members on Dec. 31.

Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos said authorities received a 911 call about the discovery shortly before 3 p.m. Monday. The body was located off St. Johns Avenue near Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood “in an advanced state of decomposition,” Campos said.

English’s Volvo S260 was discovered, with the engine running, on Dec. 27 less than a mile away from the wooded area where two men searching for scrap metal located the body Monday. The 36-year-old SunTrust instructional designer was reported missing by family members on Dec. 31.

Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos said authorities received a 911 call about the discovery shortly before 3 p.m. Monday. The body was located off St. Johns Avenue near Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood “in an advanced state of decomposition,” Campos said.

English’s family was notified of the discovery.

Atlanta police, with the assistance of Georgia State Patrol dive teams, had conducted massive searches of the area around Lakewood Fairgrounds in recent weeks but turned up no sign of English.

Monday, Campos could not say if police had canvassed St. Johns Avenue on Jan. 6, when K-9 units and officers on horseback combed the area.

Robert Kirk, of St. Louis, was the last person known to have seen English. He told detectives the woman began “acting peculiar” the night of Dec. 26, asking him if he was Satan. She told him to leave her apartment and Kirk told police he did, checking into a hotel, according to the incident report.

Police said there is no evidence linking Kirk to English’s disappearance.

Investigators have said there also was nothing to indicate English met with foul play, though they acknowledged “suspicious circumstances” in her disappearance.

According to the incident report, English’s mother, Cindy Jamison, told investigators her daughter, a Fayette CountyHigh School graduate, had attempted suicide nearly three years ago and said she was taking an undisclosed medication. Read Full Story 

FAMU Men’s Track Team Claims Top Finishes at Gator Invitational

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As men’s track and field head coach Wayne Angel strode away from the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Sunday night, he described his team’s performance as a “huge breakthrough.”

Led by impressive performances across the board, Florida A&M secured one victory, 15 top-10 finishes and six Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Indoor Championship qualifiers during the Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Fla.

With the MEAC Indoor Championship right around the corner, according to Angel, the team display indicates that it has reached “conference shape” right on time.

“We had a huge breakthrough; I’m very proud of those guys,” Angel said after the meet. “The momentum was going. Those things that we knew we could do well, we did just that. We focused on the positive things, and now we’re rounding into conference shape.”

A major highlight for FAMU was the 4 x 400m relay. The team comprised of Derrick Morgan, Shelton Tarver, Charief Lewis and Elijah Owens, blazed to a first-place finish in a season-best time of 3:18.82 – edging Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival Bethune-Cookman, who finished closely in second place.

Tarver later leapt to third place in the long jump (22-05.25) and fifth-place in the triple jump (43-03.00).

All-MEAC runner Lamere Buchanan put together a solid performance, finishing third in the 800m run in a time of 1:54.82. Owolabi Deji (1:56.02) and McDaniel Olivier (1:59.03) followed closely, finishing sixth and 12th respectively.

Buchanan said the team’s balanced performance in Gainesville was a product of Angel’s regular workout strategies.

“I’m excited to see that the workouts coach put us through this week paid off,” Buchanan said. “It helps us all see that the workouts we do actually are benefitting us week by week. When MEAC comes, we’ll be able to perform at our best.”

Willie Johnson soared to second place in the high jump with a leap of 6-06.00, matching distances of five other competitors and qualifying for a championship berth. Read Full article at THE FAMUAN

Bowie State Bulldogs Move up to 19th Division II NABC Poll

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The Bowie State Bulldogs moved up two spots to # 19 in this week’s Division II NABC (Coaches) poll.  The poll records reflect games played through January 21st.  COMPLETE POLL

Last week, the Bulldogs defeated Johnson C. Smith and Chowan to improve their record to 13-3.  Bowie State also beat Elizabeth City State on Monday (January 23rd), but this game did not factor into the latest poll.

The Bulldogs return to the hardwood on Saturday (January 28th) for a much anticipated rematch against Lincoln University of Pennsylvania in the Lions home court.

