Huston-Tillotson University is Austin’s oldest institution of higher education, offering Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in 19 fields of study. 

For more information and an application, click here.  The camp cost is $250 with early applicants before May 31 eligible for need- and merit-based scholarships. Campers who complete the program will receive $2,000 toward HT tuition, if they later enroll at the University. For more information, contact Lauren Ortega at 512.505.3111 or lsortega@htu.edu.

The ACBSP, one of two international undergraduate business school accrediting bodies, offers the voluntary evaluation process for colleges and universities seeking the highest level of recognition for their programs. The thorough three-day evaluation was followed by a five-year long process with a focus on six quality standards related to communication between faculty and students, educational and business process management, as well as a commitment to continuous program improvements. “This confirms that the HT SBT has reached its goal of providing its students with an education of excellence and is preparing them to succeed in the corporate world,” said Steven Edmond, D.B.A., Dean of the School of Business and Technology.

Huston-Tillotson University is a private, historically black, liberal arts institution, offering Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in 14 areas of study.  Business Administration with concentrations in accounting, management, and marketing is the most popular major. Huston-Tillotson University with its 138-year history is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Huston-Tillotson University.

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs is a leading specialized accreditation association for business education supporting, celebrating, and rewarding teaching excellence. ACBSP is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as a specialized accreditation agency for business education. The association embraces the virtues of teaching excellence and emphasizes to students that it is essential to learn how to learn. ACBSP acknowledges the importance of scholarly research and inquiry and believes that such activities facilitate improved teaching. Institutions are strongly encouraged to pursue a reasonable mutually beneficial balance between teaching and research. And further, ACBSP encourages faculty involvement within the contemporary business world to enhance the quality of classroom instruction and to contribute to student learning.

Morial, also the speaker for the graduation ceremony, encouraged the Class of 2013 to nurture the three seeds of choice, courage, and compassion. Referencing Huston-Tillotson’s Class of 1963, also in attendance to celebrate their 50-year anniversary, Morial with his bold, direct style shared history lessons with the crowd of more than 2,000 in attendance.  He talked about the courage of President Barack Obama and baseball great Jackie Robinson.  He reflected upon Obama’s choice to set his sights on the presidency of the United States when others thought the odds were against him.  He echoed Robinson’s courage as the first black athlete to play Major League Baseball as he was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers.  The legacy that Robinson created is a legacy that runs through HT when he was an instructor and basketball coach at HT’s predecessor institution Samuel Huston before returning to HT in 1972 to serve on the Board of Trustees.

The record low crisp, cool temperature lasted a few hours before the sun broke through to warm the audience during the outdoor ceremony. Morial ended his 13-minute speech with remarks about compassion and the abiding commitment to serve those in need.

Of note from the Class of 2013, is the graduation of HT’s largest class of W.E.B. DuBois Honor Scholars.  The  William Edward Burghardt DuBois Honors Program was launched during the 2003-04 academic year. Named for the African American sociologist, historian, writer, civil rights advocate, and intellectual of the 20^th Century, the program attracts academically gifted students whose high school accomplishments indicate their intellectual ability, level of motivation, and leadership potential. Graduates, majors, and home locations are as follows:  Biology, Dikibujiri Diri, Nigeria; Business Administration, Jamenequa W. Ben, Houston; Kwanna Green-Smith, Fort Worth; and Tyra Danielle Williams, Dallas; Communication, Micah Johnson, Mesquite; Computer Science, Jarrett Lindsey, Houston; Sammy Mudede, Zimbabwe; and Stefan Spears, Trinidad and Tobago; Education, Mariah Brown, Stacey Brunswick, and Destiny Roundtree, all from Fort Worth; Mathematics, Pamela E. Carias, Houston; and Mercedes Wheatfall, Fort Worth.  Mudede, who also graduated with highest honors, has been accepted into the recognized Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to earn the master’s degree in computer science.  He will return to the Boston Scientific Corporation in St. Paul, Minnesota for a second summer as a software engineer intern before moving on to graduate school.

Commencement Convocation culminated a weekend of activities that included Reunion Weekend 2013 and Honor’s Convocation.  Students who earned high academic honors and placement on the Dean’s List and Honor Roll were recognized at the annual Honor’s Day Convocation.  Top ranking seniors and the majors who were honored are as follows:

Biology, Dikibujiri I. Diri and Lisa R. Kelley; Business Administration, Jamenequa W. Ben and Billy D. Howard; Chemistry and Biology, Valerie M. Talbert-Dorsey; Communication, Micah D. Johnson; Computer Information Systems, Aisha Z. Henderson and Ross A. Kelley; Computer Science, Jarrett L. Lindsey and Sammy T. Mudede; Computer Science and Mathematics, Stefan F. M. Spears; Criminal Justice, Phillip Michael Canty; Education, Destiny G. Roundtree and Sandra H. Staes; English, Sonya G. Reyes and Brittnee C. Pettie; History, Joseph C. Wright; Kinesiology, Faron E. Bradley and Erica S. Cray; Mathematics, Pamela E. Carias and Ernest P. Valdez; Music, Chrisdon M. McGhee; Political Science, Veronica Numesubo and Nimi N. Kemuel; Psychology, Jasmin K. Massey and Benjamin D. Torres; and Sociology, Daniel V. Culpepper.

Terrence L. Brooks, who earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from HT in 2008 was the Honors Convocation speaker.  Brooks is currently enrolled at the Dallas Theological Seminary, pursuing his master’s degree in Theology. He challenged the honorees to think about what God wants them to do. “There are only two great days in your life:  The day you were born and the day you discover why,” he concluded.

Morial is viewed as the catalyst for the changes occurring in the nearly 100-year old civil rights organization—The National Urban League—emphasizing closing racial and economic gaps.  His creativity has led to initiatives such as the Urban Youth Empowerment Program to assist young adults in securing sustainable jobs, and Entrepreneurship Centers in five cities to help the growth of small businesses. Also, Morial created the National Urban League’s Empowerment Fund, which has pumped almost $200 million into urban impact businesses, including minority businesses through both debt and equity investments.

Morial is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Economics and African American Studies.  He also holds a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington D.C. and has several honorary degrees. He teaches Constitutional Law and Business Law as an adjunct faculty at Xavier University in Louisiana.

His political accomplishments include winning the Louisiana State Bar Association Award for his legal services for the poor and disadvantaged.  At age 26, he was the youngest lawyer to argue and win a major case before the Louisiana Supreme Court.  He was named Legislative Rookie of the Year, Education Senator of the Year, and Environmental Senator of the Year, while authoring laws on a wide range of important subjects.  Morial led the New Orleans renaissance of the 1990s as mayor of the city, improving urban issues, reducing violent crimes and murders, and cutting the unemployment rate in half while reducing poverty rates.

Currently, he serves as an executive committee member of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the Black Leadership Forum, and Leadership 18; and is a board member of the Muhammad Ali Center and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.  He has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential black Americans by Ebony magazine, as well as one of the Top 50 Nonprofit Executives by the Nonprofit Times.

For more information about Reunion Weekend 2013, Honors or Commencement Convocations, call 512.505.3073.  Convocations are open to the public. Event parking is available on Chalmers Avenue.

Michelle Berkering, Generalist EC-6, Special Education and ESL Supplemental, Fifth Grade, ESL, Sims Elementary School, AISD
Logan Blackmon, Generalist EC-6, 5th Grade Math, Gallegos Elementary School, Houston ISD
Christine Bryan, Generalist 4-8, ESL Supplemental, Fifth and Sixth Grade ELA, Texas Preparatory School, San Marco, Texas
Nancy Byers, Special Education EC-12, Special Education Inclusion, Del Valle High School, Del Valle ISD
Demetrius (DJ) Colvin, Special Education EC-12, ELAR 4-8 HS ELA, Austin Can Academy, Austin, Texas
Reginald Davis, Mathematics 4-8, Seventh Grade Math, Decker Middle School, AISD
Victor Ike (AISD Teacher of Promise) Special Education EC-12 Special Education Inclusion, Pearce Middle School, AISD
Corey Johnson, Special EC-12, ELAR 4-8, ESL Supplemental, Del Valle DAEP, Del Valle ISD
David Katz, Physical Education EC-12, Paragon Preparatory Middle School, Austin, Texas
Gail Maduro-Johnson (AISD Teacher of Promise) Science 4-8, Seventh Grade, Martin Middle School, AISD
Shereen McKenzie, Science 4-8, Sixth and Seventh Grade Science, Texas Empowerment Academy, Austin, Texas
Vanessa Mendez-Ocampo, Generalist, EC-6, Special Education EC-12, BTLPT and Bilingual Supplemental, Special Education and Bilingual Class, Walnut Creek Elementary School, AISD
Natasha Morgan, Generalist EC-6, Fourth and Fifth Grade ELAR and Social Studies, Harmony School of Excellence, Austin, Texas
Brandon Pleasants, Generalist EC-6, Generalist 4-8, Special Education 4-8, Second Grade, Almaty International School, Quality Schools International, Kalkaman Village, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Veronica (Maragwa) Schroeder, Special Education EC-12, Garza Independence High School, AISD
Dionne Taylor, Special Education EC-12, Generalist 4-8, Fourth Grade Through Eighth Grade ELA, Harmony School of Excellence, Austin, Texas
Robert Walker, Special Education EC-12, Special Education SBS, Reagan High School, AISD
Corey Wiggins, Generalist EC-6, Sixth Grade ELAR, Kealing Middle School, AISD

Top row l-r: Dr. Teresa Hairston, Dr. Larry L. Earvin, Mr. John Deushane, Mr. Eddie Meyers, Honorable. Betty Thompson. Bottom row l-r: Mrs. Monica Kaufman Pearson, Dr. Betty Clark, Ms. Lisa Williams, Mr. BeBe Winans, and Mr. Wellington Swindall (posthumously). (Not Pictured – Mrs. Elizabeth Littlejohn).

By Karla Simpson-Brown

ELEVEN FAITH AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO RECEIVE
COSTEN AWARDS DURING “TRIBUTE TO EXCELLENCE”

Atlanta, GA – (March 18, 2013) The annual observance of the founding of the ecumenical consortium of six different seminaries chartered as The  Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in 1958, 55 years ago, will continue that tradition on Thursday, April 18, 2013. During the Charter Day and James H. Costen Awards Gala at 7:00 p.m., at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, eleven persons whose professional contributions to the local and national community have been found worthy of the annual “Tribute to Excellence”, and will be honored.

The 2013 honorees in their respective categories are: Religion, Dr. Teresa Hairston, Founder and Publisher of Gospel Today Magazine, as well as Founder and Chair of the Gospel Heritage Foundation; Education, Dr. Larry Earvin, President of Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas; 2 Business Award Recipients – Mr. John Deushane, President and General Manager of WXIA/WATL Atlanta, Georgia, and Mr. Eddie Meyers, Regional President, PNC Bank Atlanta; Government, the Honorable Betty Thompson, Representative of District 72 of the St. Louis District in the Missouri House of Representatives; Civic and Community Affairs Award, Mrs. Monica Kaufman Pearson, Retired News Anchor and Journalist, WSB-TV; Inspiration Award, Dr. Betty Clark, Retired Principal, Atlanta Public Schools; Lifetime Service Award, Mrs. Elizabeth Littlejohn, former Vice President of Financial and Administrative Services at ITC; the Travelin’ Shoes Award, Ms. Lisa Williams, Founder of Living Water for Girls; the Arts and Entertainment Award, Mr. Benjamin “BeBe”: Winans, Grammy Award winning Inspirational, R&B, and Gospel Artist; and the Visionary Award, Mr. Wellington Swindall (posthumously).

