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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – More than 100 volunteers are expected to gather at Tennessee State University on Friday to assist with campus renovations funded by the $50,000 Home Depot’s Retool You School Grant the university secured in the spring.
A 20-person camera crew from Home Depot will be on hand to record the volunteers, who will assist with mulching and power washing, as well as light installation in the university amphitheater and the exterior of the Floyd-Payne Campus Center.
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.
TSU finished second in voting for the large institution category, but walked away with the Campaign of the Year award. Judges cited the overall performance of the campaign that was able to engage students, alumni and the community, as well as digital media strategies to promote voting.
Home Depot gave the final approval of the project, which begins
Friday.
Currently, there are several major construction projects underway on TSU’s campus. They include a new Health Sciences Building, two new residence halls, and an Alumni House and Welcome Center.
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)
– For a record ninth time, the Tennessee State University world-renowned
Aristocrat of Bands looks to make a triumphant return to the Honda Battle of
the Bands Invitational Showcase in Atlanta on Jan. 25.
This time, the
marching band will arrive in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a newly
donated, wrapped 53-foot trailer carrying the members’ equipment.
“We are very excited about the invitation and Honda’s continued commitment to HBCUs,” said Dr. Reginald McDonald, director of Bands. “To be selected for the most times to participate in the Honda Battle of the Bands says something about the direction of the program. It is particularly fulfilling to have this new and beautiful trailer that will further enhance our look and make traveling so much easier for band members.”
Named by The
Undefeated recently as the Best HBCU Marching Band in America, the AOB
joins only the Marching Storm of Prairie View A&M, and the Grambling State
University Tiger Marching Band for the most appearances at the Honda
Invitational, the nation’s premier showcase for HBCU marching bands.
The Aristocrat of Bands march down John Merritt Boulevard during the 2019 Homecoming Parade. Dr. Reginald McDonald, Director of Bands, acknowledges the cheering crowd. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“We are really
glad for this recognition our band continues to receive with this record
appearance,” McDonald added. “This is a huge recruitment tool for the
university because typically at this event, not only do we have people who are
extremely fond of HBCU bands, you also have high school kids from all across
the nation that attend.”
Atlanta native
Julien Dooley, a commercial music major and drum major with the AOB, has been
to the Honda Battle of Bands before, but this will be his first as a drum major.
“This is extra
special to perform before my hometown crowd as a member of the ‘Fantastic 4,’”
Dooley, a senior, said, referring to the four-member team of drum majors
who are all from Atlanta. “We are just excited to perform with the Aristocrats
right before our families and friends.” The Fantastic 4 were also listed the
No.1 Drum Majors in the Oct. 10 ESPN/The Undefeated HBCU Band
Ranking.
The trailer, a Great Dane 2011 with roll up doors recently unveiled on campus, eases transportation for the band, officials said. It is a gift from a Fortune 500 company , to be unnamed, with the persistence of a TSU graduate from the Memphis area who felt the band needed a better, less expensive and more convenient way of transporting their instruments.
“Today, when our 300-member band travels, they depend on the undercarriage of passenger buses to carry instruments, equipment and luggage, and this is fine for day trips,” said Georgia Whiting, a 1982 graduate of TSU and project engineer with Fed Ex. “When band members have to stay overnight, motor coaches do not meet the need, because most often our beloved AOB have to stuff their seats and aisles with their necessities.”
Realizing the need
for a trailer to haul equipment and meet the transportation needs of the “Best
Band in the Land,” Whiting, president of the TSU National Alumni Association
Memphis/Shelby County Chapter, sprang into action and was able to get the trailer
donated. To have the trailer wrapped and ready for the road, she set up a
fundraiser. She said a few fellow alumni donated, and with the help of the TSU
Foundation, the AOB staff, and Facilities Management, they were able to come up
with the design and wrap for the trailer.
The wrap, decked
in the TSU colors, depicts the marching band with its official emblem, name and
the #AOBNation hashtag.
“We are just so
grateful to Ms. Whiting, her Memphis folks, other alumni, the company and all
who helped to make this trailer possible,” McDonald said. “In addition to the
ease and convenience the trailer provides, it is a major recruitment tool for
the university. We have our social media website on the back of the trailer,
and on the sides, you see the Tennessee State University logo highly visible.
