Spring 2018 Issue of Alumni News

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY • ALUMNI NEWS • Spring 2018 Director’s Message............................... 2 Alumnus of the Year............................. 2 Special Achievement Award................. 2 Chapter of the Year.............................. 2 Alumni Day 2018.................................. 3

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Annual Homecoming Gala

CONTENTS Chapter and Class News....................... 3 Alumni on the Move............................ 6 Necrology............................................. 7 In the News.......................................... 7 Alumni Calendar................................... 8

Homecoming Calendar......................... 8 Murphy Fine Arts Center Calendar...... 8 MSU Choir Schedule............................. 8 Football Schedule ............................... 8

You still have time to leave your mark on the future!

Morgan State University Foundation, Inc. presents XXXIV Annual Homecoming Gala

Commemorative bricks on Morgan’s Sesquicentennial Plaza

Friday, Oct. 5, 2018

will be sold through June 30, 2018! Don’t miss this

VIP Reception & Gala 7–8 p.m. $350 General Admission 8 p.m.–12:30 a.m. $175 per person

opportunity to celebrate Morgan’s 150th Anniversary.

You’ll be providing inspiration for MSU students for generations to come!

Black-Tie Affair ~ Live Dancing, Live Band ~ Buffet Dinner

Visit www.givetomorgan.org or call

Martin’s West 6817 Dogwood Road Baltimore, MD 21244 For more information, contact Kimberly Williams at (443) 885-3535 or kimberly.williams@morgan.edu.

(443) 885-3003 to order your brick today!

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Greetings, Morgan alumni.

As we reflect on our successful Sesquicentennial Celebration, we are indeed left with many indelible, meaningful, heartwarming, touching and historical memories, memories that we will carry for a lifetime. We are still full of excitement and jubilation as we reminisce about the wonderful experience. We extend a special thank-you to our Sesquicentennial Committee Chair, Dr. Burney J. Hollis, ’68, for all of the planning, hard work and dedication that went into making our 150th Anniversary one that will be long remembered.

We are now in another mode, moving upward and onward with great anticipation, looking forward to a bright future for our dear Morgan State as we continue “Growing the Future, Leading the World.” We look forward to building on and enhancing our rich history by effectively and consistently educating and graduating some of the best and brightest students from this nation and around the globe. Also, we will continue to take much pride in promoting and reveling in the major accomplishments of our alumni, who are making history in their own rights by making a difference in their communities and worldwide. So, we encourage you to continue to invest in your alma mater so Morgan State University will continue to rise and make its mark as one of the best HBCUs today, tomorrow and for many years to come.

Alumnus of the Year Floyd E. Taliaferro, III, ’74 and ’79 Floyd E. Taliaferro, lll, Director of the Morgan State University Student Center, stepped onto the campus of Morgan State College in September of 1970. The undergraduate and graduate student experience that followed enriched both the student and the institution and has led to his 44 years of employment with his alma mater.

While matriculating at Morgan, Taliaferro served in many leadership positions, among them Junior Class President, Senior Class President, Chief Justice of the Student Court and organizer of many student trips and other activities. He continued to demonstrate his leadership ability after graduating from Morgan with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology in 1974 and a master’s degree in recreation in 1979.

In 2008, he revived the Morgan On-Campus Alumni Chapter by reaching out to fellow MSU employees campus-wide to become active members of the group. He also created the signature fundraiser for the chapter, Benefit for Books, in 2015, to assist students in need of college texts. Taliaferro is the current President of the On-Campus Alumni Chapter and remains an avid supporter of other MSU Alumni Association chapters as well.

Taliaferro’s position as the Community Outreach Liaison Director for All Walks of Life, LLC, a family mental health community-based business, has afforded him the opportunity to create internships and provide scholarships and fellowships for Morgan students. He also served as the Undergraduate Advisor for the Alpha Iota Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. for more than 18 years, assisting in the preparation of young Morganites to become men of integrity dedicated to service.

His son, Floyd E. Taliaferro, IV and his wife, Dr. Gwendola L. Taliaferro, are Life Members of the MSU Alumni Association. His son Floyd E. Taliaferro, IV, his son’s wife, Linda, as well as his other son, Mickael A. Taliaferro, and his nephew, Derrick Taliaferro, are all Morgan alumni.

For his outstanding work that has benefited Morgan State University and the broader community for decades, MSUAA is proud to name Floyd E. Taliaferro, III as its 2018 Alumnus of the Year.

This year, it’s time to focus on celebrating you. What that means is if you are a member of a class ending in “3” or “8,” it’s time for you to get excited and get ready, as we prepare to honor your class at the 78th Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon. The event is scheduled for Friday, May 18, 2018. Begin connecting and planning with your classmates to participate.

As many of you know, each and every day and each and every year is so very precious. I strongly encourage you not to put off those precious days and years, and to begin planning and spending quality time with your friends and classmates — not five years from now but this year. Who’s to say where you will be in five years when your next reunion takes place. We always look forward to celebrating our reunion classes, and this year will be no different. Please contact your Class Agent now to see what’s being planned. If nothing is being planned, help your Class Agent begin pulling something together to create those special memories. If you don’t know who your Class Agent is, we will be happy to connect you.

Please remember that time is of the essence! Plan early, and we look forward to seeing you on May 18th.

Sincerely, Joyce A. Brown, ’86 and ’01 MSU Director of Alumni Relations

empower a Dynasty of Leaders who will provide opportunities to make a difference in the world.”

RED Dynasty began its activities with a donation of $50,200 to the Morgan State University Foundation, Inc., and an attendance of more than 100 members at its first meeting.

Within weeks of being chartered, RED Dynasty recruited prospective Morgan students at college fairs in multiple states. The chapter has also partnered with the Pre-Alumni Council, an organization of current MSU students, in initiatives that provide encouragement, assistance, leadership and service in businesses and the community. RED Dynasty has supported MSU Athletics through the Adopt-A-Game Program and through partnership with the Effietee Payne Committee, which promotes and supports women athletics at Morgan.

RED Dynasty’s membership includes 73 percent first-time members of the MSU Alumni Association (MSUAA) and represents six decades of graduation classes, from 1949 to 2015. Chapter members reside in 21 states in the United States and in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Founding Members of RED Dynasty are dedicated to supporting future generations of Morgan students, promoting the mission of the MSUAA and the University, and enriching the lives of those who live in their communities. For these reasons and many others, the six Founders of the RED Dynasty MSU Alumni Chapter have been chosen to receive the 2018 Special Achievement Award.

Chapter of the Year ROTC Alumni Chapter

Special Achievement Award The Founding Members of the RED Dynasty MSU Alumni Chapter Proud Morgan graduates Angela Gaither-Scott, ’74, DeLois Person Jeffers, ’73, Glenda Carter Johnson, ’71 and ’97, Carolyn Wilson-Smith, ’74, Robin Mack, ’82, and Joanne Mack, ’78, are friends who shared a vision: to collectively give back to their alma mater by establishing a new alumni chapter. Thus, the RED Dynasty MSU Alumni Chapter was chartered in October 2017, during Morgan’s sesquicentennial year, with a membership of more than 400 alumnae. The chapter founders are dedicated to “Reach Back, Educate and Dedicate their lives to service and

THE ALUMNI NEWS The Alumni News is published biannually by the Office of Alumni Relations and the Office of Public Relations and Communications. Any questions or concerns about this publication can be directed to: Office of Alumni Relations, Alumni House, Morgan State University, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251, (443) 885-3015.

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The Morgan State University ROTC Alumni Chapter was formed in 1996 and was chartered in 2004. The chapter consists primarily of former MSU and Cop-

DISCOUNTED HOTEL ROOM RATES AVAILABLE FOR HOMECOMING, NOW! Discounted room rates for Morgan State University alumni and friends are available for booking now at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel, this year’s official Homecoming host hotel. The hotel is located at 903 Delaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204. The Homecoming rate for Friday, Oct. 5, 2018 through Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 is $129.00 per night, which does not include Maryland State and hotel occupancy taxes. To receive the discounted rate, you must specify that you are with the “Morgan

State University Alumni Room Block” when you call to make reservations. This room rate is for single, double, triple or quad room accommodations. Please make your reservations by calling (410) 321-7400 or 1 (888) 627-7147 or by visiting the website: https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/start. action?id=1802195709&key=2A1AF8AF. The cut-off date to make reservations at the discounted rate is Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2018, by 5 p.m. EDT.

