Original Temptations singer to perform at JSU College of Public Service gala - April 25

(JACKSON, Miss.) – Otis Williams of Motown’s legendary Temptations will perform with his group the Temptin’ Temptations at the Jackson State University College of Public Service “Celebrating the Giving Heart II” Scholarship Gala April 25 at the Hilton Jackson Hotel in Jackson.
            The event will honor the legacy of the college’s founding dean, Gwendolyn Spencer Prater, and raise money for an endowed scholarship in her name. Prater will step down from her post in June.
            “My first love, my passion during my entire academic career, is the students,” Prater said.  “I am very pleased that funds raised will be for students.”
            Prater began her career as a social worker and started teaching at Jackson State in 1978. She is the founding dean of the JSU’s School of Social Work, which launched in 1995. In 2003, she became the founding dean of the College of Public Service, which encompasses the School of Social Work, the School of Health Sciences and the School of Policy and Planning. 
            Williams, 67, is the only surviving member of the original Temptations, which created a slew of R&B hits including “My Girl, “Ain’t to Proud to Beg” and “I Can’t Get Next to You.” The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. 
            Tickets for the gala cost $125 per person and $1,250 for a reserved table of 10. Supporters may also make a tax-deductible donation to the scholarship fund. For complete details and an order form, visit http://www.jsums.edu/cpsweb/gala.pdf.
            For more information, call the Jackson State University College of Public Service at 601-979-8836.

Harris-Stowe student attains internship at KPMG firm

St. Louis, MO – Harris-Stowe State University junior Ahmadou Fall will intern with KPMG this summer. Fall, a power forward and center for the HSSU Men’s Basketball Team and Accounting major, will work in the auditing sector of KPMG’s Senegal branch. 
Fall is originally from Senegal and credits his receiving the internship to his 3.5 GPA and his ability to speak French, Wolof and English fluently. The internship begins in May and ends July. Fall met a representative from KPMG at the Black Executive Exchange Program (BEEP) annual conference at HSSU, which inspired him to learn more about the company and to look into their internship program.  
KPMG, an audit, tax and advisory firm, employs 137,000 professionals in 144 countries. For the fiscal year ending Sept 30, 2008, KPMG accrued $22.69 billion and serves 1/5 of the Fortune 1,000 companies as clients.  

Bowie State hosts Musiq Soulchild - Click to see video interview

To view accompanying video interview, click here

Judge Hatchett Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Tennessee

(From left to right) - Dr. Marcelite Johnson, first lady of Tennessee State University, presents Judge Glenda Hatchett with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Hatchett offered inspiring remarks as special guest at the annual Women of Legend and Merit Awards program.

The Women’s Center at Tennessee State University recently hosted th program to honor outstanding and accomplished women leaders from all walks of life and raise awareness for the center’s ongoing advocacy and outreach efforts for women.
This year’s program featured Glenda Hatchett, star of the syndicated television show “Judge Hatchett.”

Spoken word artists to gather at Jackson State University conference - April 7

(JACKSON, Miss.) –  The Jackson State University Department of Speech Communication and Theatre will host its third annual spoken word creative fest/conference from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 7, at the College of Business, located on the main campus at 1400 John R. Lynch St., in Jackson, Miss. Admission is free.
Students will draw upon their experiences in and knowledge of civil rights while performing poems, orations, or dramatic interpretations
This year’s special guests include: Carolyn Ingram, author, The Curse; Rhoyia Hope Crozier, editor, Under the Hammer and Chronicles of Courage; John Rousseau, a writer who witnessed executions and lynchings in the South; C. Leigh McInnis, writer and founder of the group Out Spoken; Kalamu ya Salaam, performer and educator; Minnie Watson, and curator at Tougaloo College.
The event will include a tour of Medgar Evers’ home, the Medgar Evers statue and Freedom Corner in Jackson.
The purpose of the Spoken Word Creative Fest/Conference is to expose JSU students, faculty, staff and community to students’ original poems, orations and stories regarding any aspect of civil rights.
For more information, call Janice Neal-Vincent at 601-979-3331 or 601-979-1357.

