For the first time since 2000, the Fighting Tigers return to Indianapolis for one of the nation’s best and biggest HBCU football classics

GRAMBLING, LA – Grambling State University Tiger football fans, friends and supporters will head to the Hoosier state for a clash between the G-Men and the Alcorn State University Braves on October 12th in the Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

“We are thrilled to return to this awesome venue for such a historic occasion,” said Percy Caldwell, athletic director at Grambling State University. “Grambling is excited about being the book-end football team, playing in the first and the 30th Circle City Classic® games.” The fall appearance will make Grambling State University the only HBCU to play in this special classic in four decades, 1984, 1990, 2000 and 2013. “That’s really special,” added Caldwell.

The Tigers participated in the first Circle City Classic in 1984, when then-head coach Eddie G. Robinson took his Grambling Tigers into battle against conference foe Mississippi Valley State University.

Tigers head football coach Doug Williams, was the first, and only, black quarterback to take an NFL team to a Super Bowl victory when he led the Washington Redskins to victory 25 years ago this year. “As a longtime HBCU football fan and certainly as a Grambling State University football player and alum, I know what it means to participate in a game such as the Circle City Classic,” said Williams. “Since we haven’t been to Indy in more than a decade, some of our fans may not realize how big a deal this is. It is huge.”

“We are happy that our university will be returning to the place where Grambling State University was an important part of such an influential and important football game,” said Frank G. Pogue, president of Grambling State University. “We know how far and wide our university’s reputation stretches, and we’re looking forward to paying respect to our strong football heritage as we tell everyone how we’re enhancing academics on campus.” He said the institution sees several great opportunities to tell the Grambling State University story at some of the Classic’s traditional week of events, including a Miss Circle City Classic coronation; a midweek prayer and praise worship service; a fan fest with celebrities, food and music and the 34th Annual Indianapolis Black Alumni Council HBCU College Fair.

Tickets will officially go on sale on April 1. However, pre-sale tickets are available for the 30th Anniversary of Circle City Classic® by calling the Indiana Black Expo (IBE) box office at 317-925-2702 or by completing the pre-sale ticket order form and faxing it to the IBE box office at 317-925-4734. An official press conference to include university representatives will take place in Indianapolis at a later date. For more information, go to www.circlecityclassic.com.

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Media Contact:
Santoria Black
318-274-6199
blacks@gram.edu
-or-
Will Sutton
318-533-5337
mediarelations@gram.edu

Steve Perry, a national education educator and principal of a highly successful Hartford school, will address Grambling State University’s honors students during Honors Day Convocation

GRAMBLING, LA – More than 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students will be honored for their academic achievements during Grambling State University’s annual Honors Day Convocation, Tuesday (March 19), and they’ll hear from Steve Perry, a distinguished author and educator who has gained national recognition for leading a Hartford magnet school.

The convocation starts at 11 a.m. at the Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center, and the public is invited. Perry, who has been a columnist for Essence magazine and who has been featured in CNN’s “Blacks in America” series, is the founder and principal of Capital Preparatory Magnet School, which U.S. News and World Report named one of the top schools in the country.

Since 2006, Perry has led the Connecticut school, sending, 100% of its graduates to four-year colleges as first-generation college students. A Middletown, CT, native, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in social work, ran a homeless shelter and published his first of six books – all before he was 26 years old.

The honors students will enjoy a reception with President Frank G. Pogue, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Connie Walton, faculty and staff immediately following the program in the lobby of the assembly center. The next day, March 20, the president will host a picnic for the honors students at the president’s home, “Johnson Place,” on campus.

The university recognizes students who have earned at least a 3.00 grade point average. Special recognition is given to students who have earned a 4.00 cumulative grade point average and students who are being inducted into Who’s Who Among Students in Universities & Colleges.