GIVE A GIFT TO MORGAN

We are always told, “It is better to give than receive.” So, on your birthday, anniversary, graduation, holiday or any other significant day in your life, honor your alma mater by giving a gift to Morgan State University! Visit www.givetomorgan.com, and click on “Give Now,” or make your check payable and mail it to: MSU Foundation, Inc., 201 Truth Hall, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251.

pin State University Bear Battalion ROTC students who received their military commissions through the U.S. Army ROTC Program. The majority of the chapter members are either retired military, former ROTC participants or serving on active duty in the military. Chapter members include veterans of the Korean, Vietnam and Iraq Wars. The primary purpose of the chapter is to support the Bear Battalion ROTC program.

Three years ago, the Bear Battalion ROTC program enrolled only 38 students/ cadets. Today, as a result of the work of the ROTC Cadre and the members of the ROTC Alumni Chapter, the program has more than 100 students/cadets! The chapter has raised more than $65,000 to provide scholarships and other support for the ROTC program and has also established an Emergency Fund to help students who may encounter severe financial difficulty during the academic year. The ROTC Alumni Chapter has awarded more than $20,000 in scholarships and an additional $10,000 in financial support to the ROTC program over the past four years.

Another of the chapter’s significant initiatives is its partnership with the Baltimore Veterans Administration (VA) Rehabilitation Facility near Morgan’s campus.

The chapter participates in the center’s holiday party and has donated more than $500 worth of gifts during the event to the disabled veterans at the facility. The chapter also sponsors a summer cookout annually for the residents, their families and friends, and the staff.

In addition, the ROTC chapter has established a mentorship program to assist students enrolled in the Bear Battalion ROTC program. Finally, the ROTC chapter is a sponsor of the annual ROTC Military Ball each year. Highlights of this event include recognition of cadets and alumni for their achievements and induction of deserving ROTC and MSU alumni into the MSU ROTC Hall of Fame, for significant contributions to Morgan, the ROTC program, the community and our nation.

The MSU Alumni Association was proud to select the ROTC Alumni Chapter as its 2018 Chapter of the Year.

Classes Ending in ‘3’ or ‘8,’ We Want You! The MSU Alumni Association is celebrating all classes ending in “3” or “8,” and you will be the glue that makes your reunion come together. That’s right.

Think for a minute: what would a reunion be without you? Class reunions are celebrated once every five years. You cannot count on where you’re going to be in five years. So, let’s not miss this day of fellowship and fun. We want to see you at our 78th Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon, on Friday, May 18, 2018, beginning with a reception at 11 a.m. and followed by the luncheon at 12 noon. We will, once again, recognize some of our alumni and chapters for their outstanding accomplishments. Keep in mind that the luncheon has sold out the past couple of years. Make your reservations early to make sure you don’t just hear about it afterward but that you will be a part of it. Don’t miss this opportunity to see and fellowship with your classmates and friends. “I wish I had” and “I should have” will never take you back. Hope to see you in the house on May 18th — Morgan’s house, that is!

supporting the Alpha Delta Endowment Fund and has awarded scholarships to two deserving students.

Dallas/Fort Worth Alumni Chapter Hosts Its First Fundraiser The Dallas/Fort Worth Alumni Chapter hosted its first fundraiser on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018! Members of the chapter sold raffle tickets to support the chapter’s goals, which are to help current and potential Morgan State University students from Texas and increase awareness of the members’ beloved alma mater.

Delaware Alumni Chapter Works Overtime for Students For more than a decade, the MSU Delaware Alumni Chapter College Café has helped hundreds of Delaware high school students and their parents complete FASFA forms and college applications, write college essays and apply for scholarships and financial aid, regardless of their college of choice. Undergraduate students who attend MSU receive post-College Café financial assistance and advice until they graduate. Chapter representatives attend college fairs and seminars to educate students and parents, provide a bus for a college tour and conduct fundraising events to provide small academic scholarships as well as funds for purchase of college course books and payment of college fees and miscellaneous expenses. The chapter is requesting a donation of $20 or more to help it continue its work. Visit www.gofundme.com/college-cafe to make a donation.

Family and Consumer Science Alumni Chapter President Works for Good Causes Morgan’s Family and Consumer Science Alumni Chapter President, Oprah Martin, participated as a Morgan State University recruiter in the Career Academy High School College Fair, this past September. Martin was also a guest speaker on the topic of breast cancer awareness at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in Washington, D.C., this past October, for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She spoke about her own breast cancer journey and impressed upon those in attendance the importance of being screened for the disease annually.

Greater Houston Area Alumni Chapter Is Moving Forward with a Purpose

Chapter and Class News MSU Alumni Association Charters Five New Alumni Chapters The Homecoming Business Meeting of the MSU Alumni Association (MSUAA) last October marked the first time the number of attendees exceeded the capacity of the University Student Center Theater. Unfortunately, some who came to participate had to be turned away. Many of the attendees were on hand for the chartering of one of Morgan’s largest alumni chapters to date: the RED Dynasty MSU Alumni Chapter, with more than 400 members, 300 of whom were present.

However, Morgan was just as proud to welcome four other alumni chapters that were chartered on that day, including the Clarence Logan Civil Rights Pioneers Alumni Chapter, the MSU Engineering Alumni Alliance, the Greater Houston Area Alumni Chapter and the MSU Football Alumni Chapter. President David Wilson was in attendance and made an excellent presentation to the alumni, updating them on the accomplishments of the University during the past year and outlining the University administration’s vision for the future. MSUAA welcomes its five new alumni chapters with open arms and looks forward to the contributions they will make to Morgan and the students it serves.

Alpha Delta Alumni Chapter Continues Its Mission Morgan’s Alpha Delta Alumni Chapter continues to encourage members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. to become members of MSUAA and the chapter. Sorors of the chapter continue to be forces in their communities and represent their alma mater at the highest level. The chapter has continued

The Greater Houston Area Alumni Chapter is “Moving Forward with a Purpose in 2018.” The Chapter attended a showing of the film “Tell Them We Are Rising” at Texas Southern University in January. Later that month, the chapter partnered with the YMCA in building a community garden during the MLK Day of Service. The chapter’s first meeting this year was held on Jan. 20 and was followed by lunch at Sweetie Pies. The next chapter meeting will be held June 23, 2018 at 12 p.m. For more information about joining the chapter or about meeting dates and activities, please call (347) 256-9477 or email msuhoustonalumni@gmail.com.

Howard L. Cornish Alumni Chapter Hosts Annual King Breakfast, Honors Chapter Namesake The Howard L. Cornish Metropolitan Baltimore Chapter celebrated its 33rd Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Breakfast, in the Calvin and Tina Tyler Ballroom of the University Student Center this past January. The chapter awarded $48,000 in scholarships and seven Lenovo laptop computers to 24 deserving Morgan students. University Board of Regents Chairman Kweisi Mfume, Morgan President David Wilson and the Rev. Dr. Charles Fletcher, President of the MSU Alumni

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 WHAT HAS CHANGED? To stay informed, let us know of any changes to your profile: name, address, telephone, email, etc. You may notify us by email (alumni@morgan.edu), by telephone (443-885-3015) or through our Online Community (http://alumni.morgan.edu). If this is your first time accessing the Online Community, you will need a Constituent ID Number. Just reach out to us, and we will provide it to you. You may also stop by the Alumni House, if you are in the area, to make your updates! We hope to hear from you, and we would love to keep you up to date on all of the great things happening here at Morgan and throughout our alumni community.

SEEKING ALUMNI TO HELP RECRUIT NEW STUDENTS Morgan State University alumni: MSU needs your assistance! Please consider sharing your Bear pride by joining Morgan’s “New Student Recruitment Initiative.” As an Alumni New Student Recruiter, you will visit local high schools and attend college fairs to help identify quality high school students who are interested in attending Morgan. As an Alumni New Student Recruiter, you will provide the one-on-one interaction, personal attention and encouragement that can lead students in your community to choose Morgan over another school. Providing your perspective as a Morgan graduate can be very effective in recruitment. Are

you available for a few hours to represent Morgan at student recruitment events in your community, or do you know other alumni who are? If so, please use the following contact information: Reginald C. Thomas, Admissions Representative Morgan State University Office of Undergraduate Admissions & Recruitment 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane Baltimore, MD 21251 Email: reginald.thomas@morgan.edu Office: (443) 885-3977

DUES RENEWAL Dues renewal begins July 1, 2018. Enjoy all of the benefits of being an alumnus on an annual basis, for $35 per year: our easiest and most convenient way to contribute to the Morgan State University Alumni Association! Membership dues cover the fiscal year July 1, 2018–June 30, 2019. We look forward to your continued support!

