NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Slim & Husky’s, the famous hip hop pizza franchise founded by three Tennessee State University alums, recently received recognition from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as one of the “notable metro Atlanta restaurant openings of 2019.”
Clinton Gray III, Derrick Moore and Emmanuel “E.J.” Reed, all
2007 graduates of TSU, debuted the restaurant’s first Atlanta location in early
May on Howell Road, offering teachers free pizza and a sneak peak at the venue.
The owners say they plan to open a second Atlanta location on Metropolitan
Parkway in Adair Park.
Plans have also been made to offer their unique array of pizza at new locations in Memphis, Chattanooga, Birmingham (Alabama), Austin, Houston and Louisville.
In
2010, Gray, Moore and Reed took their vision, passion and the almost $3,000
they had between them and paid a visit to the Nashville Business Incubation
Center at the TSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic development. Within
seven years they had built a multi-million dollar moving company that set the
stage for opening the first location of Slim & Husky’s Local Pizza Beeria, at
911 Buchanan St., in 2017.
“We
just wanted to provide something that would give the neighborhood some hope and
also be inclusive to those who are first time homebuyers in the area,” Gray
said then. “ We just want to bring everybody together over some good pizza.”
In December, the Metropolitan Nashville City Council recognized the trio with a resolution for “winning the National Cheese Pizza Contest on Good Morning America, and for creating jobs and food options in underserved areas.”
With the vision of fusing pizza, hip hop and art, Gray,
Moore and Reed have created a thriving restaurant that provides some of the
best gourmet pizza in the nation as well as economic opportunities for college
students.
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 continues to keep community service at the center of its mission this holiday season.
On Dec. 21, more than 2,000 parents walked away with toys for their children during the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots distribution on the TSU main campus.
Thousands
of toys of different sizes and shapes, for boys and girls up to age 12, were
collected and distributed. Volunteers,
including TSU students, staff, alumni, and representatives from area charitable
organizations and churches, helped with the distribution in Kean Hall.
Parents excited to receive toys for their children waited patiently in a line that extended outside Kean Hall. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
This event stems from a partnership between TSU and the Marine Corps Reserve in its annual toy distribution program. Prior to Saturday, TSU served as the official drop-off center for donated toys.
Christopher
Terry, a senior electrical engineering major with a minor in computer science, served
as a volunteer at the event, helping parents to gather and secure toys for
their children.
Terry,
a Memphis-native whose community service group, Generation of Educated Men,
volunteered at the event last year, said assisting with Toys For Tots gives him
an opportunity to spread joy during the holiday season.
“Growing
up in Memphis I did this with my church, and it just feels wonderful being able
to do this now at an older age,” he said. “I just love the fact that TSU
continues to be a pillar for the Nashville community by giving back and
supporting the communities around us.”
Associate Dean of Students, Dr. William Hytche(right), coordinator of the Toys for Tots program for TSU, with Christopher Terry(left), a senior electrical engineering major with a minor in computer science who volunteered for the event, and Benetta M. Sears(center), the local director of Simply United Together Foundation. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media)
As part
of the partnership with the Marine Corp – the first with a university in the
Nashville, Davidson County area – TSU received unwrapped toys for children up
to age 12.
Associate Dean of Students, Dr. William Hytche, coordinator of the Toys for Tots program for TSU, said Simply United Together, a non-profit that coordinates the pickup of donated toys from Toys for Tots, spearheaded bringing the program to TSU. He said this year the program served a more diverse group.
“We have Hispanics now. We have our Caucasian brothers and sisters who are coming in, and that’s because they have closed their centers. So the demographics have changed this year,” Hytche said. “The director of Simply United Together was offered to go to other institutions who wanted this program, and they were offering a lot of incentives for her to come to their schools. She said, ‘No. I think Tennessee State University is where I want to be.’”
Benetta
M. Sears, the local director of Simply United Together Foundation, said the
number of families served at TSU this year has increased exponentially.
Benetta M. Sears(left), the local director of Simply United Together Foundation, with representatives from Nashville Noticias, a local media organization that assisted with recruiting parents for the Toys For Tots event. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media)
“Tennessee State University is very positive. This is a community school also, and the people here are more willing and ready to serve the Nashville community as it grows and we have exploded,” she said.
Sears said she hopes the parents who participated will one day encourage their children to attend Tennessee State University.
For
more information on Toys for Tots at TSU, call Dr. William Hytche at
615-963-5069.
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)
– 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) – Tennessee State University Alum and Award-Winning Filmmaker Alan Nettles returned to campus on Dec. 14 to premiere his latest film project, “Wear The Crown.”
In ”Wear The Crown,” Nettles, who secured his Bachelor of Science degree in communication studies with a concentration in TV and film production from TSU in 2019, takes viewers inside the trying world of a family rocked by the news that their mother, Winnie Price, has been diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer.
The Phoenix Troupe (Photo Submitted)
The evening began at 6:30 p.m. in the Cox-Lewis Theater with a pre-show performance by a group of creative artists called the Phoenix Troupe.
