Saundra Tomlinson-Clarke promoted to Provost at Rutgers University

Saundra Tomlinson-Clarke, a veteran faculty member and administrator, has been promoted as Rutgers–New Brunswick’s provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Chancellor Francine Conway appointed Tomlinson-Clarke to the new role, following Tomlinson-Clarke’s service for two years as senior vice provost for academic and faculty affairs.

“With my direct knowledge of her professionalism, character and commitment to the success of our faculty and students, I have no doubt that Provost Tomlinson-Clarke will help lead Rutgers–New Brunswick to ever greater levels of success,” Conway said.

As provost, Tomlinson-Clarke will continue to support the chancellor in providing support to all academic areas related to research, growth in academic program development aligned with the Academic Master Plan and faculty. This appointment sharpens Rutgers–New Brunswick’s focus on supporting academic excellence across its academic units, residential colleges and institutes.

Tomlinson-Clarke also will oversee initiatives that help faculty members advance in their careers through recruitment, mentoring and leadership development.

“It takes thriving, fulfilled and successful faculty members to produce thriving, fulfilled and successful students – and student success is, of course, our highest goal,” Tomlinson-Clarke said. “I am grateful for this opportunity and proud to continue supporting our academic mission.”

Tomlinson-Clarke, a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the Graduate School of Education, has served on the Rutgers–New Brunswick faculty for more than three decades. She also is a licensed psychologist and fellow of the American Psychological Association whose research focuses on the development of culturally responsive interventions to enhance learning.

Conway, who led Rutgers–New Brunswick under the hybrid title of “chancellor-provost” for two years, was appointed as chancellor by Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway earlier this summer.

NAACP Condemns SCOTUS Ruling on Affirmative Action

Today, the Supreme Court of the United States issued extreme decisions reversing decades of precedent on affirmative action. The court's rulings in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. University of North Carolina jeopardize hard-fought progress for Black Americans in classrooms and beyond.

NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson released the following statement reaffirming the Association's commitment to tools that support equal access to higher education for Black students:

"Today the Supreme Court has bowed to the personally held beliefs of an extremist minority. We will not allow hate-inspired people in power to turn back the clock and undermine our hard-won victories. The tricks of America's dark past will not be tolerated. Let me be clear - affirmative action exists because we cannot rely on colleges, universities, and employers to enact admissions and hiring practices that embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. Race plays an undeniable role in shaping the identities of and quality of life for Black Americans. In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a willful ignorance of our reality. The NAACP will not be deterred nor silenced in our fight to hold leaders and institutions accountable for their role in embracing diversity no matter what."

Temple University names JoAnne Epps acting president

Temple University’s Board of Trustees announced today the appointment of JoAnne A. Epps as Temple’s acting president. Epps will begin serving in this role immediately.   

A member of the Temple faculty for more than 30 years, Epps has more than 15 years in leadership roles with the university, including dean of the Beasley School of Law, and executive vice president and provost, and Temple’s chief academic officer. Prior to her time at Temple, Epps served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia and a deputy city attorney in Los Angeles. 

“There is no one more qualified than JoAnne to assume the role of acting president during this critical moment for our university,” said board Chair Mitchell Morgan. “Her lifelong dedication to Temple and the greater Philadelphia community make us extremely confident in JoAnne’s ability to unite the Temple community and lead a focused effort on developing and implementing solutions to our key challenges. We believe her hands-on approach and high level of engagement across the institution will have an immediate impact and enable us to move forward.” 

“In the last two weeks, individuals from across the university reached out with their thoughts and ideas on the most important leadership qualities and priorities necessary to move Temple forward,” continued Morgan. “It was heartening to hear from so many Deans, faculty members, staff, elected officials, and community and regional leaders. Their thoughts were extremely valuable to us in thinking through the best choice for an acting president.” 

Lon Greenberg, chair of the Special Committee, noted, “It became clear that the university would be best served by a leader who knows the university well, who has a demonstrated record of leadership in higher education, who believes in Temple’s mission, and who embraces the key role the university plays not only in higher education, but also in the region and the commonwealth. The members of the board felt strongly that JoAnne met these criteria in a way that no one else could.” 

Acting President Epps has requested that the Special Committee of the Board continue its work, in support of her administration, as it seeks to address the primary challenges of safety and enrollment. 

Although Epps has agreed to serve until a new president is appointed, the Board of Trustees intends to initiate a thorough, formal search process promptly. More information about the process will be forthcoming.  

“It is an honor and privilege to serve as acting president of this institution that I love so much, that has been such an important part of my life, and always will be,” said Epps. “As acting president, my mandate is to provide the necessary leadership to focus our collective intellect and energies on the immediate challenges of safety and enrollment, and to engage with individuals and groups across the university to reinvigorate a culture of shared governance, listening and learning. 

