Virginia State University News July 10, 2015 Record number of VSU students selected for prestigious Thurgood Marshall institute The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has selected 16 Virginia State University (VSU) students to participate in the TMCF's prestigious Leadership Institute held in November in Washington, DC. The 16 students represents a record number of students selected from VSU. The award-winning Leadership Institute is a national program designed to develop students' leadership skills, create a community of scholars, provide companies with access to a talented and diverse student population and help students make connections that lead to careers. The four-day conference prepares 350 competitively selected students from 47 public, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to excel in today's global workforce. "Virginia State University has provided TMCF with strong candidates for our annual signature Leadership Institute," said TMCF President & CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. "This year, working with the VSU honors program, we identified 16 high potential students across a range of majors. The commitment to academic excellence makes the VSU Honors Program a shining example of the quality of students and leaders produced at America's HBCUs." VSU Interim President Pamela Hammond noted that students attending the TMCF Leadership Institute gain not only improved leadership skills, but internships, jobs and graduate school opportunities. "I am very excited by the number of our students selected and about the opportunities this experience with TMCF will bring them moving forward in their careers," she said. Students representing VSU at the 2015 TMCF Leadership Institute are: Bryashia Buggs of Charlotte, NC; Aqilah Bullen of Petersburg, VA; David Ghartey of Woodbridge, VA; Paul Jackson of Stony Creek, VA; Bereket Kahsai of Chester, VA; Tanika Mann of Triangle, VA; Raven McGriff of Lancaster, SC; Kelvin Parker of Waverly, VA; Kayla Pinson of Charlotte, NC; Morgan Pollard of Charlotte, NC; Amber Raymond of Baltimore; Kia Richmond of Stafford, VA; Frednesha Sanders of Charlotte, NC; Marshai Waiters of Chadbourn, NC; Shai West of Lorton, VA; and Deonesha Williams of Prince George, VA. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.