NCCU Now Fall 2020 by North Carolina Central University

NCCU now FAL L 2 020

A MAGAZINE FOR NCCU ALUMNI, FRIENDS, FACULTY AND STAFF

AMERICA'S MORAL COMPASS

REV. DR. WILLIAM BARBER II KEEPS FOCUS ON JUSTICE

NOW!

NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY / FALL 2020

p. 26

On the Cover

___________________________

p. 8

_______________________ COVID-19 The virus lockdown has been a busy time for those off and on campus.

America’s Moral Compass Rev. Dr. William Barber II’s journey to become a national leader on issues of justice runs straight through the heart of NCCU.

Photo by Chioke Brown '12

p. 41

p. 36

_______________________ We Are 110 The ’40s to the ’70s was a time of growth and change at NCCU. (Part II of a three-part anniversary series.)

______________________ A Century of Experience

Departments Inbox

Alumna Maggie P. Bryant, Class of ‘38, keeps exploring her family’s storied history while doing her part to fight COVID-19.

Chancellor’s Message

Academia

Bookshelf

Faculty I Staff

Discoveries

Student Life

Cultural Arts

Alumni News

Giving

Athletics

From the Archives 58

For the latest NCCU NEWS, visit www.nccu.edu.

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 3

IN B OX WINTER 2020 ISSUE

Email us your feedback to now@nccu.edu

Reader comments:

NCCU NOW MAGAZINE

I regularly read and review publications coming from NCCU’s Office of Communications and Marketing. Being an active alumnus from NC A&T, NC State, and the University of Illinois, I’ve compared their publications to NCCU’s. Your printed communications are attractive and compare well with any other university’s publications. In particular, the stories in NOW magazine, as well as the graphics and photography, are great.

is published by North Carolina Central University's Office of Communications and Marketing, 1801 Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC 27707.

— Melvin Carver, Ph.D. former chair, NCCU Department of Art

DESIGN & ONLINE MARKETING SPECIALIST: Bryan Huffman

SOCIAL MEDIA nccuathletics 1 PM · Sept. 23, 2020 How did Stephen Stokes of @NCCU_Football celebrate after being 1 of only 22 studentathletes in the nation named to the @Allstate AFCA #GoodWorksTeam for his dedicated efforts in the community? By doing more community service! #EaglePride #EagleEra

Durham, NC 2:14 PM · Aug 15, 2020 @Durham @DurhamNC@CP3 (Chris Paul) rocking @NCCU gear in the NBA bubble #EaglePride

View a digital version and past issues at issuu.com/nccentraluniv NCCU NOW CONTRIBUTORS EDITORS: Renee Elder, Ayana D. Hernandez SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Pandora Frazier '82

WRITERS AND COPY EDITORS: Kia C. Bell, Renee Elder, Ayana D. Hernandez, Robert Lewis, Kyle Serba ’19, Quiana Shepard, André D. Vann '93, '95, Karen Willenbrecht PHOTOGRAPHY: Chioke Brown '12, Morgan Crutchfield, Vernon Samuel '14 NCCU BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR Kevin M. Holloway '75 VICE CHAIR Michael P. Johnson '69 SECRETARY Oita C. Coleman MEMBERS: Roderick G. Allison ’95 William V. Bell G. Keith Chadwell Keshaun Coleman '21 John A. Herrera Allyson Siegel Hellena Huntley Tidwell '68 Kenneth R. Tindall, Ph.D. James Walker L '88 Karyn S. Wilkerson '82, '97 ADMINISTRATION CHANCELLOR Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D. INTERIM PROVOST AND VICE CHANCELLOR OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Yolanda Banks Anderson, Ph.D. INTERIM VICE CHANCELLOR OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE Akua J. Matherson, M.Ed. VICE CHANCELLOR OF STUDENT AFFAIRS Angela Alvarado Coleman, Ed.D. VICE CHANCELLOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Gia Soublet, Ph.D.

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CHIEF OF STAFF Al Zow, J.D.

NCC( YOU) North Carolina Central University prepares students to succeed in the global marketplace. Consistently ranked as a top HBCU and among leading regional universities in the South, NCCU offers flagship programs in the sciences, education, law, business, nursing and the arts.

Discover what's Central to you by visiting nccu.edu/admissions

(Pictured) Shay Belvin '18 Photography by Vernon Samuel '14

nccu.edu

Rewind

______ The New Normal

6 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

Chancellor’s Message Greetings: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life significantly for all of us, as well as its impact on North Carolina Central University. And while the public health emergency has forced us to adjust to a new normal, as Eagles we have shifted gracefully while remaining focused on protecting the safety of our community and delivering on the goals in our five-year strategic plan, “Charting a New Landscape for Student-Centered Success.” Our campus may look a bit different, with signs of the three “W”s we all know so well, yet NCCU has valiantly faced, weathered and overcome storms before. NCCU celebrated 110 years of modeling “Truth and Service” on July 5, 2020. In this edition of NCCU Now, you will learn about our history and legacy in part two of our commemorative timeline. We’re still adding to our campus footprint with the addition of two contemporary residential halls, Alston Street Apartments and George Street Residence Hall, both opening this semester. Our country also faces another crisis, as racial injustice and the killings by police of several African Americans sparked protests across the United States and around the world. The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (page 31), an esteemed alumnus and co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, spoke with his alma mater about how NCCU shaped him and helped define his outlook toward justice. NCCU is at the forefront of numerous cutting-edge research initiatives, including the ACCORD project (page 8) that is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in nine counties across North Carolina. This year has profoundly shaped our history. However, as Eagles who are resilient, our world will recover and we will be stronger than ever. In Truth and Service,

Johnson O. Akinleye Chancellor

ABOVE: Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye presides over the 134th commencement held virtually in December 2020. OPPOSITE PAGE / 1 / Physics Professor Diane Markoff teaches a hybrid class held with students attending in person and online. / 2 / Adding to our campus footprint is the new George Street Residence Hall. / 3 / A full-service Starbucks opens / 4 / Alston Street Apartments debut / 5 / A student studies while remembering to wear a mask.

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academia

SHORTLY AFTER THE SPRING 2020 SEMESTER began, we started hearing about a new virus strain in Asia. Then reports of cases began appearing in the United States. By March 11, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of coronavirus a pandemic and our world suddenly changed.

DARK CLOUDS PART FOR UNEXPECTED

Dowah

8 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

Students and faculty who had left for spring break the previous weekend were instructed that the University of North Carolina System would transition to all-online courses. Stay-at-home orders were then issued by the governor. Throughout all the changes, NCCU professors pushed ahead to amend their coursework for virtual learning environments. Students, many of whom were now living back at home with their parents, began taking classes online. The 2020 graduates would be unable to attend an in-person graduation, and it seemed an unsettling end to what started as a regular semester. Yet throughout the last few months, the Eagles of NCCU have consistently risen to the challenges imposed by the pandemic and looked for ways to help themselves and others. As communications student Siegee Dowah, an intern for WRAL, wrote in an April blog post: “I've been thinking about all the things I could do while I'm at home during this time. I'll probably teach myself how to use other Adobe applications or catch up on some shows I told myself I would watch a few months ago. Either way I don't see all of this ‘lockdown’ stuff as a bad thing.”

Students and professors shared tips for distance teaching, learning and studying. The university’s Division of Extended Studies and Department of Information Technology Services pulled out all the stops to make sure educational materials, lesson plans and lines of communication were available so that the Spring 2020 semester could be completed successfully. And it was. In May, his graduation month, senior Chance Kennedy posted a dance video in his graduation gown. Its playful exuberance cheered up the nation as the clip went viral, claiming spots on popular outlets such as “Good Morning America” and BET.

Livingston

McKoy

NCCU researchers have been working diligently to study the virus and its effects, especially among people of color, who have so far been the hardest hit. The university’s faculty has received almost $2 million in COVID-19-related research grants and is now conducting research and testing, developing new health care protocols, and

Hall

Ross-Alexander

even working on a tool to detect biological threats at the border. Our experts in business, education, early childhood development, health, science and other specialties have also been generous in sharing their knowledge with media, making appearances in news reports and on panels to provide insights into the pandemic and its impacts.

S E N I O R C H A N C E K E N N E DY WENT VIRAL WITH SPOTS ON GOOD M O R N I N G A M E R I C A A N D B E T.

Paul

Pilkington

 Psychology professor Jonathan Livingston, Ph.D., spoke with ABC11 WTVD about the mental health benefits of having plants and a gardening space during the pandemic.  Business professor and director of entrepreneurship Henry McKoy, Ph.D., provided insight into the economic impact of COVID-19 for several local and national outlets.  Political science professor Jarvis Hall, Ph.D., analyzed the potential impact of COVID-19 on the North Carolina gubernatorial race for the News & Observer.  Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health and Wellness Mari RossAlexander, Ph.D., discussed how to keep HBCU students safe in light of COVID-19 with The Washington Post.  Professor Chris Paul, Ph.D., and William Pilkington, DPA, contributed an article to the Independent Tribune of Cabarrus County regarding the impact of COVID-19 on food insecurity. Whatever may lie ahead for the remainder of 2020, rest assured that the NCCU Eagles will be alert and always ready to soar!



Visit YouTube to view Chance Kennedy's viral video.

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academia

“African Americans are more likely to acquire the infection, have more severe symptoms and are twice as likely to die.”

DEEPAK KUMAR, PH.D. lead researcher, ACCORD

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COVID-19 OUTREACH HELPS UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

MORE THAN 1,800 PEOPLE in nine counties were provided free coronavirus testing in fall 2020 as part of an NCCU-led research program addressing health inequities in communities of color. The drive-up testing sites were initiated through the Advanced Center for COVID-19 Related Disparities (ACCORD) at NCCU, which was funded by the N.C. Policy Collaboratory at UNC-Chapel Hill in response to the coronavirus pandemic, said Deepak Kumar, Ph.D., lead researcher on the project. Kumar, who also directs the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical and Biotechnical Research Institute, said the center also gets support from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, which seeks to “address the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 on underserved communities.” ACCORD research is focused on communities of color because many African American and Hispanic communities have

been disproportionately affected by the virus. Counties served by the pop-up test sites are Anson, Cabarrus, Durham, Granville, Halifax, New Hanover, Rowan, Vance and Warren. All county residents were welcomed to be tested, but those from the African American and Hispanic/Latinx communities were especially encouraged to participate. “African Americans are more likely to acquire the infection, have more severe symptoms and are twice as likely to die,” Kumar wrote in the ACCORD grant proposal. Providing better access to testing helps public health departments keep track of any potential outbreaks and lets individuals know whether they may be carrying the virus and could pose a risk to family and friends. The researchers also hope to break some ice with community members who feel reluctant about

participating in medical research or, in some cases, even to seek medical services, said William Pilkington, DPA, who heads NCCU’s health disparities team at the North Carolina Research Campus at Kannapolis. This hesitation is often linked to news of the medical studies conducted in the 20th Century that harmed or killed African Americans, such as in the federally backed Tuskegee Study in which researchers left syphilis patients untreated to learn more about the disease. Further exacerbating the crisis in some communities is a lack of medical providers nearby and absence of public transportation. Some face a combination of disadvantages, such as no full-service grocery store to buy healthy foods and proximity to environmental hazards, Pilkington said. In addition to the testing service, residents who attended the ACCORD clinics received health information and were asked to take a survey about their attitudes toward testing and taking a vaccination for coronavirus once it is developed. The researchers hope this feedback will allow them to understand and better respond to the communities and their health care needs.

BY RENEE ELDER

Inspiring Internship: Student Serves as a Coronavirus Contract Tracer NCCU BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES MAJOR MEGAN GAINES didn’t give education the back seat when the coronavirus pandemic began. She continued to study and complete an internship as a virus contract tracer for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. In June, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, M.D., reported a need for as many as 100,000 contact tracers to fight the pandemic in the United States. The state Health and Human Services Department is working with Community Care of North Carolina and the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers on a new initiative to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative. As part of her job, Gaines conducted contract tracing in Randolph County. Her responsibilities included conducting assessments of individuals who might have been exposed to the virus and those who had tested positive, as well as tracking down their contacts to urge those people to quarantine. She also worked to establish rapport with her clients so she could encourage them to seek support, resources and services. “Being able to assist others in need during this difficult time for our nation is a great feeling,” Gaines said. Gaines also provided insight into the importance of adhering to safety measures that prevent disease transmission. Gaines credits the experience with prompting her to minor in public health education. “I really enjoyed the public health and clinical aspect of the job,” she said. “It has been a major influence on choosing a minor.” The Whitsett, N.C., native, whose goal is to become either a radiologist or dermatologist, attributes her interest in medicine to the academic exposure to hands-on programs such as the Partners Cancer Biology Program at NCCU, where she previously served as a research fellow and intern. She is also a Cheatham-White merit scholar.

