Showing posts with label Morehouse College. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Morehouse College. Show all posts

Sunday, November 13, 2022

Dr. Jonathan Lee Walton Appointed the Eighth President of the Princeton Theological Seminary

Jonathan Lee Walton, has been named the eighth president of the Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey. He will begin his new duties on January 1.

“Theological education is at an inflection point,” says Dr. Walton. “The church is changing. Society is changing. So we need clear-minded, faith-informed professionals who can speak hope, equity, and healing in all fields of human endeavor.”

Princeton Theological Seminary enrolls just over 330 students, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans are 11 percent of the student body.

Dr. Walton has been serving as dean of the School of Divinity at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He also holds the Presidential Chair of Religion and Society at the divinity school and is dean of Wait Chapel on campus. Before coming to Wake Forest in 2020, Dr. Walton was the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey Minister in the University’s Memorial Church at Harvard University.

Dr. Walton is trained as a social ethicist whose scholarship focuses on the intersection of evangelical Christianity, mass media, and political culture. He is the author of two books: Watch This! The Ethics and Aesthetics of Black Televangelism (New York University Press, 2009) and A Lens of Love: Reading the Bible in Its World for Our World (Westminster John Knox Press, 2018).

Professor Walton earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morehouse College in Atlanta. He holds a master of divinity degree and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary.

“This feels like a glorious homecoming showered with grace. For over two decades, Princeton Seminary and the precious people that I’ve been blessed to know have enriched my intellectual and spiritual life,” said Dr. Walton.

Friday, May 28, 2021

Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand Announce Million Dollar Gift to Morehouse College

Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand today announced a one-million-dollar donation to Morehouse College as a part of their Black Community Commitment. The gift will help fund scholarships, technology, and educational programming for students studying journalism and sports-related areas of study. The Black Community Commitment is an initiative by Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand to directly impact the fight against systemic racism by focusing on social justice, economic justice, and race education and awareness. Morehouse joins the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Ida B. Wells Society in receiving gifts because of their roles “at the forefront of cultivating the Black experience to the wider public.”

“Education is crucial for understanding the Black experience today,” said Michael Jordan. “We want to help people understand the truth of our past, and help tell the stories that will shape our future.”

“There’s going to be a rich legacy of storytellers who will be supported by these programs,” added Morehouse alumnus Spike Lee ’79, an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, and sports enthusiast. “Many people are influenced to think a certain way about Black folks based on what they see on television and in Hollywood. We’ve got to tell our story.”

Morehouse is the only historically Black college or university dedicated to educating and empowering Black men. For fifteen years, Morehouse’s Journalism and Sports Program has addressed a distinct need—the lack of Black leadership in sports journalism and athletics. Launched through Spike Lee’s philanthropic efforts and led by award-winning journalist Ron Thomas, the program has educated and professionally developed more than 600 students from Morehouse and the Atlanta University Center, producing more than 80 graduates who now work in media and sports and almost 40 graduates who have earned master’s degrees in those fields.

“Morehouse is grateful to Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand for an investment in the education of talented men of color who will ensure there is equity, balance, and truth in the way sports stories are framed and the way the Black experience is contextualized within American history,” said Monique Dozier, vice president for institutional advancement at Morehouse.

The Black Community Commitment from Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand is driven by a belief that real change is possible only with a more complete understanding of how structural racism has impacted American history. The grant to Morehouse was made to support programs that help shape the narrative of the Black experience in media and popular culture.

“Our grantees’ critical work includes education about Black history, improving the way Black stories are told, expanding sports journalism education and opportunity for students at HBCUs, and promoting leadership development among journalists and storytellers,” noted the announcement from Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand.

Sunday, May 02, 2021

Morehouse College debate team pulls out of tournament after racist actions from opposing team

The Morehouse College debate team pulled out of the national tournament after a white college team was caught on camera making racist gestures and comments while Morehouse debaters were speaking.

Monday, July 20, 2020

Morehouse College to move to all-virtual classes for fall semester

Morehouse College President David A. Thomas announced Monday that students will continue learning remotely this fall, due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in Georgia and other states that many men of Morehouse call home. College officials have made no decision about re-opening the campus to students for the Spring 2021 Semester.

Watch his announcement below:

Tuesday, October 08, 2019

Oprah Winfrey donates $13 million to Morehouse College

Philanthropist Oprah Winfrey visited Morehouse College Monday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program and made a surprise announcement. She donated $13 million to continue the scholarship fund, pushing her total investment to $25 million, which is the largest endowment in the College’s history.

Winfrey made the surprise announcement Monday afternoon, on a day in which she met with 47 Oprah Winfrey Scholars that she welcomed as “sons.” She also attended a special luncheon with Morehouse College faculty and staff, the Board of Trustees, and other dignitaries. An oil portrait was unveiled to honor the philanthropist for her generous support of Morehouse over the years.

Winfrey said she was thrilled that the gift that launched the Oprah Winfrey Endowed Scholarship 30 years ago has touched so many lives. Winfrey said she was especially impressed with the current Oprah Scholars that she met Monday. She pledged to continue to fund the program so it could support the education of future men of Morehouse.

Winfrey said she gave to Morehouse College in 1989 because she believes that the College has a “moral core” and mission to develop servant leaders focused on excellence—something that is similar to the teachings she learned as a child.

“I felt that the very first time I came here,” Winfrey said. “The money was an offering to support that in these young men. I understand that African American men are an endangered species. They are so misunderstood. They are so marginalized.

“Where and when I can lend support to try to change that image, I do,” she stated. “That is what Morehouse is doing. It is saying ‘This is who we really are.’”

Over the last 30 years, the scholarship program has funded the education of almost 600 scholars, giving them opportunities for global experiences that would open their classrooms to the four corners of the world, said Morehouse President David A. Thomas.

An impressive number of Morehouse Men have benefitted from Winfrey’s $12 million initial investment in the program since 1989. Among them are: Mayor Randall Woodfin, a member of the Morehouse Class of 2003, who, at age 36, was elected in 2017 as the youngest mayor of Birmingham; and Oluwabusayo “Tope’” Folarin, a 2004 alumnus who graduated from Morehouse with a perfect 4.0 grade point average became Morehouse’s third Rhodes Scholar, and is now an award-winning writer.

“I’m grateful to Oprah Winfrey for her generosity,” said President Thomas, who referred to the philanthropist as “Dr. Winfrey,” throughout the day. (Morehouse was one of the first colleges to honor Winfrey with a doctorate.)

“I am also feeling hopeful for Morehouse and what it has garnered in terms of philanthropic support with gifts like Oprah’s and Robert Smith’s. I am hopeful that this will also get others to step up with their support of Morehouse, but even more broadly, historically black colleges and universities.”

Nathan Rolle, a senior Oprah Scholar who is majoring in International Studies and minoring in Journalism, said it was an honor to meet the philanthropist who funded his scholarship.

“Getting to meet Ms. Winfrey for the first time in my life, taking an individual photo with her — not a lot of people in the world can say that,” he said. “I’ve looked up to Mrs. Winfrey my entire life. This day is the highlight of my Morehouse experience.”

More than 500 people attended Monday’s tribute to Winfrey at Morehouse College. Special invited guests on campus to hear Winfrey speak included: Ambassador Andrew Young; President Emeritus of Morehouse College Robert Franklin ’75; the Honorable Mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms; the Honorable Mayor of Birmingham Randall Woodfin ’03; the Atlanta University Consortium Leadership; civil rights activist Joseph Lowery; Councilman Cleta Winslow; and technology entrepreneur and investor Paul Judge ’99.

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Morehouse commencement speaker to pay off Class of 2019’s student loans

Robert F. Smith
Billionaire Robert F. Smith, who received an honorary doctorate at Morehouse College’s Sunday morning graduation exercises, had already announced a $1.5 million gift to the school.

But during his remarks in front of the nearly 400 graduating seniors, the technology investor and philanthropist surprised some by announcing that his family was providing a grant to eliminate the student debt of the entire Class of 2019.

“This is my class,” he said, “and I know my class will pay this forward.”The announcement came as a surprise to Smith’s staff and to the staff at Morehouse, and elicited the biggest cheers of the morning.

The gift has been estimated to be worth up to $40 million.
Aileen Dodd, spokesperson for Morehouse College, said the gift is the biggest single gift in the school’s history.

Read the full story here: AJC.COM



Monday, July 10, 2017

Morehouse sophomore invents app to help students find jobs

Courtlynd “Justice” Mallory is a sophomore Business Management major from Albany, New York at Morehouse College. In August of 2016, Justice formed Mallory Integration, L.L.C. During his freshman year of college, he started his journey at Morehouse as a Chemistry major.

“I was a chemistry major and still wasn’t sure about what I wanted to do with a science degree so I began thinking about a new major and during that time I was trying to find a summer job. I tried to use one of the large job-finding sites and found it confusing.”

