Grambling State University
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Former names | Colored Industrial and Agricultural School North Louisiana Agricultural and Industrial School Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute Grambling College |
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| Motto | Where Everybody is Somebody |
| Type | Public, HBCU |
| Established | 1901 |
| Endowment | $4.5 million |
| President | Dr. Frank Pogue |
| Students | 4,994[1] |
| Location | , , 32°31′31″N 92°42′55″W / 32.5252°N 92.7153°W |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Black and Gold |
| Nickname | Tigers or Lady Tigers |
| Affiliations | Southwestern Athletic Conference |
| Website | www.gram.edu |
Grambling State University (GSU) is a historically black, public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana, United States. The university is the home of late head football coach Eddie Robinson, and is listed on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. The University is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
Academics
College of Arts & Sciences
- Associate of Science in Child Development
- Bachelor of Science in English
- Bachelor of Science in History
- Minor in Black Studies
- Bachelor of Science in Political Science
- Bachelor of Science in Psychology
- Bachelor of Science in Sociology
- Bachelor of Science in Visual and Performing Arts
- Concentrations in Dance, Theatre, Digital Art and Studio Art
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences
- Concentration in Environmental Science
- Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
- Concentration in Forensic Chemistry
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology
- Concentrations in Electronics Engineering Technology and Drafting and Design Engineering Technology
- Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
- Bachelor of Science in Physics
Degrees No Longer Offered: Bachelor of Science in Automotive Technology, Building Construction Technology, Institutional Food Production, Liberal Arts, Linguistics and Mechanical Technology
College of Business
- Bachelor of Science in Accounting
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems
- Bachelor of Science in Economics
- Bachelor of Science in Management
- Concentration in Hospitality Tourism Management
- Bachelor of Science in Marketing
Degrees No Longer Offered: Associate of Science in Accounting/Bookkeeping, General Clerical, Computer Information Systems and Office Administration; Bachelor of Science in Business Education and Office Administration
College of Education
- Bachelor of Arts in English Education and Special Education Mild/Moderate, Grades 6-12
- Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education and Special Education Mild/Moderate, Grades 6-12
- Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, PK-3
- Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Grades 1-5
- Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education & Special Education (Mild/Moderate), Grades 1-5
- Bachelor of Science in Leisure Studies
- Concentrations in General Recreation, Pedagogy, Sport Management and Therapeutic Recreation
- Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education and Special Education Mild/Moderate, Grades 6-12
- Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and Teaching
- Concentrations in Biology and Physics
Degrees No Longer Offered: Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Science Education and Industrial Education
College of Professional Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication
- Concentrations in Broadcasting, Business Journalism, Print and Public Relations, Sports Journalism
- Bachelor of Social Work
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Nursing
College of Graduate Studies
- Post-Master's Certificate in Developmental Education
- Post-Master's Certificate in Family Nurse
- Post-Master's Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner
- Doctor of Education in Developmental Education
- Master of Arts in Mass Communication
- Master of Arts in Teaching - Social Sciences
- Concentrations in History, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology
- Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
- Master of Education in Educational Leadership
- Master of Education in Special Education
- Master of Nursing
- Master of Social Work
- Master of Science in Criminal Justice
- Master of Science in Developmental Education
- Master of Science in Sports Administration
- Master of Public Administration
- Concentrations in Public Management, State and Local Government, Human Resource Management and Health Services Administration
Degrees No Longer Offered: Master of Business Administration and Master of International Business and Trade
History
Grambling State was founded in 1901 and accredited in 1949. The school became Grambling College in 1946 named after a white sawmill owner, P. G. Grambling, who donated a parcel of land for the school to be constructed. With the addition of graduate departments, Grambling gained university status in 1974. Grambling State University emerged from the desire of African-American farmers in rural north Louisiana who wanted to educate other African Americans in the northern part of the state. In 1896, the North Louisiana Colored Agriculture Relief Association was formed to organize and operate a school. After opening a small school west of what is now the town of Grambling, the Association requested assistance from Booker T. Washington of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Charles P. Adams, sent to aid the group in organizing an industrial school, became its founder and first president.
Under Adams’ leadership, the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School opened on November 1, 1901. Four years later, the school moved to its present location and was renamed the North Louisiana Agricultural and Industrial School. By 1928, the school was able to offer two-year professional certificates and diplomas after becoming a state junior college. The school was renamed Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute.
In 1936, the program was reorganized to emphasize rural education. It became known as "The Louisiana Plan" or "A Venture in Rural Teacher Education." Professional teaching certificates were awarded when a third year was added in 1936, and the first baccalaureate degree was awarded in 1944 in elementary education. The institution’s name was changed to Grambling College in 1946 in honor of a white sawmill owner, P.G. Grambling, who donated a parcel of land for the school. Thereafter, the college prepared secondary teachers and added curricula in sciences, liberal arts and business. With these programs in effect, the school was transformed from a single purpose institution of teacher education into a multipurpose college. In 1949, the college was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The Grambling science building is one of twenty-six public structures in Louisiana constructed by the contractor George A. Caldwell.[2] In 1974, the addition of graduate programs in early childhood and elementary education gave the school a new status and a new name – Grambling State University.
