By Ellie Melero, Media Relations Specialist; Jet Turner, Assistant Director of Communications
After almost two weeks of rain, the sun shone bright above W.E. Anderson Stadium as the Langston University Class of 2025 processed onto the football field for the 125th Commencement Ceremony, adding to the air of joy and levity that could be felt all over campus.
Cheering, dancing, noisemakers and more could be heard from all over campus as the hundreds of friends and families packed the stand to celebrate their graduates, nearly 70% of whom are the first in their families to earn a college degree. J’Taelii Heath was one of these first-generation students.
But if it weren’t for the encouragement of her family, and the Langston University McCabe Honors Program, she might not have been able to attend university at all.
Heath grew up in Oklahoma City in a family of entrepreneurs. From working with kids to styling hair, her family was involved in a variety of industries, but the business path never interested Heath. She was more interested in STEM, and the idea of entering the medical field had always intrigued her. When she took a health class in high school with a vegan teacher who taught them about different types of healthy lifestyles, she decided she wanted to go to school to study osteopathic medicine.
“It was just something that stuck with me,” Heath said. “I just wanted to continue to do that research and find a different outlet besides (the plant-based diet).”
Once she knew she wanted to study medicine, Heath knew she needed to get her bachelor’s degree first. As the oldest of five kids, it was also important to her to show her siblings that college was a viable option they could also choose.
As she began looking into schools, she knew wherever she enrolled needed to be affordable, have a good biology program and be close enough to home that she could still be a part of her younger siblings’ lives.
Langston University fit the bill.
Heath earned a McCabe Scholarship, which paid for her tuition, room and board, and entered the Lion Pride as a biology major.
“It just offered the opportunity for me to stay close to family and be able to afford it, of course, with a full ride scholarship,” Heath said. “That was the first step, being in the honors program, having my school paid for, especially coming from a low-income household where I’m the oldest and a first-generation college student.”
When she got to campus, Heath sought out Dr. Byron Quinn. A biology professor and accomplished researcher, Dr. Quinn is a mentor to many LU students, and Heath knew she wanted to join his lab. Dr. Quinn was happy to have her.
In Dr. Quinn’s lab, Heath learned how to properly conduct research. She learned how to handle different types of equipment and run simple experiments. She was eager to learn and a quick study, and she impressed Dr. Quinn. He helped her apply for an internship with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) as one of the first OMRF-LU Scholars.
During her OMRF internship, Heath helped design and conduct an experiment using black pepper, more specifically a compound called piperin, as a treatment for multiple sclerosis. Her goal was to find a more natural alternative treatment for the disease that didn’t rely solely on drugs. To her delight, the experiment was a success.
Heath continued working with OMRF as an LU Scholar after the internship was over, and she also began to help out more in Dr. Quinn’s lab. Heath found she really enjoyed research, so she decided to apply to OK-LSAMP, a statewide program that provides financial assistance to student researchers so they can present their research at professional conferences and conventions.
Over the course of her time at Langston University, with the assistance of her professors and the OK-LSAMP program, Heath has presented her research 15 times at local and national conferences.
“It has helped me see the world differently,” Heath said. “Traveling from state to state, people do things differently… It also helped me learn public speaking skills. I’ve always been very shy and not prone to want to go talk to people.”
Heath has also had the opportunity to assist with NASA research at Langston University, specifically with a project focused on studying how to keep astronauts’ immune cells active while in space conditions. Currently, the LU research team is preparing samples to be sent to the International Space Station. Heath will be a part of the team that will analyze the samples upon their return to Earth.
OK-LSAMP manager and associate professor of chemistry at Langston University, Dr. Lindsay Davis, immediately recognized Heath’s potential as an excellent student from the moment she met her in 2021.
J’Taelii Heath receives the Outstanding Senior Leadership Award at the 2025 Graduation Ceremony.
Since then, Dr. Davis has seen Heath grow into the inquisitive student she is today. A student who always seeks to improve herself. A student who seeks new opportunities wherever she can find them.
“(Heath) is always wondering how to improve,” Dr. Davis said. “I don’t know if she really realizes her power. (Her power) is evident by all of her accolades. It’s evident. I wish she would seek that part of herself more. But that’s part of being a young Black scientist; you just kind of do it, and she’s doing it.”
As Heath stood to be recognized as a winner of the Outstanding Senior Leader Award during the commencement ceremony, she beamed with power. The award is earned by graduating seniors who go above and beyond throughout their college career in their commitment to leadership, academics, campus involvement, community service and exemplary character, all of which embodied her journey at Langston University.
Eventually her name was called to receive her diploma, and she strolled up the ramp and onto the commencement stage, taking a photo with President Ruth Ray Jackson and shaking hands with the members of the dais.
She walked off the opposite side ramp the first member of her family to graduate college.
“I just want to be the outlet for my siblings, to be that extra guidance to a different path for our family and for generations to follow,” Heath said. “There is a different path that is an option for us.”
