Daily Lumina News 110320

Election Day is finally here. News stories in recent days have chronicled marathon road trips that college students are taking to protect their vote from a byzantine voting bureaucracy, political shenanigans, or a strained U.S. Postal Service.
That situation has many students, especially first-time voters, concerned—and asking a familiar question: Will my vote count?

Dr. Michael J. Sorrell’s path to become a college president was unconventional. The president of Paul Quinn College planned to pursue a career in public service. Eventually he wanted to own and operate a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise.
His career plans shifted as an undergraduate at Oberlin College. At the time, he had the opportunity to have dinner with Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, who was president of Spelman College. The experience would solidify his future career path.

The pandemic is straining many small American colleges, which have been scraping by for years with declining enrollment and faltering resources. But some—especially those with an overarching mission, be it secular or religious—enjoy distinct advantages over their bigger rivals in fighting the spread of the coronavirus on campus.

James Hildreth, president of Meharry Medical College, hopes the coronavirus vaccine under investigation by his historically Black institution in Nashville will help bring an end to a virus that is disproportionately killing Black Americans.
As coronavirus cases again climb in many states, several HBCUs, like Meharry, are playing a pivotal role in responding to the disease. They are studying potential vaccines, developing treatments, and testing students and members of their communities for the virus. Hildreth argues it's imperative that HBCUs rise to the occasion.