My Work
Aaliyah Clarke: A Look into the Life and Career of a Howard University Student
From the outside looking in, Aaliyah Clarke is your average college freshman navigating the new world around her. Yet, in the hastiness of a new city, she centers her drive to push forward in the culture and ménage of her hometown.
Coming from a big city, college life can be difficult, but Clarke uses her life experiences and familial upbringing to guide her through that process. Clarke is a freshman journalism major from Brooklyn, New York. Her hobbies include writing and anything influenced by fashion and the world around it. While Clarke has always had a love for fashion, there wasn’t always a clear path in her desire to pursue journalism. As she entered high school she developed a keen sense of love and understanding of the power in her words. Writing soon became a clear path to her preferred future career in editorial journalism which would also focus on her adoration of fashion. While those aspirations were forming into attainable goals Clarke also was very timid. During high school, she didn’t join many clubs, have many friends, or do any community service. One of her biggest regrets during that period of time was not chasing her passions and developing an early sense of self.
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In the midst of gravitating toward her future endeavors, she often reflects on the area in which she was raised and how it affected the woman she is becoming. Being from Brooklyn, Clarke grew up immersed in different cultures and ethnic enclaves. Puerto Ricans, Greeks, Italians, and Jamaicans are just a few of the different groups of people that reside in Brooklyn, New York. “I love being from New York…the people here work hard for everything they have,” Clarke said. She has been able to not only develop within her city but also bring a piece of it with her. While navigating her first year of college has had its faults, the integrity and determination instilled in Clarke has allowed her to soar in her education. The cultural background of her family and the community around her has cultivated the mindset and work ethic she exemplifies every day.
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In the future, Clarke hopes to become the editor of a major magazine and manage the output of today’s media. “I would love to work in fashion journalism,” Clarke states. “I’ve always wanted to be behind the scenes, still focusing on journalism.”
“To the girl I saw in starbucks” Video & Reflection
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“To the girl I saw in Starbucks” is a poem written by myself, Tia Pitts, detailing an encounter that made me reflect on my sexual assault and my emotional reaction. It details the imagined life of a young girl I witnessed who seemed to be so full of happiness and joy. While I didn’t know her, I described the things which made me see her in that light, a light I once had. The basis of the poem breaks down the “happiness” I saw in that girl in relation to the happiness I no longer have. The poem not only is a projection of sorrow but also a questioning of how one should feel in comparison to how they actually feel after sexual assault. In stanza 34 I stated, “Are you loud in an ignorant way or despite the smite and what a man can do”. In a figurative sense, the ignorance I was referring to was more satire than anything else. Essentially, I was basing my life experiences and the way I carried myself on another young girl. I will never know this girl in the way I’ve described but I was curious how she could be so happy if anything like what happened to me had happened to her. It was a way to describe her gaiety as ignorance in order to excuse my despondency. Whether you are speaking on sexual assault within HBCUs or the black community as a whole, there are a number of internal issues we face and lack to address. If nothing else, this poem requires thought and deliberation from the readers. It allows the readers to feel safe in their fear and allows them to understand they aren’t alone in their need for answers they may never find. As the poem is coming to an end, I specifically detail who it is written for by saying, “I write this formally addressed and signed, indifferent yet the same, To the girls I’ve never seen in Starbucks and to the ones I see every day”. This shows that the poem was meant to not only reach those who can relate to “the girl in Starbucks” or myself, but to everyone who finds it relevant. Significantly, I wrote this poem to not only display my internal dejection but to address others as well. Whether you’ve been raped, beaten, sexually assaulted, or have never experienced anything similar, I am expressing my sorrow and hoping in it the reader can form some type of interconnection within themselves.
The Financial Struggle of Campaign Season at Howard University
By Tia Pitts
Some students who ran for a student government position at Howard University this year said the financial aspect of campaign season is draining.
Howard University has seven different colleges that make up the undergraduate program. Within these colleges, every year, students run for student government positions. School of Business treasurer, School of Fine Arts vice president and Mr. School of Communications are just a few examples of the positions open to the student body.
“Campaign season is absolutely a financial strain on students…I have seen people hardly spend money and win, but also have seen people spend enormous amounts of money and lose,” Jada White, a candidate for Miss School of Communications said.
Throughout campaign season, many students have had different outcomes from their spending. Some students spent hundreds of dollars catering food hoping students will promote their campaign. Others spent less, hoping that their advertising and position platforms would speak for itself.
Based on the data, the financial strain of putting together these campaigns has been overwhelming for many students. 50% of students we spoke with said they spent between $300 and $1000 on their campaigns. 12.1% of the students surveyed claim they spent over $1000 dollars on their campaign.
During campaign season, candidates use different strategies in order to get the attention of the student body. Interactive events, such as field days that are conducted on the yard or photo booths that allow students to come together, are two ways students often campaign. Free food and giveaways are another way candidates promote their campaign in order to engage with the campus.
Photo courtesy of Tia Pitts. A candidate for Mr. SOC speaks with a student about their concerns.
“During campaign season, candidates are almost throwing money and prizes at the student body so they can vote for them. It makes it even harder for people who aren’t financially able to compete on the same level,” said Danilo Wrightsell, a candidate for Mr. School of Communications.
Having over 50 students running for these positions allows for competitive campaigning. Some students are willing and able to spend hundreds of dollars, while others struggle immensely with funding.
