The HBCU Times Magazine is committed to sharing positive HBCU Stories.
The Visionary Dave Wooley
Post-doctoral Opportunity: Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program at the LU-RRTC on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities PROJECT OVERVIEW: The Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program at the Langston University (historically Black college/university [HBCU]) Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (LU-RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building represents a collaborative effort between the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston ([ICI] Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institution [AANAPISI]), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ([NCA&T] HBCU), South Carolina State University ([SCSU] HBCU), Jackson State University ([JSU] HBCU), and the Kessler Foundation. The Project implements a Peer-to-Peer Multiple Mentor Model to help post-doctoral Fellows navigate institutional context and cross-fertilize their independent research project and research grant proposal through exchanges with a primary mentor and a scientific panel of mentors comprised of content experts, multicultural specialists, methodologists, and statisticians. The ARRT Program works in concert with the LU-RRTC drawing upon the center’s extensive minority-serving institution research capacity building expertise, collaborative networks, resources, and interventions (e.g., methodology and grant writing web-based trainings, communities of practice, strategic planning, sponsored programs office and institutional review board technical assistance and consultation), offers courses, webinars, and implements peer mentoring as an innovative strategy to holistically address the Fellows’ research skill building needs . INVITATION TO APPLY: We invite individuals who have earned a doctorate from a minority-serving institution (i.e., HBCU, Hispanic serving institution, Tribal college/- university, AANAPIAI) or predominantly White institution (PWI) and current doctoral candidates (must graduate before beginning fellowship) at minority-serving institutions or PWIs interested in employment research to apply to participate in the post-doctoral fellowship. Minority-serving institution based faculty members who have earned doctorates are also eligible to apply (i.e., 80% research supplements through subcontract for such faculty in residence at their employing minority-serving institution are optional). We strongly encourage individuals with disabilities to apply. We are particularly interested in recruiting candidates who have a strong desire to obtain an academic faculty position or research position at a minority-serving institution upon completion of the fellowship program. PARTICIPATION INCENTIVES: • Salary and benefits package- Annual salary with full health benefits • Peer-to-Peer multiple research mentorship opportunity with scientific panel mentors • Financial research agenda start-up package- i.e., study participant honorariums/fellow research travel • Peer reviewed publications • Present research findings at national and/or international rehabilitation related conferences CONTACT: If you have any questions regarding the Langston University Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Program (LU-ARRT), please contact Dr. Corey L. Moore, Principal Investigator/Training Director at (405) 530-7531 or email: capacitybuildingrrtc@langston.edu.
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (LU-RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities The MISSION of the Langston University RRTC is to empower minority-serving institutions/minority entities (e.g., historically Black colleges/universities [HBCUs], Hispanic-serving institutions [HSIs], Tribal colleges/universities [TCUs], and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institution (ANNAPISIs]) to improve their disability and rehabilitation research capacity and infrastructure by conducting a programmatic line of research examining experiences and outcomes of persons with disabilities from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic populations and communities and capacity-building efforts. LU-RRTC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE The LU-RRTC serves as a national resource center for minority-serving institutions/minority entities seeking to develop their research infrastructure (RI), and to enhance their capacity to engage in disability and rehabilitation research. To this end, the RRTC initiates dissemination, training and technical assistance (TA) activities to develop strong RIs for the conduct of research, preparation, submission, and management of NIDILRR funded research grant projects. TA services are provided as a part of LU-RRTC interventions for research project participants and to minority entities/minority-serving institutions around the country. The quality, intensity, and duration of TA vary by system and the readiness of TA recipients. Minority-serving Institution TA Areas- • Faculty Scholar Role & Function Balance Consultation (e.g., teaching/service/research balance) • Sponsored Programs Office Operations Consultation • Research Infrastructure Strategic Planning • Institutional Review Board (IRB) Operation Consultation • NIDILRR Research Proposal Development Mentorship • NIDILRR Research Project Management Consultation • Manuscript for Peer Reviewed Publication Development Mentorship • NIDILRR Request for Comment (RFC) or Request for Proposal (RFP) Interpretation Consultation • NIDILRR Expert Panel Application Development Consultation • Data Management and Analysis Software and Related Technology Support Consultation State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (SVRA) TA Areas- • SVRA Policy Consultation to Improve Outcomes for Persons from Traditionally Underserved Communities • SVRA Rehabilitation Practitioner Consultation or Training to Improve Outcomes for Persons from Traditionally Underserved Communities LU-RRTC PEER-TO-PEER MENTOR RESEARCH TEAM ACADEMY The LU-RRTC Peer-to-Peer Mentor Research Team Academy represents a collaborative effort between Langston University and the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston (AANAPISI), South Carolina State University (HBCU), Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, Jackson State University (HBCU), Delaware Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Cherokee Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Kessler Foundation, and Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). The Academy mentors Fellows to conduct research that addresses the rehabilitation needs of persons with disabilities from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic backgrounds and communities. Ultimately, the program builds Fellows’ scholarly self-efficacy and research skills by providing them with state-of-the-science knowledge of scientifically valid measurement strategies and methodologies, and direct hands-on experience in the conduct of research and grant proposal development. CONTACT: If you have any questions regarding the (LU-RRTC), please contact Dr. Corey L. Moore, Principal Investigator at (405) 530-7531 or email: capacitybuildingrrtc@langston.edu.
