President's Annual Report: Years-in-Review 2020, 2021, 2022

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Tuskegee University has made significant strides in the last few years and our academic programming and student success tell the story. I am pleased to share highlights of the work we’ve been doing to empower our students and advance our academic programs in meaningful ways.

When the university introduced the Strategic Plan — Embracing the Legacy, Transforming the Future — we were hyper-focused on ensuring we had the right roadmap to identify and accomplish our university goals, using Student Experience, Academic Excellence and Operational and Organizational Efficiency as our foundation.

Based on the needs of current students and incoming student trends, we developed our plan as a collaborative unit, including all segments of the university community to work in lock step as One Tuskegee. This report provides an overview of progress we’ve made in a variety of areas. From our cutting-edge research to our online degree programs designed to provide the flexibility that new students require, our path to success is solid and our financial outlook is strong.

This work did not happen in a vacuum and shows when we collaborate and work together as One Tuskegee, we deliver outstanding results.

Best regards,

Charlotte P. Morris

A WORLD OF DISCOVERY

Cutting-Edge Research Nets $52 Million

External research support is vital to the development of students, faculty and society. Tuskegee University has a rich research foundation and a long-standing reputation as one of the nation’s premier minority research institutions. The university’s centers of excellence; academic colleges and other institutional units, faculty, staff and students are engaged in research that is critical in addressing the needs of communities, industries and governments.

Tuskegee received 199 grants for research; amounting to nearly $52 million in funded research projects and representing a more than 25 percent increase from the previous year. Six faculty members also were awarded patents, which confirms our faculty’s thought leadership and innovation. These funded research projects represent a high volume of research activity for a small private institution.

Our faculty continues developing cutting-edge research projects, identifying funding sources and submitting winning proposals. We also commend the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs and the Office of Business Affairs staff for their enthusiastic support of the researchers in the grant application process.

These grants and contracts help fulfill Tuskegee University’s research mission and enhance our academic programs. The university’s Ph.D. programs in Materials Science and Integrative Biosciences are prime examples of programs that are offered solely based on the expertise and resources developed by the faculty members. Our long-term plan focuses on actively expanding research in the areas of Nanobiotechnology; information technology; environmental science and engineering; energy; astronomy; sensors and devices; molecular biology; immunology; public health;

toxicology; epidemiology; reproductive and environmental biology; and modeling and simulations.

Meeting the Demand

Tuskegee University’s Material Science program has grown over the past 20 years from offering an undergraduate concentration to awarding master’s and doctorate degrees. The program has received more than $40 million in funding since its inception.

Material Science is essential in determining how any product is created and used. Researchers investigate the capability of materials to determine the most effective and efficient ways to use them. These researchers use their expertise in science to determine how to create and modify material mixtures to meet precise requirements for products to be used for specific

purposes. The researchers use state-of-the-art equipment to characterize materials at the nanoscale for composites and polymers, and for the optimum fabrication for desired use and application.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded the Materials Science department to partner with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (UNLMRSEC) to establish a world-class collaborative research program to develop multiferroic polymer nanocomposites for structural, energy and sensing applications. The program aims to provide high-quality research and educational opportunities to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation of advanced degree students from underrepresented

groups in the emerging field of materials science and engineering.

NSF also funded the CREST Center for Sustainable Lightweight Advanced Materials (C-SLAM), which is an interdisciplinary research center that will work to create the next generation of advanced green sustainable materials and products with properties comparable to nonbiodegradable materials. These advancements not only will contribute to the emerging field of sustainable and lightweight advanced materials, but also will work toward reducing our carbon footprint and alleviating impact of global warming.

These NSF grants and other funded research projects demonstrate the tremendous impact Tuskegee University’s Materials Science

Materials Science

These NSF grants and other funded research projects demonstrate the tremendous impact Tuskegee University’s Materials Science program is making in conservation, manufacturing, U.S. defense and beyond.

program is making in conservation, manufacturing, U.S. defense and beyond. The program is nationally competitive and is an example of the university’s continued prestige as a top-tier research institution.

Computer Science Program Receives Prestigious Designation from Homeland Security and NSA in Cyber Security

Tuskegee University’s cybersecurity program has achieved an extraordinary milestone as it receives the designation of National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) from the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency. This recognition, extending through the academic year 2027, solidifies Tuskegee’s position as a leading institution in training future cybersecurity professionals.

The cybersecurity program is an integral part of Tuskegee University’s National Center of Information Assurance Education (CIAE), housed within the College of Business and Information Science. It serves as a crucial component of our nation’s defense against cyber threats that aim to disrupt daily life and jeopardize critical infrastructure.

Designed to address the current and future demands for information assurance professionals, the cybersecurity degree program aims to fortify the United States’ information infrastructure. With increasing vulnerabilities in internal control systems and external network attacks, businesses face pressing security challenges. Tuskegee’s program equips students with the necessary skills to counter these threats effectively.

The master’s in information systems and computer program spans 30 credit hours and offers specialized training in cybersecurity and data science. One of the program’s primary objectives, achieving the CAE-CD designation, has already been accomplished, highlighting the program’s excellence and commitment to cybersecurity education.

The program’s other objectives include:

4 Enhancing and expanding the undergraduate curriculum in cybersecurity.

4 Strengthening the Master Program in Information Systems and Computer Security.

4 Securing external funding to support activities such as research, training, and scholarships.

4 Providing cybersecurity training to students and the local community.

4 Promoting public awareness of the educational and research efforts underway at CIAE.

Tuskegee’s students are a crucial part of our nation’s defense against forces that would use technology to disrupt our day-to-day lives and endanger the country’s infrastructure.

Cybersecurity

The Tuskegee University Information Assurance and Cyber Defense (IACD) partners include Mississippi State University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and North Carolina A&T State University. This collaborative approach fosters knowledge sharing and strengthens the collective ability to combat cyber threats.

College of Engineering Develops Pipeline Program for Cyber Workforce

The cybersecurity program at Tuskegee University made history in the fall of 2018 by becoming the first historically Black college and university (HBCU) engineering program to offer an emphasis in cyber security.

Dr. Heshmat Aglan, Dean of the College of Engineering, highlighted the significance of the new program, stating, “Our new computer engineering program positions Tuskegee University in a unique niche to provide leadership in cybersecurity studies.”

Since its inception, the cybersecurity program has been actively engaged in education and outreach initiatives. In the summer of 2022, the Computer Science Department hosted an academy for high school teachers and students, raising awareness about cyber threats and prevention strategies. The university also organized a JROTC Summer Academy, teaching computer fundamentals and cybersecurity concepts to JROTC cadets.

Students interested in pursuing cybersecurity studies at Tuskegee University can apply for scholarships sponsored by CyberCorps. The Scholarship for Service Program: Strengthening the National Cyber Security Workforce offers tuition assistance, stipends, and professional development allowances to undergraduate and graduate students in their final years of study.

With this prestigious designation and its commitment to education, collaboration, and outreach, Tuskegee University’s cybersecurity program is well-positioned to play a pivotal role in strengthening the national cybersecurity workforce and addressing the evolving challenges of the digital landscape.

Tuskegee Partners on Cancer Research

Tuskegee University and Morehouse School of Medicine have embarked on a partnership that will make a difference in many lives, especially those in the Black community.

The partnership, which also includes the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The five-year, $18 million grant will focus on intervention and prevention for underserved communities around the Southeast. Georgia and Alabama are home to some of the country’s highest mortality rates from cancer, and many Black and rural residents face disparities in cancer treatment, including participation in clinical trials.

The grant will allow researchers to work on implementing precision cancer medicine, and conducting cancer research, education, and training programs to try to understand the cause of cancer disparities. In addition, researchers will engage the community to identify other areas where research and education are needed, and assure evidence-based cancer prevention and control strategies.

“This award will provide a catalyst to bring a number of nationally recognized standard of care services to cancer patients in rural areas while conducting research to improve cancer patient outcomes continually,” said Dr. Clayton Yates, former director of Tuskegee’s multidisciplinary Center for Biomedical Research.

All three institutions are committed to working with underserved communities, particularly those in the Southeastern United States, and this partnership is designed to bolster that work. The program focuses on cancer health disparities and reducing the cancer burden, and each arm of the partnership brings an aspect to supplement the strengths of the other two partners.

The programs at Morehouse School of Medicine and Tuskegee University are designed to establish cancer research programs and, at Tuskegee, to develop a group of minority investigators, while the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center’s objective will include the expansion of research into cancer disparity.

“Culture, environment, health care access, socioeconomics, and population-specific genetic differences play a large role in cancer health disparities,” said Dr. Upender Manne, lead investigator and professor in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine Department of Pathology.

“Our efforts are focused on addressing this problem by increasing cancer research and cancer education, the number of students/ investigators of minority background engaged in cancer research and the number of investigators addressing cancer health disparities. We are also developing and implementing cancerrelated activities that benefit those underserved communities.”

The research partnership was initially funded by the National Cancer Institute as a collaborative grant in 2006, and in its current iteration, will allow the three entities to learn how patient navigation and bioethical concerns influence the enrollment of minority patients in clinical trials.

The partnership has three cores: administrative, planning and evaluation, and developmental. The developmental core houses four programs: cancer research, training, outreach, and education, and the Cancer Outreach Program will work to increase minority participation in therapeutic clinical trials.

“Tuskegee University is proud to partner with UAB and Morehouse School of Medicine and collaborate in this significant research affecting so many in the black-belt region and country,” said Tuskegee President Charlotte P. Morris. “This grant will provide our faculty the resources needed to continue their groundbreaking research in the fight to combat cancer disparities that disproportionately affect minority communities.”

Amazon Provides Training, Scholarships

Tuskegee University received $1.2 million from Amazon to provide scholarships and create education and training opportunities in various disciplines such as mechatronics/ robotics, supply chain and logistics. The College of Business and Information Science will lead the supply chain initiative, and the College of Engineering will lead the Mechatronics/ Robotics program. Mechatronics is the use of electromechanical equipment and devices for automation and production.

The partnership also established an Amazon leadership pipeline for Tuskegee University students.

Tuskegee is grateful for this partnership and for Amazon’s investment in the educational curriculum and training of students and for providing financial support to retain and graduate more students. Students will be immersed in the emerging technology of mechatronics and learn more about optimizing supply chain and logistical operations for consumer products businesses.

Amazon’s support will help develop and enhance a Mechatronic Laboratory (the integration of electromechanical systems) that are commonly found in fabrication facilities and logistics. The support also will enhance the Supply Chain and Logistics Lab to expose students to the

intricacies of the life cycle of product design through delivery to the customer. Students will have training opportunities to engage in cutting-edge technology and business practices that Amazon is known for while preparing them for career opportunities with Amazon. The partnership also will allow students to gain decision-making experience through classroom and lab simulation for design, distribution, risk assessment and efficient operations of goods through the fulfillment center and the complete product chain.

Tuskegee University alumni Leonard Spencer and Kennedy

Oates were instrumental in the Amazon partnership development by advocating for Amazon’s investment in the university. This is a testament to the university’s loyal alumni who remain committed to their alma mater and who graciously support the university financially, by identifying opportunities to enhance academic programs and improve students’ job prospects after graduation.

The partnership also established an Amazon leadership pipeline for Tuskegee University students.

The only college or university campus in the nation to be designated a National Historic Site by the U.S. Congress.

FRONTIERS: NEW WAYS TO TEACH AND LEARN

Tuskegee University’s Distance Learning Program Evolves to Meet Changing Times

Tuskegee University’s Office of Distance Education and Online Learning (ODEOL) is evolving to better serve students and faculty, by systematically delivering these programs.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many universities to take all instruction online unexpectedly. Although the pandemic is over, the transition to online instruction provided opportunities for the university to build upon the IT infrastructure and enhance virtual instruction pedagogically. The Office of Distance Education and Online Learning (ODEOL) coordinates the scheduling, infrastructure, and delivery of distance learning courses and ensures the quality of distance education at Tuskegee University. ODEOL’s focus on designing and implementing best practices for students and faculty; providing eLearning training for faculty, students and administrative personnel; offering technical assistance; and providing resources for eLearning issues.

We’re also providing more resources and assistance for our faculty, ensuring comprehensive, consistent, and coherent policies and procedures related to our students and our faculty.

In addition, we have increased staffing to allow ODEOL to recruit and retain more students. Staffing for the program includes instructional technology support for faculty, enrollment counseling, and online student support. The university has several ODEOL team members who help faculty create and implement distance learning courses and

incorporate emerging technology as a tool for delivering the course content.

In addition, we have two dedicated staff members who focus on students’ experience from the time they first express interest in a program all the way through graduation. ODEOL also has revised and streamlined the Tuskegee University Online Teaching Certificate Course, which offers faculty members a path to becoming certified online instructors and course builders.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed workplaces and educational institutions because of the necessity of remote work, which has now evolved into hybrid models of work and education.

While distance learning and hybrid technology are not unique to Tuskegee University, this work helps distinguish us by ensuring that the online program is delivered in a systematic and organized way, adhering to standards set forth by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accrediting body, while providing high quality instruction and support services.

These learning experiences also help our students prepare for employment in remote and hybrid work environments.

Tuskegee University’s distance learning and hybrid courses use the Learning Management System (LMS) to deliver course content to students, and the LMS program allows faculty members to create valuable and engaging content in multiple formats: video, interactive quizzes, webinars, and video conferencing. The program also can help create online discussion forums, which are designed to enrich students’ learning experience.

Most of our classrooms are now equipped with Clear Touch Interactive Displays, enabling interactive lessons in a hybrid environment and traditional face-to-face settings. This hybrid technology also helps faculty record lectures and build an archive for students to review later.

This program is a priority because the university recognizes the importance of technology in today’s learning environment, and wants to ensure the programs and courses we offer through the online medium are as academically rigorous as those offered on campus.

Students who may never attend classes in person at Tuskegee University can still earn a prestigious degree from our school while receiving the same quality of instruction as their oncampus peers.

ODEOL continues to focus on improving face-to-face and virtual learning through faculty development and collaborations with virtual learning software vendors. The office is working with ACUE, a leader in instructional learning to enhance learning by utilizing teaching strategies that appeal to students’ various learning styles. This partnership also can help faculty recognize learning style differences in students and adjust accordingly to ensure that all students’ needs are met in the classroom. For example, Tuskegee uses advanced software that allows students to participate in laboratory experiments virtually while also providing a high level of learning.

ODEOL continues to stay abreast of emerging trends such as the impact Virtual and Augmented Reality has in learning and research, to ensure that the university continues to uphold its tradition of innovation. The office continues to gauge students’ instruction preferences and identify ways to support the needs of traditional and nontraditional students, which is essential to continue providing a best-in-class education for all.

STANDING AGAINST COVID-19

Tuskegee University’s recognition of the need to keep the institution’s community safe through the pandemic prompted specific mitigating actions to create a controlled environment and manage the spread of COVID-19 during campus interactions.

The university created a Public Health Advisory Council (PHAC) to assist in developing and implementing mitigation strategies. Attorney Crystal James led this effort. One of the earliest and most significant challenges recognized by the PHAC was the shortage of test kits to perform Polymer Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, and advocacy to increase access began. In April 2020, Tuskegee University partnered with the Alabama Department of Public Health and Macon County Health Department to provide the transport media (test kits) to alleviate the shortage of coronavirus testing in Macon County and other Black Belt Counties (BBC) in Alabama.

“We discovered the guidelines for making the media used in the COVID-19 test kits, called Viral Transport Media, were available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website,” said Dr. Deloris Alexander, a professor at Tuskegee University. “Once the guidelines were shared with the Tuskegee University Community Health Taskforce, there was great enthusiasm for determining if we could help increase the amount of testing conducted in the state, especially in the rural areas and in Alabama Black Belt Counties.”

“To be in a position to bring students, faculty, and staff back to the face-to-face environment, we knew that we needed to be able to conduct testing for not only our students but for the entire community,” said Crystal James, Vice President External Affairs and General Counsel, Special Assistant to the President for COVID-19 Recovery.

Tuskegee University partnered with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to facilitate re-entry testing for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. However, the delay from sample collection

to test results was problematic in managing the contact tracing protocols necessary to keep the environment safe. The ThermoFisher “Just Project” was initiated to build capacity at 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities to conduct PCR testing and serve sister institutions in their region. This generous gift provided the equipment and reagents necessary to set up a COVID-19 laboratory free of charge. To be in a position to receive the gift from ThermoFisher, we needed to obtain approval to operate a diagnostic laboratory under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). The generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which partnered with HBCUs in the “Just Project” to cover personnel costs and infrastructure development, allowed us to stand up a fully staffed CLIA-certified laboratory on Feb. 8, 2021.

Recognizing that we needed to provide as many layers of mitigation as possible to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on the campus, once vaccines became available, The Tuskegee University Health Disparities Diagnostic Center purchased the necessary cold storage units to become an Alabama State-approved vaccination storage site. Weekly vaccination clinics were held on campus beginning in the Fall of 2021, providing convenient access to the campus community and clinical training for our nursing students.

FUNDING THE FUTURE

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM DEXTER ODOM, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

FLASH BACK: March 2020 marked the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis which drastically changed the economy, health systems, society, and the education sector, including higher education.

Like all other higher education institutions, the university was certainly not immune from the impact of COVID-19. The university had to immediately pivot by altering teaching modalities; limiting the number of students allowed to stay in campus housing; supplying many students and faculty with the technology to support a new learning platform; implementing major safety precautions and mitigation strategies; and virtually eliminating sports and other activities known to generate large crowds and additional auxiliary revenues.

From 2020 and through the current period, aggressive measures have been employed to manage the unanticipated expenses associated with the pandemic. Fortunately, we received generous support from our donors in FY 2021, stimulus funding through the CARES Act, and forgiveness of all federal long-term debt consolidated under the HBCU Capital Financing Program. These events enabled the university to maintain stability in operations and to begin experiencing enrollment growth of new students for FY 2023.

Three-year summaries of the Statement of Financial Position, Assets, Liabilities and Net Assets, and the Statement of Changes in Net Assets are presented. Percentage changes are included for FY 2021 and FY 2022.

Audited Statements of Financial Position (Summary): STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION – SUMMARY

ASSETS

TOTAL ASSETS: Total assets consist of multiple line items such as cash and cash equivalents, inventory, prepaid expenses, receivables, investments, and land, buildings, and equipment, net. As shown above, total assets remain stable upon comparing FY 2022 to FY 2021, with only a .39% overall decrease. Cash has improved due to the receipt of

Covid-19 funding, generous donor contributions, and the elimination of debt payments via debt forgiveness. However, investments experienced a decline because of turbulence in the stock market during FY 2022. Such turbulence was not limited to Tuskegee University and was experienced by virtually all industries.

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

Grants Refundable and Third Party Organizations

Deferred revenue

Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligation

TOTAL LIABILITIES: Total liabilities consist of multiple line items such as line of credit, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, third-party funds, long-term debt obligations, and U.S. government grant obligations. As shown above, total liabilities remain stable when comparing FY 2022 to FY 2021, with only a .85% overall increase. Other noteworthy items are:

• The forgiveness of approximately $118 million in longterm debt obligations by the Department of Education during FY 2021, which reduced such debt to zero by 06/30/2022.

• As of June 30, 2022, the line of credit utilized was reduced to zero, thus meaning that TU had enough unrestricted cash to operate without borrowing any short-term funds.

• U.S. government grant obligations were reduced by 40.92%, as a result of TU returning funds to the Department of Education in compliance with the process of liquidating the Perkins Loans program per the Department of Education.

NET ASSETS): During FY 2022 net assets from operations increased by $11.6 million. However, upon considering nonoperating activities, the change in net assets decreased by $2.1 million during FY 2022.

TOTAL NET ASSETS: Total net assets are the value of total assets minus total liabilities, thus the value of net assets.

ASSETS, LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

STATEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES AND CHANGES IN NET ASSETS – SUMMARY

REVENUES AND EXPENSES

REVENUES (FY 2022 VS FY 2021): The net effects of Covid-19 forced many institutions to increase the amount and number of scholarships offered to students to attract first-time students and retain returning students. This increase in scholarships offered and an overall decrease in enrollment resulted in decreased net tuition and fees by 16.45% or $7 million. Governmental grants and contracts, inclusive of Covid-19 related funding, increased by 20.46% or $13 million. Other revenues, inclusive of private gifts, grants, and contracts, decreased by 23.66% or $13.3 million, primarily as a result of not being able to duplicate a large donor contribution that was received during FY

2021. Total operating revenues decreased by 4.59% or $7 million. Net nonoperating revenues (expenses) decreased by 108.66% or $173 million, which is directly related to the forgiveness of approximately $118 million in long-term debt obligations by the Department of Education during FY 2021, stellar returns on investments during FY 2021, and investments experiencing a decline because of significant turbulence in the stock market during FY 2022.

EXPENSES: Operating expenses increased by 17.89% or $21.7, primarily as a result of full operations being reinstituted as the University moves forward from Covid-19.

EXPENSES AND LOSSES

The top producer of African-American Ph.D. holders in Materials Science and Engineering in the U.S.

The only historically black college or university to maintain academic excellence while supporting a football program exceeding 700+ wins consecutive SIAC Conference Football Championships.

PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

Tuskegee University Receives $100,000 from Microsoft

The Microsoft Artificial Intelligence Initiative awarded $100,000 to Tuskegee University that will enable researchers to leverage technology to develop real-time resource management using reinforcement learning, one of the most discussed techniques in artificial intelligence (AI). The award will enhance the university’s research capacity in AI and provide students with AI research opportunities with faculty. The award also provides an opportunity to enhance the collaboration between the university and Microsoft. It provides support for the university’s cybersecurity program and enhances the data science program. The AI project complements existing research initiatives in the College of Business and Information Science and the College of Engineering, whose key objective is to bring together a better-integrated future that creates the broadest possible benefit for humanity.

Academic Excellence Shines in Honda All-Star Challenge

Tuskegee University participated in its 33rd Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) National Championship Tournament. The HCASC quiz bowl is America’s premier academic competition among HBCUs that brings together more than 300 HBCU students, coaches, presidents, and institutional representatives for a tournament that uniquely combines educational and personal development experiences beyond the classroom. The Tuskegee University team advanced through the preliminary rounds and was one of 16 teams to compete in the playoffs and advanced to the HCASC National Championship Tournament. Tuskegee has won two Honda Campus All-Star Challenge championships resulting in financial support coming back to the university.

School of Architecture and Construction Science hosts 6th Annual Design Expo

Tuskegee University’s Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science (TSACS) hosted its 6th Annual Design + Construction Management Expo, Feb. 6–10. The Expo connects TSACS students with developments in the architecture, construction, and design industries. The weeklong expo featured a career fair, professional-led seminars, and interactive workshops for students. Students also were recognized for internship placements and for participating in the team that won first place in the 2022 National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) competition and 2023 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) competition team.

According to the School of Architecture and Science dean, Dr. Carla Jackson Bell, “[the school’s] mission is to develop skilled professionals capable of playing active roles in shaping communities by building meaningful places for all people. This year, TSACS partnered with Creative’s XP, a professional development platform founded by Tuskegee architecture alum Jennifer Taylor Matthews ‘13. Creative’s XP introduces design-related students to traditional and nontraditional career paths while supporting them through career readiness and job acquisition.

Architecture Students win First Place in National Competition

Tuskegee University’s Department of Architecture students won first place in the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) student competition that was held in Nashville, Tennessee. The team competed against nearly 30 NOMA student chapters and made history as the first HBCU to win the competition since the inception of the Barbara Laurie Student Design Competition in 2013. Journi Goodman was awarded the 2022 National NOMAS Student of the Year.

The competition was designed to simulate a real planning and development scenario requiring students to envision a complex that serves as a cultural center to preserve the history of North Nashville and a new bridge to serve as a landmark and monument for the community. Students tackled real-world challenges and were tasked with developing a project focused on the gentrification and displacement of North Nashville community residents as the result of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Interstate Highway System in the 1960s. A main priority was also to show how design and architectural strategies can rebuild a community.

TU Professor Receives Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM)

Dr. Mohammed Qazi was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). The award is the highest honor in the nation honoring the dedication, hard work, and important role that America’s mentors play in supporting learners from underrepresented communities who will be future STEM professionals.

“This award is testimony to the commitment of many stakeholders to work together and use the powerful tool of mentoring to address the most complex problems in broadening STEM participation,” said Dr. Qazi.

Dr. Qazi joined Tuskegee in 2000 as a mathematics professor and currently serves as the associate dean for Research and Outreach in the College of Arts and Sciences. As associate dean, Dr. Qazi mentors faculty members to advance their research portfolios. His proudest accomplishments are the alliances that he has facilitated between school districts, postsecondary institutions, and other stakeholders that address persistent challenges in broadening STEM participation.

His mentoring programs are supported by National Science Foundation grants and offer underrepresented individuals from the K-12, undergraduate, graduate and the professoriate to gain STEM experience; provide ongoing support; and help cultivate their success in STEM fields.

PAESMEM recognizes mentors for their efforts to inspire and encourage individuals from underserved and underrepresented communities to be involved in STEM and their efforts to ensure that all Americans can fully participate in STEM regardless of gender, race, resources, or geography. In a statement from The White House, President Joe Biden said, “the dedication these individuals and

organizations have demonstrated to prepare students for careers in STEM fields, during what has been a difficult time for teachers, students, and families and plays a huge role in American innovation and competitiveness. The work that teachers and mentors do ensures that our nation’s children are able to unlock — for themselves and all of us – a world of possibilities.”

“We are thrilled that Dr. Qazi is being recognized by President Biden for his lifelong efforts to mentor underrepresented minority students at Tuskegee University but also high school students and teachers across the country through his STEM outreach efforts,” said College of Arts and Sciences Dean, Dr. Channa Prakash.

Dr. Qazi’s recognition is demonstrative of his efforts to continue the University’s mission of service to people, not education for its own sake, and is an exemplar of faculty members’ commitment to students, the university and society.

NAHB Student Chapter Makes History

Tuskegee University’s Department of Construction Science National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Student Chapter made history as the first HBCU to win the Four-Year College–Production Home Builder Category at the 2022 NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS).

Forty-five teams from across the U.S. developed proposals to tackle real-world construction challenges. Four-Year College teams were tasked with developing a plan for 120 acres in North Texas. The team spent a semester identifying property development opportunities for large homebuilders to build homes and produce a return on investment and participated in simulations of real-world scenarios that builders might face when developing properties.

The competition culminated with presentations to residential construction expert judges at the 2022 NAHB IBS in Orlando, Florida. Tuskegee University’s NAHB chapter also received first place in the Outstanding Student Chapter competition from a field of 150 student chapters for the second year in a row. Fifthyear architecture senior, Alex Jones, also is a two-time recipient of the Student of the Year Award.

The Tuskegee NAHB chapter first entered the competition in 2020 and has been blazing trails ever since. The 2020 team made history as the first all-female African American team to participate in the competition; was the Rookie of the Year award winner; and former student, Alyssa Walker, won 2020 Student of the Year.

PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

Engineering Students Win Awards at Design Challenge

A team of students from the Tuskegee University College of Engineering won third place at the 5th Annual Advancing Minorities Interest in Engineering (AMIE) Design Challenge. The competition invites student teams from each of the 15 ABET-accredited HBCU Schools of Engineering to develop, implement and present solutions to specified design problems.

Students were tasked with proposing solutions for a general design problem: “How might we design a solution to improve the quality of life in the areas of Clean Water, Urban Infrastructure, Clean Energy, Transportation, and access to High-Speed Internet?”

The Tuskegee team’s winning design was an app to enable a more cost-effective alternative to Uber/Lyft for college students in rural areas without access to public transportation. The College of Engineering has won the most at the annual design competition, having secured a winning spot at three convenings in 2018, 2021, and 2022.

Tuskegee Partners on Data Science

Tuskegee University and University of California at Berkeley announced the Berkeley-Tuskegee Data Science Initiative, a multi-year partnership to develop curriculum and collaborative research opportunities for students and faculty at both institutions.

The partnership allows Tuskegee scholars to take Berkeley data courses through an eight-week in-residence program. Google contributed $5 million to Tuskegee University in support of STEM initiatives in 2021, including the development of a data science program. The initial phases of the initiative are funded by part of this contribution.

Dr. Deborah Nolan, emeritus professor of statistics and associate dean for faculty at the Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society, and one of the original designers

of this program with Tuskegee faculty and staff, collaborates with Berkeley to explore other educational and research opportunities between the universities.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ hosted Dr. Morris and Tuskegee students.

ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT TO BENEFIT THE UNIVERSITY

Tuskegee wins $80,000 in Home Depot’s “Retool Your School”

Tuskegee’s grant well be used is to expand the student social hub’s pavilions and install high intensity lighting strategically around campus to enhance campus security.

Tuskegee University has won $380,000 in grants since the Retool Your Campus program’s 2009 inception. The 11 grants have been used to renovate 30 bathrooms; renovate five labs and six classrooms; refurbish and repair the athletic tennis courts; construct a student social hub including pavilions, picnic benches, lightning, and eco-friendly landscaping; improve security lighting around Luther Foster Hall; place 20 outdoor seating tables and umbrellas around campus; and build the base of and landscaping around the Tuskegee University Golden Tiger Statue.

Tuskegee’s success in winning the grants has been due to the support and innovation of Tuskegee National Alumni Association members, its local clubs and professional organizations that have galvanized votes through forming voting teams of family, church members, local Greek organizations and friends; encouraging organizational members to participate during the voting period; identifying super voters (who produce hundreds of daily votes); and hosting young alumni voting parties.

A COMMUNITY CONNECTED

Tuskegee University Partners with OnMed to Provide Virtual Health

Tuskegee University students, faculty, staff and extend community have access to health care services thanks to a partnership between the University and virtual health provider OnMed. These services are being provided via an OnMed Care Station and will complement the student health center resources.

Student health center clinicians and OnMed work together to ensure students receive follow-up or extended care, if necessary. The Tuskegee University OnMed Care Station is university branded and located in the Margaret Murray Washington Hall building atrium.

The Tuskegee University care station is the first OnMed care station site in the state of Alabama and will also continue to build upon the Center for Rural Health and Economic Equity’s charge to help citizens by offering free services to the Macon County community.

“Tuskegee University has a long history of bringing trusted healthcare to rural spaces in the state of Alabama and worldwide,” said President Dr. Charlotte P. Morris.

The Tuskegee University OnMed Care Station is a pilot station and University officials hope its success will lead to additional care stations being placed across Alabama’s “black belt” counties to provide access to quality healthcare for more citizens.

Tuskegee, Auburn University create umbrella partnership

Tuskegee University and Auburn University announced a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, to expand partnerships between the universities and collaborate on community outreach at a special signing ceremony on campus.

The MOU is a commitment to share resources and intellectual capacity to address racial and health disparities in communities across the state of Alabama. Through faculty research and outreach collaborations, both universities will work to address the lack of healthcare access and other social and health inequities in the local areas.

“The impact of this partnership will benefit the students of both schools and the surrounding communities where we are based,” said Tuskegee Provost S. Keith Hargrove. “By blending our resources, we will be able to have a broader reach in developing state-of-the-art academic programs and research and development opportunities, while deepening our community engagement and outreach.”

The collaboration includes a 10-member committee to review and recommend proposals to the university presidents for prioritization in seeking state and federal support. The collaboration team will focus on academic programs, research and development, outreach and community engagement.

“This partnership with Tuskegee University is a win-win for everyone, especially our students, researchers and outreach team,” Auburn University President Christopher B. Roberts said. “As a land-grant institution, it is important to work to eliminate disparities that limit opportunities for those in underserved areas. I am confident the collaboration that will emerge from this agreement will benefit students from both universities, as well as our neighboring communities.”

With the understanding that communities of color lack adequate access to healthcare and other social determinants of health impact areas, Auburn and Tuskegee will address these issues through ongoing faculty research and outreach alliances.

“As we focus on innovative ways to expose our students to research and training opportunities to keep them in the forefront of their fields, partnering with Auburn University helps expand their experience,” said President Charlotte P. Morris. “This collaboration provides a formal structure to ensure that the common goals are met to support students of both institutions and partner with the community in meaningful ways.”

The agreement is the latest in a number of partnerships between Auburn and Tuskegee, and with the two universities united in a shared mission, the future is bright for all involved.

The only historically black college or university (HBCU) in the nation designated as the location for National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care.

ONE TUSKEGEE

TUSKEGEE