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The National Society for Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) recently named Kadiyatu Mayah, junior HRTM minor to the 2023-2024 National Executive Board as the National Public

Relations Director. She will lead and curate content for the 107 university chapters across the nation. Additionally, she will be responsible for writing press releases, selecting and organizing content for collateral material such as the INFORMER Newsletter, brochures, calendar of events, etc., as well as coordinating NSMH participation in industry trade shows, and creating content for media promotion.

Founded in 1989, NSMH aims to educate, encourage, and empower minority students interested in pursuing hospitality careers. With well over 107 chapters nationwide, the organization is committed to providing resources, tools, and information to assist students in their endeavors to succeed in the hospitality industry and work closely with industry partners in developing diverse, inclusive, and supportive environments.

“As a Liberian American while being raised in Upper Darby, PA, I’ve learned to be as creative as I can, always stay true to myself and to walk into every room with purpose,” said Mayah. She asserts that she has always had a passion for connecting with people through meaningful conversation and realized that her love for this industry grew as she attended events and connected with people from various backgrounds and spaces within the hospitality industry. There is a quote from Maya Angelou that Kadiyatu lives by, which also exemplifies the essence of the hospitality industry: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” As a result of her positive experiences with the HRTM program, Kadiyatu’s hope is to positively impact the perception of current and new students alike regarding what the hospitality industry entails. It is her hope to effectively showcase the benefits of joining the HRTM program and, by extension, a prestigious organization like NSMH. “It is also my intention to graciously serve as a dedicated team member of the national board,” said Mayah.

“We are so proud of Kadiyatu,” said Krystal Peters, Program Coordinator, Professor of the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Program and NSMH advisor. “Not only has she represented herself as a stellar hospitality scholar, but she has represented Cheyney University masterfully on a national stage.”

This prestigious appointment comes by way of an election process that took place early last week, and features hospitality and tourism students around the country who display exemplary leadership, academic achievement, awareness of the NSMH’s mission, vision and a commitment to service.

 

Students from the Cheyney University’s Hospitality Entrepreneurship Class (HRM 320) attended the Small Business Expo on March 29^th at the Wanamaker Building in Philadelphia.

The Cheyney contingency comprised of freshman Zamira Robinson, sophomores Briana Archer and Shadir King, juniors Hugh Booth, N’Lijah Bryant, and Abson Francois, and senior Philip Daynuah with Professor Krystal Peters.

The Small Business Expo is Philadelphia’s BIGGEST business networking & educational event for Small Business Owners & Entrepreneurs, averaging 15,000 people hailing from all over the world. Students attended workshops led by industry experts such as: Building Foundations for Business Credit, How Small Businesses (Unintentionally) Poison Their Best Relationships, Building Foundations for Business Credit and From Dream to Profit: Creating the Custom Sales Strategy You Need.

Students and expo participants were also given free access to Small Business University. This is a series of 1 hour content rich webinars curated by the Small Business Expo and led by industry experts that give participants the opportunity to learn business-critical skills and strategies and feature a Q & A session at the end. These webinars cover a variety of topics such as:

• Sales & Marketing
• Finance Management
• SEO Strategies
• Social Media Marketing
• Business Planning & Growth
• Legal Tips & Pitfalls to Avoid
• Human Resources guidance
• Employee Incentives
• and many more!

Shadir King, said “When telling my friends about the trip I told them how good it felt be in a room full of business owners like me. We all have different goods and services to offer the world and it’s great to network and get our business out there. The connections I made will have next-level benefits. The most interesting part of my day was learning about credit building and grants that are out there to help small businesses like mine flourish.”

Much like the Small Business Expo, the Hospitality Entrepreneurship class encourages students to ignite their entrepreneurial spirit through real-world experiences. The course culminates with an Entrepreneurship Expo to be held during the last week of classes in Marcus Foster. Each student will present their business idea in a trade show fashion to their peers and the campus community. They will also receive feedback from the entrepreneurial experts who will be judging their presentations.

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The NBA’s All-Star Game weekend came and went in February, but for Cheyney University of Pennsylvania senior Nathan Rosario, the memories, and connections, may last a lifetime. Sitting a few rows from the court during the NBA-HBCU Classic game, Rosario, a business administration major and guard for the men’s basketball team, quickly turned his attention from the court to who was behind him.

“There were representatives from different corporate companies sitting behind us and they were talking about professional opportunities they have available,” said Rosario. “We provided our academic backgrounds and majors and now we’re looking at interviews.”

Men’s basketball head coach Terrell Stokes connected with professional contacts to score a chance to attend the festivities in Salt Lake City for him and four of his players, including Rosario. When they started talking to the corporate professionals also in attendance, Stokes knew the trip was a success.

“And they started having conversations with them, ‘What university are you from?’” Stokes said. “And the students would answer them ‘We’re Cheyney University, we’re an HBCU.’

“The conversation went into, ‘What year are you? What are you studying? Are you a senior? Are you graduating? We have opportunities for internships, we want to follow up with you.’”

Networking at the star-studded event gave exposure to Rosario and his teammates, sophomores Nathan Pettus, who flew on a plane for the first time as part of the trip, Kian Nixon, and Jabril Baxter, that they never had before. It’s all part of Coach Stokes’ plan to prioritize academics and help create a career path.

“I know they’ll adapt on the court,” he said. “But the opportunities to prepare for the business world, how to have a meeting, how to dress for a meeting, how to write a resume, how to speak to a professional, what language to use; these are the things that we teach in the program. The CEOs were so impressed with the students. These are principles I teach daily in the program.”

Rosario followed up with those he met and is waiting to see how those opportunities progress. It was a chance for him and his teammates to act as professionals but also to enjoy the weekend as lovers of basketball.

“My two favorite interactions were with [Utah Jazz guard] Collin Sexton because we got to talk to him about more personal things,” Rosario said. “But also just meeting Charles Barkley, that is always an honor. It was a great experience overall.”

Stokes is in his second year as head coach of a revitalized men’s basketball program that is working toward playing a full season of games and readmission to NCAA Division II competition.

“The program is ascending. We played 28 games this past season, including a lot of high-level Division II schools with great athletes,” said Stokes.

But more important than any on-court victory is the commitment to the classroom that Stokes requires.

“The team GPA is 3.3, that’s what I’m proudest about,” he said. “Nathan is a great example of that. He’s graduating with a 4.0.

Stokes continued, “We have multiple students who are doing well in the classroom. The men’s basketball program is more than basketball, way more than basketball. We always speak life, the future and what you want to do with your endeavors.”

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Students from the Cheyney University’s Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management (HRTM) Program participated in the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) Northeast Regional Conference on February 16th through the 18th at Virginia State University in Petersburg Virginia.

The Cheyney team was comprised of 2 HRTM majors (and seniors): Ashunti Banks and Anya’e Benford, along with faculty members Professor Herbert Black (Co-Advisor) and Krystal Peters (Co-Advisor & HRTM   Program Coordinator).

The highly engaging, three-day event, centered around the theme, “Entrepreneurship Fundamentals and Effective Money Management,” and featured more than 100 attendees from hospitality programs throughout the region, including Virginia State University (conference hosts), Bethune Cookman University, Cornell University, Morgan State University and North Carolina Central University, to name a few.

“Outside of the learning and networking opportunities, this was a very beneficial experience for me, I was offered a job upon graduation” said Anya’e Benford.

Ashunti Banks, who was also offered a position with Disney, said “I think this conference is something that all hospitality students should attend. You get to interact with people in rooms you aspire to get a seat in upon graduation.”

Both ladies were offered a promising job opportunity with Disney, with whom they completed their internship in the Spring 2022 semester, as well as Accor Hotels. They also participated in job interviews with various other companies and are awaiting call backs for follow-up interviews.

The conference also provided students the opportunity to network with industry professionals and hospitality peers, while partaking in informative workshops that focused on bridging the gap between the classroom and boardroom. Students also learned how to prepare for industry success and career options in today’s highly competitive, and lucrative hospitality field.

In addition to interactive workshops, students participated in Industry Information Sessions, where this year’s corporate partners (Encore Global, Kimpton Hotels and Resorts, Accor Hotels, Compass Group, Disney Worldwide, Hilton Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels Corporation) presented company overviews and fielded audience questions about their organizations and available internships, management trainees, and direct placement opportunities.

Accommodations for this year’s NSMH NE Regional Conference were supported by funding from the HBCU Hospitality Management Consortium, while travel and other costs were funded by Cheyney University and the HRTM program.

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While the COVID-19 pandemic presented many unprecedented challenges, it also provided new opportunities to reimagine campus spaces to meet the needs of 21^st century learning. Due to federal, state, and local regulations, to keep Cheyney University’s entire community safe and healthy, the Leslie Pinckney Hill Library had to close its doors.

But, when one door closes, another one opens.

Cheyney’s administrative staff used the moment to rethink how the library could become a learning atmosphere that can meet the demands of today’s higher education. When she joined Cheyney, Dr. Gramby-Sobukwe was assigned to oversee the library renovation project.

“Cheyney’s Administration first went to the campus community and surveyed them on what they wanted in the new library. The outreach revealed that the new library should ensure a quiet study space with access to quality research materials.”

A leadership team was assembled to create the ideal library space and was charged with researching and sharing how libraries are adapting to the demands of the 21^st century. A library strategy committee that included students was formed to help create a 21^st century library space. Next, an architectural team provided the library strategy committee with names of nearby universities that recently added 21^st-century updates. The team visited the libraries at Penn State University’s Great Valley campus, Temple University, and Rosemont College. The visits helped identify key features that fit the needs of the campus. The site assessments were discussed with the greater campus community.

