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Monday, March 23, 2009

UNCF fundraising nets over $35,000 for Rust

The 19th annual Holly Springs/Marshall County UNCF fundraising campaign for 2009 raised $35,820 as of Thursday, Feb. 12, according to Dr. David L. Beckley, president of Rust College.

Beckley made this public at the United Negro College Fund banquet on the campus, in which Dr. LaSimba M. Gray, Jr., Memphis New Sardis Baptist Church pastor, was guest speaker. The theme was, "Educating our youth: Building our Hope."

Gray in his speech explained how it is good to rally together and recognize the cause of investing in the future. "The time that we are living is challenging, yet they are the best of times," said Gray. The speaker recalled the 1964-1965 civil rights legislation which opened doors for African Americans against discrimination and equal opportunities.

During segregation, Gray said, black students attended under-funded schools; schools where students were the first in their family to receive higher education. Despite those difficult conditions, black students received the best education, competing on all levels, and even getting their master's and doctoral degrees. "Teacher poured into students," said Gray, "It was more than a paycheck."

Gray stated, long before President Barack Obama's slogan "yes we can,' people told us, yes we could, we were told we were somebody."

College campuses today also experience cut backs and layoffs as companies. Donations to schools have dropped with the current recession. It has been tough for students to make it through college, said Gray.

Nevertheless, Gray wants people to see the opportunities and make investments in bright minds and bright people, the UNCF is a national treasure, he said. Gray contributed $500 to Rust Pre-Alumni Club, and thereafter was presented with a Rust College timepiece by Beckley, as a token of appreciation from the school.

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Monday, March 16, 2009

UNCF fundraiser benefits 5 black colleges in state

Greenville Tech President Keith Miller said Thursday night many people probably don't know how important a fundraiser for the United Negro College Fund is to black students.

Miller, who took the reins at Tech last summer, joined about 700 guests for a banquet and fundraiser for UNCF at Carolina First Center.

"You just look at what as an organization it's done over the years," Miller said. "A lot of people wouldn't be in college without this organization."

Xanthene Norris, the gala chair of this year's sixth annual "Salute to Education," said the Upstate fundraiser goes to support five colleges statewide: Allen University and Benedict, Claflin, Morris and Voorhees colleges.

More than 6,000 students are attending those schools this academic year, she said.

Norris was one of several elected officials who attended the fundraiser, including Greenville Mayor Knox White and Greenville County Council Chairman Butch Kirven.

Sen. Ralph Anderson said UNCF supports 39 historically black colleges and has raised more than $2.8 billion since its inception in 1944.

"It helps to improve the quality of education in those colleges," he said.

A partial list of UNCF supporters includes BMW Manufacturing, Cox Radio, Michelin North America, Greenville Hospital System, Duke Energy Carolina, Bi-Lo, Hal and Minor Shaw, Greenville Tech, 100 Black Men of Greenville, Lockheed Martin, and Watkins Garrett & Woods Mortuary.

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Friday, March 06, 2009

UNCF to aid broke HBCU students

The United Negro College Fund is set to aid students threatened with not graduating from or being dropped from some of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities because they’ve run out of money.

The average needy student attending a HBCU owes the school $2,500, said John Donohue, executive vice president of development for the United Negro College Fund.

So in an effort to help students, UNCF, the nation’s largest minority education organization, started an Emergency Student Aid Campaign March 1 to raise additional money for students in need, especially seniors set to graduate this spring.

UNCF officials said the purpose of the campaign is to help as many needy students as possible.

“This campaign and the ExxonMobil challenge grant are a lifeline to all these students,” said Michael Lomax, UNCF president and CEO. “These are students who had already started their academic year when the recession hit. “Now thousands of them are at risk of not being able to finish the semester. Hundreds may not be able to graduate.”

The first part of the campaign calls for raising at least $1.5 million by March 31. By doing so, Donohue said 600 students could be helped. The money would be disbursed to schools then applied to students’ accounts.

“This is Phase I of our campaign to help students at our 39 member schools,” Donohue said. “After this month, Phase II begins where we will raise $5 million to continue helping students--from freshmen to seniors.”