Filled with touching music and engaging subplots, “Wear The Crown,” which took five days to shoot, showcases various locations in Nashville, including Tennessee State University, Arlington United Methodist Church and Diamond Sound Studios. The crew also shot on location in Cadiz, Kentucky.
“Our preproduction was also very intense. We had about six
weeks of rehearsals with the cast,” Nettles said. “We had a lot of different
marketing events that we participated in from September until now. We did a huge crowd-funder campaign, and
there were just so many different things that we were doing to really bring
this film to life.”
Alan Nettles, founder and CEO of Moving4ward Productions (Photo Submitted)
Nettles, founder and CEO of Moving4ward Productions, the company responsible for the film, said “Wear The Crown” features numerous TSU alums, including Lynn Summers who portrays Winnie Price and Pamela Bennett, who portrays Mrs. Alexander.
Summers said the film takes a close look at the dynamics of
family relationships.
“This film mirrors true society today. These are the trials and tribulations we go
through each and every day,” she said.
“Regardless of what happens, family is family. We should still love one another, and we
should still get together.”
TSU Alum Lynn Summers portrays Winnie Price in “Wear The Crown.” (Photo Submitted)
“Wear The Crown” was produced by an all-female team which includes: Cillea Houghton, producer; Janice Wheaton, executive producer; and Sabrina Moore, line producer. This is the first time all three have produced a film.
Moore, a former nuclear engineer who recently graduated from TSU with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications, said the film encourages people to take ownership of their lives, particularly their health.
“This film spotlights not only the issue of cancer, but of
gender identity, depression and just how to accept yourself wherever you are in
life,” she said. “Deal with your issues.
Deal with your health. Deal with your mental stability. You can deal with it. Everybody is dealing with something in some
shape, form or fashion, so take ownership of your body and your life.”
Nettles, whose debut film “3 Blind Boys on the Block” was named Best of Fest at the 2015 Chi-Town Multicultural Film Festival, said witnessing his aunt, Tracey Reid, battle cancer inspired him to make the film. He said the cast and crew worked tirelessly to produce a high-quality project that should strike a chord with anyone who has grappled with depression, grief or sickness.
“I’ve had to sacrifice life in order to breathe life into
this production,” he said.
Nettles credits many of his professors at TSU, as well as his parents, with giving him the guidance and support necessary to achieve his creative aspirations.
“The faculty in the Department of Communications truly does
care about its students, and if you allow them to love you, they will love you.
You just have to be open to receive them,” he said.
Houghton said she hopes the film gives a voice to the
voiceless.
“It’s shining a spotlight on important issues that I think
will kind of resonate with everybody, from cancer to mental health, which is
such a prominent issue today,” she said.
“We just really hope they feel that their voice is in this story, that
their story is in this film.”
“Wear the Crown” also features performances by the Phoenix Troupe, a group of African-American singers and creative artists, including 2014 Essence Festival “You’re My Star” contest winner Megan Broadnax; Jeffrey White of gospel duo Same Seed; Lynn Echo, who appeared on former BET show “Bobby Jones Gospel,” along with Kyiara Jackson, Aundra Keo Brown and April Sledge.
The premiere event also included a screening of the short film, “Loose Change,” written and directed by Moving4ward Productions assistant director of Creative Development, William Jenkins.
The event also honored cancer survivors related to members of the cast with the presentation of a special gift.
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) – 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) – 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 President Glenda Glover is among Essence magazine’s
national list of women who are “inspiring communities around the world” and has
been named to its “Woke 100 List.”
Framed as a “salute to women of color challenging
the status quo,” the list, published in Essence’s November issue, features “100
women who exemplify the true meaning of being change agents and power players,”
according to a release.
Dr. Glenda Glover, president of TSU and international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. (Photo courtesy of Essence)
President Glover, who is considered a stalwart in
higher education and a staunch supporter of our nation’s HBCUs, also serves as
international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. As the
head of AKA, Dr. Glover is recognized for donating “$1.6 million on behalf of
the group to 32 HBCUs and gifted $100,000 to Bennett College, which was in
danger of losing its accreditation.” A few months later, the sorority
established a $100,000 endowment at TSU, with an initial contribution of
$25,000.
In September, Dr. Glover and the sorority raised
$1 million in a 24-hour campaign for HBCUs through an initiative called AKA
HBCU Impact Day. The funds are used to provide financial assistance and help
secure fiscal sustainability and success for TSU and all four-year HBCUs.
AKA HBCU Impact Day is part of a four-year $10
million fundraising goal by the sorority to establish an endowment on each
campus. Money raised through the initiative will assist in providing financial support
to these schools over the next three years.
In addition to the field of education and service, those making the list come from diverse professional backgrounds. This includes social justice to politics to entertainment. Others on the list are Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Simone Biles, Gayle King and Ava DuVernay. Visit www.essence.com/news/2019-woke-100/ to view the full list.
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.
