Delaware State University 2021 Report of the President

2021 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

Changing Life Trajectories

CONTENTS 03

President’s Message

04

Year in Review

28

Milestones

30

Leadership

32

Thank You!

Editor/Project Management: Friction Free Communications LLC Publication design: Blue Blaze Associates LLC Photo credits: Maria DeForrest, Carlos Holmes, Emir Lake

On the cover (Left to right): Nathanael A. Guy (Psychology), Tionah Johnson (Biology), Maya Bythwood (International Studies), and Chikezie Ikwuagwu (Biology Sciences). Photo by: Emir Lake.

To the right: President Tony Allen spent an afternoon with the University’s oldest living alumna, Susan Browne ’45. He then found out at the 130th Anniversary Celebration that she can still “cut a rug.”

This

has been a transformative year for Delaware State University.

bottom-up development of the Reach 2026 Strategic Plan and the current bankable

Our students arrive on campus to change the economic trajectory of their lives for

investments being pursued through our Transformation Workstreams are keeping us

themselves, their families, and their communities. Our responsibility is to put them

focused and connected.

on that path and keep them there, no matter what it takes. We haven’t raised tuition

We set out an 18-month plan in July 2021 that focuses on building the whole student,

in more than six years; every incoming student receives an iPad or a MacBook; less

enhancing operational excellence, improving the physical plant, and securing a

expensive digital media is replacing traditional textbooks; our Early College High

healthy financial future. We made strong progress on those specific goals, and the

School saves the average family nearly $50,000 in college expenses; and we finalized

foundation that we’re setting in place will continue to take root and bear fruit in 2022

the historic acquisition of Wesley College and returned to downtown Wilmington with

and beyond.

the Capital One Building at DSU Riverfront.

My greatest source of joy—outside of my family—is always found in my interactions

We entered 2021 looking for the best way to leverage an unprecedented $20 million

with students, seeing the excitement and hope in their eyes as they talk about what

gift in 2020 from MacKenzie Scott in a way that would accelerate achieving our vision

they’re working on and where their futures will lead them. Many are first-generation

to be the nation’s most diverse, contemporary HBCU. We also focused on maintaining

college students and many never imagined being able to go to college; coming to

our national leadership in terms of safeguarding our entire University community

Delaware State University has opened up an entirely new universe for them.

through the ever-changing realities of the COVID-19 while keeping our students on track to graduate.

I thought a lot about those young women and men during the recent holiday season, starting with the Ebony Tie Affair and concluding with holiday feasts and the

As you’ll see in this report, we’ve used that $20 million gift to attract an additional

Scholarship Ball that raised $600,000 for student scholarships. I was in a room for the

$80 million in partnerships and appropriations that are enabling us to grow our

Ebony Tie Affair with 400 Black men from diverse backgrounds and circumstances.

enrollment; expand our physical and virtual footprint; and place an extended

This year, more than 75 were University students, alumni, and staff. The goal of the

emphasis on social justice, equity, and inclusion in the public square. It’s also a

ETA is largely symbolic and best summed up this way, “We are not alone—nor are we

commentary on the changing status and visibility of the University that we received

disappearing islands—in fact, we are prospering in greater numbers.”

an even larger investment in November when the Governor committed nearly $31 million to develop a statewide infrastructure for a unique pathway for Delawareans seeking careers in the childcare industry.

This report is structured month by month so that you will be able to see not only how our dedicated faculty and staff are impacting students’ lives, but also illustrate just how many exciting things are happening at our various campuses and throughout the

I am so proud of the path this University is on. I am proud of the trajectory that our students are on, thanks to the efforts of so many people. I hope you feel the same way after reading this report, and I urge you to take the opportunity to meet our students in person and wish them well on their journeys.

It all matters.

entire extended Hornet community.

A lot has happened in 12 months, and at times the pace of change has been breathtaking. Yet we remain committed to growing responsibly and with clear intention, and execution is always at the forefront of our conversations.

Investments like the Inspire Scholarship, the Early College High School, and the acquisition of Wesley College have helped us move that needle. Processes like the

Tony Allen, Ph.D. President

JANUARY

COVID-19 Testing Lab The University launched the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory at our Kirkwood Highway location in Wilmington in partnership with New Castle County, enabling us to save time and money by eliminating having to send our COVID-19 test samples to an analysis facility in California.

“We work every day to increase COVID-19 testing capacity, to process tests more efficiently, to get a better deal for When I hear a company say that they can’t find Black talent, that just lets me know they haven’t looked hard enough. And that’s part of the reason why Black men and women make up less than 5% of science occupations. We’re changing that here at the MDL. This is what Black scientists and scientists of color look like. I’m proud to say that all of our COVID-19 technicians are former students of mine and DSU alumni.”

— Dr. Derrick Scott Executive Director, Diagnostic Laboratory

JAN 2021 President Tony Allen served as chief executive officer of the four-member Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) that organized the activities surrounding the Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremonies in Washington, D.C. He was also named to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s Economic and Community Advisory Council.

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DSU announced a partnership with the Propel Center, a new global campus headquartered in Atlanta that will support leadership and career-development programming for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide. The project is part of Apple’s $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative.

taxpayers, and to enhance the capabilities of local universities,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “We formed this partnership to address all four of those goals. This will be an important lab for public health and scientific innovation for both residents of the county and the DSU family.”

Dr. Derrick Scott, associate professor of Biological Sciences and executive director of the Diagnostic Laboratory, said the University is using a simpler testing protocol (from the nasal swab test to an equally accurate saliva test) that cuts down on costs. “This partnership truly represents a win/win for the county and DSU while bringing much-needed jobs to the region.”

Since the February launch, the Diagnostic Laboratory has expanded its processing of samples to the entire population of students and faculty and to New Castle County residents. Besides the savings, the Diagnostic Laboratory provides results within 24 hours, which speeds up the identification of individuals who test positive and more immediate contact tracing, said Dr. Michelle Fisher, associate vice president of Campus Health Services.

The funding for the Diagnostic Laboratory came from $5.5 million invested by New Castle County from the federal CARES Act it received.

Chloe F. Humphrey, a junior music major and University Concert Choir member, sang the National Anthem at then-President-elect Joe Biden’s Jan. 19 Delaware Farewell Event.

MacKenzie Scott gift spurs more donor support A $20 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in 2020 was leveraged by the University into an additional $80 million in partnerships and appropriations during 2021.

We made three major strategic investments using Ms. Scott’s gift: (1) a $12 million addition to the endowment ($7.5 million) and strategic initiatives reserve ($5 million); (2) $5 million to support the acquisition of Wesley College, an allocation that helped us secure an additional $1 million from the Longwood Foundation and led to the addition of 500 new students, 50 acres of land, 21 buildings, and 14 academic programs valued at $32 million; and (3) $3 million to support the Global Institute for Equity, Inclusion and Civil Rights.

University fundraisers say that the Scott gift has raised the visibility of the University and increased confidence in our future, leading to more donations that are outlined elsewhere in this report.

The Delaware Art Educators Association (DAEA) named alumnus Milton Downing, MA ’11, as its 2021 Delaware Art Educator of the Year. DAEA previously honored Downing in 2011 as the Elementary Art Educator of the Year. He is an art teacher at A.G. Waters Middle School in Middletown, Del., an adjunct professor of art at Lincoln University, and a curator at the Christiana Cultural Arts Center.

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FEBRUARY NSF Grants

Since 2011, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the University 49 research grants totaling more than $26 million, not counting the $400,000 to $600,000 per year we receive as sub-awards from NSF grants made to other organizations.

“The National Science Foundation has as part of its mission broadening participation in research to populations that have historically been left out,” said Dr. Melissa Harrington, associate vice president of research and director of the Delaware Institute for Science and Technology. “NSF has grant programs targeted at strengthening research at HBCUs and institutions that have a history of involving undergraduate students in research.”

