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NOTEWORTHY ALUMNI

 

 

 

Oprah Gail Winfrey, often referred to simply as Oprah, is an American television host,  media mogul, and philanthropist. Her internationally-syndicated talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, has earned her multiple Emmy Awards and is the highest-rated talk show in the history of television.  She is also an influential book critic, an Academy Award-nominated actress, and a magazine publisher. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the most philanthropic African American of all time, and the world's only black billionaire for three straight years.  She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world. Born in rural Mississippi to a poor teenaged single mother, she later was sent to live with the man she calls her father, a barber in Tennessee.  Vernon was strict, but encouraging and made her education a priority. Winfrey became an honors student, was voted Most Popular Girl, joined her high school speech team at East Nashville High School, and placed second in the nation in dramatic interpretation. She won an oratory contest, which secured her a full scholarship to Tennessee State University, where she studied communication.   She also attracted the attention of the local black radio station, WVOL, which hired her to do the news part-time.  She worked there during her senior year of high school, and again while in her first two years of college.  Winfrey began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. Her emotional ad-lib delivery eventually got her transferred to the daytime talk show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place, she launched her own production company and became internationally syndicated.

 

Moses Gunn was an American actor. A formidable Obie award-winning stage player, he co-founded the Negro Ensemble Company in the 1960s. His 1962 Broadway debut was in Jean Genet's The Blacks. He was nominated for a 1976 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for The Poison Tree and played Othello on Broadway in 1970. In 1959, he received his B. A. degree from Tennessee State University.   Gunn is best remembered for his portrayal of mobster Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Jonas in the first two Shaft movies, and for his brief role of Booker T. Washington in the 1981 movie Ragtime, a performance which won him an NAACP Image Award. He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1977 for his role in the TV mini-series Roots. He also costarred with Avery Brooks on the TV series A Man Called Hawk. Gunn also appeared in a multi-episode story arc as atheist shop owner Carl Dixon on the sitcom Good Times, as Joe Kagan on Little House on the Prairie and as the character Moses Gage in the 1980s NBC drama Father Murphy.

 

Don Whitehead - Go back, way back to the early 50's and if you turned your radio dial to 1510, maybe, just maybe you'd be able to catch what might have been the greatest group of DJs assembled at one station.  Here they are in 1970,(from left to right) John "R" Richbourg, Gene Nobles, Bill "Hoss" Allen and Herman Grizzard. The gentleman in the back is news announcer Don Whitehead.

 

Meridith Miller (2005) - Soap Opera Weekly, Guiding Light Editor/Pixie Senior Editor

Kamaria Mack (2005) - WKRN-TV Nashville, TN Advertising Account Executive

Ashley Northington (2005) - Shreveport Times/USA Today Education Reporter 
Evita Timmons (2006), Metro Copy Editor, L.A. Times

Lee Summers--performed in the original Broadway cast of DreamGirls

Barry Scott--Numerous theatre and voice roles, Each of the three "Ernest Goes to..." Films

Barry Bruce (deceased) --performed in the original Broadway cast of DreamGirls

LaParee Young had a theater concentration (acting) while at TSU.  LaParee graduated in the 1970's. He has appeared in many movies, and television shows including ATL and the Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

Tamiko Robinson has had several film roles including Who Loves Judas and Time and Chance, several tv commercial roles including Captain D's, Revlon, Direct Insurance and numerous theatre roles.

Dwight Lewis, editorial page editor, The Tennessean, Nashville, TN

Nivia Davis (2003), 2nd Assistant Director, Disney Channel (Wizards of Waverly Place) Davis appeared in the movie Phat Girlz and the TV shows "That's so Raven" and "Til Death." She has also worked as a crew member on "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" and "Crumbs" to name a few.

Oretha Carver is an account executive with WSM-95.5 radio.  She has 25 years of professional radio experience; 20 years of that is in sales.  Carver is also a 1980 Tennessee State University graduate.

Demeshia Smith works in promotions at Mix 92.9 in Nashville.

Tameka Winston has a journalism background and teaches at Tennessee State Univ.

Washington Dobbins has a radio (WSM, WLAC) and theatre background and teaches at Tennessee State Univ.

Joshua Scales is with 92Q in Nashville in Promotions and serves as Director of Interns.

Brianna Pryor, camera, engineering, graphics; KCTV5 Kansas City, MO

Brian Frazier, master control operator, WNIT-TV South Bend, IN

Derrell Ester, account executive, WTWO-TV, Terre Haute, IN 

Faheem Dore, Power 99 radio, Philadelphia, PA

Kyle Wright, Promotions Director, Rochester, NY

Rico Malique (Tony Hawkins) Videographer, Genius World, Atlanta, GA

Tatiana Taylor, Radio Sales, Memphis

Alan Beard (2003), Film Writer, Los Angeles, CA, To Each His Own Films, Inc. (Chairman/CEO)

Shanell Boyd  Comcast: On Demand

Elizabeth Trice (2004) Willam Morris Agency (Entertainment and Talent) NYC

Anthony Rhone (2004), TV Producer/Videographer, Atlanta, GA

Emil Moss (2004), Writer/Producer/Director, New York, NY Soulsploitation Creative Networks (Founder/Artist) Special Education Teacher New York Department of Education/NYCTF

KMarie Walters (2002), Visual Effects Coordinating Producer-Currently working on James Cameron's Avatar, *Works for herself and is contracted for each film or commercial she does

Shannon Jones (2006), Special Projects Department, Black Entertainment Television

LaVonte Young (2007), Sports Writer, Talladega Daily Home

Sebastian Dortch joined the St. Petersburg Times in 1996 as an assistant metro editor. During his tenure, he has worked as a politcal coordinator, national editor and city editor. In 2002, he was named the newly created post of diversity officer with the goal to help the company better understand and serve its readers by creating a workplace that celebrates varied backgrounds, races and beliefs. In 2004, Sebastian joined the Human Resources team as Director where he has overall responsiblity for HR functions and Safety and Security Operations. Sebastian graduated from Tennessee State University with a bachelors degree in Speech Communication and Theatre and has completed Northwestern University's Advanced Executive Program. Sebastian was introduced to journalism at Tennessee State University, where he served as editor of the campus newspaper. After a post-graduate internship at the Los Angeles Times, he worked eight years at the Knoxville News - Sentinel in Knoxville, TN. He then joined the Dayton Daily News, where he edited national projects and helped lead the papers local news report for two years.

Kara Duke (2001), Appeared in the movie Civil Brand starring LisaRaye, several tv commercial roles including Gillette, Wal - Mart and Floorz and several voice roles. She has also appeared in several magazines including Premier Bride and Enchanted Bride.

Other ways alumni have put their Communication degree to use

LeBraun Robinson - Legislative Assist., LA House of Reps.      

Kenetha Washington - Mental Health Tech., MeHarry Med. College           

Yvette Y. Cain - Attorney, Law Office of Yvette Cain       

Osahon Eriamiatoe - Civil Engineering, Cumulus Media           

Valisa Thompson - Public Relations/ Radio, Unlimited Publicity       

Christina E. Smith - Utility Solutions Coordinator, Honeywell International

Lanae Burton - Marketing Specialist, Nissan 

Dairanetta Spain - Community Affairs Coordinator, Houston Astros

 



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