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CHAPTER AND CLASS NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Association, each brought warm, inspiring greetings to the 700 guests in attendance. The program’s guest speaker was Jandie Smith Turner, CEO of Acuity Sports, Inc. Andre Hepkins, news anchor at WBAL-TV 11, served as the program’s Master of Ceremonies. Honorees included April Ryan, Drum Major Award; Dr. Jelani Zarif, Humanitarian Award; Dr. Ruthe T. Sheffey and Donald Tynes, Sr., Appreciation Awards; and Dr. A. Lois De Laine, Community Service Award. The theme of this year’s MLK Breakfast was “We Must Educate the Dreamer!”

In other news, this past November, the Howard L. Cornish Chapter honored its late namesake, the Rev. Dr. Howard L. Cornish, Sr., with the dedication of a commemorative plaque at the University Memorial Chapel. The plaque “honored the inspirational life of a true Morgan Pioneer.”

New Jersey Alumni Chapter Gives Back Generously This Year The New Jersey Alumni Chapter began the 2017–18 academic year with a tailgate party to welcome alumni and friends to the football game between the MSU Bears and the Scarlett Knights of Rutgers University. The chapter presented Cheryl Hitchcock, MSU Vice President for Institutional Advancement, with a $1,500 check to Morgan in honor of the University’s sesquicentennial anniversary.

The chapter also sponsored a bus trip to the Sands Casino and Outlet Mall in Bethlehem, Pa., which is a major fundraiser for the chapter’s scholarship awards, and held a “Meet and Greet” at the Hub City Brew House in New Brunswick, N.J. The chapter participated in 11 college fairs during the fall semester.

Northern Virginia Alumni Chapter Demonstrates ‘Bear Pride’ The Northern Virginia Alumni Chapter continues to represent Morgan and demonstrate “Bear pride” at college fairs hosted by area high schools and local churches. The chapter was also very successful in raising funds for scholarships with its “10 for 10 Raffle.” Ticket purchasers had 10 opportunities over 10 weeks to win $100. The winners were announced at black-owned businesses in the area.

The chapter’s proceeds from the fundraiser were close to $2,000.

Prince George’s County Alumni Chapter Celebrated Morgan’s 150th with Sesquicentennial Shoes The Prince George’s County Alumni Chapter continued Morgan’s Sesquicentennial Celebration at Homecoming 2017.

Members attended the events sporting Converse All-Star shoes customized in honor of MSU’s 150th anniversary. The chapter says it attended Homecoming with “purpose, progress and promise,” reflecting the Sesquicentennial Celebration theme.

Richmond/Petersburg Alumni Chapter ‘Bears’ Down for Scholarships The Richmond/Petersburg Alumni Chapter “Bears” down, as it plans its Fourth Annual Signature Scholarship Dance, “Denim and Bling!”, to be held on Saturday, May 19, 2018. The chapter’s other signature event, “The Bear Potluck Cookout and Annual Membership Drive 2018,” will be held on Saturday, July 14, 2018. Proceeds from both events will benefit the chapter’s scholarship fund.

Chapter meetings are held on the second Monday of each month. Please email the Chapter President, Lynette Banks-Lightfoot, at rpac.prez17@gmail.com, or call (804) 512-4490, for more information.

South Atlantic Alumni Chapter Is on the Move!

The South Atlantic Alumni Chapter had a very productive 2017 and is reloading and looking forward to a very productive 2018. The chapter, which added more than nine new members in 2017, came together in Orangeburg, S.C., to support Morgan’s football team in its game against South Carolina State Univer-

COME OUT FOR THE BEARS!

HELP!

Support the Adopt-A-Game Program. We are now in the eighth season of the Adopt-A-Game Program!

The goal and the objective of the program remain the same, and that is to get our ALUMNI CHAPTERS AND CLASSES to come out and support the MSU Athletic Department. Our hope is that your attendance will encourage other alumni to come out and support the athletic programs — football, basketball, cheerleading, tennis, track and field, and softball — here at Morgan State University. For details about how your chapter or class can participate in this program, please contact Milton Hawkins, Alumni Relations Officer, at milton.hawkins@morgan.edu, or call (443) 885-3015. You don’t want to miss all the fun!

REMEMBER to wear your ORANGE and BLUE to all athletic events!

Fill In Our Alumni Network. Do you know any MSU alumni who are not receiving our mailings? Please check with your MSU family members and friends, and contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (443) 885-3015, or email alumni@morgan.edu, if you hear of any missed connections.

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sity last October. In the areas of student recruitment and support, the chapter represented Morgan at several college fairs in the South Carolina area last year and awarded five students with $500 scholarships. For more information about the chapter and its events, please contact Dr. Ken Mosely, ’70, at (803) 308-1069 or Dr. Carolyn Rogers, ’74, at (803) 240-7525.

Washington, D.C. Alumni Chapter Celebrates Two Major Milestones The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area Alumni Chapter will celebrate two special occasions in 2018: the 70th anniversary of the founding of the chapter in 1948 and the 35th anniversary of its Scholarship Crab Feast. This past December, the chapter held a successful T-shirt/sweatshirt fundraiser. The chapter continues to demonstrate its dedication and love for “Fair Morgan” and its students.

Did Your Class Lead in Giving in 2017?

Have you encouraged your classmates to make a contribution, in any amount, to the MSU Foundation? We look forward to presenting the Chairman’s Award to the class having the highest rate of alumni participation-in-giving in calendar year 2017. The award will be presented on Friday, May 18, 2018, at the 78th Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon, in the Calvin and Tina Tyler Ballroom of the University Student Center. The second place award, the President’s Award, and the third place award, the Dean’s Award, will also be presented during the event. We hope to see you there!

Class of 1957 Celebrated Its 60th Reunion The MSU Class of 1957 continued its 60th anniversary celebration last year with a reunion at the home of classmate Constance “Connie” Baker, in Philadelphia, Pa. Class members and guests, about 25 in number, shared good food, fellowship and fun while reminiscing about their wonderful years at “Fair Morgan.” Classmates from Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia and Illinois joined the reunion. It was indeed a most enjoyable event.

Class of 1967 Honored Morgan’s ‘Silent Recruiter’ The Class of ’67, affectionately known as the Soulful Centennials, created a special award to honor the amazing people who quietly have made Morgan the first-rate environmentally and aesthetically pleasing campus it is today. The Class presented its first “You Make a Difference for MSU Award” to the Grounds, Landscaping and Recycling Team, during a surprise celebration last December. Each employee received a certificate of appreciation and a lanyard inscribed with the words “Silent Recruiter.”

Class of 1969 Remembers Homecoming 2017 The Class of ’69 Homecoming 2017 activities brought many classmates back to Morgan’s campus to celebrate Morgan’s 150th Anniversary. The fun began on Friday, Oct. 13, when the class attended the MSU Gala as a group. On Saturday, classmates and guests attended the Class of 1969 Brunch, where the Class presented a $47,000 check to President David Wilson to support the Class of 1969 Scholarship Endowment Fund. Two students, Sarah Francis and Anthony Bush, were awarded scholarships for 2017.

Class of 1970 Envisions Victory in 2020 “2020: From Vision to Victory” is the tagline for the Class of 1970, as class members begin to roll out plans for celebrating their 50th Anniversary Reunion. Do you remember the freshman beanies, the Promethean Procession, the cabaret at the Alcazar Hotel, and Coretta Scott King as the Commencement speaker? Planning is well underway for what will be a spectacular reunion, including a series of annual activities leading up to 2020. The goal of the class is to raise at least $50,000. The class is calling on all classmates for support. To learn more about the class activities, please visit the class website at http://morganclass1970.org.

ALUMNI ONLINE COMMUNITY Are You Missing Important Alumni Information?.

We encourage you to log onto our Alumni Online Community on a regular basis to receive important alumni information and updates. This is an easy way to update your profile and contact information, including your address, phone number and e-mail address. Doing so will ensure that you will continue to receive your Morgan Magazine, the Alumni News, other Morgan publications and important e-mail messages. Sign up TODAY, and be informed! Go to alumni.morgan.edu, or call the Alumni Relations Office at (443) 885-3015.

