DavidE. Talbert - Morgan State University

MORGAN 

M A G A Z I N E 

SPRING 2002 

David E. 

Talbert 

www.davidetalbert.com 

“David E. Talbert is 

one of the most 

prolific theater 

makers in America” 

– Los Angeles Times 

pg. 14

Table of Contents 

Feature: 

Articles: 

Cover Photo: 

David E. Talbert 

By P. A. Greene 

Departments: 

SPRING 2002 

M O R G A N S T A T E 

U N I V E R S I T Y 

14 

The Fabric of a Morgan Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David E. Talbert ‘89 

8 

Leading in Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joi Kerr Walker, Ph.D. 

12 

What’s in a Name . . . . . . . . . . . Murphy, Gilliams, Turpin-Lamb, Lewis 

19 

Scholarship Luncheon . . . . . . . . . . . Donors meet the student recipients 

20 

And the Flag Waves On… . . . . . . . . . . . . David Harvey (1965-2002) 

24 

Opening the Door to Community-Arts . . . . .Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center 

26 

We’re Ready for More . . . . . Morgan’s Enrollment Reaches Record Levels 

2 

Presidential Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Earl S. Richardson 

3 

Morgan on the Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bernard L. Jennings 

4 

Live@Morgan . . . . . . . . . . Homecoming, Jessye Norman Concert 

6 

Morgan in the News . . . . . . . . . . Students Protest Library Funding 

11 

Donor Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Verizon, Wayne Frazier 

19 

News Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Current Affairs 

MSUM ORGAN MAGAZINE 

page 1 

Who&What

M A G A Z I N E 

SPRING 2002 

Morgan Staff 

Vice President University Advancement 

Bernard L. Jennings 

Director of Public Relations and 

Communications 

Clinton R. Coleman 

Publication Manager 

Ferdinand Mehlinger 

Art Director & Sr. Graphic Designer 

David E. Ricardo 

Photographer (cover) 

P. A. Greene 

Sr. Graphic Designer & Production 

Andre Barnett 

Editorial Staff 

Editor & Contributing Writer 

Jannette J. Witmyer 

Contributing Writer(s) 

Diana L. Spencer 

Frederick Banks 

Heidi Bruce 

Additional Photo(s) By 

Ferdinand Mehlinger 

Urban Broadway Series 

J.J. Witmyer 

John Moore 

Jay Baker 

The Morgan Magazine is published by the Office 

of University Advancement of Morgan State 

University for alumni, parents, faculty, students and 

prospective students. 

The Morgan Magazine is prepared by the Office 

of Public Relations & Communications. 

Opinions expressed in Morgan Magazine are 

those for the individual authors and not necessarily 

those of the University. 

Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are 

welcome, but will be returned only if accompanied 

by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters are 

also welcome. 

Correspondence should be directed to: 

Morgan Magazine 

Morgan State University 

1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Truth Hall, Room 109 

Baltimore, Maryland 21251 

443-885-3022 

410-319-3948 fax 

public_relations@moac.morgan.com 

P R E S I D E N T I A L 

P E R S P E C T I V E 

Greetings: 

By the time you read this letter, we will have launched New Horizons: The Campaign 

for Morgan State University. It is the first such fundraising effort in the history of this 

great institution. Those of you who did not attend our launch event may have already 

heard that we did so in grand fashion, with a benefit concert by the legendary Ray 

Charles and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. For over a year we have been quietly 

building toward this moment internally – that is, with the Morgan family. We have done 

this because we believe charity begins at home and because the University’s future is 

very much in the hands of its family. I am pleased to tell you that we are already well 

on the way to reaching our $25 million goal, thanks in large measure to generous gifts 

by James H. and Linda G. J. Gilliam and Calvin and Tina Tyler. These are but two of the 

families that are very much a part of the larger Morgan family. 

Morgan State University has always been about widening the doors of opportunity for 

quality education to as many as possible, which is why we put so much emphasis on 

providing need-based financial assistance and scholarships to promising young people. 

It is about providing the best possible faculty with facilities and technology second to 

none. But it is also about a vision for the future that promises to continue the 

unprecedented growth and expansion that we have experienced over the past ten 

years. With your help, Morgan will be even greater. 

Fast forward with me to the year 2012 and witness the transformation that will have 

taken place. For example, our new Richard N. Dixon Science Research Center will be 

complete, as will our new library, joined by a new student life center, new 

communications building, a hospitality management complex, new parking garage and 

student housing to name just a few. Add to that a list of major campus beautification 

programs that will truly compliment this transformation. 

I am convinced that Morgan is poised to meet the challenges of the 21st century. It is 

evident in both the accomplishments and aspirations of our students, our future 

leaders. Watching their impassioned advocacy for a new library too often delayed was 

truly inspiring. However, it is just one of the things I have seen everyday on our campus 

that builds my confidence in the pursuit of our mission. It is why your help, at this time, 

is so vitally important. 

I urge you to join us on this journey to New Horizons. Never has the need been greater 

or the potential for excellence more promising. 

Sincerely, 

MORGAN MAGAZINE 2 

Dr. Earl S. Richardson, President 

Morgan State University

MORGAN ON the MOVE 

Dear Friends and 

Supporters of 

Morgan: 

This is a time of 

unprecedented 

growth in Morgan’s 

history. With 

growth comes change and, in this 

case, change is definitely good. 

President Richardson often says, "If you 

build it, they will come." Our new Carl J. 

Murphy Fine Arts Center, with its 

signature James H. and Louise Hayley 

Gilliam Concert Hall, is certainly 

evidence of the President’s vision. From 

the grand opening performance by 

world famous soprano Jessye Norman 

last December, to the concert by the 

legendary Ray Charles and the 

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in May, 

the new Murphy Fine Arts Center is 

bringing people to Morgan’s campus in 

numbers never before seen. It is also 

helping to shape Morgan’s image in 

ways that makes us all proud. 

We are working hard to promote pride 

and transform it into long-term benefits 

for the University. I mentioned the 

concert by Ray Charles and the BSO. 

THE CASE FOR MORGAN 

We encourage you to consider the 

indicators of this university’s impact and 

leadership: 

• Morgan is one of Maryland’s fastestgrowing 

colleges or universities. During 

the past 16 years, enrollment has 

increased by over 65 percent to its 

current level of 6,200 students. 

• Morgan is one of the leading institutions 

nationally in receipt of applications from 

African-Americans. 

• Morgan awards more bachelor's degrees 

to African-Americans than any other 

college or university in Maryland. 

• Morgan ranks among the top ten schools 

nationwide in the number of 

This represents the launch event for 

New Horizons: The Campaign for 

Morgan State University – the first 

capital campaign in the history of this 

great institution. Our goal is to raise $25 

million for scholarships and other 

university initiatives to help ensure that 

Morgan continues to grow. 

In addition, there are a number of other 

projects being planned or already 

underway to further promote the 

University. For example, we have 

developed and are distributing new and 

unique Morgan desktop calendars that 

outline ways in which businesses are 

able to become a part of our historic 

growth and expansion with numerous 

sponsorship opportunities. We are 

planning this year’s gala event during 

which the jerseys of Morgan’s NFL Hall 

of Famers will be officially retired and 

also the Third Morgan Alumni Hall of 

Fame Induction Ceremony is in the 

works. You will find on the back page of 

this magazine a special form that you 

may use to nominate alums for this 

year’s Alumni Hall of Fame. Please be 

sure to fill it out and send it in. 

