NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (TSU News Service)
– Carrie Gentry, a civil rights activist and TSU educator, died Saturday. She
was 95.
Carrie Gentry, right, with her son, Howard Gentry, Jr., was a pioneer in the nonviolent civil rights movement in Nashville. (Courtesy Photo)
Gentry, mother of
TSU alum and Nashville Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry, Jr., was married to
the late TSU athletic director Howard Gentry, Sr., after whom the Gentry Center
is named.
She came to then-Tennessee A&I College in 1949 with her husband, and taught rhythmic and modern dance at the university. Later, along with friend Inez Crutchfield, an assistant professor of health education at TSU (1949-1985), Carrie Gentry became influential in the effort to desegregate Nashville, aiding student protestors during the nonviolent civil rights movement.
“I really feel
humbled today standing among so many worthy people, and you my friend, Inez,”
Gentry said in 2014, as she, Crutchfield and legendary track and field coach
Ed. Temple were being honored for their contributions to the city, at the 10th
Annual James “Tex” Thomas Humanitarian Prayer Breakfast.
“As I stand here
today, I think about all the people that helped me move along the way. I want
to thank everyone for the honor and praise. It is a tribute to my family who
helped me succeed.”
Pioneers in the
civil rights movement in Nashville during the 1960s, Gentry and Crutchfield
became involved in the League for Women Voters, and were the first
African-American members of the Davidson County Democratic Party’s Women Club.
The two would later become presidents of the group – Crutchfield in 1975, and
Gentry in 1978.
A longtime member
of First Baptist Church until her passing, Carrie and her husband Howard
reportedly transported students from TSU to her pastor, first to be trained in
nonviolent tactics in the church basement and then to participate in the sit-in
protests in downtown Nashville.
Carry Gentry was
born in Georgia as one of 14 children. She lost her parents at an early age and
was raised by her siblings and moved to Boston. She attended Howard University,
where she majored in health physical education and dance.
At TSU, Gentry also served as the director of the majorettes. Like her husband, Howard Gentry, Sr., she is also in the school’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Department of Media Relations
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A Tennessee State University alum who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam recently returned to the Southeast Asian country and met the widow of the pilot who shot down his fighter jet nearly 50 years ago.
Lt. Col. James Williams sits in cell where he was interrogated and tortured while imprisoned. (Courtesy: Valor Administration)
Lt. Col. James W. Williams was flying his 228th combat mission when his F-4D Phantom was hit over North Vietnam on May 20, 1972. He was taken captive and spent 313 days in the infamous Hoa Lo Prison (aka Hanoi Hilton). He was released with other American POWs on March 28, 1973, about two months after the Vietnam War ended.
In November, the Memphis, Tennessee native was among several Vietnam veterans who returned to Hanoi, Vietnam, as part of a trip organized by the Dallas, Texas-based group Valor Administration, members of the Vietnam-USA Friendship, and North Vietnamese combat veterans.
Organizers said the trip was a way to help veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder possibly gain closure.
“There are a lot of Vietnam veterans … that still have wounds from the war that haven’t been addressed,” said Adriane Baan, with Valor Administration.
Williams, who was imprisoned a period of time with late U.S. Sen. John McCain, acknowledged it was therapeutic revisiting the place where he was tortured and meeting veterans who were once his enemy. But he said the highlight of the trip was meeting Nguyen Thi Lam, the widow of Do Van Lanh, the North Vietnamese pilot who shot him down.
Williams said he did not know he was going to meet Lam until he got to Vietnam, and that the meeting was awkward at first, but that changed the more they talked.
“I found out her husband died in 1980,” recalled Williams, who lives in Atlanta. “She showed me pictures of him. I expressed my condolences for his passing. The trip definitely helped me. It gave me some closure.”
During his visit to the prison, which is now a museum, Williams noticed a photo on display that showed two lines of air men being released. He was leading one of the lines.
Lt. Col. Williams in 1973 photo on display in the Vietnam museum. (Courtesy: Valor Administration)
“It was really amazing,” said Baan of the photo.
Lt. Col. Nick Callaway is the commander of Tennessee State University’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 790, which Williams was part of when he was enrolled at TSU. He recognized Williams at the university’s Veterans Day program last month.
“If there’s anything I learned from Lt. Col. Williams, it’s that we as human beings are capable of so much,” said Callaway. “Lt. Col. Williams’ patriotism and devotion to this great nation is truly an inspiration.”
Williams’ son, Brandon, said his father’s courage and perseverance while in captivity have motivated him when he faced adversity.
