All posts by Kelli Sharpe

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Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover announces retirement, going where voice is need

Glover, a 1974 TSU graduate, was appointed president by the TN Board of Regents in 2013.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Saying she was surrounded by 1,000 of her closest friends, Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover announced earlier that she will retire following the 2023-2024 academic year. Glover first shared her plans during the annual TSU Faculty Staff Institute that marks the beginning of the new academic year.  She later shared that same news during a press conference.

“After almost 11 years and having reached nearly every objective and goal I set for myself and TSU, as the leader of this great institution, my beloved alma mater, I stand before you to announce my retirement as President of Tennessee State University, at the end of the spring semester 2024. It was a decision that did not come too easily, and it was not made lightly. My voice is needed now on a more national platform.” 

President Glenda Glover announces that she will retire following the 2023-2024 academic year during a press conference at TSU.

Those goals and objects were prominently displayed behind her as she spoke to a crowded room of TSU supporters and reporters. SGA President Derrell Taylor, a Memphis native like President Glover, said it is disheartening moment but exciting at the same time to reflect on all the great things she has accomplished and all the ways she continues to lead the University into excellence.

“I believed that every time TSU had a major accomplishment, we just began to work on the next one or improved more and I appreciate that and believe that is what it takes in a leader,” said Taylor, a business major.

“Dr. Glover has led this institution to understand how to compete globally. Ultimately, I’m disappointed that as students we are uncertain of what the future holds, but I’m very confident that she will do an excellence job in making the transition as smooth as possible to benefit students.”

Having led the institution for over a decade, President Glover said it was more than a full circle moment to serve as president of her alma mater.

83rd SGA president Derrell Taylor, Chrishonda O’Quinn, SGA vice president, Victoria McCrae, Miss TSU, Davin Latiker, Mister TSU, student trustee on the board of trustee, Shaun Wimberly, hugs President Glenda Glover after announcing Monday that she will retire following the 2023-2024 academic year.

“Serving as President of Tennessee State University has been the honor of a lifetime. Words cannot express the emotions I have as I stand before you this morning. TSU prepared me for every accomplishment I have achieved throughout my career. This is where I got my start, where the seeds of excellence were sown for a young teenager from south Memphis who aspired to change the world.”

Known as the national expert and leader for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Glover has guided TSU through a decade of excellence while overcoming challenges and celebrating significant milestones and accomplishments. This includes using her influence to bring national figures to the TSU campus.

“We have elevated the brand, the reputation, and the legacy; and ensured that TSU is on a nationwide platform by increasing the national visibility of this university. TSU is being discussed in rooms where it has never been discussed before. This recognition helped us recruit even more students, not only from Tennessee but from around the country.”

President Glover’s accomplishments are a source of pride for TSU alumni.

TSU President Glenda Glover with college deans, board of trustee members, faculty, after the annual Faculty Staff Institute

“Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover serves her alma mater with tenacity,” said Charles Galbreath, president of the Tennessee State University National Alumni Association.


“For over a decade, Dr. Glover has successfully positioned, protected, and promoted Tennessee State University on international platforms. I am encouraged to see a daughter of the Civil Rights Movement wield the wisdom and power of that era, fighting the good fight for today’s injustices. I admire Dr. Glover’s grace under pressure and her humility when praised. Dr. Glenda Glover is a global trailblazer, and her influence will live for generations to come at our beloved alma mater.”

In her announcements, she thanked students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community leaders for their support.

“I am merely retiring from the presidency of Tennessee State University. Wherever my door may be, it will always remain open to the students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and the Nashville community. I will continue to advance educational opportunities, ensuring fairness, equity, and justice for African Americans and people of color, women, and those often left behind.”

Shaun Wimberly, the student representative to the TSU Board Trustees, commented that it is Glover’s leadership and focus on helping others that he will always remember.

“Our president has served my beloved school and its surrounding community diligently for over a decade. To myself and to many she is the definition of a servant leader. It’s bittersweet to see her go, but it is even more exciting to see where her path may lead next. I couldn’t have picked a better time to come to TSU. Thank you, President Glover.”

President Glover graduated from TSU in 1974 and went on to have a stellar career in the corporate sector and higher education. She is one of a few women to hold the CPA, Ph.D., JD combination.