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editor’s
Message
I t’s been a minute, but summer is near and HBCU Times is here to kick off the season! The sun is coming out, trips are being booked, and as usual, we’re bringing the fire. From legends to young visionaries, our HBCUs are accomplishing the impossible and producing at rates like never before. Our cover features two leading men who share the stories of how the seeds they’ve planted have produced bountiful fruit and contributed to the success of our beloved HBCUs. If you haven’t heard of the legendary Dave Wooley, you sure will be thanking him after reading the feature story. Essentially, he’s the reason HBCUs have a reputation for hosting notable musical acts and booking top notch talent. Indulge in some inside info about Wooley’s early years as a teen percussionist sneaking into jazz clubs in Harlem. Learn how he went from playing talent shows to working with icons like Cissy Houston. As a multi- talented individual, David Wooley began educating himself on the business side of the industry, which turned into a successful promoter career for HBCUs. From booking musical artists like Queen Latifah to lectures led by Maya Angelou,
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2023Summer issue WELCOME TO THE
this is only a taste of the famous names noted in Wooley’s success story.
Morris Brown isn’t the only HBCU making waves - Voorhees University (VU) is expanding, while Fisk University is making NCAA history. Since officially becoming a university only a short time ago, Voorhees is full speed ahead with its Becoming Beloved Community Initiative. Dr. Ronnie Hopkins (10th president) has acquired property to house the initiative which will greatly benefit the institution as well as the Denmark, SC community. Learn all about the new project, as Dr. Hopkins reflects on his experience attending an HBCU and desire to preach the importance of service to VU students. If you haven’t already seen them across your news feed, the Fisk University gymnastics team debuted with a bang. Our article highlights two team members who are alumni of Jack and Jill of America, and how their involvement in the organization inspired their decision to attend an HBCU.
And, obviously, we must highlight our fearless women leaders who are changing the world one transformative action at a time. Vice President Kamala Harris is strengthening relationships between the U.S. and foreign countries, starting with Ghana. VP Harris visited the nation to discuss improving the country’s democracy, women empowerment, and digital inclusion. The article notes plans for future collaborations with countries across the continent of Africa as well as information on economic advancement and entrepreneurship. Lastly, we are delivering a treat this issue with an article on HBCU and cultural icon, Johnnetta Cole. The notable scholar, activist and first Black woman president of Spelman College was awarded the 2021 National Humanities Medal by President Joe Biden. Discover more about the deep-rooted HBCU love within her family, and what inspired her career, championing for Black women.
Dr. Kevin James is a true manifestation of the phoenix rising from the ashes, as his feature is a comeback story like no other. The Morris Brown College president details exactly how he was able to revive the Atlanta institution from $35M bankruptcy and loss of accreditation for nearly 20 years. Relying on historical occurrences as a guide, along with strategic goal-setting, President James accomplished what others believed to be impossible. Some of you may have even watched his journey via social media, as Dr. James documented the daily fight to restore the school, which made others want to join in on the mission. From aggressive fundraising to gaining the trust of the people who matter most, Dr. James was able to triple enrollment during the pandemic, and still shows no signs of slowing down. Read how Morris Brown College is aiming to be not only the best in ATL, but one of the top HBCUs in the nation.
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We are here to make great things happen for our students! COL (RET.) ALEXANDER CONYERS SC STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
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What’s inside
MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE: THE HARD RESET
DAVE WOOLEY: THE VISIONARY
10
Dr. Johnnetta Cole Humanities Medal Awardee
14
Jack and Jill Alums: Fisk University’s Pioneering Gymnastics Team
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48
Homeland Healing: Vice President Kamala Harris Invests in Africa’s Future
Andre Ward: Tennessee State University Alum
20
Voorhees University: The Next Level of Excellence
24
MAKESHA L. JUDSON KINNA THOMAS R. WAYNE WOODSON Power Alumni Features
TMCF: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
50
32 44 46
Lifting as We Climb
Morris College: Innovation. Esports. Cybersecurity.
