Alumni in Literature

  • Dr. Daryl C. Dance

    A noted author of several books, including “From My People: 400 Years of African American Folklore”, as well as an anthology of African-American women's humor and a volume on folklore from contemporary Jamaicans. Dr. Daryl Dance, VSU Class of 1957 & 1963 has had two Ford Foundation fellowships, three Southern Fellowship Fund grants, two NEH grants, one Fulbright research grant, and others, and has presented approximately 50 papers at conferences. Dr. Dance is Professor Emerita at the University of Richmond.

  • Naomi Long Madgett

    Naomi Long Madgett, VSU Class of 1945, was a poet and English professor emeritus and a vital part of Detroit's cultural life. In 1949, her poem appeared in The Poetry of the Negro, 1746-1949 and in 1950, several of her poems were featured in American Literature by Negro Authors. In 1968, she was included in Ten: Anthology of Detroit Poets and she also joined the faculty at Eastern Michigan University where she wrote A Students Guide to Creative Writing. She edited the acclaimed "Adam of Ife: Black Women in Praise of Black Men" in 1992 and has been the recipient of many honors including 1993s American Book Award and the George Kent Award in 1995. Naomi was also named Detroit’s Poet Laureate by former Mayor Dennis Archer. There is an 82-minute documentary about her life and art titled StarbyStar: Naomi Long Madgett, Poet & Publisher by filmmaker David B. Schock, Ph.D. This documentary chronicles her journey, her struggles, and her achievements. In conversations with Naomi, we learn about the course of her life and the encouragement she received from Langston Hughes and others of the Harlem Renaissance.

  • Dr. Thomas D. Pawley III

    Dr. Thomas D. Pawley, III, VSU Class of 1937, is a pioneer in Theatre and is recognized as an educator, director, playwright, and historian. Dr. Pawley is Professsor Emeritus of Theatre and a former Dean of Arts and Sciences at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. He built the Speech and Theatre Department at Lincoln where he taught for 40 years. He was one of the first African Americans to be accepted in the old American Theatre Association and distinguished ATA College of Fellows. Above all, Dr. Pawley was a leader in the National Association of Speech and Dramatic Arts (NADSA) and the HBCUs Summer Theatre Program. His book, The Black Teacher and the Dramatic Arts, ranks as one of the leading anthologies and scholarly dialogues in African-American Theatre. In 1952, he initiated one of the first college summer-theater programs for black students at Lincoln and, during his Lincoln tenure, directed 75 student plays. In 2011, Lincoln renamed its Langston Hughes Theater, in Martin Luther King Hall, as the Pawley Theater in his honor.

    His father was professor of English at VSU. During his tenure he coached the debating team and authored an english text book entitled A Modern Advanced English Grammar for Secondary Schools and Colleges in 1930. A street was named for him at the University in 1986.

  • Carl Weber

    With 14 New York Times bestselling novels under his belt and twenty-two novels in total, Carl Weber is considered one of the premiere African-American authors in the country. As the President, CEO and Publisher of Urban Books LLC, he has published more than 2500 hundred books and has grown his company into one of the largest African-American owned publishing companies in the world. Carl successfully ran a chain of Urban Knowledge bookstores and has now branched out into screen writing and has written and produced three of his bestselling novels (The Man in 3B, The Preacher’s Son, and The Choir Director) into independent films with his production company, Urban Books Media LLC.

VSU Trojan 10 Under 10 Award Program

The Virginia State University "Trojan 10 Under 10" award program recognizes the achievements of alumni who earned their first VSU degree (undergraduate or graduate) within the last 10 years.  From teachers and thinkers to entrepreneurs and creators, leaders and visionaries, risk-takers, and dreamers, our young alumni are changing lives and making an impact. To honor their accomplishments, nominate a recent graduate for the VSU "Trojan 10 Under 10."

Criteria

  1. Earned their first VSU degree (undergraduate or graduate) from VSU within the past 10 years (May 2014 – May 2025).
  2. Demonstrates commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with VSU
  3. Made important contributions to their community through service
  4. Made an impact and reached remarkable success in their profession

Nomination Applications for 2025 are now open from October 22, 2024, to November 22, 2024.

 

VSUAA President on the Move

VSUAA President Laurie Carpenter recently met with campus leaders representing SGA, Staff Senate, Faculty Senate, and President Abdullah. Engagement and collaboration are in the works!

 



VSU Trojan Explosion $40 for Forty Campaign

In celebration of the rich marching band history at Virginia State University and Homecoming 2024, you are encouraged to participate in the Trojan Explosion 40 for Forty Campaign. Donate a gift in support of scholarships for deserving band students. You are being asked to donate $40 or multiples thereof for the number of years that the band has been known as the Trojan Explosion, the name given to the band in 1984 by Mr. Harold "Big Whistle" Haughton, Band Director Emeritus.

If you are a former band member or VSC/VSU alumnus, love to watch and hear our marching band perform, or want to help a student attend and graduate from VSU or all of the above, we ask for your support. Any amount given will be appreciated as we seek to raise an additional $40,000 for scholarships.

The campaign will include monthly contests, challenges, recognitions, and prize drawings.

To donate online, visit www.bit.ly/vsutx40for40

Make checks payable to:

Trojan Explosion Booster Association
1726 Hungary Road
Henrico, VA 23228

Put 40 for 40 in the Memo Line
 

VSU Class of 1980

Class of 1980

The VSU Class of 1980  proudly had a float in the 2024 VSU Homecoming Parade. Classmates on the float were Gracie Quarles, Willie Elliott, Jr. Bryan Frazier., Stephanie Hicks- Willett, Larry Smith, Marcellus Dungee, Yvonne Humphries,  Debra Patrick, Sadie Strong, Linda White, Rosalind Wilder- Simpson, Carolyn Young, and Theodore Gaines. These classmates also helped pay for the float but were unable to ride. Darnell Woods,,Dr. Renee Escoffery, Lanita Thweat, Barbara Williams, Doris Heath, and Dennis Snead.

Pictures from the VSUAA Annual Meeting

Click here to check out pictures from Alumni Weekend 2024.    

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