Collegiate 100 Welcomes New Members

2011 Fall Inductees with 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc. Front Left: Ronald Douglass; Front Right to Left: Frederick V. Roberts, Founder and Adviser and Darnell Joseph, Chairman Emeritus.

The Collegiate 100 at Prairie View A&M University welcomed eleven new members into the fold on November 11 in a special induction ceremony held in the Johnson Phillips All Faith Chapel on the campus.

Mr. Darnell Joseph, Chairman of the Board Emeritus for the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc., speaker for the event, challenged the young men to get involved in the various programs sponsored by the Chapter. "You have a great opportunity to make a difference in your community, and the same time a chance to associate with a prominent group of men who can be your mentors," Joseph said. "Welcome you to the 100 family and are counting on your support." Joseph is the Network and Communications Manager, Texas Southern University.

The new members include: Richard Atiba, Charles Babaoye, Cedarious Barnes, Giovanni Burton, Breenen Jackson, Armand Kincade, Keith Lewis, Sterling Mark, Ameer McMillan, Ryan Richard and Ryan Turner. The young men come from varied backgrounds and cultures and have come into the chapter like a quiet storm.

The Collegiate 100 was founded in 1993 by Frederick V. Roberts Esquire, then Director of Student Activities at Prairie View A&M University. Upon acceptance by the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc. and approval by the 100 Black Men of America, Inc., and the Collegiate 100 became an international organization for college men.

Following a few year hiatus, the Collegiate 100 was rechartered on March 10 at Prairie View A&M. With the induction of 22 members on April 18, the organization began its formal work at the university.

Commenting on the need for the organization, Roberts stated that the image of the Black college men needs to be enhanced and this organization shows the positive and productive activities they are engaged while in college.

Some of the chapter's activities include participation in the Mentoring the 100 Way project of the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc. twice a month, where members work with 30 kids (8-12th graders), providing information on college life and tutoring Math and Science. The chapter is participating in the In-School Mentoring Programs at CyFair Elementary, where they provide pep talks on college and life in general. The chapter also established the Boys2Men Mentoring program for freshmen on campus. Along with Residence Hall Manager, The Collegiate hosts seminars with the men and women residents. The chapter also supported Breast Cancer Awareness at the university by distributing literature and pink ribbons to raise awareness of the disease. The chapter also teamed up with Highland Heights Elementary in Acres Home for the HISD Real Men Read Program, where for the past month, the team read to the students.

One major project for the Collegiate leadership was the founding and establishment of the 100 Collegiate Women of America, Inc. at the university. On November 10, 41 women were inducted to that organization. Plans are underway to expand to other campuses in 2012.

Finally, the chapter adopted several housing complexes in Navasota, Texas to make Christmas a happy one for the children. The chapter collected and spent some $500 for toys and clothing for approximately 150 kids. The project was led by Dymonique Burton, Vice President, Patrick Gray, Treasurer and Travis Reed. Several members of the 100 Collegiate Women of America also assisted with the project. [Burton and Reed along with the Advisors, Dr. Clement Glenn and Frederick Roberts distributed the gifts to the complexes on December 20, 2011.]

The members are currently preparing for the 2012 Male Youth Summit to be held in Beaumont on February 25, where some 800 young men will get to hear about life and how to become responsible men in the community. The chapter will also serve as host for the 2012 Mr. Collegiate African American Scholarship pageant and National Male Leadership Summit on April 11-14.

Travis Reed a senior architecture and construction science student is the president for the Collegiate 100. The chapter advisers are Dr. Clement Glenn and Frederick V. Robert Esquire.

For information on the Collegiate 100, contact collegiate100pvamu@gmail.com

Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan Talked Agriculture at Prairie View A&M University

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam addressed a capacity audience in a special program on November 9 at Prairie View A&M University. The event, sponsored by the Office of Cultural Series in the Division of Student Affairs, drew more than 5,000 patrons in two venues.

Minister Farrakhan in his opening statement expressed thanks to the Prairie View Family for having him on the campus. “It’s been twenty-three years ago that I was on this campus and I am glad that you invited me back. You see for the pahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifst twenty years there was a ploy to keep speakers like me from talking to college students. But tonight you showed America that education is not only from the text boos,” Farrakhan stated.

The decision to invite Minister Farrakhan to campus was based on request from several students and faculty. According to the S.P.I.T. (Students Participating In Transcending Knowledge) Coordinator Isis McCraw, the university is a place for intellectual discussions and the program is designed to raise consciousness and inquisitiveness, such as presented by Minister Farrakhan.

Farrakhan spoke of the need for the Prairie View A&M University students and the community to focus on growing its own food and taking care of their health. “It’s a doggone shame that you have some 1,500 acres at your hands and you are not making use of the land. God is not pleased with that picture,” Farrakhan scolded.

In previous years Prairie View A&M University produced most of the vegetables and poultry it used in the cafeteria. In the past twenty-five years the university shifted its emphasis on produce and focused on cattle and goats as a mainstay for its programs.

Minister Farrakhan’s presentation was not the fiery brand he’s noted for but his message was just as prudent and in-your-face as ever. At one point the minister asked for a show of hands of the students studying agriculture, which turned out to be minimal. He said he was not mad at the small showing because he understood. ‘Black folks have an aversion to farming as a result of what the ancestors endured on the plantations during slavery and reconstruction. “I understand your feelings but remember God gave you this earth to be fruitful and multiply, and he’s not making any more land,” he emphasized to a thunderous applause. He even suggested that students majoring in social work and sociology ought to change to agriculture.

