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TSU quiz bowl team wins national honors program championship title, takes top place in research presentation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University students are champions! A four-person quiz bowl team from the university beat out nine other college teams to win the top place in the National Association of African American Honors Programs Quiz Bowl in Baltimore. TSU students, who are all members of the Honor’s College, also won the championship in Oral Research Presentation at the Annual 31st Conference of the NAAAHP.

The four-member TSU quiz bowl team, along with officials of the Honor College, receive their championship award. From left, are: Dr. Coreen Jackson, Dean of the Honors College; Dr. Tyrone Miller, Associate Dean of the College; and team members Journey Brinson, Tyler Vazquez, Kara Simmons and Jada Womack. (Submitted photo)

The two events are part of NAAAHP’s annual national conference, where HBCU students participate in a Model African Union, debate, research presentations, and quiz bowl competitions. This was TSU’s first-ever championship in the NAAAHP quiz bowl tournament on Nov.9.

Quiz bowl team members were Tyler Vazquez, of Raymore, Missouri; Kara Simmons, of South Holland, Illinois; Journey Brinson, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Jada Womack, an accounting major from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who was the alternate.  With the exception of Womack, all of the other student are freshman biology majors, who are part of the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., Institute, an accelerated pathway program between TSU and Mehary Medical College for students on the medical track.  

Tyler Vazquez

“It was really a very good experience being able to compete against so many talented young people from all over the country, especially HBCUs,” said Vazquez. “I am so thankful to my teammates, and TSU for allowing us to represent the university.”

“It was very exciting,” added Brinson. “I really like being able to represent the black excellence at TSU. I hope that we can win again next year.”

Barbara Murrell, director of the Dr. Levi Watkins Institute, congratulated the students, adding that they represent the kind of students the institute was intended to attract.

Journey Brinson

“We want to congratulate and commend the students for an outstanding performance by winning the championship in the quiz bowl,” Murrell said. “We are glad that the Levi Watkins Institute team has recruited such outstanding young people who can immediately participate in the university’s honors program and bring credit to the institute and the university.”

For this year’s NAAAHP annual conference, TSU fielded 14 students, representing the university’s Honors College, including the three from the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., Institute. Dr. Tyrone Miller, associate director of the Honors College, served as coach of the quiz bowl team, in place of longtime coach Dr. John Miglietta.

“We are extremely proud of our TSU Honors and Levi Watkins team,” said Dr. Coreen Jackson, dean of the Honors College. “Although these students were new to the game, they embraced the challenge, took the game by storm, and swept the competition.  In addition, our research students won the research championship, and they too did a phenomenal job.”

Clayton Oglesby, first-place winner in the research category, presents his study. (Submitted photo)

In the research competition, TSU students had a clean sweep. In addition to the first-place win, they walked away with all of the awards by winning second and third places. Individual winners were Clayton Oglesby, senior communications major from Nashville, first place; Sarena Noel, a junior biology major from Miami, Florida, second place; and Sandra Noel, a junior biology major from Miami, Florida, who won third place.

Another event in which TSU students participated was the “Honors Got Talent” competition. It featured Maya Cole, a junior biology major; Kaitlin Skates, a Levi Watkins/Honors student; and Anyah Sanders, a sophomore biology major. The students showcased their talents through vocals and spoken word.

In addition to TSU, other schools in attendance included Southern University, Fisk University, Spellman College, Livingstone College, Virginia State University, Morgan State University, Prairie View A&M University, Coppin, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

The National Association of African American Honors Programs is a national consortium of HBCU honors programs that, since its founding in 1990, has promoted scholarship, professional development, community service and an appreciation of African-American culture. For more information, visit www.naaahp.org.

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Tennessee Sate University Students Win Top Awards at National Honors Conference

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University students won two first-place awards at the 26th annual conference of the Association of African American Honors Programs held this month at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Kalynn Parks won first place in research presentation for her study on the effects of hypertension. (Submitted photo)

More than 400 honors students, directors and faculty from 33 HBCUs across the nation participated in research presentations, academic competitions, career and graduate fairs, a quiz bowl, a model African Union, and talent competition Nov. 9-12.

TSU’s Kalynn Parks, of Atlanta, a senior biology major, won first place in research presentation for her project on “Sympathoexcitation and Increased Sodium Chloride Cotransporter Activity in Hypertensive Aged Sprague Dawley Rats.”

Leona Dunn, left, Jerry Tibbet and Alliyah Muhammed received a trophy for winning first place in the Model African Union competition. (Submitted photo)

In the Model African Union completion, the three-person TSU team, representing Kenya, walked away with first place. They included Jerry Tibbet, sophomore aeronautical and industrial technology major from Kenya; Leona Dunn, senior communications major from Omaha, Nebraska; and Aliyah Muhammed, freshman computer science major from Memphis.

“This conference provided an amazing opportunity not only to present my scientific research, but to be immersed in an environment with likeminded people who also looked like me,” said Parks, about her research on the effects of hypertension, which affects about one in three American adults.

Dr. Coreen Jackson, interim dean of the TSU Honors College, said she was amazed at Parks’ presentation.

“Kalynn was flawless in her poster presentation,” Jackson said. “I watched as the judges rigorously critiqued her methodology and findings. Ms. Parks confidently responded in a respectful manner to every question presented and argument raised by the judges. She held her own because of the depth of her knowledge and understanding of her work.”

Overall, Jackson said the 19 TSU students at the conference were outstanding in every aspects of their participation.

Tibbet, who served as the head delegate on the TSU Model African Union team, said he looks forward to one day participating in a “real United Nations General Assembly.

“It was very honorable and enlightening to represent TSU and to be a delegate to Kenya,” said Tibbet, who grew up in the East African nation. “Winning the award showed me that ideas could be turned into resolutions.”

The NAAAHP Annual Conference brings together Honors students, faculty, staff and professionals from HBCUs and PBCUs throughout the United States. TSU hosted the conference in 2016 with Jackson serving as national president.

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Prominent Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump to Speak at TSU’s NAAAHP Gala

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Prominent civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump will be the keynote speaker at Tennessee State University’s 25th anniversary gala for the National Association of African American Honors Programs on Monday, Oct. 31.

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Attorney Benjamin Crump

Crump is the noted Florida lawyer who represented the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Terence Crutcher in police shooting cases that made headlines around the world. Crump was also an advocate in the Robbie Tolan police brutality U.S. Supreme Court case, as well as the Martin Lee Anderson boot camp death case.

“Mr. Crump is a highly sought after speaker,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “Tennessee State University is pleased to have him at the gala,” which will be held at TSU’s Howard C. Gentry Complex.

Crump is the 73rd President of the National Bar Association, the largest organization of lawyers of color in the world, representing over 60,000 black lawyers, judges, and legal professionals. He has received numerous awards, including the SCLC Martin Luther King Servant Leader Award, and the NAACP Thurgood Marshall Award. Ebony Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 trial lawyers.

“Attorney Crump believes in fighting to preserve the justice that minorities have achieved throughout the civil rights era,” according to Crump’s website.

Gala organizers believe Crump will be an inspiration to students, in particular, involved with NAAAHP, a consortium of 100 HBCUs and PBCUs Honors Programs and Colleges from around the country.

The theme of this year’s three-day conference that kicks off Oct. 29 is, “Celebrating 25 Sterling Years of Academic Distinction.”

More than 400 of the nation’s best and brightest students are expected to attend the conference, as well as representatives from about 70 colleges and universities, including HBCUs and Ivy League institutions like Harvard. A graduate and career fair with representatives from more than 40 top graduate schools and companies from across the country will also be held for participants.

Dr. Coreen Jackson, president of NAAAHP and interim dean of TSU’s Honors College, said the conference is designed to commemorate the vital role the organization has played in supporting honors education for more than 20 years.

“We invite the legal community, the academic community, and the Nashville community on a whole to join us for this auspicious occasion,” Jackson said.

To register or to obtain more information about the conference, visit  www.naaahp.org. Tickets for the gala are $85 per person and $25 for students with ID. They can be purchased at www.naaahp.org or at the Eventbrite link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naaahp-2016-25th-anniversary-gala-tickets-28406159588?aff=erelpanelorg.

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU to Host National Conference of Honors Programs; More than 400 Top Students to Attend

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University will host the 2016 National Association of African-American Honors Programs Conference Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Nashville Airport Marriott Hotel.

The three-day conference will include a gala on Monday, Oct. 31 in the Howard C. Gentry Complex on TSU’s main campus.

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TSU President Glenda Glover, left, receives an award from NAAAHP President Coreen Jackson following Dr. Glover’s keynote address at the organization’s 2015 conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

More than 400 of the nation’s best and brightest students and representatives from 31 historically black colleges and universities will network, debate, participate in academic competitions, and present scholarly research. A graduate and career fair with representatives from more than 40 top graduate schools and companies from across the country will also be held for participants.

