This Saturday N.C. Central University will kick off its 89th Ultimate Homecoming Experience — a week-long celebration bringing thousands of students, family, friends and alumni to campus.

This year’s festivities include the Homecoming Countdown, parade, Miss and Mister NCCU Coronation, concerts and the football game.

The number of visitors to the football game on Saturday, Oct. 10 is expected to reach at least 10,000 — O’Kelly Riddick Stadium’s capacity, with NCCU’s recent enrollment increase of more than 10,000 students.

The Eagles will face William & Mary after playing against the Campbell University’s Fighting Camels on Oct 3.

Students are already expressing excitement for the upcoming festivities.

“I’m excited for homecoming because I can meet alumni and go outside and party with my fellow eagles,” Digital Filmmaking junior Rhese Gardner said. “I’m also really looking forward to the Greek Bowl because there’s a lot going on.”

He added that even though he’s disappointed this semester’s Oil Spill was canceled, he’s still excited for the other events like the parade and concerts.

Here is a list of the week’s on-campus events:

• Oct. 3 – Homecoming Countdown

• Oct. 4 – Gospel Concert

• Oct. 5 – Coronation of Miss and Mister NCCU

• Oct. 6 – 10:40 Break

• Oct. 6 – Homecoming Experience Showcase

• Oct. 7 – Fried Chicken Wednesday

• Oct. 7 – Festival Block Party

• Oct. 7 – Late Night Breakfast

• Oct. 8 – Back to the Nest Young Alumni Mixer

• Oct. 8 – Old School Greek Stroll Off

• Oct. 8 – Hip-Hop Concert

• Oct. 9 – Step Show

• Oct. 10 – Football Game

The post NCCU ramping up for the 89th Ultimate Homecoming Experience first appeared on Campus Echo Online.

Based on reporting by North Carolina Central University – Campus Echo.

Morehouse School of Medicine held its 42nd Fall Convocation and White Coat and Pinning Ceremony on September 18, and it featured strong ties to Nashville. Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice is completing her 12th year as president and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM). The school boasts 355 students seeking degrees and certificates in the medical field.

“This entering class represents the future of medicine, science, public health and health care leadership,” said Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD, and FACOG. “As these students begin their journeys at Morehouse School of Medicine, they join a community grounded in excellence, service and our shared commitment to advancing health equity. We look forward to supporting their development as leaders who will transform the health and well-being of the communities they serve.”

Infectious diseases physician and scientist Dr. Barney S. Graham, MD, and PhD, served as the keynote speaker. He serves as the director of the David Satcher Global Health Equity Institute, professor of Medicine and Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology at Morehouse School of Medicine. He is an inventor of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies approved for human use to prevent or treat RSV, COVID-19 and Ebola. He joined MSM in 2022. He served in various positions at Vanderbilt University for 21 years.

Dr. Graham told the audience to “Embrace the Unseen” and focused on three points: Do the Best You can with what’s in front of you, Do what makes you come alive and Do the right thing even when no one is looking. He added, “Anything you do to improve mental and physical wellness and promote disease prevention will reduce health disparity by reducing the resources needed for treatment.”

His remarks commanded a roaring applause from the audience, which included his wife, Dr. Cynthia Turner Graham, and the former First Lady of Tennessee State University, Mrs. Edwina Hefner, a close friend to the family.

Based on reporting by Tennessee Tribune.

On September 22, U.S. News released its annual HBCU rankings for 2027. Southern University was ranked No. 48, tying with Bethune-Cookman University, Philander Smith College, Savannah State University, Stillman College, and West Virginia State University. When I first saw the ranking, I had mixed feelings about where Southern was ranked. Did I feel like Southern needed to be ranked No. 48? Yes and no. On one hand, I understand how the university received that ranking based on the factors U.S. News uses for their rankings. On the other hand, when I look at some of the other schools that ranked higher than Southern, in my humble opinion, we should have been ranked higher.

To understand why Southern was ranked No. 48, it is important to look at the factors U.S. News uses for their rankings. The rankings consider graduation rates, freshman retention rates, financial resources, faculty information, peer assessments, and student outcomes after graduation. I understand why these factors matter because they can indicate how well a university supports its students, prepares them for life after college, and how students can benefit from attending that institution.

One of the biggest factors affecting our ranking is our graduation rate. The graduation rate measures how many first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students complete their degree within four years. Based on my research, the newest official data available from Southern lists the four-year graduation rate at about 10%. Even though that number is concerning, I believe that number needs more context. Some of Southern’s major programs, including Engineering, can take students five years to complete because of their demanding requirements and how their degree flowcharts are set up. So, while the four-year graduation rate is something Southern needs to improve, I don’t think it tells the whole story of how long it takes every Southern student to graduate.

Another issue is admissions. Southern University talks frequently about the “Southern Standard,” but I think there needs to be more consistency between the standard we expect and the students we admit. Southern should continue providing the opportunities it already provides, but I also believe the university should try to recruit more students who have already shown that they can uphold a certain academic, personal, and professional standard. Additionally, students who are admitted should receive the support and resources they need to succeed.

Overall, I understand why Southern was ranked No. 48, but in my opinion, we could and should be higher. The ranking shows areas where Southern needs to improve, but it should not define the university as a whole. Instead, it should encourage Southern to look at admissions, student support, graduation rates, career opportunities, and whether every major receives the attention it deserves. Southern is more than just a number, but if we want that number to change, we have to be willing to look honestly at what is behind it, including making sure that strong programs like Nursing and Engineering continue to provide opportunities while majors such as Agriculture, Criminal Justice, Education, and Social Sciences receive the same attention and opportunities for their students. At the end of the day, the goal should not only be to move up in the rankings, but to ensure every student at Southern has the support, accessibility to opportunities, and resources they need to succeed, not only while attending Southern, but in their future post graduation careers.

Based on reporting by Southern University – SouthernDIGEST.

Two Georgia college students from Stonecrest are combining agriculture, technology, and community education to help families throughout Georgia grow their own food — even those without access to traditional growing spaces and equipment.

The two students recently completed the first prototype of Plant It Georgia’s mobile agricultural laboratory, which they said is an enclosed trailer equipped to introduce young people and families to growing food without relying on traditional farmland.

Mason Wright—a youth entrepreneur and a student at Morris Brown College—is the founder of Plant It Georgia Vertical Institute. The institute is an “educational initiative created to train young people in vertical farming, hydroponics, and other modern agricultural technologies,” according to Wright. Kosey Henley, a student at the University of Georgia, worked alongside Wright on the mobile lab.

The students said the idea came in response to an obstacle challenging many communities: transportation. Instead of requiring students to travel to the Plant It Georgia Vertical Institute, the program can take its lessons and growing systems directly into neighborhoods, schools, recreation centers, and other community spaces to teach students and their families about growing food in urban communities.

Inside the prototype, visitors will find hydroponic growing channels, lighting, and other equipment that show them how plants can grow in controlled environments. The laboratory aims to support hands-on lessons covering seed germination, water circulation, plant nutrition, lighting, harvesting, and the technology used to manage indoor crops, according to Wright.

The project comes as Georgia and the nation face an aging agricultural workforce.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2022 Census of Agriculture, Georgia had 63,492 agricultural producers, but only 4,770 were younger than 35. Nationally, the USDA counted 296,480 producers younger than 35, approximately 9 percent of all U.S. producers.

At the Plant It Georgia Vertical Institute, students are taught that farming does not always require acres of open land or heavy machinery. Vertical farming allows crops to grow upward in stacked systems while hydroponics uses nutrient-rich water instead of soil to feed the plants. These tactics make food production possible in classrooms, buildings, trailers, and densely populated urban communities, according to Wright.

Plant It Georgia’s growing systems can cultivate lettuce, tomatoes, collard greens, peppers, and a variety of culinary herbs, according to the news release. Students are taught the entire growing process — from placing seeds into starter materials and monitoring water and nutrients to caring for mature plants and harvesting fresh produce.