He says that it was this confusion that led him to create the Werk app available on the Android App Store.

“It seemed as if I would create accounts and receive tons of emails everyday but I’d still find myself to be unemployed. I finally did get a job after meeting with Human Resource workers directly and they informed me of their physical recruitment efforts despite their attempts at advertising.”

After much reflection on the issue Justice created the job finding site. He says that the app is meant for high school and college students. The big difference between the Werk App and many other mobile employment services is that, it doesn’t have ads. Justice told The Buzz that by cutting ad revenue and rejecting third party invitations the Werk App offers the only free tool with premium access for all members.

By having this in place the Werk App makes it easy to apply for jobs and internships from phones or laptops with ease. Not only is the app of benefit to its users but employers as well. Employers also get the added benefit of submitting their job listing to the most effective site on the web for the cheapest price.

To create an employer account on the Werk site, a company will pay less per year as they pay per month using the larger, less effective job sites. The Werk App currently offer job offers nationwide and their database gets larger by the day, with over 20,000 offered jobs and internships.

Justice Mallory doesn’t plan on just stopping there. It looks like he may have a future in venture capitalism. After he graduates from Morehouse, he plans to return and invest into the ideas of the students.

“Many of my peers have amazing ideas and ambitions. My hope is to come back and invest in these dreams to see that all of these incredible young men and women in the AUC have the capital needed to take the next step and pursue their projects.”

We are proud of the work that Justice Mallory is doing. To learn more about Justice and the Werk App visit http://www.werkapponline.com/

[SOURCE: HBCUBUZZ]

Friday, June 09, 2017

Morehouse College Interim President William J. “Bill” Taggart has died



ATLANTA – June 8, 2017 – The Morehouse College Board of Trustees is mourning the loss of Interim President William J. "Bill" Taggart.  Interim President Taggart passed away unexpectedly Thursday at his home in Atlanta.
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Bill Taggart, a beloved colleague, father and friend whom I’ve known for many years,” said Willie Woods, '85, Chairman of the Morehouse College Board of Trustees. “For the past two years, Bill devoted himself wholeheartedly to Morehouse College and we were pleased when he assumed the role of Interim President. We are eternally grateful for his loyal support, counsel and the leadership he provided to students, faculty and alumni.”
Woods continued, “Bill was a good friend and a beloved member of the Morehouse community. He was a strong leader who had a positive impact on Morehouse College, the greater Atlanta business community, and all those who knew him. Bill leaves behind a long legacy of commitment to others and unwavering integrity. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, and the entire Morehouse Community, we extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones he leaves behind during this difficult time.”
An Atlanta native, Interim President Taggart was appointed to lead Morehouse College on April 7, 2017. He brought more than 30 years of professional experience to the role. Prior to that, Interim President Taggart served as the College's Chief Operating Officer, beginning in 2015. 
Interim President Taggart worked closely with the Board of Trustees, students, faculty, staff, and alumni to lead and transform the institutional development, technology, campus operations, and human resources functions of the College. During this time, he also served as the external relations liaison to the Atlanta business and civic community, as well as with corporate America and various global philanthropic organizations.
Outside of Morehouse College, Interim President Taggart was actively involved in various business and civic organizations. He served as CEO of Atlanta Life Financial Group and was a key member of 100 Black Men of America, as well as the Rotary Club of Atlanta. He also served as chairman of the Atlanta Business League, and was a board member of The Carter Center, Woodruff Arts Center, Westside Future Fund, Carver Bank, and Children Healthcare of Atlanta. He was recently named to the 2018 Class of Leadership Atlanta. Interim President Taggart’s contributions within and outside of Morehouse College are a reflection of his immense dedication and commitment to his community.
The Board of Trustees will be working internally to determine its next steps and the future direction of the College. Provost Michael Hodge will serve as Acting President until a new Interim President is named by the Board of Trustees. 

