Norfolk State University Featured in Upcoming Issue of Ebony Magazine

Norfolk, Va. - Norfolk State University is making headline news. First, there was national media attention from the Associated Press for the Spartan Health Initiative and now NSU will be featured in the college issue of Ebony Magazine. The issue is scheduled to hit the news stands in August.

The Offices of Marketing Services and News and Media Relations, University Advancement Division, pitched a story idea to the Ebony editorial team that comprised a synopsis of rapid fire changes on the campus. The pitch contained the following elements:

. . . Norfolk State University is poised to evolve into a science and technological powerhouse boasting a strategic plan that centers on offering students diverse academic programs in the high-tech arena. The trilogy that rockets Norfolk State University on this technological cusp are:

The RISE Campus including the Marie V. McDemmond Center for Applied Research. Spanning more than 25 acres, the Research and Innovations to Support Empowerment (RISE) CampusTM will be a strategic hub for applied research and the next generation of technological innovations that will position Norfolk State University, the City of Norfolk, and the entire Hampton Roads region to become a key high-technology gateway for the southeastern United States.
The RISE SuperNode. The next generation of Internet connectivity is a powerful tool that has the capability of linking HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) together for collaborative research and academic instruction.
Dr. Carolyn W. Meyers becomes Norfolk State University's new president. Dr. Meyers, the former provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at North Carolina A&T University, begins her new duties as Norfolk State University's fourth president July 1. Dr. Meyers' educational background makes her a perfect fit for NSU as it moves into a new era of its history. A tenured professor in the College of Engineering at A&T, Meyers holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Howard University; a master's in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Georgia Tech . . .

Ebony Magazine bought the pitch and sent assistant editor, Monica Jones and veteran Ebony photographer, Vandell Cobb to the NSU campus June 26 and 27. The Ebony team got a tour of the campus and interviewed the following NSU officials:

Dr. Dorothy Jones - Academic Affairs
Dr. Clarence Coleman - University Advancement
Dr. Adebisi Oladipupo - Vice President for Research and Technology
Dr. Sandra DeLoatch - Dean of the School of Science and Technology
Mrs. Terricita Sass - Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management
DeWayne Littlejohn - Student Government President

NSU officials interviewed for the story were photographed in the L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center using the staircase in the lobby as a backdrop. Also photographed was the McDemmond Center construction, two laboratories in the Woods Science Building, and a cadre of students on campus last month.

Ebony Magazine is published by the Johnson Publishing Company which was founded by the late publisher John H. Johnson in 1942. The Johnson Publishing Company also publishes Jet Magazine, produces the Fashion Fair line of cosmetics, has a book division and produces the Ebony Fashion Fair. Ebony Magazine was founded 60 years ago with the first issue being published in 1945. The magazine profiles successful African American role models, celebrities and discusses issues pertinent to the black community.

For more information, contact News and Media Relations at 757-823-8373.