Finally, we have made some changes 

within University Advancement that we 

baccalaureate degrees it awards to 

African-Americans in computer and 

information science, the physical 

sciences and communications. It ranks in 

the top 25 business, the social sciences, 

education, biology and engineering. 

• In Maryland, Morgan grants threequarters 

of the electrical and civil 

engineering degrees awarded to African- 

Americans, all of the industrial 

engineering degrees, half of the degrees 

in physics and in chemistry, seven out of 

ten of the marketing degrees, half of the 

finance degrees, 40 percent of those in 

accounting, virtually all of the degrees in 

telecommunications, and almost half of 

the degrees in elementary education. 

• Nearly 100 Morgan students have 

received the highly competitive Fulbright 

believe will help us do a better job of 

getting the word out about the great 

things going on here at Morgan. An 

example is our new Live @ Morgan 

radio program, which airs once a 

month on WEAA-FM. Another example 

is what you are holding in your hands 

right now – the new Morgan Magazine. 

We hope you enjoy reading it and 

appreciate the improvements we’ve 

made. It is all made possible, in part, 

because of a virtually all-new public 

relations and communications team 

now in place, under the leadership of 

Clinton R. Coleman. Clint was press 

secretary to the former 3-term mayor of 

Baltimore, Kurt L. Schmoke. Oh, and be 

sure to look for Morgan’s new 

advertising campaign that we think will 

give people a fresh view of what is 

being made possible for students at 

today’s Morgan. 

Stay tuned and support our capital 

campaign! 

New Horizons Morgan 

THE CAMPAIGN f OR 

STATE UNIVERSITY 

SPRING 2002 3 

Sincerely, 

Bernard L. Jennings, Vice President 

University Advancement 

Scholarships for study abroad during the 

past 50 years; a record exceeded by only 

a few eastern universities. 

• In the number of African-American 

recipients of bachelor’s degrees who go 

on to earn doctoral degrees from 

universities in the United States, Morgan 

ranks in the top tier of American public 

colleges and universities. Our graduates 

earn these advanced degrees in fields 

that span the arts and humanities, the 

social and behavioral sciences, business, 

education, medicine, science, 

mathematics, and engineering. 

Morgan is clearly a success story in 

progress. New Horizons: The Campaign for 

Morgan State University will enable us to 

build on our achievements to encompass an 

even greater number of people.

Corporate Branding • Advertising • Promotional Opportunities 

Live@Morgan is a comprehensive sponsorship program to expose your products 

and services, and brand your message to potential customers through several 

campus mediums, while being a part of a variety of programs and activities 

in the areas of athletics, academics, and cultural enrichment. 

Live@Morgan gives your company the opportunity to reach some of the most 

affluent Americans in the Mid-Atlantic region attracting great media coverage, 

and generating sponsorship from such major corporations as MBC Network, 

Walt Disney World Resorts, Mountain Dew, Creative Communications of 

America, Black Enterprise Magazine, and Sony Electronics. 

Live@Morgan’s sponsorship program will associate your company with one 

of the premier institutions of higher learning in the country. This historical institution 

is one of the fastest growing campuses in the Mid-Atlantic region. 

As a sponsor, not only will you bolster your cause-related marketing efforts, 

but you’ll also place your products, service, or brand message in front of thousands 

of professionals. 

Publications 

Opportunities include: Morgan Magazine, Morgan Mirror, Alumni News, 

Enterprise (Business School magazine), Annual Golf Tournament Classic Game 

program and signs, annual Football Classic Game program, annual basketball 

Classic program, Alumni Quarterly Reports, and the Spokesman (Student 

Newspaper). 

Other Media 

Opportunities include: New scoreboard in the new Football, Track & Field 

Stadium, new scoreboard in the renovated Basketball & Volleyball Arena, Carl 

J. Murphy Fine Arts Center, golf tournaments, WEAA 88.9fm Morgan State radio 

station, President’s Scholarship Ball, University Convocations, Bryson-Sawyer 

Lecture Series, University Lecture Series, Engineering Conferences & Activities, 

the Choir calendar, and the University web site. 

Homecoming 

Homecoming week: Morgan’s Gala, Coronation of Mr. & Miss Morgan, Student 

Concert, Corporate Vendor Village, Homecoming Football Game, Homecoming 

Parade, and Worship Services. 

MORGAN MAGAZINE 

LIVE@ 

MORGAN 

S P O N S O R S 

Avis Rent A Car, Inc. 

Baltimore Orioles 

Baltimore Ravens 

Bayer 

Black Enterprise Magazine 

Butler Distributing, Inc. 

Chesapeake Cadillac Jaguar Oldsmobile 

Creative Communications of America 

E-Spire Communications 

Liberty Mutual 

MBC Network 

MBNA America 

Meridian Management Group, Inc. 

Merrill Lynch 

Morgan State University National Alumni 

Association 

Mountain Dew 

Sam’s Club/Wal-Mart 

Sony Electronics, Inc. 

Thompson Hospitality 

URS Greiner 

University of Maryland-School of Law 

Volvo Cars of North America 

Walt Disney World Resorts 

Wittnauer International 

Xerox Corporation 

Zurich/Farmers Group, Inc. 

Live@Morgan Sponsorship Opportunities call: 443/885-3821 or 443/885-3535 or visit our web site: www.morgan.edu 

ACADEMICS•CULTURE•ATHLETICS 

4

Diva Jessye Norman 

SPRING 2002 5 

Homecoming 

& Jessye Norman 

Top & Above—Crowds & band at the Homecoming Game. Morgan wins! 

To the left—From left to right: Former President William J. Clinton, and 

Morgan President Dr. Earl S. Richardson applaud Diva Jessye Norman at the 

opening night ceremonies for the new Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center. It was 

the former President’s second visit to Morgan. Mr. Clinton was commencement 

speaker at Morgan State in 1997. It was the first time a sitting president had 

delivered a commencement address at a public university in Maryland and at 

a public historically black college or university. 

Below—From left to right: James H. Gilliam Jr., Delaware Sen. Joesph 

Biden, Linda G. J. Gilliam, Dr. Earl S. Richardson, and Maryland U.S. Sen. 

Paul Sarbanes.

MORGAN 


IN THE 

ANNAPOLIS: 

More than 1,000 

Morgan students and 

supporters converged 

on the Statehouse 

steps in Annapolis on 

Thursday, April 4th, to 

protest the delay of 

funds for Morgan’s 

new library. 

Morgan students were 

peaceful but steadfast 

about their library 

funding.

MORGAN Student’s Voices Heard 

Posters, placards, chants 

and bullhorns ensured 

that the students’ voices 

were heard. 

An impatient Delegate ‘Pete’ Rawlings attempts to shove his way 

through the students. 

SPRING 2002 7 

A news conference by student representatives 

on Friday, April 5th, at 

Soper Library provided an overview 

of the issues and a tour of the outdated 

facility. 

WBAL-TV news reporter Mindy 

Basara and cameraman interview 

Morgan Public Relations Director 

Clinton Coleman at Soper Library 

minutes before the press conference. 

