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On Tuesday, September 26, 146 years after his death, Octavius V. Catto stood tall as a crowd of hundreds gathered at Philadelphia’s City Hall to view the unveiling of a monument in his honor. The memorial for the Institute for Colored Youth (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania) 1858 alumnus, educator, scholar, civil rights activist, and athlete is the first of over 1,700 statues on public land in the city to be dedicated to an African-American.

Upon learning of Catto, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney felt compelled to educate the city and others of his heroic life and work. The efforts led Kenney and the O.V. Catto Memorial Fund to spearhead a 15-year crusade to build a memorial in Catto’s honor. In the end, sculptor Branly Cadet was commissioned to create the visual narrative, now known as “A Quest for Parity.”

“My hope is that someday, every child in Philadelphia will know as much about Octavius Valentine Catto as they do about Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Martin Luther King,” said Kenney during his keynote address at the event.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1839, Catto migrated to Philadelphia after his mother’s death. He graduated from the Institute for Colored Youth as Valedictorian. He later became a highly regarded educator and Principal of the boys department at the institute.

While in his 20s, Catto rose to prominence in Philadelphia through his work to fight for the betterment of education for black students and efforts to recruit black soldiers to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War. Catto himself served as a Pennsylvania National Guard. He also advocated for the desegregation of the city’s trolley cars and rallied for ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment in Pennsylvania, which granted black men the right to vote.

Catto was also a talented baseball player and founder and captain of Negro League baseball team, The Pythians.

Catto’s life work ultimately brought about his untimely death. On October 10, 1871, the first Election Day that blacks were allowed to vote, the 32-year-old was shot and killed, as a result of Election Day violence from those that aimed to destroy the black vote.

Catto’s legacy is now celebrated via the 12-foot bronze statue that watches over the southwest corner of City Hall. Other sculptural elements seen at the memorial include, a ballot box and granite pillars that represent trolley cars. Both the pillars and ballot box are engraved and adorned with text and images that represent the accomplishments of Catto.

It is Kenney’s, Cadet’s and the members of the O.V. Catto Memorial Fund collective hope that the new monument will educate a new generation of Catto’s patriotic work.

“In this design, I have endeavored not only to celebrate the life of Octavius Catto, but also the values that Catto and his peers embodied so brilliantly: respect, growth, fairness, education and civic engagement,” said Cadet.

Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management (HRTM) and Recreation & Leisure Management majors, minors, and faculty participated in the Philadelphia Phillies #CollegeSeries Sport & Facility Management Night on Monday, September 18, 2017. The high-level networking, information, and sporting event began in the Media Room at Citizens Bank Park and ended with the viewing of the Phillies 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Cheyney delegation joined students from such institutions as Atlantic Cape Community College, Cairn University, Drexel, Penn State, St. Joseph’s University, and Temple to go behind-the-scenes in the business of baseball with Philadelphia Phillies, Aramark, and Spectra executives involved in facility management, food and beverage, and hospitality during a moderated question and answer session.

Panelists provided excellent insight into their areas of business in addition to sharing their career experience and advice. The panel included Sal DeAngelis, Director, Operations/Security; Eric Tobin, Director, Operations/Events; Kevin Tedesco, Aramark General Manager, Sports & Entertainment; Carolyn DiGuiseppe, Spectra General Manager, Facilities; Kristin Zeller, Manager of Phillies Special (Non-Game Day) Events, and Gregg Murphy, Phillies Broadcaster (Moderator).

Sophomore and REM major Nina Hicks, one of the 12 attendees from CU, exited the park with several tidbits of lasting advice. “One thing that stuck out to me the most was how all of the panelists told us to go after every opportunity you have, and to never think anything is beneath you because you have to get your start somewhere. They also told us to stay persistent, put yourself out there and never be afraid to ask questions and to remain open to different things.”

In addition, students like HRTM sophomore Rodney Jones posed questions to 25-year-old, Phillies catcher Andrew Knapp about his college and major league experience. The group was also able to meet informally with front office personnel from various departments, as well as those who spearhead the Phillies intern program.

“This was a phenomenal opportunity to get up close and personal with Phillies senior executives. I’m grateful Athletic Director Sue Kilian and Recreation & Leisure Management’s Pat Walker emailed regarding the opportunity and delighted the Phillies organization rolled out the red carpet. The students seemed to enjoy networking with peers from other schools and clearly had a great time learning about the myriad areas of sport, facility, and hospitality employment the Phillies and Citizens Bank Park provide,” shared Associate Professor and Chair of the Hospitality and Recreation Management Department, Dr. Ivan Turnipseed.

The evening concluded with viewing the home win from the popular Scoreboard Porch. Attendees also received a concession credit that could be redeemed throughout the ballpark for food, beverage, and/or merchandise.

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is part of the second cohort to receive a $10,000 grant for the 2017-2018 academic year from the CVS Health Foundation, Truth Initiative and the American Cancer Society, to advocate for the campus to adopt and implement a smoke and tobacco-free policy. Cheyney’s own “Be Free” initiative explicitly calls for the campus to be smoke and tobacco-free by December 2018.

“Cheyney was originally awarded a two-year $10,000 grant from the Truth Initiative to assist with our efforts and now that it has ended, and the new grant with the CVS Health Foundation and the American Cancer Society is beginning, we plan to continue to expand our work to promote a tobacco-free generation,” says Thom Nixon, Associate Director of Community Living and Judicial Affairs. Nixon also serves as the Grant Lead and Chair of the CU Tobacco-Free Task Force.

