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HIGHLIGHTS E-newsletter from the Office of the President | AUGUST 2016
Delaware State University has added another Chinese school to its list of institutional partners with the recent finalization of a memorandum of understanding between DSU and Southwest Petroleum University of Chengdu, China. Click here for the full story DSU President Harry L. Williams and Southwest Petroleum University’s Dr. Wang Ling sign a memorandum of understanding between the schools. Behind them, from left, are DSU’s Dr. Fengshan Liu and Dr. Devona Williams, along with SWPU’s Dr. Zhang Liehui and Dai Lei. During the visit to China, the delegation discussed the new partnership and the possibilities that could result from it. For highlights from DSU’s other recent activities with institutions around the globe, please see Page 3.
As we celebrate 125 years, DSU’s footprint is global, impressive Greetings! Before we know it, the fall will be upon us and the University campus will be alive with activity. A new class of freshmen will converge at DSU and returning students will be revving up for the next leg of their educational journey. We are excited as we anticipate all the great things that are in store for them and for the entire University community. As we move deeper into the celebration of our 125th anniversary, we will be reflecting back on the deep, rich heritage of this great University and looking to the future ensured by its legacy. In this newsletter, we are pleased to share some of the innovative and inspirational occurrences taking place.
Our reach is far and wide; Delaware State University’s footprint is global and impressive. We are grateful that you have been a part of our growth during these 125 years of service to the state, the nation and the world. Sincerely,
President Harry L. Williams
From left are Delaware Gov. Jack Markell; Meghan Wallace, the governor’s education policy advisor; Donald Graham, co-founder of TheDream.US; DSU President Harry L. Williams; Sadhana Singh, TheDream.US scholar; state Rep. Joe Miro; state Rep. Paul Baumbach; and Jim Stewart, DSU Board of Trustees member.
DSU, TheDream.US announce scholarship partnership Delaware State University and TheDream.US have jointly announced a historic partnership that will implement a unique scholarship program for immigrant high school graduates who live in states that make a college education for them virtually impossible. TheDream.US Opportunity Scholarship is the nation’s largest scholarship program for DREAMers – immigrant youth who came to the U.S. without documentation. The organization has partnered with Delaware Gov. Jack Markell and Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy
and their respective state universities – DSU and Eastern Connecticut State University – to provide scholarship recipients with admissions to institutions of higher education where they can enroll and fulfill their college aspirations. Students interested in the Opportunity Scholarship can apply at www.thedream.us.
DSU’s youngest-ever PhD graduate earns coveted award Delaware State University made its mark at the recent 2016 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Awards as Dr. Jalaal Hayes – a December 2015 PhD graduate – received the HBCU Male Student of the Year Award.
John Ridgeway joins Board of Trustees; three members depart with honors Board of Trustees Chairman David G. Turner, left, formally swears in John Ridgeway, a Toyota corporate manager and DSU alumnus, as its newest member at the June 16 meeting. Three members also departed the board and were acknowledged during the same meeting. Read the full story 2
DSU was nominated for four awards: Male President of the Year (Dr. Harry L. Dr. Harry L. Williams, left, proudly Williams), HBCU of the stands with Dr. Jalaal Hayes after the Year, Male Student of the award was presented. Year (Dr. Hayes) and Best Research Center Award (DSU’s Optical Science Center for Applied Research – OSCAR). Read the full story
SAP holds first training for HBCUs on campus
From left, DSU Associate Provost Bradley Skelcher, Daniel Mburu, Eddah Wangaru, Godfrey Mudia, DSU President Harry L. Williams, Gov. Daniel Waithaka, Geofrey Mundia, StartUpAfrica founder Erastus Mongare and DSU’s Dr. Samuel Besong pose for a photo after a July 11 meeting.
Delaware State University recently opened up a new world for the faculty and students of a group of Historically Black Colleges and Universities through an eight-day Project Propel workshop in which they learned about the globally used SAP enterprise applications. Read the full story
Kenyan delegation visits campus, explores possible partnership with DSU A delegation from the country of Kenya visited DSU on July 11 to initiate a relationship that may lead to a possible future partnership with Delaware’s only HBCU. DSU President Harry L. Williams met with representatives of Kenya’s county government of Nyandarua – which included Gov. H.E. Daniel Waithanka Mwangi – to connect DSU’s College of Agriculture and Related Sciences and the College of Business’ Delaware Center for Enterprise Development with a new higher education endeavor in that part of Kenya.
Also taking part in the discussion were representatives of StartUpAfrica, a Wilmington, Del.-based organization comprised of Kenyans living in the U.S. The organization’s mission is to support young Kenyan adults in the building of business skills and in endeavors that foster financial independence, create jobs and grow African economies.