The minister also schooled the students on respect for women, each other and the elders. “You are in an educational institution with all the learned men and women, so stop acting up and do your work, graduate and become a productive citizen,” he concluded.

According to reports and statistics, Minister Farrakhan’s leadership is the catalyst for the growth and development of Islam in America. Founded in 1930 by Master Fard Muhammad and led to prominence from 1934 to 1975 by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Nation of Islam continues to positively impact the quality of life in America.

Minister Louis Farrakhan, born on May 11, 1933 in Bronx, N.Y., was reared in a highly disciplined and spiritual household in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Raised by his mother, a native of St. Kitts, Louis and his brother Alvan learned early the value of work, responsibility and intellectual development. He became a member of the Nation in 1955 after attending the Islam’s Saviors’ Day convention led by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He’s been the leader of the nation since 1979.

At 78 years of age, Minister Farrakhan still maintains a grueling work schedule. He has been welcomed in a countless number of churches, sharing pulpits with Christian ministers from a variety of denominations, which has demonstrated the power of the unity of those who believe in the One God. He has addressed diverse organizations, been received in many Muslim countries as a leading Muslim thinker and teacher, and been welcomed throughout Africa, the Caribbean and Asia as a champion in the struggle for freedom, justice and equality.

This visit to the campus marked Mr. Farrakhan’s second appearance at Prairie View A&M University. In 1986 more than four thousand students, community leaders and others packed the Baby Dome as it was called then to hear the fiery speaker deliver his charge for Black Empowerment.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Minister Farrakhan has had many successes with the Nation of Islam including the creation of The Final Call, an internationally circulated newspaper, similar The Muhammad Speaks. He is most remembered for creating and hosting the 1995 Million Man March on Washington, D.C., which drew nearly two million men. Minister Farrakhan was inspired to call the March out of his concern over the negative image of Black men perpetuated by the media and movies. The March enshrined October 16 as a Holy Day of Atonement, Reconciliation and Responsibility.

In January 2007, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan underwent a major 14-hour pelvic exenteration. In just a few weeks, and as a testament to the healing power of God, Minister Farrakhan stood on stage at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan on February 25, 2007 to deliver the first of several speeches that year with the theme "One Nation Under God."

The minister concluded his message and then visited the overflow crowd in the Memorial Student Center Auditorium to personally express his thanks for their participation.

100 Collegiate Women of America Launched at Prairie View A&M University

The lives of forty-one young women were transformed following recent their induction into the 100 Collegiate Women of America™ at Prairie View A&M University. The 100 Collegiate is one of the nation’s newest organizations for college and university students. It was created at the university in May 2011.

Why do colleges and universities need another organization you may ask? Well the organizers believe this organization is needed because it is one of the few that will focus on empowering its membership and equip them to help others. The organization is open to college women who are progressive in their thoughts and actions, committed and dedicated to the cause of all humanity.

The mission of the 100 Collegiate Women of America is to increase and provide opportunities to empower and improve the quality of life for women and to influence development at all levels of society. Guided by its motto: to engage, educate, empower and inspire others to greatness, the organization hopes to fulfill its mission. The key programs for the group include mentoring, education, economic empowerment and health and wellness.

The 100 Collegiate Women is an outgrowth of an idea for an organization by Frederick V. Roberts, former Assistant Director of Career Services at Prairie View A&M University and a program initiative of the Collegiate 100 at the university. According to Roberts, who created the Collegiate 100 organization in 1993, women were part of that group at first. However, the affiliation with the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc. and the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. in 1994, the membership focus was only on the college men.

With the reactivation of the Collegiate 100 at Prairie View A&M University in March 2011 and the subsequent induction of the men into the chapter, there was a renewed interest in a women’s group. Realizing the commitment to the young men in bringing the group back to campus, Roberts and the men decided to delay creating that group.

Following the induction of the Collegiate 100 and the urging of Dymonique Burton, Vice President of the group, Roberts developed a committee and began work on creating the 100 Collegiate Women of America. The group is a non-profit organization and plans to expand to colleges and universities nationwide.

Beginning in September, Roberts, Burton and Travis Reed, the Collegiate 100 president, met with several young women to who had expressed interest in the organization to discuss the rollout of the organization. Roberts appointed Elixia Robinson-White, a senior education major from Desoto, Texas, as the organizing Chair/President. They were also offered membership into the new group.

Word about the organization spread like wild fire and the result was the induction of the 41 college women and several honorary members including Mrs. Johnie Walker, assistant coordinator for alternative teacher certification and Dr. De Linda Marzette, language professor at Prairie View A&M University, who serves as the organization advisers. Other honorary members are Glenda Jones, Director, Career Services, Shadia Washington and Emebet Admasu, Corporate Relations and Administrative Assistant in Career Services, Dr. DeAndrea Hughes, Talent Search at Texas Southern University, Amy Charleston, Dramatic Teacher and Attorney Evangeline Mitchell, founder of Black Pre-Law Conference, Houston.

Since the ceremonies, requests have been received for chapters at the Texas Southern University, University of Houston, University of North Texas and University of Indiana. Roberts and the group look forward to the launching 100 Collegiate Women of America chapters to these campuses by 2012.

For information on the organization write: The 100 Collegiate Women of America, P. O. Box 5433, Prairie View, TX 77446 or collegiatel00women@gmail.com.