The year 1969 marked the culmination of an extremely racially tense decade. The era required many in the African American community to cooperate in an effort to obtain equal rights all across the southeastern United States. Many times, peaceful protests gave way to hateful, violent, and at times even fatal outcomes. The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University class of 1969 witnessed this tragic turn first-hand.  The unrest was initiated at James B. Dudley High School, an all-black school, located less than two miles away from North Carolina A&T’s campus. Claude Barnes, a student who was favored to win the SGA race, was omitted from the ballot a day…

For Darryl Klugh ’00 and ’03 everything in his life starts with a plan that he sticks to faithfully. After graduating from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, he learned a critical lesson about having a vision for his life.  During Klugh’s time on campus, he was a hard-hitting defensive back who helped lead the football team to the MEAC championship and a first-round NCAA playoff win on the way to a record 11-win season in 1999. In addition, he led the MEAC in interceptions as the Black College Defensive Back of the Year and Division I-AA All American.  “For years, my identity was always football and when I…

Donna Ford ’86 wears many hats. She’s being a corporate executive, entrepreneur, wife, mother and now the chief executive officer of LOAT (Ladies of A&T), LLC. The business initially started off as a private Facebook group for women who attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and lived in Atlanta, Georgia. However, on Jan. 8, 2018, everything changed when the group opened up to all women who attended North Carolina A&T.  “I was sitting in my home office drinking coffee when I started reflecting about our Facebook community, and I felt the need to change the name by removing Atlanta and to open it up to all A&T women.…

David Street ’08 has always been a passionate leader from his days of serving as Student Government Association president at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University to working in the nonprofit sector in the Washington, D.C. area. He is the founder and executive director of P.E.N. (Promote, Enrich, and Nurture) DMV, a faith-based nonprofit that specializes in mentoring and science, technology, engineering and math (S.T.E.M.) instruction for middle and high school youth.  “After I graduated from North Carolina A&T, I thought I was going to run for a political office but I soon realized my calling was to serve others in the community,” said Street.  For more than 10…

Sylvia Obell ’12 is living her dream as a journalist at one of the top U.S. news outlets, BuzzFeed. She is an entertainment reporter and the host and producer of her very own show, “Hella Opinions.” It is an online show that discusses unapologetically black culture, politics and entertainment. The show features influential voices on black Twitter and airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST on Twitter.  With Obell’s infectious personality and intriguing opinions, she is loved by many on her Twitter account that has over 22,000 followers. She has no problem being an influential voice on social media and Hella Opinions is right up her alley as a thriving digital media journalist.  “If…

Since 2015, the Aggie Gentz Foundation has given out 98 textbook scholarships and has raised over $100,000 to benefit students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The foundation was started by North Carolina A&T alumni and was designed with an emphasis on recruiting alumni to invest back into the university and its students. Now in its third year, the foundation has established a fully-funded endowment of $50,000 to impact the lives of more students.  Unlike the textbook scholarships that are offered bi-annually and range from $600-700, the Aggie Gentz Foundation Endowment is unrestricted and not limited to tuition, books, housing, and other financial obligations. The scholarship will be…

Omar Kinnebrew ’07 has always loved the notion of “when you look good, you feel good,” and he truly believes that people are received well when they feel confident in their appearance. The Atlanta-based business owner of Bespokuture, LLC, now in his third year of business, is seeing exponential growth in his company due to his hard work and commitment to style.  “Growing up, my dad was always present in my life and he was a dope dresser and a Kappa man who always had style,” said Kinnebrew. “I looked up to him and I always admired other black men who took care of their appearance.”  When Kinnebrew decided to attend…

Every four years, Andre Johnson ‘97 provides an opportunity of a lifetime for high school students interested in pursuing a career in architectural engineering. His firm, Andre Johnson Architect, offers two students a scholarship to participate in a program that allows them to shadow professionals in the company for their senior year in high school and a paid summer internship over a span of four years while they are enrolled in college. At the end of the program, students have a potential opportunity to gain full employment with the firm.  “I decided to start the scholarship program at my company because I wanted to increase diversity in the field of architecture,”…

The North Carolina A&T State University Alumni Association, Inc. provides the opportunity annually for incoming freshmen to receive full financial assistance that includes tuition, room and board and books through the National Alumni Scholarship Program. The scholarship awards the best and brightest students who exemplify the excellence of Aggie Pride. The National Alumni Scholarship has afforded students like Kamaria Bush and Delanee-Alexis Coley the opportunity to experience and thrive in higher education without the financial burden. Kamaria BushKamaria Bush is a senior biology and pre-medical student and a native of Chicago, Illinois. Since receiving her acceptance into the program, Bush has become the president of Thrive Women’s Empowerment Organization, a…

Women’s History month was declared as the month of March in 1987 by the United States Congress. The month is dedicated to the study, observance, celebration and commemoration of the contributions of women to American history, culture, and society. Since early graduates like Frances T. Grimes, the first female graduate in 1901, and Sophia M. Parker, the first female department head in 1897, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is no stranger to trailblazing women who have been catalysts for change and beacons of achievement. Sandra D. HughesSandra Hughes ‘69 earned her bachelor’s degree in English education from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She went on to…