Hornet Highlights Newsletter November 2015

HORNET

HIGHLIGHTS E-newsletter from the Office of the President | NOVEMBER 2015

In May, we will celebrate our 125th year of educating students and giving them the tools that enable them to pursue productive lives.

Student Success — 124 Years in the Making As the 2015 fall semester and calendar year draw rapidly to a close, we are in celebratory mode. Looking back at what we have accomplished this season, while looking ahead to what lies in store for us in 2016, gives us great cause to celebrate.

This fall, we welcomed the largest freshman class in the University’s history. The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) recently named DSU as the 1890 University of the Year and also presented the University with three other land grant awards. We opened the Delaware Institute for Science and Technology’s Optical Science Center for Applied Research (OSCAR) Building, a spectacular facility where our students will achieve new heights of excellence in innovative optics research. In addition, we are looking forward to beginning a partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the greatest philanthropic organizations of our time.

As the result of a yearlong engagement, this month we dedicated a Business Analytics Lab in our College of Business where our students will conduct cutting-edge research that will give them the job-market advantage. Also recently, the University entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with GE Africa. Both of these milestones will greatly enhance student success.

Over 124 years ago, a few tenacious dreamers engaged in activities that set DSU on a course for greatness. The University continues to strive, thrive and make its mark on the world. It was a hard struggle in the early years, but our forebears persevered — and because they persevered, we are still here today. We have also had our challenges, but we are inspired by what divine providence has brought to us in the form of excellent executive leadership.

In May, we will celebrate our 125th year of educating students and giving them the tools that enable them to pursue productive lives.

It is all about the students. This has been and will continue to be our mantra going forward into celebrating our 125th anniversary.

We are so excited to be here at this place in the University’s history and we anticipate even greater days together because together, we are greater, greater than one.

With Hornet Pride,

President Harry L. Williams

Grant awards support research, student success $5 million | NASA Delaware State University’s Optical Science Center for Applied Research (OSCAR) was recently awarded a $5 million grant for a NASA research and education program that will continue its partnership with the space agency. Built on the success of a previously NASA-funded program at DSU, this new program will strengthen the partnerships and collaborations with the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of Delaware; enhance the research capabilities at DSU; and provide a rich intellectual environment for training our students.

$2.6 million | U.S. Department of Education First in the World program The U.S. Department of Education has selected DSU among 17 colleges and universities to be awarded funding under the First in the World grant program. DSU will receive $2,647,764 that will be used in support of its Access to Success initiative, which seeks to increase the applications, enrollment and retention in postsecondary education of at-risk and underrepresented students who are from low-income families and would be first-generation college students.

$1.2 million | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation On October 26, Delaware State University was joined by Gov. Jack Markell, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, U.S. Rep. John Carney and other dignitaries to announce a $1.2 million grant award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The announcement of this grant is significant news for the University. “The partnership between our University and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is one where the

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Foundation is partnering with institutions that are transforming their higher education models so that more students — especially lowincome and first generation students — graduate at higher rates, with high-quality degrees or credentials at an affordable price,” said Dr. Teresa Hardee, senior vice president and chief operating officer at DSU. “Partnering with Gates will support our work by using data to support student success,” said Hardee.

$535,000 | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Dr. Melissa Harrington and Dr. Murali Temburni have been awarded a five-year, $535,000 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to establish an undergraduate research program in neuroscience. Offered in partnership with the DSUheadquartered Delaware Center for Neuroscience Research, the summer program will be focused on recruiting undergraduates from underrepresented groups and integrating them into a vibrant community of neuroscience researchers across the state of Delaware.

$400,000 | National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation has awarded DSU a $400,000 Targeted Infusion grant in support of the Cyber Infused Mathematics Initiative (CIMI). The three-year grant will be used to redesign the teaching and learning environments in introductory mathematics courses.

For the full stories on recent grant awards and other news at DSU, please visit desu.edu/news.

DSU named 1890 University of the Year The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) named DSU as the 1890 University of the Year and also presented the University with three other land grant awards at its recent annual meeting.

According to the APLU, DSU received the University of the Year honor due to its best overall performance in this year’s nine award categories, which included: retention, agriculture degree completion, education degree completion, STEM degree completion, innovation, research, experiential student learning, international student engagement and alumni engagement.

DSU also received:  The 1890 Agriculture Degree Completion Award in recognition of the highest increase in agriculture bachelor’s degrees.  The 1890 STEM Degree Completion Award for having the highest increase in science, technology, engineering and mathematics bachelor’s degrees.  The 1890 International Student Engagement Award for showing the largest increase in undergraduate international students and participation in study abroad programs.

