145 Points of Pride

Alabama A&M University

"145 Points of Pride"

 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

1. Alabama A&M University (AAMU) has an economic impact of over $350 million statewide and $228 million on the region, according to the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce.

2. Through its more than 6,100 students and 1,092 em­ployees, AAMU is ranked No. 19 among the Top 20 largest employers in the Tennessee Valley region.

3. In the last decade, Alabama A&M University has expended over $54.1M on facilities, renovations, upgrades and deferred maintenance.

4. Alabama A&M University secured a $96 million re­financing package through the U. S. Department of Education [the largest ever for an Historically Black College and Univer­sity (HBCU)] to restructure debt and to build a new 580-bed residence hall facility and major infrastructure on Meridian Street.

5. AAMU became a part of a list of prominent donors to a project designed to expand public library presence in North­west Huntsville by fall 2020. President Andrew Hugine, Jr., and members of the University cabinet joined forces with other community organizations to help move the Huntsville Public Library closer to its $4.5 million goal to enhance the Bessie K. Russell Branch Library.

6. AAMU announced acquisition of the state of Alabama’s first electric buses. Moreover, the University and Toyota Motor Compa­ny North America are collaborating in a student-led mobility initiative to engage the local community in efforts to find bet­ter ways to connect people to education and jobs, and expand usage of zero or low emission vehicles.

 

INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND STATE DISTINCTIONS

7. Because of AAMU’s significant production of STEM graduates, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office selected AAMU to host “Building a Legacy of Impact Through Invention,” a Black History Month 2020 program attended by African-American inventors Jim West, founder (electret microphone) and Victor Lawrence (signal processing in telecommunications).

8. The Hundred-Seven, an organization created to posi­tively promote HBCUs, ranked Alabama A&M University #3 in the nation in the production of African American Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors. Alabama A&M University is also one of the top 50 colleges in the U. S. in graduating African-Americans with bachelor’s degrees in computer science, engineering, math and science. AAMU is one of the top 10 HBCUs for graduating black engineers and mathematicians, and it is Top 10 for online instruction (collegechoice.net).

9. NBA Hall of Famer, Charles Barkley, made a $1 mil­lion commitment to Alabama A&M University, the largest philanthropic commitment from an individual in the history of the institution.

10. Alabama A&M University is home to a campus branch of Redstone Federal Credit Union. The Ala­bama A&M University Branch powered by Redstone Federal Credit Union is the first credit union branch on a university campus. The AAMU Campus Branch provides face-to-face cash transactions via an ATM virtual assistant. Out of 5,757 credit unions in the United States, Redstone FCU ranks 36^th, with $5.3 billion in assets (2019).
11.  Alabama A&M University is the site of a coveted Confucius Institute, one of about 100 such entities in the United States and one of only four located on a HBCU campus. The Confucius Institute of AAMU (CI-AAMU) promotes the study of Chinese language, history, customs and culture.

13. The College of Business and Public Affairs earned initial accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) in November 2019. Synonymous with the highest standards of quality, AACSB accreditation inspires new ways of thinking within business education globally and, as a result, has been earned by only 5 percent of the world's schools offering business degrees at the bachelor’s level or higher.
14. United States Cabinet-level administrators have visited the campus on a wide range of initiatives pertaining to their unique missions. Among them were United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack; U. S. Department of Education Secretaries Arne Duncan and John B. King; and Attorney General Eric Holder. 

14. In December 2019, the University cel­ebrated the 50th Year anniversary of AAMU’s designation as “university,” as well as the establishment of the AAMU Foundation. Michael Eric Dyson was the keynote speaker. 

15. Alabama A&M University, is recognized as a Top 10 Gold-Level Military Friendly School, the only HBCU with such a distinction. This distinction reveals that AAMU’s commitment to serving the military and veteran community is comprehen­sive in scope and meaningful in terms of actual outcomes and impact. 

16. Alabama A&M University has been designated “Storm Ready” by the National Weather Center. AAMU is now part of the Weather-Ready Nation and is fully prepared for the campus’ increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events. It is part of 11 Alabama colleges with the designation and only two HBCUs with the distinction. 

17. Olmsted and Olmsted was commissioned by the State of Alabama to layout the Alabama A&M University campus in 1928. The firm was started and managed by Frederick Law Olmstead, Sr., designer of New York City’s Central Park. However, this Olmsted brother had retired when this commissioning took place. 

