19 minute read

Steadfast, Honest, True: News & Notes from Young Alumni

from We Are Morehouse Monthly: July 2018

by Morehouse College Office of Alumni Engagement

from We Are Morehouse Monthly: July 2018, page 4

Article from: We Are Morehouse Monthly: July 2018

Letter from the Editor

STEADFAST, HONEST, TRUE

SOLE'SURVIVOR'!

Wendell Holland ’06 used cunning, strength, intelligence and some charm to win the CBS TV show "Survivor Ghost Island" in May

Holland bested 19 other contestants and was declared the winner of the hit show’s 36th season.

Holland and his cast-mates were on Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands for 39 days.

The Villanova, Pa., native earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pennsylvania and is also a master craftsman. His custom home furnishings are sold at Beve Unlimited, Holland’s Philadelphia-based company specializing in furniture made from reclaimed wood.

Read more about Holland’s journey in next month's issue of We Are Morehouse Monthly.

NEWS & VIEWS FROM YOUNG ALUMNI >

STEADFAST, HONEST, TRUE: NEWS & VIEWS

F. DuBois Bowman '92 named Dean of the University of Michigan's School of Public Health

"The next dean of the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health will be Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, a distinguished researcher whose scholarship focuses on improving mental health and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and depression.

"Dr. Bowman will become the school’s 12th dean."

"Currently, Dr. Bowman is the chair and the Cynthia and Robert Citrone-Roslyn and Leslie Goldstein Professor of Biostatistics at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Under his leadership, the department has expanded and refined its education programs, increased grant revenue, and made significant gains in philanthropy. Dr. Bowman also is a member of the executive committee of the Columbia University Data Science Institute.

"He began his career in the academy as an assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. As he rose through the ranks at Emory, becoming a professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics in 2013, he was also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University in 2000 and a visiting assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University in 2005. From 2007-2013, he was the founding director of the Center for Biomedical Imaging Statistics at the Rollins School at Emory, the first center of its kind internationally. Dr. Bowman served as president of the Eastern North American Region (ENAR) of the International Biometric Society and is an elected Fellow of the American Statistical Association.

"Dr. Bowman’s research has helped to reveal brain patterns that reflect disruption from psychiatric diseases and detect biomarkers for neurological diseases. Additionally, his research seeks to determine threats to brain health from environmental exposures, to determine more individualized therapeutic treatments, and to optimize brain health in aging populations.

"As a principal investigator, Dr. Bowman has received seven National Institutes of Health grants. Additionally, he is the co-investigator on an even greater number of federally sponsored grants. Recently, he led research under the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Parkinson’s Disease Biomarker Program, which may have major implications for early detection of Parkinson’s disease and for forecasting disease progression. He also has been an integral collaborator on an international research project led by the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

"Dr. Bowman recognizes the critical need for diversity and has worked to foster it within biostatistics; public health; science, technology, engineering and math fields; and in research careers more generally. He has mentored minority undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and faculty. He also served on advisory boards of NIH programs that target underrepresented minority undergraduate students at historically black colleges and universities and currently leads two NIH diversity pipeline training programs at Columbia University as a co-principal investigator.

Dr. Bowman earned a BS degree in mathematics in 1992 from Morehouse College, where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He earned an MS degree in biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 1995 and a PhD degree in biostatistics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 2000." - Lauren Love for the Universty of Michigan School of Public Health (https://sph.umich.edu/news/home-releases/dean-071918.html)

Adewole Adamson '05 named assistant professor

Adewole Adamson, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, has been named an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School.

Dr. Adamson received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a joint program with Harvard's Division of Health Sciences and Technology. He also earned a Master of Public Policy degree in health policy analysis from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Adamson completed his residency in internal medicine at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York, and his dermatology residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

He has also worked as an assistant professor and research fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The Rev. John J. Cox '03 Named Pastor of Historic Church

The Rev. John J. Cox ’03 has been named the seventh pastor in the 152-year history of Vermont Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.