Student government representatives 

(l-r), Tara Doaty, Aisha Oliver and 

Justin Jones-Fosu, outline the issues 

for reporters.

For the past three years, Dr. Joi Kerr 

Walker has instructed every freshman 

student majoring in elementary 

education at Morgan State University. 

As an assistant professor in the 

university's School of Education and 

Urban Studies, Dr. Kerr Walker is 

charged with teaching the future 

educators how to teach reading. Kerr 

Walker, who holds a Ph.D. in 

curriculum and instruction with an 

emphasis in reading education, 

developed Morgan's curriculum of 

courses that are required by the State 

of Maryland for a bachelor's degree in 

the major, and she teaches them all. In 

addition, she teaches graduate-level, 

in-service courses -- classes for those 

who are already teachers -- during the 

summer. 

Kerr Walker, a 1990 and 1992 Morgan 

graduate, earned a bachelor's degree 

in marketing and a master's in 

transportation management from the 

university. Her mother, husband, 

sisters, and brothers-in-law also have 

earned degrees at Morgan. 

Influenced by her English department 

professor, Francis Davis, Kerr Walker 

volunteered as a tutor for first-graders 

at Northwood Elementary School, near 

Morgan's campus, during her senior 

year as an undergraduate. Describing 

the experience, she says, "Working 

with the children and acting as a 

teacher's aide, daily…I loved it." 

However, in spite of Davis' urgings for 

her to become a teacher, Kerr Walker 

followed the suggestion of another 

professor and entered Morgan's 

transportation management program, 

accepting early admission and a full 

scholarship and stipend. After working 

for seven months at the U.S. 


Department of Transportation, she left 

and began filling her days with caring 

for her young son and volunteering as 

a Girl Scout leader at Friendship 

Baptist Church. But, Kerr Walker says, 

"Teaching was always in my heart and 

mind." 

When she learned of an accelerated 

master of arts in teaching program at 

Towson State University, she enrolled 

and found that of the 25 students in the 

program, she was the only African- 

American. She credits "the nurturing 

and positive reinforcement provided at 

Morgan" with preparing her to cope 

with the trials created by that 

circumstance. "Telling me there was 

nothing that I couldn't do, and that I 

was intelligent, and helping me along 

Joi Kerr Walker, Ph.D.: 

Leading in Reading 

By Jannette J. Witmyer 

the way made me know that when I 

went into this program and was the 

only person of color, I'd be okay," she 

explains. 

She successfully completed the 10month 

program and accepted a 

position in Baltimore City teaching 

Guilford Elementary first-graders. She 

loved teaching the children but was 

frustrated by their lack of reading skills 

and the school system's in-place 

practices for teaching reading. 

Although the school's principal allowed 

her to try new approaches to reading 

instruction, she decided to enter a 

doctoral program. 

After one semester at George 

Washington University, she transferred 

to the University of Maryland - College 

Park, a choice that shortened her 

commute but still left her as the only 

student of color in the program. She 

says her Morgan experience sustained 

her during that one year at George

Dr. Joi Kerr Walker 

SPRING 2002 9

Joi Kerr Walker, Ph.D.: 

Leading in Reading 

Washington, but she received 

additional support at Maryland in the 

form of an African-American, female 

advisor, Dr. Rachel Grant. Grant, a 1989 

graduate of the program, had a genuine 

interest in helping facilitate Kerr 

Walker's success, and she also 

provided a unique perspective as the 

program's most recent black graduate. 

Now, as an instructor at Morgan, Dr. 

Kerr Walker tries to provide the same 

level of support and nurturing that she 

received as a student. She says, "I 

recognize the changing face of today's 

college student: Many have children 

and full-time jobs…. My students are 

welcome to come to me to talk about 

academic and social problems, 

emotional issues, whatever…. I try to 

stress to them the importance of 

education and finishing school." 

The young assistant professor also 

realizes that many of her students will 

teach in the Baltimore City Public 

School System, where there is a 

majority African-American student 

population, a population whose needs 

motivated the development of her 

thesis, "The Development of 

Phonological Awareness in Inner City 

African-American Children." Expressed 

in simpler terms, the paper addresses 

the various issues related to how innercity 

African-American children learn to 

read. She believes increasing teachers' 

awareness and ability to relate to their 

students also increases their ability to 

teach. 

"How well teachers teach 

reading impacts on all of a 

child's learning. Reading lays 

the foundation…," she says. 

As a result, in addition to teaching 

lessons covering reading theory, 

instruction, strategies, and assessment, 

she also teaches instructors to 

recognize the special considerations 

that result from how certain students 

speak. Dr. Kerr Walker contends, 

"Teachers need to be educated and 

aware of the phonological and 

grammatical features of African- 

American vernacular English, the ability 

of children to hear sounds in words, 

and if their dialect influences whether 

they can rhyme and pick up certain 

sounds." 

She says teachers have to be taught to 

understand that the way children 

pronounce words does not interfere 

with their ability to comprehend or 

rhyme. She uses the word "teeth" as an 

example; it is often pronounced "teef" 

by inner-city African-American 

“How well 

teachers 

teach reading 

impacts on all 

of a child's 

learning. 

Reading 

lays the 

foundation.” 

children. Consequently, when a child is 

asked for a rhyming word, he may say 

"beef." Kerr Walkers says, "Mainstream 

culture says this child can't rhyme, but 

the child is [rhyming] in his dialect -but 

not phonologically." 

Often, Kerr Walker faces the additional 

challenge of first working with her 

college students to improve their 

reading skills before she can begin 

teaching the actual course content. 


She considers that many of her 

students were, themselves, inner-city 

African-American children who did not 

have the benefit of instruction in 

reading that addressed the concept of 

phonological awareness. 

This situation in no way deters Dr. Kerr 

Walker. She proudly proclaims, 

"Educating people is my life. I love it. 

Morgan helped me in [making] that 

decision, and I cannot see myself doing 

anything else." 

Dr. Joi Kerr Walker's 

Family of Morgan Alumni 

Dr. Joi Kerr Walker, 

B.A – Marketing, 

M.S. – Transportation 

Management 

David Walker (Husband), M.S. 

– Urban Planning 

Rosetta Kerr Wilson (Mother), 

B.A. – Sociology 

Janiece Daniels (Sister), 

B.A. – Psychology 

Waddel Daniels (Brother-inlaw), 

M.S. – Transportation 

Management 

Jewel Jackson (Sister), M.A. – 

International Affairs 

Elford Jackson (Brother-inlaw), 

B.S. – Engineering

DONOR PROFILE: 

By Diana Spencer 

In September 2001, the Verizon 

Foundation awarded $100,000 to 

Morgan State University for information 

technology scholarships. During the 

2001-2002 school year, the Verizon 

Foundation Scholars - IS Program will 

provide $5,000 scholarships to 20 

students enrolled in the Information 

Systems and Science Program at the 

university’s Earl G. Graves School of 

Business and Management. The 

foundation selected the scholarship 

recipients based on academic 

achievement, demonstrated leadership 

potential and financial need. 

Verizon Foundation 

Establishes Scholarship 

Program at Morgan. 