FAB LAB RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR EFFORTS IN STEM

THE FABRICATION LABORATORY

(Fab Lab) at NCCU was celebrated with the 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The award honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). NCCU was featured, along with 73 other recipients, in the September 2020 issue of the magazine. The Fab Lab was selected based on its efforts to inspire and encourage a new generation to consider careers in STEM through mentoring, teaching, research and successful programs and initiatives. “To be honored by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine underscores the work of NCCU’s FAB Lab in bridging the digital divide that separates certain populations from learning experiences and opportunities with tools of technology,” said Eric Saliim, Fab Lab director. “As we move into the 21st century, it is important to provide learning experiences that engage individuals with technology that will shape our society to ensure everyone has the skills and competencies suitable for a highly technologically advanced society.”

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academia

NEW COLLABORATION REVIVES NCCU VETERANS CLINIC HANKS TO A NEW COLLABORATION

between the law schools at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and NCCU, the Veterans Clinic on the Eagle campus has been revived to meet the ongoing needs of current and former service members. This partnership will assist active military personnel, veterans and their families who might otherwise not be able to afford proper representation. “We are thrilled to collaborate with UNC-Chapel Hill and NCCU School of Law as we further our commitment to those who valiantly protect our country and have contributed so much to communities across North Carolina,” NCCU Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye said. “This partnership will provide a strong safety net to help ensure that the needs of our veterans are served.”

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The UNC School of Law transfered more than $784,000 to NCCU’s Veterans Clinic, which is the remainder of a previous appropriation to UNC-Chapel Hill from the North Carolina General Assembly to support programs for active-duty service members and veterans. “By working to correct deep injustices suffered by veterans, our clinics will advocate for and provide justice to citizens who are marginalized and face innumerable challenges in our current system,” UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz said. “It is an honor to work with our fellow system school to serve our

NORTH CAROLINA RANKS

no. 7

IN THE U.S. IN ITS TOTAL POPULATION OF VETERANS

OF NORTH CAROLINA VETERANS ARE UNEMPLOYED AND LIVE IN POVERTY.

ELAINE O'NEAL Former Interim Law Dean NCCU School of Law

community here in the Triangle and beyond.” Active military personnel and veterans have a significant presence in North Carolina as the state is home to five major military bases and stations. According to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, North Carolina ranks No. 7 in the U.S. in its total

population of veterans with more than 730,000 who reside in the state, representing nearly 10% of North Carolina’s adult population. Yet 7% of North Carolina veterans are unemployed and live in poverty. Former NCCU Interim School of Law Dean Elaine O’Neal led the effort to reestablish the clinic, which opened in 2007 and was subsequently closed. O’Neal said reopening the clinic felt like a personal mission, as her late father was a World War II veteran. “The reestablishment of the Military and Veterans Clinic is a worthy cause that speaks to the core mission of North Carolina Central University’s School of Law in meeting the needs of underserved communities,” O’Neal said. The NCCU Veterans Clinic will handle benefit claims in various stages of appeals. Cases may revolve around disability claims, survivors’ benefits, pension and other issues. Additionally, the NCCU School of Law operates specialty clinics in eight other areas: civil litigation, criminal defense, family law, intellectual property (patent and trademark), juvenile law, tax law and consumer issues. Services are free to those who qualify as in need or who are able to meet the financial eligibility standards as determined by the appropriate legal standards.

New Programs Anticipate Future Job Growth TWO ONE-OF-A-KIND PROGRAMS, ONE IN SPORTS MEDICINE SCIENCE and another in cybersecurity, were added to broaden the curriculum of the new College of Health and Sciences (CHS) and the School of Business. At the CHS, a Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine will be awarded for students who have been trained to diagnose and treat sports-related injuries. Such jobs are projected to be up by more than 20% by 2028. In the School of Business, a concentration in cybersecurity and data analytics has been added to enhance the information technology program. Jobs in this field are projected to increase by 31% over the next decade. Each program is the only one of its type in the University of North Carolina System.

Funds to Support Teaching Artist Program THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (NEA) recently allocated grants to support for programs for performing and visual artists at NCCU. The Teaching Artist Certificate Program, directed by Department of Music Associate Professor Lenora Helm Hammonds, received $10,000 for scholarships and visits by guest artists from Art Works, a national funding initiative that supports cultural heritage and creativity.

The university also received $50,000 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief,

and Economic Security (CARES) Act to cover operating costs for the Teaching Artist Certificate, a one-of-a-kind program for artists who also teach.

BY QUIANA SHEPARD NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 13

book shelf

Temperance Flowerdew

I by Denise Heinze I

Women aren’t often the heroes of history, but NCCU alumna Denise Heinze, ’84, has put two of them at the center of action for her new novel, “The Brief and True Report of Temperance Flowerdew.” The story follows a real-life settler of the Jamestown Colony who ventured across the Atlantic with a hired companion, Lily. The pair arrived in 1609 just in time to face a harsh winter period nicknamed the “starving time.” The Flowerdew report details the hardships they faced as the colony struggled to survive, but also how the experience benefitted some settlers, including Flowerdew, who later married two Virginia governors. Heinze is a former literature professor and a doctoral graduate of Duke University. She earned her master’s at NCCU. The book was published by Blackstone Publishing in September 2020.

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John Hervey Wheeler Durham Businessman

I by Brandon Winford I

The important role played by African American-owned businesses during the Civil Rights era is explored in a new book by NCCU alumnus Brandon Winford, Ph.D., ’05, ’07. “John Hervey Wheeler, Black Banking, and the Economic Struggle for Civil Rights” examines the life of a man born in 1908 who became president of Mechanics and Farmers Bank in Durham and, later, a member of President John F. Kennedy’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. Winford’s historical records research included NCCU’s collection of papers donated to the university by Wheeler’s wife. “The book argues that if we are to fully understand how central economics was to the civil rights movement, we must consider black business,” Winford said. Winford is an assitant professor of history at the University of Tennessee.

Personalized Principal Leadership Practices

I by Dionne McLaughlin I Personalized Principal Leadership Practices: Eight Strategies for Leading Equitable, High Achieving Schools is a practical guide for working with underachieving students of color by NCCU Assistant Professor Dionne McLaughlin. McLaughlin’s book, published in June 2020, analyzes strategies used by principals of schools with 80% or more Black and Latinx students whose population overall achieved grade-level or better scores on standardized English and math tests. The book explains how to personalize data using student academic stories, developing principal-directed equity learning goals, and strategies for building trusting relationships with families of color, among other topics. McLaughlin is a British-born Jamaican educator and an experienced bilingual principal and teacher.

f a c u lt y a n d s t a f f

appointments

Brown

Browne C. Lewis

Dean, School of Law Browne C. Lewis, J.D., a legal scholar with specialties in artificial intelligence and other areas, began her post as dean NCCU School of Law in July 2020. Lewis previously was a faculty member and founding director of the Center for Health Law and Policy at ClevelandMarshall College of Law. She has held appointments abroad as a Senior Fulbright Specialist in Israel and a Core Fulbright Scholar at King’s College in London. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Grambling State University, a master’s in public policy from the Humphrey Institute, a law degree from the University of Minnesota School of Law and an LLM in energy and environmental law from the University of Houston Law Center.

Michael E. Hill

Chief Human Resources Officer The university named Michael E. Hill as chief human resources officer. Hill is an 18-year veteran of the field of human resources management working in an academic setting. Prior to joining NCCU in March 2020, he served as director of human resources at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. From 2012 to 2017, Hill worked at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he was assistant director of human resources. Hill holds an undergraduate degree in English and a master’s degree in human resources development from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. In 2018, he also earned a Master of Science in administration from Central Michigan University and is pursuing a doctorate from Liberty University.

Hill

Green

Williams

Joseph Michael Green

Damon Williams

Joseph Michael Green has been named as the dean of University College, where he will help students achieve success in higher education. Most recently, Green worked at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as executive director for Retention, Progression, and Completion. Green received his undergraduate degree at Bowie State University and his master’s in psychology at the University of South Dakota. He was awarded a Ph.D. in political science and public administration from Howard University in 2002.

Damon Williams joined NCCU as chief of police and director of public safety in July 2020, leading the university’s law enforcement team. As head of the Department of Police and Public Safety, Williams leads criminal investigations, as well as oversees parking regulations enforcement, emergency management and emergency communications. Williams has more than 15 years of law enforcement experience and previously led several municipal police departments. Prior to his career in law enforcement, Williams was an educator for the Moore County School System. He holds a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Fayetteville State University and an MBA from Columbia Southern University.

Dean, University College

Chief of Police

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appointments

Faison

Clemm

Ross-Alexander

Mitchell

Brenda S. Faison

William L. Clemm II

Mari Ross-Alexander

Piper Mitchell

NCCU alumna Brenda S. Faison, Ph.D, former chair and professor of the art department at Claflin University, was named director of NCCU’s Art Museum in January 2020 and is also serving as interim department chair for art and design. “Dr. Faison is an experienced and well-regarded art educator who has a wealth of experience directing and managing both public and private art museums and programs,” said Interim Dean Carlton Wilson of the College of Arts, Sciences and Humanities. Faison previously taught at Saint Augustine’s University and Virginia Commonwealth University.

William L. Clemm II was appointed assistant vice chancellor of Student Engagement in the Division of Student Affairs effective in June 2019. Clemm, who holds a master's degree in management, assists in providing oversight for the Department of Student Engagement and Leadership and the Department of New Student and Family Programs. He also works with the vice chancellor of Student Affairs and Department of Residential Life. His goal is to bring exciting and well-rounded programming to the student body.

Mari Ross-Alexander, Ph.D. was appointed assistant vice chancellor of Health and Wellness in the Division of Student Affairs. She guides the Office of Student Accessibility Services, Department of Student Health, Department of Student Counseling, and the Department of Campus Recreation. She has a strong track record of driving strategies and solutions in areas of student health and behavioral health policy. She previously served at Tennessee State University.

Piper Mitchell, J.D., has been named to the post of assistant legal counsel for NCCU. Previously, she served as associate general counsel for Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia. Mitchell also was associate general counsel for Student and Faculty Affairs at Howard University, where she began her professional legal career. Mitchell obtained her bachelor's degree from Duke University, a Juris Doctorate from Howard University and master's in sports industry management from Georgetown University.

Director NCCU Art Museum

Assistant Vice Chancellor Student Engagement

Assistant Vice Chancellor Health and Wellness

Assistant Legal Counsel

Eagles make your voices heard on Nov. 3, 2020.

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DISCOVERIES R

EMEMBER WHEN

the most vexing part of a dining-out experience was deciding which restaurant to visit? As the country navigates its response to COVID-19, many restaurants are now reopening and diners are again facing that familiar dilemma: Where do you want to go eat? While a lavish menu and relaxing atmosphere might be perfect for date night, families on vacation might prefer other qualities, such as “fast” and “inexpensive.” Determining which dining establishment offers the right combination of aesthetics and value was the subject of a recent study by NCCU School of Business Associate Professor Barry K. Shuster. Shuster said there are many potential benefits of adopting a standard classification system based on restaurant characteristics. His concept is to first goup restaurants into into one of four categories: luxury, fine-dining, casual or quick-service. Such a system could also help restaurant owners and industry analysts by providing feedback on dining trends, operational efficiencies and investment potential, said Shuster, who founded the trade magazine Restaurant Startup & Growth in 2004. He also hopes such a classification system might be an advantage in training future hospitality industry leaders at NCCU. “The main objective of this study is to develop a theory-based classification of the restaurant industry that could serve academic researchers and

The main objective of this study is to develop a theory-based classification of the restaurant industry that could serve academic researchers and industry practitioners.”