President Glenda Glover Decade of Accomplishments at TSU

  • Moved TSU Moved TSU into the R2-high research category, one of only 11 HBCU in R2 category
  • Expanded internships and permanent placement for students
  • Established essential new degree programs at undergraduate and graduate levels
  • More than doubled TSU endowments from $45 million to over $100 million
  • Significantly increased grant funding with all-time high of over $100 million in 2023
  • Increased the national visibility of TSU
  • Noted as the national HBCU leader among and others in higher education
  • Implemented plan to move TSU from R2 to R1, the highest research category offered
  • First HBCU to establish a national technology and innovation center
  • Established the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr Institute and Accelerated medical program with Meharry Medical College
  • First student-operated physical therapy and occupational therapy clinic
  • #1 HBCU forensic and debate champions for three consecutive years
  • Record corporate partnership and million-dollar donations
  • Aristocrat of Bands first collegiate marching band to win a Grammy
  • Fall 2022 Largest Freshmen Enrollment among HBCUs
  • 2022 OVC Volleyball Championship
  • Successful $1 Million in One Month Campaign
  • Successfully led TSU through the COVID pandemic, tornado recovery, and other crisis moments
  • Implemented comprehensive campus safety plan, including the installation of fencing

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TSU’s Aristocrat of Bands readies for historic Juneteenth celebration at the White House

Tennessee State University will be well represented when the Aristocrat of Bands performs at the White House Juneteenth celebration later today, Tuesday, June 13. The Grammy-award winning band, fondly called AOB, will be a part of an all-star music event as President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden host dignitaries for the first Juneteenth Concert on the White House South Lawn. The festivities will start at 7pm EST.

The band held a final rehearsal, at Eastern Senior High School in Washington, DC, before the big performance. Others set to perform include fellow Grammy winners Jennifer Hudson and the Fisk University Jubilee Singers. 

The nation will officially observe Juneteenth on Monday, June 19. President Biden signed the Juneteenth holiday into law in 2021. Hundreds of thousands of Americans celebrate Juneteenth to highlight the end of slavery. Juneteenth is the 12th federal holiday, and the first since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was signed in 1983.

Click here for video from rehearsal.

Celebrating community, culture and music other confirmed appearances will also include the following artists:

Audra McDonald

Broadway Inspirational Voices

Cliff “Method Man” Smith

Colman Domingo

Hampton University Concert Choir

Ledisi

Maverick City Music

Morgan State University Marching Band – The Magnificent Marching Machine

Nicco Annan

Patina Miller

Step Afrika!

“The President’s Own” United States Marine Band The concert is also taking place during Black Music Month.

About Juneteenth

Juneteenth, which has also been referred to as Black Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, not only marks the abolition of slavery in the state of Texas on June 19, 1865, but is also a historic moment in American history and the culmination of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation that was written three years prior.

              

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TSU explores AI in education, will hold demonstrations

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University serves as the nation’s only HBCU Smart Technology Innovation Center, and has partnerships with tech giants Microsoft and Apple, along with T-Mobile, Amazon and several others.

Through these collaborations, TSU has worked to bridge the technology divide among HBCUs and communities of color. Now the University is looking to forge deeper into the field by exploring the opportunities and possibilities of integrating education with artificial intelligence (AI).

Dr. Robbie Melton

Dr. Robbie Melton, Vice President of Technology Innovation Strategies and interim provost and acting vice president of academic affairs, heads the TSU SMART Global Technology Innovation Center that researches the effective use of emerging technologies in education, that now includes AI.

Starting June 5, Dr. Melton will be available to conduct AI demonstrations that will include creating curriculum and lesson plans in under 4 minutes, along with art and music in less than 2 minutes.

“TSU has always been on the cutting edge of technology and it’s important that faculty learn more about AI because these tools are already transforming and disrupting the traditional methods of reading, writing, research, teaching and training,” says Melton.  

AI Generated Images as such are created by using text to image prompts, no photography required.

While the concept of artificial intelligence in education presents an array of unprecedented academic, ethical and legal challenges, Melton believes these technological advances have educational value and benefits that can’t be overlooked. 

“It’s important for TSU faculty to learn how AI works in enhancing teaching and learning before taking a stand to ban it or try to stop it in the classroom. AI pushes us to incorporate critical and higher order thinking skills, that go beyond basic observation of facts and memorization.” 

Melton recently conducted a national webinar for several historical black colleges and universities (HBCUs) regarding the educational impact of AI for underrepresented groups and cultures.