"Verizon recognizes the vital role 

information technology plays in today’s 

business world," said William R. 

Roberts, president of Verizon Maryland. 

Roberts, a 1977 graduate of Morgan 

State University, also serves on the 

school’s board of regents. 

In awarding its gift to Morgan, the 

Verizon Foundation acknowledged the 

school’s growing prominence in 

information technology. In 1998 and 

1999, Morgan graduates earned 28 

percent of the information systems 

technology degrees awarded in 

Maryland. "The Verizon scholarship 

SPRING 2002 11 

Joe Smith director of External Affairs, 

Verizon, MD 

program helps us with student 

retention and our efforts to continue 

attracting high caliber students," said 

Dr. Otis A. Thomas, dean of the 

university’s School of Business and 

Management. 

Creating this new scholarship program 

for Morgan students aligns with the 

ongoing work of the Verizon Foundation 

in supporting programs that improve 

basic and computer literacy, bridge the 

digital divide, enrich communities 

through technology and create a skilled 

work force. 

Meet…WAYNE FRAZIER 

His best year is a benefit for Morgan! 

Maryland Minority Contractors 

communications between various naval 

Association. "I have always believed in bases, ships and aircraft wherever they 

Wayne Frazier 

Class of 1976 

giving back," says Frazier who this year 

made a financial commitment to 

Morgan worth $65,000. 

are around the world. 

Wayne’s most visible project is very 

close to home – the Ramblewood 

Wayne is president, CEO, chairman of 

Apartments, right around the corner 

the board and just about everything 

from Morgan at the intersection of 

else at Powhatan Development 

Belvedere and Loch Raven Boulevard. 

Company, LLC. In other words, he says, The apartments were built in the 1950’s 

He is a graduate of Morgan, class of 

1976, and those who attended the 

university during that time probably 

remember him. Once you have met him, 

he is difficult to forget, according to his 

friends. Wayne Frazier knows that he 

has been blessed and that it keeps 

getting better. "Last year was the best 

in my career," he says. And just 

recently, he received yet another 

blessing, elected president of the 

"I own it!" Powhatan Development is a 

residential and multifamily real estate 

development firm doing construction 

management and general contracting 

in Maryland and throughout the 

country. His most lucrative work is also 

his least visible – the Navy-Marine 

Corps Strike Force Intranet. Right! "We 

are building out computer rooms that 

will house highly secure computer 

equipment," Frazier explains. The result 

of his work will mean better 

without the amenities one would find in 

more modern units, such as air 

conditioning. Frazier’s firm is in the 

midst of a $3 million total upgrade and 

renovation of the development. 

"I have really been blessed and I was 

just pleased to be able to translate my 

success into a financial contribution to 

Morgan so that the school will be able 

to help more young people the way it 

helped me," said Mr. Frazier.

What’s in a 

Name: 

Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center 

The new Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center rises 

proudly in the southern vector of Morgan State 

University’s more than 143-acre campus. Named 

for Dr. Carl J. Murphy, who served as the first 

African-American chair of the university’s board 

of trustees and was also a charter member, the 

elegantly appointed facility is a 140,500 square 

foot, state-of-the-art architectural monument 

dedicated to the development and delivery of 

visual and performing works of art. 


A Glimpse at the Names of 

Morgan’s Buildings and Facilities 

By Jannette J. Witmyer 

Illustration by: Tom Stockett 

Dr. Carl J. Murphy (1889–1967)

James H. & Louise Hayley Gilliam 

James H. and Louise Hayley 

Gilliam Concert Hall 

Named to honor the parents of Morgan 

alumnus James H. Gilliam, Jr., who 

Turpin-Lamb Theatre 

Named to honor two former Morgan 

professors, Dr. Waters E. Turpin (L) and 

Arthur C. Lamb (R). The Turpin-Lamb 

Theatre seats 300 patrons and is 

James E. Lewis (1923–1997) 

James H. and Louise Hayley Gilliam Concert Hall 

along with his wife, Dr. Linda G. J. 

Gilliam, established a generous 

endowment for the fine arts at the 

university. The James H. and Louise 

Dr. Waters Edward Turpin (1910–1968) and Arthur Clifton Lamb (1909–1988) 

James E. Lewis Museum of Art 

Named to honor James E. Lewis, 

Professor Emeritus at Morgan State 

University. Sculptor, art historian, 

archeologist and director of the 

Turpin-Lamb Theatre 

equipped to stage major theatrical 

productions. Recognized nationally as 

accomplished African-American 

playwrights, drama directors and 

scholars, Turpin and Lamb were 

James E. Lewis Museum of Art 

museum that now bears his name, 

James E. Lewis gained international 

renown for his work. The James E. 

Lewis Museum of Art provides an 

opportunity for African-American 


Hayley Gilliam Concert Hall’s doublebalconies 

and seating for over 2,000 

provides an elegant and modern 

concert setting. 

dedicated educators and often 

described as the "backbone of the 

drama program at Morgan; a source 

of strength and guidance.’" 

artists to display their works, while 

providing students with the opportunity 

to experience and explore all aspects 

of operating a fine arts gallery.

"Tellin' It Like It Tiz" 

"Lawd Ha' Mercy" 

"What Goes Around… 

Comes Around" 

Do you recognize 10 tremendously 

successful plays that are all solidly 

grounded in one very important 

element of the African-American 

experience: emotion? If you do, then 

you know the work of David E. Talbert. 

Talbert, a 1989 graduate of Morgan 

State University, did not set out to be a 

playwright, and he readily admits that 

he would not have attained his current 

level of success in theater had he not 

earned a bachelor's degree in 

marketing. He approaches the 

marketing aspect of a play as seriously 

as he approaches its artistic side. 

“As far as being able to reach the 

people effectively and market the play, 

you won't find a better company to 

“He Say… She Say… But What Does 

God Say?” 

“A Fool And His Money” 

“Talk Show Live” 

market this genre of entertainment…,” 

Talbert says. “[Our] promoters don't 

have much work to do. We market it, 

understanding who our target market 

is, and gear our advertising toward our 

target market.” 

His businesslike approach to explaining 

the principles of marketing and how he 

applies them to his productions could 

easily lead one to believe that writing 

and producing plays was part of his 

lifelong plan. But that's simply not the 

case. Personal tragedies -- the loss of 

a college friend, a broken heart, and an 

unceremonious firing from his job as a 

DJ -- and a free ticket to see the play 

“Beauty Shop” all contributed, in their 

own way, to the evolution of David E. 

Talbert, playwright. 

“Mr. Right Now” 

“His Woman His Wife” 

“The Fabric Of A Man” 

“Love Makes Things Happen.” 

David E. Talbert: 

The Fabric of a MorganMan By Jannette J. Witmyer 


In his sophomore and junior years at 

Morgan, Talbert hosted an afternoon 

talk show, “We Hold These Truths,” on 

the university's radio station, WEAA – 

88.9 FM. He describes it as a show that, 

with the help of local politicians and 

community leaders, “uncovered the 

real deal” on current issues and served 

as his entrée into the radio business. 

When heartache at the end his junior 

year drove him to accept a summer job 

in Ohio, he turned to writing poetry 

about his broken heart. Then he began 

writing about “love and anything else 

that came to mind.” 