Saturday, March 04, 2017

HBCU Presidents not impressed with Trump meeting




The Trump administration made a big deal of the meeting between Trump and several HBCU Presidents. Trump claimed that the meeting was successful and that it would help HBCUs. Well some HBCU Presidents such as Morehouse College's Dr. John Wilson Jr., and Dillard University's Walter M. Kimbrough didn't see it that way.
Statement from Dr. John Wilson Jr, Morehouse College: 
In a report from Fox 5 Atlanta, Morehouse College President Dr. John Wilson Jr., said that the White House had created high expectations after calling Trump’s executive order historic and revolutionary.
However, what the executive order really did was transfer the initiative on HBCUs from the Department of Education into the Executive Office of the White House. Also, no money is tied to the order. 
“I don’t mind saying, that we were — a number of us — were disappointed, not because of what we thought on our own leading up to this meeting, but what we were led to think,” Wilson said. “And so I think it was a little underwhelming to see that the most tangible differentiator that happened here was an office relocation.” [SOURCE]
Statement From Walter M. Kimbrough, Dillard University:
On Friday I learned that I was selected to give remarks today for the meeting at the White House with members of the Trump administration, most notably Secretary Betsy DeVos. We learned this weekend that there would be closing remarks by Vice President Pence, but the goal was for officials from a number of Federal agencies (about 5 were there including OMB) and Secretary DeVos to hear about HBCUs.
That all blew up when the decision was made to take the presidents to the Oval Office to see the President. I’m still processing that entire experience. But needless to say that threw the day off and there was very little listening to HBCU presidents today- we were only given about 2 minutes each, and that was cut to one minute, so only about 7 of maybe 15 or so speakers were given an opportunity today. [SOURCE]

PRESIDENT OBAMA DID HELP HBCUS


Saturday, November 14, 2015

Wells Fargo, UNCF, Terrence ‘J’ Jenkins and Natasha Eubanks Team Up to Empower HBCU Students


Company hosts My Life, My Story, #MyUntold Town Hall event for more than 300 Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC) students to promote the #MyUntold social media campaign as a platform to affirm positive cultural perceptions.

Today, Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) and UNCF (United Negro College Fund) rallied students from three of the nation’s leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) —Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College and Spelman College — for an interactive town hall event to promote positive images of African American youth. HBCU alumni, Terrence ‘J’ Jenkins, actor and philanthropist, and Natasha Eubanks, founder and CEO of TheYBF.com, joined Wells Fargo and UNCF leaders to inspire students to use social media to share personal experiences that proactively address cultural mischaracterizations.
Seeking to broaden the current social narrative involving the African American community, Wells Fargo launched the #MyUntoldSMcampaign to offer a more comprehensive perspective on the African American experience. The social media campaign honors the community tradition of storytelling by creating a platform to share personal stories, history and defining moments– while fostering cultural awareness outside of the community. The official #MyUntold website (wellsfargo.com/MyUntold) aggregates user-generated and company-produced content (photos, videos and written posts) to offer visitors deeper insight into African American culture.
Today’s My Life, My Story, #MyUntold Town Hall event engaged HBCU students by empowering them to lead and take personal accountability for enlightening others on the full cultural identity of African American youth. Students were invited to contribute their stories at an onsite photo/video booth, and during “man on the street” interviews captured across campus. To further encourage community engagement, the Haitian Club of Spelman College and the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students of Clark Atlanta University were presented with a $1,000 check to develop programs to support local community organizations.
“Wells Fargo’s #MyUntold campaign is valuable because it provides an important vantage point of the community that extends one-dimensional storytelling,” says Jenkins. “It’s my hope that coming out of this event students will be inspired to become the official storytellers of their community.”
To date, the social media storytelling campaign has generated hundreds of personal stories from across the country. It has become a catalyst for self-expression that showcases diverse experiences among a common culture.
“Wells Fargo is happy to introduce #MyUntold to millennials in this way. We’ve taken the campaign across the country, and people literally wait in line to share their stories. As a company, we appreciate the opportunity to connect directly with the communities we serve in such a personal way,” says Lisa Frison, vice president, African American Segment manager, Wells Fargo. “HBCU students in particular have the power to become the opinion formers of a generation, and #MyUntold is one way they can use their voice to lead.”
Following the event, students were joined by community members for a #MyUntold themed Instameet. Participants traveled to various campus landmarks to capture photo and video content (to share on Instagram®) that reflects their HBCU experiences.
“Since #MyUntold launched, UNCF has been a strong supporter of the campaign,” says Richard Shropshire, Vice President of Communications and Marketing, UNCF. “This platform aligns with our ongoing relationship with Wells Fargo that includes longstanding support of the UNCF Empower Me Tour and UNCF Evening of Stars, engagement platforms which empower the African American community to aspire to higher education.”
Wells Fargo continues to promote the campaign through efforts with Oprah.Com and Interactive One, creating custom content, including stories from actor and HBCU alumni, Lance Gross, and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Elle Varner. Renowned pastor, author and motivational speaker, Bishop T.D. Jakes recently shared his story about how his father’s sacrifice inspired him to strive for success while reaching back to help others. The company continues to encourage the community to share their own stories using #MyUntold.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.8 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through 8,700 locations, 12,800 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2015 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.