So far the campaign has received a $1 million donation from ExxonMobil. UNCF officials said $500,000 of the donation is effective to needy students immediately while the other $500,000 is a challenge grant.

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Friday, February 27, 2009

UNCF Announces 2009 Annual Award Recipients

Earl G. Graves Sr., Caroline Kennedy, John H. Jackson, and Ann Best to be honored at UNCF's 65th Anniversary Dinner

FAIRFAX, Va., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ - UNCF - the United Negro College Fund - today announced that it would honor Earl G. Graves Sr., founder and publisher of Black Enterprise magazine, and Caroline Kennedy, who has been active in supporting reform of New York City's public schools, at UNCF's 65th Anniversary Dinner in New York on March 5. The Dinner will be held at 6:00 pm at New York's Sheraton New York Hotel and Tower. Graves will receive UNCF's Frederick D. Patterson Award, named for the Tuskegee University president who founded UNCF in 1944. Kennedy will receive UNCF's President's Award.

Proceeds from the Dinner, which is expected to attract a capacity crowd of over 1800, will support the education of the more than 60,000 students who receive UNCF scholarships and attend the 39 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that belong to UNCF. Previous honorees have included former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and America's Promise co-founder Alma Powell, philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates, film stars Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson, and baseball great Henry Aaron.

UNCF will also inaugurate a new honor at the New York Dinner. The Ones To Watch Award will pay tribute to recent graduates of UNCF member HBCUs whose careers are marked by both great accomplishment and the potential for decades of further service. The first "Ones to Watch" award recipients are Dr. John H. Jackson, president and CEO of The Schott Foundation for Public Education, and Ann Best, deputy superintendent for human talent for the Houston Independent School District (HISD).

"This year's award recipients make a very strong statement about UNCF's past, its present, and its future," said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF's president and CEO. "Earl Graves' accomplishments, and his commitment to minority education, are symbolic of the combination of success and service that have always been the hallmarks of the education that HBCUs offer their students. Caroline Kennedy's outstanding work on behalf of the students who attend New York City's public schools are an urgent reminder that in the 21st century economy, every American needs an education that starts in pre-school and doesn't end until college graduation. And the awards to John Jackson and Ann Best remind us that today, as during UNCF's entire history, HBCUs help some of America's brightest young men and women become America's next generation of leaders."

Earl G. Graves Sr. will receive UNCF's Frederick D. Patterson Award for his career of accomplishment, and for his commitment to minority education and philanthropy. In addition to founding Black Enterprise, Mr. Graves is a philanthropist, entrepreneur and author. He was a member of the inaugural class of the Fortune magazine Hall of Fame and has been named by Fortune magazine as one of the fifty most powerful and influential African Americans in corporate America. An HBCU graduate, he has been a longstanding supporter of UNCF and has strongly advocated that HBCU graduates support their alma maters.

Caroline Kennedy will receive UNCF's President's Award for her work on behalf of New York City's public schools. An education advocate, attorney, writer, editor, and philanthropist, Ms. Kennedy is Vice-Chair of The Fund for Public Schools, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving New York City's public schools by attracting private investment in school reform and encouraging greater involvement by all New Yorkers in the education of our children.

Ones To Watch Award recipient John Jackson, a graduate of UNCF member institution Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, served seven years at NAACP as Chief Policy Officer and National Director of Education prior to joining the Schott Foundation. Dr. Jackson currently leads the Foundation's efforts to ensure a high quality public education for all students regardless of race or gender. He has served as an Adjunct Professor of Race, Gender and Public Policy at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute and was appointed by President William Jefferson Clinton to serve as Senior Policy advisor in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education in 1999. He has a Master of Education and Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois. He also has a Master of Education and a Doctorate of Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Ones To Watch Award recipient Ann Best, a graduate of Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, a UNCF member institution, joined Teach for America (TFA) after graduation and taught kindergarten in Houston public schools for four years. Following her service as a teacher, she became executive director of Teach for America-Houston. In February, 2009, she became Deputy Superintendent for Human Talent in the Houston Independent School District.

For tickets or additional information regarding UNCF's 65th Anniversary Awards Dinner, please contact the UNCF Benefit Office at (212)-843-1751 or email uncf@hgnyc.com. For more information about UNCF, please visit www.uncf.org.