In 2021 alone, we received five grants totaling nearly $3.5 million. Some are outlined in more detail elsewhere in this report (e.g., a $1 million grant in May to bring together researchers and Ph.D. students from the University’s Neuroscience and Optics programs and a $672,000 HBCU Excellence in Research grant in June that is supporting the research of Dr. Gabriel Gwanmesia ’85.

(L-R) Drs. Murali Temburni, Gabriel Gwanmesia, and Hacene Boukari

FEB 2021 Diageo North America donated $250,000 to create a permanent endowment fund and provide financial aid grants to students across different disciplines and majors as part of its commitment to support 25 HBCUs. A global leader in beverage manufacturing and distribution, Diageo North America has also committed to taking a step to build a pipeline of talented leaders through an internship platform that will include DSU over the coming years.

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Maya Bythwood, a freshman Criminal Justice major, won the local Miss Dover title and competed in the Miss Delaware contest in June. She is a member of NOBLE (the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives), the Speech and Debate Team, and performs with the University’s Jazz and Concert Band.

There is virtually no research done at DSU

such as such as biofluids, polymers, oils, paints and

that does not involve undergraduate students,

coatings, and quantum nanostructures which have

so our faculty are well set up to compete for

applications in electronics; a $622,524 grant to Dr.

funding from NSF.”

Raymond Tutu of the Department of Sociology

— Dr. Melissa Harrington Associate Vice President for Research Other large 2021 NSF grants included an $800,000 grant to CAST Dean Dr. Cherese Winstead to build an infrastructure (facilities and personnel) at

and Criminal Justice to study the effects of collective action on health literacy; and a $400,000 grant to Dr. Murali Temburni to implement an undergraduate neuroscience education program to engage diverse students in STEM and prepare them for graduate school and STEM careers.

HBCUs to solve “grand challenges” related to design

Dr. Cherese Winstead

of advanced materials in the areas of soft matter

H1B Workforce Grant The University announced a partnership in January with the Delaware Department of Labor and nonprofit Tech Impact to expand workforce opportunities in the Information Technology (IT) sector.

DSU received $2 million of a $9.2 million federal H1B Workforce Grant that will ultimately enable 700 Delawareans who are unemployed,

The Center of Excellence in Advanced Quantum Sensing, funded by $7.5 million from the Department of Defense, continues to advance in coordination with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, thanks to the leadership of Professor of Physics and Engineering Dr. Gour S. Pati, principal investigator, and fellow researchers Dr. Renu Tripathi, Dr. Deborah Santamore, Dr. Jun Ren, and Dr. Matthew Bobrowski.

underemployed, disabled, veterans (including veterans transitioning out of the U.S. Armed forces) and their spouses to obtain a skill or earn credentials to prepare them to enter mid- to high-level occupations in the IT field.

“This opportunity aligns with the priorities of our School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies as a part of a constantly expanding catalog of more than 75 professional certification, badging, and workforce development courses and programs offered both at our Kirkwood Highway and Dover campuses,” said Dean Patrice Gilliam-Johnson.

Dr. Yinghong Cheng of the Department of History, Political Science and Philosophy received a fellowship from the National Humanities Center that will enable him to finish a book project on African American soldiers who worked on the Burma Road.

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MARCH

Global Institute for Equity, Inclusion and Civil Rights The Global Institute for Equity, Inclusion and Civil

University to have a positive impact in those economic,

community and neighborhood revitalization by

Rights was established in August 2020 as a platform

social, and political realms that are the foundation

serving as a research partner with communities,

that allows us to establish a more prominent voice

of the HBCU mission,” said College of Business Dean

nonprofit and social service providers, and

in the issues of the day and have an impact on

Michael Casson.

government agencies.

transforming communities of color and closing the gap to an inclusive economy.

Whether it involves getting testing and trauma-

The Institute serves many roles including garnering

informed health care into our communities of

resources, developing partnerships, engaging in

color or performing mineral resource surveys in

research, and stimulating activism. Leaders from

Africa, this is how we put our values to work.”

across the University came together to guide the

— Dr. Michael Casson

formation of the Global Institute.

and the year was capped in November by a $1 million donation from Barclays US Consumer Bank.

We anticipate naming an executive director for the Institute in early 2022.

“The Global Institute provides the mechanism for the

solution-based research for understanding the disparate impact of disease and infection on communities of color.

X The Academy of Healing Trauma Institute to support professionals to skillfully address adverse

Dean, College of Business

childhood experiences, race-based trauma,

The Institute received $3 million from the 2020 MacKenzie Scott donation to support its programs,

X The Center for Health Disparities to focus on

community violence, and organizational trauma.

To address global challenges and share proven pathways to transform communities, the Institute established: X The Center for Neighborhood Revitalization and Research to bridge the research-practice gap in

X The Center for Global Africa to connect and advance the mutual capacity of Africa, the Diaspora, and HBCUs to devise institutional collaborations under the aegis of the African Union to foster joint 21stcentury progress.

MAR 2021 Graduate students Lindsey Hyppolite and Joshua Patterson and Freshman Nia Allen raised awareness concerning Sickle Cell Disease through the Hope for Sickle Cell Disease Challenge, conducted by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. The trio created a mobile app that helps people learn whether they have the Sickle Cell trait.

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With the acquisition of Wesley College on the horizon, the Board of Trustees approved the adoption of Wesley academic programs into the University curriculum. These included master’s degrees in Teaching, Justice Studies, and Occupational Therapy; bachelor’s degrees in International Studies, Law Studies, and Music Therapy; associates’ degrees in Psychology, Biology, and Liberal Studies; an Informatics Certificate; and a post-master’s certificate in Adult Gerontology.

Jordan Saez ’18 writes English-Spanish book Jordan Saez, a 2018 Elementary Education graduate and current student in the Teaching English as a Second Language Master’s Degree Program, has authored and independently published an English-Spanish children’s book entitled The Last Day of School?, which she is using in her classes as a kindergarten Spanish immersion teacher in the Cape Henlopen School District in Sussex County, Delaware.

The plot of The Last Day of School? was not inspired by what happens at the end of an academic year, but rather by the last day of classes just before the pandemic closed the schools. Her involvement with Hispanic students in her English class led her to write the book in English and Spanish.

“I wanted to record myself reading a story out loud so the children could go online and hear it once they got home,” Ms. Saez said. “But then I was told that I couldn’t record a story, because that would be an infringement of copyright. So I said that I’ll write my own book.”

Dr. Richard A. Barczewski was granted Professor Emeritus status. Dr. Barczewski retired in 2019 after nearly 25 years as chair of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. During his tenure, Dr. Barczewski secured $2 million in external funding, published 200+ research papers and articles, and served on 62 academic and professional committees.

The Board of Trustees approved the establishment of a new doctoral program—a Ph.D. program in Integrative Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. A multidisciplinary team of faculty in various departments of the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology (CAST) will provide mentorship and training to the Ph.D. candidates.

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APRIL

Research Teams Climbing a High Mountain Delaware State University is working toward formal recognition as a doctoral-granting research institution that holds the so-called Carnegie Classification R2 (High Research) status. The change reflects an even greater focus on our doctoral programs (including the PhDs in neuroscience and optics, the only such programs offered at an HBCU) and the success of our faculty in securing grant funding for their research in the biomedical, agricultural science and optical science areas.

The five STEM doctoral programs that the University now has were developed by faculty, largely as

Dr. Y. Hwan Kim received a three-year, $438,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate new therapies for Parkinson’s Disease.

grassroots initiatives to expand research activities by

APR 2021 The Delaware Pathways 2 Apprenticeship (P2A) is using a classroom on campus to provide training that prepares Kent County participants—largely from low-income communities—to enter construction union apprenticeship programs, providing a pathway to middle class careers.