The program also introduces participants to careers connected to agricultural technology, plant science, environmental sustainability, food systems, and entrepreneurship.

Wright’s role as a Morris Brown College student and founder represents the connection between HBCU leadership, entrepreneurship, and community service, according to a news release. Wright also made headlines for opening Mason’s Super Dogs in Stonecrest in 2020 — which he now also operates on the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail. Henley brings another important academic connection through the University of Georgia, one of the state’s leading institutions in agriculture and agricultural research, according to the news release.

For event locations and more information, follow Plant It Georgia on Instagram (@plantitGA).

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Based on reporting by The Champion Newspaper.

The sound of clippers buzzed with a different kind of conversation Monday at 11 a.m. as Alabama State University students and staff listened to barbers, cancer survivors and health professionals discuss a disease that disproportionately affects Black men.

Cuts and Conversations, held Sept. 28 in the John Garrick Hardy Center Ballroom, used free haircuts and the familiarity of the barbershop to open conversations about prostate cancer, early detection, family history and men’s health.

Tanjula Petty, Ed.D., vice president for Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Initiatives and Transformation, and Willie S. Rockward, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, opened the forum and welcomed those in attendance.

For Petty, the message came from experience.

“I’m not just speaking to you based on research,” she said. “I’m talking to you from a place of experience.”

Petty said she exercised regularly, ate well and considered herself healthy when a doctor told her she had cancer. She challenged students to take what they learned back to their fathers, grandfathers and uncles.

“It’s not all about genetics; you may be the first in your family to experience it,” Petty said. “People ask me all the time, ‘Who in your family was diagnosed?’ Nobody. I’m the first.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than other men and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease. The American Cancer Society recommends that Black men begin discussing prostate cancer screening with a health care provider at age 45 or at 40 for men at higher risk because of family history.

Three prostate cancer survivors were recognized during the event: Andy Maxwell, Leroy Huffman and Dandrea Evans Sr. Evans and Huffman shared their experiences with those in attendance.

Evans was 44 when a routine doctor’s visit led to his prostate cancer diagnosis. He had no symptoms.

“Initially it was the worst news you could ever hear because I didn’t feel like I had cancer. I felt great,” he said.

Evans said he turned to his faith and made the decision “to trust God through the process and to live.” Four years later, he said he is cancer-free.

“The more you know, the more you’ll be prepared to deal with it and understand it a little bit better,” Evans said.

The five-year survival rate is greater than 99% for prostate cancer diagnosed at a localized or regional stage, according to the American Cancer Society. That rate falls to 38% when the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.

Huffman has worked at Heritage Barber & Style Shop for about 26 years, has cut hair for 63 years.

“Awareness about prostate cancer is the best thing that Black men should do,” Huffman said.

His advice was simple.

“Age is not the key here. Life is,” Huffman said.

Dawna Nelson, Ph.D., an associate professor of social work, licensed master social worker, and principal investigator for the Cuts and Conversations research project, said the project grew from years of community health work and conversations with Heritage about the role barbershops already play in Black communities. When funding became available, the partnership trained barbers to speak with clients about prostate cancer, early detection, and family history.

Heritage owner Vladimir “Boo Man” Averett said the shop wanted to be part of that work, particularly because of Huffman’s experience.

“He gives conversation all the time to us younger barbers as well as our clients about get checked, get checked, get checked,” Averett said.

For Averett, the message comes down to five words.

“It’s not about wealth. It’s about health,” Averett said.

The partnership extended to student barbers.

Brittany Hollins, planning and evaluation specialist in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Initiatives, and Transformation, said organizers worked with Student Life and athletics to identify student barbers who were trained at Heritage to carry those conversations to their peers.

“They’re cutting hair, and they’re having these conversations,” Hollins said. “And so it’s Cuts and Conversations today.”

Hollins’ grandfather died a little more than a year ago after his prostate cancer progressed to Stage 4.

“It is not an easy task to have that loved one at home on hospice, and you are being tasked to give them that last dose of morphine, and then you realize there’s no pulse,” Hollins said.