“I recognize the importance of this moment in Temple’s 135-year history and believe that a genuinely collaborative approach that encourages and demands the best that our brightest minds have to offer, will both help bring the Temple community together and also will help us identify the best solutions to address our challenges. I am energized by this opportunity and look forward to working side by side with so many of you to move Temple forward. Let’s get to work.” 

John B. King Jr. Appointed the Fifteenth Chancellor of the State University of New York

John B. King Jr. has been appointed the fifteenth chancellor of the State University of New York, the largest comprehensive system of public higher education in the United States.

More than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY operates four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.3 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs.

“I am humbled and honored to accept the position of chancellor,” Dr. King said. “Public education quite literally saved my life when I lost both of my parents at a young age, and I have dedicated my professional career ever since to ensuring that every student has access to the academic opportunities that they need and deserve. I look forward to working with all members of our campus communities, lawmakers, and stakeholders to bring SUNY to new heights and maximize its potential.”

Since 2017, Dr. King has been the president of The Education Trust, a nonprofit organization that promotes high academic achievement for all students in early childhood, K-12 education, and higher education. In the fall of 2015, President Obama tapped Dr. King to serve as secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to joining the Obama administration, Chancellor King served as state education commissioner in New York – a post to which he was appointed in 2011 – overseeing all elementary and secondary schools, as well as public, independent, and proprietary colleges and universities, professional licensure, libraries, museums, and numerous other educational institutions.

Dr. King is a graduate of Harvard University, where he majored in government. He earned a master’s degree in social studies education and a doctorate in educational administrative practice from Columbia University’s Teachers College. Dr. Also holds a juris doctorate from Yale Law School.

African American Graduate Finishes College Education 50 Years After Starting

A University of Arkansas Little Rock history student is celebrating the completion of his lifelong dream of finishing his college education, a dream that is 50 years in the making.

By all measures, Ellis “Gene” Thompson of Little Rock has led a very successful life. He has a loving family and had a very successful career in media sales spanning more than four decades.

“After leaving KATV as the local sales manager here, I finished that career and was faced with what I want to do,” Thompson said. “Something that had always been nagging me was to get my degree. Life had taken that opportunity away from me earlier when I was in Washington, D.C.”

A native of Joliet, Illinois, Thompson joined the U.S. Navy and worked in an experimental surgery unit and then enrolled at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1973.

“There I really started to mature and find my sea legs, as you will,” he said. “The doctors were very supportive of me going to college. That is why I went to Georgetown, but I was married and had a child and work. I couldn’t sustain a decent lifestyle and go to Georgetown, which was very demanding.”

In 1975, Thompson left Georgetown with an associate degree and a strong desire to one day finish his college education. His career took him from Washington, D.C., to Chicago, to Dayton, Ohio, to Orlando and New York City. His final stop brought him to Little Rock in 2010 to work at KATV.

“I had a great run in TV, but I’m done,” Thompson said. “I had a deep love of history, and I got that while I was at Georgetown. One of my instructors was the department head, and I fell in love with history after taking her class. I decided to come to UA Little Rock as a history major.”

Thompson joined UA Little Rock in 2017 and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in history in 2019. He graduated this semester with a master’s degree in public history, which brings his journey to complete his college education to an end 50 years after he started.

“It’s something that I feel I should have done a long time ago,” he said. “It’s basically been unfinished business as far as my life is concerned. So, getting this degree is a culmination of a lifelong search for my own comfort with myself. It’s a culmination of something that I felt I should have done a long time ago and should have been determined earlier in my life. However, it feels just as good now. This is who I should have been all my life, a person with a master’s degree.”

One of his favorite experiences in graduate school was participating in a class taught by Dr. John Kirk, George W. Donaghey Distinguished Professor of History, which examined the criminal cases of Robert Bell and Grady Swain, two African American teenagers who were convicted of the first-degree murder of Julius McCollum and sentenced to death. Bell and Swain confessed to the crime, but later said their confessions were forced. The class wrote a paper about the case that received the Lucille Westbrook Award from the Arkansas Historical Association for the best article manuscript on an aspect of local history.

“That class really grabbed me, and I learned so much about going through archives and dusty, old records,” he said.

Thompson wrote his thesis, “The Fight for Freedmen’s Minds in Arkansas,” about the development of educational programs for African Americans in the state in the 1860s and 1870s.

“Arkansas was one of the last states to develop a public primary and secondary school system for African American students,” Thompson wrote. “While education was for the most part privatized, an important philosophy for educating African Americans was developed early by the Free African Society and the AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church that influenced Arkansas public and private Freedman education.”

