Oakwood University Awarded UNCF Career Pathways Grant to Improve Job Placement Outcomes for Graduates

Oakwood University is among 30 colleges have been selected as planning grant awardees for UNCF's new Career Pathways Initiative (CPI), a highly competitive grant process open to four-year historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly black institutions (PBIs) to help students gain the knowledge, preparation, insight and skills needed for meaningful employment upon graduation.

Lilly Endowment Inc. committed $50 million in October 2015 to launch the UNCF� Career Pathways Initiative to improve the job placement outcomes of graduates from HBCUs and PBIs. Institutions will employ various strategies to achieve this goal, including aligning curricula with local and national workforce needs, developing intentional career pathway options for students across their collegiate experience, and strengthening their career service operations. The collective planning grant distribution totals $2.55 million. With a student enrollment of 1,733, Oakwood University is on Tier II on the distribution scale, and as such, Oakwood will receive a grant of $100,000.

"We applaud all of the institutions that put their best foot forward in the interest of their students' future careers, and we commend the 30 institutions that were selected," said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF president and CEO.

The rigorous and competitive grant process opened in December 2015 to 87 eligible public and private institutions, of which 81 were HBCUs and six were PBIs. The eligible institutions must have met select criteria, including being an accredited four-year degree-granting institution that awards most of its degrees at the bachelor's level. Of the 87 eligible institutions, 70 applied for the planning grant and 30 were selected as grantees.

Of the 30 recipients, 29 are HBCUs and one is a PBI. Twenty-three of the selected grantees are among the 37 private UNCF-supported institutions. The six-month planning grants are one-time awards that help the institutions research and envision programs that will strengthen their efforts to prepare students for sustaining and meaningful careers. Award amounts vary based on the institution's student enrollment.

CPI is designed to support participating institutions to strengthen career guidance and leverage the liberal arts education of students by adding-where needed-certain skills, experiences and

knowledge required by employers. Programs will be expected to engage college faculty in the development of curricula that is aligned with workforce needs to better prepare students to compete in careers of their choice. The initiative also will help institutions build partnerships with local and national employers and improve student career services.

Oakwood University Scheduled to Graduate Over 390

More than 390 members of the Class of 2016 have been approved to participate in the Oakwood University Commencement exercises, scheduled for May 5-7.

Events include the Education Teacher Dedication Ceremony, the Nurses Pinning Ceremony, the Religion and Theology Dedication Ceremony, the Social Work Pinning Ceremony, the President's annual Senior Reception, Consecration, Sabbath School, Baccalaureate, and Commencement.

Click here to see the complete schedule of activities.

Ambassadors Honored at City Council Meeting

On April 14, Oakwood's Mens Ambassadors basketball team was recognized by the Huntsville City Council, for their Division I Championship in the USCAA. Councilman Will Culver presented the team with a proclamation recognizing the team's achievement. (Photo by Kenny Anderson)

Oakwood Finishes in Honda's "Elite Eight"

by Mary Oberembt, vice president, College Bowl Company, Inc.

In February, 64 institutions faced off at National Qualifying Tournaments of the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge. In April, Oakwood University was one of only 48 competing for the 27th annual National Championship.

We are proud of the Oakwood Ambassadors for their top 8 finish! The other finalists in this year's Elite Eight included: Alabama State, Benedict College, Chicago State University, Morehouse College, North Carolina Central University, and Spelman College. Oakwood University team member Greg T. Edouard was selected as a divisional all-star.

As a 2016 Quarter Finalist with an All-Star player, Oakwood's grant this year is $11,000. The team's Final 8 game may be viewed at: http://www.hcasc.com/nct16/videos.asp.

During Oakwood's 20 years of competition at the NCT, the Ambassadors have amassed an exceptional record as: a 2-time National Champion (2008 & 2009), a 2-time Semi Finalist, and a 3-time Quarter Finalist, earning a total of $291,000 in grants.

(Back row, l-r) Ryan Smith, dean for enrollment and career services; Greg Edouard, team member. (Middle row, l-r) Sesly Huerfano, team member; Kenesha Bennett, team captain; Olivia Campbell, team member; David Knight, vice president for student services. (Seated) Dr. Rennae Elliott, coach.

Historical Items Found in Moran Hall

by Paulette McLean Johnson, director, Library Services

Paul Miekle, an electrician at Oakwood University, recently made a discovery in the attic of Moran Hall. After a brief look at the items, it was determined that the items included correspondence and other documents from the Moran administration (1932-1945). President James L. Moran was the third president of Oakwood, and the first African-American to hold this position. Paul is pictured (left) presenting his "treasure trove" to University Archivist, Mrs. Heather Rodriguez-James. Items will be carefully preserved for research purposes.

