HU Alumnus & Civil Rights Pioneer Receives High School Diploma

HU Alumnus & Civil Rights Pioneer Receives High School Diploma

 

President Jerome H. Holland Admits Student No Diploma Needed 



Olivia Ferguson, Hamptonian Yearbook 1963, Charlottesville, VA
Early Childhood Education Major
S.N.E.A., Woman's Senate, S.C.A



Fifty years and two college degrees later Hampton University (HU) alumnus, Olivia Ferguson McQueen finally received her high school diploma on May 25, she was denied in 1959.

“It was a very emotional day,” said McQueen. “Although the city council awarded me with my diploma and key to the city of Charlottesville for the 50^th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education, this ceremony was more meaningful because it was prepared by my peers.”  

In a ceremony held Saturday, May 25 at what is now Burley Middle School; McQueen donned her full green and gold cap and gown, and was awarded her diploma by Charlottesville City Schools Superintendent Rosa Atkins and Albemarle County Public Schools Superintendent Pamela Moran.

"What a day this is ... It really was a surprise when I received a call saying that something was being planned, but I didn't know to what extent something was being planned," McQueen told the Huffington Post.

In 1958, at age 16, McQueen successfully sued to integrate the Charlottesville City School; however regardless of her victory she was not allowed in the classroom. McQueen spent her senior year being tutored in the School Board Office with a cluster of 12 students, one freshman and the rest elementary students.

The last time McQueen walked across the stage at her old high school was June 3, 1959. She finally returned to receive the diploma she worked hard for decades ago instead of the certificate she acquired on graduation day, which made it nearly impossible to get into college.

Although McQueen knew applying to college may have been one of her most daunting tasks; she was up for the challenge. With help from the community whom wrote letters to the several colleges she applied, it was McQueen’s cousin, Judge Jean Murrell Capers, who wrote directly to president Jerome H. Holland of HU informing him about her compelling story, which aided in the university’s decision.

Despite not obtaining a high school diploma, McQueen attended HU, where she received her bachelor of science degree in early childhood education in 1963.

McQueen’s Hampton experience was a refreshing and pleasant one. She was able to forget about the past as she embarked on a new journey in her life and was happy to be around people again. She like every incoming freshman knew she would have to adjust to making new friends and study habits. McQueen knew that balancing her social interactions and academics were most important, but she managed to make lifelong friendships that have lasted to this day, too.

She then continued her education at Trinity College in Washington, D.C. where she earned her master's of education.

After her rough secondary education venture and her post –secondary education McQueen spent her career as an educator outside of Virginia, county school officials said. She now resides in Washington, D.C.  with her loving husband James McQueen.  

- Chad Harris '14

Pearson Honors Hampton University Professors

Pearson Honors Hampton University Professors

Professor Robert Watson

In college you never know what to expect; as students we are eager to learn and our minds are open to every experience. But, once we get adjusted to the “college lifestyle” some of us become homesick and want our parents and/or guardians to be by our side as we face life as a young maturing adult.

Although, our parents are not here and we cannot run home at a moment’s notice, students look for guidance and parental comfort from professors.  

Professor Michael D. Druitt

Recently, Pearson Campus Ambassador and recent class of 2013 graduate, Colby Mason, hosted a "One Professor" filming party to honor  the magnificent teachers at HU. Pearson Education Inc., asked students to honor one professor who has helped shape their lives.  Although countless stories were submitted, 13 faculty members at Hampton University (HU) were recently honored in Pearson’s “One Professor” movement by their students. These professors were the ones who have made a lasting impression, inside and outside the classroom on the students they serve.

Students were asked to create short videos honoring an educator who has shaped their lives and ignited their passion. The lists of HU professors being recognized are as follows:

Dr. Adeyinka A. Adeyiga 
Professor of Chemical Engineering – School of Science

 Dr. Michael DiBari 
Assistant Professor – Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications

Dr. Eric Claville 
Interim Assistant Dean of the School of Liberal Arts 

Professor Michael D. Druitt 
Assistant Professor of Biology and Assistant to the Dean – School of Science

Professor Ziette Hayes 
Assistant Professor of Business Administration – School of Business

Professor Rick Jarvis 

Assistant Professor of the William R. Harvey Leadership  Institute

Professor Nicoleta Maghear 
Lecturer of Business Administration – School of Business

Dr. Sharad K. Maheshwari 

Associate Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies – School of Liberal Arts

Dr. Michelle Penn-Marshall 

Chairperson of the Department of Biological Sciences – School of Science

Professor DaRelle Rollins

Assistant Professor of English – School of Liberal Arts

Dr. Mohammed B. Sillah 

Associate Professor of Political Science - School of Liberal Arts

Professor Robert Watson

Assistant Professor of History – School of Liberal Arts

Professor Erica Woods-Warrior

Assistant Professor of Political Science and History – School of Liberal Arts                                                            
  
Congratulations to all the HU faculty members honored as an incredible group of over 400 professors from colleges all over the country being honored!         



- Chad Harris '14              

It’s a Hampton Thing, You Wouldn’t Understand – Ogden Attire: A stepping stone to my future

It’s a Hampton Thing, You Wouldn’t Understand – 

Ogden Attire: A stepping stone to my future

“To be early, is to be on time. To be on time, is to be late. And to be late, is unacceptable.” These words have been engrained in me since I first entered Moton Hall my freshman year, August 2009.  My dorm director, Ms. Wilkins, strived to instill principles in me and my peers about how to be a successful student, woman and Hamptonian.

My first week at Hampton was filled with multiple seminars and lectures, mostly held in Ogden Hall. Before attending, “Moton Misses” were urged to “act like a lady, look like a lady, smell like a lady,” and most importantly to be punctual.

Freshman year now seems like a blur, but every time I step foot in Ogden Hall I flashback to 2009 when my friends and I took long walks in the sun, wearing business casual to sit in chairs for what seemed like hours.

In those seats, we would listen to administrators, police officers and other officials explain their expectations of us, the Hampton University code of conduct and other information that would guide us through our following years at Hampton.

The first time my floormates realized that Ogden attire meant business casual, we panicked. What exactly is business casual? Do we have to wear a suit? Should I wear heels? Does anyone have a skirt I can borrow? These were common questions that could be heard throughout freshman dorms during new student orientation week.

By the time we figured out exactly what to wear, many had forgotten to iron their clothes, fix their hair or put on any makeup. In the dorm lobby the dorm director and/or dorm RA’s would critique outfits that they deemed unacceptable. Many girls were told, “Your skirt is too short,” “you need stockings” and “your dress is too low cut.”

At the time, dressing up to Hampton’s standards seemed like a hassle, but I now understand how beneficial it was. Looking polished helped us more than anything. It became the norm for me to get dressed up, and I began to look forward to putting on my new blazers and dresses.  

Just three days away from commencement, I am truly grateful for all of my experiences and lessons learned at HU. I am fully prepared for life outside of my “Home by the Sea.” I am also completely comfortable dressing up for work, interviews, seminars and ceremonies. I have learned that clothing and being prepared can set you apart from your competitors. I am ready for the world because “Hampton made me this way.”

Jalisa Stanislaus ’13

Jalisa Stanislaus is a senior journalism major from Long Island, N.Y.  Jalisa is a recipient of the National Hampton Alumni Association, Inc. Award. She will be interning at Brunswick Group.    

Professors Give You an 'Education for Life'

It's a Hampton Thing, You Wouldn't Understand

Professors Give You an 'Education for Life' 

 

As members of the Hampton University Class of 2013 prepare to graduate from their "Home by the Sea," we are taking a look back at their years at HU. This three-part blog series explores the experiences of three Hamptonians as they interpret -"It's a Hampton Thing, You wouldn't understand."

Professor Mavis Carr and Adjoba Anoh

My Hampton University story is very different from most because as a sophomore, I transferred to Hampton from Barry University. As a transfer student I was unfamiliar with the HBCU experience and Hampton University. Upon my arrival, I met a very energetic and enthusiastic woman by the name of Mrs. Mavis Carr, an assistant professor in the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications. Professor Carr, just like me, was new to the university.  Walking into her class for the first time was such a great experience. Professor Carr was warm and welcoming to all the students and really eager to help us learn.

College is one of those places where you find out who you really are. There are many challenges that students often face while in college. It then becomes very important for you to catch on quickly or find someone who is willing to help you on your journey.

Early on I struggled with punctuality, meeting deadlines, dressing for the occasion and even how to properly introduce myself to others. This is where Professor Carr came in, she always told me, “If you know who you are, you will know how to introduce yourself to others."   This is only one of the few life lessons that she taught me. For her it wasn't just about school and classes, it became about how to prepare me for life in general.

Professor Carr soon became my “school mom” and assisted me with recommendation letters, scholarships, and quick emails about job opportunities and offered me a place to vent about all the stress that college has to offer.  It’s amazing to see the kind of connections you can make in college, even with professors.

My Hampton experience came with a lot of ups and downs, but I can definitely say the pros outweighed the cons. Professor Carr really provided me with an "Education for Life," one that I will cherish forever. She taught me to always help when I can, to be truthful, to never take on more than I can handle, and most importantly to remember people’s names, because it makes others feel like you know them personally.

Professor Carr has without a doubt impacted me on my journey to graduation. Now that senior year is coming to a close it is very sentimental to see how I have grown, with the help of her wisdom. As I walk across that stage on May 12, 2013, I will know how to properly introduce myself to others, because I will know who I am.   I am a person I could have never been without the help of my “school mom."

Plato, one of my favorite philosophers, wrote, “People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.”  I was extremely blessed to have found the "Miracle Grow" to help me blossom at Hampton University.

Adjoba Anoh is a senior, broadcast journalism major/marketing minor from Clinton, Maryland.  After graduation Adjoba will be working at Capitol File Magazine in Washington, D.C.