18. Alabama A&M University has been named a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has begun recognizing the noteworthy level of engagement that selected Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have achieved with the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program.  AAMU has been named one of the 19 HBCUs to receive this distinction.
19. The engineering facility, which houses a STEM Knowledge Center, is named for Arthur J. Bond, former dean and late “Father of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).” Bond was integral in the founding of the organization at Purdue University and has been honored as “Dr. Bond and the Chicago Six.” 

20. Based on a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Partici­pation (LSAMP) report, Alabama A&M University enrolls and graduates the largest number of minority STEM students in the State of Alabama. 

21. Alabama A&M University President Andrew Hugine, Jr., signed in February 2020 the Presidents’ Commitment to Food and Nutrition Security. By signing this agreement, Hugine and AAMU join the Presidents United to Solve Hunger (PUSH) consortium of more than 115 universities dedicated to ending hunger on college campuses around the world. 

22. Alabama A&M University’s forestry program is ac­credited by the Society of American Foresters and is one of only two programs at HBCUs. 

23. AAMU boasts the only accredited (Planning Ac­creditation Board - PAB) undergraduate Community Planning program among HBCUs in the country and in the state of Alabama. Of the four HBCUs offering the degree, AAMU is the only one that offers both the undergraduate and master’s programs accredited by PAB. Community and Regional Planning achieved accredita­tion reaffirmation for both undergraduate and graduate programs through the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB). 

24. AAMU established the state’s first computer science program in 1969 with the assistance of the late Clyde Foster, who was an administrator on loan from NASA. 

25. The Forestry, Ecology and Wildlife Program achieved reaffirmation of its accred­itation by the Society of American Foresters. 

26. AAMU houses the Virginia Caples Lifelong Learn­ing Institute (VCLLI) named in honor of the late Dr. Virginia Caples, retired 1890 administrator, professor, and two-time interim president of Alabama A&M University, the first such center at an 1890 institution of higher learning. VCLLI partners with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System in the sponsoring of the Successful Aging Initiative in Madison County. The purpose of the Successful Aging Initiative is to address issues impacting Alabama’s Baby Boomers and older adults. 

27. The Department of Food and Animal Sciences offers the only Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) certified food science program at a historically black college or university (HBCU) in the U. S. The Food and Animal Sciences Depart­ment is the oldest Ph.D. food science program among HBCUs in the U. S. 

28. The Rehabilitative Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).  Through its partnership with the University of Memphis, AAMU is the only HBCU among 261 programs that offers the Bulldog Learning Independence Fostering Education and Employment (LIFE) for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.  Dr. Sharon Brown, CRC, founder, directs the program.

29. The Communicative Sciences and Disorders program is accredited by the American Speech and Hearing Association. 

30. The Family and Consumer Sciences program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Family and Consumer Sciences. 

31. The Nutrition and Hospitality program is accredited by the Commission of Accreditation for Dietetics Education. 

32. Alabama A&M University joins the Top 25 Most Affordable College Towns” as posted by http://www.valuecolleges.com/rankings/affordable-college-towns/.  AAMU is based in Huntsville, which ranked 22nd on the list. 

33. The programs in Civil Engineering, Computer Sci­ence, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). 

34. Three Greek-lettered organizations have provided major contributions to AAMU for scholarship en­dowments: (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., $262,520; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., $131,060; and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., $146,471). 

35. AAMU has hosted a Nobel Laureate for over 20 consecutive years, the only institution in the country to have such a distinction. The 23rd Putcha Venkateswarlu Memorial Lecture was slated for November 13, 2020, with a public presentation by 2017 Nobel Laureate Barry C. Barish, professor emeritus, CalTech. 

36. Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University Historic District, also known as Normal Hill College Historic District, has 28 buildings and 4 structures, listed in the United States Register of Historic Places. 

37. AAMU ranks second among all HBCUs and in the state of Alabama in land ownership with a record of 2,300 acres, which ranks 28th nationally. 

 

ACADEMICS/FACULTY/STAFF

38. Raziq Yaqub was scheduled to receive the IEEE Region 3 “Outstanding Engineer Award” at the organization’s annual conference in March 2020 in Raleigh, N.C. The IEEE southeastern region encompasses more than 27,000 members. 