Employee Notes

Dr. Keith Augustus Burton, '87, director of the Center for Adventist-Muslim Relations, recently received notice that he has been admitted to the 2016 Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program. The seminar will take place during the entire month of June in Senegal, West Africa, where he will join 15 professors from higher education institutions across the United States.

This year's seminar theme focuses on Senegal's success in fostering religious pluralism in a majority Muslim society, with a particular emphasis on Christian-Muslim relations. Dr. Burton will focus on the benefits of affirming interfaith diversity as he develops methods for transferring these skills in an interdisciplinary environment.

Sponsored by the United States Department of Education, the Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program is the result of a 1961 Congressional act that encourages cultural exchange between American academics and their counterparts in other parts of the world. Institutional support will also be provided by the Division of Research and Faculty Development at Oakwood University.

Did you know Dr. George Ashley, '87, professor of Social Work, starred in a 1978 short film titled "Voice of the Fugitive"? The slavery era film was produced by the national Film Board of Canada and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. One of his co-stars, Delroy Lindo, went on to achieve quite a level of success by Hollywood's standards, appearing in such films as Malcolm X, Glory & Honor, The Cider House Rules, This Christmas, and Point Break. Hollywood's loss has been Oakwood's gain!

Alumni News

Toussaint Williams, '01, recently completed the requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Character Education from Regent University. After completing undergraduate degree in Ministerial Theology at Oakwood, Toussaint completed a Master's of Divinity degree at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, and served as a pastor in the South Central Conference. He began his doctoral studies in Character Education while serving as an educator at Pine Forge Academy. He is currently an Associate Pastor at the Oakwood University Church, as well as an adjunct professor for the Religion and Theology and the Social Work Departments at Oakwood University.

This past Saturday night, many, if not all, of Oakwood's students were getting in that last-minute studying for their finals, scheduled for April 24-28. With this kind of preparation comes a lot of stress and late night "burning the midnight oil." Since most of the alumni remember those days (some not so long ago), the Oakwood University Alumni Association (OUAA) embarked upon an initiative to assist the students during their late night study sessions.

Dr. Laura Williams Davis, '83, Oakwood University Board Member, and Emile Parker, '83, OUAA regional vice president, helped implement "Midnight Pancakes on the Lawn" to give students a bit of an energy boost by hosting a "late night pancake bash." Laura, Emile, and 25 other alumni, rolled up their sleeves, cracked open the pancake mix, and fried up some hash browns, all for the Oakwood students.

Chef hats, aprons and gloves were distributed to the several Oakwood staff members and local alumni, for cooking and serving the late night meal. The students came out to the lawn in front of Carter Hall, and enthusiastically stood in line to get a short or long stack of pancakes with all the trimmings (strawberries, bananas, chocolate chips, almonds, blueberries, whipped cream), and hash browns. One student said, "I am more prepared now, since I can focus on my studies and not on my stomach. Thanks, Oakwood Alumni."

This is the first exclusively funded event from OUAA's new Forever 10 initiative where alumni donate a minimum of $10 monthly that goes towards OUR STUDENTS through scholarships, OUR UNIVERSITY through supporting capital campaigns, and finally OUR ALUMNI and PRE-ALUMNI through engagement and connectivity in doing events like "Midnight Pancakes on the Lawn." To learn more about Forever 10 and see more pictures from this event, visit the OUAA website, www.oakwoodalumni.org. Thanks Oakwood Alumni and their Forever 10 donors.The Alumni Association is looking to make "Midnight Pancakes on the Lawn" an annual event.

Would you like to share Alumni news with us? Please send to [email protected].

Pollard's Places

This week, I've been traveling to and from Kenya, to attend the inauguration of my friend Delbert W. Baker, Ph.D., '75, as the second vice chancellor/president of the Adventist University of Africa (AUA), located outside of Nairobi.

The inauguration theme was "Onward and Upward." Also in attendance were representatives from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists: Dr. Ella Simmons, vice president; Dr. Lisa Beardsley-Hardy, director of education; and Dr. Willie Oliver, director of family ministries.

Founded in 2006, AUA is a General Conference educational institution that offers graduate programs in ministerial leadership, and selected areas of health care. It primarily serves the three African Divisions: East-Central Africa, Southern Africa-India Ocean and West-Central Africa. I have personally assured the Bakers that they have our prayers, best wishes, and full support as they take up this important responsibility.

Pictured with me (l-r) are three Vice-Chancellors from Africa, Dr. Baker, and Dr. Willie Oliver.

Picture of the Week

Exam Caf� is one way the Eva B. Dykes Library supports student success at Oakwood University. For the past five years, the Library and the Division of Student Services have sponsored Exam Caf� by providing nourishing foods to help students through the long hours of study during the week of final exams.

About Oakwood

The mission of Oakwood University, a historically black, Seventh-day Adventist institution, is to transform students through biblically-based education for service to God and humanity.