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Photo Cred: Vernon Ogrodnek, FOR THE PRESS

(January 10 – Atlantic City) Cheyney University and AtlantiCare are focusing on engaging students in rich, real-world observation and clinical experiences. AtlantiCare has committed the resources and people to ensure the winter session is fully immersive and offers students a well-rounded look at various paths they can pursue in healthcare. The week’s education will include rotations with healthcare professionals at AtlantiCare’s Regional Medical Center (ARMC) Atlantic City Campus, its newly opened Medical Arts Pavilion and the William L. Gormley AtlantiCare HealthPlex. Programs, care services and roles they will learn about include AtlantiCare’s Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) services, Medical Lab Sciences, Nursing, Trauma, Neurosciences, Physical Therapy, Radiology, and Respiratory Therapy.

Coverage:

The Press of Atlantic City – GALLERY: AtlantiCare and Cheyney University enter partnership
The DelCo Times – Cheyney University announces enhanced partnership with South Jersey health care system

As part of TRiO Student Support Services’ (SSS) mission to provide a holistic approach in the delivery of services for students, the program emboldens students to honor Cheyney University’s commitment of cultivating a culture of character with its dedication to social responsibility.

Over the 2022 fall semester, a group of Cheyney students including several who are part of the TRiO SSS Scholars Program did their part to fulfill the university’s commitment by helping to feed and clothe people in need across the community.

The semester kicked-off with a Bombas Service Day on August 19. Bombas is an apparel company that makes socks with a mission to help individuals experiencing homelessness. Bombas has a pledge to donate an item for every item purchased. Cheyney is a Bombas Socks giving site that consistently provides care packages of socks to homeless people throughout the academic year.

The students put together 3,000 sock bags and wrote more than 600 inspirational cards for the care packages going to homeless individuals. The Joy of Sox organization, which provides support to 125 homeless organizations, distributed the socks and cards to people experiencing homelessness in the Philadelphia area.

“We had a ball ’Socking‘ those in need with some love from Cheyney University and Bombas,” said Rosalyn Henderson, Cheyney’s TRIO Student Support Services Director.

Along with collecting sock donations, the students assembled between 50 to 100 boxes of food every month from the university’s food pantry for distribution to area churches and YMCAs that serve people experiencing food insecurity. The food pantry receives food donations from Philabundance, Chester County Food Bank and various alumni associations. Some TRiO students utilize the food pantry, so they understand the struggle of having enough to eat.

Cheyney created its campus food pantry in 2019, to help support students struggling with hunger. Through TRiO’s ongoing efforts, it has expanded into a full-service food pantry with fresh fruits and vegetables. The food pantry was recently recognized as a PA Hunger-Free Campus by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, making it one of eight higher education institutions in the state to receive the designation.

“As reports indicate, students of color experience food insecurity at a higher rate; and first-generation students experience insecurities at higher rates than non- first-generation students,” said Henderson “The bottom line is if you’re food insecure you can’t focus on your education and have poor academic progress.”

TRIO SSS is a federally funded program that provides academic assistance for 284 eligible undergraduate students at the university. The goal is to help low-income and first-generation college students and/or college students with disabilities to succeed and earn their bachelor’s degree. Staff members know that some of the university’s students come from marginalized backgrounds and might need more resources and support than other students.

Cheyney looks forward to continuing its commitment to serve those in need across local communities and to provide students with the support and resources to help them develop a culture of character.

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After a hiatus due to COVID-19, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania hosted its first poster session since 2019 during the first ever STEM Symposium co-sponsored by the Life Science & Technology Hub (LSAT Hub) and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP). The STEM Symposium highlighted undergraduate research and internship activities facilitated by the university’s business and institutional partners.  Students who are working to become future leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) demonstrated that they are thriving in this industry through the poster session and student intern panel.