Enhance Your Reading Experience with our
Morgan State University: Journalism Power House
connect moments
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Elevation & Transformation at Claflin University Experience
Undergraduate Majors 38
5 Graduate Majors
9 Online Majors
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credits
Editor and Co-CEO Co-CEO
Ericka Blount Danois Princess Gadson Keith Harriston Dr. Crystal deGregory Rob Knox Ashleigh Fields Nicholas Jackson Lynita Mitchell Alonda Thomas Makesha L. Judson Kinna Thomas R. Wayne Woodson Jaliah Robinson Dr. Bridget Hollis Staten Dr. Antoinette Hollis Jordan Staten Roderick Rogers Paula Lyles Esthervina Rogers
Dr. David Staten Dr. Bridget Hollis Staten
Layout and Design Editor
Mia Salley
Associate Editors
Amori Washington LaToya Ransom
Antonio Fuondjing White House Press Thurgood Marshall College Fund Fisk University Voorhees University Morris College
Jackson State University Morgan State University Morris Brown College Camren McKinney Yolanda Rouse
All other photos were provided by the author.
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DR. JOHNNETTA COLE HUMANITIES MEDAL AWARDEE “STILL HAS WORK TO DO” BY DR. CRYSTAL A deGREGORY
A sk almost any graduate of historically Black colleges and universities, and they’ll likely know her name. At 86, Johnnetta Betsch Cole is unquestionably among the most beloved figures, not just in HBCU culture but in Black America and beyond. And for good reasons too. The resume of the anthropologist, educator, museum director, and two-time HBCU college president reads like a veritable “who’s who” and “what’s hot” for well over the last half-century. This March, United States President Joe Biden awarded Cole the 2021 National Humanities Medal in a ceremony that the COVID-19 pandemic had long delayed.
First awarded in 1997, the annual award succeeded the Charles Frankel Prize in the Humanities, established in 1988. Today, the award is bestowed on no more than twelve persons annually, recognizing “individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the humanities and broadened our citizens’ engagement with history, literature, languages, philosophy, and other humanities,” according to The White House. As America’s “Sister President,” Cole was hailed “for being a celebrated leader of sanctuaries of higher learning and culture. A scholar, anthropologist, and academic pace-setter, Johnnetta Betsch Cole’s pioneering work about the ongoing contributions of
Afro-Latin, Caribbean, and African communities have advanced American understanding of Black culture and the necessity and power of racial inclusion in our Nation,” her White House Citation declared. Born October 19, 1936, her extraordinary life began in Jacksonville, Florida; Cole’s connections to HBCUs are lifelong. Cole’s great-grandfather of Abraham Lincoln Lewis, founder of the Afro- American Life Insurance Company and Florida’s first African American millionaire, formerly served as a board member at the local Edward Waters College, now University. And her mother worked there as an English professor and registrar.
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Naturally, her mother, who was in many ways a tour de force of Black art and culture for their family, was among Cole’s earliest educational influences. Joining her was another powerful Black woman teacher, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, the founder and president of nearby Daytona Beach’s now-Bethune- Cookman University, and whose social and political leadership included the founding and presidency of the now- National Council of Negro Women, Inc., of which Cole was most recently seventh national president and chair. Cole would find inspiration next at Fisk University, where she enrolled early at 15. There, she was mentored by poet and novelist Arna Bontemps, who was the University’s librarian. More than a handful of years ago, Cole told me that she would’ve finished at Fisk had it not been for the unexpected death of her father following her exchange stint-turned-academic career at Oberlin College, for which she graduated along with the future Dr. Niara Sudarkasa, who later became
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victimized by our gender…we have never ceased to be in this struggle. And I think when Ella Baker used these words, of course she thought about all her people, but I believe she had a particular thought about Black women, when she said, ‘we, who believe in freedom, cannot rest,’ until it comes.” “Johnnetta… takes the study of Black history and culture to new heights. She has strengthened American education, advanced American scholarship, and enriched the lives of students of all ages and the future of our nation,” said President Biden. “[W]e’ve still got a lot of work to do,” Cole remarked of social activism. “Retirement is not in my vocabulary.”
the first woman to serve as president of Lincoln University of Pennsylvania in 1986. The following year, Cole became the first Black woman to serve as president of Atlanta’s Spelman College, one of only two surviving Black women's colleges in the nation, where she secured one of the largest financial gifts in HBCU history for several decades to come. She later assumed the role of Presidential Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Women’s Studies, and African American Studies at Emory
University before becoming president of Greensboro’s Bennett College, the second women’s HBCU, in 2002. In 2009, she became director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art. “To bring the experience of art into one’s life,” she said of her museum headship, “is to become entangled in, maybe to fall in love with, human creativity.” Referring to March as “Herstory Month,” Cole, in a flared black suit declared, “We as Black women, as Francis Beal said many years ago, we carry a ‘double jeopardy,’ victimized by our race,
Crystal A. deGregory, Ph.D. is a graduate of Fisk, Tennessee State and Vanderbilt universities. She currently serves as a research fellow at Middle Tennessee State University’s Center for Historic Preservation and is the founder of two digital storytelling projects HBCUstory as well as Dorian and Beyond, the story of Hurricane Dorian in The Bahamas.