By Jet Turner, Assistant Director of Communications
Dr. John Coleman received a call from the fourteenth president of Langston University, Dr. Ernest Holloway, in 1993. Holloway’s gregariousness led their conversation all over the place, but his message was clear: the students at Dear Langston needed additional support.
Coleman left his position as an assistant professor at Hudson Community College in New Jersey after that summer and journeyed back to his home state of Oklahoma. He only planned to stay for a couple of years, but his dedication to helping students be their best kept him on Langston University’s campus. After 32 years of service and mentorship, Coleman will retire at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 academic year.
His career as the Chair of the Department of Chemistry at LU has been dedicated to teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and equally to seeing that students learn to excel in academics and life. His influence can be seen all over the University and, more importantly, in its students.
Beginnings
Coleman grew up around educational excellence in Boley, Oklahoma.
Today, the historically Black town might seem unassuming, but when Coleman was growing up in the 1940s and ’50s, the town was described by Booker T. Washington as the “finest Black town in the world.” Many of the individuals Coleman grew up around had their doctoral degrees or some other form of higher education, including his parents.
Boley’s significance in education parallels no other Black town in the nation, historian Currie Ballard said in a 2017 article by The Oklahoma Eagle.
This meant Coleman was always surrounded by excellent teachers. One of whom was Holloway, his future president, who taught chemistry at Boley Junior High in the 1950s.
“Holloway knew what was happening in Boley and how we got prepared,” Coleman said. “You always have someone who is going to help you. You didn’t have to rely on just your resources at home.”
Community is where Boley found its strength, and Coleman carried that lesson with him throughout his academic career.
Coleman always expected to go to college, and Langston University was a natural choice.
Coleman began his freshman year at Langston University during the 1961-1962 academic year.
He began his freshman term during the 1961-1962 academic year. Buildings like Sanford Hall and Moore Hall still stood proudly where they are today, although their functionality was different from their modern day uses.
During his time at LU, he served as the freshman class president and was a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Even though LU had been around for almost 75 years by the time Coleman graduated in 1965 with his bachelor of science in chemistry and mathematics, students still had to march at the Oklahoma State Capitol every year to fight for the university to remain open. Coleman was an active participant in these efforts.
Just as obtaining his undergraduate degree was expected for Coleman, working toward an advanced degree was a natural next step. He began his PhD in Theoretical Physical Chemistry at the University of Oklahoma in 1972.
OU was still integrating, and undergraduate Black students especially were facing discrimination at the hands of some students and employees. Coleman became a graduate advisor to the Alpha Phi Alpha chapter on campus during this time.
“There were cannons pointed south and all kinds of things going on,” Coleman said. “But we did a lot of things with students to try to help students feel more comfortable. We did a lot of tutoring. We did a lot of whatever, trying to make the students come in and be successful.”
Growing up in a Black town and attending a Historically Black University helped Coleman understand the importance of community. At every opportunity, Coleman shared that community with others.
Coleman graduated from Langston University in 1965.
He earned his PhD in 1976 and concluded his postdoctoral studies at OU in 1978.
Coleman was briefly a researcher at Halliburton Company before traveling east to become an assistant professor at several local institutions. First at Bergen County Community College in Paramus, New Jersey; then at City University of New York, and finally at Hudson Community College, where he received that call from Holloway.
Returning Home
Upon returning to Langston University, Coleman immediately got to work.
Coleman’s years of experience teaching STEM courses provided insights into the problems that frequently impede student learning. He encountered students’ wide-spread practice of what he calls “plug ‘n play.” Plug ’n play is when students use a solved “example” problem as a model and plug in variables from the new problem to find a solution. This bypasses the need to learn and apply core concepts.
Coleman developed and adopted instructional strategies embedded in a process he calls Competency Performance Recording for Learning (CPR-L). His CPR-L teaching and learning process has had a positive impact on student academic performance for his over 30-year career at Langston University and is the basis for how he approaches educating his students.
Dr. Alonzo Peterson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, witnesses Coleman’s commitment to Langston University’s students almost daily. Coleman can often be found on campus until 9 p.m. or later, depending on how many students still need help.
“He’s by far one of the smartest people I know,” Peterson said. “His ideas are very, very innovative. He spends a lot of time with students, hours and hours.
“One of the things I recognize from his tutoring processes is that he doesn’t give students answers. Students may ask, ‘how do you do this?’ and he responds, ‘well, how do you think we do it?’ And then he will go back and talk through the problem for them to solve it, not him. Some people are dispensers of knowledge, he is a facilitator of knowledge.”
In 2003, Coleman received a grant from the National Science Foundation which started Langston’s Integrated Network College (LINC) for STEM program. This program provided scholarships for students in STEM fields and required them to participate in research on campus and across the country. They would then present that research at conferences.
The goal of the LINC program was to produce more minority students in STEM fields who would then earn their doctoral degrees. This program was exceedingly successful.
