December 2011
Inaugural Issue
TAlumni IGER Magazine CUBS
VOLUME 1
The magazine for recent alumni of Tennessee State University
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Number 1 FALL 2011
Twenty-one to thirty-five year olds
Miss Bermuda 2011 prepares for Miss World
Tennessee State University 3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209-1561 www.tnstate.edu
Tennessee State University Tiger CUBS Magazine December 2011 Inaugural Issue Volume 1, Number 1 University President Portia Holmes Shields, Ph.D. Interim Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development William C. Nelsen, Ph.D.
Office of University Publications Director K. Dawn Rutledge
Photographer John S. Cross Design and Layout Nannette Carter Martin
Publisher-in-Chief Nannette Carter Martin
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Tiger CUBS, produced by Tennessee State University (TSU) features stories on current achievements made by our young alumni (twenty-one to thirty-five year olds). This magazine includes events and other news on the professional and personal developments of our young alumni. The December 2011 issue of Tiger CUBS is the inaugural issue. The magazine is published by the Office of University Publications and is published twice a year. Copyright Š Tennessee State University
Alumni address changes or additions may be sent to: Office of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving Tennessee State University P. O. Box 9534 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd. Nashville, TN 37209-1561
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The Office of University Publications encourages alumni to send information about their achievements, including honors, recent appointments, scholarly activities, philanthropic and volunteer endeavors, career advancements and new additions to the family. We would like to consider including your news as a note in future editions of the Tiger CUBS Magazine. Contact: Nannette Carter Martin Office of University Publications Tennessee State University 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd. Nashville, TN 37209-1561 publications@tnstate.edu
Editorial policy Items submitted are welcome for consideration for publishing; however, publication of items are not guaranteed. News items may be edited for style, content and length. Items must include the writer’s name, year(s) of graduation, a contact phone number, mailing address and email address.
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TSU-12-0046(B)-12c-30200 - Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution. Tennessee State University is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Dr. Forrestine White Williams, interim director of Equity, Diversity and Compliance, 3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37209, (615) 963-7435.
TIGER CUBS Alumni M a g a z i n e DECEmBER
Fall 2011 l Inaugural issue
FortE Finds Passion in Fashion P. 14
CONTENTS FEATURES 3
Message from the President
IN THIS ISSUE
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DANIEL HIBBERT Hibbert’s John Merritt Boulevard journey leads him to Wall Street
16 List of TSU National Alumni Association Chapters
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CHRIS TAyLOR Taylor credits TSU for avenue to success ... the internship
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JANA OUTERBRIDGE Miss Bermuda 2011 prepares for Miss World
10 WARREN DEAN, V Entrepreneurial focus turns to educational dream
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INSIDE BACK COVER TSU 2012 EVENTS Centennial Celebration Week Centennial Scholarship Gala Homecoming Week and more...
12 CHAUNCEy DAVIS, M.D. TSU professors assist, Davis achieves dream of becoming a doctor
Cover art and photography credits:
14 TONy FORTE Forte finds passion in fashion
Center: Jana Outerbridge (‘10) was crowned Miss Bermuda in 2011. Photo courtesy of Glenn Tucker, The Royal Gazette.
Top right: Bengal Tiger Cub. Photo courtesy of the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, Nashville, Tennessee.