This is a major help and we are thankful.”
In addition to the new trailer, the Best Band ranking, and the Honda Invitational, the AOB is enjoying a stellar year of achievements and accolades. In April, during the NFL Draft in the Music City, the AOB were featured on the nationally syndicated ESPN sports talk show, First Take; the band received a shout out from pop star Lizzo for the band’s rendition of her “Truth Hurts” medley. In January, percussionists from the band performed in the Rose Parade. They were also featured performers at the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons’ 2019 home opener.
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) – Child care providers in Tennessee will have the opportunity to receive additional training thanks to a new $11.4 million federal grant secured by Tennessee State University’s Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences. The university believes better trained daycare providers will mean better daycare services for Tennessee families.
(Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
Dr. Kimberly Smith, the center’s director, says the grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will allow TSU to continue to serve as the professional development hub for the state as it relates to child development and early childhood training.
“We are expanding our online courses through the Tennessee Child care Online Training System, and we will now be responsible for the state’s workforce registry for all child development professionals who work in the area of childcare across the state,” says Smith.
Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance (TECTA), a statewide professional development system that provides assistance for employees at licensed childcare facilities, is funded by Tennessee State University through a contract with the Tennessee Department of Human Services and is housed under the Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences.
Some of the additional courses that will soon be available include: Early Literacy Matters; Eat, Play and Rest; Inclusion; and Brain Development.
“One thing that makes TECTA so unique is that we work with early childhood professionals to strengthen the workforce within the state for childcare. We get to work with the family home providers and the centers, and then we provide funding for students,” adds Smith.
Dr. Kimberly Smith (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
Carmen Davis says without help from TSU’s TECTA program, she would not have been able to open her three-star childcare company, Ms. Carmen’s Precious Moments.
“I was working full-time and going to school, and I couldn’t afford to do both,” says Davis, who started her business in 2007. “TECTA came in to offset the price, which allowed me the opportunity to go and achieve my CDA (Child Development Associate) through their grant and their funding.”
Davis, whose company is licensed to care for seven clients, says she has taken advantage of many of the courses currently offered by TECTA.
“I went through all of the TECTA orientations which were very beneficial because I work with a multi-age group. I went through the infant–toddler training, the preschool training and the administration training, which benefits me as far as my business part,” she says. “I also went through the TECTA Business Administration credential which helped with putting together a portfolio, the taxes part of it, the business sheets part of it and being professional. It took me to another level of professionalism.”
Tonita Robinson’s children have attended Ms. Carmen’s Precious Moments since they were six-weeks old. She says her two-year-old and four-year-old have benefited from Davis’ experiences with TECTA.
Carmen Davis, owner of Ms. Carmen’s Precious Moments. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
“She does a good job identifying my kids’ triggers,” says Robinson. “She makes sure if my son is acting out, she doesn’t say he’s just acting out. She’s able to say why he was acting out, what she thinks might have caused him to act out, and what we can do to work together to fix it.”
Robinson, who works as a financial advisor at Napier Elementary School, believes the new funding is necessary for child care professionals to provide the best services.
“Everything changes everyday. Nothing stays the same,” she says. “The curriculum changes, and if the childcare provider’s job is to help prepare kids for when they get into school, then they need to have the training that regular teachers in the school system have so they will be on one accord.”
Dr. Frances Williams, associate vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs at TSU, credits Smith, TECTA Statewide Program Director Lin Venable and the center’s team approach for TECTA’s success.
“Under Dr. Smith’s leadership, she and her team have grown the center, as well as the funding. In this case, with TECTA receiving a little over $11 million for the year, this is the largest award for TECTA to date,” says Williams.
Shelia Westbrooks, the Middle Tennessee regional advisor for TOPSTAR, says the advisors have found the “most-needed” areas for the new programs and TECTA services in general are rural areas.
“They are not familiar with the program, and if they are, they don’t have internet access,” says Westbrooks, who worked as a licensed childcare provider for more than 20 years. “We try to make sure that we get materials to them to keep them aware of how family child care is changing in the state of Tennessee.” Westbrooks contends that many rural family care providers don’t know that there is funding available to assist them.