President Harry L. Williams cordially invites you to Delaware State University’s
6thAnnual
Hope Illumes the Future: Faith Lights the Path
Friday, September 16, 2016
Dr. Williams and the Kenyan delegation agreed that it would be worthwhile to continue the exploration of possible collaborations.
7 – 9 a.m.
(Doors open at 6:45 a.m.)
Delaware State University
Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center, 2nd Floor Parlors Dover, Delaware
Tickets Available online at desu.edu/prayerbreakfast
Individual: $25 | Tables of 10: $250
Seating is limited. Event sells out each year. Please reply by September 9, 2016
For additional information, call 302.857.6055.
desu.edu/prayerbreakfast
Coming Events President’s Prayer Breakfast September 16 | 7-9 a.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center desu.edu/prayerbreakfast
Pictured with President Harry L. Williams, center, and Dr. Mazin Shahin, right, director of DSU’s Alliance for Minority Participation, are Edward Addison, Taylor Worrell-Stith, Sandra Suarez, Malia Green, Gemini Phillips, Travia Dunbar, Briana Reaves, Jamila Davis, Tahlia Casey and Tajah Lewter.
President meets with Polish partner institution; students take part in research experience DSU President Harry L. Williams made a trip to Poland where he met face to face for the first time with Dr. Antoni Bukaluk, the president of the Uniwersytet Technologiczno-Przyrodniczy (UTP), also known in English as the University of Technology and Life Sciences of Poland.
DSU has an active memorandum of understanding with UTP that was finalized earlier this year, and recently exercised that partnership by sending 10 of its students for a May 22 to June 21 study abroad research experience. Read the full story
Fall Convocation September 15 | 11-11:50 a.m. Education & Humanities Theater Homecoming October 15 | All day Campus-wide desu.edu/homecoming President’s Scholarship Ball December 10 | 5-11 p.m. Dover Downs Hotel & Casino desu.edu/psb December Commencement December 17 | 10 a.m. Memorial Hall Gymnasium desu.edu/commencement 3
In the bottom row, from left, are program participants Gerald Green, P.J. Chandlar, Nehemiah Williams, Josh Brice, Marc Madklangbayan and Darren Robinson Jr. In the top row, from left, are Dr. Dan Shelton, Capital School District superintendent; Delaware Secretary of Education Steven Godowski; Delaware Gov. Jack Markell; DSU President Harry L. Williams; Bonnie Metz, Verizon government affairs director; Tony Lewis, Verizon regional VP; and Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen.
Verizon presents $400,000 for STEM ed program at DSU Delaware State University and Verizon have entered into a partnership to provide STEM education to minority middle school boys in Delaware this summer. The Verizon Innovative Learning Program, funded by a $400,000 grant from Verizon, will provide mentorship and hands-on classes in coding, robotics, 3D design and entrepreneurship to dozens of minority middle school boys over the next two years. The Verizon Innovative Learning Program is being administered by the DSU Delaware Center for Enterprise Development and the DSU Department of Computer and Information Sciences. Learn more
President shares State of the University highlights with Sussex County leaders DSU President Harry L. Williams took his “State of the University” address back on the road again, this time to Rehoboth Beach, Del., in Sussex County. Dr. Williams gave his address at a May 18 breakfast reception at the Rehoboth Beach Country Club, in which he shared the University’s highlights and challenges with a group of Sussex County elected officials, business and community leaders, as well as others from Kent and New Castle counties. The reception was sponsored by the Sussex Office of the EDiS Company. Photo slideshow
$200,000 Barclays Bank grant launches Del State Mobile App Academy A generous $200,000 grant from Barclays Bank has established the Del State Mobile App Academy. In a laboratory located on the seventh floor at the DSU Living and Learning Commons, the first cohort of approximately 18 participants began the 6-week training on July 5. Learn more and see images from the first weeks of the boot camp experience
From left, M&T Bank’s Michael Gast and Joseph Yachshyn join their CEO Nick Lambrow in presenting DSU President Harry L. Williams with a $50,000 display check to go toward scholarships. Also from DSU are Bryant T. Bell, director of Major Gifts; Vita Pickrum, vice president of Institutional Advancement; LaShawne Pryor, director of Corporate & Foundation Relations; and Donna Covington, College of Business dean.
$50,000 from M&T Bank establishes new scholarship opportunity M&T Bank recently became DSU’s newest corporate partner as it has committed $50,000 to help DSU students with their higher education cost. The donation establishes the M&T Scholars Program, a scholarship opportunity that will be available to any full-time student who meets the criteria of possessing a 2.5 GPA and being a native of the U.S. Learn more
For more information, please call the Division of Institutional Advancement at 302.857.6055.