InsideTSU - March 30, 2022

Welcome to InsideTSU, the weekly newsletter of Texas Southern University!

Research and Innovation Week showcases TSU students, faculty and staff

Texas Southern University’s Research and Innovation Week kicked off Monday as faculty, staff and students exhibit their ability to explore and analyze some of the most pressing topics of the day, including the impact of the ongoing global pandemic. Formerly known as Research Week, Research and Innovation Week 2022 is sponsored by the Division of Research and Innovation and runs through Friday, April 1.

Precisely themed “COVID-19 and the Pandemic Response," Research and Innovation Week provides an avenue for promoting national and local awareness of the exciting research and outreach activities on the campus of TSU. Activities for the week include visiting scientists as well as faculty, staff and student oral and poster presentations, plenary sessions, government agency presentations, Research and Outreach Center presentations and exhibits, and the culminating awards program/ luncheon on Friday, April 1, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

The activity schedule, kicked off with Monday's opening plenary session (above photo) that included two keynote speakers: McKen V. Carrington, professor of Law with TSU's Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and Zuri Dale, epidemiologist and TSU's COVID czar.

The week includes five full day of exciting activities, and there are prize giveaways for program participants throughout Research and Innovation Week.

For additional information about Research and Innovation Week, visit the event web page, call 713.313.7208 or send an email to [email protected].

Housing & Urban Development Secretary

Marcia Fudge visits TSU

President Lesia Crumpton-Young gave U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge an overview of TSU and its ongoing transformation with regard to urban research and HUD-related issues during Fudge's recent visit to TSU. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who helped coordinate the visit, and Congressman Al Green also participated in the discussion, along with TSU faculty, students and administrators.

"Secretary Fudge is a person who knows how to get things done," said President Crumpton-Young (pictured with Fudge, center, and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee). "On our campus, we talk about moving things from ideas to implementation. We know how important it is to get things done."

TSU recently received a $1 million award from HUD to establish a Center of Excellence that will advance transdisciplinary academic and empirical research and debate on affordable housing and community development policy. The TSU Center of Excellence for Housing and Community Development Research (CEHCDR).

“HUD is proud to forge new partnerships with academia to build on research and innovation that will better inform the housing and community development needs of historically underserved communities,” said Secretary Fudge.

Also participating in the discussion were Dr. Jeffrey Lowe and Dr. Laura Solitare, faculty members in the Department of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy, who serve as CEHCDR Director and Associate Director, respectively.

Board of Regents establishes 10-year vision, TSU PROUD initiative

The TSU Board of Regents announced its 10-year vision and TSU PROUD initiative to articulate the university’s core values. It is through those core values, which the Board adopted at its February meeting, that the Regents believes Texas Southern University can reach both short- and long-term goals.

“TSU is poised for tremendous growth in the immediate future, and for years to come,” said Board of Regents Chairman Albert H. Myres. “Focusing on these core values that all point back to a student-centered approach to success in all areas of academics, research, and growth will enable us to position the University as one of the best universities in Texas and the country.”

Those short-term goals include growth in student enrollment to 10,000, a $125 million endowment, and $50 million in research awards by 2025.

“As we focus on the core values represented in TSU PROUD, we believe our University will continue to attract the best and brightest students and faculty,” added Regent James Benham. “We are excited for the work that it will take for us to ensure these values are infused into the daily culture and mindset of every member of our university community.”

The long-term goals include a $250 million endowment, $100 million in research awards, and three branch campuses by the year 2032.

Women's History Month Convocation honors 1st African American Director of NASA's Space Center

Texas Southern University will honor Women's History Month with its first-ever Convocation, to be held Wednesday, March 30, at 11:45 a.m. in the Granville M. Sawyer Auditorium. The event will honor Vanessa E. Wyche, who will serve as the guest speaker. Wyche is the first African American director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Wyche previously served as deputy director at Johnson, a position she held since 2018. Other key leadership positions include: assistant and acting deputy director of Johnson; director of the Exploration Integration and Science Directorate, flight manager of several missions of the retired Space Shuttle Program, executive officer in the Office of the NASA Administrator, and led additional center-level technical and program organizations. Before joining NASA in 1989, Wyche worked for the Food and Drug Administration in Washington D.C.

The event will include special remarks from TSU's President, Dr. Lesia L. Crumpton-Young, musical performances, the TSU Debate Team, and more.

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend.

Honors College to honor six individuals at 4th annual Tribute & Luncheon on April 9

The Thomas F. Freeman Honors College will salute six individuals, including former TSU president Dr. John Rudley, at its 4th annual Spring Tribute & Luncheon on Saturday, April 9.