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The University launched a partnership with United Airlines that will give Aviation graduates a direct path to becoming a pilot with a major airline. The launch was attended by nine alumni who are now pilots with United Airlines, which has committed to train 5,000 new pilots by 2030 through its Aviate Academy, with half of them women or people of color.

involving doctoral-level trainees, whose funding comes almost entirely from faculty research grants.

“The goal is to build the University’s capacity from what is now a $27 million research portfolio to $35 million and continue to put us in the upper echelons of HBCUs providing substantive scholarships and research in this area and other areas,” said

Dr. Evelyn Edney of ECHS selected as Delaware Principal of the Year The National Association of Secondary School Principals named Dr. Evelyn Edney, director of the University’s Early College High School, as its

Provost Dr. Saundra DeLauder.

Delaware Principal of the Year.

The next step requires large, intentional, and strategic

Since assuming her post in 2015, Dr. Edney has

investments by the University. We have been taking a hard look at what we would need to do to achieve these goals.

One of those tasks will include developing new doctoral degree programs as well as enrolling and graduating significantly more students from the six doctoral programs that we currently have and hiring more faculty to mentor these students.

overseen the graduation of 201 students from the first three graduating ECHS classes. More than half of them stayed in the First State to enroll at Delaware State University. ECHS students also take college courses and earn the credits for them before they receive their high school diploma. Under Dr. Edney’s leadership, the ECHS boasts a high-school graduation rate of 90% over the past three years.

“We are accomplishing our goals of preparing

The State Board of Education has approved plans

students to be successful in college and making

to expand and move ECHS to the DSU Downtown

it possible for them to leave after graduation with

campus, where it will add 150 to 200 students in

little to no debt.”

grades seven and eight during 2022.

— Dr. Evelyn Edney Principal, Early College High School

Genome analysis has become the latest frontier of research exploration with the opening of the University’s DNA Core Center. Led by Director Dr. Jung-lim Lee, the Center has been funded through a series of grants totaling $1.6 million awarded to the University over the past eight years. Two grants totaling just over $1.1 million came from the USDA (2013 and 2018) and an additional grant of $518,881 came from the U.S. Department of Defense (2019).

DSU’s Education Department received a $75,000 grant from the Delaware Department of Education to implement a yearlong residency program that deepens the clinical experience during the senior year. That residency normally lasts one semester. The paid internship also provides students guaranteed employment following the completion of the residency.

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MAY

Graduation and 130th Anniversary Alumni and friends returned to campus in May for six inperson graduation ceremonies and the 130th Anniversary Celebration, which was a day of gratitude for what the University has done for thousands of students and how it has survived the pandemic. This year’s Commencement was marked by the recognition of Celine Coverdale as the 25,000th student to earn his or her diploma.

Board of Trustees Chairperson Dr. Devona Williams said, “I just say praise God. Thank God that we are here, we have made it by His mercy through the last year. It has been a phenomenal year.”

University President Tony Allen asked the 130th Anniversary gathering to be mindful of three numbers— 3, 3, and 7.

“What began with three buildings, three instructors and seven students is now a $140 million organization, with a $28

MAY 2021 The University finalized an agreement with the Delaware Department of Education and school districts to allow high school students in grades 10-12 to enroll in dual credit/dual enrollment courses in Chinese and Spanish upon successful completion of program entrance requirements.

Successful completion of these courses will enable students to receive credits that will count toward a minor. The first course offerings will be during the Fall 2022 semester.

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University officials told students during a virtual event that it wanted all students, faculty, and staff to be fully vaccinated by the Fall 2021 semester. While it wasn’t mandating students get the COVID-19 shot, only those who were vaccinated by the fall were able to return for in-person learning.

Others were allowed to continue with hybrid learning where available.

Reducing student debt for recent graduates million research portfolio, a $40 million endowment, and

The University is cancelling up to $730,655 in student

Then in August, the University announced a second

debt for 223 recently graduated students who faced

round of funds available for debt relief for more than

Semaj Hazzard, a senior from

financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1,100 qualified students “with exceptional financial

Philadelphia and the president

Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management and

need.” The availability of $2.9 million was made possible

more than 25,000 alumni.”

of the 2021-2022 Student Government Association, expressed the pride that students felt in seeing Commencement return to campus.

“Not only did we do the impossible in 1891, we are doing the impossible in the present, the past and the future,” Hazzard said. “And like today, we will continue doing the impossible, because that’s what makes Delaware State University stand out among the other colleges and universities.”

Student Affairs Antonio Boyle estimated that the average eligible student qualified for about $3,276 in debt relief.

“Too many graduates across the country will leave their schools burdened by debt, making it difficult for them to rent an apartment, cover moving costs, or otherwise prepare for their new careers or graduate school.

While we know our efforts won’t help with all of their obligations, we all felt it was essential to do our part,” he said.

Boyle said 87% of Delaware State University graduates are either entering their career of choice or graduate school within six months of Commencement—a figure that’s well above the national average. The funds necessary to cancel these students’ debt became available through the federal government’s American Rescue Plan for COVID-19 relief.

The National Science Foundation awarded a $1 million grant to increase DSU’s interdisciplinary research activity by bringing together researchers and Ph.D. students from the University’s Neuroscience and Optics programs. Professors Dr. Harbinder Singh Dhillon and Dr. Hacene Boukari are the co-principal investigators. Completion of the research projects and the course will enable the University to be among the first i to offer a Graduate Certificate in Bio-Imaging and Bio-Photonics.

by the CARES Act and could be used for a range of hardships caused by COVID-19, including tuition and housing expenses since the pandemic began in Spring 2020. Pell Grant-eligible students received $2,500, and students who were not Pell eligible received $1,000.

Nearly half of Delaware State University students meet Pell Grant eligibility criteria.

The announcements were not one-time events. At the beginning of the pandemic, the University raised more than $1.6 MM in private funding for its Student Emergency Relief Fund that provided instant support for students faced with an unanticipated move off campus.

The University distributed more than $200,000 worth of laptops, tablets, and portable Wi-Fi devices to students with device and connectivity needs while working from home during the same period.

The Delaware Clinical and Translational Research Center (ACCEL) within the Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences is in the fourth year of a five-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. One of the projects focuses on health disparities, specifically whether Black and Hispanic Americans are showing earlier symptoms of dementia that may be associated with Alzheimer’s disease than their white counterparts.

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JUNE

Taking a Bite Out of Tech Inequity The University was named an Apple Distinguished School, the first HBCU to be so honored. We were invited by Apple to apply and submitted a detailed summary of how learning in the digital age here is driven by three major imperatives: X Access to cutting-edge technology should not be dependent on what students’ families can afford.

X We prepare students to enter careers upon graduation that may not even exist when they are freshmen.

X 21st Century pedagogy requires shifting our paradigm from “how we teach” to “how students learn.”

Apple says that “Apple Distinguished Schools are

JUNE 2021 Verizon awarded the University’s eSports Tech Center and Computer Science Program $100,000 to support its efforts and added another $100,000 toward scholarships to five female students as part of the company’s effort to increase female representation in the gaming industry as well as bolster their opportunities and presence in STEM careers.

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The University recently became affiliated with the northeast hub of Innovation Corps (I-Corps).

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the mission of I-Corps is to accelerate the economic impact of federally funded research—delivering benefits in health care, energy and the environment, computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced materials while building skills and opportunities among researchers from all backgrounds.

HRSA grant to support Sussex County centers of leadership and educational excellence that demonstrate Apple’s vision for learning with technology — and we believe they are some of the most innovative schools in the world.”

“Digital skills, adaptability to changing technology, and a lifelong love of learning are today’s indispensable tools for success,” said Curtis Winslow, manager of digital learning initiatives.

“To change life trajectories—especially for students from low-resource families—their digital equipment must not be limited by what the family can afford. Our collaboration with Apple has balanced that equation.”