To register for this event:
Webinar: June 22ndor 29th1:00 – 3:00
Avon Williams SMART Center
Registration: https://forms.gle/wPBzCAzrGhtH2bjU8

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Oprah Winfrey returns to TSU for commencement, full circle moment for all 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University welcomed its most famous alumnus, Oprah Winfrey, with open arms to deliver the 2023 Spring Commencement address. Winfrey began her remarks by declaring “who says you can’t go home again, because I’m back” to the delight of the crowd. She also shared that TSU President Glenda Glover’s persistence paid off and was the reason for her appearance.  

“Dr. Glover is the reason why I’m here, because she is relentless,” Winfrey said. Turning to President Glover, she added, “You actually don’t know the meaning of no. She’s been here a decade and has been asking me for a decade.”  

 Regina Rogers, who earned a degree in arts and science, says she will make Oprah Winfrey’s inspiring words a part of her everyday life. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)

Winfrey then went into a rendition of the University’s fight song, “I’m so glad I go to TSU”, a gesture that brought several graduates to their feet, while the crowd cheered her on through the course.  The global media leader and Nashville native’s message was simple but impactful, be good to people. 

“This is what I know for sure. There will never be anything in your life as fulfilling as making a difference in somebody else’s,” Winfrey said.

“Everybody here wants to see you take your integrity, your curiosity, your creativity, your guts, and this newfound education of yours and use it to make a difference. Everybody always thinks you got go and do something big and grand. I tell you where you start. You start by being good to at least one other person every single day. Just start there.”

TSU President Glover believed Winfrey’s return was an amazing experience for students and a historical moment for the University.

“Oprah Winfrey is a phenomenal individual who embodies everything her alma mater, TSU, represents and was able to translate that to our graduates,” said President Glover. “I was excited to watch as she touched the spirit of students. They listened, applauded, while soaking in her knowledge.”

Barbara Murrell, right, was the director of student activities at TSU when Oprah Winfrey, left, was a student.

Regina Rogers, who earned her degree in arts and science, said Winfrey’s message was taken to heart and is words to live by. Rogers was among more than 600 TSU graduates sitting in awe of Winfrey and hanging on her every word.

“Oprah’s commencement speech was inspiring and one that will help guide us to our next level of life,” added Rogers, of Nashville. “I really loved her speech. I am going to take her speech and apply it to my life from here on.”

 Former TSU administrator Barbara Murrell says that’s the Oprah she remembers, always willing to lend her talents to help and inspire others, even as a student.

 “As Director of Student Activities at TSU when Oprah was a student, I was often asked to provide a student who could speak at University events,” recalls Murrell.  

“I would call Dr. W. Dury Cox, TSU’s outstanding Speech and Drama Professor, and he would send Oprah Winfrey to do a reading or recite a poem for the occasion.  She was always articulate, intriguing, and thought-provoking in her delivery. Her message was extremely well received by the audience.”

 Murrell, who now serves as chair of the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Institute at TSU, says one performance comes to mind when she reflects on this full circle moment for the talented orator, who attended TSU from 1972-1975.

 “Our student center, during that time, served as a meeting place for the community. A professional women’s club, who provided scholarships for students, would always ask for a student to come, and do a reading or presentation to the group.”

 She recalls Winfrey poetry reading touched the women so, that several were left in tears. Murrell says to hear her commencement address touched her as well.

 “These same characteristics are evident on her global platform today in which Tennessee State University helped to develop and nurture.”

Winfrey received her degree from TSU in 1988 after she was allowed to submit a paper and several of her tv show reels for credit. Now, 35 years later, Winfrey returned to her alma mater fully embraced for this full circle moment, from student to alumna and as commencement speaker.

Watch the TSU commencement ceremony on the University’s YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/live/vJEbMmyKG5U?feature=share.

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Tennessee State University’s Oprah Winfrey and U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson to Serve as 2023 Commencement Speakers 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University alumna Oprah Winfrey is coming home to headline TSU’s Spring Commencement as the keynote speaker for the undergraduate Commencement on Saturday, May 6 at 8 a.m. CDT, in Hale Stadium. United States Congressman Bennie G. Thompson, Miss-Second District, will address graduate students at an indoor ceremony on Friday, May 5 at 5 p.m. CDT, in the Gentry Center Complex. Over 800 students will receive degrees in various disciplines across both days.