39. Jeanette Jones, professor of biology, Faculty Senate president and AAMU trustee, is listed in the ScienceMakers category of the African-American oral history collection The HistoryMakers. 

40. Martha Verghese, professor and chair of the Department of Food and Animal Sciences, was elected as a 2019 Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists, the organization’s highest distinction, based on impact on the profession, research, innovations and service. 

41. Alabama A&M University has expanded the online degree offerings to include 5 degree programs that are fully on­line. Those programs are Bachelor of Science in Management, Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies, Master of Education in Instructional Leadership, Master of Education in Early Childhood Education and Master of Science in Computer Sci­ence. 

42. SACSCOC has fully approved the offer­ing of the Bachelor of Arts in social work; Bachelor of Science in computer science; Bachelor of Science in criminal justice; Master of Social Work and the Master of Business Administra­tion at the Birmingham Lawson Community College site. 

43. The Master of Social Work (MSW) program is one of five accredited in Alabama. Both undergraduate and graduate programs are accredited by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). 

44. Alabama A&M University, in partnership with Tran­scend, LLC, has launched the AAMU Leadership Program. The goal of the AAMU Leadership Program is to develop a culture of leadership throughout the University, develop operational excellence and enhance the University’s service excellence to all stakeholders at all levels. 

45. Paddy Guggilla, an associate professor of phys­ics, was selected from hundreds of nominations nationwide as one of the Emerging Scholars in Diverse Issues in Higher Education. 

46. The Faculty Mentoring Program at Alabama A&M University is an initiative launched to help provide a personal support system for junior level faculty members in their quest to become effective teachers and leaders. The junior level fac­ulty member is paired with a senior level faculty member who shares similar research interest and overall career goals and aspirations. To date, a total of 8 junior level faculty members are participating in the program. 

47. The AAMU College of Business and Public Affairs’ Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Development (CEIED) provides information and resources to small business owners throughout the Tennessee Valley, and partners with numerous business-advocacy entities, including the Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce. 

48. The Writing Center (now “The Write Place”), located in the Carver Complex North, offers several innovative workshops on writing, coordinated by Dr. Kem Roper, director. 

49. The National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) nominated AAMU Women’s Bowling Coach James Moore as one of five coaches for Division I Coach of the Year honors. 

50. Tonya Davis, assistant professor in the Department of Social Work, Psychology and Counseling, was selected in 2020 as a Trusted CI (cyberinfrastructure) Fellow by the National Science Foundation. 

51. Alabama A&M University’s Family and Consumer Sci­ences Professor Cynthia Smith is president of the 67-chapter, 92,000-member Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society. The African-American organization will celebrate its 83rd anniver­sary in November 2020. 

52. Directed by Dr. Horace Carney, chair of the Depart­ment of Visual, Performing and Communication Arts, the world-renowned AAMU Concert Choir counts among its distinct events a performance at the Lincoln Center, marking the first such performance by a historically black college or university. 

53. Bandmaster and alum Carlton Wright led the March­ing Maroon and White to its fifth appearance in the Honda Battle of the Bands at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., in 2018. The event was not held in 2019. The AAMU Marching Maroon and White Band was also the 1st HBCU band to perform at the Alabama Bandmasters Association All-State Concert a year earlier. 

 

ALUMNI

 

54. Accomplished litigator J. Mark Debro serves as the first African-American president of the Huntsville-Madison County Bar Association. 

55. The Honorable Anthony Daniels, Alabama State Rep­resentative, became the first African American and youngest House Minority Leader. He also became the first recipient of the AAMU President’s Distinguished Service Award. 

56. Alumni serving or having served as president of colleges and universities are: Dr. Carl Harris Marbury (only alumnus to serve as president of Alabama A&M University); Dr. Nathan Essex, Southwest Tennessee Community College; Dr. Jack Thomas, former English major and AAMU track star, Western Illinois University; Dr. Johnson O. Akinleye chancel­lor of North Carolina Central University; Norman Cephus, C.A. Fredd Technical College in Tuscaloosa, Ala.; and Dr. Pa­tricia Sims, J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College. 

