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Before he got accepted to the nation’s first HBCU, Amir Campbell didn’t really place a great deal of value on a college education.

“It was something that just wasn’t on my radar. My heart was not set on college,” says Campbell, whose mother is a Cheyney graduate and whose father, Curt Campbell, is a vocalist who performed with the 1980s group Mission.

“I applied to two colleges, Ursinus and Cheyney,” he says. “Cheyney accepted me. In 2000, I went to the summer orientation program and it was at that time that I realized Cheyney was the place for me. I sensed I would find my purpose there.”

When he started taking classes in the fall of 2000, Campbell’s original major was psychology. But after a talk with his father, he decided to broaden his education.

“My dad said, ‘Do something that you love.’ That got me thinking; I was always pretty good at drawing, so I signed up for some art classes. It was during the Winter Gala that things came into focus for me. My teacher, Dr. Marietta Dantonio-Madsen, asked me to do a piece and to do it really big. I shocked myself.”

In 2001, he was part of the university’s delegation that traveled to Durban, South Africa, to participate in the World Conference Against Racism. Campbell received a bachelor of fine arts and a bachelor of arts in communication arts from Cheyney University in 2008. He spent 10 years as a full-time teacher at the Computer Kids Learning Center, a part-time art instructor at St. Mary’s Villa for Children and a teacher’s assistant at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Dr. Madsen, Professor Joel Keener and Professor Helena Dominic brought new life to the university’s art department. They’re wonderful people and I honestly didn’t want to leave Cheyney, I enjoyed it so much,” he says. “So I stayed an additional four years. I even picked up another major so I could stay there. I have no regrets about it either. I also made the dean’s list almost every semester I was there and created pieces for multiple celebrities that came to Cheyney to speak.”

Dr. Dantonio-Madsen said she could see right away that Campbell had great potential.

“I met Amir in 2000 when he was 17 in an Elements of Art class. Watching him draw, I could see his potential as an undeveloped artist waiting to blossom,” she said.

Dr. Dantonio-Madsen started a non-profit called Totem Rhythms, where the artists created totem poles with indigenous people. Amir joined the non-profit and created the very first totem pole in the mountains of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Dantonio-Madsen continued, “We then traveled to Durban, South Africa, with the United Nations for the World Conference against Racism, Bias, and Stigma. For the next 21 years, Amir had volunteered on many Cheyney outreach projects assisting with our students. It’s been an honor for me to be part of his life’s journey.”

Campbell has been commissioned to create drawings and paintings of several prominent figures in entertainment, the arts and politics: Spike Lee, Jamie Foxx, musician Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, former U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon and former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. More recently, he was commissioned by South Street Headhouse in Philadelphia to paint a mural at 226 South St., depicting the social unrest following the police killing of George Floyd during the summer of 2020.

“I believe that art is supposed to bring healing, that it is supposed to shine light into darkness,” he says. “Last year, I saw the protests, most of which were peaceful, and the police response when violence erupted. To me, racism is the original pandemic. Like the coronavirus pandemic, our society needs to build up an immunity to that. I believe art is the medicine to help us do that. Art is like a vaccine; it’s medicine. That’s why I did Love Bubbles, a painting of a young girl blowing bubbles that spell out ‘love.’”

Campbell says that Dr. Dantonio-Madsen, chair of the Department of Fine Arts, Design and Liberal Studies at Cheyney, encouraged him to apply to the University of Delaware, where he is now pursuing a master of fine arts degree.

“My dad pointed me into the direction of the arts, but going to Cheyney really gave me focus and motivation,” he says. “At Cheyney University I was more than just a student. I was like their child; they molded and shaped me. They helped me refine my artistic vision. I already had talent but Cheyney gave me purpose.”

Chaney led the Wolves to victory in the 1978 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship, only team from Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference to win top title

As the nation mourns the loss of legendary men’s basketball coach John Chaney for the positive influences he made on and off the court his entire life, Cheyney University recognizes the impact he made on the university as the head basketball coach for the Wolves from 1972 to 1982.

During his tenure with the university, when it was called Cheyney State College, Coach Chaney amassed a dominating record of 225 wins and 59 losses. He victoriously led the Wolves to winning the 1978 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship – the only Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference men’s basketball team to ever win the national title.

“He forever placed Cheyney in the history books by accomplishing a major feat that no other DII school in Pennsylvania has ever done,” said President Aaron A. Walton. “He tremendously impacted the lives of his players, education, culture, the Philadelphia region, and the entire country. Our deepest condolences to his wife Jeanne Dixon, and to all of Coach Chaney’s family and friends.”

According to President Walton, although Coach Chaney moved on to Temple University in 1982, once you are a member of the Cheyney Wolves Family, you are Cheyney Family for life.

“His success at Cheyney opened the door for him to assume the role as head coach for the Owls and continue his success at mentoring young minds in the Philadelphia region,” said President Walton.

Along with his impressive record and national championship at Cheyney and subsequently leading Temple University to 17 NCAA Tournament appearances over 24 seasons, Coach Chaney was recognized as a member of Cheyney Athletics Hall of Fame and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001, followed by the National Collegiate Hall of Fame in 2006.

“Coach John Chaney was an instrumental and historic figure within the Cheyney Family,” said Kevin Guile, President of the Cheyney University National Alumni Association. “Although most of his notoriety was earned as a basketball coach and leading Cheyney State College to winning the 1978 NCAA Division II Championship, he was also a mentor, teacher, and motivational speaker to all those that were fortunate to have been in his presence.  The Cheyney Family will miss our beloved Coach.”