About UNCF

UNCF - the United Negro College Fund - is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students' education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 39 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 18 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."(R) Learn more at www.UNCF.org.

Website: http://www.uncf.org/

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Many VIPs gather to help local UNCF celebrate 25 years

As Sarasota City Commissioner Fredd Atkins said, the local United Negro College Fund celebrated 25 years of “doin’ it right.”

Manatee County Commission chair Gwen Brown shared the podium to give a two-county welcome at Friday night’s silver anniversary scholarship awards dinner. John Colon shared the event chair position with Dr. Gary Kompotheras, or as he is better known, 1-800-ASK-GARY.

Several out-of-town VIP’s attended the dinner held at Michael’s on East. Washington pundit Armstrong Williams was the keynote speaker and UNCF senior vice-president Maurice Jenkins traveled from Atlanta.

Ed Singleton and Cheri Orr were here from Daytona Beach’s Bethune-Cookman University, which is one of the colleges that receives funds from the UNCF.

Of course, most of the guests were local folks. Bill Sedgeman headed up the table from sponsor Community Bank and Dr. Al and Brenda Belsito were seated nearby. Congressman Vern and Sandy Buchanan stopped in during the pre-dinner cocktail time to offer their congratulations.

The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority table included Bernandine Rice, Barbara Harvey, Ollie Lampkins, Jacqueline Ray, Christine Clark, Johnnie Davis, Shirley Shaw and Cheryl Steele.

And, Jo McRae, Beverly Bryant, Terri Bragg, Cynthia and Erica Standley and Jackie Houston were part of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority group.

Also seen were Dr. Mona and Kailash Jain, Bruce Wertheimer, Kathy and John Hargreaves and attorney David Miner.

Susan Wilcox, a Florida native, has lived in Bradenton for more than 20 years. She has been active in many local organizations as a volunteer or an employee.

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Monday, January 05, 2009

United Negro College Fund confirms speakers

by Pamela Holley-Bright
Carolina Peacemaker
Originally posted 12/10/2008

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) has confirmed its speakers for its 63rd annual National Alumni and 51st Pre-Alumni Leadership Conference that will be held in Greensboro from Feb. 4 – 8.

Actor, author and activist Hill Harper will serve as the keynote speaker. Other speakers include Mayor Yvonne Johnson, Bennett College President Dr. Julianne Malveaux, UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael Lomax, Rev. Dr. W. Darin Moore, retired NFL athlete Ryan McNeil, neo-soul artist Liv Warfield and Dr. Joe A. Lee. Confirmations have yet to be made for Director Spike Lee and Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam.

The theme for the 2009 conference is L.E.A.D— Learn, Empower, Advocate, Demonstrate. The UNCF whose motto is “A mind is a terrible thing to waste” is the most successful minority higher education assistance organization in the nation. The UNCF raises money to give scholarships to students who are attending the UNCF’s 39 member colleges. North Carolina has five member colleges: Bennett College, Johnson C. Smith, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine’s College and Shaw University. Dorothy Colson, chair of the local host committee has been very busy these past few months. Colson also serves as the Southeast Regional Director for the National Alumni Council of UNCF. “We have a lot of people who have been locally working on the UNCF committee and we all have been working hard,” said Colson.

Leaders who are participating in the conference will host a variety of workshops. The workshops will suit members of all ages. There will be college and career fairs to get students thinking about their next step. At the college fair, the 39 member colleges will provide information for students so that they can learn what is required of them to be accepted into their college or university. Colson added, “We will also have a career day, students can explore different job opportunities. We will also have a workshop in which a former athlete will discuss the other side of a sports career. Our young people don’t have to be athletes to have a successful and lucrative career in the sports industry.”

For those who have graduated from college, they will have the opportunity to attend an AARP workshop, a retirement information session and they will also get health screenings. The coronation for Ms. UNCF will also be included in the conference. Students from the 39 member colleges raise money to give to the UNCF organization. The contestant who raises the most money will be crowned Ms. UNCF.
For more information and to register for the conference, visit the UNCF Web site : http://give.uncf.org/nac2009. Locals can purchase tickets for individual events. They don’t have to purchase the entire registration. Colson added “We want everyone to attend. There will be a lot of valuable information at this conference.”

