General

Retired United States Army Lt. Gen. Darrell K. Williams, a native of West Palm Beach, Florida and the eighth of nine children born to the late James E. Williams and Ida Mae Williams, has been elected by the Board of Trustees of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, to serve as the institution’s 13th president and will be duly inaugurated into the position at an official investiture ceremony on the university’s campus on April 1, 2023. To mark the momentous occasion, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to declare the date as “Darrell K. Williams Day” throughout Florida’s second largest county.

As a decorated military officer, Williams successfully worked his way up the chain of command, having served as deputy director of Strategic Communications in the office of the Army Chief of Staff, and as commander of the 3rd Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He has also served as brigade commander of the 3rd Sustainment Brigade in Fort Stewart, Georgia, during which he was deployed in Northern Iraq. In 2017, Williams was promoted to lieutenant general while serving as commanding general of the Combined Arms Support Command at Fort Lee, Virginia.

Williams, affectionately known as “Choo-Choo” to his many family and friends, graduated from Twin Lakes High School (now Palm Beach Lakes High School) in 1979, where he participated in the marching band, ran track and cross-country, played basketball and was in the chess club. With an Army Reserved Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship in hand, Williams matriculated to Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), the alma mater of one of the most influential African Americans of the 20th century, Booker T. Washington, and a “home by the sea” for generations of students seeking an “education for life” at one of the nation’s premier institutions of higher learning.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard (District 7), who sponsored the proclamation honoring Williams, and represents the commission district from which the general hails, was not unmindful of the implications that Williams’ presidency will have on future generations. “Darrell Williams’ life of leadership and service deserves both our admiration and appreciation,” Commissioner Bernard said. “The children of Palm Beach County will be able to point to him as a symbol of what is possible—as he truly represents the best in all of us.” Echoing his sentiments are other well-known community leaders who are inspired by Williams’ accomplishments. “The General’s investiture is historic not only in terms of the fact that he is only the 13th president in the university’s 155 year history, but also because he is a native son of West Palm Beach and a product of one of the area’s first Black neighborhoods, Pleasant City,” declared fellow Hampton University alumnus Rev. Elvin J. Dowling. “We are proud to call him our own,” he continued. Dowling, also a graduate of Palm Beach Lakes High School, will be traveling to the inaugural ceremonies to present a proclamation on behalf of the citizens of Palm Beach County.

As president of Hampton University, Lt. Gen. Williams, whose personal ethos is “Lead by example, take care of those in your charge, and accomplish the mission,” brings more than four decades of proven leadership experience to the helm of his esteemed alma mater, and pride to the residents of Palm Beach County, as he continues to make our nation, and the world, a better place to live and learn.

###

Hampton, Va. – Hampton University urges its students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community to vote in the 2023 The Home Depot: Retool Your School Campus Improvement Grant program. “This year, The Home Depot has doubled their investment for the Campus Improvement Grant Project to $150,000 this contest cycle,” said Pattie Bolton, MBA, Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs and Project Lead for the Retool Your School Grant Campaign. “That’s an increase from the $75,000 grand prize to the winning schools in 2022. We are really excited to be back in the running.”

The grant program is in its 14th year and will award $2M to thirty HBCUs. The vote based Retool Your School Campus Improvement Grant is expected to support 30 campuses this year, with grants ranging from $40,000 to $150,000 per school. Through this program, The Home Depot provides Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) the opportunity to upgrade their campuses and gives back to our nation’s HBCUs what they have so generously given to so many. A strong foundation. Renewed purpose. Distinctive character.

“The Home Depot Retool Your School Grant Program is a great way to galvanize members of our HBCU communities around projects that will enhance the lives and experiences of our students. At Hampton, we strive daily to provide the #1 Student Experience in America, and these personalized projects allow us to involve students, faculty, and staff in making their educational home a progressive space for learning and socializing,” says Brint M. Martin, Assistant Vice President for Alumni Affairs. “This year the request for proposal will be the expansion of our campus seating gardens and social spaces to additional locations across campus,” said Bolton.

Schools are categorized into one of three clusters depending on the student population. This year, Hampton is in cluster one.

