Ron DeSantis, University of Florida, DEI

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 4, 2024

The University Of Florida Deads DEI And Ron DeSantis Is ‘Glad’ About It

Ron DeSantis continues to drag down the state of Florida.

Persons working in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices at the University of Florida found themselves unemployed after positions were eliminated following a new state rule.

In a memo published on Mar. 1, senior leadership says they must comply with Florida Board of Governors regulation 9.016, which bans the use of state funds to be used for DEI or “political or social activism.”

Mentioned programs have been defined as “any activity organized with a purpose of effecting or preventing change to a government policy, action, or function, or any activity intended to achieve a desired result related to social issues, where the university endorses or promotes a position in communications, advertisements, programs, or campus activities.”

After all DEI positions were axed, the home of the Gators closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer and stopped contracts with external vendors with DEI focuses. Now, the $5 million in funds UF previously received for those programs – with salaries and expenditures included – will be placed into, according to the memo, a retirement fund for faculty members.

According to Advocate, 13 full-time employees and 15 administrative appointees lost their jobs but will receive 12 weeks of severance pay. Governor and failed presidential candidate Ron DeSantis seemed unbothered by those staggering numbers as he celebrated the school’s decision on Twitter. “DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities,” he wrote in response to the posted memo.

“I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI, and I hope more states follow suit.”

DEI is toxic and has no place in our public universities.

I’m glad that Florida was the first state to eliminate DEI and I hope more states follow suit. https://t.co/oThvwowKu6
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 1, 2024

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, J. Scott Angle; Vice President and General Counsel, Amy Meyers Hass; and Vice President for Human Resources, Melissa Curry say they will continue a “commitment to universal human dignity.”

“As we educate students by thoughtfully engaging a wide range of ideas and views, we will continue to foster a community of trust and respect for every member of the Gator Nation,” the memo read.

“The University of Florida is an elite institution because of our incredible faculty who are committed to teaching, discovering, and serving.”

The Sunshine State had been pushing the ban of DEI initiatives since the proposal of HB 999, banning any program promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion at the college level throughout the state.

DEI advocates have openly criticized the decision, including chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Steven Horsford, who responded to DeSantis’ comments saying what is toxic is intolerance. Andrew Gothard, president of the United Faculty of Florida union, said the move is a game of silencing. “This is all about silencing students. It’s about silencing faculty. It’s about withholding funding from individuals who have beliefs, speak ideas, or take actions that would disagree with the politics of elected leaders.”

company, CEO, grants, loans, angel investor, fund, marketing, startup, founder, funding, startup

by Jeff Shuford

March 4, 2024

Are You Your Own Marketing Team? Use These Tips To Turn Up

Startups that have a great marketing plan and product are leaps and bounds ahead of many starting a business.

Originally Published Mar. 22, 2019.

Startups that have a great marketing plan and product are leaps and bounds ahead of many starting a business. One of the first questions that’s posed is whether the company is going to take on the marketing themselves or outsource their marketing to an agency. The fact is that both of these options have their merits as well as disadvantages.

Taking on your marketing as a startup founder allows you to control each aspect of the marketing campaign, but this can be risky since many startup founders might not be too well-versed in marketing.

Outsourcing your startup marketing can be risky: not all marketing companies are created equal. With a small budget, one marketing company that doesn’t deliver can severely limit your cash flow.

Self-Education

Self-education in the marketing realm is challenging but very possible. There are training programs for nearly every part of online marketing like PPC, Google Adwords, and affiliate marketing. If you want to learn Adwords or PPC, then you should review which classes/certifications garner the best results. After you have self-educated, it is important to remember that your training was not industry-specific. For this reason, it is essential to try a few different approaches to things like content marketing, SEO, and PPC.

Finding the tactics with the most substantial ROI might take a few months. The education can also be offered to your staff as this will help them understand the marketing strategy in a more profound way. Many of these classes can be written off come tax time. Look at it as an investment in the company as well as its people.

Become an Industry Thought Leader

The founder of a startup generally gets quite a few responses when outreaching to industry publications. For this reason, you should spearhead becoming a thought leader in your industry. This doesn’t mean that you always have to write articles, but it can mean being a part of a podcast or agreeing to be interviewed. The companies of thought leaders in an industry tend to get leads just because of the highly revered name of the founder. As the founder, you should take it as a personal mission to become widely known throughout an industry.