JACK AND JILL ALUMS: FISK UNIVERSITY’S PIONEERING GYMNASTICS TEAM
BY PRINCESS GADSON
representing more than 50,000 family members.
E arlier this year, Fisk University made history as the first historically Black university (HBCU) with a collegiate gymnastics team that competed at the NCAA level. The team made their debut on January 6, at the Super 16 event in Las Vegas. The Fisk University gymnastics team competed against over 300 collegiate gymnasts from teams across the country. Two gymnasts from the history-making team, Morgan Price and Hailey Clark are alumnae of Jack and Jill of America, an organization that provides social, cultural, and educational opportunities for youth between the ages of 2 and 19. Jack and Jill, Inc. founded in 1938, consists of over 262 chapters nationwide
nurturing and support they received in Jack and Jill of America has made a positive difference in their lives and the lives of others,” Brown said. “These achievements continue to solidify Jack and Jill of America’s connections to Historically Black Colleges and Universities through our alumni, family members, and partners. As a graduate of Spelman, I recognize the immense influence and contributions of HBCUs in our society and culture. Hailey’s and Morgan’s example as successful student-athletes at Fisk show our families and the world that Jack and Jill of America and HBCUs are significant, leading institutions that continue to produce several of the best and brightest individuals in society,” she continued.
Kornisha McGill Brown, 27th National President of Jack and Jill, Inc., says she is extremely proud of Morgan and Hailey’s achievements at Fisk as members of the first gymnastics team representing an HBCU.
“The theme of our last national convention was, “The Power of a
Dream”, and having two Jack and Jill Alumnae make historic, impactful contributions on a collegiate team of Black gymnasts is truly a dream come true. Our alumni make us proud when we see them contribute to their schools, families, professions, communities, and society in meaningful, remarkable ways. Their success shows that the parental
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Morgan Price, a freshman biology major and 5-star recruit from Lebanon, Tennessee, graduated from the Dallas chapter of Jack and Jill, Inc., and credits the organization for her desire to attend an HBCU. She has dreams of becoming a dentist. Upon graduating high school, she had originally committed to the University of Arkansas’ gymnastics program, then decommitted once she became aware of Fisk’s first HBCU gymnastics team. “I wanted to go to an HBCU because I know that back then our ancestors weren’t even allowed to go to the same schools as other people. I think [it’s] a way to honor our ancestors since they aren’t still here with us,” Morgan said. As for making history daily as an HBCU gymnast, Morgan is honored. Morgan shared that information about Fisk University’s gymnastics team will be featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, in the near future.
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Hailey Clark, a freshman biology pre- med major from Windermere, Florida, says gymnastics has taught her faith, resilience, and tenacity. Her ultimate goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon. During Hailey’s junior year of high school, her Jack and Jill, Inc. chapter heavily discussed the importance of attending an HBCU. “One thing that has really stuck with me was camaraderie – how important it is to be there for one another and to really support one another in such a group like Jack and Jill,” Hailey explained. When Hailey sees the media attention for making history as a Black collegiate gymnast, it shows her how much of an impact the team is making. “After every single competition, seeing the little young Black girls that come down and take pictures with us, saying they really look up to us – there’s not really a word I can find to describe that,” she said.
Hailey’s advice for the current students in Jack and Jill, Inc. is to take advantage of every event and make connections with everyone in their age group. “It’s an experience you won’t get back once you graduate – of course, you’ll still have those connections with the people you met and became friends within Jack and Jill – cherish actually being able to go to those events like teen conferences, workshops, and Jack and Jill day events.” Hailey also encourages the youth to keep pushing through all trials and tribulations. “Life is going to give it to you sometimes, and you really have to keep the faith and you never know what opportunity may come like this one. It’s so reassuring that so many young girls of color are going to have this option now – gymnastics while attending an HBCU. So, never give up. Keep pushing,” she said.
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HOMELAND HEALING: VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS INVESTS IN AFRICA’S FUTURE BY ASHLEIGH FIELDS
T hroughout her tenure in office, Vice President Kamala Harris has been working to rebuild and strengthen wavering international bonds between the United States and other foreign countries. Her most recent efforts resulted in a three- day trip to Ghana where the Biden-Harris administration pledged to provide $139 million in assistance to Ghana starting in October. While abroad, the Vice President met with President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana personally to discuss projects that focus on improving the country’s democracy, women empowerment and digital inclusion.
“Together, we will address the challenges we face, and the
opportunities ahead. And today I will speak about one particular area of opportunity: Investment in innovation,” said Harris in a speech at Ghana’s Black Star Gate, which represents freedom and justice. “Innovation is the pursuit of what can be, unburdened by what has been.”