B. Fontenot Johnson '02 named Director of Community Engagement

Attorney and community leader B. Fontenot Johnson '02 was named Director of Community Engagment for the City of Birmingham by Mayor Randall Woodfin '03.

In this role, Johnson “will work as the mayor’s liaison for initiations projects that involve public safety, violence reduction and police/community engagement.” “Mayor Woodfin’s decision to create this position will provide an unprecedented opportunity for residents of Birmingham to be substantive partners in making their city a safer place to live, work and play...I’m honored and humbled to serve and support residents’ rights and equality.” Johnson said.

Johnson earned his juris doctorate from Depaul and his B.A. in political science.

Prior to joining the Woodfin administration, Johnson practiced law and served as director of policy for the Westside Justice Center in Chicago. He also worked as executive director of the Washington Park Consortium, a principal with Catalyst Global Strategies, a senior consultant at Flinn Consutlants, and a project manager for “Reconnecting Neighborhoods” work the Metropolitan Planning Council. He also served as a policy analyst in the Illinois General Assembly.” - The Birmingham Times

Dr. Cox, who received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion from Morehouse, has been serving as a young adults minister at the Church Without Walls in Houston. The Birmingham native earned his doctor of ministry degree at Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary, and his master of divinity degree from Vanderbilt University.

Cox’s installation service was held on Sunday, July 29, 2018, at the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, 1630 Vermont Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009.

Adriel A. Hilton ’03 Named Dean of Students, Diversity Officer

Adriel A. Hilton ’03 has been named dean of students and diversity officer at Seton Hill University.

Hilton will coordinate efforts that support Seton Hill’s Catholic mission, co-curricular learning, and the university's four pillars of welcoming, learning, celebrating, and serving. He will also lead efforts to support a vibrant and engaged campus climate for students, and provide leadership for comprehensive, inclusion-oriented experiences and initiatives for the university community, in collaboration with campus partners.

Before his work at Seton Hill, Hilton served as director of the extended campus for Webster University Metropolitan in Myrtle Beach. Hilton acted as the chief administrative officer for the campus in South Carolina, implementing programs and policies to achieve the university’s goals and objectives.

Before working at Webster, Hilton served as: chief of staff and executive assistant to the president at Grambling State University; assistant professor and director of the higher education graduate program at Western Carolina University; assistant vice president for inclusion initiatives at Grand Valley State University; and executive assistant to the president, assistant secretary to the board of trustees, and chief diversity officer at Upper Iowa University.

Hilton was also a public policy fellow for the Greater Baltimore Committee, a leading business advocacy organization.

He earned a doctorate in higher education administration from Morgan State University, a master’s degree in public administration from Florida A&M University, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration–finance from Morehouse.

Hernando Carter '01 elected to Alabama Medical Association Board

Hernando Carter, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has been elected to the Alabama Medical Association Board At-Large, Place No. 3.

Dr. Carter is a board-certified internal medicine physician with experience in hospital medicine, primary care, longterm care, and palliative care, with a special interest in the care of geriatric patients. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Medicine and did his internship at Caraway Methodist Medical Center, where he specialized in internal

medicine.

Carter completed his residency in internal medicine at Physicians Medical Center Carraway (as the chief internal medicine resident), and at Baptist Health Systems.

He serves as a board member for the Jefferson County Medical Society and the Jefferson County Board of Health. Carter is also a member of the American College of Physicians, the Jefferson County Medical Society, and the Medical Association of the State of Alabama.

Duke Bradley III ’98 Named Principal of the Year

Officials at Fulton County Schools in Georgia have named Banneker High School Principal Duke Bradley III ’98 the Principal of the Year.

Dr. Bradley is the principal of Banneker High, where teachers and administrators strive to make education “more useful and relevant,” Bradley writes in his blog at BannekerPride.com. “Although the academic development of our students remains a priority, it has become abundantly clear that our work as a school community must be more dynamic. Our work now extends to providing supports for the whole child. More importantly, this shift is birthed out of a moral duty that we are deeply committed to.”