LINC boasted a 92% graduation rate, with 60% of those students going on to earn graduate degrees. Many of these were earned at major universities that include Vanderbilt, University of Kansas, University of Texas, Baylor University, Johns Hopkins and more.
The students’ participation in summer research internships at institutions that include Johns Hopkins, University of Texas, Stanford, Cal Tech, University of California at Berkley, University of Oklahoma and more. Their research work generated over 300 Abstracts. Their participation in competitive research presentation events throughout the U.S. earned over 50 top awards.
These STEM professionals now hold prominent positions in both industry and education, including achieving success as entrepreneurs.
According to RTI International, of the STEM PhDs awarded in the U.S. in 2021, 5% went to Black scientists, even though the U.S. population is 12% Black, showing the disparity in the field.
Coleman was also encouraging students to stick with the STEM field, even if they did not think it would be for them.
Dr. Ryan Johnson, a former chemistry major and now professor at Langston University, was one of these students.
When Johnson began attending LU in the early 2010s, he was not interested in attending college, much less becoming a chemist. Even though he showed up to Dear Langston as an undeclared major, a mistake in the system had him listed as a chemistry major.
Wanting to change his major, Johnson was told to speak with Coleman before deciding.
That one conversation changed his life.
“He convinced me to stay,” Johnson said. “He told me I was doing well in my other STEM classes, and I was on track to take Chem I anyway. I took it the following semester and ended up staying with chemistry. Kind of weird, right? How those little conversations can change the trajectory of your life.”
As part of the LINC program, students had to at least apply for graduate schools as their undergraduate degrees concluded. Johnson had no intention of earning his doctorate, but another conversation with Coleman convinced him to apply to Louisiana State University, one of the leading producers of doctoral-prepared Black chemists in the nation.
Coleman was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. during his time at Langston University.
Innovation was another one of Coleman’s missions in the classroom.
Coleman was an early adopter of integrating technology into the classroom at Langston University, something that stood out to Dr. Byron Quinn when he was being taught by Coleman at Langston University.
“Even back in the early ’90s, at the beginning, he was at the forefront of this,” Quinn said. “He was working with really the first iteration, first generation, of tablets and PCs in the classroom, so that students could write and do homework on them and digitally turn them in.”
But Coleman’s impact is much farther reaching than the borders of Langston University’s campus.
About a year after his return to teaching at LU, Coleman set out to build strong science and math foundations when he received a grant to establishthe Langston University Summer Math and Science Academy.
It was here, when she was 14 years old, Dr. Lindsay Davis met a Black chemist for the first time in her life.
She hated chemistry.
“It was the hardest thing ever,” Davis said. “But Dr. Coleman had such an eloquent way of communicating chemistry. And so, by the end of that camp, I knew I wanted to be a chemist.”
She attended the Math and Science Academy many more summers after that. Her familiarity with the campus, its scholarship opportunities and its faculty led Davis to enroll at Langston University.
She took her first class with Coleman, Organic Chemistry, her sophomore year. It is still the most difficult course she has ever taken.
More than a third of black STEM PhD holders earn their undergraduate degrees at HBCUs according to American Institutes for Research.
But Coleman’s student-centric approach helped her through the class. She took three more classes with him throughout her time at LU and, after graduating, like so many of his students, was convinced by Coleman to pursue her doctoral degree.
“That took a lot of convincing, and there were a few mechanisms that helped me to go off and produce my PhD,” Davis said. “But Dr. Coleman being the first chemist I ever met inspired me to get a PhD.
“When you are able to see the representation in front of you, I think it either consciously or subconsciously inspires you.”
Because of Coleman’s influence, in 2021 Davis went on to become the first Black chemist to graduate with their PhD from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Legacy
Johnson, Quinn and Davis are just a handful of the students Coleman not only encouraged to go and earn their doctoral degrees, but to come back and teach at Langston University.
Quinn is currently the Chair of the Biology Department at Langston University, working closely with Coleman each day and utilizing the lessons he learned in using technology in the classroom to instruct his students and conduct world-renowned research.
Johnson just returned to Langston University as a professor in the chemistry department and is now providing the same mentorship, guidance and expectations Coleman gave to him as a student.
Coleman was voted “Most Intellectual” in 1965 alongside Louvenia Stidham.
Davis is not only a professor in the chemistry department but also leads the Math and Science Academy at Langston University, bringing her journey full circle. Now, she gets to be the same inspiration to the students who attend each summer that Coleman was to her as a teenager. She may even be the first Black chemist some of them meet.
“I hope I even have (a legacy),” Coleman laughed.
But his legacy is unmistakable. Coleman has built his own community of educational excellence at Langston University, in the STEM field and across the world.
His mission has been to ensure Dear Langston’s students have the support they need to lay the foundation for a brighter future. Now, Coleman gets to wrap up his career as the Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, where he is still buildingprograms and methods that will lay firm foundations and help educate students for the long term.