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Homeownershipis the New Rap Topic For Robert Shumake

Just when you thought you heard it all, there is a new rap topic out there, its homeownership.

A rap CD about homeownership? Yes! Detroit-based, African-American real estate developer/investor Robert Shumake has produced Take The Land: Elements of Real Estate featuring many well-known spoken word and Def Poetry artists such as Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets, Big Proof of D12 and M-1 of Dead Prez. Shumake, who went from being homeless as a child to owning one of the top real estate concerns in Michigan, is passionate about creating homeownership in the African-American community. And being of the hip-hop generation himself, Shumake, 37, thought what better way to spread the word than through rhyme.

In all, there are 13 cuts each exploring different elements of real estate. The lineup of acts includes Jessica Care Moore, Prof. Griff of Public Enemy, and Abyss. All of the proceeds from the self-distributed CD on Iron Fist Records will go directly to the Robert S. Shumake Foundation. The foundation sponsors a U.S. sanctioned Track and Field Meet annually in Detroit where student athletes from the Midwest compete for trophies and college scholarships. This year the Robert S. Shumake Scholarship Relays will be held at MLK High School on April 29, 2006 The scholarships that his foundation provides are administered through the Detroit branch of UNCF.

A true Horatio Alger saga. That's what some might say about the life of Detroit businessman Robert Shumake. But that's just scratching the surface. Fact is, as a child Robert Shumake and his family were homeless, ultimately becoming squatters in a rundown home with no heat. But today Shumake owns one of Michigan’s top real estate development and investment firms, Inheritance Investment Group. And Shumake has yet to see his 40th birthday—he’s just 37.

But despite all this success in a relatively short time, Shumake, who company has grown into a multimillion business, wasn't satisfied.

He wasn't satisfied because he saw too few African Americans owning homes. Then though his work on the Board of Directors for the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, the second largest bank in America with $700 billion in assets, Shumake presided over the Affordable Housing Committees in Michigan and Indiana and helped boost homeownership by African Americans to record numbers.

Now, Shumake is turning his attention to encouraging more African-American athletes to get a college education. He has launched the Robert S. Shumake Foundation. His foundation sponsors a U.S.-sanctioned Track and Field Meet annually in Detroit where student athletes from the Midwest compete for trophies and college scholarships. This year the Robert S. Shumake Scholarship Relays will be held at MLK High School on April 29, 2006. The scholarships that his foundation provides are administered through the Detroit branch of UNCF.

In addition to this, Shumake is also encouraging young African Americans to think out getting into real estate. And being of the hip-hop generation himself, Shumake, 37, thought what better way to spread the word than through hip hop. He has produced Take The Land: Elements of Real Estate featuring many well-known spoken word and Def Poetry artists such as Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets, Big Proof of D12 and M-1 of Dead Prez. In all there are 13 cuts each exploring different elements of real estate. The lineup of acts includes Jessica Care Moore, Prof. Griff of Public Enemy, and Abyss. All of the proceeds from the self-distributed CD on Iron Fist Records will go directly to the Robert S. Shumake Foundation.

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Friday, December 19, 2008

UNCF gala celebrates excellence in education

By Shireese Bell
Morning News Reporter
Published: December 5, 2008

FLORENCE — The 16th annual United Negro College Fund gala Friday night brought people from all walks of life together to celebrate educational excellence with music from national recording group and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, The Impressions.

Lina Pearson, a library media specialist in Darlington County School District, has attended the UNCF gala for four years and said she always has looked forward to a night filled with good music, food and friends.

Pearson said the UNCF is a worthy cause and it’s important that people support the nation’s oldest minority education assistance organization.

“It (UNCF) helps students who may not be able to afford (a) college education,” she said. “It helps to better their life.”

Before those dressed in their evening gowns and tuxedos could get on the floor to dance to the melodies of The Impressions, Benedict College President Dr. David Swinton discussed how the money raised through the UNCF is spent and why it is needed.

The musical group, which was inducted into the hall of fame in 1991, originally was made up of members Sam Gooden, brothers Richard and Arthur Brooks, and songwriter/producers Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield. The group later welcomed singer Fred Cash.