The two-day symposium also included a STEM Professionals Panel featuring staff representing many of Cheyney’s on-campus partners that are part of the LSAT Hub located in the school’s Science Center and off campus internship hosts. Eleven students created posters to showcase what they learned as they worked alongside STEM professionals and one student created a poster explaining her law internship experience. (a complete list of students and their topics is included below)

The posters were evaluated by faculty, staff, and campus partners on how well they executed the required format, how thorough and concise their explanations were, and how well they were able to explain their work when questioned.

Michael Ikpe’s presentation on his research with T cells while interning at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wherry Lab as a RISE intern in partnership with the Parker Institute for Immunotherapy (PICI) earned him the first-place honor. Ikpe, a Senior Biology, Pre-Med major, is also active with Cheyney’s LSAT Hub.

He described his internship at the Wherry Lab as one of the most exciting, fulfilling experiences he has ever encountered.

“I was looking for an opportunity like an internship that could help my career path into the medical field,” said Ikpe. “When I started working in the lab, I had very little knowledge of research and immunology, but my mentors were more than happy to educate and train me during my internship.”

Ikpe’s research focused on T cell exhaustion which is a consequence of cancer. He created exhausted CD8 T cells in a dish by mimicking the conditions that can naturally cause exhaustion in the body of an organism.

“I intend to continue my research to dive deeper into the exhausted T cells to determine what transcription factors drive their various cytokine and chemokine productions,” said Ikpe. “I want to pursue a career in the medical field and understand the immune system, which is the body’s main defense against pathogens, helping give a better perspective on how medicine works in general.”

Cheyney partners with several companies that provide paid, hands-on internship opportunities. Cheyney students work directly with these companies, applying classroom learning to invaluable real-world experience in their respective industries.  The student intern panel provided aspiring interns with insight and advice from upperclassmen who shared lessons learned from their experiences and offered tips for those seeking to follow in their footsteps. STEM professionals spoke to students about careers where they can apply their newly acquired skills and the opportunities their companies offer for internships, research, and jobs. The professionals represented industries such as healthcare, finance, research, education, and scientific instrumentation.

“As we spoke more with students about their experiences, we realized that they had learned some very important lessons, both about themselves and about the fields they were working in,” said Vanessa Atkins, Director of Cheyney’s LSAT Hub. “So, we decided that their peers could benefit from hearing from them and added a student intern panel to the agenda, as well. We wanted to celebrate as many students as possible and acknowledge everyone’s hard work as a closing for the event.”

Ikpe explained that being featured in the symposium was an honor and a bit nerve racking.  “As I explained my poster and research to people, I became more comfortable because I really do enjoy talking about science,” he said.

“Coming first at the poster presentation was the icing on the cake and I owe it all to my peers and the judges,” he said. “I hope we inspired a new crop of scientists with the symposium as we need more people of color in science.”

“Opportunities for students to present in forums like this, allow us as faculty to interact more with the students, helping them to understand how to interpret and present data in a professional manner,” explained Dr. Steven Hughes, Professor and Director of Aquaculture Research & Education Laboratory.

The students who participated in the science competition included:

Missed the STEM Symposium? Check out our highlight below!

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706 students currently enrolled for fall semester; figure also marks 50% increase over 2018

(CHEYNEY, PA – Oct. 4, 2022) – Cheyney University of Pennsylvania today reported its overall student enrollment is up 10 percent over last year. There are 706 total students currently enrolled compared to 642 one year ago.

Cheyney has realized annual enrollment increases since 2018. The current enrollment figure is up 50 percent compared to where it was four years ago. A breakdown of the overall student enrollment figures include:

“The upward trend in our enrollment year after year is a result of our enhanced retention efforts as well as our renewed focus on attracting transfer students by strengthening our partnerships with community colleges and through innovative programs such as the paraprofessional degree completion program,” said President Aaron A. Walton. “Additionally, we continue to grow our educational and internship offerings through our on-campus partners and with some of the leading institutions and organizations in the region.”