. . Alumni: please visit our newly redesigned Alumni Online Community, which includes enhancements to the already great capabilities that enable you to locate your classmates and friends, post pictures and class notes, and much more. Among the new additions are an alumni Business Directory, where you can post your business online and gain support from other alumni, and a chapter map, which gives you the capability to search for an MSUAA chapter in your region. Log on today, and be connected!

The Class of 1968 Plans Its 50th Reunion Celebration Class of 1968 is celebrating 50 years graduating from Morgan. Class members will march in the Spring Commencement procession on May 19 this year wearing gold-colored caps and gowns. The class will present its gift to Morgan at the Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon, on Friday, May 18. Other planned events for the 50th celebration include a class luncheon ($30) on May 19 at the University Student Center, after the Commencement exercises; class worship at the University Chapel on May 20, at 11 a.m.; and a cruise on the Spirit of Baltimore ($100), on May 20, 4:30–7 p.m., departing from the Baltimore Inner Harbor. Other events may include a campus bus tour and a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, in Washington D.C. Information about all events being planned for 2018 can be found on the class Facebook page by searching for “Morgan State Class of 1968.” More information is also available by contacting Carolyn Jasmin at msuclassof68@gmail.com.

Class of 1978 Seeks Reunion Celebration Participants The Class of 1978 is seeking classmates to return to Morgan’s campus to celebrate together at the 78th Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon. The cost is $65 per person The class will have a brief meeting immediately after the luncheon. For more information about luncheon, please contact the Alumni Relations Office at (443) 885-3015 or alumni@morgan.edu. Mention class of ’78.

The Class of 1983 Plans Its 35th Reunion Celebration The Class of 1983 Reunion Committee is seeking classmates to join the celebration of the class’s 35th Anniversary Reunion this year. The class hopes to raise $80,000 through class giving and fundraising and will present its gift to Morgan during the 78th Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon. Please email Class President Valerie A. Cooper at vcooper1018@gmail.com, or call (203) 2530294, if you plan to attend.

Class of 1984 Requests Class Gift Contributions All 1984 grads, please send in your contribution of $84 or more for the class gift for 2018. The 35th year anniversary of the class is quickly approaching, and its goal is to raise $35,000 by Alumni Day 2019. Please mail your tax-deductible donation to: MSU Foundation, Inc., 201 Truth Hall, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251. Please write “Class of 1984” in the memo section of your check to ensure that your donation is credited to the class. For those who prefer to pay online, go to www.morgan.edu, and click “Give to MSU” then “Give Now” then “Add Donation” to fill out the donation form.

Class of 1993 Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary in May! Please join the MSU Class of ’93 on Friday, May 18, 2018 for the celebration of its 25th Class Anniversary, at the 78th Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon. Contact the class on Facebook or by email at msuclassof93@ yahoo.com for details. To purchase tickets, call the Alumni Relations Office at (443) 885-3015, or pay online at https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1192/16/interior.aspx?sid=1192&gid=1&pgid=683&cid=2044.

Class of ’99 Gears Up for Its 20th Reunion!

The Class of 1999 is looking for individuals to serve on various committees, including the 20-Year Reunion, Fundraising, and Outreach Committees. If you are interested in volunteering or need additional information about meeting dates and class activities, please contact the Class Agents at msualumniclassof1999@gmail.com.

In Case You Didn't Know…

Ernest Jones Promoted to Bears Interim Head Football Coach Morgan State University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Edward Scott announced in December that MSU Associate Head Football Coach and Defensive Coordinator Ernest Jones would serve as the Bears’ Interim Head Coach for the 2018 season, replacing Coach Fred T. Farrier. Farrier had been Head Coach since December 2016.

Coach Jones came to the Bears after serving as Head Coach at ASA Miami, a two-year college. He worked briefly as the running backs coach for the University of Connecticut in 2014, after a three-year stint at Notre Dame that began in 2011

as the Fighting Irish’s Director of Player Development and Engagement. From 2010 to 2011, he was Associate Head Football Coach at the University of Buffalo.

His other head coaching experience came at Alcorn State in 2008.

A national search is being conducted for Morgan’s permanent Head Football Coach.

ESPN Is Coming to MSU, and All Morgan Alumni Are Invited!

Morgan State University will host ESPN’s biggest national basketball event of the summer, this August! The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an open-application, 64-team, single-elimination tournament played each summer in the U.S. The semifinals and championship games are televised, and the winner receives $2 million in prize money. The event will be broadcast live from MSU this year on Aug. 2–3.

The Tournament comes to Morgan as a result of the efforts of MSU graduate Derrick Chase, Class of 1995. Chase, CEO and Founder of Stand Up Baltimore, and LaRian Finney of The Finn Group have partnered with John Mugar, founder of TBT, to bring the event to Baltimore. TBT at Morgan will be coupled with a Day of Giving; outdoor, family-friendly concerts; activations; celebrities; seminars and alumni events. Five current Morgan students will receive internships with TBT to learn the mechanics of producing a national event.

Book your hotels now, and be a part of this electrifying experience. It will be like Homecoming in the summer!

The Basketball Tournament Morgan State University Hill Field House Semifinals: Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, 7–9 p.m.

Finals: Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, 7 p.m.

Morgan State Alumni Events: Wednesday, Aug. 1–Saturday, Aug. 4

Morgan Artist’s Tribute to Bears Athletic Greats Unveiled Legends Plaza, a campus tribute to Morgan’s athletic greats, was unveiled in October. The memorial was designed and created by Morgan graduate George Nock, ’68. It honors Coach Edward P. (“Eddie”) Hurt and Coach Earl (“Papa Bear”) Banks, legendary head coaches who led Morgan scholar-athletes to stellar achievements on the field of play for more than 40 years. Nock was a starting football player on Coach Banks’ Bears from 1965 to 1968 and played four years as a running back in the National Football League. A self-taught and celebrated artist, he is best known for his striking bronze statues of ballplayers, ballerinas, jockeys and jazz musicians.

Legends Plaza, a nearly 2,000-square-foot enclosure on Morgan Commons between the front entrance of Hughes Stadium and the University Student Center, features six-foot bronze statues of Hurt and Banks and will later include bronze plaques honoring other Morgan sports legends placed on a 30-foot fence between the two anchoring statues. The unveiling ceremony was attended by MSU students, faculty, administrators and guests, members of Morgan’s Board of Regents, and MSU alumni, including several hall of fame players.

Bishop John R. Bryant Named 2018 MEAC Distinguished Alumni Bishop John R. Bryant, D.Min., ’65, received the MSU Distinguished Alumni Award during the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Basketball Tournament in Norfolk, Va., this past March. Bishop Bryant, who earned his Bachelor of Science degree in history from Morgan, is a retired Presiding Prelate of the Fourth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church.

He furthered his education with a Master of Science in theology from the Boston School of Theology and later his doctorate from Colgate Rochester Divinity School. His commitment to social reform is felt by many from the United States to India to nations in Africa, as he travels to let the people know there is hope. Bishop Bryant is the recipient of many honors and awards, among them being named in Ebony magazine’s Honor Roll of Outstanding African American Preachers and Ebony’s list of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans.

DID YOUR CLASS LEAD?

DAVIS ROOM SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

TEE UP…

Did Your Class Lead in Giving in 2017?. Was your class outstanding in giving to Morgan State University last year? Have you encouraged your classmates to make a contribution, in any amount, to the MSU Foundation? We look forward to presenting the Chairman’s Award to the class having the highest rate of alumni participation-in-giving in calendar year 2017. The award will be presented on Friday, May 18, 2018, at the 78th Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon, in the Calvin and Tina Tyler Ballroom of the University Student Center. The second place award, the President’s Award, and the third place award, the Dean’s Award, will also be presented during the event. We hope to see you there!

Alumni:. Here’s a chance to show your alma mater some love by giving a little bit of your time! All alumni are welcome to volunteer in the Beulah Davis Room, which is located in the Earl S. Richardson Library, Room 322. The Davis Room houses the University archives, rare books and manuscript collections.

The Room is open to all available alumni to volunteer from May 7 to June 29, 2018. Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. are preferred, but some Saturday sessions can be scheduled. This is a great opportunity to learn more about Morgan and help preserve her history!