“Commencement is always a special time for our students and their families, as it marks a major milestone in our students’ lives and a sign of success for them,” says TSU, Dr. President Glenda Glover.

Oprah Winfrey

“To have Ms. Winfrey as our speaker will be a life changing moment for graduates and the University. She is someone who has walked the TSU campus as a student, sat in some of the same classroom, and knows first-hand the value of a TSU education. Ms. Winfrey and Congressman Thompson are trailblazers, history makers and HBCU graduates, adding to the excitement and anticipation for both commencement ceremonies.”

Winfrey is a global media leader, philanthropist, producer, actress and author. Over the course of her esteemed career, she has created an unparalleled connection with people around the world, making her one of the most respected and admired figures today. Growing up, Winfrey went to high school at East Nashville High School and attended Tennessee State University on a full scholarship, majoring in communications. While at TSU, Winfrey landed a job at Nashville’s WLAC-TV (now WTVF-TV), where she was both the youngest news anchor and the first black female news anchor. Despite being one credit short of her degree, Winfrey decided to leave school and Nashville to pursue her dream of being a broadcast journalist. However, in 1986, she returned to submit her final paper and officially graduated from TSU. Now, Winfrey is a dedicated philanthropist and has contributed more than $200 million towards providing education for academically gifted girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. Winfrey is a

United States Congressman Bennie G. Thompson

founding donor of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Winfrey’s Morehouse Scholars Program has supported over 600 men graduate from college, and in 2020, Winfrey donated over $20 million in vital COVID-19 relief support to cities around the country, including her hometowns of Nashville, Chicago, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Los Angeles and Kosciusko, MS.

Born in a state with a unique history of racial inequality, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson draws inspiration from the legacies of Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry, and Henry Kirksey. The Bolton, Mississippi native considers it an honor to walk the path Mississippi civil rights icons paved decades ago. Serving his 15th term in the United States House of Representatives, Thompson represents Mississippi’s Second Congressional District where he has spent his entire life fighting to improve the lives of all people.

For more information on TSU 2023 Spring Commencement and full bios on Ms. Winfrey and Congressman Thompson, visit www.tnstate.edu/commencement.

Media interested in attending commencement should contact Kelli Sharpe at 615.963.7401 and by email at [email protected]. TSU Media Relations is also available to assist and can be reached at 615.963.5331.

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TSU Takes 2nd Place at Honda Campus All-Star Challenge

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is heading to the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship Tournament. TSU earned the bid after its second place finish at the qualifying round held at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. 

The team placed second in the tournament defeating Florida A&M, Spelman, and Voorhees College. The team defeated Morehouse College in the playoffs and lost a very tough game to Tuskegee University. 

HCASC is a national quiz competition sponsored by American Honda for HBCUs. For more information see www.hcasc.com

The members of the team are: 

Captain Cameron Malone, Junior, Oak Ridge TN, Electrical Engineering. 

Tyler Vazquez, Sophomore, Winston-Salem, NC, Biology

Morgan Gill, Sophomore, Conyers, GA, Urban Studies

Kelley Zumwalt, Junior, Loveland, CO, History/Political Science/English. 

TSU also had a second team to compete.

Darius Coleman, Freshmen, Memphis, TN, Film and Television Production, 

Kara Simmons, Sophomore, Chicago IL, Biology

Aniya Johnson, Freshmen, Shreveport, LA, Pre-Med 

Jada Womack, Sophomore, Baton Rouge, LA, Accounting 

Journey Brinson, Freshman, Memphis, TN, Biology 

The Coach of the Team: Dr. John Miglietta, History, Political Science, Geography, and Africana Studies. 

Assistant Coach Dr. Learotha Williams, History, Political Science, Geography, and Africana Studies. 

The team is looking forward to competing at the National Championship Tournament in Torrance, CA April 15-19.

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A Black History Month Exclusive: TSU to host world-renowned, Oscar award-winning production designer Hannah Beachler

As the first African American woman to win an Oscar for production design, Beachler’s projects include Marvel’s Black Panther films, along with Beyoncé Knowles- Carter’s Lemonade, Black Is King and On The Run Tour II.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) –  As Tennessee State University continues to observe Black History Month, the University is pleased to announce the upcoming visit of Oscar winning and trailblazing production designer Hannah Beachler. TSU students will learn about Beachler’s road to success and her experiences, as she defied the odds while redefining the art of production design in Hollywood and around the world. TSU will host A Conversation of Excellence with Hannah Beachler, Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at noon in the Robert Murrell Form in the Student Center. The event is free and open to all students.

