NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – This year Hollywood is coming to Tennessee State University for homecoming. TSU will be the first stop on The Shop UNINTERRUPTED HBCU Tour with a live taping on the campus. LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company is taping the multi-award-winning series The Shop Uninterrupted on three HBCU campuses, including TSU on Friday, October 13. The live taping will feature The Shop co-creator Paul Rivera as host; actor and comedian Kevin Fredericks, professionally known as KevOnStage, as guest co-host; and special guests actress and producer Crystal Renee and music producer, songwriter, and TSU alumnus Key Wane. To RSVP for the tour, please visit https://theshoplive.uninterrupted.com/.
TSU’s star-studded 2023 Homecoming celebration started Sunday evening with the annual Robert Murrell contest followed by a near capacity crowd for the Gospel Explosion at the Gentry Center Complex. The high energy event featured TSU alumnus and gospel music icon Bobby Jones, along with stars Le’Andria Johnson, Erica Campbell, Earnest Pugh, William Murphy, and TSU’s New Direction Gospel Choir.
Some of the major activities still to come include the coronation of Mister and Miss TSU, Devin Laktiker, Victoria McCrae, and the royal court on Wednesday. This will be followed by the Homecoming Concert on Thursday featuring well known rap artists Boosie, MoneyBagg Yo, and Kash Doll. On Friday, TSU’s Grammy award-winning Aristocrat of Bands will headline the pep rally at Hale Stadium on the main campus with the We Are One Ultimate Day Party Experience at the Ed Temple Track with DJ D-Nice and host Memphis rap artist Yo Gotti. The Homecoming Gala takes place at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel later that evening, at 6 p.m., and will feature a performance from R&B singer Avery Sunshine.
With midterms over and homecoming underway, students will have time to unwind and enjoy festivities like a concert, comedy show and plenty of parties. However, student leaders say it is the ideal time to continue the dialogue regarding the reported $2.1 billion underfunding of TSU, by the State of Tennessee. They also believe this year’s homecoming theme, Through Resilience and Perseverance, We Are One is ideal in addressing the issue.
“I think the theme of homecoming accurately reflects how we need to approach this situation— ‘We are one,’ to me refers to the unification of students, community members, alumni, and faculty,” says Student Trustee Shaun Wimberly, Jr. “My aim is to build off that. Now that we are here and we are one united, I want to use my platform to guide us forward in this situation.”
Student Government Association Executive Vice President Chrishonda O’Quinn says she plans to keep the $2.1 billion underfunding issue front and center throughout homecoming by working within the SGA network to reach out to students and alumni.
“During homecoming week, student leadership intends to post and distribute fact sheets about the underfunding issue,” O’Quinn explains. “The fact sheets will be distributed in the campus center, during the parade, the pep rally, and at most of high traffic areas and events. I will also give this information to the organizations for them to distribute and post on their social media platforms.”
Last month, the Department of Agriculture and Department of Education announced that 16 states, including Tennessee, had underfunded their HBCU land-grant institutions by nearly $13 billion. TSU was at the top of the list with an alleged $2.1 billion noted deficit by the State compared to what lawmakers had invested in the University of Tennessee Knoxville, the State’s only other land-grant institution.
TSU homecoming will run through Saturday, Oct. 14, culminating with the parade down historic Jefferson Street at 9 a.m. and the football game between the TSU Tigers and Norfolk State University at 5 p.m. Please visit www.tnstate.edu/homecoming for the full schedule of TSU Homecoming events.