57. AAMU produces governmental leaders: Kenneth Gulley, Mayor of Bessemer, Alabama and former Bessemer Mayor Edward May; James “Jay” Roberson, Birmingham City Council; John Hackett, Jr., and Susan Joe Rembert-Parks, Fairfield City Council; State Senator Linda Coleman and State Representatives Laura Hall, Mary Moore and Anthony Daniels; James Perkins, former Mayor in Selma, Alabama; and Chris Carter and Michael Butler, Missouri General Assembly. Other local governmental leaders include Richard D. Show­ers, Sr., former Huntsville (Ala.) City Council president; Will Culver, Huntsville City Council; Alex Roberts, who served for more than 20 years as county commissioner for Monroe County (Ala.); JesHenry Malone, Madison County Commissioner, District Six; Fred Wilson, Calhoun County Commissioner; and Mandela Barnes, Wisconsin’s first African-American Lieutenant Governor. 

58. AAMU produces leaders in public education, among them current and former superintendents of schools: Eugene White, Indianapolis Public Schools; the late Arlester McBride, Wilcox County Schools; Dee O. Fowler, Madison County Schools; Dr. Fred Primm, Jr., Bessemer City Schools; Woodie E. Pugh, Jr., Clarke County Schools; Allen Perkins, Madison County Schools; the late Dr. Robert Brown, first black superintendent of Greene County Schools in the 1970s (a middle school in Eutaw, Ala., was named in his honor); and Bernadeia Johnson, superintendent of Minneapolis, Minn., schools, 2010-15 (The Selma, Ala., clarinetist met her trombonist husband Robert in the band). 

59. Sherita Moses, a Ph.D. recipient in physics, gained approval from the U.S. Patent Office for a compound she invented, while a student at AAMU, that could potentially save the lives of thousands of thousands of women with aggres­sive triple-negative breast cancer. 

60. Robert Doyle Bullard, distinguished professor and former dean of the Barbara Jordan - Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University, is widely consid­ered “The Father of Environmental Justice.” 

61. Jeanette Scissum was the first African American female mathematician and scientist at the National Aeronau­tics and Space Administration (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center located in Huntsville, Ala. 

62. Henrika Buchanan serves as the Associate Administrator and Chief Safety Officer for FTA's Office of Safety and Oversight, administering a national transit safety program and monitoring program compliance to ensure safe, reliable, and equitable transit service in accordance with FTA policy and regulatory requirements.

63. Eboni Major was highlighted in Forbes.com series on the growing role of women in industries mostly dominated by men. Major is a blender for Bulleit Bourbon, where she has used her skills as an AAMU-trained food scientist. 

64. New giving records were set for the 143^rd Founder’s Day and Class Reunion Weekend with a check presentation totaling $303,377, including $141,000 from the Golden Class of 1968. 

65. Henry Panion, III, is widely known for his work as a conductor and arranger for superstar Stevie Wonder, as well as for his role as an educator and conduc­tor of the world’s most notable orches­tras. 

66. Alabama A&M University Former Trustee William E. Cox, Sr., is president of Cox Matthews & Associ­ates, publisher of the nationally distributed higher education publication DIVERSE Issues in Higher Education magazine and others. 

67. Shelia Nash-Stevenson made history in 1994 when she became the first African American female from Ala­bama to earn a Ph.D. degree in physics. She was also the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in Physics from Alabama A&M University. She appeared on the NBC morning “Today” show in 2019, featuring the Ladies of NASA. 

68. Julian Green is vice president of communications and community affairs for the Chicago Cubs. He was also a com­munications specialist for then Senator Barack Obama. 

69. Hadiyah Nicole-Green gained national attention for her ground-breaking cancer research in her lab formerly at Tuskegee University and now at the Morehouse Medical School, where she is a physicist. 

70. Marquita Furniss Davis served as the first female finance director for the State of Alabama. Currently, she serves as the Deputy Director for Early Childhood Learning at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 

71. Paul Pinyan is executive director of the Alabama Farmers Federation and general manager of ALFA Services, Inc. 

72. Performers and recording artists who are influencing the next genera­tion of vocalists, rappers and humani­tarians: Singer Mitty Collier of Chess Records, popularized the song “I Had a Talk with My Man,” and Singer Ruben Studdard, American Idol Season 2 Winner. 

73. Late alumnus Booker T. Whatley was noted interna­tionally for developing a process of year-round farming for a 100-acre family. The plan attracted the attention of the Wall Street Journal and the founder of Domino’s Pizza. 

74. Major General (MG) Patrick W. Burden is Deputy Commanding General of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan based in Kabul. MG Burden is the first graduate of AAMU’s ROTC Program to achieve the rank of General in the U. S. Army. 