The original Charter Day Dinner, held in the early years on the ITC campus, paid homage to the founders of the seminary and celebrated the creation of an ecumenical theological framework for training African American clergy that had been attempted, but never achieved until 1958 when Dr. Harry V. Richardson fostered partnerships among four struggling religion departments at four historically Black colleges, to create the consortium. The awards ceremony was added to the Founders’ Day observance 16 years ago, when then President Robert Franklin established the ITC Associates as a volunteer group to support the advancement office in its fundraising efforts and expanded the celebration to pay tribute to Dr. James H. Costen for his excellent leadership of the ITC and in the Church worldwide. Every year since, the committee, using Dr. Costen as the barometer for excellence to which others aspire, has selected persons to receive the Costen Award. Recipients now total close to 100 women and men, clergy, educators, entrepreneurs, civic and community servants, contributors to the arts and entertainment industry, and most recently contributors to the environment and to the spiritual uplift of humankind.

The Charter Day Planning Committee, ably chaired by Mr. George Andrews, President of Capital City Bank and Trust has garnered the support of alumni, students, and friends of ITC to again gather and celebrate ITC’s history and legacy of excellence in the Church on April 18, 2013. The committee invites the community to participate as well.

For more information about the 55th Charter Day and 16th James H. Costen Awards Gala, go to www.itc.edu or call 404.527.7718.

March 2013

Dr. Alaine Hutson
Dr. Alaine Hutson, Huston-Tillotson University’s Assistant Professor of English, has been selected to receive a 2013 UNCF/Mellon Programs Faculty Residency Fellowship. The fellowship allows Hudson the opportunity to continue to grow and develop as a scholar while pursuing her research on the history of slavery on the Arabian Peninsula in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  The program comes with a $15,000 award to support research, writing, and travel during the 2013 residency period. 

 
Megan Gonzelez
Huston-Tillotson University mathematics and chemistry major Megan Gonzalez has been selected as a participant  in the UNCF/ Mellon Fellowship program.  She gained acceptance into the program based on her outstanding academic achievements and her potential to become a professor and scholar at the college or university level.  The program provides Gonzalez, a sophomore, with a $1,800 stipend per academic semester.  In addition, she will receive summer and annual travel stipends as well as funding to support research activities and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) preparation.  Dr. Brad Rowland, HT’s assistant professor of chemistry, will serve as Gonzalez’s UNCF/Mellon Mentor for the entirety of the fellowship. 

March 20, 2013
By Chad Waller, NAIA Director of Communications & Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – (All-Time All-Americans) The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced the 2012 – 13 Division I Men’s Basketball All-Americans. The selections are made by the NAIA Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Association All-America Committee and comprises a First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention Team. There are 10 members on each of the first three All-America teams.

As part of the national championship title run, Georgetown’s (Ky.) Vic Moses earned the NABC-Division I Men’s Basketball National Player of the Year. He is the first Tiger to win the award since the awards program started in 1994. The forward from Lexington, Ky., led the NAIA in field goal percentage (.669), was third in rebounding (9.7), 30th in blocks per game (1.16) and 31st in scoring (17.1). His 18 season double-doubles was one shy of the NAIA individual best. He rattled through the national championship with 17.0 points and 13.6 rebounds while shooting 56 percent. Moses was a 2011 NAIA Second Team All-American.
 
Chris Briggs of Georgetown (Ky.) was named the 2012 – 13 Rawlings-NAIA National Coach of the Year. He led the Tigers to their second national championship in school history and first since 1998. During a 28-8 campaign, Briggs had the program rank in the NAIA’s top 10 in numerous statistical categories, including second in blocks per game (4.6) and rebounding margin (+10.0), sixth in scoring offense (84.4) and field goal percentage (.491) . He wrapped up his second season as head coach with a 54-17 record.

Briggs is the third Georgetown coach since the awards were given in 1954, joining Bob Davis (1959) and Jim Reid (1994 and 1996).

Three individuals were repeat selections from a year ago: Preston Branson of Westmont (Calif.), Jordan Dressler of Columbia (Mo.) and Rustin Dowd of MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.). Branson and Dressler were repeaters from the 2012 Second Team, while Dowd made it to the Third Team for the second-straight year.

2012—13 Division I Men’s Basketball All-American’s  

& 2012 Second Team
% 2012 Third Team

www.NAIA.org

Featured in the 16,000 square-foot, split-level $2.3 million library renovation are open spaces, study and computer areas, main stacks, the circulation desk, a central master staircase with glass handrails, and the Ram Café on the main level.  The lower level also includes media services, a classroom, and additional reading rooms. Overall, the library is now equipped with an elevator, energy-efficient lighting with sensors, new heating and air conditioning units, upgraded windows units, advanced technological enhancements, and a new roof.

The Downs-Jones Library was completed in 1960 and named for Dr. Karl Everett Downs, President of Samuel Huston College from 1943-1948; and Dr. William H. Jones, President of Tillotson College from 1944-1952. The library offers a fully-integrated automated system for students, faculty, and staff access to thousands of bound books, more than 33,000 ebooks in various disciplines, and 250,000 ejournals, as well as access to leading news and opinion magazines.  As a participating library in Journal Storage (JSTOR), ProQuest, and TexShare (a state-wide resource sharing program), the Huston-Tillotson community is able to access electronic databases (full-text journal articles included), borrow books directly from other libraries, and request materials through interlibrary loan. Patrons also have access to the collection of African American newspapers online. In addition, the library houses a non-circulating archival collection, representing the institution’s history, administrative documents, papers (of the former Presidents of the institution), yearbooks, and memorabilia.  Finally, the National Endowment for the Humanities Bridging Cultures initiative awarded HT the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf collection. The collection consists of 25 books and three films. The “Let’s Talk About It” reading and discussion series features some of the materials included in the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys that will be part of the HT curriculum.

Officials reintroduced the Bachelor of Arts in Communication during the Fall 2011 semester.  The updated communication major integrates contemporary applications across multiple platforms for the next generation of media professionals. The new Communication Center, housed on the third floor of the Agard-Lovinggood Building, complements the major.  Funds from the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) facilitated by U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett were used to develop the communication degree program and campus location.

The major, under the University’s College of Arts and Sciences within the Department of Humanities and Fine Arts, is a 30-semester hour program of courses devoted to telecommunications technology, media, information, and program content that extends beyond what society has understood as media while preparing graduates with the ethical responsibility and the knowledge to discern their role in the future of media. An advisory panel of academic, broadcast, and industry professionals crafted the components of the new curriculum.

The new degree and center not only strengthen the University’s course offerings with a comprehensive multimedia degree path for students specifically interested in the subject but seeks to attract and place more minorities into the field.

See pictures and a video of the work in progress.

(Atlanta, GA) 3.11.13 — Cameron Green, a sophomore communication major at Huston-Tillotson University, was elected vice-president of  the UNCF Pre-Alumni Council National Executive Board during the 67^th Annual Leadership Conference held recently in Atlanta, GA.  Green currently serves as HT’s Student Government Association student activities director, as well as a member of the Gentlemen’s Club. Green is a first generation college student currently matriculating at HT and has goals of entering law school upon graduating.  He aspires to return to his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, to pursue a career in politics. 

HT’s Pre-Alumni Council Traveled to Atlanta for the UNCF Leadership Conference

By Sharnia Rowlett
Intern
Communication Major

“Partnership for Transformation: Moving Students To and Through College” was the theme of the 55^th Annual NPAC Leadership Conference attended by a dozen Huston-Tillotson University students.  HT is a charter member of UNCF as one of the 38 UNCF member-colleges and universities in attendance at the  week-long conference.

Keynote speaker Judge Glenda A. Hatchett empowered students with a message to get serious about their purpose and passion. Hatchett asked, “What is that one thing you always wanted to do?”

Each day was filled with sessions to equip and prompt UNCF scholars with the skills and tools needed to find their path to greatness, dress for success, and to gaining the job of their dreams.

HT’s 2012-2013 Miss UNCF also competed with other UNCF member- colleges and universities as queens advanced their institution’s scholarship funding. Cameron Green proudly stepped down as NPAC’s Southwestern Regional Director as he was elected NPAC Vice President. Sharnia Rowlett was appointed editor of the Torch, the national pre alumni newsletter and is awaiting final confirmaton.

Below are eight tips by Rose Flenrol, Manager of Social Responsibility,  FedEx Corporation, to address the transition from a collegiate career to a prosperous future.

• Gain experience from an early internship. “Better the brand, better the opportunity”
• Get to know your professors, because employers appreciate a distinguished recommendation letter
• Begin thinking like a professional! Obtain business cards and a professional email address
• Clean up your online image
• Connect with the people you meet along the way
• Join your Alumni Association immediately
• Seek a mentor
• Set short and long terms goals for yourself

McDonald is a native of Bastrop, Texas, and a former County Judge. He made Texas history as the youngest person to be elected to the position of county judge. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in political science and management from Texas A&M, McDonald pursued his career in politics by working for former State Comptroller John Sharp, eventually serving as executive assistant responsible for the development of the Family Pathfinder program, which has been recognized by former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Also, during the 2011 Bastrop fires, he was placed in the national spotlight for his leadership efforts.

           Peierls, Vice President of The Peierls Foundation, facilitated a partnership with HT in order to support scholarship efforts, a growing Hispanic population, and the transfer of students from Austin Community College.  The Foundation has contributed more than $4.5 million to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and awarded 1,500 scholarships to outstanding Latino students since 1988. Supporting higher education, children/youth international relief programs, and civil rights are the tenets of the Foundation. There is also a focus on health, medical research, immigrants, reproductive health, and family planning.

The evening of elegance and entertainment that attracted more than 450 guests, many in highly decorated masks, and numerous corporate and individual sponsors in support of HT’s programs and scholarships, featured four musical performers:  Rhythm and blues performers After 7; Grammy-award nominee Miki Howard; Soulkitchan, comprised of HT graduates; and HT’s Jazz Combo, under the direction of Javier Stuppard. Howard also doubled as the emcee for the evening along with KXAN reporter Sophia Beausoleil.

Popular selections from After 7 such as “Heat of the Moment,” “Can’t Stop,” “Ready or Not”, and “Nights Like This” pleased the crowd and especially the females who received a red rose.  Popular pop and R&B artist “Babyface” Edmond organized his brothers, Melvin and Kevon, as After 7 in 1987 along with Keith Mitchell. Howard, accompanied by Soulkitchan, blew the crowd away with “Misty,” “All of Me,” and “Masquerade” before mingling and taking pictures with guests. 

The 2013 Gala marked the tenth year for the event that has generated more than one million dollars for the University and featured up close and personal performances from artists such as Regina Belle, Will Downing, Johnny Gill, Jennifer Holliday, Kenny Lattimore, Najee, and Pieces of a Dream.  In addition, celebrity guest appearances from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Judge Mablean Ephriam, and Emmanuel Lewis have headlined the University’s signature event.

Community leader, political activist, businesswoman, and alumna Bertha Sadler Means was named the 2013 Honorary Chair.  Means, a 1945 graduate of Tillotson College, a predecessor institution to Huston-Tillotson University, is a pioneer and accomplished HT graduate with deeply-rooted ties to the Austin community. She reminisced about her years on campus during her comments—the place that launched her life’s journey, where she met her husband, and where she provides her support. “I want you to know that your support means a lot to me.  HT means so much to me,” she stated before celebrating the night on the dance floor with supporters.