Restaurant Labels Could Help Diners and Industry Analysts industry practitioners,” wrote Shuster and his co-authors, H.G. Parsa of the University of Denver and Milos Bujisic of The Ohio State University. The article based on their study was published in the spring 2020 edition of Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. According to Shuster, classification is common in other industries, citing hotels,

BARRY K. SHUSTER Professor NCCU School of Business

banking and automobile manufacturing. “The vast diversity among restaurants made their classification more complicated since they can be classified based on a number of different attributes,” the article said. To overcome this complexity, the proposed system would label restaurants based on a continuum of aspects, ranging from “utilitarian” - such as price and convienence to “hedonistic,” which might incudenemotional gratification and sense of indulgence. If adopted nationwide, such a rating system could make it easier to reserve a perfect table for your big anniversary dinner or find the most convenient place to fill up a family of four on a budget. NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 17

RISE IN ESOPHAGEAL CANCERS EXAMINED WITH $2.7M GRANT BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES PROFESSOR XIAOXIN (LUKE) CHEN, M.D., PH.D., was awarded $2.7 million by the National Institutes of Health to investigate new treatment options for a type of esophageal cancer that disproportionally affects African Americans. The award, to be distributed over five years, will support Chen’s research into the role of a molecular pathway in squamous-cell carcinoma, an understudied type of cancer that resists treatment by traditional techniques.

“We are in an era of personalized medicine, but esophageal cancers are still all treated the same,” Chen said. “With this grant, we will be trying to tell whether there is a better approach for this specific subgroup of patients.” Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye said the funding represents the university’s commitment to research, particularly in regard to health disparities. “Among my top priorities as chancellor has been to help the university expand the reach of its research initiatives,” Akinleye said. “This new project under Dr. Chen’s leadership will put more resources into the hands of our investigators, perhaps leading to new treatments and saving lives.” The researchers will be examining the nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (NRF2) molecular signaling pathway in the esophagus, which may become hyperactivated in individuals with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and block traditional treatments, Chen said. Once the scientists better understand how the pathway is activated, specific treatments may be formulated to target that pathway for therapy, he added. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma begins in cells in the upper or middle part of the esophagus, a long tube of muscle that helps move food into the stomach. Esophageal cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers in the world. It has a five-year survival rate of just 20%.

CHEN NAMED GLAXO DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR XIAOXIN (LUKE) CHEN, M.D., PH.D., of the Department

of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, has been named the Glaxo Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Science. The award was established by GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceutical company to help attract and retain outstanding faculty who are leading the development of biomedical research. “Your credentials and accomplished career as a research scientist and educator is evidence of your commitment and standing in the field of biomedical science, especially as it relates to NCCU's emphasis on health disparities among select populations,” said Carlton Wilson, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, in informing Chen of the award. “In addition to your outstanding research, the university appreciates you mentoring students and developing partnerships and collaborations that are providing opportunities for students and junior faculty. In particular, your work with the doctoral program in Integrated Biosciences has been critical to developing students as well as sustaining the program.”

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Chen arrived at NCCU in 2005 and serves as an associate professor in the Cancer Research Program at the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical Biotechnology Research Institute. He also conducts research at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and teaches at the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology & Disease Center for Esophageal Disease and Swallowing at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a native of China and attended Beijing Medical University before relocating to the United States in the 1990s.

Biology Research to Help Homeland Security Identify Potential Border Threats

iological and Biomedical Sciences Associate Professor TinChung Leung, Ph.D., is leading a project to assist in developing new risk-assessment tools for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. A $330,000 grant from the Minority Serving Institutions STEM Research and Development Consortium (MSRDC) supports research into state-of-the-art forecasting and alerting capabilities to help the Customs and Border Protection unit of Homeland Security safeguard against pests and diseases that could have a detrimental impact on the nation’s environment or economy. The goal is to identify and contain threats in passenger luggage, cargo or mail shipments at U.S. ports of entry. The project involves a multidepartmental team, including the university’s

Julius L. Chambers Biomedical Biotechnology Research Institute (JLC-BBRI). “This project will enhance the research and educational capability at NCCU and provide opportunities for our students and faculty to gain experiences in national security areas such as data science and border security,” said Deepak Kumar, Ph.D., director of JLC-BBRI. “Students will obtain balanced mentorship from both industry and academia, with the goal of gaining hands-on experience of complex data analysis used to solve real-life problems.” Additionally, the project is anticipated to increased participation of minority students in the Homeland Security workforce. Another major collaborator is Orion Integrated Biosciences, a specialized biodefense company based in Kansas with locations in North Carolina. Orion chief executive officer Willy Valdivia said the work extends Orion’s ongoing efforts to use genomic bio-surveillance systems to assess potential threats. “More importantly, teaming up with researchers from the NCCU will open new directions and collaborations and will strengthen our presence in North Carolina,” Valdivia said.

TINCHUNG LEUNG Associate Professor Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences

WILLIAMS NAMED FIRST MERCK DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR Kevin P. Williams, Ph.D., of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, was named as the university’s first Merck Distinguished Professor in Integrated Biosciences. Carlton Wilson, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, announced the award, established through a $1 million Merck Foundation endowment gift in support of pharmaceutical sciences research, as well as teaching and mentoring of students. Wilson called Williams, who joined the faculty in 2006, “the perfect candidate for the chair.” “He is an internationally respected scientist who mentors and supports our graduate students, in particular,” Wilson said. “Some of the first graduates of the Ph.D. program were his students, and he has supported them since the program started.” Merck is a 125-year-old manufacturing company that conducts research for disease treatment and prevention using biopharmaceuticals. NCCU’s Ph.D. degree in Integrated Biosciences was introduced in 2012. Seven doctoral students have so far graduated and another 17 are enrolled in the program, two of whom graduated graduated in May 2020. Williams joined the faculty at the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) after more than a decade in the private sector. A native of the United Kingdom, Williams earned his doctorate in biochemistry at the University of Cambridge. He conducted postdoctoral work in immunology and diabetes at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 19

student life

135 TH COMMENCEMENT

GRADUATES PERSIST TO OBTAIN DEGREES NCCU’s 135th Commencement celebrated the Class of 2020 and made history as the first virtual ceremony at NCCU.

APPROXIMATELY 1,050 STUDENTS earned degrees, with 620 receiving their bachelor’s degrees, 316 earning a master’s, 108 earning Juris Doctor degrees from NCCU School of Law, and two completing the Ph.D. in integrated biosciences. The online commencement was held in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the university to pivot to online classes in late March, immediately after spring break. In his address to the spring graduates, Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye congratulated them for “pushing beyond the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic to earn their degrees.” He also recognized the two doctoral recipients, Oswald Boa-Amponsem and Joab Odera. Boa-Amponsem, a native of Ghana, worked with Professor Gregory Cole, Ph.D., while completing his degree conducting groundbreaking research into the effects of cannabinoid and alcohol exposure on fetal development. Their work was published in the August 2019 Birth Defects Research Journal. Boa-Amponsem accepted a postdoctoral position at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where his wife, Abigail, is studying nursing. Odera came to North Carolina from Kenya after winning a scholarship to play tennis at Winston-Salem State University, transferring into NCCU’s Integrated Biosciences Program in 2016. He played a key role in the research of Professor Xiaoxin (Luke) Chen, Ph.D., who investigates esophageal cancer. Odera plans to continue his work in cancer research. While enrolled at NCCU, the graduating class donated nearly 1 million hours to community service work, which is valued as a $2.5 million contribution to the economy and community.

1,050 GRADUATES

620 424

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

GRADUATE DEGREES AND PROFESSIONAL

To view a rebroadcast of the 135th Commencement Exercises, visit www.nccu.edu/live.

Photos by Chioke Brown '12, Vernon Samuel '14

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 21

student life

134 TH COMMENCEMENT

DECEMBER GRADS SWELL RANKS OF EAGLE ALUMNI CLASS OF 2019 DECEMBER GRADUATES participated enthusiastically and in person for

To view a rebroadcast of the 134th Commencement Exercises, visit www.nccu.edu/live.

the 134th university commencement held on December 13, 2019, in McDougald-McLendon Arena. The 763 graduates made up one of NCCUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest December graduation cohorts, and the ceremonies were divided for the first time, with the graduate and professional degrees awarded in the morning, followed by undergraduates in the afternoon. Ruth E. Carter, academy-award winning costume designer, served as the guest speaker.

714 GRADUATES

489 225

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

GRADUATE DEGREES AND PROFESSIONAL

22 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter spoke to graduates as they received their degrees in December.

Photos by Chioke Brown '12, Vernon Samuel '14

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 23

student life

STUDENTS ADVANCE IN DUAL-DEGREE PROGRAM FOR PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING

TWO NCCU PHYSICS MAJORS became the first to transfer to North Carolina

State University in fall 2020 through a program that gives NCCU students the opportunity to graduate with two coveted credentials: physics and engineering. Pryor Gibson and Maya Clinton entered the challenging dualdegree program as freshmen, delivering strong academic performances that enabled them to transfer into the College of Engineering at N.C. State as juniors. Gibson is studying electrical engineering and Clinton mechanical engineering. Upon graduation, the double-STEM “Our 3 + 2 program in physics majors will be prepared to conduct and engineering allows students research in areas such as medicine, to transfer forward the physics biotechnology and manufacturand general education courses ing. According to glassdoor.com, they earned here to N.C. State,” said the average salary for an engineerphysics professor Caesar Jackson, ing physicist in the United States Ph.D. “When they complete those is $95,000, with starting salaries at courses, they will transfer back and about half that. receive both degrees from NCCU.” Gibson, of Wadesboro, completed several college courses during high school and was able to complete the physics component of the degree in two years at NCCU. Clinton, from Durham, entered NCCU as a freshman three years ago and started taking engineering courses at N.C. State in August. Three more students are in the pipeline to complete their first three years in 2021, said Tanina Bradley, Ph.D., advisor for the 3 + 2 program at NCCU. “My experience at Central was the best, and I feel really prepared to start engineering,” said Clinton, who is at N.C. State. The Duke Energy Foundation has been a partner with NCCU since the dual physics/engineering degree Pryor Gibson and Maya Clinton present their research findings at a symposium. program began. Support from the The two are studying engineering at N.C. State University this fall. foundation’s Powerful Communities program has helped NCCU recruit more students into its physics program, which now has nearly 40 majors, Jackson said.

BY RENEE ELDER

24 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

First Cheatham-White Scholar Graduates in Just Two Years

SIX NCCU STUDENTS

Y THE TIME POLITICAL

science major Joshualan Parrish arrived on the campus of North Carolina Central University in fall 2018, as part of the class of 2023, she had 50 academic credits under her belt and an invitation to join the coveted Cheatham-White Merit Scholarship program, which would set her on a trajectory to earning her undergraduate degree within two short years. “Attending Eagle Scholars Day was the defining moment for me in selecting NCCU for my undergraduate career. Everyone was so welcoming.” said Parrish. “I was looking for a family-oriented university that would be invested in my success. I found that at NCCU.” As part of the inaugural class of Cheatham-White Scholars, a fully-funded merit-based scholarship program created in 2017 by the N.C. General Assembly for firsttime freshman at N.C. A&T State University and NCCU, Parrish continued to receive the family atmosphere that she yearned for as well as once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. “Being a part of the Cheatham-White Scholar family has been a dream come true,” Parrish added. “The program as well as my stellar professors have helped me develop the leadership skills and confidence needed to succeed in any atmosphere. I was always encouraged to dream big, and my needs and wants were always supported.” As a Cheatham-White Scholar she traveled Budapest, Hungary, and many conferences.

TECH MAJORS ATTEND CONFERENCE

On campus she joined the Student Judicial Board, Queen and You, NCCU NAACP Chapter, Spanish Club, University Honors Program, Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society and Democracy Matters, where she served as president. A Greensboro, N.C., native, Parrish, 20, attended the STEM Early College High School on the campus of N.C. A&T State University, where she attributed a political science class in helping her focus more on her lifetime goal of becoming a lawyer. “I’ve always wanted to become a lawyer and my high school political science class taught me how to analyze and apply key learnings from real-world issues to daily life, a skill I believe a successful lawyer would need,” Parrish said. After being admitted to six law schools, Parrish chose to enter Wake Forest University in fall 2020 with dreams of becoming a civil rights or business law attorney.

