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12 April 2018
Black, Brown & College Bound Summit
A select group of faculty and students represented the Black American
Council (BAC) and Cuyahoga Community College at the 12th annual Black, Brown
& College Bound Summit On March 24-28, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. Faculty
members in attendance were: Dr. Lemuel Stewart (Associate Professor, Counseling,
Psychological Services, West), Dr. Terry A. Webb (Assistant Dean, Counseling,
Psychological Services, Metro) and Mr. Johnie Reed (Assistant Professor, Business,
Westshore). Students in attendance were: Winchell Grant (West), Kevin Jones
(East), Joshua Otis (Metro), and Jordan Otis (Metro).
The group presented on the topic of Reducing Equity Issues Among
Minority Male Students. The presentation outlined the development of the BAC, how
it has evolved into a college-wide department, and provided data to highlight the
impact the BAC has on retention and graduation rates of our students and BAC
programs. The presentation showcased the Mentoring Program, Minority Male
Leadership Academy and Black Scholars Academy, which are programs that
address the needs of our young men. The high point of the presentation was the
question and answer panel discussion with the students. The presentation was well
received and we have received several messages commending us on the work we are
doing in the BAC. We have been invited to return to the conference next year.
The students were able to meet several influential people and participated in
all of the conference sessions. The student group will present their experiences in
group dialog sessions at each campus to encourage other students to get involved.
We look forward to attending the conference next year!
Black American Council News
Black American Council Officers
2017-2018
President:
Dr. Phyllis Dukes-Hopson
Vice President:
Dr. Lemuel Stewart III
Secretary:
Toni Pickens
Program Manager:
Jacques O. Smith, Sr.
Administrative Assistants:
Mary Wade, Chimene Jones
Representatives-At-Large
Metro: Dr. Sonja Siler
East: Tiffany Murrell
West: Dr. Felisa Eafford
Westshore: Johnie Reed
District: Dr. JaNice Marshall
Mentoring Program:
Dr. Terry A. Webb, Warren Glen
Frances M. Franklin Scholarship and Protégé Luncheon:
Dr. Cynthia Martin, Cicely Campbell
Marketing and Membership:
Barbara Winston
Newsletter:
Dr. Terry A. Webb, Tisha Hardy
Scholarship Award:
Ralonda Ellis-Hill
Enrollment Management:
Dr. Muriel Robinson
Diversity:
Shari Brazile
International Study Abroad:
Vincent Briley
Fundraising:
Jeanette Bell, Marcia Leftridge, Nichelle Knox
Social:
Erika Bell, Mikki Hardwick-Lett
Sunshine:
Victoria Clark
Alumni:
John Wilkes
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Message from the President
As the summer semester approaches, members of the Black American
Council (BAC) will continue mentoring our students and planning engaging
activities focused on student success and completion that provide opportunities
for students to progress academically, personally, and professionally.
We have worked with over 300 students this year, including 70+ BAC
students graduating this Spring/Summer term. Many of our students have GPA’s
exceeding 3.0, and they are involved in many activities both within the college
and in the community. Twenty-one of our students are Mandel Scholars, and they
are doing quite well in their programs.
Our faculty and staff continue to reach both academic and professional
gains throughout the year, and are actively involved in a number of important
committees around the campus that support the College’s strategic plan;
particularly as it applies to Equity and Inclusive Excellence. The Council has big
plans for next year, as we welcome in new officers and plan an active agenda for
the year 2018-2019.
I would like to thank each and every one of you for your commitment to the
BAC. It has been a pleasure working with such talented and committed
individuals, and I look forward to next year’s agenda. Have a safe and blessed
summer.
Phyllis Dukes-Hopson, Ph.D.
President, Black American Council
Counselor/Professor
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Commitment and Community Outreach
Over the spring semester, we had a series of events, the first of which was entitled “Can You Hear Me
Now: Establishing Healthy Connections and Positive Communication Between Men and Women”. The
presentation was facilitated by Tonisha Pickens, Dr. Christopher Hawkins, Warren Glen and Arelia Dalton.
