US Rep. Frederica Wilson Proposes Anti-Hazing Bill

U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson says she plans to introduce a federal anti-hazing bill as soon as Congress returns from its holiday break next month.
The Miami Democrat says her proposal is designed to ensure no one endures a beating like one leading to the death of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion last month. She announced her plans Tuesday.
Police say Champion was punched and paddled in a hazing ritual during the school’s Marching 100 band trip to the annual Florida Classic in Orlando.
Wilson says hazing is demeaning, dangerous and deadly and needs to be stopped.
The Marching 100 has been suspended from future activities and its director placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation into Champion’s death.

Read more: Fox

Effortless Style :: The White T-Shirt [Fashion Staple]

Throughout history, the white t-shirt has served its role well as the ultimate fashion staple. Whether it’s worn alone or under another piece of clothing, it continues to make its own style statement time and again. Celebrities have been sporting plain white T-shirts from the sidewalks to the red carpet lately, and we’re loving the clean, simple look. The plain white T-shirt is a genius solution for all of those bottoms you have no idea what to wear with, and that would otherwise be collecting dust in the back of your closet.

 

Kanye West never turns down a chance to show off his fashion skills. But while all the other male attendees dolled up in chic suits, Kanye opted for an uber casual look. Rather than black tie, the rapper chose a white blazer over a tee, baggy jeans and printed loafers.

Peep more celebs rocking their Classic White T-Shirt Trends below!!

Perception vs. Reality: Achieving Your Dreams

Lady Gaga has be one of the craziest (if not the craziest) people of our time, but you’re only looked upon as “crazy” to those who do not see the message that you are trying to convey. This is because our society is blinded by what we are taught, and we are taught that being “crazy”, someone like her, is far less than normal.

I am not sure about you, but I would  like to looked upon as absolutely crazy rather to be at an absolute standstill as a simple-minded person. We are taught (indirectly) to believe that we are limited to only becoming certain things in our lives and as a result, our hopes and dreams are rarely pursued accordingly.

Let us say that your skin color is black, you might think, and generally believe, that you cannot be successful, become a CEO, and if there is even a thought of being the President of the United States of America, you opt out for better day job. But why? Why cannot we chase our dreams? I find it quite sad that our society can quickly and easily differ our hopes and dreams just by painting a picture of everything that we cannot be.

Never mind those who attempt to alter your goals and aspirations. If you want to be something in this world then for God’s sake, do it! No one, not the government, not our society, neither friend, family or foe should have the ability to tell you otherwise.

Lady Gaga once said, “Walk down the street like you are a star. Walk around delusional about how great you can be, and then turn around to fight for it every day until that lie becomes the truth.” That is what an abnormal woman encourage us all to do. So starting today, I challenge you to make a serious effort to not let anyone still your shine, your happiness, or appreciation for life.

Have faith that you can become whatever you desire to be, since there is nothing stopping you but your own fears. Ignore anyone who tries to alter your journey, and hit them where it hurts, and that is by being successful.

Best of Luck.

JSU alumni help Grace Christian students

The Jackson State University National Alumni Association Inc.-Hattiesburg Chapter helped spread Christmas cheer by donating school supplies to Tekeica Terrell’s third-grade class at Grace Christian Elementary School in Hattiesburg.

Donated items – transported in a big, blue and white box – included loose-leaf paper, three- and four-ring spiral notebooks, journal writing tablets, good behavior stickers, glue sticks, pencils, pencil pouches, pencil sharpeners and other items.

Students were excited to receive the unexpected gifts, which will help them achieve educational success.

The chapter will honor the class’s Honor Roll students yearly.

In addition to giving scholarships and book awards, this is another project the Hattiesburg Alumni Chapter does to bring awareness to the university, support public school systems and make a difference in the lives of children, according to President Dorothy Lucas. Read Full article at JSU

Despite tuition hike, ECSU still best UNC bargain

Even with an 8.4 percent increase in tuition and fees, an education at Elizabeth City State University will remain the best bargain in the 16-campus University of North Carolina System.

According to UNC data, the average ECSU student who paid $3,829 in tuition and fees this year will pay — if the proposed increases are approved by both ECSU trustees and the UNC Board of Governors — $4,150 in 2012-13.

That’s still $244 less, however, than what a student at Fayetteville State University would pay in tuition and fees next year, and $636 less than what a student at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke would pay next year. It’s also $1,655 less than the statewide average of $5,805.