Howard students were limited in their spending and told by the university they couldn’t exceed the maximum amount of $5000. While some stayed true to that amount, others surpassed their limit in hopes of winning their campaign. One student stated they spent over $5000 dollars in pursuit of their campaigning goals.
“Honestly, just reaching out to companies and pitching my vision with the event. Always shoot for more and companies tend to listen. Also aiming for companies that already have college ambassador programs makes it easier as well such as Good Molecules as we know these companies are willing to give away products,” said Kirsten Plunkett, a candidate for Miss School of Business.
While this reality was true and apparent for some students campaigning, some felt as if it was not an option. As shown below, many students who ran for positions did not receive financial assistance from companies and organizations.
“I had heard of certain candidates who reached out to organizations but … everyone I asked personally said they were doing it out of pocket. If organizations and companies were giving funds for student campaigns, I gather most students didn’t know that was a possibility,” said Wrightsell.
Other students were aware of the financial help organizations were willing to give but still chose not to use those resources.
“If I could do anything differently, I would definitely fundraise first…It was just something I felt intimidated by. I felt like who would really give me money and how would I go about asking for it,” said White.
While the reality of campaign seasons' financial burden is relevant to many students, other students had different perspectives.
“For me personally, it wasn’t. I set a maximum amount I was willing to spend for campaign season and ended up spending less,” said Justyce Reed, a candidate for College of Arts and Sciences.
While every candidate's experience was different, some students felt that, financially, campaign season was a burden.
Embracing Change: Dean Gracie Lawson-Borders Steps Down from Her Position at Howard University
By Tia Pitts
After 11 years, Gracie Lawson-Borders is stepping down from her position as School of Communications Dean at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year.
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Throughout her tenure at Howard University, she has brought forth many achievements and improvements within the School of Communications(SOC). Advocating for students, obtaining more funding, building lasting relationships with students and faculty, and adding more departments within SOC are just a few of the things she’s done.
“I hope I was a part of encouraging people to continue, not only their personal success but the success of the University,” said Borders.
Dr. Borders journey to deanship wasn’t an easy one, she said, but it was filled with love and a yearn for academia; instilled in her by her mother.
“My number one cheerleader all my life was my mom. She always said you can do this as long as you put your mind to it,” she said.
Born and raised in Georgia, during segregated schooling, Dr. Borders quickly gravitated toward education. As schools were being integrated, she found herself in shock of the valuable things she had been deprived of in her adolescence.
“Even if I wasn't aware then, I was fascinated with education…I was one of those kids that played school growing up and had three sisters who didn’t understand why I did that,” she said.
After excelling in grade school, Dr. Borders’ family moved to Detroit, Michigan where she attended Cass Technical High School. Studying Journalism, Dr. Borders continued her education at Michigan State University where she received her Bachelor’s degree.
In 1987, Dr. Borders started working for the Chicago Tribune, where she was a copy editor, assistant bureau chief and an assistant editor in the lifestyle department.
Borders decided to continue her education and receive her master’s degree from Northwestern University. While at Northwestern University, Dr. Borders met impactful Professor, Dr. Elizabeth Diple, who piqued her interest in pursuing a degree in education.
“She told me you should think about going back to school and getting your doctorate…Why I love teaching and being in higher education is because of people like her,” Dr. Borders said.
After leaving the Chicago Tribune in 1996, Dr. Borders became an assistant professor at Southern Methodist University in Texas. In 2004, she continued her career as an assistant professor at Kent State University in Ohio. In 2006, Dr. Borders began her career at the University of Wyoming, where she was a professor, chair of the Afro-American studies program and associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
In 2013, Dr. Borders accepted her position as the Dean of the School of Communications at Howard. Under her leadership, SOC achieved full reaccreditation twice from both the Council on Academic Accreditation and Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). Dr. Borders oversaw the execution of different departments, such as, the Media Journalism and Film (MJFC) and Strategic, Legal and Management Communications (SLMC) undergraduate department, as well as the Communication, Culture and Media Studies (CCMS) and Communication Sciences and Disorders (COSD) graduate department. The Emmerson college partnership, the Disney Storytellers fund, the Craig Newmark fund and many more advancements have been added to SOC under her direction.
Beyond her academic and institutional success, Dr. Borders was able to build relationships with many people.
“Dr. Lawson-Borders is incredibly passionate and so dedicated to her students and to the mission and legacy of Howard University. She is the embodiment of what we hope to represent in the academic community,” said Courtney Woods, associate general counsel for labor and employment.
Those that worked closely with her also had positive things to say about the Dean.
“She’s always been very motherly and welcoming. It never was a competition but it felt like home,” said Tiwiya Savoy, administrative assistant.
The administrators and staff love her, some students of the School of Communications also feel the same.
“I had the pleasure of meeting her my freshman year…I know that she was someone that worked hard and was dedicated to her job but also worked equally as hard to uphold and maintain the relationships she built,” said Danilo Wrightsell, a Journalism major.
As Dr. Borders reflects on the end of her tenure she explained why she chose to step down as the Dean of SOC.
“You wanna leave when things are well and you’re passing the torch to someone to continue the success,” she said.
Although she may be stepping down as Dean, she plans to return to Howard as a full time professor in the fall of 2026.
“I can look back and see, oh wow we had the 50th anniversary, the 45th anniversary, I’ve been through two re-accreditations…and then you realize, hey, I think I’ve done a creditable job.” said Dr. Borders.
As one chapter closes and another one begins, Dr Borders steps down as the Dean of SOC while continuing her career in education.