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Hampton, VA (February 6, 2023) –  Hampton University is pleased to announce that the HU Terpsichorean Dance Company took part in HULU’s six-part docu-series “The 1619 Project” that was created by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and produced by Harpo Productions, The New York Times Magazine, and HULU.  According to the HULU press release, “The series seeks to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.” 

“We could not be more proud that they are being featured in this docu-series, and they could not be more worthy,” said Dr. Linda Malone-Colon, dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Education.

Crystal Neal, Terpsichorean Dance Company creative director said, “The episode that we’re in depicts the first arrival of Africans to the shore, and that has turned into the Black culture and African-American culture that exists today; that’s what the series will demonstrate.  I am honored that I can see my work in that way.”  

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Neal was a member of the Terpsichoreans as a Hampton student. She graduated in 2007 and later returned as creative director in 2015.

Senior Jadyn Creech and president of the Terps said, “As a freshman, I never saw myself as someone who could lead a group of girls, especially into doing things as big as this, so it’s a really good feeling.”

Reflecting on the history of Hampton University, Senior Joslyn Smith said, “I feel at that moment I was encompassing everything that I thought HU was bringing me, like getting in touch with my roots and really being able to be a face for the change we hope to see because I believe the documentary is going to allow history to be shown and change to be made.”

Senior Angelica Coleman said, “I really like the idea of embodying our ancestors in that moment.  The trailer says, ‘our people were born from the sea, and we were literally in the ocean dancing,’ so I felt like I was embodying our ancestors.” 

Brandon Jones, a 2010 Hampton alumnus, 2015 Olympic track runner, professional athlete for the country of Belize, and father to six-year-old Ariana Jones said, “The experience was definitely amazing. It will give her stories to tell my grandkids and her grandkids, ‘my dad kind of impacted our culture and our future.’”

Assistant Professor Beverly Duane, director of dance and the Department of Sports Science and Wellness, said, “We were delighted when we learned of her invitation to choreograph a work that depicts the first arrival of Africans to this nation in the 1619 Project docu-series.  It represents another avenue for accurate American dance history to continue propagating through Hampton University Terpsichorean dance.”

 “This is another way of bringing well-deserved national recognition to our university and this extraordinary dance company,” said Malone-Colon.

Charles H. Williams founded the Terpsichorean Dance Company in 1934.

To find out more information, please visit https://home.hamptonu.edu

To find out more information, please visit https://press.hulu.com

Hampton, Va. (February 13, 2023) – Starting her second season leading the Hampton University softball program, Head Coach Monique White has announced the game slate for the 2023 season.

Hampton’s Lady Pirates kicked off a four-game series in Macon, Georgia, February 10-12 against Army on Friday; Buffalo and Florida A&M on Saturday; and Jacksonville State on Sunday before heading home.

Hampton is a Division I softball program.  This will be the first year competing in the CAA Conference.  In 2022, the university was a member of the Big South Conference and finished the season with a 19-36 record. 

Assistant Coaches Alyssa Rivera and Donelle Johnson join Coach White. “It’s exciting anytime we get to play this sport,” said Rivera, who works with outfielders and with the offense. “When we step in the box, we want to be better than whoever is in the circle.”

The goal is to focus on the game and “do the things that we can control really well.  Because if we do those things, we can beat anybody we step on the field against,” says Coach White.  “The way the team works hard in practice and competes is definitely something that is priceless and that we’ll be able to show on the field,” said Coach White.

This year’s roster features players that play in several positions.  Returning senior Emily Kepple, Dayton, OH, leads the team from behind the plate, in the end field, and in the box; along with transfers, outfielder Kayla Domon, Knoxville, TN; and shortstop/3^rd base Julia Sinette, Woodbridge, VA.  “Those are a couple of faces, but everyone plays an important role in our success,” said Coach White. 

“We’re a really tight-knit group, and we love to have fun.  But at the same time, we get down to business and at the end of the day we are going to do what we need to do to get wins,” said Kepple.

“We’ve always had a very supportive fan base because the atmosphere is fun to be a part of, so you have to come here to experience it for yourself,” said Coach White.

Hampton’s squad will return for home games February 17 – March 12.