Read the complete story on the DSU website

College of Business opens new Business Analytics Lab President Harry L. Williams, Dean Donna Covington and the College of Business this month officially dedicated the new Business Analytics Lab that will be a premier research center for data analytics and a cutting-edge workspace for the analysis of big data.

OSCAR Building formally dedicated From left, State Rep. Charles Potter Jr., President Harry L. Williams, Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen, OSCAR scientist Dr. Matthew Bobrowski, Gov. Jack Markell and OSCAR Founding Director Dr. Noureddine Melikechi watch as the Delaware governor controls the laser that cuts a ribbon symbolizing the completion of the Delaware Institute for Science and Technology’s Optical Science Center for Applied Research at DSU. The $18 million, 28,000-square-foot OSCAR Building provides scientists and faculty with a facility specifically designed for optics research. The University’s robust optics research program investigates a diverse range of novel applications of laser technologies.

Read the complete story

DSU once again a Military Friendly® School Victory Media has named DSU a 2016 Military Friendly® School, a designation awarded to the top colleges, universities, community colleges and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace military students and to dedicate resources to ensure their success both in the classroom and after graduation.

The lab, located in Room 309 of the Bank of America Building, is equipped with several mobile computer stations, curved monitors, a cabinet full of laptops with charging stations, the latest software and other tools. The dry erase painted walls promote creative thinking with its writable/erasable surfaces that allow thoughts and ideas to be jotted straight on the wall. Read the complete story

University finalizes accords with GE International of Africa, institutions in Asia and Jamaica Delaware State University recently formalized new agreements with GE International Operations of Nigeria as well as two Asian institutions of higher education and a college in Jamaica.

The partnership with GE International facilitates a number of possible academic and technical collaborations, including capacity development for Nigeria in nursing and engineering, assisting with the GE manufacturing strategy in Nigeria in curriculum design and certificate programs, aviation pilot training and pilot pipeline development in the country and GE internship opportunities for DSU students.

DSU and Yeungnam University College of South Korea have agreed to establish a joint bachelor’s degree program in accounting and management, and DSU and Changchun University of Science and Technology have reached a three-year formal agreement that will also include the Disney Theme Parks and Resorts College Program.

In Jamaica, the University signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) that opens the door for future study abroad/student exchanges as well as collaborations in research and other academic pursuits.

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Corporate partners, individual donors present gifts during football receptions Members of the Delaware State University philanthropic community of donors this fall gathered at pre-game receptions held during home football games where several major gift check presentations were made acknowledging gifts to the University’s Greater Than One: Campaign for Students totaling more than $550,000.

Organizations and individuals presenting gifts to DSU were:  Family members on behalf of late Class of 1961 alumna $134,000 Jane Waters Bickham’s charitable bequest to establish the Jane Waters Bickham Endowed Scholarship  Halvin T. ’61 and Pauline E. Blocksom to establish the $20,000 Halvin T. and Pauline E. Blocksom Endowed Scholarship  The family of the late Peggy Cuffee Brinkley ’79 to establish $15,000 the $10,000 Peggy Cuffee Brinkley Memorial Endowed Scholarship in her name as well as a $5,000 scholarship  DSU Champion Fund-Hall of Fame $28,710  DSU Class of 1965 $105,035  DSU Class of 1974 $11,480  Delmarva Power $15,000  DuPont $175,000  PGA Tour Inc. $10,000  The Tom Joyner Foundation with Allstate Insurance $18,500  Verizon $20,000 Because of you, the donors, DSU is better positioned to transform lives. Thank you!

DONATE TODAY. desu.edu/GreaterThanOne Click here for a video showcasing how DSU prepares tomorrow’s leaders

Ground broken for Dr. Jerome Holland statue During Homecoming weekend, an official groundbreaking was held on the site of the future home of a statue that will honor the legacy of Dr. Jerome H. “Brud” Holland, who served as the sixth president of thenDelaware State College from 1953-1960 and is credited with navigating the institution through the most challenging period of its history.

Members of the DSU administration, staff and steering committee gathered at the site where the statue will be installed once commissioned, just inside the entrance of the campus pedestrian mall on the grassy triangle that is adjacent to the brick wall. Also taking part in the ceremony was J.C. Boggs, the grandson of former Gov. J. Caleb Boggs, who is credited with bringing Holland to Delaware to become the DSC president and for giving the college strong support through his tenure.

127th Commencement set for Dec. 20 DSU’s 127th Commencement Ceremony will be held Sunday, December 20, at 10 a.m. in Memorial Hall Gymnasium with guest speaker Ann Rosenberg, vice president and head of Global SAP University Alliances.

For more details on the day, visit desu.edu/commencement.

A fundraising drive has also been launched to raise money for the statue project. For more info about Holland, the project and how to contribute, visit desu.edu/hollandstatue.

For more information, please call the Division of Institutional Advancement at 302.857.6055.