17 minute read
Chapter and Class News
Alpha Delta Alumni Chapter Seeks Donations to Boost Morgan Students
The Alpha Delta Alumni Chapter of Morgan State University is asking its members, supporters, family and friends, as well as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorors who have yet to join the chapter, to support the group’s 2021 fundraiser. The fundraiser will support Morgan students via the Alpha Delta Endowment Fund in honor of the 95th anniversary of the chapter. Your donations of any amount will help the chapter reach its goal of $50,000! The fundraiser runs through Oct. 16, 2021.
Giving is easy! Just go to https://givetomorgan.org/ give. Select “Other” from the dropdown menu to earmark your donation. In the “Instruction about My Donation” box directly below, write “The Alpha Delta Endowment Fund”. After completing the required information, click “Donate Now”. Then PRINT your tax-deductible receipt, and NOTIFY the following members:
Nina Spencer at nspencer223@gmail.com;
De Jackson at demamaj@comcast.net; or
Dorothy Scott Blakely at dorothyellen1908@gmail.com.
You may also make checks payable and mail them to: Morgan State University Foundation, Inc., 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, 201 Truth Hall, Baltimore, MD 21251. Enter “Alpha Delta Endowment Fund” in the memo line of the check.
Sorors who would like to join the Alpha Delta Chapter, please send an email to the chapter treasurer, Soror Metrica Brown, at metrica13@gmail.com to receive directions.
Baltimore Area Alumni Chapter Honors Graduating Seniors
The Howard L. Cornish Metropolitan Baltimore Alumni Chapter has continued the tradition of presenting its annual Dr. Clayton C. Stansbury Academic Achievement Award to graduating seniors who excelled academically. This year’s recipients of the scholarship follow:
May 2020 – Kendra M. Gantt, a social work major, received her Bachelor of Science degree. Her plans included seeking employment that enabled her to better the lives of disadvantaged youth.
May 2021 – Kaylin M. Mallory, a nutritional sciences major, received her Bachelor of Science degree. Her plans include continuing her education to receive certification as a pastry chef.
The scholarship winners each received a beautifully engraved, white marble plaque that displays the Morgan colors of a blue background with a distinctive orange border. Congratulations to both Gantt and Mallory, alumni on the move!
Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter Works to Empower Local Communities
Members of the Morgan State University Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Alumni Chapter worked with community volunteers to run the concession stand at a baseball game fundraiser for Mercy Street, a Christian group that works to transform and empower under-resourced communities in West and South Dallas, Texas. Funds collected from the concession stand are used to support Mercy Street’s sports programs geared toward low-income families.
DFW Alumni Chapter has continued to grow, as two recent Morgan graduates recently relocated to the local area. The chapter’s President and Vice President treated the new members to lunch as a welcome to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. If you are a Morganite new to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, please email the chapter at msuaa. dwfchapter@gmail.com to obtain more information or to join the group.
Delaware Chapter’s Scholarship Giving Continues Apace
The MSU Delaware Alumni Chapter awarded five Morgan State University undergraduates from Delaware with scholarship grants of $2,000 each for the Fall 2021 semester. The chapter awards scholarships to undergraduates each year until they graduate, so long as they maintain an above-average or higher grade point average.
The chapter is now holding its monthly meetings by Zoom and plans to resume live, in-person meetings by the end of 2021.
The Morgan State Football Alumni Chapter hosted a tailgating event during the Towson State vs. Morgan State football game at Hughes Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021. The primary purpose was to celebrate Morgan’s softball team, coming from a winning season as the 2021 MEAC Champions, and to honor the Cheer Bears as they began their season. Chapter President Thomas Potts, ’11, and Chapter Vice President Kelvin Dickens, ’11 (left to right, photo above), worked with other officers and general members to supply food and words of encouragement. Members of the softball team and the Cheer Bears attended. The Football Alumni Chapter welcomes others to join them as they work consistently and aggressively with the University to grow the future. For more information about the chapter, email bearlegacycorporation@gmail.com.
