Category Archives: EVENTS

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More than 2000 of TSU’s best and brightest recognized at annual Honors Convocation

March 30, 2022 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University recently recognized more than 2,000 students with the distinction of best and brightest at its Honors Day Convocation on March 22. The event was held virtually for the second straight year due to the pandemic.

All the students recognized maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Among the honorees were 400 President’s List scholars. These are students who have maintained 4.0 GPA throughout their matriculation.

Amaris Johnson, a 2003 TSU graduate, and director of OEM Operations at Eaton Corporation, was the keynote speaker. She was a member of the Honors College while a student at TSU.

Dr. Coreen Jackson, Dean of the Honors College, left, presents Trinity Gourdin with the Dr. McDonald Williams Highest Senior Honors Award.

Before Johnson’s address, TSU President Glenda Glover congratulated the honorees for their achievements. She challenged them to further develop their talents “to be the leaders you have been chosen to be.”

“Honors Day is more than personal recognition; it is a challenge to soar even higher,” Glover said. “As honors students, we will depend on you to research challenges and issues and to develop solutions that will remake our university. Whether it is the COVID pandemic, or racial injustice, it is you, our honorees, who must contribute to finding a path that leads to solutions to the threats that we currently face.”

Tiara Thomas, Student Trustee on the TSU Board of Trustees, received the Outstanding Student Leader Academic Award. (Submitted photo)

Johnson, a former Miss Honors, earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management at TSU. Speaking on “Promoting academic excellence, transforming leaders, while beating odds in a global pandemic,” she reminded the honorees that as honors students, they have been prepared to promote excellence in any circumstance they face in life, “even a pandemic.”

“You see, when excellence is your habit, things like pandemic don’t get in your way. It doesn’t cause you to panic and run,” Johnson said. “They cause you to thrive and shine.”

Trudie Thomas, Coordinator of the Honors College, right, presents Amaris Johnson, the convocation speaker, with a special award.

She told the students that success is within reach, but they must be vigilant in their pursuits with a clear plan in going after their career. She named five “pearls of wisdom” that foster success and that “separate people that model excellence as a habit from those who don’t.”

According to Johnson, the pearls of wisdom are: Money talks and everything else walks; Slay every day the power of executive excellence; Your network is your net worth; Chase experiences not money and titles; and Be intentional and know your endgame.

Aubrey Sales, a senior political science major with a 4.0 GPA, has been admitted to four of the top-10 law schools in the nation. (Submitted photo)

“I have a firm belief that if you don’t define your own race, you will find yourself crossing someone else’s finish line,” Johnson said. “Define your endgame, be intentional and develop your map that matches your vision. You’re a pearl of excellence. Whatever you do, do it with excellence.”

Aubrey Sales, Torrance Buntyn, and Christopher Buford II were among students honored and who participated in the convocation. They are thankful for the recognition.

Sales, a 4.0 senior majoring in political science, said it was a humbling experience to be recognized for “your hard work with the world watching.”

Torrance Butyn, a senior music education major, has been accepted at several top universities to pursue his graduate degree in music. (Submitted photo)

“I am very thankful to Tennessee State University for honoring us,” said Sales, of Huntsville, Alabama, who has been admitted to four of the top-10 law schools in the nation. “I had the best professors at TSU, who I credit for the preparation I received.”

Buntyn, also a senior, is a music education major from Jackson, Tennessee. He has a 3.9 GPA.

“The Honors Convocation has always been an exciting event for honoring academic scholars at TSU,” said Buntyn, who has been accepted to several top universities to pursue his graduate degree in music. “Being a part of the Honors Convocation always reminds me that hard work pays no matter what, and that there is always a reason to celebrate the small things in life.”

Christopher Buford, a senior mechanical engineering major, is staying at TSU to purse his master’s degree. (Submitted photo)

Buford, a senior mechanical engineering major, has a 3.7 GPA. The future business owner plans to stay at TSU to earn his master’s degree in mechanical engineering.

“I enjoyed being a part of the Honors College,” Buford, a Nashville native, said. “They taught me that life is limitless and I can do more if I put my mind and heart to it.” For more information on the TSU Honors College, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/honors/

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Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU takes aim at female gamers, will open academic eSports center in the fall

March 29, 2022 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The multibillion-dollar industry of video gaming, or eSports, is thought to be a hobby primarily enjoyed by males worldwide. Tennessee State University aims to change that perception.