Other opportunities to establish yourself in an industry is that of conferences. At specific conventions, there are openings to speak about something specific which can do a multitude of good for the speaker. This presentation can be shared as well as a substantial increase in sales can be achieved after the presentation. As we all know conferences are a hotbed of deals being made so giving a great presentation could seal a massive deal for your startup.

Build Your Team

Building a great team can be difficult, but it has numerous advantages. This team will have no learning curve when it comes to the brand that you want to build as this can be instilled in them with training and reminders. An in-house team will also be directly accountable, while a contractor can push responsibility onto their employees. This in-house team is an investment; but with the conversions the marketing team can bring in, it can be an excellent basis for the beginning of a startup.

How to build the perfect team:
• Find a great content strategist who can keep your content calendar exciting and informative.
• A social media coordinator isn’t always needed, but someone who writes excellent social media copy is. This can be a contract or piece-by-piece position. A copywriter you have on board can do a month’s worth of tweets using Hootsuite in a few hours. Automating all of the posts should be done carefully as this post points out what could go wrong.
• Talented writers are a must in an online marketing campaign, so find a few contractors while having a writer or two in-house for rush assignments.
• A person who specializes in other types of content like video or infographics can be quite valuable. Content shouldn’t just be in written form, so diversify your team with a person who specializes in these types of content.

Take Advantage of Free Marketing

Social media can market every business regardless of size or industry. The fact social media is also free makes it necessary to create social media accounts for your startup. This can be a great place to engage with those who might be potential customers. Creating a buzz via social media for a startup can be invaluable. Name recognition is something all startups strive for during their infancy. Social media profiles are often some of the first Google results for a company. Engaging with others in your industry can be an excellent way for the company to network as well as possibly drum up some new business.

Other free marketing opportunities are things like directories and forums. These are not as effective as social media, but without cost, there is no real risk. Subreddits are a great place to get real feedback about products or ideas. Even though this isn’t marketing, it can be used as a test group as many people on Reddit help and educate.

Taking on marketing, in-house and personally, as a founder of a startup can be quite a responsibility. Build the best team possible to market as well as establish yourself individually in the industry and watch the leads/sales stream in. Marketing in-house isn’t always an option, but it should at least be considered.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 4, 2024

Did Kelly Rowland’s Dressing Room Drama Trigger A Room Makeover At ‘Today’?

Today Show's Hoda Kotb spills the beans on upgrades to infamous dressing rooms, promising a chic and comfortable backstage experience for guests.

Say goodbye to drab and dreary dressing rooms, Today show guests. Host Hoda Kotb is letting the public know that the notoriously cramped dressing rooms are getting some much-needed upgrades following the Kelly Rowland drama about them.

Kotb, who hosts the show alongside Jenna Bush Hager, announced the news at the fifth anniversary celebration of Bush Hager’s book club, Read with Jenna, in New York City on Feb 29. Kotb was elated to announce the incoming upgrades to their backstage area for guests, while her co-host also joked about the state of the dressing rooms, per Page Six.

“We have four words for you: lipstick on a pig,” said Bush Hager. “Just some wallpaper, some nice fake flowers.”

The news comes after reports of Rowland walking off set earlier that month due to a dressing room fiasco. The Mea Culpa actress was supposed to sub host for Bush Hager to support Kotb. However, the accommodations were way below standard for the entertainer, who left due to the circumstances.

“Kelly and her team were not happy. They did not like the dressing room, so they decided to pull her off the show, leaving [Kotb] without a guest host for the 10 a.m. hour,” a source shared with the tabloid.

The unexpected incident caused disarray backstage, as Rowland had already been featured on the program’s earlier set. Kotb and her producers were forced to improvise, with Rita Ora filling in at the last minute. Kotb later addressed the situation on Today days later, proclaiming her “great love” for Rowland and that she was always welcome to come back on the show.

“I just want to say this. I have great love and admiration for Kelly Rowland. I adore her. And I want her to come back on the show… of course. She can share my dressing room. We will be in it together,” expressed the 59-year-old, as reported by Entertainment Tonight. “Anyway, I want to say we loved her on the show for many, many years.”

However, Kotb is looking forward to having dressing rooms that properly accommodate its guests. She even shared at the book club event that new amenities may be included as well.

“We’re going to have fresh paint,” Kotb shared. “We’re going to add some new furniture and decoration and snacks. Maybe a mini fridge!”

corporate, startup, activate your network, price to move, launch, steps, strategic, advice

by Black Enterprise

March 4, 2024

Want More BIPOC Women On Corporate Boards? Start In Middle School

It is not surprising that boards are struggling to achieve diversity goals

Written by Stephanie J. Hull, Ph.D.