“Through any situation or circumstance, don’t give up,” said Brandon, a former TSU football player who is now a financial advisor for numerous professional athletes. “He’s my hero.”
After he retired in 1995 from 28 years of military service, Lt. Col. Williams started an Air Force Junior ROTC program in the DeKalb County, Georgia School System and taught for 20 years before retiring.
The 75-year-old currently serves on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs POW Advisory Committee.
Department of Media Relations
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU
News Service) – The Tennessean newspaper has named a conference room in
honor of the late award-winning business reporter and TSU adjunct professor
Getahn Ward, who died in 2016. He was 45.
The Meter staffers visit the Getahn Ward Conference Room in The Tennessean new office building. Pictured are, from left, staff writer Brianna Sparrow, Editor-in-Chief KaBria Kirkham, and staff writer Nyah Peebles. (Courtesy photo)
The Getahn Ward
Conference Room, in the newspaper’s new office building, includes a table with
four chairs, a cabinet displaying awards Ward won while he worked there, as
well as a white board for writing ideas. The multimedia room in the TSU
Department of Communications is also named in honor of the fallen professor.
An active member
of the Nashville chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists,
where he chaired the scholarship committee, Ward was an adjunct in the
Communications Department at TSU, teaching an introductory course in journalism
for many years.
Former students
and staffers of The Meter, the TSU student newspaper, which Ward headed as
editor-in-chief while a student at TSU, visited the Getahn Ward Conference Room
recently. The experience, one said, “was very moving.”
Three visiting Meter staffers sit in on the morning editorial staff meeting at The Tennessean. (Courtesy Photo)
“Although I did not know him personally, but as soon as I saw his picture I felt an immediate connection …seeing his accomplishments and the remarkable person he was,” said KaBria Kirkham, editor-in-chief of The Meter, who came to TSU the year after Ward’s death.
She said as an
aspiring journalist, she was inspired by Ward’s dedication to excellence and
how he went about his work.
“I was just amazed
to see something so important dedicated to him in recognition of his work and
contribution to his community and individuals he came across,” Kirkham added.
During visit to the Getahn Ward Conference Room, The Meter staffers had an opportunity to interact with their counterparts at The Tennessean. (Courtesy Photo)
Meter staff
writers Brianna Sparrow and Nyah Peebles accompanied Kirkham during the visit
to The Tennessean. The group also toured the newspaper’s elaborate facility at
its new 1801 West End Avenue location, and sat in on the paper’s morning
editorial meeting, where the plan for the day’s coverage is discussed.
Following Ward’s
death, TSU, The Tennessean, the Gannett Foundation and NABJ partnered to create
a scholarship in Ward’s name to benefit aspiring journalists. The new
scholarship is the first endowed scholarship in the history of the TSU
Department of Communications.
“At a time when our majors are
working multiple jobs to offset the cost of a college education, this (scholarship)
will go a long way in helping some of our best and brightest students,” Dr.
Tameka Winston, chair of the TSU Department of Communications, said during the
launching of the scholarship. “This scholarship represents a man who
devoted much of his life to the field of journalism and to the education and
success of students at Tennessee State University.”
Ward, who previously worked at the
Nashville Banner before it closed in 1997, had a passion for teaching students
and advocating for black journalists. He earned two degrees at TSU, where he
was a proud alum.
To contribute to the Getahn Ward Endowed Scholarship Fund, visit https://bit.ly/35kPUjK
Department of Media Relations
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – In a solemn
ceremony laden with deep emotion, Tennessee State University’s College of
Agriculture recently remembered two of its graduate students who were killed in
a hit-and-run accident on Thanksgiving night.
Bandana Bhusal and Bimala Acharya share memories about their roommate Judy Stanley who they said was like a sister to them. (Photo by Joan Kite)
Judy
Stanley, 23, and Vybhav Gopisetty, 26, were pursuing food science degrees:
Stanley a master’s, and Gopisetty a doctorate
About 150 people, including members from the Nashville Indian Community, the Indian Consulate, and St. Vincent de Paul Church, where Stanley was a member, attended the ceremony at TSU on Dec. 7 to show their support and share memories of the students.
“I’m going to miss him a
lot,” said Gopisetty’s roommate, Sharath Julankanti. “He published four papers
in a row as a master’s student. He was always busy.”
The ceremony allowed
students to share their sorrow and happy memories in an event that was wrought
with emotion.