Beyond the personal stories, the event connected students with cancer research and health resources.

Manoj K. Mishra, Ph.D., director of the university’s Cancer Research Center and professor of biology, said the center supports cancer research, trains students, and works to increase cancer awareness in the community.

Pastor Lee B. Walker Jr. and Terrance “Wolfgang” Baldwin hosted a live recording of the “Off the Cuff” podcast, continuing the discussion about prostate cancer awareness and Black men’s health.

Five Horizons Health Services, the Alabama Department of Public Health, the university’s Cancer Research Center and Health Services were represented. Five Horizons also provided free HIV and sexually transmitted infection testing.

For the students in the barber chairs, the conversations made the message immediate.

Freshman Jonathan Alexandre said events such as Cuts and Conversations can make it easier for young Black men to begin talking about their health.

Freshman Elijah Kidd, a computer engineering major from Pensacola, Florida, said cancer has already touched his family through his uncle.

“Really just cherish every moment you have, because you never know when it might end,” Kidd said.

Senior Xavier Moore, a double major in music education and music performance, said the setting allowed younger and older Black men to learn from one another.

“Your health comes first,” Moore said.

Student barber Mark Coaxum II, a biology major who plans to become a doctor, brought the message back to action.

“Knowing the probability is good, but getting tested is best, because whether you’re probable or not, you never know,” Coaxum said. “It could be you.”

Nelson said she hopes those conversations continue long after the barber chairs are gone.

“The barbershop is where these conversations start, but then the next day they’re in the gym, and then the day after that on the golf course, and in the boardroom, and most importantly, at a family dinner table amongst the father and the son,” Nelson said.

For students who may think prostate cancer is years away, Nelson left them with a reason to start talking now.

“You are a son. You are a nephew. You are a grandson,” she said. “And if you take the time to talk to your fathers and your uncles and all of the men in your life about this, you are potentially saving their life, and you’re also at the same time empowering yourself so that when your time does come, you have all the information you need to be able to make good health choices.”

Based on reporting by Alabama State University – The Hornet Tribune.

Spending time across Southern University’s campus during the day, you feel the rich history and great energy that make the Bluff special. But once the sun goes down, that feeling shifts into a familiar sense of unease.

Returning home from a late-night study session in the library or walking back from your dorm can often feel like a game of avoiding the darkness. There are areas across campus that are terrifyingly pitch black with dying or non-existent lights posted along walking paths meant for students to walk alone. If you find yourself constantly having to squint to see while walking around campus, you can see why safety is such a big issue in students’ minds. The darkest parts of campus are the street where the bandroom is and the streets by dorms. I was driving back to my apartment on campus late one night when suddenly there was someone walking near the road. If my bright headlights weren’t on, I might not have seen them soon enough, and it could have caused an unsafe situation.

The darkness creates daily hazards that go far beyond a simple lack of visibility. Pedestrians are forced to walk directly in the street because sidewalks fade into pitch-black shadows, dodging cars while barely being able to see where they are stepping. At the same time, people are flying by on electric scooters moving through the dark, completely invisible to drivers and walkers because many of their rides lack proper headlights or reflectors. Nagging worry in the back of your mind about whether your car is even going to be in the parking lot or if it’s going to be stolen by morning, and campus life after dark feels entirely too stressful.

When looking at how Southern ranks for safety among HBCUs, Southern often lands in the lower tiers on various college safety and crime-reporting databases, frequently penalized for property concerns and lacking resources. According to PlainCampus, using the U.S. Department of Education Clery data, ranked Southern #1,287 out of 2,072 institutions based on its 2024 reported crime rate, with burglary identified as its largest reported criminal offense category.

A dark campus isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a hazard that puts students at risk every single night. We shouldn’t have to dodge silent scooters in the middle of the road or cross our fingers every time we look toward the parking lot. It is time for the administration to step up, fix the lights, and make student safety a visible priority.

Based on reporting by Southern University – SouthernDIGEST.