Grambling State University
Encyclopedia
Grambling State University is a historically black (HBCU)
, public
, coeducation
al university
, located in Grambling
, Louisiana
. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail
.
(ULS), and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS).
GSU offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as certifications in five colleges and schools: College of Business, College of Education; College of Arts & Sciences, College of Professional Studies, and, School of Graduate Studies & Research. The College of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, offering programs in accounting, marketing
, management
, economics
, and computer information systems. The College of Education is the oldest college at GSU. The programs offered prepare students for employment in preschool through 12th grade, as well as higher education if desired. GSU is the only university in the nation which offers a doctorate in developmental education. The College of Arts & Sciences consists of 14 academic departments, offering both associate degree programs, as well as bachelor degree programs. The College of Professional Studies includes two academic departments—Mass Communication
, and Criminal Justice & Paralegal Studies, and two schools: the School of Nursing, and the School of Social Work. The School of Graduate Studies & Research offers several master and doctoral degree programs. Within this program, students may also apply for graduate assistantships.
In addition, GSU offers distance learning, which is part of the Continuing Education and Special Programs division. The university uses Blackboard for its online learning system and provides web-based courses with supplemental materials. All interaction is via email and Blackboard. Students work at their own pace, however, they must follow the course syllabus and meet all deadlines by the end of the semester.
Read more: Grambling State University Information, Academics, Admissions, Financial Aid, Students, Athletics, Alumni, History, Campus, Students, Faculty, Address, and Tuition http://www.stateuniversity.com/universities/LA/Grambling_State_University.html#ixzz16a5CRSkb
Read more: Grambling State University Information, Academics, Admissions, Financial Aid, Students, Athletics, Alumni, History, Campus, Students, Faculty, Address, and Tuition http://www.stateuniversity.com/universities/LA/Grambling_State_University.html#ixzz16a4bObkQ
owner, P.G. Grambling, who donated a parcel of land for the school to be constructed. With the addition of graduate departments, Grambling gained university status in 1974. Grambling State University emerged from the desire of African-American farmers in rural north Louisiana who wanted to educate other African Americans in the northern part of the state. In 1896, the North Louisiana Colored Agriculture Relief Association was formed to organize and operate a school. After opening a small school west of what is now the town of Grambling, the Association requested assistance from Booker T. Washington
of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
. Charles P. Adams, sent to aid the group in organizing an industrial school, became its founder and first president.
Under Adams’ leadership, the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School opened on November 1, 1901. Four years later, the school moved to its present location and was renamed the North Louisiana Agricultural and Industrial School. By 1928, the school was able to offer two-year professional certificates and diplomas after becoming a state junior college. The school was renamed Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute.
In 1936, the program was reorganized to emphasize rural education. It became known as "The Louisiana Plan" or "A Venture in Rural Teacher Education." Professional teaching certificates were awarded when a third year was added in 1936, and the first baccalaureate degree was awarded in 1944 in elementary education. The institution’s name was changed to Grambling College in 1946 in honor of a white sawmill owner, P.G. Grambling, who donated a parcel of land for the school. Thereafter, the college prepared secondary teachers and added curricula in sciences, liberal arts and business. With these programs in effect, the school was transformed from a single purpose institution of teacher education into a multipurpose college. In 1949, the college was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The Grambling science building is one of twenty-six public structures in Louisiana constructed by the contractor George A. Caldwell
. In 1974, the addition of graduate programs in early childhood and elementary education gave the school a new status and a new name – Grambling State University.
From 1977 to 2000, the university grew and prospered. Several new academic programs were incorporated and new facilities were added to the 384 acres (1.6 km²) campus, including a business and computer science building, school of nursing, student services building, stadium, stadium support facility and an intramural sports center. In 2006, Grambling State was the setting for the Black Entertainment Television
network docudrama "Season of the Tiger
," which chronicled the daily lives of members of the football team and marching band throughout the 2005 season.
State Representative
George B. Holstead
of Ruston, whose grandfather had been instrumental in the founding of Louisiana Tech, worked to increase state appropriations for both Louisiana Tech and Grambling State University during his legislative tenure from 1964-1980.
In 2010, a state audit showed that GSU lost money on an illegal stock purchase and was in violation of two state laws. State Representative
Francis C. Thompson
, a Delhi
Democrat
, urged the state to conduct financial oversight at Grambling and at other institutions in view of the audit. The audit claims that GSU illegally invested $2.6 million in the stock market with money that had been reserved for university facilities. Thompson said that the state should "develop a safety net if something can fall through the cracks like this."
became the second president and the highly successful baseball coach from 1936 until his retirement in 1977. Five presidents served from 1977 to 2001: Dr. Joseph Benjamin Johnson, Dr. Harold W. Lundy, Dr. Raymond Hicks, Dr. Leonard Haynes III and Dr. Steve A. Favors. The advent of a new millennium and the beginning of a second century of service ushered in Grambling State University’s first female president, Dr. Neari Francois Warner. Warner served a three-year interim term. Dr. Horace Judson, who became the institution’s seventh president in 2004, led the most ambitious 5-year campaign to rebuild the institution's facilities. On Wednesday, October 21, 2009, Judson announced his resignation effective October 31, 2009. The current president is Frank Pogue.
) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference
(SWAC). Currently, the Grambling State University Department of Athletics sponsors Men's Intercollegiate football, along with men's and women's basketball, baseball, track & field, softball, golf, soccer, tennis, bowling and volleyball.
In 1991 The Band performed a stunning half time show turning off all the lights in the home stadium, performing with small flash lights on their shoes
-Willie Brown
, Green Bay Packers
: NFL Hall of Fame
Eight-time Mr. Olympia
winner Ronnie Coleman
is a noted alumni as well as actress Natalie Desselle-Reid
. Grammy-winner
Erykah Badu
attended Grambling State University and once served as a campus Queen, although she began concentrating on music full-time and left the university before graduating. New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow
is also an alumni. Alumnus Pinkie C. Wilkerson
, served in the Louisiana House of Representatives
from 1992 until her death in an automobile accident on August 1, 2000. SFormer NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XXII
MVP Doug Williams, is not only an alumni, but currently serves as the Tigers head football coach. West coast bay area rap artist E-40
also attended Grambling State University. Grambling State University graduate, Stephanie Finleyhad, was nominated as U.S. Attorney for Louisiana's Western District by President Barack Obama. Award winning and world renowned jazz artist Michael Thomas is a Grambling alumni and he was a member of the Tiger Marching Band along with jazz artists Lovett Hines and Bob French
.
The writer Judi-Ann Mason was a double major graduate of Grambling. She began her writing career at Grambling by winning 2 major playwrighting awards through the American College Theatre Festival. As a sophomore her first full length play " Livin' Fat" won the first Norman Lear award. In her senior year lightening struck again when her script "A Star Aint Nothin But a Hole in Heaven' won the first Lorraine Hansberry award. As part of the prize She worked several years with the Lear organization writing for 'Good Times' She later was the head writer for the Black soap 'Generations'. Mason went on to pen the screenplay for Whoopi Goldberg's hit movie 'Sister Act II'. Judi passed away in 2009 at the age of 54.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
, public
State university system
A state university system in the United States is a group of public universities supported by an individual state, or a similar entity such as the District of Columbia. These systems constitute the majority of public-funded universities in the country...
, coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, located in Grambling
Grambling, Louisiana
Grambling is a city in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,693 at the 2000 census. The city is home to Grambling State University and is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail
Louisiana African American Heritage Trail
Louisiana African American Heritage Trail is a cultural heritage trail with 26 sites designated in 2008 by the state of Louisiana, from New Orleans along the Mississippi River to Baton Rouge and Shreveport, with sites in small towns and plantations also included. In New Orleans several sites are...
.
Academics
Grambling State University (GSU) provides over 800 courses, and nearly 70 degree programs. Known for its excellent academic programs in Nursing, Computer Science, and teacher education, GSU is a member of the University of Louisiana SystemUniversity of Louisiana System
The University of Louisiana System is one of four public university systems in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its headquarters are in the Claiborne Building in Baton Rouge.-History and diversification:...
(ULS), and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
(SACS).
GSU offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as certifications in five colleges and schools: College of Business, College of Education; College of Arts & Sciences, College of Professional Studies, and, School of Graduate Studies & Research. The College of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, offering programs in accounting, marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
, management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, and computer information systems. The College of Education is the oldest college at GSU. The programs offered prepare students for employment in preschool through 12th grade, as well as higher education if desired. GSU is the only university in the nation which offers a doctorate in developmental education. The College of Arts & Sciences consists of 14 academic departments, offering both associate degree programs, as well as bachelor degree programs. The College of Professional Studies includes two academic departments—Mass Communication
Mass communication
Mass communication is the term used to describe the academic study of the various means by which individuals and entities relay information through mass media to large segments of the population at the same time...
, and Criminal Justice & Paralegal Studies, and two schools: the School of Nursing, and the School of Social Work. The School of Graduate Studies & Research offers several master and doctoral degree programs. Within this program, students may also apply for graduate assistantships.
In addition, GSU offers distance learning, which is part of the Continuing Education and Special Programs division. The university uses Blackboard for its online learning system and provides web-based courses with supplemental materials. All interaction is via email and Blackboard. Students work at their own pace, however, they must follow the course syllabus and meet all deadlines by the end of the semester.
Read more: Grambling State University Information, Academics, Admissions, Financial Aid, Students, Athletics, Alumni, History, Campus, Students, Faculty, Address, and Tuition http://www.stateuniversity.com/universities/LA/Grambling_State_University.html#ixzz16a5CRSkb
Read more: Grambling State University Information, Academics, Admissions, Financial Aid, Students, Athletics, Alumni, History, Campus, Students, Faculty, Address, and Tuition http://www.stateuniversity.com/universities/LA/Grambling_State_University.html#ixzz16a4bObkQ
History
Grambling State was founded in 1901 and accredited in 1949. The school became Grambling College in 1946 named after a sawmillSawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
owner, P.G. Grambling, who donated a parcel of land for the school to be constructed. With the addition of graduate departments, Grambling gained university status in 1974. Grambling State University emerged from the desire of African-American farmers in rural north Louisiana who wanted to educate other African Americans in the northern part of the state. In 1896, the North Louisiana Colored Agriculture Relief Association was formed to organize and operate a school. After opening a small school west of what is now the town of Grambling, the Association requested assistance from Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915...
of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Charles P. Adams, sent to aid the group in organizing an industrial school, became its founder and first president.
Under Adams’ leadership, the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School opened on November 1, 1901. Four years later, the school moved to its present location and was renamed the North Louisiana Agricultural and Industrial School. By 1928, the school was able to offer two-year professional certificates and diplomas after becoming a state junior college. The school was renamed Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute.
In 1936, the program was reorganized to emphasize rural education. It became known as "The Louisiana Plan" or "A Venture in Rural Teacher Education." Professional teaching certificates were awarded when a third year was added in 1936, and the first baccalaureate degree was awarded in 1944 in elementary education. The institution’s name was changed to Grambling College in 1946 in honor of a white sawmill owner, P.G. Grambling, who donated a parcel of land for the school. Thereafter, the college prepared secondary teachers and added curricula in sciences, liberal arts and business. With these programs in effect, the school was transformed from a single purpose institution of teacher education into a multipurpose college. In 1949, the college was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The Grambling science building is one of twenty-six public structures in Louisiana constructed by the contractor George A. Caldwell
George Caldwell (Louisiana)
George A. Caldwell, sometimes known as Big George Caldwell , was a powerful Louisiana contractor who supervised the construction of nine buildings on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, including the university library and the structures housing the dairying and physics...
. In 1974, the addition of graduate programs in early childhood and elementary education gave the school a new status and a new name – Grambling State University.
From 1977 to 2000, the university grew and prospered. Several new academic programs were incorporated and new facilities were added to the 384 acres (1.6 km²) campus, including a business and computer science building, school of nursing, student services building, stadium, stadium support facility and an intramural sports center. In 2006, Grambling State was the setting for the Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
network docudrama "Season of the Tiger
Season of the Tiger
Season of the Tiger is a six part docudrama that follows members of the Grambling State University marching band and football team during the 2005-2006 football season....
," which chronicled the daily lives of members of the football team and marching band throughout the 2005 season.
State Representative
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
George B. Holstead
George B. Holstead
George Burnham Holstead, Jr. , was an attorney in Ruston, Louisiana, who was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1964-1980.-Pioneer family:...
of Ruston, whose grandfather had been instrumental in the founding of Louisiana Tech, worked to increase state appropriations for both Louisiana Tech and Grambling State University during his legislative tenure from 1964-1980.
In 2010, a state audit showed that GSU lost money on an illegal stock purchase and was in violation of two state laws. State Representative
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
Francis C. Thompson
Francis C. Thompson
Francis Coleman Thompson is a wealthy developer from Delhi in Richland Parish, Louisiana, U.S., where he served as a senior Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He served continuously from 1975 until 2007...
, a Delhi
Delhi, Louisiana
Delhi, originally called Deerfield, is a town in Richland Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,066.-History:...
Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, urged the state to conduct financial oversight at Grambling and at other institutions in view of the audit. The audit claims that GSU illegally invested $2.6 million in the stock market with money that had been reserved for university facilities. Thompson said that the state should "develop a safety net if something can fall through the cracks like this."
University presidents
Following the first university president Charles P. Adams, Ralph Waldo Emerson JonesRalph Waldo Emerson Jones
Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones, Sr. , also known as Ralph W. E. Jones or Prez Jones, was from 1936 until his retirement in 1977 the second president of historically black Grambling State University in Grambling in Lincoln Parish in north Louisiana.-Background:The grandson of a slave, Jones was born in...
became the second president and the highly successful baseball coach from 1936 until his retirement in 1977. Five presidents served from 1977 to 2001: Dr. Joseph Benjamin Johnson, Dr. Harold W. Lundy, Dr. Raymond Hicks, Dr. Leonard Haynes III and Dr. Steve A. Favors. The advent of a new millennium and the beginning of a second century of service ushered in Grambling State University’s first female president, Dr. Neari Francois Warner. Warner served a three-year interim term. Dr. Horace Judson, who became the institution’s seventh president in 2004, led the most ambitious 5-year campaign to rebuild the institution's facilities. On Wednesday, October 21, 2009, Judson announced his resignation effective October 31, 2009. The current president is Frank Pogue.
Athletics
The Grambling Tigers represent Grambling State University in NCAA intercollegiate athletics. Grambling's sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (I-AA for footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference
Southwestern Athletic Conference
The Southwestern Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black universities in the Southern United States...
(SWAC). Currently, the Grambling State University Department of Athletics sponsors Men's Intercollegiate football, along with men's and women's basketball, baseball, track & field, softball, golf, soccer, tennis, bowling and volleyball.
Tiger Marching Band
- In 1999, U.S. President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
performed with the band for a halftime show in Grambling, Louisiana. - The Tiger Marching Band have an average of 125 students with a grade points average of 3.00 or more each year.
- In 1999, much to the anger of the alumni, the Tiger Marching Band along with GSU's female dance troupe "The Orchesis Dance Company" was featured in a nationally televised commercial as part of Procter & Gamble's "Tampax Was There" marketing campaign.
- In 1999, the band was featured in commercial bumpers for Cartoon NetworkCartoon NetworkCartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
's "Cartoon Cartoon Fridays" block. They performed the main Cartoon CartoonsCartoon CartoonsCartoon Cartoons is a collective name for Cartoon Network original series. These cartoons were originally produced by Hanna-Barbera and Cartoon Network Studios, but over the years, studios like a.k.a. Cartoon, Kino Films, Stretch Films, Blanky Blook and Curious Pictures produced these series for...
theme, as well as the theme songs for other Cartoon Network shows. - In 1998, the band was featured in Super Bowl XXXII, alongside Boyz II MenBoyz II MenBoyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
, Martha Reeves, and Smokey Robinson. - In 1981, the band appeared in "Marching Band/Coke Is It," an award-winning commercial developed for Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
USA. - The band performed in the Hollywood films Grambling's White Tiger (1981), and DrumlineDrumlineA drumline is a section of percussion instruments usually played as part of a musical marching ensemble. High school and college marching bands, drill and drum corps, drum and bugle corps, indoor percussion ensembles, and pipe bands usually incorporate drumlines; however, drumlines can exist...
(2002). - In 2006, Season of the Tiger is a six part docudrama that follows members of the Grambling State University (LA) marching band and football team during the 2005-2006 football season. Produced by DAFT films and Black Entertainment Television (BET), Season of the Tiger premiered on April 27, 2006 at 9:30 p.m. The subsequent episodes were shown at the same Thursday time slot for the following five weeks. In documentary style, the show focuses on the lives of three band members and two football players as they try to fulfill their potential, despite the setbacks they encounter along the way. Season of the Tiger is the second BET reality show to focus on life at a historically black institution (HBCU) (see College Hill), and the first to highlight the competitive environment of marching bands at some HBCUs. Grambling State standout starting quarterback and NFL prospect Bruce Eugene is among the many featured in the docudrama.
- In the 118th Tournament of Roses ParadeTournament of Roses ParadeThe Tournament of Roses Parade, better known as the Rose Parade, is "America's New Year Celebration", a festival of flower-covered floats, marching bands, equestrians and a college football game on New Year's Day , produced by the non-profit Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.The annual...
