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Please pass this along to let others know of this sweet success story.
 
She’s Notre Dame’s first black valedictorian
(WBBM) — History is being made at the University of Notre Dame this spring

In the 161 years the University of Notre Dame has been awarding degrees, never had there been an African-American as valedictorian.  Until this year.

She’s Katie Washington of Gary, Indiana.  She carries a 4.0 GPA majoring in biology and minoring in Catholic social teaching.

According to the Northwest Indiana Times, Washington plans to continue her studies at Johns Hopkins University and follow in her father’s footsteps into medicine.

Washington says she’s humbled by the honor of being named valedictorian. 

More information from Notre Dame University:

Katie Washington, a biological sciences major from Gary, Ind., has been named valedictorian of the 2010 University of Notre Dame graduating class and will present the valedictory address during Commencement exercises May 16 (Sunday) in Notre Dame stadium.

Washington, who earned a 4.0 grade point average, has a minor in Catholic Social Teaching. She has conducted research on lung cancer at the Cold Spring Harbor labs and performed genetic studies in the University’s Eck Institute for Global Health on the mosquito that carries dengue and yellow fever. She is the co-author of a research paper with David Severson, professor of biological sciences.

Washington directs the Voices of Faith Gospel Choir at Notre Dame, is a mentor/tutor for the Sister-to-Sister program at South Bend’s Washington High School and serves as the student coordinator of the Center for Social Concerns’ “Lives in the Balance: Youth Violence and Society Seminar.”

Upon graduation, Washington plans to pursue a joint M.D./Ph.D program at Johns Hopkins University.

Saturday, March 20, at 3:20 am, my father died.  He had emphysema, COPD, pneumonia, glaucoma. . .he suffered.  Daddy was an Honorably Discharged United States Marine Sergeant.  He broke barriers and despite the overwhelming racial problems (The Marines were the last branch of service to integrate and allow soldiers of color into the service) in two years he made Sergeant and served active duty in Korea. 

He smoked believing he would get cancer and die.  Instead he contracted emphysema and lived.  I am grieving and having more difficulty than I let anyone know about.  I am not angry that he died, but disappointed that such a brilliant man, did not quit smoking and missed out on 30 years of healthy living.  I think about his genius mind, good heart, strong spirit and million dollar smile, that all slowly ebbed away.

I am not asking for anything for me.  But the purpose for this post is to implore all of you to take care of yourselves.  I am not a doctor and can’t tell you what to do, but do the best that you can.  Even 1 step in the right direction every day, is 1 step ahead of where you were yesterday.  You don’t have to join a health club, go for a walk.  You don’t have to walk 10 miles, walk around the block, or to the end of the driveway.  You don’t have to eat wheatgrass and celery.  Cut back on salt, gravy, butter, eating late.  I know smoking is very hard to quit, but you can do it.  You don’t have to do it all at once.  Do it one cigarette at a time.  But for those of us who know and love you, be healthy.

Obama’s 100 Days: Behind-the-Scenes Photos – Photo Essays – TIME*

Securities and Exchange Commission: To apply for temporary employment with the SEC, students must be at least 16 years old, be enrolled in an accredited high school, technical, vocational or college/university and have a GPA of 2.5 or more. For more information visit: http://www.sec.gov/jobs/jobsstudents.shtml.

 

Syracuse University: Syracuse University has 10 full ride scholarships available for African-American men and women who are interested in studying architecture. For more information contact: Mark Robbins, Dean, School of Architecture at (315) 443-2256.

 

Bezos Scholars Program: Students selected for this program will receive seven-day, all-expense- paid scholarship to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival, July 5-11, 2010 High school juniors who attend a public school where at least 25 percent of students are eligible for the free/reduced lunch, have a GPA of 3.5 or better, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are taking Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes are eligible. For more information visit: http://www.bezosfamilyfoundation.org/scholars/.

 

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes: The Barron Prize honors young people between the ages of 8 and 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Nominations are due by April 30, 2010. For more information visit: http://www.barronpr ize.org.

 

FAMU Scholarship: African-American female students who plan to enroll in the Computer and Information Sciences department at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University are eligible. Applications are due by August 1, 2010.

For more information visit: http://www.cis.famu.edu/aawcs/.