Other honorees include Dr. Willie Capers, Jr., professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administration; Dr. Yi Qi, Department Chair of Transportation Studies; Dr. Brian Armstrong, Assistant Vice President for Student Enrollment Success; and Dr. Nina Cofer, founder and CEO of Education Advancement Services.

"It was under Dr. Rudley’s leadership that the Honors College was founded in 2009," said Dr. Dianne Jemison Pollard, Dean of the Honors College. "He, along with former provost Sunny Ohia, who is also an honoree and professor of Pharmacology, worked hard to put things in place so that the Frederick Douglass Honors Institute could become a first-class Honors College."

Some 13 years later, the college has received national acclaim for its “Freeman Honors” newsletter, and it has graduated more than 235 Freeman Scholars who are excelling as entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, business analysts, pharmacists, engineers, corporate executives and more.

The keynote speaker at the luncheon is Dr. Reagan Flowers, who serves on the Honors College Advisory Board and is president and CEO of C-STEM Teacher & Student Support Services. Also, Dr. Flowers is a trustee with Houston Community College System.

The Tribute and Luncheon will be in the Tiger Room in the Sterling Student Life Center at 1 p.m. A donation of $100 can be made via the Honors College event page. Funds will benefit programs in the Honors College. If unable to attend, donations of any amount are accepted.

Please call the Thomas F. Freeman Honors College at 713.313.6725 for more information.

"Queen of Basketball" earns Academy Award

Former TSU basketball coach, pioneer is subject of documentary

Lusia "Lucy" Harris was the first woman to be drafted by an NBA team in 1977 and also served as the women’s basketball coach at Texas Southern University in the mid 1980s.

Her story was featured in a recent documentary, "The Queen of Basketball," which earned the Academy Award this week for Best Short Documentary. NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal served as one of the executive producers of the documentary.

Harris led the Delta State University (Cleveland, MS) women’s basketball team to three consecutive national championships in the 1970s and was later enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame – the first Black woman and the first female college player ever to be selected. Harris, who also played on the U.S. Olympic team in 1976, coached high school basketball in Mississippi for many years before retiring.

Though she passed away earlier this year, Harris was truly a pioneer who carried the torch and paved the way for so many others.

"TSU in the News" snapshot:

President Crumpton-Young included in article on the fairness of NCAA March Madness seedings (March 15):

Dr. Robert Bullard featured in 'redlining' article on the Daily Kos (March 18):

TSU's Thurgood Marshall School of Law hosts watch party for Supreme Court nomination hearings (March 21-22):

TSU Center for Justice Research report on post-prison employment featured in The Crime Report (March 17):

TMSL Dean Joan R.M. Bullock appeared on Roland Martin Unfiltered talking about the Supreme Court confirmation hearing (March 22):

TSU men's successful basketball ends (March 18):

Threats to HBCUs prompt federal funding

TSU Chief of Police serves as liaison to other universities

When TSU and other HBCUs across the country became the target of anonymous campus threats earlier this year, TSU's Chief of Police Mary Young became an instrumental part of the response. Chief Young serves as the national HBCU liaison to the FBI, which is conducting an ongoing investigation.

"One threat against one HBCU is a threat to all HBCUs," said Chief Young, who was also informed that Federal funding via the White House - up to $150,000 for each university that was impacted by the threats - will soon be made available to HBCUs.

Chief Young was interviewed by ABC/Channel 13.

Witnessing History

TSU's TMSL hosts watch party, eMPA students get front row seat for Supreme Court nomination hearings

Students from TSU's Thurgood Marshall School of Law (TMSL) watched intently as the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson took place in Washington D.C. While the school hosted a watch party in the TMSL Moot Court, several students from the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs Executive Masters of Public Administration (eMPA) program, as well as founding eMPA program director Dr. Michael Adams, were given exclusive access by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee to attend the hearings in person inside the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room at the Capitol.

"It is an honor to be able to stand here with these students, who are now on the hallowed ground of a place where they are confirming the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson," said Jackson Lee.

Back on the TSU campus, TMSL faculty were also engaged in the proceedings, including law professor Shannon Buggs, who was a former classmate of Brown's at Harvard Law School.

"Ketanji was always someone who from beginning you knew would be doing great things, not just destined to do great things but has done the hard work in order to do great things,” Buggs told KPRC/Channel 2. Several Houston media outlets, as well as the Black News Channel, covered the TMSL watch party.