Baltimore County Chapter Celebrates 20 Years of Service
The Baltimore County Chapter of the MSU Alumni Association is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The chapter was chartered in September 2001 in the basement of Lochearn Presbyterian Church. A total of 20 devoted Morganites came out that evening to initiate the chapter, including notable alumnus Louis Randall, M.D. Since its establishment, the chapter has supported Morgan financially, recruited students from local high schools, improved the community through Maryland’s Adopt-A-Highway program, participated in the Randallstown Juneteenth Parade and engaged in many other beneficial activities. A highlight of the chapter’s 20 years is MSU President David K. Wilson’s visit to the chapter in 2012. Recurring fundraisers have included “An Evening of Art and Jazz” with the Guy Bragg Band and artist Larry Poncho Brown; a National Harbor Bus Trip; a Line Dance Social; “Breakfast at Applebee’s”; and a White Party; among others. The chapter has been a sponsor of the Morgan vs. Coppin basketball game, has made financial contributions to Morgan’s WEAA Radio and the Student Food Pantry and is now providing scholarships to four graduating seniors and sponsoring a Little League baseball team. Coverage of the chapter’s activities in the Northwest Newspaper has helped enhance the public profile of Fair Morgan.
The chapter looks forward to the future. Chapter meetings are now being held via Google Meets. More information is available on the chapter’s Facebook page, “Morgan Alumni Baltimore County.” The current chapter officers are Rhonda Parker, President; Mike Carrington, First Vice President; Jesse Bennett, Second Vice President; Karen Gilmore, Treasurer; and Jacqueline E. Smith, Secretary.
Georgia Alumni Chapter Elects New Executive Board
The Georgia Alumni chapter has announced its newly elected Executive Board: Cody Cox – President; Donald McCall – Treasurer; Ryan Wilson – Financial Secretary; and Arthur Burrell – Immediate Past President. The vacant board positions will be appointed by the new President and approved by the Executive Board.
The new Executive Board plans to continue the successful direction of its preceding board. The board thanks Immediate Past President Arthur Burrell for his influence and dedication to the chapter, which was reborn and now flourishes because of his leadership.
Any interested alumni are welcome to join the chapter, which is now meeting virtually via Zoom on the third Tuesday of each month. Feel free to contact the chapter, or find more information, at its newly designed website: http:// www.msugaalumni.org. Howard County Alumni Chapter Is Still ‘Giving Back’
The Howard County Alumni Chapter is still about the business of “giving back.” The chapter’s scholarship fundraising continued during the summer with a Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser and a “Drive-Thru” Crab Feast. Both were successful events. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the chapter’s efforts have again enabled it to award $10,000 in scholarships to five deserving students, this time to members of the freshman cohort entering Morgan in the Fall semester of 2021. Looking forward, the chapter is planning its spring day party scholarship fundraiser for April of 2022, assuming a state of public health “normalcy.”
In addition to its scholarship fundraising, the Howard County chapter continues to be visible in the community with its quarterly road cleanup (Adopt-A-Road), as it has for the past several years. Four times a year, volunteers from the chapter help maintain a clean environment by picking up litter and debris left on the road. Anyone in the area of Benson Road in Howard County will see a roadside sign that proudly displays the chapter’s name! The Howard County Alumni Chapter just “keeps on keeping on!”
Morgan’s Softball Team, 2021 MEAC Champions Northern Virginia Chapter Met for Business and Fun
The Morgan State University Northern Virginia Alumni Chapter held an in-person, end-of-the-chapter-year meeting and cookout on Sunday, June 27. The cookout and fun activities followed a brief business meeting. The event required that all adult attendees be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Family members were welcome to attend if vaccinated. The group truly enjoyed the opportunity to fellowship and celebrate the establishment of the chapter’s endowment fund. The next chapter meeting will be held on Sept. 19, 2021.
Philadelphia Chapter Plans Cruise to Fund Scholarships
Join the MSUAA Philadelphia Chapter for an unforgettable scholarship fundraiser: a transatlantic cruise aboard the Norwegian Breakaway, April 20–May 6, 2023! The travelers will leave from New York City and return from Rome after visiting 11 ports of call in the U.S., Bermuda, Ponta Delgada Azores, Portugal, Spain, France and Italy.