“TECTA helped fund my education. With the fund I got I was able to get my degree and now as an advisor, I work with over 239 providers in the Middle Tennessee Region,” she says. ‘It’s all about higher education and we want them to get their CDA credential and their accreditation credential, and TECTA helps to pay for all of that. A provider who works for themselves may not always have that extra funding, and so TECTA is that bridge to get them where they want to be.”
The Tennessee State University Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences was established in 1984, and began administering the TECTA Program in 1993.
For more information about TECTA, visit tecta.info or call 615-277-1697.
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) – Atlanta high school senior Trinity Holt has made up her mind for college. She is coming to Tennessee State University to study pre-law, and she plans to play a little golf while she is at it.
Trinity Holt, a graduating senior from Mill Creek High School in Atlanta, will be a freshman at TSU Next fall semester. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“I fell in love with TSU after watching the
school band play in the Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta. It was so nice,”
said the Mill Creek High School standout. “I talked to the band members, and
even though I was not playing, I felt like I was part of them.”
A
competitive golf player since her freshman year, Holt wants to bring her game
to TSU. She was among hundreds of high school seniors and juniors from across
the country who attended Spring Preview Day at TSU on Nov. 9 to get information
on the university’s offerings and programs.
The visitors – from about 15 states including, California, Texas, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin – had the opportunity to see the campus, get acquainted with admission processes, and meet with academic departments with displays in Kean Hall. They also interacted with student organization leaders, including Mister TSU and Miss TSU. They toured the campus, as well as took in the Big Blue Tiger Spring Blue & White Football Game in Hale Stadium, with entertainment by the world-renowned Aristocrat of Bands.
From right, high school senior Le’Kieffer DeBerry, her brother Kanaan, mother Kendra, a TSU alum, niece Mc’Kenzie, and father Dale DeBerry attend Spring Preview Day 2019. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“Today
was amazing because students from all across the country got the opportunity to
see exactly what makes TSU special,” said Terrence Izzard, associate vice
president for Enrollment Management and Student Success. “Today was filled with
activities for parents and students. We were also blessed to have members of
our academic departments on hand to give information about programs,
scholarships and internships.”
Earlier
in a ceremony in Kean Hall, Dr. Curtis Johnson, TSU chief of staff and
associate vice president for administration, greeted the visitors on behalf of
President Glenda Glover, who was traveling. He directed his comments mainly at
parents.
Terrence Izzard, TSU’s Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, middle, talks to a family during Spring Preview Day in Kean Hall. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“I
encourage you parents to be excited and to know that those leaders that you
brought here today are going to meet leaders that I want you to talk to,”
Johnson said. “Drill them about what they are doing here and how that will help
your child. We want you to know that TSU is about business and that we are
going to take care of your children.”
Katelyn
Thompson, president of the student government association, also spoke and
introduced the visitors to the various campus organizations.
TSU admissions officials assist visiting students and parents in Kean Hall during Spring Preview Day. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
Like
Trinity Holt, many students came to Spring Preview ready to make TSU their next
home for their college careers, while several others said they were impressed
with the reception they received, the programs, as well as the campus and the
family atmosphere.
Le’Kieffer
DeBerry, from Holly Springs, Mississippi, came with her mother Kendra, a TSU
alum, father Dale, brother Kanaan, and her niece Mc’Kenzie. With a plan
to major in pre-med, Le’Kieffer said she is trying to make up her mind after looking
at other programs, and she thinks TSU would be a good fit, especially since her
mother attended TSU and her grandmother, Eloise Thompson Jackson, was a
longtime professor in the dental hygiene program.
“I am
not a stranger to TSU. My mother and grandmother always talk a lot at about the
programs and the nurturing students receive,” Le’Kieffer said. “I have been
seriously thinking about coming here.”
“I
definitely think TSU will be a good choice for her,” Kendra DeBerry, who
graduated TSU in 1989, added. “I want her to have that HBCU experience. I love
TSU. I think the school has a lot to offer.”
Kito
Johnson, who also traveled from Rosswell, Georgia, with his son Immanuel, said
Spring Preview Day was very encouraging.
“We have
looked at quite a few colleges,” he said. “This is the first HBCU we have
looked at and am very glad that we came.”