BY QUIANA SHEPARD

 For more information on the Cheatham-White Merit program, visit nccu.edu.

were selected as Grace Hopper Scholars to attend the world’s largest conference for women in computing and other technical fields. The Grace Hopper Celebration is named for the first female Ph.D. in computer science. Although this year’s Celebration was virtual, the students were excited about the opportunity to network with other students and meet potential employers. Only 13% of technical degrees are earned by women. Joining the September 2020 meeting were Library and Information Science tudents Rebecca Moss, Latasha Reid-Daniels and Tiffany Crawford Computer Science and Business majors Dorissa Lewis, T-Keyah Fleming and Meliana Robinson. SLIS Professor Siobhan Grady also attended.

ONLY 13% OF TECHNICAL DEGREES ARE EARNED BY WOMEN

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 25

c u lt u r a l

Arts

Enterprise

SULAIMAN MAUSI ARRIVED AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY

in 1991 from Detroit, Michigan, carrying with him a legacy of leadership and history of entrepreneurship that was rooted deep in his spirit. ¶ His grandfather, Nathan Garrett Sr., was the first Black certified public accountant practicing in North Carolina. His great-grandfather was a pharmacist and lived until he was 104 years old. Mausi is a sixth-generation entrepreneur.

“I often came down to North Carolina from Detroit to visit,” he recalled. His mother later sent him to NCCU, where he majored in history. “Coming here, there was a different energy, mindset and way of life. I came from inner city Detroit and arrived on campus seeing young people who were focused on learning. The weather was nice, and Durham’s location was central, making it easy to visit Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Hampton and Myrtle Beach.” Mausi lived with his grandparents on Cecil Street his freshman year. “My grandmother, in particular, helped guide me my first year there,” he said. “I enjoyed history and thought about going to law school, as my grandparents were graduates of NCCU School of Law.” He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1997 before returning to Detroit.

THE ART OF COOL

①



LIFE AFTER NCCU: HISTORY’S CONTEMPORARY CONTEXT “My mom worked under then-mayor Coleman Young, the first African American mayor of the city,” he said. Shahida Mausi produced plays and special events for the city and later started The Right Productions Inc., with Mausi assisting behind the scenes. He also produced marketing assets for the Detroit Historical Society, and in

②

① Sulaiman Mausi built a successful entertainment company in Detroit, working with top acts such as Mary J. Blige, above right. ② His company's management of The Art of Cool festival in Durham was acknowledged on stage by N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper.

2002-2003 came up with an idea for an exhibit that brought his history degree to life. “I developed a concept for an exhibit on techno music, called ‘Techno: Detroit’s Gift to the World,’ that premiered in 2003. The musical genre was birthed in Detroit, and I was given the opportunity to tell how it started and curate the traveling exhibit. Essentially, I was creating living, breathing history. I understood and appreciated that you have to carefully tell stories and preserve oral history.” Mausi further expanded his interest in entertainment and music through the Detroit Music Festival by driving artists and arranging transportation. “I figured: ‘If I can do this for you, I can do it for myself,’ and I’ve been an entrepreneur ever since.”

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 27

A FA M I LY A F FA I R Mausi started the Dome Group, LLC, with his wife, Lesleigh, a former teacher and secondary school administrator, in 2009. —— (Pictured left to right) Grandparents Wanda and Nathan Garrett, Sr. wife Lesleigh Mausi, son Ahmad, Sulaiman Mausi and son Sulaiman Jr. (not pictured, son Nasir) Inset: Mausi celebrating his graduation day with his great grandfather, Dr. York D. Garrett.

He quit his job at the Detroit Historical Museum and started arranging bookings for MGM Grand Detroit casino, which led to additional opportunities. “I won a contract with Chene Park Amphitheatre, now Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, in Detroit in 2004 and decided to build, grow and learn from that. His mother, still working in Detroit, is the only African American female majority owner and manager of an amphitheater or entertainment complex in the country. In 2009, Mausi started The DOME Group LLC with his wife, Lesleigh, a former teacher and secondary school administrator.

THE BULL CITY RETURN Mausi and his wife relocated to the Triangle area in 2008, the same year that the Durham Performing Arts Center, or DPAC, opened in downtown Durham. “They needed someone in the urban space to book artists, and I had the relationships,” he said. “We booked award-winning

28 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

headliners, including Mary J. Blige, Big Sean, H.E.R. and others.” The DOME Group picked up additional talent and clients, including the City of Durham, City of Raleigh, Durham’s Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival, and annual homecomings for NCCU, Winston-Salem State University and Shaw University, while continuing to also host operations in Detroit. His experience taught him how to build a successful business. “In the entertainment business, you have to put your personal feelings aside,” he said. “Yes, you can be a fan, but provide the artist’s team with a competitive budget and stay within it.” In reflecting on his biggest success thus far, Mausi replied: “It’s been the ability to employ people. That really means a lot to my family and to how we build our business. It’s also about helping other companies build and grow, as well. I don’t think people always realize the economics of how partnering with other minority-owned lighting, insurance, marketing and transportation companies is so important..” He also spoke about his failures: “Every concert isn’t a success. You have to just make sure you win more than you lose and learn from your previous mistakes.”

GIVING BACK TO NCCU

The Mausis have established an endowed scholarship with the university, the Mausi Endowment for Music and Arts Endowed Scholarships. “I got so much out of NCCU,” he said. “It is invaluable for us to be able to reach out and teach other young people what we learned. I want to pour into others and ensure NCCU is thriving for another 100 years. I believe future Eagles should get the same high-quality education that I was able to get when I was here.” He also provides opportunities for future entrepreneurs. “If the phone rings, I try my best to answer it. I try to accept any opportunity to speak to and encourage students. Many of the perceptions of Black men in the community aren’t true, and it is an honor and a privilege to give back.” In March 2018, Sulaiman and Lesleigh Mausi acquired The Art of Cool Festival, a Durham nonprofit established in 2014 by Cicely Mitchell, a music-loving biostatistician, and Al Strong, an instructor in the NCCU Jazz Studies Department. The annual festival’s economic impact is approximately $3 million.

I got so much out of NCCU. It is invaluable for us to be able to reach out and teach other young people what we learned. — Sulaiman Mausi

“The festival puts the city, region and state on a national stage,” Mausi said. “It’s a huge undertaking for us, but we consider it a privilege and are up for the challenge. People go to the Essence Festival in New Orleans, so why can’t they come to Durham?” The 2019 festival featured Run DMC, Jill Scott, Big Daddy Kane, Ari Lennox and 9th Wonder.

COVID-19 PIVOTS COVID-19 changed every industry, including The DOME Group’s businesses. “Nothing will replace live music and The DOME Group LLC will be back stronger than ever. We have been doing smaller, virtual events in Detroit, but safety is always our first priority.” The Mausis also have new ventures underway. “Our main pivot has been to start a logistics business, ATAP Logistics LLC, and we have a contract with Amazon,” he said. There are elements of continuity in the new business, Lesleigh Mausi said. “We are employing the same people who are trusted in the community and have worked with us at concerts and festivals over the years,” she said. And they have penned a book, The Power of Us, on couples who thrive both in marriage and business, scheduled for release in late 2020.

BY AYANA HERNANDEZ

 The Mausi family (left to right): Sundiata, Sulaiman, Shahida (mother), Dorian and Malik, (not pictured) brother Rashid Mausi

Mausi has connections all across the entertainment, arts and culture landscape.

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 29

c u lt u r a l

Arts A CLASS ACT

A R T I T H E AT R E I M U S I C _____________________________________

Class of 2020 drama major Antwan Hawkins Jr. made inroads on Broadway even before graduation. Hawkins’ play, #SirienHathaway, was submitted to the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, where it earned a certificate of civil engagement for its subject matter in early 2020. While in New York, he became a finalist for the Open Jar Intensive, a competition based on singing, dancing and acting.

NOW THROUGH OCT. 31 "FAITH" Virtual Fall Exhibition

by artist, Kimberley Pierce Cartwright

NCCU Art Museum The virtual gallery can be seen at www.nccu.edu/nccu-art-museum

Hawkins, an honor student, played the role of Curtis in the Department of Theatre and Dance production of Dreamgirls in January 2020.

Alumnus Shawn Ethridge '93, was selected as one of 56 artists to showcase their work at the The Durham Art Guild 66th Annual Juried Exhibition Sept-Oct. 10, 2020. His artwork “YOUNG KINGS” (pictured above) was included.

Antwan Hawkins Jr.

ART GRADUATES SHOW WORK Paintings by Telvin Wallace, ’19, and Clarence Heyward, ’19, were showcased in summer 2020 at the Block Gallery in the Raleigh Municipal Building. Wallace and Hawyward were two of three artists selected for the exhibit “Breathe: Life After Death,” which looked at American life during the coronavirus pandemic, worldwide protests for racial equality and the consequences of social distancing. Wallace also mounted a monthlong show, Care for Me, at the Durham Arts Council that ended in February 2020. SHARE YOUR NEWS Are you a member of the NCCU Eagle family (alumni, faculty, staff or student) and have upcoming cultural arts news you would like to share? Submit by emailing to now@nccu.edu. Photos must be digital and 300 dpi or higher. 30 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

R E V. D R. W I L L I A M J. BA R B E R I I:

ON A MISSION TO SERVE Christian social activist

cites words of his father and of NCCUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founder

PHOTO BY PILAR TIMPANE

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 31

WILLIAM J. BARBER II WAS ONLY 5

when his family moved from urban Indianapolis to rural Eastern North Carolina in 1968 with a goal of helping desegregate public schools. His father, William J. Barber Sr., was an ordained Disciples of Christ clergy member who taught science in Washington County, N.C., while his mother, an office worker, “integrated the secretarial pool,” her son, 57 recalled. His journey from teenager in a small southern town to one of the nation’s most prominent moral voices accelerated with his arrival as a freshman on the campus of North Carolina Central University in 1981.

Photo by Juli Leonard @ NewsandObserver

32 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

“I first met him in a stairwell at Chidley Hall,” recalled Rodney Sessoms, M.D., who now has a medical practice in Clinton, N.C., but was a sophomore when Billy Barber, as he then was called, arrived for his freshman year. Both being from Eastern North Carolina – Sessoms from Ahoskie and Barber from Roper – they easily struck up a friendship. Attending NCCU together helped create a lifelong bond. “The atmosphere at NCCU set the expectation for us that we would not be mediocre, we would do great things in our communities, the state and beyond,” Sessoms said. Even among high-achieving Eagles, however, Barber stood out. “Without a doubt he had leadership qualities,” Sessoms said. “People listened to him and gave credence to his ideas and words.” Along with intelligence and composure, young Barber had something else: compassion. “People could relate to him. Today, he is still down-to-earth, despite his notoriety,” said Sessoms, who has served as Barber’s personal physician for many years. “He is someone who lifts up others as he rises.” As a teenager, Barber was a junior official in a local NAACP chapter and president of his Washington County High School senior class – the first African American student to serve Barber served as campus field representative for the a whole year as president, rather than splitting Rev. Jesse Jackson presidential campaign, ushering the post with a white candidate. This tendency noteworthy visitors to NCCU. During this period, he toward leadership would blossom at NCCU. also met his future wife, Rebecca McLean, a Jackson “At Central, we were taught excellence supporter and Eagle freshman at the time and now a without excuse. We had to determine what psychiatric nurse. difference we were going to make in the world, “I always appreciated my peers at North Caroliin spite of any difficulties,” Barber said. na Central University,” Barber said. “I took my role Sessoms recalls helping Barber organize as their representative very seriously and saw getting a Martin Luther King Jr. march and program elected on campus as a harbinger of my future. Student on campus and participating in several of voices were important in the campus community.” his friend’s social justice activities, such as One constant for young Barber throughout his protesting tuition policy changes that were time on campus was a determination not to enter threatening to squeeze some students out of the ministry. Having been privy to controversies in the institution. “We had nearly 2,000 people his father’s congregations, where more socially out in front of the administration building conservative members sometimes bristled at the that day,” Barber said of the demonstration elder Barber’s focus on economic and racial justice, that ultimately led to the policy’s reversal. he said he intended to avoid “organized religion.” In another instance, he led students in a A public administration major with a class schedcampaign for better voting access. ule also full of history and political science courses, “Our class was the group that fought so Barber began considering law school. hard to get the voting precinct opened up on Yet he couldn’t quite shake the words his father campus,” Barber explained. said just before his freshman year at NCCU. The elder

IN 1984,

Barber, by this time in poor health, pressed his son to look at opportunities as gifts from God not to be wasted: “Your life should be used in service to God and in service to humanity.”