Message from the President December 16, 2011
Dear Tennessee State University young alumni, Tiger CUBS, It is with great pleasure that I introduce the inaugural issue of the Tennessee State University Tiger CUBS Magazine, a new creation at your alma mater. This magazine targets the recent alumni of TSU, most notably the twenty-one to thirty-five year olds. Within the pages of this first edition, you will find stories highlighting achievements and contributions of some of them. As you will see in this new publication, a showcase of young talent that our esteemed university has produced and you will hear the account of their endeavors as they have made outstanding marks in their professional fields, communities, in the country and around the world. Communicate this great news to others, and share with the university your successes. We’d love to include your story in an upcoming issue. Recently, you were sent information about the True Blue Class Challenge. I thank those of you who responded and I invite you all to be among the influential alumni who financially support TSU. If you have not received the communication, please contact: Office of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving Tennessee State University 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd. P.O. Box 9534 Nashville, TN 37209-1561 Office telephone: 615-963-5831 Fax number: 615-963-5882 With open arms and a TSU blue heart, I invite you to return to your alma mater in 2012 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary as Tennessee State University continues to sustain the legacy of excellence, resilience, and unity. you’ll receive much more information about our centennial programs and special events. With Tiger pride, Portia H. Shields, Ph.D. President
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Hibbert’s John Merritt Boulevard journey leads him to Wall Street
by Nannette Carter Martin
When Daniel Hibbert was a young man growing up in Lansing, Mich., he watched as men from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) came home for holiday breaks. For him, they exuded an impressive confidence. It was hard to describe that experience, he said, but “whatever you call it – ‘the HBCU experience’ – I wanted that.” Little did he know years later that cycle would repeat itself and he would be student other young men and boys from his hometown would one day look up to as role model. Hibbert found his way to Tennessee State University during his junior year of high school, when he participated in a Black College Tour with the historic institution among one of its stops. “We came down during SEC (South East Conference) Week,” he said. “We saw the Greeks and that had me engaged as a 17year-old high school student.” Hibbert, who majored in mechanical engineering, knew well the reputation of TSU’s engineering school, but wanted to know more. He listened attentively to three presentations by the engineering department, and together those experiences sold him on TSU as his school of choice. He enrolled in the fall of 2004. Hibbert described his days as an undergraduate student as having much depth. As an engineering student, he felt held to a higher standard. Not only did the experience assist him with personal and social development, it also pushed him academically allowing him opportunities to participate in research collaborations with NASA, several engineering conferences and the Thurgood Marshall Program. “The Honors Program was the driving force behind my academic development,” he said, adding that the Honors Program taught him to take ownership of the university, and what he could do to impact it and lead and influence his peers.
Top photo: Hibbert speaking to 150 students in New york about strengths-based development during the year Up organization workshop. Featured in New York Times, Fast Company, and Fortune magazines, year Up is a thriving non-profit with the mission to close the opportunity divide by providing urban youth with skills needed to reach their full potential professionally and academically. Middle photo: Hibbert, 2011. Bottom photo: In Chicago, Hibbert volunteered with “youth About Business,” an organization which aims to provide high school students with exposure to business and entrepreneurship. With other banking and finance professionals, Hibbert provided advice on how to compose a strong business plan.
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Hibbert graduated in May 2009 and accepted a position in the futures industry at Goldman Sachs in Chicago, Illinois, working in both the institutional and high frequency sides of the company. Less than two years later, he transferred to the Goldman Sachs headquarters in New york, where he works with
large hedge fund institutional clients on operational strategies, managing risks and relationships.
providing mentorship and guidance for freshmen men on the campus.
Looking back, Hibbert said TSU served as an incubator in helping him achieve success in his present career.
In addition to devoting time, Hibbert also understands the importance of giving back to the university financially, saying, “We have an obligation to sow back into what it was that allowed us to get where we are.”
“When you have professors who are willing to sit down and talk with you about some of the small aspects that you can’t get in a textbook, that one-on-one interaction of developing you not only as a student or an engineer, but as a man, I think those things gave me a competitive advantage when I came out into the real world,” Hibbert said. “I came out with a level of confidence that said, ‘Hey, I can step out on Wall Street with anybody.’ I don’t care if you went to Harvard or yale; I had the preparation with my professors, with my mentors at Tennessee State University.”
Hibbert is excited about TSU’s centennial celebration, which he says provides today’s students an opportunity to be a part of a historic event. He feels it is important they take advantage of the opportunity to talk with alumni and share the TSU story with the next generation of graduates. By helping students make the connection between what goes on in the classroom and their future work in the real world, Hibbert believes alumni can continue the university’s rich legacy of academics and service.
As an undergraduate student, Daniel Hibbert began his service to the university early. He, along with a few of his peers, started a program called The Dream Project,
“We love TSU history,” he said. “Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Dr. Levi Watkins, Wilma Rudolph – but we need to stay relevant for today’s students.”
Hibbert continues to stay connected to TSU through various opportunities to interact with current students. Earlier this year, he served as a guest speaker at the TSU Leadership Conference, speaking to students from several schools across the southeast about strengths-based leadership as well as transitioning from college to the corporate world.
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Taylor credits TSU for avenue to success ... the internship
Chris Taylor is currently a Ph.D. student and research assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
by Nannette Carter Martin
Chris Taylor (’08) has a message to offer future graduates of Tennessee State University as he encourages them to focus on academics, faculty mentorships, internships and service to organizations. “While at TSU, you need to do well in the classroom, and get to know the different students and the faculty, and then to serve in organizations there,” Taylor said. “Students should take on internships during the summer and, preferably, in different places each summer. Anyone who does that, the sky is the limit for what you want to do. If you do well on those things, then TSU provides the opportunity to go anywhere, wherever it is that you want to go.” A native of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., a small city positioned south of Nashville and nearing the Alabama border, Taylor’s Tennessee State University experience started in the fall of 2004 when he made the university his choice in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences 6
with a concentration in agribusiness, and a minor in mathematics. According to Taylor, “I toured the campus during the summer between my junior and senior year of high school and I really liked it,” adding that the university’s Honors Program, campus size, and faculty and staff were top selling points for him. “One of the biggest things for me was the Honors Program. I believed in them and that type of experience.” “I really enjoyed the people there – very friendly, very energetic. I stayed on campus the first three years – that was great, too. The faculty really cares about the students and how you do and have a very approachable demeanor. For example, if I wanted to work on some research with some professors, they were open to that. It was a lot of support from the faculty especially in the Honors Program and the agriculture sciences faculty, pretty much everyone. It was a great experience.”
Taylor credits the College of Agriculture for introducing him to an avenue for success in both his academic and work career through internships with the federal government, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). He said current and future students should take advantage of summer internships as well. “Upon graduation, I was sent to one of the field offices, which are located around the country. They gave me the choice of Madison, Wisconsin, and the education plus the experience led to coming to graduate school here at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). “I knew my long term goal was to go to graduate school for agricultural economics so I thought UW-Madison would be a really great place to go because Madison is Chris Taylor (standing, 2nd from right) and fellow students appear with Dr. Elinor Ostrom (seated, left front), co-winner of the 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences while she presented the plenary address for the 17th annual Fall Ecology Symposium, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“My first goal is to work for the agency (NASS) that I am working for now as an agricultural economist. They actually have a research and development division in Fairfax, Virginia which is right outside of Washington, D.C. Hopefully it will work out but if it doesn’t maybe I can go into academia. It would always be great to go back to TSU and join the faculty there.”
Dr. Willard F. “Fritz” Mueller engages in conversation with Chris Taylor, 2010 graduate fellowship recipient.
such a great city and the university is home to the world’s first agricultural economics department.” Taylor is currently pursuing the Master/Ph.D. in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, in which he anticipates completing in Fall 2013. In only his second year, Taylor was awarded the Willard F. “Fritz” Mueller Fellowship. The prestigious fellowship is named after one of the pioneers of “industrial organization,” a field in economics that deals with situations where there isn’t perfect competition.
Taylor believes that TSU prepared him well with an education leading to his present career. “It was essential. Without all of the opportunities TSU provided, I don’t think any of this could have happened. It was a great education and there are a lot of really great opportunities there [at TSU].” During his time at TSU, Taylor was actively involved as a member and, in some cases, an officer in the Honors Program, Golden Key International Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi and MANRRS or Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences. Taylor and his wife, Tanya (’08) are proud contributors to TSU. “We donate money to the Honors Program, the Department of Agricultural Sciences and to TSU. We try to stay in contact with the people there,” Taylor said. 7
Miss Bermuda 2011 prepares for Miss World *Editor’s Note: Jana Lynn Outerbridge, a 2010 graduate of Tennessee State University, recently competed in the Miss World 2011 pageant representing Bermuda. Outerbridge was among 113 contestants who participated in the competition, in which Miss Venezuela, Ivian Sarcos, was ultimately crowned Miss World 2011. In the Beach Beauty segment of the competition, Outerbridge was named among the Top 20.
Reprinted from The Royal Gazette. http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20110916/NEWS/709169987
by Nadia Arandjelovic Published Sep 16, 2011 at 8:04 am There's more to Miss Bermuda Jana Outerbridge than meets the eye. The 22-year-old graduated from Tennessee State University with a degree in psychology; and volunteers regularly at Wind-Reach, a recreational and development facility for the disabled. Since winning the coveted pageant title in June, she's been working to instil (sic) confidence in the Island's young people, speaking at graduations and charity events. And in the weeks ahead she will be preparing for her biggest challenge to date taking the stage alongside 120 other beauties in Miss World on November 6. Miss Outerbridge believes “this experience was meant to be for me”. She said she is thankful to have been given a platform to serve as a role model and help others in need. She credits her parents Glenda and Gregory Outerbridge Sr; the women of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; and university professor Jocelyn Irby for believing in her. But she said her rise to becoming a well-balanced young lady was not without its challenges. Miss Outerbridge was adopted by her parents at the tender age of three months. “I am not sure what my life would look like without them. I am truly grateful for them and for believing in me,” she said. 8
Miss Bermuda pageant winner Jana Outerbridge poses for a photo shoot at the Spanish Point Boat Club Wednesday. She is preparing to head off to the Miss World competition and is having a fund raiser to help with the expenses. (Photo by Glenn Tucker)
She hopes to encourage others in similar situations to embrace any positive parental figures they have in their lives, even if they are not their biological parents. “That is one thing I hope I can have an impact on other people as well,” she said. “I do not come from a perfect situation but I have used every opportunity and challenge that has come my way and have decided to turn it around and use it in a positive way.” In preparation for the upcoming pageant, Miss Outerbridge has been running and “doing lots of lunges” to prepare physically. She has also been taking yoga classes to help prepare mentally for her moment in the spotlight. The former Cabinet Office intern is also staying up to date on issues happening around the world by watching British Broadcasting Company (BBC) news, in case any questions arise about global affairs. “Other than that I am just talking to myself and staying aware that I can do it. It will be a challenge but I know I can do it.” Though Miss Outerbridge is occasionally compared to the Island's 1979 Miss World winner, Gina Swainson, she said there is no pressure to follow in her footsteps. “When people speak to me they always say I remind them of how she was, her poise and elegance, and I hope to exude that in the competition. “But I believe this is a different day and I am not competing at the same time that she was competing. Still I believe the package I am delivering
Two year old Max Canon Wallace gives Miss Bermuda pageant winner Jana Outerbridge a kisss at the Spanish point Boat Club Wednesday. She is preparing to head off to the Miss World competition and is having a fund raiser to help with the expenses. (Photo by Glenn Tucker)
is unique and I am comfortable with that no matter what the outcome is.” Miss Outerbridge said she has been feeling “anxious and excited about the opportunity that is about to present itself”. She added: “Right now I am not nervous. I feel confident about myself and what I have to offer and hopefully I stay that way throughout the time leading up to the competition. “One thing I will say is I made a decision before this happened that, regardless of the result, I would always stay true to myself. And I think I have remained the same.”
Update: The TSU alumnae, Jana Outerbridge, Miss Bermuda 2011, honored her country as a contestant in the Miss World pageant on November 6, 2011 in London, England. Photo above: Jana Outerbridge departed for the world competition and wore a custom-made runway version of the Bermuda Gombey cultural dress. Photo left: Jana Outerbridge said goodbye to her cousin Cairo Tucker, age three, at the airport as she and her parents prepared for the exciting journey. (Photos by Akil Simmons)
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EntrEprEnEurial Focus turns
to
Educational drEam by Nannette Carter Martin
Warren Dean, V was on the fast-track to entrepreneurship with an interest in joining his family’s third generation construction and contracting businesses. But one never knows where life’s road will take you, and the moment this contractor’s son met one particular Tennessee State University alumnus, his life changed course. Dean’s chance encounter with the late Raymond Stratton, a TSU financial aid professional, left him to re-evaluate his plans after high school graduation. Dean’s father brought him along to do some work on Stratton’s home, and while there, Stratton asked young Dean some pertinent questions about his grades and future aspirations. Although construction was the family business, Stratton encouraged Dean to think about college and to focus on bringing his grades up to a 3.0 over the next year for a potential scholarship to attend Tennessee State University. Following the conversation with Stratton, Dean began to think about college as an option in his future. In the fall of 2006, Dean entered the “only” university for which he applied, Tennessee State University, and decided to major in the biological sciences. He was assigned an advisor who turned out to be the wife of the gentleman who recruited him to TSU, Dr. Martha Walker Stratton.
Warren Dean, V is pictured above during his tenure (20092010 academic year) as president of the Tennessee State University Student Government Association.
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“It was a humbling experience,” he said, adding that the responsibility given to him was key in his development as a young scholar. His participation in higher level research sharpened his skills. In addition, Dean said the experiences he had while a student at TSU also sharpened skills that he already had but wasn’t aware that he possessed.
During his junior and senior years, Dean found himself engaged in several research opportunities, which opened the door for him to earn other scholarships. He joined the American Medical Student Association, the Collegiate 100 and was eventually elected president of the Student Government Association. Through the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program at Meharry Medical College, Dean was involved in research opportunities on Parkinson’s and other oncological diseases. “My experience at TSU was truly transforming where they basically took a little, naïve boy and gave him the experiences, confidence and ability needed to go out and be a productive citizen in this country,” he said. Dean spent many hours by his professor’s side being mentored in the world of scientific research. yet, along the way, he discovered a passion for teaching. Although the 2011 graduate majored in biology with a concentration in pre-medical studies, he is currently in his first-year as an educator teaching middle school students at Smithson-Craighead Academy, a Nashville charter school. Through his affiliation with the national organization, Teach for America (TFA), an organization designed to help children in poverty get the best education possible, he has connected with other educators and realizes his life’s work actually started before he graduated from college. As an undergraduate, Dean gave his time to TSU by mentoring other students, helping them see that they are valuable, providing his expertise, and basically sharing his
Left to right: Dr. Tasneem Siddiquee, assistant professor in Chemistry, advised and mentored Warren Dean as an Undergraduate Research and Creative Arts (UReCA) student.
life with others. He continues those efforts today and is busy setting up a pipeline on the TSU campus for TFA. As one of the first people to be selected to TFA straight out of undergraduate school, Dean felt a responsibility to figure out why TSU wasn’t represented in this organization at the level it should be, and to help the university increase the number of students coming into the program. Presently, he is continuing graduate studies in education at Lipscomb University in Nashville. Although he’s a fulltime teacher, attending medical school is still a dream he hopes to achieve in the next two years. His interests are internal medicine and cardiology, but his options remain open. “I definitely believe in something that is higher than me. I believe in God and I believe that he purposed everyone, and for that reason I find purpose in people,” he said. “We are all purposed for something that is greater than ourselves.” Left: Dean instructs students in the classroom and is completing his two-year commitment to teaching at Smithson-Craighead Academy Middle School located in Nashville, Tenn., as a fifth grade mathematics and science teacher.
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TSU professors assist, Davis achieves dream of becoming a doctor Chauncey Davis serves in the U.S. Air Force and is a pediatric resident at the San Antonio Military Medical Center in Texas.
When Chauncey Davis, M.D., attended a college recruitment session in 2001 at her high school in Albany, Ga., she had no idea she would end up at Tennessee State University. A chance meeting with a former president of the Tennessee State University National Alumni Association Albany Georgia Chapter led Davis to apply for admission to the university.
by Nannette Carter Martin
Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and also serving as Student Government Association president. “I had an amazing amount of resources at my fingertips,” she recalled. “I had amazing professors who were very caring and very involved. They took an active role in my education and in the education of those around me.”
Davis, who had an interest in pre-medicine at that time, credits the visit to her school by the former president of TSUNAA Albany Chapter for peeking her interest in attending TSU. During that visit, Davis was told about the exciting opportunities available at TSU for those interested in pre-medicine and she was encouraged to apply for a presidential scholarship. “It pretty much was an offer I couldn’t refuse,” Davis said. “The next semester I was there.” Davis successfully received the presidential scholarship, and in 2005 graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She fondly looks back on her undergraduate years, in which she was an active student on campus, participating in the Delta 12
Davis is pictured in 2005 during graduation from Tennessee State University where she received the Bachelor of Science in Biology.