For more information, please email davis.room@ morgan.edu, or call (443) 885-4294.

…for Morgan State's 29th Annual Golf Tournament!.

May 4, 2018, Turf Valley Resorts, Marriottsville, Md.

SHOW YOUR MORGAN PRIDE

Morgan Alumni Are “Bear” to the Bone!

Show Your Morgan Pride!

Wear BLUE and Orange to All Games.

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ALUMNI ON THE MOVE William Brent, ’50, was named Volunteer of the Year for 2017 by Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, a nonprofit organization that helps homebound people eat well in their own homes.

Brent has delivered meals through the organization’s HomeBOUND Meals program for 21 years in the Baltimore City neighborhood where he grew up, logging more than 18,000 miles and 2,500 volunteer hours in the process. The World War II veteran, aged 93, earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Morgan. His award presentation can be viewed on YouTube.

Valerie Mattison Brown, ’91, has been appointed deputy chief policy and planning officer for the Veterans Health Administration Office of Policy and Planning. In her new position, she has day-to-day operational responsibility for leading the office and fulfilling the requirements of the Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996. She previously served for 18 years in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), most recently in a leadership position with the Food and Drug Administration. Brown is a graduate of the HHS’ Senior Executive Service Candidate Development program. She earned her Bachelor of Science in accounting from Morgan.

The Rev. Dr. Cassandra Butler, ’73, has earned her license as a Minister of Religious Science from the Emerson Theological Institute. She previously earned a doctorate in Spiritual Studies, from Emerson. The Rev. Dr. Butler had a 35-year career with the federal government after serving in a well-earned Presidential Internship. She has traveled throughout Asia and Africa and has earned the title of “Queen Mother of Development” from a village near Accra, Ghana. She believes in the fullness of life, prayer and that there is but one God. The Rev. Dr. Butler is a Founding Member of the MSU/ South Jersey Alumni Chapter.

Picture That, LLC, a fine art consulting firm founded in 2002 by Valerie A. Cooper, ’83, was named Company Partner of the Year by The Workplace, Southern Connecticut’s regional workforce development board. The award was given “for demonstrating an outstanding commitment by hiring graduates or supporting programs.”

Picture That supplies fine art, curates cultural exhibitions and provides art advisory and appraisal services to organizations nationwide. Cooper started her company after a 15-year career on Wall Street with Goldman Sachs. She holds a Bachelor of Science in mental health from Morgan. Cooper is a member of Morgan’s Alpha Delta Alumni Chapter.

The Honorable Clarence “Tiger” Davis, Sr., ’68 and ’78, has retired as AARP Maryland’s State President, a volunteer position he had held since 2012. Davis came to Morgan after four years’ service in the U.S. Air Force and earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science and Master of Science in international studies. He won election to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1982 and represented Maryland’s 45th Legislative District, in northeast Baltimore City. He served in that position, as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, until 2007.

Vanessa C. Falco, ’95, has been elected to the City Council of Hoboken, N.J. Falco, who was born and raised in Hoboken, has worked for various Fortune 500 companies. She founded a nonprofit organization in 2006 to help local students attend summer college programs and has launched an after-school program for teens. She is now employed at Stevens Institute of Technology, working for the success of underrepresented minority students in STEM. Falco, who holds a Bachelor of Science in business management from Morgan, is the first African-American woman to serve on the Hoboken City Council.

Ronald Flamer, ’65, is the Acting President of the Baltimore Branch of the NAACP. Flamer was First Vice President of the organization until taking his current post last October and will serve in the volunteer position until the next election. Flamer has been President of Millennium Executive Limousine & Sedan Services, LLC since 2000. He holds a Bachelor of Science in political science and geography from Morgan.

place Harassment Commission. The commission will review workplace harassment policies in the state government’s legislative, judicial and executive branches. Hitchcock served as Secretary of Appointments in the Office of the Governor of Maryland from 2007 to 2015 and has held other high-level posts in state and local government and the private sector. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Morgan.

The Rev. Shonda Nicole Gladden, ’00, has joined St. Paul A.M.E. Church, in Indianapolis, Ind., as the historic institution’s Lead Pastor. She is the first woman to serve in that position in St. Paul’s 131-year history. The Rev. Gladden, a native of Washington, D.C., is a social activist, social entrepreneur and community organizer who has earned four academic degrees, including a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Morgan. She has worked in many leadership positions in the A.M.E. Church and comes to St. Paul from Allen Temple A.M.E. Church in Marion, Ind., where she was Senior Pastor.

Organization consultant, executive coach, lecturer and author Rick Huntley, ’78, has coauthored a book with Rianna Moore and Carol Pierce titled, “Journey of Race, Color & Culture: From Racial Inequality to Equity and Inclusion.” The authors describe the key awareness and skills necessary for people of color and white people to move toward equity and inclusion in our relationships, organizations and communities. Since graduating from MSU with a Bachelor of Science in social work, Huntley has had a psychotherapy practice and now provides “leadership across difference” consulting and executive coaching in the U.S. and abroad.

Author and businesswoman Angeline Hall-Watts, ’69, represented Morgan State University proudly, donating her books to schools and sporting MSU gear, during a recent trip to Entebbe, Uganda. Hall-Watts, a member of Morgan’s South Jersey Alumni Chapter, is owner of Damali Creations, an African-inspired clothing and Afro-centric dolls company whose products are exported to the U.S. from Ghana. The company has funded the education of several young Ghanaian women. Hall-Watts earned her Bachelor of Science in elementary education and has penned three children’s books: “Ghana’s Ant Hills,” “The Tro-Tro in Ghana” and “Palm Trees.”

Yolanda Jenkins, ’10, has been promoted to Deputy Director of the nonprofit organization Art with a Heart (AWAH), whose mission is to advance the lives of individuals in need through the visual arts. Jenkins had served as Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director at AWAH since 2016. She brings 14 years of management experience to her new role, including eight in the nonprofit sector. She completed the Associated Black Charities Board Pipeline Program in 2017 and now volunteers with MSU’s Alumni Mentoring Program. She earned her bachelor of Arts in sociology from Morgan.

Roslyn Handy, ’05, a Systems Engineer for Lockheed Martin Corporation and a member of Morgan’s Dallas-Fort Worth Alumni Chapter, was honored with a Modern Day Technology Leader Award during the 2018 BEYA STEM Conference, in Washington, D.C. The annual award recognizes early to mid-career professionals who are shaping the future of engineering, science and technology through development or research. The award also recognizes efforts to strengthen the pipeline to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. Handy’s Morgan degree is a Bachelor of Science in computer science.

Jacqueline A. Kane, Ph.D., ’68, has published a book inspired by her and her siblings’ discovery of love letters written by her father to her mother during his military service during World War II. “A Real Whole Lot” reveals the young couple’s intense love while they were separated for more than four years after four months of marriage. Dr. Kane earned her Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Morgan. Now retired from full-time employment, she previously developed student support programs for colleges and universities with the New York State Education Department and has worked as a caseworker and counselor and as a college professor teaching courses about women’s issues. She owns Kane Consulting and Coaching, LLC.

The Baltimore Sun named Khalilah M. Harris, Ed.D., ’98, member of MSU’s Alpha Delta Alumni Chapter, as one of its “25 Women to Watch” in 2017. Harris is Chief of Staff and Vice President of External Affairs for Opportunity@Work, a nonprofit organization that seeks to expand access to career opportunities for all Americans. She previously served as Senior Advisor to the Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and, before that, as Deputy Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans, in the Obama administration. Harris earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science at Morgan.

The Presidents’ Round Table, a national association dedicated to supporting African-American leaders and students in community colleges, selected Warren E. Haynes, D.P.A., ’91 and ’93, as a 2017 Fellow with the Thomas Lakin Institute for Mentoring Leadership. Dr. Haynes is Director of the Missouri Innovation Campus of the University of Missouri – Lee’s Summit, which offers diverse educational, corporate training, community engagement and economic workforce development activities. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science and Master of City and Regional Planning from Morgan. The Lakin Institute seeks participants whose experience and credentials indicate they are ready to attain the highest academic positions.