Brandon J. Dirden ’00 Elected to Actors Equity National Council

Award-winning stage and screen actor Brandon J. Dirden ’00 was recently elected by his peers to the Actors’ Equity Association’s National Council. The 105-year-old organization is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers.

Dirden starred recently in the fourth season of FX Networks’ “The Americans,” reprising his role as Dennis Aderholt, and in the Netflix drama, “The Get Down,” playing Leon.

This year’s top employees received special recognition banners and other gifts of appreciation from Fulton County Schools Superintendent Jeff Rose. School board members also praised the teachers and administrators for their dedication to students and passion for education.

Each year, employees are invited to nominate outstanding employees based on teacher, staff, and parent input. These employees are then evaluated through an application process with essays and interviews. Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year nominees also have their leadership and classroom skills evaluated during school visits.

**Duke Bradley, Ph.D. '98 and well wishers**

Dirden also portrayed Martin Luther King Jr.—a 1948 graduate of Morehouse—in the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Robert Schenkkan’s “All the Way.”

A Morehouse and University of Illinois graduate, he made his Broadway debut in "Prelude to a Kiss". He has since appeared regularly both on and off Broadway in plays such as "Clybourne Park", "The First Breeze of Summer" and "Detroit 67".

In 2012, he was awarded an OBIE Award, AUDELCO VIV Award and a Theater World Award and was nominated for The Drama League and Lucille Lortell awards for his portrayal of Boy Willie in the Signature Theatre's revival of August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson".

Maurice Cooper ’01 named CMO of Wingstop

Veteran marketing executive Maurice Cooper ’01 was recently named the chief marketing officer of Dallas-based Wingstop Restaurants, Inc.

Previously, Cooper served as vice president for the Global Holiday Inn Brand Family at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). At IHG, he was also vice president for Americas Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Resort, and Holiday Inn Club Vacations.

Prior to IHG, Cooper worked at The Coca-Cola Co. in a variety of positions, including: general manager/venture leader, Venturing & Emerging Brands at Coca-Cola; senior brand manager, Coca-Cola Zero; brand manager, Sprite TM—Coca-Cola North America; associate brand manager, My Coke Rewards; and associate brand manager, Coca-Cola Classic.

He has also worked at the Boston Consulting Group, as well as General Mills: Pillsbury.

Cooper earned his MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, and his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Morehouse.

Archie Jones ’93 Honored by Hub Magazine

Hub Magazine has named Archie Jones ’93 to its Innovator and GameChanger in Financial Technology list for 2018. Jones, CFO of the NOWaccount Network Corp., earned his MBA from the Harvard Business School, and his B.A. in accounting from Morehouse.

Jones directs the capital funding engine behind NOWaccount®—an innovative new payment system designed to replace the $1.2 trillion B2B and B2G trade credit that small businesses hold on their balance sheets with a simple transaction that pays the selling company within days, for a one-time flat fee of 3-3.5 percent, according to company officials.

“NOWaccount helps small businesses completely eliminate the burden of carrying and managing accounts receivable so they can stop being a free bank to their customers and grow. NOW Corp. serves businesses across the United States. In Georgia alone, NOW Corp. clients have retained almost 3,000 jobs because they no longer have to wait to get paid.”

Dacari Middlebrooks ’06 Launches Debut Book

Dacari J. Middlebrooks ’06 drew from his own battle with depression to write “The Depressed Millennial: Surviving Unmet Expectations,” published by CreateSpace in June 2018.

For more on "The Depressed Millennial," visit https://tinyurl.com/y9eskchf

The book takes readers on a journey through a battle with depression from a Millennial state of mind. Middlebrooks discusses, for example, how PTSD, severe depression, and significant losses exacerbate what he calls mental disruption—a loss of the capacity to believe and think positively about life. “It is the author's hope that those battling with depression, particularly Millennials, will find inspiration in his story, seek treatment, and survive the unmet expectations levied against them," Amazon says.