The lively discussion projected a lot of enthusiasm and participation from male and female students.
The second event entitled “Black Male Leadership Series” was created by Dean Vincent Briley,
Assistant Dean of Access and Completion. The series included three separate presentations. The first
presentation, Understanding and Overcoming Depression in Black Men: A Discussion, was facilitated by Dr.
Christopher Hawkins, Associate Professor, Counseling. The event was held in the Mandel Theatre Lobby and
although in an open space, students who attended were willing to candidly discuss their experiences and
thoughts about their own mental health, as well as that of their family members and members of their own
communities. The event was a timely one in that the discussions spoke to the demand for us to begin
addressing this need among our students. Each of the participants was given a plethora of local and national
resources which included resources within Tri-C and beyond. They were given complete website information
as well as local and national emergency phone numbers if they found they needed help after Tri-C hours.
The second presentation in the series was entitled “Negus in Paris and Beyond”. This topic was
presented by Dr. Christopher Green and focused on the history of international travel among black men and
how their global experience helped to shape their lives. Also, as part of this presentation, a group of Cleveland
Heights high schools students were able to discuss their experiences with their recent travels to Europe and
Africa.
The final presentation in the series which was also presented by Dr. Green was entitled “Onward and
Upward: Engaging Career Exploration and Training Resources in Northeast Ohio”. In celebration of the 55th
anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, this presentation explored the local resources
and organizations which are focused on improving the employment and career training outcomes for Northeast
Ohio residents. Information from the Ohio Means Jobs Cleveland and Cuyahoga County chapters as well as
information from other local and statewide agencies that provide vital employment and training opportunities
for youth and adults was given to the participants.
The last event was our BAC Meet and Greet which was held in early April. The event was facilitated
by Warren Glen, and as part of the event Tiffany Murrell from TRIO gave an excellent and very informative
presentation on scholarships both within Tri-C and beyond. Not only did she provide excellent information,
she spoke of her own experience and how she was able to secure over $30,000 in free tuition.
The Meet and Greet event shared information about the new upcoming BAC Online, which allows
BAC members and students to connect with one another electronically and provide useful and valuable
information. As part of BAC Online, students can provide feedback to the BAC regarding their needs,
concerns and information that they want to share as well increase our ability to share information with one
another. Finally, as part of the Meet and Greet our Counseling Dean at the Eastern campus, Ms. Kate Vodicka,
discussed the Counseling department’s full range of services and the importance of meeting with a counselor
to develop a meaningful academic plan.
Christopher Hawkins, Ph.D., LPCC-S, CCJS
Counselor/Associate Professor
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OUTSTANDING MENTEE
Zoe Day
Mentor: Cicely Campbell
Zoe Day is a Mandel Scholar pursuing
an Associate of Arts degree with plans to
transfer to Cleveland State University to
pursue her bachelors in Social Work.
Ms. Day chose this academic path
because of her dream to become a
veterans counselor. Various members of
Zoe’s family have served in the military,
and Zoe aspires to help this population
due to her personal experience of the
trials, tribulations, and sacrifices that military families endure. Zoe herself, moved
to Ohio with her mom after living on a military base in Alaska. Ms. Day has a
strong desire to work with families and children to help them reach their potential.
Zoe is a bright and bubbly sophomore. She currently holds a 3.33 GPA, volunteers
at her local library as part of the library committee. and is employed part-time. She
is also a great and compassionate friend with a big heart for the community and
wants everyone to be in a position to succeed.
There is no limit to what Zoe can accomplish as she utilizes the skills she develops
through her education to become a valuable resource, not only to the field of social
work, but to the Northeast Ohio community as well.
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Winchell Grant
Mentor: Lemuel Stewart, MSSA, Psy.D.
Winchell has been very active with the Black
American Council over the past two years,
and is an active member of the Minority
Male Leadership Academy (MMLA). He has
participated in the Barbershop Talks, Mentee
Reception, Vision Board Event and several
other activities. Most recently, Winchell was
selected to travel to the Black, Brown &
College Bound conference in Tampa, Florida
to be a part of the BAC presentation as a
student panelist.
Winchell is involved at Tri-C as a student ambassador at the Western Campus,
and he volunteers in his neighborhood mentoring young children and trying to
steer them on a path to college.
Winchell has a 3.16 GPA and is completing an Associate of Arts degree and an
Associate of Applied Business in Graphic Design. Winchell will graduate
summer semester 2018, and he plans to continue his education by transferring to
Cleveland State University or Ohio State University to major in Graphic Design.
Winchell has overcome many obstacles in his life to get to where he is today.
Winchell is an example of a student that engages as a mentee and utilizes the
resources available to him to help him reach his goals.
OUTSTANDING MENTEE
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OUTSTANDING MENTEE
Kevin M. Jones Jr.
Mentor: Christopher Hawkins, Ph.D.
Kevin Jones is dedicated to his studies,
the college, the community, and the
mission of the Black American Council.
Kevin earned a 4.0 GPA semester and
has on overall GPA of 3.38. He balances
his school and work responsibilities
along with the need to give back to his
community and to his fellow students.
Kevin is an active participant in all
things BAC and participates in
opportunities to learn and give in many
ways. Kevin shows his appreciation for
the opportunities that he is being afforded through BAC and the college at large by
mentoring other Tri-C students and young people he meets beyond Tri-C. He
currently participates in the Peace and Conflict Studies Program, and has obtained
a Sustained Dialogue certification. Kevin is also a member of the Mandel Scholars
Program, and is seeking to take advantage of a study abroad opportunity this
summer in Costa Rica.
Kevin’s career goal is to become an Intellectual Properties Attorney. After
obtaining his Associates of Arts degree from Cuyahoga Community College,
Kevin plans to transfer to Cleveland State University and enter the Cleveland-
Marshall College of Law.
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OUTSTANDING MENTEE
Calvin Thomas
Mentor: Terry A. Webb, Ed.D.
Calvin Thomas has progressed significantly,
both socially and academically. He is truly
becoming a leader at the campus among
African American males. Calvin is currently
the President of the Black American
Council’s Black Scholars Academy (BSA) of
the Metropolitan campus. He is always
available to assist and help to mold incoming
students.
Calvin has a passion to help his BSA
brothers develop into the best that they can
become. He has helped to organize innovative and creative initiatives for the
Black Scholars Academy, including a can goods drive for the campus food pantry,
and a Valentine’s Day benefit to raise money for the BAC book fund.
Calvin has a promising future building upon his great leadership skills while
maintaining a 3.4 grade point average as a STEM major.
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OUTSTANDING MENTEE
Noreen Thomas
Mentor: Phyllis Dukes-Hopson, Ph.D.
Noreen “Noni” Thomas is currently a sophomore
at Tri-C, majoring in business management, with a
3.4 GPA, who has accomplished many milestones
during her first two years. She is a member of the
Mandel Scholars Academy, the Scholars and
Honors Student Committee, secretary of Phi Theta
Kappa (PTK), East Chapter, and was recently
appointed Northeast District Representative for
the PTK Ohio Region Leadership. Noreen has
been nominated through PTK to attend the
International Scholar Laureate Program to study
abroad in either Austria or China. She also received a stipend from the Creative
Arts Academy for a summer internship through the Cleveland Foundation to
participate in a job shadowing opportunity.
Noreen has been very active in campus activities, and has served as moderator for
several Tri-C events. She was the first student to serve as a moderator for the
Pathway to Leadership event, “Women Who Rock”, highlighting our female
administrators at Tri-C. Noreen was acknowledged at the Dean’s Award Ceremony
in April for making the dean’s list twice, and she received the Distinguished
Leader Certificate.
Noni is active in the community, and volunteers at the Museum of Contemporary
Art. She is a chapter Young Women’s Division Leader in the Buddhist
Organization, and she volunteers her time leading a performing arts group for the
organization.
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Outstanding Scholastic Achievement: Dean’s List
Mohamed Ag Almahamoud Tamika Dixson Shacarra Merriweather Shilpa Shrestha
Naleta Andrews John Draper Angelac Miller Sharonda R. Smith
Kimberly Armbruster Ajhasia Dumas Sean Michael Morgan Taylor Smith
Anaya Ashford Blessing Emereonye Abigail Mosley Kelvin Spates Jr.