Jeanne D. Hitchcock, Esq., ’68, has been appointed Chair of the Maryland General Assembly’s new Work-

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Ja Nina Lee, ’98, has been inducted into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame. Lee helped the Morgan volleyball program create a championship pedigree in the conference as one of the most dominant middle hitters in MEAC history, while earning her Bachelor of Science in telecommunications. She was named MEAC Rookie of the Year in 1994 and was a First Team All-MEAC selection as a sophomore the next season, leading the Lady Bears to the MEAC title and leading the conference in blocks. Lee was the Most Outstanding Performer in the 1995 MEAC Volleyball Championship and helped lead Morgan to its second MEAC title in 1998, earning First Team All-MEAC and All-Tournament Team honors. Lee’s team became the first from an HBCU to earn a spot in the NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament, and she finished her career with a school-record 512 blocks and a school-record 235 service aces. She also played softball at Morgan as a pitcher and catcher.

A book by the Rev. Solomon Omo-Osagie, II, Ph.D., ’07, “While in the Wilderness: Essays on Empowerment, Perseverance, and Hope,” is slated for publication by WestBow Press in early 2018. A distinguished Full Professor of political science and history at Baltimore City Community College since 1998, the Rev. Omo-Osagie is also Founder and Pastor of Impact Pentecostal Fellowship Church of God in Christ, in Edgemere, Md., and Founder and Overseer of Impact Pentecostal Fel-

lowship, in Kenya, where he oversees more than 24 churches. He had a research/academic book published in 2012, titled “Commercial Poultry Production on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore: The Role of African Americans, 1930s to 1990s.”

Valerie E. Robinson, ’83, has been appointed as Chaplain of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. The Council, founded in 1930, is a collaborative organization of nine historically AfricanAmerican, international Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities sometimes collectively referred to as the “Divine Nine.” Robinson was installed in her new post during the 69th Biennial National Leadership Conference of the organization, in Addison, Texas, in October. She is also Chaplain of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Washington, D.C. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in mental health and gerontology from Morgan.

Tisha Lynton Rose, ’91 and ’98, President and CEO of the event planning company TRose Productions, LLC, recently released her first book, published by Knowledge Power Books. “A Book of Prayers for Every Season: Digital Prayers and Promises Answered” contains Spirit-led intercession for people, places and situations in every season of life. The book teaches that when you pray believing, it’s a matter of time before you see answers. Rose earned both her Bachelor of Science in business management and M.B.A. from Morgan.

Lolita E. Walker, ’99, a member of Morgan’s Alpha Delta Alumni Chapter, has launched Walker & Walker Enterprises LLC, a personal and organizational change management consultancy. Walker, who earned her Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering at Morgan and an M.B.A. from Simmons College, has utilized her 17 years of experience in a corporate career to develop a five-step program that specializes in building a connection between change and personal transition. Her firm’s clients range from entrepreneurs to employees and executives, who benefit from strategies to refocus, restore and reweave structure and clarity into the busy, chaotic, everyday routines of both themselves and those who depend on them for success.

James E. Wood, M.D., ’71, has been appointed Senior Medical Director for Global Clinical Strategy at Smith & Nephew, a global medical technology firm founded in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Wood was previously Strategic Advisor for Medical Devices and Diagnostic Practice at YourEncore and, before that, Chief of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at MedStar Harbor Hospital, in Baltimore. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology at Morgan.

Tom Joyner to Keynote Morgan’s Spring Commencement Philanthropist, community activist and renowned national radio show host Tom Joyner will deliver the keynote address during Morgan’s 142nd Spring Commencement, on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at Hughes Stadium. Joyner and two other distinguished citizens will receive honorary degrees during the ceremony. Known to millions of listeners nationwide as “The Fly Jock,” Joyner began his broadcast career in 1970, immediately after his graduation from Tuskegee Institute. Morgan has a strong relationship with him through the University’s longtime involvement with the Tom Joyner Foundation, an organization he created to help retain students in HBCUs.

NECROLOGY Deceased MSU Alumni, Faculty, Staff & Students “Gone But Not Forgotten” Celestine McCants Akuba, ’61.............................................9/8/2017 Welton Baker, ’69................................................................. 10/9/2017 Donald Wilis Beasley, ’84.................................................... 8/31/2017 Lee A. Black, ’63..................................................................... 2/26/2017 Valerie E. Bolling-Epps, ’99................................................. 2/6/2018 Donald L. Bowie, ’63............................................................. 2/7/2018 Leonard James Braxton (Former Staff)...........................11/23/2017 Carolyn Yvonne Scruggs Brown, ’74.................................11/12/2017 Thomas Jessie Brown, ’68................................................... 4/17/2017 George N. Buntin, Jr., ’76..................................................... 1/19/2018 Dale S. Burley, ’84................................................................. 11/7/2017 Michelle Avette Byers, ’86 (Former Staff)...................... 2/9/2018 Letitia R. Carr (Staff)............................................................ 1/18/2018 Thomas W. Carr, ’74.............................................................. 11/20/2017 Ricarda F. Carter, ’73............................................................. 1/28/2018 Katherine A. Robinson Catoe, ’85......................................11/24/2017 Beverly Jordon Cook, ’73.....................................................10/21/2014 Adora V. Davis (Student)..................................................... 3/5/2018 Ronyè Michelle Craig Davis, ’81.........................................8/22/2017 Dr. Evelyn Blackmore Duck, ’49.........................................2/17/2018 Flora A. James Eikerenkoetter, ’57....................................12/12/2017 Victoria L. Elliott, ’84............................................................ 3/14/2018 Kelvin Jerome Elmore, ’82.................................................. 9/20/2017 Anthony H. Ferrell (Former Staff).....................................10/4/2017 Jaime Enrique Fisher, ’78..................................................... 2/11/2018 Lisa A. Davis Fitts, ’90.......................................................... 2/8/2018 Dr. Nathan J. Fossett, Jr., ’66.............................................. 2/26/2018 George H. Franklin, ’67......................................................... 12/25/2017 Dana A. Froe, ’60................................................................... 1/25/2018 Clarence A. Fry (Former Faculty)........................................1/24/2018 Laura Vashti Jude Gardener, ’66 and ’96.........................1/5/2018 Thomas Gathers, Jr., ’60...................................................... 9/10/2017

IN THE NEWS

Morgan Graduate Presides Over Manafort Indictment

Deborah A. Robinson, ’75, Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, attracted national media attention last October as presiding judge in the indictment of former Donald Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The case sprang from the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Robinson has served on the court since 1988 and has presided over numerous high-profile cases involving famous defendants during her 29-year tenure, including White House officials, alleged drug kingpins, an N.B.A. star and a Washington, D.C., mayor. She earned her Bachelor of Science in psychology from Morgan and her J.D. from Emory University School of Law. She previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and is a member of the adjunct faculty at Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.

Morgan Regent Draper Is Named Afro-American Publisher The Rev. Dr. Frances Murphy Draper, ’69, has been named Chairman of the Board and Publisher of the Afro-American Newspapers. Draper, who earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish education from Morgan, now serves as Vice Chair of the University’s Board of Regents.

Great-granddaughter of Afro Founder John H. Murphy, Sr., she previously served as President of the family-owned company from 1987 to 1999. The Rev. Dr. Draper is also Senior Pastor of Freedom Temple A.M.E. Zion Church in Baltimore. She replaces John “Jake” Oliver, who had been Chairman and Publisher of the Afro-American Newspapers since 1986 and who is now Publisher Emeritus. The Baltimore Afro-American, the company’s flagship newspaper, is the longest-running African-American family-owned newspaper in the U.S.