Corporate boards these days eagerly seek Black and brown people and women as directors. This interest is driven largely by ESG initiatives such as NASDAQ’s 2021 Board Diversity Rule, which requires companies to have at least one director (and by 2026, two) identifying as a woman, a member of an underrepresented racial and ethnic group, or LGBTQ+. The pressure is on.

Despite some progress, boards are struggling overall with representation. In 2022, Fortune 100 companies had 14.9% BIPOC men and 8.8% BIPOC women, according to Deloitte. Those numbers were slightly lower in the Fortune 500 (14.3% and 7.8%, respectively). Representation looks even slimmer in the S&P 500, where reported levels of diversity are plateauing, according to The Conference Board. It is telling that in 2023, Black women held just 4% of corporate board seats.

It is not surprising that boards are struggling to achieve diversity goals. Even the best-intentioned corporate leader can rarely walk out their office door and see a senior-level woman of color ready to take a seat. That is because Black and brown women, even those in C-suites, often lack opportunities and connections that would help them cultivate the broad knowledge base a board seat requires. For that matter, few Black and brown women are offered early-career mentoring and leadership preparation needed to achieve this kind of corporate fluency.

However, the real problem is at the very beginning of the career trajectory. For women of color ready for corporate boards, there need to be girls who aspire to corporate careers. The first step down this pathway should happen in middle school, where Black and brown girls develop confidence, begin to see themselves as leaders, and form the habits of mind—like entrepreneurship and independence of thought—that a board seat requires. Baseline skills, such as financial literacy, data-driven decision-making, ways to frame arguments, and the disposition to participate have to be developed when girls are in their early teens, as girls risk losing confidence during adolescence.

Girls Inc. BIPOC girls — Girls Inc. Courtesy of Stephanie Hull

While some schools offer these skills and experiences, either in class or through clubs, Black and brown girls—especially those from lower-income communities or under-resourced schools—need greater access. That comes most readily from mentors who help girls find out what they need to know, understand what matters, and see expertise and leadership in action. Even more importantly, connections with Black and brown mentors allow these girls to envision themselves in business, management, and leadership.

Sponsorships, especially from local BIPOC business leaders, are another important venue for cultivating future leaders. This is not just because young women need funding, services, or merchandise to support them (though often they do) but also because being “seen” by a successful business leader makes an impression. Young people tend to remember and aspire to work for the companies that valued and validated them early on. For young Black and brown women, a simple, magical opportunity to get a new perspective from a more seasoned woman of color can launch and accelerate their career trajectory.

But those of us who are inclined to be sponsors, mentors, and guides can hardly walk into a school or neighborhood club at random to volunteer. We generally do not know where to start, and there are guidelines to be followed. Structured engagement, organized time, safe spaces, thoughtful programming to engage in—these are the ways in which businesspeople can give their know-how to young Black and brown women.

The cold truth is that such engagement often happens on a volunteer basis—even as many adult Black and brown women press to be equitably compensated for the work we are required to do. While we still struggle to find our own positions of power and influence on for-profit boards and in other venues, it falls to us to keep one foot in the world of service and support—potentially quite rewarding, but definitely less lucrative—which is typically where those engagement opportunities dwell.

If we are ever to see more truly diverse corporate leadership in this country, it is essential that successful Black and brown adults reach back to engage with young people. We can shift the equity landscape for future generations. Yet, as has always been true, they will need shoulders to stand on, and those shoulders are ours. Only those of us who have fought for our own success as Black and brown women have the wherewithal to create longer, smoother runways for our little sisters.

Girls Inc. BIPOC, Stephanie Hull — Courtesy of Stephanie Hull

Stephanie J. Hull is President and CEO of Girls Inc., the national organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Hull is a 2023 Nonprofit Times’ Power & Influence Top 50 honoree.

Rashid Byrd, sexual assault, prison, 90 years

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 4, 2024

Former Basketball Player Rashid Byrd Sentenced 90 Years To Life For ‘Series Of Violent Sexual Assaults’

Rashid Byrd's violent past finally caught up to him.

Former basketball player Rashid Byrd was given a prison sentence of 90 years to life Friday, March 1, after being convicted of a “series of violent sexual assaults” over several years, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

“The LAPD is grateful for the brave women who came forward to tell their stories,” said Detective Dara Brown, lead investigator on the case, in a written statement. “While this investigation has gone on for years, we are thankful that Byrd is no longer on the streets.”

