Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 5-30-17

HBCU News
HBCU Grad Launches Uber-Typed Business To Transport Children
Howard University Graduate
Receives Offer To Be Software
Engineer At Twitter
HBCU graduates con- tinue to come up with inno- vative ways to brand practical, everyday services as their own and LaQuita Foreman is no exception to this new phenomenon.
A D.C. native, LaQuita started her professional journey in 2008, while at- tending Saint Augustine’s University.
“Quita” as her peers af- fectionately referred to her, graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journal- ism & Mass Communica- tions.
Post graduation, Quita
transport children. Catering to residents in the D.C. area, Quita’s goal is to support parents who need assistance getting their children where they need to be safely, with- out effecting their work schedule. Her idea mani- fested after struggling to find the flexibility to get her own children to school.
Natural Sproutz will offi- cially launch in June of 2017. Quita’s ultimate goal is to continue striving to create better experiences for chil- dren, so that they grow to be functioning adults in our so- ciety.
Boluwatife Aiki-Raji, also known as Bolu, has been offered a position from Twitter working as their Soft- ware Engineer upon graduat- ing from Howard University.
Prior to attending Howard University, Bolu attended a technical school after taking a year off from graduating high school at Olashore Interna- tional School in Nigeria.
While attending Howard Bolu was exposed to various opportunities in his career path that any student would consider an honor to receive.
Bolu served as a Google EDGE Participant his fresh- man year and continued to move full speed ahead earn- ing a full-time role at Twitter his senior year; all opportuni- ties he says have been pro- vided by Howard University.
Bolu attended a Dinner hosted by Twitter on campus. A recruiter from Twitter has-
Boluwatifi Aiki-Raji, aka Bolu will head straight to work.
known Bolu since his fresh- man year and so this gave him an opportunity to sell himself and his interest in the company. Bolu then went through a rigorous interview process including one with CEO Jack Dorsey; soon after he received the offer.
Bolu describes it as a wonderful feeling to be of- fered this position.
NATURAL SPROUTZ
decided to take a different route and pursue teaching as a profession. In 2016, she registered her first business, Natural Sproutz, LLC.
Natural Sproutz is a unique and reliable way to
NFL Draftees From HBCUs Headed To Rookie Training Camp
HBCU players Chad Williams and Tarik Cohen are headed to rookie training camp.
Former FAMU Trustee Offers Blueprint For Choosing Next FAMU And Other HBCU Presidents
Rev. R.B. Holmes, Jr., (left) sent a detailed blueprint to FAMU’s Board of Trustees earlier this month, while FAMU’s national alumni association president Lt. Col. Gregory Clark (cen- ter), was happy the alumni were being included in the process. Larry Robinson (right) is now serving as FAMU’s interim president.
The NFL Draft hasn’t seen this many HBCU prospects since 2011. A total of 18 HBCU athletes were drafted.
The list includes: Chad Williams, Grambling State to the Arizona Cardinals; Tarik Cohen, North Car- olina A&T, to the Chicago Bears; Grover Stewart, Al- bany State to the Indianapo- lis Colts; Jylan Ware, Alabama State to the Oak- land Raiders.
FREE AGENTS: Ezra Robinson, Tennessee State to the Jacksonville Jaguars; Zavian Bingham, Jackson State to the Baltimore Ravens; Jessamen Dunker, Tennessee State to the New York Giants;
Jac’Que Polite, Winston- Salem State, to the Buffalo Bills; Verlan Hunter, Grambling State, to the Washington Redskins; Rod- erick Henderson, Ala- bama State to the Tennessee Titans, Dan Williams, Jackson State to the Oakland Raiders.
Javarius Leamon, South Carolina State to the New York Jets; Kevin Ken- ton, Tennessee State to the New York Jets; Ronald But- ler, Tennessee State to the Seattle Seahawks; Derrick Griffin, Texas Southern to the Minnesota Vikings; Bruce Thompson, Langston University to the New Orleans Saints.
When Florida A&M Uni- versity national alumni con- vened in Baltimore for their annual convention last week, they got a chance to say what they wanted to see in the university’s next president.
The FAMU National Alumni Association met in Baltimore Thursday through Sunday.
Thursday’s meeting was the fourth listening session held by the Board of Trustees Presidential Re- view Committee.
Last month, the commit- tee met with students and had two sessions with fac- ulty.
The gathering is being held against the backdrop of efforts by a key FAMU sup- porter to shape the presi- dential search process.
Earlier this month, the Rev. R. B. Holmes, Jr., pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, newspaper and radio station owner sent FAMU trustees a detailed blueprint covering 15 cate- gories he’s offering not only
for FAMU’s profile, but qual- ities other historically black colleges and universities can use in identifying presiden- tial candidates.
Holmes, a former FAMU trustee, said the blue- print was developed after conversations with former trustees, retirees, alumni, students, former university presidents, and “a host of community leaders who un- derstand the historical and futuristic significance of FAMU and other HBCUs.”
In his memo, Holmes says, “We must have a highly acclaimed academician at the helm of this university who has the experience and the influence to raise signif- icant dollars for the univer- sity.”
For instance, he’s sug- gesting the next president should be capable of raising a half-billion dollars by 2022.
Trustees repeatedly have said interim FAMU Presi- dent Larry Robinson will be kept in the loop through-
out the process and he won’t be excluded from considera- tion for the permanent post.
Trustees also have yet to decide if they will conduct a national search for the pres- ident.
Lt. Col. Gregory Clark, FAMU National Alumni Association presi- dent, said it was important for alumni to have their voices heard.
“As you are keenly aware, many of our HBCUs are fac- ing a perilous academic and fiscal fate,” Clark said. “We, as alumni, are the guardians of FAMU. It is imperative that we focus on the keys to our existence... our students. Therefore, we must voice our concerns about the im- portance of choosing some- one whose leadership skills and academic savvy are solid to move FAMU forward.”
On last Monday, Rev. Holmes said a national search would be in the uni- versity’s best interest, but trustees must consider Robinson for the top post.
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