Check out some of Beachler’s credits from Beyonce’s visual album and musical film.

“TSU is excited to welcome Ms. Hannah Beachler to our campus and it comes at a most ideal time, as we join the nation in celebrating the monumental and global impact that so many African Americans have made to society,” said TSU President Glenda Glover.

“This is a special and unique moment for the University to be able to give our students exposure to an internationally acclaimed artist, who is African American and female. Our students can’t help but to be inspired and see themselves in her.”

Check out some of Beachler’s credits from Marvel’s Black Panther.

In 2019, Beachler became the first African American woman to be nominated and win an Academy Award for Best Production Design for her designs and visuals on Marvel’s Black Panther. She has also collaborated with global icon Beyoncé Knowles-Carter on several projects, including the visual album Lemonade, On The Run Tour II and the highly acclaimed visuals for her musical film Black Is King in 2020.

Beachler is the first ever female production designer of a Marvel film franchise and has been responsible for multimillion-dollar art budgets. After becoming an academy award winner, she returned to Marvel for its highly anticipated sequel, Marvel’s Black Panther Wakanda Forever. The Black Panther franchise box office receipts have grossed over $2.1 billion worldwide to date. She is also an art director, known for her work in the 2016 film Moonlight and The Lion King in 2019.

Previously, the Ohio native has collaborated with filmmaker Ryan Coogler on Creed, the spinoff from the Rocky film series starring Michael B. Jordan. Her many credits also include Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move, Todd Haynes’ docu-narrative feature film Dark Waters and The Collaboration, an unreleased film directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah.

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NFLPA taps TSU Coach Eddie George to lead 2023 collegiate bowl

NASHVILLE – Tennessee State University head football coach Eddie George will lead a group of draft-eligible college players in the 2023 NFLPA Bowl. George, a Heisman Trophy winner and a former NFL standout, has been named one of the head coaches for this year’s event. The game will take place on January 28 and will continue its tradition of being played at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.

TSU coach Eddie George will lead a group of draft-eligible college players in the 2023 NFLPA Bowl

George will be coaching against his former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher, who was also a coach in last year’s event. George was announced as the 22nd head football coach at Tennessee State University on April 13, 2021. George played college football for Ohio State University and won the Heisman in 1995. That season, George rushed for a school record 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns, an average of 148.23 yards per game, while also catching 47 passes for 417 yards and another score. He left Ohio State second in school history in career rushing yards (3,768) and third in rushing touchdowns (44). The Philadelphia native finished with 4,284 all-purpose yards, 45 touchdowns, and a 5.5 yards-per-carry average. 

In 1996, George was the first-round draft selection of the then-Houston Oilers. He won the NFL Rookie of the Year award that season and was the Oilers/Titans’ starting tailback through 2003, never missing a start. He made the Pro Bowl four consecutive years (1997–2000) and assisted the Titans to a championship appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV. 

The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl is the premier postseason all-star game for any draft-eligible college football player. More than just a game, this week-long experience provides players with the opportunity to showcase their game to NFL scouts and coaches, while learning from the best in the business. The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl not only prepares players for the speed and intensity of professional football, but also for the business and lifestyle changes that come with it. 

The event, founded in 2012, gives players the best opportunity to showcase their talents to the NFL. Nearly 200 scouts, player personnel staff, general managers, and head coaches from all 32 NFL teams are expected to be in attendance to watch live practices, conduct player interviews and review tape. 

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Former TSU Board of Trustees Member shares opinion on university growth

By Bill Freeman

Where are our state and federal leaders when it comes to the challenges facing Tennessee State University, Nashville’s only public state-funded HBCU?

Gov. Bill Lee campaigned hard on his work with prison-outreach group Men of Valor, highlighting the stark contrast between the haves and the have-nots. He should be aware of the challenges facing Black students and how hard it is — regardless of the color of your skin — to get a college education when coming from a disadvantaged background. TSU and its student population are overcoming hurdles, but our leaders have yet to lift a finger to help.