In time, he began to feel that his poetry 

“wasn't bad, wasn't bad at all” and 

decided to try his hand at writing a 

play. The play, “Rise of the Fall,”

addressed another painful period in his 

life, the summer of his freshman year, 

when a dear friend was swept away in 

the waters off of Maryland's Eastern 

Shore. Talbert explains it as “a play 

about a tight-knit group of friends 

returning to school to bury their friend, 

the camaraderie of brotherhood, and 

how they were able to rise [above the 

tragedy] that fall of the year.” 

When he returned to Morgan, he 

showed the play to the theater art 

department chairman, the late Clinton 

Johnson, who provided some extremely 

positive and valuable feedback. Ready 

to tackle his senior year, Talbert tucked 

the play away and plunged into a year 

of all-day classes and an overnight gig 

on a Washington, D.C., radio station. A 

few days after graduation, he packed 

his vehicle and headed cross-country 

to a new on-air gig in Oakland, Calif. 

Things were going extremely well for 

the young DJ, until the arrival of the 

station's new program director, who 

ordered Talbert to change his on-air 

name, Big Daddy Dave. Talbert refused 

and got fired. He returned later, 

however, to buy airtime for his first 

play. 

During his period of unemployment, a 

friend gave Talbert tickets to see the 

play “Beauty Shop.” He describes it as 

“a surreal experience. People were 

going absolutely crazy, and it just 

wasn't that funny to me. I knew that if 

people were laughing at that, then I 


could present them with some 

entertainment that would be not only 

comedic but rich in emotion and 

spirituality.” 

He went home and immediately began 

to write “Tellin' It Like It Tiz.” He 

opened the show in August 1991 at the 

Black Repertory Group Theatre in 

Berkeley. 

Fast-forward to today: Eleven years and 

10 plays later and with “nine 

blockbuster comedies and gospelthemed 

musicals” to his credit, David E. 

Talbert has been dubbed “The People’s 

Playwright.” He recently launched the 

national tour of number 10 in his 

college-town, Baltimore: “Love Makes 

Things Happen,” scored by mega-star 

City Scape: by P. A. Greene

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. His 

ninth play, “The Fabric Of A Man,” 

earned 13 NAACP Theatre Awards 

nominations and won three -- best 

actor, best supporting actor, and best 

playwright. He also has been 

recognized for his work in film, 

television, and music. 

Still, Talbert feels he has much work to 

do. He recognizes his growth as a 

playwright and feels that his audience 

has matured with him -- not meaning 

necessarily that they've grown older, 

just wiser and open to different 

content. When he moved away from 

plays with gangsters and drug dealers 

as characters with the production of 

“Mr. Right Now,” his audiences loved 

it. That's when he started fine-tuning 

his craft, he says, writing as a 

storyteller and reading more. 

Talbert feels that “as a storyteller, one 

gifted with the power of words,” he 

now has a responsibility to honor 

people such as Lorraine Hansberry and 

Paul Robeson, those who laid the 

foundation for his work. 

“Now, it's more about the revolution of 

being able to share our stories with our 

people, the equity of our images…,” 

Talbert says. “I have to be responsible 

for the images I perpetuate. You have 

to be careful with what you leave with 

people, because other people also 

come to our plays.” 


He embraces the notion of being “The 

People’s Playwright” and cites 

Shakespeare as an example of the 

same. 

“Shakespeare did theater for the 

common people. The aristocrats went 

to the balcony because the commoners 

were down on the ground. They were 

called 'groundlings,' and if the 

audience didn't like the way a story 

was going, they would shout and yell. 

And Shakespeare would have to go 

back and change the ending because 

the crowd was so involved…. They 

were a part of the whole experience.” 

“My theater goes back to the origin of 

theater, interactive theater. It's theater

“Broadway sells aesthetics. 

We sell emotions.” 

for the people. We come there, and we 

feel vested in the characters. We're 

pulling for the characters’ outcome. We 

want the characters to win because 

the characters onstage are a reflection 

of us. And if they win, we win…. That's 

what makes this theater so alive.” 

Talbert describes his shows as a 

communal experience. His audiences 

don't attend to give obligatory applause 

at the end of a scene. 

“If they don't like it, they don't clap,” he 

says. “If they like it, they clap at the 

beginning, in the middle, and at the 

end.” 

Talbert says that his audience does not 

come with preconceived notions about 

how to act at the theater. “They come 

to enjoy a production that is identifiable 

and mirrors their everyday lives. 

Broadway sells aesthetics. We sell 

emotions.” 

When people refer to his productions 

as “Chitlin' Circuit” plays, it is because 

they don't know its history, Talbert 

says. 

“They are trying to devalue what we 

do. The Chitlin' Circuit was a wonderful 

thing…kept a lot of people working.” 

He refers to fried chicken, pork, and 

chitlins as a part of the African- 

American experience: “I think that 

“I consider myself ‘The People’s 

Playwrite,’ because I don’t speak 

beneath my audience, and I don’t 

speak above my audience. I speak 

directly to them.” 

some of us forget that we like fried 

chicken, and sometimes we want to act 

like we don't because it's a sign of our 

blackness. And some of us want to 

separate ourselves, for some reason, 

from our blackness.” 

“When plays come in town that are 

black, from a black perspective, with 

black actors, that are ethnic plays, then 

we have to say, 'Well, I don't go to see 

those plays. I only go to see these 


“The issue in our community is that 

we’re always waiting for someone 

else to validate us, instead of us validating 

ourselves.” 

plays, for these plays are accepted by 

the greater society.” 

“The issue in our community is that 

we're always waiting for someone else 

to validate us, instead of us validating 

ourselves. How legitimate are you if 

you are not relevant to your people? If 

you are a storyteller of African descent 

and you are not patronized by your own 

people, then how significant, how 

relevant, how important are you as a 

storyteller?” 

“If we're not careful as a people and as 

theater-makers, as educators, and 

entertainers, we can lose touch with 

trends and where society is going.” 

“What's happening with [black] theater 

is the Tony Award Committee ain't 

validating it, but Tameeka Jones and 

Tameeka Jones' mama and Tameeka 

Jones' grandmama are validating it. So 

this is theater that has been legitimized 

by the people, not by the awards. Every 

night that somebody comes and claps 

and says, 'I love that show,' that's a 

Tony Award for me.” 

Talbert says his new business venture, 

the Urban Broadway Series, is about 

black theater as a whole. 

“Urban Broadway Series will not only 

do plays in this genre, but [it] will do 

traditional classic plays and put a spin 

on them. Because my audience has

David E. Talbert —“Love Makes Things Happen,” 5th Floor Mailroom 

Rodney (Damon Butler), Chauncy (Kevon Edmonds), Tina (Cheryl “Coko” Gamble) 

Warren (Joe Torry), Rodney 

(Damon Butler), Tina (Cheryl 

“Coko” Gamble) 

never seen A Raisin in the Sun, I want 

to introduce those stories and 

introduce those people, the heroes of 

the theater, Paul Robeson, Ira 

Aldridge…. If I know it, then I've got to 

share. You know: Each one teach one. 