— Curtis Winslow, Manager of Digital Learning Initiatives

Created in 2014, the University’s “Pride 2020” Strategic Plan set a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of 80% Freshman retention, which would far exceed other HBCUs and represent a nearly 13 percentage point increase from when the plan launched. In Fall 2020, we achieved this goal with a six-percentage-point leap during the pandemic.

The reason? Campus-wide digital instruction has finally come into its own.

The University was awarded a four-year, $1.9 million grant from the federal Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) to provide much-needed behavioral health training and benefits to Sussex County.

The grant enables the University’s Department of Social Work to establish a Delaware Integrated Behavioral Health Workforce Training Program (DIBH) that will train students in the Master of Social Work Program for work in high-demand areas with high-need populations. The funding will provide stipends for 116 MSW students enrolled in the DIBH Training Program who are completing field education placements at partner agencies in Sussex County over the next four years.

“The behavioral health workforce throughout the United States, and in Delaware, is in need of an increased number of diverse graduates trained in rural integrated care practice,” said Dr. Amy Habeger, associate professor of Social Work and principal investigator of the grant. “Sussex County has been designated by HRSA as a health-professional shortage area for medical and behavioral health providers, and the DIBH Training Program participants will increase the number of trained behavioral health professionals committed to rural practice.”

Our digital initiative began by providing free Apple devices to faculty and incoming Freshmen, with a four-year plan to reach all undergraduates by 2022. We achieved this goal a year early and expanded to include students from our graduate programs, new acquisition Wesley College, and Early College High School.

Dr. Melissa Harrington, (pictured at right with Dr. Aristides Marcano) in her capacity as director of the Delaware Institute for Science and Technology, published a paper in the Journal for Neuroscience Research showing that while the number of graduates from neuroscience undergraduate and graduate degree programs had grown dramatically, only a small percentage of those graduates are Black. She also presented data on the University’s neuroscience Ph.D. program, the only one in that discipline at an HBCU.

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JULY

Wesley Acquisition The University made history as the first HBCU to acquire another university, finalizing the acquisition of private institution Wesley College and adding 14 academic programs.

The acquisition enabled us to increase the size of our footprint, build on our key academic programs, grow our research base, and enhance our economic impact on the State of Delaware.

The 50-acre campus in Dover, which includes 21 buildings, is now known as DSU Downtown. Following the acquisition, the University moved most of the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences to the DSU Downtown campus. Renamed the Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences—as a way of preserving some of the history of the former school— the move included all the academic departments of the college, except for the Department of Nursing, which remains in the Price Building on the main Del State campus.

The University used $5 million from the MacKenzie Scott donation in late 2020 to support the acquisition of Wesley

College of Health & Behavioral Sciences (CHBS) leadership: (l-r) Dean Dr. Gwen Scott-Jones, Associate Dean Dr. Eleanor Kiesel, Trina Walker and Cookie Shockley. The CHBS is based at DSU Downtown (with the exception of the Dept. of Nursing).

JULY 2021 Harvard Business Publishing Education featured College of Business Dean Dr. Michael Casson in an article entitled “What Career-Focused Curriculum Looks Like.” In the article’s section on “Bringing Career Service into the 21st Century,” Dr. Casson shared some of the initiatives taking place within the College of Business to propel its student forward, focusing on The Garage, a place of innovation and problem solving established on the mezzanine of the Bank of America Building.

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The University is partnering with Bank of America and the RADical Hope Foundation to offer a first-of-its-kind four-week student wellness program to help them through guided experiences on staying well, staying resilient, empowering themselves, connecting with others, and engaging with their world.

College, leveraging that gift to receive an additional $1 million from the Longwood Foundation.

Two-thirds of all Wesley students chose to attend DSU,

Philanthropy Symposium growing into national leader for promoting HBCU sustainability

and the University offered positions to 60 percent of Wesley College faculty and staff. The College taught

The University hosted its 11th annual HBCU Philanthropy Symposium in late July. More

more than 70 classes from the DSU Downtown campus

than 300 participants representing 60 institutions, including 50 HBCUs, attended the virtual

during the Fall semester. Nearly three-quarters of

event. The theme, Maximizing Philanthropy in the Moment, guided discussion on how HBCUs

Wesley’s students (440 of them) chose to matriculate

could maintain the philanthropic momentum seen in the aftermath of the George Floyd and

for the Fall 2021 semester.

Breonna Taylor murders.

The acquisition and subsequent activities will more

The HBCU Philanthropy Symposium is a signature event that has established DSU’s brand

than fill the $65 million void of economic activity that

as a significant convener of HBCUs and HBCU partner organizations, including The Kresge

would have been lost in Downtown Dover.

Foundation, Strada Education Network, Complete College America, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and United Negro College Fund. Bank of America was the Premier Sponsor and keynote.

In addition to the record attendance, this year’s Philanthropy Symposium attracted more than $130,000 in sponsorships from a record number of sponsors.

The University sees the symposium as evolving into a thought-leadership platform that will enable University administrators, faculty, and students to speak out on important topics and contribute to media coverage of breaking events and long-term trends.

The University brought students from both schools together as part of the transition.

The National Science Foundation has awarded Dr. Gabriel Gwanmesia ’85 a three-year, $672,000 HBCU Excellence in Research grant in support of mantle mineral research. Dr. Gwanmesia, a professor of Physics and Engineering, will use the grant to support his current research project, entitled “Effect of Hydration on the Thermo-elastic Properties of Mantle Minerals and the Geophysical Implications.”

The University is partnering with the University of California Irvine Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory on an eight-week neuroscience research program in Summer 2022 at UC Irvine. The program will fund 30 undergraduate HBCU students interested in neuroscience with research training and professional development.

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AUGUST

Capital One Donates Waterfront Building to DSU Capital One’s historic donation to the University of

in an accessible location; and better support our

“At Capital One, we know that HBCUs are engines of

its $4.7 million facility at the Wilmington Riverfront

Center for Neighborhood Revitalization and Research

economic mobility,” said Delaware Market President

will be paired with significant enhancements to its

in addressing the structural and economic challenges

Joe Westcott. “We’re proud to be investing in Delaware

recruiting partnership with the school to create more

facing Wilmington.”

State University’s proven ability to champion

opportunities for Delaware State students to pursue

educational equity, academic excellence, and the

careers in fields including business analysis, tech and

creation of innovative career pathways for its students.”

product development. It will also mark the University’s

The anchor for the new partnership is the bank’s

return to the City of Wilmington after nearly a decade operating in northern Delaware solely through a satellite site on Kirkwood Highway.

“This dramatically expanded footprint inside Wilmington and Capital One’s commitment to longterm engagement with the area’s young people is exactly what the University needs to bring our particular strengths to bear on the issues facing the city,” said President Tony Allen. “Together we will be able to reach the city’s youth more directly to create an innovative pipeline to college and career; offer both

donation of its One South Orange building, which contains 35,000 square feet with six floors, an open floor plan, and custom meeting space.

The new space will initially headquarter the University’s School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies; house a new partnership with the Teen Warehouse and its workforce development center; and offer an incubation hub for micro and small businesses with a particular focus on minority and women-owned companies.

graduate courses and workforce development training

AUG 2021 Physics Professor Dr. Aristides Marcano was awarded a $394,607 Department of Defense research grant that will support the establishment of a state-of-the-art Photochemical and Photophysics Laboratory. The lab’s primary purpose is to conduct research and train new generations of scientists in the detection and generation of singlet oxygen—an electronically excited level of the molecule of oxygen.

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Physics and Engineering Professor Dr. Renu Tripathi was named the inaugural recipient of the IBMSPIE HBCU Faculty Accelerator Award in Quantum Optics and Photonics. The $100,000 annual award supports and promotes research and education in quantum optics and photonics within the 23 IBMHBCU Quantum Center member institutions. Dr Tripathi is developing quantum science education curricula and teaching practices and summer research programs and workshops.

FRESH Transformation Initiatives Plans are moving ahead on: X A Customer Service Center of Excellence that will create a cross-University team dedicated

Charles Schwab Foundation supports launch of Financial Literacy Institute

to addressing customer service queries from the DSU community and work to embed a culture of customer service excellence for all University faculty, staff, and administration.

X An expanded DSU Online program with new master’s degree offerings, new enrollment in existing programs, and investment in structural capabilities to enable DSU Online to serve 1,200+ students by FY 2026. This expansion will allow the University to provide more innovative learning opportunities to students, educate more students from diverse backgrounds, and tap into the growing trend of online-only programs within higher education.

The University will launch a new Financial Literacy Institute with support from Schwab Advisor Services in partnership with the Charles Schwab Foundation. The company has pledged a four-year grant to facilitate the creation of the new program, as well as the expansion of the Financial Planning curriculum and the renovation of the Financial Network Trading Room operated by the University’s College of Business.

“This partnership is exciting because the need to improve

These initiatives (and others) are part of the University’s Fresh Transformation, which focuses

the financial planning and wealth management skills of our

on identifying and implementing growth opportunities across 10 strategic areas. The planning

students is essential to our core mission of changing their life

phase of the effort began in July 2021 where more than 200 faculty, staff and administrators

trajectories,” said University President Tony Allen.

brainstormed ideas to deliver on the Transformation aspirations.

These members of the University Community identified 136 initiatives and built business cases to support them. 79 of those initiatives were approved for implementation beginning in 2022.

We project these initiatives to dramatically improve DSU student outcomes, enhance student experiences, and drive economic sustainability for the University in coming years.

The University joined a consortium with two other HBCUs in a research enterprise supported by a three-year, $2.47 million grant from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The Consortium for Laser-based Analysis of Nuclear and Environmental Materials brings together researchers and students from DSU, Alabama State University, Florida A&M University, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., and the Y-12 National Security Complex.

A partnership of this significance wouldn’t be possible without strong faculty leaders like Finance Professor Dr. Nandita Das.” — Michael Casson Dean, College of Business

The University partnered with Investor Cash Management to offer a new cash management account for students, faculty, staff, and alumni that combines the convenience of a bank account with the investment returns of a brokerage account. Registration is available at https://investorcashmanagement.com/desu

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SEPTEMBER

White House Scholars Inaaya A. Coleman, a sophomore Mathematics Education major, and Juliana Paul, a junior Information Technology major, are among 86 undergraduate, graduate and professional students selected as HBCU Scholars by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“Growing up in one of America’s poorest cities, I have faced many challenges within my life; however, I refuse to let them define me as a person,” said Coleman, a Camden, N.J., native who carries a 4.0 GPA and serves on the Student Government Association. “At most, these adversities are small road bumps on the journey to my goals.”

Paul, a 3.5 GPA student from Philadelphia, is the vice president of the Computer Science Club and an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the organization Blacks in Cyber. Off-campus, she is involved in organizations such as Code Differently.

(L-R) Inaaya A. Coleman and Juliana Paul

SEP 2021 The University signed an agreement with the Minority Engineering Regional Incentive Training (MERIT) organization that will likely result in higher enrollment of students from Sussex County into our STEM disciplines. Under the agreement, the University will provide MERIT students with information about STEM areas of study, pre-enrollment counseling, financial aid and admissions services, as well as mentors utilizing the University faculty, staff and students.

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Morris James LLP donated $10,000 to underwrite Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) fees and prep course tuition, as well as provide opportunities for mentoring and internships for Law Studies students.

Law Studies Director Kimeu Boynton of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice said, “This is huge for our students. Fees and prep courses can easily cost them as much as $500. Knowing those fees will be paid for them provides a critical breathing space that can be devoted to study.”

US News Ranking

HBCU Week in Wilmington

US News & World Report announced that the University

At the HBCU Week Foundation

has risen to #10 nationally among all other Historically

Inc. college fair in Wilmington,

Black Colleges and Universities while retaining its

374 students received on-site

ranking as the #3 public HBCU in America.

admission to the University.

The University returned to the Top Ten for the first

Nearly three-quarters of them

time since 2014, achieving its most significant gains in social mobility, a relatively new metric that evaluates a university’s ability to support and graduate students from low-resourced communities at the same or better rate than their general student population.

Rising from last year’s 59th to 30th this year, the University continues to sit in the top 1% of all

received a scholarship. That’s $6.8 million, the lion’s share of which is the four-year, fulltuition INSPIRE Scholarship.

Like the shirt says, “DSU is DOPE” — Diverse, Optimal, Prolific and Excellent!!!

institutions on this increasingly important measure. The University was also recognized for leading the HBCU community in its percentage of international students.

DuPont donated 50 high-end MacBooks to graduate students in STEM programs to commemorate HBCU Week and highlight the University’s digital learning initiative and the long-standing collaboration the University and DuPont have in preparing students for research careers at the company. The DuPont-donated devices went to all graduate students in the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, with another 90 going to graduate students in the new Master of Occupational Therapy program.

The College of Business’ Global Entrepreneurship Education Initiative has launched a new initiative to train entrepreneurs in the Central African country of Uganda. Supported by a $44,308 grant from the U.S. State Department, the initiative is a part of the mission of the Global Entrepreneurship Education Initiative to provide entrepreneurship education in emerging and developing countries, to contribute to the emergence of local entrepreneurs.

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OCTOBER USAID Support

Students and researchers will help countries struggling with food insecurity through a new agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The agreement with DSU will support USAID’s “Feed the Future“ program, an effort to combat global hunger by assisting farmers in a dozen countries, including seven African nations, Bangladesh, Guatemala, and Honduras.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a first for the agency with an HBCU and will “advance agriculture-led economic growth, resilience, nutrition, and water security, sanitation, and hygiene” in conjunction with the USAID “Feed the Future” Research Initiative.

The MOU details a broad scope for collaboration over the next four years that is aimed at “enabling disadvantaged communities and individuals to share in a future of economic prosperity based on sustainable practices and the benefits of environmental and natural resource security.”

“This historic partnership grows from our shared

Photo by Theodora Kachingwe, Feed the Future Malawi Ag-Diversification Activity

OCT 2021 The Coach Foundation—which supports global philanthropic initiatives that are community focused—donated about 1,000 pieces of business-ready attire to the University. The Foundation has partnered with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and other organizations to launch “The Coach Closet,” a source of professional attire to help students in their career journey.

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Diplomats from four European countries (Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, and the Netherlands) offered their perspectives on the politics and challenges of the world as part of a panel discussion entitled “America, Europe and a Changing World” moderated by Delaware U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. In addition to talking about the priorities of their individual countries, each one of the ambassadors gave their perspectives on maintaining democratic governance.

commitment to having a global impact on food security, water security, development, and human

Legislature expands Inspire Scholarship program

rights,” said President Tony Allen, adding that the University “understands how to meld cutting-edge research with our expertise at working efficiently with

Delaware Governor John Carney signed Senate Bill 95, which nearly doubled the

diverse, low-resource communities.”

size of the average full-tuition Inspire Scholarship award available to Delaware high

DSU is expected to collaborate with other HBCUs on

school seniors that gives them a path to earning a debt-free degree at the University.

special projects related to the USAID effort including

Since it was created in 2010, the Inspire Scholarship has helped more than 2,500

workshops, conferences, and other community

students attend Del State, with more than 60% of those scholarships going to Black

outreach initiatives.

students and 65% going to women. Nearly half have been awarded to graduates of

“These are critical collaborations,” said Dr. Michael Casson, dean of the College of Business and interim

Kent County high schools, the state’s smallest county and the county with the state’s lowest bachelor’s degree attainment rate.

director of the Global Institute for Equity, Inclusion and

“The expansion of the Inspire Scholarship is enabling me to stay at DSU and let me

Civil Rights, which will be coordinating most activities

focus on my classes without the anxiety of worrying about how I’m going to pay for

from the University side.

school or how much debt I’m going to incur,” said Ardavia Lee, a junior majoring in Political Science.

