Latest news with #UniversityofAlabama
Black America Web
3 days ago
- Business
- Black America Web
College Legacy Program For Black Women Halted After Losing Critical Grant
Source: Lacheev / Getty The University of Alabama's highly anticipated Legacy program—a year-long initiative focused on mentorship and tech training for Black girls—has been put on hold after losing a critical $3.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation in April, according to The Birmingham Times . Designed as a collaboration between seven predominantly white and historically Black colleges, the Legacy program aimed to support 600 students from Mississippi, Ohio, Michigan, and Alabama through 2028. Participants would have received mentorship from tech leaders at companies like Intel, along with hands-on instruction in coding and computing. Jeff Gray, the program's head leader and a computer science professor at the University of Alabama, told The Birmingham Times on Thursday that he had 'dorms reserved' and meal plans 'set up' for students who wanted to enroll in the program. 'We even were starting applications,' Gray revealed. 'Some of us have spent 300 or so hours on the project.' Legacy was an expansion of a successful Alabama pilot launched in 2019. Early results showed strong outcomes: 72% of the 71 Black girls who took part scored a 3 or higher on their AP exams, outperforming the national average across all demographics, including white and Asian males, said Mohammed Qazi, a Legacy faculty leader from Tuskegee University. The program was also seen as a critical step toward addressing the severe underrepresentation of Black women in tech. According to the United Negro College Fund, Black women make up just 3% of the U.S. tech workforce, and even fewer hold leadership roles in Silicon Valley. This isn't just an issue, particularly in the U.S. In the U.K., the British Computer Society reports Black women account for just 0.7% of IT roles—2.5 times below representation in other fields. 'That means for black women to be truly represented in IT there would need to be 20,000 more within the sector,' the Chartered Institute For IT notes. With the program now in limbo, its future remains uncertain, along with the opportunity it promised to hundreds of underrepresented students. Gray noted that the initiative was rooted in providing 'equity of opportunity,' supporting students who had the talent but lacked exposure to careers in computer science. He highlighted that the program aligned perfectly with Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey's push to expand computer science education across the state. As of fall 2024, UA reports 1,100 students enrolled in its computer science programs, placing Alabama among the top five states for computer science education. Despite the setback, Gray remains committed to increasing access to tech careers for underrepresented students. SEE ALSO: Fact Check: Are Black Women Still The 'Most Educated' Group In America? Beyond Betrayal: Black Women's Fight For Equity In The Time Of Trump SEE ALSO College Legacy Program For Black Women Halted After Losing Critical Grant was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
USA Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Twinkle Cavanaugh leaves Public Service Commission for Trump administration job
Twinkle Cavanaugh leaves Public Service Commission for Trump administration job Show Caption Hide Caption President Donald Trump speaks at the University of Alabama President Donald Trump spoke at a pre-commencement event to graduates and supporters in Coleman Coliseum at the University of Alabama. Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh will step down as president of Alabama's Public Service Commission to take a role in President Donald Trump's administration, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Cavanaugh will serve as the state director of rural development in Alabama. According to the news release, Cavanaugh will 'affirm the mission of the Trump Administration by focusing on finding ways to empower rural America and unleash economic prosperity.' A message seeking comment was left Tuesday with Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for Gov. Kay Ivey, who is responsible for appointing the interim president. According to Maiola said the governor will appoint someone 'in the coming days.' Cavanaugh, a former chair of the Alabama Republican Party, was first elected to the Public Service Commission in 2010. In 2012, she was elected president of the commission, defeating Lucy Baxley, who at the time was the last Democrat holding statewide office in Alabama. The Public Service Commission is the state's utility regulator, though critics have long accused it of being passive toward the companies it oversees. The PSC since 1982 has operated under a system that guarantees utilities a profit, a process different from a formal rate hearing, where an entity must justify any rate increases. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, an independent nonprofit website covering politics and policy in state capitals around the nation.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Legendary Coach Nick Saban to Shape Future of College Athletics in Presidential Commission