Each one reach one. So Urban 

Broadway Series is a live touring studio 

– like Sony, like Paramount, like MGM – 

Rodney (Damon Butler), Warren 

(Joe Torry), Tina (Cheryl “Coko” 

Gamble) 

that will be presenting three to five 

plays every single year, employing 

black actors, black musicians, black 

technicians….” 

“In this sense, the Douglas Turner 

Wards of the world can look back and 

say, 'We passed the baton. We did our 

thing, and we did it well. And now we 


Morris A. Mechanic Theater 

David E. Talbert, Sheila (Dawn 

Robinsion) 

can feel safe that theater is not going 

to be 'mama plays,' because if that was 

the case, they just could not rest. They 

did too much and paid too many dues 

for it to be that.”

SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON 

NEWS BRIEFS 


Donor: SunTrust Bank of Md. 

J. Scott Wilfong, CEO and 

President 

Recipient: Ashlee Kirkland 

Donor: Environmental 

Systems Products 

Joel Unverzagt, General Manager 

Recipients: Monica Cook, and 

Mo’net Peterson. 

On the left: Bernard L. Jennings, 

Vice President 

University Advancement 

Donor: Maryland Space 

Grant Consortium 

Anne Anikis, Director 

Recipients: Three recipients 

from the School of Engineering; 

Keiona Siler, Jamal Mason, and 

Chiwuzic Odunukwe 

Donor: MSU Philadelphia 

Alumni Chapter – Frances 

Walker Fund 

Bernice Evans and Lillian Barbour 

Recipients: Anthony Hodgins, 

Howard Jones, Cecil Rodney, and 

Issachah Savage 

By Heidi Bruce 

The Morgan State University 

Foundation, Inc. hosted its first annual 

Scholarship Luncheon on Tuesday, 

April 2, 2002. This event was organized 

in order for scholarship donors to meet 

the students that benefited from their 

generosity and support of the 

university. Several prominent 

members of the local business 

community attended the event. 

Mr. J. Scott Wilfong, CEO, president, 

SunTrust Bank Maryland, Mr. William 

Cunningham, executive director, 

Playtime Corporation, Joe Smith, 

director of External Affairs, Verizon 

Maryland, and Joel Unverzagt, general 

manager, Environmental Systems 

Products were some of the corporate 

representatives at the luncheon. 

Mrs. Lillian Barbour, Philadelphia 

Alumni Chapter and Mr. Stephen 

Russell, president MSUNAA 

represented the Morgan community. 

The Philadelphia Alumni Chapter was 

able to assist eight students during the 

2001 – 2002 academic year. The 

MSUNAA was able to assist three 

students with its scholarships. Some 

of the individual donors included Mrs. 

Barbara Golden and Mr. William 

Greene.

And the 

Flag Waves On… 

David Harvey - (1965-2002) By Diana L. Spencer 

And the 

Flag 

succeed and do well.” 

Waves On… 


“David understood that flags are powerful symbols. 

He wanted the flag to help pull African-Americans 

together, to say that we are an integral part of this 

country, and to remind us that each one of us can

At the Harvey home in Morgan 

Park, Morgan alumnus David 

Harvey was overflowing with 

ideas for promoting the first-ever 

African-American flag that he and his 

wife, Tonya, had created. It was a 

hectic Tuesday morning like many 

others: David's two-year-old daughter, 

Chloe, seemed to be running a 

temperature. He also was anxious for 

the birth of his second daughter, 

Kaylah, in a few months, and he was 

concerned about the well-being of 

some of his neighbors. After making a 

few calls to check on his business and 

the neighbors, David complained of a 

stomachache and collapsed to the 

floor. In an instant, he was gone. 

Four days later, on January 26, 2002, 

scores of well-wishers filled Morgan’s 

Carl Murphy Auditorium and 

participated in a salute to David’s life. 

Despite the shock of losing such a 

young man to a sudden heart attack, 

they were committed to fulfilling 

David’s wish to honor his memory 

through celebration. With clapping 

hands and misty eyes, 1,000 of David’s 

friends and family members found 

comfort in a soloist’s rendition of "Oh, 

Happy Day," one of his favorite songs. 

Morgan State University seemed an 

especially fitting place to remember 

David, as its presence was woven 

throughout the story of his life. David 

grew up in Lauraville, the neighborhood 

adjacent to Morgan Park. While 

neither of his parents is a Morgan 

graduate, they feel a great affinity 

toward the school. "My husband, Carl, 

began college there," explains David’s 

mother, Delores Smith Harvey. "And 

Morgan gave me my first opportunity to 

be an adjunct professor." 


David (age 26) 

and Tonya Harvey 

Completed the flag 

in November 1991 

After high school, David dated his 

future wife while she attended Morgan, 

and he pursued undergraduate studies 

at Coppin State College. Following their 

marriage, they purchased a home right 

next to Morgan’s campus, and David 

attended Morgan to earn a master’s 

degree in international studies. And 

when David and Tonya Harvey created 

the African-American flag, Morgan 

State University proudly installed it in 

front of the Clarence Mitchell 

Engineering Building and hired the 

couple’s company to create the small 

flags that Morgan seniors wave during 

graduation ceremonies. 

"The idea for the African-American flag 

just came to us," says Tonya. "It was 

one of those ideas that was so simple 

and so clear that it was hard to believe 

that it wasn’t already out there." In 

November 1991, Tonya and David 

attended a banquet together. At one 

point, everyone stood up to sing "Lift 

Every Voice and Sing," the black 

national anthem. Tonya remembers, 

"Everyone was singing, and they were 

just kind of looking around -- at the 

ground, at each other, at the room. 

There was no place to focus. David and 

I looked at each other, and both had the 

same thought at the same time – that 

there needed to be a flag. When we got 

home, we were so excited about the 

project. We started research 

immediately." 

They found that there was no flag 

known as the African-American flag. 

"We found just a few flags related to 

African-Americans," Tonya says, "flags 

like the African liberation flag and 

African heritage flag. But these flags 

were all created out of various 

movements. We wanted to create a

And the 

Flag Waves On… 

David Harvey - (1965-2002) 

Purple base - 

the regal history of 

African-Americans 

Red, white and blue stripes - 

integral part African-Americans play, 

have played and will play in America’s 

greatness. 

Gold flashes of light 

(around the star) - 

perseverance, love, 

knowledge and 

spirituality 


N 

Black stripe - 

(near purple base) 

African-American 

nearness to regality 

S 

A 

A 

C 

F 

I 

R 

Gold stripe - 

riches of Africa 

Eight-pointed black star - 

each individual African-American, that each one 

can shine. Each point of the star stands for an 

African-American principle: 

A = Aspirations 

F = Family, 

R = Righteousness 

I = Individuality 

C = Community 

A = Ability 

N = Nobility 

S = Scholarship. 

Green stripe - 

abundant life in Africa 

The acronym 

for the star is 

AFRICANS.

flag out of peace and celebration, a 

flag that says who we are as African- 

Americans. David always stressed that 

this is a nonpolitical flag." 

When the flag project began, David 

was coordinator of the prison program 

at Coppin State College, and Tonya was 

an elementary school teacher with the 

Baltimore City Public School System. 

They created a company, DATON, Inc., 

to produce and sell the flags, and 

developed a flag design and prototype. 