Read Full Article at The Daily Advance

Former Langston University president Ernest L. Holloway Dies

Ernest L. Holloway, who served longer than any other president of Langston University, died Saturday. He was 81. Holloway was being treated for stomach cancer in Texas, said Currie Ballard, former university historian in residence.
Holloway, who became the university’s 14th president in 1979, spent more than 40 years at the school in a variety of positions.
He served as the school’s registrar, a professor, vice president of administration and dean of student affairs.
Holloway also was a student at Langston.
Holloway was inducted into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in 1999.
The university had five presidents in less than 10 years before Holloway became president, and during that time there was talk of closing the school.
Holloway brought stability to Langston, which was created in 1897 as the Colored Agricultural and Normal University. “If he had stumbled as president of Langston, there wouldn’t be Langston as we know it,” Ballard said. “He’s the only person I’ve ever known in a high position of authority to have an open-door policy. If you were an alumnus, he had the same policy at his home.”

Read more: New0k.com

Hampton University Burger King closes after lease expires

The king is no longer serving burgers near campus.

A Burger King that has long served Hampton University students and the surrounding community closed in recent days. Signs posted on the front doors and order window indicate a 20-year lease between the restaurant’s owner and the college will expire Dec. 31.
Workers shuttling equipment out of the building’s back door Friday morning contacted the owner, who would not comment about the establishment’s fate. The restaurant was attached to the Willie O. Lawton College of Continuing Education building along Settlers Landing Road.

A message left on college spokeswoman Yuri Rodgers Milligan’s cell phone Friday afternoon was not returned.

The Burger King is added to a list of Hampton eateries both commercial and privately-owned that have shuttered their doors in the city in recent months. That list includes:

•The Oasis on Kecoughtan Road, which was family owned since the 1950s.

•Saddle Ridge in the Power Plant, which closed this month owing the city about $70,000 in taxes.

•JoJack’s Espresso Bar & Café, which closed in November in Peninsula Town Center.

•A 7-Eleven along North Mallory Street in Buckroe closed this month, although it will be replaced by an independent convenience store.

Despite the Burger King closure, HU students still have nearby fast-food options. A Chinese restaurant and college-run café are located within walking distance, and more than a dozen restaurants and eateries are in both Phoebus and downtown Hampton.

Article Referenced from Hampton

Video – KSU student who set dorm room on fire won’t leave jail early

A former Kentucky State University student who set a dorm room on fire will not get out of jail early.

Prosecutors say 19-year-old Juanisha Feliciano was denied an early release after serving half of her 180-day sentence.  She was sentenced as part of a plea agreement for starting a fire in Chandler Hall because she was mad at another girl.

She’s expected to be released from jail in March and has been accepted to nursing school.  That’s why her attorney had asked for shock probation, but the judge noted that other people’s lives were at stake when the fire was set.  That fire sent one student to the hospital.

 Referenced from WBRB

MVSU president’s hotel bill: $85,800

Mississippi Valley State University has paid $85,800 so far for school president Donna Oliver to live in a loft apartment in Greenwood.Oliver was hired three years ago and continues to live in the temporary quarters nearly three years later. The official president’s residence on the Itta Bena campus has dry rot, a corroding kitchen floor and other problems that make it unlivable.Valley State will pay $2,600 per month through July 2012 for the off-campus housing.

The Legislature provided $900,000 in 2009 to build a new home.Tommy Verdell, MVSU’s facilities director, told the Greenwood Commonwealth ( http://bit.ly/s5uzFx) that construction bids came in too high and the school is considering whether to rebid.The original plan was for Oliver to live at the Alluivan, a boutique hotel in Greenwood.Zachary Faison, Valley’s chief of staff and executive assistant to the president, said Oliver’s two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is not in the Alluvian. He said it is located across the street. The lease is with the Viking Hospitality Group, an arm of appliance maker Viking Range Corp., which owns the Alluvian.The lease is for $2,600 per month, which equals $31,200 a year.Faison said Oliver is not living in the apartment of her own volition.”The president wants to get in a home,” he said.Oliver has lived in the apartment since she became Valley’s sixth president in January 2009. She was supposed to move into a home in March 2009, but the deal with owner Steve LaVere fell through.The homes of Mississippi’s public university presidents are intended for hosting visitors, receptions and other official functions. Expenses for operating them are paid by the university and not considered part of the president’s salary package. Copyright 2011 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Information from: The Greenwood Commonwealth, http://www.gwcommonwealth.com

Coleman leads B-CU past Texas A&M – Corpus Christi

Adrien Coleman scored 16 points and also grabbed 9 rebounds. (www.b-cuathletics.com)Las Vegas – Adrian Coleman had 16 points and nine rebounds to lead Bethune-Cookman past Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 61-52 on Thursday in the Las Vegas Classic.