After graduating from Morehouse in 2000, Middlebrooks earned a Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt University.

STEADFAST, HONEST, TRUE: NEWS & VIEWS

Johnson, Merritt Named to ‘40 Lawyers Under 40’

Alex Johnson ’02 and S. Lee Merritt ’05 have been named to the National Bar Association’s “Nation’s Best Advocates: 40 Lawyers Under 40” list for 2018-19.

Johnson is program director for The California Wellness Foundation, and president of the Los Angeles County Office of Education. He earned his Juris Doctor degree at American University’s Washington College of Law, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morehouse.

Merritt, the founder and principal of the Merritt Law Firm, is emerging as an influential new voice in the fight for U.S. civil rights. Known for his passion for social reform and commitment to addressing inequities, Merritt earned his Juris Doctor degree at Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law, and his bachelor’s degree in history at Morehouse.

Juan Thomas ’92 has served as 75th president of the National Bar Association.

Morehouse Men Named to Network Journal's ‘40 Under Forty’ List

Thomas L. Davenport II ’02, Howard Franklin ’01 and Adriel A. Hilton ’03 were among the recipients of The Network Journal’s 2018 “40 Under 40” list of dynamic achievers. The annual award recognizes outstanding young African-American professionals who are reaching for higher goals in their careers while remaining committed to developing their communities.

Davenport is the director of investment banking at Sikich in Chicago. He holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College.

Franklin is a corporate lobbyist and a partner at the Thompson Victory Group in Atlanta. He also founded Ohio River South, a high stakes strategy firm led by professionals from the highest levels of government, business, and politics.

Dr. Hilton is dean of students and diversity officer for Seton Hill University. He holds a doctorate from Morgan State University, an MBA from Webster University, and a Master of Applied Social Science degree from Florida A&M University.

STEADFAST, HONEST, TRUE: NEWS & VIEWS

Raymond Perkins ’13 earns Princeton Doctorate

Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude graduate Raymond Perkins ’13 recently completed his doctorate in operations research and financial engineering from Princeton University.

Perkins’ doctoral research focused on a class of stochastic optimization algorithms for making sequential decisions under uncertainty.

Perkins has accepted an offer to be a quantitative researcher with the Multi-Assets Group at T. Rowe Price, the asset management firm, in Baltimore, Md.

**Former Mathematics major, Raymond Perkins, Ph.D. '13**

Morgan C. Williams Jr. ’11 Earns Doctorate in Economics

Morgan C. Williams Jr. ’06 recently earned his Ph.D. in economics from the City University of New York’s Graduate Center.

Williams is an assistant professor/faculty fellow in the NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service under the NYU Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Morehouse, and a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University.

Williams’ research interests, he says, span the fields of labor and health economics—utilizing both empirical and theoretical techniques within applied microeconomics to examine important topics of social inequality.

His current research addresses the economic consequences of crime and incarceration policy in the United States. In his recent work examining the differential impact of gun control policy liberalization in Missouri, for example, Williams provides evidence suggesting that the repeal of a “permit-to-purchase” law led to a sharp increase in gun proliferation in the state, and an disproportionate increase in firearm homicide among young black Missourians in urban areas.

Williams’ research also investigates how criminal history disclosure laws influence labor markets, and the role of incarceration policies on household economic behavior.

Williams is a recipient of the National Bureau of Economic Research Predoctoral Fellowship in Aging and Health Research, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Predoctoral Fellowship, and a U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program award.

STEADFAST, HONEST, TRUE: NEWS & VIEWS

Chris Hollins ’07 is Finance Vice Chair for Texas Democratic Party

Houston-based attorney Christopher Hollins ’07 is serving as the vice chair for finance for the Texas Democratic Party.

The lifelong Democrat earned his Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and his MBA from Harvard Business School, after he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Morehouse, with Phi Beta Kappa honors.

Prior to owning his private practice, Hollins worked for the Obama Administration and McKinsey & Co.