From 1977 to 2000, the university grew and prospered. Several new academic programs were incorporated and new facilities were added to the 384-acre (1.55 km2) campus, including a business and computer science building, school of nursing, student services building, stadium, stadium support facility and an intramural sports center. In 2006, Grambling State was the setting for the Black Entertainment Television network docudrama "Season of the Tiger," which chronicled the daily lives of members of the football team and marching band throughout the 2005 season.
State Representative George B. Holstead of Ruston, whose grandfather had been instrumental in the founding of Louisiana Tech, worked to increase state appropriations for both Louisiana Tech and Grambling State University during his legislative tenure from 1964-1980.[3]
In 2010, a state audit showed that GSU lost money on an illegal stock purchase and was in violation of two state laws. State Representative Francis C. Thompson, a Delhi Democrat, urged the state to conduct financial oversight at Grambling and at other institutions in view of the audit.[4] The audit claims that GSU illegally invested $2.6 million in the stock market with money that had been reserved for university facilities. Thompson said that the state should "develop a safety net if something can fall through the cracks like this."[4]
University presidents
Following the first university president Charles P. Adams, Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones became the second president and the highly successful baseball coach from 1936 until his retirement in 1977. Five presidents served from 1977 to 2001: Dr. Joseph Benjamin Johnson, Dr. Harold W. Lundy, Dr. Raymond Hicks, Dr. Leonard Haynes III and Dr. Steve A. Favors. The advent of a new millennium and the beginning of a second century of service ushered in Grambling State University’s first female president, Dr. Neari Francois Warner. Warner served a three-year interim term. Dr. Horace Judson, who became the institution’s seventh president in 2004, led the most ambitious 5-year campaign to rebuild the institution's facilities. On Wednesday, October 21, 2009, Judson announced his resignation effective October 31, 2009. The current president is Dr. Frank Pogue.
Student activities
Athletics
The Grambling Tigers represent Grambling State University in NCAA intercollegiate athletics. Grambling's sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Football Championship Subdivision for football) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Currently, the Grambling State University Department of Athletics sponsors Men's Intercollegiate football, along with men's and women's basketball, baseball, track & field, softball, golf, soccer, tennis, bowling and volleyball.
Tiger Marching Band
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- In 1967 and 1968, the band performed in Super Bowls I and II, respectively, prior to the NFL championship game being officially called The Super Bowl. Grambling's 1967 performance has been named "One of the Top 10 Super Bowl Halftime Shows" by Sports Illustrated magazine.
- In 1972, the marching Tigers played in Monrovia, Liberia, at the inauguration of Liberian President William R. Tolbert.
- In 1976, the GSU band performed in the first-ever Pioneer Bowl in Tokyo, Japan.
- In 1978, GSU World Fame Tiger Marching Band, pushed back at Half-Time, Bayou Classic, to introduce their first all Female Dance Line "ORCHESIS" to the World, Lead by Artistic Director/Choreographer Virgie Broussard [Pradia]. One Original member of "ORCHESIS" was Choreographer/Producer Deborah A Gibson [MC HAMMER To Legit Tour], and Cousin to Eryka Badu/National Recording Artist
- In 1978, GSU World Fame Tiger Marching Band were Half-Time Guest performers for Dallas Cowboys at the Original Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas where the showcased their Original 10 Members of GSU Orchesis Dance Line; GSU Alum Director/Choreographer Virgie Broussard [Pradia]; and Dancer Deborah A Gibson/1982 GSU Alum.
- In 1999, U.S. President Bill Clinton performed (on saxophone) with the band for a halftime show in Grambling, Louisiana.
- The Tiger Marching Band have an average of 125 students with a grade points average of 3.00 or more each year.
- In 1999, the Tiger Marching Band along with GSU's acclaimed dance troupe "The Orchesis Dance Company" was featured in a nationally televised commercial as part of Procter & Gamble's "Tampax Was There" marketing campaign.
- In 1999, the band was featured in commercial bumpers for Cartoon Network's "Cartoon Cartoon Fridays" block. They performed the main Cartoon Cartoons theme, as well as the theme songs for other Cartoon Network shows.
- In 1998, the band was featured in Super Bowl XXXII, alongside Boyz II Men, Martha Reeves, and Smokey Robinson.
- In 1981, the band appeared in "Marching Band/Coke Is It," an award-winning commercial developed for Coca-Cola USA.
- In 1982, Grambling State University World Fame Tiger Marching Band were Special Guest to the Emperor of Japan, perform in Osaka, Japan and Half-Time Stars at the Tokyo, Japan Mirage Bowl Game.
