“Hip Hop Prez” Comes to Dallas
Why is there an enrollment surge at historically black colleges? Who is new on the NBC News List of 100 African Americans Making History today? What is a podcast and why is “selfie” according to the golden bastion, Oxford English Dictionary, “the -word -of -the-year”?
The 35th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Gala, held Saturday, January 14, 2017, was indeed one of the best ever. The electric keynote speaker was the 7th President of Dillard University from New Orleans, Louisiana, accompanied by the renoun Dillard University Choir. The President of this highly acclaimed institution has been recognized for his outspokenness on HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) and African American Men in college. He has taken charge of social media and his quest propelling students forward. In fact in 2010, Bachelors Degree.com listed this president as one of 25 college presidents you should follow on twitter@HipHopPrez.
Dr. Walter Kimbrough, President, Dillard University, is known as the “hip hop prez”, who took the podium unceremoniously, direct, on point, in a few words and completely comfortable. I just love speakers that ‘cut to the chase’, meaning leaving out unnecessary dialogue and non-icebreaking jokes. Dr. Kimbrough started with the meaning of the word “selfie” as . . . all-about-self. “Selfie” means selfish. His disdainful disapproval of the word and its self-centered meaning was clearly felt like a cool chill. He went on about ‘people that take pictures of themselves… brushing their teeth, etc. etc.’ He continued on with the challenge. “Why not care about somebody else?” he asked the room of about one thousand. Take a picture and post it as a Big Brother or Big Sister… take a picture with a college student and raise money to keep him/her in school.
Dr. Kimbrough is not limited. He is mighty with a pen also. The Washington Post recently published a letter he wrote about his research witnessing an increase in enrollment at historically black colleges in wake of racial tension across the nation. The enrollment at Dillard University is up 22%; at Tuskegee University 32%; South Carolina State 39%. The two key words in this paragraph are “his research”. Dr. Kimbrough has “forced” a path as a national expert on fraternities and sororities with “specific expertise regarding historically Black, Latin and Asian groups”.
As I am writing this article, I am listening to Dr. Kimbrough on a 30-minute podcast. Look him up. He is all… all over the social media landscape. Let me share this one little fact. One might wonder why “selfie” is a word and why “the hip hop prez” bought this message. Last year the word ‘selfie’ increased 17,000(%) percent. Again… why not care about somebody else? Thank you, Dr. Kimbrough. You are what genuine leadership looks like.
Please follow Dr. Kimbrough on his blog: http://hiphopprez.blogspot.com
Ester Davis can be reached @www.esterday.com.
Ester Davis Show check television and internet
Times (FBRN.US) or call 214.376.9000