“We never imagined that
two big personalities would leave the world so soon,” said Stanley’s roommate, Bandana
Bhusal.
“May your beautiful souls rest in peace.”
Research technician and
“lab mom” Yvonne Miles spoke of how Gopisetty and Stanley brought joy to the
lab and how deeply felt their loss is.
“Our lab is a family,” said
Miles.
“When we lose a student,
a family member, it breaks our hearts,” added Rajesh Narayana Das, a member of
the Nashville Indian Community.
After a meal of Indian food and a slide show presentation with photos of Gopisetty’s and Stanley’s lives in India and the United States, the students’ teachers talked about them.
“You will live in our hearts forever,” said Dr. Ankit Patras, a mentor to both Gopisetty and Stanley.
A GoFundMe account quickly raised more than $50,000 to send the students’ bodies back to India, where they were from, and assist their families.
Department of Media Relations
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – Parents and friends were welcomed to a festive fall commencement ceremony for nearly 800 Tennessee State University graduates Saturday morning.
Speaker Roland Martin urges graduates to “do you.” (TSU Media Relations)
Speaker Roland Martin wouldn’t have it any other way. The award-winning journalist and political analyst had the band director strike up the band before delivering his keynote address.
With the theme of “do you,” Martin encouraged graduates to follow their own path and be proud of having attended TSU.
“The people who are willing to take risks in life are the folks that are often brought back and are celebrated for being distinguished alumni of this university,” said Martin.
Merna Henin, a business administration major, graduates with the highest GPA. (TSU Media Relations)
“You’ll never be happy if you’re unwilling to do you. You can’t let fear drive your decision-making.”
TSU President Glenda Glover presided over the winter graduation that consisted of 513 undergraduates and 260 graduate students. Among them was Merna Henin, a business administration major with the distinction of having the highest GPA. A native of Egypt, the Nashville resident had the honor of introducing Martin to the capacity filled crowd because of her academic achievement.
“I felt like I accomplished something spectacular and now I’m being rewarded for it,” said Henin, who plans to pursue her master’s at TSU and work in supply chain management. “It confirmed to me that hard work pays off.”
Approximately 773 graduates participated in the TSU 2019 Fall Commencement Ceremony. (TSU Media Relations)
Kalid Truitt, an interdisciplinary major with a concentration in
health science and healthcare administration, said Martin’s message resonated
with him as he prepares to leave TSU and Nashville.
“What he said hit home for me,” said Truitt. “It was my last time
to soak up the feeling that I’m at TSU. His energy and his words were exactly
what I needed to see and hear, especially the parts about his own life
experiences.”
Truitt is off to Atlanta in a few days to pursue an acting career, but said he has a backup plan, something his professors and advisors stressed throughout his college experience. The Memphis native believes he got the perfect send off from TSU.
Department of Media Relations
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Kevin W. Williams, a
Tennessee State University alum and member of the TSU Foundation Board of
Trustees, is the new president and CEO of Detroit-based GAA Manufacturing and
Supply Chain Management. Williams is a former senior executive of General
Motors.
In announcing Williams’ appointment, GAA Chairman Sylvester L. Hester described him as a “game changer” for the company.
“Kevin Williams’ proven leadership
capabilities at GM, including a strong track record of growing revenues,
managing global operations and delivering quality-driven processes and products,
will be key as we continue to diversify and expand our global network of
resources to meet the demands of our supply chain customers,” Hester said.
GAA Founder and Executive Chairman
William F. Pickard said adding Williams to “our team” demonstrates the company’s
commitment to its customers and its seriousness about market growth.
“Kevin is one of America’s most
talented executives and we are absolutely delighted that he chose to join us,”
Pickard said. “His arrival is simply momentous.”
A native of Lexington Park,
Maryland, Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from TSU
in 1983 and a master’s in business administration from Central Michigan
University in 1989. In 2002, Williams completed the GM Senior Executive
Development Program.
Over the course of his 31-year
career at GM, Williams accumulated extensive experience where he held numerous
global roles. Most recently, he served as board chairman, president and
managing director of GM of Canada Ltd, with revenues of $38.7 billion. Prior to
that, Williams served as GM vice president and general manager, service and
parts operations, where he oversaw all GM global aftersales businesses with annual
revenues of $24.5 billion. He also served as president and managing director of
GM de Mexico, and GM Central American and the Cayman Islands.
A native of Lexington Park,
Maryland, Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from
Tennessee State University in 1983 and a master’s degree in business administration
from Central Michigan University in 1989. In 2002, Williams completed the GM
Senior Executive Development Program.