In the 1860s and 70s, there were millions of newly freed formerly enslaved people who needed an education with competing methods of how that should work. Samuel Armstrong, founder of the Hampton Institute, created an educational model called the Hampton-Tuskegee Model, which emphasized character building through manual labor and learning occupational skills. The AME church strongly contested the Hampton-Tuskegee Model.

“The AME church put forth the philosophy that they wanted Freedman taught in the classical manner, emphasizing subjects like English, literature, and algebra,” Thompson said. “They wanted to train a middle-class population with doctors, teachers, and lawyers. The Hampton model emphasized teaching people manual labor skills – how to be a blacksmith, how to sew. They taught young girls how to work in houses as maids. It was being put out there that this was necessary because industrialists needed a large workforce.”

Thompson dedicated his thesis to his mother, who was the daughter of an AME preacher and an inspiration for him to complete college.

“I also did this for my mom who always believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself,” Thompson said. “She used to sit in the kitchen with me to do my homework when I was a child. She instilled in me that desire to get it done, and that was one of the real drivers in writing my thesis.”

With graduation approaching, Thompson is thankful to history professors James Ross, Barclay Key, Jess Porter, Edward Anson, Carl Moneyhon, and Marta Cieslak for inspiring him to succeed.

“My experience here has been absolutely magnificent,” he said. “I can’t say enough good things about the history department and the professors. These people are first rate, and I know because I came from one of those fancy east schools. I had a very successful career, but this is something different that I needed to do and I’m so glad I did it. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that I would end up living in Arkansas and getting a master’s degree at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. I believe it’s a top-rate education.”

Charles F. Robinson becomes University of Arkansas’ first Black chancellor

The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas today approved the selection of Charles F. Robinson, Ph.D., as the next chancellor of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Robinson will be the first Black chancellor of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Following its regular executive session, the Board voted unanimously to appoint Robinson, who has served as interim chancellor since Aug. 16, 2021, to a three-year employment term as chancellor.

“Dr. Robinson has proven to be a very good steward of the university and its Land-grant mission during his time as interim Chancellor,” Bobbitt said. “He now has the opportunity to cast a broader vision for advancing the university as a leading public research university in the region and raising its status on the national stage. He has a unique ability to inspire others and to relate to the many different constituencies across the university, and I look forward to working with him to help make his tenure as Chancellor a success.”

Robinson said he was eager to get to work.

"I'm looking forward to serving our campus in its entirety and greatly appreciate the support and confidence shown in me to lead the university and advance our land-grant mission," Robinson said.

Why more African American students are applying to HBCUs

At one point, over 90% of African Americans with a college degree obtained it from an HBCU. But in the decades following the legal dismantling of segregation, enrollment declined at HBCUs.

Recently, some HBCUs have seen a significant rise in applications. The boost could be due to more funding, celebrity students, or famous HBCU grads like Vice President Kamala Harris.

Listen to Consider This from NPR host Michel Martin speak on this topic with Walter Kimbrough, the past president of two historically Black institutions - Philander Smith College and Dillard University - and the interim executive director of the Black Men's Research Institute at Morehouse College.

Kenneth Elmore Appointed President of Dean College

The board of trustees of Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, has announced that Kenneth Elmore has been selected to serve as the college’s fourteenth president.

Founded in 1865, Dean College is currently home to 1,200 full-time students and 400 part-time students enrolled in over 30 full-time, part-time, bachelor’s and associate degree programs. African Americans make up 12 percent of the study body.

Elmore has been serving as an associate provost and the dean of students at Boston University, where he has been a member of the leadership team for nearly two decades. Elmore worked as a practicing attorney and in the college’s student orientation and residence offices prior to joining its leadership team in 2003.

President Elmore earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He holds a master’s degree in educational policy, planning, and administration from Boston University and a juris doctorate from New England Law School in Boston.

Thirteen Years After Entering NBA, Steph Curry Graduates with Davidson College Class of 2022

Steph Curry, the Davidson Wildcat legend and NBA superstar graduated as a member of the class of 2022 today. Preparations for the Western Conference Finals prevented him from attending the ceremony but his achievement electrified the College’s 185th Commencement.

Throughout his NBA career, the two-time MVP and three-time NBA champion has repeatedly emphasized the importance of education, how much he valued his Davidson College experience and that he is committed to earning his degree.

Curry needed to finish just one semester to graduate. With the help of a handful of professors—two from Davidson, one from Stanford and a UC Santa Cruz professor who had taught Curry while they were both at Davidson—Curry finished the coursework and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in Sociology.

Now that he’s graduated, Davidson College looks forward to an opportunity on campus in the future when it will present his diploma.

The Golden State Warriors acknowledged Curry's achievement.

13 years after entering the NBA, Stephen Curry is a college grad.

Stephen completed his final semester of coursework this spring and will receive a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Sociology from Davidson College.