Dr. Effua Ampadu-Moss, Director of TSU’s eSports program, left; and Dr. Deborah Chisom, Executive Director of Open Education Resources, congratulate Kiara Davis and Tiara Radcliff, winners of TSU’s first eSports team competition. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

The university recently hosted a special eSports gaming competition for female gamers. Recent statistics show that only 22 percent of women participate in eSports. The goal of the competition was to use video gaming as a pathway to recruit minorities, particularly Africa American females into STEAM Academic programs.

Tiara Radcliff, a senior psychology major, whose team won the gaming competition, is thankful for the opportunity. She has been playing since she was 6, but never competitively.

“It was my first-time winning in a tournament. I enjoyed it,” said Radcliff, of Indianapolis. “Some girls don’t play because they think it is for guys. I am glad TSU is doing this. It will open up more girls to the game.”

TSU has six teams, including males and females, and the university is offering classes in eSports this fall. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

Kiara Davis, Radcliff’s teammate in the competition, is also thankful that TSU is “opening doors for girls.” She has also been playing from a very young age but was always afraid to join a team.

“As a young kid, I watched my father and my younger brother play. I was very timid to join the eSports team. So, I didn’t join,” said Davis, a freshman business administration major from Memphis, Tennessee. “When I came to TSU, I decided to give it a go, and I am glad I did. What TSU is doing will get more women involved and they will see that they can actually play.”

Currently, TSU has six teams, including male and females, and the university is offering classes in eSports this fall though a new Academic eSports Center.

Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice, Olympic Champion and TSU’s Track and Field Coach, tests her skills at virtual reality gaming, at the eSports competition. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

Robbie Melton, TSU’s vice president of the Global Smart Technology Innovation Center, said the university wants to push students to look at eSports as more than just a game.

“We want to look at the academics of game design, of coding, of entrepreneurship, of the psychology and the management,” said Melton. “It’s a whole gamut of career opportunities that we want to prepare them for looking at what they’re passionate about the interest of eSports.”

Dr. Effua Ampadu-Moss, director of TSU’s eSports program, will teach a graduate course in the program, called “Special Topics: The Rise of eSports in Higher Education Administration.”

A local TV station cameraman captures the moment as the eSports team competition got fierce in the Floyd/Payne Campus Center. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

“Gaming has always been a male sport, and that’s the stigma we are trying to break by letting them know that girls can get in the game as well,” Ampadu-Moss said. “So, with the competition, we wanted to encourage our female eSports student-athletes to come out and play to help encourage other girls on campus to come out and play as well.”

Executive Director Deborah Chisom, who oversees eSports and Open Education Resources, added that eSports helps students build character, leadership skills, as well as teaches them to be strategic.

“eSports is where the young people are going today,” said Dr. Chisom. “So, in order for us to be a part of it, we needed to start an eSports at TSU, not only for young men, but for our young girls as well. I think it is very important because it allows them some skills and helps them to be engaged. I like to see them collaborate; I like to see them plan.”

For more information on eSports at TSU, visit the SMART Global Technology Innovation Center at https://tsu-smartinnovationtech.netlify.app/

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Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

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TSU to expand its online digital, STEM literacy program across Africa; four new countries show interest

March 18, 2022 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is continuing to bridge the digital divide through a dual enrollment partnership for underserved students in Africa. The university is expanding the program to include four new countries on the continent that have expressed interest.

Monrovia College (high school) students take online classes in coding and creating concepts taught by TSU professors. The school, located in Monrovia, Liberia, is one of three locations in Africa participating in the TSU digital literacy program. (submitted photo)

TSU officials say Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zambia want to join Liberia and South Africa, where students are taking online courses in coding and creating concepts taught by TSU professors. The program is part of a STEM literacy partnership with the African Methodist Episcopal Church that gives students digital resources to develop their technology skills. All participating students receive an iPad, supplied by Apple, Inc.

“This program has been so successful in just the delivery and the opportunities that we are bringing that these four countries have asked us to duplicate our model to include them,” says Dr. Robbie Melton, vice president of the Smart Technology Innovation Center at TSU.

Melton says the programs for the new countries are in the works and will start this fall. “We have the capacity to handle those requests, because we have trained teachers on our side, but we are also using the train-the-trainer model, so the teachers over there are being trained to expand the program,” she says.

Initiated a year ago, the TSU digital literacy program is serving more than 300 high school and college students in three different locations in Liberia and South Africa: Monrovia College (high school); AME University in Monrovia, Liberia; and Wilberforce Community College in Evaton, South Africa.

