Tulane University - First-of-its-kind scholarship memorializes social work faculty member

September 17, 2013 9:00 AM

A trailblazer for African Americans in social work, the late Jeannette Jennings created a legacy of breaking barriers and advocating for the disenfranchised. Now, a new scholarship spearheaded by Roger and Carol Nooe will honor Jennings' legacy and help the Tulane University School of Social Work further achieve its goal of diversity.

The endowed scholarship was established by a generous gift from the Delta Foundation through the efforts of the Nooes. Recipients will be selected based on need, with preference given to students from underrepresented groups at Tulane.

"The Delta Foundation has always been about creating opportunity for people who were denied," says Roger Nooe, who received a master of social work degree in 1966 and a doctorate in social work in 1972 from Tulane. The Nooes sit on the foundation's board.

The Dr. Jeannette Jennings Memorial Scholarship has been in the works for the Nooes since Jennings' death in 2007. "We wanted the gift to be ongoing, that's the beauty of an endowed scholarship," Nooe says.

Roger Nooe met Jennings at Tulane in the late 1960s while she was working on her master's degree in social work. Jennings received an MSW from Tulane in 1969. He later recruited Jennings to join the faculty at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where he worked for 30 years. Jennings was an associate professor in the Tulane School of Social Work from 1998 until her death.

"She always stood out as someone who was very strong and very thoughtful," Nooe says.

In 1970, Jennings became the first black faculty member at the University of Mississippi and was also the first black, female social worker at the Mississippi Department of Public Welfare.

At Tulane, Jennings' research involved poverty and gerontology. A beloved mentor, she taught social work students the history of the profession and demonstrated how to do meaningful work in the community, says Marva Lewis, associate professor at the School of Social Work.

"The scholarship will support students who, like Jennings, have an interest in helping the larger society achieve social justice," says Lewis.

Erika Herran is a writer in the Office of Development.

Source: Tulane

Read More

Tulane University - Business school kicks off yearlong centennial celebration

September 12, 2013 11:00 AM

The year 2014 will mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. In recognition of this historic milestone, the Freeman School will be rolling out a host of special events and activities during the 2013-2014 academic year to celebrate the history of business education at Tulane. The yearlong celebration begins Friday (Sept. 13) with a Centennial Kickoff for students on the Lavin-Bernick Center Quad.

"I'm proud to announce the start of what promises to be a very exciting centennial year," says Ira Solomon, dean of the Freeman School. "Tulane University has a long history of business education, scholarship and community impact. In the coming months, we hope to highlight some of the people, events and achievements that have helped to make the Freeman School what it is today."

Michael Bernstein, Tulane provost, adds, "For 100 years, the Freeman School of Business has combined an international focus with deep roots in the New Orleans community. As we celebrate its centennial, it's exciting to see that the business school's global perspective and local commitment remain as strong as ever."

Friday's festivities will start at 3 p.m. with music from the Hot 8 Brass Band and a student centennial photo on the Monroe Quad. The fun then shifts to the LBC Quad at 4 p.m. for a kickoff celebration featuring live music and food from local restaurants.

Earlier this year, the Freeman School's Centennial Committee hosted a contest in which students, faculty, staff and alumni were invited to submit suggested taglines for the centennial. Larry Merington, an adjunct lecturer at the Freeman School, submitted the winning entry, "Celebrating a brilliant century, building an even brighter future."

"The centennial represents a great opportunity for us to look back at our past, but it's also an occasion to celebrate our present and look forward to our future," says Peggy Babin, associate dean for external relations and chair of the committee. "We thought Larry's tagline perfectly captured the message we'd like to share with all our stakeholders."

In conjunction with the celebration, the Freeman School has created a centennial website featuring a school timeline, archival photos, profiles of faculty and alumni, school trivia and more. Alumni can submit photos and stories and add their memories to the site and even suggest items for a Freeman School time capsule. The website has information on upcoming events, including the Alumni Centennial Celebration, which will take place on May 2, 2014, at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters in City Park.

For information about Friday's Centennial Kick Off and other upcoming events, contact Rhonda Brown at 504-864-8470.

Mark Miester is the editor of Freeman magazine for the A. B. Freeman School of Business.

Source: Tulane

Read More

Georgia State University Sets Records for Diversity and Size of Freshman Class

Georgia State University this fall has welcomed the largest and most diverse freshman class in its history.

At more than 3,200, the class has grown by 6 percent from last year. The class set records for the number of Hispanic, Asian American and African American students enrolled. The academic preparation of the group also improved, with the average high school grade-point average of the entering students rising to 3.4.

The overall number of freshman applications increased by 9 percent, to more than 13,000, with applications coming from around the world. Hispanic first-year enrollment grew by 22 percent, African American 4 percent and Asian American 10 percent over last year. Previous records for freshman, African American, Asian American and Hispanic enrollment were set last fall.

The university's overall enrollment also set a record this fall, surpassing last fall's record enrollment of 32,092 on Sept. 4 with 32,374 students registered for classes as of Sept. 4. Georgia State students represent 150 counties in Georgia, all 50 states and more than 150 different nations. Newly represented in the student body this year are students from Gabon, Libya, Oman, Timor and five other countries.

Georgia State continues to be recognized as one of the most diverse universities in the nation. In its 2014 "America's Best Colleges " edition, U.S. News & World Report magazine ranked Georgia State 12th among the country's most diverse institutions. The university ranked 13th last year.

Georgia State also tied for 14th place with universities such as Carnegie Mellon and Tulane among 23 top "up and coming" national universities ranked by U.S. News & World Report. The ranking is based on assessments by college leaders across the nation. The university's J. Mack Robinson College of Business moved from 56th last year to 47th in the magazine's ranking of undergraduate business programs.

"Georgia State is increasingly a destination of choice for high achieving students of all backgrounds," said Vice Provost Timothy Renick. "Despite a decrease in the number of graduating high school seniors in Georgia this past year, Georgia State saw its applications for the freshman class increase by more than a thousand."

Georgia State's strategic focus on student retention and its ground-breaking initiatives for increasing graduation rates also have been receiving national attention. Georgia State is one of only a handful of universities nationally to use predictive analytics to daily track the progress of every student.

Earlier this year, the institution was named one of six universities highlighted as models of national higher education reform by the New America Foundation. The foundation cited Georgia State as a "Next Generation University" for its rapid increases in graduation rates and its ability to hold down costs.

"Innovations such as our approach to advising have led to a 21-point increase in our graduation rates over the past decade-one of the most dramatic increases in the nation," Renick said.

Source: Gsu

Read More