After getting the product patented in 

1993, they left their jobs and busied 

themselves with building their company 

and increasing the flag’s acceptance. 

"David understood," his mother says, 

"that flags are powerful symbols. He 

wanted the flag to help pull African- 

Americans together, to say that we are 

David Harvey’s two-year-old 

daughter, Chloe, and his wife Tonya 

Harvey. 

For additional information about the African- 

American flag, or to place an order, call 

410-254-3886 

an integral part of this country, and to 

remind us that each one of us can 

succeed and do well. He wanted to see 

the flag at historically black colleges 

and universities. He wanted to see it on 

desktops in middle school. He wanted it 

to inspire young people." 

Through the family’s efforts, 

organizations and prominent individuals 

throughout the world have accepted 

the flag. African-American flags have 

been presented to the renowned South 

African leader Nelson Mandela and 

noted historian Dr. John Hope Franklin. 

In addition to countless colleges, 

universities, public schools, private 

schools and faith institutions, the flag is 

on display at numerous sites including 

the Congressional Black Caucus 

Foundation Building, NAACP National 

Headquarters, United Baptist 


David Harvey’s wife Tonya 

Harvey, his mother, Delores Smith 

Harvey, and his father Carl Harvey. 

Missionary Convention Building, Alpha 

Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Missouri 

Black Expo, American League of 

Financial Institutions, Committee for 

African-American History Observances, 

National Black Catholic Congress, 

National Black Police Association and 

National Urban League Headquarters. 

In addition to producing the African- 

American flag, DATON, Inc. expanded 

its menu of services and products to 

include establishing flag courts, 

replacing flagpoles and producing 

customized flags for organizations and 

institutions. Despite David’s death, the 

family is committed to continuing 

DATON, Inc. and to fulfilling David’s 

vision of widespread acceptance of the 

African-American flag.

Opening the Door to Community-Arts: 

by Diana L. Spencer 

On a recent Saturday at 

Morgan’s new Carl J. Murphy 

Fine Arts Center, instructors 

and students were busy constructing 

pinhole cameras and studying symbols 

from the African Ashante tribe, with 

plans to incorporate the symbols into 

ceramic works. Instructors challenged 

students to think about their creations 

and the process of art and to 

understand the principles and science 

of ceramics and photography. But, 

while some of Morgan’s finest art 

instructors are leading these collegelevel 

art experiences, the young artmakers 

are not college students. 

Instead, they are kindergarten through 

12th graders, mostly from Baltimore 

City public schools, enrolled in a newly 

launched Year-Round-Youth Art 

Institute. 

“Art is about expression,” says Virginia 

Grant, coordinator of the Art Institute, 

and development and marketing 

specialist for Morgan’s Office of 

Museums. “With this program, we are 

providing an opportunity for children to 

express themselves in different ways. 

We are also creating the prototype for 

a premier community-arts program.” 

According to Grant, the impetus for the 

program was the desire to “bring 

children and youth into Morgan’s 

dynamic new arts center.” A $40 

million complex that opened in 

December 2001, the Carl J. Murphy 

Fine Arts Center includes three 

performance halls and the James E. 

Lewis Museum of Art, with a collection 

valued at $10 million. Its visual arts 

facilities feature laboratories for 

ceramics, painting, photography, 

sculpture and welding, in addition to a 

printing-making studio and computer 

graphics lab. 

The Art Institute began offering 

courses in February as part of a 

Saturday half-day program that ends in 

June. The Baltimore City Public School 

System serves as the primary sponsor 

for this first session. Their support will 

allow 96 city students to participate in 

the program at no charge. By the end 

of February, the program had 

registered 74 students from 37 schools 

in Baltimore City and surrounding 

areas. 

“This is a great opportunity for students 

to come to Morgan’s new fine arts 

center and take classes in a college 

environment,” says Kathleen Lockhart, 

interim supervisor of the Office of Fine 

Arts and Physical Education for the city 

schools. “While our students will study 

only visual arts, being in the center will 

allow them to interface with the other 

arts… with the school’s theater, music 

and dance programs. 

“We want the children to learn about 

as many different kinds of art and 

artists as possible. Along the way, they 

will learn about art history, criticism, 

aesthetics and the creative process. 

Art is a separate discipline from other 

academic subjects, and it teaches 

problem-solving, idea development, 

story-telling, and many other skills that 

translate well into improving academic 

performance.” 

The Art Institute’s first session offers: 

photography, drawing, painting and 

ceramics courses; field trips to 

museums in Baltimore and Washington, 

D.C.; access to performances at 

Morgan; and exposure to renowned 

visiting artists. For upcoming summer, 

after-school and weekend sessions, a 

slate of 23 courses is planned with 

offerings to include cyberart, desktop 

publishing, mural-art, cartoon-drawing, 

sculpture, watercolors, jewelry-making 

and quilting. 

In addition, the Art Institute, which was 

created by Morgan’s Office of 

Museums, will provide youth with the 

unique opportunity to take museumrelated 

courses. “In exhibition design 

and planning, students will learn to 

frame, label and present art,” 

says Grant. “We will also offer courses 

in collections management, museum 

shop operations and customer 

relations. Students will have the 

opportunity to put their museum 

courses into practice when they 

coordinate and produce closing 

exhibitions at the end of each session. 

They will have to do everything for 

these events - organizing the exhibit, 


hanging the work, designing the 

invitation, hiring the musicians and 

arranging for refreshments.” 

Art Institute courses are taught by 

degreed art professionals, supported 

by classroom assistants and mentors. 

“The assistants and mentors are some 

of Morgan’s best and brightest 

students,” explains Grant. “Acting as 

mentors is a great opportunity for them 

to encourage younger students and to 

learn more about art, education and 

child development.” 

While the Art Institute’s goal is to serve 

approximately 500 children and youth 

per year, it is also working, according 

to Grant, to provide a “nourishing 

experience” for youth. “The reward at 

the end of the day,” she concludes, “is 

just to see how much the kids enjoy the 

program.” 

Arts: 

the 

4th “R” 

“A new round of research shows us 

that the visual and performance arts 

play an essential role in how children 

learn to read, write, and do 

mathematics… [Experts] now consider 

arts education to be the “Fourth R” as 

essential to learning as reading, 

writing, and arithmetic - and in fact, 

integral to the learning of these 

subjects. The arts are basic to a child’s 

biological, emotional, and educational 

development.” 

Richard Louv, Why Children Need an 

Arts Education Renaissance.

Introducing Morgan’s new Year-Round-Youth Art Institute 

With this program, we are 

providing an opportunity 

for children to express 

themselves in different ways. We 

are also creating the prototype for a 

premier community-arts program. 

For more information about Morgan’s Year-Round-Youth Art Institute, please call 443-885-3030. 

SPRING 2002 25

We’re 

Readyfor More! 

Morgan’s Enrollment and Applications 

Reach Record Levels 

By Diana L. Spencer & Frederick Banks 


"We know that Morgan’s 

growth and advancements 

make it more attractive 

than ever, and we are 

using an aggressive 

recruitment strategy to 

promote the school."