Hampton, VA (January 31, 2023) – Hampton University’s sailing team competed in the Peter Wenner Rainbow Invitational in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 14-15 with East and West Coast teams. “I was satisfied with the eighth [score] overall, considering that due to Christmas break, we didn’t have sailing practices,” said head coach Alessandro Ambrosi.

Facing 18 opponents at the event, “the team did great, and I saw good commitment despite wind conditions that were not characteristic of our best sailing situation,” said Ambrosi.

Hampton is the nation’s only HBCU varsity co-ed sailing program.  The Pirates compete in Division 1 based on ranking.

Next up for the fleet is the Hanbury Trophy Regatta at Christopher Newport University on March 25-26.  For more information on Hampton University sailing, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

Hampton, Va. (January 31, 2023) — Hampton University President Darrell K. Williams shared a message for this year’s Quarter-Century Club Inductees during the university’s 130th Founder’s Day celebration on January 29, “Hampton is an extraordinary place because of the special, committed people who give themselves to ensure that the University positively impacts the lives of everyone who comes through these doors,” said Williams.

“Each year, we eagerly await the opportunity to recognize, to commend, and to thank those individuals,” he said. “They’ve shared their knowledge, their skills, their talents, and indeed their hearts to continue to make Hampton University the standard of excellence that it is today.”   

The annual ceremony serves to recognize and honor faculty and staff who have worked at the esteemed university for a minimum of 25 years.  Quarter-Century Club President Novelle Dickenson thanked the inductees for their service to Hampton.  The new members include  Charles Cherry, Department of Architecture; Margaret Dismond Martin, Office of the President; Carmina Sanchez Del-Valle, Ph. D., Department of Architecture; Henry Archer, Department of Physical Plant; LoLethia Boone, Department of Auxiliary Services; Phyllis Harrigan, Department of English and Foreign Languages; Minetta Highsmith, Office of Development; and Algustus Thompson, Department of Purchasing.

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY

On January 25, The Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI) hosted the year’s first Spotlight on the Peninsula event for the Virginia Peninsula Chamber. The evening was attended by about 65 key members and leaders of the Hampton Roads community, including Barret Stork, director of Government and Regulatory Affairs for COX Virginia, the event’s presenting sponsor; City of Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck; and Hampton University President Darrell K. Williams.

The Spotlight on the Peninsula is a monthly, free networking event that started about four years ago. The third visit was hosted at the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, said Bob McKenna, the Virginia Peninsula Chamber President/CEO. “The intent of the program is to show people some of the great assets that we have [in the peninsula].”

During the opening remarks, President Williams thanked the Chamber and McKenna for spearheading efforts to raise millions of dollars for additional equipment at HUPTI.

McKenna has championed HUPTI and Hampton University through various communal efforts, Williams said. These efforts ultimately resulted in the ability to raise about $2 million for an MRI that resides in the center and helps provide support to somewhere between 60 and 80 patients a day. “That’s to real people here in the Tidewater area that are getting help through the Proton Therapy Institute.”

MaryBeth Sullivan, HUPTI’s executive director, spoke on the history of the center and state-of-the-art technological advancements that are to come, including a revolutionary PET scanner that will be brought to HUPTI in 2024.

The event included a 20-minute presentation led by one of HUPTI’s radiation oncologists, Dr. Allan Thornton, who offered attendees a high-level review of the history of proton therapy, what its capabilities are, and some real case studies of patients he has treated. The evening concluded with members of HUPTI’s leadership team offering tours of the facility, including a behind-the-scenes look at the machinery that is used to treat about 75 patients daily.

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About Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI)

The Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI), established in 2010, has successfully helped fight the cancers of more than 4,000 patients from across the globe. Located in Hampton, Virginia, HUPTI is the largest standalone proton treatment center in the country, and at its inception, was the eighth such center in the United States. Proton therapy is universally accepted as a viable and effective method to treat many forms of cancer—one of the top killers in Virginia. It is a noninvasive option that precisely targets the tumor, sparing healthy tissue. At HUPTI, patients receive outpatient treatment in about 30 minutes, which means no hospital stays, allowing them to maintain their current lifestyle. The center treats several types of cancer, including breast, lung, prostate, head & neck, ocular, brain & spine, gastrointestinal and pediatric tumors.

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