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Adjunct Professor Ernest Owens will use his book as a guide to instruct the course 

(CHEYNEY, PA – August 10, 2023) – Award-winning journalist Ernest Owens will return to Cheyney University of Pennsylvania as an adjunct professor, where he will teach two sections of Introduction to College and use his own book, “The Case for Cancel Culture,” as the main text for the academic year.

Owens incorporates his professional and personal experiences in his book and provides a fresh, progressive lens in favor of cancel culture as a tool for activism and change. He wants students to walk away from the exploration not despising cancel culture but embracing it as a form of democratic expression.

“I use examples from politics, pop culture and my own personal experiences. I want students to reflect on and learn the long history of canceling,” said Owens. “I analyzed how the left and right uniquely equip it as part of their political toolkits; how intersections of society wield it for justice; and ultimately how it levels the playing field for the everyday person’s voice to matter.”

While instructing his course last fall, Owens was paying close attention to what the students were debating and discussing in class. The topic of cancel culture came up multiple times.

“It was ironic because I was in the final stages of publishing my book on the subject. I was encouraged to pitch my book to the university’s leadership as something that could be very insightful to the students and the campus,” said Owens.

Social sciences associate professor Dr. Hazel Spears noticed a level of engagement with the students who were part of Owens’s first year orientation course. When she learned he was about to publish his first book, she and other faculty immediately requested a copy and read it.

“We were blown away with the quality of writing, the relevance to Black lives today, and the tour through history, politics, and the art of media manipulation,” said Spears. “We all agreed, this was a book our students could find both engaging and useful.”

Dr. Spears noted the need for transformation of the classroom experience and discourse on campus. She believes that “The Case for Cancel Culture” and the plethora of activities, workshops, and lectures centering the book, will bring the exact kind of intellectual excitement we want on our campus for students.

“Ernest can address these central issues directly from an informed, lived perspective. He does so incisively and analytically,” said Spears.

Owens is the CEO of Ernest Media Empire, LLC. He is the political writer-at-large for Philadelphia Magazine and President of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. He hosts the hit podcast “Ernestly Speaking!” As an openly Black, gay journalist, he has made headlines for speaking frankly about intersectional issues in society regarding race, LGBTQ, and pop culture.

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About Cheyney – Founded in 1837, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the nation’s oldest historically Black institution of higher education. Building on this legacy, the vision for Cheyney is to become the premier model for academic excellence, character development, and social responsibility among not only Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but in all of American higher education. The campus is located on 275 acres straddling Delaware and Chester Counties. Read more at www.cheyney.edu.

CHEYNEY, Pennsylvania — The University of New England (UNE) and Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, the nation’s first historically Black university, are pleased to announce a collaboration aimed at fostering new pathways to medical education for qualified students.

The two universities have signed an articulation agreement to provide a pathway for qualified Cheyney undergraduates to pursue a medical education at UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM).

The agreement reflects the values of both institutions, with Cheyney’s whole-person approach to student development mirroring the osteopathic principles embodied by UNE COM — of holistic, patient-centered care and promoting health rather than solely treating disease. More broadly, the agreement is a testament to UNE’s mission of improving the health of people, communities, and our shared planet.

Cheyney’s agreement with UNE is part of its ongoing efforts to meet the growing demand of bioscience and technology majors. With 24 percent of the student body enrolled within these majors, the university is increasing awareness of career options for these students through its partnerships with institutions and biotech companies and expanding opportunities with external like-minded partners, providing internships and careers.

UNE President James Herbert remarked that the partnership represents the university’s latest effort to expand pipelines to medical school while encouraging more students to pursue careers as physicians and meet both Maine and the nation’s health care workforce needs.

“As Maine’s only medical school, we feel a special responsibility to provide our aging state and region with a steady stream of primary care physicians as well as the full range of specialized doctors who can make equally important contributions to their fields and to the people who depend on them for care,” Herbert stated.

“Our partnership with the University of New England will provide another pathway for our students to enter medical careers,” said Cheyney President Aaron A. Walton. “We have taken an innovative approach to building health career awareness, and we want our students to have continued engagement in the field of medicine beyond degree completion.”

Cheyney is among the growing list of colleges and universities with which UNE COM has formed such agreements, including Tufts University and the University of Vermont.

To celebrate the agreement, the two universities will host a signing ceremony on UNE’s Portland Campus on Tuesday, July 18, at 10:30 a.m.

The event, to be held in the Newbury Room of Alumni Hall, will feature remarks from both UNE and Cheyney University officials and will be attended by students from both universities. With support from grant funding, a cohort of Cheyney students are spending three days touring UNE’s campuses and the surrounding communities.

