On February 24th, the White House will host its “Champions of Change” event, where staff members and faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will be recognized for their efforts in successfully promoting college completion and success amongst minority students.
Featuring a panel discussion moderated by North Carolina A&T University alum
and E! News co-host Terrence Jenkins, the event will provide an opportunity for the White House to recognize individuals who are doing an extraordinary job at empowering members of their communities. The event will be live streamed on the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov/live at 10am EST on Feb. 24th, with the hashtag #HBCUchamps circulating on social media.[Related: First African American MIT Grad to be Immortalized on Limited-Edition Stamp]
Currently, 21 out of the top 50 institutions that produce African American graduates who go on to earn their doctorates in a STEM related field are HBCUS, proving that the need to support and champion schools that provide opportunities of higher education for our community is greatly valued.
The honorees at this year’s Champions of Change event include Tuskegee University’ A. Deloris Alexander, Ph.D., Central State University’s Abayomi Ajayi-Majebi, Ph.D., Philander Smith College’s Frank A. James, Bowie State University’s Freddie T. Vaughns, Ph.D., North Carolina A&T University’s Gregory Goins, Ph.D.,
Bethune-Cookman University’s Herbert W. Thompson, Ph.D., Morehouse College’s J.K. Haynes, Oakwood University’s R. Rennae Elliott, Ph.D., University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Robert A. Johnson, Jr., Ph.D., Morgan State University’s Tanya V. Rush and Alabama State University’s Tommie Stewart, Ph.D.To learn more about Champions of Change, visit their website at www.whitehouse.gov/champions.