Mass Communications

Raising some money for a good cause and closing out the Spring Semester with a little fun was the goal of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Dean, Dr. Marshall Stevenson.

Title: Athlete Spotlight: Hassan Evans
By: Allison Hazel

Hassan Evans, 21, has been playing baseball for over a decade “When I was eight years old I fell in love with the game”, said Evans. Influenced by his grandfather and uncle who were former baseball players, Evans would practice in New York’s very own Prospect Park.

Currently, Evans is an outfielder/pitcher for the DSU Hornets baseball team. Evans is a key player who has a true passion for the sport. In 2012, he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs but decided to complete another year of college instead of accepting the offer. Not only did Evans want to continue his education, but he also wanted to raise his draft stock.

Evans aspires to be a professional athlete post graduation. However he does have a plan B. “If baseball doesn’t work out I want to be a sports psychologist”, Evans expressed. Evans is a Dean’s List student who majors in Intergraded Studies. His discipline is a combination of Sports Management and Psychology. According to Evans every professional baseball team has a sports psychologist.

Evans has a strong interest in psychology and believes that coaches and sports psychologists play a major role in terms of an athlete’s physical and mental health. “A big part of the game is mental”, Evans explained. “You’re always thinking in baseball, you have to know the right throws and plays to run in certain situations”, he added.

Aside from sports, Evans enjoys academics and social functions. He also has a love for music especially R&B. Next year, Evans will be a senior at DSU. He says he will continue to play baseball and pursue his dreams.

Susan Taylor joins the Women of DSU for an evening of empowerment
By: Allison Hazel

Founded by DMV (Washington D.C. Maryland and Virginia) recruitment officer and former SGA president Danyel Jones, Women’s Empowerment Week is designed to honor, empower, and uplift the women at Delaware State University. The event was hosted by a panel of phenomenal women including award winning journalist, former editor-in-chief of Essence magazine, and founder/CEO of National Cares Mentoring Movement Susan L. Taylor. Taylor was joined by some of the most influential women on campus including Dr. Francine Edwards, Candy Young, and Germaine Scott-Cheatham.

The soft-spoken Susan L. Taylor was introduced by mass communications student Kayla Morrison- Williams. Williams spoke briefly about Taylor’s accomplishments within the mass communications field.Williams also touched upon the mission of Taylor’s organization the National Cares Mentoring Movement. Taylor opened the event by expressing her thoughts and concerns regarding the African American community; more specifically women in the African American community.

Taylor emphasized the importance of embracing and loving one’s self. “It is a gift to be born black and female in the now-time. There are so many opportunities for black women today”, said Susan L. Taylor.As the evening progressed, the topic of discussion ranged from acceptance, love, pain, beauty, courage, education, health, and friendship.

“Acceptance is learning how to ask questions and to continue learning about who you are”, said Francine Edwards Public Relations professor and adviser of PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America). The women on the panel let the audience into their personal lives by discussing their past and present challenges. Furthermore, the panel spoke about the art of multi-tasking and how to balance a career, motherhood, and still have “quiet time”.

At the end of the event, Shelbe Hudson thanked the panel for sharing their words of wisdom and presented Susan L. Taylor a gift.

Taylor said that there was no place she’d rather be.

History Light at Schwartz Center

By Logan French for The Hornet

The Delaware State University Jazz Ensemble was far from disappointing on their outstanding performance this past Saturday night. Along with the guests sitting in from Wesley College, the ensemble filled the Schwartz Center with powerful music, a great vibe, and poignant reminders of the past as they presented the opening to the program “Echoes of a Prophet.”

With this year marking the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, DSU Jazz Ensemble Director Randolph J. Johnson led his students in a wonderful presentation of music celebrating the idiosyncrasy and strength of Jazz music originally performed by artists of African American heritage. This music was the heartbeat of the spirit behind such men as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Jazz came with its own rhythm and allowed many people of color to express the anger and frustration they felt in the fight against Jim Crow laws without fear of retaliation. Director Johnson, who was as lively and entertaining as ever, showcased his stellar and awe inspiring talent to rock the house with fantastic selections such as Dizzie Gillespie’s “Tunisia”, Miles Davis’ “4”, and a piece from Wilmington, Delaware’s own Clifford Brown entitled “Jordu”. By the third song, the crowd was swaying along with the beat of the eccentric music from the talent on the stage which proved to shine stronger and brighter than the glint off of their instruments as they executed every note. Special guest performer from Toledo, Ohio, Dr. Stanley Cowell added the perfect nightcap for the first half of the evening when he along with Director Johnson and the packed stage performed Cowell’s own “Absecretions”. It would be completely remiss not to mention the exceptional vocal performances by the Calvary Baptist Church Choir and Delaware State University alumnus Reverend John Moore, Sr. Complementing the DSU Jazz Ensemble celebrating the progression of African American culture in society through music, Reverend Moore allowed the audience to take a trip back with him to Mobile, Alabama as he portrayed one of the greatest men who ever walked the Earth, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Reverend Moore allowed the audience to feel the exact emotion and aggravating struggle that must have been in the mind of Dr. King, Jr as he reenacted such monumental speeches such as “I Have a Dream’’ as well as instructions of his burial that sent a chill throughout the audience where he explained that he wanted his funeral to be short and not to focus on his attributes, but to shed light on that he was always there to fight for the righteous cause and was always supporting his fellow man. Calvary Baptist Church members matched Reverend Moore with tear jerking performances with unbelievable vocal talent. There was not a dry eye in the hall when the group rallied at the end of the program for and inspiring and uplifting presentation of “We Shall Overcome” with all of the members of the choir, including Reverend Moore. “Echoes of a Prophet” was a terrific show that reminded and brought honor to the people who fought against injustice and marched forward and trudged the path for race equality. “Prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.”

