Delaware State University will honor former president Jerome H. Holland with a statue installed at the entrance of the university’s pedestrian mall. Dr. Holland served as president of what was then named Delaware State College from 1953 to 1960. When he first began his presidency, the institution was at risk of closing. However, Dr. Holland’s leadership addressed the college’s shortcomings and brought about a healthy partnership between the school and the state of Delaware. Many at university believe that the institution would not have survived the 1950s without the leadership of Dr. Holland. This installation will be the first statue erected on the university’s campus.
Tequila Harris, associate professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has received the L. E. Scriven Young Investigator Award from the International Society of Coating Science and Technology. The award recognizes outstanding sustained achievements or one-time breakthroughs in the field of continuous liquid-film coating. Dr. Harris’ work focuses on a novel advancement in processing film coatings, mainly for use in electronics. She is the first woman and the first African-American to win the award in its 20-year history. Dr. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
Zachery S. Mitcham, director of security and compliance at North Carolina Central University in Durham, has received the CISO of the Year award from the EC-Council, a leading information security certification body. He is recognized for his career longevity and impact on information security. Mitcham has over 37 years of experience in operations and information systems security including positions with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, the University of North Carolina System, and the United States Department of Defense. He is also a retired major of the United States Army. Mitcham holds a bachelor’s degree from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and a master’s degree from Central Michigan University.
Taiyon J. Coleman, assistant professor of English literature at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, has received the 2018-2019 Mirrors and Windows Fellowship from the Loft Literary Center, one of the nation’s leading independent literary centers. The fellowship supports indigenous writers and writers of color in creating picture books, middle grade novels, and young adult literature. As a fellow, Dr. Coleman will attend six workshops led by literary and publishing experts, get involved with Loft events, and receive individual consultations on her manuscripts.
Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, a plant geneticist from the University of Ghana, has been awarded the 2018 World Agriculture Prize in Nanjing, China for his success in founding and directing the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) from 2007 to 2018. The WACCI is a partner of International Programs in Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the University of Ghana. Dr. Danquah is the first African to ever be awarded the prize. He holds a bachelor’s degree in crop science from the University of Ghana and a master’s degree in plant breeding and a Ph.D. in plant genetics from Cambridge University in England.