Last year, the University won a $20,000 grant. The funds were used on a student-led project to maintain the beauty and perpetuity of Hampton’s campus.  The 2022 Retool Your School Project Reveal will be held at 4 p.m., Friday, March 24 at Marina Point.

Cast your vote to help your ‘Home by the Sea.’ Hampton’s Retool Your School internal website is: oaa.hamptonu.edu/retoolhu and for voting www.retoolyourschool.com. There are no limits so vote nonstop through March 26, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. You can also vote via social media (Twitter & Instagram) by using the hashtag #RYSHAMPTON.

For more information, please visit The Home Depot Retool Your School | Powered with Purpose

For more information, please visit https://home.hamptonu.edu/

Hampton, Va. (March 13, 2023) – Ruth E. Carter, a Hampton University alumna, has made history as the first Black woman to achieve two Oscars after winning best costume design at the 95th Academy Awards for the Marvel sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

“So VERY proud of you! You represent yourself and Our Home by the Sea so extraordinarily well. We are all standing a little taller this morning because of you and your amazing achievement. Thanks so much for being such a positive force within the industry and a shining example within our world. Go make more history and get #3!” said Hampton University President Darrell K. Williams.

Carter won an Oscar after receiving the 2018 Academy Award for Achievement in Costume Design for Marvel’s “Black Panther,” making her the first African American to win in this specific category. She continues to make history in the entertainment industry by winning the Best Costume Design award at the 28th annual Critics’ Choice Awards for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

With over 40 films to her credit, the acclaimed Oscar winner has mastered the look of multiple periods and genres in envisioning the clothing and overall appearance of a character or performer. Carter’s work has been featured in more than 60 television and film projects including “Do the Right Thing”, “Black Panther”, Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad”, and the television reboot of “Roots.”

The lead costume designer won the Oscar against competition from “Elvis” , “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”, and “Babylon.”

“Thank you to the Academy for recognizing the super hero that is the Black woman,” said Carter in her acceptance remarks. “She endures; she loves; she overcomes; she is every woman in this film. She is my mother. This past week, Mabel Carter became an ancestor. This film prepared me for this moment. Chadwick, please take care of mom.”

Carter thanked the team saying, “Together we are reshaping how culture is represented. I share this with many dedicated artists whose hands and hearts helped manifest the costumes of Wakanda and Talokan. This is for my mother. She was 101.”

Hampton, Va. (March 14, 2023) – Hampton University Senior, Kemia Bridgewater, from Detroit, Michigan has been named a McDonalds 2023 Black & Positively Golden Change Leader.  McDonald’s USA has a long history of investing in Black leaders who are taking steps now to create a brighter tomorrow. 

“This program was created to provide the proper resources needed to help young Black community leaders succeed in their endeavors. These change leaders have the opportunity that we know will have a lasting impact on their communities, and we remain committed to not only celebrating but assisting change makers of the future,” said Alexea Gordon, McDonald’s Manager of Cultural Engagement.

Bridgewater is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Degree.  She is co-founder of First Generation Gems, an organization whose mission is to mentor and empower minority first generation college students and to provide them with additional resources to succeed during their academic tenure. 

Another goal is to pair mentors and mentees to navigate as first-generation students and to invest into every scholar by providing workshops, professional development, addressing and recognizing systemic inequalities, and promoting inclusivity. 

As a student leader in the Greer Dawson Wilson Student Leadership Training Program, Bridgewater has learned to put her best foot forward in everything she does and

how to effectively communicate her thoughts.  She is also a Student Support Services Peer Mentor and Student Support Services Vice President of Social & Cultural Affairs.  Looking towards the future, “First Generation Gems will continue to be a priority for me as we will continue to expand outreach in our communities, and elevate the resources

we provide,” said Bridgewater.

Each Change Leader will receive $20,000, totaling $200,000 collectively, and will have access to elevated platforms to amplify their community missions, ranging from financial literacy to equality across the education system to mental health advocacy. 

                                                                                     ###

About McDonald’s USA 
McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s approximately 13,500 U.S. restaurants are owned and operated by independent business owners. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.  

For more information visit:  First Generation Gems Community Organization

We aim to mentor and empower minority first generation college students during their academic tenure.      #firstgenerationgems

HAMPTON, Va. (March 3, 2023) – Hampton University Therapy Institute (HUPTI) and Leo Cancer Care have entered into a partnership to help advance research into Proton Arc Therapy (PAT).   “The collaboration will be the start of research, and ultimately a new form of delivery of proton therapy in a seated position,” said Tiffany Velez Rodgers, HUPTI marketing director. 

“At its inception, the proton therapy institute was a radical innovation here at Hampton University,” said University President Darrell K. Williams.  “Hampton University itself in 1868 was born out of an experiment and some 155 years later, we continue to innovate.”  

“Today is a great day.  A day where the HUPTI takes a step forward in cancer treatment care and simply doing a great work for humanity.  Today we move forward with like-minded organizations and with leaders that believe in HUPTI’s mission and goal,” said Rodgers.” 

Proton beam therapy (PBT) is acknowledged as a viable and effective method of noninvasively treating many forms of cancer by more precisely targeting tumors and sparing healthy tissue from unnecessary radiation.

Current PBT delivers radiation from a selected number of angles around the patient, which limits the options to conform the treatment to the tumor best. Because PAT delivers dosing from a multiplicity of angles, it permits better conformity, thus the most biologically effective dose to the tumor, which improves the prognosis of the treatment. Current gantry based delivery treatment methods pose incredible challenges for delivering PAT with sufficient precision. Upright imaging and positioning technologies remove the need for a gantry because it uses patient rotation for treatment delivery. This could prove more conducive to the PAT approach. HUPTI will analyze and assess the Leo system’s effectiveness.

HUPTI will be the first facility in the world to install the Marie™ system into an existing fixed proton beam treatment room.  “We will be the first ones that are doing something that is not done anywhere in the world.  We aim at being the first cancer center to systematically conduct proton radiography to plan and position our patients,” said Dr. Alejandro Carabe, HUPTI Chief Medical Physicist.  “So that means we are going to be able to have more patients and help more people to get their cancers resolved.”

 “We’re driving to improve the clinical effectiveness of radiation therapy”, said Stephen Towe, CEO and Co-founder, Leo Cancer Care.  “We want to drive to create global access to radiation therapy; in particular, protons.” 

Jefferson Lab and Hampton University have engaged in a long-standing partnership.     “I am personally quite excited about this,” said Dr. Cynthia Keppel, Jefferson Lab Associate Director for Experimental Nuclear Physics.  “I was a joint professor here at Hampton for many years while staffed at Jefferson Lab and got to be operative in the proton therapy up and coming.  It’s really at the forefront then and now.”

“We are so excited to be collaborating with Leo Cancer Care,” said MaryBeth Sullivan, HUPTI’s Executive Director.  “Seated treatments will make patients’ treatment much easier, especially for those unable to lie flat for treatments. HUPTI will be the first on the east coast to have this ability to deliver proton therapy.”

For more information visit:  https://www.leocancercare.com/ 

Leo Cancer Care was founded with one goal in mind, to be the more human way to deliver radiation therapy. 

For more information visit:  https://hamptonproton.org/

Hampton University’s outstanding medical physics program, strong ties to the nearby Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility and longstanding relationship with the local cancer treatment community made it uniquely suited to become home to our nation’s eighth proton therapy treatment center. Engineered to be an environment where science and compassion meet, HUPTI’s advanced technologies and incredible, passionate staff continues to work together to bring patients and their families the very best in focused cancer care.

For more information visit:  www.HUPTIGoesUp.com

For more information visit:  https://www.jlab.org/

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory. Scientists worldwide utilize the lab’s unique particle accelerator, known as the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF), to probe the most basic building blocks of matter – helping us to better understand these particles and the forces that bind them – and ultimately our world.

Hampton, Va. (February 28, 2023) – The newly formed Hampton University National Center for Black Family Life is designed to build Black families in our communities through innovative research, educational programming, and a wide range of support services.  Hampton University has received a $1 million, three-year grant from Communio to support these goals.

