HSSU Players to present Pulitzer prize winner August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson - Feb. 25-27

(St. Louis, MO) - The Harris-Stowe State University Players will present The Piano Lesson, February 25-27, at 8 p.m. with a student matinee on February 26, at 10 a.m. in Harris-Stowe State University’s Emerson Performance Center’s Bank of America Theatre.
With February being Black History Month, this play couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. Set in 1936 Pittsburgh, The Piano Lesson is centered on an 137-year-old piano and what to do with the historic piece. As the Charles family argues about the future of the instrument, their family’s ties to slavery come to the forefront, along with the former owner of the piano who enslaved their ancestors. Playwright August Wilson won his second Pulitzer Prize for this play.
Director of the play and HSSU Humanities Instructor Gregory Carr said, “Wilson, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for drama, is virtually unknown to the African-American community at large. Hopefully this production will stir up interest in his considerable body of work and promote discussion.”
HSSU students will portray the following leading roles: Ryan Cunningham (“Boy Willie”), Carisa McGraw (“Bernice”), Napoleon Williams III (“Doaker”), Jeremy Mitchell (“Lymon”) and Stephen Sanders (“Wining Boy”).  
Tickets for the evening shows cost $10 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors with a valid ID. Tickets for the student matinee cost $5. For tickets, please call Director Carr at (314) 340-3667 or Director of Speech and Theater Beverly Brennan at (314) 340-5975.

BET now casting for Spring Bling 2010

BET is now casting Spring Bling 2010!   Contact the casting director now via at facebook.com/BETSpringBling for info!
Time to soak up the sun and fun at 2010’s ultimate party destination:  BET’s SPRING BLING.   We’re taking over Florida and ramping up the heat in Panama City, Daytona Beach, Miami - March (dates tba) and West Palm Beach on April 10. 
Join us for the hottest live events and special guest artists.    They’ll be big names and big competitions and we want YOU to be part of the fun! 
If you have what it takes to be Spring Bling’s Best Dance Team or if you’re the life of the party and should have your own show, then reach out and tell us why we should make YOU a part of BET’s SPRING BLING 2010.   
Calling all: 
DANCE, STEP and CHEER teams
College students with TONS of personality
Comics 
Florida-based models, dancers, actors and beautiful people 
Music celeb look-a-likes located in the Florida area
Performers with unique or unusual talents

Wanna be centerstage or just looking to attend?   Then friend us for the latest updates @: 

www.facebook.com/SpringBling2010

www.twitter.com/BETSpringBling2010

www.myspace.com/BETSpringBling2010

SC State’s I. P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium Presents spring exhibit through July 1

(Orangeburg, S.C.) -  SC State’s I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium (The Stanback) is excited to present Twentieth Century Masters from the Cochran Collection, an exhibition of the works of some of the most interesting and exciting artists of the Twentieth Century.  The exhibit will be on display through Thursday, July 1, 2010.
This amazing collection includes works on paper by internationally renowned artists, to include Jacob Lawrence, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Romare Bearden, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, James Rosenquist, Alexander Calder, Elizabeth Catlett, Jim Dine, Jasper Johns, Joan Miro, Willem De Kooning, George Segal, Helen Frankenthaler, Louise Nevelson, Robert Rauchenberg, Camille Billops, John Biggers, Mildred Thompson and many others. 
This is the first time that the Twentieth Century Masters from the Cochran Collection is being exhibited in all of its diversity, without ethnic differentiation.  
The collection is the brain child of Wes and Missy Cochran. Wes will serve on the I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium’s Advisory Board.  They are devoted art collectors with a passion for art rivaling artists and collectors. Wes learned about art from his avid art collector uncle, William May, referred to by Wes as “Sir William.” Wes is a stone mason by trade, and Missy is a retired school teacher. They reside in La Grange, Ga., where they opened an art gallery to assist with the La Grange Museum, located in La Grange, Ga., in an effort to continue to purchase art with all of their resources.
“Their friendship and support has enabled The Stanback to produce an exhibition of rare and extraordinary quality, usually seen only in major museums in large cities,” said Ellen Zisholtz, director and curator of The Stanback.
The accompanying planetarium show will be introduced by Wes Cochran who will share his experiences as an art collector. The planetarium show, In the Mind’s Eye: Illusion and Art, will highlight select works of art from Twentieth Century Masters from the Cochran Collection presented by Dr. Elizabeth Mayo, the Stanback’s planetarium manager. In the Mind’s Eye: Illusion and Art, will explore the use of illusion in artistic expression and imagery, and showcases artists who employ this amazing technique in their works. 
On Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, the Stanback also opened the accompanying exhibition, Remembering the Rosenwald Schools,  celebrating two additional Twentieth Century Masters - Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish immigrant from Germany, and Booker T. Washington, a former enslaved American.  This exhibition is located in the Educators Resource Center and features images and artifacts from former Rosenwald schools in South Carolina.
For additional information about the I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium’s Spring Exhibition Opening, contact Ellen Zisholtz at (803)536-7174, or Ingrid Owens, program manager, at (803)536-8329.

