LOOKING BACK MOVING FORWARD ANNUAL REPORT 2014–2015 BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2014–2015 TABLE OF PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 1 Blazing a New Trail CONTENTS INNOVATION 2 Training Social Workers with a Global Perspective ACADEMICS & RESEARCH 4 Joining the Fight against Cyber Threats Faculty Achievements Training the Educators of Tomorrow 150TH CELEBRATION 8 Remembering Our Roots Telling Our Story CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS 10 Construction Begins on a Cutting-Edge Science Building Wiseman Centre Demolition Makes Way for Science Building A Green Campus Gets Even Greener STUDENT LIFE 15 Students Stand Against Injustice Bowie State Students Join National Conversations Student Achievements Student Team Develops Electronic Kiosk for the Homeless ATHLETICS 19 Lady Bulldogs Bring Home a Shining New Victory Excellence on the Field and in the Classroom PHILANTHROPY 21 Sesquicentennial Giving Supports Students DONORS 23 FINANCIALS 35 ADMINISTRATION 37 | ANNUAL REPORT 2014–2015 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE n aura of reflection and expectation enveloped the prestigious organizations and taking a seat at the table with campus as we began the 2014–15 academic year with local and national leaders to help address the critical issues A the sesquicentennial celebration of our founding on of our time. the horizon. The backdrop of 150 years of providing access and opportunity in higher education framed a full slate The Founders Day Awards Gala set the stage to recognize of events throughout 2015. It also guided our expanding the growing engagement of alumni and friends throughout efforts to advance an agenda of transformation and the year. It is particularly gratifying to note the achievements innovation to secure the future of Bowie State University. of our alumni and their commitment to advancing the legacy of Bowie State University. Looking back inspired us to push forward. The future began to take shape before our eyes as construction of As you review this annual report, it is my hope that you a new building for natural sciences, mathematics and will take pride in the accomplishments of Bowie State nursing got underway. This state-of-the-art science facility University this year. I salute the faculty, staff, students, will change the landscape of the campus and significantly alumni and friends who contributed to our success in ways enhance our ability to compete for top students and faculty large and small. to join those who already make Bowie State University a very special place. Sincerely, I am pleased to share just a few examples of the innovation and commitment to excellence that we see every day across the university, like the expanding student entrepreneurship initiatives and curriculum enhancements in cybersecurity education. In this annual report you will read about our faculty Mickey L. Burnim, Ph.D. and students who are earning distinctive recognitions from President | ANNUAL REPORT 2014–2015 1 Innovation BLAZING A NEW TRAIL When preparing for their future Through collaborative efforts with its partners, the Entrepreneurship Academy aims to nurture student careers, some students choose to entrepreneurs and prepare them for local and regional create their own path. business plan competitions, in the hopes that they will later join the Bowie Business Innovation Center (Bowie BIC), ntrepreneurship education at Bowie State got a the regional business incubator also located at Bowie State. boost in October 2014 with the opening of a Student E Business Hatchery, an initiative of the Bowie State Entrepreneurship Academy to support students looking to start a business and connect them with expert coaches. Budding student entrepreneurs can now turn their ideas into business plans and enter the Entrepreneurship Academy’s Business Idea Competition for the chance to join the business incubator. The top three winners of the spring 2014 competition won seed money and got to move into new office space in the Student Business Hatchery to further develop their business ideas. They also had access to coaching from the Entrepreneurship Academy’s advisory council, composed of local entrepre neurs, Bowie State faculty, company presidents, and other business professionals. The College of Business started the Entrepreneurship Academy in 2013 to provide a pathway of practical learning opportunities to help college and high school students, especially those from at-risk communities, establish and develop their own businesses. Under the direction of Executive Director and Assistant Professor Minnette Bumpus, the academy hosted a summer entrepreneurship camp for high school students for the first time in 2014. | ANNUAL REPORT 2014–2015 2 INNOVATION TRAINING SOCIAL WORKERS WITH A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE learning trips for students, and sometimes faculty, were developed in partnership with the University of Southern Illinois-Carbondale, University of Connecticut, and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). All but the Cuba trip were open only to social work students. The groups visited community organizations working on The ability to understand and social issues, heard from local experts about the countries’ appreciate cultural differences goes culture and government, toured important cultural landmarks or attended an accelerated course on economic a long way in providing effective care and political human rights. Some students participated alongside community members in hands-on service, like in the field of social work. helping South African social workers to prepare care plans and social activities for children and adults with AIDS. r. André Stevenson, chair of the Department Some even earned course credits. of Social Work, wanted to give students more Dopportunities to learn those qualities in the context For students like Kiara Howard, who traveled to both of a global environment and, at the same time, develop the Cuba and South Africa, participating in Global Learning skills to work in cross-cultural settings. Visits equipped her to become a better social worker and understand cultures through immersion. “Social work is Together, Dr. Stevenson and co-coordinator Ellen Livingston about dealing with different types of people and you are able have led the Global Learning Visits program, implemented to relate to them more if you are able to get an idea of where to hone social work students’ cultural knowledge and they come from,” she said. “I feel like it’s helped me become awareness through international travel, so they can be more culturally competent.” better equipped to address the needs and issues in the communities they serve. There are also plans to expand the curriculum to include an elective course focused on international social work. The department has sent groups to four countries: Munich, Germany; Havana, Cuba; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Maraisburg, South Africa, located in the Gauteng province where Johannesburg is the capital. The two- to three-week | ANNUAL REPORT 2014–2015 3 Academics & Research JOINING THE FIGHT AGAINST CYBER THREATS As the nation faces a shortage owie State University is one of 13 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) awarded of well-trained cybersecurity B $25 million over five years to develop a pipeline professionals, Bowie State for minorities in cybersecurity. Bowie State received a five-year, $1.2 million grant in the formation of the University is meeting the need Cybersecurity Workforce Pipeline Consortium, a network established by the U.S. Department of Energy with funding by preparing more individuals in from the National Nuclear Security Administration. Led by the fight against cyber threats, Norfolk State University, the consortium also includes two national labs and the Charleston County School District in which President Barack Obama South Carolina. identifies as one of our most important challenges. | ANNUAL REPORT 2014–2015 4 ACADEMICS & RESEARCH Provost Weldon Jackson (standing fifth from the left) joins administrators from 12 other HBCUs, two national laboratories and a school system at the signing of the Cybersecurity Workforce Pipeline agreement. With the grant, the university will enhance its award- The academic benefits are transformational for the winning cybersecurity curriculum by expanding on students, says Dr. Jackson. “My research students are the real-world learning opportunities for students and becoming what I consider to be prolific programmers by purchasing the latest computer technology. Bowie State using the SWAMP. Now they not only write code, but they will also develop more summer youth technology programs can read and interpret other people’s code for errors, which and strengthen collaborations with industry leaders and will be necessary for any job in this field.” government agencies. She plans to establish a code review process in the classes, A unique partnership with a national cybersecurity where graduate and undergraduate researchers submit institute has already added to Bowie State’s ability to teach student-produced code into the SWAMP continuous students the computer technology skills that employers assurance pipeline. The team, called the Forensic need most. Technology Information Cyber Squad, will work with students to identify where and why code is vulnerable Unique Partnership and determine a path to correction. Computer Science Professor Lethia Jackson is teaching her students to evaluate and improve computer code using the Bowie State’s computer science department will compile Software Assurance Marketplace (SWAMP), housed at the its findings into a comprehensive