Campus News - Page 255

JSU School of Public Health breaks ground with new Public Health Workforce Program to elevate underserved communities

By Kyle Kidd In close collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Health, the Jackson State University School of Public Health recently announced the launch of the Public Health Informatics and Technology Workforce Development Program. Girmay Berhie, Ph.D., a professor in the CEPH-accredited School of Public Health, received a $10 million cooperative grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology. Berhie anticipates the program will provide students with hands-on, theoretical and practical training necessary for sustaining industry impact and remaining adept in a rapidly transforming digital environment. “JSU is

FAMU Hosts Awarding Winning Journalist Soledad O’brien for Black History Month Conversation

By Andrew Slerritt Florida A&M University President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., will hold a Black History Month Conversation with awarding-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien, executive producer of “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks.” During the 6 p.m. Thursday, February  9 event at Lee Hall Auditorium, O’Brien will share and discuss clips from the documentary film currently streaming on Peacock. “We’re delighted to welcome Soledad O’Brien to our campus for this timely conversation about Rosa Parks, an American icon. Soledad’s career is a testament to her unstinting passion and commitment to tell important, often overlooked stories. We look forward to hearing the conversation

AOB Game Changing Album Brings Back History Month Full Circe, Adds Mystic to Music City and Beyond

By Alexis Clark Gospel music has the power to inspire change, unite communities, and serve as a voice for the marginalized. Oftentimes, the concept behind a soul stirring song or project can be just as profound. As the case for Tennessee State University’s Aristocrat of Bands Grammy-nominated album. It all stated from an idea written on a napkin. In February 2022, Professor Larry Jenkins, assistant band director for the Aristocrat of Bands, met with Sir The Baptist to brainstorm ideas about what’s next for the world-renowned AOB. The two-time Grammy award-nominated songwriter and artist liked everything Jenkins shared during their meal. In this musical meeting of

Roderick Little, JSU Band Director, named HBCU Band Director of the Year

By Anthony Howard Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South (SBOTS) Band Director Roderick Little, Ph.D., has been named 2022 HBCU band director of the year by Best American Craftsman (B.A.C.) Musical Instruments. The manufacturing company held its inaugural Greatest of All Times (G.O.A.T.) Awards Ceremony in December at a Chicago venue, making Little the first band director to win the award. The G.O.A.T Awards highlighted nine HBCU band directors across several categories, including showmanship and arranger of the year. “This recognition is unique because it’s an opportunity and a platform to recognize HBCU band directors,” said Little. “PWI band directors

TSU’s Aristocrat of Bands makes Grammy history with gospel album nomination, win

By Aaron Cantrell Tennessee State University’s marching band was hoping to follow in the steps of their sister HBCU Fisk University and take home a win in the same category at the 65th annual Grammy Awards. On Sunday, they successfully accomplished that goal. TSU Aristocrat of Bands was nominated in the Best Roots Gospel Album category for the album “The Urban Hymnal.” They are the first college marching band to receive a nomination in this category in Grammy history. This means they are also the first to win it. “Aristocratic Bands has a rich legacy. We want to continue to

Students and faculty at Morgan State celebrate the passing of the HBCU RISE Act

By Jeff Hager Students and faculty at Morgan State celebrate the passing of the HBCU RISE Act Five million dollars may not seem like much when it comes to our nation’s defense budget, but devoting that much for research at Morgan State University could be priceless. “We deserve just as much access to resources as other institutions,” said Tamera Trimuel, president of the sophomore class. With that in mind, the Maryland congressional delegation lobbied successfully for legislation requiring the Department of Defense to provide more federal grants to historically black colleges and universities. “We know that we have others around

Historic Pride Night at Howard University Celebrates Diversity, Inclusion

By Derek Bryant Rainbow-colored streamers and decorations greeted visitors as they passed through the Burr Gymnasium lobby, where a sea of informational tables greeted them from various offices on Howard University’s campus. Smiling students cherished their free black t-shirts that read “Howard Lives With Pride.” Hyped fans waved mini rainbow flags. All this swirl of activity and important awareness occurred on Howard’s Pride Night contest during its basketball doubleheader against South Carolina State on Monday, Jan. 30. “We pride ourselves on being the first, the leaders, the pioneers of tomorrow and that’s how I led this to become such a great, great

TSU Alums, Slim & Husky’s Founders Among Semifinalists For Coveted Culinary Award

By Alexis Clark The blue print all started in Watson Hall dormitory seven years ago. Now three TSU alum who are founders of a major national restaurant chain, has been nominated as semifinalists for the esteemed James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restaurateur Culinary Award. The semifinalists were announced on January 25. Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria owners Clinton Gray, Derrick Moore and Emanuel Reed are nominated in the category of Outstanding Restaurateur. The award recognizes exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system. “To be nominated for a James Beard award within our industry is the equivalent

John C. Smith University’s Lactation and Doula program Receives Nearly $1 Million in County Grant

Courtesy of John C. Smith University During a recent Mecklenburg County Commissioner meeting, Johnson C. Smith University’s Lactation and Doula Program became one of 75 local projects funded with money allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). The county received $99 million in ARPA funds, which were granted by the federal government to stimulate the economy by providing money for state and local governments to make strategic investments in their communities. The county commissioners set aside the money for affordable housing and homelessness; childcare and early childhood development; workforce and economic development; and parks, environment and infrastructure.

Mellon Foundation Awards Morgan State University $500,000 Grant to Cultivate the Next Generation of Black, LGBTQ+ Scholar-Activists

Courtesy of Morgan State University Morgan State University has received a $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation—the nation’s largest funder of the arts, culture, and humanities—to launch Black Queer…Everything (BQE), a pioneering initiative that seeks to enrich the discourse of race and racialization nationwide with a specialized focus on the interplay of racialized blackness in relationship to the rich tapestry of sexual orientations and gender identities woven into the human experience. A first-of-its-kind initiative at Morgan, BQE’s mission is to develop innovative research opportunities, humanities-centered collaborative projects, and transformative teaching and curricula to provide meaningful experiences, training, and mentorship opportunities to

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