To date, sponsorships are as follows: Platinum sponsors:  Institute for Professional Development | Johnson Controls | The Mitte Foundation | Time Warner Cable of Austin | Wells Fargo Bank.  Gold Sponsors:  George Brothers Kincaid & Horton, L.L.P. | Seton Healthcare Family | The University of Texas at Austin/Office of the President and Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Engagement | University Federal Credit Union (UFCU).  Silver Sponsors:  GSD&M (Liz and Duff Stewart) | Austin Coca-Cola Bottling Company | Gourmet Services/A La Carte Menu Services, Inc. | Henna Chevrolet | Sterling Acura of Austin.  Bronze Sponsors:  Arnold Oil Company | Austin Cab Company | Austin Energy Services | Broaddus & Associates | Dr. and Mrs. Don W. Brown | Capitol Partners, Inc. | Donna D. Carter | The Honorable Lee Cooke | J.E. Dunn Construction/Casa Bella Architects | Dr. Larry L. Earvin | Greater Texas Federal Credit Union | Sandra L. Griffin, Esq. | The Honorable Albert Hawkins | Huston-Tillotson University International Alumni Association | ImageNet Consulting | Trennis Jones | Krause & Associates, L.P. | Lee Tilford Agency | Paul J. Legris | Dr. and Mrs. C. Mark Melliar-Smith | Dr. Terrance D. Grant-Malone | Kathryn S. Page | William Pickard (Better Dreams Mattress Company) | Prosperity Bank | Regions Bank | St. James’ Episcopal Church | Scott Schmidt and Dr. Carol McDonald | Sodexo Inc. and Affiliates | David A. Talbot, Jr. | Texas Methodist Foundation | A. Leon Thompson, Jr. | Yellow Cab Austin.

Huston-Tillotson University, celebrating its 138 year anniversary, is experiencing its highest enrollment, and is in the final stages of campus renovations to the library and communication center.

###

Pictured
Top photo
HT President Larry L. Earvin and Brian Peierls.

Second photo
HT’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement Roderick L. Smothers and Judge Ronnie McDonald

Popular pop and R&B artist “Babyface” Edmond organized his brothers, Melvin and Kevon, as After 7 in 1987 along with Keith Mitchell.  The trio hit the charts with their self-titled debut album with hits such as “Heat of the Moment,” “Can’t Stop,” and “Ready or Not.”  In addition, “Nights Like This” from the Five Heartbeats soundtrack also made them popular. Grammy-award nominee Miki Howard will emcee the gala and perform during the evening of dining and dancing.  Howard, whose parents were gospel singers, acquired a love of music at an early age.  Her first single from the “Come Share My Love,” release hit the R&B top ten charts, reaching number five. She later reached number one on the charts with “Ain’t Nuthin’ in the World” followed by “Love under New Management,” for the number two spot.  She also shared Billie Holiday memories with a recording of Miki Sings Billie and earned her Grammy nomination for “Three Wishes” before releasing “Miki Sings the Classics” and “Private Collection.”

This year’s Gala marks the tenth year for the event that has generated more than one million dollars for the University and featured up close and personal performances from artists such as Regina Belle, Will Downing, Johnny Gill, Jennifer Holliday, Kenny Lattimore, Najee, and Pieces of a Dream.  In addition, celebrity guest appearances from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Judge Mablean Ephriam, and Emmanuel Lewis have headlined the University’s signature event.

The all-star line up of musical talent also features the HT Jazz Combo, under the direction of Javier Stuppard, and graduates from the Jazz Combo who formed Soulkitchan to round out the evening’s entertainment in addition to the silent auction and Parade of Masks competition.

Community leader, political activist, businesswoman, and alumna Bertha Sadler Means was named the Honorary Chair.  Means, a 1945 graduate of Tillotson College, a predecessor institution to Huston-Tillotson University, is a pioneer and accomplished HT graduate with deeply-rooted ties to the Austin community. “I’m confident that the community will join me in supporting not just the gala, but Austin’s oldest institution of higher education,” Means stated. “As someone who lived during a period of segregation and fought for educational access to anyone seeking a college degree, I can’t think of a more worthy and just cause.”

To date, sponsorships are as follows: Platinum sponsors:  Institute for Professional Development | The Mitte Foundation | Time Warner Cable of Austin | Wells Fargo Bank.  Gold Sponsors:  George Brothers Kincaid & Horton, L.L.P. | Seton Family of Hospitals | The University of Texas at Austin/Office of the President and Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Engagement | University Federal Credit Union (UCFU).  Silver Sponsors:  Austin Coca-Cola Bottling Company | Henna Chevrolet | Sterling Acura of Austin.  Bronze Sponsors:  Arnold Oil Company | Austin Cab Company | Dr. and Mrs. Don W. Brown | Capitol Partners, Inc. | Donna D. Carter | J.E. Dunn Construction | Dr. Larry L. Earvin | GSD&M | Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody | Greater Texas Federal Credit Union | Huston-Tillotson University International Alumni Association | Image Net Consulting | Trennis Jones | Krause & Associates, L.P. | Lee Tilford Agency | Dr. and Mrs. C. Mark Melliar-Smith | Terrance D. Grant-Malone | Prosperity Bank | Regions Bank | Scott Schmidt and Dr. Carol McDonald | Texas Methodist Foundation | A. Leon Thompson, Jr.

Huston-Tillotson University recently celebrated its 137-year anniversary, is experiencing its highest enrollment, and is in the final stages of campus renovations to the library and communication center.

Guests may purchase their admission for $125 and sponsors may secure seating at one of the sponsorship levels by calling 512.505.3073.

Click to view past gala pictures and more.

Alumna Bertha Sadler Means Named HT’s Gala Honorary Chair

Community leader, political activist, businesswoman, and alumna Bertha Sadler Means was named Huston-Tillotson University’s Decennial President’s Mankind Assisting Students Kindle Educational Dreams (MASKED) Gala honorary chair. The black-tie affair is scheduled for Saturday, March 2, 2013 at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol.

Means, a 1945 graduate of Tillotson College, a predecessor institution to Huston-Tillotson University, is a pioneer and accomplished HT graduated with deeply-rooted ties to the Austin community. She earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Texas at Austin and enjoyed a long career in education before retiring from the Austin Independent School District (AISD).  Means was awarded the W. Charles Akins African American Heritage Award in 2002 for her exemplary character, leadership, and community service.  She also served on the HT Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2008 and is the owner of Austin Cab Company.  The Bertha Sadler Means African American Resource Center located in the Anthony and Louise Viaer-Alumni Hall on the HT campus was named in her honor for her philanthropic support.  “HT is in my heart, and I have always contributed as much as possible,” said Means who discovered the institution when she was recruited to play basketball.

“I’m confident that the community will join me in supporting not just the gala, but Austin’s oldest institution of higher education,” Means stated. “As someone who lived during a period of segregation and fought for educational access to anyone seeking a college degree, I can’t think of a more worthy and just cause.”

The MASKED gala has generated more than one million dollars for the University and featured up close and personal performances from artists such as Regina Belle, Will Downing, Johnny Gill, Jennifer Holliday, Kenny Lattimore, Najee, and Pieces of a Dream.  In addition, celebrity guest appearances from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Judge Mablean Ephriam, and Emmanuel Lewis have headlined the University’s signature event.

Huston-Tillotson University recently celebrated its 137-year anniversary, is experiencing its highest enrollment, and is in the final stages of campus renovations to the library and communication center.

For more information, or to discuss sponsorship opportunities, call 512.505.3073 or visit the gala section of the  Web site.

McDonald is a native of Bastrop and a former County Judge. He made Texas history as the youngest person to be elected the position of county judge. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in political science and management from Texas A&M, McDonald pursued his career in politics by working for former State Comptroller John Sharp, eventually serving as executive assistant over the development of the Family Pathfinder program, which has been recognized by former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Also during the 2011 Bastrop fires, he was placed in the national spotlight for his leadership efforts. He now has his eyes set on a seat in Congress. 

Rhythm and blues performers After 7 and Grammy-award nominee Miki Howard will headline the gala.  Popular pop and R&B artist “Babyface” Edmond organized his brothers, Melvin and Kevon, as After 7 in 1987 along with Keith Mitchell.  The trio hit the charts with their self-titled debut album with hits such as “Heat of the Moment,” “Can’t Stop,” and “Ready or Not.”  In addition, “Nights Like This” from the Five Heartbeats soundtrack also made them popular. Grammy-award nominee Miki Howard will emcee the gala and perform during the evening of dining and dancing.  Howard, whose parents were gospel singers, acquired a love of music at an early age.  Her first single from the “Come Share My Love,” release hit the R&B top ten charts, reaching number five. She later reached number one on the charts with “Ain’t Nuthin’ in the World” followed by “Love under New Management,” for the number two spot.  She also shared Billie Holiday memories with a recording of Miki Sings Billie and earned her Grammy nomination for “Three Wishes” before releasing “Miki Sings the Classics” and “Private Collection.”

This year’s gala marks the tenth year for the event that has generated more than one million dollars for the University and featured up close and personal performances from artists such as Regina Belle, Will Downing, Johnny Gill, Jennifer Holliday, Kenny Lattimore, Najee, and Pieces of a Dream.  In addition, celebrity guest appearances from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Judge Mablean Ephriam, and Emmanuel Lewis have headlined the University’s signature event.

The all-star line up of musical talent also features the HT Jazz Combo, under the direction of Javier Stuppard, and graduates from the Jazz Combo who formed Soulkitchan to round out the evening’s entertainment in addition to the silent auction and Parade of Masks competition.

Community leader, political activist, businesswoman, and alumna Bertha Sadler Means was named the Honorary Chair.  Means, a 1945 graduate of Tillotson College, a predecessor institution to Huston-Tillotson University, is a pioneer and accomplished HT graduate with deeply-rooted ties to the Austin community. “I’m confident that the community will join me in supporting not just the gala, but Austin’s oldest institution of higher education,” Means stated. “As someone who lived during a period of segregation and fought for educational access to anyone seeking a college degree, I can’t think of a more worthy and just cause.”

To date, sponsorships are as follows: Platinum sponsors:  Institute for Professional Development | The Mitte Foundation | Time Warner Cable of Austin | Wells Fargo Bank.  Gold Sponsors:  George Brothers Kincaid & Horton, L.L.P. | Seton Healthcare Family | The University of Texas at Austin/Office of the President and Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Engagement | University Federal Credit Union (UFCU).  Silver Sponsors:  GSD&M | Austin Coca-Cola Bottling Company | Henna Chevrolet | Sterling Acura of Austin.  Bronze Sponsors:  Arnold Oil Company | Austin Cab Company | Austin Energy Services | Better Dreams Mattress Company | Dr. and Mrs. Don W. Brown | Capitol Partners, Inc. | Donna D. Carter | J.E. Dunn Construction | Dr. Larry L. Earvin | Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody | Greater Texas Federal Credit Union | Sandra L. Griffin, Esq. | Albert Hawkins | Huston-Tillotson University International Alumni Association | ImageNet Consulting | Trennis Jones | Krause & Associates, L.P. | Lee Tilford Agency | Paul J. Legris | Dr. and Mrs. C. Mark Melliar-Smith | Terrance D. Grant-Malone | Kathryn S. Page | Prosperity Bank | Regions Bank | St. James’ Episcopal Church | Scott Schmidt and Dr. Carol McDonald | Sodexo | David A. Talbot, Jr. | Texas Methodist Foundation | A. Leon Thompson, Jr. | Yellow Cab Austin

Huston-Tillotson University recently celebrated its 137-year anniversary, is experiencing its highest enrollment, and is in the final stages of campus renovations to the library and communication center.

Guests may purchase their admission for $125 and sponsors may secure seating at one of the sponsorship levels by visiting www.htu.edu or calling 512.505.3073. A mask is required.

Mosley will address the faith community’s response to human sexuality, especially sexual pluralism and non-hetero expressions of sexuality under the topic, “Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby: Human Sexuality and the Black Church Experience.” Mosley mentions that the black faith community must address issues of human sexuality, if the church desires to retain its historic prominence in black life.

Gammon, the United Methodist component of The Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC),  is considered by many as the world’s premier resource for black religious scholarship and faith-based solutions to the spiritual and socio-economic challenges confronting the African American community.