Tennessee’s senior U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn has also been quiet on the subject — though she has in recent months made her opinion on a well-educated Black woman quite clear. The nation was taken aback by her mistreatment of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson during Jackson’s confirmation hearing, asking if the judge had a “hidden agenda” and inspiring headlines such as Newsweek’s “Marsha Blackburn accused of racism over Ketanji Brown Jackson questions.” What a proud moment to be a Tennessean. While Blackburn has not made her opinion of TSU President Dr. Glenda Glover public, she may have similar unfounded suspicion of another Black woman in a position of leadership and responsibility. 

It’s no secret that one of TSU’s greatest challenges has been the expense of providing a solid education. Nashville’s meteoric growth has been a challenge for many residents, and city growth has a large impact on an urban university with housing and educational responsibilities. When families find it difficult to find and keep homes in Nashville, the challenges facing an urban university are just as great. Combine that with the recent surge in TSU’s enrollment, and the school now has one of the best problems you can have: surging attendance, with more students than they’ve ever seen before. High praise for TSU, but it is indeed a logistical challenge.

TSU was recently in front of the state Senate’s Finance, Ways and Means Committee to discuss the framework for financial support for additional student housing. But as Tennessee Lookout’s Sam Stockard recently pointed out, the “outrage over TSU was outrageous.” Instead of discussing the logistics of a clearly needed student housing increase, this 10-member committee — notably composed of nine Republicans and a single Democrat — grilled TSU over years-old financial audit findings. 

TSU has worked diligently to increase enrollment, and has achieved a dramatic increase of 2,000 more incoming freshmen this year. The treatment TSU received was out of line. The school deserves more respect and simply excels at recruiting new students. “TSU’s biggest sin,” writes Stockard, “appears to be a strong marketing program and an inability to say no.”

Some have pointed out that other schools — namely UT-Knoxville — would never have been treated this way. I have to agree. I love both schools and have supported them for many years, but the treatment Dr. Glover received from our state legislators was uncalled for. Dr. Glover is a rare find in the educational field. How rare? She has no peer in Tennessee’s other public universities. Out of every public university in the state of Tennessee, only two are led by a woman, and only two are led by a person of color. How many are led by a woman of color? One. Dr. Glover is the only Black woman to lead a public university in Tennessee. This is how we treat someone with a hard-earned and well-deserved position of authority? I agree with Stockard’s comment that UT-Knoxville President Randy Boyd would never have been treated this way — and I suspect that the other eight white men in charge of our public universities wouldn’t have been treated this way, either. 

Increasing enrollment is the primary goal of our public educational institutions. Nearly a decade ago, former Gov. Bill Haslam’s “Drive to 55” program was implemented with the goal of having 55 percent of all Tennesseans earn a post-secondary degree or certificate by 2025. TSU has arguably done more than its fair share of the work to reach that high bar, which was set back in 2013. They were charged with increasing enrollment, and that’s exactly what they’ve done. 

The bottom line is this: TSU’s housing needs are real. They deserve help from the state, they deserve better treatment from our state legislators, and they deserve better from our state government as a whole. 

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TSU more than just an educational journey for first group of Caribbean Scholars

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University experienced historic growth this fall with the institution’s record-setting freshman class of 3,567 first-year students. Included in the group, and far away from home, were 29 Caribbean scholars. With this being the first time on American soil for many of them, the University has worked to make the transition as seamless as possible.

This is the first year that TSU has successfully recruited a large number of Caribbean students. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)

TSU’s annual International Education Week, observed November 7 -11, has made the Caribbean students feel even more at ease in their “home-away-from home.” The week-long event helped to promote cultural awareness and featured several activities highlighting the native land of the University’s international students. This included Dance Hall Night and lunch-n-learn story circles events for the entire campus.  

“We are all from difference places, but it’s still a family because we are relating to being abroad in school,” Tonique Poitier of the Bahamas, said.

Poitier, who is a freshman studying chemistry, said the week gave her and fellow Caribbean students a chance to interact and gain awareness about other cultures as well.

She said most of them met at a welcome reception and dinner for Caribbean students hosted by TSU and the Nashville community. The September event, which featured foods from several of their home islands, was the first of several to help them adjust to college life.

“The welcome dinner made me feel at home,” said Jada Henry, who is an incoming freshman from Jamaica studying Supply Chain Management. “They had Jamaican food and gave good advice.”

Henry hopes to land a career as a Logistics Supervisor with the military. “I take great pride in my place here at Tennessee State University and in the direction my experience has provided for me thus far,” he said.