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In hopes of creating more economic upward mobility, the U.S. plans to hire a full-time resident advisor who will assist Ghana’s Ministry of Finance to improve debt. However, Harris explained that this will be a collaborative effort. “To be clear, America will be guided not by what we can do FOR our African partners, but what we can do WITH our African partners,” said Harris. “That means the United States is committed to strengthen our partnerships across the continent of Africa—partnerships with governments, the private sector, civil society and all of you, partnerships based on openness, inclusiveness, candor, shared interests, and mutual benefits.”
roundtable discussion with six female Ghanaian entrepreneurs to discuss opportunities for corporate leadership and inclusion for all women. The U.S. has currently committed to creating a small business development center specifically for women and youth with the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA). Their goal is to provide workshops and training sessions with information on how to grow a business and enter the global market through exports. “We must invest in African ingenuity and creativity, which will unlock incredible economic growth and opportunities—not only for the people of the 54 countries that make up this diverse continent, but also for the American people and people around
the world,” said Harris.
At her first stop in Accra, Harris visited Vibrate, a creative company that opened last year in partnership with Kendrick Lamar’s pgLang, Spotify, and local sports organization Surf Ghana. Actors Idris Elba and Sheryl Lee Ralph joined her in hopes of underscoring the up and coming talent from the nation’s African diaspora community. The Vice President was excited to “engage directly with young people and highlight the dynamism across the continent.” Accra is the capital of Ghana and home to various music festivals including Afronation, Afrochella, Global Citizen Festival and the Black Star Line Festival.
During her trip, Harris hosted a
Although the visit included numerous Ghanaian arts and cultural activities similar to this, Harris also chose to visit Tanzania and Zambia. “This continent has a personal meaning for me because my grandfather and other members of my family worked in Zambia in the 1960s alongside a newly independent people,” said Harris. “I was fortunate enough to visit them in Zambia as a young girl. The values that guided my relatives when they were there, and the legacy of their efforts, remain a source of pride for my entire family and continue to animate my
work today.”
approaches, new ideas,” said Harris.
The Vice President’s maternal grandfather, P.V. Gopalan was a civil servant for India. He was sent to the Government of Zambia as the Director of Relief Measures and Refugees in January 1966 by the Indian government. This is a full circle moment for Harris as she recently announced $3.5 million to support Zambian’s civil society through reform and oversight. “Innovation results in one’s ability not only to see but do things differently: new methods, new products, new
The Vice President was proud to announce the new use of climate- smart agriculture, revolutionary digital technology and efforts for economic empowerment. Over the next 10 years, the U.S. has promised to provide $100 million for funding across Coastal West Africa with an objective to stabilize and prevent conflict across the continent. “African ideas and innovations will shape the future of the world, and so we must invest in African ingenuity,” said Harris.
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VOORHEES UNIVERSITY: THE NEXT LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE BY PRINCESS GADSON
M ajor plans are in motion for Voorhees University to expand its ties within the Denmark, SC community through its Becoming Beloved Community Initiative. Voorhees University, formally known as Voorhees College, is a small HBCU affiliated with the Episcopal church and located in Denmark, a city in Bamberg County, South Carolina.
“[We] are part of the community, and we intend to share and to make certain that their needs become our needs, their pains become our pains, and certainly their joys become our joys,” Dr. Ronnie Hopkins, President of Voorhees University said. Dr. Ronnie Hopkins became the 10th president of Voorhees University in 2021. Before his presidency, he was hired at Voorhees as the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and a tenured English professor.
Hopkins obtained a bachelor’s degree in English from North Carolina Central University, a master’s and doctoral degree from Michigan State University and completed postdoctoral studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Bath, North Carolina native’s career in public and higher education spans nearly three decades.
It is ranked number 26 by US News and World Report’s 2022-23 List of HBCUs.
In 2021, Voorhees University acquired the property of Denmark-Olar
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a hotel in Denmark to provide for our citizens in the community.”
Dr. Hopkins is passionate about instilling the power of service into the students at Voorhees University. A lesson Dr. Hopkins learned as an HBCU student is “Whatever accomplishments you think you earned; you didn’t earn them on your own.” “There are people that will pray and have prayed for you. There are people that supported you, but certainly at the institution, North Carolina Central University, there were people that served as models and mentors that guided me along the way,” he said. Dr. Hopkins is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and has a nonprofit organization called Possible Worlds Foundation, where he assists individuals who have been impacted by homelessness, incarceration, or HIV/ AIDS. To combat the plague of divisiveness among HBCUs, Dr. Hopkins says HBCU presidents and alum should continue to demonstrate working as family. Dr. Hopkins says the presidents of each of South Carolina’s HBCUs work together and refuse to let anyone pit them against each other.
Hopkins’ leadership mantra at Voorhees is The Next Level of Excellence.