Prior to being named the President of Gammon, Mosley served as the University Chaplain and Director of the Multi-Faith Studies Program at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Before his appointment at The Johns Hopkins University, Mosley served as Director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Professor in the Penonni Honors College of Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA), teaching courses ranging from comparative ethics to public life and leadership.

Mosley was born and raised in rural Mississippi.  He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of United Methodist-related Millsaps College and has also earned degrees from Duke University and Yale University.  He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the William J. Griffith Distinguished University Service Award given by Duke University and the Distinguished Preaching Award given by Duke Divinity School.

Dixon, for which the lecture is named, is one of two HT graduates to receive “bishop” status.  He graduated magna cum laude from what was Samuel Huston College in 1943 before earning a degree from Drew Theological Seminary. He served the church and community in numerous positions while establishing innovative programs before and after becoming president of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas. He retired in 1992 and died in 1996. Huston-Tillotson is affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, and offers a minor in religious studies. 

Free and open to the public.  For more information, contact Rev. Donald E. Brewington, University Chaplain, 512.505.3054, or debrewington@htu.edu. 

Colleges and universities in the Southern states and abroad— Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and other international sites—make up the SACSCOC regional body for accreditation.  The COC’s mission is the enhancement of educational quality throughout the region. The Commission strives to improve the effectiveness of institutions by ensuring that institutions meet standards established by the higher education community that address the needs of society and students.  There are seven accrediting bodies: Middle States, Association of Colleges and Schools; New England Association of Schools and Colleges; North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; Western Association of Schools and Colleges; and Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. SACSCOC, established as an accrediting body in 1895, is the nation’s oldest accrediting agency.

Earvin previously served on the Executive Council as Vice Chair, responsible for the interpretation of Commission policies and procedures. Earvin guided HT through successful 2002 and 2009 SACS reaffirmation of accreditation visits. He also currently serves on several other national and state boards.

He was named Huston-Tillotson University’s president in 2000 and last year his services were extended by the Huston-Tillotson University Board of Trustees until June 30, 2015.

Event

Date

Time

Location

Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ

April 14, 2013

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

3115 Blogett Street
Houston, Texas  77004

Honors Convocation

May, 3, 2013

 10 a.m.

King-Seabrook Chapel

Commencement Convocation

May 4, 2013

8 a.m.

HT Athletic Field

Dates, times, locations subject to change. Call 512.505.3042 for confirmation.

HT Concert Choir CD

The Huston-Tillotson University Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Gloria Quinlan, recently released a recording of popular selections performed throughout the years as well as the first known recording of the alma mater. The University’s alma mater was written by the late Fred Waring. Waring, a composer, musician, and band leader from the family that invented the electrical Waring Blender, was responsible for selling millions of records.  He won the Congressional Gold Medal before his passing in 1984.

HT alumnus Louie Carrington, a 1971 graduate and musician who has delighted worldwide audiences with classics by Ramsey Lewis, Yolanda Adams, Duke Ellington, and other artists, produced the recording. The CD collection includes Negro spirituals such as “We Shall Walk Through the Valley,” “Hold On,” and “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” mixed with classics like “With You I’m Born Again” and “Green Dolphin Street.”  The selections are accompanied by the HT Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Mr. Javier Stuppard; and University pianist, organist, and music professor Dr. Stephen Burnaman.

The concert choir last released its works of classical sacred music, Negro spirituals, and contemporary gospel songs in 1997 when Mr. Henry Milton Washington, Jr. was the choir director.

Throughout the years, the concert choir has performed many different genres of music worldwide, including art songs of America, classical, contemporary classical, standard chorale from the Renaissance to the present, show tunes, and pop to name a few.

The choir has toured nationally and internationally and has rendered music at memorial services for high-ranking government officials and their family members and performed at annual Christmas musicals and holiday events as well as performances at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) events.  Quinlan, who joined the faculty in 1998, has guided HT choir members through national auditions and selections for the Historically Black College and University Concert Choir and other voice competitions.

The legacy of HT’s great concert choir directors and accompanists lives through the Marcet Hines King Endowed Chair Professorship.  Mrs. King served as a member of the HT faculty for 18 years and was preceded in death by her late husband John Q. Taylor King, Sr. who served as president of Huston-Tillotson from 1965 to 1988.

Order Your Concert Choir CD Online Now.
Place “Concert Choir CD” in the memo line for a purchase of $10.00 on the “General Revenue Line”.  You may stop by the campus or call  512.505.3073 to make a credit card payment.

Dr. Gloria Quinlan in the Spotlight at the Kennedy Center

Dr. Gloria Quinlan, professor of music and conductor of the Huston-Tillotson University Concert Choir, was selected as one of the conductors of 105 Voices of History Historically Black Colleges and Universities Concert Choir. In addition, HT students M’Kenzie Flakes (second row, third from right) and Mariann Henry joined the world-class concert performance scheduled at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.   The 2011 concert was hosted by the original “Dreamgirl” and Tony Award Winner Jennifer Holliday as well as jazz musician and Grammy Award winner Kirk Whalum. See more pictures at www.hbcuchoirs-105voh.com.

 Huston-Tillotson University Concert Choir
The Concert Choir continues the University’s proud heritage of world-class performing ensembles, and the tradition of the historically black college and university choirs as ambassadors for their respective schools. The current 35-student member choir, the greater number of whom are music majors, performs a wide variety of music, including works from the classical choral repertoire, spirituals, gospel, and jazz.

Quinlan earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Texas Southern University and a master’s in music from Colorado State University. She later received a doctorate in music administration from the University of Texas at Austin. Quinlan was recently promoted to chair of Huston-Tillotson University’s Department of Humanities and Fine Arts in which the music major is housed. She is also credited with recording with the University of Texas Trombone Choir (2009), and was the Southwest Regional Conductor for the 105 Voices of History National Choir, 2009-2010.

The HT choir is a much-beloved institution in the Austin, Texas, area and is currently completed a recording for release.  The choir performs at more than 30 engagements annually in addition to its on-campus responsibilities at University functions, such as Charter Day, Commencement Convocation, and Honors Convocation. The choir’s Christmas concert is a highlight of theAustinmusic scene each year.  The group also performs annually inDallas,San Antonio, andHouston.  In 2008 those performances included the premiere of a work by a Houston composer, Lela Anderson.  In 2010 the choir performed with world-renowned artists Carmen Bradford and Melba Joyce.

In recent years, the choir has touredWashington, D.C., New York, and St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, to great acclaim.  During, February 2008, in theVirgin Islands, the choir joined with alumni from the University of the Virgin Islands Concert Choir for a UVI Choir reunion concert.

The choir’s renown has been enhanced by recognition from the highest levels of our government.  President Bush and the White House invited the choir to sing for the opening of the Texas State Museum on April 21, 2001.  Later that same month, the choir sang for former President Jimmy Carter during an engagement at SouthwesternUniversity, Georgetown, Texas.  The choir received a great honor when it was asked to provide the choral music for the Lady Bird Johnson Final Tribute, July 2007.

The choir has also demonstrated its versatility by performing with artists who do not feature works from the standard repertoire, including providing background vocals for Linda Eder, Ben Vereen, and the Colors of Christmas Tour (featuring Deniece Williams).  Additionally, the choir provided all of the ensemble music for the Group Sales Event’s concert version of the Walt Disney touring production “Lion King” held inAustin’s Bass Concert Hall.

Other performing highlights include recent performances of “Sister Moses,” a program centered on the life of Harriet Tubman, with the Desert Dance Theater from Phoenix, Arizona, a full production of the opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” annual appearances at the City of Austin’s unveiling of Black History Month street banners, singing at the Texas State Cemetery for the re-interment of a Hall of Fame Negro League baseball player, two performances of the “Gospel Mass,” in conjunction with Southwestern University Concert Choir, under the direction of the composer, Robert Ray.  Annually in February during Black History Month, the choir performs its collaborative concert with the Austin Chamber Music Center in a performance of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concert to a standing-room only audience. 

The choir performs regularly in Wichita, Kansas, as part of the Annual Wichita Black Expo, an event which brings recruiters from more than 40 historically black and other colleges and universities to meet with students from Wichita high schools.  The Wichita City Council declares the day Huston-Tillotson University Day, in honor of the choir’s performance.

Huston-Tillotson’s Concert Choir and the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas collaborated in the third annual Black History Month Concert, held at the University of Texas at Austin.  The two schools also collaborated in April 2009 in several performances of Duke Ellington’s Opera “Queenie Pie.”

The choir scheduled a West Coast tour for the first time in more than 15 years.  Choir members visited and performed at the Susan Miller Dorsey and Crenshaw high schools in Los Angeles as well as at the Breath of Life Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Inglewood; New Covenant Baptist Church, Norwalk; and Holman United Methodist Church, Los Angeles.  Their April 2011 travels also took them to Universal Studios where they met “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno.

 The HT choir is also proud of its role in recruiting new students and raising funds for the University.

More About the Concert Choir

Black History Month Concert 2013

Mr. Charles Lloyd, Jr., noted for his musical compositions and arrangements, was the featured guest during the annual Black History Month collaborative concert with the Huston-Tillotson University Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Gloria Quinlan; the Prairie View A&M University Concert Chorale, under the direction of Dr. A. Jan Taylor (pictured above); and the University of Texas Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. James Morrow. The event was held on Feb. 8, 2013 at Bates Recital Hall.

 Lloyd, noted for his diverse musical background and accomplishments, is a member of the Southern University faculty.  His published compositions and arrangements have been performed on the world stage, and he has coached numerous vocal soloists.  He earned his bachelor’s degree in music from Norfolk University and a master’s in music from the University of Michigan. 

Pictured are Dr. Gloria Quinlan conducting and Dr. Stephen Burnaman on piano.

Black History Month Concert 2012

Roland Carter, noted as an authority on the performance and preservation of African American music, performed during the annual Black History Month collaborative  celebration with the Huston-Tillotson University Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Gloria Quinlan, and the University of Texas choir on Friday, Feb. 3.  The performance was held at the Bates Recital Hall.  The evening featured Carter and Dr. Allen Franklin Todd, II, an accomplished singer who has written numerous gospel, worship, and praise selections. 

Carter is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mar-Vel, a music publisher specializing in the music of African American Composers and traditions. Carter has directed the Chattanooga Choral Society for the Preservation of African American Song for 19 years, and served as music advisor and principle guest conductor of the Houston Ebony Opera Guild, Houston, Texas, for 12 years. An unquestionably gifted composer-arranger, it is Carter’s arrangement of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” that is most often used to present the anthem in formal settings. His arrangements and settings have and continue to be performed by orchestras and choirs throughout the world. Carter is the Ruth S. Holmberg Professor of American Music in the Department of Music at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). His accomplishments as a leading figure in the choral arts include concerts with major choruses and orchestras in prestigious venues nationwide; as well as lectures, workshops, and master classes. From presidential inaugurations to the smallest church, from scholarly presentations for national gatherings of musicians, educators, and preservationists to private coaching with individual singers, Carter lends his keen ear, bright mind, and talented hands to projects of every sort.

Todd serves as the Music Area Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Music, and Director of the Lemoyne-Owen College Concert Choir. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia; the Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting from the College of Music Arts at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio; and the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Performance with concentrations in Opera Studies, Choral Conducting and Voice from the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee.

The HT family will gather in King-Seabrook Chapel on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 11 a.m. for a remembrance ceremony for Ruiz. Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced upon confirmation. Details of the death are under investigation by appropriate law enforcement officials.  Counseling services are available to members of the HT community in need of support during this difficult time.

Means, a 1945 graduate of Tillotson College, a predecessor institution to Huston-Tillotson University, is a pioneer and accomplished HT graduated with deeply-rooted ties to the Austin community. She earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Texas at Austin and enjoyed a long career in education before retiring from the Austin Independent School District (AISD).  Means was awarded the W. Charles Akins African American Heritage Award in 2002 for her exemplary character, leadership, and community service.  She also served on the HT Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2008 and is the owner of Austin Cab Company.  The Bertha Sadler Means African American Resource Center located in the Anthony and Louise Viaer-Alumni Hall on the HT campus was named in her honor for her philanthropic support.  “HT is in my heart, and I have always contributed as much as possible,” said Means who discovered the institution when she was recruited to play basketball.

“I’m confident that the community will join me in supporting not just the gala, but Austin’s oldest institution of higher education,” Means stated. “As someone who lived during a period of segregation and fought for educational access to anyone seeking a college degree, I can’t think of a more worthy and just cause.”

The MASKED gala has generated more than one million dollars for the University and featured up close and personal performances from artists such as Regina Belle, Will Downing, Johnny Gill, Jennifer Holliday, Kenny Lattimore, Najee, and Pieces of a Dream.  In addition, celebrity guest appearances from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Judge Mablean Ephriam, and Emmanuel Lewis have headlined the University’s signature event.

Huston-Tillotson University recently celebrated its 137-year anniversary, is experiencing its highest enrollment, and is in the final stages of campus renovations to the library and communication center.

For more information, or to discuss sponsorship opportunities, call 512.505.3073 or visit the gala section of the  Web site.

Cormier is a senior majoring in business administration with a concentration in accounting.  She grew up in California but calls Beaumont, Texas, home. She has an interest in international travels, and, in particular, the Kingdom of Cambodia in Southeast Asia in order to assist with transitional housing for young girls abroad and locally.

Cormier’s campus involvement includes positions as a Resident Hall Assistant and historian of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Upsilon Alpha Chapter.  She is also captain of the Ram-Nites Dance Team and active in Religious Life Campus Ministry. 

She is the daughter of the late Angela Broussard and David Cormier. 

Rodriguez, a junior from San Antonio, Texas, is a kinesiology major with a concentration in exercise science.  He is also a Resident Hall Assistant, a member of the Gentleman’s Club, Pre-Alumni Council, Brothers of Fellowship, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.  He comes from a military family and plans to enter the Air Force upon graduating in order to specialize in a medical area. He is the son of Daniel and Diane Rodriguez. 

Both will represent the University in national competitions as well as local and state events and activities during their reign.

The coronation is a semi-formal event that is free and open to the public with a reception immediately following the program.

The Champions of Character award places the University among an elite group of institutions that demonstrate the five-core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership within their programs.  HT athletes participate in baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, and track and field for men or women.  Annually, members of the sports team engage in mentoring programs and community service while maintaining their sports regimen and academic goals.

ADP staff are accepting applications now for the first cohort of adult learners to begin in January 2013.  Students will receive a personalized degree completion plan with one-on-one advising throughout the program.  Courses will be offered in sequence one evening a week with learning teams for group projects and assignments.  Financial aid is also available to those who qualify.

“Since 1875, the sons and daughters of HT have made a dramatic difference in the quality of life for the communities and people they touch. HT has educated first generation students who are often faced with a myriad of challenges. These students may find the quality and quantity of college courses to be rigorous and demanding. Huston-Tillotson provides diverse students a proven environment for academic success. True to its roots, Huston-Tillotson embraces the responsibility of intellectually challenging well-prepared students while offering those who may need support an opportunity to reach their full potential,”  said HT President Larry L. Earvin, Ph.D.

The business administration degree delivers a course of study preparing competent business professionals to meet the challenges of an interdependent world with students making an immediate contribution to the business environment.  Within the four-year interdisciplinary criminal justice program, students will receive the tools necessary for critical knowledge, communication, personal growth, and real-world application opportunities.

Interested individuals may visit the HT microsite at http://www.huston-tillotsonadultdegrees.com:8080/ or call 512.505.6455 to speak to an admission counselor.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 18, 2012

CONTACT:
Press Office, (202) 401-1576 or press@ed.gov

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in 19 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be able to strengthen their academic resources, financial management systems, endowment-building capacity, and physical plants as a result of a $227.9 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education today.

The five-year grants—Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities— will include activities such as curriculum reform; counseling and student service programs; establishing teacher education programs designed to qualify students to teach; acquiring real-estate property in connection with construction, renovations, or additions that may improve campus facilities; and funding faculty and staff development. In addition, funds may be used for the purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment and the development of academic instruction in disciplines in which African Americans are underrepresented.

“HBCUs have made enduring, even staggering contributions to American life despite the steep financial challenges many have faced,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “The grants will help these important institutions continue to provide their students with the quality education they need to compete in the global economy.”

The Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities grant is administered by the Office of Postsecondary Education. For additional information on the grant program, visit http://www2.ed.gov/programs/iduestitle3b/index.html.

A complete list of the 97 grant award recipients follows:

###

Simpson, a native of Virginia, recently served as a member of both the Radford University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) advancement teams as Director of Annual Giving and Annual Giving Officer, respectively.  As a member of the Huston-Tillotson University Institutional Advancement team that includes alumni relations, public relations and marketing, donor relations, and sponsored programs, Simpson will be responsible for managing annual giving programs, cultivating donors, and soliciting major gifts.

Simpson earned his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Virginia Tech with minors in communication and sociology.

Features in the 16,000 square-foot, split-level $2.3 million library renovation are open spaces, study and computer areas, main stacks, the circulation desk, a central master staircase with glass handrails, and the Ram Café on the main level.  The lower level also includes media services, a classroom, and additional reading rooms. Overall, the library is now equipped with an elevator, energy-efficient lighting with sensors, new heating and air conditioning units, upgraded windows units, advanced technological enhancements, and a new roof.

The Downs-Jones Library was completed in 1960 and named for Dr. Karl Everett Downs, President of Samuel Huston College from 1943-1948; and Dr. William H. Jones, President of Tillotson College from 1944-1952. The library offers a fully-integrated automated system for students, faculty, and staff access to thousands of bound books, more than 33,000 ebooks in various disciplines, and 250,000 ejournals, as well as access to leading news and opinion magazines.  As a participating library in Journal Storage (JSTOR), ProQuest, and TexShare (a state-wide resource sharing program), the Huston-Tillotson community is able to access electronic databases (full-text journal articles included), borrow books directly from other libraries, and request materials through interlibrary loan. Patrons also have access to the collection of African American newspapers online. In addition, the library houses a non-circulating archival collection, representing the institution’s history, administrative documents, papers (of the former Presidents of the institution), yearbooks, and memorabilia.  Finally, the National Endowment for the Humanities Bridging Cultures initiative awarded HT the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf collection. The collection consists of 25 books and three films. The “Let’s Talk About It” reading and discussion series features some of the materials included in the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys that will be part of the HT curriculum.

The grand opening of the $300,000 Communication Center is scheduled at 2:30 p.m.  Officials reintroduced the Bachelor of Arts in Communication during the Fall 2011 semester.  The updated communication major integrates contemporary applications across multiple platforms for the next generation of media professionals. The new Communication Center, housed on the third floor of the Agard-Lovinggood Building, complements the major.  Funds from the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) facilitated by U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett were used to develop the communication degree program and campus location.

The major, under the University’s College of Arts and Sciences within the Department of Humanities and Fine Arts, is a 30-semester hour program of courses devoted to telecommunications technology, media, information, and program content that extends beyond what society has understood as media while preparing graduates with the ethical responsibility and the knowledge to discern their role in the future of media. An advisory panel of academic, broadcast, and industry professionals crafted the components of the new curriculum.

The new degree and center not only strengthen the University’s course offerings with a comprehensive multimedia degree path for students specifically interested in the subject but seeks to attract and place more minorities into the field.

For more information, call 512.505.3073 or email events@htu.edu.

See pictures and a video of the work in progress.

The move in also launches New Student Orientation and a traditional Matriculation Ceremony, designed to assist students in transition into the University.  The Matriculation Ceremony is scheduled on Thursday, Aug. 16 at 11 a.m. on the campus in King-Seabrook Chapel, 900 Chicon Street.

Huston-Tillotson University offers Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees in biology, business administration, communication, chemistry, computer science, criminal justice, education, English, history, kinesiology, mathematics, music, music education, political science, psychology and sociology.  A minor can be earned in most of the disciplines, including religions studies and African and African American Studies.

An enrollment of 904 students in 2011 reflected the University’s highest enrollment since the 1952 merger of Samuel Huston and Tillotson colleges into what is now Huston-Tillotson University. The University also graduated its largest class in 2012.

For a complete orientation schedule, to discover more about Huston-Tillotson University, or to enroll for the upcoming term, contact Enrollment Management at 512.505.3028 or visit www.htu.edu. 

The nationally recognized program, located on college and university campuses in Texas, was founded in 1979 at the University of Texas at San Antonio to identify high achieving middle and high school students with the potential and interest in becoming scientists and engineers. 

Primary courses include Logic, to stimulate the intellect and force young minds to evolve to a higher level of reasoning; Physics to explore and analyze ideas; and Statistics, to understand and interpret numerical significance. Huston-Tillotson University has operated AusPrEP since 1990.

The 2012 sponsors are:  3M, KLE Foundation, TG, A Glimmer of Hope Foundation, Huston-Tillotson University, Kodosky Foundation, National Instruments, Sid Richardson, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Lynn E. Thompson, D.D.S., and Time Warner Cable.

A reception follows the program with parking for parents and guests near the Chalmers Street entrance.

Students who complete the process will be ready for move in during New Student Orientation scheduled August 15-19.  The on campus New Student Orientation is designed in concert with the University’s three persistence programs:  Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID), the President’s Male Achievement and Persistence (MAP), and Women Advancing in Leadership and Knowledge (WALK).  The programs offer a college readiness system that provides the necessary tools designed to accelerate academic performance. 

The New Student Orientation schedule includes sessions for students and parents, placement testing, a Matriculation Ceremony, and other campus activities prior to the start of classes on Monday, August 20.

Huston-Tillotson University offers Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees in biology, business administration, communication, chemistry, computer science, computer information systems, criminal justice, English, education, history, kinesiology, mathematics, music, music education, political science, psychology, and sociology.  A minor can be earned in most disciplines, including religions studies and African and African American Studies.

For a complete orientation schedule, to discover more about Huston-Tillotson University, or to enroll for the upcoming term, contact Enrollment Management at 512.505.3028 or visit www.htu.edu. 

More than 2,500 family members and friends patiently endured the sun’s rays in the early morning outdoor ceremony full of pomp and circumstance for the 130 members of the Class of 2012 that also included two honorary degree recipients. Terry S. Smith and James R. Wilson both received the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Alumni from around the country converged on Austin for four days of activities around Reunion Weekend 2012.  A golf tournament, formal affair, business meetings, worship service, and campus picnic awaited the hundreds that returned to their alma mater. Alumnus David Godsey rendered the keynote address during Honors Convocation held on Friday.

Godsey centered his comments around the “Moving Fast in Times of Excellence” theme.  He shared that while everyone has 24-hours in each day, it’s what one does with the time that makes a difference.  He recalled his “proper preparation prevents poor performance” lessons from his fraternity days that he lives by today.  Godsey recounted his academic failures before sharing how he grew his law firm into the largest African American owned personal injury law firm in the State of Texas. “When you fight through the adversity, you put yourself in a position where you know you will be rewarded,” he noted.

Godsey also stressed the importance of modeling ethical behavior as well as incorporating a healthy lifestyle into each day. He also conveyed his pride in the honor students; a sentiment that continued Saturday during the commencement address by Philip Berber.

Berber founded a series of start-ups during a 20-year entrepreneurial journey that led to the establishment of his current venture.  He sold his Internet brokerage company CyBerCorp to Charles Schwab in 2000 to form, along with his wife Donna, A Glimmer of Hope.  The social vendor and non-governmental organization (NGO) helps lift women and children out of extreme poverty in Ethiopia. To date, A Glimmer of Hope has helped to impact more than 2.5 million lives in rural Ethiopia by constructing more than 4,000 water projects, 335 school buildings and 170 health facilities, and distributed more than 17,000 micro-finance loans.

He recounted his failures and blessings that moved him into his current position that provided the background of his “Future Favors the Bold” message with three key points of encouragement: “Life is full of challenges and set backs…but it’s how you respond to them that will make all of the difference; do what you love and love what you do; and be in service to others, and, so you will be in service to yourself.” He compared his challenges and lessons learned to those of graduates Jacquetta Thayer, Rodney Childers, and Tyrus Smith who found their passions after years of grappling with their decisions and the decisions of others. “Keep believing in yourself.  Never give up on yourself, and  never, never, ever give up on your dreams,” he stated.

Berber also recalled the words of the late Steve Jobs, co founder of now Apple Inc., who encouraged graduates to love what they do. “Being engaged in a purposeful, meaningful way will fill your heart and sometimes, more than you know, will touch, or inspire, or help someone along their path,” Berber said.

HT alumnus Louie Carrington, a 1971 graduate and musician who has delighted worldwide audiences with classics by Ramsey Lewis, Yolanda Adams, Duke Ellington, and other artists, produced the recording. The CD collection includes Negro spirituals such as “We Shall Walk Through the Valley,” “Hold On,” and “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” mixed with classics like “With You I’m Born Again” and “Green Dolphin Street.”  The selections are accompanied by the HT Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Mr. Javier Stuppard; and University pianist, organist, and music professor Dr. Stephen Burnaman.

The concert choir last released its works of classical sacred music, Negro spirituals, and contemporary gospel songs in 1997 when Mr. Henry Milton Washington, Jr. was the choir director.

Throughout the years, the concert choir has performed many different genres of music worldwide, including art songs of America, classical, contemporary classical, standard chorale from the Renaissance to the present, show tunes, and pop to name a few.

The choir has toured nationally and internationally and has rendered music at memorial services for high-ranking government officials and their family members and performed at annual Christmas musicals and holiday events as well as performances at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) events.  Quinlan, who joined the faculty in 1998, has guided HT choir members through national auditions and selections for the Historically Black College and University Concert Choir and other voice competitions.

The legacy of HT’s great concert choir directors and accompanists lives through the Marcet Hines King Endowed Chair Professorship.  Mrs. King served as a member of the HT faculty for 18 years and was preceded in death by her late husband John Q. Taylor King, Sr. who served as president of Huston-Tillotson from 1965 to 1988.

Order Your Concert Choir CD Online Now.
Place “Concert Choir CD” in the memo line for a purchase of $10.00 on the “General Revenue Line”.  You may stop by the campus or call  512.505.3073 to make a credit card payment.

Smith is one of HT’s longest serving employees with 31 years of continuous service under three presidents.  Smith has held numerous positions throughout his HT career from director to interim president and is the resident historian of the University’s 137-year history.  He served as Director of Financial Aid and Admission (1981-1988); Dean of Enrollment Services (1988‐1989); Vice President for Planning and Research (1989‐1992); Interim Vice President for Student Affairs (1991-1992); Executive Vice President for the University (1992‐2001); Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance (2004-2005); Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement (2010-2011); and Executive Assistant to the President since 2001;

Smith earned his undergraduate degree in political science at Mississippi State University, and he completed a Master of Education (M.Ed.) from the same University. While still an undergraduate, he also pursued his academic interest in electrical engineering through study at the University of Denver and Yale University as well as later pursuing management and leadership training at Harvard University.

Smith has been the constant anchor of stability in the life of the University during times both challenging and celebratory and is the familiar face of the University for hundreds of graduates who return with pride to their alma mater.

Wilson’s distinguished and meritorious service to HT began in 1953 when he became a student and an accomplished athlete, lettering in three sports during his four years of participation. He was a basketball standout at Austin’s L.C. Anderson High School before enrolling and graduating from Huston-Tillotson in 1957 where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education, following which he earned a Master of Science degree from Prairie View A&M University prior to returning to HT in 1960 as an instructor in the Physical Education Department;

Wilson made a tremendous impact on the campus community when he not only implemented innovative teaching and new curriculum and assessment techniques but participated on various campus committees, advising students, coaching numerous sports, and moving from instructor to associate professor to athletic director.

Wilson served as the Huston-Tillotson athletic director for 44 years, growing the department from three to eight men’s sports programs and adding seven women’s programs, guiding 26 All Americans, and winning numerous championships.

Wilson distinguished himself beyond the HT campus and served in a supervisory role within the City of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department.  He is held in high esteem as a respected sports official locally and nationally, officiating high school championship games and numerous youth sports leagues from the Lone Star and the Southwest Conference to Big Twelve conference football games, while establishing historic significance as the second African American to officiate football in the Southwest Conference.

 Wilson was awarded the Shorty Alderson Award in 1993 for his outstanding officiating and contributions in football and was inducted in 2011 into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame for Meritorious Service.

Berber founded a series of start-ups during a 20-year entrepreneurial journey that led to the establishment of his current venture.  He sold his Internet brokerage company CyBerCorp to Charles Schwab in 2000 to form, along with his wife Donna, A Glimmer of Hope.  The social vendor and non-governmental organization (NGO) helps lift women and children out of extreme poverty in Ethiopia. To date, A Glimmer of Hope has helped to impact more than 2.5 million lives in rural Ethiopia by constructing more than 4,000 water projects, 335 school buildings and 170 health facilities, and distributed more than 17,000 micro-finance loans. Berber is currently involved with Circuit of the Americas, the motor sports and entertainment facility being built in Austin, for the Formula One race and events. He was recently awarded Huston-Tillotson University’s inaugural Tower of Light Award. They also expanded their philanthropic efforts to support underprivileged children in East and South Austin.  Their local efforts include educational, mentoring, athletic, cultural, and life-skills initiatives, and support of the HT Center for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Success that houses the Austin Pre-Freshman Engineering Program (AusPrEP) and Saturday STEM Academy for local middle and high school students.

Godsey started in a career as an insurance claims adjuster after graduating from Huston-Tillotson and, along with his business partner, has successfully built the largest African-American owned personal injury law firm in the State of Texas.  He earned his law degree from Texas Wesleyan School of Law in Fort Worth, Texas.  As a law student he was initiated with honors into the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity.  He was the first African-American student at the law school to serve as vice president of the Moot Court Honors Society and he was the first African-American to earn the honor as the first Oralist in the school-wide Moot Court Competition.  After graduating from law school in 2004, Godsey became a partner at The Jackson Law Firm in Dallas, Texas, where he was responsible for leading the plaintiff’s personal injury section of the firm. Godsey and his childhood friend, Justin Martin (also a former HT student) started what is now Godsey-Martin Law Firm, P.C. in Dallas, Texas. He has also held various regional positions within Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. 

For more information about Reunion Weekend, honors or commencement convocations, call 512.505.3073. Convocations are open to the public.

College and university administrators have long struggled to implement institutional policies that foster student success in a way that is both cost effective and consistent with the latest research findings. To assist institutional policy makers with this task, Huston-Tillotson University will participate in a new study titled Linking Institutional Policies to Student Success (LIPSS).

Huston-Tillotson University will receive national visibility and recognition as a foundational participant in the LIPSS project.  In addition, Huston-Tillotson University will receive a campus report that compares policies at Huston-Tillotson University to those at other institutions as well as free participation in a web-based presentation of the project’s results – including a discussion of implications for institutional policies, programs, and practices.

Over the past 30 years, hundreds of specific initiatives have been designed to facilitate student engagement during their first year of college – a time during which four-year colleges and universities lose an average of 26% of their beginning students. Although these efforts have improved outcomes at countless institutions, such initiatives are often costly and typically serve only a small group of students who participate directly in a given program.

Therefore, the LIPSS project seeks to identify specific institution-wide policies that can be leveraged to increase college student engagement – a key predictor of student grades and persistence that is especially beneficial to underrepresented and academically under-prepared students.  In collaboration with the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and the Center for Higher Education Research, Teaching, and Innovation (CHERTI) at Florida State University, the LIPSS project will survey Chief Academic Officers and Chief Student Affairs Officers at 57 bachelor’s degree granting colleges and universities in five state including California, Florida, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Texas . The survey will address institutional policies and practices related to issues such as assessment, faculty/staff hiring practices, curricular offerings, and student services. Data collection will begin in spring of 2012.

For more information on the LIPSS project please visit http://CHERTI.fsu.edu/LIPSS, or contact Dr. Bradley Cox, Assistant Professor of Higher Education in Florida State University’s College of Education, at 850.644.6446 or COE-LIPSS@fsu.edu.

(AUSTIN, Texas) 2.21.12 — Larry L. Earvin, Ph.D., entering his twelfth year as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Huston-Tillotson University, was recently elected Vice Chair of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees.

Colleges and universities in the Southern states and abroad— Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and other international sites—make up the SACSCOC regional body for accreditation.  The Commission’s mission is the enhancement of educational quality throughout the region and it strives to improve the effectiveness of institutions by ensuring that institutions meet standards established by the higher education community that address the needs of society and students.  The seven accrediting bodies are: Middle States, Association of Colleges and Schools; New England Association of Schools and Colleges; North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; Western Association of Schools and Colleges; and Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.

Earvin previously served on the Executive Council of the Commission of Colleges (COC) of SACS, responsible for the interpretation of Commission policies and procedures.  Earvin guided HT through successful 2002 and 2009 reaffirmation of accreditation visits. He also currently serves on several other national and state boards.

He was named Huston-Tillotson University’s president in 2000 and last year his services were extended by the Huston-Tillotson University Board of Trustees until June 30, 2015.

(AUSTIN, Texas) 2.13.12 — Noted historian and author, Dr. Charles Robinson, will be the featured speaker at Huston-Tillotson University’s Ninth Annual W.E.B. DuBois Lecture, scheduled on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. on the campus in the Agard-Lovinggood Auditorium.  He will speak on the topic, “‘The Dreaming of Dreams by Untwisted Souls’: DuBois and the Transformative Power of Education.” 

Robinson currently serves as Vice Provost for Diversity and previously served as Director of African and African-American Studies at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.  He holds the UA academic rank of professor of history and has taught a wide range of courses, including Southern History, Race Relations, African American Studies, Gender Studies, Sex and Sexuality in History, United States in the Late 19^th Century, and Civil Rights and National Policy.

He is the recipient of numerous awards for his proficiency in the teaching arena.  In 2006, the Arkansas Student Alumni Board named Robinson their teacher of the year.  He is also the author of two books and numerous scholarly articles. In 2010 the University of Tennessee press published his work entitled, “Forsaking All Others: A Story of Interracial Love, Betrayal and Revenge in the 1880s South.”  Robinson completed his undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Houston.  He earned the doctorate in 1997 after earning a master’s degree in 1990 from Rice University.

The HT DuBois Honors Program offers gifted students unique opportunities to enrich their education at Huston-Tillotson University through specialized curricula, internships, workshops, and cultural events.

For more information, contact Dr. Janice Sumler-Edmond, HT’s Professor of History, 512.505.3100. The program is free and open to the public.

Lattimore will perform audience favorites as well as showcase songs from his upcoming release. Whether putting a distinctive stamp on classic songs recorded by such musical icons as Donny Hathaway (“I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know”) and George Harrison (“While My Guitar Gently Weeps”), or creating his own legacy of hits such as “Never Too Busy,” and the wedding ballad “For You,” Lattimore’s style combines passion, sensuality, intensity and subtlety, making him one of today’s premier male vocalists.