In addition to the TSU Foundation Board of Trustees, Williams is vice chair of
the board of directors of the United Negro College Fund, a member of the board
of trustees of the American Medical Association, and a former trustee of
Genesys Health System of Michigan.
GAA Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, one of the country’s largest African-American-owned businesses, provides contract logistics, procurement, quality containment, warehousing, freight forwarding and contract assembly services.
Department of Media Relations
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – Tennessee State
University researchers in the College of Agriculture have some pertinent food
safety information for consumers amid recent recalls and the bustling holiday
season.
Last month, there was a recall of romaine lettuce after a
multistate outbreak of E. coli infections were linked to the lettuce, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There was a similar ground
beef recall in June.
Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge
Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge is an associate research professor
in the College of Ag’s Department of Human Sciences at TSU. She says whenever
there’s a recall, consumers should take them seriously.
“It is important for consumers to listen to the news and be
aware of food recalls,” says Kilonzo-Nthenge. “Some of the recalled products
may be in our homes.”
In the last year, TSU’s College of Agriculture has received
more than a million dollars for food safety research.
Kilonzo-Nthenge is the principal investigator for a $450,000
grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pursue an integrated approach
to mitigate antimicrobial resistance in cattle and poultry, and help establish
stewardship programs for small and medium-sized ranchers.
“Consumers are educated on safe handling practices at home
and our farmers are trained on good agricultural practices that prevent or
reduce meats and fresh produce contamination with pathogenic bacteria that
might be resistant to antibiotics,” says Kilonzo-Nthenge.
Dr. Ankit Patras, a research assistant professor of
agricultural science, also recently received two grants totaling more than
$650,000 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Trojan
Technologies of Canada, and California-based Aquafine Corporation. The grants
are funding research to make food safer by eliminating harmful viruses and
bacterial endospores in juices and other beverages.
Dr. Ankit Patras
“An important aspect of the study is to create science-based
knowledge and bridge existing knowledge gaps by assessing the sensitivity of
target foodborne viruses and spores to this treatment,” says Patras, the principal
investigator. “We want to identify markers of oxidative stress, which can be
correlated to microbial inactivation.”
This holiday season, TSU researchers say there are some
simple ways to avoid foodborne illnesses. They include:
Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw meats.
Keep raw meat and poultry apart from freh
produce and foods.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, then
lower temperature to 350 F when putting turkey into the oven. Cook for at least
2 hours and 30 minutes. Turkey is done when it registers a minimum of 165 F in
the thickest part of the thigh.
Hot or cold food should not be left out for more
than two hours. Bacteria grow rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 F
and 140 F, doubling in as little as 20 minutes.
Hot foods should be kept at a temperature of at
least 140 F.
Cold foods, such as chicken salad or potato
salad, should be kept cold, at or below 40 F.
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – In January, Tennessee State University will begin construction on the first new residence halls on the campus in 23 years.
The State Building Commission recently gave the green light for the six-story, 700-bed facility estimated at $75.3 million. It will be located between Eppse Hall and the Performing Arts Center on the main campus. The new project is part of a number of planned and ongoing constructions, including a new Health Sciences Building, that are changing the landscape at TSU.
TSU President Glenda Glover believes the new
residence halls and academic building will play a major role in recruitment
efforts.
“The university is undergoing a
renaissance of sorts; it began with our new, higher admission standards, and
continues with the new construction of the residence halls and Health Sciences
Building for prospective students to enjoy and reap the benefits,” Glover said.
“We are proud of our legacy and
the current buildings on campus are a part of that legacy. The facilities are
the first state-funded construction projects on our campus in 23 years. These
are exciting times for the university and our partners.”
Joni McReynolds, president of the TSU National
Alumni Association, agreed that “building the residence halls with the best of
technology will help us recruit” new students.
“I am extremely pleased to hear that the
university will be able to move forward with the construction of two new
residence halls,” McReynolds said.
At
last year’s Homecoming, TSU broke grounds for the new residence halls, a new
Health Sciences Building, and an Alumni Welcome Center. The Health Sciences
Building, currently under construction on the main campus, is expected to be
completed in early 2020.
Dr.
Curtis Johnson, chief of staff and associate vice president for administration,
said construction of the residence halls will last for 18-20 months beginning
in January 2020. Prior to that, he said the university will soon begin making
modifications in parking that will include groundbreaking activity.
“The
facility will require some parking shift,” Johnson said. “The intent is not to
lose any parking spaces, but to just relocate those parking spaces to another
lot to allow the construction area laydown for the new facility.”
