Tag: University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh Acquires the Extensive Archives of Playwright August Wilson

The collection — more than 450 boxes of materials — document a wide array of August Wilson’s career and interests from the 1960s to 2010s. The noted playwright was born in Pittsburgh in 1945 and called the city home until 1978.

Six African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Diversity and Inclusion Positions

The new diversity officers are Michael Snowden at Northwestern State University in Louisiana, Schvalla R. Rivera at Grinnell College in Iowa, Dannie Moore at Eastern Kentucky University, Tanisha Stevens at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Clyde Wilson Pickett at the University of Pittsburgh, and Karen A. Jones at Binghamton University.

Five African American Faculty Members Who Have Been Assigned New Duties

The five Black faculty members in new roles are Clay S. Gloster Jr. at North Carolina A&T State University, Terry-Ann Jones at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Sean Edmund Rogers at the University of Rhode Island, Kevin Holcomb at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, and John Wallace at the University of Pittsburgh.

Alumna Calls for University of Pittsburgh to Require Students to Take a Black Studies Course

Sydney Massenber, an alumna at the University of Pittsburgh who is starting law school this fall, has started a petition calling for the university to require all undergraduate students to take a Black studies course in order to meet graduation requirements.

Higher Education Grants or Gifts of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

Four Black Faculty Members Who Are Taking on New Assignments

The four scholars beginning new duties are Sheria D. Rowe at St. Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina, Alvin Thomas at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Adia Harvey Wingfield at Washington University in St. Louis, and Nicole Mitchell at the University of Pittsburgh.

Keisha N. Blain Wins Book Award from the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians

Dr. Blain is an associate professor of history at the University of Pittsburgh, where she has served on the faculty since 2017. Her book examines the activism of Black nationalist women who challenged White supremacy and advocated for full citizenship and human rights for people of African descent.

Nine African Americans Appointed to Administrative Posts in Higher Education

Here is this week’s roundup of African Americans who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Compounded Privilege in White Neighborhoods Is the Real Driver for Economic Inequality

The results of a study conducted by a sociologist at the University pf Pittsburgh show that public policies need to address how opportunities for success are hoarded in privileged spaces, allowing advantaged, predominantly White communities to thrive.

Keisha Blain Wins Award For Best Book on African American Women’s History

Keisha N. Blain, an assistant professor in the department of history at the University of Pittsburgh, was honored by the Organization of American Historians for her book on 20th-century Black women nationalists.

New Assignments for Three African American Scholars

Taking on new roles are Channing L. Moreland who has joined the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh, Emmanuel K. Asiamah, who has been appointed assistant professor of animal science at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and Omari H. Swinton of Howard University who is the new president of the National Economic Association.

In Memoriam: Manderline W. Scales, 1927-2019

After 20 years in the public schools of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Dr. Scales joined the staff at historically Black Winston-Salem State University. She served as dean of women, director of student affairs and assistant vice chancellor of student affairs and development.

Six African American Scholars Appointed to Faculty Posts at Colleges and Universities

The five faculty members taking on new assignments are Telissah Williams at LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Vanessa K. Valdés at the City University of New York, Conuelo Wilkins at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Nicole M. Mitchell at the University of Pittsburgh, and Tanisha M. Jackson at Ohio State University.

Lucile Adams-Campbell Honored as a 2018 Washingtonian of the Year

Lucile Adams-Campbell is a professor of oncology, associate director for minority health and health disparities research at the Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. She was the first African American women to earn a Ph.D. in epidemiology.

Three African Americans Named Rhodes Scholars

A year ago, 10 African-Americans were among the 32 winners of Rhodes Scholarships for Americans. This was the most ever elected in a single U.S. Rhodes class. This year, there are three African Americans among the 32 Rhodes Scholars.

A Trio of African American Women Honored With Prestigious Awards

The honorees are Valerie Kinloch, the Renee and Richard Goldman Dean of the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh, Menah Pratt-Clarke, vice president of strategic affairs and vice provost at Virginia Tech, and Andrea Scott, who teaches Spanish professor at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis.