This is the second consecutive conference being held in Nashville. It marks the 25th anniversary of the NAAAHP, founded in 1990 to address the “specific needs” of honors education for African-American students. Last year’s conference was held in partnership with Fisk University.

“We are excited to once again bring the national conference to Nashville,” said Dr. Coreen Jackson, president of the NAAAHP, who is interim dean of the TSU Honors College. “We are indeed grateful to President Glenda Glover and Tennessee State University for hosting the 25th anniversary.”

Under the theme, “Celebrating 25 Sterling Years of Academic Distinction,” Jackson said Honors directors, deans and faculty at the conference will also engage in roundtable and panel discussions about best practices in Honors administration.

“This year’s theme is designed to commemorate the vital role NAAAHP has played in supporting Honors education within HBCUs and Predominantly Black Colleges and Universities for 25 years,” Jackson said.

To register or to obtain more information about the conference, visit  www.naaahp.org. Tickets for the gala are $85 per person and $25 for students with ID can be purchased at www.naaahp.org or at the Eventbrite link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naaahp-2016-25th-anniversary-gala-tickets-28406159588?aff=erelpanelorg.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Educators Must Do More to Help Students, TSU President Glenda Glover Says

3-Day Honors Conference Highlights Academic Achievement; Exposes Students to Career Opportunities

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TSU President Glenda Glover receives a gift from Dr. Coreen Jackson, President of NAAAHP, following the TSU president’s keynote address at the conference. Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover has challenged educators to do more to help students who are lagging behind. At a gathering of more than 400 students during the annual National Association of African American Honors Programs conference, Glover questioned why some students do well, yet many more are failing or dropping out.

“It is time to look at the service we provide,” she said. “Our institutions of learning are full of Ph.Ds., but still many of our students are lagging in achievement. We have issues that need answers and it is going to require our very best effort if we want our children to succeed.”

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More than 400 students from 70 HBCUs attended the three-day NAAAHP conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

The three-day NAAAHP conference, hosted by TSU and Fisk University at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, brought together students and representatives from 70 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Under the theme, “The Audacity of Vision: Dare to Dream,” the conference features a debate, quiz bowl, model U.N., and scholarly research presentations, as well as a career and recruitment fair with representatives from medical schools, the pharmaceutical and food industries, and manufacturing companies, among others. Representatives from institutions such as Harvard University and Stanford were also at the conference seeking potential recruits for their graduate programs.

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Kroger, a Premier Platinum Sponsor, invested more than $30,000 as one of the major corporate sponsors of the conference. (Submitted Photo)

Glover called on the honor students to help bring along their fellow students who are struggling. “As our best and brightest, you too have a responsibility to encourage your fellow students. You represent excellence. You have set for yourselves a path to success, and I encourage you to continue to run until you have reached your God-given destiny,” Glover said.

Addressing the question of why many students are failing while others succeed, one educator at the conference said the problem was the lack of drive.

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Dr. Lesia Crumpton Young, TSU Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs, a keynote speaker at the conference, receives a gift from NAAAHP Board members. From left are Dr. Ray Davis, of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, of TSU; Amani Perkins, of Hampton University; Dr. Coreen Jackson, NAAAHP President; and Angela Divine, of Miles College. (Submitted Photo)

“If lagging is in relation to academic performance, what I have seen is not a decrease in intelligence but a gradual decrease in drive,” said Dr. Sabin P. Duncan, director of the Freddye T. Davy Honors College at Hampton University, who accompanied 29 students to the conference. “Perhaps it could be generational or perhaps socio-economic, but the students I see as lagging often lack drive.”

TSU honor student Mikayla Jones said many students have what she called “this grandiose dream” of making it big in life, but they forget that to reach their goals it requires hard work.

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A recruiter from Harvard University talks to students about graduate school opportunities, at the conference. (Submitted Photo)

“Many students don’t understand that they are the biggest barrier to their own success,” said Jones, a junior Health Care Administration and Planning major with a 3.9 GPA. “What you put in is what you get out, and if you really want it, then you must be ready to work hard.”

Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of Engineering at TSU, co-moderated a faculty panel on “Navigating Academia for Women and Minority Faculty in STEM.” He said students are motivated by opportunities and goals.

“There is a greater chance of success when students know of opportunities complemented by an environment that nurtures and promotes students success,” said Hargrove, who has co-authored a book on the topic.