The students are thankful for the opportunity. Here are few comments:

“I am very excited about the program. I have always had an interest in technology and am looking forward to advancing my knowledge. The teacher is very good and makes understanding very easy. My goal is to one day study in the US, expand my knowledge, and come back home and start my own firm.” Jacques Monbo, Senior, AME University

Dr. Johnnie Smith (picture not shown), Head of the TSU Africa Project, interacts with students at Wilberforce Community College in Evaton, South Africa, during a virtual presentation. (Submitted photo)

“I am very excited about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am doing everything possible to do well in this program. It is my dream to come to the US and study, receive a master’s degree, come back to my country to give back and make my people proud.” Mohamed Sheriffi, Jr., Sophomore, AME University

“I love this program and I love the challenge. The professor is very encouraging. I want to go to college to gain more knowledge. I want to become an air hostess.” Jewel Paye, 12^th Grade, Monrovia College

“Firstly, I am excited about learning new technology, as technology keeps changing and evolving. We are excited to have this opportunity firsthand and free of charge for us and our students. Apple coding has been more advanced in learning and designing App.” Sandile Maxwell Vilakazi, Lecturer, Wilberforce Community College

With the time difference, Prof. Ramona Whitworth, who teaches coding and creating concepts, wakes up at 4:30 a.m. (Central Standard Time) to teach her 10:30 a.m. Saturday class for students at AME University in Monrovia, Liberia. (Submitted photo)

In the program, eligible high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, and college students can earn both university and high school graduation credits that will start them on the pathway to degrees in STEM. Other related courses will be available provided students’ desire to continue with their educational studies through TSU.

“With these three locations, we are able to provide coding and creativity skills – basically computational basic literacy,” says Melton. “This is a major empowerment for these countries. So, with the support of Apple in donating the iPad, and with our partners here, from the AME Church, Tennessee State University, and other community partners, we have been able to launch this program to enable these students to jumpstart their knowledge and skills in technology.”

Dr. Johnnie C. Smith, executive director of the Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Partnership and head of the Africa project at TSU, says the addition of the four countries shows that there is certainly a great need abroad.

“I think it brings a whole lot of opportunities and energies for the institution and that we are definitely headed in the right direction,” says Smith, adding that nations in other parts of the world, including the Caribbean, have also expressed interest. “We have been having multiple conversations with all of these different groups, just to try to see what their interest is and what TSU can provide.”

Ramona Whitworth, a TSU adjunct professor, who’s one of the instructors in the program, says the students’ enthusiasm about learning the new technology makes teaching them “so much easier,” even with the six-hour time difference. For instance, she is up at 4:30 a.m. to teach her 10:30 a.m. Saturday class for students in Monrovia.

“I am teaching them coding and creating concepts, something that is new to them, but they are always ready for the challenge,” says Whitworth, who is also director of graduate admissions at TSU. “Our mission is to teach them these coding concepts, with the goal of them coming up with ideas to develop apps to benefit their community.”

For more information on TSU’s SMART Technology Innovation Center, visit https://tsu-smartinnovationtech.netlify.app/

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Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

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TSU, Regions partner to give students ‘reality check’ about money management

March 17, 2022 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University partnered with Regions Bank on Thursday to help students better manage their money, and give them a “reality check” about life.

Regions representatives talk to students about money management. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

Representatives from Regions, a longtime partner with TSU, held a financial literacy workshop for students in the university’s College of Business. The students participated in an interactive activity to learn about building and balancing a budget, as well as being prepared for unexpected expenses that could affect a budget. Called the Reality Check, students were assigned a role and then had to select real-life options that would directly impact that person’s budget. The challenge was to complete the experience with a budget surplus.

“This event is part of our professional development series,” said Marlo Wilt, director of public service in the College of Business. “We think it is important for our students to be financially healthy. So, we invited Regions to come and do this series. We want our students. as they move out into the workforce, to know how to balance a budget and take care of their money.”

Jonathan Mercer, a junior business management major from Nashville, said the workshop was beneficial.

“It helped me realize just how important a budget is,” said Mercer. “To keep track of everything that’s going on, you need a budget, and one on paper.”

Sophomore Tekayla Turner agreed. The Detroit, Michigan, native is majoring in business administration with a concentration in hospitality, and hopes to one day own a hotel.

“In high school, we didn’t learn about budgeting and finances,” said Turner. “When I got to college, I was like, huh? So, this is important. We all need to learn about budgeting, and how to manage our money.”

Dr. Reynard McMIllian, an assistant professor in the Department of Accounting, said the College of Business wants to make basic financial literacy a strength of all its business students.