Cheyney first began this initiative in 2015, through a partnership with Main Line Health (also a member of the CU Tobacco Free Task Force) and a grant from the Truth Initiative, a national non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. that advocates for a 100 percent smoke and tobacco-free campus policies at both Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other college campuses across the United States. Since, the University has reached several milestones in their quest to become tobacco-free, including being among four HBCUs that won the 2017 Truth Initiative Art Campaign. Art students used the $1,000 award to create a commemorative bench that highlights CU’s smoke-free plan.

“Using this funding, the Task Force also plans to review CU’s current policies and implement new strategies that will allow us to reach our goal to become a smoke-and-tobacco-free campus by December 2018,” said Nixon.

Cheyney will also continue to host prevention education activities including health-fairs, town hall forums to discuss the dangers of tobacco usage and share prevention methods and the national event, The Great American Smokeout (which takes place on the third Thursday in November), that challenges smokers to quit cigarettes for 24 hours with the hopes that this decision will continue forever.

Nixon also shared that the University will be screening the short documentary, Black Lives/Black Lungs which takes aim at the tobacco industry’s blatant marketing strategies to selectively target Black consumers, and infiltrate into predominately Black communities.

Recent data from a public opinion poll (conducted by Morning Consult for CVS Health), confirms public support for a smoke-and-tobacco-free policies revealing that 57 percent of U.S. college students say a tobacco-free campus is important to them when considering applying to or attending a college, and 90 percent of Americans say college campuses should be tobacco free.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC) visited the historic Cheyney University of Pennsylvania campus on Monday, September 18, 2017. This visit was part of the annual White House National Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) week to host a student-focused town hall forum that centered on the importance of the HBCU and students mobilizing change.

Congressman Dwight Evans, who represents Pennsylvania’s 2^nd Congressional District and is one of the 49 members that compose the CBC, and members of the PLBC, also aimed to create synergy between legislators and the student body. During the meeting, held here at the nation’s oldest historically Black college, various questions and concerns were raised by students regarding the institutions current challenges.

“I wanted to join the PLBC to heighten the importance of the HBCU and what it has meant not only to America but the world. When you look at the people that historically Black colleges have produced, we need to reinforce and raise their value,” said Evans.

Evens and PLBC members, brought optimism to the packed house of students, faculty, staff and Cheyney community members in the Carnegie Hall Great Room by collectively urging all to remain resilient and to view Cheyney’s issues as temporary hurdles. The legislators also advised students to use their voice to create groups that spark critical conversations and effect constructive change, as a positive way to leave their legacy at their future alma mater.

“We have some work to do and we have to work together. We have to work with the students, the faculty, the Council of Trustees, Board of Governors, the state and the federal government. We have to do it together, it’s not just one single element – it’s all working together,” Evans reinforced.

Members of the PLBC in attendance included: Chairman, Representative Jordan A. Harris, Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown, Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, Rep. Isabella Fitzgerald, Rep. Stephen Kinsey, Rep. Joanna E. McClinton, Rep. Christopher M. Rabb, and Rep. James R. Roebuck, Jr., Rep. Jake Wheatley. Sitting in for Senator Vincent Hughes was Tiffany A. Wilson, Director, Constituent Activities in the Office of Senator Vincent Hughes. Staff to Congressman Evans Kendra Brown, Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director also sat on the panel. Cheyney alumnus and Trustee, Samuel Patterson was also in attendance and addressed the audience during the forum.

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania held their first ‘Spirit Send-Off Rally’ of the football season on Friday, September 8, 2017, to help pump-up the Cheyney Wolves as they boarded their team buses to take an almost five-hour journey to California University of Pennsylvania to face the Vulcans on their home turf.

During the morning spirit rally, Cheyney faculty, students, and staff gathered near the O’Shields-Stevenson Stadium and displayed their CU pride front and center. President Aaron Walton was also present for the early send-off to offer an encouraging pep-talk that not only helped motivate the players and coaches but all in attendance.

The rally also included an extra special performance by the talented Cheyney cheerleading squad and drummers from the Soulful Sound band led by Assistant Professor and Director of Bands, Allen Gardner. Members of the Student Government Association and fellow classmates were also on hand to help amp up the crowd, as they played music of their own and waved classic Cheyney blue and white signs containing supportive messages.

Fresh off their 56-28 victory in the Battle of the First, over rival Lincoln University, the Wolves are anxious to get back on the field and follow up with another win. The away game against the Vulcans will kick off this Saturday, September 9 at 1:00 PM. The Wolves will remain on the road for the next two straight games and will return to their home stadium on Saturday, September 30, where they will contest East Stroudsburg University at 1:00 PM.

Save the date for Cheyney University of Pennsylvania’s Family Day on Saturday, September 30^th.  The theme, “It’s a Family Affair”, makes it clear that everyone from Nanas and Pop Pops to siblings, aunts and uncles, even family friends are invited to join a day of fun, food and fellowship on the historic campus. Visitors will also get a chance to go to the 1 pm football game when the Cheyney Wolves host the East Stroudsburg Warriors.

“We hope to get parents and students engaged,” explains Thom Nixon, Chair of this year’s event.  “We want freshmen parents to see how their kids have transitioned and adjusted, we want to highlight our student athletes, we want families of all of our Cheyney students to come to campus and enjoy all that we have planned.”

Wolf Zones lined with vendors, a DJ, and games for children and adults will offer something for everyone.  Health officials will be on hand to give blood pressure screenings, nutrition tips, vision testing, and more. There will also be a delicious barbeque that’s sure to be finger-lickin’ good.

Everything kicks off at 10 am and runs until 5 pm. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children and include a t-shirt, entry to the football game, games, food, drinks and a good time. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketleap.

For any additional information, contact Thom Nixon at tnixon@cheyney.edu.