The school’s Science Center is home to several companies providing cutting-edge research and technology. They are providing students with paid, hands-on internship opportunities as more Cheyney students are seeking careers in STEM-related fields.

“We are providing students—traditional and non-traditional, alike—with every educational opportunity and tool they need to build their successful future,” said Walton. “This includes starting this semester by equipping every student with a state-of-the-art laptop to help their learning journey.”

Cheyney’s Fall 2022 enrollment figure reflects the current freshmen retention rate of 67 percent, which is up from 60 percent over the previous year. The university’s retention rate has been steadily climbing after the last two years that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cheyney’s retention rate in 2019 was 70 percent, which marked the university’s highest rate of retention for a freshman class in more than 20 years.

The number of new transfers also increased over last year from 19 to 57. Students are enrolling in Cheyney as part of its agreement with the School District of Philadelphia’s paraprofessional program and renewed agreements with Community College of Philadelphia.

“Cheyney’s success is determined by two filters for decision making: what is in the best interest of the student and what helps position the university for the future.

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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 University recently welcomed back Cheyney alum, Joyce Abbott, the inspiration behind the Emmy Award-winning TV show, Abbott Elementary. Abbott Elementary is the creation of Quinta Brunson, who was a student of Abbott in sixth grade.

Abbott appeared for a special live table talk event with the university’s coordinator of assessment and continuous improvement, Dr. Carolyn Hall.

Hall asked Abbott to speak at length about the importance of education and her perspective on public education as it relates to perseverance and overcoming obstacles. She also remarked on the importance of HBCU’s like Cheyney University, which was established 185 years ago.

The live event opened with remarks from university president Aaron Walton who proudly exclaimed Abbott is Cheyney made. “I have no doubt about her ability to share her knowledge with Quinta because we all have to have a role model,” Walton said. “And that shows you the ‘power of one.’ We never know the impact we’re having when we work with folks. We can have a tremendous impact on people by just being a part of their lives.”

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Abbott has an impressive list of credentials, accolades, and experiences that lend credence to her successful approach to education. She served in the United States Army for 10 years, which included a 10-month tour in The Persian Gulf War. She earned the rank of staff sergeant. Abbott has a Bachelor of Science in business and economics from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a Master of Education from Cheyney University. In 2004, 2005, and 2007 she was listed in the Who’s Who Among America’s Finest Teachers. She will retire from the Philadelphia School District at the end of the year.

When asked to expound on the perseverance it takes to be an educator, Abbott said it is essential that in any occupation, particularly in education because every day is not easy.

“When your sole purpose is the students that you serve, you cannot please everyone. Your vision is toward the students you’re entrusted to. My journey was many sleepless nights, staying up late working and going in very early,” she said. “Enduring different attitudes and conflicts with adults, I had to keep my eye on the students I served. It’s not easy. I’m not going to tell you I didn’t have tears, that it was rough. But I would get up and say ‘I’m gonna do it. I did things with our student’s people said our students could not do. When I was in the classroom, people would say ‘they can’t speak in complete sentences – they can’t write.’ Don’t say what they can never do.’ They can and they will. That’s perseverance.”

Relating to President Walton’s vision for Cheyney’s future, Hall said the world on the surface has changed a lot since Cheyney was founded, but there are a lot of things that have not: lack of equity in education, lack of diversity in economic conditions. Aspects of racism in the culture that still exist in a more covert fashion. Hall remarked that when it came to her students, she understood she was one of their only hopes.

“I had to know at the end of the day that I helped them to succeed,” she said. “A lot of them come from homes, and environments where college or even trade school or high school isn’t a goal. When I got into their stories, I saw they were in homes with no heat, no electricity, infested with rodents. Some of my students acted out and there had to be a reason why. When I could see everything they had going against them it would bring me to tears. I had to ensure the students were successful, even if they weren’t going to college but going to a top high school. Having the ability to speak in complete sentences, to have respect for each other and for adults. You have to understand the population that you serve.”