Langston University President Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson, who formerly served as the Vice President for Academic Affairs, has seen the impact of Coleman’s time at LU. She said regardless of his position, he has intentionally remained engaged with his students, ensuring they are well-prepared when they leave Langston University.
“I think that his lasting legacy really is his quest for knowledge, not just for himself, but for his students.
Biology senior Daysha Isaac won a Scientific Merit Award at the National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE) Conference in Washington D.C. this summer.
The 9th Biennial NISBRE Conference, put on by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) from June 16-19, was a showcase of the accomplishments of the NIGMS’s IDeA program. Undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, junior and senior investigators, and staff from IDeA-supported programs came together to share their research. At the conference’s end, various awards were presented, including merit awards, mentorship awards, and entrepreneurship awards.
“I used to be a student who struggled with education and could barely understand the concept, to now being a student who can properly explain a complex topic to a plethora of people,” Isaac said. “So this award means that no matter what obstacles are thrown my way, I am able to grow past them.”
A native of Arlington, Texas, Isaac has been interested in biology and medicine since she was a child. She was born with an umbilical hernia that had to be removed when she was 8, and her time in the hospital gave her an insight into what a life in medicine was like. Since then, she has worked toward her goal of becoming a doctor, and she aspires to be a pediatrician or a neonatal physician.
Daysha Isaac won a Scientific Merit Award at the National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE) Conference in Washington D.C. this summer.
Isaac came to Langston University looking for a place where she could thrive with individuals who looked like her and had the same aspirations as her, and she has found a supportive community that has helped her grow as a person and a scholar.
“Being an African American in a field that is not as diverse means I have to work extremely hard to spread my name across the room,” Isaac said. “Therefore, when professors see my talent, it makes me grateful for all my hard work. It excites me when others see my potential and are able to help me network. It motivates me when I am able to expand my name across a plethora of audiences.”
Isaac’s foray into research began when she met Dr. Kj Abraham in his Honors Natural Science Biology-I class. She impressed him with her eagerness to learn, and he has been her faculty mentor for the past two years.
As a faculty mentor, Dr. Abraham introduces students like Isaac to biomedical research and helps prepare them for a career in biomedical sciences. He trains them in research techniques, teaches them fundamentals in research and helps them to build technical skills. They are also prepared to work independently on research projects. They are taught how to review research publications, write research abstracts, and make oral presentations.
Dr. Abraham introduced Isaac to the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) last year, and he said he is proud to see how much she has grown through her participation in the program.
“She was quick to learn and follows instructions very well,” Dr. Abraham said. “She was committed to her task and adapted very well to undergraduate research. Her growth was evident in the way she successfully completed her research internship at KSU and went on to win a poster prize at the Annual K-INBRE Symposium in January.”
Through K-INBRE, Isaac worked with Dr. Jocelyn McDonald at Kansas State University to do research on stalk cell movement in drosophila. She studied ovarioles in fruit fly ovaries and looked at several functions, including cell formation and the movement of stalk cells, and then marked the differences when mutations were added.
“This information allowed us to apply it to birth defects in infants,” Isaac said. “No way are we trying to cure it but gather more information about cell movement to make a connection. Such birth defects we compared it to were spina bifida and microcephaly.”
Isaac presented her research on stalk cell movement in drosophila at the NISBRE Conference.
Isaac presented this research at the K-INBRE Symposium in January, where she won an Award of Excellence in Poster Presentations, and was invited to present again at the NISBRE Conference. This time, she gave an oral presentation in addition to the poster presentation.
Isaac said she was nervous for her oral presentation, but she fought through her nerves to deliver an engaging presentation with energy and excitement. She was proud of her performance, and for good reason.
“After I presented, I was complimented many times,” Isaac said. “I was told by a professor that when I was ready to apply to graduate school to contact him, and another professor said he would want me to consider attending their medical school in Maine. I was told I brought the energy to the room, and I presented my research very well. Even with all the compliments, I still was extremely surprised that I won an award.”
Dr. Abraham said Isaac’s presentation was outstanding and that her confidence and knowledge were evident. He was not as surprised as Isaac that she won the Scientific Merit Award.
“This award shows that students from LU can be the best in the country and have proved that they can be top prize winners provided they are mentored and given opportunities,” Dr. Abraham said. “This also means that LU is on the national map in biomedical research.”
Isaac plans to continue being involved in research during her last year at Dear Langston, and she plans to apply for graduate school after graduation. She eventually plans to go to medical school.
Aniyah Robinson is the first Langston University student to become a Rhoden Fellow
by Ellie Melero, Media Relations Specialist
Earning the Andscape Rhoden Fellowship is a dream come true for Aniyah Robinson.
A broadcast journalism junior from Wichita, Kansas, Robinson has been interested in sports and sports media since elementary school, and now she has the opportunity to work with ESPN during a yearlong fellowship with Andscape.