Former Alabama coach Nick Saban is expected to co-chair a new presidential commission on college sports reform, initiated by President Donald Trump. The commission aims to address significant issues in college athletics, including Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) payments, transfer rules, and conference alignments. Advertisement A source told The Athletic that Saban, a vocal critic of the current NIL system, will work alongside a prominent businessman with deep ties to college athletics. The initiative follows a meeting between Trump and Saban at the University of Alabama's spring graduation, where they reportedly discussed the state of college sports. The outlet also reports that the President will be 'very engaged' with the commission as they attempt to steer collegiate sports in a better direction. Saban responded to the news late last night on X, writing, 'It's Time to get College Football back on Track!!!' Nick Saban's Next Big Challenge – Fixing College Sports The commission, behind the leadership of 7-time National Champion coach Nick Saban, is expected to examine booster-funded payments, athlete employment debates, and Title IX applications, among other topics. Advertisement This move comes amid a transformative period in college sports, driven by relaxed transfer rules and NIL earnings, which have given athletes unprecedented power. Let's face it, the transfer portal process is absurd, sometimes leading athletes to jump around to multiple schools to fish for more playing time. And NIL is turning athletes from certain sports or with particular looks into multi-millionaires, regardless of talent level. Shedeur Sanders, a fifth-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns, was a top NIL earner, as was LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne. They are nowhere near the top of their respective sports. A potential $2.78 billion NCAA settlement addressing antitrust lawsuits is also in progress, highlighting a perceived need for federal legislation. Advertisement Past presidential interventions, like the 1975 Olympic Sports Commission, suggest long-term impacts from such efforts. Critics, including athletes' attorneys, express concern that Saban's involvement may prioritize institutional interests over players' financial freedoms. It is a legitimate concern. RELATED: Alabama legend Nick Saban reportedly recruits President Trump into crusade against NIL money in college football This Doesn't Work Anymore Nick Saban shocked the college football world when he retired at the beginning of 2024, mentioning NIL money as a significant factor in his decision. Advertisement In an interview with ESPN, Saban would later explain that the behavior of some of his players following Alabama's 27-20 overtime loss to Michigan that year in the CFP semifinal was disheartening. 'I want to be clear that wasn't the reason, but some of those events certainly contributed,' Saban said of his decision to retire. 'I was really disappointed in the way that the players acted after the game. You gotta win with class. You gotta lose with class.' 'We had our opportunities to win the game and we didn't do it, and then showing your ass and being frustrated and throwing helmets and doing that stuff … that's not who we are and what we've promoted in our program.' He went on to discuss with his players the potential to field a great team the next season, but found they were solely interested in two things: 'What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?' Advertisement 'So I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different, and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?'' Saban continued. 'I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years.' College players shouldn't be faulted for wanting to find ways to make money from their athletic careers, especially when 90% of them will not go on to big paydays in professional sports. But something has to be done to fix the issues. We haven't even touched on the fact that it's nearly impossible for these student-athletes to focus on or want to focus on their education when there is social media money to be made and they're transferring to different schools three times in two years. Advertisement Can Saban help make college sports great again? It might be his biggest challenge yet. Also Read:: Tom Brady Shares Words of Wisdom for Shedeur Sanders' After Draft Slide
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trump pardoning reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
President Trump informed the daughter of disgraced reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley on Tuesday that he plans to pardon the couple as soon as Wednesday. 'Your parents are going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow,' Trump told Savannah Chrisley in a phone call from the Oval Office. 'I don't know them, but give them my regards and wish them a good life,' the president continued, according to a video posted by White House communications adviser Margo Martin. Todd and Julie, the stars of USA Network's 'Chrisley Knows Best,' were convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud in 2022. Federal prosecutors accused the couple of submitting fake documents to banks in order to secure more than $30 million in fraudulent loans – which they walked away from after declaring bankruptcy before the start of their reality TV careers. 'The Chrisleys have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work,' federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing ahead of the couple's November 2022 sentencing in Atlanta. 'The jury's unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors, and evading taxes at every corner.' Todd, 56, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Julie, 52, received a seven-year sentence. Julie has been incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Ky., since January 2023, while Todd has been doing his time FPC Pensacola, in Florida. Both are minimum security facilities. 'Trump Knows Best!' Martin wrote on X, sharing a video of the president's call with Savannah, 27. The younger Chrisley thanked the president for the incoming pardons. Savannah had discussed her parents' case during a speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention, charging that Todd and Julie were 'persecuted by rogue prosecutors.' Alex Little, an attorney for the Chrisleys', said the pardon 'corrects a deep injustice and restores two devoted parents to their family and community.' 'President Trump recognized what we've argued from the beginning: Todd and Julie were targeted because of their conservative values and high profile. Their prosecution was tainted by multiple constitutional violations and political bias,' Little said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. 'Todd and Julie's case is exactly why the pardon power exists. Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisley family can now begin healing and rebuilding their lives,' he added. 'They were given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I'm hearing,' Trump said Tuesday. 'Pretty harsh treatment.' The Chrisleys' 19-year-old son, Grayson, was also on the call and told Trump that his commencement address at the University of Alabama earlier this month was 'the greatest presidential speech I've ever heard in my life.' Grayson is a student at the Tuscaloosa, Ala., school. 'Just congratulate your parents – I hear they are terrific people,' Trump told Savannah and Grayson. 'This should not have happened.' 'They have good children.' Alice Marie Johnson, who was facing life in prison without parole for her involvement in a cocaine distribution ring before being pardoned by Trump in 2018, was in the Oval Office with the president when he made the call and also congratulated the Chrisley children.
Economic Times
6 days ago
- Science
- Economic Times
World's oldest crocodile is said to be 124 years old, with over 10,000 babies. Here's all about Henry, the man-eater
Henry, a Nile crocodile residing at South Africa's Crocworld Conservation Centre, has reached an astounding 124 years old, potentially making him the world's oldest living crocodile. Henry is said to be the oldest crocodile Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Henry, a colossal Nile crocodile at South Africa's Crocworld Conservation Centre, has achieved a remarkable milestone by reaching 124 years of age. This extraordinary reptile, potentially the oldest living crocodile globally, has garnered significant interest from both the public and scientific his precise date of birth remains unknown, Henry's birthday celebrations occur annually on December 16. His life began in Botswana's Okavango Delta circa 1900, evolving into a remarkable tale of Crocworld Conservation Centre, where he has resided since 1985, Henry recently commemorated his 124th year. Live Science reports that his birth around 1900 establishes him as one of history's longest-living documented crocodiles."He's clearly old," said Steven Austad, a biologist at the University of Alabama who studies animal ageing, in a statement to Live Science. "Whether he's 100 or 130, we don't know. An age of 124 is not inconceivable for a crocodile," he early life in the Okavango Delta was notable, as he developed a formidable presence. Local folklore suggests he caused considerable distress to a riverside tribe, with reports of attacks on community Henry, an elephant hunter, subsequently captured the large reptile, leading to tribal authorities imposing lifelong 700 kilograms and 16.4 feet in length, Henry has produced over 10,000 offspring. Scientists attribute his longevity to the protective environment and care at Crocworld."Animals that, for whatever reason, happen to live in a safe environment tend to live longer," Austad research suggests that Nile crocodiles possess blood with antibacterial proteins, potentially preventing infections. Their robust gut microbiome might also enhance their immune capabilities."(Crocodiles) live longer than the careers of the scientists studying them," Austad joked, reflecting the enduring nature of these prehistoric prehistoric creatures inhabit 26 Sub-Saharan African nations and are associated with numerous human casualties annually.
