Wilberforce University News May 14, 2018 Wilberforce Students Launch Social Media Campaign to Save Infant Lives 15 to 16 of every 10,000 black babies born to do not live to their first birthday. That rate is twice that of any other U.S. ethnic group and three times that in some developing countries. WU Mass Communications Practicum and Center for Entrepreneurship students produced a website featuring podcasts targeting African American millennials to promote awareness of the causes and ways to prevent the high rate of Infant Mortality in the Black Community. The students were invited to present their work and video stream the National Early Childhood Mental Health Conference in Columbus, OH held in late April 2018. Below are two links from the conference where our students presented their project to an audience of over 400 mental healthcare practitioners and administrators. The event, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, also featured key note speakers from Yale and Georgetown Universities. The Wilberforce students presenters were Kajeza Hawkins, Shanyael Hinton, Adanma Mbonu and Alex McClure. They spoke about using social media as an effective tool for engaging the millennial population. In addition, Alex McClure, Malik Breckenridge, Shanyael Hinton, Stefanie Holden, Romello Morris and Niyo Mosely provided technical production support operating cameras, directing and technical effects for online live streaming. Mr. Malcolm Haraway, Wilberforce University Director of IT supervised video production and streaming. Many of the conferees commended the Wilberforce University presentations. Professor Fox, who led and advised the Wilberforce student team throughout the practicum project, was approached by a few healthcare administrators who control state funds that are offering internships for our students for future projects. Conferees also approached the students directly to thank them for they impressive work and contributions. One gentleman commented, "If these young people are representative of the future, then I can die a happy man!" Link to photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohiomhas/albums/72157695359551984 Link to website and podcasts produced by WU Mass Communications and IT students: https://www.syoblackchild.com/ SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org/ sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org%3cmailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org>> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/