75. John O. Hudson, III, is executive vice president and chief external and public affairs officer at Southern Company Gas Foundation. 

76. Carolyn Caldwell is president and CEO of St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif. 

77. Alease S. Sims of Birmingham, Ala., was a co-de­fendant in the long-running Knight, Sims vs. Alabama higher education desegregation lawsuit, first launched in 1981. 

78. Clyde Marsh achieved the highest rank of any graduate of the AAMU ROTC. He retired with the rank of Rear Admiral and served is a former commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as former president of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs. 

79. Adrienne Pope-Kelly Washington (retired) is the first black female to earn the permanent grade of GS-15 in the history of the U. S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, first black female to hold the position of Director of Security Assis­tance Management Directorate (SAMD) and first black female to serve as the Division Chief of Air and Missile Defense Sys­tems in SAMD. She has also headed the South Eastern Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 

80. Several Huntsville residents and visitors throughout the Southeast attended the Dr. Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard Dedication and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, which connects Governors Drive to Downtown. The late civil rights icon attended Alabama A&M before completing his studies at Paine College in Augusta, Ga. 

81. Miranda Bouldin-Frost, president/CEO of Huntsville-based LogiCore, was listed among Fortune’s Top 10 “Most Promising Women in Business.” 

82. Michael Ford is head of global real estate and security at Microsoft in the Seattle, Wash., metropolitan area. He is a 1998 finance graduate. 

83. An alum of the College of Business and Public Affairs, Tchernavia Rocker is chief people and culture officer for UnderArmour. She was featured (2020) in the 19^th anniversary issue of Savoy magazine. 

84. Alumna and higher education administrator Patricia Sims was inaugurated in April 2019 as president of J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College. 

 

ATHLETICS

 

85. Betty K. Austin, alumna and AAMU’s first female athletic director, is one of the winningest volleyball coaches in the history of the sport. 

86. AAMU annually plays in the Magic City Classic, first played in 1924. The Magic City Classic is one of the oldest and now largest continuing rivalries between historically black col­leges and universities. 

87. The Alabama A&M University Athletics Hall of Fame inducted eight members as part of its 2019, following a years-long hiatus. The inductees included Robert Mathis, Kendrick Rogers, Betty Kelly-Austin, Melody Dawson, Terry Batts, Valerie Hervey, James Martin and Hali Andrew Robinson.  Long-time sports photographer Sidney Jackson was recognized by the Hall of Fame Advisory Board as a special contributor.  

88. AAMU joined forces with the City of Huntsville and Huntsville Public Schools on a stadium artificial turf project that still enables access to junior high and high school football teams at Louis Crews Stadium. 

89. NFL Hall of Famer John Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played 14 seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stall­worth, a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., played in six AFC champi­onships and four Super Bowls. He was recognized, along with all HBCUs Hall of Famers at Super Bowl LI (50). 

90. Jearl Miles Clark was inducted into the U. S. Track and Field Hall of Fame and is a five-time Olympic winner in track and field, winning two gold and one silver medal. 

91. At least eighty (80) former Bulldogs have played pro­fessional sports. 

92. All-time NFL draft picks (19) include: Johnny Bald­win, Black College Football Hall of Fame inductee Robert Mathis, Joe Patton, Fred Lester, Todd Woulard, Howard Ballard, Morris Johnson, Reginald Gipson, Thomas Hopkins, Mike Williams, Raymond Cooley, Frankie Smith, Ol­iver Ross, legendary Pittsburgh Steeler John Stallworth, Louis Swain, Onree Jackson, Alvin Presnell, Bill Kendricks and Bernard Corbin. Free agent Frank Kearse is an American football nose tackle who has played for the Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins.  Similarly, Anthony Lanier started his career with the Washington Redskins before moving on to Los Angeles Chargers.  He is currently on the roster of the Kansas City Chiefs.

93. AAMU participated in the inaugural Gulf Coast Challenge, a gridiron contest with Southern University in the port city of Mobile, Ala., which drew wide support from area alumni and friends. 

94. AAMU and Morehouse College faced off in Canton, Ohio, in the inaugural Black College Football Hall of Fame game in 2019. AAMU won, 35-30. 

95. At a capacity of 21,000 seats, Louis Crews Stadium is still the largest such athletic facility in the North Alabama vicinity. The stadium features a state-of-the-art jumbotron with video capabilities that enhance the game day experience and opportunities for sponsorships. 