Mark DeSantis, a senior majoring in communications, was one of the students on the steering committee who provided insight and feedback to help guide the administrative staff.

“The library throughout history has always symbolized the heart of a college’s campus,” said Mark DeSantis. “It is the people’s palace, a place where everyone can come together to create, communicate, and experience growth as a person and community.”

In October 2022, Cheyney’s President Aaron Walton called for reopening the library by the start of the 2023 spring semester. While some renovations were already underway, the facilities team and library strategy committee began planning and implementing renovations to meet the goal.

The library’s doors reopened on January 30 and students were introduced to the reimagined learning facility.

The inspiration that shaped the renovations was focused around creating a Learning Commons where students and faculty could engage in and outside of the classroom while in the library. The following four key features were essential to the enhancements:

1. Academic Support Resources – The Academic Success Center, TRiO programs, Instructional Design and Teaching Innovation programs were relocated to the library where they partnered with library staff to offer regular study halls, tutoring, coaching and workshops.
2. Collaborative and Individual Quiet Study Spaces – Study spaces were expanded in the stacks and device connectivity and printing were added along with desktop stations, and group study spaces.
3. Gathering and Lounge Spaces – A coffee and a snack shop were built along with other spaces that created a comfortable setting to study, read or just lounge.
4. Innovative Learning Spaces – Areas were created to inspire students to explore knowledge outside of the classroom. Students will be surveyed for themes around the library to explore, and the library staff will curate spaces catered to the themes.

Planning is underway for innovation labs and maker studios where students can participate in innovative learning using various new technologies. Cheyney is exploring 3-D printing, virtual reality, and podcasting among other technology driven tools to promote innovation and self-directed learning.

“The library’s new concept as a Learning Commons is no longer only a space for quiet study, but also a space for student and community engagement,” said Dr. Sobukwe. “We plan to welcome the broad community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni and our neighbors, with programs and activities, all designed to increase knowledge, enhance learning as a continuous process of engagement, and strengthen community relationships.”

 

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Originally published in the Philadelphia Business Journal by Ryan Mulligan on Feb 21, 2023.

The nation’s first historically black college or university continues to push into life sciences through a new project that will give companies on-campus lab space and seeks to boost student interest in the industry.

Cheyney University is moving forward with its thinkUbator, a concept that is being built out in partnership with Philadelphia-based Mosaic Development Partners and Blue Bell’s Integrated Project Services. The project includes retrofitting an existing 70,000-square-foot building on Cheyney’s campus with more than 30,000 square feet of new lab development in addition to office space.

The first phase of the project is expected to begin in the third quarter and will include the construction of 10 labs, said Greg Reaves, the CEO of Mosaic, a firm also working on projects like the Philadelphia Navy Yard and proposed new 76ers new arena in Center City. Phase one will cost between $10 million and $11 million and the entire project will be fully built out in 2025, Reaves said.

The project received a $5 million grant from the state in the form of a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant. It also received $400,000 from in federal appropriations funding advanced by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat. Additional funding will come from Cheyney fundraising and Reaves said there will also be a tax credit on the project.

Mosaic is also working on a development strategy to “reimagine” Cheyney’s campus, which straddles Chester and Delaware counties. Reaves said that the thinkUbator speaks to a larger vision at Cheyney. The university has undertaken a strategy over the last few year to repurpose unused and underutilized real estate to bring in new revenue and business ideas to the campus. The strategy brings companies that will pay rent and also provides STEM jobs for students at the HBCU.

“We have certainly seen in life sciences not just in Philly but around country, the lack of inclusion of people of color, not just at the bench level but also the ownership level,” Reaves said. “There’s been a dearth of communities of color, we think because we haven’t created the right pipeline. Doing this at an HBCU we think gives the ability for others to see true opportunity as a pipeline to talent development and working in this industry.”

Cheyney has already brought five companies to campus in the existing lab space it does have, what Reaves called a “proof of concept” to move forward with the development of the thinkUbator. Companies include Sure-BioChem Laboratories, Navrogen, ASI Chemicals.

Since the companies have planted roots on the suburban Philadelphia campus, Reaves said the percentage of students showing interest in careers in the sciences at Cheyney jumped from 10% to 22%.

The 700-student university has a requirement for businesses working on campus that they need to have student involvement, which helps fuel the talent pipeline the partners are looking to build. Reaves said that with internships and jobs in STEM, there is an opportunity to “enhance the level of diversity in science through this model.”

“This is really more about Cheyney,” Reaves said. “Cheyney’s interest in being at the forefront of science with their students, and doing it in a creative way. It puts together this petri of partnerships, from the university, the private side, the state. It’s all sharing investments, sharing talent and sharing successes.”

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