Cabin costs per person range from $1,956 to $2,488, and gratuities are $248 per person. To secure a space, you will need to pay a $150 per person nonrefundable deposit. Final payment is due on Nov. 21, 2022.
For more information, please contact Andrea Gaskins-Battle at (215) 545-7460 or amgbpooch0828@gmail.com; Janice Mann at (609) 877-4041 or jejmann70@hotmail.com; or Carolyn Wade, Agent, Roeder Travel, at (410) 668-6090, (410) 984-2515 or achyent@verizon.net.
Leave from New York City and return from Rome after visiting 11 ports of call in the U.S., Bermuda, Ponta Delgada Azores, Portugal, Spain, France and Italy.
Classes Ending in ‘2’ or ‘7’, Get Ready to Celebrate Next May!
MSU classes ending in “2” or “7”: It’s time to gear up to celebrate your Anniversary Reunions! In May 2022, we will celebrate at the 82nd Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon. The luncheon is scheduled for Friday, May 20, 2022 in the University Student Center’s Calvin and Tina Tyler Ballroom. The reception will start at 11 a.m., and the luncheon will begin at 12 noon. Tickets go on sale in early February
2022! The Class of 1972 will be celebrating its 50th
anniversary during the event! The Classes of 1971 and earlier will be recognized as the Emeritus Class.
If you haven’t begun collecting your class gift for Alumni Day 2022, now is the time to do so. Let’s get started! An early start is essential if you want to make your class shine with a substantial and memorable gift and leave your mark on Morgan, its future and the future of its students!
The Class Agents are listed below. If you have not heard from your agent, or no agent is listed for your class, please take the initiative by contacting him or her or by volunteering to be a Class Agent yourself. Also, don’t hesitate to contact our staff in the Alumni Relations Office for mailing lists and labels for your classmates, or for other reunion needs or questions. We are here and ready to assist you. Please call the Office of Alumni Relations at (443) 885-3015, or e-mail alumni@ morgan.edu.
Commit now to making your Alumni Day 2022 event a success. The reunion is not only fun; it’s important for the future of our beloved University and its students. See you at the luncheon!
CLASS NAME PHONE EMAIL
Class of 1947 ....Hilda E. Kelson .......... (410) 496-3143...................... lolitaakelson@yahoo.com Class of 1952 ....NO CLASS AGENT — Call the Alumni Relations Office at (443) 885-3015 Class of 1957 ....Mattie F. Gaines ......... (443) 756-9788...................... ganesmattie@comcast.net Class of 1962 ....Charles C. Hall, Jr. ........ (410) 269-5278...................... mpque1@hotmail.com Class of 1967 ....Edith G. Johnson ......... (202) 234-0407...................... classof1967morgan@gmail.com; edithjaka@gmail.com Class of 1972 ....Linda S. Davis ........... (678) 234-2406...................... idesofmarch@comcast.net Class of 1977 ....Maureen W. Dodson ...... (973) 669-3552; (201) 259-8333 ........ mdodson41@aol.com Dr. Audrey James ........ (240) 304-2930...................... adarlenej@verizon.net Class of 1982 ....Dorothy Scott Blakely ..... (410) 302-1264...................... dorothyellen1908@gmail.com Class of 1987 ....Tanya Singleton-Edwards ... (301) 213-9143...................... 4tanyaedwards@gmail.com Class of 1992 ....Nicole Love Kelly ......... (410) 355-1444; (410) 852-9246 ........ nlove@opd.state.md.us Class of 1997 ....Nashad Warfield ......... (973) 951-8898...................... nashwarfield@gmail.com Class of 2002 ....Angel Lewis .............(240) 432-3736...................... msuclassagent2002@yahoo.com Class of 2007 ....Dr. Edna D. Simmons ...... (410) 302-5865...................... esimmons55@msn.com Class of 2012 ....Raea A.V. Wilson ......... (410) 663-8189...................... raea.avwilson@gmail.com Class of 2017 ....Kalia La-Foley-McIntosh .... (646) 338-2328...................... liakcia@gmail.com
South Atlantic Chapter Launches New Scholarship Program
The MSUAA South Atlantic Alumni Chapter (SAAC) is delighted to announce the establishment of the Dr. Carl Oliver Clark Scholarship. The first recipient of the scholarship, Emanni Meeks of Cheraw, South Carolina, will attend Morgan beginning in Fall 2021 as an early childhood development major. The scholarship award was presented by the SAAC President, Dr. Carolyn Hunter-Rogers, and members of the chapter. The Dr. Carl Oliver Clark Scholarship and the SAAC-MSU Alumni Foundation Scholarships are available to qualified future and current Morgan students from South Carolina and the surrounding Georgia areas of Chatham, Evans and Augusta.
