2022 Alumni Recognition, Scholarship, and Networking Dinner
Celebrate, Connect, Dine, and Dance Saturday, April 23, 2022, 7 p.m. Hofstra University Club, David S. Mack Hall, North Campus
B NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEMB
“Lift Every Voice and Sing” Lift every voice and sing, till earth and Heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of liberty; Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, Let us march on till victory is won. Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod, Felt in the days when hope unborn had died; Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet, Come to the place for which our fathers sighed? We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered; Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast. God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou Who hast brought us thus far on the way; Thou Who hast by Thy might, led us into the light, Keep us forever in the path, we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee. Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee. Shadowed beneath Thy hand, may we forever stand, True to our God, true to our native land. James Weldon Johnson, 1900
B MESSAGE FROM THE BHAA PRESIDENT B
Welcome to the 2022 Black/Hispanic Alumni Association Recognition and Scholarship Celebration. On behalf of the Executive Board, I thank you for joining us for our first in-person event since the start of the pandemic. Although I am grateful that we were able to hold this celebration virtually last year, I am even more grateful this year. It is so good to SEE everyone – live and in technicolor! The Executive Board decided to continue our focus on excellence by establishing the ongoing theme of Celebrating Excellence. With all the challenges we face as a society – racism, lack of diversity, equity, and equality – we refuse to lose sight of the fact that we are OVERCOMERS. And because of that, it is critical to celebrate excellence ALWAYS! Tonight, we acknowledge the achievements of our Hofstra students, alumni, and community leaders. We congratulate our honorees and scholarship recipients and celebrate their personal excellence. This year, we are pleased to present our inaugural Deanna L. Hunter Legacy Award. We honor the memory of our beloved founder, who was a fierce advocate for Hofstra’s Black and Hispanic students – always going above and beyond to encourage us, and provide resources to help us achieve our professional goals. She courageously led the STEP and CSTEP programs and continually fought for funding to keep these initiatives alive – not only for Hofstra students but for local high school students as well. Deanna Hunter taught us to give back to those who were following in our footsteps. I was blessed to have worked with her, and to have been a recipient of her wisdom and advocacy. The Board asked each multicultural organization to select a student who embodied the principles of academic excellence and service to the Hofstra community. Congratulations to our first recipients of the Deanna L. Hunter Legacy Award! I cannot close this letter without mentioning the historic inauguration of Hofstra’s ninth, and first female president, Dr. Susan Poser. In her brief time in office, she has embraced the Hofstra community. We stand with and welcome her as she provides new leadership to the University. Thank you all for your continued support of BHAA. Continue to be blessed, continue to be a blessing, and continue to be excellent. Je maintiendray (“I stand steadfast”), Calandra Y. Branch, BA, ’91 President, Hofstra BHAA
B PROGRAM B Welcome Calandra Y. Branch ’91 President, Hofstra BHAA Invocation
Rondell J. Wescott ’03
Negro National Anthem Master of Ceremonies Introduction of Hofstra University President
Veronica Davis Barkley ’03 Past President, Hofstra BHAA Calandra Y. Branch President, Hofstra BHAA
Remarks
Dr. Susan Poser President, Hofstra University
Greetings
Frederick E. Davis Jr. ’85 Board of Trustees, Hofstra University
Dinner Introduction of Keynote Speaker
Oyinda Adebo, Doctoral Student Fellow Center for “Race,” Cultural and Social Justice, Hofstra University
Keynote Speaker Veronica A. Lippencott, PhD Director of Africana Studies Program, Adjunct Associate Professor of Global Studies and Geography, Hofstra University Presentation of Multicultural Student Group Awards
Michael G. Coates ’07 BHAA Vice President
Presentation of Deanna Hunter Legacy Awards
Calandra Y. Branch
Presentation of Annual Scholarship Awards
Jacqueline Campbell ’07, ’21 Secretary, Hofstra BHAA Veronica Davis Barkley
Presentation of Alumni Recognition Awards
Wilbert K. Davis ’20 Historian, Hofstra BHAA Jacqueline Campbell Michael G. Coates
Closing Remarks
Calandra Y. Branch
B KEYNOTE SPEAKER B
Veronica A. Lippencott, PhD Director of Africana Studies Program, Adjunct Associate Professor of Global Studies and Geography, Hofstra University Veronica A. Lippencott, PhD, is an adjunct associate professor of global studies and geography at Hofstra University. She is the director of the Africana Studies program and the associate director of the Center for “Race,” Culture and Social Justice. Dr. Lippencott serves as the secretary of the Black Faculty Council and is an elected steering committee member of the Hofstra Chapter of the American Association of University Professors. She received her PhD in Geography at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) with a minor in African studies. Dr. Lippencott earned an MA in Geography with a minor in gender roles in international development at UIUC, and a BA in Geography from the Pennsylvania State University. She previously taught at Rutgers University, Brown University, Bridgewater State University, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Colgate University. Dr. Lippencott has conducted research in Kenya on HIV/AIDS and healthcare issues. In particular, she focused on how HIV/AIDS has impacted people's lives in terms of their health beliefs and behaviors. Dr. Lippencott incorporated both quantitative and qualitative research methods to gain insights into a disease that has many social, economic, cultural, and political implications. Furthermore, she also studied the geographic diffusion of HIV/AIDS in Kenya. Her research on disease diffusion is highlighted in the PBS documentary series The Power of Place: Geography in the 21st Century. At Brown University, Dr. Lippencott served as the principal investigator for the “Racial and Ethnic Minority Disparities Project.” With funding from the Rhode Island Foundation, she worked with undergraduate research assistants, academicians, government agents, and community leaders to collect and analyze reports on racial and ethnic disparity issues in Rhode Island. Dr. Lippencott is currently engaging in research on African immigrants in the United States. Dr. Lippencott contributed to a book titled HIV/AIDS and Women in Africa (2009). Her book chapter explores how HIV/AIDS has impacted women in Kisumu, Kenya. She has published in the journal African Rural and Urban Studies, online publications, encyclopedias, and regularly peer reviews manuscripts for publication. At Hofstra, Dr. Lippencott teaches geography courses on Africa, health, and healing in sub-Saharan Africa, and urbanization in the Global South. In her various positions, she works closely with students, faculty, and staff to develop new courses, coordinate campus events, organize with faculty on labor issues, and promote diversity and inclusion.
B BHAA ALUMNI RECOGNITION AWARD RECIPIENT B
Athelene A. Collins ’92 Executive Director, Hofstra Cultural Center Athelene A. Collins is the executive director of the Hofstra Cultural Center. She was appointed seven years ago as the first person of color to serve in this position. Prior to this, Athelene grew up in Barataria, in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. She immigrated to the United States in 1983, the same year she was hired as a staff member at Hofstra. While working full time, Athelene earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Hofstra in 1992, and then went on to receive a diploma at New York University’s Center for Hospitality Industry Studies in meeting and conference management. The Hofstra Cultural Center is an internationally renowned organization that includes a conference and symposium component, performance arts, and various publications promoting the University as a pinnacle of scholarly thought and a cultural entity. Athelene works alongside faculty and student groups to augment the offerings of the academic departments. She assists in developing educational programs that explore Hofstra’s diverse student population, in addition to producing events related to the cultural and interdisciplinary experiences of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community. Every year Athelene collaborates with various departments and student groups to plan in-person and virtual programs, ranging from student breakfast meetings and master classes to scholarly conferences with prominent celebrities and speakers. At the beginning of her career, she fostered the NOAH Program and has established a long track record in hosting and promoting Black History Month events. These events have included scholars such as Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannan, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, Dr. Vincent Harding, Regent Adelaide Sanford, journalist Gil Noble, poets Sonia Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni, and Amiri Baraka, to name a few. In 2015, Athelene had the pleasure of inviting and hosting Rev. Dr. Bernice King, the youngest child of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, to mark the 50th anniversary of both the civil rights leader’s visit to Hofstra and the NOAH Program. Athelene’s office is lined with mementos from a number of celebrities from past years, including the legendary acting couple Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, who attended a Black History Month fundraiser in the 1990s; and a pair of Muhammed Ali's autographed boxing gloves, a thank-you gift after Athelene hosted his oldest daughter, Maryum Ali, at a 2008 conference honoring the champ. Also included is a slew of autographed books and souvenirs from luminaries in their field – Ilyasah Shabazz (Malcolm X’s daughter); activist Angela Davis; Maureen Reagan (daughter of President Reagan); Minnijean Brown Trickey (original Little Rock Nine); producer Quincy Jones;
B BHAA ALUMNI RECOGNITION AWARD RECIPIENT B Athelene A. Collins ’92 continued
Tina Sinatra; Mercedes Ellington; Melvin van Peebles; Negro Leagues player John “Buck” O’Neil; Tuskegee Airmen Lt. Col. Clayton F. Lawrence and Lt. William Wheeler; Julian Bond; soccer player Pele; basketballer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison; and many others. Other fond memories include hosting Cornel West in 2012 and Michael Eric Dyson in 2016, to discuss that year’s general election as Hofstra hosted the 2012 and 2016 U.S. presidential debates, as well as the famed South African ensemble, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. In February 2020, Athelene was proud to work with a team of educators to plan the “The Legacy 1619-2019,” a series that featured a special presentation “Reframing History Through Slavery’s Legacy” with the award-winning New York Times Magazine reporter and creator of the landmark 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones. More recently, she hosted scholars Ta-Nehisi Coates, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Dr. Eddie Glaude, authors Colson Whitehead and Edwidge Danticat, and rounding it off at the end of fall 2021 with a performance by an ensemble rooted in African American history and culture known as Sweet Honey in the Rock. Within her community, Athelene is a member of the Hempstead Chamber of Commerce; Hempstead Caring Hearts; Revitalizing Hempstead Civic Associations; and serves the Interfaith Nutrition Network in Hempstead. She also volunteers at her church, Perfecting Faith Church, in the hospitality department.
B BHAA ALUMNI RECOGNITION AWARD RECIPIENT B
Amy L. Flores ’10 Vice President, Community Manager, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Amy L. Flores was born in New York. Her parents immigrated to the United States from El Salvador and purchased their first home in the Village of Hempstead. She attended St. Joseph School in Garden City, Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale, and continued her education at Hofstra University. Amy received a bachelor’s in business administration in 2010. She later received a certificate of completion with honors from Hofstra’s ABA-accredited paralegal studies program. Amy has been a dedicated professional with more than 15 years of experience in management, finance, equity, and economic development. Most recently, she joined JPMorgan Chase as vice president, community manager, a role supporting the firm’s $30 billion racial equity commitment to advance economic growth in minority and underserved communities. In efforts to improve financial disparities, Amy focuses on fostering community engagement and providing economic opportunities to underserved communities by driving economic inclusion and bolstering financial health. In September 2019, Amy was appointed by former Nassau County Executive Laura Curran as the executive director for the Nassau County Office of Hispanic Affairs. In this role, she worked with the county executive’s office and other county agencies on the research, analysis and implementation of policies to ensure that the Hispanic community had equal opportunities, meaningful engagement, and access to local government resources. Amy has also served as vice president, senior affordable lending manager for People’s United Bank, a Northeast bank with approximately $60 billion in assets. She was instrumental in managing the affordable lending division of the bank, focusing on economic and community development in underserved communities. Her other service positions include board member for the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), Círculo de La Hispanidad, and CARECEN, as well as a member of the Hempstead and Roosevelt Prevention Coalitions and Hofstra’s Black/Hispanic Alumni Association. In early 2022, Amy became one of the founding members of the Long Island chapter of 100 Hispanic Women National Inc. She currently serves on their executive board as first vice president. Amy was recognized by Long Island Business News as one of the most powerful women on Long Island and honored at their 2021 Women of Distinction Awards. For two consecutive years (2020 and 2021), she was featured on the Long Island Power 100 list by City & State New York. She has also received numerous recognitions for her distinguished work in media outlets such as News 12 and Newsday, among others. In addition to being co-founder of the women’s group, Empress Group, Amy is also a notary public, certified paralegal, and an approved real estate and continuing education instructor for the State of New York. She resides in Nassau County with her husband and 3 children.
B BHAA ALUMNI RECOGNITION AWARD RECIPIENT B
Frederick G. Nurse ’71 Author Frederick G. Nurse is an author, community advocate, and retired accounts manager for Baxter International. A proud graduate of the Hofstra NOAH Program, he received a bachelor’s in economics in 1971. During his time at Hofstra, Frederick participated in various student organizations, such as the African People’s Organization (APO) and was vice president of the Organization of Black Collegians, for which he sponsored several interracial forums on racism in America on campus and contributed articles of interest to the Hofstra newsletter. Upon graduation, he continued his involvement and was the treasurer of the Black/Hispanic Alumni Association in 1997 under the leadership of Deanna Hunter. Frederick has years of experience working as a volunteer in various community organizations, such as a board member of the Brooklyn Council of Churches and Bushwick Home Care Agency. He also served as a two-term board chairman of the South Shore Child Guidance Center in Freeport, New York, and was co-founder of the Neighborhood Food Pantry in Brooklyn. Over the years, Frederick has been honored at various associations for his service to others: the Jamaica Business Resource Center for business acumen; African American Museum of Nassau County for Outstanding Citizenship; and Memorial Presbyterian Church as Man of the Year. The Nassau County Executive also honored him as Man of the Year. Frederick has been a Sunday school teacher for 10 years and served three terms (three years each) as an elder in the Presbyterian faith. Presently, he is working in a leadership role in the International Christian Brotherhood, a fraternal arm of the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn. Frederick lives in Brooklyn with his wife, and is the father of six adult children and 11 grandchildren. He enjoys biblical studies, Black historical studies, and building and fortifying the Christ-like character of men.