Chaney coached the Wolves during the same time C. Vivian Stringer coached the women’s basketball team. According to a Dec. 14, 1999, Home News Tribune article about the two, when Chaney and Stringer coached together at Cheyney State, they would leave the partition in the gym open, eavesdropping on each other’s lectures. They eventually combined some practice sessions and even scrimmaged one another that allowed the men and women to work together on skills.

Similar to Chaney, Coach Stringer launched her career at Cheyney before landing a head coaching jobs at Iowa and Rutgers, where still coaches today after entering her 50^th year overall as a head basketball coach with 1,041 career wins.

Cheyney University is planning a special tribute to Coach Chaney as part of its Founder’s Day Celebration on Feb. 25, commemorating the university’s 184^th Anniversary.

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Cheyney University Joins the Program To Help Train 20,000 HBCU Students In Digital Skills This School Year

The Program Is Part of Google’s $15 Million Commitment To Upskill Black Workers, Announced in June

January 28, 2021 — Google today announced sixteen new schools are joining its Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program, including Cheyney University in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Through a $1 million investment in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the program provides digital skills workshops in HBCU career centers to help Black students prepare for the workforce. Announced in October, the initiative’s goal is to reach 20,000 students during the current school year. Today’s announcement brings the number of participating schools to twenty total, and the program will be available to all HBCUs by fall 2021.

“Google believes investing in HBCU students strengthens the future workforce and increases economic opportunity,” said Bonita Stewart, Vice President for Global Partnerships at Google and Howard University alumna. “We’re proud to expand our Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to reach more HBCU students with the digital skills they need to thrive in the workforce.”

TMCF—the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community—has a track record of successfully connecting HBCU students with scholarships, training and jobs as they navigate college and careers. Its long history of on-the-ground work ensures the Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program is tailored to meet student needs.

“Cheyney University is honored to participate in the cooperative efforts of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Google’s HBCU Career Readiness Program,” said Aron Walton, President of Cheyney University. “Cheyney is no stranger to heeding the call to serve as a change agent for equality that can open doors to opportunity. The corporate and institutional partnerships we have established over the last two years provide our students with hands-on training through internships, enabling them to apply academic concepts in a real-world setting. We look forward to accelerating our efforts to prepare our students for tomorrow’s workforce through this new and exciting initiative.”

“A central part of the mission of TMCF is to prepare the next generation of workforce talent. Our partnership with Google enables this mission and ensures students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities are positioned to compete for meaningful careers”, said Dr. Harry L. Williams, President, and CEO of Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Started last October, the Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program provides HBCU career centers with funding and a semester-long in-person and online digital skills program. The program combines existing Grow with Google workshops with custom job seeker content for Black students, including design thinking, project management, and professional brand building. TMCF, which is contributing to the program’s design, will work with HBCU career centers to onboard the program.

This $1 million Grow with Google investment is part of a $15 million commitment to upskill Black workers. Announced by Google CEO Sundar Pichai last June, the investment aims to help Black job seekers learn new skills in partnership with national workforce development organizations.

“Technology is at the forefront of career services and professional development. It is the vehicle that drives our students from their academic institutions to the workplace. This opportunity places our students in the driver’s seat by providing Cheyne University with four digital workstations.” said Frederick Goode, Director of Career Services and Professional Development and Cheyney University. “Keeping up with trends and best practices, students will develop competitive digital portfolios that will showcase their talents professionally. Google and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund have provided our students with tools and resources that will inspire and encourage success. Thanks to all who contributed to these efforts.”

Grow with Google is Google’s initiative to create economic opportunities for all by providing free tools and training. Since 2017, the program has trained more than five million Americans on digital skills. The Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program builds on the company’s ongoing investments in HBCU students. Since 2013, the Google In Residence program has placed Google software engineers at HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) as faculty. The company also hosts Tech Exchange, a virtual student exchange program that teaches HBCU and HSU students applied computer science courses.

For more information on Grow with Google’s HBCU Career Readiness program, please visit this website.

ABOUT GROW WITH GOOGLE
Grow with Google was started in 2017 to help Americans grow their skills, careers, and businesses. It provides free training, tools, and expertise to help small business owners, veterans and military families, jobseekers and students, educators, startups, and developers. Since Grow with Google’s inception, it has helped more than five million Americans grow their skills, careers, and businesses. Grow with Google has created a network of more than 7,500 partner organizations like libraries, schools, small business development centers, chambers of commerce, and nonprofits to help people coast-to-coast.

ABOUT THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the PK-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit: tmcf.org.

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Contact: David Caliguiri

david@caliguirigroup.com

412-613-7266

Photo taken by Philadelphia Inquirer staff photographer Jose F. Moreno

Former Cheyney employee Lon Taylor was considered a neighborhood hero even before his keen perception and quick thinking saved a 55-and-over community from a dangerous gas leak on Christmas morning.

Taylor, who was profiled in a recent Philadelphia Inquirer story, ran the gas-powered steam-generating plant at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania for three and a half decades. Though he recently retired, the experience led him to be well versed in the sound and smell caused by leaking raw gas, which he detected before dawn that morning while delivering newspapers in Penn Township.

As the Inquirer reported, Taylor has delivered papers part-time for years. But on this particular morning, his quick thinking led him to call 911 right away, which likely saved multiple buildings and possibly lives.

“If he had not called, we probably would have lost the clubhouse and neighboring houses,” one of Taylor’s newspaper recipients told the Inquirer, which also noted that the neighborhood fixture has for years built relationships with those to whom he delivered papers. “He seems to know some of the people who are not as healthy, who can’t get to the end of the driveway, and he makes every effort to get their newspaper to the front door. It’s little things like that. In a community that has some elderly people, that means a lot.”

Read the Philadelphia Inquirer’s full story