Academic excellence and alumni achievement are at the center of the SAAC Morgan experience. As such, the chapter extends an invitation to all area Morganites, friends and family of Morgan, and those wanting to be a part of something great, to consider becoming a member of the South Atlantic Alumni Chapter. Please contact Dr. Carolyn Hunter-Rogers, the Chapter President, by phone at (803) 240-7525.
South Hampton Roads Chapter’s Raffle Raises Money for Scholarship Fund
MSU’s South Hampton Roads Alumni Chapter held a very successful “Southside Raffle,” which raised more than $2,000 for the chapter’s scholarship fund.
The chapter’s leadership now includes three new officers installed for fiscal years 2021–2023: First Vice President Chantay Murphy, ’98; Second Vice President Peggy Hughes, ’80; and Financial Secretary Tonya London, ’95. The chapter will host its next meeting on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. All Morgan alumni in the Hampton Roads area are invited to join. For more information, contact the chapter by email at msushralumnichapter@gmail.com.
Class of 1949 Reflects on Its Giving and Collects Memorabilia
The Class of 1949 has a proud history of giving to Morgan, having received three annual awards for the largest contribution made by a class to the University. In 2019, the class made a contribution of $1,949.00 to the Morgan State University Memorial Chapel, in memory of deceased members of the Class of 1949.
The class is still collecting memorabilia from 1945 through 1949 and beyond. Please send any memorabilia to Ida Jones, Ph.D., MSU Archivist, at the following address:
Dr. Ida Jones, Archivist Morgan State University, Earl S. Richardson Library 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251
The Class of 1963 is just a few years away from its 60th Anniversary Reunion. The class is dedicated to raising $60,000 for the event, to add to the endowment the class established in 2013. The reunion organizers are asking members of the class to raise the bar and make a contribution. Contributions are also welcome from anyone wishing to honor a loved one who was part of the class.
Please make your checks payable and mail them to:
Morgan State University Foundation
P.O. Box 64261, Baltimore, MD 21264-4261
On the memo line of the check, write “Class of 1963 Endowment Fund,” and please notify Lou Jones of your contribution by calling (410) 997-4434 or sending an email to lwj1111@gmail.com. Donations may also be made online at https://givetomorgan.org/give.
Class of 1967 Is on the Runway, Headed for 2022
The Class of ’67 has set its tagline as ’67 @ 55 in ’22. The class plans to reach that milestone with activities that both promote the class and help increase its endowment. Activities will begin with classmates’ travel to James Madison University (JMU) on Sept. 24, 2021, to witness the renaming of one of the oldest buildings on the JMU campus as Gabbin Hall, in honor of ’67 Classmate Joanne Veal Gabbin, Ph.D., and her husband, Alexander Gabbin, Ph.D., both longtime professors at the university. On Friday, Oct. 15, as Homecoming approaches, the class will host “An Evening with Class of ’67 Literati,” featuring classmates who are published authors. On the following evening, Oct. 16, the virtual Soulful Centennials Nightclub will open, featuring songstress Suzette Pritchett along with other artists and activities.