The
building will also have a high-tech security infrastructure that gives
exclusive access to occupants, he said. Outsiders coming in to use dining
facilities on the first floor will not be able to enter living areas.
“Security
design in this facility will include elevator lobbies, meaning that occupants
will have access through their IDs to be able to access the floor you live on.
There will be cameras and monitoring equipment throughout the facility,”
Johnson said.
Katelyn
Thompson, president of the Student Government Association, called construction
of the new residence halls “a historic endeavor that will make a big and
exciting difference” in student living.
“I am
so happy about this news,” Thompson said. “To have them starting the
construction this early means the world because I love my university, and to
watch it grow with new things is amazing, as new Tigers continue to enroll and
leave their mark at TSU.”
TSU’s
Dean of Student and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Frank
Stevenson, said the new residence will greatly help relieve the university of
the growing demand for student campus housing.
‘This
will be a state-of-the-art facility that creates a more dynamic student
experience,” Stevenson said. “We are tremendously excited about the progress.”
The new residence facility will include an assortment of room types, four dining concepts, a fitness facility, indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, spa concept in some bathrooms, and laundry rooms. It will have three towers, and 4,5 and 6-story living areas. Construction is expected to be completed in summer 2020.
Department of Media Relations
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University recently partnered with Apple, Inc. to teach middle and high school girls how to code, as well as consider careers in STEM.
Youth from ages 6 to 19 from various schools, including McKissack Middle School and HIllsboro High School, had the opportunity to experience coding at a free camp on Nov. 2, 9 and 16 in TSU’s Farrell Westbrook Complex (The Barn) on the main campus.
Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted about the camp: “We’re proud to team up with @TSUedu and @nc100bwinc to show girls in Nashville how coding can help them realize their dreams. Can’t wait to see where your imaginations take you! “
Dr. Robbie Melton, TSU’s dean of Graduate and Professional Studies, serves as the program director for the coding initiative.
“We were able to introduce these girls to coding in a very fun, active and stimulating way,” she said. “The students were only supposed to pick one Saturday, but some of the girls came back every Saturday.”
During the camp, participants moved around to different
stations where they learned basic coding principles, and “actually coded drones
and robots to move and function.”
Melton said because of the success of the camp, her office has received requests from local high schools, as well as schools in Memphis, Clarksville and Shelbyville that hope to explore coding.
“The students went back to their schools and talked to their teachers, and because of that we are now having special sessions for schools,” Melton said. “We got a call from Hillsboro High School’s parent community where we went on Monday to do ‘Everyone Can Code. Everyone Can Create.’ Antioch is also on board. These are schools that have reached out because of their students to say, ‘Hey, can we have more? Can we bring students to you, or can you all come to us?”
Students from various schools in Nashville gather for photo following a free coding camp held in TSU’s Farrell Westbrook Complex. (Submitted Photo)
In July, TSU launched HBCU C2 “Everyone Can Code and Create,” a national initiative supported by Apple, which seeks to bring coding experiences to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and underserved communities. The initiative is part of TSU’s newly established National Center for Smart Technology Innovations, created through the HBCU C2 Presidential Academy. The girls coding camp is an extension of the initiative.
Dr. Veronica Johnson is president of the Metro Nashville
Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., which partnered
with TSU and Apple. She said black women and girls are “vastly
underrepresented” in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well
as performing arts.
“By exposing STEM projects at an early age, it could help
increase their chances of exploring these fields, as they pursue academic
degrees and seek future career opportunities,” Johnson said. “Having access to
develop needed skill sets to survive in the 21st digital landscape will be
critical to the economic impact of the future of black communities.”
Eleven-year-old Genesis Wells, who attends Cresswell Middle Prep School of the Arts, said she found out about the camp from her mother, Ariel Wells, who works at TSU.
Genesis Laniah Wells, a student at Cressell Middle Prep School of the Arts, attended the girls’ coding camp with her mom Ariel Wells, who works at TSU. (Submitted Photo)
“I enjoyed playing in Swift Playgrounds the most and GarageBand,” she said. “I enjoyed Swift Playgrounds because you get to control a character named Bright and make him collect coins, and it makes your brain think a little bit. I enjoyed GarageBand because I got to make beats and I love music, so that’s just a dream for me.”
Wells, who aspires to be a singer, actor and dancer, said
she is also considering a career as a pediatrician.
Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of TSU’s College of Engineering,
said the camp was also beneficial to the participants’ parents, or guardians.