“My
experience here was pretty cool,” added Immanuel, who first heard about TSU at
a college fair. “After the counselor talked about the school, I decided to come
and look at it. I like what I see – a nice campus, nice people and great
programs.”
Immanuel
wants to major in psychology. He is also interested in the Honors College.
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 announced the grand opening of its Student Veterans Center at a
Veterans Day program on Monday that featured a generational soldier with four
Bronze Star Medals.
Lt. Col. Bernard House speaks at TSU Veterans Day program. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
The program was on TSU’s Avon Williams Campus, which is
where the new center will be housed. A ribbon cutting for the new center was
held following an observance ceremony for all service men and women.
TSU President Glenda Glover was among the program’s speakers
and lauded all those individuals who sacrifice their lives for this nation.
“Thank you for answering the call to duty,” said Dr. Glover.
“TSU is honored to have this program to salute our heroes.”
Mike Krause, executive director of the Tennessee Higher
Education Commission, commended TSU for its new Student Veterans Center, saying
“combining military service with higher education is the ultimate combination.”
“The TSU Student Veterans Center … is going to become an incredible hub for student veterans at our state’s land-grant university, which is leading the way in engineering and agriculture,” said Krause, a veteran Bronze Star recipient. “What better way to create leaders in those fields than to bring those who have already served, and say hey, we’re going to make you a TSU Tiger as well.”
The program’s keynote speaker, Lt. Col. Bernard House,
agreed.
TSU President Glenda Glover (2nd from left), Lt. Col. Bernard House (far left), THEC executive director Mike Krause (3rd from left), TSU alum and state Rep. Harold Love, Jr., and Lt. Col. Nick Callaway, commander of TSU’s AFROTC Det. 790. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
“With thousands of soldiers transitioning out of the
military annually, it is great to see the dedication by the university to
ensure a smooth transition for our veterans,” said House of TSU, which is a
certified Vets Campus. “As a nation and as a military, we must remain committed
to taking care of our veterans.“
The program also honored Vietnam Veterans. House’s father
was a noncommissioned officer in the 3rd Battalion, 6th
Field Artillery Regiment during the Vietnam War. Coincidentally, House
commanded the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Field Artillery
Regiment during his deployment to Iraq to support Operation Inherent Resolve.
“I actually got a chance to command the same regiment that
my father served in in Vietnam,” said House, who has been in the Army 22 years and
received four Bronze Star Medals, six Meritorious Service Medals and the Combat
Action Badge, among other awards.
“So this is an extreme honor for me to be able to speak. Not
only to recognize the veterans, but to focus on Vietnam Veterans. And because
my father served in Vietnam, it’s also a way for me to honor him.”
Dr. Evelyn Nettles, associate vice president for Academic
Affairs at TSU, spearheaded formation of the center. She said before the
program that the center’s mission is to “provide support for military and
veteran students as they transition from their military duty to enrollment and
matriculation at the university.”
Student Vet Joseph Hart receives “Quilt of Valor.” (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
“This ensures that these students have a voice in their
university experience and are inspired to achieve success in their classes and
in the broader community,” she added.
Gwen Falin is the veteran prior learning assessment
coordinator at TSU. A veteran herself , she said “it’s important for student
veterans to have the opportunity to connect with other student veterans.”
“Veterans in general are a small population,” said Falin,
who helped start the center. “And then when you attend school, it’s not
uncommon for student veterans to be older than their classmates. If they are
seeking out other veteran students, they have a place to do so.”
TSU student veteran Joseph Hart retired from the Army after
23 years and is currently a senior majoring in liberal arts. He said fellow
vets at the university will benefit from the center.
“I love the fact that we have the Veterans Center,” said
Hart, who was honored with a “Quilt of Valor” during the program for his three
tours of duty in Middle Eastern conflicts. “It’s really great to know that we’re
being recognized as soldiers.”
Members of TSU AFROTC Det. 790. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
Last year, TSU implemented a program that allows veterans to
count military training for credit hours when they enroll at the university.
The program is part of the state of Tennessee’s Veteran Reconnect initiative.
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) – Freshman Houston-native Paul Johnson, Jr., initially considered studying mechanical engineering at a university closer to his hometown.