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Additional Information:

• 2013 Honors Convocation Photo Gallery

Media Contact:
Will Sutton
318-533-5337
mediarelations@gram.edu

Grambling State University’s campus newspaper competes with HBCU newspapers

GRAMBLING, LA – The Gramblinite at Grambling State University took five honors at the recent National HBCU Student News Media Conference.

Student journalists from 10 different Historically Black Colleges and Universities attended the 15th annual conference in Nashville. The students participated in workshops, received resume and newspaper critiques and were mentored by media professionals.

"In the past, we have done a lot better, but walking away with five awards let’s me know that we are still a competitive college newspaper amongst other HBCUs," said Justin Madden, a Los Angeles native and senior mass communication major who is editor-in-chief of The Gramblinite. “The seminars were all beneficial, especially the one focused on the use of social media….”

The Gramblinite collected five awards:

• First place: The Gramblinite, Best News Coverage, for coverage of the 2012 U.S. presidential election
• First place: Tierra Smith, Best Sports News or Game Story, “No Contract, yes lawsuit,” a story about head football coach Doug Williams decision to file a lawsuit against the university
• Second place: Tierra Smith, Best Sports Feature Story, “Promising debut for unlikely Tiger,” a story about the football team’s newest kicker
• Second place: Evan Peter, Individual Page Design, for the Sept. 27 Retro Edition
• Third place: Evan Peters, Best Design-Broadsheet

Other schools receiving top honors were Southern University of Baton Rouge, La. and North Carolina Central University of Durham, North Carolina.

The February HBCU Student Media Conference was a part of the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute on the campus of Vanderbilt University.

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Media Contact:
Will Sutton
318-533-5337
mediarelations@gram.edu

Exclusive event focuses on students learning about entertainment industry

GRAMBLING, LA – One of Hollywood’s major studio heads will visit Grambling State University next week.

Ron Meyer, president and chief operating officer of Universal Studios, will talk with students March 21 about the media industry.

"It’s rare that a major Hollywood studio executive visits any HBCU campus to talk with students, so we’re thrilled that Ron Meyer has chosen to visit Grambling State University," said Frank G. Pogue, the university’s president. "In the short amount of time our students will have with him, we know they will get information and gain knowledge that they can’t get anywhere else."

Meyer and his teams have produced and distributed blockbuster and award-winning movies including the, The Fast Five series, Anna Karenina, Les Miserables, Despicable Me, Identity Thief and Ted. In addition, Meyer is responsible for Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Theme Parks, as well as Universal Studio locations in Singapore and Japan.

Meyer’s former colleague at NBCUniversal, Paula Madison, former NBCUniversal executive vice president who with Meyer discussed this fantastic opportunity to meet with Grambling’s students. Madison’s family owns the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and is a major investor in The African Channel, a cable network in the top 20 U.S. markets and the Caribbean.

Meyer prides himself on creating an engaging, encouraging and supportive work culture, once saying his role was like being the coach of a talented Super Bowl team. The visit includes a student question-and-answer with Meyer at 11:30 a.m. The program will be divided into two segments: the first part with Madison interviewing Meyer and a second part with Madison moderating the discussion featuring questions from students.

"After visiting the campus for the first time last year, I knew I would return and I knew who I wanted to have along for the trip," said Madison, who is the Sparks’ chief executive officer. "There was no question that I wanted Grambling students to hear and see Ron. I know they will enjoy him, be challenged by him and learn a great deal about the film industry."

Prior to joining Universal Studios in 1995, Meyer was president of Creative Artists Agency Inc., which he founded in 1975 with four colleagues who also were agents at the William Morris Agency. The firm became the preeminent talent agency, representing many of the industry’s most influential and talented actors and other film and television professionals. Previously, Meyer worked at William Morris as well as the Paul Kohner Agency, where he had worked as a messenger. 





Madison, an active member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), visited the mass communication department last year as a part of a Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism visiting professional program. She spent the day talking with students about business and business journalism, sports and sports journalism and how to best prepare for media careers.

Because space will be limited, the university’s Office of Public Relations and Communications asks that interested students email mediarelations@gram.edu, including “#UniversalStudios” in the subject line and providing:

(a) name
(b) classification (sophomore, senior, etc.)
(c) home city/town
(d) major
(e) email address
(f) telephone number

Email requests without "#UniversalStudios" in the subject line may not be honored. Seating will be based on a first-come, first-served basis. Location specifics will be shared with the first students to submit their information, until capacity is reached.

No audio or video recording will be allowed. No digital recorders, cameras or cell phone recordings. No external media will be permitted.

Though this is not a career fair and no internships and jobs are being offered, this is a wonderful and rare opportunity for Grambling State University students to hear directly from one of the nation’s most influential media executives. Meyer is expected to talk with students about what it takes to be successful in media. Students are encouraged to look at the company’s various internships and jobs at http://www.nbcunicareers.com/.

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Additional Information:

• Campus Visit Photo Gallery
• RON MEYER
  http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/senior-corporate-executives/nbc-universal/ron-meyer/
• PAULA MADISON
  http://www.hoopfeed.com/content/2011/07/07/los-angeles-sparks-owner-paula-madison-steps-into-the-spotlight-talks-about-becoming-more-involved-with-the-team/
• NBCUniversal
  http://www.nbcuni.com/film/
  http://www.nbcuni.com/parks-resorts/
• NBCUniversal Internships, Jobs
  http://www.nbcunicareers.com
  http://www.nbcunicareers.com/internships/

Media Contact:
Will Sutton
318-533-5337
mediarelations@gram.edu

GRAMBLING, LA - For the third time in five years, the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll has recognized Grambling State University with national honor roll recognition for its service learning student volunteer work.

“We’re just thrilled that the work that our students do is being recognized again and again,” said Rory L. Bedford, director of the university’s Office of Service Learning. “It’s not about the credit for the school. It’s all about students getting great opportunities to supplement their academic experience with us.”

Started in 2006, the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll annually highlights college and university involvement in community problems and solutions while helping to put students on “a lifelong path of civic engagement by recognizing institutions that achieve meaningful, measureable outcomes in the communities they serve. “ 

“Grambling State University is proud to have received this recognition again,” added Bedford. “Such distinction comes as a result of the support that service-learning has received from the administration, an outstanding faculty and a committed student body.”

In 2005, Grambling State University became the first university in the University of Louisiana System to establish an Office of Service Learning.  In 2008, only three years after establishing the office, the university incorporated Service-Learning as a part of the General Education requirements to assure that all students have a meaningful service-learning experience before they graduate.  As the university prepares students for “citizenship in a democratic society,” students must complete at least 160 hours of service learning activities.  A minimum of 80 hours must be earned by doing academic service learning in a class-community setting.  The other 80 hours can be achieved with approved civic engagement activities or community service projects. 

In 2012, Grambling State earned honor roll status. In 2009, the university earned honor roll with distinction recognition.

According to Bedford, the university’s faculty continues to adapt courses that fit the cycle of service learning. He said students participate in projects to help the community. Some of the projects in the past year have included:

• student volunteers assisting with ACT preparation workshops
• nursing students providing blood pressure and other screenings in rural areas
• students from the School of Social Work and the School of Nursing participating in Operation Stand Down, a social service program providing assistance to the homeless and others through counseling and other services
• Criminal Justice students mentored students at the Swanson Juvenile Center
• Theater students performed for underprivileged people in low-income areas to provide cultural enrichment

“These projects represent a microcosm of projects that are ongoing at the university,” said Bedford.

“Grambling State University faculty has embraced service learning, realizing the important role ‘service’ has in preparing students for success in the national arena,” said Connie Walton, provost and vice president of academic affairs. “Faculty design projects that are linked to the discipline and work closely with students in the completion of the projects.  The faculty and students should be proud of the service that has been rendered to the community.”

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Media Contact:
Will Sutton
318-533-5337
mediarelations@gram.edu