About Cheyney University of Pennsylvania 

Founded in 1837, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the nation’s oldest historically Black institution of higher education. Building on this legacy, the vision for Cheyney is to become the premier model for academic excellence, character development, and social responsibility among not only Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but in all of American higher education. The campus is located on 275 acres straddling Delaware and Chester Counties. Read more at www.cheyney.edu.

  

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Originally published by ALA News

Providing access to opportunities opens new doors for students to realize their potential pathways. Learning goes well beyond the classroom for Cheyney students. Many find themselves and their passions through the co-curricular and career-building activities available right on campus.

As for Valedictorian Curtis Stockley IV and Salutatorian Jazmin Walker, these opportunities transformed their learning experience and set them on a path to success.

First-Generation Student, Role Model

Prior to his father’s passing when Stockley was 12, his father encouraged him to change his family’s lives for the better. This motivation instilled a drive in him early on, making it his mission to become a first-generation college student and a role model for his younger siblings and cousins.

Fast forward several years, Stockley will graduate as Valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA with a degree in Social Relations and a concentration in American Political Studies. His undergraduate degree is just the beginning of his educational journey. He will attend the graduate school of his choice to pursue a career in human resource management.

“I believe my purpose is to act as a beacon of hope to the youth who come after me. I want to show them they are more than their environment and that their fate is determined by their aspirations and work ethic in the face of hardships,” said Stockley.

While attending Cheyney, he was the President of the Student Government Association and President of the Delta Pi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. He was named the 2022-2023 Mister Blue & White for the Royal Court and was also involved in multiple clubs and organizations, including The Collegiate 100, The Barbershop, The S.E.T. Mentorship Program, The CU Honors Academy, and Social Media Committee.

In addition to furthering his degree and building a career, he plans to keep his sights on entering the world of politics some day with the hopes of changing communities for the better.

Forever Cheyneymade

As a 4.0 GPA Keystone Honors Academy Scholar who will graduate as Salutatorian with a major in Communications and minor in Psychology, Walker credits Cheyney with her holistic development in transforming her into an exceptional student and an amazing person. Most recently, she was nominated for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education 2023 Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence, an award granted to seniors who exhibit excellence in their pursuit of knowledge.

Along with her academic success, she participated in the Life Science and Technology Hub internship program and worked in a marketing role with one of the university’s strategic partners, Sure-BioChem Laboratories, LLC, a microbiological and chemical testing lab.

“I would not be the person I am today if it was not for Cheyney,” said Walker. “I live by the quote ‘Nothing is impossible’. The word itself says, ‘I’m possible,’ and Cheyney has contributed to the reason that this quote is such an inspirational one to live by.”

In addition, she served as a TRiO Scholar, an executive board member of the Student Government Association, a member of the 4.0 Club, and President of the CU Honors Academy Unity Committee. She was also a member of the Women’s Basketball team.

She plans to pursue a master’s degree in communications which she intends to pivot into a career in the media and productions career field.

 

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Every year Dr. Marietta Dantonio-Madsen, Cheyney University’s Professor of Art and Chairperson of the Department of Humanities, leads an annual healing arts project to give students an opportunity to experience new perspectives on societal issues by expressing their creativity. This year, Dr. Madsen and 32 students took the difficult, impactful journey to tell the stories of gun violence victims through their family members portraying the lives lost through art.

On May 8, 2023, a 21-foot banner was unveiled at Marcus Foster Auditorium presenting the 44 painted canvasses that memorialized victims of gun violence. The exhibit is entitled, “Healing Arts Anti-Gun Violence: The Power of Love.” Students, faculty, alumni, media, and the families of the victims joined at an opening reception that featured live music by the Pan-African All Stars African Drumming group.

Dr. Madsen opened the event with remarks, and other speakers included President Aaron A. Walton, Zarinah Lomax of Apologues, several student artists, and several mothers of the victims, who shared their personal stories. Every family received their own print of canvas created in memory of their loved one.

Dr. Madsen partnered with Apologues, a nonprofit that focuses on assisting individuals to heal, empower, and advocate against violence, to help guide the project and connect students with victims’ families. The students, many who were non-art majors, shared individual experiences with someone who was killed by gun violence.

“This project was an incredibly emotional and spiritual journey that centered around loss, trauma and healing,” said Dr. Madsen. “Our students forged life-long relationships with the families, which was an unexpected result.”

The course began in September 2022, when the parents of the victims came to Cheyney to meet with the students to learn about their children and how their devastating loss impacted them. The students gave the parents a survey and used the answers to spark ideas and themes for the paintings. Additionally, students could not pass the course unless they issued their own statement on how expressing a loss from violence impacted them and how they now look at life.

Jamilah Phillips, a senior who participated in the in the project, said the words of Maya Angelou were an inspiration throughout the project, “As soon as healing takes place, go out and heal somebody else.”