“The dinner was a very nice gesture,” said Renard Frederick, who is an incoming freshman from Trinidad & Tobago studying Human Performance and Sports Sciences. “It brought all of the Caribbean students together and now we are friends as a result.”

More than 300 Caribbean students applied for the International Tuition Assistance Grant from TSU with the final selection made up of 20 on campus and nine studying online. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)

Frederick wants to become a Sports Physiotherapist working with sports teams, ideally his dream team, Barcelona SC.

According to Dr. Arlene Nicholas-Phillips, executive assistant to President Glover and liaison on Global Initiatives, this is the first time that TSU has successfully recruited a large number of Caribbean students. She attributed this success to the International Tuition Assistance Grant (ITAG) the students received.

“Coming from the Caribbean, I understand the importance of education,” Nicholas-Phillips said. “Parents from the Caribbean understand that no sacrifice is too much to further their students’ education, and they’ve expressed how much of a blessing TSU has been with the ITAG because it’s an opportunity they [otherwise] wouldn’t have.”

Over 300 Caribbean students applied for the ITAG from TSU with the final selection made up of 20 on campus (two from Jamaica, five from Trinidad & Tobago, and 13 from the Bahamas) and nine studying online. The grant requires incoming students to have a minimum 3.25 grade point average and maintain 15 credit hours per semester to complete their degree within four years.

“The average G.P.A. for the incoming scholars is 3.6,” added Nicholas-Phillips. “These are high-performing students, and we know they are dedicated to their education because they know the sacrifice their parents are making.”

D’Neka Cunningham is one of a few transfer students who received the ITAG this semester and said the opportunity means everything to her and her family.

“I’m the oldest of three and first-gen, so I have to set the standard and be the example,” said Cunningham, who plans to return home to the Bahamas with a degree in Architectural Engineering and help improve their residential structures. She recalled how their homes flooded and two of her friends died during Hurricane Dorian in 2019. “We have great structures, but we can improve our homes.”

TSU’s annual International Education Week, observed in November, made the Caribbean students feel even more at ease in their “home-away-from home.” (Photo by Aaron Grayson)

Dr. Coreen Jackson, dean of TSU’s Honors College, said the University’s recruitment efforts outside of the U.S. speaks to the administration’s commitment to being a global institution. 

“This is a dream come true for TSU to extend such an awesome opportunity to students in the Caribbean who probably would not have gotten an opportunity for a higher education since there are limited universities for the number of students coming out of high school,” said Jackson, who is also from Jamaica. “It says a lot about our leader who is unselfish, caring, and global-minded.”

Dr. Jackson and her husband, the Rev. Dr. Chris Jackson, hosted the reception and dinner event at their Pleasant Green Baptist church.  Rev. Jackson said opening the church doors to welcome the students was a good thing to do. “I have travelled internationally and know what it means to be at an unfamiliar place and be shown care and love,” he said.

Both Nicholas-Phillips and [Coreen] Jackson expressed gratitude for those who volunteered their time and resources to make the welcome dinner a success, sharing that members of the local Caribbean community came together to cook traditional Caribbean foods such as rice and peas, jerk chicken, and roti, and even donated money. Local eatery Jamaicaway Restaurant and Catering also contributed food. The night was capped off with a special presentation by President Glenda Glover and Michael Thomas, President of Atlanta’s Caribbean American Cultural Arts Foundation.

Other TSU faculty and staff attending the dinner included members of the International Recruiting Committee; Global Online AVP Dr. Seay; Chief Data Officer, Dr. Clarke from Trinidad; Health Sciences Professor Dr. Johnson from Jamaica; and members of the OIA team.

Dr. Coreen Jackson said she has plans to start a program where local Caribbean families can “adopt an international student” and provide them additional support from the community while they are away from home. This includes preparing them for the Nashville winter season.

“Many of our international students have not experienced a winter, so I would like to do a drive for winter coats, sweaters, socks, blanket, etc.,” she said. “It would also be nice to have local stores donate new items and/or allow the [international] students to shop at a discounted rate.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to get a quality education amongst people who look like me,” said Cunningham. “That’s what I’ve been used to my whole life and getting to continue to do that in a place where I feel comfortable is amazing.”

While there’s no place like home, the Caribbean scholars at TSU have a new place to call home for the next four years.