96. Retiree Barry Wagner from the Arena Football League played for the Orlando Predators, winning his first Arena Bowl Championship, and for the San Jose SaberCats, with whom he won two championships. He is considered the best arena football player of all time.

 

OUTREACH

 

97. The Alabama Cooperative Extension Program, a joint program between Alabama A&M University and Auburn Uni­versity, has extension offices in all 67 Alabama counties. 

98. AAMU art professors coordinate SPACES, a program sponsored by the City of Huntsville and the Huntsville Arts Council to bring art and sculptures to public places. 

99. The Small Farm Research Center holds a series of practical workshops designed for the general public through­out each year as part of its unique program targeting begin­ning farmers and ranchers. The Center serves nearly 700 small farmers and over 100 rural entrepreneurs annually. 

100. The AAMU Community Development Corporation (AAMU-CDC) is working to revitalize the Edmonton Heights neighborhood adjacent to the campus and to assist first-time homebuyers. More than a dozen homes have been built, renovated, or upgraded. A Family Life Center for after-school care and other activities has been built and expanded, and the community park has also been upgraded. The Edmonton Heights Family Life Center, in conjunction with the AAMU Community Development Corporation, provides tutorial, tax preparation and other services to the neighborhood. 

101. The Office of Student Affairs’ Beyond Normal Lecture Series augments the University’s mission, vision, and values by showcasing individuals of exceptional accomplishment who share their talents, experiences and perspectives in areas such as globalization, civil discourse, the arts, politics, diversity, and social, community and cultural issues, to name a few. Speakers (2019-20) included Ilyasah Shabazz (daughter of Malcolm X); Dr. Eric Thomas, educator, author and pastor; NFL legend Michael Vick; and Rev. Jamal Bryant. 

102. The Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders routinely offers free hearing clinics as part of one of the most sought-after majors at the University. 

103. To show gratitude for the ongoing collaboration between the University and its North Huntsville police and fire precincts, AAMU President Andrew Hugine, Jr., cabinet members and students have made special year-end presentations to the departments. 

104. AAMU has been a decades-long partner with the Madison County Commission District 6 to form and sustain community/public gardens to promote fresh vegetables for the community. 

105. Ranging from rodeos to dog shows, the AAMU Agri­bition Center hosts a number of unique events for the greater Huntsville and Madison County community. 

106. AAMU students have provided consistent mentoring services to students at local elementary schools in Huntsville, Ala. AAMU student volunteers have clocked more than 60,000 hours at more than 60 local agencies and schools. 

107. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs Unit started a Lunch and Learn session that offers important information to individuals, families, local businesses and organizations. 

108. Women researchers at Alabama A&M University (AAMU) will partner with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and other institutions to meet the aims of an NSF-sponsored project designed to foster the growth of women in STEM disciplines. AAMU ADVANCE Leadership Team consists of Dr. Jeanette Jones, principal investigator (PI), Distinguished Professor of Biology and faculty trustee, AAMU Board of Trustees; Dr. Tonya Perry professor and chairperson, Department of Social Work, Psychology & Counseling; Dr. Padmaja Guggilla, co-PI, professor and interim chair of the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics; Dr. Malinda Gilmore, co-PI, special assistant to the president and associate professor of chemistry; Dr. Martha Verghese, co-PI, professor and chair, Department of Food Science & Animal Sciences; and Ms. Dianne Kirnes, program manager. 

109. The university held its 8th Annual Presidential Schol­arship Recognition and Promotional Tour, visiting dozens of Alabama high schools, inciting area alumni, and showcasing Alabama’s first-ever fully electric bus. Scholarships were awarded to 1,225 students at 94 schools with a four-year value of $24,207,352. 

110. The AAMU Student Wellness Center boasts state-of-the-art fitness equipment, a bowling alley and numerous health and wellness outreach programs for the community. 

111. The Bulldog Pride Committee, headed by First Lady Abbiegail Hugine, celebrated 10 years in May 2019. The Bulldog Pride Com­mittee pulls together University and community persons in a partnership focused on campus aesthetics, pride and scholar­ship support. 

112. Education majors have provided tutoring and enrich­ment to students in the Sparkman Homes (Oscar Mason) Pub­lic Housing Community and Martin Luther King Elementary School. 