While she didn’t have a strong interest in research, Davis participated in an internship at the University of Cincinnati Medical School the summer following her junior year. In her senior year Davis applied for medical school, but her scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) were not high enough for entry. Fortunately, Meharry Medical College in Nashville remained in contact A joyous occasion! Davis is photographed in and offered her a academic attire for her Meharry Medical College graduation in 2010. position in their postbaccalaureate program providing Davis with an additional year to become prepared for medical school. Davis related that even though things don’t always turn out the way you expect the first time, you have to stay focused and continue to work toward your dream.
Davis said TSU prepared her well for her present career. “I had really great professors who had long-reaching effects in my personal development,” she said, crediting her mentors and others in the Department of Biology for contributing to her success. “They knew well the students who wanted to pursue professional careers, and they really took the time to help us get prepared.” Despite obligations and distance, Davis has found opportunities to give back to her alma mater over the last few years, both financially and with other resources. Since graduating, Davis has done some of her own recruiting by sharing her personal experiences with high school students in her hometown and encouraging freshmen and sophomores to stay the course. She has made several trips back to campus as part of the Honors’ young Alumni Affinity group in which one of the main focuses has been on mentoring and encouraging current students.
On her second attempt, Davis did pass the MCAT exam and was admitted to Meharry. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree in 2010. Presently, she serves in the Air Force and is a pediatric resident at the San Antonio Military Medical Center in Texas.
Davis lives and works her dream as seen here in 2010 on the pediatric ward at San Antonio Military Medical Center in Texas.
Davis’ advice to present TSU students is to embrace the experiences they get in the classroom as well as within the TSU community and to use them to become productive members of society.
While attending Meharry Medical College, Chauncey Davis participated in a community health fair conducted in 2006.
“I really think Tennessee State, in large part, helped me to get where I am today,” she said. “I am a living example. I know many others who graduated with me who are doing amazing things, and [current TSU students] can be a part of that as well.” 13
Forte Finds Passion in Fashion
Tony Forte (‘02), current Sportswear key account executive at Nike, Inc.; founder and editorial director for Urban Professor, LLC.
by Nannette Carter Martin
College was always in the plan for Tony Forte and his family, especially his mother. The Atlanta native definitely desired to graduate from a historically black university (HBCU) and made his way to Nashville to enroll at Tennessee State University in 1998. His four years as an undergraduate were spent earning a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in marketing, coupled with internships in the field of fashion specializing in sales, branding and youth trend culture. Today, he looks back on that experience and shares some of the principles for life and career he acquired along the way with current TSU students. “I had a wonderful experience as a student,” Forte said. “I think TSU is what you make of it.” During his tenure as a student, Forte was actively involved in student activities. He was president of the Advertising Club, a member of the Student Government Association, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a resident 14
assistant and served as Mr. TSU. Forte related that being actively involved in campus activities led to his character development and prepared him for the trials, as well as the opportunities, he would face. He believes those experiences made him a leader comfortable in his own skin. Forte presently lives in New york and is working for Nike, Inc., where he manages corporate sales. He also founded a Website for young adults – UrbanProfessor.com – an online publication facilitating successful transitions for young adults to young professionals. The site has become a leading resource for young adults who seek an understanding and exposure to life skills and career preparation tools. “Sometimes you are going to get it right, and sometimes you are going to get it wrong,” Forte said. “But what is important is how I kept trying, and that is what TSU prepared me for the most. TSU gave me a sense of a home.”
Forte said he came up in the entertainment field. During his junior year at TSU, he began working with music and fashion icon Sean “Puffy” Combs and Sean John Clothing. He started making contacts with Combs and through those connections he learned the merchandising business. By his senior year, Forte was balancing work and school attending classes during the week, then working as an intern traveling to surrounding cities, such as Atlanta or Memphis, on the weekends to promote the Sean John Clothing line in department stores. Three months after graduation, he was hired full-time and moved to New york to work as a general assistant. From the beginning, Forte’s job was all encompassing from assisting with sales and learning retail mathematics and ‘gophering’ to small details and assisting the president of the company. “I kind of worked my way up from there,” he said. “I did that for my first two years out of school, assisting full-time account executives. My main break came in 2004 with the presidential election in which they put me in charge of running sales for the country; and that was when everything kind of took off.”
Additionally, he also started working with the National Basketball Association (NBA) at national locations. He left Sean John in 2006 and went to work with another fashion icon, Russell Simmons at Phat Farm. However, his goal was to land a national position and move from Phat Farm to Nike, where he’s been ever since. Forte, a 2002 graduate, remains active with his alma mater. He is currently president of the Honors Program Alumni Affinity Group. Forte said learning to give back through service, talents or financial gifts is something students need to start thinking about while they are still attending the university. Forte has a message for TSU students and the university as a whole. “It is no one else’s responsibility but your own to go after your dreams and to decide success for yourself. A lot of times we think that TSU is supposed to be the ‘tellit-all answer’ to achieving our dreams,” Forte said. “your education is a resource, so take the experiences you are getting at TSU and decide if you want to give back. Whether it is cash, through mentoring or helping other students with intern opportunities; whatever they are asking that you give back, it is necessary that you feel it in your heart.”
Forte, founder and editorial director for Urban Professor.com travels to U.S. universities sharing his insights on career opportunities to Sponsors for Educational Opportunity College Scholars. 2011, NYU School of Law.
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2011 TSU Alumni Association Chapter Presidents ABSOLUTELY AX Ms. Tiffany Dobson (865) 385-7735 (C) TDobson47@hotmail.com ALPHA THETA NETWORK Rev. Tony C. Evans, Sr. (856) 541-6385 (O) tcevans@verizon.net ATLANTA Mr. Maurice Granger (678) 416-5730 mlgranger94@yahoo.com AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO Ms. Patricia Merritt (210) 648-7356 pemtucker@sbcglobal.net BAND CHAPTER Ms. Michelle Allen 615-963-5330 (O) michellelatrice@hotmail.com BASKETBALL Mr. Rossie Johnson III (626) 964-0439 (H) bootyloud@msn.com BETA OMICRON Mr. Erwin P. Hill (773) 726-3056 erwinphill@hotmail.com
DALLAS/METROPLEX Ms. Angela Berry (214) 334-1537 angela.berry@sbcglobal.net
JACKSON TN Dr. Sarah Chatman (731) 664-1042 (H) drsmchatman@gmail.com
DAYTON OHIO Mr. Clarence L. Johnson (937) 789-1063 Clindseyjohn9@yahoo.com
JACKSON MS Mr. Chris Cockrell (601) 366-0115 ccockrellref@comcast.net
DETROIT Mrs. Rita L. Jordan (313) 506-2932 (H) ritajordan1@hotmail.com
LOS ANGELES Mr. Franklin J. Henderson (323) 293-0547 (H) FJHend@aol.com
EAST TN Mr. Logan Hill (865) 982-8667 LoganHill06@aol.com
LOUISVILLE Mr. Frederick Liggin (502) 639-6166 frederickliggin@yahoo.com
ENGINEERING Ms. Dwan D. Austin (423) 305-1442 (H) ddaustin83@yahoo.com
MEMPHIS Mrs. Gertrude Scruggs (901)743-9229 (H) gdscruggs@aol.com
FOOTBALL Mr. Jerrold McRae, Sr. (615) 963-7909 (O) jmcrae@tnstate.edu
MILWAUKEE Mr. Gregory Williams (414) 430-7474(C) gwilliam@wiscs.org
FORT LAUDERDALE Ms. Deidra Johnson (954) 484-3988 (H) deidraj_15@yahoo.com
MONTGOMERY AL Mr. Joseph T. Nash (334) 281-6692 (H) ord765@charter.net
FOUNDING FATHERS BASEBALL Mr. Gregory Goodwin (678) 464-6796 (H) playtowin26@gmail.com
NASHVILLE Ms. Sandra D. H. Hunt dsjanitorialserv@bellsouth.net
BIRMINGHAM Ms. Iona Martin (205) 202-3406 (H) ionamrtn@yahoo.com
GARY-NORTHWEST Mr. Darrick Harris (219) 689-3128
CENTRAL ARKANSAS Mr. Shedrick Warren, III (501) 240-6658 swarren111@aol.com
GREATER GALLATIN Mr. Frank Brinkley (615) 452-6515 (H) vhb@bellsouth.net
CHATTANOOGA Dr. Barbara Wofford (423) 698-1125 (H) wofford568@bellsouth.net
GREATER ST. LOUIS Ms. Delicia Stephens (314)-395-1580 (H) (314)-749-6108 (C) ms.dts.727@gmail.com (primary) DelTorste@aol.com
CHICAGO Mr. Gary Walker (773) 814-4271 (H) gtw341@comcast.net CINCINNATI Mr. James W. Isabel (513) 631-1553 (H) IS756@aol.com CLARKSVILLE TN Mr. Phil Petrie, Jr. (931) 552-6784 Philwpetriejr @hotmail.com CLEVELAND Mr. Steven Robertson (216) 921-1129 (H) shrobertson@ftnewyorklife.com COLORADO Mr. Ronald Wooding (720) 319-1491 ronaldwooding@hotmail.com 16
HARDEMAN COUNTY Mr. Johnnie W. Lake (731) 658-2179 (H) smrobin1@bellsouth.net HAYWOOD COUNTY Ms. Quince Outlaw (731) 772-1933 (H) HOUSTON Mr. Sean Landry (713) 436-2467 (H) seancl385@yahoo.com HUNTSVILLE AL Mr. Roy Williamson (256) 722-3188 (H) rjwilliamson@knology.net INDIANAPOLIS Ms. Youlanda Belew ykbelew@att.net
NEW YORK Mr. Walter Mason (516) 377-3820 msonbaldwin@aol.com RHO PSI Mr. Rick Jones (615) 399-6699 rjones380@bellsouth.net TAMPA BAY AREA Mr. Robert LaMarr Buggs (813) 887-5708 Krimson42142104@yahoo.com TN SOUTH CENTRAL Mr. Melvin Turner (931) 728-6590 (H) turnerfamily1305@charter.net UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM Mr. Tony Forte (615) 403-1244 tony.forte@urbanprofessor.com VISION OF ALPHA WOMEN Ms. Cynthia Hendricks (404) 455-3872 cc2@netzone.net cc2firstborn@yahoo.com WASHINGTON Ms. Chandra Champion (202) 491-1239(W) ChandraChampion@hotmail.com ZETA ALPHA ALUMNI Mr. Dwight A. Webster (615) 496-8219 frankwight02@hotmail.com
Tennessee State University Upcoming Events
Save the Date! CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WEEK APRIL 14-21, 2012 Tennessee State University, Nashville’s only public university, is gearing up for a festive birthday celebration that will highlight its traditions, legacy, alumni, academic and athletics excellence. Founded June 19, 1912, TSU will celebrate its 100th anniversary during the week of April 14-21, 2012. Join us in the celebration!
M ORE G REAT AND E XCITING TSU E VENTS
TO
ATTEND D URING 2012...
WOMEN OF LEGEND AND MERIT AWARDS MARCH 15, 2012
TSU SPRING COMMENCEMENT MAy 5, 2012
34TH ANNUAL RESEARCH SyMPOSIUM MARCH 26-31, 2012
TSU FOUNDERS’ DAy JUNE 19, 2012
CENTENNIAL SCHOLARSHIP GALA “MOTOWN IN REVUE” APRIL 21, 2012
HOMECOMING WEEK 2012 SEPTEMBER 23-29, 2012 GAME DAY - SEPT. 29TH
TIGER CUBS Alumni Magazine
BULK RATE Non-Profit Org U S Postage PAID Nashville, TN Permit
published by
Office of publications 3500 John A. Merritt blvd. Nashville,Tennessee 37209-1561
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Visit us online: www.tnstate.edu/alumnirelations History: The Cupola and Walter S. Davis Administration Building
The Walter S. Davis Humanities Building (old “Administration Building�), originally occupied in 1933, was renovated and enlarged in 1967 and 1997. The Cupola atop the building was donated November 24, 1949 by the Tennessee State University National Alumni Association. The building houses the Thomas E. Poag Auditorium, the Department of Languages, Literature and Philosophy, and the Division of Communication and Information Technologies (CIT). Historical information adapted from Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State University, Bulletin Announcements 1969-
1970, Vol. LVI, No. 5 and Tennessee State University, Undergraduate Catalog 2011-2013, VOL. LXXIII-2011-2013. (photo courtesy of Tennessee State University)