Andrew Singleton (right) with Regions addresses question asked by business student Daniel Berec. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

“We want them to have that foundation so they can walk out of Tennessee State University, not only with a degree, but with a plan on how to make that degree work in their favor,” said McMillian.

Andrew Singleton, an assistant vice president and branch manager with Regions, was one of the officials who worked with the students. He said the company holds programs like Reality Check in high regard.

“Regions Bank is all about financial literacy and financial education,” said Singleton. “So, anytime we have an opportunity to get in front of our youth, our future, it’s extremely important to us.”

TSU has continued to make financial literacy a priority. Last month, money management was one of the main topics at a workshop hosted by a group of TSU students, along with the university’s Women’s Center.

Seanne Wilson, director of the Women’s Center, said the workshop was one of the many programs the center provides to empower young women, as well as young men, to think about how they spend their money.

“I wish when I was in college, someone had talked to me about wealth management, saving money, and not spending unwisely,” said Wilson. “Now, I want to be proactive and help them understand the value of money and not be reckless in spending it.”

For more information about the College of Business at TSU, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/business/.

To learn about TSU’s Women’s Center, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/womenscenter/.

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Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

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TSU secures top jobs for students, graduates with spring career fair

March 9, 2022 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Amid the pandemic, job prospects continue to look very bright for TSU students and recent graduates, thanks to the university’s rigorous career readiness programs that have some major companies offering full-time employment to students. Many of the students will have solidified and secured job placements before graduation.

NTT DATA representatives Whitney Wells, Campus Recruiter, left: and Horace Jones, Director of Project Program Management and a TSU alum, talk to a student at the Career Fair. The company has already hired three students from the university since February. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

At TSU’s Spring 2022 Career Fair on Feb. 25, it was disclosed that Bank of America, a longtime TSU partner, which last year contributed $1 million to help with students’ job readiness, and NTT DATA Services, a multinational information technology service and consulting company, were the latest among entities quickly recruiting students for high-paying positions.

In just the last few months, the two companies reportedly have hired six computer science and business majors from the upcoming May graduating class, as well as offered internships to several others from various colleges.

Russell Marcellus Waters will reportedly make more than $75,000 in starting salary with Bank of America. (submitted)

Among the new hires is Russell Marcellus Waters, a computer science major, from Huntsville, Alabama, who is expected to receive a starting salary of more than $75,000 as a technical analyst with Bank of America. He will join several other former TSU students who currently work for the company.

“It is really a good feeling to not just go into any job, but one that’s paying well, just after graduation,” said Waters, a graduating senior, who has been interning with Bank of American since his sophomore year. He will be assigned in Charlotte, North Carolina, when he starts in July.

“The first time I stepped on TSU’s campus my goal was to graduate with a job upon graduation,” added Waters. “The exposure I received from the classroom and the preparation from the Career Development Center, whether it was sharpening my interviewing skills or resume writing, allowed me to apply to Bank of America for an internship, and I was accepted in my sophomore year.”

Peyton Williams is joining NTT DATA as a Business Technology Consultant. (Submitted)

Peyton Williams, who earned a master’s degree in business last fall, is one of three graduates joining NTT DATA as a business technology consultant. Williams and another former student started in early February in the company’s Nashville office. The third will start in August and will also be assigned in Charlotte.

“I developed a relationship with NTT DATA Services earlier in my years at TSU by attending events hosted by the College of Business and the Career Development Center,” said Williams, of Sunset, Louisiana. “My education at Tennessee State University helped me to continue to build the interpersonal, strategic thinking, and an entrepreneurial spirit necessary to be an effective leader at a company like NTT DATA Services.”

Sonecia Nard, a senior biology major, right, talks with Ronald Douglas, Jr., Senior Project Manager at HCA Healthcare. Douglas, a 1999 TSU graduate in Business Information Systems, returns to recruit at his alma mater. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

The Spring Career Fair, a potential springboard to internships, co-ops, and job opportunities for many students, this year brought together more than 140 employers, including Fortune 500 companies, federal and local government agencies, the U.S. military, educational institutions, and individuals. They set up booths and displays to review resumes and hold on-the-spot interviews with students.

Organizers said more than 500 students attended the all-day fair in the Gentry Center Complex.

Sonecia Nard, a senior biology major; and Khiri Jenkins, a third-year computer science major, were among the first students at the fair. Nard, who graduates in May, was looking for a full-time position, while Jenkins was looking for an internship opportunity.

Antoinette Duke, Director of the TSU career Development Center, left, interacts with representatives of BAE Systems, one of the more than 140 companies at the Career Fair. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

“I am looking for opportunities that will help me get more experience in my career field and give me more options of what I want to do with my life,” said Nard, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, who was seen talking with representatives of HCA Healthcare. “Although I am a senior, this is my very first career fair. The employers have been very receptive and helpful. It’s been a nice experience.”

For Jenkins, a native of Atlanta, he is looking for opportunities that can further his education and position him for a bright career.

Khiri Jenkins, a third-year computer science major, discusses his resume with Emily Burton, Talent Acquisition Manager at JW Marriott. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

“The employers I met were very interested in what I had to say,” said Jenkins. “I am very optimistic about my chances of getting an opportunity with one of these companies.”

The career fair was the second in-person fair since the pandemic. Prior fairs were held virtually.

Frank Stevenson, associate vice president of student affairs and dean of students, called this year’s career fair a “home run.”

“It feels amazing to know that our students are going to be leaving this institution with jobs,” said Stevenson. “That’s our whole goal, to know that they are employable, and have the skill sets that these companies and organizations are looking for.”

“This is probably one of the better career fairs we’ve had,” added Antoinette Duke, director of the Career Development Center. “We have companies here that have already hired some of our students for the summer. So, this is the place to show up in one location to get as many Tigers as they can.”

For more information on the TSU Career Development Center, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/careers/

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Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

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Black History: TSU students encourage financial literacy and wealth management in memory of ‘Black Wall Street’

February 22, 2022 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Money management and entrepreneurship were the key topics at a financial literacy workshop on Feb. 15 hosted by a group of Tennessee State University students, along with the Women’s Center, to provide awareness and empower their peers.

Gabrielle Mosby, right, one of the organizers of the workshop, presents a gift to keynote speaker Kyle Smith. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

Titled “Bring Back Black Wall Street,” the workshop drew from the 2020 movie “Black Wall Street Burning,” that chronicled the 1921 Memorial Day massacre of Black people and the burning of the once thriving section of Tulsa, Oklahoma, referred to as Black Wall Street.

The students said the workshop, part of a Black History Month observance, was about knowing the past, shaping the future, and holding a conversation about empowering Black people to understand true financial wealth they can build upon.

Seanne Wilson, Director of the Women’s Center, makes a comment at the event. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

Kyle Smith, a Nashville businessman, was the event’s keynote speaker. He said building wealth and attaining financial success start with discipline, hard work, and “surrounding yourself with the right people.”

Gabrielle Mosby, a freshman business major from Memphis, Tennessee, who is one of the organizers of the event, said Smith’s message was just what “we needed to hear.”

By age 22, and fresh out of college, Smith had started and was running a fitness business in his hometown. Two years later, he started a mobile notary business. He said his goal is to help others, build great relationships, and make an impact in other people’s lives.

“Today I just want to tell students that being an entrepreneur in the beginning takes time, it takes consistency and finding yourself a good mentor,” said Smith, 27, who owns two successful businesses in the Nashville area.

“I want them to understand what it takes to be successful in business, but also understand how to save their money and build generational wealth,” Smith said. “Too often people in my generation want instant gratification and focus on the liabilities that come with it. We need to focus on building assets. Cars, jewelry, purses and things like that won’t make us money in the long term.”

According to recent statistics, African Americans account for 13 percent of the U.S. population with significant impact on the economy, yet they lag in financial well-being when compared to other groups.

“’Bring Back Black Wall Street” is a conscious conversation that talks about the hard-hitting issue of building wealth within our Black community and how we can actively make a change,” Mosby said. “Looking at his business achievement in such a short time, Mr. Kyle Smith’s message was on point.”

“As we were discussing Black history and what should be one of our focus areas for the month, financial literacy jumped out,” Wilson said. “I wish when I was in college, someone had talked to me about wealth management, saving money, and not spending unwisely. So, now I want to be proactive and help them understand the value of money and not be reckless in spending it.”

Fellow workshop organizer Karly Miller, a sophomore pre-nursing major from Houston, said students were inspired by Smith’s message of financial management.

“It is motivating to hear about and see African Americans of the past and present who have established and maintained wealth in the community,” said Miller.

For more information on the TSU Women’s Center, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/womenscenter/

Featured photo by Aaron Grayson
Kyle Smith, a Nashville businessman, who owns two establishments in the area, gives the keynote speech at the financial literacy workshop, organized by students at TSU.