Four Morgan Graduates Honored at Black Veterans Event The National Association for Black Veterans, Inc. (NABVETS) honored four Morgan graduates at its 18th Annual Buffalo Soldiers Memorial Banquet

Lillian Cornish Green, ’43..................................................... 10/30/2017 Sewell Silverent Griffith, ’57............................................... 1/26/2018 Jennifer B. Washington Grillo, ’97.....................................1/23/2018 Dolores A. Handy, ’79........................................................... 9/20/2017 Dr. David L. Harris, ’50......................................................... 10/7/2016 Lavon W. Harris-Smith, ’82................................................. 12/31/2017 Millicent Thomas Hartsfield, ’52........................................11/16/2017 Deveria Lee Henry, ’56......................................................... 10/27/2017 David Hollingsworth (Former Staff).................................10/18/2017 Jane Howell Holloway (Former Faculty).........................9/5/2017 The Rev. George E. Horton, ’66.......................................... 2/26/2017 Geraldine Ingram Jackson, ’64...........................................9/23/2017 Margaret Holt Jackson, ’53................................................. 1/4/2018 Ansell Jefferies, Jr., ’57......................................................... 9/29/2017 Claudia Ross Johnson, ’60................................................... 9/22/2017 Daniel Johnson, ’68.............................................................. 7/2/2017 Rosilyn R. Johnson, ’71......................................................... 11/22/2017 Royal Cleaves Johnson, II, ’72............................................. 10/6/2017 Matthew W. Jones, J.D., ’76................................................ 2/1/2018 Virginia Irene Jones, ’51....................................................... 11/5/2017 Earline J. King (Former Staff)............................................. 12/10/2017 Theresa Michelle Breland Lewis, ’91.................................9/14/2017 George A. Liston, ’51............................................................. 2/19/2018 Janice Toppin Lockwood, ’76.............................................. 4/5/2017 Thelma A. Lyght, ’58.............................................................3/10/2018 Russell B. Lyles, Jr., ’51.......................................................... 1/5/2018 Doris C. Mackall-McNeil, ’66............................................... 12/6/2017 Dana M. Willis Martin, ’93................................................... 11/15/2017 The Rev. Dr. Earl T. Matthews (Former Staff)................1/26/2018 Gloria S. McCleary, ’75.......................................................... 6/23/2017 William McLaurin, III, ’84..................................................... 12/8/2017 Vernestean J. McNair, ’75.................................................... 12/3/2017

this past February. The event commemorated three anniversaries: the 70th anniversary of President Harry Truman’s executive order abolishing racial discrimination in the U.S. military, the 60th anniversary of the founding of AARP and the 70th anniversary of Morgan’s ROTC Bear Battalion. Lt. Col. Michael Bell, U.S. Army (Ret.), ’76, was presented with NABVETS’ Richard and Josephine Robinson Leadership Award.

Wilbert Lee Walker, ’50, received NABVETS’ Parren J. Mitchell Freedom Award. H. Jim Gillis, ’72, received the Tom Wynn Award as Veteran of the Year. And Theodore (“Teddy”) Black, ’75, was the recipient of the Jackie Lanier Service Award. Grammy Awardwinning singer-songwriter Regina Belle, an AARP Caregiving Ambassador, performed at the event.

Bears Great Enters Black College Football Hall of Fame Morgan and National Football League great Raymond Chester, ’71, has been inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place in February at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Ga., and was presented by the Atlanta Falcons. Chester, one of the greatest tight ends of his era, played for the Bears from 1966 through 1969 and in the NFL, with the Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Colts, from 1970 through 1981. He was a member of Morgan’s historic, undefeated team of 1968. The Black College Football Hall of Fame was founded in 2009 by two African-American former NFL quarterbacks, James Harris and Doug Williams.

Morgan Scientist Is ‘Hidden Figure’ No More Scientist and inventor Valerie L. Thomas, ’64, was recently featured in an article in The Oklahoma Eagle titled “ ‘Hidden Figure’ No More: NASA Inventor Valerie Thomas.” Thomas was one of only two women majoring in physics in her class at Morgan.

After earning her Bachelor of Science, she took a job at NASA as a mathematical/ data analyst. Her talent eventually moved her up the ranks of the space agency, and she is now best known for receiving a patent for her illusion transmitter, a device she invented to use in her work managing the development of the image-processing system for the “Landsat” satellite. The technology is still used today to send images from space to Earth.

Dr. Sherman S. Merrill (Former Faculty)..........................2/16/2018 Herschel D. Milliken, ’67...................................................... 10/12/2017 Lois Powell Mondesire, ’65................................................. 11/24/2017 Takako Nagase, ’93............................................................... 10/13/2017 Tyrell Kelechi Okoro, ’16...................................................... 11/16/2017 Alfonso Delano Owens, ’49................................................. 12/29/2017 Abdi (“Gus”) Parvizian, ’70.................................................. 9/13/2017 Estelle Hudson Pinkett, ’55................................................. 6/24/2017 Dr. Samuel J. Pinn, Jr., ’59.................................................... 12/27/2017 Valerie R. Willis Polk, ’73...................................................... 12/31/2017 The Rev. Christine M. Sweat Robertson, ’85..................11/12/2017 Robert B. Rogers, ’58........................................................... Unknown Robert E. Russell, ’67............................................................ 8/12/2017 Carl Edward Murphy Smith, ’62.........................................12/15/2017 Ettare P. Stokes, ’91.............................................................. 12/8/2017 Orville A. Swafford, ’52........................................................ 7/1/2016 Reona Jordan Thomas, ’50.................................................. 10/17/2017 Jonathan Allen Tobash (Student)......................................12/18/2017 Kersley Maxwell Vauls, ’59 and ’77...................................11/6/2017 Vernon Carlton Walton, ’64................................................ 10/27/2017 Mary Waters, ’47................................................................... 2/12/2018 Timothy Weeks, Esq., ’69.................................................... 12/1/2017 Donald H. Wessel, ’68.......................................................... 2/24/2018 Herman West, Jr. (Former Staff).......................................12/30/2017 Ronald C. Wheatley, ’68...................................................... 4/7/2017 Marsha Contee White, ’70................................................... 10/28/2017 Betty Iglehart Williams, ’44................................................ 10/29/2017 Ione Woodridge Williams, ’55............................................10/22/2017 Joseph O. Woodfolk, ’55...................................................... 9/14/2017 Wanda E. Yarberough, ’75................................................... 5/31/2017

MSU Graduates Appointed to Baltimore School Board Baltimore Mayor Catherine E. Pugh, ’73 and ’77, has appointed two Morgan graduates to the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners: Ronald S. McFadden, ’09 and ’11, is a musician, educator and advocate for educational equity in U.S. urban communities. He earned his B.A. in music and Master of Arts in Teaching from Morgan. He has taught and established arts curriculum in the Baltimore City Public Schools and is now the Choral Director and Chair of the Department of Performing Arts at Southwest Academy Magnet School for Science and Engineering in Baltimore County. Johnette Richardson, ’97, earned her Bachelor of Science in biology from Morgan and is now the Executive Director for Belair-Edison Neighborhoods, Inc., a community-based nonprofit that fosters neighborhood revitalization.

She has served as the Board President of Afya Baltimore, Inc., a charter school organization.

Morgan Alumnus Heads Baltimore Police Morgan graduate Darryl S. De Sousa, ’17, is the new Commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department.

The veteran officer, who has served the Baltimore Police since 1988, had served as Deputy Commissioner since 2015 and, before that, as Chief of Patrols. He was appointed as a Law Enforcement Fellow with the International Association of Chiefs of Police in August 2016. De Sousa earned his Bachelor of Science in applied liberal studies from MSU.

Morgan Director Vinetta Paige McCullough Retires After 41 years of dedicated service to the Morgan State University community, Vinetta Paige McCullough, ’76 and ’81, has retired from the position of Director of Business and Auxiliary Services. Colleagues, family members, students and friends gathered last October to celebrate her legacy and the difference she made for the University and its students. McCullough, who earned her Bachelor of Science in business education and her M.B.A. at Morgan, was committed to ensuring that essential services where available to support students while they matriculated at MSU. As an undergraduate, she was a majorette in Morgan’s marching band.

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MSU ALUMNI CALENDAR Alumni Events, Spring/Summer/Fall 2018

April 28 Class of 2013 Bears, Brunch and Football, Five-Year Class Reunion Celebration University Student Center Ballroom C, 10 a.m.– 2 p.m. All classes are welcome. Followed by MSU Orange and Blue Scrimmage. Tickets: $85, https://bearbrunchfootball.eventbrite.com. Dress is casual, and wear your stole. Bottomless mimosas, gifts, games and fellowship. #MorganState #Issa5ibe

May 6 Annapolis/Anne Arundel County Alumni Chapter Presents Fourth Annual Mother’s Day Scholarship Jazz Gala

The Blue Dolphin Seafood Bar & Grill, 1166 State Route 3, South Gambrills, MD 21054. $45 per person. Blue dolphin buffet, live music, silent auction and door prizes. For more information, please contact Mike Stump at (410) 626-0111 or johnsonstump2@yahoo.com, Enid Collison-Lee at (410) 212-3316 or piecey3@comcast.net, or Joyce M. Brown at (410) 695-0929 or Joyce21045@verizon.net.

May 18 Alumni Day

University Student Center

“Welcome Back” Reception

Second floor lobby, 11 a.m.–12 noon.