As a young Eagle, Barber’s approach to student leadership set him apart, according to friends.

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 33

Your life should be used in service to God and in service to humanity.” — Rev. William J. Barber Sr., father of the Rev. William Barber II

①

Three years later, in his Chidley Hall dorm room, Aligning himself with needs of the disadvantaged has been Barber replayed those words and underwent what he calls a constant in Barber’s life. In 2006, he organized the Historic “an epiphany.” “I called my father and tried to explain it,” he Thousands on Jones Coalition to advocate before the N.C. said. “I was in tears. He said, ‘Come home.’” General Assembly on issues of fairness and equality in wages, The pair spent the following few housing, voting rights, criminal justice days driving around Eastern North and other areas. Carolina engaged in a series of conHis work grabbed the national spotlight in 2013, as he led in a series of versations that changed the younger marches drawing thousands to downBarber’s trajectory. town Raleigh. These Moral Monday “We drove 200-300 miles talking protests spread to other states, as well, about life and ministry,” he said. and led to the Forward Together MoveOn returning to campus, Barber ment. In 2016, he was a featured speaker preached his first “trial” sermon at the Democratic National Convention. – one of the final activities of his More recently, Barber created junior year. Repairers of the Breach, based in After graduating from NCCU Goldsboro, to maintain pressure on in 1985, Barber attended Duke lawmakers to end systemic racism, University for a Master of Divinity Meanwhile, William and Rebecca mass incarceration, mistreatment of degree. He also earned a doctorate Barber raised five children, three of whom indigenous people, police violence and in public policy and pastoral care also attended NCCU. Middle daughter other social ills. His most recent book, from Drake University. A few years Rebekah Barber graduated in 2016 and is “We Are Called to Be a Movement,” later, he returned to North Caronow enrolled as a graduate student in pubwas published in June 2020 by lina as campus minister at NCCU, lic policy at Duke University. Workman Publishing. serving only a year before being While at NCCU, Rebekah was active in The Goldsboro minister also has appointed in 1993 by then-N. C. campus social justice issues, even leading received several prestigious awards, Governor Jim Hunt as executive a march to the polling place on campus including the Franklin D. Roosevelt director of the statewide Human that her father helped establish while he Four Freedoms Award, the 2018 Relations Commission. was a student. MacArthur Foundation genius grant, That same year, the young pastor “One thing that our parents told all of and the 2019 North Carolina Award, also began ministering to a congreus when we were going off to college is that the state’s highest civilian honor. gation in Goldsboro, the congrewe should use our degrees as tools to get Barber has accomplished all this gation he still serves at Greenleaf in the door and then work to help other despite struggling with severe arthriChristian Church (Disciples of people or build a better world,” Rebekah tis that can make walking difficult and Christ). Subsequently, from 2006 Barber said. “It’s the same thing my dad often painful. Yet he still participates in to 2017, he led the North Carolina was taught when he was younger. And it’s marches and stands for long periods of chapter of the NAACP and was chair still so important — especially now, in the time giving speeches. of its political action committee. He times we are living in.” remains a national board member for the organization.

34 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

“I have my own disability and my struggles,” Barber conceded. “But I can walk. I can march, when necessary. I think it helps people when I talk about and own it. I’m not trying to hide my struggles.” Surprisingly, perhaps, he is often without pain when standing at the pulpit, preaching about Christ’s love and the need for trust and support, not hate and division. “We are not the rugged individualists we claim to be; we need each other,” he said. “There’s just not a lot of time for foolishness and division. We must find a way to serve the causes of justice, goodness, righteousness and truth.”

③

BY RENEE ELDER

④

⑤

⑥

Opposite page, top to bottom: ① The Rev. William J. Barber Sr. was an inspiration to his son. ② Moral Mondays created a platform for North Carolinans to speak out against injustice. This page from top, clockwise: ③ Repairers of the Breach spread the cause nationwide. ④ Rev. Barber was a longtime friend of the late Congressman John Lewis. ⑤ The Most Rev. Michael Curry, presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church, met with Barber. ⑥ As his national profile grows, Barber has become a sought-after guest on talk shows and at speaking engagements nationally and internationally.

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 35

FROM A

Modern, diverse campus grows from one man’s vision Founded in 1910, the NCCU community is honoring the university’s 110-year history by reflecting on significant milestones. The winter 2020 edition of NCCU Now examined the first 35 years. Here, we take a look at the period between 1947 and 1977, a growth period for the campus and its educational impact on North Carolina.

TO NEW HORIZONS



1947 I The North Carolina state legislature

BY ANDRE D. VANN ’93, ’95



changed the name from to North Carolina College at Durham and honored the legacy of NCC President James E. Shepard, who died on Oct. 6, 1947.

1947 Alfonso Elder

I Alfonso Elder assumed the presidency of North Carolina College at Durham. From the late 1940s to the 1960s, Elder expanded the influence of the college, both regionally and nationally.



1948 I NCC’s First Founder’s Day

 1948

honoring Shepard took place Nov. 3 with Mordecai Johnson, president of Howard University, as guest speaker.

36 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

1 9 4 9 I Between 1944 and1949, American tenor

Roland Hayes and contralto Marian Anderson, both performed on campus.

1949

Marian Anderson

I The James E. Shepard Memorial Library was dedicated on Nov. 3.

 1 9 5 1

View a video celebrating the 110th Anniversary of North Carolina Central University.

Walter Brown / Minnie Forte



1952

The college was authorized to award the Ph.D. degree in education. Over 11 years, before the program was terminated, five students received doctorates, including Walter Brown, former dean of the NCCU School of Education, and Minnie Forte, professor of elementary education at NCCU, St. Augustine (Raleigh) and Fayetteville State University.

1954  1954

I The “Court Eagles”

won the CIAA Basketball Championship, defeating Virginia Union 62-58. The team ended the season with a 23-5 record!

I North Carolina College became full member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

 1 9 5 7

I The 10th annual

Founder’s Day featured an address by Benjamin E. Mays, president of Morehouse College, and dedication of the James E. Shepard statue.

1960

Benjamin E. Mays

Sam Jones



1957

Sam Jones was drafted by the Boston Celtics. He later became a member of the NBA Hall of Fame and NCCU’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

 1 9 6 0 I On Feb. 8, NCC

students staged a sit-in Woolworth’s store in Durham led by Lacy Streeter and members of the NCC Chapter of the NAACP. Other stores picketed included S. H. Kress and Walgreen's.

Lacy Streeter

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 37

Helen G. Edmonds

1963

 1 9 6 4 I Helen G. Edmonds

of the History Department became the first African American woman in the U.S. to hold the position of dean of an Arts and Sciences graduate school. She was also the college’s first Distinguished Professor of History.

 1 9 6 6 I Albert N. Whiting,

Ph.D. was named the fourth and last president of North Carolina College at Durham.

1966

Samuel P. Massie

 1963

I Alfonso Elder officially

retired, and Samuel P. Massie was elected to serve as the college’s third president. He resigned on February 1, 1966.

1964  1964

I The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 1 9 6 7 I NCC alumnae Ida

delivered an address titled “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution” on campus to a capacity crowd of 5,000, including NCC students who had been on the frontline of the civil rights movement. Owens

 1 9 6 7

38 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

Albert N. Whiting, Ph.D.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Stephens Owens, ’61, became the first African American woman to receive a Ph.D. from Duke University and the first woman to graduate from Duke’s Biochemistry and Physiology program.

I The Class of 1967 was the last to receive

the customary Bible at graduation, as had been a tradition since the founding of the school.

1969



1 9 7 2 I North Carolina Central

University became a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System.

 1969 I N.C. state

legislature changed the name to North Carolina Central University.

 (Pictured) Chancellor Albert N. Whiting and William C. Friday (left), UNC System president 1956-1986

1972 Shirley Anita Chisholm

 1969

I An honorary doctorate

was presented to Congresswoman Shirley Anita Chisholm of New York, one year after Chisolm became the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress.

1970  1 9 7 0

I LeRoy T. Walker, Ph.D.,

track coach at NCCU, was named head coach for the USA Olympic Track Team.



I On July 28, the NCCU Alumni Association filed articles of incorporation signed by H. M. Michaux Jr., B. T. McMillon and Robert L. McAdams.

 1969

LeRoy T. WAlker

1 9 7 2 I H. M. “Mickey”

Michaux Jr., became the first African American elected to serve in the N.C. General Assembly representing Durham and only the third of the Twentieth Century.

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 39

Charles H. Gilchrist



1972 I The School of



Business was established as the fifth school at the university.



1 9 7 6 I The Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. addressed Founder’s Day Convocation that also featured a tribute entitled “In Memoriam to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” The tribute was arranged by Charles H. Gilchrist and narrated by Phillip J. Simmons.

1974- 1 9 7 5 I

The James E. Shepard Memorial Library was expanded.

1974- 1 9 7 5 I

A 3,293-square-foot Chancellor’s Residence was built in the Emorywoods community.

1975

President Gerald Ford and Chancellor Albert Whiting, Ph.D.



1975 I President Gerald Ford

was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws at the 50th Anniversary Convocation. 

1975 I NCCU establishes North

Carolina Central University Hall of Fame and inducts Dr. James E. and Annie Day Shepard on the 100th anniversary of Dr. Shepard's birth.

40 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

Ernie Barnes

The Bathing Girl by William Arthur Cooper



1 9 7 6 I The artwork of

William Arthur Cooper, class of 1914 and Ernie Barnes ’60 were featured at the opening of the NCCU Art Museum’s first exhibition. 

1 9 7 6 I The First Nation-

al Convention of the NCCU Alumni Association took place in Durham on May 20-22.

1979 

1 9 7 9 I Members of the

first four-year class, which graduated in 1929, were honored on Founder’s Day.

c e l e b r a t i n g 110

View a video of Ms. Maggie P. Bryant's 105th birthday celebration.

ACentury of Experience Oldest Living Alumni Stays Strong for her Alma Mater

AGGIE P. BRYANT, BORN IN 1915 ,

has weathered a few national emergencies, from the Great Depression to 9/11. Âś When the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020, she jumped on board with other Americans to do what she could do to fight it. NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 41

“There were long-livers on both sides of my family. I had an aunt who lived until 102 and a cousin lived to 103. I guess I’ve passed her now.” —Maggie P. Bryant Although now dutifully at home most days, Bryant is far from idle. She has been working diligently on her family genealogy and history, which stretches as far back as 1865, to the estate of N.C. Supreme Court Justice Thomas Ruffin. “I started when I was in my 40s getting my information from elderly relatives, and they gave me as much as they could remember,” she said. Confirmation that she descended from Jesse Ruffin, an enslaved man in Hillsborough, N.C., was a particularly rewarding moment. “It gave me closure on my great-great-grandfather,” she said. Ruffin was a coachman at the judge’s estate and escorted him to Raleigh on Dec. 4, 1865, to ratify the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Among more recent findings was an engraved brick at the coachman’s former home bearing the words “Dec. 5, ’65,” the day the pair likely returned from the historic event. Bryant grew up with her parents and two brothers, a third died in infancy, in Rocky Mount, N.C., but spent summers and holidays with extended family in Durham, where her mother was born. She earned an academic scholarship to attend NCCU and worked between semesters at her dormitory, Annie Day Shepard Hall.

(Above) Maggie P. Bryant, third from the left, front row, is pictured with her graduating class on June 14, 1957. (Right) Maggie P. Bryant, center, seated with other centenarians, Alice Logan ’40 and Edna Mason ’40, at the Society of Golden Eagles luncheon in 2019. Thomas Ruffin photo credit: ©Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

42 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

She earned a double degree, in history and English, and joined the choir. After graduating, she worked as a librarian and taught civics, English and history in Creedmoor, N.C. Bryant also continued her education at NCCU, earning a degree in library science in 1943 and a master’s degree in 1957. In the 1960s, she moved to Kannapolis to accept a job as a full-time librarian at George Washington Carver High School, where she felt the impact of school desegregation. But the memory is not unpleasant. “We did well with integration of schools in Kannapolis. The community was very supportive.” She retired from that job in 1982 and moved back to Durham, where members of her family and many friends still reside, though most not in their original homes. Many Black families, including Bryant’s relatives, had to move out of the historically African American Hayti neighborhood to make way for construction of the Durham Freeway in the early 1970s. “That was the area I grew up in, and that highway really made a change,” she said. “We had to move from that area. But we are still near NCCU.” In 1988, Bryant helped organize a reunion for her 1938 graduating class, which became the first class inducted into the Society of Golden Eagles on Founder’s Day that year. She is amazed how much Durham and NCCU have expanded through the years. “I’ve seen a lot of progress made,” she said. “The area is growing and getting larger by the day.” As far as how to manage to live past 100, Bryant would first advise inheriting good genes. “There were long-livers on both sides of my family. I had an aunt who lived until 102 and a cousin lived to 103. I guess I’ve passed her now.” She also recommends keeping an active schedule. “Stay active, don’t ever stop, just stay busy,” Bryant said.