The group had several hit singles including “People Get Ready,” “Keep on Pushing” and “We’re a Winner.”

J. Lawrence Smith, the UNCF coordinator for the Pee Dee, said he expected more than 600 people at Friday’s gala. Smith said he’s thankful to all those who supported the campaign, especially during the nation’s economic crisis.

“I want to thank the corporate entities in Florence and the Pee Dee, the businesses, clubs, organizations and individuals that have supported us and helped us through the many years of giving to the United Negro College Fund,” he said. “The economic times are getting tough. We applaud the Pee Dee area because they have not faltered this year in giving to the UNCF.”

Smith also thanked honorary campaign chairpeople and council members and volunteers.

The local campaign is well on it’s way to reaching its goal of $135,000 and people still can donate to the fund until March, Smith said.

Donations are tax-deductible and can be made to UNCF, P.O. Box 2503, Florence, SC 29503.

The local UNCF Area Campaign has supported member institutions in South Carolina for more than 20 years and provides scholarships for students attending Allen University and Benedict College in Columbia, Claflin University in Orangeburg, Morris College in Sumter and Voorhees College in Denmark.

http://www.scnow.com/scp/news/local/pee_dee/article/uncf_gala_celebrates_excellence_in_education/21853/

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UNCF to hold Kick-Off Celebration

Published: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at 1:21 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at 1:21 p.m.

The Lexington/Thomasville Area United Negro College Fund Committee for Livingstone College will host the second annual UNCF Kick-Off Celebration at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Lexington Municipal Club in Lexington.

Admission is free. The UNCF campaign goal is $300,000, and organizers are seeking the support of the Lexington and Thomasville communities to help young men and women reach their goal of obtaining a college education.

The United Negro College Fund is the nation’s largest, oldest and most successful minority higher education assistant organization established to allow promising students the opportunity to attend college. Many of the recipients are from low- to moderate-income families.

The UNCF assists its 39 member institutions, small, private, liberal arts historically black colleges and universities, with operational funds, scholarships, faculty development and technological enhancement services.

http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20081210/ARTICLES/812100285/1006/news?Title=UNCF_to_hold_Kick_Off_Celebration

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Monday, November 03, 2008

UNCF launches National Faith Campaign to raise $10 million to support minority higher education

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the nation’s oldest and most successful minority education assistance organization, recently launched its National Faith Campaign at a brunch for faith leaders in Los Angeles. The campaign aims to engage and encourage the faith community to support UNCF, minority students, and the 39 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that belong to UNCF, and to build a robust network of informed advocates for minority education.   UNCF expects the new campaign to raise $10 million by 2013.

The Faith Campaign’s Advisory Council is chaired by Bishop Eddie   Long, Senior Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist in Lithonia, Georgia. The Council also includes the Rev. Dr. Michael Battle, president of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, a UNCF member institution; Rev. Floyd Flake Sr., Pastor of Allen AME Cathedral of New York and former president of UNCF member institution Wilberforce University; Bishop Vashti McKenzie of the African Methodist Episcopal Church’s Thirteenth Episcopal District in Tennessee and Kentucky; and Bishop Charles Blake of the West   Angeles Church of God in Christ of Los Angeles.

Bishop McKenzie spoke about the longstanding history between   churches and HBCUs and expressed her concern about the future of   minority children. “I believe HBCUs are able to dismantle the pipeline between schools and prisons,” she said. “In the 21st century, we need to ensure the doors of HBCUs are open.”

The Faith Campaign urges church leaders to help UNCF raise the   resources that students need to pay the costs of going to college and that UNCF HBCUs need to give young men and women the education they need and deserve. Churches can host a “National UNCF Sunday” on February 22, 2009, as well as additional UNCF Sundays, to call for contributions and to share information about UNCF and minority education with their congregations. Faith Campaign participants are also encouraged to partner with UNCF regional directors to promote events, to provide scholarship information sessions for college-bound young people, and to help UNCF schools build enrollment.

“Thirty-eight of the thirty-nine UNCF member institutions were started by churches or congregations because they understood the   importance of something few others thought was worth doing at all: giving young African Americans an education,” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF president and CEO. “The member schools and churches have been there through good and bad times and will continue to be there for young people who want to get a college education. UNCF’s National Faith Campaign is an opportunity for us to come together and work on a common issue to continue to impact and transform our community.”