78th Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon

Celebrating classes ending in “3” or “8,” Calvin and Tina Tyler Ballroom, 12 noon.

MSU On Campus Alumni Chapter “Alumni Happy Hour” “The Place,” 315 W. Franklin Street, Baltimore, MD. 21201, 5 p.m. No cover charge, just show up.

May 19 Morgan State University 142nd Spring Commencement Hughes Stadium, Baltimore, Md., 10 a.m.

Richmond/Petersburg Alumni Chapter Presents Its Annual Spring Scholarship Dance

“Celebrate Spring in Denim & Bling,” Henrico County Volunteer Rescue Squad Banquet Room, Richmond, Va. Price: $25. Please contact Lynette Banks-Lightfoot at (804) 512-4490 or rpac.prez17@gmail.com for more information.

Sept. 15 South Jersey Alumni Chapter Presents the MSU Choir in Concert

First Nazarene Baptist Church, Camden, N.J., 4 p.m. This marks the first time an HBCU has sponsored an event in the city since the beginning of the Camden Renaissance. For more information, please contact Dr. Willie H. Maddox at (856) 468-9454 or drwillandmarge@comcast.net, or Jeanne White at (856) 906-3563 or jwhitemsu@gmail.com.

Sept. 15 Class Agents Meeting

Carl Murphy Fine Arts Center Spring–Summer 2018 Events Visit http://www.murphyfineartscenter.org for the most current event schedule, or call (443) 885-4440.

April 26

MSU Modern Dance Ensemble Spring Concert Turpin-Lamb Theatre, through April 28, various times. Tickets: $10, $15

May 13

Alumni House, 10 a.m.

MSU Jazz Ensemble Annual Concert Gilliam Concert Hall, 7 p.m. Directed by Melvin N. Miles, Jr.

MSUAA Board of Directors Meeting Alumni House, 12 noon.

Aug. 18

Nov. 4 Columbia/Howard County Alumni Chapter, Annual Scholarship Dinner Show Fundraiser, “AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ ” Toby’s Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Way, Columbia, MD 21044. Doors open at 5 p.m. Buffet opens at 5:15 p.m. Buffet closes at 6:30 p.m. sharp. Show begins at 7 p.m. Cost $70. For tickets or more information, please call (410) 465-7253.

CD Release: Kevin Jackson 8 p.m. Release of new music by the guitarist, bassist and music producer

MSU Choir Schedule Spring 2018

HOMECOMING CALENDAR

Annual MSU Spring Concert

When: Sunday, May 6, 2018, 4 p.m.

Where: Gilliam Concert Hall, Murphy Fine Arts Center

Oct. 5 Annual Homecoming Business Meeting

Tours of Austria, Slovakia and Germany!

University Student Center Theatre, 12 noon.

May 21–June 1, 2018

Homecoming Gala

Martin’s West, 6817 Dogwood Rd., Baltimore, MD 21244. Individual, Corporate, VIP, Including Reception: $350; Individual General Admission: $175. For more information, please call (443) 885-3535.

Oct. 6 Life Members Reception

Bears 2018 Football Schedule

University Student Center, Calvin and Tina Tyler Ballroom B, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Admission is free with a Life Membership Gold Card.

Sept. 1 Towson State University, time TBD Hughes Stadium

Homecoming Game

Sept. 8

Calling All Morganites!!! Morgan Memories Alumni Party, 23 Years and Still Going Strong

Sept. 15

South Carolina State Bulldogs vs. MSU Bears, Hughes Stadium, 1 p.m.

Please join us at Morgan Memories as we celebrate all anniversary classes, birthdays, special anniversaries and other special occasions, in the University Student Center, Calvin and Tina Tyler Ballroom. Stay tuned for more information. See you at Memories!

at University of Akron, time TBD Akron, Ohio at University at Albany SUNY, time TBD Albany, N.Y.

Sept. 22

at North Carolina A&T State University*, time TBD Greensboro, N.C.

June 2 South Jersey Alumni Chapter Fourth Annual Mid-Day Line Dance

Class of 1969, 49th Annual Homecoming Brunch Celebration

June 9 MSUAA Board of Directors Meeting

Class of 1970 Annual Homecoming Celebration

Oct. 13

Class of 1973 Homecoming Brunch

Oct. 20 Howard University*, time TBD Hughes Stadium

Lawnside Public School, 426 Charleston Ave, Lawnside, NJ 08045, 12–3 p.m. Cost: $10; pay at the door. For more information, please contact “Candy” Adkins at (856) 417-6762 or candice.adkins@yahoo.com, or Dr. Willie H. Maddox, Jr. at (856) 468-9454 or drwillandmarge@comcast.net.

Alumni House, 12 noon

June 30 Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area Alumni Chapter at the Sixth Annual 5K Run/2K Walk, Health & Wellness, Hunger Awareness and Higher Education Community Fair The chapter is participating in partnership with the event sponsor, the Washington, D.C. Metro HBCU Alumni Alliance, Inc., at Howard University, to support the chapter’s Scholarship Fund. For detailed information, please contact Morgan State Alumni Team Leader Nellie Maskal at orblue6947@gmail.com.

July 14 Richmond/Petersburg Alumni Chapter Presents Annual Bear Potluck Cookout and Membership Drive

10413 Beachcrest Place, Chesterfield, VA 23832. No charge. Please contact Lynette Banks-Lightfoot, Chapter President at (804) 512-4490 or rpac.prez17@gmail.com for more information.

Aug. 5 Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area Alumni Chapter 35th Annual Scholarship Crab Feast Martin’s West, 6817 Dogwood Rd., Baltimore, Md., 2–6 p.m. All you can eat steamed crabs, hot buffet, cold buffet and more. Donation is $65 per person. For ticket information, please contact the chapter at dcmorgan67@outlook.com or call (559) 670-1031.

Sept. 6 Cut-Off Date for Discounted Homecoming Host Hotel Room Rates Specifically for Morgan Alumni and Friends Sheraton Baltimore North, Towson, Md. Cut-off is 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Reservations can be made by calling (410) 321-7400 or 1 (888) 627-7147.

University Student Center, Room 212, 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m., $30 per person.

Make checks payable to “MSU Foundation – 69 Brunch,” and mail them before Sept. 14, 2018 to Denise Smith, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, 207 Alumni House, Baltimore, MD 21251. Seating is limited. Contact Class Agent Nellie Maskal at (301) 445-1433/orblue6947@gmail.com for more information.

University Student Center, Room 210A, 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m. For additional information, please contact Reginald Thomas at (443) 885-3977 (office) or (410) 428-6139.

University Student Center, Room 316, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. For additional information, please contact Gail Robinson-Brown at (410) 961-5916.

Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., Alpha Delta Chapter Annual Homecoming Reception

University Student Center, Room 316, 1:30 p.m. –7 p.m. For more information, please contact T’ana Patterson at tapat5@morgan.edu or (240) 425-2742.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Alpha Gamma Homecoming Suite University Student Center, Room 210, 2–7 p.m. Contact Michelene Dean or Lynn Middleton. Additional information is forthcoming.

School of Global Journalism and Communication Studies Annual Alumni Homecoming Brunch University Student Center, Calvin and Tina Tyler Ballroom C, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Additional information is forthcoming.

School of Education and Urban Studies, Family and Consumer Science Annual Homecoming Brunch

Oct. 6 South Carolina State University*, 1 p.m.

Homecoming Hughes Stadium at Savannah State University*, time TBD Savannah, Ga.

Oct. 27

at Florida A&M University*, time TBD Tallahassee, Fla.

Nov. 3 Bethune-Cookman University*, time TBD Hughes Stadium Nov. 10 Delaware State University*, time TBD Hughes Stadium Nov. 17

at Norfolk State University*, time TBD Norfolk, Va.

Home games are in boldface. *MEAC Opponent

University Student Center, Room 210B, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Additional information is forthcoming.

Oct. 7 Annual Homecoming Candlelight Memorial Service

University Memorial Chapel, 11 a.m. Honoring recently deceased alumni, faculty, staff and students. For more information, please contact the Alumni Relations Office at (443) 885-3015.

Sept. 8 Southern Maryland Alumni Chapter, Blue and Orange Scholarship Dinner Dance and Program

Jaycees Community Center, 3090 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20601.

For more information, please contact Denise-Chapman Barnes, President, at (301) 870- 4787 or somerscounselor@aol.com.

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