Cynthia Cooper-Dyke retires as women's basketball coach

KPRC/Channel 2 featured TSU women's basketball coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, who recently retired. Cooper-Dyke leaves as the third-winningest coach in TSU women's basketball history, and she led the Tigers to their first 20-win season in school history.

“Coach Cooper-Dyke has had a tremendous impact on TSU women’s basketball since her arrival and moved the program to new heights,” said Kevin Granger, Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics. “She will be missed and I wish her nothing but success in her future endeavors.”

TSU's marketing students earn national AMA award

Students representing TSU's American Marketing Association (AMA) Collegiate Chapter were recognized at the organization's annual International Conference held in Chicago, IL.

The TSU-AMA Chapter has been alive and well for more than 15 years, but for the past 10 years the small-but-mighty chapter has achieved some remarkable results.

TSU-AMA's advisor, Dr. Delonia Minor-Cooley (pictured above at the AMA conference), professor of Marketing, is the first Black female conference co-chair and conference emcee, while simultaneously being a member of the Collegiate Chapters Council (CCC). Dr. Minor-Cooley also served as President of the CCC, the first-ever Black woman (and first from an HBCU) to hold this position.

TSU-AMA has managed to stay ranked in the top 25 chapters of the entire collegiate community, which consists of over 350 chapters, of which over 60% are considered small (less than 25 members).

"We started this landscape-changing journey as the Top Small Chapter in 2016 and have been named in the Top 10 for two years, Top 25 for one year, and now we are the Top Small Chapter of the year for 2022-2023," said Cooley. "This includes chapters such as University of Houston, University of Texas, Texas A&M University, and many of the heavy hitters from the East, West, and Midwest."

This ranking puts TSU-AMA in the Top 15 Chapters of the Year out of all 350+ chapters! The chapter was also recognized for being the Top Small Chapter to donate the most funds raised for the National AMA Foundation’s #GivingTuesday campaign.

Under Minor-Cooley's guidance, the chapter created a business plan that was submitted and executed fall 2021. The plan was then submitted in the Spring 2022 for judging.

"I want to thank my TSU-AMA students for all their hard work and support of the vision I laid out for them. They followed it and we won!" said Minor-Cooley. "When we win, Texas Southern University and the Jesse H. Jones School of Business wins."

KTSU & The Vibe Sessions present Khody Blake

The Vibe Sessions, powered by KTSU 90.9FM The Choice, presented artist Khody Blake, whose performance debuted on The Vibe's YouTube channel on Friday, March 25.

Blake's performance is a sneak peek of "The Khody Blake Show."

Vibe Sessions consist of monthly, cutting-edge, breakthrough, inspirational, innovative music from new and established artists. The Vibe Sessions are live recordings of acoustic-style jam sessions, intimate audiences, bare bones, up close and person performances, artist storytelling, and explanation of lyrical content and their creative processes.

TSU alumna named Global Chief Communications Officer

Constellation recently announced TSU alumna Zakiya Larry as Global Chief Communications Officer as the network expands and bolsters business offerings. Larry is the first woman, Millennial and Black professional to join the leaders at the helm of Constellation, a formation of best-in-class marketing services agencies spanning data, insights, creativity, technology and experiential that deploys itself to maximize clients' biggest opportunities and solve their toughest business problems at scale.

"We're thrilled to welcome Zakiya who brings the expert skills and passion to unleash our story and amplify our impact on the industry," said John Boiler, Chair of Constellation.

Larry is an honors graduate from TSU, and is a member of the PRSA, NABJ, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is a longtime communications executive, entrepreneur and journalist. In her role at Constellation, she will develop and oversee a comprehensive internal and external communications strategy that will support and help guide business goals and the client experience. This includes oversight of media relations, corporate responsibility, social media, crisis, business and executive communications, and live event productions. She will also oversee strategic communications planning and execution for Constellation's ecosystem of six agencies and businesses that have a combined employee number of 3,000 and an international footprint including the U.S., Amsterdam, Australia, Brazil, Netherlands, Singapore and U.K.

Prior to joining Constellation, Zakiya led a boutique strategic communications firm that specialized in elevating brands through strategic public relations, crisis mitigation, DEI competency development and coaching for media and public speaking. Her clients included global leaders and international brands. Her work has garnered no less than a dozen national and international awards including two International Hermes Creative Awards, two National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Salute to Excellence Awards and multiple Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) awards.

She is an 2006 honors graduate from Texas Southern University, with a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism, and is a member of the PRSA, NABJ, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.