 “We are excited about this unique opportunity to advance our mission-driven work with Black families in the community. We believe that with this support from Communio, the National Center for Black Family Life is poised to make a powerful and positive impact in our community that will, in turn, support the development of Black families across this nation,” says Dr. Linda Malone-Colon, dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Education, primary investigator (PI), and executive director of the Center.

The Hampton University National Center for Black Family Life is rooted in research and programmatic initiatives developed over decades.  One example is the Annual Conference on the Black Family, an annual event sponsored by the University that highlights the strengths and challenges of Black families across our country. 

Hampton University’s National Center for Black Family Life will pursue its mission through strategic partnerships with churches and schools and with a commitment to highlighting the cultural attributes of Black families.  The Center has five core components and objectives: 1) Family Ministry Support for Black Churches, 2) Research, 3) Mental Health Services, 4) Family Studies, and 5) the Annual Conference on the Black Family.

“Black families today face many challenges, including financial stress, under-employment, physical and mental health, and quality of life,” said Communio Principal J.P. De Gance.  “Communio’s mission is to equip the church to renew and strengthen the family, and we are thrilled to partner with Hampton to support black churches to renew and strengthen the black family.”

 “Communio hopes to forge a long-term relationship with Hampton University where we can share what our staff and churches are learning and experiencing,” said De Gance.  Communio is a non-profit ministry that consults directly with pastors and equips churches to renew and strengthen the family. 

Malone-Colon stated, “We are delighted to have Communio as a partner in this work. We believe that working collaboratively (through churches and schools) to improve the lives of Black families in culturally constructive ways is both sustainable and edifying for our communities.

About Communio

Communio is a nonprofit that consults with churches equipping them with proven strategies and technologies to solve our nation’s family and faith crisis.

For more information, visit:  https://communio.org/

Hampton University’s SHSJC Journalism Student Morgan Norris and Dean Julia Wilson Among HBCU Attendees

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Keisha Lance Bottoms, Special Adviser on Social Engagement to President Biden hosted aspiring journalists and educators from 40 of America’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities at the White House on Feb. 23, imploring attendees to take the lead in communicating the role and achievements of Blacks in America.

“We are requiring you to lead,” Harris told the attendees.  “We are counting on you to help us educate our world about who we are as Americans.” Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta, also has emerged as a strong advocate for HBCUs in the Biden White House.

“Morgan demonstrated her innate leadership capabilities by being the first student to stand on the White House media briefing room podium – and then the other students followed her lead,” Wilson said.  “She also made sure to sit in the front row of the briefing so that the vice president and special adviser were talking directly to her She exemplified our school’s excellence and competitive spirit. At Hampton, we already are answering Vice President Harris’ clarion call.  Our students are ready to compete, ready to participate and ready to lead – nationally and globally.”

Among those attending the White House briefing were Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications sophomore journalism student Morgan Norris and Dean Julia A. Wilson.

Norris credited her participation in the White House visit as “a confirmation of Dean Wilson’s confidence and faith in the leadership of her student journalists.”

About the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications 

Founded in 2002, the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications emphasizes excellence and innovation while adhering to core industry standards and ethical principles. The Scripps Howard School is equipped with a professional television studio and control room, a live, FM radio station (WHOV 88.1 MHz) with digital streaming to the Internet, high-tech classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art Promethean boards and a 150-seat stadium-style media auditorium. Students and alumni have worked in internship positions and launched media careers with top-ranked organizations such as Google, NPR, Radio One, The Washington Post, Essence Magazine, Time Magazine, ESPN, USA Today, Bloomberg News, Ogilvy, Burson-Marsteller, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and many more. Visit: https://home.hamptonu.edu/shsjc/ for more information. Link to student Morgan Norris story:

About Hampton University 

Hampton University is a comprehensive institution of higher education, dedicated to the promotion of learning, building of character, and preparation of promising students for positions of leadership and service. Its curriculum emphasis is scientific and professional with a strong liberal arts undergirding. In carrying out its mission, the university requires that everything that it does be of the highest quality. A historically Black institution, Hampton University is committed to multiculturalism. The university serves students from diverse national, cultural and economic backgrounds. Research and public service are integral parts of Hampton’s mission. To enhance scholarship and discovery, the faculty is engaged in writing, research, and grantsmanship. In achieving its mission, Hampton  offers exemplary programs and opportunities which enable students, faculty and staff to grow, develop and contribute to our society in a productive and useful manner. Visit www.hamptonu.edu for more information.   For more information please visit: https://home.hamptonu.edu/ 

                                                                           ### 

Media contact:  Rebecca Hansen, Marketing Manager 757-315-4019 rebecca.hansen@hampton.gov

www.hamptonjazzfestival.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HAMPTON, VA — After a 3-year hiatus, the Hampton Jazz Festival is returning for an incredible

three days at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA.  The Festival is slated for June 23-24-25, and

the confirmed artists are as follows:

Friday, June 23, 2023 7:30 PM	Saturday, June 24, 2023 7:00 PM	Sunday, June 25, 2023 2:00 PM
Anthony Hamilton   Trombone Shorty   Stephanie Mills   Jonathan Butler	Charlie Wilson   Chris Botti   Avery Sunshine   The Chuck Brown Band	Fantasia   Babyface   Kenny G   Peter White

*Artists subject to change

Friday’s show features several of our most requested acts, including the Neo-Soul crooner Anthony

Hamilton and the festival favorite Stephanie Mills.  Trombone Shorty will certainly raise the roof at the

Festival, and the evening rounds out with the smooth jazz favorite Jonathan Butler.

Saturday’s show features all-time favorite Charlie Wilson.  “Uncle Charlie” will continue to thrill

Festival patrons with hits like”There Goes My Baby”and”You Are.”Making only his second appearance

at the Festival will be the incredible Chris Botti – one of the greatest jazz trumpeters alive today.  Multi-

talented Avery Sunshine will be there – along with the ever-popular “go-go” style of music brought to by

The Chuck Brown Band.

Sunday’s lineup is jam-packed with star power.  Multi-talented American Idol winner Fantasia leads off the lineup – along with Babyface – just off his Super Bowl performance. Festival favorite Kenny G will be making a return visit with his award-winning smooth jazz sax. Rounding out the Sunday afternoon concert will be smooth jazz guitarist Peter White.

Tickets to the 53^rd Annual Hampton Jazz Festival are priced at $100, $90, $85, and $75 per ticket –

per performance, plus applicable fees. Tickets will go on sale this Saturday, February 25 at 10 AM online at Ticketmaster.com and at the Hampton Coliseum Box Office. Additional festival information is available online at www.HamptonJazzFestival.com.

###

Hampton, Va. (Feb. 28, 2023) – Hampton University alumna and MSNBC President Rashida Jones recently received the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications’ top honor, the Achievement of Excellence Award, during the school’s 20^th-year, all-day celebration, that included a career fair featuring some of the nation’s leading news organizations and corporate recruiters.   

The career fair highlighted prominent news and public relations firms that interviewed SHSJC 2023 upcoming graduates and continuing students for prospective employment and internship opportunities. The fair was held in the 20-year-old SHSJC building on campus and concluded with a networking gala and program honoring three of the school’s accomplished alumni at the Landing Hampton Marina hotel.

“Over the years, the Scripps Howard School has offered relevant curricula and innovative programming that have produced some of the best media professionals in the country,” said University President Darrell K. Williams.  “This great accomplishment underpins Hampton’s presence on the world stage as THE Standard of Excellence and, at the same time, supports our aim to Deliver the No. 1 Student Experience in America!  For that you are to be commended.”

Williams and Julia A. Wilson, dean of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications, share an expanded and ambitious vision for the school.

“The good thing about both the president and my having our first year is that our ‘global vision’ is in sync.  He believes in international programs and has traveled the world,” Wilson said.   “Prior to joining Hampton University, I operated an international public relations company for the past 25 years. I’ve lived and/or worked in 13 countries and those experiences have broadened my world view and vision to ensure that our school’s students are culturally literate and globally competitive.”

“To accomplish this goal, we plan to build a Global Media Center at our school in which top international journalists, thought leaders and strategic communications professionals can share various cultures and professional experiences with our students. We want to prepare our students for global competition.”

Jones, president of MSNBC and an ‘02 graduate, commended SHSJC for its commitment to excellence when receiving the coveted Achievement of Excellent Award.  

“One of the things that I always take away from my time at Hampton was this expectation of excellence,” Jones said.  “We learned that early on.  It was part of the curriculum; it was part of everything that we did and it’s the one thing that has stuck with me all this time.”

Two other SHSJC alumni were inducted into the Hall of Fame – Justin Tinsley, of the ‘08 class and Jessi Mitchell of the ‘11 class. Tinsley is a senior culture writer at Disney’s Andscape (ESPN).  

“I can’t talk about the Hampton experience and my career without linking them together,” Tinsley said.  “I am not where I am right now without Hampton.  I am not where I am right now without Scripps Howard, and I thank God every day that He led me in the direction to come to this University.” 

Mitchell, a multi-skilled journalist at WCBS-TV New York, recently won an Emmy for her work covering the COVID pandemic. 

“Allowing people to tell their stories through my lens was really impactful and I knew the importance of my work. So being honored through the CBS Morning Show for my contributions was really incredible,” Mitchell said. It’s a national award; that means we’re the best of the best. That really means a lot.”

Liz Carter, the current president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund introduced Judy Clabes, her predecessor who presented the $20 million gift 20 years ago to build and establish the school.

“It was a long, drawn-out process to select the right place,” Clabes said.  “Part of that selection was we were looking for a place that would take this gift, grow it, expand it and send journalists out into the world to do good work. And I am saying to you, young people here tonight, go save Democracy.” 

###

About The Scripps Howard Fund 

The Scripps Howard Fund is a public charity that supports philanthropic causes important to The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) and the communities it serves, with a special emphasis on journalism education, excellence in journalism and childhood literacy. At the crossroads of the classroom and the newsroom, the Fund is a leader in supporting journalism through scholarships, internships, minority recruitment and development and First Amendment causes. The Scripps Howard Awards stand as one of the industry’s top honors for outstanding journalism, and the Fund’s annual “If You Give a Child a Book …” childhood literacy campaign has distributed thousands of new books to children in need across the nation. In support of its mission to create a better-informed world, the Fund also partners with Scripps brands to create awareness of local issues and support organizations that help build thriving communities. The Scripps Howard Foundation, an affiliated organization with the Scripps Howard Fund, supports Scripps’ charitable efforts through its endowment, key assets and major donations.  For more information please visit:   https://scripps.com/fund/ 

About the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications 

Founded in 2002, the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications emphasizes excellence and innovation while adhering to core industry standards and ethical principles. The Scripps Howard School is equipped with a professional television studio and control room, a live, FM radio station (WHOV 88.1 MHz) with digital streaming to the Internet, high-tech classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art Promethean boards and a 150-seat stadium-style media auditorium. Students and alumni have worked in internship positions and launched media careers with top-ranked organizations such as Google, NPR, Radio One, The Washington Post, Essence Magazine, Time Magazine, ESPN, USA Today, Bloomberg News, Ogilvy, Burson-Marsteller, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and many more. Visit: https://home.hamptonu.edu/shsjc/ for more information.

About Hampton University 

Hampton University is a comprehensive institution of higher education, dedicated to the promotion of learning, building of character, and preparation of promising students for positions of leadership and service. Its curriculum emphasis is scientific and professional with a strong liberal arts undergirding. In carrying out its mission, the university requires that everything that it does be of the highest quality. A historically Black institution, Hampton University is committed to multiculturalism. The university serves students from diverse national, cultural and economic backgrounds. Research and public service are integral parts of Hampton’s mission. To enhance scholarship and discovery, the faculty is engaged in writing, research, and grantsmanship. In achieving its mission, Hampton  offers exemplary programs and opportunities which enable students, faculty and staff to grow, develop and contribute to our society in a productive and useful manner. Visit www.hamptonu.edu for more information.   For more information please visit: https://home.hamptonu.edu/ 

                                                                           ### 

Hampton, Va. – Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just buzz words. At Hampton University, they are critical areas of discovery, education, and understanding for students, faculty, and alumni alike. And on Tues., Feb. 21, 2023, Hampton University held its first-ever Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion summit.