Harris-Stowe State hosts free tax clinic through April 15, 2010

St. Louis, MO (January 11, 2010) – Harris-Stowe State University and the Anheuser-Busch School of Business proudly announces its free tax clinic, from February 1-April 15, 2010.
The free tax service is extended to any and everyone interested in having their 2009 taxes prepared by certified volunteers, under the supervision of Quintin Davis, CPA, accounting instructor at Harris-Stowe, and Owolabi Tiamiyu, assistant professor of business administration. Additional CPAs will be on hand to advise. While the HSSU tax clinic is open to everyone, it uniquely caters to international individuals and families, the elderly and low-to-moderate income households. Those who have a household income of $50,000 or less will be given priority service.

The free tax service schedule is as follows:
Mondays and Wednesdays
9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Room 103 of the Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Administration Building, located at 3026 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103

Saturdays
10 a.m.-2 p.m., HSSU Anheuser-Busch School of Business, located at 5707 Wilson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110

Please make sure you have all relevant information necessary to file 2009 tax returns. For details, please call (314) 256-8188.

Hampton University to host Black Heritage Extravaganza - Feb. 23

(Hampton, VA.) - In honor of Black History Month, Hampton University will host the Black Heritage Extravaganza on Feb. 23. The event is one of several events the campus hosted this month to commemorate Black History Month throughout February. The month’s theme is “The Hampton Renaissance.”
Black Heritage Extravaganza — A theatrical production that celebrates the history and culture of Africans and African Americans. The production includes songs, poetry, speeches, music and dances. The event includes student, faculty and community performers. 7 p.m., Ogden Hall
All events are free and open to the public. For more information contact the HU Office of Student Activities at (757) 727-5691.

Ambassador Andrew Young to speak at JSU’s Martin Luther King Convocation - Feb. 25

(JACKSON, Miss.) – Perhaps the most iconic, living figure of the civil rights movement, Ambassador Andrew Young will give the keynote address at the 41st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Convocation at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, in the Rose E. McCoy Auditorium on the campus of Jackson State University. The convocation is sponsored by the Margaret Walker Alexander National Research Center.
Young was one of King’s most trusted advisors and was at his side the day King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis in 1968. His civil rights activism led him to become a three-term U.S. Congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations under President Jimmy Carter, and Mayor of Atlanta, where Young was instrumental in getting the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.
Ambassador Young will also be one of four honorees at the 15th annual Isaac Byrd “For My People” Awards Luncheon, which will take place in the JSU Student Center ballroom immediately following the convocation. The “For My People” Awards are named for Margaret Walker Alexander’s most loved poem and are given to individuals who have distinguished themselves in the preservation of African-American culture. Along with Young, this year’s recipients include Alferdteen Harrison, Clarence Hunter, and L.C. Dorsey.
Margaret Walker Alexander founded the forerunner to the Alexander Center, the Institute for the Study of the History, Life, and Culture of Black People, at JSU in 1968. Today, the Alexander Center is both an archive and museum that seeks to honor her artistic and academic legacy through the preservation, interpretation, and dissemination of 20th century African-American history and culture. The Center is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in historic Ayer Hall on the JSU campus.
Board member Rosia Crisler of Jackson is serving as chairperson of these events.

Southern University at New Orleans’ boasts enrollment increases

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Southern University at New Orleans’ (SUNO) enrollment has increased to 93% of its pre-Hurricane Katrina enrollment of 3,647 students, according to preliminary Spring 2010 figures. Currently, 3,391 students have enrolled this semester, representing the institution’s highest enrollment since Hurricane Katrina. 

This preliminary figure also includes 160 first-time/fulltime freshmen and 176 transfer students.    Twenty-two-percent (22%) of the transfer students joined SUNO from Delgado Community College, thanks in part to the articulation and 2+2 agreements signed last year between the institutions which allow Delgado’s students to seamlessly transfer to SUNO in order to pursue specific academic programs.

Additional preliminary figures indicate that the University has retained 86% of its first-time/fulltime freshmen who had enrolled in Fall 2009.  This represents the highest fall-to-spring retention percentage for SUNO since 2003.  The Louisiana Board of Regents officially calculates retention percentages from fall-to-fall.  However, the 86% retention rate this semester gives SUNO tremendous momentum for improvement in this area heading toward the next school year.  Official enrollment and retention figures will be available on January 29th.  Students who are currently enrolled must meet their financial obligations for the semester by that date. 

