Savannah State University News

President Kimberly Ballard-Washington presents Khayree J. Hasan with the President’s Second Mile award on graduation day at Savannah State University, Dec. 10, 2021. Photo credit: Jason Miccolo Johnson. Khayree J. Hasan has been named the recipient of Savannah State University’s President’s Second Mile Award, the highest honor presented to a graduating senior based upon character, values, leadership, and service to the university and the larger community. During each commencement ceremony, the award is presented to a deserving student in recognition of stellar and meritorious achievement. The College of Education’s third graduate of Middle Grades Education with a concentration in English, Language Arts, and Social Studies, Hasan is from Decatur, Ga. Described by peers as a role model who is self-motivated, humble, ambitious, and a servant leader, one student said Hasan is “the go-to guy for everything, whether he is helping you jump your car, or voicing the concerns of the student body...

    Savannah Jones It isn’t by luck that graduating senior Savannah Jones was born and raised in Savannah, GA, and chose to attend Savannah State University. “Mass Communications has always been a passion of mine,” she said, and she wanted to attend an HBCU with an accredited Mass Communications program.  “I was meant to be here,” said Jones. As an undergraduate, who worked with the University radio station, WHCJ 90.3 FM, Jones has hosted campuswide training opportunities on podcasting and interviewed a variety of people to highlight on the program “You Can Get Anywhere from Here.” “Savannah Jones has overcome tremendous hurdles to make sure she graduates, but also has taken a lot of initiative to be the best example to her fellow classmates, campus, and community,” said Nicole Wiggins De’Costa, special projects assistant for WHCJ 90.3 FM. “There is a lot that makes her amazing as a person and a student; however, her leadership skills are the one thing that...

Felicia Bell, Ph.D. Savannah State University (SSU) will hold its 199th undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremony on Friday, Dec. 10 at T. A. Wright Stadium with alumna Felicia Bell, Ph.D. as the esteemed commencement speaker. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Approximately 325 students will receive master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees. Bell is a senior advisor in the Office of the Director at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Savannah State University, a Master of Arts in historic preservation from Savannah College of Art and Design, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in U. S. history from Howard University in Washington, DC. She later served as an Assistant Professor of History and the inaugural Director of Honors at Savannah State. During her tenure at SSU, she introduced museum studies courses into the curriculum. Bell received the first Historically Black Colleges or Universities Museum Inter...

The annual Founders Day event celebrates the university’s past. Savannah State University recently honored outstanding alumni and community members during the annual Founders Day celebration with two distinguished awards: The Richard R. Wright Award of Excellence and The Cyrus G. Wiley Distinguished Alumni Award. Each year Savannah State University takes a day to recognize those who have served the school and made its foundation stronger. The annual observance celebrates the institution’s history and those who have contributed to its success, including a guest speaker and the presentation of awards to members of the community. Named for the first president of SSU, the Richard R. Wright Award of Excellence is the most notable honor, recognizing outstanding leaders who have distinguished themselves through their expertise in social, educational and civic arenas. Posthumously awarded to Dorothy Gardner-Martin, Ph.D., her daughter, Kim Gardner-Sapp, accepted the award on her behalf. Kim Ga...

Living abroad in Morocco International Education Week is taking place now, and Joline Keevy, Savannah State University's International Education Specialist, caught up with alumna Shaniqua Brown who is living abroad in Morocco to celebrate the value of being a global citizen. Read on for a great Q&A with Shaniqua on life in Morocco.  Alumna Shaniqua Brown, Class of 2019, is living abroad in Morocco. Name: Shaniqua Brown Major: B.S in Interdisciplinary Studies - Education Studies track Hometown: Hardeeville, SC + Ellenwood, GA Graduated: May 2019 Where are you living : Rabat, Morocco  H ow long have you been there?  2 years    What other countries have you visited : None (yet!) Morocco was my first international experience when I joined peace corps in 2019, then COVID hit, but I’m hoping 2022 will allow for more travel experiences.   What kind of work are you doing?   Pre-School Teaching at a Bilingual school and private tutoring (ESL...

Savannah State University President Kimberly Ballard-Washington and Interim Executive Director for University Advancement and Director for Advancement Services Sheri Rouse Mainor accept a $250,000 check from an anonymous donor to provide tuition assistance for students in need. SAVANNAH, GA – During this season of giving and thanksgiving, Savannah State University (SSU) celebrates the generous financial contributions of its alumni, faculty, and staff who have donated $629,000 to support deserving students in need of tuition assistance to obtain a college degree. Made possible by Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the university will receive matching funds for five of those scholarships, dollar-for-dollar, bringing the total to more than $810,000 to impact student success. Title III is a federally funded program designed to support the infrastructure of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Multiple check presentations recently took place inside T.A. Wright Stadiu...

The Obsidian Dance Repertory is the university's official pre-professional dance group in the Department of Fine Arts, Humanities and Wellness. Savannah State University’s Visual and Performing Arts Program will present “Faces of Change,” the long-anticipated fall dance concert featuring performances by the Obsidian Dance Repertory, the official pre-professional dance group for the university’s Department of Fine Arts, Humanities and Wellness. Located on campus in the Kennedy Fine Arts Center Theater, 3219 College St., the program will take place at 8 p.m. nightly Nov. 18 – 20. “The Obsidian Dance Repertory is no stranger to the stage, but pandemic conditions restricted public performances for over a year,” said Nicholas Silberg, professor and chair of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences’ Department of Fine Arts, Humanities and Wellness. ‘Faces of Change’ is a fiercely exciting dance theater experience with a variety of styles everyone can enjoy, ranging from Afro-Moder...