T E L L U S YO U R S T O RY à Did you land a new job, receive a promotion or earn a

degree or professional award? These are accomplishments we want to announce. Email now@nccu.edu with a 300 dpi photo and include your graduation year, college and major.

NEWS I EVENTS I IN MEMORIAM

Love

EAGLES IN

Nadia Jefferies, ’14, and Reggie McCrimmon, ’13, were married Aug. 8, 2020, in Wallace, N.C. Photo by VMA Studios

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 43

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

I ‘70, ‘72I Jean Farmer-Butterfield was confirmed, on July 8, 2020, to the North Carolina Employment Security Board of Review by N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper.

I ‘72, ‘77 I Bobbie Richardson, Ph.D., was appointed to serve as chair of the North Carolina Black Caucus Foundation for the 2019-2021 term.

I ‘93 I Rahesha Amon-Harrison was recently promoted to senior executive director for Leadership and Professional Learning in the New York City Department of Education.

I ‘79 I Edward A. Pone was named as the first African American chief district court judge in Cumberland County, N.C. He was nominated and sworn in to the post on Feb. 8, 2020.

I ‘80 I Eugene Lofton Sr., specialist at Biogen, was named as a winner of the 2020 Triangle Business Journal's Leaders in Diversity award.

I ‘81 I Ronald Ramsey, a DeKalb County Georgia State Court judge, has been chosen chair-elect of the American Bar Association’s National Conference of Specialized Court Judges of the Judicial Division.

Photo by McKenna Lea

Director Tabb Given High School Honor NCCU Alumnus Class of 1985 and longtime drama director Wendell Tabb was honored with the renaming of the theater and stage at Hillside High School in Durham. Tabb, who has led Hillside’s award-winning theater program for the past 33 years, is recognized for his leadership, service and dedication to his craft. Tabb shares the theater’s name with the late John H. Gattis, was known for his annual presentation of Mr. G’s Swing School, that began in 1944.

I ‘99 I Adiylah Washington, of Teaneck, N.J., is the founding director of Bergen STEAM, which provides specialized educational programs for schools in New York’s Manhattan borough. 

ALUMNI NAMED TO TASK FORCE BY NC GOVERNOR Annette Taylor ’90 and Cornell Wright ’02 were named to the Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental and Health Equity Task Force by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.

A L U M N I R E L AT I O N S C O N TA C T



Alumni Relations serves to develop, coordinate and foster programs to keep you informed and involved with NCCU. For information, call 919-530-6363, email alumni@nccu.edu or visit nccu.edu/alumni. 44 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

YOUNG ALUMNI BRIEFS

I ’02 I

Kourtney Daniel-Robinson

is the CEO/fashion designer/ marketing consultant/creative force behind the new sports attire line Kourt Sports. Kourtney is a former Miss NCCU and graduated with a degree in business marketing.

I ‘14 I Roland Reaves

was recently promoted to senior brand manager for entertainment content and strategy for Procter & Gamble. In this role, he is responsible for entertainment content, product placement and partnerships for various brands owned by the company.

Photo by Tyler Lyles

HISTORY MADE AT UNC PRESS

I ‘13, ‘18 I Alumnus Andrew Winters has made history after being named the first African American acquisitions associate editor for the University of North Carolina Press. Prior to his appointment, Winters served as an acquisitions editorial assistant. As associate editor, he undertakes acquisition of works that cover U.S. history, with an emphasis on cultural history. His work also includes obtaining books that cover gender, class, race, sexuality, performance and material cultural. NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 45

YOUNG ALUMNI BRIEFS

I ’00 I LaTanya Bowman, a member of NCCU’s Forty Under Forty Class of 2016, participated in the Entrepreneurs and Innovators Summit at the White House on Feb. 27, 2020. I ’01 I Deena Smith, a history major, was named a member of the Forty Under Forty class by Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund. Her award was in the public service category.

PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR

I ’02 I Stormie Forte was appointed to the Raleigh City Council in July 2020, becoming the first Black woman to serve on the council. The Raleigh native represents District D and replaced a previous member who resigned.

I ’01 I Eric Puryear was named 2020-2021 Principal of the Year in the Hickory, N.C., Public School System after completing his first year as principal of the Hickory Career and Arts Magnet High School. Puryear was formerly an assistant principal at Hickory High School. He also worked in Forsyth County as an assistant principal, teacher and head football coach.

STORMIE FORTE

A native of Winston-Salem, Puryear was a starter on the Eagles football team for two years after two years at Hampton University. He spent two seasons in the National Indoor Football League before earning a Master of Education Administration degree from N.C. A&T State University.

TANYA BASS

I ’03 I King Kenny stepped into a new position in April 2020 as director of marketing and communications for Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Conn. Long was previously marketing director at Duke Performances at Duke University. Prior to that, he worked at Lexis Driver creative agency and, in 2010, founded Free Lunch, a healthy foods delivery service in New York City. I ’03 I Ronnie Chalmers was appointed director of strategic initiatives for Undergraduate Admissions at North Carolina State University. Chalmers, an accounting major, held previous roles in the undergraduate admissions department at North Carolina Central University and N.C. State University. I ’03, ’95 I Tanya Bass, an instructor in the Department of Public Health Education, was honored by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists with its 2020 Sexuality Educator Award, which recognizes an individual who has made long-standing contributions or outstanding achievements in sexuality education. I ’14 I Lynn E. Roberts III has been named to the list of leading Black attorneys under 40 in the United States. Roberts serves in a dual role as assistant general counsel and assistant director of Equal Opportunity Programs at the University of Hartford. I ’15 I Ashley Marshall earned her Ph.D. from N.C. A&T State University in April 2020 in leadership studies with a concentration in transformative civic and community engagement. She was a public administration major at NCCU.

SHARE YOUR MILESTONE Share photos of your milestones such as weddings, births, legacy announcements, reunions with classmates or memories from your days on campus for potential publication online, on social media and/or in our magazine. Photos must be digital and 300 dpi or higher and can be submitted by emailing to now@nccu.edu. 46 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

YOUNG ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

History Entices Recent Graduate to Alter Plans EAGLE GRADUATE JOSHUA STRAYHORN, ’19, says his decision to enroll in a doctoral program at Duke University can be traced to an undergraduate history class taught by NCCU professor Tony A. Frazier, Ph.D.

ARRIVING AS A FRESHMAN from New Bern with an exercise sports science major, Strayhorn signed up for Frazier’s course, History of World Societies. “After that, I completely switched my major,” Strayhorn said. “I was interested in history in high school, but in Dr. Frazier’s class I found that I had a talent for it. I enjoy reading and writing about history.” Strayhorn is now in his second year of a special program at Duke, full scholarship included, that will enable him to earn both a master’s and a doctoral degree in about four years. Frazier said he saw a spark of potential in Strayhorn, even as a freshman. “Joshua took my course and fortunately he enjoyed the topics that we covered,” Frazier said. “He really enjoyed the parts where we discussed the African experience in Europe and Britain, and Black people globally.” The professor said Strayhorn is especially talented at historical research, having won attention and compliments at professional conferences for his work, even as an

“Joshua took my course and fortunately he enjoyed the topics that we covered, He really enjoyed the parts where we discussed the African experience in Europe and Britain, and Black people globally.” — Tony A. Frazier, Ph.D. undergraduate. He expressed pride in Strayhorn’s achievements so far and said the two are still in touch. “Once a student shows that type of interest, I try to show them a path they can take that will change their lives,” Frazier said. “There is something to be said for hard work and discipline. It can advance your life and your career.” NCCU’s Department of History has been recognized for the large percentage of history majors who proceed into master’s or doctoral programs after graduation. According to Frazier, a number of students over the past few years have entered programs similar to Strayhorn’s, which provide a seamless path to the Ph.D.

Strayhorn will focus his dissertation on The Great Migration, the movement of 6 million African Americans away from the rural South to urban areas of the Northeast, Midwest and West. “I am really interested in people stories and why some people decided to move,” Strayhorn said. He is already uncovering new material to shed light on the individual stories embedded in the historical migration period and has uncovered a few surprises. “You’d think that a lot of people who left the South and went to the same place would have similar stories. But each one of them had different reasons for leaving.”

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 47

NCCU RECOGNIZES 2020

FORTY UNDER FORTY

NCCU Forty Under Forty Awards celebrates and recognizes outstanding young alumni who are making a significant impact. Chosen by a committee of their peers, the 2020 honorees are all under age 40 and have made contributions to the arts, law, entertainment, healthcare, sciences, U.S. military, education, business, philanthropy and public service. The awards were created to recognize the next generation of NCCU alumni who are making a difference in the world. They represent approximately one-third of the university’s under-40 alumni and a valuable percentage of new NCCU donors. KEVIN ALLEN, ’08 Augusta, Ga. Bachelor of Science, biology Assistant professor, medical director of Child Protection Team, Augusta University SHAREEFAH AL’UQDAH, ’02, ’04, ’10 Washington, D.C. Bachelor of Arts, psychology; Master of Arts, psychology; Ph.D., counseling, psychology Associate professor and director of training for the Counseling Psychology Program, Howard University JUANITA APPLEWHITE, ’02 Durham, N.C. Bachelor of Science, health education Adult gerontology nurse practitioner, Optum UnitedHealth Group ERICKA BLACK, ’07, ’09 Washington, D.C. Bachelor of Arts, sociology; Master of Public Administration Owner of ESB LLC and REALTOR®, Coldwell Banker JONATHAN BOGUES, ’13 Durham, N.C. Juris Doctor Associate attorney, Raleigh, N.C.

48 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

THE HONOREES ARE: MICHAEL A. BROWN, ’06 Charlotte, N.C. Master of Public Administration President and CEO, M3L Global Strategies Group RENEE CLARK BUSH, ’06 Arlington, Va. Bachelor of Science, accounting Director of Annual Giving, University of Virginia Darden School of Business FAITH BYNUM, ’04 Raleigh, N.C. Bachelor of Business Administration CEO and certified public accountant, Faith Bynum, CPA, PC CHRISTAL CARMICHAEL, ’04, ’10 Wake Forest, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, psychology; Master of Arts, clinical psychology Founder and president, ChristalClear Worldwide KINNA CLARK, ’14 Mebane, N.C. Juris Doctor Director of Gift Planning Services, University of North Carolina System

JAMAR CREECH, ’10 Upper Marlboro, Md. Juris Doctor Managing partner, Diversified Law Group, LLC RICHARD DIXON, ’08 Hampton, Va. Bachelor of Science, psychology Assistant professor of psychology, Hampton University ANTHONY DONALDSON, ’07, ’07, ’10 Sewanee, Tenn. Bachelor of Arts, political science; Bachelor of Arts, history; Master of Arts, history Assistant professor, Sewanee: The University of the South JESSICA FAISON-JOHNSON, ’04, ’07, ’18 Durham, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, political science; Master of Public Administration; Master of School Administration Assistant principal, Durham Public Schools LEKESHIA FRANKLIN, ’02, ’02, ‘05 Greensboro, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, psychology; Bachelor of Science, criminal justice; Master of Public Administration Development director, Little Pink Houses of Hope JAMES HARRINGTON, JR., ’03 Waldorf, Md. Bachelor of Arts, political science GSA senior client project manager, United States General Services Administration LANITA HOLSEY, ’05, ’09 San Mateo, Fla. Bachelor of Arts, History; Master of Arts, history Associate vice president of Success and Engagement / Dean of Students, Edward Waters College SHARON JACKSON, ’04 Raleigh, N.C. Bachelor of Science, public health education Public health consultant, Before Tomorrow Inc.



