Six HBCU's compete in inaugural Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup

Six HBCU golf programs competed in the inaugural Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup on Monday at Quail Hollow Club.

The event featured Division II hosts Johnson C. Smith University, while Florida A&M, Alabama State, Howard and Texas Southern made up the four Division I programs to qualify via the Golfstat Ranking in May. Livingstone qualified as the top Division II HBCU program in 2021-22.

Players were split by school into two teams of 12 for nine-hole Four-Ball matches in the morning before 18-hole Singles matches slated for the afternoon. One team was named for Charlie Sifford's son, Charlie Sifford Jr., and the other for Charlotte native James Black, a trailblazer for Black golfers with professional aspirations. The format followed Presidents Cup scoring and routing at Quail Hollow.

Team Charles Sifford Jr. won 12-6 over Team James Black.

The Presidents Cup announced the exhibition event in February, naming it for the late Sifford, a Charlotte native and the first African-American golfer on the PGA TOUR, as part of a campaign honoring his legacy throughout the year. He would have been 100 on June 2. On Sunday, the TOUR announced a $25,000 contribution to the Dr. Charles L. Sifford Scholarship, which assists students attending HBCUs or minority students focusing their education on a golf management program. Additionally, the Presidents Cup announced a $25,000 donation to each of the program's participating in the event.

Quail Hollow will host the 2022 Presidents Cup from Sept. 20-25.

[SOURCE: NCAA]

U.S. Mint to issue Bessie Coleman Quarter in 2023

The United States Mint (Mint) is pleased to announce the designs for the second year of the American Women Quarters™ Program. Authorized by Public Law 116-330, this four-year program features coins with reverse (tails) designs emblematic of the accomplishments and contributions of trailblazing American women. Beginning in 2022 and continuing through 2025, the Mint is issuing five quarters in each of these years. The ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse group of individuals honored through this program reflects a wide range of accomplishments and fields, including suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. One of the 2023 coins will recognize the achievements of Bessie Coleman.

The Bessie Coleman Quarter is the sixth coin in the American Women Quarters™ Program. Bessie Coleman was the first African American and first Native American woman pilot. She was also the first African American to earn an international pilot’s license.

The obverse (heads) depicts a portrait of George Washington, originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser to mark George Washington’s 200th birthday. A recommended design for the 1932 quarter, then-Treasury Secretary Mellon ultimately selected the familiar John Flanagan design.

The reverse (tails) depicts Bessie Coleman as she suits up in preparation for flight. Her expression is reflective of her determination to take to the skies, the only place she experienced a freedom she did not have on the ground.

Other women honored with quarters are Jovita Idar, Edith Kanakaʻole, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Maria Tallchief.

Duke Volleyball Player Rachel Richardson statement on experiencing racism at BYU

Duke volleyball player Rachel Richardson has released a statement addressing the racist abuse she faced during a match against BYU:

President Biden nominates former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown nominated to NTSB

Former Jacksonville, Florida Mayor Alvin Brown has been picked to fill a seat on the National Transportation Safety Board, the federal panel that reviews transportation disasters for ways to improve safety.

Brown, a Democrat who led City Hall from 2011 to 2015 and held positions in former President Bill Clinton's administration, was named to fill a role on the five-person board that’s been open for more than a year.

Brown will take the seat formerly held by Robert L. Sumwalt, who had been both chairman and vice-chair during a 15-year NTSB tenure that ended in June 2021.

The NTSB investigates every civil aviation accident in the country and studies accidents it considers significant involving highways, water transportation, railroads or pipelines.

Optiv’s Annual $40,000 Scholarship for Black, African American Identifying STEM Students Now Open for Applicants

As part of its continued commitment to diversity within the cyber and information security fields, Optiv, the cyber advisory and solutions leader, is accepting applications until January 27, 2023 for its annual $40,000 scholarship for Black, African American identifying STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students.

Awarded by Optiv’s Black Employee Network, the scholarship is paid out over four years. Previous recipients include AJ McCrory, a freshman studying computer science with an emphasis on software development at James Madison University, and Lauren Harris, a sophomore studying biology and computer science at Princeton University.

Applicants must meet the following qualifications to apply:

Be a graduating high school senior.

Verify acceptance into an eligible degree program in a STEM related field (including but not limited to computer science, electrical engineering, math, etc.).

Minimum cumulative high school GPA is 3.5 on 4.0 scale.

Must maintain a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.8 on 4.0 scale over the course of four years to remain eligible for the scholarship.

Be planning a career in cybersecurity/information security.

Complete the scholarship application, including a one-page essay and two letters of reference.

Identify as Black and/or African American (African, African American, Caribbean, for example) and be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. national or permanent resident.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply and learn more about the scholarship program here.

“It’s our belief that our organization is at its best and our clients are better-served when a diverse range of voices has the opportunity to be heard, lead and make an impact,” said Heather Strbiak, Optiv’s chief human resources officer. “We want boardrooms and breakrooms across our industry to more closely represent the population at-large. By dedicating effort and resources to spur that outcome, we’re aiming to close the talent and diversity gap in cybersecurity.”

Optiv’s Black Employee Network (BEN) is entirely employee-driven and part of the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative.

“The most creative, thought-provoking and successful projects I’ve worked on have been the result of inclusive environments where everyone’s unique ideas were valued and represented,” said Tesfaye Williams, Optiv’s BEN community outreach leader. “This scholarship is our way of ensuring the cybersecurity industry continues to progress and be an attractive career path for people of color seeking to make a difference.”

Optiv honors and embraces the diverse perspectives, ideas, backgrounds and experiences of its people. The company’s approach to DEI is grounded in listening, learning and growing.