LAPD NEWS: Former NBA Player Sentenced to 90 Years to Life in State Prison pic.twitter.com/qnF7mZ0xxQ

— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) March 2, 2024

Byrd, 42, has been imprisoned since detectives arrested him for sexual assault in September 2020. He was held on a $4,150,000 bail, where he remained in custody until his conviction, The New York Post reports.

The assaults, according to authorities, took place in Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties between 2015 and 2020.

After receiving a complaint against Byrd of sexual assault in 2019, investigators discovered Byrd was convicted of a sexual assault involving a different woman in 2010. They also learned he had been arrested for sexually assaulting a young woman in Washington in 2005.

“He started as a charmer, playing up his status as an athlete and pseudo-celebrity, but that quickly faded into rapes and violence,” LAPD Detective Dara Brown said in a statement.

Although Byrd, who apparently never attended a four-year college, went undrafted in 2003, he signed contracts with two NBA teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings. He never played for either team.

He did play in the D-League, the NBA’s developmental league now known as the NBA G League, with the Lakers’ Los Angeles D-Fenders and the Houston Rockets’ Rio Grande Valley Vipers during the 2008-2009 season. He played in 21 games. Byrd also played in Europe.

Byrd appeared in several commercials before being seen in the 2008 Will Ferrell comedy Semi-Pro. He was also in the 2009 documentary, Bring Your ‘A’ Game, starring Mario Van Peebles, Ice Cube, and Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Bessie Blount Griffin, Black women, soft life, Women's History Month

by Mary Spiller

March 4, 2024

Black Women Inventions That Made Life Hella Soft

These are women developed technology and inventions that we still use to this day.

Although women make up around half of all doctoral degrees in both engineering and science, they only statistically hold 10% of patents in the United States. This barrier is even higher for women of color.

Studies have shown that Black women are presented with more resistance throughout the invention process. For applications of similar stature as their male counterparts, they are more likely to have their patents rejected and are even required to include more specific and detailed descriptions of their inventions. This weakens the hold of their patent by making it so specific that it’s more difficult to protect the integrity of their idea.

In celebration of the start of Women’s History Month, here is a list of seven Black women who made our lives easier with their inventions.

Alice H. Parker

Parker created the very first central heating system powered by natural gas. It’s often credited as the most important precursor for the HVAC system, which provides heating to entire homes. Parker reportedly was inspired after realizing how inefficient it was to warm a home with wood-burning stoves. The Howard University alum received her patent in 1919.

Shirley Jackson

The first Black woman to graduate with a doctorate in particle physics, Shirley Jackson invented fiber optic cables. These cables are intrinsic to the communication methods we use every day. The cables are the link between telephone, touch dialing, and call-holding systems globally. The speed of the modern cell phone is greatly due to Jackson’s genius.

Sarah E. Goode

Goode holds the patent for the fold-out bed. As the second Black woman to ever receive a patent, Goode was inspired to create the modern fold-out bed after opening a Chicago furniture store with her husband. Although she was born into slavery, Goode’s innovation filled a need for compact furniture to fit comfortably inside smaller, more affordable apartments after the end of the Civil War.

Lyda D. Newman

Newman owns the patent for hair brushes with synthetic bristles. She made haircare more accessible for women of color by creating a brush that wasn’t bristled with animal hair. The animal hair was much too soft to work for textured hair, so she created synthetic bristles more suited for defining and detangling curls.

Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner

Kenner has the patent on the sanitary belt, along with notable others like the toilet paper holder and the popular mounted back massager. The sanitary belt took 30 years to be patented and was the precursor for the modern-day menstrual pad.

Sarah Boone

Boone invented the ironing board after teaching herself to read and write. She applied for the patent in 1892 and sought to make the ironing process more efficient by creating it to be well padded, narrow on one end, include collapsible legs, and be burn resistant.

Bessie Blount Griffin

Griffin developed the feeding tube to fill a medical need after World War II. While working as a physical therapist with amputees, Griffin realized that with the lack of mobility, eating was hard for them to do independently. She invented the electric feeding tube, which periodically releases soft, small food pieces into a patient’s esophagus when they bite down. She was awarded a patent for her work in 1948.

stress, destress, tips, break, book, vacation

by Lydia Blanco

March 4, 2024

Unlock Your Earning Potential, Maximize Your Career Power

Originally Published Mar. 22, 2019.