Joe Hines ’08 Named Principal at Henry Ford Academy

Veteran educator Joe Hines ’08 has been named the principal of Detroit's Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies.

Hines was previously the dean of students at Henry Ford and also worked as the school's restorative justice specialist.

An alumnus of Teach for America’s Detroit Corps, Hines earned his master’s degree in secondary education and teaching from the University of Southern California. The Detroit native earned his B.A. in health and physical education.

Learn more about Henry Ford Academy by visiting http://hfa-dearborn.org/

Said Sewell ’92 Named Morehouse Senior VP

Said Sewell, Ph.D., a 1992 graduate of Morehouse College, has been appointed senior vice president of student development at Morehouse.

Sewell is a veteran educator and respected administrative leader. He has held several positions in higher education, including: provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Lincoln University in Missouri; assistant provost for academic affairs and dean of undergraduate studies at Kent State University; and acting assistant vice president for academic affairs/executive director of the Academic Success Center at Fort Valley State University.

At Morehouse, Sewell now oversees the Offices of Residential Life, Greek Life, Campus Security/ Police, Student Services, Student Health, Career Counseling, Athletics, and Athletics Compliance.

Sewell, who earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Morehouse, holds a master’s degree in public policy from Texas Southern University, and a doctorate in political science from Clark Atlanta University.

Become a Sustaining Supporter! Sign up for recurring giving today. GIVING.MOREHOUSE.EDU

STEADFAST, HONEST, TRUE: NEWS & VIEWS

Kuran Williams '02 Recognized as Role Model, Leader

Kuran Williams ’02 has been selected by the Financial Times as an Ethnic Minority Role Model and Future Leader of 2018.

Williams is the HANA Enterprise Cloud Launch Advisor for SAP (System Applications Products), and a leader within SAP’s black employee network. He has created virtual programming to further develop, educate, retain, and enhance opportunities for the upward mobility of ethnic minority employees. Topics he has addressed include: creating development plans, having a development conversation with your manager, assessing your skills and gaps, and positioning yourself for a promotion.

Williams helped organize a recent community service event with the KIPP Atlanta Collegiate High School (Knowledge is Power Program). Thirty minority students visited SAP’s Buckhead office in Atlanta, and worked with SAP software to create, and pitch, a value proposition that would improve their school.

Kuran has mentored many ethnic minority employees and women within SAP.

Kuran is also a STEM advocate within the African American community. He has told his story to a group of MBA and undergraduate students at Delaware State University, and mentored students from Morehouse College.

In 2018, Kuran was the recipient of the 2017 North America Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion award at SAP.

Rep. Cedric Richmond '95 Pitches Democrats to Another Win in Congressional Game

U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, a former standout pitcher at Morehouse, dazzled on the mound and at bat in the 57th annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity on June 14.

Arguably the best pitcher in the 57-year-history of the charity game, Richmond led the Democrats to a convincing win in the annual summer classic. This year's 21-5 win over the Republicans marks Richmond’s seventh straight win on the mound. He was outstanding in the field as well—hitting a triple and scoring on an error while only giving up 11 hits.

The bipartisan game has raised millions of dollars for various charities, including the Washington Literacy Center, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation, and the United States Capitol Police Memorial Fund.

Richmond has served Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District since 2011.

STEADFAST, HONEST, TRUE: NEWS & VIEWS

Lyndon Carter ’07 named Senior Associate Counsel

Orlando-based attorney Lyndon Carter ’07 was recently named senior associate counsel for development law and director for property law administration for Darden Restaurants Inc.

Darden brands include Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze, and Eddie V’s.

Carter earned his Juris Doctor degree from Duke University School of Law after graduating with Phi Beta Kappa distinction as an English major at Morehouse.

BAKARI SELLERS '05

EPISODES AVAILABLE AT APPLE PODCAST

This article is from:

We Are Morehouse Monthly: July 2018

by Morehouse College Office of Alumni Engagement