The class has also decided to redefine its endowment to create the “Centennial Scholar.” Under this new structure, the student awarded funds from the Class of ’67 Soulful Centennials’ endowment will continue to receive scholarship funds until their graduation and will be provided additional support throughout their Morgan experience.
Class of 1969 Still Helping Students at MSU
The Class of 1969 continues to support its class-sponsored endowed scholarship fund and Morgan’s Food Resource Center through class donations. During the 2020 academic year, five additional Morgan students were awarded need-based financial assistance from the Class of 1969 Endowed Scholarship Fund. The class extends a special thank-you to everyone for their continued support.
The class is planning an on-campus activity to be held when Morgan reopens. Classmates are welcome to join the MSU Class 1969 Facebook group to get more information about upcoming class events and activities. You may also contact Nellie Shields Maskal, Class Agent, at orblue6947@ gmail.com for additional information.
Class of 1970 Invites All Adults to an Adventure in Spain and Italy
The Class of 1970 is sponsoring a return trip to Italy and Spain for early August 2024. The 10-day guided tour is being managed and arranged by Cultural Heritage Alliance (CHA) of Philadelphia, founded in 1969, one of the nation’s oldest, most respected educational travel companies. The cost will be approximately $5,000 per person and will cover airfare, hotel and two meals daily. The exact cost of the trip is forthcoming, as is a schedule for monthly payments. Final payments will be due by April 2024.
Class members and other alumni visited Rome, Florence, Venice, Barcelona and Madrid in August 2017.
All adults are invited. For details, contact Paul Evans at (410) 728-6421 or pauliswriting@hotmail.com.
Class of 1971 Members Celebrate at Spring Commencement
Teresa House Sivels (left) and Diane Thomas of the Class of 1971 celebrated their half-century of Morgan memories on campus this past May. They were two members of the 50th anniversary class who felt a need to dress in their academic regalia and visit the campus on the day of Commencement.
Class of 1972, Moving Forward While Giving Back
The Class of 1972 is moving forward to its Golden Anniversary while giving back to the Class of 2022. With assistance from the MSU Office of Student Success and Retention, members of the University’s Class of 1972 established a groundbreaking alumni initiative in 2018 by “adopting” the incoming freshmen of the Class of 2022. Over the past three years, support for that class has taken many forms: • One-on-one tutoring/mentoring; “Living Your Best Life” Workshops covering such topics as Total Body Wellness, Vision Boards, Financial Literacy and Public Speaking/Public Appearance, to name a few; and weekly, interactive “Cooking for Fun” sessions • Book scholarships awarded to qualified Class of 2022 applicants during their sophomore, junior and now senior year; these scholarships are needed now more than ever, as students face additional financial pressures due to COVID-19.
The Class of 1972, as a whole, is closer to reaching its goal of raising $50,000 for the Class of 1972 Endowment Fund and is anxious to present it to “Fair Morgan” at the Alumni Day Luncheon in 2022, as the class celebrates its 50th anniversary during the Spring Commencement Exercises and alumni activities on May 20–22.
The Class of 1972 also sends “Kudos!!!” and a big “THANK YOU!” to the more than 100 classmates who are Life Members of the Morgan State University Alumni Association. The numbers would not have increased without the unfaltering support of Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations and Strategic Engagement Joyce Brown and her exceptional staff.
For additional information on how to support the Class of 1972 Book Scholarship Fund or the Class of 1972 Endowment Fund, or how to become a member of the Class of 1972 Reunion Committee, contact Class Agent Linda Davis at idesofmarch@comcast.net or (678) 2342406.
Class of 1991 to Celebrate Its 30th Anniversary at Homecoming
Class of ’91, can you believe it’s been 30 years?! The class missed its opportunity to connect in May, when in-person Alumni Day activities were canceled because of the pandemic. But plans for the class to celebrate its 30th reunion during Homecoming, Oct. 21–24, 2021, are moving ahead.
Join the Class of 1991 on Facebook (private group) to stay in the know. You may also email your contact information to Tisha at msu91pres@gmail.com.
Activities will be posted and sent via email. Stay safe, healthy and masked-up!