DSU students win HBCU Career Marketplace Conference in DC

By Jasmine Manley for The Hornet

Delaware State University students were recognized for their outstanding performance during the 6th Annual HBCU Career Development Marketplace Event; and was awarded the HBCU Career Development Marketplace “Tariq Shane Spirit of Professionalism” Award.

Tariq Shane, founder of the HBCU CDM, set a goal to recognize individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive spirit of the HBCU CDM conference. “I’m so proud of them,” said Felicia Dorman, Office of Career Services. Under the coordination and leadership of Dorman, 19 Seniors, 6 Juniors and 1 Graduate student made up the largest group of students per college out of the 12 HBCUs in attendance.

“Honestly we were the most spirited school and we showed it well,” said Senior Gianna Harris, “I’m glad we won.” Harris, a social work major, said she enjoyed the conference and wished the conference lasted longer. “I had a chance to network and learn some well needed financial information for the future,” said Harris, “It was very beneficial to me.” “In preparation for this event, our young professionals worked hard and endured through various tasks I required them to complete,” said Dorman, “With the intent to expose them to factors and characteristics that will make them strong, marketable and relevant in the workforce.”

The 6th Annual HBCU Career Development Marketplacein Washington D.C. from January 30, 2013 to February 1, 2013. “The two weeks prior to the event was the busiest,” said Dorman, “I was receiving text messages and emails asking me to look over their resume revisions all hours of the night, including after midnight. It’s a good thing I sleep with my laptop beside my bed.” “But it was all worth it,” said Dorman, “I am happy our young professionals were able to see that hard-work does pay off when you’re least expected. We had no idea this award existed, but it was well deserved,” she said. The goal for this event is to create a positive experience that will allow HBCU students the opportunity to network with HBCU alumni and seasoned industry professionals, as well as, to acquire valuable knowledge and the tools necessary to ensure success in corporate America.

The conference provides a great deal of information, inspiration and encouragement to motivate young professionals of HBCU’s. In addition to Delaware State University, colleges from Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, the Carolina’s, Virginia and Maryland were present. It is estimated that approximately 200 students of HBCU’s were in attendance. During her speech and upon accepting the award on behalf of the University she said: “I brought 26 fantastic students here, but believe it or not, I have 4000 more back home that are just as good!”

By Jasmine Manleyn for The Hornet

August of 2012, Dr. Frederick Asinor was appointed as the Dean of Delaware State University’s College of Health, Education, and Public Policy. Before his most recent position as an executive director of the Ocular Melanoma Foundation in Washington, D.C., Dr. Asinor had worked everywhere from Johns Hopkins University to Morehouse School of Medicine. However, he sees something different in Delaware State University students. “Students are a different breed of people.

Students are enthusiastic— they come here for a purpose,” says Asinor. Dr. Asinor’s strong background in public health, once even working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gears him towards advocacy. Asinor plans to use these community projects to move Delaware State University’s College of Health, Education, and Public Policy forward. “One of the things that I, and my department chairs and faculty members decided, was that we would work with the state on it’s prevention programs towards the elimination of obesity in the state. There is a big obesity conference that we’re putting up on April 5^th and 6^th that has world class presenters who will be on campus. Our intention is to create a researched based obesity program here—that people would come here annually to learn new things, to learn about the best practices in the area, and then go back into their communities to impart that knowledge to their citizenry.” Reflecting on his first year here at Delaware State University, Dr. Asinor describes it as “Very challenging, but doable.” However, through any trials that Dr. Asinor faces here at DSU, he says that it is the students who keep him going. “My intentions are to help students achieve their goals and objectives. At the end of it all, if a student can say that because of me, something happened that made them who they are, I think I have done my job.”