By Lucas Johnson NASHVILLE, TN — U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, hosted a roundtable discussion at Tennessee State University on Friday, Feb. 18, to address teacher shortages and other educational needs. The highlight of the conversation was TSU’s Grow Your Own teacher pipeline initiative in the College of Education. TSU is the number one HBCU for producing teachers and a top institution in the field across the nation. TSU graduate and undergraduate students from the Grow Your Own program, faculty and local educational leaders participated in the dialog that allowed them to talk openly about issues impacting…
Author: Lucas Johnson
By Lucas Johnson NASHVILLE, TN (TSU News Service) — Aram Abubaker was presented with a challenge. A friend who worked with children with special needs was looking for something that would help enhance their social skills. Abubaker responded: He made an app for that. On Nov. 20, Abubaker joined nearly 800 undergraduate and graduate students who received various degrees at Tennessee State University’s Fall Commencement ceremony. Abubaker got a doctorate in computer engineering, where he improved his software developing skills that aided him in making the PeerKnect app. According to the app’s website, 93 percent of parents or therapists say…
By Lucas Johnson NASHVILLE, TN (TSU News Service) — Nearly 700 undergraduate and graduate students received degrees in various disciplines at Tennessee State University’s Fall Commencement ceremony on Nov. 20. The event was held in hybrid format with the live ceremony in the Gentry Center Complex, where U.S. Congresswoman Nikema Williams (D-GA.) addressed the graduates. The ceremony was also livestreamed. Before Williams spoke, TSU President Glenda Glover lauded the graduates for their achievement. “I applaud you for having reached this extraordinary milestone,” said Glover. “You have endured, you have withstood, you have survived. We salute you.” Williams, who took over…
By Lucas L. Johnson II For years, public schools have struggled with teacher shortages. But the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem, and triggered a spike in retirements and resignations that have school administrators scratching their heads. According to an Associated Press story that ran in September, Tennessee is among states with teacher shortages and difficulties filling openings. For instance, Metro Nashville Public Schools, one of the three largest school districts in Tennessee, reported more than 300 teacher openings in May. “This year has turned out to be the most challenging of my career,” English teacher Mary Holden told NBC…
By Lucas Johnson NASHVILLE, TN (TSU News Service) — Tennessee State University recognized Veterans Day with a special program that emphasized the benefits veterans bring to the workforce. Dr. Karon Uzzell-Baggett, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and former AFROTC Detachment commander at TSU, was the keynote speaker for the program on Nov. 11. “This is a wonderful day to set aside to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the ideals of democracy and freedom,” said Uzzell-Baggett. She went on to talk about the 4.2 percent unemployment rate for…
By Lucas L. Johnson II Supporters of more mental health resources for Tennessee students say the COVID-19pandemic has revealed even more the need for what they’ve been preaching. For years now, health care advocates have been calling for more resources to address themental health of K-12 students, such as more counselors in schools. In the wake of COVID-19, K-12 families, particularly those in underserved communities, are facing significant mental health issues. “Mental health resources were often not available, other than through schools,” said Dr. Sherry Blake, a licensed clinical psychologist and national expert on mental health. “When the schools shut…
By Lucas L. Johnson II NASHVILLE, TN — Thirteen-year-old Nivea McCloud was frustrated, and a bit worried. It was the height of the COVD-19 pandemic last year, and the seventh-grader’s school in Memphis, Tennessee, had switched to virtual learning, like others across the country. Some days, she said her math teacher would not show up, and when she did, “she might not teach us anything,” McCloud recalled. Needless to say, she started falling behind in math. She was failing. But a tutoring program based in Nashville, Tennessee, called Homework Hotline, threw her a lifeline. “I would be stressed out…
By Lucas Johnson NASHVILLE, TN (TSU News Service) — Legendary R&B crooner Howard Hewett and rapper Chief Keef will headline Tennessee State University’s 2021 Homecoming, the first in-person celebration in over a year. The COVID-19 pandemic forced TSU to have a non-traditional virtual homecoming last year. But, appropriately themed “The Return,” this year’s celebration Oct.24-31 is pretty much back to normal. “This is an exciting and special time at Tennessee State University. After a year without a homecoming because of the pandemic, we have returned!” says TSU President Glenda Glover. “This homecoming is extra special because of what we have…
By Lucas L. Johnson, II NASHVILLE, TN — Black Tennessee lawmakers representing the state’s three regions say they plan to build on legislation passed during a special session on education to address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the most part, the lawmakers said they are pleased with the historic proposals that came out of the special session called by Gov. Bill Lee earlier this year. But they see room for enhancement to fully reach those students in underserved communities whose learning loss was worsened by the pandemic. The state invested more than $160 million in academic…
By Lucas Johnson NASHVILLE, TN (TSU News Service) — Tennessee State University’s national coding hub is welcoming 12 new HBCUs to be community centers as part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative. The schools will become community centers for Coding and Creativity as part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative and Tennessee State University’s HBCU C2. The teaching and learning initiative is designed to empower Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to expand technology and creativity experiences within their institutions and broader communities. “In expanding the partnership to include the twelve new HBCUs we are on track in reaching our goal to…