More than 50 percent of the students at UNCF colleges are the first   in their families to attend college. Sixty percent of the students come from families with incomes under $30,000 and 92 percent of UNCF students need financial aid. The UNCF National Faith initiative is a celebration of collaboration and generosity from the faith community to support HBCUs and minority education through UNCF.

“If the church does not get on board, then we will have missed an   opportunity to be honest and true to our calling and to God,” said the Rev. Dr. Michael Battle, President of the Interdenominational Theological   Center. “The church can not allow our young people to lose their   minds nor their souls.”

Churches can also demonstrate their commitment to helping UNCF, its students and colleges by participating in Star Power, UNCF’s first “An Evening of Stars” (AEOS) online campaign. Star Power invites   churches and other supporters to join or create online teams to help raise funds to support minority education. Participants can upload photos, send invitation and thank-you emails and much more through their individual or team web pages. They can also post Star Power links on Facebook and MySpace as well. The captains of   the three teams that raise the most money will be eligible to win   an AEOS VIP package which includes tickets to the taping of “An Evening of Stars,” transportation to and from the event, luxury accommodations and VIP passes to all AEOS activities. To learn more, visit www.aneveningofstars.org and click on the Star Power icon. Churches can also host Super Viewing Receptions to promote “An Evening of Stars” and solicit support for UNCF from church communities.

Faith Campaign Advisory Council member the Rev. Floyd Flake Sr. spoke   about the high percentages of young African Americans who can’t get jobs because of lack of training, skills and education. ”If we don’t invest in our young people, they will not be in a competitive position in the global economy.”

For more information about The UNCF National Faith Initiative, visit www.uncf.org and click on churches or contact Christal Cherry, UNCF National Director, Groups, Alumni & Faith Partnerships at (404) 302-8623 or email at christal.cherry@uncf.org.

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Scholarships Offered to Every Michigan Public and Private High School for Online Chinese Course

LANSING, Mich., March 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Confucius Institute at Michigan State University and Michigan Virtual School (MVS) are pleased to announce that they are offering a free semester of online instruction of Mandarin Chinese to one student from every public and private high school in the state. The courses will be offered in spring and fall semesters of 2007 and 2008.

These courses have been developed and are being delivered through a partnership of MSU's Confucius Institute, Michigan Virtual School, China Central Radio and TV University, and the Office of Chinese Language Council International.

"I want to commend each of these organizations for developing these online courses and this innovative scholarship program that is designed to stimulate greater interest in learning about Chinese language and culture," says Kathleen Strauss, President, Michigan State Board of Education. "This scholarship opportunity will help Michigan's students be better prepared to learn and work in the global economy."

"Providing an opportunity for high school students to learn Mandarin Chinese online represents a powerful economic development strategy for Michigan and gives our young people a competitive edge that will benefit them for the rest of their lives," says James Epolito, President and CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Each high school in the state may submit the name of one student to request a scholarship by April 30 through the school's high school principal. Unused scholarships will be reassigned to other schools/students after that date.

The Confucius Institute and Michigan Virtual High School are making these scholarships available at no cost in order to increase awareness of the program and provide a competitive edge to Michigan students.

"We need students to be more aware of the world and they need to know more world languages," says Dr. Yong Zhao, Director, Confucius Institute at Michigan State University. "We think this scholarship opportunity will dramatically increase the number of Michigan students who will want to study Chinese language and culture, and be prepared for the global economy."

These courses involve four hours of online learning and a one-hour virtual group tutoring session each week with an instructor and a small group of students, normally no more than five. These courses are led by highly trained and qualified native Chinese speaking instructors operating under the auspices of Michigan State University. Students can practice their pronunciation, and converse with peers and instructors in Mandarin Chinese. This individualized approach, with an opportunity to interact with native Chinese speakers, is unique among online world language programs in the U.S.

The online learning can be done from school or home. Students are closely monitored and expected to complete weekly assignments. The online meetings are scheduled one hour per week within and/or outside of normal school hours. These courses can be taken in addition to a regular schedule, or as part of the regular day, depending on how the student and principal wish to arrange it.