 The MASKED gala has generated more than one million dollars for the University and featured up close and personal performances from artists such as Regina Belle, Will Downing, Johnny Gill, Jennifer Holliday, Najee, and Pieces of a Dream.  In addition, celebrity guest appearances from Earvin “Magic Johnson, Judge Mablean Ephriam, and Emmanuel Lewis have headlined the University’s signature event. Corporate sponsors to date are as follows:  Underwriter, Vista Equity Partners; Platinum Sponsor, Time Warner Cable of Austin;  Gold Sponsors, Carter Design Associates and The University of Texas at Austin/Office of the President and Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Engagement; Silver Sponsors, Austin Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Philip and Donna Berber, Hawkins Public Policy Consulting, Louis M. Henna, John P. McGovern Foundation, Sterling Acura of Austin, and Wells Fargo Bank; and Bronze Sponsors, Don W. Brown, Heritage Title Company of Austin, Frost Bank, Greater Texas Federal Credit Union, Larry L. Earvin, Carol L. McDonald, C. Mark Meilliar-Smith, Regions Bank, Seton Family of Hospitals, and Sovereign Bank.

A mask is required to attend the event that will be held at the Hilton Austin Hotel, 500 East 4^th Street. For more information, or to make reservations, call 512.505.3073 or visit the Web site.

“We are sorry for the loss of one of our students and continue to hold Fatima’s family in our prayers” said Huston-Tillotson University President Larry L. Earvin.

Barrie earned Huston-Tillotson athletic yearly awards, Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) honors, and consistently qualified for National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) nationals.  As a biology major, she was interested in pursuing a career in medicine.

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced by the family. The Huston-Tillotson University campus is observing the holiday break with classes and normal operations resuming on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012.

Expressions of condolences may be sent to the family as follows:

Ms. Gail Gardner
c/o Miss Fatima Barrie
2416 Village Circle Drive
Katy, Texas 77493

The viewing of the body is scheduled on Friday, Dec. 30 at 11 a.m. with the funeral at 1 p.m. at the following location:

Faith West Church
2225 Porter Road
Katy, Texas 77493
281.391.5683

Arrangements handled by:
Allen Mortuary
2003 Kelley Street
Houston, TX  77026
713.742.0551

“The safety and well being of students are top priorities during their college transition years,” said Huston-Tillotson University President Larry L. Earvin. “We are troubled when one of our own is harmed and ask the community to be mindful and prayerful for the student and her family during this difficult period.”

University officials are supporting law enforcement officers in their efforts to complete the investigation of the incidents surrounding the stabbing.

The event kicks off with Hastings matching up with Saint Xavier (Ill.) at noon CST on Nov. 28. That match is the start of Second Round action and part of four games in each of the first two days. The Quarterfinals are scheduled for Nov. 30, with the Semifinals on Dec. 2 and the title game set for 7 p.m. on Dec. 3.

St. Xavier is one of four unseeded teams to punch its ticket to Orange Beach. These four teams (St. Xavier, Huston-Tillotson (Texas), Great Falls (Mont.) and Science & Arts (Okla.)) have played in just a combined six national championships. Huston-Tillotson, who will take on No. 3 Baker (Kan.) at 5 p.m. on Monday, is taking part in its first event.

Hastings (21-1-0) earns the No. 1 seed for the first time in school history. Since 1999, there have been only three top seeds to win the national title – Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) in 2001 and 2009; Azusa Pacific (Calif.) in 2007. The previous four national champions will be taking to the field at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. Overall, seven of this year’s teams hold trophies: Lindsey Wilson (8), Azusa Pacific (1), Belhaven (Miss.) (1), Bethel (Tenn.) (1), Hastings (1), Mobile (Ala.) (1) and Rio Grande (Ohio).

No. 2 seed Lindsey Wilson will tangle with No. 15 Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) on Nov. 28 at 2:30 p.m. The Blue Raiders check into the match with the NAIA’s longest active winning streak with a 19-0-0 mark. They are playing in their 19th all-time championship and 18th-straight, which is the third most all-time appearances. With a 41-10-4 championship record, Lindsey Wilson is tied with former member Quincy (Ill.) for the most victories in postseason play.

Mobile, who earned a bye in the Opening Round, is one of four teams out of the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) to enjoy a berth at the final site. The Rams (16-2-1) will face fellow SSAC member, William Carey (Miss.), at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. The teams played to a 1-1 draw back on Oct. 18. Mobile is 21-13-2 all-time in the national championship in 13 previous trips, which are the second-most appearances among the 16-team field.

Paired up with No. 12 Belhaven at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, No. 5 Rio Grande is playing in its 11th event. The RedStorm (18-2-0) have advanced to the Semifinals in two of the past three seasons.

Tickets are available at the gate for $20 (all-tournament) or day passes at $8 (adults) and $3 (children).

NeuLion is the NAIA’s Digital Media Partner and official video-streaming company of 10 select NAIA National Championship events. All 15 matches from Orange Beach will be available via live video stream for $29.95 and any single day can be purchased for $9.95. For more information, go to www.WatchNAIA.com.

-NAIA-

Russell earned his doctorate degree in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi, in 2006 after completing a master’s degree in Urban Education from Langston University, Langston, Oklahoma.  He obtained his undergraduate degree in Management from Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas. His 20 years in higher education administration include professional development, enrollment, residential life, and housing management.  Most recently, he served as supervisor of the Admissions and Records Office for the Pinnacle and South Austin campuses of Austin Community College, Austin, Texas. He also served as Associate Director of Enrollment Management and Director of Admissions and Recruitment at Langston where he consistently boosted enrollment.

During his term in residential life positions in Austin and Houston, Russell was responsible for 13 housing communities and three residence halls with more than 5,000 beds. He successfully coordinated and executed million dollar residence hall renovation projects and augmented resident retention while increasing occupancy.

Russell is a member of the Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education (TABPHE), the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (TACRAO), Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and served as a certified judge for the Miss America Pageant.  He has facilitated workshops on topics such as “Essentials of Enrollment Management,” “College Preparation 101,” and Multicultural Education: Is it Necessary?”

Russell was born and raised in Austin, Texas, and is a graduate of David Crockett High School.

Huston-Tillotson is a four-year, historically black, liberal arts University, offering Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in 15 areas of study.

(AUSTIN, Texas) 10.28.11 — Huston-Tillotson students are among 80 college and university students in the Central Texas area scheduled to engage in service learning projects as part of the Texas Campus Compact Students in Service initiative.

Participating students earn stipends in exchange for partaking in service projects aimed at addressing critical community needs. In addition, the projects help students focus on others while working with classmates in order to positively impact and transform communities. The program objectives include direct service in the areas of meaningful community-based service learning and civic participation for “Closing the Gap” of educational inequities; online and in-person training for improved understanding of the national service network and the acquisition of skills for service assignments; professional and personal individual goal achievements; heightened civic responsibility; and stronger service ethics.

Founded in 2000, Texas Campus Compact is part of a national coalition that promotes service learning and is committed to the civic purposes of higher education. Huston-Tillotson University  is Austin’s oldest institution of higher education, offering Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in 15 areas of study.

For more information, visit www.texascampuscompact.org.

Charter Day represents the official designated celebration of the trustee signing of the Charter of Incorporation by the State of Texas that established Huston-Tillotson College (now known as Huston-Tillotson University). The 1952 merger created one of the largest black Protestant church-related colleges in the country.  Today the University is experiencing its highest enrollment since the 1952 merger with 904 students matriculating and a campus expansion with the proposed Health and Wellness Center. The increase represents 12 years of growth under Larry L. Earvin who became president in 2000. The Center will serve as a catalyst for awareness and preventive health care for HT students and East Austin residents.

Charter Day Convocation, held on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, at 10 a.m. in King-Seabrook Chapel will feature Ashton Cumberbatch, Vice President of Advocacy and Community Relations, Seton Family of Hospitals, as the keynote speaker. In addition, the program profiles top ranking seniors, features the concert choir under the direction of Gloria Quinlan, and showcases the jazz combo under the direction of Javier Stuppard.   

            A fall symposium, entitled “Vocation as Call” opens the Charter Day celebration on Thursday, Oct. 27 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Agard-Lovinggood Auditorium.  The symposium features recent graduates in the medical profession along with Kurt Senske and other community leaders in the health profession. Senske, author of “The Calling: Live a Life of Significance”, is the Chief Executive Officer of Lutheran Social Services of the South and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Fortune 500 financial services organization Thrivent Financial. Pastor Karl A. Gronberg, Gethsemane Lutheran Church, will facilitate the panel discussion.

            The celebration will conclude on Sunday, Oct. 30 during a 4 p.m. “Healthy Wholeness” worship with Tyrone D. Gordon, Senior Pastor, St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church, bringing the message.  The scripture from 1 Corinthians 2:9—Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, nor has it entered into the hearts of men the wonderful things God has prepared for they that love Him!—is the focus for the service that also features the concert choir during this one-hour program.

            The complete week of programming is as follows:

             All programs are free and open to the public.  Huston-Tillotson University  is located at 900 Chicon Street. For more information, visit the calendar pages or call 512.505.3073.

Sunday’s session is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday’s session begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m.  Speakers include Raymund A. Paredes, Commissioner of Higher Education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; Meria Carstarphen, Superintendent, Austin Independent School District, Austin; Sherry Adrian, Chair, Department of Education, Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas; Gil Leaf, Founding Partner, Community Link Foundation, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Robert P. Moses, President and Founder, The Algebra Project, Cambridge, Massachusetts, to name a few.

ETS advances quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research.  ETS also develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL® and TOEIC® tests, the GRE® General and Subject Tests and The Praxis Series™ assessments — in more than 180 countries, at more than 9,000 locations worldwide.

Registration is required for the event that is free and open to public.  Click here to register.

The updated communication major integrates contemporary applications across multiple platforms for the next generation of media professionals. Also included in the reintroduction is a new communication center that will be housed on the third floor of the Agard-Lovinggood Building.  Funds from the Student Financial Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) facilitated by U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett were used to develop the communication degree program and campus location.

African Americans comprise 72% of the student population with Hispanics making up 19%, whites 6%, and international students and others at 3%.  The ratio of female to male students is divided equally at 50%.

Huston-Tillotson, a four-year, historically black, liberal arts University with a 136 year history, is comprised of students from 11 countries, including the United States.  The majority of the students are from Central Texas followed by Bastrop, Dallas, Houston, Round Rock, and San Antonio.

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor Science degrees are offered in biology, business administration, communication, chemistry, computer science, criminal justice, English, history, kinesiology, mathematics, music, political science, psychology, sociology, and educator preparation. Business administration, kinesiology, and criminal justice are the top three majors.

Formed after the merger of two former institutions, Samuel Huston College, founded in 1875, and Tillotson College, established in 1876, Huston-Tillotson University is Austin’s oldest institution of higher education. 

“We were deeply saddened to hear the news of Dr. Kirk’s passing,” said Huston-Tillotson President Larry L. Earvin. “His brilliance and tenacity are two qualities that students spoke of highly.”

Kirk joined the HT faculty in 1947 after obtaining his master’s in political science from Howard University, Washington, D.C. that same year.  Before his retirement from the HT in 1961, he had earned a doctorate in public administration, public law, and economics from the University of Texas at Austin; and studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science, London, England. He was HT’s first Fulbright Scholar.  The Fulbright Scholar program, named after former Senator J. William Fulbright and established by Congress in 1946, is the largest and one of the most prestigious international faculty exchange programs.  

Kirk served as Regional Director of the United States Office of Economic Opportunity (later renamed Community Services Administration) in addition to positions as an adjunct professor at several institutions. As president of Organization Management Services Corporation (OMSC), Kirk served as interim chief executive officer for the General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, the Family Crisis Center of Prince George’s County, Maryland, the Hotline and Suicide Prevention Center of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and Pennsylvania Pocono’s Maryland Corporation for Enterprise Development to name a few.       