113. AAMU’s 100,000-watt WJAB-FM airs a nationally syndicated radio program, “Return to the Source,” hosted by political science professor and jazz enthusiast Douglas Turner. The show remains a welcome addition to the African-American Public Radio Consortium’s listings. 

114. The AAMU Gallery of Art, curated by artist Joe Washington and located in the R.D. Mor­rison Fine Arts Building, is a professional and accessible show­case for on-campus and community artists. 

115. First Lady Abbiegail Hugine and the Bulldog Pride Committee have coordinated the “Be the Match” Walk, a worthwhile event organized to further increase awareness of bone marrow research.  

 

RESEARCH AND GRANTS

 

116. Unique among HBCUs, AAMU RISE (Research, Innovation, Science and En­gineering) is a separately organized 501c3 Foundation whose purpose it is to execute government contracts for research and development on behalf of Alabama A&M University. 

117. There are more than 25 specialized research laborato­ries and three outdoor research stations and forest sites, where agricultural, environmental, forestry and wildlife research is undertaken by students and faculty members in the College of Agricultural, Life and Natural Sciences. 

118. Alabama A&M University’s Bulldog Transit System (BTS) was awarded a $1 million competitive grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to purchase two state-of-art zero emission electric buses. The grant enabled AAMU to be the first bus system in Alabama to transition to clean, quiet and zero emission buses (2020). 

119. AAMU scientists presented research in early 2020 to the U.S. Army that indicated that Optical Raman Spectroscopy can use an aging missile’s propellant to determine whether the missile is still useful. AAMU’s team of physicists includes Dr. Ruffin, Dr. Anup Sharma, Dr. Carlton Farley, Dr. Aschalew Kassu and Dr. Michael Curley. 
120. Jacob Oluwoye, head of AAMU’s Center for Urban and Rural Research, presented at the 9^thInternational Conference on Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases Conference (Tropical Diseases 2020) in Berlin, Germany. 
121. The National Science Foundation funded Alliance for Physics Excellence (APEX) program of $8 million is the largest in the university’s history. APEX is housed in the Department of Physics within the College of Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences. The purpose of the APEX program is to transform secondary physics education in Alabama by encouraging physics teachers to acquire a deeper knowledge of physics content and employ more effective pedagogical strate­gies based on physics education research in order to ultimately enable students to achieve higher gains. 

122. Salam Khan received a $1.45 million National Sci­ence Foundation award for a project entitled “Those Who Can Teach: Preparing STEM Graduates for Effective Teaching and Enhancing Student Learning in Science and Mathematics.” 

123. The Small Farms Research Center received a $1.2 mil­lion grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agricul­ture (NIFA) to grow and assist the next generation of farmers, provide risk management education and financial literacy training to small and limited resource producers. 

124. Alabama A&M University’s Cooperative Extension received a $1 million grant award for the Supplemental Nutri­tion Assistance Program (SNAP-Ed). SNAP-Ed is a nutrition education program committed to empowering limited resource families to make wise food choices, to select and prepare safe foods, and to consume a nutrient dense diet of healthy foods. 

125. The Department of Social Work, Psychology and Counseling received a $225,000 grant from the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities (ACDD). Alabama A&M University is the only HBCU to receive an ACDD grant award. 

 

STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERISM

 

126. Students in the College of Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences used classroom, lab and leadership skills to build the formula race car dubbed “SuperLucy.” 

127. Five students and advisor Kyla Pitcher traveled to Israel in mid-December 2019. The trip was made possible through the Maccabee Task Force, a pro-Israeli organization that for some time has been providing opportunities for predominantly white universities to gain a better understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. When asked by a participant about the lack of HBCU involvement, the Maccabee organization expanded its outreach. 

128. Tayla Solomon, now a senior, was among three young women promi­nently featured in “Step,” a documentary about the first graduating class of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, whose mission is to “trans­form Baltimore, one young woman at a time.” 

129. Donzella Washington became the oldest person to receive a degree from AAMU in December 2019. The 80-year-old Californian and resident of suburban Birmingham earned a bachelor’s degree in social work. She has not ruled out continuing graduate study. 

