Republican presidential candidate Governor George W. Bush of Texas recently visited Dillard University in New Orleans and participated in the school's first leadership forum on public policy. He announced his proposal to dramatically increase federal financial support to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Bush's proposal includes an additional $437 million in Title III discretionary funding to HBCUs over five years and a $1,000 increase in Pell Grant levels for students who achieve in advanced math and science courses.

Dr. Ronald Mason, Jr., Jackson State University’s President, and Rear Admiral Paul G. Gaffney, II, the chief of Naval Research, have signed a formal research and educational partnership agreement between the Department of the Navy (DON), Office of Naval Research (ONR), and a Historically Black University (HBCU).  Through the agreement, Jackson State students can obtain academic credit for work on research projects at DON laboratories; faculty may participate in the ONR Summer Faculty/Sabbatical Leave Program and/or utilize the Interagency Personnel Act for assignments to DON labs and facilities.  The university may also receive equipment transferred to the university.  This agreement has no funding ceiling; however, currently, ONR support for the school totals more than $8 million.

Long Island University's College of Pharmacy honored its first African-American valedictorian in May as Alicia Williams (left)  delivered the valedictory address. The 22-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y. native is used to achieving excellence, as she was also the valedictorian at her intermediate and high schools as well. She credits her parents with inspiring her with their work ethic and high standards. "I feel that I was given special gifts and that it is my job to make good use of them," said Williams.

The Department of Physical Sciences at South Carolina State University was awarded a $1.2 million grant by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The funds will be used to enhance the astrophysics program at the university.  The grant is titled “Curriculum Enhancement Through Space Science Research (CESSR)” and is part of a NASA program designed to bring the excitement of NASA research into the classroom.

Robert Miller (left), vice president & editor, THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine and Tom Joyner, syndicated radio host.

THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine has established a $30,000 scholarship fund for elementary education majors in celebration of its 30^th Anniversary publishing year.  The magazine will donate $1,500 scholarships to one male and one female student at mainly participating universities on the syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Radio Show over a 10-month period.  The first installment of $3,000 was presented June 9^th on Tom Joyner’s Sky Show broadcast live from New Orleans to Dillard University on behalf of Publisher and CEO, Preston J. Edwards, Sr., a Dillard graduate.  The scholarship recipients will be selected by participating universities. In all, 20 deserving students at 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities will benefit.

Dr. John L. Smith, Jr. was inaugurated on April 8, 2000 as the 12^th president in Fisk University’s 134-year history. The Chairman of the Fisk University Board of Trustees, Virgis W. Colbert, says, “Dr. Smith has brought a vital sense of stability and vision to Fisk University.”  Prior to the appointment, Smith served for 10 years as dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Howard University Provost and Chief Academic Officer Antoine Garibaldi, Ph.D., assumed the position of Senior Fellow at the Educational Testing Service (ETS) on June 1, 2000, the same day he began his service as chair-elect of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Higher Education.  As senior fellow, Garibaldi will be involved in a variety of major projects focusing on higher education, educational assessment, teacher education, graduate education, and other specialized areas supported by ETS.

Tennessee State University has made the Yahoo list of the nation’s 100 Most Wired Universities in 2000, an annual ranking of the higher educational institutions which offer students the most comprehensive computer technologies. The university debuted at No.55. “TSU’s strong placement on the list of America’s Most Wired Universities indicates our commitment to being a 21^st century institution,” said TSU President James A. Hefner.

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) announced a three-year $1.2 million UNCF/CCE Corporate Scholars Program that will provide scholarships and internships to African-American and Hispanic students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other institutions of higher education.

The Motorola Foundation has announced a $1 million gift to help construct the state-of-the-art, 63,000-square-foot Leadership Center at Morehouse College.  Gary Tooker, retired chairman of the Motorola Board of Directors, announced the gift during “Motorola Day, Partnering to Create Leadership,” at Morehouse College.  The Leadership Center will house the college’s diverse leadership development, community service departments and feature computer and information technology.

Minority students will be able to enter the high technology workforce more easily under a package of initiatives announced by MCI WorldCom. The programs, which MCI WorldCom has committed $10 million to over the next 10 years, are designed to promote excellence in the skills most in demand by 21^st century employers.  Bernard J. Ebbers, MCI WorldCom president and chief executive office, says, “We’ll be encouraging minority participation in America’s rapidly expanding technology sector while helping to ensure we’ll have more qualified American workers in the areas most critical to our operations.”  This initiative is in partnership with the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME), a non-profit corporation committed to increasing the number of minorities in the workforce. MCI WorldCom will establish an internship/scholarship program designed to significantly boost the number of minority graduates in critical high-tech areas and will implement industry-education partnership programs.

Alabama State University received a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington.  Over a five-year period, the grant will be used to fund the university’s Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP). HCOP is designed to prepare students to enter and successfully complete degrees in health or allied health schools, and to pursue health professional careers as doctors, dentists, and allied health professionals.

Dr. Johnnie L. Early II (right) has been tapped to lead the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy. The Macon, Georgia, native was formerly the dean of the Pharmacy College at the Medical College of South Carolina and served in the same capacity at Florida A&M University. Dr. Early is also past president of the National Pharmaceutical Association, and was named as one of our educators among the 50 most influential pharmacists in America by American Druggist.

Michael Marcelin is a senior communications major at the University of New Orleans and also an editorial intern at THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine.