Heeding Cheyney’s Call, which continues to fight in the courts, in the boardrooms, and in the streets to save and enhance historic Cheyney University—the oldest Black institution of higher learning in America, founded in 1837—supports the Cheyney University National Alumni Association’s 180th Anniversary Gala.
DONOR HONOR ROLL $5,000 - $10,000
$100 - $499
Elizabeth Berry-Holmes William and Marion Shumake Craig Welburn
Elaine Abbas Dr. Ann Adderley Richard Allen Geri Andrews-Savage Clarice Archer Dr. Juan Baughn Joyce Finch Baughn Betzaida Benjamin Ann Braxton Glendora Brooks Christine and Lionel Broome Darleen Cager Williams Sharon Cannon Marthea B. Carter Bobby Dawkins Ted Duncan Cheryl Dyson Karen Evans Johnson Bonita Gibson Andrew R. Grier Fay B. Hall Robert Habershaw Marion Haliburton Gaile Hawkins-Bush Valerie R. Howard Gail E. Hunter Keturah Jackson Margaret Jackson Walter and Naomi Livingston III Dr. William Magill Carolyn Manns Elaine Mansfield Raymond Morton Gwen Owens James E. Rhone Louise Robinson Yasir Rountree Corliss Scipio-Pearson Karen E. Shanks Harold Shields Stephanie Steed Dr. Gloria Stone-Mitchell June Strothers Karen Thomas Jenkins Mabel Troutman-Jenkins Robert and Drema Turner Kezirah Means Vaughter Joanne J. Walls
$1,000 - $4,999 Dr. Ann Adderley Gregory and Kathryn Benjamin Faye K. Booker Julius Brown Richard and Evelyn Brown Eva Hanson-Douthit Janice Henry Carolyn Jackson Dr. Ruth Johnson Thomas C. Lane, IV Mrs. Purnell Lawrence Dr. Jacqueline Peace Keith Singletary Gaynelle Turner-Lewis Melanie Twyman Ernest & Carolyn Watson Dr. Sallie Jean Wilson $500 - $999 Alphonso and Carolyn Coleman Edward Clark Edmond Drake Ted Duncan Beverly Edmonds Jaime L. George Oscar and Evelyn Hankinson Gloria Harley Henry and Arlene Hollis Bettie Hunt-Aycox John E. Izzard Carolyn D. Jackson Velma Lester George and Sylvia Pilgrim Eleanor M. Palmer Karen E. Shanks Larry and Carmen Skinner Junious and Sonjia Stanton Ronald and Denise Swann William Thompson James Washington
William and Jean Williams Dr. Robert Wright, Sr. Up to $99 Olaniyan Adefumi Cecelia Crommarty Luise M. Baum Gertrude Dunlap Dalette Forman Myrtis A. Gordon Evelyn Jackson-Allen Carole J. Ross Viola Tribbey Daisy Williams Donald Williams Lorraine Williams Dr. Tammy Williams
ABOUT CUNAA
The Cheyney University of Pennsylvania National Alumni Association is a 501 (c) (3) organization, deductions to which are tax deductible according to the law (EIN 23-7010017). CUNAA aims to promote the legacy of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania and provide scholarships to ambitious students enrolled at Cheyney. To learn more about CUNAA events and initiatives, please visit us online at www.cheyneyalum.org. Connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/ Official.CUNAA and on Twitter at @ OfficialCUNAA. The official registration and financial information of The Cheyney University of Pennsylvania National Alumni Association may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Cheyney University National Alumni Association P.O. Box 288, Westtown, PA 19395
CCCCCCC UUUUUUUUUU NNNNNNNN AAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAA P.O. BBB 288, WWWWWWWW, PA 19395 Welcome home my fellow alumni. As we celebrate 180 years of our beloved Alma Mater, we gather during Homecoming to greet one another, reconnect with some we have not seen in decades, and rededicate ourselves to CUNAA's mission of supporting the University and its students. Alumni are going to have to work harder to ensure Cheyney reclaims its rightful position, in the words of Past University President Dr. Wade Wilson “CSC (CU) Second to None. We must not lose faith, we must not get weary, we must press on and do all we can to facilitate the university's return to prominence.” Alumni have been an integral part of the solution. However, more of us must come together and work towards a common goal, the salvation of Cheyney University. To achieve this goal, the Cheyney University National Alumni Association, The Cheyney C Club, The Cheyney Foundation and the University administration must cooperate and work together as an effective and efficient team. We cannot allow ourselves to be divided, for divided we fall and Cheyney fails. If we work together as one, we can increase funding, boost enrollment, and establish an endowment that will provide for the university for another one hundred and eighty years. I know this is an ambitious project but, we can do this and much more. We must have a vision for Cheyney's future as a place of success and distinction. We can move Cheyney forward, as alumni we must take an active role in the implementation of the New Vision stated by President Walton “excellence in academics, character and social responsibility.” We cannot sit on our hands and simply complain about what is taking place, we must become involved and actively improve the situation. Yes, we will have some anxious and frustrating days ahead, there are issues we cannot control and we may frown upon decisions that are made to save the university, but we must remember, supporting the university is our primary goal. The Cheyney University National Alumni Association is committed to the success of the University and its students. We will do all we can to sustain the University and assist its students with scholarships and ongoing support. Over the last four years, alumni have contributed close to two million dollars to the university in direct scholarship assistance to the students. I believe we can do more if we all come together as one. We have heard the call, we are committed to the university's survival and we will do all we can to support our beloved Alma Mater. We need you to make it happen. Savor every moment during this special weekend and thank you for ALL you do. GOD BLESS. In the spirit of Cheyney, Alphonso R. Coleman, Jr. ‘72 President Cheyney University National Alumni Association
October 16, 2017
Dear Fellow Alumni, For 180 years and since its beginning as the institute for Colored youth and now Cheyney University, we have the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to this academic institution. Cheyney has provided so much for so many that we should embrace all that it represents for having changed our lives for success. We are the beneficiaries of Richard Humphrey, who at his behest and by his bequeath helps us share this historic time and place. Cheyney provided opportunity for thousands of those who had been and continue to be denied equal access and opportunity. This is the time for us to be grateful and to commit ourselves to those who made it possible for us to be here today that we should celebrate this historic moment. Sincerely, Robert W. Bogle '75 Chairman Council of Trustees Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Celebrates 180 Years of building confident, competent, reflective and visionary leaders.
180 th
ANNIVERSARY
2017
CCCCCCC UUUUUUUUUU NNNNNNNN AAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAA P.O. BBB 288, WWWWWWWW, PA 19395 Greetings Fellow Alumni, The Cheyney University National Alumni Association along with the 180th Anniversary Committee would like to welcome alums and friends of Cheyney to this grand occasion of our 180th Anniversary weekend. Also, I would like to thank the Cheyney University National Alumni Association Board, all alumni, affiliates and friends of Cheyney who throughout the year, supported the Alumni 180th Anniversary Committee and its endeavors. While we navigate through the challenges on our campus, in our communities and nation, I am certainly thankful for a university community that continues to support one another, as well as those in need. I am extremely grateful for the Cheyney University family comprised of dedicated supporters for all you do for this institution. It’s through your tireless work and dedication that we continue to sustain the university mission and uphold our commitment to raising scholarship funds for students who attend Cheyney University. I am thankful to be on this journey with you and all of those who love and support Cheyney University. I am grateful for those of you who laid the foundation, as well as the collaboration through which we uphold our proud tradition for the benefit of generations yet to come. Homecoming is a reminder of the lessons learned both in and outside of the classroom. It is about the euphoric feeling that happens as soon as you set foot on the campus that recaptures Cheyney University as a safe haven a protector of minds and bodies, and supporter of dreams. We have made many strides this year, the latest of which includes adding 21 new alumni scholarships on Thursday night raising the total to almost 85 “Named Alumni Scholarships for Cheyney students, 42 new “Life Members” who received their certificates earlier today and look at us tonight a sell out! This year we also realized the highest alumni participation in recent history. Yet there’s still much more work to be done for us to reach our $2 million campaign goal. The 180th Annual Homecoming Weekend will serve as the catalyst to excite alumni and friends of Cheyney about giving not only resources but also their time to engage the University and our students. Our commitment to sustain the proud traditions that make Cheyney University the center for American education requires the continuous assistance of our dynamic alumni who have walked the very same footsteps and paved the way for our current Wolves. This homecoming 2017 theme to me is “NOW” is the time to celebrate the university cultural contributions to society. NOW is the time to advance our academic excellent. Most definitely NOW is the time to show the world what Cheyney Homecoming is all about! Steeped in tradition, academic excellence, “When thou callest alma mater, never shall thou call in vain.” This year’s 180th homecoming is sure to be an epic celebration of the past, present, and future of our beloved institution. I am humbled and incredibly grateful to celebrate another Cheyney University Homecoming and honored to have served as the 180th Anniversary Chair of my beloved alma mater. Happy Homecoming and God Blessings. Gregory Benjamin ‘81, Life Member Chair, 180th Anniversary Celebration / Homecoming Committee Cheyney University National Alumni Association
CCCCCCC UUUUUUUUUU NNNNNNNN AAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAA P.O. BBB 288, WWWWWWWW, PA 19395 On behalf of the Cheyney University National Alumni Association 180th Anniversary Committee, I would like to first take this opportunity to welcome our alumni, family and friends to this momentous occasion. THANK YOU for your support. I would like to also take this opportunity to thank President Coleman and his board for having the trust and confidence in me to be the chairperson for the 180th Anniversary Gala. Thank you to the very dedicated and passionate 180th Anniversary Committee members, who worked tirelessly over the past few months to give Cheyney University the recognition it deserves and make this event enjoyable for all in attendance. As we navigate through the transition of Cheyney University and the critical issues facing our beloved alma mater, I believe it is imperative that we celebrate 180 years by creating an event that really commemorates the existence of Cheyney University and matches the passion that “YOU” and the rest of our dedicated alumni, friends and family exemplify. As an alumni organization with tremendous “Cheyney Pride”, we all want the very best for our beloved alma mater and your presence here tonight is a reflection of your commitment to ensure the longevity of Cheyney University. I am very excited about the evening we have planned and hope you enjoy all that it has to offer. The enthusiasm and support we received from the CHEYNEY FAMILY was overwhelming and is indicative of the passion we all have for Cheyney University regardless of our organization affiliation. In order for us to succeed as a University all of the constituent groups and organizations must make a commitment to move forward as ONE CHEYNEY! All net proceeds from this event will go directly to the Cheyney University National Alumni Association Scholarship Fund. THANK YOU! Sincerely,
Clarence Williams ‘90, Life Member Chair, 180th Anniversary Celebration Gala Cheyney University National Alumni Association
S T O M P A N D C L AY P R O D U C T I O N S , L L C C O N G R AT U L AT E S
CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY ON THEIR
180th Anniversary Kevin Guile Class of ‘91
Clarence Williams Class of ‘90
Octavius V. Catto Statue Unveiled at Philadelphia City Hall 1787 depriving Blacks the right to vote through the 15th Amendment, he was gunned down in Philadelphia streets close to 100 years later during election-day violence. Catto’s hands were in many different social areas of Philadelphia — whether politics or sports, they all were under an umbrella of getting equal rights for Black Philadelphia residents during that time period.
City leaders in Philadelphia unveiled the first statue honoring an African American on public ground on September 19, 2017. The ceremony drew a large number of local residents crowded around the southwest apron of City Hall. The effort to erect a statue and display a memorial for Octavius Valentine Catto first started its groundwork when Mayor James Kenney was councilman. “In many respects this has been a long journey for me,” said V. Chapman Smith, vice president of the O.V. Catto Fund. “I was really pleased to have an opportunity to work with Mayor Kenney when he was councilman, starting to begin to make this a reality today.” During the event, Kenney took to stage, describing the progression of America as “a work in progress” standing before a mixed crowd of people both young and old. “Catto is a legendary American figure whose young life and contributions were cut short,” he said. Members of Catto’s family sat in reserved seats just adjacent to the memorial and statue during the unveiling ceremony. The descendants of
Catto still live in the city, but others have spread to different coasts, such as Jima Braynon, 41, the great-great-great nephew of Catto living in Michigan.
Now Catto’s statue stands along City Hall in front of granite pillars accentuating his contributions to the city. Statues, monuments and landmarks are driving dialogue on race and representation through the country. With Catto’s memorial, Kenney sees this as a milestone for the city.
“It was inspiring,” he said. “There isn’t enough words to express how we feel. I think if people hear the stories, they see what he represents, you never know how it’s going to spark that light inside of a child.”
“I’m so happy and so touched that there are so many young people here today,” he said. “Your ancestors and forefathers contributed greatly to making this country what it’s meant to be. This is a time where O.V. is rising up.”
The sculptor behind the art, Branly Cadet, a New York City native, was selected out of a number of other artists during a competition. He found out in 2013 that he was the artist selected and began sculpting in Oakland, Calif., while going through approvals from the Philadelphia Arts Commission.
Written by Phillip Jackson, Staff Writer, The Philadelphia Tribune.
“I’ve been able to vote without any fear of violence, but he didn’t have that pleasure,” he said after the event. “Certainly Octavius Catto got to see some of the efforts that he placed, but many of the efforts that he placed he didn’t get to benefit from.” The memorial shined on Catto’s contributions igniting a shift in Philadelphia policy. As he was embarking on efforts to establish racial equality in the same city that created the Constitution in
Octavius V. Catto, Class of 1858
Octavius Valentine Catto was born on February 22, 1839 in Charleston, South Carolina to the Presbyterian Reverend William T. Catto and Sarah Isabella Cain. Catto was born free, since his family was wealthy and prestigious. The family moved to Philadelphia in 1843 at the behest of the Presbyterian Church, and from his influential position as Reverend of the First African Presbyterian Church, O.V. Catto’s father, William T. Catto became an outspoken advocate for emancipation, education for African Americans and voting suffrage by 1848. He regularly met with famous abolitionists Frederick Douglass and William Still. O.V. Catto was an exceptionally gifted student. His father enrolled Octavius in the (segregated) Vaux Primary School and the Lombard Street Grammar School when he was a young child. Following a period of education at the exclusively white Allentown Academy in New Jersey, he entered the Institute for Colored Youth. Catto graduated as the valedictorian of the Institute for Colored Youth’s class of 1858. During his time at ICY, he was already presenting noteworthy speeches and becoming recognized as a future community leader. Immediately after graduation in 1859, Catto was hired as a teacher at the Institute. Catto taught mathematics and English. As a young adult, Catto became a corresponding secretary and influential member of the Banneker Institute. The Banneker Institute was an exclusive intellectual society for the city’s African American intellectual elite. In addition to scholarly subjects like mathematics and philosophy, members took part in debates on social justice topics such as emancipation, voting suffrage, equal wages, and Republican politics. In 1861, Catto was also named the permanent President of the Institute for Colored Youth’s Alumni council. In mid-June 1863, fear of a Confederate invasion gripped the state of Pennsylvania. In response, Governor Andrew G. Curtin issued a proclamation
urging volunteer enlistment in defense of the state and its capital at Harrisburg. In Philadelphia, Catto answered the call by helping to raise a company of 90 African American troops, whose ranks included ICY graduates Lumberd L. Nicken, Henry Boyer, Jr., Joseph S. White, Martin M. White, and William T. Jones. After parading to the West Philadelphia train station on the early morning of June 17, the volunteers proceeded to Harrisburg, PA via rail. In Harrisburg, the men were given weapons and mustered into the army, but Major General Darius N. Couch, commander of the Department of the Susquehanna and tasked with the state’s defense, barred Catto’s company from participating as members of the emergency volunteer militia. While thwarted from military service in this capacity due to this institutional racism, Catto returned to Philadelphia and enthusiastically supported black enlistment into the Union Army. Throughout the Civil War, Catto directly assisted members of the United States Colored Troops who mustered out of the large nearby training facility, Camp William Penn. Catto served with the Pennsylvania National Guard and as a major and inspector for the fifth brigade of the United States Colored Troops, enlisted under Commander General Louis Wagner. On May 10, 1864, Catto famously addressed the Institute for Colored Youth’s graduating class, summarizing the Institute’s founding and legacy, urging continued support for the school, and advocating for the cause of black education by black educators. During the crucial post-Emancipation Proclamation period of the Civil War, Catto argued that education would become the uniting force for the nation’s African Americans: “It is for the good of the Nation that every element of its population be wisely instructed in the advantages of a Republican Government, that every element of its people, mingled though they be, shall have a true and intelligent conception of the allegiance due to the established powers. Now this cannot be done in any other way than by properly educating the masses in the South; then these States will, indeed, be regenerated and the elements of their population be made ministering agents for the profit of the whole Nation and the lasting
security of the Government.” In November of 1864, Catto became corresponding secretary for Pennsylvania’s newly-formed State Equal Rights League, an organization that rallied for voting suffrage, political causes, street car desegregation and notably, advanced and equal education for African Americans students from African American teachers. Numerous members of the State Equal Rights League were teachers at the Institute for Colored Youth, who joined Catto in supporting educational justice initiatives. In addition to political, educational, and social advocacy, Catto was also well-known for advancing the sport of baseball. In 1867, he became captain of the Pythian Base Ball Club, an exclusively African American team which he organized with his friend and fellow graduate Jacob C. White, Jr. The team was highly successful: by October of their first season they were declared “the best Colored team in the city and perhaps in the nation.” Catto also became engaged to 1863 ICY graduate, teacher, and principal of the Ohio Street School, Caroline R. LeCount in 1867. By the late 1860s, Catto’s teaching career had become extremely successful. He was earning $800 a year as the highest paid teacher in the city of Philadelphia. In 1869, Catto was promoted to principal of the boys’ department of ICY. By October of 1871, Catto had resumed his teaching career at ICY. But his role as a political and social leader for the African American community led to widespread notoriety and suspicion from racist white factions. On Election Day, October 10, 1871, Catto was shot and killed by Frank Kelly, a member of an armed group of white voters intent on suppressing black votes. The Institute for Colored Youth was shut down in mourning for two weeks following Catto’s murder. Catto became a martyr to the cause of racial equality in Philadelphia for many years following his death. His friends, political allies, and ICY’s students worked tirelessly to further the ideals for which he advocated. Villanova University: A Great Thing for our People: The Institute for Colored Youth in the Civil War Era
Heeding Cheyney’s Call Keeping The Alumni Legacy of Engagement, Philanthropy and Activism Alive
Octavius Valentine Catto 1839-1871 First President of the Institute for Colored Youth Alumni Association
Alumni Scholarship Thank You Letters
The Cheyney University National Alumni Association Dear CUNAA,
Delivering on Our Promise to Answer the Call
Renew Your CUNAA Membership Today!
I am writing to thank you for your generous amount of $1,000 from both the last dollar scholarship and the book scholarship. I was very happy and appreciative to learn that I was selected as the recipient of your scholarship. I am a Graphic Design major. I plan to pursue a career in the design and marketing industry upon graduating from Cheyney University. I am currently a senior with 95 credits, and plan to graduate in the spring of 2018. After graduation, I will attend Temple University to study interior design and
receive my certificate. Thanks to you, I am one step closer to that goal. By awarding me the Book and Last Dollar Scholarship, you have lightened my financial burden which allows me to focus more on the most important aspects of school: learning. Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community. I hope one day I will be able to help students achieve their goals just as you have helped me. Sincerely, Khayla James ‘18
Dear CUNAA,
Annual National Membership $40 Life Membership $1,500 Local Chapter Dues Vary
Visit CheyneyAlum.org to Join Today
I am humbled by the dedication that you and the Cheyney University National Alumni Association have for struggling students such as myself. It is because of your generosity that I am able to claim Cheyney University as my Alma Mater. When I called, you answered. When I needed, you gave. When I finished, you celebrated! No greater gift of support could I have received. Now, I stand firm in the understanding that throughout my struggles, those that came before me helped to secure my future and now, I must do the same. The seed of purpose and dedication for Cheyney’s future students has been planted in me. With only 10 credits needed to complete my undergraduate degree, exhausting all possible funding avenues, the Last Dollar Scholarship provided the opportunity I needed. I did my best to show my gratitude by achieving a 4.0 grade point average. Because of the commitment that the alumni had for me, I remain committed to Cheyney University. During these times of struggle, with all the changes taking place, the alumni filled the gap and did so with dedication and
zeal. My needs became a priority and the evidence is my degree. I am witness to what takes place at Cheyney University that makes its survival necessary. It is the superior instruction by dedicated professors who pour their souls into teaching students. It is the commitment of the alumni who stand in cue, waiting to help support and uplift future generations. This degree means more to me and to my life than you can ever imagine. I am the first one in my family to graduate high school. That’s amazing! It’s 2017 and people are still saying that. The cycle has been broken! The HBCU experience was what I needed to understand the importance and urgency of completing my degree. We made it! Frederick Goode ‘17
Coaching, Mentoring and Inspiring Others: Yasheaka Oakley Owens ‘11
In December 2015, Yasheaka Oakley Owens ‘11 received the Anthony Fulginiti Award for Commitment to Education from the Philadelphia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at the annual Pepperpot Awards. “I am honored to receive this award from the Philadelphia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America,” said Oakley Owens. “As a young professional myself, it is very encouraging to have seasoned professionals
in my field acknowledge my efforts to empower profession. The award honors a person who other young professionals.” excels in education, either through their mentoring/teaching, their efforts to help shape In the last five years, YOakleyPR’s Virtual the careers of future PR professionals, or their Internship Program has served 165 contributions to PRSSA. Owens is one of the undergraduate and postgraduate professionals youngest recipients of the Anthony Fulginiti from around the globe who are interested in Award for Commitment to Education since the engaging in educational and practical projects award’s inception in 1988. that aid 501(c)(3) charitable organizations in need of public relations, social media, online Yasheaka Oakley Owens earned a Master of marketing and graphic design support services. Arts in Journalism & Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations at “It’s really humbling to speak with past Kent State University, and is a summa cum participants and learn how this Virtual laude graduate of Cheyney University of Internship Program changed the trajectory of Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor of their job search and ultimately led to their first Arts in Communication Arts with concentrations or next job in their desired industry,” she said. “I in Public Relations and a minor in Graphic always tell them that this internship experience Design. A Life Member of the Cheyney is 100% whatever they make of it. As long as University National Alumni Association, Oakley you are willing to put in the time and effort Owens is the Public Relations Committee needed to achieve your goals, this internship Chair for the Cheyney University National Alumni Association and also serves as a Board can be a game-changer.” Member of The Cheyney University C Club. The Anthony Fulginiti Award was established to honor a public relations professional who In 2015, Yasheaka Oakley Owens married shares Rowan University professor Tony Cheyney alumnus Charles Owens, class of Fulginiti’s commitment to the future of the 2011.
EMPOWERING 501 (C)(3) NONPROFITS WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED 1.267.908.5012 NONPROFITS@YOAKLEYPR.COM WWW.YOAKLEYPR.COM
John Wesley Cromwell, Class of 1864 In March 1866, his school in Maryland was burned to the ground, presumably by white supremacists.
John Wesley Cromwell graduated from the Institute for Colored Youth in 1864. With a score of 8.91/10 on his final examinations, he graduated second in his class of ten. He went on to become a teacher, lawyer, newspaperman, and leader of the African American community. Cromwell was born on September 5, 1846 in Portsmouth, Virginia, to Virginia slaves Willis and Elizabeth Cromwell, the youngest of twelve children. In 1851, Willis purchased his family’s freedom and moved to Philadelphia. After going to a public school, Cromwell enrolled at the Institute for Colored Youth Preparatory School in 1856, and graduated from the high school in 1864. After graduating from the Institute, Cromwell found a job teaching in Columbia, Pennsylvania. In 1864-1865 he returned to Portsmouth to open a private school for freedchildren. He later found jobs teaching at other schools in Maryland and Virginia.
After these teaching experiences, Cromwell tried his hand at the grocery business. While this was unsuccessful, his foray into politics proved better. He was involved in various Republican clubs, as well as the Union League Association. In 1867, he served as a delegate to Virginia’s first Republican Convention; he was also a clerk to the State’s Constitutional Convention the following year. In 1871, he enrolled at Howard University Law School, which he graduated in 1874. While in school he got a job in the Treasury Department, after besting more than two hundred applicants in a civil service examination. He was one of the first African American men in Washington to earn a high grade clerkship in the civil service. Cromwell held government posts until 1885, after which he returned to teaching. In 1876 he began printing the People’s Advocate, a newspaper for which he served as editor for fourteen years.
intellectual community of Virginia and Washington, D.C. In 1914, he published The Negro in American History, which sought to demonstrate the important role African American men and women had in the course of the nation’s history. In addition to promoting African American accomplishment through writing, Cromwell helped organize the Negro Book Collectors Exchange, which sought to collect and promote books written by African Americans. He was also an active member of the Bethel Literary and Historical Association, president of the Virginia Educational Historical Association, and organizer and officer of the American Negro Academy. In 1872, Cromwell married Lucy A. McGuinn in Washington, D.C. They had seven kids (one died in infancy), but Lucy died in 1887. In 1892, he remarried to Annie E. Conn of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. As a lifelong educator, school was an important part of the Cromwell household. Of his six children, four attended college. John Wesley Cromwell died on April 14, 1927. Villanova University: A Great Thing for our People: The Institute for Colored Youth in the Civil War Era
Cromwell was active in the African American
Mary Elizabeth Ayres, Class of 1858 Mary Elizabeth Ayres was one of four graduates from the Institute for Colored Youth in 1858 and, along with Martha A. Farbeaux (Class 1858), was one of the first female graduates. Like many of her peers, Ayres would use her education to teach African-American children. Ayres was born on July 18, 1842 to Robert B. Ayres, a tailor, and unknown mother. Ayres entered the Institute for Colored Youth in 1854 where her character as a student was described as “generally good.” On May 4, 1858, Ayres graduated from the Institute. The historical record goes quiet until 1860 when the Institute’s Board of Managers reported that Ayres was “teaching in New Jersey – has just but begun.” Ayres taught in New Jersey from 1860 to
1862 until an unknown illness brought her home to Philadelphia. Ayres succumbed to her illness on May 22, 1863 at age 20. Ayres was buried four days later on May 26, 1863. Following her death, the Alumni Association of the Institute for Colored Youth passed a resolution memorializing Ayres. Published in the May 30, 1863 edition of The Christian Recorder, the memorial states, “Whereas, it has pleased our Heavenly Father, in his all-wise dispensation, to remove from our midst in the morning of her life, MARY E AYERS, one of our members, be it therefore. Resolved, that in her death, our association has
lost one of its most cherished members, her friends an esteemed associate, and that in the community, as well as in our organization, is a void which cannot readily be filled. Resolved, that we condole with her bereaved mother in her sore affliction, and point her to that source from which come all true comfort and consolation; and to that strong arm which is ever extended to support and protect the widow. Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be sent to her bereaved mother, and that they be published.” Villanova University: A Great Thing for our People: The Institute for Colored Youth in the Civil War Era
Caring Alumni, Protecting our Alma Mater, Investing in her Future!
Congratulations A BRIGHT BEACON OF LIGHT TO OUR CHEYNEY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE METRO ATLANTA AREA STAYING STRONG TOGETHER TO SUPPORT CHEYNEY!
It is with deepest regret that we inform you of the passing of the following members of the Cheyney University Family. We ask that you please keep their families in your prayers as they strive to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones. Adolphus Williams ’63, ΦΒΣ Anna Fisher ‘62 Annette Holland ‘81, ΔΣΘ Arlene M. Redcross Kane ‘58, AKA Audrey D. Harrell Jones ‘94, ΔΣΘ Barbara Daniel Cox ‘66, ΔΣΘ Barbara Howell Jefferson ‘61 Bard Lewis ‘71 Basil Adams ‘19 Carlton (Jamie) Mosley Carolyn Ross Morgan ‘78, ΔΣΘ Cecilia Elaine Harrison Turner ‘65 Charles Cleveland Jones ‘68, KAΨ Charlotte A. Washington ‘59, ΔΣΘ Charlotte Jane Lambert Adams ‘63 Cinda B. Williams Cora Shirley Turpin Deborah Freeman Williams ‘74, ΔΣΘ Dianne Marie Smith Partee Donicia Miller ‘06 Dr. Ernestine Virginia ’49 Dr. Lucy E. Yates, Ed.D., R.N. Dr. Nancy L. Harper-Appling ‘76 Dr. Naomi Turpin Crumbly ’61, AKA Dr. Paul L. Vance ‘52 Edith Coleman ‘64 Edith Moore Stephens ‘60, AKA Edythe Ford-Bush ‘56 Ethel Brown Jones ‘57 Fitzgerald Christie, ΩΨΦ Floyd Ernest Coleman ‘78 Frank (Smitty) Smith ’77, ΩΨΦ Gail Talida Scott ‘79, SPS George B. Otey ‘60 Gerade L. “Roddy” Smalls ‘99 Geraldine H. Tippin ‘52 Homer L. Lane Jr. Howard C. Jackson ‘64 Inez Ricks Bell ‘53, ΔΣΘ Jacqueline Denny Starr ’45, AKA James Anderson ‘62 James Howard Vance, III ‘64, KAΨ Jeanne Randolph Holmes ‘54, AKA
Joan Y. Miller ‘62 Joanne Carter-Black John Joseph Eberl ‘70 John T. Harris III ‘70 John Gilbert Holmes ‘57, PHM John Wilikes ‘95 Juanita Bullock Pitchford ‘69 Karen Yvette Tindal-Short ‘86, ΔΣΘ Karla R. Summers ’98, ΔΣΘ LaVerne Case ‘59 Leila Melvin-Harris ‘83 Lena King Lee Leonarde Boyer, III Leonore Bivins Triplett Lorraine Smith Bass Louis Coe, Jr. Marcellus Strothers ‘61 Mattie Lee Gabbedon ‘52 Melvin Keith Turner (ΩΨΦ) Merle A. Burnett-O Brian ‘69 Michael Campbell ’17 Mildred Evens Brooks Naeemah Overton Houston Nancy M. Wyche Morgan ‘71 Natasha George ‘95 Nathaniel Teagle Sr. ‘56 Oliver Lofton ‘56 Professor Edger “Sunny” Harris ’58, ΩΨΦ Rachelle Darlene Lewis ‘81, ΔΣΘ Rev. Joseph D. Patterson Sr. ’59, KAΨ Richard “Dick” Brown ‘61, AΦA Richard Allen Carroll Jr. Richard K. Wooden ’64 (ΚΑΨ) Richard Stephen Donahue ’71, AΦA Robert Albert Jackson Jr. ‘74 Robert W. Gorgas ‘69 Robin Gibson Crosby ‘69 Samuel Eldred Johnson Saundra Dickerson ’62, ΔΣΘ Susan E. Waller-Robinson ‘80, ΔΣΘ Thomas C. Lane IV ‘55, ΩΨΦ Tonya Freeman Greene ’94 VanBorn Reginald Van Beverhoudts, Sr. ‘64 Warren Barry McLaughlin ’65
We Would Like to Recognize Your Loved Ones We strive to keep the Cheyney community informed of those who have passed, so we ask that you please email PRCommittee@ cheyneyalum.org the full legal name (maiden and married name, if appropriate), graduation year, and Greek affiliation of your loved one to ensure that he or she is included in the Cheyney Prayers section of the next edition of The Spirit newsletter.
The Time is NOW! The Cheyney University National Alumni Association is Always Looking for Alumni Interested in Serving on the National Board of Directors, and Serving as Volunteers for Alumni Weekend, Homecoming Weekend, as well as Other Standing Committees and Programs.
Are You Ready to Answer the Call? Visit CheyneyAlum.org for More Information About the CUNAA Constitution
Making a Mark in Hotel & Restaurant Management: Yuhanna Muhammed ‘16 Yuhanna Muhammed, Senior Class President of the Cheyney University Class of 2016, can’t get rid of the huge grin on his face. The 25-year-old accomplished his dream—a B.S. degree in Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism Management (HRTM)—and now, he’s on his way to a dream job—Front Office Manager of Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort on Big Island, Hawaii. “I think people underestimate Cheyney. I’m not the only one that has great opportunities ahead of me. Many students have great opportunities and are doing great things. That’s what I miss already,” he admits, “all of the people at Cheyney that motivated me and made me want to be great and get on my game.” Muhammed is determined to make everyone in the Cheyney family and his biological family proud of him. In July 2016, the Pittsburgh, PA native picked up roots and moved more than 4,600 miles away to Hawaii for a career that he loves. The outgoing, ambitious hospitality industry manager earned his stripes by listening carefully to his professors, all of whom have years of hospitality experience, and by excelling in internships that paid off big. Sometimes, Muhammed can’t even believe how far he’s come, especially since he was accepted conditionally at Cheyney when he first arrived in 2010—meaning--he had to prove that he was worthy of being in college because his grades weren’t quite up to par. He buckled down and earned a 3.5 GPA his first semester, but decided to take some time off and work as a Wealth Management Consultant at PNC Bank. When he reenrolled at Cheyney in January 2013, his 3.5 GPA earned him a spot in Cheyney University’s Keystone Honors Academy. Muhammed took advantage of numerous campus organizations, and quickly became became a leader amongst his peers. “I joined over 20 organizations on campus and I learned something from each organization, including how to work with others,” he affirmed.
Whether playing the trombone in the band, being a student ambassador, helping to found Cheyney’s Collegiate 100 chapter or being a member of the Young Democrats, Muhammed tried to always put his best foot forward. By the time he traveled with other Cheyney hospitality students to the annual National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) conference and career fair in 2013, his impressive resume and the way he conducted himself in interviews, landed him multiple internship offers. Muhammed credits his professors with helping him prepare and knock it out of the park every time. “We do that with all of our students,” HRTM Professor Herbert Black explains. “Before we go to the conference, we sit down and look over their resumes, critique them, talk to them, tell them to do their research, and help them prepare for their Interviews. Yuhanna sold himself very well in his interviews. He really goes all out in doing his research.” Muhammed worked for six months during his junior year of college as a fully paid Management Intern at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort in Orlando, FL, worked that summer managing Sodexo’s food and beverage accounts at the Lehigh Valley Medical Network in Allentown, PA, worked his entire senior year as a Sodexo Ambassador promoting job opportunities within the company, and is about to kick it up a notch by taking his management skills to Hawaii. Disney offered him a full-time job in December 2015, but he opted to finish school. Sodexo, Aaramark and Hyatt offered him fully-paid summer internships. Apple and Starbucks offered him full-time management positions upon graduation. In fact, Apple offered him a job overseas in the United Arab Emirates on the Persian Gulf because of his Disney experience and the fact that he speaks Farsi, the most widely spoken persian language, thanks to growing up in a Muslim family.
Muhammed isn’t sorry he chose the hospitality field for a career or Cheyney to obtain his degree. “I think we’re the best program on campus because we’re given so much exposure to the industry and its professional and academic leaders. Our professors are some of the best in the field.” Muhammed’s last act as senior class president was presenting a book scholarship to an underclassmen on behalf of his classmates and the Cheyney University National Alumni Association at graduation. “Nothing makes a school year more difficult than not being able to afford books,” he told the crowd. “I accomplished all that I have because someone believed in me. Let’s remember to pay it forward and pour everything we know into somebody else,” he encouraged. Out of all 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education schools, Cheyney and East Stroudsburg University are the only two that offer HRTM degrees. Story originally appeared on the Cheyney website.
Voted Outstanding Chapter of the Year, Six Times !
Happy
th 180
Anniversary
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
The Cheyney University Alumni Sisters of Swing Phi Swing
Social Fellowship, Inc.
&
Brothers of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc.
Congratulate Our Beloved Cheyney University on its
180th Anniversary Chic Wolverine Chapter - Charter Line 1973 Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Inc.ÂŽ is a non-profit organization dedicated to community service, promoting and achieving academic excellence, and enhancing community and cultural consciousness. Our specific purpose is Supporting Women In Need of Growth, which facilitates the attainment of goals that are necessary for personal and professional growth. Swing welcomes diversity, encourages individuality, and offers a haven for women who feel a strong connection with their ethnic heritage.
Wolf Chapter - Charter Line 1969 To perpetuate the Fellowship’s purposes, the National Office encourages affiliate chapters to participate in and support community service and civic programs aimed at youth mentoring, academic tutoring, scholarships, and activities that address the problems of homelessness, drug abuse, and alcoholism.
A Young Alumna on the Rise: Samih Taylor ‘17
Samih Taylor ‘17 is headed to the top veterinary school in the country--going from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania to Ivy League’s University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Samih Taylor graduated magna cum laude in May 2017 from Cheyney University with not one, but two degrees, a BS in Ecology and a BS in Biology. The highly driven, 22-year-old is headed to the top Veterinary School in the country, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, also known as Penn Vet, a global leader in veterinary medicine education. That has been a dream of hers for a long time. “I cried when I got into Penn Vet,” she admits. “They said that I wouldn’t hear for two weeks but they called me two days later. I thought, ‘wow, this is really happening to me.’ I didn’t think that I was good enough to get into UPenn. I’m the first person in my family to graduate from high school, go to college and to go to grad school. That’s phenomenal.” Phenomenal is the perfect word to describe Taylor. The Keystone Honors Academy (KHA) Scholar has beaten all kinds of odds to achieve almost every dream that she’s ever had. Her list of accomplishments since coming to Cheyney is incredibly lengthy. The recipient of this year’s Provost Award for leadership, Taylor participated in the Duke Global Education Semester on Ecology and Conservation at
the National Reservation in South Africa last fall, one of three fully paid study abroad experiences during her undergraduate days. The highly competitive program that only a few students in the country get to participate in, allowed her to study ecto and haemo-parasite abundance and prevalence in endemic avian speciesin the Kruger National Park. She also worked with SANPark Rangers in the Cape to contribute to ongoing microchip monitoring and data collection for the highly endangered Xenopus gilli, a South African frog. “Samih is an exceptional person, who never ceases to impress me,” shares Dr. Tara Kent, Provost. “Not only is she highly capable intellectually, but she possesses unwavering dedication to learning, personal growth, and professional development. She seizes every opportunity before her, and where none exists she has the vision and drive to create new possibilities. Her dossier reflects this, having participated in several international research programs, experiences in applied ecology and conservation, internships with several laboratories and agencies, and the many scholarships, honors and awards that she’s earned.” In fact, Taylor had five fully paid internships while an undergrad, including a Summer research experience under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration where she researched the explicit effects of industrial and agricultural development on fish in the Chesapeake Bay. She also interned for the
US Department of Natural Resources, testing Pelicans for Avian Influenza and West Nile Virus, which led to her internship with NASA, doing animal research. Taylor also received a full scholarship to study under prominent scientists in Spain and Portugal, learning about the human impact on the environment, and natural systems. She even went back to Spain to present her research at an international conference, and participated in research internships at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Program and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole Massachusetts. Dr. Steven Hughes, Professor of Biology and Director of Cheyney’s Aquaculture Research and Education Laboratory, helped Taylor obtain numerous professional opportunities. He’s gladly written more recommendations for her than he can count. “Samih is a very driven person. She took advantage of every challenge and opportunity that I and others gave her to expand her experience and to make her a more complete scientist than she might have been otherwise. I can’t be more proud of the woman that she has become. She has grown tremendously as a scientist over the past four years and she is showing the maturity of thought that makes me sure that she will be a successful veterinarian no matter where her career path takes her.” Originally featured on the PASSHE website.
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Cheyney’s White House HBCU Initiative All-Star: Anitra Jackson ‘18 Anitra Jackson ‘18 was the only Pennsylvania college student selected to serve as an ambassador for the White House Initiative on HBCUs with the US Department of Education. “I’m speechless. It feels absolutely amazing,” the 19-year-old exclaimed. “I was so enthusiastic about this upcoming year as Miss Cheyney, but now that I hear this news as well, it just makes me even more excited.” Jackson, a three-sport athlete, doublemajoring in computer science and mathematics is on track to complete two degrees in three years. The White House Initiative for Historically Black Colleges and Universities announced its third class after reviewing more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional students in 24 states, the District of Columbia, Ghana, Nigeria and Virgin Islands competed for the honor. U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr., called the HBCU All-Stars exemplars of the talent that HBCUs cultivate. “During the course of one academic school year, the 73 All-Stars will distinguish themselves as exemplars of the talent that HBCUs cultivate and as noble ambassadors of their respective institutions,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “The Initiative is looking forward to working with this third class of All-Stars and is confident this opportunity will allow the Initiative to meaningfully connect with HBCU students and advance academic excellence at their schools.” Jackson said she looks forward to “meeting new people and making some connections I’ll be able to use in my career.” She aspires to become a computer engineer for NASA. “I’m most looking forward to meeting the other students in the program and networking with them in order to gain new and improved leadership skills that I can implement at Cheyney. I hope to make connections and gain new life experiences. I also want to make Cheyney University
proud of me and show my fellow students that they can achieve their goals despite any obstacles in their way. Just because you come from a small school or town, does not mean that you are inferior.” “I chose Cheyney because I wanted to learn more about African American culture along with learning about the extraordinary accomplishments of African Americans,” she explains. “I love the family atmosphere at Cheyney and that the professors and staff members are so personable and eager to help you.” Jackson, a 19-year-old Boothwyn resident, is the oldest of three sisters. She was crowned Miss Cheyney 2016 earlier this year and is a member of Keystone Honors Academy, which provides enrichment programs for high achieving students. She was awarded a full scholarship based on her grade-point-average and SAT scores. “We’re looking forward to working with this new class of HBCU All Stars,” said Kim Hunter Reed, acting executive director, White House Initiative on HBCUs. “Our goal is to provide a unique opportunity for these talented students that exposes them to critical national conversations and thought leaders. No doubt they will make their mark and represent their campuses well.” As an HBCU All-Stars, Jackson will provide outreach opportunities and communications
to fellow Cheyney students about the value of education and encourage them to use the Initiative as a networking resource. She’ll use social media and network with community-based organizations in order to get the word out about proven practices that support all young people in realizing their educational and career goals. According to the US Department of Education, the All-Stars will also participate in the White House HBCU Week Conference, national and regional events, and webinars with Initiative staff and other professionals on a range of disciplines that support a spirit of engagement and personal and professional development. Jackson follows in the footsteps of Ahnyea Graham ‘14, a Chester, PA native who participated in the inaugural class of 2014 White House HBCU All-Stars as part of President Barack Obama’s ambitious goal of America again having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020, African American students have to be better prepared for college and career through raising standards for our nation’s schools. After graduating from Cheyney in 2014, Graham worked in Philadelphia with City Year, an AmeriCorps non-profit program that is education-focused and unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service to keep students in school and on track to graduation and interned for the U.S. Department of Labor. Story from the Cheyney University website.
The Beta Gamma Foundation
The Beta Gamma Foundation (BGF) was founded by 2011 by proud graduates of Cheyney University, who are all distinguished members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, Beta Gamma Chapter. The BGF was established to serve as a vehicle to help students defray the costs of obtaining a quality Cheyney education. The BGF presently has awarded scholarships and financial support to over
30 Cheyney students, with aspirations of benefiting many more. For the past 7 years the BGF signature fundraising event has been the Beta Gamma Foundation Scholarship Weekend. Friday night open event is a comedy Show, this year we feature the “Que’s of Comedy.” The highlight of the weekend is the Saturday evening Black-Tie Scholarship Gala, which typically draws 200-250 attendees.
The evening includes a four course meal, live entertainment, Casino Night, and special presentations. The theme is, “A Night at the Casino.” This year Scholarship Gala Weekend, being held December 1-3, 2017, at the Philadelphia Airport Embassy Suites Hotel. Beta Gamma Foundation Executive Board with the Grand Basileus (International President) of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
James M. Baxter, Jr., Class of 1864 teaching position at the State Street Public School in Newark, NJ. Two months later, Baxter was promoted to Principal at age 19. Baxter became so synonymous with the school that it came to be known as “Mr. Baxter’s School.”
James Miller Baxter, Jr. was born in 1845 to James Baxter and Elizabeth Baxter. According to an early biography of Baxter, his family was a part of the small African-American “middle class.” Baxter enrolled at the Institute for Colored Youth in 1861 at age 16 where he was an outstanding student. It seems as though Baxter was promoted to the Junior Class following his first year and received “honorable mention” for his studies. In May 1864, Baxter was one of ten graduates from the Institute for Colored Youth after scoring 8.24/10 on the final examination. Following graduation, Baxter was elected as an officer of the Frederick Douglass Lyceum, an African-American literary and debate society. On October 24, 1864, Baxter accepted a
As principal, Baxter restructured the school’s curriculum making it more rigorous and upgraded the school building. In 1869, he opened a night school so older, employed African-Americans could be educated. Indeed, Fanny Jackson Coppin described Baxter as having, “developed the school, and it became a very large one, ranking with the best in that city...he kept pace with all the modern systems of teaching and was rated by the educational authorities as a teacher of rare value.” Despite his efforts, Baxter was affected by racism and segregation implicit in the Newark Public School system. For instance, he earned a salary of $57.60 while white teachers earned a salary of $117.44. In 1872, Baxter helped to desegregate Newark High School when his student Irene Pataquam Mulford became the first African-
American to enroll at the school. Baxter retired on July 1, 1909 after 45 years at the State Street School. His retirement forced Newark schools to desegregate since the State Street School, the only AfricanAmerican school Newark, had to close. In addition, at the time of his retirement, Baxter was considered the “Dean” of Newark principals. In 1877, Baxter married Pauline L. Baxter and the couple had five children, Elizabeth Baxter (b.1878), James L. Baxter (b. 1881), George Baxter (b. 1883), Louis Baxter (b. 1885), and Earnest Baxter (b. 1889). Baxter’s children went on to become professionals with one daughter serving as a teacher to African-Americans and another as a dentist. On December 28, 1909, Baxter died at age 64. One of Newark’s first public housing projects was named in his honor and stood until 2012. Today, an apartment complex named Baxter Park has taken its place. Villanova University: A Great Thing for our People: The Institute for Colored Youth in the Civil War Era
William & Marion Shumake ’64, LM 2017 Legacy Brunch Sponsors
William Shumake (ΩΨΦ) and Marion Wiggins Shumake (ΔΣΘ) were married three days before graduation in 1964. They continually give love and support to Cheyney and encourage all who will listen to make financial contribution to their beloved Alma Mater. WILLIAM: I visited Cheyney State College the year before I got out of the service and it was love at first sight. Three years earlier, when I finished high school, I rejected any thought of going to college and joined the Air Force. Shortly after enlisting, I realized that I had made a huge mistake. After my visit to Cheyney, I mused daily as to what I would major in. I was an average student in high school and not really prepared for anything in particular. However, I did know that I had a thirst for how things worked and a better than average aptitude for math. Cheyney gave me the opportunity to attend college, be introduced to many people who became lifelong friends, join Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, obtained a degree, and marry Marion Wiggins. I have often asked what more could a college do for me. The answer is, the opportunity to reach back and help another generation of students to have the same opportunity that we had. To that end, Marion and I have provided financial support to students and encouraged others to do so. We have refrained from any negative statements about Cheyney and have put all of our experiences at Cheyney in a positive light. The reason is simple: we both are deeply indebted to Cheyney for the part it played in making us the people that we are today. We both had successful careers in education. I was a teacher in the Philadelphia School System, a Vice-Principal and a Principal. My advanced Degree is from Temple University. MARION: I was born in Pittsburgh, PA and went from K-12 without ever having seen a Black teacher. As far as college was concerned, it was a no brainer. I was going to a Black College. Well, my mother, having graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, wanted me to go to Pitt, and going to a Black College in the South was absolutely out of the question as far as she was concerned. We battled on and on. Finally, I said that I would not go to college. Well, that statement gave me my break. My mother told me it was not a question of IF but WHERE. I won, and I went to Cheyney! It was not in the South and most importantly, it was Black. My advanced degrees are from Penn State University, a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, with an additional 30 hours in Drug and Alcohol Counseling and 30 hours in Supervision of Special Education also from Penn State University. We were both well prepared to meet the challenges of higher education and to teach in inner city by our preparation received from Cheyney University. Life has defining experiences and our Cheyney experience was one of them for us. We are all aware that there are young people who need to have “That Old Cheyney Experience.” We can all help to assure that this experience is available for them. As Cheyney faces another critical stage of its life with its very existence hanging in the balance it is calling on its loyal sons and daughters to step up their support. For most of us we say we love Cheyney and all Cheyney helped us obtain. We believe it is only fitting that we step up to the plate at this time. If you read this, we are asking that you share the message. It is time to step up your giving. It is difficult for us to believe that you love someone or something and not help when that someone or something is in trouble. Some people say “Give until it HELPS,” and we say, “Make a sacrifice, give until it HURTS.” Giving is a learned trait. Let us set an example for all to follow. Agape, Marion and Mickey
The Cheyney University National Alumni Association Posthumously Salutes Cheyney Alumnus Prof. Edgar “Sonny” Harris ‘58 (ΩΨΦ)
Photo by Craigs Images Photography
For Heeding the Call of Our Beloved Alma Mater
Leaving a Lasting Legacy for Cheyney In Loving Memory of CUNAA Life Member Barbara Daniel Cox ‘66, ΔΣΘ
Past President, Cheyney University National Alumni Association Co-Founder of the Alumni Scholarship Fund Co-Founder of the Alumni Scholars Reception
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T C U P TH A G COCKTAIL RECEPTION Sponsored by The Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Council of Trustees Blue Carpet Host The Emblematic DC Todd National Anthem and Negro National Anthem Lead by The Jenkins Project HOSTS Patty Jackson Radio Personality, WDAS-FM Joyce Evans News Anchor & Reporter, Fox 29 News WELCOME Alphonso R. Coleman, Jr. '72 President, Cheyney University National Alumni Association Aaron A. Walton Interim President, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania INVOCATION Rev. Walter N. Montague, Jr. ‘76 Pastor, Galilee Community Baptist Church DINNER GREETINGS Robert W. Bogle ‘75 Chairman, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Council of Trustees
T C U P TH A G E P 180 YEARS HISTORICAL REFLECTIONS Keith Bingham Cheyney University Archivist CONGRATULATORY GREETINGS & REMEMBERING OCTAVIUS V. CATTO SPONSOR RECOGNITION Ronald L. Swann '76 Vice President, Cheyney University National Alumni Association ALUMNI AWARDS ROLL CALL Gregory Benjamin '81 Chair, Cheyney University 180th Anniversary Celebration Paul Turner ’62 Past President, Cheyney University National Alumni Association CLOSING REMARKS Clarence Williams ‘90 Chair, Cheyney University 180th Anniversary Gala ALMA MATER DANCING Live Entertainment featuring The Jenkins Project Music by DJ Flow
T C U P TH A G N N A Li ev'ry voice and sing, Till earth and heaven ring. Ring with the harmonies of Liberty; Let our rejoicing rise, High as the list'ning 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 chast'ning 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 om the gloomy past, Till now we stand at last Whe the white gleam of our bright star is cast. Where God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou who has brought us thus far on the way; Thou who has by Thy might, Led us into the light, Keep us forever in the path, we pray. Lest our feet stray om 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.
T C U P TH A G A M Cheyney, Cheyney, Alma Mater Thou whose light can never fail. With a deep and true devotion We, thy sons and daughters, hail, Hear the pledge thy children offer Strong of heart and clear of brain, When thou th callest, Alma Mater, Never shalt thou call in vain. Thou has taught us not to falter, To be loyal, brave and true, Striving upward by thy spirit, In whatever we may do; And at last, when we have triumphed Down the long life battle-line, All the honor and the glory, Alma Mater, shall be thine.
Standing On the Shoulders of Giants: Ky’a Jackson ‘94
Dr. Janelle Williams ‘07 Philadelphia native, Dr. Janelle L. Williams is a graduate of Cheyney University, Class of 2007. After earning her Bachelors in Business with a minor in Marketing and Hospitality, she continued her education at The Pennsylvania State University. While at Penn State, she earned her Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration, a certificate in Public Sector Human Resources Management and was certified as a Diversity Relations liaison. In addition, Dr. Williams earned a Master of Education in Student Affairs Leadership from Widener University. Coupling her interest in education and policy, Dr. Williams earned her Ed.D from Widener University in Higher Education Administration and Policy in May of 2017. As a research practitioner, her scholarship examines HBCU College Choice, the intersectionality of race and college selection, and the continued need for HBCU representation in the higher education landscape. Her most recent scholarship, “HBCUs Matter: An Examination of Factors that Influenced the Enrollment of Black Undergraduates Who Attended Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” will be presented at the fifth Annual Black Doctoral Network Conference in October 2017. Recently, Dr. Williams was elected to the Board of Directors at The Cheyney Foundation which supports Cheyney University’s strategic plan and initiatives by providing another formal infrastructure for long-term community, corporate, government, and nonprofit involvement and financial support.