“I’m looking forward to being in a space with like-minded individuals and just being able to do stuff that we love,” Robinson said. “And I’m really excited to be able to work with the other fellows this year.”
Andscape, part of the ESPN portfolio and formerly known as The Undefeated, is a Black-led media group dedicated to highlighting and uplifting Black stories. As part of the United Negro College Fund-Disney Corporate Scholars program, Andscape sponsors the Rhoden Fellowship.
Named for award-winning sportswriter William C. Rhoden, the Rhoden Fellowship is a prestigious one-year sports media program for aspiring journalists from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The program includes a 10-week summer internship, various professional development opportunities and a $5,000 award.
Aniyah Robinson is Langston University’s first Rhoden Fellow, and her journey to get there has been one filled with hard work and determination.
Little Girl, Big Dream
Robinson (left) has dreamed of working in sports media since she was a child.
Robinson was in fourth grade the first time she told her grandmother, Kim Ross, that she was going to be on ESPN one day.
“I just kind of shoved it off when she was little because she was a kid,” Ross said. “We all thought, ‘Oh, you know, she’s just talking right now. She don’t know what she want to do.’
“Because when you’re a kid you don’t really know,” Ross reasoned. “You’re gonna have 15 different things you’re gonna wanna do by the time you graduate high school.”
But as Robinson got older, Ross realized this goal was more than just a passing childhood interest. Robinson was still talking about it when she was in sixth grade. And in seventh grade. And in eighth grade.
By the time Robinson was a sophomore in high school, Ross had realized working for ESPN really was Robinson’s dream job.
“Even her friends were like, ‘Uh, yeah, Aniyah is going to do this. She wants to do sports. She’s going to be on ESPN someday,’” Ross said. “It’s just something she’s always said, and she’s striving for it.”
Ross knew pursuing this dream would mean earning a college degree, and she always told Robinson to make her education a priority. So Robinson worked hard in high school to get accepted into her dream school: Prairie View A&M University.
Robinson was excited to attend Prairie View, but then her best friend, Kennadi, broke the news to her that she would not go to Texas with Robinson in the fall. Kennadi had been accepted to Langston University, the school where her mother and sisters had gone, and that’s where she wanted to go.
Faced with a choice between her dream school and her dream of going to school with her best friend, Robinson decided to give Dear Langston a chance.
“Langston was closer to home, it was less expensive, and it was just ideal,” Robinson said. “It’s still small, but it’s the perfect size to where we’re all just a big family. So here I am, third year!”
Putting in the Work
When Robinson came to Langston, one of her first classes was with Daniel Thompson, an instructor of communication and the advisor for the LU Gazette, Langston University’s student newspaper. Thomspon said as a freshman, Robinson was a very quiet student. She didn’t talk a lot in class, and he could tell she didn’t quite have her feet under her yet. But that soon changed.
Robinson (right) ultimately decided to attend Langston University after her best friend, Kennadi Graham (left), decided to attend LU.
Robinson made a conscious effort to get more involved on campus her sophomore year, and that included getting involved with the student newspaper. She began writing for the Gazette and has risen to the role of managing editor. She will be the editor-in-chief in the fall.
The summer after her sophomore year, Robinson pursued an internship with KSN, a news station in Wichita, and she returned to Langston in the fall with confidence and motivation.
“Doing an internship that early on has such a massive impact on students,” Thompson said. “She came back just more confident and more capable.”
Robinson didn’t just get involved with already existing organizations, though. Langston students are often encouraged to find organizations that reflect their interests and goals, and if they cannot find one, they are encouraged to start one. Robinson did just that, and she said restarting the LU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has been one of her most memorable achievements at Langston.
Robinson first learned about NABJ when members of the NABJ Tulsa chapter came to speak to one of her classes about the organization. Then one of her friends at the University of Missouri told her about how beneficial the organization had been for her. Robinson decided Langston students should have an opportunity to receive those benefits, too.
“I felt like that’s a good organization to bring to Langston,” Robinson said. “So I worked with Mr. Thompson a lot to get that started, and it’s just been amazing ever since.”
Langston had a chapter of NABJ years ago, but membership fizzled out and the chapter became defunct. Over the years, several students tried to restart the chapter, but all were unsuccessful. Robinson wouldn’t let that deter her, though.
She worked with Thompson to formulate a constitution, recruit students to be consistently involved in the organization, earn the approval of the regional director of NABJ, earn the support of the Tulsa chapter, and receive letters of recommendation from both the Tulsa chapter and regional director to NABJ’s national board.
“Aniyah was able to get the student support and the momentum, and she was diligent enough to push through this new chapter,” Thompson said. “Just the amount of effort and time it took to get that started back up, to get the constitution in order, to get all the documents in order, to set up the meeting with the national association, it was a lot of work.
“She really did that work, and she’s almost entirely responsible for NABJ coming back.”