He was the author of several books, including the national award winning “Ending Institutional Discrimination Within United Methodism (2010).  He also authored “The Politics of Ending Church Discrimination” (2010); “One Life: Three Professional Careers—My Civil Rights Story” (2008); and “Desegregation of the Methodist Church Polity: Reform Movements that Ended Racial Segregation.”

Arrangements will be held in his current home of Suitland, Maryland. The viewing is scheduled for Thursday, August 18, 2011 – 6:00 p.m. to 9 p.m., Cedar Hill Funeral Home, 4111 Pennsylvania Avenue.  The funeral is scheduled on Friday, August 19, 2011 at 10 a.m. at the same location.  A memorial service will be held on Friday as well at 3 p.m. at Foundry United Methodist Church, 1500 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C.  For more information, contact the funeral home at 301.817.0120.

Pictured are Dr. William Astor Kirk and granddaughter at the HT Reunion Weekend Class of 2011 and Class of 1961 reception held in May 2011.

            The King-Seabrook Chapel, completed in 1974, was named in honor of King’s civic and professional accomplishments. He earned five degrees during his lifetime and was named HT’s Chancellor and President Emeritus.

            During his tenure, he established endowed professorships, including the Marcet Alice Hines Endowed Professorship named in honor of his late wife who served as a member of the faculty for 18 years. He also facilitated new construction projects and campus renovations, increased faculty and staff compensation, and guided the institution to enrollment increases.

Arrangements are as follows:     

On Friday, August 12, 2011 – 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Dr. King’s body will lie-in-state in the King-Seabrook Chapel, 900 Chicon Street, Austin, Texas  78702. Flowers may be delivered to the chapel before 3 p.m.

On Friday, August 12, 2011 – beginning at 6:30 p.m., a scheduled tribute service will be held in King-Seabrook Chapel.

On Saturday, August 13, 2011 – 10:00 a.m., funeral services will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1164 San Bernard Street, Austin, Texas  78702.

Complementing the new logo is a redesigned Web site that showcases the academic offerings, campus programs, and community activities in an easy to navigate format with search capabilities. The new site contains pertinent information about the University and includes features such as a net price calculator and student profiles. Home page sections contain items of interest to prospective students and HT constituents with a one to two click navigation to detailed background pages. Users can easily access the site using the University’s Quick Response (QR) code. 

The yearlong development and implementation process included individual meetings, focus group sessions, and surveys of hundreds of constituents in order to determine items of importance for both the logo creation and Web site redesign. “Austin’s appeal and location clarity were factors that were expressed in every session,” said Linda Y. Jackson, HT’s Director of Public Relations and Marketing. “The University’s history that dates to 1875, making HT the oldest institution of higher education inAustinwas another important, unique feature that surfaced.” The new logo design helps clarify the University’s mission.

Huston-Tillotson, an historically black institution, has a student population comprised of 72% African American, 19% Hispanic, 6% Anglo, and 3% international from 12 countries. Enrollment hit a record high of 901 for the Fall 2010 semester.  In addition the 2011 graduating class made history as the largest graduating class since the 1952 merger of Samuel Huston and Tillotson colleges.

Both the new logo and Web site were designed by TWG Plus.

Read more about the “Campus Environment 2008: A National Report Card on Sustainability in Higher Education” report, which resulted from a survey of colleges and universities in the United States. The survey is the nation’s largest study to date to gauge trends and new developments in campus sustainability.

Earvin was appointed as president of the University in 2000. During his term, he guided the University through a successful 2002 reaffirmation process, fulfilled the vision to renovate the Anthony and Louise Viaer – Alumni Hall, facilitated several grants for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives, established the William Edward Burghardt DuBois Honors Program for academically gifted students, moved HT from college to University status effective February 2005, supported the creation of the Male Initiative on Learning and Excellence (MILE) for male students, moved the University in 2008 to its highest enrollment count followed by nine years of enrollment increases, and improved graduation rates. He was instrumental in securing more than $1 million for scholarships and $1 million to complete the renovation of the second oldest building on HT’s campus – the Old Administration Building. After being vacant for 37 years, in 2006 the 92-year-old, three-story structure was reopened and renamed the Anthony and Louise Viaer-Alumni Hall. The University is now in the midst of a master plan to refurbish existing buildings and construct a new health and wellness complex.

In addition to serving on the HT Board as an ex officio member, Earvin was recently elected to serve on the Executive Council of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). He continues to serve on several national and state boards including the Executive Committee of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) and the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT) 

Earvin obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Clark College, now Clark Atlanta University, completed his Master of Science degree at Georgia State University, and earned a doctorate from Emory University.

Albert Hawkins, with his 35 years of state government service, served from 2003 to 2009 as the Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner, responsible for five agencies, a $25 billion budget, and more than 50,000 employees. From 1995 to 2000 he was senior White House aide to former President George W. Bush. He completed a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin in 1975, and a master’s of public affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at UT in 1978.

Board officers elected at the spring annual meeting to serve a three year term are: Dr. Don W. Brown, Chair; Mr. Derrick Evans, vice chair; Dr. Frank L. Morris, secretary, and Dr. C. Mark Melliar-Smith, treasurer. All four officers have served at least one term as a member of the HT Board of Trustees.

 (AUSTIN, Texas) 4.1.11 — President Larry L. Earvin announced today that Huston-Tillotson University is officially a tobacco-free campus.  “We are the first institution of higher education in Central Texas to go tobacco-free, and the first Historically Black College or University in Texas to go tobacco-free as well,” Earvin said.

The HT community encompasses more than 900 students, 150 faculty and staff, and many visitors to the East Austin campus with roots dating to 1875 and a scenic landscape that sits on what was Austin’s second highest hill. Recently, students from the Environmental Health and Safety Committee surveyed the HT community to find out more about tobacco use on campus as well as attitudes about tobacco-free policies and cessation services. The survey found that almost 80% of students, staff, and faculty were in favor of a tobacco-free Huston-Tillotson campus.

“We are determined to create a safe environment free of secondhand smoke and to provide our students, faculty, and the entire university community with the support and resources they need to quit smoking or using tobacco,” said Earvin.  Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths and diseases in the United States with African Americans suffering disproportionately in mortality rates and on the severity of illnesses due to its use.

“We seek to provide a campus environment that is conducive to teaching and learning while preserving the sustainability of the planet,” Earvin concluded.

Earvin made the announcement in collaboration the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department’s (HHSD) Live Tobacco-Free Austin campaign to raise awareness about the toll tobacco use takes on community health and the local resources available to help people quit using tobacco. The campaign is supported by Communities Putting Prevention to Work, a federally-funded grant focused on reducing the burden of chronic disease.

For more information, visit Live Tobacco Free Austin.org. of the Health Connect section of www.htu.edu.

(AUSTIN, Texas) 1.7.11 — Roderick L. Smothers has been named Huston-Tillotson University’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Smothers, who brings 17 years of higher education experience, will guide the University’s fundraising efforts in addition to directing the programs and initiatives within the offices of alumni affairs, communications/marketing, grants/sponsored programs, and development/major gifts

Smothers’ extensive experience in the higher education includes positions in academic affairs and student affairs as well as advancement and development. Most recently, he served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Development at Langston University, Langston, Oklahoma, where he was responsible for public relations, major and planned giving programs, sponsored programs, the university’s capital campaign, the establishment of a foundation and foundation board, and the university’s community and economic development initiatives. Through his work with non-profit organizations, federal agencies and foundations, he has secured more than ten million dollars in corporate and private funding and he has written and/or influenced grants totaling 50 million dollars.

Smothers earned three degrees from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana—a doctorate in educational leadership, research and counseling, Master of Public Administration with a concentration in higher education administration, and a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. He also served in the United States Air Force Reserves, and has a certification in fundraising management from the Fund Raising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), American Association of Governing Boards (AGB), American Society of Public Administration (ASPA), Lions Club International, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. are a few of the organizations in which he provides leadership and service.

He joined Huston-Tillotson University on Jan. 3, 2011.

“We are eager to launch Rent-A-Text because we are committed to providing students with affordable textbook choices,” said Terry S. Smith, Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement . “In addition to the $400 per semester book voucher that the University provides to full-time students, this will allow students to increase their textbook buying power.”

• Huston-Tillotson University’s textbook rental program will:
• Be available to students in-store and online with in-store pick up;
• Allow students to chose a preferred form of payment, including financial aid and campus cards;
• Allow students the freedom to highlight and take notes all within the normal wear and tear associated with coursework; and
• Give students the choice to buy their textbook at the end of the term if they want to keep the book.

Rent-A-Text will be offered through Huston-Tillotson University’s ongoing partnership with the Follett Higher Education Group. The program is based on Follett’s comprehensive pilot program that saved students nearly $2 million on their course materials in just one semester at seven schools. More than 90 percent of students surveyed who rented textbooks expressed satisfaction with the pilot program.

“We have been at the forefront of cost-savings programs for more than a century,” said Thomas A. Christopher, President of Follett Higher Education Group. “Helping to reduce the costs of higher education is part of our mission and we look forward to working with Huston-Tillotson University to deliver substantial textbook savings to students.”

Follett’s Rent-A-Text is expected to reach more than 400 campuses nationwide for the 2010 academic year. For more information, visit www.rent-a-text.com or www.facebook.com/rentatext.

(AUSTIN, Texas) 10.2.08 — Huston-Tillotson University’s Professor of History Dr. Janice Sumler-Edmond has released a fascinating, intriguing biography entitled, “The Secret Trust of Aspasia Cruvellier Mirault: The Life and Trials of a Free Woman of Color in Antebellum Georgia.” The narrative resurrects the life and times of Aspasia Cruvellier Mirault, a free woman of color, whose story until now was lost to historical memory.

Sumler-Edmond joined the HT faculty in 2002 and teaches such courses as “African American History.” She was instrumental in securing a minor in African and African American Studies when she served as chair of the Department of Humanities and Fine Arts. She is also director of the University’s W.E.B. Dubois Honors Program for high achieving students.

A historian and a lawyer, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of California, her doctorate in jurisprudence from the UCLA School of Law, and a doctorate degree in history from Georgetown University. Recently, Sumler-Edmond attended a summer seminar with the nation’s history academicians entitled, “Slavery: Scholarship and Public History” sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the Council of Independent Colleges. She was awarded one of the five 2003-2004 Cross Hemispheric Partnership grants from the United Negro College Fund Special Programs, Inc. in Washington, D.C. The award included a $50,000 grant and a field trip to Latin American countries to form a collaborative partnership among Huston-Tillotson University and two universities in Latin America: the Technological Institute of Monterrey in Mexico City, Mexico, and the University of Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica. Sumler-Edmond coordinated the research of faculty from all three schools in developing an African Latino Studies course that examines the history and culture of Afro-Mexicans and Afro-Costa Ricans.

Sumler-Edmond also teamed with her husband, Steven, who serves as HT’s Dean of the School of Business and Technology to complete “Historical Reflections: A Blueprint for the Future.” The document was researched and prepared for the Texas Department of Transportation, Austin District, in order to chronicle key historical aspects of the Martin Luther King, Jr. corridor. People, places, and things along the corridor were captured in print as a means of remembering and celebrating past accomplishments, contemplating the present, and preparing for the future.

She is coeditor of two previous books: “Freedom’s Odyssey: African American History Essays from Phylon” and “Black Women’s History at the Intersection of Knowledge and Power: ABWH’s Twentieth Anniversary Anthology.”

“The Secret Trust of Aspasia Cruvellier Mirault: The Life and Trials of a Free Woman of Color in Antebellum Georgia” was released by the University of Arkansas Press (hardback $29.95 ISBN 978-1-55728-880-6 | 1-55728-880-1).