Ky’a Jackson ‘94 has a passion for mentoring and encouraging young people. She put in a lot of hard work to be where she is today, but Jackson says that she received a lot of help at critical times in her life from some very special people. “It is my responsibility to do the same for young people,” said Jackson. Jackson’s teenage years began with the announcement that her mother had Multiple Sclerosis and she was going blind from it. “From that moment, college didn’t seem like an option because I thought I had to stay home and take care of my mother. Luckily for me, she was a fierce fighter and a true believer that you fight until you can’t fight anymore,” said Jackson. “She taught me that you cannot allow your circumstances to define who you are. Hers were the first shoulders I stood on.” Jackson maintained good grades, continued to pursue her passion for the performing arts, and worked a part-time job throughout high school. A mentor encouraged her to go to Cheyney University, and with no idea how she would get the money to afford college, Jackson applied. “The opportunity to attend the oldest Black institution of higher learning made me feel very connected to history. I felt I could make history,” said Jackson. There were no “crystal stairs” at Cheyney. Jackson cared for her mother in New Jersey and maintained good grades.
“I didn’t have money for books so I asked professors to put them on reserve for me,” said Jackson. She had to work off-campus and used work-study to pay for school and bills for her mother. It was tough but there were many shoulders at Cheyney–some to cry on, some to stand on. Cheyney professors and administrative assistants encouraged and helped her be strong. “When I graduated from Cheyney, all the people who helped me were there to cheer me on to the next level of her life,” said Jackson. After graduating from Cheyney, Jackson has been able to work at some very large companies in the field of communications – Independence Blue Cross, PR Newswire, and Comcast Corporation. She currently works in the healthcare industry in Diversity and Inclusion. In all of her positions, Jackson’s focus has been to educate, engage, and encourage young people to be their best. “I remind them that they are brilliant and that they can fight through anything,” said Jackson. “I attend a lot of graduations now at many different schools. The young people and college students I mentor are changing the world. As I watch them walk across the stage, I remember the love Cheyney gave to me.” Jackson is smiling and getting her shoulders ready for the next generation.
Montgomery County Chapter Celebrates 10 Years
Many Cheyney alumni living in Montgomery County were members of the Philadelphia Cheyney Alumni University Chapter. An Abington School District teacher, Ms. Marie Holland, collected membership dues from Cheyney alumni in order to keep the suburbs represented in the Philadelphia Chapter. In 2006, Mr. Paul Turner had a vision. Since the population of Cheyney graduates residing in Montgomery County continued to grow, Mr. Paul Turner approached Dr. Sandra Wilson and MS. Loretta Williams with the idea of forming a Montgomery County Alumni Chapter. He envisioned a chapter that would be viable and a sound support for Cheyney University. They met twice at the home of MS. Loretta Williams to lay the foundation for a new chapter. MS. Kezirah Vaughters was invited to the third meeting and a plan was devised to invite alumni to a meeting. MS. C. Elaine Turner, Mr. Gary Jackson, Mrs. Barbara Jackson, Mr. Fred Nichols, and Mrs. Joanne Nichols answered the first call to find a meeting place. Ms. C. Elaine Turner was employed at Abington Memorial Hospital and was able to secure a meeting room in the hospital. Those who attended the first formal meetings were deemed charter members of the organization. The first officers of the newly formed Montgomery County Cheyney Alumni Chapter were as follows:
President – Kezirah Vaughters Vice President – Paul Turner Recording Secretary – C. Elaine Turner Corresponding Secretary – James Van Beverhoudt Financial Secretary – Christine Williams Treasurer – Fred Nichols Chaplain – Sandra Wilson Each month the executive board met prior to the general membership meeting. The first Membership Drive was held at Abington Memorial Hospital. The agenda included a historical presentation of the university, a discussion of a mission statement for the chapter, and refreshments. The first Financial Drive for scholarship was a Christmas Dinner Dance at the Holiday Inn in Fort Washington, chaired by Sandra Wilson. Last but not least, was a Fund Raiser which was the creation and sale of a Floyd Gordon landscape paintings of Cheyney University. This event was chaired by Fred and Joanne Nichols. The painting was presented to the president to be hung in the administrative office. The Montgomery County Cheyney Alumni Chapter continues to grow and to date has the largest number of life members. Report submitted by Carrie E. Jones ’71 LM.
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Gamma Omega Alumni Association
Gamma Omega Alumni Association proudly supports Cheyney University’s 180th year of existence. We love and honor our beloved Cheyney University and wish many more years of continued success.
The Men of BACA would like to congratulate
Cheyney University on its
180th Anniversary
W W W.M EN O F BA C A .O RG
Cheyney Student is One of the Nation’s First Frederick Douglass Global Fellows: Meghan Sowersby ‘18 Meghan Sowersby ‘18 was awarded a prestigious Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship. She and nine other students from around the nation beat out many students from all over the country to be the first-ever Frederick Douglass Fellows. As such, they participated in a summer study abroad program designed to enhance their leadership and intercultural skills in London, England. The Fellowship, part of a strategic threeyear partnership between CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange and the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions, is a nationwide initiative designed to break down the barriers of cost, curriculum, and culture to make study abroad accessible to students from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). According to the selection committee, all 10 Frederick Douglass Global Fellows are meritorious individuals who demonstrate high academic achievement, possess exemplary communication skills, display the hallmarks of self-determination, exhibit characteristics of bold leadership, and have a history of service to others. In the spirit of Frederick Douglass, one of America’s most powerful intellectuals, communicators, and scholars, Sowersby and her counterparts have committed to sharing their experiences and intercultural growth with peers and classmates before, during, and after their summer abroad. Sowersby is a Communications major who is minoring in Spanish and a member of the Keystone Honors Academy at Cheyney University. “Study abroad allows students to gain so many valuable perspectives and allows them to build relationships internationally, creating a network of positive reinforcement and global understanding,” said Sowersby. She plans to learn as much as she can so that she can come back, share her experiences, inspire others, mentor students and encourage minority students to study abroad.
“These fellows exemplify the wonderful kinds of students that attend Minority Serving Institutions,” said Marybeth Gasman, professor, and Director of CMSI. “They’re determined and inspiring, and they represent the future leaders of our increasingly diverse nation.” “Frederick Douglass was an American icon. He escaped from slavery, wrote and spoke widely on issues of human rights and social justice in America and Europe, and became one of the most influential figures of the 19th century concerning the abolition and suffrage movements, as well as domestic and international relations,” stated James P. Pellow, President and CEO of CIEE. “We’re honored to partner with Penn CMSI to enable a new generation of student leaders to build on their impressive credentials with an international experience to London, similar to Frederick Douglass’ international experience in 1845.” This isn’t Sowersby’s first trip abroad. The outgoing and determined Glenolden, PA native spent this past summer in Spain as part of the PA State System of Higher Education’s Summer Honors Program. The three-week course, The Road to Santiago: A Medieval Pilgrimage from Leon to Santiago de Compostela, was part of an adventure which brought together the academic, artistic, spiritual, and physical realms of life by focusing on and participating in one of the most traditional and perennial activities of human beings–PILGRIMAGE. Like the upcoming London trip, the scholarship paid for everything—travel, lodging and the class. “The trip had many benefits—culturally, spiritually, historically, socially and so much more,” explains Sowersby. “We were able to experience a traditional Spanish and Catholic pilgrimage while living in the 21st Century. Throughout our trip we were able to meet people not only from Spain, but from all over the world. Everyone, no matter who you were or where you came from, had one thing in common—we were all hiking El Camino de
Santiago. In some cases, people didn’t even speak English or Spanish but, somehow, we were all able to communicate and bond over our shared experiences.” “I want to thank Cheyney for allowing me to pursue these opportunities. It has changed my life in ways that I would have never thought possible,” said Sowersby. Cheyney alumna Dr. Norma George, class of 1990 is the Director of International Programs at Cheyney University. “We are particularly excited when students take advantage of programs such as this which are funded, as it alleviates the financial burden on students. Studies show that students who study abroad have a higher persistence and graduation rate than those who do not, and that they are more likely to graduate on time. In addition, they are more competitive when applying for jobs and graduate school,” said Dr. George. “I urge all Cheyney University students to take advantage of opportunities for studying abroad. Information and programs as well as scholarships are available from the Office of International Programs.” Originally featured on the Cheyney website.
CALLING ALL CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY
Grads!!
The Class of
Invites You to Meet, Greet, and Rekindle that
“OleCheyney Spirit” Homecoming, Saturday, October 21, 2017 Meet at the Class of ‘68 tent outside of the Marcus Foster Building Time: 1:00pm to 6:00pm
Donate to the 50th Anniversary Class Gift Checks payable to: Cheyney University Class of 1968 (Memo: Alumni Scholarship for Class of 1968)
Mail to: Cheyney University Class of 1968 • PO Box 7665 • Wilmington, DE 19803
Cheyney’s Apple HBCU Scholar: Tache Johnson ‘18 Tache Johnson ‘18 is one of 34 students selected from more than 1,400 applicants from across the nation to qualify for Apple’s HBCU Scholars Program--a once-in-alifetime opportunity with the technology giant. “Being able to meet the empowering innovative teams at Apple has been a lifechanging experience,” shared Johnson, who was on the west coast for the first time ever. “Everyone has been so nice, people have given me some wonderful advice, and I’ve really learned a lot. I’m super excited I got this.” The Math and Computer Science double major worked in Cupertino, CA. While living in Apple’s corporate housing for interns, Johnson was paid for her efforts, and had the opportunity to receive up to $25,000 in scholarship money for her senior year at Cheyney. The West Philadelphia native had an Apple mentor throughout her experience, received an opportunity to develop key skills, enhanced her resume and helped launch her career through the hands-on experience. This was the second year of the initiative that Apple launched in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). The program is offered to outstanding students with a minimum 3.3 GPA and provides opportunities in the tech industry for students and enhance engagement with faculty on HBCU campuses. While at Apple headquarters for the immersion experience, Johnson learned “more about the company’s culture, ecosystem and community.” Part of the reason the first-generation college student chose Cheyney for undergraduate study was because her 3.4 GPA earned her a full scholarship as part of Cheyney’s Keystone Honors Academy, removing the burden of how she would pay for her education. “I’m going to be the first in my family to graduate with a college degree. Cheyney has helped ease what would have been a big financial burden because I wasn’t sure how
I would pay for school. Cheyney was most definitely the right choice for me and a good fit. The staff has been encouraging, they’ve provided guidance, and even nudged me to apply for opportunities when I might not have otherwise,” admitted Johnson. “The classes are in a smaller setting so you are known as a name and not a number. A CU education gives you the tools you need to succeed and go forth to serve.” Johnson’s initiative and persistence paid off. First, she became an ambassador for the TMCF and was selected to attend a three day all-expenses-paid entrepreneurial training and development conference (Opportunity Funding Corporation) in Atlanta, GA that brought 80 students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) together. Her team placed second in a Hack-a-thon by building a phone app in two days that helps teach children math without giving the complete answer and allows them to learn from their mistakes. A paid 10-week internship with the United States Department of Defense (DOD) in Aberdeen, MD followed where she worked alongside a Physicist within the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate of the Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground. That TMCF-sponsored internship could reportedly lead to a job with the DOD for the energetic Johnson once she graduates in May 2018. “Many times I found myself discouraged and tired in a male-dominated field,” admitted Johnson, who never thought she’d study in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines where African American women are a double minority. She fell in love with computer science at Cheyney, buckled down and decided to give it her all. “I think one should never underestimate your own strengths,” she said. “Everyone has their own purpose and with hard work, determination and faith, you will be able to achieve anything.” She should know. She is living proof. Last November, Johnson attended the TMCF Leadership Conference in Washington, DC and spread her wings.