- The band performed in the Hollywood films Grambling's White Tiger (1981), and Drumline (2002).
- The band recorded an album entitled "A Tribute To Motown" which sold 4 million copies Motown Records (2005).
- In 2006, Season of the Tiger is a six-part docudrama that follows members of the Grambling State University (LA) marching band and football team during the 2005-2006 football season. Produced by DAFT films and Black Entertainment Television (BET), Season of the Tiger premiered on April 27, 2006 at 9:30 p.m. The subsequent episodes were shown at the same Thursday time slot for the following five weeks. In documentary style, the show focuses on the lives of three band members and two football players as they try to fulfill their potential, despite the setbacks they encounter along the way. Season of the Tiger is the second BET reality show to focus on life at a historically black institution (HBCU) (see College Hill), and the first to highlight the competitive environment of marching bands at some HBCUs. Grambling State standout starting quarterback and NFL prospect Bruce Eugene is among the many featured in the docudrama.
- In 2007, the band performed in the award-winning Denzel Washington film, The Great Debators.
- In the 118th Tournament of Roses Parade (2007), Grambling State's marching band was the marching band in the Star Wars Spectacular, in which all members were wearing Imperial officer uniforms. This was the band's second time in the Tournament of Roses Parade: 1980 being the first time an HBCU band was selected to march and lead in the Tournament of Roses Parade.
- The band was included in the inaugural parade for U.S. President George W. Bush.
- In 2009, GSU World Fame Tiger Marching Band was included in the inaugural parade for U.S. President Barack Obama.[citation needed]
- In 2010, the band was included in the NBA All State Hafltime Performance with Shakira NBA [citation needed]
- In 2013, the band will be included in the inaugural parade for U.S. President Barack Obama.[5]
Notable alumni
Alumni of Grambling State include numerous MLB, NBA and NFL players, public officials, journalists, businessmen and artists. Willie Brown, Green Bay Packers: NFL Hall of Fame Eight-time Mr. Olympia winner Ronnie Coleman is a noted alumnus, as is alumna actress Natalie Desselle-Reid. Grammy-winner Erykah Badu attended Grambling State University and once served as a campus Queen, although she began concentrating on music full-time and dropped out before graduating. New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow is also an alumnus. Alumna Pinkie C. Wilkerson, served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1992 until her death in an automobile accident on August 1, 2000. Former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams, is not only an alumnus, but currently serves as the Tigers head football coach. West coast bay area rap artist E-40 also attended Grambling State University. Alumnus Ahmad Terry, former Rocky Mountain News Staff photographer and Pulitzer Prize winner 2000 and 2003. *Pulitzer Prize Grambling State University graduate, Stephanie Finleyhad, was nominated as U.S. Attorney for Louisiana's Western District by President Barack Obama. Award winning and world renowned jazz artist Michael Thomas is a Grambling alumnus and was a member of the Tiger Marching Band along with jazz artists Lovett Hines and Bob French. The writer Judi-Ann Mason was a double major graduate of Grambling. She began her writing career at GSU by winning two major playwrighting awards through the American College Theatre Festival. As a sophomore, her first full-length play, "Livin' Fat" won the Norman Lear award. In her senior year, her script "A Star Aint Nothin But a Hole in Heaven" won the first Lorraine Hansberry Award. As part of the prize, she worked for several years with the Lear organization writing for the TV sitcom, "Good Times." She later was named the head writer for the black soap opera "Generations," and went on to write the screenplay for the film, Sister Act II. Mason died in 2009 at the age of 54. In the classic, 1975 black film Cooley High, main character Richard "Cochise" Morris (played by actor Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), is tragically murdered after being notified that he'd been awarded a basketball scholarship to Grambling. N. Burl Cain, warden of Louisiana State Penitentiary, has a master's degree in criminal justice from Grambling.
References
- ^ http://www.gram.edu/life/news/?p=16
- ^ "Caldwell, George A." Louisiana Historical Association, A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography (lahistory.org). Retrieved December 21, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Descendants of Lemuel Holstead". freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
- ^ a b "Stephen Largen, Thompson: State should look at Grambling State, Lawmakers call for safety net to catch problems, July 1, 2010". Monroe News Star. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) [dead link] - ^ "2013 Inaugural Parade Participants". Retrieved January 10, 2013.
External links
- www.gram.edu—Official web site
- www.gsutigers.com—Official athletics web site
- www.gram.edu/band/—Tiger Marching Band web site
- Articles needing cleanup from September 2009
- Articles with sections that need to be turned into prose from September 2009
- Grambling State University
- Historically black universities and colleges in the United States
- American Association of State Colleges and Universities
- Educational institutions established in 1901
- Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Louisiana African American Heritage Trail
- Education in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana
- Buildings and structures in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana
- Visitor attractions in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana