#AmericasCollegeProm​ise & #UNCF

Today the UNCF led a "tweetstorm" to garner awareness and support for the America's College Promise Act. If Congress will support this legislation, it would greatly enhance the resources for students attending HBCUs. As you have heard there is considerable energy around making community college free. But for Black students, even if they need remediation, their chances of getting a 4 year degree are 4 times greater by starting at a 4 year school.

Graduation rates will be improved if students have more financial resources. HBCUs generally have enrollments that are greater than 60% Pell eligible, meaning those students come from families earning less than $40,000 a year. This new act could add potentially $8K a year to those students which will improve graduation rates.

This past weekend the UNCF New Orleans hosted its walk for education. New Orleans is home to 2 high performing UNCF schools- Dillard and Xavier. So combining the already great work of UNCF with this new act and we will greatly change the trajectories of many college students.

Contact your members of congress and ask them to support this act!

The Prez

Dr. Monica Miller

On September 30th my class hosted Dr. Monica Miller from Lehigh University. She is a professor of religion and Africana studies, and provided two lectures. The first was about the Black church and hip hop, and the second is about language in hip hop with respect to women. Both talks were outstanding. I was excited for this young scholar to interact with my class and the larger community.

Also the lecture was sponsored by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church. I think the interesting idea was the one of new black godz, essentially the way hip hop artists use language from the 5 percenters to make sure their humanity is recognized.

We'll have to bring her back soon.

The Prez

Hazing Prevention Week

I've served as an expert witness in hazing cases since 1998, so I have to keep up with hazing. This actually started when I was coordinator of Greek Life at Emory where I was responsible for much of the hazing training. So over the years I have not only trained students on my campus, but across the nation. That week I spoke at both North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central.

So a year ago I was surprised to get an e-mail from Michael Morton, former fraternity chapter president and SGA president who spent 2 years in jail- for hazing. In part, he said he wanted to play a role in helping to warn students about the consequences. It was a strong letter and I promised I would find an opportunity for him.

I had been appointed as chair of a hazing task force by the North American Inter-fraternity conference, and for our summer meeting I asked Michael if he would Skype in. My task force was blown away. Although the vast majority were members of predominantly white fraternities, Michael's story resonated with all of us. At that point I knew I needed to bring him to New Orleans.

Michael graciously accepted and during the last week of September, hazing prevention week, he spoke to over 600 students from several campuses about his experience. I don't want to retell the story- it is one that all college students should hear in person. So I am asking that you feel free to contact me so I can connect you with him and have him speak on your campus. Michael gave one of the most personal hazing experiences I have ever heard- absolutely phenomenal!

I will share this. I believe in lectures because they provide spaces for people to come together. The beauty is that you never know who might show up. Before the lecture Michael indicated he saw the father of the young man injured at FAMU which lead to his arrest and jailing. I was thinking that couldn't possible be true- he lives in Atlanta.

Well, after the event a man approached me and said he was the father of the student injured! He was also Michael's fraternity brother. Okay, I was a little nervous but he indicated he had no ill will. In fact, back then he and I spoke on the phone as the lawyers considered me as an expert witness for that case (I was not involved though). So when just about everyone was gone I saw these men (and a third fraternity brother who drove the father to New Orleans) have a heart to heart talk.

It really was a beautiful moment of reconciliation.

And that's why Brain Food is important.

The Prez

Melton Fellows in China by Ayanna Woolfork '16

Traveling abroad brings about many emotions ranging from excitement to anxiety. Since I left the U.S. I have been on a constant cycle through anxiety, homesickness, excitement, and intrigue. When our group from Dillard first arrived, we were all sent to stay with a family. The first thing that I noticed was that even though both the mom and dad in our family are both university professors, they lived in an apartment and I literally saw no single family homes. When I asked them where the houses were, they said that because of the sheer amount of people in China, they are pretty much forced to build up and only the very rich can afford to buy land and build a home. They also fed me constantly! Every few hours they would have a large spread of food and they wanted me to try everything! The first meal they fed me had beans, salmon, chicken, fish, rice, noodles, soup, tofu, salted veggies, fruit, duck, and shrimp. And before I could digest that, there was a meal of a similar caliber in front of me again. Overall, my honestly was a great experience.

 

Quite possibly the experience that had the biggest impact on me so far has been going out in public, in China, as a black woman, with a weave. On the first day (Saturday) we went out to the most popular tourist destination in the Hangzhou area, Westlake. I stopped with my host mom to take a picture and the next thing I knew, there was a crowd of people around me, staring at me, and taking pictures of me. One guy asked if he could take a selfie with me and then even more people showed up. I was confused and honestly wanted to cry. I felt like a circus. Throughout the day, it didn't stop and my host family either didn't notice or didn't think anything of it. For me it was degrading and disrespectful, but I on the second day I tried to make the best of it by smiling and saying "ni-hao" to those I caught staring.....and by telling people who I caught taking pictures of me that I was famous in the U.S. It made me feel better so I guess it worked!

 

Overall my experience in China and within Melton has been amazing. I've gotten to see old friends and make new ones (specifically the new fellows from Ashesi University in Ghana). it's also been interesting to realize that all people of color are not minorities and to think of all people of color as minorities, is very distinctly American. Being in China and with the Melton Foundation has opened my heart and my eyes to a very different reality and I couldn't be more grateful for this experience!

 

Ayanna Woolfork is a senior public health major from Houston TX, reporting from China!

Judge Carl Stewart and the next generation of DU lawyers

This past Saturday the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Society hosted their scholarship Jazz Brunch. Dillard was in the house in a BIG way.

First, we congratulate our alumnus Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart, United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, who received the 2015 Martinet Lifetime Achievement Award. His wife and daughter, also alums, were there at the event (his daughter is also a judge).

Next, Jackie Fuller '16 received the Ortique Scholarship. Jackie is a pre-law student and active in a number of organizations on campus. Finally, there was a table of Dillard students there to represent the university, along with our alumni director (who holds a JD from UVa) and a 2012 DU alumna who is a law student at Tulane.

Expect to hear more from our pre-law program in the near future as it grows.

The Prez

Remembering Hurricane Katrina

Last week was interesting- the entire nation looked to see where New Orleans is ten years after Hurricane Katrina. As a campus that was the most damaged of any higher education institutions in the city, it was appropriate for us to have our own service of remembrance.

Our special guest was Dr. Marvalene Hughes, the 6th president of Dillard. She started as president here July 1, 2005. Katrina hit August 29th. I still can't even fathom what went through her mind. But as she said, she believed she was being prepared for this experience. I agree.

We also premiered a short documentary of the impact here. It was powerful especially for our students since about half are from outside of the area. And for me as someone who was not here but who housed Dillard students at Philander Smith, the ceremony was moving for me as well.

The Prez

Faculty-Staff Institute

On August 13th we officially opened the year with our faculty staff institute. It is a time to get updates as we enter the year, have staff development sessions, and motivation. Our keynote speaker was Larry Jemison, Jr. who reminded us to focus on customer service. Always a good message.

We then recognized faculty and staff for years of service. A very important activity!

And we ecognized two retirements, Ms. Andrews in Student Success (over 40 years),

and Dr. Wiltz in psychology, close to 40 years. Both are (they will always be) valued members of our community. So we definitely started off right.

The Prez