“I did a lot of networking. I went up to recruiters and introduced myself and gave them copies of my resume. While there, I met the first inaugural class of Apple interns and they were all raving about their experiences. I am in the second class of Apple interns and I can’t wait to go back to California and start working there.” Last August, she was invited to present her research at a science symposium in Maryland. Earlier this month, Johnson held a seminar on campus to encourage other students to step out of their comfort zones and begin to take advantage of all that Cheyney has to offer via partnerships with outside organizations such as TMCF. “I wanted to branch out and be an asset to others by sharing my journey and my story of how I got some of the opportunities that have been offered to me. TMCF helped me build my portfolio in terms of travel, competitions, presenting my work, the leadership institute and so much more,” said Johnson. A member of the National Society of Leadership & Success, the Association for Computing Machinery, and several honors societies, the aspiring computer programmer hopes to pursue a Master’s degree in Engineering once she graduates from Cheyney.
The Harrisburg Internship Semester Program: Mamadou Dia ‘18 & Koffi Herman Kengbo ‘19 Mamadou Dia of Philadelphia is working in the state House Democratic Research Office as part of a 15-week internship sponsored by Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Dia is a political science major at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. Dia, originally from Senegal, is the son of Salit Dia and a 2012 graduate of John Bartram High School. Koffi Herman Kengbo ‘19 of Philadelphia is working in the office of state Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) as part of a 15-week internship sponsored by Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Kengbo is a junior political science major and French minor. Kengbo is the son of Adjanoh-Adanlete Kayi and a 2011 graduate of Lycee de Tokoin High School. The Harrisburg Internship Semester (THIS)
program, provides students the opportunity to work in all areas of state government while earning a full semester’s worth of credits. THIS invites students from each of the 14 State System universities to participate. Students participating in the program also will attend several academic seminars during their spring semester internship. Each of the students will complete an individualized research project as part of the program’s requirements. More than 600 students from the State System universities have participated in THIS since the program began in 1989, each gaining valuable insight into the workings of state government at the policymaking level. Interns have worked with dozens of state agencies, as well as in the offices of the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the attorney general.
A Semester at Sea: Qualyn Meade ‘18 a chance to travel with 700 other scholars. Students, faculty, and “Life-Long Learners” set sail with the Institute for Shipboard Education alongside Colorado University for the opportunity of a lifetime. For Clairton High School graduate Qualyn Meade, Cheyney University is a “school for second chances.” “I know it’s crazy, but I cried when I first got to campus,” said Meade. “I always wanted to go to an HBCU. Cheyney gives students who maybe aren’t the brightest, aren’t the strongest, a chance to thrive and succeed. Finally having that opportunity to start school and be able to do well...It was overwhelming.”
“I wanted to be able to get back to my roots, see people who have a positive outlook and are making an impression on the world as people of color,” he said. “To go to a place where you see an entire community moving forward in the world really gives me a hopeful spirit.” Meade is a social relations major who intends to pursue a career in law. During his sophomore year at Cheyney, Meade enjoyed a Semester at Sea study abroad which gives students from across the globe
Since 1963, each voyage covers a different region of the world in hopes of giving a global perspective to the meaning of a college education. During his Semester at Sea, Qualyn traveled to numerous countries, including: Japan, China, Vietnam, India, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco and England. Meade is a member of the Cheyney University Keystone Honors Academy. Quotes originally published in the Pittsburgh PostGazette via Clarece Polke. Photo credit: Nate Guidry/ Post-Gazette.
We salute our sister Gaynelle Turner Lewis ‘73 2017 Founder’s Day Spirit of 1837 Recipient
A sister is someone more special than words. She’s love mixed with friendship: the best things in life. She’s so much inner beauty blended together with an outward appearance that brings a smile to the happiness in your heart!
The Turner Legacy Family Robert, Jr. Deborah Roderick Rodney Melvin (In Memoriam)
The Greater South Jersey Cheyney University Alumni Chapter
Proudly supports and celebrates the 180th Anniversary of the founding of the Institute for Colored Youth the forerunner of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. When it opened in 1837, ICY was the most unique and innovative institution of its time, no institution existed like it in the United States. GSJCUAC continues the legacy.
Join us! We meet the third Sunday of each month at the Camden County Library at 3 PM in Voorhees, New Jersey
Jacob C. White, Jr., Class of 1857 his studies at the Institute for Colored Youth where he quickly excelled. The Board of Managers’ noted that White’s character as a student was “good always.”
Jacob Clement White, Jr. was born to Jacob C. White, Sr., a barber, physician, and cemetery owner, and Elizabeth White, a seamstress. Born in 1836, White had seven siblings and two were Institute graduates: Martin M. White (b. 1841) and Joseph S. White (b. 1843). White’s father attained significant wealth through his various business endeavors, which placed the White family within the African-American elite. White received the finest education afforded to AfricanAmerican children at the period and had contact with African-American leaders such as William Whipper and Robert Purvis. By age 18, White had already published two articles discussing the need to boycott slave produced goods and promoting the values of temperance. In 1852, White began
In fact, when Pennsylvania Governor James Pollock visited the Institute on May 24, 1855, White was chosen to address the governor. White used the address to challenge African-Americans’ inferior status. White also noted to the governor that, “We are glad, therefore, that in the midst of your numerous engagements, your Excellency has given us an opportunity to present ourselves before you, that you may see that though not recognized in the political arrangements of the Commonwealth, we are nevertheless preparing ourselves usefully for a future day, when citizenship in our country will be based on manhood and not on color.” On May 6, 1857, White was the Institute’s lone graduate and accepted a teaching position at the Preparatory School in the Institute. White taught at the Institute with
“good success” for seven years until he was named principal of the Roberts Vaux Consolidated School, a public school, in 1864. When White took over at Vaux, the school met in a basement and had an enrollment of only 49 students. White went about reforming the school by moving into a new building and enrollment rose to 101 boys and 64 girls. He would remain principal at Vaux for 32 years until his retirement in 1896. White and his friend, Octavius V. Catto, traveled to Harrisburg in 1863 during the midst of the invasion crisis. Following Catto’s death in 1871, White became the preeminent statesmen for Philadelphia’s African-American community. Indeed, W.E.B. DuBois consulted White when working on his classic monograph, The Philadelphia Negro. White married Caroline E. White and would remain active until his death on November 11, 1902 at age 66. Villanova University: A Great Thing for our People: The Institute for Colored Youth in the Civil War Era
Cordelia A. Atwell (née Jennings), Class of 1860
Cordelia A. Jennings was born in New York to William Jennings, owner of a men’s furnishing store, and Mary MacFarland Jennings, a homemaker. Born in 1843, Jennings had two siblings, Caroline Jennings (b. 1845) and George Mifflin Jennings as well as a stepbrother, William M. Jennings, Jr. (b. 1848). In 1856, Jennings enrolled at the Institute for Colored Youth at age 13. Jennings was an exceptional student who won a prize for “study and conduct” in 1859 and a $15 prize for Latin in 1860. On October 15, 1860, Jennings was one of three students to graduate from the Institute. Following graduation, Jennings opened her own school in her mother’s home at 10th St. and South St. in the Pine Ward of Philadelphia. Jennings’ school
quickly became popular and attached thirty African-American students. As a result, Jennings hired three teachers including Institute graduates, Caroline LeCount (Class of 1863) and Mary V. Brown (Class of 1864). Jennings was named principal of the school when it was incorporated into the Philadelphia Public School system in 1864. After gaining recognition from the school board, Jennings moved the school to Ohio Street where it was renamed the Ohio Street Unclassified School. The Ohio Street Unclassified School was prominent within Philadelphia’s African-American community. In fact, the Institute’s 1865 Board of Manager’s report commended Jennings and her school for having “colored teachers teaching colored students.” In 1867, Jennings resigned her position as principal and Caroline LeCount was chosen as her replacement. In February 1867, Jennings moved to Louisville, KY to become the principal of a Freedmen’s school. The Christian Recorder described Jennings’ appointment as
principal as, “this person spoken of in the above extract is Miss Cordelia Jennings, who would not have been appointed to her present position if she did not possess moral worth, education and refinement. According to our American idea, these qualifications in a female constitute her a lady.” The school in Louisville was founded by Joseph Sandiford Atwell, the first AfricanAmerican deacon of Kentucky’s Episcopal Church. Jennings and Atwell would marry on October 29, 1867 and had four children, Joseph Jennings Atwell (b. 1868), Marion L. Atwell (b. 1870), Robert Malcom Atwell (b. 1873), and Earnest Atwell (b. 1878). Joseph S. Atwell died on October 1, 1881. Following Atwell’s death, Jennings historical record goes quiet. Jennings presumably continued teaching until her death on September 29, 1921 at age 78. Jennings died in Philadelphia, but was buried in New York. Villanova University: A Great Thing for our People: The Institute for Colored Youth in the Civil War Era
Congratulations From the Chester Chapter of Cheyney University
Missing Eloise Rothwell, Catherine Murray, Charlotte Beverly, Laura Blenman, Anita Brown, Christine Brown, Bernice Covert, Darcel Howie, Karen Kelly, Alfred Kirkland, Charles Kirkland, Thaddeus Kirkland
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Celebrating 180 Years of Developing Leaders Cambria GrahamOmega Debutante CU Class of 2021 Keystone Honor Student
2017 - 35th Annual “Society’s Promise” Cotillion Stress Relief Goody Bags for Finals
Alums @ Bowling Party
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated Kappa Omega Zeta Chapter Excellence in Montgomery County, PA since 1981
When we expect more, people rise to the level of our expectations. Mary Breaux Wright
International President Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated
2018 Scholarship Applications Now Being Accepted Kappa Omega Zeta Chapter has awarded over $50,000 in scholarships to support the academic pursuits of college bound students in Montgomery County, PA To receive a 2018 Scholarship application, please contact Vanessa Simpson at: 2ndvicepresident@zphibkoz.org
But Don’t Stop There… Get the Scoop about service and leadership opportunities for girls and teens in the Norristown, PA area For details about our youth groups: Email Christine Burnett at: KOZYOUTHGROUP@gmail.com
Kappa Omega Zeta Chapter • Denise McKinney, President www.zphibkoz.org • Facebook.com/ZphiBKOZ • Twitter.com/ZphiBKOZ
Martha A. Minton (née Farbeaux), Class of 1858 Martha A. Farbeaux was born in South Carolina to Jacob Farbeaux, a painter from New York, and Catherine Perot, a homemaker from South Carolina. Born in 1838, it is unknown why or when Farbeaux moved to Philadelphia. In any case, Farbeaux began at the Institute for Colored Youth in 1853 where her character as a student was listed as “good always.” On May 4, 1858, Farbeaux was one of four to graduate and, along with Mary E. Ayres, was the first female graduate of the Institute. Following graduation, Farbeaux stayed on at the Institute by accepting a teaching position in the Girls School. The 1860 Board of Manager’s report noted Farbeaux’s position as “Assistant Teacher of the Female Department” and indicated that she was “teaching with good success.” The Christian Recorder described Farbeaux’s teaching style as “very zealous.” In 1861, Farbeaux was elected as a member of the executive council of the Alumni Association of the Institute for Colored Youth. Farbeaux was also active in contraband relief efforts and donated clothing destined for a contraband camp in Alexandria, VA.
In 1863, Farbeaux married William H. Minton, a classmate at the Institute who did not graduate. Minton was a prosperous caterer, an active member of the Banneker Institute, an accomplished flute musician, and a friend of Octavius Catto. In fact, W.E.B. Du Bois described Minton as running, “a restaurant at Fourth and Chestnut, and became, as the others did, moderately wealthy.” Shortly after being married, Farbeaux gave birth to two children, Mary F. Minton (b. 1864) and William Minton (b. 1866). Farbeaux resigned her teaching position at the Institute on October 4, 1864 and would not teach again until after William Minton’s death. In 1885, Farbeaux was listed as teaching kindergarten in a place called a “bee hive” school. She later moved on to teach at a Quaker school at Locust St. and Rasberry Alley in Philadelphia. By 1902, Farbeaux was back at the Institute for Colored Youth as a “drawing” instructor. Fanny Jackson Coppin, Principal of the Institute, noted that Farbeaux, “was an
excellent teacher and endeared herself to all who came under her. She is still living, and the solitary link between the original school and today.” It is unknown when or if she retired, but Farbeaux died on July 3, 1921 at age 83. She was buried at Eden Cemetery. Villanova University: A Great Thing for our People: The Institute for Colored Youth in the Civil War Era
John Quincy Allen, Class of 1862 John Quincy Allen was one of three men to graduate from the Institute for Colored Youth in 1862. While few records remain to provide details about his life, Allen was a pioneer for African American teachers, especially in Philadelphia. John Quincy Allen was born sometime around 1843 to Joseph W. Allen, a barber, and his wife Elizabeth. After graduating from the Institute for Colored Youth, Allen broke the color-line of public school teachers by getting a teaching position at the Banneker Colored School in 1862. To get the job he beat out thirty white candidates. He left this position in 1864 to replace Jacob C. White, Jr. at the Institute for Colored Youth, who was leaving to become Principal of the Roberts Vaux Consolidated School. Allen was also active in the city’s African American community. In November 1863, he spoke at an event honoring the 3rd Regiment USCT. Three years later he spoke at a meeting of the Colored People’s Union League Association on the subject
of streetcar segregation. He was also a member of the Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League. But despite his active role in the community, Allen did not remain in Philadelphia. On August 12, 1869, he married Emily Purvis, the granddaughter of Philadelphia abolitionist Robert Purvis. Shortly thereafter the couple moved to Albany, New York, accompanied by John’s younger sister Laura, where he worked as a schoolteacher. He also served for a time as Principal of the Wilberforce School. In addition to teaching, Allen continued to be active in the social and political community. On October 6, 1872, for example, he spoke at meeting of African Americans supporting Ulysses Grant’s Presidential campaign. The reporter described Allen as an “an accomplished and eloquent speaker.”
Unfortunately, Emily died in childbirth in 1872, leaving Allen with a daughter, Annie. By 1880, Allen was living in Brooklyn, New York. He had married again to a woman named Alice, and had two sons, John and Junius. He was still teaching. In October 1883, newspapers report that Allen was Principal of the Colored Public School No. 2 and, by 1890, he was Principal of P.S. No. 68 in Brooklyn. John Quincy Allen died on August 22, 1905 in Manhattan, New York. He was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Brooklyn. Allen was a model example of the Institute for Colored Youth’s goal of producing quality black teachers to educate the African American community both in Philadelphia and beyond. Villanova University: A Great Thing for our People: The Institute for Colored Youth in the Civil War Era
Continue the Legacy! Cheyney University of Pennsylvania The Nation’s First Historically Black College and University 180th Anniversary
Pamela L. Hadley, D.O. Class of 1979
Thank You for the Spirit and Vision of our Ancestors Thank You to all who support their Wisdom, Knowledge, and Courage Thank You for the Resources of Richard Humphreys and George Cheyney Thank You to the Ray Twins Louetta Hadley and Louise Watkins, Class of 1954 Thank You to John Hadley, Sr., Temple University, Class of 1954 Humbled to have Chosen Cheyney!
2350 W. Cheltenham Avenue Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19150 215-548-0878
1727 W. Erie Avenue Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140 215-225-6650
Only 4% of U.S. Physicians are African American
In loving memory of our beloved Richard Hamilton Brown, Sr. ’61 Dick loved Cheyney University. . Our legacy lives on with one granddaughter, Jasmine Richardson ‘17, who graduated with a major in Chemistry and our 2nd granddaughter, Erika Baylor, has started Cheyney University as a freshman, Fall ’17, majoring in Biology. Dickie H. Brown ‘61
The Brown’s 2016 Cheyney Legacy Family Supporting Cheyney University 180th Anniversary Stephanie Puryear, Jasmine Richardson ‘17, Evelyn N. Matthews Brown ’75 life member, Christopher H. Brown, Jr., Christopher H. Brown, Sr. ‘14, Erika Baylor, freshman, Stephanie Brown, Graduate School, and Richard Hamilton Brown, Sr.’61 life member.
[Hours]
(xxx) yyy-yyyy
CONGRATULATIONS Cheyney University of Pennsylvania On 180 Years of Serving the Community as the 1st African American Institution of Higher Education From
Elizabeth (Betty) Berry-Holmes ‘59 Montgomery Chapter, Cheyney University Alumni Association Constitution Committee, Cheyney University National Alumni Association Past President, Cheyney University National Alumni Association Rho Theta Omega, Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. St. Luke's Episcopal Church Germantown, PA Chu
Berry, Holmes Family and Friends Lewis & Abigail Berry Lewis T. Berry William & Starr Berry William L. Holmes, Sr. Marlene B. Graham Roger & Carol Harmon Adrienne A. Harris
Heinrich & Anna Heuer Valdreace Hutcherson Regina Lawson Anthony C. McIntosh Norma (Holmes) Santos Charles & Nancy Reid David Valentine Kezirah M. Vaughters
CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY ALUMNI CHAPTER OF PHILADELPHIA PRESENTS OUR ANNUAL FALL JAZZ BRUNCH
PROUD
HBCU
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
ALUMNI
STANTON FAMILY Junious Stanton ~ Cheyney University Martha Reid Works ~ Norfolk State University Leathia Carroll ~ Norfolk State University Valencia Holloman ~ Norfolk State University Edith Reid DeLoatch ~ AKA ~ Norfolk State University Lawrence Cox ~ Virginia State University Stephen Cox ~ Virginia State University Garland Reid ~ Virginia State University Kiara Brown ~ ~ Virginia State University +Lloyd Stanton ~ Virginia State University Charetta Reid Walls ~ AKA ~ Virginia State University Virtley Brown ~ ~Elizabeth City State University Sarika Reid ~ Clark Atlanta University +Leathia Eley Cox ~ Norfolk State University
HARMON FAMILY Sonjia Harmon Stanton ~ ~ Cheyney University Myrna Harmon Cooper ~ Cheyney University Shelley Harmon ~ Cheyney University Ishmael Abdul Salaam ~ Cheyney University Najah Goodwyn ~ Cheyney University Jasmin Richardson ~ North Carolina Central University Beth Harwell ~ ~ Florida A&M University Corinn Butler ~ ~ Bennett College Jasmine Rice ~ Howard University Renee Smith ~ Cheyney University Brenee Waters ~ Cheyney University +Kimberle Holsey ~ ~ Morgan State University +Arnold Lewis ~ Tuskegee University +Ora Owens Lewis ~ Tuskegee University
+ In Memoriam
Congratulations to Cheyney University for 180 Years of Educational Empowerment
THEN
NOW
Laura Blenman, REALTOR® Cheyney University Class of '78 Licensed in DE and PA Office 302-477-5500 · Cell/Text 610-733-1508 laura.blenman@foxroach.com • Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) • Military Relocation Professional (MRP) • Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) including relocation services • Certified Residential Property Specialist (CRS)
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Alice Greenhowe Wootson, class of 1960
Alice Greenhowe Wootson graduated with a degree in Elementary Education from Cheyney. She later earned a Master’s Degree in Education, also from Cheyney University. After teaching for thirty-one years, Alice embarked on her second career as writer. She is an award-winning poet and a novelist. She is a member of the Philadelphia Writers Conference, The Mad Poets Society and The Authors Guild. Alice’s first novel, Snowbound with Love, was released after she retired as a Language Arts Specialist from the School District of Philadelphia. Most of her novels have a Philadelphia connection and some are set entirely in the Philadelphia area. Many of her ideas come from current events. Border Love and Border Danger are her eleventh and twelfth novels. They are suspense novels set in Brownsville, Texas, on the Texas/Mexican Border. The main characters are Border Patrol Agents. Alice is pleased to announce the release of her thirteenth novel, What’s in a Name? It is also a suspense novel. Alice is available to present writing workshops and meet with book clubs and readers. She can be reached at the following: agwwriter@email.com. Information about all thirteen novels are available on her website: www.alicewootson.net.