KAPPA NEWS
day. It was gratifying to see our male students serving in this manner. Unfortunately, the university’s van broke down stranding students, faculty and staff members in Ferguson! I was very upset, particularly when I heard our students sharing that they were accustomed to the university vehicles breaking down. I parlayed my anger to a philanthropic opportunity. I reached out to one of the largest Fortune 500 companies in the region. As a result, we received a significant financial contribution, that enabled Harris-Stowe to purchase a new fleet of mini-buses for the university. As president, Harris-Stowe has significantly increased its external funding and superseded all fundraising goals for the past four years, including a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the largest grant in the history of the institution. Our goal is to transform STEM for underrepresented groups in the state. As it relates to the influence of Kappa Alpha Psi on his life, Dr. Warmack stated, “Growing up on the Eastside of Detroit, to a single mother on government assistance, I was never exposed to college and did not know anything about fraternities. My first exposure to fraternity life was when I stepped foot on the campus of Delta State University in Cleveland, MS. I was a tough, rough around the edges student athlete from the hood.
When I was initiated into this noble clan in the Spring of 1998, through the Nu Eta Chapter on the campus of Delta State University, my life changed forever. My leadership philosophy, commitment to community engagement, and dedication to social justice and lifelong learning were installed in me during my undergraduate days as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi. This great fraternity has instilled in me the desire to seek greatness in every field of human endeavor. During my undergraduate years, I knew I was a good athlete and that was my primary focus. When I was initiated into Kappa, my undergraduate chapter brothers challenged me to do more. They pushed me to pursue leadership roles within the fraternity, student government, residency life and the community. Because of that foundation, I am considered as a servant leader that cares deeply for the communities I serve.” Harris-Stowe witnessed an institutional transformation, which is unparalleled in its 162-year history. He has shepherded more than $24 million in external funding to the institution, including a $5 million STEM grant, the largest in the school's history. He cultivated more than 16 partnerships and collaborations with Fortune 500 companies, regional organizations and other higher education institutions Under Dr. Warmack's exemplary leadership,
to strengthen Harris-Stowe's infrastructure."
These include expanding the liberal arts, business degrees and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics disciplines (STEM). As a result of Dr. Warmack's leadership in transforming the curricular and co- curricular enterprises at Harris-Stowe, the institution has been ranked regionally and nationally in various publications and online journals with U.S. News and World Report ranking Harris-Stowe as one of the best HBCUs and Midwest universities in the United States. Effective August 1, 2019, Dr. Warmack will become the Ninth President of Claflin University located in Orangeburg, South Carolina. FNP
In the past five years under Dr. Warmack's
leadership, Harris-Stowe State University became the fastest growing public university in the state of Missouri and has been recognized as a leader in graduating African Americans and other underrepresented groups with baccalaureate degrees. In addition, Harris-Stowe has witnessed a 34% increase in headcount; applications to attend HSSU soared to more than 7,000 in 2019 compared to 667 in 2013. The Harris-Stowe student profile has grown stronger-representing 37 states and 17 countries. Additionally, as part of the institution's strategic plan that he spearheaded, the University embarked on an ambitious goal of expanding its academic offerings.
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