Jackson Free Press

Jackson State University first lady Deborah Bynum first announced plans to establish a business-attire-centered clothes closet for students called the Tiger Career Closet in September. On Wednesday, Nov. 1, Bynum's vision became reality with a fashion preview and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the clothes closet inside the campus' Jacob L. Reddix Hall.

As part of the opening ceremony, members of JSU's Insatiable Modeling Squad and Blue Ambassadors modeled dresses, suits, shoes and accessories from the career closet.

Bynum, wife of JSU President William Bynum Jr., established the Tiger Career Closet to help students who may not have the means to purchase proper attire for job interviews, and asked faculty, staff and alumni to donate gently used business attire to get the program started. The program features two full dressing rooms, built-in dressers, an island dresser and multiple levels of shelving.

Students who participate in the clothes closet program can receive one free professional outfit per academic year by scheduling an appointment at http://www.jsums.edu/tigercareercloset/policies/. For more information on how to donate clothing items, visit the Tiger Career Closet website.

Tougaloo's Red-Sand Art Installation

Tougaloo College will become the first historically black college or university to establish a red-sand art installation in partnership with the Red Sand Project in a ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 14, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The Red Sand Project creates art pieces featuring red sand to raise awareness of and start conversations about modern-day slavery and human trafficking. The works typically feature sand in cracks in the sidewalk at different sites to symbolize blood and overlooked populations such as refugees and immigrants who often "fall through the cracks" and become victims of trafficking.

New York City-based artist and activist Molly Gochman founded the Red Sand Project in 2014. The project has since placed installations in all 50 states and more than 70 countries, and has also distributed 215,000 Red Sand Project toolkits for people seeking to make their own installations.

Ahead of the artwork's dedication, Tougaloo will host a press conference at 1 p.m. on Nov. 14 about modern-day slavery and human trafficking. For more information about Red Sand Project, visit redsandproject.org.

MVSU Receives Halbrook Award for Student-Athlete Achievement

Mississippi Valley State University received the David Halbrook Award for Academic Achievement Among Athletes in the men's public university division during the annual Halbrook Awards Luncheon on Oct. 3. The luncheon is part of the Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities Annual Conference, and recognizes colleges and universities with high academic standards for student athletes.

Former state legislator David M. Halbrook Sr. established the award together with his brothers John, James and J.A. Halbrook. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning currently manages the program together with the Mississippi Community College Board and the Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

MVSU also received the Halbrook award for the men's division in 1997 and 1998, and the women's division in 2001.