130. The decade-old First Lady’s Scholarship Initiative, launched by First Lady Abbiegail Hugine and a team of volunteers, has achieved its $225,000 mark. Six scholarships were awarded to deserving students in Spring 2019.
131. An Alabama A&M University graduate social work student was prominently featured recently by Forbesand CivicNation.org in his article on “The Indelible Impact of My HBCU Experience.” In the article, Joshua A. Baker, a native of Huntsville, Ala., reveals how circumstances led both to his attendance at a historically black college/university (HBCU) and his becoming an unwavering HBCU advocate.
132. Each year, Miss Alabama A&M University engages her fel­low students, as well as faculty, staff and alumni, to actively participate in the annual Christmas Angel Tree program, which primarily focuses on bringing cheer to the children of prisoners. Moreover, the University ambassadors, Echoes, attracts hun­dreds of children to its annual Trunk of Treat event held in the vicinity of Louis Crews Stadium. 

133. Alabama A&M University emerged as the 2019 Home Depot Re­tool Your School Grant winner of $50,000. Primarily, a well-coordinated voting and social media campaign helped AAMU surpass 60 other HBCUs. The funds are part of the 2020 renovations of the Edward S. Johnson Theatre in the R.D. Morrison Fine Arts Building. 

134. The College of Business and Public Affairs spon­sored a talk by Dr. Mathew Knowles, American record executive, talent manager and businessman (father of Beyonce), who spoke to students on a variety of topics, including the music industry and the importance of remaining focused. 

135. Alabama A&M University's Teachers of Tomorrow presented "Sending Love to a Soldier" in January 2020, in the Carver Complex North, Room 213, to remind deployed soldiers that they were still in the hearts and prayers of the American people. All three major local television stations covered the event.

  

HONORING OUR OWN

 

136. Each year, Alabama A&M University recognizes faculty and staff who have provided exceptional service to the university. In 2019, the University Professor of the Year was Dr. Zhigang Xiao (College of Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences), and Erika Baldwin (College of Business and Public Affairs) was University Staff Employee of the Year. 

137. Electronic Media Communications (WJAB Radio/TV) produces and airs FrontPage, the official broadcast news program of Alabama A&M University. The purpose of the FrontPage is to highlight the accomplishments of faculty, staff, and students. 

138. The Bulldog Pride Committee honored its founder, First Lady Abbiegail Hugine, and its tenth anniversary at a celebration brunch on May 18, 2019. 

139. The “Normal Legacy Society”—established by Presi­dent Andrew Hugine, Jr., to recognize lifetime contributions of $100,000 or more to AAMU—contributed more than $1.2 million. The members include: the late Dr. Henry Bradford, Jr., and Mrs. Nell Bradford; Dr. Belvie Brice and Mrs. Doro­thy Brice; the late Ms. Bertha M. Jones; Dr. Ernest and Mrs. Marion Knight; the late Mrs. Ella Byrd McCain and the late Dr. John McCain; the late Rev. Lucien M. Ran­dolph; the late Ms. Velma Walker; the late Mrs. Geneva Wright and the late Mr. Elbert Wright; the Tom Joyner Foundation; Atty. W. Troy and Mrs. Sue Massey; Huntsville Hospital; Mr. Ronald and Mrs. Patricia McIntosh; Mr. DeWayne O. Carter; the City of Birmingham; Dr. Andrew and Mrs. Abbiegail Hugine; and Mr. John and Mrs. Mildred Davis. 

140. Within the last decade alone, the more than 20-year-old Black Tie Scholarship Gala has raised more than $1.3 million. During this period, over 100 scholarships have been awarded to deserving students. 

141. The Alabama Historical Association, elected officials, alumni and the AAMU family participated in the unveiling of a replacement historical marker on the corner of Meridian and Chase streets in spring 2019. 

142. The Stevenson (Ala.) city council and community held a historic sign unveiling in commemoration of the Freed­men village (circa 1865), where Dr. William Hooper Councill, founder of Alabama A&M University, began his career in education. 

143. Local and elected officials joined AAMU faculty and staffers in the ribbon cutting for the new entrance to the Ernest L. Knight Reception Center. Dr. Knight is a philanthropist and member of AAMU’s Class of 1953. 

144. AAMU Founder William Hooper Councill was initi­ated posthumously into the Alabama Lawyers Association Hall of Fame. 

145. HBCU Digest awarded President Andrew Hugine, Jr., the Male President of the Year Award at its 2019 ceremony held at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture in Baltimore, Md.

- Updates to public.relations@aamu.edu