UDC ranks #17 in the 2022-2023 U.S. News & World Report Best HBCUs
Student Board of Trustee member hopes to make UDC an ‘even more dynamic institution’
Each year, the student body elects a student representative voting member of the University’s Board of Trustees, and this year’s representative is Tonya Harris. Harris will bring students’ perspectives into the university’s highest decision-making body and participate in regular board meetings, serve on board committees, participate in various university functions and ceremonies, and complete assigned projects. She will work closely with UDC leadership and the Student Government Associations.
UDC Law partners with SuitShop to welcome incoming class, fund scholarships
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC Law) has partnered with SuitShop to provide each incoming student with a suit jacket to kickstart their legal careers. Every student who comes to UDC Law participates in the school’s top-five-ranked Clinical Program (U.S. News & World Report, 2023), where they serve the D.C. community by working on real cases with real clients under the supervision of licensed attorneys. This means UDC Law students begin practical application from the moment they start law school, and the partnership with SuitShop is one of many ways UDC Law is working on setting students up for success from the beginning – and kickstarting the next fifty years of practicing law, promoting justice and changing lives.
Remembering South African President Nelson Mandela
Every July, people in South Africa and around the world celebrate “Nelson Mandela month.” It is a time to reflect on and honor the life and legacy of the former South African President, who was jailed for 27 years by an apartheid government.
Trailblazing music professor receives Stecher & Horowitz Power of Innovation Award and continues to pioneer for greater diversity in the arts
Dr. Leah Claiborne, associate professor of music (piano) and coordinator of keyboard studies, has received the 2022 Stecher & Horowitz Power of Innovation Award from the Music Teachers National Association. This $10,000 prize is awarded annually to a young professional artist or teacher who demonstrates an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to artistic excellence, pedagogical leadership, nurturing spirit and community service.
Alumnus strikes gold at the 49th annual Daytime Emmy Awards and advises students to ‘chase your purpose’
“Outstanding Entertainment News Series” for his work on Entertainment Tonight (ET). A mass media graduate (now digital media), he interned with NBC Washington and worked at CBS News before becoming an associate producer at ET. Matthews, who is originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, is also a dedicated Firebird who has stayed connected to the University. We spoke to him about his tremendous success.
UDC grad making a difference for the LGBTQ+ community and people of color
Breanna Champion (she/her/they) is no stranger to fighting for what she believes is right. A Spring ‘22 graduate who identifies as queer, Champion has never stopped fighting for those needing support. Before transferring to UDC from Chicago, where she worked toward LGBTQ+ rights, she had already been on the front lines fighting against gun violence, mass incarceration and police brutality—taking her protest to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, at age 21.
Raising the banner for LGBTQ+ rights at UDC
Recent graduate Shabre West (she/her/hers) is committed to eliciting change for LGBTQ+ students. Raised by her grandmother after losing her mother to breast cancer when she was eight years old, West is determined to make her family proud and continue her advocacy efforts for an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all LGBTQ+ undergraduate and graduate students.
Addressing food deserts and teaching others are among the goals of UDC-certified master gardener
Growing what you eat has always fascinated Michael Bunn as a boy watching his aunt use her skills from South Carolina to transform a D.C. garden into a food oasis. Bunn and his sister, Kyra Moore, set out to expand their options by growing their fruit and vegetables after completing the D.C. Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program at the UDC Community College.
‘This is your moment.’ 2022 graduates participate in the first in-person ceremony since the pandemic
It was a celebration of the completion of academic achievement, and a step toward returning to a semblance of normalcy as the University of the District of Columbia held its first in-person Commencement ceremony since 2019. Held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. on Saturday, May 14, 743 graduates representing six schools and colleges marched in the procession for the final stop on this part of their academic journey.