Contacts

For Wells Fargo & Company
Media
Melody Thuston
312-729-4221
MThuston@golin.com
or
Valerie Williams
704-743-6544
valerie.williams@wellsfargo.com
@ValWilliamsWF

Thursday, September 10, 2015

TOP 10 HBCU 2015/2016




Here we go again. Here are the top 10 HBCU's for the 2014 / 2015 school year as picked by US News & World Report. Did your school make the list? See if it did below:


#1

Spelman College

Atlanta, GA
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a private institution. Spelman College follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.

#2

Howard University

Washington, DC
Howard University is a historically black college located in Washington, D.C. Despite its urban setting, students are permitted to bring cars to campus – though freshmen may not apply for on-campus parking.

#3

Hampton University

Hampton, VA
Hampton University, a private, historically black institution in Virginia, has graduated people such as Alberta Williams King, mother of Martin Luther King Jr., and Booker T. Washington, influential African-American educator.

#4

Morehouse College

Atlanta, GA
A private institution, Morehouse College was founded in 1867.
#5

Tuskegee University

Tuskegee, AL
Tuskegee University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,588, with a gender distribution of 42.6 percent male students and 57.4 percent female students. 41 percent of students live off campus.

#6
Founded in 1915, Xavier University of Louisiana is a private institution. Xavier University of Louisiana follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.

#7

Fisk University

Nashville, TN
Fisk University is a private institution that was founded in 1866. The school has 71.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Fisk University is 13:1.

#8

Claflin University

Orangeburg, SC
Claflin University was established in 1869 as a private institution. Claflin University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered least selective.

#9
North Carolina A&T State University is a historically black school in Greensboro. The Aggies sports teams compete in the NCAA Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

#10

Florida A&M University

Tallahassee, FL
Located in Tallahassee, Florida A&M University is a historically black institution that offers a range of degrees to students of all races. The university, more commonly known as FAMU, offers more than 100 student organizations and several fraternities and sororities to join.

Saturday, June 06, 2015

CHARLES BARKLEY ANNOUNCES A $1 MILLION PLEDGE TO MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

[SOURCE] Basketball legend, Charles Barkley recently announced his intention to make a $1,000,000 gift to Morehouse College. In that same announcement he pledged similar support to Auburn University (his Alma Mater) and the Wounded Warrior project.

The gift to Morehouse will benefit the College’s burgeoning Journalism and Sports Program (JSP) that was initiated in 2007. Since its inception, this program has sent 31 of its students into the media workforce, while an additional 15 have earned master’s degrees in journalism or related fields, including six at Columbia University.

Currently, nearly 65% of professional football players and 80% of professional basketball players are black; yet only 6% of newspaper sports journalists are African American. In response to this phenomenon, JSP was conceived by veteran filmmaker and Morehouse alumnus Spike Lee and his friend, the late Ralph Wiley, one of the nation’s first African American sports columnists.

JSP’s Director, Ron Thomas, joyfully reacted to this surprise announcement. “We aim to produce the media’s next generation of image makers, from columnists to digital specialists, covering a wide variety of news and marketing positions,” said Thomas. “Charles Barkley has always been very generous to students in our Journalism and Sports Program on a personal level. I am thrilled that Charles has greatly extended his generosity by donating $1 million to address our growing needs.”

Morehouse President, John S. Wilson, Jr. offered a similar response. “We are profoundly grateful for this contribution, said Wilson. “ Beyond its immediate impact, we hope that it will catalyze additional strategic investments in this impressive program.”

Barkley made the announcement during a conference call for the American Century Championship’s celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe earlier this week. Full details of the gift are being still being worked out between Morehouse and Barkley.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Marc Lamont Hill Leaving Columbia University for Morehouse College Professorship

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill — one of the nation’s youngest and most visible Black intellectuals — is leaving Columbia University and is headed to Morehouse College in the fall, where he will hold the Distinguished Professorship of African-American Studies.

The move by Morehouse to court Hill — a sought-after speaker and television commentator — signals a new and ambitious effort by the Atlanta-based school to aggressively compete with predominantly White institutions for young Black superstar professors.

Read more: Marc Lamont Hill Leaving Columbia University for Morehouse College Professorship