TERRANCE JONES, ’11, ’13 Montgomery, Ala. Bachelor of Arts, sports recreation management; Master of Public Administration; Deputy director of Athletics, Alabama State University KIMBERLY KNIGHT, ’15 Raleigh, N.C. Bachelor of Science, family and consumer science; HIV & syphilis disease intervention specialist, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill QUENTON MARABLE, ’08 Atlanta, Ga. Bachelor of Science, criminal justice Special Agent, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives COURTNEY McCOLLUM,’03 Durham, N.C. Bachelor of Science, psychology Senior community and economic development analyst, City of Durham, N.C. MARCEL McCREA, ’01, ’04 Charlotte, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, political science; Juris Doctor, Attorney ANTHONY MORGAN, ’03 Largo, Md. Bachelor of Science, criminal justice Chief of police, City of Mount Rainier, Md. WILLIAM MOULTRIE, ’14 Durham, N.C. Juris Doctor Associate dean for University College, North Carolina Central University LAQUANA PALMER, ’15 Raleigh, N.C. Master of Public Administration Healthy opportunities program manager, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Secretary, Healthy Opportunities ANDREA PETIFER, ’05, ’13 Durham, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, elementary education; Master of School Administration Assistant principal, Durham Public Schools

S AV E T H E D AT E FORTY UNDER FORTY

AWARDS

Gala FRIDAY

SEPT. 24, 2021 To learn more about our 2020 Honorees visit:

nccu.edu/40-under-40-honorees

DAVID PHELPS, ’13 Creswell, N.C. Juris Doctor The Law Office of D. Cole Phelps; Washington County Government, Plymouth, N.C.; East Carolina University FREDERICK RAVIN, III, ’05, ’07, ’12 Durham, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, finance; Master of Business Administration; Master of Information Science Enterprise business analyst, City of Durham, N.C. NAKESHA SMITH, ’01, ’01 Durham, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, psychology; Bachelor of Science, family and consumer science with child development and family relations Teacher, Durham Public Schools HARVEY SPENCER, JR., ’06 Fort Mill, S.C. Bachelor of Science, biology General dentist and co-owner, A Healthy Smile PA NAIMA STENNETT, ’10, ’13 Plantation, N.C. Bachelor of Science, biology; Master of Science, biology Medical residency, Miami, Fla.

PHILIP TERRY, ’01, ’19 Durham, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, history; Master of Social Work Social worker, Core Essentials LLC MARCUS THOMPSON, ’08 Fairmont, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, history Student success advocate, Public Schools of Robeson County, Lumberton, N.C. ALISON THREADGILL, ’04 Silver Spring, Md. Bachelor of Arts, mass communication Senior manager, talent relations and casting, TVOne AKEEYA UMSTEAD, ’09 Durham, N.C. Bachelor of Business Administration Management; Customer project manager, Insight Global / Cisco Systems SHAWNA UNDERWOOD, ’01, ’07 Washington, D.C. Bachelor of Computer Science and Business; Master of Fine Arts, interior design; Interior designer, United States Copyright Office, The Library of Congress PATRICE WALLER, ’08, ’09 Corona, Calif. Bachelor of Science, mathematics; Master of Education, mathematics education; Assistant/associate professor of mathematics education, California State University Fullerton MISSY WELCH, ’02, ’05 Wake Forest, N.C. Bachelor of Arts, English literature; Juris Doctor; Acting assistant deputy director, NC Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission TIFFANY WHITFIELD, ’11 Fayetteville, N.C. Juris Doctor District court judge, Fayetteville, N.C.

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 49

in memoriam | ’43 | Mary Frances Sharp Murray, 96, Peoria, Ill., Jan. 1, 2020

| ’60 | Arden McKeathen Jones, 80, Fresno, Calif., Oct 24, 2019

| ’61 | Ellis Henderson Smith, 81, Durham, N.C., Feb. 15, 2020

| ’66 | Ida Olivia Leverette Lindsay, 77, Rockville, Md. Dec. 28, 2019

| ’60 | Bruce Howard Mann, 93, Bowie, Md., Dec. 1, 2019

| ’61 | Ida Stephens Owens, Rockville, Md., Feb. 24, 2020

| ’51 | Lettie Wilson Polite, 90, Asheville, N.C., June 18, 2020

| ’60 | James Robert Chambers, 82, Washington, D.C., June 29, 2020

| ’54 | Barabara McDougald Gunter, 86, Durham, N.C., April 22, 2020

| ’63 | Thomasenia Green Cotton, Greensboro, N.C., March 17, 2020

| ’66 | Lillian Scott Gatlin Stokes, 77, Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 24, 2019

| ’60 | Thomas Johnson, Brooklyn, N.Y., Dec. 2, 2019

| ’64 | Estella Moffett White, 86, Wilmington, Del., July 8, 2020

| ’67 | Thomas Elliott, 75, Chesterfield, Va., February 4, 2020

| ’54 | Thelma Melvin Battle, 87, Durham, N.C., Dec. 27, 2019

| ’61 | Annie D. Henderson, South Chesterfield, Va. March 8, 2020

| ’64 | Oscar James “O.J.” Williams, 80, Durham, N.C. Dec. 1, 2019

| ’67 | Byron Linwood Kirkley, 76, Baltimore, Md., April 5, 2020

| ’61 | Doris Fay Brooks, Raleigh, N.C., Aug. 15, 2019

| ’65 | Gassennie Margaret Webb Hodge, 83, Durham, N.C., Feb. 9, 2020

| ’49 | Olivia Battle Thompkins, 92, Winston-Salem, N.C., March 26, 2020

 NCCU NOTABLE

Kenneth William Edmonds,

66, editor-publisher of The Carolina Times, died May 2, 2020. His work carried on the legacy of his grandfather, the newspaper's founder, Louis Austin.

| ’55 | Johnny Wooten, 88, Greenville, N.C., May 30, 2020 | ’56 | Marjorie Woolfork, Orlando, Fla., Dec. 6, 2019 | ’58 | Calvin L. Brown, Charlotte, N.C., March 27, 2020 | ’59 | Samuel Lee Jordan Jr., 82, Durham, N.C., April 7, 2020

| ’61, '69 | Lenwood “Buddy” Davis, 81, Winston-Salem, N.C., May 18, 2020 | ’61, '75 | Barbara Jean Hall Ellis, 80, Durham, N.C., March 26, 2020

| ’65 | Shirley Parker Long, 83, Durham, N.C., Dec. 10, 2019 | ’66 | Christianna (Chris) Brown Link, 76, Raleigh, N.C., March 20, 2020

| ’66 | John Butch Purcell, 64, New York, NY, Jan. 12, 2020

| ’69 | Lena Atkins Lockamy, Raleigh, N.C., April 1, 2020 | ’69 | Virginia (Askew) Jarmond, 72, Raleigh, N.C., July 22, 2020 | ’69 | Samuel Snipes Jr., 72, Durham, N.C,. Jan. 31, 2020 | ’70 | Martha Faye Lewis-Lloyd, 71, Durham, N.C., April 20, 2020

Former Provost, Interim Chancellor Dies in Durham | ’67 | BEVERLY WASHINGTON JONES, PH.D., former provost and vice chancellor of Academic Affairs for NCCU, died July 19, 2020, at age 71. A five-time book author, Jones also was known for fostering literacy and other opportunities for children in Durham. Jones earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at NCCU before earning her doctorate in history at University of North Carolina, the first African American woman to do so. 50 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

She held numerous teaching and administrative positions during her years at NCCU, from professor to interim chancellor for several months in 2007. She served as chair of Durham’s Committee on Racial Understanding and on Durham’s School Board. She was given the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award by the city in 1998. In 2008, Jones was named one of the 25 Most Influential Black Women in Business by The Network Journal.

FOURTH PRESIDENT, FIRST CHANCELLOR DIES AT 102 CHANCELLOR ALBERT NATHANIEL WHITING, PH.D., who led NCCU from 1966 to 1983, died on June 4, 2020, in Columbia, Md. Born in 1917 in Navesink, N.J., Whiting earned his undergraduate degree from Amherst College, master’s from Fisk University and his Ph.D. in sociology from American University. From 1943 to 1946, he was a member of the U.S. Army. Whiting was married to the late Lottie Luck Whiting. He was the father of Dr. Brooke Whiting and Dr. Lila Ammons, whom he adopted. After teaching sociology and serving as dean at other colleges, he was named as the fourth president of North Carolina College at Durham in 1966. During his tenure, the institution became part of the University of North Carolina system, its name was changed to North Carolina Central University, and his own title switched from president to chancellor. Whiting oversaw expansion of academic offerings and enlarged the footprint of campus with several new buildings. He received many university honors before and after retirement. In 1988, he spoke at Founder’s Day. A year later, the Albert N. Whiting Criminal Justice Building was named for him. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity Inc., as well as a founder of the first member boule in North Carolina. Visit nccu.edu/remembering-chancellor-whiting.

| ’70 | Otis Jones, 73, Raleigh, N.C., March 26, 2020 | ’70 | Ronald McCrimmon, 74, Toledo, Ohio, April 12, 2020 | ’71 | Richard Avon Peacock Sr., 69, Durham, N.C., Feb. 20, 2020 | ’72 | Johnsie Hughes Gantt, 69, Sanford, N.C., March 5, 2020 | ’72 | Sylvia D. Robinson, 69, North Wilkesboro, N.C., June 4, 2020 | ’73 | Cassie Elmira LeGrand DeCatur, Durham, N.C., July 18, 2020 | ’73 | Sandra Jones Taylor, 68, Richmond, Va., Jan. 15, 2020 | ’75 | Dwight Pettiford, White Plains, Md., May 3, 2020 | ’75 | Samuel Edmonds, 66, Durham, NC, May 2, 2020 | ’76 | Angela Mitchell Law, 69, Knightdale, N.C., April 8, 2020

| ’77 | Karen L. Miller Puryear, Charlotte, N.C., Dec.14, 2019

| ’82 | Hilburn M. Sparrow, Montclair, N.J., Plainfield, N.J., July 26, 2020

| ’77 | Kevin LeMonn Holt, Lanham, Md., Nov. 20, 2019

| ’83 | Gwendolyn Spain, 58, Powder Springs, Ga., Feb. 2, 2020

| ’78 | Danita Gale Thomas, Durham, N.C., May 6, 2020, | ’78 | Jacqueline Brown Hall, 73, Burlington, N.C., Sept. 26, 2019 | ’79 | Concetta Steed-Boyd, Jamaica, N.Y., April 2020 | ’79 | Valerie Jean Miller-Cox, 62, Durham, N.C., Feb. 16, 2020 | ’79 | Renee Sawyer Lynch, 68, Durham, N.C., June 22, 2020 | ’79 | Valerie Jean Miller-Cox, 62, Durham, N.C., Feb. 16, 2020 | ’80 | Samuel Harold "Sam" Chambers Jr., 62, South Boston, Va., April 17, 2020 | ’81 | Natalie Smith Troy Clayton, Durham, N.C., June 22, 2020 | ’82 | Curtis Tyrone Massey, 60, Washington D.C., May 27, 2020

| ’87 | Jerome A. Commander, 55, Annapolis, Md., Nov. 8, 2019 | ’87 | Stoney Battle, 57, Rocky Mount, N.C., July 22, 2020 | ’89 | Dawn Davis Calhoun, Hunterville, N.C., 52. Jan. 5, 2020 | ’93 | Joseph Willis Bowser, 68, Durham, N.C., Feb. 14, 2020 | ’93 | Millicent Goins Graves, 49, Wilson, N.C., March 22, 2020 | ’97 | Porcha McMillan, 44, Fayetteville, N.C., Feb. 18, 2020 | ’14 | Jasmine Jones, Raleigh, N.C. July 16, 2020 | ’16 | Melissa Ann (Kvale) Kerr, 45, Forest City, Iowa, Feb. 23, 2020 | ’20 | Sylvia Annette Rice, Durham, N.C., Feb. 16, 2020

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 51

in memoriam

Halifax School Leader Mourned

REMEMBERING THE TITANS’ COACH

| ’93, ’12 | TEICHER L. PATTERSON, principal of Enfield Middle STEAM Academy in Halifax County, died July 17, 2020, in Rocky Mount, N.C. Patterson was a 28-year veteran of Halifax Public Schools and had been named Principal of the Year for 2020. He majored in music performance as an Eagle undergraduate and began his career teaching band, choir and drama in Halifax schools. He later returned to NCCU to continue his education, earning a Master of School Administration degree in 2012. Patterson was also a trainer with the North Carolina Teacher Academy. He was a member of the North Carolina Association of Educators, North Carolina Music Educators Association, North Carolina High-step Directors Association and several other professional organizations. He also served as pastor of Shekinah Outreach Ministries in Rocky Mount.

| ’58 | HERMAN T. “IKE” BOONE, 84, a native of Rocky Mount, N.C., and a double Eagle, died Dec. 18, 2019, at his home in Alexandria, Va. Boone was best known for his work as head football coach for the Titans of T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, where the racially divided team came together in 1971 to win the state championship. The incident later became a movie, Remember the Titans, with Denzel Washington playing the role of Boone. Boone was a member of the Alex M. Rivera NCCU Athletics Hall of Fame. The sports media room on campus was named in his — INGRID WICKER McCREE, NCCU Athletics director, said during the sports-media naming ceremony. honor in 2018.