An excerpt on Alexandre Dumas, author of the epic novels The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo: Despite Alexandre Dumas’ success and aristocratic connections, his being of mixed race would affect him all his life. In 1843 he wrote a short novel, Georges, that addressed some of the issues of race and the effects of colonialism. He once remarked to a man who insulted him about his mixed-race background: “My father was a mulatto, my grandfather was a Negro, and my great-grandfather a monkey. You see, Sir, my family starts where yours ends.”[4][5]

• Born: 24 July 1802
• Birthplace: Villers-Cotterets, France
• Died: 5 December 1870 (natural causes)
• Best Known As: The author of The Three Musketeers

Alexandre Dumas wrote the classic adventure novel The Three Musketeers and some of the most famous and popular stories in French literature. Beginning in 1844 he had a string of brilliantly successful books, publishing The Three Musketeers (1844, first printed in serial form) and following it with The Count of Monte Cristo (1845), Twenty Years After (1845) and The Black Tulip (1850), among many others. A great celebrity writer of the day, he was almost as famous for his reckless spending and lavish lifestyle, and he was frequently in debt. In his last days he was supported by his illegitimate son, the author Alexandre Dumas the Younger.

Dumas and his son are often referred to as Dumas peré (father) and Dumas fils (son)… Alexandre Dumas was one-quarter black; his grandfather had married a slave while serving as a government official in what is now Haiti.

 

COLIN POWELL’S NARRATION – A MUST READ

Bridging the Gap – General Colin Luther Powell:
American Statesman and Four Star General in the United States Army
Former Secretary of State to President George W. Bush

Read and share with your positive friends…

The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people.

As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are… Friends that don’t help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don’t increase you will eventually decrease you.

Consider this:

Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don’t follow anyone who’s not going anywhere… With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights.

“A mirror reflects a man’s face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses.”

The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate – for the good and the bad.

Note: Be not mistaken. This is applicable to family as well as friends. Yes…do love, appreciate and be thankful for your family, for they will always be your family no matter what. Just know that they are human first and though they are family to you, they may be a friend to someone else and will fit somewhere in the criteria above.

“In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us. In Adversity We Know Our friends.”

“Never make someone a priority when you are only an option for them.”

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude..”..

Colin Powell

SCHOLARSHIP UPDATE 2010 

AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINO STUDENTS

ARE NOT APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS:

 Even if you do not have a college-aged child at home, please share this with someone who does, and to anyone and everyone that comes to mind. Though there are a number of companies and organizations that have donated money for scholarships to African Americans and Latino Students, a great deal of the money is being returned because of a lack of interest or awareness. No one is going to knock on our doors and ask if we can use a scholarship. Take the initiative to get your children involved. Money shouldn’t be returned to donating companies because we fail to apply for it. Please pass this information on to family members, nieces, nephews, friends with children etc. We must get the word out that money is available. If you are a college student or getting ready to become one, you probably already know how useful additional money can be. (If clicking on the link doesn’t work, then type in the Web site address manually.)

1) BELL LABS FELLOWSHIPS FOR UNDER REPRESENTED MINORITIES

http://www.bell-labs.com/fellowships/CRFP/info.html 

 

2) Student Inventors Scholarships

http://www.invent.org/collegiate/

 

 

3) Student Video Scholarships

http://www.christophers.org/vidcon2k.html

 

 

4) Coca-Cola Two Year College Scholarships

http://www.coca-colascholars.org/programs.html

 

 

5) Ayn Rand Essay Scholarships

http://www.aynrand.org/contests/

 

 

6) Brand Essay Competition

http://www.instituteforbrandleadership.org/IBLEssayContest-2002Rules.htm

 

 

7) Gates Millennium Scholarships (major)

http://www.gmsp.org/nominationmaterials/read.dbm?ID=12

 

 

Sports Scholarships and Internships

http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html

 

 

9) National Assoc. Of Black Journalists Scholarships

http://www.nabj.org/html/studentsvcs.html

 

 

10) Saul T. Wilson Scholarships (Veterinary)

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mb/mrphr%20/jobs/stw.HTML

11) Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund

http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/sk_v6.cfm

 

 

12) FinAid: The Smart Students Guide to Financial Aid scholarships)

http://www.finaid.org/

 

 

13) Presidential Freedom Scholarships

http://www.nationalservice.org/scholarships

 

 

14) Microsoft Scholarship Program

http://www.microsoft.com/college/scholarships/minority.asp

 

 

15) Hope Scholarships &Lifetime Credits

http://www.ed.gov/inits/hope

 

16) William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship for Minority Students

http://www.apsanet.org/PS/grants/aspen3.cfm

 

 

17) Guaranteed Scholarships

http://www.guaranteed-scholarships.com/

 

 

18) Maryland Artists Scholarships

http://www.maef.org/

 

 

19) Jacki Tuckfield Memorial Graduate Business Scholarship

 http://www.jackituckfield.org/

 

 

20) Historically Black College & University Scholarships

http://www.iesabroad.org/info/hbcu.htm

 

 