Bowie State to host concert choirs featuring provost - March 29

South Carolina State organization Changing the Perception to present the Sankofa Show - March 24

Orangeburg, S.C. - South Carolina State’s student organization Changing the Perception Inc. will present the Sankofa Show on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 in the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium at 7 p.m. on the campus of SC State. 
The mission of Changing the Perception Inc. is to transform the negative perceptions that are associated with certain aspects of Orangeburg, South Carolina’s community environment. Changing the Perception Inc. stimulates growth of positive youth based initiatives, the improvement of racial harmony, decreasing voter apathy, and improving the city’s health and environmental standards.  
Changing the Perception Inc. aims to implement change through community service projects that emphasize racial harmony and increases public awareness about health and environmental issues.   
The Sankofa Show’s symbol is the Sankofa. The icon is a bird with his body facing forward and his head looking back, it symbolizes the fact that in order to progress you have to know from whence you came. Sankofa is an Akan word that means, ‘we must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today.’ 
The Sankofa Show will also showcase various talents to include: singers, dancers, steppers, entertainers, and spoken word artists.
Proceeds from the Sankofa Show will be donated to the American Cancer Society. The event is funded through community grants from organizations, such as www.dosomething.org.
For more information about the Changing the Perception Inc. or the Sankofa Show contact Zachary Middleton at (803)378-2054.

Delta Sigma Theta national president to address Southern University at New Orleans graduates - May 9

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) announced today that the 2009 commencement speaker will be Cynthia M. A. Butler-McIntyre, the 24th National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a Jefferson Parish Public Schools personnel administrator.  The university’s commencement will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2009, 4 p.m. at the Lakefront Arena. 
Butler-McIntyre has served as the national leader of Delta Sigma Theta since August of 2008.  She was elected unanimously with over 800 votes from delegates at the sorority’s 49th National Convention in Orlando, Florida; and has served the organization on the local, regional and national levels. 
Some of her awards include:  SHEroes of the Present, Presidential Service Award, African American Hall of Fame, Who’s Who in American Education, YWCA Role Model Recognition, Outstanding Alumnus of a Historically Black College, Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year,  Outstanding Young Women of America and Teacher of the Year as well as many others.
 

Norfolk State to Honor Norfolk 17 at President’s Gala - March 28

Norfolk, Va. — Norfolk State University will honor the Norfolk 17 at the annual President’s Gala on Saturday, March 28 at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel located in downtown Norfolk. The Civil Rights icons will receive the university’s Forever Upward Award. It is the highest award bestowed by the Office of the President. The event will also feature the NSU presentation of the Distinguished Faculty Award and the induction of four alumni into the Academy of Distinguished Alumni.

The Honorable Shawn Z. Tarrant ’89 of the Maryland House of Delegates will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening’s festivities….more

Hampton University to Host Annual Meeting of Scientific Honor Society - March 25-29

(Hampton, VA) - Hampton University, along with Norfolk State University, will host the 66th Annual Joint Meeting of Beta Kappa Chi Scientific Honor Society and the National Institute of Science on March 25-29, at the Sheraton Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia.

This year’s theme is “Preparing Leaders for Innovations in Science and Technology in a Global Society.” The meeting will feature several exciting activities including student research presentations, memorial lectures, workshops, campus tours and a town hall meeting.  

“The joint meeting is designed to encourage undergraduate students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by exposing them to current STEM research, workshops and role models,” stated Dr. Douglas DePriest, acting dean of the HU School of Science and national president of Beta Kappa Chi. “The meeting also allows students to present their research results in a competitive and supportive environment.”

On Saturday, March 28 at 1:30 p.m. participants will visit the Hampton University Student Center Ballroom for a town hall meeting discussing “Food vs. Fuel.” The town hall meeting is free and open to the public.  Speakers will be available to answer questions from students, faculty and guests.