Also for the Wildcats (4-9), Anthony Breeze and Kevin Dukes each had nine points. Bethune-Cookman ended a four-game losing streak.

Chris Hawkins-Mast led the Islanders (1-9) with 15 points and eight rebounds. James King added 10 points as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi lost its seventh straight.

After the Islanders led for most of the first half, Bethune-Cookman went on an 18-4 run starting late in the half and continuing after intermission.

Read more at B-CUathletics.com

Andrews & Thompson Leads Howard to Win Over Delaware in OT

Glen Andrews scored a career high 28 points for the Bison (www.howard-bison.com)Washington, DC –  Glenn Andrews and Calvin Thompson combined for 13 points in overtime to help Howard University defeat the University of Delaware, 88-83 in a non-conference men’s game at Burr Gymnasium.  The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Bison while the Blue Hens had their two-game win streak end.

Andrews, who poured in a career-high 28 points, nailed a three pointer with 13 seconds to tie the game at 70 in regulation to send the game into an extra frame.

After Josh Brinkley converted one of two free throws to give the Blue Hens a 71-70 advantage, Thompson and Andrews took over, reeling off a 9-2 run to take a 79-73 lead at the 2:35 mark.  Delaware (5-5) countered with a run of its own and tied the game at 79 with 1:30 on the clock.

From there, the Bison closed out the game by hitting on 8 of 9 free throws to seal the victory.  The Blue Hens efforts were rebuffed with some good team defense down the stretch.

It was a game of runs by both teams as each took the other’s best shots.  First Delaware got the advantage, 27-16 on the scoring of Jarvis Threatt and Devon Sandler, who teamed for 16 of their team’s first half points.

Read more at Howard-Bison.com.

NCCU Eagles Finish Off Prairie View Panthers for Second Straight Win

Senior Dominique Sutton leads NCCU to a 2-1 finish at the 2011 Global Sports Hoops Showcase. (MEAC Media Relations)

Eugene, Ore. – In a contest that saw eight ties and 13 lead changes, a late second half run was all the Eagles of North Carolina Central needed to finish off the Panthers of Prairie View A&M 69-58 to end the 2011 Global Sports Hoops Showcase with a 2-1 record, giving the maroon and gray momentum heading into the holiday break.

Judging by the first 20 minutes of action it looked as if the first meeting between these two squads would go down to the wire with neither team holding a lead larger than six.  In fact, there were seven ties and nine lead changes, but the swarming Eagle defense recorded four steals and forced 10 turnovers, which NCCU turned into 12 points in favor of the maroon and gray.

With 8:09 left in the first half and the game knotted up at 23, the Eagles made their best move going on a 6-0 earning their largest lead of the half at 29-23.  The momentum of that rally was short-lived when the Panthers answered back with an 8-2 spurt to tie the game at 31 with 15 second left following a three-pointer by guard Tim Meadows.

NCCU took the lead at the half when junior Ray Willis was fouled in the act of shooting with 0.1 seconds left giving the Eagles a 33-31 lead.

Read more at NCCUEaglePride.com.

FAMU Lyceum Series to Present Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble

Tallahassee, Fla. — The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Lyceum Series is proud to present the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble (DTHE), Friday, January 27, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. in Lee Hall Auditorium.

Tickets are now available through ticketmaster.com and the FAMU box office located in the Alfred Lawson Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium for $20, $15 and $10, depending on the location of the seats.

The Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) is a leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim. The organization boasts a touring professional ensemble, a community and pre-professional school for young dancers, and an arts-education program that serves the Harlem community and beyond. The Ensemble, which was formed in the summer of 2008 to carry the social and artistic legacy of Dance Theatre of Harlem to communities that had been previously deprived of the company due to geographic or financial obstacles, was conceived as an extension of DTH’s celebrated Dancing through the Barriers.

