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Southern U. to Host National Student Symposium

By Alexis J. Alexander
Black College Wire

Photo credit: Courtesy Jeffrey Johnson Jeffrey Johnson is scheduled to host the State of the Black Student Symposium.

"It's time for us to get together and have a meaningful dialogue for our own future to take control of our destiny," said Desherick Boon of Southern University. "Students will feel empowered by listening to students and professionals from across the country by discussing common issues and finding resolutions."

Boon was promoting, in a news release, the first national State of the Black Student Symposium forum, which Southern University is hosting on Feb. 25. He is co-chair.

Southern student Deserick Williams spearheaded the idea for the symposium after watching an installment of Tavis Smiley's "State of Black America" series in the fall of 2004.

"I was inspired to address needs within the community," said Williams, a junior criminal justice major from Dallas. "There are pertinent issues that we as college students must face and take care of."

Topics to be addressed include higher education, relationships, race relations, religion, the black family, economic empowerment, health, culture, hip-hop and music, volunteerism and alumni issues.

"There are indeed issues, solutions and resolutions to these topics," Williams said.

Southern, one of the largest historically black universities and the only black university system in the country, is expecting thousands from across the nation at the Baton Rouge, La., campus.

The forum is to feature professionals and five students representing colleges from across the country. Jeffrey Johnson of Black Entertainment Television's "The Jeff Johnson Chronicles," a public speaker, leadership trainer, African Methodist Episcopal pastor and social activist, is to be the moderator.

"Jeffrey Johnson is our generation's civil rights leader," said Justin McCorkle, Southern University Student Government Association president. "He is a hard worker for black youth. His arrival has nothing to do with him being on BET."

Johnson, also known as "Cousin Jeff," can be seen Wednesdays on the BET program "Rap City," engaging viewers on a variety of social issues. He is national director of the America Votes Young Voter Project.

"The youth of today are the leaders of today. If we fail to sow the seeds of education and real leadership into our young people today, we will be forced to reap the weeds of our ignorance versus the flowers of our love tomorrow," Johnson said in a news release.

Free and open to high school juniors and seniors and to college students, interested participants may register online at www.subr.edu and obtain additional information there.

"This will not be a meeting of just talking," said Edna Hickman, assistant to the vice chancellor for student affairs. "It is a time to bring students together, to start networking, and to create solutions."

The event takes place at the F. G. Clark Activity Center from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For further inquiries, contact Williams or McCorkle at (225) 771-2300, Hickman at (225) 771-3922, or Keisha Lacour at (225) 771-4545.

Alexis J. Alexander, a student at Southern University, writes for the Southern Digest.

Posted Dec. 27, 2005