Between writing for the Gazette, restarting NABJ and maintaining good grades in all her classes, Robinson still found time to pursue an on-campus internship. She became an intern in the Department of Athletics under the supervision of Sports Information Director Kyle Taylor.
Robinson spent months working to restart the LU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists.
As an Athletics intern, Robinson helps with anything from game-day live streams to running the football video board. She is a quick learner who’s constantly looking to add skills to her repertoire, and Taylor said Robinson is one of the hardest working interns they have.
That’s why when Taylor received an inquiry for potential Rhoden Fellowship applicants, Robinson was one of the first people he thought of. After requesting more information about what the Fellowship was looking for, he was certain Robinson was the perfect candidate.
“Aniyah really kind of stuck out as a potential candidate because part of what they were looking for was a writing component,” Taylor said. “Aniyah has been a part of the Gazette for a while and she’s written quite a lot, so this seemed really up her alley.”
A Black Woman in Sports Media
ESPN Senior Editor and LU alumnus Eddie Maisonet knew that though Langston University had never had a Rhoden Fellow before, there were tons of students with incredible potential. That’s why he reached out to Director of Alumni Affairs Rachel Belmon and asked if there were any students who stood out as promising potential fellows. Belmon, in turn, reached out to Taylor, and Robinson began her journey to becoming Dear Langston’s first Rhoden Fellow.
Robinson worked with Taylor and Maisonet to prepare her application and prepare for her interview. After months of preparation and waiting, the 2024 UNCF Disney Corporate Scholars were announced in February. Robinson was one of six students selected for the Rhoden Fellowship, which this year happens to be an all-woman cohort.
“This is the first time they’ve had an all-woman cohort,” Robinson said. “So, all of us wanting to work in sports, being Black women, I feel like it’s gonna be just such an awesome experience.”
Robinson will spend the summer in Bristol, Connecticut, as an intern for Andscape. She will work with her fellow interns to cover sports as well as other news and cultural subjects, especially Black culture, and Andscape will take the fellows to various events and experiences as the opportunities arise.
Robinson has wanted to work in sports media since she was a child, and she always knew it would take a lot of hard work and dedication to be successful in such a male-dominated industry. She said her experiences at Langston University have shown her she is capable of anything, and she is excited to continue pursuing her dream of being a Black woman in sports media through the Rhoden Fellowship.
“I feel like often-times Black women are not taken seriously, especially in an industry like sports media,” Robinson said. “It’s really hard for us to move up in the rankings. But it’s really amazing that I’ve been able to see women in the sports industry, especially Black women, come together and support each other, and that is just an amazing thing to now be a part of.”
LANGSTON, Okla. — In an exhilarating blend of education and sportsmanship, over 30 Langston University students had the exclusive opportunity to step into the fast-paced world of professional sports with a career-focused visit to the headquarters of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the freshly crowned No. 1 seed in the NBA’s Western Conference.
As the Thunder gears up for a promising playoff season, students from the School of Business, the Department of Communications, and the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation attended the “Careers in Sports Event with OKC Thunder.” This initiative is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen ties with leading organizations and open new horizons for students.
Professor Ralph Grayson, Chair of the Computer Science and Management Information Systems Departments, spearheaded the event and emphasized the importance of integrating practical experiences with academic learning.
“Our students are not just studying the theory; they are out here, experiencing real-world applications of what we teach,” Professor Grayson said.
Langston University students get a rare opportunity to network with professionals in The Thunder organization.
During the visit, students participated in roundtable discussions, engaged in panel sessions, and enjoyed a comprehensive tour of the Thunder’s arena. They interacted with team executives who discussed various roles within the sports industry, from analytics and event management to health and player development.
Professor Carolyn Ross from the Department of Communications highlighted the transformative nature of the experience.
“Learning about media relations or sports marketing in a classroom is one thing,” Professor Ross said. “It’s another to see those roles in action during the high stakes of NBA playoffs.”
The event provided valuable professional insights and showcased the potential career paths available within the sports industry. Both professors intend to foster this budding relationship, ensuring continued student engagement and learning opportunities.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Two Langston University students took home awards at the annual Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) Symposium Jan. 12-14.
Senior crop and soil sciences major Kayla Smith earned a 2nd place Award of Excellence in Oral Presentations for her research on “Impairments in Cerebral Autoregulation and Cerebral Reactivity in Cancer Survivorship.” Junior biology major Daysha Isaac earned an Award of Excellence in Poster Presentations for her research on “Stalk Cell Movement in Drosophila: A model to understanding how migrating cells shape tissues and organs.”
“My experience was fun and also interesting,” Smith said. “It was my first time presenting oral presentations.”
Senior crop and soil sciences major Kayla Smith earned a 2nd place Award of Excellence in Oral Presentations at the 2024 K-INBRE Symposium. Photo provided by Kayla Smith.
K-INBRE is a collaborative effort of medical and academic institutions in Kansas and Oklahoma to “promote multidisciplinary research networks with a focus on Cell and Developmental Biology,” according to the K-INBRE website. Langston University is the only Oklahoma-based institution partnered with K-INBRE.
The program offers LU students mentored research opportunities as well as opportunities to present their research at events like the annual Symposium. For example, Smith, a second-year K-INBRE participant, worked with researchers at Kansas State University.
This is Isaac’s first year participating in K-INBRE. She was introduced to the program by one of her biology professors, Dr. Kj Abraham, who helped mentor her in presenting her research. She also received advice on the structure and presentation of her research from Dr. Lindsay Davis.
Isaac has enjoyed her time in K-INBRE so far, and she was excited to present her research at the Symposium. She studied the ovarioles present in female fruit flies’ ovaries and tracked mutations and their effects on the stalk cells.
Junior biology major Daysha Isaac earned an Award of Excellence in Poster Presentations at the 2024 K-INBRE Symposium. Photo provided by Daysha Isaac.
“This information allowed us to apply it to birth defects in infants,” Isaac said. “No way are we trying to cure it but gather more information about cell movement to make a connection. Such birth defects we compared it to were spina bifida and microcephaly.”
Smith is likewise passionate about the research she has helped conduct in K-INBRE, and she is confident her experiences in the program will aid her as she prepares to pursue medical school after graduation.
“I realize that my career goal is actually attainable,” Smith said, “and practice does make perfect.”
LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University encourages any high school or college students interested in journalism or media to attend the NBCU Academy Next Level Summit for free on Oct. 19.
“Next Level Summit: Know Your Audience” is a free virtual learning opportunity which is open to the public, and Langston would like to encourage anyone with an interest in a career in media to attend. The summit will discuss ways for journalists, marketing professionals, public relations specialists and other media industry members to identify and connect with an audience while providing attendees with an opportunity to connect with top industry professionals.
The summit will be hosted by the NBCU Academy, a free online education program for developing skills and advancing careers in journalism, media and technology from Comcast NBCUniversal and NBCU News Group. Langston University is an academic partner of the NBCU Academy.
Langston’s academic partnership with the NBCU Academy is part of its broader efforts to improve and enrich its broadcast journalism program. These efforts began in earnest with the donation of the new Langston OKC campus from Griffin Media.
The new campus, once the KWTV News 9 building, will soon be the new home of the broadcast journalism program. The donation included a full-service news station which will give Langston students a better understanding of what it’s like to work in a professional broadcast newsroom.
Not long after announcing the donation from Griffin Media, Langston announced its new partnership with NBCU Academy. Langston is one of 45 schools who are academic partners with NBCU Academy, and it’s the only university in Oklahoma with this partnership. In addition to the academic partnership, Langston received a $250,000 grant from NBCU Academy.
The NBCU Academy academic partnership offers several virtual and in-person educational and mentoring opportunities to Langston journalism students, including events like the Next Level Summit.
By Jet Turner, Langston University Office of Public Relations
LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University is proud to announce its new partnership with NBCU Academy. Since its inception in 2021, NBCU Academy partners have received funding, resources, training and development – in addition to access to the News Group’s world-class journalists. Langston University is the first institution within the state of Oklahoma to partner with NBCU Academy.
“We are excited to join the NBCU Academy,” said Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson, Vice President of Academic Affairs. “The access to resources accompanying this opportunity will be transformative in preparing our students. The curriculum support and professional development will enhance our talented faculty’s ability to develop a diverse pool of media professionals committed to solutions journalism.”
This partnership comes on the heels of Langston University’s announcement of its new home of journalism in Oklahoma City thanks to Griffin Media’s donation of its KWTV News 9 building, including nearly all the building’s contents and equipment, to the University.
“Through this partnership we will be able to provide scholarships to current and future broadcast journalism students,” said Dr. Peterson, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. “With this partnership, our new building and equipment, Langston University broadcast journalism is poised to eventually lead the nation in producing highly trained and qualified underrepresented professionals in all areas of broadcast television journalism.”
Langston University joins NBCU Academy’s 15 academic partner expansion, bringing the total number of partners to 45. The 15 new partners include:
UC Berkeley M.E.T. in Berkeley, CA
Columbia College Chicago in Chicago, IL
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet, MN
Helena College – University of Montana in Helena, MT
Langston University in Langston, OK
Metropolitan State University of Denver in Denver, CO
Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham OR
Nevada State College in Henderson, NV
Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN
The Ohio State University, College of Engineering and School of Communication in Columbus, OH
Texas Southern University, School of Communication in Houston, TX
United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, ND
University of Arizona, School of Journalism in Tucson, AZ
University of Central Florida, Nicholson School of Communication and Media, in Orlando, FL
University of Missouri School of Journalism, in Columbia, MO
“This partnership re-affirms Langston University’s commitment to changing the broadcast journalism profession by providing learning opportunities and resources not only for on-air talent, but also for behind-the-scenes talent,” President Kent J. Smith, Jr said. “This is a pivotal moment for Langston University and for the future of minorities in the broadcasting industry.”
NBCU Academy has elevated the next generation of journalists, providing students from underrepresented communities a pipeline into newsrooms across media and technology. NBCU Academy’s pioneering Embed Program creates roles for recent graduates from partner schools and institutions with diverse student populations. In two years, NBCU Academy has assigned 11 Embeds full-time, two-year job assignments across the News Group’s on-air and Digital platforms, Marketing, Global Talent Development & Inclusion, Data Sciences, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
By Jet Turner, Langston University Public Relations
LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University announced at its 17th Annual President’s Student Scholarship Gala that Griffin Media has made the largest corporate donation in university history, gifting the university its KWTV News 9 building located at 7401 N. Kelley Ave. Langston University takes possession of the building in January 2023.
President and CEO of Griffin Media David Griffin said the company was working to bring new, advanced technology and sets to the newscast. Installing new equipment in their current building would tie them to the location for the next 15 years. Griffin Media had another goal in mind, that is to plant its flag in downtown Oklahoma City.
This left Griffin with a dilemma: What would the company do with its existing home of more than seventy years?
“If we abandon this building there is going to be a hole in this community, and we just did not want to leave this community alone,” Griffin said. “So, we went on a search to see how we could be a part of something bigger than ourselves. And then it just dawned on me, Langston has a journalism program.”
The gift totals over $10 million, and includes the building, the surrounding land, all the existing equipment used for the News 9 newscast, every table and chair, the computers, the fiberoptic cabling and more. The site will also be home to the Center for Media and Community Advancement at Langston University funded in part with a grant from the Inasmuch Foundation.
Langston University President Kent J. Smith, Jr. said this gift will not only impact our journalism program, but it will also impact the entire university community.
“There is an entire business behind news production. From computer technology to marketing and sales, our students will have the benefit of learning here. Now we can think of Oklahoma City and our Oklahoma City campus in an entirely different realm that we could not imagine before,” Smith said.
This gift will revolutionize how Oklahoma’s only HBCU produces new journalists and will impact every aspect of the profession.
Griffin Media has committed to a long-term unprecedented partnership with Langston University. News 9’s on-air and behind-the-scenes talent will teach classes, mentor students and provide opportunities for LU students to learn from them on state-of-the-art equipment.
“If you’re looking for something to believe in that will fundamentally change not only Langston University but journalism as a whole there is no doubt in my mind that this is it,” Smith said. “If you cannot get excited about that I do not know what gets you excited.”
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Dr. Kjoy Abraham, the Langston University Biomedical Research Coordinator, led a team of nine students to present their work at the 16th Annual Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Research Symposium in Overland Park, Kansas, which was held on January 13-14, 2018.
Four of the nine students, Mr. La’Quan Johnson (Senior), Ms. Celeste Cotton (Junior), Ms. Cayla Moore (Junior), and Ms. Corajean Cunningham (Freshman), presented iposters. These posters are interactive, multimedia research presentations that are displayed electronically on large format HD touchscreen monitors. There were 347 participants including invited scientists, faculty, postdoctoral fellows and students (undergraduate and graduate) at the symposium. Over 100 students competed in the iposter competition.
During the conference, Langston University student, Ms. Justis Petit (Junior), was selected for an oral presentation in biomedical research. Her abstract was also chosen as one of the best eight abstracts from over 100 abstracts. The title of her presentation was “Effect of Euglena Gracilis Water Extract on Cell Death and Toll-Like Receptor Gene Expression Profiles in Lung Cancer Cells.” During this time, Ms. Petit was given 15 minutes to speak and was able to answer questions about her presentation. Ms. Petit was awarded “Honorable Mention” with a cash award of $100 for her oral presentation at the symposium.
Mr. La’Quan Johnson was commended by one of the judges for his excellent work and presentation at the iposter competition.
The Langston University students competed with other undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students from ten institutions that included the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and the University of Kansas Medical Center. Other Langston University students in attendance were Ashley Michalski (Senior), Celeste Cotton (Junior), Jennifer Ho (Junior), Brianna Anderson (Junior), Kendall Odle (Sophomore), Corajean Cunnigham (Freshman), and Cayla Moore (Junior). All the LU students in attendance are biology majors. Two additional University faculty members also attended the conference, Dr. Diomede Buzingo, Assistant Professor in the Biology Department and Dr. Sharon Lewis, Associate Professor in the Chemistry Department.
Langston University (LU) is a public historically black college enrolling a close-knit community of under 3,000 students. Langston University is recognized as a top institution of higher learning for affordability by afforableschools.net and bestvalueschools.com. Founded in 1897, LU is located in rural Logan County just 10 miles east of Guthrie and 42 miles from Oklahoma City. Langston offers more than 40 associate, bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs across six academic colleges. Visit us online at http://www.langston.edu.
