SOTE alumna wins Georgia Power grant

SAVANNAH – Savannah State University (SSU) alumna Kylie Tierce is one of 41 recipients of a new teacher grant from Georgia Power. Nominations were submitted by Georgia public colleges and universities that have schools of education.
To be eligible for a grant, candidates must be in the top 25 percent of their class, be a first-year teacher employed by a public school in Georgia and demonstrate a high aptitude for teaching. Nominations are reviewed by a statewide selection committee.
The $1000 grants are courtesy of the non-profit Georgia Power Foundation, Inc. and provide the state's newest teachers with funds to purchase classroom supplies and start their classroom careers.

SSU alumna wins naval maneuver competition

Savannah State University (SSU) alumna Ensign Shunsey Brooks won the Distinguished Shiphandler Competition in May 2016 at Basic Division Officer Course (BDOC) in Norfolk, Va.

Approximately 20 ensigns participated and three U.S. Navy captains judged the event. During the competition the ensigns briefed the captains on their plans then demonstrated their ship handling skills on a simulated system. The goal was to safely dock the ship, an LSD 43, on the pier in Norfolk while dealing with unfavorable environmental variables such as heavy winds and current.

“This means I have represented NROTC and Savannah State University well,” Brooks said, “which is enough to make me feel really proud. And I was the first person to win this competition with my ship platform (LSD 43).”

Brooks, a biology major from Vidalia, Ga., graduated from SSU in December 2015 and is currently stationed on the USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) in Mayport, Fla. As the Assistant Communications Officer she works in radio communications and is in charge of information technicians. Her division is responsible for ensuring all communications aboard the ship are functioning.

SSU students talk politics with representative Craig Gordon

This October, Georgia state representative J. Craig Gordon returned as a guest lecturer in Urban Politics.  Gordon attended SSU and the university contributed to his knowledge of politics and desire for a career in public service.  Now in his fourth term, he was one of the youngest Georgians to be elected to the state’s General Assembly and is currently a deputy whip in the Georgia House of Representatives. He shared how to prepare for public service, the leadership structure in the General Assembly, and policy issues in the state.

From Savannah to the Big Apple

She expects the best out of herself and refuses to let anything or anyone stand in her way. That’s how Savannah State alumna Tatia Adams Fox ’94 became the first and highest-ranking African-American female executive at Warner Music/ADA.

She's a marketing strategist. A community activist. An education advocate. A leadership and career coach. She's been featured in Billboard and Vibe magazines, appeared on Fox News, and been listed as one of New York City’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Philanthropy. Now, she’s come back to share her know-how for making it big time in the big leagues with Savannah’s rising generation.

As a visiting professor in marketing, Adams Fox teaches students how to go from passionate dreamer to innovative strategist. She's determined to help students find their own brand of success.

“It's not enough to have a great idea,” says Adams Fox. “You have to execute it better than anyone else out there. You have to show people how to look at something in an entirely new way.”

That's what sets you apart in this world. According to Adams Fox, you can't wait for a big break. You have to go out and make it happen yourself. Two days after graduation, she bought a one-way ticket to Chicago—determined to use a magazine publishing internship as a launchpad for one great, big career. She did. She's worked for Fortune 500 companies, MTV, and Motown Records. And handled press and marketing for celebrities like Nick Cannon, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Akon, Swizz Beatz, Wu-Tang Clan, Kat Deluna, and Q-Tip.

“I shoot straight with my students. Dreams are essential but not enough,” says Adams Fox. “It's not enough to want something; you have to work hard for it—and give everything you've got.”

Students are hearing her loud and clear. They quote her “Foxisms” around campus. And they’re finding the inspiration they need to follow her bold example.

White House Staffer To Speak at Commencement

SAVANNAH – The 185th Commencement Ceremony of Savannah State University (SSU) will take place Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 10 a.m.

The commencement speaker is alumna Alissa Johnson, Ph.D ’96, the deputy chief information officer for the Executive Office of the President of the United States. She oversees White House information technology and interfaces with multiple staff and private contractors to create a stable and flexible technology infrastructure. Prior to working at the White House, she was a cryptologic engineer with the US Department of Defense and a deputy chief technology officer with Lockheed Martin. Johnson was recently named to the Top Forty Over 40 and the 2014 Federal 100.

During the ceremony, approximately 250 students are expected to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

The ceremony will be held at the Tiger Arena, with overflow locations streaming the event live. Overflow locations are Torian Auditorium in the Howard Jordan Building, the Chan Auditorium in Whiting Hall and room 115 in the Social Sciences Building. The ceremony will be available by webcast at each overflow location.

Additional information about commencement can be found here: http://www.savannahstate.edu/academic-affairs/commencement.shtml . The ceremony will be streamed live here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ssu-185th-commencement-ceremony .

Established in 1890, Savannah State University is the oldest public historically black college or university in Georgia and the oldest institution of higher learning in the city of Savannah. The university’s 4,900 students select majors from 27 undergraduate and five graduate programs in three colleges — Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Business Administration and Sciences and Technology — and the School of Teacher Education.

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