First cohort of students arrive at Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus
By J. Pamela Stills Special to the AFRO
“The Center of Next–” that was the slogan printed on the back of t-shirts that were worn during the first day of classes for Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Va. The campus opened the doors to what is being called “Academic Building One” on Jan. 21, 2025.
The Innovation Campus provides graduate programs in computer science and computer engineering with research areas in artificial intelligence and machine learning, wireless and next gen technology, intelligent interfaces and quantum architecture and software development.
The first cohort of students were welcomed into a stateof-the-art Academic Building One, an 11-story, 300,000 squarefoot structure sitting on a 3.5-acre campus in the Potomac Yard neighborhood. Highlights of the campus include 14 classrooms, three instructional studios to support virtual learning, 32 huddle rooms, a 1,340 square-foot cyber physical lab and a 465 square-foot two-story drone testing cage. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2025.
Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Virginia welcomes its first students into a new state-of-the-art educational facility on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. The facility, referred to as Academic Building One, is an 11-story, 300,000 sq.ft. structure sitting on a 3.5-acre campus in the Potomac Yard neighborhood.
Lance Collins is the inaugural vice president and executive director. He holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from Princeton University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Collins’ accomplishments that landed him the role include similar work done at Cornell University where he significantly grew the number of students and faculty of women and underrepresented minorities and the work done building an elite core of graduate students of engineering and applied sciences who would partner with industry while serving as Dean of Engineering at Cornell Tech.
During the press tour of the facility, Collins spoke about the vision of having a strong tech district by relying on the base of tech companies, such as Amazon HQ, and major defense contractors that are already in the area as well as having conversations with companies such as Microsoft and Amazon HQ2 that are moving into the area. Collins’ vision of the approach that, as he put it, “bootstraps the area’s ecosystem” is by having students z“...working on projects that are sourced from companies locally. So, in some ways, they’re already building relationships with the broader tech ecosystem in the area with the hope that will encourage them to then want to stay to potentially work for the company that sponsored their project or some other company that’s in the area.”
Lance Collins was recognized as one of the top 10 most influential people of 2024 in Northern Virginia by Northern Virginia Magazine. When asked to share his thoughts about being chosen as the first executive director to lead the Innovation Campus, Collins said the task is both “incredibly exhilarating and daunting.”
One of the first things he wanted to address was the culture of the Innovation Campus. His vision was to have a culture of diverse people and thought, who are highly integrated and collaborative.
Virginia Tech Innovation campus t-shirts available to staff and students to celebrate the first day of classes in the new state-ofthe-art educational facility.
Faculty and students pose for a group photo in specifically designed t-shirts to celebrate the first day of classes at Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Virginia on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. The innovation center is a new state-of-the-art educational facility encompassing 11-stories within 300,000 sq.ft. of space.
Shown here, Justin Dildy (left), a master of engineering student, with Kirk Cameron, a professor of computer science and faculty lead, and Lance Collins, vice president and executive director.
Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Virginia welcomes its first students into a new state-of-the-art educational facility on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
Professor Reza Jafari instructs students during a second-level course on Artificial Intelligence on the first day of class at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Virginia on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
Kene Nwodo, originally from Lagos, Nigeria, is a Ph.D. student in computer engineering at Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Virginia.
Students and faculty gather to enjoy pizza from staff during Virginia Tech Innovation Campus’ first day of classes celebration. The auditorium can hold 200 people in a classroom setting and 300 people in an auditorium setting.
Sydney Johns, from Baltimore, is studying computer science and her research focus is cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.
AFRO photos/ J. Pamela Stills
New exhibition, ‘TITAN: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis’ opens in Baltimore
By AFRO Staff
Loida Lewis enjoys the opening of an exhibit in honor of her late husband, Reginald F. Lewis.
which it takes its name.
Baltimore Peace Movement holds first quarterly celebration of life
By AFRO Staff
On Feb. 8, The Reginald F. Lewis Museum unveiled “TITAN: The Legacy of Reginald F. Lewis,” the most comprehensive exhibit of the man who was known to be a “titan of industry.” Known as the first Black man to lead a billion dollar company, Lewis is remembered for his salient question: “Why should White guys have all the fun?”