The idea of being in control of your earning power is a huge draw for those looking to soar to new heights. Koereyelle DuBose has been empowering women to live a life they love through her lifestyle brand, GrownWomanTV. In an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, DuBose speaks about unlocking one’s earning power.

How is earning power calculated?

I always talk about work with an e (werk) because of the effort and the energy you dedicate to your own business. Your earning power is not defined by anyone outside of yourself. It’s the one thing you are in control of when transitioning from being a full-time employee to a full-time entrepreneur. A lot of times, we think that it comes down to our credentials, degrees, or a specific skill set, but I have come across so many people with different gifts, skills, and talents who have embraced the mindset that they have unlimited earning potential. That is how they created opportunities to create revenue and increase their earning potential.

What are the first steps to identifying a skill set that can be turned into a side hustle that can be monetized?

Make a list of your skills. I live by lists. Any time I am stuck on something or need clarity, I make lists. One of the lists that you can make is one of your skills. List the things that you are doing on a daily basis on your 9-to-5 and are transferable skills that you have extensive knowledge of. Those are some of the things that you can make side hustles of and generate revenue from. A lot of things that you can start a side hustle with may not be related to your degree or career but they can be things that you have skills in.

List out your passions. There are things that you’ve probably been doing since childhood that you’ve been interested in, naturally good at, or passionate about. Think about your passions, what you’re naturally drawn to, and how you can combine your talents and service or product that you can provide that’s aligned with the things that you already know how to do and you’re already interested in. I find that when we develop a business that we’re actually excited and passionate about, it will propel us when the obstacles come up and you truly have to fight for what you want.

Can you speak more about how people can leverage who they are to tap into more earning power?

Authenticity is something that I truly want to represent. You can carve out your own lane and live a successful life beyond society’s standards, doing things your own way while being able to make money, be happy, and live life on your own terms. I think for entrepreneurs, it’s scary to be authentic…especially in the world of social media and reality TV, when you only want people to know the good stuff. I had no choice but to be authentic. No matter what it is that I’m offering, my people trust me, and I think it’s because of that authenticity piece.

What advice do you have for people to unlock their earning power today?

Read the book The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn. It will help you set a solid foundation for your personal or professional growth.

Get real about where you are right now versus where you want to be. From there, you can create an action plan for how you’re going to get there.

Find an accountability partner. Share your goal and ask them to check in with you and hold you accountable.

Meditate. We’re living in an age where we have access to too much information. And a lot of people look outside of themselves for answers. I’ve found that when I meditate that’s when God gives me my answers instead of looking outside of myself for all of the answers.

by Daniel Johnson

March 4, 2024

Senate Democrats Reintroduce John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

In 2013, the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby v. Holder took power away from the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

As the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 approaches, Senate Democrats have again re-introduced the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. That act has been stalled since 2021, but nevertheless, Senate Democrats cited the need to address voter discrimination as they re-introduced the act.

According to Gray DC, Senate Majority Chuck Schumer said at the press conference, “Today we are reintroducing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act because we know how crucial, how critical it is, for us to do our part to expand access to the ballot box and end voter discrimination.”

In 2013, the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby v. Holder took power away from the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and combined with the rollback of voting protections at the state level, Senate Democrats felt compelled to act.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin called attention to the laws at the state level, saying, “Last year alone state legislators in 14 states enacted 17 laws that made it harder for people, particularly people of color, to vote.”

In addition to the anniversary of the 59th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, March 7 is the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the Selma, Alabama, march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge that created the impetus for the passage of the Civil Rights Act when Black protesters were brutally beaten on camera by police officers as they marched.

According to the Equal Justice Institute, “Horrifying images of the violence were broadcast on national television, shocking many viewers and helping to rouse support for the civil rights cause. Activists organized another march two days later, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. urged supporters from throughout the country to come to Selma to join. Many heeded his call, and the events helped spur passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 three months later.”

As One News reported, Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock made a personal note during his remarks before calling attention to how important the legislation is.

“I was Congressman Lewis’ pastor, but he was my mentor and hero because he believed voting is a sacred undertaking that’s about more than a person’s voice, it’s about their humanity,” Warnock said. “That’s why this legislation is more important than ever, because the fight to protect voting rights and voting access for every eligible American remains unfinished and even worse, so much of the progress Congressman Lewis fought for is being rolled back.”

Derrick Johnson, the national NAACP President thanked the Democrats for raising the issue in a statement.