Participants included:

• Cecil Johnson, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Pharmaceuticals/R & D at Johnson & Johnson
• Stephani Lewis, General Counsel and Chief Diversity Officer for IKEA North America
• Melonie Parker, Chief Diversity Officer at Google
• Gena Pemberton, Omnicom Health Group Inc., Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
• Gerty Simon, Morgan Stanley Vice President/ Regional Diversity Officer
• Dr. Janice Underwood, Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, U.S. Office of Personnel Management
• Cathy Council, New York Life’s Head of DEI Center for Awareness and Advocacy at
• Chris Howlette, KapEX Foundation Board Officer

The session was moderated by Derek Lewis. Mr. Lewis is a current member of the Hampton University Board of Trustees and is a consultant and Speaker, having most recently served as the President of PepsiCo Multicultural.

In a “standing room only” session of more than 300 persons, the event hosted Hampton students from all majors and all classifications. 

Among the key take-aways shared, were: 

• To be effective and meaningful, DEI should be connected to business goals 
• Accountability is key in demonstrating buy-in. Use data in decision-making to bring greater relevance to the DEI matters which are confronted 
• Recognize that each student is “enough”; remember always to be your true authentic self 
• “Lift others as you climb” and help others as you move along in your career 
• Recognize the competitive advantage that Hamptonians have in the marketplace; leverage experiences and build relationships with fellow Hamptonians 
• Be adaptable, and recognize that everything will not be perfect in every job secured, but with the right attitude, success is always possible 

Students had some of the most insightful and engaging questions of the program. Several included the below:

1. How do you handle being the only minority in a group and feeling that you are not heard or seen? 
2. How do you deal with your ideas being shot down, when you believe with better understanding or advocacy it would be a great concept? 

What other dimensions exist beyond race and sexual orientation?

As prizes for the event, five iPads donated by the KapEX Foundation were raffled. And Morgan Stanley provided a paid shadowing intern opportunity at its Newport News Office for one lucky student.  

At the conclusion of the evening, students interested in internships, externships, and job opportunities met with several of the sponsors and participants at their recruitment tables. Finally, planning is beginning on the next Hampton student DEI Summit. 

HAMPTON, Va.  — Hampton University President Darrell K. Williams introduced Anthony D. Henderson, Sr., as the new director of athletics at a press conference February 23 in the Convocation Center lobby.  “We have been and always will be a championship athletic program,” said Williams.  “The young men and women that represent our athletic program are some of the greatest ambassadors of this University and selecting their new leader who will work hand and glove with me was so very, very important.”

Henderson comes to Hampton from Yale University where he served as deputy director of athletics, leading all revenue generation and extending the brand and messaging of Yale Athletics through private philanthropy, corporate support, ticket sales, marketing efforts, community engagement, strategic communications, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Prior to Yale, Henderson was the senior associate athletics director and executive director of athletics advancement at The College of William & Mary, leading athletics philanthropic strategies and assisting in ensuring financial stability for The Tribe. Additionally, he was the sport administrator for the football program. Henderson also has served as the associate athletics director at the University of Akron where he was responsible for day-to-day operations of the Z-Fund, the fundraising arm of Akron Athletics and each of its 20 sports, including fundraising for capital projects, scholarships, and major gifts.

“I came here in 1995 as an 18-year- old from Powhatan, Va., first generation college graduate,” said Henderson ‘00.  “The life lessons that I took from here playing under Coach Taylor and the professors that poured into me while I was here; there is no way that I am standing here in this position without all of that behind me.”

 Prior to joining the University of Akron, Henderson served as assistant director of athletic development at Old Dominion University (ODU). He managed donor relationships and helped grow the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation’s endowment to more than $16 million. Additionally, he contributed to increasing the overall donor membership to 52% during his tenure.