“The program also informs parents and adults about the digital world of information technology, and how as individuals you can take control of your learning and knowledge based on your own needs and career goals,” said Hargrove. “The ability to manage information and make data-driven decisions will continue to be a major skill for today and tomorrow’s workforce”
TSU has been charged with strengthening the collaboration by
offering the company’s coding curriculum to new audiences. That expansion also
includes providing TSU alums the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of app
design and app development for free.
To date, TSU has impacted 32 HBCUs with the HBCU C2 Initiative, including visiting every HBCU in Arkansas and meeting with a representative from each HBCU located in Louisiana. Melton said in April 2020 Apple will establish an HBCU Appstore, where HBCUs can share the various apps they have created.
“If you can dream it, we can design it and we can code it.
Everyone is not going to be a coder, but everyone can think and create.,” she
said. “We leave every academy with apps that they have designed to address a
community, an education or a workforce need.”
Also in July, TSU launched the first community “Everyone Can
Code and Create” initiative for youth on its Avon Williams Campus. The
initiative is also part of the National Center for Smart Technology
Innovations.
For more information about the girls coding camp, contact [email protected], or call 615-963-7269.
Department of Media Relations
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is making the most of a $50,000 Home Depot Retool Your School grant it received last spring.
TSU students help install electrical fixtures in the amphitheater, as Home Depot production crew members look on. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
On Nov. 15, a
large production crew from Home Depot spent the day on the TSU main campus
recording student volunteers as they mulched, power washed and installed
electrical fixtures in the university amphitheater, the McWherter Circle, and
the exterior of the Floyd-Payne Campus Center. The film crew also interviewed
TSU President Glenda Glover, and several current and former students, as well
as staff and administrators about the benefit of the Retool Your School
campaign.
Student volunteers carry out various cleanup activities around campus. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“Retool Your
School means so much to us and we are very much appreciative to Home Depot,”
Glover said. “The need to just fix the school up is a high priority, but
funding is not readily available, as we are busy trying to get money for
academic programs and to ensure that buildings are right for the students.
Retool your school has allowed our campus to fix some of the broken and
neglected areas. The students are really excited. They volunteered to
work. They want to make their campus look beautiful.”
Tennessee State
University received “Campaign of the Year” honors in Home Depot’s Retool
Your School HBCU Campus Improvement competition in the spring. This was the
first year for the award, which was created to celebrate the 10th
anniversary of the Retool Your School program. TSU beat out 60 other
institutions for the award.
Desire Wynn, a freshman dental hygiene major, helps pressure wash the amphitheater as part of the Home Depot Retool Your School campaign. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman)
“We are extremely
proud to have won this top honor for Campaign of the Year, and are just as
proud of our students, staff and alumni that mobilized efforts for TSU to have
such a strong showing to get the entire university family involved,” Glover
added.
Dwight Oliver, a
senior political science major from Memphis, and Desire Wynn, a freshman
majoring in dental hygiene, were two of the many student volunteers who mulched
plants in the McWherter Circle and helped to pressure wash the amphitheater.
They were thankful to Home Depot for the funding and for helping to give their
campus a facelift.
A Heme Depot production crew member talks to TSU alum Kolawole Odumade about his HBCU experience. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“This was an
amazing experience for me to be involved in helping to make my campus look
beautiful,” said Oliver, who also works for Home Depot at the company’s One
Hundred Oaks location. “Just to see that my company cares about the community
that I live in and go to school in was very touching, and makes me want to give
back as an alumnus.”
For Wynn, the
Cincinnati, Ohio, native was glad to see her school as a top winner in the
Retool Your School campaign, and her fellow students’ willingness to “help
clean up our campus.”
“As soon as I
heard what this was all about, I jumped in and was happy to see many students
joining in,” Wynn said. “Retool Your School is a wonderful idea.”
Marquisia Taylor,
project manager of multicultural marketing for Home Depot, was on hand with a
team of company executives and workers to make a special presentation to
President Glover.
“I am so happy to be here and to congratulate Tennessee State University for being a 2019-2020 Retool Your School grant recipient,” she said. “We just want to continue to support HBCUs by providing funds to help them reinvigorate their campuses and to create something new and exciting that the student body, alums, staff and everyone who is a supporter can rally around. We also congratulate President Glover for her leadership.”
Since 2009, the Retool Your School Program has provided over $2.1 million in campus improvement grants that allow HBCUs to make sustainable improvements to their campuses.
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 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven 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.