He is a truly inspirational leader and role model for us all.”

NCCU Saddened by Loss of Campus ‘Mom’ | ’44 | LOU DAVIS SUITT BARNES, 92, a longtime employee of NCCU and a comforting presence for thousands of students, died on Dec. 13, 2019, in Durham. Barnes graduated from NCCU in 1944 after serving as an undergraduate assistant to Annie Day Shepard, wife of the university founder, escorting many eminent visitors to campus. She taught in Durham Public Schools before marrying Joseph A. Barnes, with whom she had four childen. In 1966, she came back to the Eagle campus as program director for the student union, offering advice and assisting countless young Eagles as they learned to fly. Barnes received NCCU's Distinguished Alumna award in 2014. Visit nccu.edu/give to donate to the Lou Suitt Barnes Endowed Scholarship, and go to nccu.edu/remembering-lou-suitt-barnes to share a tribute.

52 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INC.

NEWS & EVENTS

For news, events, information and/or to join a local alumni chapter, visit nccualumni.org or email info@nccualumni.org or call 919-530-5222.

NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INC. 2020 ELECTED OFFICERS My name is Tomeika Bowden, ’00, and I am excited to serve as the President of the NCCU Alumni Association for the next two years. I stand on the shoulders of a line of very dedicated alumni presidents that live the Eagle Promise. I’m excited to work beside Vice President Kian Brown ’06, Treasurer Chevella Thomas ’82, Secretary Leslie Pittman-Thomas ’98, the four regional vice presidents and all the chapter leaders, each of whom brings distinct gifts to our organization. Together, we can create more opportunities to engage with and support NCCU and local communities throughout the country.

n c c u n at i o n a l a l u m n i a s s o c i at i o n

MEETING SCHEDULE OCT. 27, 2020 Council Meeting I Virtual I Noon ET Bowden

Brown

JAN. 23, 2021

Council Meeting I Virtual I Noon ET

JULY 17, 2021 Annual Meeting/Alumni Weekend Hybrid I Noon ET

îFor more information, visit nccualumni.org. Pittman-Thomas

Thomas

Alumni Day of Service Members of the Community Service Committee and alumni volunteers of the North Carolina Central University Alumni Association Inc.made check presentations to four community partners following the association’s 10th annual Day of Service, which this year took place virtually on July 17, 2020. Agencies receiving checks were the Boys and Girls Club of Durham and Orange Counties; Habitat for Humanity, Durham; Housing for New Hope; and NCCU’s Community Engagement and Service program.

(Pictured above) A delivery of chef-prepared meals to the frontline heroes who work for the Lincoln Community Health Center.

NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 53

Giving

university advancement

DONORS RAISE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS TO CELEBRATE LOVE FOR AKA, NCCU

HEN MEMBERS OF THE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INC. decided in 2017 to create a scholarship endowment fund at North Carolina Central University, the initial fundraising requirement of $25,000 seemed a vast sum. In a short time, however, the group exceeded that goal and set a new, bigger one – $100,000 – with plans to announce the achievement at Homecoming 2020. Again, the sorority members exceeded expectations, said Tania B. Davis, ’94, co-chair with Vicki Hussey, ’92, of the NCCU AKA Scholarship Committee. “We gave ourselves five years to raise $100,000, but it only took three,” Davis said. “We raised the largest chunk the first year, and it has been harder with the economic downturn. The last few months were a challenge.” However, a social media push early in the summer put the goal within reach. “We were putting messages out on a frequent basis to remind our members,” Davis added.

NCCU Advancement Services Director of Annual Giving Kara Endsley celebrated with the group when the good news arrived in mid-July. “The members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. have worked hard and stayed focused on their fundraising efforts to leave a legacy at NCCU,” Endsley said. “We are excited this scholarship will be available for deserving students.” Co-chair Hussey said raising funds for scholarships was a way of celebrating love for both Alpha Kappa Alpha and NCCU. “Establishing an endowment is a very important investment to benefit students who want to excel academically, compete globally, take advantage of internships and, more importantly, become gainfully employed upon graduation,” she said.

 Pictured above: Initiates of the Alpha Chi chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. gathered in 2017 to celebrate the 85th anniversity of the NCCU chapter.

54 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

“The NCCU AKA Endowed Scholarship Committee wants to thank the many Sorors and supporters for their generous donations.” Despite Homecoming 2020 now being planned as a virtual experience, enthusiasm and support for NCCU have not diminished. “We want to stress that anyone celebrating a class reunion this year at Homecoming can donate to the NCCU AKA scholarship fund and still get credit toward their class goal,” Davis said. In addition to Davis and Hussey, members of the NCCU AKA Scholarship Committee are Lauretta

Holloway ’74, Donna Bellamy ’89, Bonnye Anthony ’89, Sonya Laws ’89, Gina Dean ’90, Michelle White ’90 and Kristi Marshall ’06.

TANIA B. DAVIS

VICKI HUSSEY

Couple’s Gift Names Dean’s Office for Former Professor NCCU SCHO OL OF BUSINESS

alumnus Cornell Slade ’75 and his wife, alumna Bess Slade ’75, of Wilmington, N.C., made a $100,000 gift to the School of Business in honor of retired faculty member Randal M. Rogers .  The gift calls for the dean’s office in the new School of Business to be named in Rogers’ honor. Cornell Slade is a member of the School of Business Board of Visitors and NCCU Foundation Board. He and his wife, a sociology major, have been generous contributors as well as active volunteers supporting the growth and develop of programs at NCCU. The Slades recall their former professor as a “respected instructor.” “He was — cornell and bess slade a presence on campus,” Cornell Slade explained. “I recall seeing him walk around interacting with students. He was a good person just to talk to,

He (Randal M. Rogers) was a good person just to talk to, even in an informal setting.”

even in an informal setting. He showed us how to be successful yet approachable.’‘ The couple’s contribution ensures that the business school will have additional resources as it becomes a state-of-the-art institution. “We need to have students leave our campus confident that they can compete with the best,” Cornell Slade said. “They must be willing to venture out to seek new opportunities, and learn how and be willing to move mountains.” The Slades have achieved success as former owners of Best Egg, supplier of the egg products served in McDonald’s restaurants. Cornell Slade is also a partner in 5B Capital Group LLC. Rogers is a triple Eagle, having received a bachelor’s degree in commerce in 1962, a master’s in business administration in 1968, and a law degree in 1972. He lives in Durham with his wife Gracie, NCCU Class of 1967. “I always want to have an impact, not make an impression,” Cornell Slade said. “I want future students to go into the world with a desire to cause change. I want them to challenge the status quo. I don’t really care if they know who I am. But I want them to build confidence in themselves and pride in their educational heritage.” NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 55

at h l e t i c s

TENNIS C ACH HELPS PLAYERS BUILD STRENGTH FOR LIFE TENNIS CHAMPIONS ARE KNOWN for their mental and physical stamina. For many NCCU men’s tennis athletes, the stamina developed under Coach D. Curtis Lawson has had a profound impact on their academic and professional lives. Large numbers of former tennis team members have gone on to study medicine, law, higher education, athletics, business and many more advanced fields. Among those is Dillon Strepay , who joined the team as a walk-on in 2016 and spent the next three years as a varsity player. “Being a student-athlete was one of the best and most formative experiences of my life, and I received second-to-none mentorship from Coach Lawson,” said Strepay, a 2018 graduate who is now a second-year medical student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lawson is a true Eagle, earning an undergraduate degree in 1987 and a master’s in 1994. He played tennis as an undergraduate and returned for three separate staff coaching appointments, the latest of which started in 2006. 56 I NCCU NOW I FALL 2020

at h l e t i c

NCCU Baseball Players Drafted by Orioles, Giants

Coaches have to be consistent in teaching, training and mentoring. That stability provides a foundation for student-athletes in their formative years. The experiences they go through in college will often set the stage for their lives after graduation.”

Two NCCU studentathletes signed Major League Baseball contracts this year. Pitcher Shane Davis, 20, a native of Currituck, N.C., was selected by the Baltimore Orioles, while Carter Williams, 22, from Browns Summit, N.C., will play for the San Francisco Giants.

— COACH D. CURTIS LAWSON

Former tennis team members credit Lawson’s training style with helping them develop skills useful on the court, but also in the classroom or the boardroom, His style is often compared to the legendary NFL player and coach Tony Dungy. “Coaches have to be consistent in teaching, training and mentoring,” Lawson said. “That stability provides a foundation for student-athletes in their formative years. The experiences they go through in college will often set the stage for their lives after graduation.” Lawson also uses his personal network stretching back to the 1970s to help students during their college years and well beyond. Triple Eagle Louis “Skip” Perkins, Ed.D., became one of the first members of the men’s tennis team under Lawson’s leadership. In 1995, Perkins and his teammates won the team’s first division championship in more than 10 years. “My experience as a student-athlete was one of the greatest I’ve had,” Perkins said. “When you find yourself pursuing an advanced degree – whether it’s graduate school, law school or obtaining a doctoral or medical degree – you find yourself reflecting back to strategies that Coach Lawson instilled in you that ultimately lead to success.” For this coach, it’s about more than a game of tennis. “I’m very intentional with my actions; my goal is to not only coach but also shape and mold student-athletes holistically,” Lawson said.

Before each practice, the team recites Lawson’s mantra that incorporates his core values: “Excellence Without Excuse. Accountability, Responsibility and Discipline.” Lawson’s wife, T. Michelle Lawson, assists in nurturing student-athletes by creating a family-like atmosphere for the team. Tamina Kienka completed his time at NCCU and was a member of the tennis team in 2015. Tamina is currently a third year M.D. and Ph.D. student at Harvard Medical School. “Coach Lawson allows studentathletes to prioritize every element of their life,” Kienka said. “He places emphasis on physical conditioning but also mental conditioning, which is important.” Along with leadership from Lawson, players get support from their teammates, even in off-court matters, such as completing college admissions applications. Aza Stephen Allsop ’10, wasted no time using his tennis conditioning to great advantage. Since graduation, the former team captain earned a M.D. from Harvard University, a doctorate from MIT and is now completing his residency in psychiatry at Yale University.

BY KIA BELL

Briefs

DAV I S

WILLIAMS

Eagle Alum Devotes His Energy to Youth Athletics Alumnus Nelson Cooper IV, ’15, is helping underserved and at-risk youth discover baseball as a pathway to success. Nelson, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance, is a financial analyst at PNC Financial Services in Pittsburgh. After work, however, he devotes his time to Pittsburgh Hardball Academy, a nonprofit league for youth that helps instill strong character and self-esteem in the young players.

For more athletic news, visit nccueaglepride.com NCCU NOW I FALL 2020 I 57

FROM THE ARCHIVES / CIRCA 1994 / N.C. Rep. Daniel T. Blue â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70, left, is seated next to civil rights activist and attorney Vernon E. Jordan Jr. as they both participate in May 1994 Commencement ceremonies at NCCU. Jordan addressed the graduates and was presented with an honorary doctorate by the university. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Central University Digital Collection

Please send address corrections to Advancement Services, Phone: 919-530-7399 / E-mail: altoler@nccu.edu or mail to 1801 Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC 27707. At a cost of $1.45 each, 10,000 copies of this public document were printed for a total of $14,539 in Fall 2020 and distributed to NCCU supporters and donors. NCCU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, education specialist and doctoral degrees. Contact the SACSCOC at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of NCCU. Copyright 2020, North Carolina Central University.

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