All that changed last fall after a chance meeting with Tennessee State University Honors College Interim Dean, Dr. Coreen Jackson.
Johnson, Jr., a freshman mechanical engineering major, says he had just completed a campus visit to Texas A&M University when his father, Paul Johnson, Sr., ran into Jackson and her husband, who happened to be in town for a wedding.
“I already had a slight knowledge of who she was, but after meeting her she told me about the campus, and it caught my attention,” Johnson, Jr., said.
With Jackson’s assistance, the Johnson family scheduled a campus visit, which gave Paul an opportunity to tour Tennessee State and meet with Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of Engineering.
Paul Johnson, Jr.
“What I found out about this campus is that there are a whole lot more engineering aspects that I did not anticipate when I was looking into the university,” he said. “I got to see more about the interactions between the faculty and the students themselves, in terms of doing research and improving technology.”
Jackson, who hosted Johnson’s family when they initially visited TSU, says the younger Johnson has a bright future.
“To me he will be the next Jesse Russell,” she said,
referring to the famous TSU alum who created the first digital cellular base
station and is known as the father of digital cellular technology. “It may not
be wireless communications, but it will be some breakthrough in something.”
Johnson, Jr., recalls having a love for engineering as early as preschool.
“When I was in preschool at church, I was the student who
was messing with the Lincoln Logs and the plexi toys to make giant cars, toys
and robots, and I eventually even started a little league just to have fun with
the other students who wanted to build stuff,” he said.
Throughout his four years at Cyprus Woods High School, Johnson, Jr., developed his engineering skills as a member of the Texas Technology Student Association. He also participated in NASA HUNCH, a program that he says allowed him to work directly with NASA officials to help make machine parts for the international space station.
As a member of the Honors College, the 19-year-old budding
robotics guru has continued to pursue his engineering passion by joining
organizations such as the National Society of Black Engineers (NESBE) and the
Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP).
Paul Johnson
In September, Johnson, Jr., joined TSU President Glenda Glover in Washington, DC, along with three other students chosen to participate in the National HBCU Braintrust during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference. Top students from the nation’s historically black colleges and universities participated in the brainstrust.
Upon completion of his undergraduate studies, Johnson plans to pursue a doctorate and ultimately play a leadership role in the robots industry.
“In ten years I want to be part of or in charge of leading the whole robotics industry in terms of the consumer dynamic,” said Johnson, Jr. “There are still lingering fears that people have about dealing with robotics, but they fail to look into how robotics can help people on a grander scale.”
Jackson says she witnessed Johnson’s love for TSU when he provided live music for his classmates during freshman move-in.
“While the parents and freshman where coming in, he took
that upright bass and he just serenaded the people,” she said. “He’s just an
amazing young man. He is one young man
who is on his way to fulfilling his purpose, and he has found the institution
that can take him there.”
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 providing a free screening of an award-winning documentary about
the threats to honeybees and other pollinators.
The film, called “The Pollinators,” will be shown on
Wednesday, November 6, at 6:30 p.m. in The Forum auditorium in TSU’s
Floyd-Payne Campus Center. TSU is one of four college campuses across the state
selected to show the film.
“The Pollinators” follows migratory beekeepers and
their truckloads of honeybees around the United States and sheds light on some
of the threats to the bees’ survival, such as pesticides and other chemicals,
according to a synopsis of the film.
The
filmmakers talk to farmers, scientists, chefs and academics along the way to
give a broad perspective about the problem, what it means to food security, and
how to improve it.
“More
than anything, this film is about awareness,” says Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of
TSU’s College of Agriculture. “The reality is, we’re losing the bees, and we
have to find ways to save them.”
“The Pollinators”
has been selected by 25 national and international film festivals and has been
honored as “Best Documentary” at seven of them.
Following the film on Wednesday, there will be a
panel discussion and Q&A. The panel will include several TSU Ag officials,
as well as representatives from the Nashville Area Beekeepers Association.
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 partnering with Apple, Inc. to teach middle and high school girls
how to code, as well as consider careers in STEM.
Youth from ages 8 to 18 will get an opportunity to experience coding at a free camp Nov. 2, 9 and 16 in TSU’s Farrell Westbrook Complex (The Barn) on the main campus. Parents are asked to have their children at each event by 9 a.m. Lunch will also be provided.