Elementary School, located just two minutes away from the University. The former Denmark-Olar Elementary School building will house Voorhees University’s Becoming Beloved Community Initiative, which will include the University’s Rural Community Development, Institute for Women’s Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, and Advancement, and the Institute for Social and Environmental Justice for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “We certainly are happy to have acquired that property. We want to make certain that the community benefits from it,” said Dr. Hopkins. Hopkins also shared that within five years, Voorhees University will also erect a new campus and community center which will provide for the community a bowling alley, skating rink, movie theater, ballroom, business incubator space, and a space for the University’s student government. “Voorhees University will have a new living and learning center so that we can accommodate the growth that we expect,” he continued. “[We] will facilitate in partnership with the city of Denmark and the county of Bamberg
“As soon as you think you’ve reached the pinnacle of the heightened level of excellence, we need to go to the next level,” he said. Under Hopkins’ first year of leadership, Voorhees College became Voorhees University; launched their first graduate program, Master of Education in Teaching and Learning; and increased enrollment by 15%. “Spring semester to spring semester this year, enrollment has increased by 21% - so we’re moving in the right direction.” Dr. Hopkins credits his HBCU experience at North Carolina Central University for playing a major role in shaping who he is today. “I don’t believe going to a non-HBCU that I would have been so connected to a faculty that saw so much in me that I didn’t even see in myself. I believe had I gone to a traditionally white institution, I would’ve gotten lost in the cracks. I wouldn’t have gotten the love, attention, and experiences that I got at NCCU,” he explained.
“We all work together to ensure that we are supporting one another,” he said.
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TMCF: DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION BY ROB KNOX
T hurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has prided itself as being a national leader in helping companies achieve their Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) goals. The organization’s mission has always been to carry forward the legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall, who was a champion of HBCUs and creating access and opportunity for the talented students who attend them. Major companies partner with TMCF because they understand that it provides them with a competitive advantage and allows them to become more profitable. It’s a strategic pillar of the Fortune 500 corporations who intentionally engage with TMCF. They understand that a diverse and inclusive workforce based on purposeful hiring makes the world a better place.
One of the major outcomes when companies are committed to DEI is they advance a more equitable future for their communities and enhance pathways toward economic mobility for HBCU students. When companies prioritize equity, diversity, and inclusion, everybody triumphs because it is vital to achieving superior business outcomes. In 2022, there were 4,571 recipients/ participants of TMCF scholarships, programmatic opportunities, and internships. TMCF student talent has an average starting salary of $66,000. That was a 50% increase from 2021. Since 2020, there’s been 11,027 recipients of TMCF opportunities.
it forward because their personal and professional development was enriched in a diverse and inclusive environment of care. Helping companies with their DEI initiatives allows TMCF to make an impact beyond the $300,000 million in scholarships the organization awards to its students annually. While, TMCF has a well-earned reputation for providing employer partners with direct access to top HBCU talent, those same allies understand that making DEI a core value provides an opportunity to improve employee engagement while strengthening their team. According to a 2021 McKinsey study, companies with the most diverse executive teams are 36% more likely to outperform their peers on profitability.
Engaged and empowered students help companies, change lives, and pay
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Most of the Fortune 500 have limited, if any, recruitment presence at HBCUs. With more than 300,000 students attending the 47 member schools, TMCF provides an essential link between Corporate America and HBCU talent. Once companies partner with TMCF, they are provided direct access to HBCU talent prepared to change the world thanks to the numerous programs and unique opportunties offered. In 2022, Boeing and TMCF announced a new $8 million, multi-year partnership to support campus recruitment initiatives, career immersion activities, and experiences for students from HBCU’s. TMCF has partnered with Medtronic, and Google to create career pathways in the MedTech Industry and technology for HBCU students.
at Apple and Microsoft, mechanical engineers at Boeing, and business leaders at Wells Fargo. Another one of TMCF’s partners, Medtronic Foundation has made an intentional and committed effort to grow representation of underserved and underrepresented populations within the STEM workforce by supporting scholarships for HBCU students and being a presidential partner at the Leadership Institute. This partnership has helped Medtronic create a stronger, more diverse STEM pipeline for the future workforce in health and technology, which benefits the world. During TMCF’s annual Leadership Institute in New York, over 90 companies had access to more than 400 students to interview and recruit for job opportunities. Several students who
attended Leadership Institute walked away with potential job and internship opportunities. TMCF has worked hard to build a framework to accelerate societal change while collaborating with leaders who understand that intentionally diversifying their teams is a long-term solution for success. In accomplishing desired DEI outcomes, TMCF enjoys being a leader in providing access to talented HBCU students. DEI is important because it allows companies to walk in their purpose and help our students create the legacies they desire. The path to progress is measured in inches and milestones.
Consistent small actions lead to change.
Partnering with TMCF is an easy step to begin with.