Preceding his employment with ODU, Henderson worked as the senior account executive at The Event Authority, LLC, in Charlotte, NC; the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in Virginia Beach, VA; Disney Sports Attractions in Orlando, FL; and the Richmond Braves baseball club in Richmond, VA.

In sync with President Williams’s vision of providing the number one student experience, Henderson describes the athletics department using the acronym, ELITE:

• E is for excellence.  It’s in our charter.  Standard of excellence. 
• L is for leadership.  I want our student athletes to know that they have leaders that they can come to in our department.
• I is for integrity.  We will do things the right way; we’ll follow the rules and we’ll win with class.
• T is for teamwork.  That is what we’re built on. 
• E is for energy.  You have your attitude and your output; making sure everybody’s focused and on the right page.  That is one of our core values as well. 

“He brings a championship mentality and he brings the skills and the attitude necessary to lead this great group of student athletes and all of our coaches,” said Williams.  “We could not ask for more.  So he has my support and I know he will have the support of this entire institution.”  

Henderson will report directly to the University president, serve as a member of the Administrative Council, and oversee 17 NCAA Division I varsity athletic programs.   

For more information on Hampton University football, contact the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5757, or visit the official Pirates website at https://home.hamptonu.edu/.

Hampton, Va. (January 6, 2023) – Kamaria Horton, a Hampton University senior computer science major, has been named a Schwarzman Scholarship winner.  A native of Atlanta, Georgia, she describes herself as a “passionate and goal-oriented person with the work ethic and the determination to do what it takes to achieve my goals. I hold myself to a very high standard.” Horton has been awarded a one-year, fully funded graduate scholarship at Tsinghua University in Beijing.  Schwarzman Scholars, named after American billionaire Stephen A. Schwarzman, is the first scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21^st century.  The program is designed to build a global community of future leaders who will serve to deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world.

Dr. Jean Muhammad, chair of the Hampton University Department of Computer Science, says, “If there was ever a deserving student to get this award, it is certainly Kamaria.  She has an excellent character.  She helps her peers. It’s just amazing to me and she has been like this ever since she entered the university and our department; it didn’t just happen.  This is just who she is.” Mentoring and helping others is a significant component of the Schwarzman Scholars Program.  Horton stated, “I will be able to identify and learn the skills needed to be an effective mentor. I will also be able to learn from so many other leaders and the steps they took in life. It is interesting and inspiring to hear the unexpected turns and decisions that lead a person to where they need to be in life. This information will help me explore different options to achieve my career and personal goals but also learn methods to adapt to unexpected changes in my life. Ultimately, this experience will connect me to people in a brand new way by learning a new language and perspective of life from a different culture.”

Horton was selected through a rigorous and thorough selection process.  Dr. Carlton Long, D.Min., and Hampton University Associate Professor and Director of the Freddye T. Davy Honors College states, “Hampton has been very engaged in prestigious scholarship pursuits, and so it’s through intentionality that Hampton has had three Schwarzman Scholars, and it is now the official HBCU leader in terms of producing Schwarzman Scholars, particularly if you consider the fact that we were the first HBCU to win the prize.” The competition for prestigious scholarships is demanding.  “We’re helping the students to understand that it’s important to build a portfolio early on, to innovate and to have all kinds of rich experiences, to lead on and off-campus so you have a track record of engaging and changing the world,” added Dr. Long.

Horton joins fellow Hamptonians Ivana Thomas, a member of the inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars in 2016 and the first winner from an HBCU.   In 2016, Thomas graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology. Another Schwarzman Scholar Adaya Sturkey graduated from HU as a pre-med major in 2018.  Sturkey is currently a medical student in South Carolina.

“The model Schwarzman student or candidate is generally a senior undergraduate student; an honors student with at least a 3.7 GPA; a student who is curious about the world and who has a demonstrated track record of curiosity and leadership,” Long.

Horton’s career goal is to work in the technology field, and notes, “Whether it be researching and raising awareness of the effects of biases in Artificial intelligence systems or building more accessible STEM education platforms, I want my work to make a positive impact for the world around me. My goal is always to be a better person than I was yesterday and strive for deep introspection and personal growth.”