Congrats to the Class of 2022! pic.twitter.com/R3giuMtPDx

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 15, 2022

Hampton University to Erase Outstanding Student Balances for the Spring 2022 Semester

Recognizing that many Hampton University students and their families have continued to experience financial hardships and have suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. William R. Harvey, Hampton University President, has announced there will be no increase in tuition, fees, room and board for the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, all outstanding student account balances for the Spring 2022 semester will be erased.

“In keeping with the University’s efforts to help our students, there will be no increase in tuition, fees, room and board for the 2022-2023 academic year,” said Dr Harvey. “In addition, on behalf of the University, I am pleased to announce that all outstanding balances for the Spring 2022 semester will be erased. We hope that this action will continue to assist our students and their families at our Home by the Sea.”

This is the latest example of Hampton University assisting its student body financially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified students received distributions under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and those who had an outstanding balance at the completion of the Spring 2021 semester had their balances paid off. The University also issued a $200.00 book scholarship to all enrolled students for the Spring 2022 semester. In April of 2020, Dr. and Mrs. Harvey made a $100,000 matching donation of their own money to a $100,000 gift from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to provide each on-campus student $100 to assist with travel costs to retrieve their belongings from campus or to return to school in the fall. In May, Hampton University provided each graduate in the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021, who had a federal student loan, the sum of $500 toward repayment of that loan. These payments were sent directly to the U.S. Department of Education loan servicer that was the holder of the student loan. Those students who did not have student loans were reimbursed their graduation fee of $150.

Robert F. Smith Launching $1.8M Grant Program To Help HBCU Students

Robert F. Smith's organization, the Student Freedom Initiative recently announced via a press release their partnership with Prudential Financial who is providing $1.8 million in microgrants to HBCU students.

Read that press release below:

As resources are directed towards Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across America, there remains an ongoing crisis among HBCU students of failing to matriculate due to unforeseen, emergency expenses. According to a recent study by the Federal Reserve, 40% of Americans – predominantly Black and minority Americans – would have difficulty covering an emergency $400 expense, relying on borrowing the money from friends or family or incurring further credit card debt.

To provide this urgently needed aid, Student Freedom Initiative today announced catalytic support from Prudential Financial, with Prudential providing $1.8 million in microgrants to HBCU students in an effort to accelerate economic mobility and close the financial divide. Prudential will also provide paid internships and pro bono services to enable improved financial literacy for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) families and students.

This grant from Prudential will support the launch of the Handling Everyday Life Problems for Students (HELPS) Program, a crucial service to address unexpected, one-time expenses disproportionately faced by Black students, furthering Student Freedom Initiative and Prudential’s shared commitment to close the racial wealth gap. Launching as a three-year pilot program with nine HBCUs, the HELPS Program supplements HBCU-provided resources and will be launched with the Spring 2022 academic year at participating institutions. Students who qualify will receive supplemental funds to address emergent financial issues that present a risk to the student’s ability to matriculate, including issues that may cause immediate risk to a student’s health, life, property, or environment, requiring immediate attention.

In recent conversations with HBCU presidents, many detailed the challenges their students face, particularly in this hybrid environment. One president recalled how one of their students was unable to fully participate on camera for class – a requirement – due to a damaged computer, adversely impacting the student’s grades.

Another president described always keeping petty cash in their office, at one time providing a student $300 to cover an unexpected expense. The student later told the president had it not been for that $300, it is likely they would not have graduated at all.

With the implementation of the HELPS program, students like these can now access critical microgrants to support their persistence to graduation.

Committed to a fully inclusive workforce within its own ranks, Prudential will also provide paid internships via the internX.org platform, which pairs highly qualified, rising sophomores through seniors across all majors with companies seeking diverse talent. There are over 220 companies, over 14,000 students, and 1,300+ Course Learning Management Systems on the internX.org platform. In addition, Prudential will collaborate with Student Freedom Initiative and the participating institutions to prepare and conduct age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, financial literacy education and training for students, in a format that is culturally sensitive and recognizes the current hybrid model employed by these institutions.

“Student Freedom Initiative applauds the leadership of Prudential Financial and their support for our shared mission of eliminating barriers of access for underserved communities,” said Robert F. Smith, Chairman of Student Freedom Initiative. “By enabling the launch of the HELPS Program, a vital component of our work to address the holistic needs of HBCU students and families, Prudential’s gift will provide long-needed and often overlooked aid and support persistence of those most vulnerable in our community.”

“At Prudential, we’ve spent decades working to close the financial divide, in part through partnerships that address systemic barriers to economic, social, and racial equity,” said Sarah Keh, vice president, Inclusive Solutions, at Prudential Financial. “As part of our multiprong strategy to support HBCUs, our partnership with Student Freedom Initiative will help us scale solutions so that more Black students will remain in college and ultimately graduate, putting them on a path to financial security.”