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Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

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U.S. Secretary of Education applauds TSU for efforts to bridge teacher shortage during visit

February 18, 2022 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, hosted a roundtable discussion at Tennessee State University on Friday, Feb. 18, to address teacher shortages and other educational needs. The highlight of the conversation was TSU’s Grow Your Own teacher pipeline initiative in the College of Education. TSU is the number one HBCU for producing teachers and a top institution in the field across the nation.

TSU President Glenda Glover (2nd from left in front) with U.S. Under Education Secretary James Kvaal (left) and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona with student leadership. (photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

TSU graduate and undergraduate students from the Grow Your Own program, faculty and local educational leaders participated in the dialog that allowed them to talk openly about issues impacting their lives and work environment, including diversity and the pandemic.

“This has been so amazing to have the Secretary of Education visit the campus of TSU and have such engaging discussions with our faculty and students,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “TSU has a proud legacy of producing quality teachers who are committed to the profession and for providing them the tools to succeed, ultimately resulting in student success. We are glad to share the success and impact of our Grow Your Own program with Secretary Cardona and look forward to his next visit.”

Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean of the College of Education, speaks during roundtable discussion. (photo by Aaron Grayson)

“I’m really proud of what I see here,” Cardona told reporters after the event. “We want to see more of this across the country. We know that with the American Rescue Plan funds, and what we’re pushing with Build Back Better, there’s going to be more support for this. It takes seeing programs like this to keep us pushing really hard because we know they work.”

Cardona said TSU is “not only a place where you’re going to see great programs … but you’re going to see an environment that’s welcoming and nurturing to all students.”

Currently, TSU has more than 50 participants in its GYO programs. Tanisha Morrow, a paraprofessional at a local Nashville high school, is among them, and she’s thankful.

“This is paving the way for me to obtain a master’s degree in special education, and also allows me to get an endorsement in ESL,” said Morrow, who participated in the roundtable. “But more than anything, I’ll be able to better serve kids in our community. That’s important to me because our classrooms are so diverse. I need to be able to reach all learners.”

GYO participant Tanisha Morrow address roundtable. (photo by Aaron Grayson)

Education officials say initiatives like GYO are necessary to address teacher shortages, which have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of education job openings overall surged by nearly 75 percent this fall compared to the same period last year. And teacher shortages, in particular, are expected to linger when the pandemic wanes, experts say.

However, TSU and its Grow Your Own initiative is doing its part to make sure school districts are supplied with enough qualified teachers, said Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean of TSU’s College of Education.

“Some schools are starting without teachers, some have interim subs,” said Haynes, who was part of the roundtable. “So, we want to make sure that all students get a fair chance at the beginning of school with a highly qualified teacher in their classroom.”

Junior Tre’veon Hayes, an elementary school major from Memphis, Tennessee, said the visit by the Education Secretary and what he heard about programs like Grow Your Own, were motivational.

TSU junior Tre’veon Hayes, an elementary school major, talks to reporters following the event. (photo by Aaron Grayson)

“I like where we’re heading with the education vision,” said Hayes, a roundtable participant. “I believe we have a strong plan to really encourage more students to get involved in education.”

Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools and a TSU alumna, was also part of the roundtable, and she too, liked what she heard.

“It takes these types of conversations to make things happen,” said Battle. “I commend all of you for what you do.”

U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal was also a part of the visit to TSU. To learn more about TSU’s College of Education, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/coe/.

For more information about the state’s Grow Your Own initiative, visit https://bit.ly/36oIgKN.

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TSU hosts African American Read-In event, highlighting writers and the Black experience

February 11, 2022 Lucas Johnson

By Meagan Gosa

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University celebrated African American literature and literacy during the African American Read-In virtual event on Feb. 11. As part of Black History Month, the Languages, Literature, and Philosophy Department in the College of Liberal Arts hosted the read-in, with the theme of “Self-discovery.”

The National African American Read-In (AARI) is the nation’s first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature and encourages communities to read together, centering around African American books and authors. It was established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month.

Dr. Zeba Khan-Thomas, an assistant professor of English, was the main organizer of the TSU event. Dr. Khan-Thomas said that the theme “self-discovery” is appropriate to for empowering participants to learn more about themselves through self-care practices, creative expressions, literary engagement, and community solidarity.

“We want to focus on what we are doing to remain in tune with ourselves, heal ourselves, and cope on a regular basis,” said Khan-Thomas. “Our main objective is to explore how can we use our creative mediums and be writers of the African American literary canon. Most importantly, provide some of that motivation or inspiration for us.”