(2007), Grambling State's marching band was the marching band in the Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
Spectacular, in which all members were wearing Imperial officer uniforms. This was the band's second time in the Tournament of Roses Parade: 1980 being the first time an HBCU band was selected to march and lead in the Tournament of Roses Parade. - The band was included in the inaugural parade for U.S. President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. - Along with the band directors there are many different student leaders that contribute to the success and order of the band. They are members of distinct organizations, Phi Mu Alpha (Professional Music Fraternity For Men, 1898), Kappa Kappa PsiKappa Kappa PsiKappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A...
(National Band Honor Fraternity, 1919), Tau Beta SigmaTau Beta SigmaTau Beta Sigma is a co-educational national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university bands. The Sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,500 active members in 145 active chapters, and over 40,000 alumni...
(National Band Honor Sorority, 1946), and Silver Dogs, Inc. (Prestigious Campus Brotherhood, 1945). - In 2009, the band was included in the inaugural parade for U.S. President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
In 1991 The Band performed a stunning half time show turning off all the lights in the home stadium, performing with small flash lights on their shoes
Notable Alumni
Alumni of Grambling State include numerous MLB, NBA, NFL players and artists.-Willie Brown
Willie Brown
Willie Brown may refer to:*Willie Brown , Mayor of San Francisco, 1996–2004, Speaker of the California State Assembly, 1980–1995*Willie Brown , American football Hall-of-Fame cornerback...
, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
: NFL Hall of Fame
Eight-time Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest at Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness . Joe Weider created the contest to enable the...
winner Ronnie Coleman
Ronnie Coleman
Ronnie Dean "Big Ron" Coleman is an American professional bodybuilder who holds the record of eight straight wins as Mr. Olympia, a record career total that he shares with Lee Haney.-Biography:...
is a noted alumni as well as actress Natalie Desselle-Reid
Natalie Desselle-Reid
Natalie Desselle-Reid is an American actress.Desselle-Reid was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, the daughter of Thelma and Paul Desselle. She graduated from Peabody Magnet High School and attended Grambling State University...
. Grammy-winner
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
attended Grambling State University and once served as a campus Queen, although she began concentrating on music full-time and left the university before graduating. New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow
Charles M. Blow
Charles M. Blow is an American journalist, and the current visual Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times. Blow graduated magna cum laude from Grambling State University in Louisiana, and has worked as a graphics director and art director for the Times and National Geographic respectively.In April...
is also an alumni. Alumnus Pinkie C. Wilkerson
Pinkie C. Wilkerson
Pinkie Carolyn Wilkerson was an African American member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from her native Grambling, west of Ruston, Louisiana, who served from 1992 until her death in a six-vehicle traffic accident on Interstate 20 in Bossier City, Louisiana. Wilkerson was particularly...
, served in the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1992 until her death in an automobile accident on August 1, 2000. SFormer NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
MVP Doug Williams, is not only an alumni, but currently serves as the Tigers head football coach. West coast bay area rap artist E-40
E-40
Earl Stevens , better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and investor from Vallejo, California. He is also part of the rap group The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. His solo debut album, Federal, was released in November 1992, after The Click's debut...
also attended Grambling State University. Grambling State University graduate, Stephanie Finleyhad, was nominated as U.S. Attorney for Louisiana's Western District by President Barack Obama. Award winning and world renowned jazz artist Michael Thomas is a Grambling alumni and he was a member of the Tiger Marching Band along with jazz artists Lovett Hines and Bob French
Bob French
Robert "Bob" French is a United States jazz drummer and a former radio show host at WWOZ, from New Orleans, Louisiana.French has led The Tuxedo Jazz Band since 1977. -Career:As a child French took drumming lessons from Louis Barbarin...
.
The writer Judi-Ann Mason was a double major graduate of Grambling. She began her writing career at Grambling by winning 2 major playwrighting awards through the American College Theatre Festival. As a sophomore her first full length play " Livin' Fat" won the first Norman Lear award. In her senior year lightening struck again when her script "A Star Aint Nothin But a Hole in Heaven' won the first Lorraine Hansberry award. As part of the prize She worked several years with the Lear organization writing for 'Good Times' She later was the head writer for the Black soap 'Generations'. Mason went on to pen the screenplay for Whoopi Goldberg's hit movie 'Sister Act II'. Judi passed away in 2009 at the age of 54.
External links
- www.gram.edu -- Official web site
- www.gsutigers.com -- Official athletics web site
- www.gram.edu/band/ -- Tiger Marching Band web site