“This quote stuck with me throughout my entire project,” said Phillips. “My experience with the Anti-Gun Violence Project was life changing. I’m truly blessed to have been able to experience this new platform and I hope we have more projects in collaboration to come.”

The class collaborated on what medium to use to express the families’ stories and decided on using a heart as the shape on fabric canvas. They all drew hearts on canvas to tell each victim’s story. There were many discussions on violence in the world.

“Students agreed that violence doesn’t discriminate,” said Dr. Madsen. “If there isn’t love within communities and society, people can resort to violence.”

The discussions helped the class determine what background would work best for the paintings. They all believed violence doesn’t discriminate, so they chose to use all shades of human skin for the backgrounds of the paintings. Dr. Madsen had to teach students how to create their skin color shade which created a whole new level of design.

Each parent wrote a message to their slain children and these statements are displayed on every canvas panel and on the back of the prints the parents received. Students added symbols and imagery somewhere in their painting to embody the victims. The project grew to include paintings that addressed the issue of gun-violence and how it impacts communities. Dr. Madsen enlisted the help of faculty and alumni to help the students finish the paintings.

“Despite loss and pain, these families persevere and despite how they see it that is the true definition of strength and a survivor which is shown intertwined through each piece of this art,” said Zarinah Lomax, executive director, Apologues.

The individual stories of victims and artwork can be viewed here.

Meade’s national bipartisan organization has provided a path for three million people to receive full or partial clearances for eligible conviction records

CHEYNEY, PA – Leader, advocate, and organizer, Sheena Meade, CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI) — which advances policy to clear all eligible arrest and conviction records across the United States — will give this year’s commencement address at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.

“Sheena takes her passion and skills to advocate for those who need it most. Her experience and ability to achieve ongoing success represent the leadership characteristics we teach our students every day,” said Cheyney University President Aaron A. Walton. “In what can be a divisive environment, she brings together elected leaders and decision-makers to address critical issues related to justice.”

Under Meade’s leadership, CSI has helped pass legislation that provided a path for three million people to receive a full or partial record clearance. Last month, CSI received a landmark financial commitment through The Audacious Project to support the organization’s strategy to unlock opportunities for up to 14 million people across the U.S. to invest in second chances. She describes her efforts as being a walking barrier breaker and one of the country’s leading experts on legal system reform.

“Across the country there are 30 million people today who are eligible for expungement,” said Meade. “But the process is costly. It’s confusing. It’s complex. Think about all the second chances you’ve gotten in life. Whether it’s from your teachers, your parents, your loved ones, your community, and even our children — and how that felt. There is power in second chances and a clean slate.”

Prior to becoming CEO of CSI, Meade helped found the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition while also working as a senior advisor to the Second Chances Amendment 4 Florida Campaign. During the statewide, grassroots effort to return voting rights to people experiencing felony disenfranchisement, Meade mobilized thousands of impacted families and supporters to get to the polls, trained hundreds of activists to engage within their communities on the issue of criminal justice, and brought together hundreds of faith congregations to support Amendment 4 efforts.

Meade is regularly featured in national media as a premier voice for criminal justice reform. Her work has involved the likes of Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, John Legend, and Roc Nation. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Welfare Foundation and sits on the boards of the Policing Project at NYU School of Law, Live Free USA, and the Florida Coalition on Black Civic Engagement.

“Being able to address the Cheyney University community is an honor,” noted Meade. “My family has deep personal ties to this institution, and I am humbled at the opportunity to share my story in the hopes of inspiring this year’s graduating class as they go out into the world. Existing and thriving as a young Black person in today’s society is no easy feat and if I can, by example, motivate even one student to turn any pain they may have experienced into purpose, then I will be forever grateful.”

She is the proud mother of five children, and is half of one of America’s most dynamic power couples. Her husband, Desmond, shares her passion for criminal justice reform and voting rights. His organization was recently nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Along with Meade’s commencement address, the ceremony will include several speakers and award recipients, including Ryan Boyer, Chairman of the Cheyney University Council of Trustees; honorary degree recipient Kelvin Jeremiah, CEO of the Philadelphia Housing Authority; and Valedictorian Curtis Stockley IV, who majored in Social Relations with a concentration in American Political Studies with a 4.0 GPA.

“Commencement recognizes the successes of those who inspire and those who embrace our history and progress,” said President Walton. “Cheyney’s successful transformation is making a positive impact for everyone we have helped set on a path to achieving success.”

The commencement ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday, May 13, 2023, at 10 a.m., at The Quad.

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About Cheyney – Founded in 1837, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the nation’s oldest historically Black institution of higher education. Building on this legacy, the vision for Cheyney is to become the premier model for academic excellence, character development, and social responsibility among not only Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but in all of American higher education. The campus is located on 275 acres straddling Delaware and Chester Counties. Read more at www.cheyney.edu.