Students who may have remained unseen are now software engineers
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THE VISIONARY: DAVE WOOLEY BY ERICA BLOUNT DANOIS
I t wasn’t any ordinary day in the Frederick Douglass projects in Harlem in 1977. At least not for Dave Wooley. As residents peeped and craned their necks to see out of their windows, they screamed and clapped approvingly, as a 16-year-old Wooley collected his drums and equipment and slid into the backseat of a black limousine. Drummer, producer, and recording artist Norman Connors had sent the limo. Wooley had met Connors in Mikell’s, a jazz club on Columbus Avenue in Manhattan, as a teenager. Trying to be inconspicuous the young Wooley would draw on a mustache and sneak into the club. “There was something about him,” said Connors about Wooley. Connors had produced artists like Michael Henderson, Jean Carne, and Phyllis Hyman. “I just felt like he [Wooley] would do well. I can spot talent right away. He was more percussion than drummer. He played more dance, hand drumming, bongos, congas, things of that sort.” That evening Wooley and Connors traveled to Nashville to play a gig at the Exit/ I N club. For many years afterward,
they would go on to play prestigious venues together and gigs all around the country. “Norman showed me another world when he took me on the road. I would play songs like ‘Betcha By Golly, Wow,’ ‘This is Your Life,’ and ‘You are My Starship,’ and he would do the jazzier songs. I would play percussion. We would switch back and forth,” said Wooley. Connors, of course, was spot on about recognizing his talent. Wooley had already built a reputation around Harlem as a talented drummer. Both of his parents were musicians—though not working professionally in music; his mother Bettye Wooley St. John was a pianist, and his father Herman J. Wooley was a jazz singer. By the age of 6, he was taking drum lessons with virtuoso African drummer Babatunde Olatunji who’d given him his first conga drum. He took free music lessons, courtesy of the Jazzmobile, from Michael Carvin learning how to read music, how to swing, and play straight-ahead jazz and funk. Pioneering jazz drummer Max Roach selected Wooley as the drummer in an off-Broadway play. He would
go on to become a studio musician in New York and realized a life-long dream when he had the opportunity to perform alongside legendary drummer Buddy Rich in a battle of the drums. He’d also work with Cissy Houston recording her demos. Although he loved playing music in the New York scene, by the time he turned 20, Wooley had moved to Delaware and out of the big-city jazz and R&B scene in New York. He was starting to think more about the business side of music. He focused his attention on graduating from Wilmington University with a bachelor’s degree in business and later earned a MBA.
In 1985, Connors asked Wooley about getting a gig in Wilmington, Delaware.
He asked Wooley to find a promoter that would put up the money and advertise for the band.
Wooley told Connors that Wilmington was a small town, not like what he was accustomed to in New York and other big cities. It would be hard to find a promoter to bring the band to Delaware to do a concert.
"I JUST FELT LIKE HE [WOOLEY] WOULD DO WELL. I CAN SPOT TALENT RIGHT AWAY. HE WAS MORE PERCUSSION THAN DRUMMER. HE PLAYED MORE DANCE, HAND DRUMMING, BONGOS, CONGAS, THINGS OF THAT SORT." -NORMAN CONNORS
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the sound was right, the lights, not just from a technical perspective, but from a musical perspective.” Because HBCUs historically have been underfunded, they often could not afford the prices of top-tier talent. Artists often preferred predominantly white universities (PWI’s) simply because they were better funded, so the artists were paid more. Wooley was able to produce both fledgling acts like Queen Latifah who was at the beginning of her career at the time and established acts for HBCUs. “If HBCUs had called the agents directly, they wouldn’t have had that clout, so the prices wouldn’t have been discounted; and they would not have been able to afford those big names, “said Wooley. Working with HBCUs, he expanded from just doing concerts, to booking lectures with such luminaries as Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.’s daughter Yolanda King, Malcolm X’s daughter Attallah Shabazz and basketball Hall of Famer Walt Frazier. Artists wanted to perform at these HBCUs, but there were very few Black promoters that were able to book top-tier talent. Wooley helped to fill that void for HBCUs – giving artists the chance to appear in front of Black students and conversely to allow those students to be able to watch stars like Run DMC and Frankie Beverly and Maze perform live, taking HBCUs in the region to another level.
“He said, ‘Well, aren’t you Dave Wooley?’ “I said, ‘yeah.’ “He said, ‘Well, you can be the promoter then.’” And it was just that simple. Wooley suggested Ambrosia’s, a Black-owned club in Delaware, and he became a promoter that day fulfilling his desire to focus on the business end of music. “We sold out for two nights. I made more money being a promoter than a drummer in the group,” Wooley recalls. This first gig with Connors was Wooley’s starting point to promote larger venues which he did for many years. “Unfortunately, it’s a crapshoot,” said media mogul and television personality Cathy Hughes about promoting and the lack of Black promoters. “If the weather is bad, if the artist comes down with laryngitis, the artist falls out with their significant other, there are so many moving parts to booking them, promoting them, and then selling their
tickets. It’s a very risky business.”