“Over 75% of students at HBCUs are considered low-income, relying on Pell Grants to meet their college expenses. However, for many of these students, these grants are not enough,” added Mark A. Brown, Executive Director of Student Freedom Initiative. “During recent onsite visits at multiple HBCUs, we learned from executive leadership and student focus groups that many of our students are unable to overcome financial challenges for expenses that are not directly related to the cost of college. These expenses, left unaddressed, can derail their college plans. In addition, most of these students lack the necessary financial literacy to make informed decisions, though they are asked to signed complex promissory notes that could indebt them well into their adult lives. Further, while some may have support from parents through costly Parent PLUS loans, many of these students have reported feeling personally responsible for any negative affects these loans had on their families. With additional financial support from sponsors, we can ensure that more HBCUs and eligible students will not be forced to choose between their education or their financial wellbeing if met with a hardship during the course of their studies.”

Students may begin taking advantage of Student Freedom Initiative’s HELPS Program starting in the Spring semester 2022. Visit HELPS Program to learn more.

About Student Freedom Initiative

A single purpose nonprofit organization, Student Freedom Initiative provides a catalyst for freedom in professional and life choices for students attending Minority Serving Institutions (“MSIs”) by increasing their social and economic mobility using a student centric, evidence based, holistic, and collaborative approach. Initially focused on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Student Freedom Initiative enables mobility through four transformational components: (1) Income Contingent Alternative to Parent Plus and Private Loans, (2) Internships, (3) Tutoring/Mentorships/Other Services, and (4) Targeted HBCU Capacity Building. Student Freedom Initiative collaborates with community-based organizations, businesses, and governmental entities through public-private partnerships to make sustainable, systemic changes to support the entire HBCU ecosystem.

To date, Student Freedom Initiative has received generous contributions from our anchor donors Robert F. Smith, Fund II Foundation, and Cisco Systems, and many others who have provided financial and/or in-kind services. The program has also been acknowledged and supported by the Business Roundtable's Racial Equity & Justice Subcommittee on Education.

To learn more, visit www.StudentFreedomInitiative.org or find us on Twitter @StudentFreedom.

Fundraiser launched to help Black students finish college on MLK Weekend

Please donate to the Close the Gap Fund here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/488350812907518/

Five years ago former Hillside NJ councilman and African American Reports owner, George L. Cook III was invited to a fundraiser given by the Union County College Foundation to support something called "Close the Gap”.

The Close the Gap campaign was intended to accelerate the pace of African American student success at Union County College by providing financial assistance to students approaching graduation as well as resources for other academic needs.

Cook was so impressed by the initiative and the passion of those who started it that he asked to join the Union County College Foundation to help out in any way that he could. After becoming a foundation trustee Cook struggled in that first year to see where he could fit in with the mission of both Close the Gap and the Union County Foundation.

At that time Facebook started allowing users to run fundraisers. Cook had over 5,000 friends so he started a fundraiser for the foundation. That initial fundraiser took in $920 and in the three years since over $6,000 more has been raised in an annual fundraiser Cook starts on Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend.

This year the councilman launched his fundraiser on January 15, 2021, the actual birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.

Cook says that he chose that date to honor Dr. Martin Luther King and that King understood the importance of education. He then quoted King.

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education."

Mr. Cook also stated that giving to help these Black students finish school is also a way to help fulfill King's dream.

"Many of these students just need money for transportation, books, to eat while at school, or just to pay for that last class they need to graduate." said Cook.

In these times of Covid-19 that has become all that much more difficult as students must now struggle with other issues like helping their families pay rents or pay the bills. These students need our help now more than ever. As we all know that when a student drops out there is a good chance that they will not come back. Let us not let that happen."

"Thanks to the Close the Gap initiative, the graduation rate for male African-American students has more than quadrupled at Union County College in the five years since its launch. Let us keep that progress going. Please donate today through Facebook by clicking here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/488350812907518/

Please donate to the Close the Gap Fund here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/488350812907518/

Facebook pays all the processing fees for you, so 100% of your donation goes directly to the nonprofit. The UCCF will receive donations from Network for Good within 45-75 days after a donation.

Six Black students chosen as 2022 Rhodes Scholars

On Saturday, November 20, 2021, the American Rhodes Scholar Class of 2022 was announced. Of the 32 outstanding students chosen six of them are Black. They will commence their studies at Oxford in October 2022.

Congratualtions to all of those chosen and especially to those Black students listed below.

Sydni A. Scott

Sydni A. Scott, Unionville, is a senior at Columbia University majoring in Political Science. She has done significant work on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues, including developing training for dozens of universities participating in The Women’s Network. Sydni also founded The Amendment Project, an organization mobilizing high school students around the issue of reparations, and worked to help secure passage of a local reparations resolution in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was a Division I track and field athlete at Columbia, competing in the long jump and triple jump. While at Oxford, she plans to pursue an MPhil in Politics (Comparative Government).

Tawreak J. Gamble-Eddington

Tawreak J. Gamble-Eddington, Springfield, Massachusetts, graduated in 2021 from Union College with honors in both History and Political Science. He is currently completing an MPhil in Race, Ethnicity, Conflict at Trinity College Dublin, where he is a Mitchell Scholar. Ty was a campus leader at Union College, serving as President of both the Black Student Union and Union Pride and helping found a My Brother’s Keeper program. He was also named to the steering committee for the Presidential Initiative on Race, Power, and Privilege and awarded the university’s top prizes for service to the college, contributions to campus diversity, and accomplishments in political science. At Oxford, he proposes to complete the MPhil in Politics (Comparative Government).

Samantha C.W. O’Sullivan

Samantha C.W. O’Sullivan, Washington, DC, is a senior at Harvard College, where she majors in Physics and African-American Studies. Sam founded and led a student organization that promotes activism related to the legacy of slavery and has published articles on dress codes and bias against Black girls. She has done advanced research in plasma physics at Princeton and nanoscale systems at Harvard and the University of Maryland, and astrophysics at the Carnegie Institute of Astrophysics. She is fascinated by how different languages, including the language of the African diaspora, Gullah, provide insights into different perceptions of the physical universe. Sam will do the MSt in Philosophy of Physics and the MSc in Applied Linguistics at Oxford.

Elvin N. Irihamye

Elvin N. Irihamye, Sammamish, Washington, is a senior at Indiana University majoring in Neuroscience and where he is a Herman B. Wells Scholar. In Bloomington, he co-founded and is president of a charitable corporation using industry and academic partnerships to strengthen the pipeline of Black, Latinx and Native American talent into the workforce. He is also active in a start-up to assist nursing home residents during the pandemic. Elvin has been a student advisor to the Indiana University president and also to the Vice Provost for undergraduate education. He is a co-author of three scientific publications in peer-reviewed publications, including Nature and Cells relating to cancer chemotherapy treatments. Elvin plans to do the MSc in Translational Health Science and the MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation at Oxford.

MacKenzie E. Isaac

MacKenzie E. Isaac, Indianapolis, received a BA in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame in 2020 and is currently completing a master’s degree in Health Education at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Kenzie has served in leadership roles both on campus and in her community, including as the University of Notre Dame’s Student Body Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Following graduation from Notre Dame, Kenzie worked for a year as an AmeriCorps Public Ally in her hometown of Indianapolis, focusing on public health issues such as pedestrian safety and chronic disease prevention. She currently works for Health by Design, an Indianapolis-based non-profit organization, overseeing the organization and implementation of park remodeling projects in two historically African-American neighborhoods. At Oxford, she will pursue a DPhil in Population Health.

Klarke J. Stricklen

Klarke J. Stricklen, Chattanooga, is a senior at the University of the South, where she majors in American Studies and African American Studies. Klarke’s undergraduate honors thesis concentrates on Black reparations by arguing for the moral responsibility of higher educational institutions with ties to the slave trade and slavery. She is also a research assistant for The Roberson Project on Slavery, Race, and Reconciliation. Klarke also serves as president of the local NAACP chapter in Sewanee. Previously, she interned in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Klarke is a Truman Scholar. At Oxford, she will pursue an MSc in Economic and Social History.

HBCU Harris-Stowe University using pandemic funds to cancel student debt

Harris-Stowe University in St. Louis is using federal pandemic relief funds to eliminate student debt owed to the university from the previous academic school year, school officials said.

Harris-Stowe, one of Missouri’s two historically Black universities, announced in September it is using the funds to cancel about $330,000 in debt, an average of about $1,076 per student.

Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith, Harris-Stowe’s interim president, last week told KCUR, the public radio station serving Kansas City, the burden of student debt caused by the pandemic led to low enrollment at the school this fall.

“Many of our students were saying they couldn’t work — because of COVID-19, they lost their jobs,” Smith said. “As a result they could not make payments towards their balances for the previous semester or the semesters which were impacted by COVID-19.”

Smith said the school officials spent most of the week after it made the announcement convincing students and their parents that it wasn’t a hoax. Eventually the school received numerous calls and letters of gratitude, she said.

[SOURCE: AP NEWS]

Vice President Kamala Harris visits Hampton University

Vice President Kamala Harris stopped in Hampton Friday. She visited Hampton University to discuss the administration’s efforts to invest in strengthening historically Black colleges and universities and to recognize minorities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Aisha Francis Is the New President of the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology in Boston

Aisha Francis has been appointed as president of Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology in Boston. She is the first woman president in the college’s more than 100-year history.

The Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology enrolls just over 600 students, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 35 percent of the student body.

Previously, Dr. Francis was the college’s chief executive officer at the institute overseeing the day-to-day operations of the college. Earlier, she served as chief of staff to the institute’s president. Prior to joining BFIT, she served as the managing director of development for Harvard Medical School, raising funds to support medical student scholarships as well as diversity and inclusion programs.

Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Dr. Francis completed her undergraduate education at Fisk University, then earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in English literature from Vanderbilt University.

Edward Waters College in Jacksonville Transitions to University Status

On July 1, historically Black Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida, transitioned to university status. For the first time, the university is offering a graduate degree program – a master’s degree in business administration.

In 1866, the African Methodist Episcopal Church founded the Brown Theological Institute to educate former slaves for the ministry. Ground was broken for the first buildings for the new school in 1872 on a 10-acre lot in Live Oak, Florida. In 1892 the institute changed its name to Edward Waters College to honor the third bishop of the AME Church. It moved to Jacksonville in 1893. In 1901, the campus was destroyed by a fire and a new campus, where the college is located today, was opened in 1904.

After restructuring its finances, in 2020 the college achieved its first institutional operating net cash surplus in more than a decade. In addition, the state legislative budget allocated an additional $3.5 million to Edward Waters College. This influx in funding has emboldened the institution to make the jump to university status.

University president A. Zachary Faison, Jr. stated that “Edward Waters University will continue to emerge as the state of Florida’s premier destination institution of higher education through the growth of its academic programs and strengthening of its fiscal viability that will sustain the institution for yet another 155 years and beyond."

[SOURCE: JBHE]

LSU hires William Tate IV as its first African American president

Louisiana State University has hired its first African American president.

During the May LSU Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board named William Tate IV, Education Foundation Distinguished Professor and Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of South Carolina, as the next LSU president. Tate is expected to begin his term as president in July.

“This is a very pivotal time at our university, from economic, environmental, social challenges, but we are doing great things at this place. From our academic achievements, our enrollment, our diversity, I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished,” said LSU Board Chair Robert Dampf. “We set about to find a great leader, and we found one.”

Dampf thank the work of the Presidential Search Committee, chaired by James Williams, former chair of the LSU Board of Supervisors, and vice chaired by Gabriela González, Boyd Professor in the LSU Department of Physics & Astronomy, who narrowed the list of 23 candidates for president to three finalists who were invited for campus interviews, held May 2-5. He also expressed his appreciation to everyone across the LSU community who participated in some way in the search process.

Tate will replace LSU President Tom Galligan, who has served as LSU president since January 2020. The Board approved dropping the “interim” from Galligan’s title and making him LSU President, until Tate takes over the role.

Tate said he is excited about being part of the LSU system, but what drives him is students.

“What I’m really most excited about is I met students here who really are amazing, and for me, this position is all about what we can do to help students and give people access and opportunity in higher education,” Tate said. “That’s really in my DNA, how do we help people regardless of their background – we find the money, get you here and give you the opportunity to live your dream. I think there is no better place in the United States to come find your dream and to make it happen than right here at LSU.”

Tate has served as Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of South Carolina since July 2020. Prior to that, he served as dean of the Graduate School & Vice Provost for Graduate Education at Washington University in St. Louis from 2002 to 2020. Tate also spent time at Texas Christian University and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

At South Carolina, Tate oversees the 13 schools and colleges on the University of South Carolina Columbia campus, UofSC School of Medicine Columbia, and the UofSC School of Medicine Greenville, as well as being responsible for the overall leadership of academic affairs of the university, including curriculum development, program assessment, establishment of academic standards and university accreditation.

During his time at University of South Carolina, Tate launched Carolina Online as the university’s comprehensive effort to deliver degree programs and professional credentials online; established the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship program, which offers postdoctoral fellowships with the specific aim of increasing faculty diversity and research productivity on campus; and guided in collaboration with the Faculty Senate the development of a “Founding Documents” course for incoming freshmen.

Tate received his Ph.D. in mathematics education from the University of Maryland, Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Texas at Dallas, Master of Psychiatric Epidemiology from Washington University School of Medicine, and Bachelor of Science in economics from Northern Illinois University.

Dr. Brian Bridges Appointed New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has announced his selection of Dr. Brian Bridges as the state’s new Secretary of Higher Education. Bridges, who is UNCF’s Vice President of Research and Member Engagement, is leaving UNCF to assume his duties beginning Nov. 16.

Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO, UNCF, said “Brian Bridges is a great choice to be New Jersey’s new Secretary of Education. He has led our research and institutional transformation work at UNCF, driving our strategy to ensure that our Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) produce ever stronger results for the students they serve. Brian is a passionate, committed, and relentless advocate for justice, equality, and equity in the academy. All of us at UNCF will miss Brian, but we know that he will continue to champion the urgent cause of higher education access and affordability, and he will lead a new era of innovation and transformation for all of New Jersey’s colleges and universities and their students.”

As New Jersey’s Secretary of Higher Education, Dr. Bridges will use his higher education experience and leadership skills to help guide the governor and the New Jersey state legislature in carrying out its critical mission to make college more affordable and accessible to build a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all. His new role will oversee 78 two- and four-year institutions, serve more than 500,000 students and provide advice and guidance on $1.5 billion of sustainable and responsible funding for those institutions.

“Achieving this level of success comes as no surprise,” said Dr. Lomax. “Since joining UNCF as executive director of the UNCF Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute (FDPRI) in 2012, and then rising to vice president of research and member engagement in 2014, Brian has contributed to the success of UNCF and grown in both leadership and national stature as he positioned FDPRI into the nation’s leading authority on the HBCU value proposition and gained a reputation as a leading voice in African American higher education.”

“For this, and his many major contributions to our organization, we truly thank him, and look forward to watching him as he continues on a path to major success. Congratulations, Secretary Bridges!” said Lomax.

Dr. Keith Whitfield Selected as President of UNLV

The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents voted to appoint Dr. Keith Whitfield as UNLV’s new president. He becomes UNLV’s 11th permanent president and the first Black president in the university’s 63-year history. 

Dr. Whitfield, currently the provost and senior vice president of academic affairs and a professor of psychology at Wayne State University in Detroit, will begin Aug. 24 and serve a four-year contract.

Prior to his time at Wayne State University, Whitfield was vice provost for academic affairs at Duke University and held appointments as professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, research professor in the Department of Geriatric Medicine at Duke University Medical Center, and senior fellow at the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development. He also was the co-director of the Center on Biobehavioral Health Disparities Research.

“Dr. Whitfield is a highly respected educator, researcher, and administrator. His experience boosting student success at Wayne State University will serve UNLV well. And his knowledge and understanding of leading a diverse student population – Wayne State University’s student population mirrors UNLV in terms of diversity – affords him the familiarity to tackle UNLV’s unique challenges head on,” said NSHE chancellor Thom Reilly. “I am confident Dr. Whitfield is the right person to lead the university at this time.”

As provost of Wayne State University, Whitfield is responsible for faculty hiring, promotion and tenure, and budget and policies for faculty and staff. He is also responsible for student affairs, including student success, curriculum, housing and other student related auxiliaries. Under his leadership, the university achieved remarkable gains in its graduation rate, increased overall enrollment, launched an innovation and entrepreneurship hub, and strengthened multiple business and philanthropic relationships. 

An active administrator and researcher, Whitfield has authored or co-authored over 200 publications and has earned funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the National Science Foundation. His current research focuses on the relationship between stress and longevity in African American families. He’s a member of the NIA’s National Advisory Council on Aging.

“This is truly, truly an honor. UNLV is a university that I have great respect for, and to be able to be a part of that is something I can’t express in words,” said Dr. Whitfield in his remarks to the Board of Regents following his appointment. “I’m going to make sure you see the kind of stewardship and momentum-building that you’ve seen from Marta Meana, and I’ll continue to lead this university to greatness.”

Dr. Whitfield was one of four finalists who interviewed with UNLV students, faculty, employees, and community members since Monday. The ad hoc UNLV President Search Committee, made up of 29 members, including members of the Board of Regents, UNLV faculty, classified staff, students, and community stakeholders, recommended Dr. Whitfield for the job on Wednesday.

“Dr. Whitfield is committed to and understands UNLV’s mission as a research institution and its relationship to Las Vegas and Nevada,” said Board of Regents Chair Mark Doubrava.  “His breadth of experience shows he has excellent management skills and is admired by students and faculty alike.”

The search committee used in-person interviews and live-stream technology to ensure an inclusive and transparent search process, while conducting the search in consideration for the health and well-being of all those involved.

“I want to thank everyone involved in the search, especially UNLV’s students, faculty, staff and community members who participated in-person and virtually,” said Regent Trevor Hayes, who chaired the ad hoc UNLV President Search Committee. “Chancellor Reilly and the hiring firm, Wheless Search and Consulting, gave us four outstanding candidates to choose from, and I believe the committee made an excellent decision in recommending Dr. Whitfield to be UNLV’s next president.”

The son of a U.S. Air Force Lt. Colonel, Whitfield received a bachelor’s in psychology from the College of Santa Fe and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in life span Developmental Psychology from Texas Tech University and did post-doctoral work in quantitative genetics at the University of Colorado, Boulder.