By Britt Mabry Young
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (TSU News Service) – Cassandra Griggs, Tennessee State University’s director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving, has been named to the HBCU Taskforce for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
An international organization of institutions of higher education, CASE offers networking, collaboration opportunities and resources for university leadership.
As a member of the eight-member HBCU Taskforce, Griggs, who has been involved with CASE for nearly 20 years, will help the organization build a pipeline of students who see institutional advancement as a viable and lucrative career option, as well as help expand the number of historically black colleges and universities exposed to CASE.
“I am honored to have been selected by my peers in the advancement industry to serve as the HBCU representative and newly elected board member for CASE District III,” Griggs said. “As a member, I will have access to additional resources and information, as well as innovative programing to help accomplish our goal.”
According to CASE’s HBCU Initiatives, the Taskforce is dedicated to “helping HBCUs face their unique challenges,” while giving them a platform within CASE for discussing issues and best practices. The taskforce is composed of individuals from HBCUs across the southwest United States, who also work in partnership with the United Negro College Fund, the HBCU Philanthropy Symposium, and the White House Initiatives for HBCUs.
A longtime member of the institutional advancement team at TSU, Griggs said she is passionate about helping HBCUs succeed and hopes her appointment will help her make a difference.
“As a graduate and employee of an HBCU, I’ve both benefited from and been a part of the nurturing experiences unique only to HBCUs. This role will afford me the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across the district to build the advancement profession, while focusing on the unique needs of HBCUs,” Griggs said.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Britt Mabry Young served as an intern in the Office of University Publications. She is a master’s level student in the College of Education at TSU working on an independent study project with a focus on communications.
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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 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.