Lewis was a visionary, a devoted family man, and a legal pioneer. This exhibition masterfully chronicles his journey, showcasing the breadth of his impact far beyond corporate boardrooms.
Lewis’ daughter, Christina S. N. Lewis Halpern, and his widow, Loida Lewis, were in attendance at the opening ceremony along with other surviving members of the family. This exhibit is part of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum's efforts
to highlight Black life in the state of Maryland.
Visitors were immersed in Lewis’ world through an impressive collection of rare photographs, personal artifacts and deeply personal narratives that illuminated both his triumphs and challenges. The museum is named in Lewis’ honor and was made possible through a public-private partnership, including a $5 million lead donation from the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, along with contributions from other private donors.
The exhibition was both a celebration and a call to action— urging future generations to embrace ambition, challenge limitations and redefine what is possible.
Members of the Baltimore Peace Movement gathered for the first of several rallies planned for 2025 on the weekend of Feb 7. Standing on the corner of Mt. Holly St. and Edmondson Ave. advocates for peace, led by Michelle “Shellers” Herring, encouraged Baltimoreans to take part in the movement. At the end of the rally, Baltimore Peace Movement co-founder Erricka Bridgeford performed a sacred space ritual to cleanse the area where a 19-year-old young man was shot and killed in 2025. Burning sage, participants whispered prayers and blanketed the area with positive energy.
The Baltimore Peace Movement, formerly known as Baltimore Ceasefire, has held a ceasefire weekend every quarter of the year since 2017. During these times, peace advocates encourage all to help end the violence in their communities by holding life affirming events.
The next weekend will take place around Mother's Day, beginning May 9 and ending May 11. If you are interested in being part of the movement, please go to Baltimorepeacemovement.com to register as an ambassador.
Lena Singleton stands on Edmondson Avenue, encouraging the drivers who pass by to “honk for peace” on Feb. 7.
Michelle “Shellers” Herring calls for Baltimoreans to take part in the Baltimore Peace Movement weekend, a time to engage in life affirming events.
David Johnson, a former educator, volunteers his time to the Peace Movement each year. Johnson said he was moved to participate when he realized his young elementary school students were too comfortable wearing R.I.P. t-shirts for slain friends and family.
Donald Ervin, polemarch of the Baltimore Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. officially opens the “Titan” exhibit alongside Richard B. Mattox, Eastern Province Polemarch; Anthony Fugett; Loida Lewis; Christina Lewis Halpern; Calvin Halpern; Imani Haynes, curator of RFLM; Drew Hawkins, RFLM board chairman; Robert Parker, director of chief curator and director of interpretation, visitor experiences, and education, and Terri Lee Freeman, president of RFLM.
Christina S. N. Lewis Halpern stands next to a portrait of her late father, Reginald F. Lewis.
Year-round, The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture carries books and special merchandise in celebration of the industry titan from
Baltimore Peace Movement co-founder Darnyle Wharton joins the crowd in spreading positive energy.
Lynn Forman, a graduate of Morgan State University and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., takes part in the first Peace Movement weekend of 2025.
Erricka Bridgeford leads a Sacred Space ritual, calling light and love to the area where Lamel Edwards lost his life on Jan. 26 to gun violence.
AFRO Photos / Alexis Taylor
Jeff Johnson (left), CEO of Actum, and Tarrus Richardson, CEO and founder of IMB Partners, participate in a discussion about the life and legacy of Reginald F. Lewis.
Photo courtesy of Jae Sip Photography via the Reginald F. Lewis Museum
Photo courtesy of Instagram / TheChristina99
Photo courtesy of Facebook (Meta) / Loida Nicolas Lewis
Photo courtesy of Facebook (Meta) / Loida Nicolas Lewis
Photo courtesy of Jae Sip Photography via the Reginald F. Lewis Museum