In fall 2001, more 

than 11,000 students 

applied for admission to Morgan State 

University, far exceeding the 

university’s previous record of 

approximately 8,000 applicants. Of the 

11,112 applicants, 3,911 were admitted 

and 1,701 were enrolled. These figures 

include a 30 percent increase in 

students transferring to Morgan from 

other colleges. Early indications are 

that applications for fall 2002 will set an 

even higher record. 

"Morgan anticipated this trend, and we 

began preparations early," says 

Frederick Banks, associate director of 

admissions and recruitment. 

"According to U.S. Census forecasts, 

African-American college attendance 

is on the rise. We know that Morgan’s 

growth and advancements make it 

more attractive than ever, and we are 

using an aggressive recruitment 

strategy to promote the school." Banks, 

who is also a Morgan graduate, earned 

his bachelor’s degree in 1992 and 

master’s in 1997. 

Now in its second year of 

implementation, Morgan’s "aggressive 

recruitment" strategy includes strategic 

use of Enrollment Planning Services 

and the Young Alumni Recruitment 

Initiative. "The EPS software," Banks 

explains, "is designed by the College 

Board and provides us with information 

about the students who have requested 

that their SAT scores be sent to us. 

Morgan receives more SAT scores 

from African-American high school 

students than any other college or 

university in Maryland." 

Through the Young Alumni Recruitment 

Initiative, recent Morgan graduates 

(from 1998 through the present) are 

asked to assist in identifying Morgancaliber 

students in their communities 

and promoting Morgan to promising 

students. The Office of Admissions and 

Recruitment tries to maintain four to 

five active Young Alumni in each state. 

"This year, we have had as many as five 

Morgan representatives traveling to 

engage in recruitment, and we have 

been to 36 states," says Banks. "Young 

Alumni often play key roles in these 

trips, setting up high school visits for 

us, speaking to students about the 

benefits of studying at Morgan, and 

helping us meet students with special 

talents." 

Banks says that campus developments 

such as the new stadium, fine arts 

center and upcoming research center, 

along with the growing reputation of 


Morgan’s engineering and other 

programs, are among many factors 

attracting the attention of potential 

students. 

With increasing interest in the school, 

the admissions process has become 

more selective, and the SAT average of 

incoming students is on the rise. But 

while the school is preparing for even 

more students, perhaps as many as 

10,000 by 2005, the emphasis remains 

on offering a quality educational 

experience. "Because of the vision of 

the president," Banks comments, "we 

have prepared financially, physically 

and programmatically for increased 

enrollment, and we have been able to 

maintain sufficient housing and 

effective teacher/student ratios. The 

university just purchased the Pentridge 

Apartment complex to increase our 

student housing stock." 

"Everyone seems to be noticing 

Morgan’s growth," adds Banks. "When 

alumni come to campus for 

homecoming and other events, they 

remark that there seem to be more 

students at Morgan now than ever. It’s 

true, and there are even more to come."

Morgan State University Alumni Hall of Fame 

Introduction and Purpose 

Morgan State University’s Alumni Hall of Fame 

has been established to provide a special place of 

permanent recognition on campus for those 

alumni, honorary degree recipients and honorary 

alumni, designated by the Morgan State 

University National Alumni Association, who have 

distinguished themselves by their outstanding 

contributions to the university, their profession 

and society. 

A permanent display of honorees will be housed 

in the Morgan Alumni House on campus. 

The Morgan Alumni Hall of Fame will not supplant 

the existing departmental Halls of Fame currently 

in existence, nor should it discourage other 

departments or organizations from establishing 

their own means of recognition in the future. 

Site and Induction 

The induction ceremony will be held in 

conjunction with Morgan’s Annual Gala. The 

induction will be held Friday, October 25, 2002. 

Criteria for Induction 

Induction in the Hall of Fame is open to eligible 

individuals who have demonstrated 

outstanding accomplishments or 

achievements which have effected a 

recognizably enduring positive impact on the 

university. 

Selection Criteria for Graduates 

Eligibility for induction into the Morgan State 

University Alumni Hall of Fame for graduates of 


...must have earned an undergraduate or 

graduate degree 

...must have earned the degree at least 10 

years before nomination 

...must have demonstrated outstanding 

accomplishments or achievements which 

have effected a recognizably enduring 

positive impact on the university 

...must have engaged in endeavors to benefit 

others 

...must be a current, dues paying member of 

the Morgan State University National Alumni 

Association or a life member. The same is 

true of the nominator, if a Morgan graduate 

...may have been inducted into other Morgan 

State University Halls of Fame 

...may be recommended posthumously 

...may have made a significant financial 

contribution to Morgan State University, the 

MSU Foundation or the MSU National 

Alumni Association 

Selection Criteria for Non-Graduates 

Eligibility for induction into the Morgan State 

University Alumni Hall of Fame for nongraduates 

of Morgan State University 

...must have successfully matriculated for at 

least one semester at Morgan State 

University, received an honorary degree or 

has been designated honorary alumnus by 

the Morgan State University National Alumni 

Association 

...must have demonstrated outstanding 

accomplishments or achievements which 

have effected a recognizably enduring 

positive impact on the university 

...must have engaged in endeavors to benefit 

others 

...may have been inducted into other Morgan 

State University Halls of Fame 

...may be recommended posthumously 

...may have made a significant financial 

contribution to Morgan State University, the 

MSU Foundation, or the MSU National 

Alumni Association 

Nomination Form 

To nominate someone for the Morgan State University Alumni Hall of Fame, please complete the form below and return 

no later than Friday, June 28, 2002 to: Morgan State University Alumni Hall of Fame, Office of Alumni Affairs, 

Montebello, Room 118, Morgan State University, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251. 

Nominee: 

_________________________________________________________________________________ 

Title First Middle Maiden Last 

Address ____________________________________________________________________________ 

City _________________________________________State ________________ Zip _______________ 

Phone Number: (Home) ______________________________ (Work) ____________________________ 

Date of Birth (Optional): ______________________________ Place of Birth: _______________________ 

If nominee is deceased, give the date: ___________________ 

Marital Status: ____________________________________ Name of Spouse: _____________________ 

Children/Ages: _______________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

Education (List Morgan first and include degree, name of institution, year graduated): _____________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

Professional Positions (List most recent to current: Organization, Job Title, Year): _________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________ 

List three most significant accomplishments (Attach separate sheet with explanation): 

1. ________________________________________________________________________________ 

2. ________________________________________________________________________________ 

3. ________________________________________________________________________________ 

List five awards and/or recognitions: 

1. ________________________________________________________________________________ 

2. ________________________________________________________________________________ 

3. ________________________________________________________________________________ 

4. ________________________________________________________________________________ 

5. ________________________________________________________________________________ 

Contributions and relationships with Morgan State University: ______________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

Memberships in community organizations: ___________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

Memberships in business/professional organizations: ____________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

Nominator: _________________________________________________________________________ 

Address: ___________________________________________________________________________ 

City _________________________________________State ________________ Zip _______________ 

Phone Number: (Home) ____________________________ (Work) ____________________________ 

Morgan State University graduate: Yes _____ No _____ 

*Note: The nominee, if not deceased, must be a current member of the Morgan State University National Alumni 

Association. The nominator, if a Morgan graduate, must also be a member. The yearly fee of $25, or $400 for a life 

membership, may be submitted with this nomination form. ALUM3015

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