We know that both food and water insecurities around the world are spiking upward again, and that here in America we are not immune to the challenges impacting Africa, Asia, and Latin America.”

— Dr. Marikis “Nick” Alvarez

Under the original program, Inspire Scholarships were capped at an amount equal to a SEED (Student Excellence Equals Degree) scholarship available to Delaware students pursuing an associate degree at the University of Delaware or Delaware Technical Community College. But because Inspire is a last-dollar scholarship, meaning state funding is only available to fill the gaps between federal aid and the full cost of tuition, some students facing financial hardship sometimes couldn’t complete their four-year degree.

Associate Dean, CAST

The state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) awarded three Delaware State University sociology professors a nearly $250,000 grant to conduct research into traditionally underrepresented communities that will help the agency improve its public engagement effectiveness. Dr. Raymond Tutu, chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, is the principal investigator.

Gov. John Carney signed into law House Bill 123, which supports students in foster care as they work toward a higher education degree. The University will waive all tuition and fees, including room and board, for any youth who has aged out or spent at least one year in foster care as a teenager. Under this legislation, eligible students must apply for financial aid before being granted the tuition waiver for any leftover tuition and fees.

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NOVEMBER

Early Childhood Innovation Center The University will receive $30.6 million over the next five years to establish an Early Childhood Innovation Center (ECIE) as part of Gov. John Carney’s initiative to use $120 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support Delaware’s childcare industry and childcare professionals.

The grant is the largest ever received by the University, eclipsing last year’s $20 MM gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

In partnership with the state Department of Education (DOE) and Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), the University will use the grant money from ARPA and other state funds to support the construction and launch of the Early Childhood Innovation Center, invest in Delaware’s childcare

Dr. Shelley Rouser ’93 with Gov. John Carney

workforce, and expand access to affordable childcare

NOV 2021 The Department of History, Political Science and Philosophy received a $235,000 contract from Delaware’s Department of Education to work on a project to help facilitate a more culturally inclusive history curriculum for Grade 8 this year and Grade 11 next academic year under the provisions of H.B. 198. The largest grant in department history, the project team is led by Dr. Donna Patterson, Jason Bourke, and Nik Robinson.

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The University’s Aviation Program hosted the first-ever HBCU Aviation Directors’ Summit. The two-day summit brought together directors from aviation programs and representatives of the airlines and military to discuss their challenges and share ideas for their flight training and aviation management programs, said University Program Director Lt. Col. Michael Hales, “The purpose was to share best practices in the military and different airlines that are interested in doing business with HBCUs that have aviation programs.”

for Delaware families in need.

The ECIE will provide additional professional credentials

The University will develop statewide infrastructure

and career advancement opportunities for those

for a unique pathway for Delawareans seeking

employed in the caring for and education of pre-

careers in the childcare industry. The funding will also

kindergarten children. The University will serve as the

expand scholarship opportunities to support working

hub for this initiative and will develop the scholarship

professionals who are seeking additional education.

program to provide financial support to those striving to

“Although progress has been made over the past decade,

advance as early childhood education providers.

we know that about a third of Delaware’s children are not

Provost Dr. Saundra DeLauder said, “This opportunity

kindergarten ready due to a number of factors including

for Delaware’s children derives entirely from the

child poverty, food and housing insecurities, domestic

collaborative work between Dr. Shelley Rouser, her

violence and other trauma, and lack of access to quality

team, and their colleagues at DOE and DHSS. Her vision

health care,” said Education Department Chairperson Dr.

is expansive, but firmly grounded in the expertise

Shelley Rouser ’93.

necessary to make the Innovation Center a reality.”

Jahsha Tabron ’00 selected Delaware Teacher of the Year Jahsha (Downer) Tabron ’00 became the second University graduate in the last 10 years to be selected as the Delaware Teacher of the Year.

demonstrating her patience and tenacity in reaching and teaching struggling students and students with learning disabilities.

She was recognized for her ability to reach and effectively teach challenged high school students who other educators may have given up on. Tabron, who will be pursuing her doctoral degree at DSU, is a reading and English teacher at Brandywine High School in Wilmington. She has been with the high school for 22 years,

Said Tabron, “The goal of special education is to reduce services and provide support so that students don’t have to be removed from a regular classroom. I look at special education as a unique need that a student may have… my role is to assess what that special need is, and what is needed to ensure that the student is getting and able to convey the information that is being taught.”

The University has reactivated the Community Center at Capitol Park in Dover as the Biomedical Behavioral Health Center. Said Dr. Gwen Scott-Jones ’97, dean of the Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, “I want to service the community. I want the community to be able to come in here and hold its meetings. I want to eradicate violence. I want the center to make a difference in the community and in the State of Delaware.” Dr. Cynthia Newton will head the Center.

The University launched a series of community-outreach events in Downtown Dover, with the first two “Meet & Greets” aimed at religious leaders and members of the business community.

DSU leaders are updating the groups on University activities and the economic impact that is expected to come from our new DSU Downtown presence.

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DECEMBER Scholarship Ball raises $600K

The 11th annual Scholarship Ball raised more than $600,000 for student scholarships. More than 900 attended the event that was held for the first time in Wilmington at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.

The $600,000 was raised with the help of a record number of attendees and corporate sponsors, including Barclays, Corteva Agriscience, Delmarva Power, JPMorgan Chase, SodexoMagic, The Propel Center, Bank of America, Sallie Mae, Bloom Energy, Christiana Care, Discover, FMC, Highmark, Incyte, M&T, and Thrivent.

The University honored some key partners from 2021, including Bank of America, accepted by Delaware Market President Chip

President Tony Allen also announced the creation of the Franklin Marshall Scholarship for Character,

Rossi; Ashley Christopher for her work with HBCU Week; and

Courage and Consequence. Marshall, a 1965 graduate, recently lost his house and most of his possessions

Nicole Dye Anderson ’03 and Duane Dey ’87 for their ongoing

in a fire. Junior accounting major Tysun Hicks was announced as the first winner of the scholarship. “I

service and commitment to the university.

can only aspire to live up to Mr. Marshall’s example,” Hicks said.

DEC 2021 The College of Business (COB) launched its “March to 1K” campaign, with a goal of engaging 1,000 COB alumni and friends in meaningful ways. This campaign focuses on fueling academic excellence across all programs through capital raised for scholarships, signature programs, and initiatives that are unique to the mission and strategic priorities of the College of Business.

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The University announced it would require a COVID-19 vaccine booster to enroll in the spring semester. We also delayed our return to in-person instruction two weeks for safety during the Omicron surge. To return to campus, all students, faculty, and staff were required to get a booster shot unless they had university-approved religious or medical exceptions.

University hits multiple enrollment records for Fall 2021 semester The University is bucking some major national trends in

funded Inspire Scholarship. This represents a 67% increase

enrollment, seeing growth where higher education numbers

in Inspire Scholars, primarily driven by the expansion of

across the country are decreasing.

the scholarship to cover full tuition for all four years of

The University, which experienced 40% enrollment growth between 2009 and 2019, established multiple records during the Fall 2021 semester, welcoming its largest student body ever (5,649), up from its previous record of 5,054 in 2019.

President Dr. Tony Allen emphasized that realizing such increases across the board during a global pandemic has required thoughtful planning, administrative flexibility, Board support, and careful marketing of the University’s

attendance. In addition, our Freshman retention rate has stayed above 70% for the past seven years, with the latest figure being a record-breaking 75.1%.

Our graduate and online numbers also demonstrate records. The 801 graduate students reflect a 32% increase, while the 317 DSU@Online students represent a nearly 38% increase over Fall 2020 and include 261 graduate students and 56 undergraduates.

value proposition.

The University achieved records in undergraduate students,

Our Master of Social Work and Master of

graduate students, new Freshmen, international students,

Occupational Therapy programs (which came from

and online enrollment. The 9.7% rise in undergraduate

Wesley College) are unique in the state and have

enrollment was a major factor in reaching the record total

become major attractors for students interested in

enrollment figure, according to Vice President for Strategic

starting new careers with strong growth potential.”

Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Antonio Boyle.

— Dr. Patrice Gilliam-Johnson Dean, School of Graduate, Adult and Extended Studies

The new Freshman class totals 1,023 students, including 445 in-state students, 298 of whom received the state-

DSU Board Chair Dr. Devona Williams published an op-ed in the Delaware Business Times highlighting the reality that a growing number of talented and highly qualified women in boardrooms and C-suites are opening new opportunities and providing role models for younger women.

The University received another $22.4 million from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), included in the American Rescue Plan enacted by Congress and President Biden in March 2021. We have allocated $7 million for the Molecular Diagnostic Testing Lab at the Kirkwood facility (see the story from January); $8 million for HVAC upgrades; and $7.4 million for technology upgrades.

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MILESTONES The 2020-2021 Faculty Excellence Awards were presented to: X Teaching: Dr. Joseph Fees, Assistant Professor of Spanish. Dr. Fees has played an instrumental role in refining the Department of Language and Literatures’ language programs and curriculum. He has designed online Spanish courses and created a community page with numerous resources for Spanish instructors. In addition to improving the content and assessments of many upper-division Spanish classes, Dr. Fees has also established a new Medical Spanish course, which was first offered in the spring of 2019.

X Service: Dr. Eleanor M. Kiesel, Associate Professor of Social Work. Dr. Kiesel came to DSU in 2015 after practicing law with the Community Legal Aid Society for 17 years and continues to provide legal representation for those in poverty and serves as a volunteer attorney for children in foster care. In higher education, she has provided Middle States with documentation that charts the last several years of Del State’s accomplishments, opportunities, and challenges. Dr. Kiesel is developing a Domestic Violence Specialist certificate program, as well as a minor and associate degree program in Social Work.

X Advising: Dr. Mukti Rana, Professor of Physics and Engineering.

Dr. Rana has mentored and advised 124 middle school, 56 high school, 200-plus undergraduate and 33 graduate students since the fall of 2015.

He has also mentored and advised seven junior faculty members and three post-doctoral research associates. He is the founding faculty advisor of the University’s student chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. His work with students led NASA to present Dr. Rana with its 2019 Faculty Mentor of the Year Award.

Alumni Drs. Eleanor Kiesel, Derrick Scott, Joseph Fees, Mukti Rana

X Research and Creative Activity: Dr. Derrick Scott, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences. Dr. Scott has published six papers in peer-reviewed journals, given 18 presentations, and applied for 13 grants. Of those grants, nine were funded—$7 million as a principal investigator, $1 million as a coinvestigator, as well as a $6 million collaborative grant in which he managed the $443,264 sub-award to Del State. Dr. Scott leverages his strength in research by his instrumental role in the creation of the Bioinformatics Program and the Biopharmaceutical and Manufacturing Technology concentration in partnership with industry giant Merck.

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X Leah Williams, ’15 and ‘16, made University history when she became the first undergraduate to earn both the Presidential Leadership Award and the Presidential Academic Award. Three degrees later, she became the youngest elected national president of the DSU Alumni Association at age 28.

X Basketball star Maurice Pritchett ’65 was one of six 2021 inductees into the Delaware Basketball Hall of Fame. Recognized as one of the top defenders in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), Pritchett was the Hornets’ leading rebounder in two seasons and served as team captain during his senior year.

X Sidney Sessoms, Jr. and Vincent Adkins ’88 were named director of bands and assistant director of bands, respectively. Sessoms attended DSU from 1980-1985 and served as the director of bands at three other schools before returning home. Adkins taught music and band to public school students for 32 years, and brings expertise in drill design, marching fundamentals, and jazz.

X Cathleen Trigg Jones ’92 and Darnerien McCants ‘01 hosted our firstever DSU Gratitude Reception during Homecoming to thank our donors for their lifetimes of continuing commitment and support.

Athletic Successes X Katie Robb, a junior on the Lady Hornets bowling team, became the University’s first-ever National Champion by winning the 2021 United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Singles competition.

X The Delaware State volleyball team added another chapter to its historic 2021 season, with an invitation to the 2021 National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) Tournament, marking the first national postseason competition in team history.

X Catherine Glenn won the women’s javelin throw in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a mark of 36.52 meters (119 feet, 9 inches).

X The University became the second HBCU in the nation to add women’s triathlon as a varsity sport, and the eighth overall at the NCAA Division I level.

The team’s first recruit was Danielle Fleurima of Ohio, who was a 12-letter athlete in cross country, swimming, and track, followed by Chara Hinds, the Barbados’ national triathlon women’s champion. The team began competition in the fall 2021 season and competed in the National Championships in November.

X John Taylor, whose record-setting years at Delaware State led to NFL stardom, Super Bowl championships and induction into the Black College Football Hall of Fame, was selected for induction into the San Francisco 49ers’ Hall of Fame.

X Yconda “EC” Hill and Stan Waterman were named the new head coaches of the Lady Hornets and Hornets men’s basketball teams in early June. Hill came to the University from Towson University, where she was the assistant women’s basketball coach. As the boys’ basketball coach at The Sanford School in Hockessin, Waterman won an unprecedented eight State championships and won the most games in Delaware high school history.

Faculty / Staff

Fond Farewells

X VP of Legal Affairs LaKresha Moultrie was recognized by Delaware Today magazine as one of Delaware’s 40 most-empowering female business leaders, in part for her efforts to roll out a robust COVID-19 testing protocol that received national acclaim.

Remembering some Hornets we lost in 2021

X Dr. Harry L. Williams was honored with President Emeritus status during the May 8 Commencement. Prior to becoming the CEO/ president of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (his current leadership post) in 2018, Dr. Williams served as our 10th president from 2010 to the end of 2017.

X Vice President for Institutional Advancement and DSU Foundation President Dr. Vita Pickrum received the 2021 Commonfund College and University Foundation Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Under Dr. Pickrum’s leadership, the University has established strategic public and private partnerships that have yielded significant financial support and she also created the HBCU Philanthropy Symposium that has pioneered new ground in collaborative HBCU fundraising for more than a decade. “Her work with our COVID Student Emergency Relief Fund, which exceeded its fundraising goal by 60%, her hugely successful stewardship of my presidential transition team, and the work she did on Delaware State University’s 130th Anniversary Celebration exemplify her value to our community, her professional field, and to me,” said President Tony Allen.

X The Delaware State equestrian team climbed to No. 7 in late November in National Collegiate Equestrian Association Top 10 Dual Discipline Team Rankings, the best showing in team history.

X Football Head Coach Rod Milstead was among the finalists for the prestigious Eddie Robinson Award for the top coach in college football’s Division I subdivision.

X Nattavadee Khunsri capped off a dominant school-record performance with a first-place finish to win the individual championship at the Navy Invitational. She finished six under par, seven strokes ahead of the runner-up.

X Tayshaun Chisholm qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 110 hurdles.

X Albert B. Miller, Sr., retired chairperson of the Psychology Department, passed away April 6. Dr. Miller came to Delaware State University in 1967 and was professor and chairperson of the Psychology Department for 37 years.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Barbara Stratton Miller, their four children, and many other relatives.

X Minnie Pauline Walker Wilkins ’49, passed away Sept. 23 at the age of 94. She retired in 1989 after 40 years as a Home Economics teacher in schools across the state.

X Deborah Ellison Farris, Esq. ’72, passed away Oct. 29. Deborah began her career in the Dallas County (TX) District Attorney’s Office and later moved to the Public Defender’s Office, where she helped to develop an appellate section. After moving to private practice, she won release from prison for several clients who were unlawfully incarcerated and was well-known for her representation of patients with mental illnesses.