The Ensemble has a mission of education through the arts as well as artistic excellence consisting of 12 dancers, a ballet master/director, a concert grade pianist, a touring administrative and technical staff.  Since January 2009, the DTH Ensemble has toured in 43 cities and 24 states including the District of Columbia, while servicing a national community of dance lovers and DTH supporters. After June 2012, Dance Theatre of Harlem will concentrate exclusively on the rebirth of its 18-member Company.

One of the benchmarks of the school became the “Open House Series,” which opens the doors of Dance Theatre of Harlem to showcase the activities of the Ensemble, students from the school as well as guest artists from all disciplines. These informal studio performances are a community concert series that continues today, offering quality entertainment at nominal ticket prices to families living in Harlem and the New York Metropolitan area.

At home or abroad, Dance Theatre of Harlem Company has been met with sold-out performances and accolades. After successfully returning to the UK in 2002 and 2004, Dance Theatre of Harlem celebrated its 35th Anniversary with an extensive U.S. tour, followed by performances in Greece prior to the opening of the 2004 summer Olympics.

In February 2009, Dance Theatre of Harlem celebrated its 40th Anniversary.  In 2009, Virginia Johnson was named Artistic Director with Arthur Mitchell becoming Artistic Director Emeritus.

For more information or for tickets, visit www.FAMU.edu/Lyceum.

Howard’s Greg Mchee Wins The First Boxtorow Rookie of the Year Award

Greg McGhee wins the Boxtorow Rookie of the Year Award (www.howard-bison.com)

The Boxtorow National HBCU Football Annual Awards were announced at the HBCU All-Star Gala Banquet held at the Westin Peachtree Hotel in downtown Atlanta on December 16.

For the first time Boxtorow awarded a Rookie of the Year award, as Howard quarterback Greg McGhee was recognized. The freshman from Pittsburgh, Pa. was voted the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year. He was third in the MEAC in total offense (197.5) and completed 182-of-321 passes for 1,784 yards with 13 touchdowns. He started all 11 games and also rushed for 388 yards and four rushing touchdowns. McGhee’s teammate and leading wide receiver Willie Carter accepted the award on McGhee’s behalf.

Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Washington Redskins star Darrell Green was part of the awards ceremony. Green and Florida A&M head football coach Joe Taylor were the keynote speakers.

For more on the Boxtorow National HBCU Football Awards, visit The AFRO.

Sanders, Agbasi, Power UMES To Road Victory Over Old Dominion 63-59

UMES's Chelsea Sanders tied a career high with 22 points (MEAC Media Relations)

Norfolk, VA. – Junior forward Chelsea Sanders tied a career-high with 22 points and four assists as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore took down Old Dominion University with a 63-59 victory on Wednesday afternoon at Ted Constant Convention Center, one of the toughest places to play in women’s basketball.

The game proved to be a career-high effort for several Lady Hawks, who used a resilient 2-3 defense to limit the Monarchs to a 3-for-22 performance from three-point range in the first ever meeting between the two programs.

The Lady Hawks defeated the Lady Monarchs in Norfolk, where Old Dominion has nearly an 84% winning percentage in its history.

Sanders and Agbasi led the charge for the women but it was the fantastic play off the bench by Braxton and freshman guard Jessica Long that made the difference. The pair handled the point guard position well, where they directed the offense and overcame strong play by the Monarch front court.

Along with her 22 points and four assists, Sanders had six rebounds and a pair of steals. Agbasi and Braxton each collected career-highs in points with 19 and eight, respectively, with Agbasi shooting 9-11 from the field.

For complete story visit www.umeshawks.com.

Morgan State Bears Win Convincingly Over Loyola Marymount Lions, 69-45

Desean Jackson led the MSU Bears with 14 points and 8 rebounds. (MSU Sports Information)

BALTIMORE – Four Bears scored in double figures and Morgan State hit 47.4 percent from the field to pull away from Loyola Marymount, 69-45 at Hill Field House.

Junior DeWayne Jackson led MSU with a game-high 14 points and eight rebounds, while Larry Bastfield finished with 13 points, and Kevin Thompson and Ameer Ali posted 12 and 10 points respectively.

Morgan State shot a blistering 54.2 percent (13-24) in the second half and converted 6 of 19 three-pointers, while LMU misfired on 18 of 51 attempts (35.3 percent) and shot 15 percent (3-19) from behind the arc against the Bears zone defense.

Senior forward Ameer Ali went over 400 rebounds in his career… he currently has 403.

For complete story visit www.morganstatebears.com.