Abbott said much of the strength and ability to overcome obstacles she brought to teaching came from having served a decade in the Army. She served her deployment in the Persian Gulf and had a three-year-old daughter back home.

“That separation was extremely difficult for me, but as a leader I couldn’t show that. I had soldiers under me. I had to stay strong.”

Abbott’s most poignant remarks came forth when she stated without hesitation that in today’s society, elementary and high schools don’t prepare students for higher education. “We have to look at our schools that are not preparing our children,” she said. “People who can’t read, people who can’t write. We need people in the schools who really care. College is the last door of opportunity for many of our people. Education is something no one can take away from you.”

Watch the full livestream below or on YouTube!

Department of Education recognizes university’s efforts to combat food insecurity.

Over one-third of students know someone who dropped out of college due to food insecurity during the pandemic, according to national studies about food insecurity amongst US college students.

While COVID-19 helped shed light on the issue of students going hungry, Cheyney University was addressing food and basic needs insecurities prior to the pandemic. When leadership learned that students can have a meal plan and still be hungry, the university in 2019 created a food pantry that included fresh vegetables and fruits.

“As reports indicate, students of color experience food insecurity at higher rate; and first-generation students experience insecurities at higher rates than non- first-generation students,” said Rosalyn Henderson, Cheyney’s TRIO Student Support Services Director. “The bottom line is if you’re food insecure you can’t focus on your education and have poor academic progress.”

Through TRiO’s ongoing efforts over the last three years, what started as small donations has expanded into a complete food pantry program that was recently recognized as a PA Hunger-Free Campus by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Cheyney is one of eight higher education institutions in the state to receive the designation, certifying that it can meet several requirements to obtain the status.

“TRiO Student Support Services provides a holistic approach in the delivery of services for our students,” said Henderson. “Therefore, Cheyney’s participation in this program established the commitment we have to lessen food insecurity and forge student success.”

One of the requirements is for an institution to have a method to directly connect students to food options such as a food pantry. TRiO utilizes every campus platform to get the word out about the food pantry that is open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Everyone should be aware of the food pantry. Flyers are posted around campus, in residence halls and included with campus-wide weekly notices,” said Henderson.

The Hunger-Free Campus Initiative and the Hunger-Free Campus+ Initiative help build a coalition of Pennsylvania institutions of higher education (IHEs) focused on addressing hunger and other basic needs for their students, creating opportunities for connection among student hunger advocates, providing resources and strategies for campuses, and supporting opportunities to apply for grants related to addressing food insecurity.

According to First Lady Frances Wolf, who helped launch the Hunger-Free Campus Initiative, hunger is a devastating reality affecting too many of Pennsylvania’s postsecondary students as they strive to further their education.

Acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty stated during the initiative launch, “We know that students need access to healthy food to stay focused, learn, grow, and thrive. And yet, many postsecondary students face financial barriers to filling their most basic needs,” said Hagarty. “The Hunger-Free Campus Initiative empowers Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities to combat hunger on their campuses and provide the resources that students need to continue their education and go on to obtain family-sustaining, meaningful careers.”

Cheyney’s efforts have been recognized beyond its campus and the Commonwealth. The university has been selected to be part of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health on Sept. 28. The conference aims to address hunger and improve health and is the first of its kind if more than 50 years.

TRIO Student Support Services is a federally funded program that provides academic assistance to up to 284 eligible undergraduate students at the university. The goal is to help low-income and first-generation college students and/or college students with disabilities to succeed and earn their bachelor’s degree. Staff members know that some of the university’s students come from marginalized backgrounds and might need more resources and support than other students. According to Henderson, some students are not aware of the resources available to them, while others allow their pride to get in the way.

“We assist student with resources to lessen various insecurities. Providing access to our students is the essential piece to ensure we lessen hunger,” said Henderson.

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