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.
“We want to empower young girls to code and create, and
understand their capabilities of being an innovator in the field of STEM,” says
Dr. Robbie Melton, TSU’s
dean of Graduate and Professional Studies and program director for the coding
initiative.
Dr. Veronica Johnson is president of the Metro Nashville Chapter
of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., which is partnering with
TSU and Apple. She says black women and girls are “vastly underrepresented” in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as performing arts.
“By exposing STEAM 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,” says Johnson. “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.”
Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of TSU’s College of Engineering,
says the camp is 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,” says Hargrove. “The ability to manage information and make data-driven
decisions will continue to be a major skill for today and tomorrow’s
workforce”
During the girls coding camp, Melton says participants will move around to different stations where they will learn basic coding principles, and “actually code drones and robots to move and function.”
Eleven-year-old Evangeline Davis-Ramos of New York has participated in a similar coding camp, and says she’s glad to see Tennessee State providing such an opportunity for girls her age and older.
“I believe the girls coding camp will be very beneficial,” says Davis-Ramos. “I like building things, and coding helps take ideas I imagine and make them real.”
Melton says the HBCU C2 initiative puts TSU on the forefront of embracing STEM, and she credits the university’s partnership with Apple with being key to its success.
Dr. Robbie Melton works with students at “Everyone Can Code and Create” initiative for youth in July. (TSU Media Relations)
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.
“Apple provides an approach to introduce
coding and creativity in a nonthreatening manner,” says Melton. “You have
children coding. You have seniors coding, and the fact that we have over a
thousand people from high school to senior citizens wanting to code and create
is phenomenal.”
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 Services) – Students in the TSU College of Education will soon receive
increased academic support services, thanks to a U.S. Department of Education
Title III grant of $569,250.
Dr. Jerri Haynes
The college will use the funding to develop a Global Education Student Support Services Lab intended to increase student learning across the curriculum, as well as hire new career advisors, academic coaches and a program coordinator.
“This
is an exciting time for the College of Education,” says Dr. Jerri Haynes, dean
of the college and principal investigator for the grant. “Our goal here is to
provide support services for students to be successful in their journey to
getting their degree.”
With the aim of transforming the existing curriculum lab, Haynes says the Global Education Student Support Services Lab will be student friendly, with 21st century technology. It will streamline services, integrate career planning, and increase retention. The lab will also have kiosks where students can hold one-on-one meetings with advisors, as well as docking and privacy stations where students can relax and read.
Dr. Graham Matthews, Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning, teaches Introduction to Early Childhood Education to students who will be among many to benefit from the Global Education Student Support Services Lab. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“Advisors
and academic coaches in the lab will provide support and mentoring to students
who may be struggling with licensure exams, or others who may need career
advising on their chosen pathway in education,” she says. “Our psychology
department will also benefit greatly, by catering to students who may be
struggling academically or need extra help.”
Students
in the college are excited about the news. Kayla Dawson, a freshman psychology
major and a work-study student in the old curriculum lab, welcomes the new
changes.
“I am
in this building a lot, and usually with a lot of work to do after class. To
have a place with the right resources and to be able to relax and focus, will
be a great help,” says Dawson, who is from East St. Louis, Illinois. “I am a
technology person, so I am just excited about the kinds of resources that will
be available.”
Jaylon
Jones, also from East St. Louis and a freshman criminal justice major, agrees.
“The
enhancement will definitely be a wonderful thing,” says Jones, also a
work-study student in the curriculum lab. “What was here before was great, but most of it
was not up-to-date.”
Previously,
the curriculum lab consisted of books and reading materials, which have all
been removed and are being replaced with more advanced technology that was not
available to students.
Debra
A. Jackson, director of the COE Curriculum Lab, says the vision for the new lab
is for students to be able to come in and take advantage of different media and
computer resources that will enhance their learning.
“The dean (Haynes)
has talked about the possibility of having kiosks where students can go in and
access different things,” says Jackson. “This is a positive change where
students can come and create, while being able to access things with
technology, as well. I am very excited about these new enhancements.”
The Global Education Student Support Services Lab will be completed and ready for student use January 2020, according to TSU officials. For more information about TSU’s College of Education, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/coe/
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.