“The NAACP is proud to support Senator Warnock’s reintroduction of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act bill. Right now, Americans, particularly Black Americans’ right to vote is under attack.”

Johnson continued, “The reintroduction of this bill marks another pivotal moment in the fight to ensure every American has access to the ballot box. We know that democracy can’t exist without the Black vote. Now, it’s up to our leaders to protect it, ensuring that every voice is heard, and every vote counted. Together, we’ll repair democracy.”

CREATING DOLLS TO BUILD CULTURAL PRIDE AND GENERATIONAL WEALTH

by Black Enterprise

March 4, 2024

CREATING DOLLS TO BUILD CULTURAL PRIDE AND GENERATIONAL WEALTH

Melissa Orijin recalls the moment she will “never forget.” While shopping for toys, she witnessed her young daughter, Esi, select a Caucasian doll with blonde hair. Although she taught her daughter to be proud of her familial ties to Cabo Verde (or Cape Verde) and Ghana in West Africa, Melissa noticed Esi began to shun her skin tone and curly hair when she became the only Black girl in class at school. Another blow to Esi’s cultural esteem: Melissa could not find a doll that resembled her child.

Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Tackle ,Kevin Johnson, Killed, Los Angeles

by Daniel Johnson

March 4, 2024

Willie Drew, Virginia State Standout, Has A Solid 40-Yard Dash Performance, Poised For NFL Success After Showcase

'No matter how big or small the school is, if you’re a good player, a good person at heart, they’ll come find you,' said Drew.

Virginia State cornerback Willie Drew ran a solid 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, clocking an official time of 4.46.

The NFL Scouting Combine is a four-day, invitation-only event that allows NFL scouts to evaluate that year’s top draft-eligible college players on various medical, mental, and physical criteria. Only 300 or so players attend each year.

As HBCU Legends reported, Drew’s 1.57 10-yard split is an indication that he has remarkable closing speed. Scouts like CBS Sports analyst Emory Hunt believe he has the coverage skills to contribute at the next level. Still, Hunt also indicated ahead of the combine that Drew’s initial path to the field in the NFL will most likely be through special teams. Hunt wanted to see if Drew would showcase his leaping ability at the NFL Combine, but Drew only ran the 40-yard dash.

Drew transferred to Virginia State from James Madison University, a perennial powerhouse at the DII level. In an interview with HBCU Sports, he said that Virginia State was the first school to give him an opportunity to play football again, and he jumped at the opportunity. Drew repaid the faith the athletic program showed him by being named the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year thanks to his ability to shadow receivers and his totals of 34 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, and 16 passes defensed. As Andscape reports, Drew became the first player in school history to receive an invite to the Senior Bowl, an all-star game for some of the nation’s best performers, and for Drew, it was a chance to compete against better competition.

Drew told Andscape that the jump in competition wasn’t a challenge for him, but scouts said that Drew had an uneven performance at the Senior Bowl, something Drew attributes to needing to adjust his technique.

“[The Senior Bowl] was a great experience from going from the [Division II] level and then going against some of the best players in the world,” he said. “It wasn’t a challenge, but I had to make some adjustments [to] my technique.”

Virginia State head coach Henry Frazier III told the outlet that despite all the attention Drew received, he didn’t turn into a different person; he kept a level head.

“We had all 32 teams come [to Virginia State]. It seemed like every practice, there was an NFL team there to watch him,” Frazier said. “And he was very consistent. It didn’t go to his head. He wasn’t one of those prima donna-type kids. He’s a humble guy. … It’s hard to find those 6-foot corners that are [as] physical as Willie.”

After praising players from HBCUs and other DII schools currently in the NFL, Drew also acknowledged something that retired players from HBCUs, such as Michael Strahan, have been saying for years: If you are good enough, the NFL will come find you.

“I believe those guys that did get drafted from the CIAA laid a foundation, not only for the CIAA but for the other [Division II] guys coming up as well,” Drew said. “That’s a blessing just to show that you can make it from anywhere. No matter how big or small the school is, if you’re a good player, a good person at heart, they’ll come find you.”

Frazier believes Drew has a high upside; if placed in the proper position with good stability around him, he believes Drew could excel at the next level.

“[He’s a] lockdown cornerback that’ll take your best receiver. He did that for us, and he relished those opportunities,” Frazier said. “So I think when he gets to a nice, fluid situation with coaching and be able to get that training for two or three years, I can see Willie Drew being an All-Pro cornerback. I really can’t wait to see that happen.”