Communities nationwide, including schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, and professional organizations are urged to host an African American Read-In event.

“Being able to share ideas and our thoughts, it shows other people our experiences, what we’ve gone through, and who we are despite challenges we face,” said Jasmine Sears, a history major, with a concentration in teaching, from Atlanta. The junior added, “read-ins like the one TSU hosted are important because they provide knowledge about black excellence and showcase creativity of black thought. I think oftentimes that aspect of who we are as a people is diminished.”

Khan-Thomas said the readings started with negro spirituals from the 18^th century, then moved into periods of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.

To learn more about TSU’s Languages, Literature, and Philosophy Department, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/llp/.

For more information about the African American Read-In, visit https://bit.ly/34N3oJO.

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TSU President Glover pleased with progress of new residence hall set to open in the fall  

February 9, 2022 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover says she is very pleased with the pace of construction of the new 700-bed ultra-modern residence hall that is scheduled to open in the fall.   

The new residence hall is situated between Eppse Hall and the Performing Arts Center on the main campus. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

 The president toured the massive facility on the main campus on Feb. 3, accompanied by the project management team and senior administrative staff. She said not only is the project ahead of schedule, but she is also impressed by the cutting-edge technology and the types of amenities students will enjoy in the building.   

  “This is an exciting time for Tennessee State University and for our students coming in the fall,” Glover said. ‘They will be coming to a facility that is student centered, academically centered, and socially centered. It is just what the students need to study and excel. So, I am very appreciative of what I see today.”   

A rendering of one of the students’ recreation areas in the new residence hall. (Submitted)

 TSU officials have said the new residence hall, estimated at $75.3 million, and the first new residence hall on the campus in nearly 25 years, is indicative of TSU’s growth and desire to create a better living and learning environment for students. It will house lower and upperclassmen in a mixed living community that offers multiple upscale living, dining, recreational and leisure concepts.   

 “I think that this new addition is really good for the campus,” said Travion Crutcher, a senior mechanical engineering major from Huntsville, Alabama, who is a student ambassador. “That will help a lot with recruitment, and when we are talking to students about coming to TSU.” 

 Aaliyah Doss, a sophomore agricultural sciences major from Chicago, agreed.    

President Glover receives a briefing on the new construction during a tour of the facility. From left are: Dr. Glover; Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Frank Stevenson; Executive Director of Student Housing and Residence Life Brent Dukhie; Associate Vice President and Chief of Staff, Dr. Curtis Johnson; and Chief Project Manager George Herring. (Photo by Aaron Grayson, TSU Media Relations)

“I lived in Epps Hall my freshman year and now in Rudolph Hall. They are not bad, but they are outdated,” said Doss. “This new building will definitely give the campus a great look and make lots of students want to come to TSU.”    

Dr. Curtis Johnson, chief of staff and associate vice president; Frank Stevenson, associate vice president for student affairs; George Herring, chief project manager; and Brent Dukhie, executive director of student housing and residence life, accompanied Dr. Glover on the recent tour.   

“We are excited that we are on schedule to get this facility opened and able to accommodate the students in ways that we have not been able to do in the past,” Johnson said. “This particular facility is designed to be a city or community for the students. The intent is for the students to be able to do almost everything they need to do without having to go across campus.”    

Stevenson, who is also dean of students, lauded the progress of the project as well. “We started this five years ago by adding it to the campus strategic plan, and our partners on this have been amazing in working diligently to make sure we meet our target date,” he said. “We are excited about that, and what this space will mean for students as they experience campus life here at TSU.” 

As for living arrangements, the new residence hall has a variety of room types for students and employees. Among them, four-bedroom suites with bathrooms, common areas, kitchenettes, as well as doubles, and pods with community bathrooms that are shared with select groups of individuals.    

“The new residence facility is a mixture of spaces,” Johnson said. “When we initiated this project, one of the things we looked at was living spaces for traditional students and the non-traditional students. That brought us to the next question for our team to strategize around: How do you accommodate all those different groups? We also looked at being able to include space for camps and different programs should the need arise. So, having the building configured in a manner to accommodate those particular aspects was also important.”    

Kathryn Crockett, district manager of Aramark, the food services provider, disclosed during an earlier tour that dining in the new building will include brands such as Firehouse Subs, Twisters Tacos, Bojangles, Bento Sushi, and Noodle Rice Bowl. Chick-fil-A, Pizza Hut, and Starbucks are currently on campus.    