De'jah Baker Nia Forbes Asajile Mwaipyana Shaniqua Swain
Falita Barnes Jocelyn Foster Ashley Newton Porscha Swain
Cherelda Bell Michael Garret Ta'Leeyah O'Neal Francia Sweeney
Tre'Vion Beverly Chaka Gningue Jimmy Popoola Ariyon Sweet
Rashon Blake Christina Graham Adekunle Popoola Jasmine Terry
Angela Brazil Winchell Grant Oluwatosin Popoola Noreen Thomas
Russell Brower II Brian Hall Sasha Proctor Stephanie Tisder
LaRhonda Burton Raina Hayes Jamil Rahman Stephen Twum Barimah
Antonio Carey Raziya Hernton Tyrone Rand Rachelle White
La'Shanna Clack Ashley Hetman Christian Ratcliffe Alex Wight
Brandon Cole Niyonkuru Ines Alan Robinson Cache Wilcox
Michael Coles Kevin Jones Erica Rodriquez Michael Wilkins
Shayvell Conner Josue Kabongo Kebin Sam-Yellowe Camilya Williams
Nia Darby Basma Kadous Erica Savage Charles Williams
Natasha Davis Mununga Kipata Daysean Scott Towanna Wilson
Zoe Day Jasmine Massey Melendez Selena Teara Young-Foster
Aissatou Diop Melinda Mercado Hezekiah Sherman
Want to know how to turn emotional turmoil and unresolved trauma into a testimony? Ask Mrs. Tierra
Banks. Tierra was once a broken daughter who was bound by emotional wounds and a lack of maternal
support. She finally reached her wits end, decided enough was enough, and started taking the steps to
free herself.
Tierra first enrolled in Tri-C’s Women in Transition Program in 2015. She successfully matriculated into
the college with the help of the Black American Council mentorship program.
During her time at Tri-C, Tierra has been the recipient of several scholarships including the Tri-C
presidential scholarship, Frances M. Franklin Memorial Fund scholarship, College Now Adult Learner scholarship, and a
previous recipient of the WIT Scholarship. She is a Phi Theta Kappa member with a 3.9 GPA and will graduate from Tri-
C with her Associates of Arts in the summer of 2018.
Tierra is community oriented and has a passion to see change in the families around her. Birthed from her own
dysfunctional relationship with her mom, Tierra founded Mended Inc. in 2017 with a mission to mend broken mother
daughter relationships. The tagline for Mended Inc. is “Healing Daughters, Empowering Moms”. In September 2017, her
nonprofit hosted its first conference, “Heal the Woman, Heal the Nation”.
In addition to being an exceptional student and business owner, Tierra is married to a supportive husband, and she is the
loving mother of two children.
Tierra will transfer to CSU in the fall to obtain her bachelors in social work and plans to continue to earn her masters in
social work as well. She believes it is her personal mission to help people become whole and earning her degrees will give
her the educational knowledge to help other people, and build tenacity within herself to remain committed to her life goals.
Mentee Success Story
10
On Saturday, April 28, 2018, the Black American Council hosted the 28th year celebration of the Frances M.
Franklin Scholarship and Protégé Luncheon. Our theme this year “Still I Rise” was taken from the famous
poem by Maya Angelou, and used to symbolize the commitment of our students to rise above the obstacles that
may be placed in their paths to achieve academic excellence and college completion.
Frances M. Franklin Scholarship & Protégé Luncheon
A panel discussion focused on achieving goals was moderated by the Master of Ceremonies, Leon Bibb,
award winning journalist and host of Kaleidoscope, WEWS-TV. Panelists included two up and coming young
leaders in our community: Ralph F. Murphy II, Ed.D., CEO at Maven Scholar Consulting LLC, and Keniece
Gray, International Second Vice President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
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The process of creating a vision board can rebuild an individual’s self-confidence and self-
assurance. The Eastern Campus Minority Women’s Leadership Initiative (MWLI) had a great time
hosting the Vision Board Experience on March 22nd 2018.
The women of MWLI and the Black American Council (BAC) members joined together with
the participants to create images that represented a vision they had for themselves. As the
participants searched magazines for pictures and positive affirmations, they discussed the
importance of selecting the “right photos” for their vision board that would in turn bring about
positive energy to what they desired in life. Conversations were shared between students and staff
and all had a great time discussing their future educational and career plans.
Minority Women’s Leadership Initiative (MWLI)
Eastern Campus
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Mentoring Chair
I want to personally THANK everyone who took time out of their lives to mentor.
Mentoring is nearly as old as the concept of family. Mentoring is learning by observing and
listening. Listening not just with your ears but also with your eyes and your heart. It is sharing
bits and pieces of you to let those you mentor know that the struggle is real. The demonstration
of you being there for the student, or just listening even though you may not understand. It is
the uniting of two people in a manner that is mutually beneficial for those involved.
Mentors are merchants of hope. Nearly all people who are successful have had direct or
indirect mentoring. Direct mentoring is a human interface, connecting with a person to
accomplish prescribed goals. Whereas indirect mentoring is reading of the life of someone
who overcame great odds to do extraordinary things. Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman,
W.E.B. DuBois are just a few, we all know through history. Some may know Carol Mosley
Braun, an indirect mentor being the first African American woman to be elected to the United
States Senate in 1992. Imagine how reading about the struggles and victories of Dr. Joseph
Malone, Dr. Phyllis Dukes-Hopson, Robert Patterson, Dr. Debbie Abbot, Robert Banks Sr.,
Carol Mosely Braun, Dr. Francis M. Franklin, former President, Barack Obama and First Lady,
Michelle Obama could enlighten and inspire brilliant minds to excel.
As mentors, you play a vital role in instilling hope in individuals who may be
disparaged and confused. Your interactions with your mentees have helped cultivate the next
generation of scholars, entrepreneurs, politicians, teachers, chefs and loving parents. Your
mentoring interactions propagate hope to those that society has potentially cast aside. Being a
merchant of hope has opened doors to the hearts and minds of so many people that now they
feel there is nothing they cannot do. Continue to keep hope alive and be merchants of hope. It
is because of your demonstrated care and concern that we have outstanding mentees and
scholarship recipients and civic minded scholars!
You are the reason that BAC is synonymous with VICTORY! Now Go and MENTOR!
Thank you.
Dr. Terry A. Webb, LPC, NCC
Mentoring Co-Chair
Founder Black Scholars Academy
15
As we approach the end of spring semester, with commencement just a few
weeks away, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the members of
the Black American Council for the hard work and dedication you provided our
students this academic year. The work of BAC is critical in not only meeting the
academic and personal needs of our students, but in reinforcing the foundation
and importance of equity as we work collaboratively to ensure all of our students
succeed. All of the initiatives BAC offers make a positive and direct impact on
the students you serve. As we all celebrate with our BAC graduates this spring, I
also want to express my sincere thanks to all who volunteer as members of BAC
to provide our students with the resources, encouragement, and support they need
to succeed at Tri-C and beyond. I am grateful for your dedication, both to the
College and to our students.
Thank You from Provost Karen Miller
Karen Miller, Ph.D.
Provost/EVP
Access, Learning and Success
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Mentoring Trip
Sandusky, OH, Cedar Point, June 2018
BAC Employee Alumni Luncheon
June 29, 2018
PROMOTIONS
Dr. Terry A. Webb, LPC, NCC
Assistant Dean of Counseling, Psychological & ACCESS Services
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Kim Johnson, Ed.D. Transfer Specialist, East Campus
Shunda Ware
Associate Dean of Business, Mathematics & Technology
Chimene Jones
Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling, with an Executive Leadership Cognate
Tisha Hardy, MBA
Student eCommunications Specialist, Access & Completion
Terry A. Webb, Ed.D., LPC, NCC
Assistant Dean, Counseling and Psychological Services
NEWSLETTER
STAFF 2017-2018