HBCU Review: North Carolina Central University Sets Graduation Record

Plus former Virginia State student faces murder charges.

North Carolina Central University Reaches Milestone - North Carolina Central University awards record number of degrees, former Virginia State student on trial for murder, plus more HBCU headlines. — Britt Middleton  North Carolina Central University in Durham awarded an all-time record of 1,120 degrees at its spring commencement ceremony on May 11, including 712 bachelor's degrees, 246 master’s degrees and 162 law degrees, reports the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (JBHE). (Photo: Facebook/North Carolina Central University)

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North Carolina Central University Reaches Milestone - North Carolina Central University awards record number of degrees, former Virginia State student on trial for murder, plus more HBCU headlines. — Britt Middleton North Carolina Central University in Durham awarded an all-time record of 1,120 degrees at its spring commencement ceremony on May 11, including 712 bachelor's degrees, 246 master’s degrees and 162 law degrees, reports the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (JBHE). (Photo: Facebook/North Carolina Central University)

Become a Better You - Rich in history and full of culture, it’s safe to say you’ll graduate with more than a degree, but a wealth of knowledge and the ability to gravitate in various settings. Most important, you’ll leave with a better understanding and appreciativeness of those who came before and paved the way.  (Photo: Facebook/ Howard university)

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A Big Day for Howard University - Reaching another grad-day milestone, at its 2013 spring commencement Howard University awarded 96 Ph.D.s , including 31 awarded in the arts and humanities, 25 in biological and life sciences and 24 in social sciences, reports the JBHE. The university says it has awarded more doctoral degrees to on-campus African-American students than any other university in the United States since 1996. (Photo: Howard University/Facebook)

New Coach Headed to Fisk Basketball - After three seasons at the helm, Fisk University men's basketball head coach Derek Watkins announced his resignation recently, finishing his tenure with a 18-72 record. Assistant coach Jay Smith was named interim head coach until a replacement is named. (Photo: Wiki Commons)

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New Coach Headed to Fisk Basketball - After three seasons at the helm, Fisk University men's basketball head coach Derek Watkins announced his resignation recently, finishing his tenure with a 18-72 record. Assistant coach Jay Smith was named interim head coach until a replacement is named. (Photo: Wiki Commons)

Savannah State Expands Business School - Savannah State University, an HBCU based in Savannah, Georgia, will launch a new undergraduate program in international business that will focus on entrepreneurship, logistics, marketing and other topics, according to HBCU Digest. (Photo: Savannah State University/Facebook)

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Savannah State Expands Business School - Savannah State University, an HBCU based in Savannah, Georgia, will launch a new undergraduate program in international business that will focus on entrepreneurship, logistics, marketing and other topics, according to HBCU Digest. (Photo: Savannah State University/Facebook)

Delaware State University Partners With a French Institution  - Delaware State University (DSU) struck a deal with the University of Versailles in France to create faculty and student exchange opportunities. “This partnership will offer DSU faculty, students and staff a new perspective filled with excellent opportunities while our counterparts will have, in DSU, a new solid academic partner in the USA,” said Noureddine Melikechi, the vice president of research, innovation and economic development at DSU. (Photo: REUTERS/Tim Shaffer /Landov)

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Delaware State Football Player Injured in Car Accident - Delaware State University football player Jadira Green was seriously injured following a multi-vehicle crash in New Castle County, Delaware, last week. Police say Green, a senior who played offensive lineman, was a passenger in a vehicle that was rear-ended, then struck by a different vehicle on the passenger side. The 22-year-old was listed as serious but stable condition last Thursday. (Photo: Tim Shaffer /Landov)

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Former Virginia State Student on Trial for Murder - The murder trial of former Virginia State University student Ryan Christopher Simms began on Tuesday. Simms is accused of fatally shooting Tyrail H. Hughes in April 2012 following an alleged drug-theft scheme gone wrong. Another VSU student was injured in the shootout as he walked to a nearby convenience store. (Photo: Law Enforcement)

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Former Virginia State Student on Trial for Murder - The murder trial of former Virginia State University student Ryan Christopher Simms began on Tuesday. Simms is accused of fatally shooting Tyrail H. Hughes in April 2012 following an alleged drug-theft scheme gone wrong. Another VSU student was injured in the shootout as he walked to a nearby convenience store. (Photo: Law Enforcement)

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Graduation Rates Troubling at HBCUs - A report from the Associated Press finds that graduation rates have declined at 57 of the 80 four-year HBCUs reporting data between 2006 and 2011, falling from 37.7 percent in 2006 to 33.7 percent in 2011. The report cited financial strain stemming from Black unemployment and tougher requirements to qualify for federal loans for the apparent downturn. (Photo: West Rock/Getty Images)

Rattlers vs. Devils - Are they ready to rumble on the football field? The Florida A&M University Rattlers are set to take on the Mississippi Valley State Devils in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 1. (Photo: STEPHEN M. DOWELL/Orlando Sentinel/MCT /Landov)

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Rattlers vs. Devils - Are they ready to rumble on the football field? The Florida A&M University Rattlers are set to take on the Mississippi Valley State Devils in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 1. (Photo: STEPHEN M. DOWELL/Orlando Sentinel/MCT /Landov)

Elizabeth City State University President Steps Down - The shake-ups Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina continues to unfold. It was announced this week that president Willie J. Gilchrist will step down on June 30. His departure comes weeks after the campus' police chief resigned following accusations that his department did not properly investigate as many as 125 criminal complaints, including 17 alleged sexual assaults. (Photo: WikiCommons)

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Elizabeth City State University President Steps Down - The shake-ups Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina continues to unfold. It was announced this week that president Willie J. Gilchrist will step down on June 30. His departure comes weeks after the campus' police chief resigned following accusations that his department did not properly investigate as many as 125 criminal complaints, including 17 alleged sexual assaults. (Photo: WikiCommons)

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The State of HBCUs - A new study from the University of Pennsylvania provides a snapshot of how HBCUs "fit within the shifting landscape of U.S. higher education," according to the report's authors. Highlights include growing diversity with regards to race and ethnicity among students, leadership and fundraising challenges. Click here to read the full report. (Photo: Roy Mehta/ Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Roy Mehta/Getty Images