21) Actuarial Scholarships for Minority Students

http://www.beanactuary.org/minority/scholarships.htm

 

 

22) International Students Scholarships &Aid Help

http://www.iefa.org/

 

 

23) Siemens Westinghouse Competition

http://www.siemens-foundation.org/

 

 

24) GE and LuLac Scholarship Funds

http://www.lulac.org/Programs/Scholar.html

 

 

25) CollegeNets Scholarship Database

http://mach25.collegenet.com/cgi-bin/M25/index

 

26) Union Sponsored Scholarships and Aid

http://www.aflcio.org/scholarships/scholar.htm

 

 

27) Federal Scholarships &Aid Gateways 25 Scholarship Gateways from Black Excel

http://www.blackexcel.org/25scholarships.htm

 

 

28) Scholarship &Financial Aid Help

http://www.blackexcel.org/fin-sch.htm

 

 

29) FAFSA On The Web (Your Key Aid Form &Info)

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

 

30) Aid &Resources For Re-Entry Students

http://www.back2college.com/

 

 

31) HBCU Packard Sit Abroad Scholarships (for study around the world)

http://www.sit.edu/studyabroad/packard_nomination.html

 

 

32) Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities

http://ccmi.uchicago.edu/schl1.html

 

 

33) INROADS internships

http://www.inroads.org/

 

 

34) Black Alliance for Educational Options Scholarships

http://www.baeo.org/

 

 

35) ScienceNet Scholarship Listing

http://www.sciencenet.emory.edu/undergrad/scholarships.html

 

 

 

 

 

(for AA students in South Florida)

  
          http://www.ls.cc.al.us/blackhistory/blackhistory.html  

On of the pieces that I found most fascinating is the story of the Haitian family, the only recorded family of color on the Titanic.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.  I hope you visit as much as I have.

We would do well to emulate the first African-American Commander In Chief.  The fact that Barack Obama was elected President indicates that he has done a lot of things right.  There are many lessons that can be learned from this extraordinary individual.  Here are a few – 7 to be exact.

LESSON 1 – GET PAST YOUR ANGER

Perhaps America was ready for an African-American President, but not an angry one.  Getting stuck in negative anger is counterproductive.  It is time to pursue forgiveness, which is the antidote for old wounds and anger.

LESSON 2 – MAKE YOUR WIFE YOUR BEST FRIEND

It is refreshing to see an African-American man embrace his family the way President Obama does.  He appears to genuinely love Michelle and he refers to her as his best friend.  Men, honor your wife or girlfriend.  Value her feelings and her unique voice.

LESSON 3 – BE A DEVOTED FATHER

President Obama’s daughters adore him because of who he is, not what he does.  Men, you need to know that you are your child’s hero.  You matter to them, and your presence in their lives can save them from a world of trouble.  The average father spends eight minutes a week with his child.  Spend more time with your child today.  Tell them you love them and speak an encouraging word daily.

LESSON 4 – THINK GLOBALLY

The world is not all Black and it is larger than your street corner, county and city.  President Obama has lived in Hawaii, Indonesia, New York City, Boston, Chicago and now at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  Travel beyond familiar surroundings.  Interact and cultivate friendships with non-African-Americans.  Eat different ethnic foods.  Learn another language.  Thinking globally allows you to grow personally and to expand your business opportunities.

LESSON 5 – BROADEN YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS

As a minority race we have to deal with the unique challenge of living in two cultures – the ‘hood’ and ‘Corporate America.’  Develop your writing skills.  Practice by keeping a journal to record your thoughts and ideas.  Read magazines and books regularly.  It will make you a wiser thinker, stronger writer and richer conversationalist.  Pull your pants up!  Men like President Obama and Tiger Woods realize the value of a belt is more than $40.  Wear one.

LESSON 6 – BE GREAT AT YOUR CRAFT

President Obama is an educated lawyer and politician.  He studied and prepared himself.  During the Democratic primaries, he recognized that he needed to brush up on his debate skills, and he did.  What is your trade or occupation and what do you need to do to be sharper – get that degree, take a course, hire a life coach, attend a conference or read a book in your field?

LESSON 7 – REALIZE THAT IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU

Having graduated from Harvard Law School, President Obama could have easily gone to Wall Street and made a lot of money.  Instead he went to Chicago as a community organizer and served poor people.  Invest your life in a worthy cause that is bigger than you and that will outlive you.  Donate your time, money and resources to serve needy people.  Life’s true joy is disovered in helping those who can’t help themselves.

Johnny Parker, Author, Counselor and Certified Life Coach is author of Blueprints for Marriage-Building Love for a Lifetime. www.johnnyparker.com