Morgan State University News June 7, 2011 President Wilson Welcomes High Achieving 8th Grade Grads to MSU Freshman Class of 2015- Encourages S.T.EM. Academy Graduates to Maintain Academic Success Morgan President David Wilson surprised about 100 graduating eighth graders at the Bluford Drew Jemison Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Academy on Saturday, June 4, when he presented each with a letter of admission to attend the university. Dr. Wilson announced their acceptance into the MSU Class of 2015 during his commencement address to the graduates and their families. "If these young men will maintain a 3.0 grade point average and at least a 900 SAT score, I will reserve their space at Morgan in 2015," says Wilson. The Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy, when it opened its first campus in Baltimore in 2007 was the first all-male public middle school in the State of Maryland. The school prepares young men to become high achieving scholars by focusing on a curriculum rich in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. "It was a unique way of stimulating our men to reach for higher education at an early age," said Dr. Anne Emery, Chair of the Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy Board of Directors. "We are very excited about the relationship between Morgan State and the Academy." Jordan Brown, a new alum of the S.T.E.M. Academy, says he is excited to count Morgan as a future college option. "It gives us a good chance to strive for our future by challenging us to keep our grades up," said 13-year-old Brown, who plans to become an attorney. "It blew us away. It was like a gift, so unexpected," said Brown's mother Deborah Brown. Ms. Brown, who is a graduate of historically black Saint Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Va., hopes that Jordan finds value in the black college experience. "We talked about (Morgan) that same day at dinner following the graduation. I'm the product of a black college and would like to see him graduate from one as well." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street 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.