“These preliminary enrollment and retention figures are very encouraging.  They mean that more individuals are continuing to make SUNO their first choice for pursuing higher educational opportunities, and that more of our faculty and staff are working hard to retain our current students.  This bodes well for the immediate and long term future of this institution,” said Victor Ukpolo, Ph.D., SUNO’s chancellor.  “Our new student housing is a great addition, and we look forward to experiencing the increased pool of students from around the state, nation and world that this amenity promises to bring.”

Bowie State to present play on life of late Justice Thurgood Mashall - Feb. 25

(Bowie, Md.)-Bowie State University’s (BSU) Performing Arts Center partners with The Elder Theodore L. Barber Scholarship Foundation, Inc. to present a play on the life of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall on Thursday, February 25, 2010, at 7 p.m. The event takes place at the University’s Samuel Meyers Auditorium of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Communications Art Center. Leading up to the play, at 6:30 p.m., the Oxon Hill High School Choir will present a mini-concert. The event proceeds will be donated to the scholarship foundation for Bowie State University students.
“The Department of Fine and Performing Arts is honored to have been selected by The Elder Theodore L. Barber Scholarship Foundation, Inc. to celebrate Black History Month at Bowie State University with this particular play that highlights the life of Thurgood Marshall, an extraordinary figure who served as the first African American on the Supreme Court and who had a major impact on civil rights for African Americans,” said Dr. Gail Medford, professor and coordinator of the BSU Theatre Program.

Tickets are $20 for general admission; $10 for students with I.D. Call 301-442-2166 for details.

HSSU Assistant Professor Dr. Shereen Kader chosen as a 2009 Heartspring awardee

(St. Louis, MO) – Harris-Stowe State University Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education Dr. Shereen Kader was recently selected to receive a 2009 Heartspring Award for Innovation and Creativity in Special Education. Each of the 10 chosen Heartspring awardees receive a $1,000 stipend, an original award sculpture, free travel and all-expenses paid to attend this year’s Heartspring Award Summer Conference, which will run July 22-25, in Wichita, Kansas.

“It is very fulfilling to be rewarded for your innovative ideas and to know that these ideas have a great potential to make a difference in others,” Kadar said. “I am thankful for the support and encouragement I got from the Heartspring organization and Harris-Stowe State University colleagues and friends.”

Dr. Gary Singleton, Heartspring President and CEO, said of Dr. Kader, “We received many applications for this prestigious award, and your creativity and passion placed you among a very select group. There are many dedicated teachers, therapists and other professionals across this country and around the world who give of their time and talent to help children with special needs and or who are living in special circumstances, but there are many fewer who are truly pioneers who bring innovation and creativity to achieve even greater results for children in need.”

Heartspring is a global center for children with special needs, and the organization has provided training to many other institutions for 75 years. Through the Heartspring School, Heartspring Pediatric Services, the Heartspring Hearing Center and Heartspring World Reach, the center has established greater independence for children with disabilities.

Hampton University students win first place at NASA Pre-Service Teacher contest

 Photo Caption: (From left to right) Dr. Kianga R. Thomas (NASA/PSTP Faculty Advisor), Shea Thompson, Ashlyn Williams, Brittany Yhap, Brittany Street, Eunice Collier, and Dr. Clair Berube (NASA/PSTP Faculty Advisor).

(Hampton, Va.) –  Students from Hampton University recently received first place at the NASA/Pre-Service Teacher Program STEM Lesson Plan Contest on April 23 at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.  These future teachers were required to develop, implement and submit a documented lesson plan incorporating the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  

Eunice Collier, Brittany Street, Shea Thompson, Ashlyn Williams and Brittany Yhap designed a lesson plan based on the real-life situation of developing a small plane that could fit on a fleet ship.  The students taught their lesson to a group of elementary students ages 8-10 and documented the lesson for evaluation purposes.  The lesson contained national standards from all four STEM areas and demonstrated a high level of inquiry.

Dr. Kianga R. Thomas and Dr. Clair Berube, both assistant professors in the HU College of Education and Continuing Studies, advised the students.  

“I think this opportunity has thoroughly given the students a lot of insight in terms of lesson plan writing and providing inquiry learning in the classroom,” said Thomas. “This experience is going to place them head and shoulders above the rest.”

The HU team competed against teams from Norfolk State University, Elizabeth City State University, Kentucky State University, Jackson State University, Alabama A&M University, and Virginia Union University.