SC State Drops 14th In A Row, Lose To Hampton

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The Pirates of Hampton University snapped a four-game losing streak with a 78-66 win over South Carolina State Tuesday night at the HU Convocation Center behind an explosive night on the boards.

Hampton (7-13, 3-4 MEAC) finished the game with a season-high 55 rebounds.

The Pirates were led by sophomore center David Bruce (Linden, N.J.), who recorded his fifth double-double of the season with a team-high 19 points and 12 rebounds, but Bruce was not the only Pirate crashing the boards Tuesday night. Senior forward Danny Agbelese (Lanham, Md.) also recorded a double-double with a career-high 13 points and a career-high-tying 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.

Hampton's Darrion Pellum shoots over a host of South Carolina State defenders in the first half of Tuesday's game. (Kaitlin McKeown, Daily Press)

The game was a back-and-forth affair in the first half, with the largest lead being five, which both teams held at one point.

The Pirates went up by four, with the score 8-4 following a layup by senior guard Mike Tuitt (Bronx, N.Y.) at the 18:06 mark, but the Bulldogs tied the game back up at 8-8 following two good buckets from Brandon Riley.

Hampton went on a 9-0 run that started when Agbelese made a jumper at the 8:41 mark to cut South Carolina State’s lead to 23-21. The Bulldogs stopped the run when Joe Ikhinmwin drained a 3-pointer at the 6:10 mark to pull SCSU back within two of the lead, 28-26.

Ikhinmwin’s shot stated a 13-3 run for the Bulldogs, giving them a 36-31 lead. Senior guardChristopher Tolson (Laurel, Md.) hit four free throws for the Pirates, but it was not enough, as Ikhinmwin drained another 3-pointer to give the Bulldogs a 40-35 advantage heading into the half.

Khalif Toombs made the first shot of the second half to put the Bulldogs up by eight points, but the Pirates went on a 10-2 run started by Bruce, which pulled Hampton within one point, 45-44, with 13:33 left to play.

Hampton later went on an 11-0 run to take an eight-point lead, 55-47, with 9:21 left to play, and the Pirates never looked back. Hampton led by as many as 15 points at one point, with the Bulldogs getting as close as three points on one occasion, but the Pirates went on a 13-0 run started by a deep 3-pointer by Tolson at the 6:55 mark.
 Read Full Article 

First Female, African-American CEO of Sam’s Club Retail Chain – Spelman’s Rosalind Brewer

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REUTERS – Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) on Friday named Rosalind Brewer president and chief executive of its Sam’s Club warehouse retail chain, marking the first time that the world’s largest retailer will have a woman and an African-American leading one of its three business units.

Brewer, 49, will replace Brian Cornell on February 1 at the start of the company’s fiscal year, Wal-Mart said. She most recently ran Walmart U.S. operations on the East Coast.

Cornell, 52, recently told Bentonville, Arkansas-based Wal-Mart that he and his wife want to move back to the Northeast to be closer to their children.

Wal-Mart also promoted two other women on Friday, naming Gisel Ruiz to the role of Walmart U.S. chief operating officer and Karenann Terrell as chief information officer.

The appointments come after Wal-Mart last year won a historic U.S. Supreme Court decision when the court rejected a nationwide class-action lawsuit brought by women who alleged that they were denied raises and promotions because of their gender. Some are regrouping to file smaller lawsuits.

Cornell’s departure is not the first time that a Sam’s Club CEO has left Wal-Mart and its small-town Arkansas way of life.

Kevin Turner started his Wal-Mart career working as an hourly store employee in 1986. He moved up the ranks and ran Sam’s Club from 2002 until 2005, when he left to become Microsoft Corp’s (MSFT.O) chief operating officer.

“Wal-Mart has the ongoing challenge of maintaining talent because their best people are very desirable to places where they can make a lot more money,” said Consumer Edge analyst Faye Landes.

Cornell, in a statement, said that he felt at home at Wal-Mart, but that after 30 years of moving around it was time to put his family first.