In addition to learning the most widely spoken language in the world -- with more than one billion speakers worldwide -- students will learn about Chinese culture and various Web resources that will expand their understanding of both China and the world. As an added bonus students will gain valuable skills "learning how to learn" a foreign language online that will introduce and prepare them for the world of online learning.

"There are new state high school graduation requirements for both online learning and world language," says Jamey Fitzpatrick, President and CEO, Michigan Virtual University. "These introductory courses meet the online learning requirement and can serve as the first semester of the two-year world language requirement. Chinese is not generally available in a traditional classroom setting; those students who learn it online will be gaining a competitive edge."

Applications are being accepted to register a student from each high school in the state for the chance to learn Mandarin Chinese at no cost. All applications must be submitted by April 30 through the student's high school principal or other authorized school district official. Only one application per school will be accepted.

Principals wishing to request a scholarship for one of their students should go to http://www.mivhs.org/chinese.

Michigan Virtual University

CONTACT: Erin Strang of Michigan Virtual University, +1-517-324-5373

Web site: http://www.mivu.org/
http://www.mivhs.org/chinese

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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

UNCF sets Higher Education Public Policy Agenda for HBCUS

FAIRFAX, Va. (September 10, 2008) - UNCF--the United Negro College Fund--the nation's oldest and most successful minority education assistance organization, today called for national action to guarantee that minority and low-income students get to go to college and graduate. The UNCF policy agenda was outlined in "The ABC Agenda for Higher Education," which UNCF president and CEO, Dr. Michael L. Lomax, announced during a breakfast UNCF hosted for the presidents of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and members of Congress as part of the 2008 National HBCU Week Conference in Washington DC.

Lomax also highlighted a study recently released by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which showed that HBCUs out-perform other colleges when it comes to producing African Americans who go on to earn doctoral degrees in science and engineering. The NSF study, Lomax said, "means that the schools that produced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Thurgood Marshall are still attracting the best and brightest young African American students, and giving them the kind of education that enables them to earn doctoral degrees in the most demanding and in-demand--fields."

The UNCF Agenda calls for action in three areas: Access and Affordability, Building Educational Capital and Community Engagement. "If ever there was a time to push for what our students and colleges need, this is it," Lomax said. He pointed out that the nation will inaugurate a new president on January 20, the day after the Martin Luther King birthday recognition. "This is the time," he said, "to set the goals against which we can measure what we can accomplish starting next January."

Founded in 1944, UNCF has led efforts to ensure access to higher education for minorities by raising more than $3 billion and graduating over 350,000 students. Annually UNCF enables over 60,000 minority students to work towards achieving a college education.

Although tremendous progress has been made over the past 64 years, the battle has not been won and there are significant opportunities to increase our nation's competiveness through education. Now more than ever, the American economy is demanding a more diverse and better educated workforce, many minority and urban communities continue to lag behind in providing opportunities for post secondary education.

According to projections by the U.S. Census Bureau, between now and 2050, African Americans and Hispanics will grow from about 25% to nearly 40% of the working-age population, and will account for more than 90% of total growth in that age range. But as of 2005, only 25% of African Americans held at least an associate's degree compared with 38% of non Hispanic whites and 56% of Asians. These disparities are widening over time. For every 100 African Americans and Latinos entering 9th grade in 2001, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education estimates that fewer than ten earn a post secondary degree after graduating from high school.

HBCUs have historically served a predominantly low-income, minority student population. Yet, HBCUs continue to educate and graduate African American students at higher rates than other colleges and universities and with few resources. As legislators begin to develop and implement policy on higher education, UNCF's ABC Agenda is a blueprint that will aid and guide Congress in securing resources that will enable HBCUs to continue to produce our nation's future leaders, and a workforce that will be able to expand our position in the global economy.

About UNCF
UNCF--the United Negro College Fund--is the nation's oldest and most successful minority education assistance organization. Its mission is to increase minority degree attainment by providing financial support to its 39 member institutions, reducing financial barriers to college and serving as a national advocate for minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 18 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. UNCF's recently redesigned logo and brand identity feature UNCF's torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Learn more at www.UNCF.org.

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