Wooley eventually found a niche market that he would work primarily with for many years – promoting HBCUs in Pennsylvania like Lincoln University and Cheyney University, and in Delaware and Maryland, like Delaware State, Bowie State, and Maryland Eastern Shore in the 1980s. Wooley had a competitive advantage for this market from having direct relationships with top agencies based in New York City like William Morris, ICM and ABC Bookings from years of booking top acts. “I knew the agents because I had done a bunch of concerts on my own, and they were all successful,” said Wooley. “Not one cancellation. So, when I would call for Natalie Cole or the O’Jays or Run DMC, I would get a huge discount. They knew it would be promoted right, and the artists would be treated first class. Because I was a musician,. I knew when
Once, acclaimed jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis called Wooley. Marsalis was
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aware of the cost disparities for HBCUs and asked Wooley about doing a tour for a minimum honorarium. He was able to book Marsalis at the HBCUs he’d been working with like Lincoln University and Cheyney University. By the late ‘90s, Wooley confided in Connors that he was looking for a change. He had been raising his two young daughters, who were three and four, as a single dad with custodial rights. He had started working as an adjunct business professor at Wilmington University so he could be present for his daughters. When he couldn’t find a babysitter, he would often bring them to his class where they gained a business education through osmosis and got acclimated to college life.
“He took us everywhere. We were backstage and met so many people,” remembers his oldest daughter Veda Wooley, Esq. “I give 100 percent to my Dad. We grew up not watching television, and we were homeschooled in addition to going to public school. We had activities almost every day of the week – computer classes, dance. We were always in the back of the classroom when he was a professor. Eventually, we were learning a lot of the business concepts, and we would call out the answers. It gave us a lot of confidence when we went to college.” Veda Wooley would become an attorney, finishing her Juris doctor program in two years; and his youngest daughter Davina Wooley became a
computer engineer and earned two master’s degrees.
As a young man, Wooley wasn’t content with being a musician without understanding all the cogs that make up the music industry and the business of entertainment. And as he got older, he continued to grow in different parts of the entertainment business operating under his production company, Dave Wooley Productions. He moved into one of the most lucrative promoting sectors at the time - professional boxing. Back then, one of the only ways to see a live mega boxing match was to go to an arena and watch it on closed-circuit television on the big screen. Boxing was big in the 1980s and 1990s with
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boost to our arm in the early days. Boxing matches were such a major event for us to be a part of. It really boosted our credibility and image,” recalls Hughes. “The PR, the inclusion in the press room with all the big boys, no question it was Dave Wooley that opened those doors for us.” While working with Dr. J. and promoting fights, Wooley met Grammy award-winning singer Dionne Warwick, and she and Wooley started working together. He would go on to co- author two children’s books with her, “Say a Little Prayer” and “Little Man.” And he was the co-author for her autobiography, “My Life, as I See It: An Autobiography,” which was the genesis of the documentary, “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over,” which chronicled her six-decade career in music and activism and premiered in January on CNN and is currently on HBO Max. Wooley wrote, produced and co- directed the documentary which won several awards including, “Best Feature,” at the Gene Siskel Film Festival; and the film won first runner-up for the People’s Choice Award for documentaries at the Toronto International Film Festival. It also won the “Audience Award,” at both the Montclair Film Festival and the BronzeLens Film Festival. “I must have watched it six times now,” said Hughes. “Not only is the story beautiful, but the process that he went through was too. Just like his daughters, this man is the poster child for dogged determination.” “He had interviewed all these people without me knowing,” said Warwick by phone. Usually, people can’t keep anything from me,” she laughed. “I loved it, it showed his ability – he told the true story which was most
electrifying talent like George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, and Michael Spinks. Wooley rose to prominence in the industry as the only Black man in the country to be awarded exclusive paid-per-view and closed-circuit television broadcasting rights for several states for the Mike Tyson versus Michael Spinks fight - the largest fight at the time. Around the same time, basketball Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving retired and wanted to get into the business side of sports and entertainment and heard about Wooley. By 1992, he and Wooley became business partners. One enterprising woman with an emerging media empire was impacted significantly by Wooley’s new venture into boxing. Media mogul Cathy Hughes, in the early days of her radio station WOL- AM in Washington, D.C., was always looking for big-ticket sponsors. Wooley made Hughes’ station the premiere fight station in
Washington, D.C.
“In the early days of WOL, we only had local businesses – thank God for the crab houses, the beauty parlors, the corner grocery stores, the independently owned boutiques, they were our first clients,” said Cathy Hughes by phone. “I met Fred Brown and then Henry Brown – the highest- ranking Black person at Anheuser- Busch - and Budweiser Beer became our first national client.” The Browns wanted Hughes to meet Wooley; and when she did, they hit it off immediately. Wooley, a single father of two girls, often took Hughes’ advice particularly during discussions on combing hair. Hughes was well-versed in boxing. Her father, an accountant, had Muhammad Ali as a client when he was still Cassius Clay. She and Wooley bonded on boxing and raising children.
“In terms of prestige, Dave was a big
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