“My wife and I want to put down roots in the Northeast and live in the same ZIP code as our children – not just occasionally seeing them in hotels and restaurants,” he said.

Shares of Wal-Mart were up 0.5 percent at $60.93 on Friday afternoon after hitting $61.25, their highest level since 2008.

SAM’S CLUB IS A SMALLER BUSINESS

As president and CEO of Sam’s Club since April 2009, Cornell led growth at the chain including the launch of new private-label goods and using analytics to learn more about shoppers, an effort Wal-Mart is now expanding throughout the entire company.

“He was a very strong contributor,” said Landes, who said that Brewer comes across as “extremely capable and charismatic.”

Sam’s Club, with 610 stores and $49.46 billion in fiscal 2011 sales, is a smaller business than the Walmart division Brewer previously ran. It trails warehouse club leader Costco Wholesale Corp (COST.O), which has roughly 600 stores and $88.9 billion in fiscal 2011 revenue.

In her most recent role, president of the Walmart U.S. East business unit, Brewer was responsible for more than $100 billion in annual revenue, representing almost 1,600 stores and more than 500,000 employees.

Sales at Sam’s Club stores open for a year or more rose 9 percent in the third quarter, including sales of gasoline. At Costco, such sales rose 10 percent in the latest quarter. The growth at both warehouse chains eclipsed a 1.3 percent rise in same-stores at Walmart U.S., which came after nine straight quarterly declines.

Brewer joined Wal-Mart in 2006 as a regional vice president after spending years at Kimberly-Clark Corp (KMB.N). She was selected as one of the most powerful women in business by Fortune magazine in 2010 and 2011 and sits on the board of Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N). She was also the first chair of the Walmart President’s Council of Global Women Leaders.

Walmart U.S., the retailer’s largest division in terms of sales, is run by Bill Simon, who also joined the company in 2006. Walmart International, the second-largest division, is led by Doug McMillon, who previously served as CEO of Sam’s Club.

Wal-Mart also promoted Rollin Ford to chief administrative officer, overseeing areas including information systems and sourcing. He was most recently chief information officer, and will continue to report to President and CEO Mike Duke.

Read Full article 

Hampton University Contests Educational Injustice at National School Choice Week

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Hampton University is hosting a town hall meeting today regarding school choice, fighting “educational injustice”.

Michelle Bernard will be moderating the affair. Bernard is a HU Board of Trustees member, and an MSNBC political analyst who advocates practice of alternative schools for public K-12 education. The Bernard Center for Women, Politics and Public Policy, founded by Bernard, is sponsoring the event.

Speakers such as Darnell Bradford, the executive director of the New Jersey-based organization “Better Education for Kids”, and Stephen A. Smith, an ESPN host and commentator, are scheduled to appear. The presenters of the event will emphasize supporting more educational opportunities for children.

Alternative education, such as charter schools, has benefits that supporters believe will provide better educational options for children, and more opportunities for education that is child-centered.

Parents, teachers, community groups and educational entrepreneurs are all supporters of this effort, and are encouraging construction of alternative educational opportunities that is thought to provide new and better services to students.

President Barack Obama, as well as past Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, also takes a special interest in the many benefits of alternative education.

“In communities across our country, successful public charter schools help put children on the path to academic excellence by harnessing the power of new ideas, ground breaking strategies, and the collective involvement of students, parents, teachers, and administrators,” President Obama said in a Presidential Proclamation concerning charter schools. “In order to win the global competition for new jobs and industries, we must win the global competition to educate our children. At their best, charter schools provide us with an opportunity to meet this challenge and produce the next generation of great American leaders.”

Hampton University, a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, is continuing their efforts to safeguard all children with a bright future. HU made an attempt in the early 2000s to establish the HU Charter School for Math, Science and Technology until efforts succumbed late in the process once the Hampton School Board revoked a charter that would have allowed the school to open.

The event takes place in the Hampton University student center ballroom at 6 p.m. promptly. All are welcomed.