October 23, 2019
Proctor Forum to Feature Celebrated Author & Educator Ivory Toldson
BSU Event Spotlights Education Profession & Honors Legacy of Prominent Graduate
MEDIA CONTACT: Damita Chambers, dchambers@bowiestate.edu, 301-832-2628 mobile
(BOWIE, Md.)– Highlighting the future direction of education, Bowie State University hosts a celebration of outstanding educators on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, featuring renowned scholar and author of "No BS (Bad Stats)" Ivory Toldson, that is designed to strengthen the pipeline of students interested in the profession and showcase education as a lifelong career.
The James E. Proctor Jr. Forum on Education, Innovation and Leadership honors the life and legacy of the late Delegate Proctor, one of Bowie State’s most distinguished alumni, as well as observes American Education Week. The 3rd annual event is a daylong activities that offer meaningful opportunities for students and educators alike to find inspiration and solutions for 21st Century challenges in education.
During the first part of the day, high school students from around the region will be able to engage in college-prep webinars in their classrooms, led by university administrators and students, which will include a virtual tour of the Bowie State campus.
Later that evening, starting at 5:30 p.m. in the James E. Proctor Jr. Building, a reception and Gallery Walk of poster presentations will highlight the latest educational research by BSU faculty and students, followed by a keynote address by Ivory Toldson, who will share insights from his latest book, “No BS (Bad Stats).” His book is a provocative challenge to the false narratives and negative stereotypes used to deny educational opportunities to African-American students. After the keynote address, Bowie State will honor an outstanding Prince George's County principal with the inaugural Proctor Excellence in Education Award, which comes with a $500 prize for the individual and a $500 for the recipient's school.
Dr. Toldson is the president and CEO of the Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Network, professor of counseling psychology at Howard University and editor-in-chief of The Journal of Negro Education. Previously, Dr. Toldson was appointed by President Barack Obama to devise national strategies to sustain and expand federal support to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He also served as senior research analyst for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and contributing education editor for TheRoot.com, where he debunked some of the most pervasive myths about African-Americans in his Show Me the Numbers column.
The event honors the late Honorable James E. Proctor Jr., who was committed to Maryland’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), especially his alma mater, Bowie State University. With his support, Bowie State received approximately $200 million in state funding over the course of his tenure in the Maryland legislature. Family and friends of Delegate Proctor established an endowed scholarship in his honor at Bowie State University.
###
About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu.