Robin Holmes-Sullivan named First African American President of Lewis & Clark College

The board of trustees of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, has named Robin Holmes-Sullivan as the institution’s 26th president. When she becomes president in July, she will be the first African American and the first woman to lead the college in its 155-year history.

“I am so proud that my becoming president of Lewis & Clark can influence and inspire a generation of young people to see that they can dream big; that when they speak, people will listen; and that when they lead, people will follow,” Dr. Holmes-Sullivan said.

Lewis & Clark College enrolls about 1,800 undergraduate students and more than 1,300 graduate students. African Americans make up just 2 percent of the undergraduate student body.

Dr. Homes-Sullivan is currently the vice president for student life and dean of students at the college. She came to Lewis & Clark in 2019 from the University of California, where she served as vice president for student affairs overseeing the undergraduate admissions process and other student-related issues for the 10-campus, 200,000-student system. Prior to her time at the University of California, Holmes-Sullivan spent 27 years at the University of Oregon, working her way up from a position as a clinical coordinator in the counseling center to vice president of student life.

Dr. Holmes-Sullivan earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in experimental psychology from California State University at Fullerton. She holds a second master’s degree and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional.

[SOURCE: JBHE]

Black Louisiana Senate Candidate Burns Confederate Flag in New Campaign Video

Gary Chambers, a Black U.S. Senate candidate from Louisiana burned a Confederate flag while speaking out against restrictive voting laws in his latest campaign video released on Wednesday.

Watch that video below:

HBCU panel meets about recent threats to campuses

Presidents from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) met to address student concerns and questions.

Will Smith receives two Oscar nominations for King Richard

Will Smith received his third and fourth Oscar nominations this morning. He received nominations for Best Actor list for his role in King Richard, and shared the film’s Best Picture nomination with Tim White and Trevor White.

This is Smith's third Best Actor nomination and his first one in 15 years.

His previous Academy Award nominations both came for playing real-life figures. His performance as Muhammad Ali in Michael Mann’s Ali was recognized in 2002, and in 2007 he was nominated for playing Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness alongside his son Jaden Smith.

King Richard recieved six Oscar nominations overall. The film was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Aunjanue Ellis) Best Film Editing, andt Original Song (Be Alive by Beyonce).

King Richard "follows the journey of Richard Williams, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever. Driven by a clear vision of their future and using unconventional methods, Richard has a plan that will take Venus and Serena Williams from the streets of Compton, California to the global stage as legendary icons."

Houston Texans hire Lovie Smith as New Head Coach

After giving David Culley just one year to prove himself, the Houston Texans on Monday hired Lovie Smith as their new head coach, adding a veteran with a track record of success to a team that faces questions about its hiring process.

Smith, who is Black, is the second minority candidate to be hired this offseason after the Miami Dolphins hired San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who is biracial, on Sunday.

Smith, a former defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams and more recently the head coach at the University of Illinois, spent this season as Houston’s associate head coach and defensive coordinator. He will take over for Culley, who also is Black, and was fired after one season.

“He is one of the most respected coaches in the NFL and an established leader," Houston general manager Nick Caserio said in a statement. “A proven winner, Lovie has shown the ability to develop players both on and off the field for years. We had numerous discussions with countless coaches, executives, and players, and what revealed itself is that Lovie has both the leadership and people skills it takes to lead us forward."

“I have so many friends, family, teammates and coaches to thank for supporting me and helping me continue to do what I love, which is teaching and developing players," Smith said in a statement. “I understand the responsibility I have to this organization and this city to develop a championship-level program. I’m ready to get to work and build it together.”