University Research Finds the Racial Wealth Gap Grows in Areas Where Natural Disasters Occur

During the 1999-to-2013 period, Whites who lived in counties with $10 billion or more in damages from natural disasters gained $126,000 in wealth, while Blacks who lived in similar counties, lost $27,000.

University of Pittsburgh Study Finds Huge Racial Gap in K-12 School Suspensions

The research showed that Black students are suspended seven times as often as non-Black students at schools in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Suburban districts tended to have some of the highest racial differences in school suspensions.

Wanda Austin Is the New Leader of the University of Southern California

From 2008 to 2016, Dr. Austin was president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the application of science and technology relating to the nation's space program. She was the first woman and the first African American to serve as CEO of the organization since its founding in 1961.

University of Pittsburgh Study Documents Narrowing of Racial Gap in Premature Death

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health used “years of life lost” to measure premature death by summing the number of years each death occurs before a “target” age to which all people could be expected to live.

Building That Honored a Leader of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment to Be Renamed

The building, named for former U.S. Surgeon General Thomas Parren, is home to many of the programs of the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh.

School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh Names Its Next Dean

Currently, Dr. Martin is the Bob Benmosche Professor, chair of the department of civil engineering, and the founding director of the Risk Engineering and Systems Analytics Center at Clemson University in South Carolina.

The Next Provost at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York

Dr. Darrell P. Wheeler has been serving as professor and dean of the School of Social Welfare and vice provost for public engagement at the University at Albany of the State University of New York. He will begin his new job at Iona College on July 1.

Racist Posts on Social Media Reportedly Made by Students at the University of Pittsburgh

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Pittsburgh is looking into a series of racist posts on social media that were included in a group message by several university students.

Dorothy Browne Named Provost at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina

In 2015, Dr. Browne was named the inaugural dean of the School of Public Health at Jackson State University in Mississippi. Earlier in her career, she was a professor of public health and senior scientist at the Prevention Research Center at Morgan State University in Baltimore.

In Memoriam: Ralph W. Turner, 1937-2017

Ralph W. Turner was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Florida A&M from 2008 to 2012. He served on the chemistry department faculty at the university for a half century.

In Memoriam: William Wesley Harmon, 1941-2017

From 2005 to 2016, Dr. Harmon served as president of Central College of Houston Community College, which today enrolls about 18,000 students.

Larry Davis, Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh, to Step Down

Larry E. Davis dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh, has announced that he will step down as the end of the current academic year. He has led the School of Social work since 2001.

Four Black Scholars Receive Prestigious Honors or Awards

The honorees are Barbara Krauthamer of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Chinyere Oparah of Mills College in Oakland, California, Livingston Alexander of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, and Anthony K. Wutoh of Howard University.

Higher Education Grants or Gifts of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

Noble Maseru Named Director of the Center for Health Equity at the University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Noble A-W Maseru served for the past 10 years as health commissioner for the city of Cincinnati. He is also the former health director for the Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion.

In Memoriam: Geri Antoinette Allen, 1957-2017

Geri Allen, an accomplished jazz pianist and composer, taught at the University of Michigan for 10 years before becoming director of the jazz studies program at the University of Pittsburgh in 2014.

President of Two Campuses of the University of Pittsburgh to Retire in 2018

Livingston Alexander, president of the University of Pittsburgh campuses at Bradford and Titusville, announced that he will step down on June 30, 2018. He has been president of the Bradford campus for 14 years and added the Titusville campus to his duties in 2012.

In Memoriam: Gloria P. Hill, 1947-2017

Dr. Hill joined the staff at Carnegie Mellon University in 1972 as an academic adviser. Later, she served as assistant vice provost for education and assistant dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Tommie Shelby Named a Harvard College Professor

Tommie Shelby, a professor of philosophy was named the Caldwell Titcomb Professor of African and African American Studies and Philosophy. Professor Shelby joined the Harvard University faculty in 2000. Earlier, he taught at Ohio State University.

The Next Provost at Emory University in Atlanta

Dr. Dwight McBride is the Daniel Hale Williams Professor of African American studies, English, and Performance Studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. There, he also serves as dean of the Graduate School and associate provost for graduate education.

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