Philander Smith University (PSU) proudly announces that Ms. Jamaica S. Hall, a senior psychology major, has been selected as a 2024 White HBCU Initiative Scholar.
Each year, the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Development selects scholars from among the nation’s finest institutions. This program recognizes outstanding students and further empowers them with tools for excellence. Together, the students comprise the next generation of HBCU leaders who will boost educational excellence, innovation, and economic competitiveness.
Selected from a competitive pool of applicants, Hall and fellow HBCU Scholars of this year’s tenth cohort will be ambassadors of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, the U.S. Department of Education, and their respective institutions throughout the 2024-2025 academic year.
“We are extremely proud to have Ms. Hall represent Philander Smith University as our HBCU Scholar. She is a shining example of PSU academic excellence and a committed advocate for social justice,” said Dr. Shannon Clowney Johnson, Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, the 24-year-old Hall lives by the quote, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.” A member of the McKinley Newton Honors Academy at Philander Smith University, the aspiring psychiatrist plans to attend graduate school and then apply for medical school.
“It gives us enormous pride to congratulate Ms. Jamaica Hall on this well-deserved achievement,” said Dr. Maurice D. Gipson, Interim President of Philander Smith University. “Her leadership, scholarship, and commitment to the community make her an ideal representative of not only our institution but also Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a collective.”
As a 2024 HBCU Scholar, selected students will:
• Serve as student ambassadors for the Initiative and their HBCU, ensuring information, resources, and
opportunities are distributed through their campuses.
• Receive public recognition from the U.S. Department of Education and the Initiative via press release.
• Be invited to attend the 2024 Annual National HBCU Week Conference workshops designed to help them
learn and adopt promising practices in leadership, professional development, HBCU
excellence, and workforce development.
• Be invited to participate in monthly master classes hosted by the Initiative and various partners; and
• Network with other scholars, federal agencies, and private partners to showcase their individual and
collective talent across the HBCU community.
For more information, visit www.ed.gov/whhbcu.