B DEANNA HUNTER LEGACY AWARD B
Deanna Hunter was a dedicated and beloved member of the Hofstra University administration for 21 years, as well as an alum who received her BA and MS in Counselor Education. She was a founding member of Hofstra’s Black/Hispanic Alumni Association in 1990, as well as an active member of Hofstra’s Alumni Senate and Alumni Organization. In 1995, Deanna was honored and received the Alumni Achievement Award. She was a passionate advocate for her students. Deanna often looked high and low for internships, job opportunities, and scholarships, and always had a listening ear to help students move forward in their educational and career pursuits. She also served in the local community as co-chair of the Hempstead Neighborhood Advisory Counsel and as a member of the Hempstead/Uniondale Regional Parochial School Board. In the past, Deanna was recognized in Who’s Who Among Black Americans. Deanna was the former assistant dean for special programs, and the executive director of Hofstra’s Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) and the New York Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP). The CSTEP and STEP programs help economically disadvantaged students and underrepresented minorities succeed in their chosen fields. The programs foster a cooperative learning environment with support services that enhance each student's academic growth and professional potential. STEP is an academic enrichment and career preparation program for students in grades 7-12. CSTEP is a program for undergraduate students that provides a number of academic and preprofessional support services
THE AWARD The Deanna Hunter Legacy Award was created in memory of the late Deanna Hunter. To qualify for this award, Hofstra student multicultural organizations recommended an active, deserving student who embodies high academic achievement, clear career goals, and is a strong contributor to the Hofstra community.
B STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS B African Student Association (ASA) Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Black Student Union (BSU) Black Leaders Advocating for Change (BLAC) Caribbean Student Association (CSA) Collegiate Women of Color (CWC) Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Hofstra Gospel Ensemble Hofstra’s Organization of Latinx Americans (HOLA) IMANI Dance Ensemble Minority Association of Pre-Health Students Multicultural Fraternity Sorority Council National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Hofstra Chapter National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) National Association of Hispanic Journalists National Society of Black Engineers Omega Phi Chi Sorority Inc., Multicultural (OPC, Omegas) Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc., Zeta Chapter (PHIA/Phiotas) Queer and Trans People of Color Coalition Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., Nu Tau Chapter (SGRHO) SP!T Strictly Steppin’
B SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS B
k Congratulations! The Hofstra Black/Hispanic Alumni Association commends your commitment to academic excellence.
k 2021-2022 Endowed Scholarship Recipient Brendan Sperling • Major: Chemistry
k 2022-2023 Annual Scholarship Recipients Hans Antony • Major: Bioengineering Nana Phoebe Bjornestad • Major: Political Science Deandra Dyte • Major: Accounting Christopher Gallardo • Major: Community Health Kayla Stadeker • Major: Global Studies and Geography
B HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY’S B
BLACK/HISPANIC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
k Thank you to this year’s event sponsor Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies
k WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND GENEROSITY OF THE FOLLOWING PATRONS AND DONORS: Dr. Margaret Abraham Dr. Julie Byrne Dwayne and Florence Charles Sherley Cherenfant Stephanie Cooper-Smiley Frederick E. Davis Jr. Glenton DeLeon-Job Yvonne Gaither DawnMarie Goins Michele D. Hart Eugene Hawkins Sara Hendricks Daphne Jackson Hornbuckle Maxine Legall Dr. Kim P. Mayo Martin Melkonian Maliyka A. Muhammad Tanya Levy Odom Rudene Scipio Marcus Tarver Karyn Valerius Jamie Whitfield Lisa Mumford Wiley
Congratulations to the Black/Hispanic Alumni Association 2022 Honorees
Athelene A. Collins ’92 Amy L. Flores ’10 Frederick G. Nurse ’71
THE NOAH SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Congratulates
Athelene Collins Thank you for years of partnership with the NOAH Scholars Program and service to Hofstra University.
THE NOAH SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Congratulates
Frederick Nurse On being honored by the Black/Hispanic Alumni Association
To our Cultural Center’s fearless leader,
Athelene Collins,
community advocate, educator and friend, we are grateful for all you do.
Melissa Connolly and the Hofstra University Relations team
Check out some great moments with our Hofstra Black/Hispanic Alumni
Black/Hispanic Alumni Association Executive Board President............................................................Calandra Y. Branch ’91 Vice President.....................................................Michael G. Coates ’07 Treasurer....................................................................Sara Hendricks ’16 Secretary..................................................Jacqueline Campbell ’07, ’21 Historian................................................................. Wilbert K. Davis ’20 Immediate Past President...............Stephanie Cooper-Smiley ’82, ’89
"People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get." – Frederick Douglass
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