 “We are thrilled to be here at TSU. We really enjoy taking care of this campus community and serving the students, faculty, and staff,” said Crockett. “We are really looking to round out our footprint here and continue the evolution of dining services on campus.”    

  Johnson added that existing concepts will be upgraded and modified to blend in with the new offerings.

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Black History: TSU’s Wendelyn Inman recounts family’s traumatic experience in the ‘Tuskegee Experiment’

February 2, 2022 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – It’s been nearly 50 years since the “Tuskegee Experiment” ended, but Wendelyn Inman is constantly haunted by the thought of what it did to her “Uncle Gus.”

Wendelyn Harris Inman on receiving her Ph.D. from Vanderbilt Graduate School of Medicine (Submitted Photo)

“He was in that study and didn’t realize it was a study,” says Inman, sobbing, as she recounts her family’s trauma that resulted from the study, arguably the most infamous biomedical research study in U.S. history.

“They gave him syphilis and he didn’t realize he had been given syphilis,” adds Dr. Inman, a professor and director of the public health programs in the College of Health Professions at Tennessee State University.

In the study, conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the U.S. Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, investigators enrolled a total of 600 impoverished African American sharecroppers from Macon County, Alabama. Of these men, including Inman’s uncle, Augustus Reynolds (Uncle Gus), 399 had latent syphilis, with a control group of 201 men who were not infected.

Milton Reynolds, Inman’s grandfather, was the younger brother of Augustus Reynolds or “Uncle Gus.” (Submitted Photo)

As an incentive for participation in the study, the men were promised free medical care, but were deceived by the PHS, which never informed them of their syphilis diagnosis and provided disguised placebos, ineffective methods, and diagnostic procedures as treatment for “bad blood.” More than 100 died as a result.

Inman, now a microbiologist and a nationally recognized infectious disease control expert, says as result of the study, her uncle contracted syphilis and eventually went blind. By the end of the study, Inman’s family, including her grandparents, had left Alabama, and moved to Sandusky, Ohio, where she grew up. Reynolds’ wife divorced him because of his syphilis diagnosis, accusing him of being unfaithful. Blind and no one to care for him, he moved to Ohio and stayed with his siblings.

“He was blind, and I remember my siblings leading Uncle Gus out of the house to sit with us under the tree in the summer and having to lead him to go to church and things like that,” Inman recalls. “He died from it. That’s what I remember.”

Inman says she became interested in medicine and public health to “help my people better understand and avoid the mistakes” of the past.

Inman is from a family of eight brothers and sisters, with accomplishments in medicine, law, military service and education. Back row, from left: Donald Harris, Inman, Anthony Harris, Howard Harris, and Helen Harris Abrams. Middle row: Howard Harris, Sr., father, a Ada Reynolds Harris, mother. Front row: Lt. Col. Steven Harris, Adrianne Harris, and Gaye Harris Miles. (Submitted Photo)

“When he (Uncle Gus) was going through this, I was a very young child,” says Inman.

“So, I heard a lot of things about what my parents talked about. It did motivate me for a research career that I chose. What did my Uncle Gus die from? An infectious disease. So, I am on my path to helping my people be better, because now, I have a complete understanding of how a microbe works,” adds Inman. And she does!

When COVID-19 hit the United States followed by widespread vaccine hesitancy, especially among black people, Inman was among those public health experts encouraging her fellow African Americans to take the available drug against the disease. The Tuskegee Study is often cited as one of the reasons African Americans do not trust the vaccine. Efforts to increase vaccination rates among African Americans often focus on misconceptions surrounding the study as a result.

“This is no time for hesitancy,” says Inman. “The vaccines work.”

At TSU, in particular, Inman has helped in the effort to get employees and students vaccinated. Currently, close to 80 percent of the university’s full-time faculty and staff have received vaccinations, as well as hundreds of students.

Looking back at what happened to “Uncle Gus,” Inman has good reason to be optimistic about the vaccines. After all, she is a professor of public health, been an advisor on several national initiatives in that area, and previously served as the chief of epidemiology for the State of Tennessee.

“There is great advancement in medicine today,” she says. “When you look at science, there are so many benefits that outweigh the negatives, and there is access. If they (Uncle Gus and others) had equal access to healthcare, they could have gone to another doctor, but they didn’t have access to other healthcare and they knew it. So, they (U.S. government) enticed them by offering them healthcare while they were destroying their health.”

On May 16, 1997, President Bill Clinton formally apologized on behalf of the United States to victims of the Tuskegee study, calling it shameful and racist.

Department of Media Relations

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3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University