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Conference facilitators and presenters included NAAAHP Board members Ansel Brown, of North Carolina Central University, and Angeline Divine, of Miles College; and TSU’s Honors College Program Coordinator Susan West, and Associate Director, Dr. Douglas McGahey. (Submitted Photo)

The conference also included faculty presentations on such topics as “Innovative Math and Science Courses in Interdisciplinary Honors Core,” and “The Pedagogy of Diversity in the Entertainment Industry: Teaching the Business of Jazz.” Among other TSU presenters were Dr. Lesia Crumpton Young, Dr. Martens Stanberry and Dr. S. Guha.

The NAAAHP conference also attracted major corporate sponsors such as Kroger, as a Premier Platinum Sponsor, which invested more that $30,000, as well as The Ryman Hospitality Properties Foundation, ARCADIS Design and Consulting, and PSAV.

“The success of this conference has been beyond my wildest expectations,” said Dr. Coreen Jackson, president of NAAAHP and Interim Dean of the Honors College at TSU. “Having it at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center has been a wonderful experience. Our staff and administrators, including Dr. (Douglas) McGahey, the students and organizers from TSU, Fisk and all of our other institutions helped to make this all possible.”

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU Honors Students Prepare for Research, Networking Opportunities at NAAAHP Conference

Students from Tennessee State University will join more than 400 top Honors students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities around the country to share their research and engage in networking opportunities during the 24th Annual Conference of the National Association of African American Honors Programs to be held Oct. 31-Nov. 3 in Nashville.

TSU, along with Fisk University, will host this year’s four-day event, which will bring together HBCU representatives at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Under the theme, “The Audacity of Vision: Dare to Dream,” the conference will feature a debate, quiz bowl, model U.N., and scholarly research presentations.

2Chase Richard3 2
Chase Richard

Chase Richard, a sophomore from Little Rock, Arkansas, will be among the students who plan to present research at the conference. He has worked with mentoring support and collaboration from TSU professor, Dr. Michael Ivey, on research focused on the feeding behaviors of sea anemone, for nearly two years.

“I will be sharing how sea anemones react to different stimuli in their environments and how it affects physiological factors such eating habits,” Richard said of his research. The 4.0 Biology major plans to pursue further studies toward his goal of becoming a medical doctor specializing in neuroscience. He is currently active with the TSU Chapter of the American Medical Student Association.

This is not the first time Richard has made conference presentations. He also presented research at the 2015 Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP) Conference, geared toward increasing undergraduate retention and graduation rates of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Additionally, he participated in TSU’s annual University-Wide Research Symposium last April. NAAAHP attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about his research finding on Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.

“I wanted to meet other people and gain more experience in researching and building on my presentations,” he said. “After this semester, I will probably go more in-depth with studying sea anemones and their reproduction stages.”

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Anthony Moreland

Also joining the NAAAHP conference will be TSU student Anthony Moreland, a sophomore from Knoxville, Tennessee. With a 3.5 GPA, Moreland is also a Biology major who plans to go into the field of dentistry with a concentration on oral surgery. Moreland said he wanted to be involved in the NAAAHP Conference, which brings together Honors students, faculty, staff and professionals, as a volunteer as a way to expand his network.

“I wanted the opportunity to meet other Honors students from the different schools and get to know some new people,” Moreland said.

Founded in 1990, the NAAAHP addresses the “specific” needs of honors education for African-American students. Dr. Coreen Jackson, interim dean of TSU’s Honors College, was elected to head the organization as president last October.

Among a few conference highlights include:

  • Presidential Address – Dr. Coreen Jackson, President, NAAAHP Saturday, Oct. 31, 3:30 p.m.
  • Inspirational Address – Dr. Glenda Glover, President, Tennessee State University
    Sunday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m.
  • Career Fair and Graduate Expo
    Monday, Nov. 2, 9 a.m.-Noon
  • Awards Banquet – Dr. Bobby Jones, gospel artist and host of Bobby Jones Gospel, BET Network; and representatives for title sponsor, Kroger Co. through the African American Association Resource Group
    Monday, Nov. 2, 7 p.m.
    Tickets: $75

“We are extremely excited to be working with TSU and Fisk to bring this conference to Nashville,” Jackson said. “We expect this conference to be one of NAAAHP’s biggest and best because of the various elements we are bringing together. We invite businesses, corporations and graduate schools to participate in the various fairs showcasing some of the best and brightest students in the nation.”

For more information or questions on the 2015 NAAAHP Conference, contact Patricia Grace at (615) 730-1829.

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.