X William L. “Bull” Murray ’58 passed away Nov. 8 at the age of 85. Bull earned numerous awards for his football prowess including inductions into the Delaware State College Hall of Fame and the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame. He worked in the Wilmington School District and later retired from the Christina School District with more than 30 years of service as an educator.

He was preceded in death earlier in 2021 by his wife Vera Collins Murray ’58, also a longtime educator in the Wilmington and Brandywine school districts, who passed away in February.

X Dr. John L. Graham passed away Nov. 27 at the age of 57. He previously served the University as assistant vice president for International Affairs and associate dean in the College of Agriculture and Related Sciences. At the time of his death, he was the officer-in-charge of SUNY Potsdam while the school conducted a search for a new president.

X Rev. Dr. Shirlyn Henry Brown passed away Dec. 10 at the age of 64. Dr. Brown was a faithful servant leader in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference for nearly 20 years, most recently as senior pastor of Ezion-Mount Carmel UMC and director of the Peninsula-Delaware Conference Local Pastor Licensing School. In addition to her ministry, Pastor B served in various roles at the University for more than 20 years, including most recently as United Methodist Campus pastor, theatre director and advisor to the DSU Theatre Honor Society and Drama Club, and adjunct theatre professor.

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LEADERSHIP Board of Trustees Dr. Devona E.G. Williams, Chair

Trustee EmeritiX ///////////////////////////////////////

Ex-OfficioX

Dr. A. Richard Barros, Esq.

The Honorable John Carney, Governor of the State of Delaware

Dr. Claibourne D. Smith

Dr. Tony Allen, President, Delaware State University

John Ridgeway ’75, Vice Chair Dr. John J. Allen, Jr., Vice Chair

Administrative CouncilX

The Honorable Michael N. Castle

Dr. Tony Allen President

The Honorable Norman D. Griffiths, Esq. Dr. Debbie Harrington Lois M. Hobbs The Honorable Jack Markell Esthelda Parker Selby ’69 The Honorble Harold Stafford Joycelyn Stewart Leroy A. Tice, Esq. ’02 Margie Lopez Waite ’90 Bernadette Dorsey Whatley Dr. Wilma Mishoe, President Emeritus

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Dr. Saundra DeLauder Provost and Chief Academic Officer Cleon Cauley, Sr. Esq. Chief Operating Officer Dr. Irene Chapman-Hawkins ’14, ’19 Chief Administrative Officer and Vice President for Human Resources LaKresha Moultrie, Esq. Vice President of Legal Affairs, General Counsel and Chief Risk Enterprise Officer Antonio M. Boyle Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Anas Ben Addi Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer Dr. Stacy Downing Chief Administrator DSU Downtown and Vice President for Strategic Initiatives

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////////////////////////////////////////////////

Dr. Vita Pickrum ’16 Vice President for Institutional Advancement, President, Delaware State University Foundation Jackie R. Griffith Vice President of Government and Community Relations and Special Assistant to President Darrell McMillon Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Information Technology Tamara Stoner Assistant Vice President for Enterprise Risk Management/University Secretary Alecia Shields-Gadson Athletic Director Bernard Pratt Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management, Planning and Construction Dr. Steven Newton Presidential Fellow for Media Relations and Executive Communications

New leaders in 2021 X Anas Ben Addi was named chief financial officer for the University in July after a 12-year tenure as the director of the Delaware State Housing Authority, where he broadened the agency’s community development work, overseeing the Strong Neighborhoods Housing Fund to assist blighted neighborhoods statewide after the foreclosure crisis. He also led the creation of the Downtown Development Districts program, which incentivizes investments in downtown areas statewide.

X Bobby L. Cummings was named chief of Public Safety and the Delaware State University Police force on October 18. Chief Cummings spent 32 years with the City of Wilmington Police Department, culminating in being Chief of Police between 2014 to 2017, when he retired. Under his leadership, the Wilmington Police Department introduced a Real-Time Crime Center that used data analytics to direct the police coverage to the mostneeded areas of Wilmington. Prior to joining the University, Chief Cummings served as the director of Group Violence Intervention

(L-R) Bernard Pratt, Stacy Downing, Anas Ben Addi, Bobby Cummings, Alecia Shields-Gadson

under the Delaware Division of Health and Social Services.

X Dr. Stacy Downing was promoted to Chief Administrator of DSU Downtown and VP for Strategic Initiatives in 2021. She

director of Athletics for compliance and senior

X Bernard Pratt was promoted to assistant vice

joined the University in 2013 as AVP for Student Affairs and

woman administrator since 2016. She added a

president for Facilities Management, Planning

was subsequently promoted to Vice President of Student Affairs

new role in 2020 as deputy Athletics director,

and Construction in December. He began his

in 2014. She has 22 years of combined experience in a range of

taking on additional responsibilities as the

career at Delaware State University in February

university administrative areas at the University of Cincinnati,

department’s Diversity and Inclusion Designee

2016 as a Maintenance Technician and HVAC

Philander Smith College, and DSU.

to fulfill a new NCAA requirement. She has

Shop Leader and was promoted to director of

nearly 30 years of experience in intercollegiate

facility operations in March 2019 and senior

athletics at Coppin State and Alcorn State.

director for facilities management in July 2019.

X Alecia Shields-Gadson was named permanent director of Athletics after serving in that position in an interim basis since earlier in the year. Shields-Gadson had been senior associate

31

“Affording college was one of my main struggles when choosing a school to attend.

The Strada Scholarship Program is helping to make college more affordable as a first-generation college

115 Dreamers attended the University during the Fall Semester, and 33 graduated in May 2021. David Reyes and Griselda Cedeno are pictured here, with program coordinator Kevin Noriega. You can support this program by designating your contribution to Dreamers Success.

I hope you felt the joy of our students in the photos. We see that joy every day as we walk our campuses. But it’s not just students. All of us who have been given the opportunity to help young people start a journey that many of them never thought possible feel that same joy.

It was a historic year, with record levels of donations from corporate partners and a record 17% alumni participation rate.

In 2021, we established 14 new endowed scholarship accounts. The Delaware State University Foundation now manages more than 125 endowed accounts.

We want to thank ALL the companies, foundations, and individuals who stepped up to support our efforts, including: X $1 million grants from Barclays and Charles Schwab that confirm the University’s upward trajectory.

X PNC, TD Bank, and Wells Fargo supported the Center for Urban Revitalization and Entrepreneurship (CURE) with $200,000.

X Delmarva Power provided a $25,000 to pilot Solar Panels at the Mishoe Science Center and an additional $150,000 to support Renewable Energy Certifications.

connecting with fellow participants and representing Delaware State University.”

— D’vontae Scott, Freshman

THANKYOU! This report provides many examples of how Delaware State University is changing life trajectories for students, many of whom will be the first member of their families to earn a college degree.

student. I hope to make the best of this program while

Accounting major from Detroit, Michigan

$478,000 for scholarships through its Strada Scholars program.

X Twenty-five corporate partners helped us raise $170,000 for the Delaware Executive Exchange Program (DEEP) Day. X Bank of America donated $25,000 to be the Premier sponsor of our HBCU Philanthropy Symposium.

You can make a gift any time online at desu.edu/givenow. You can also contact us by email at DSUFoundation@desu.edu or by phone at 302-857-6055 to learn how you can help our students make their marks on the world.

X Capital One donated $50,000 for a digital reading program and $250,000 to support experiential learning and career services.

With Deep Gratitude,

X The Strada Education Network donated

Vita Pickrum, Ed.D. ’16 Vice President, University Advancement

Endowed Scholarship donors Janet Tillman and Richard Speck

Dr. Vita Pickrum

1200 N. DuPont Highway | Dover, DE 19901