Jackson Free Press

Commercial real-estate executives and business leaders John Michael Holtmann and John Crossman recently gifted Jackson State University an established real-estate scholarship.

Qualifying students pursuing a real-estate degree are able to apply for funds from the $25,000 endowed scholarship to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies and other expenses.

Holtmann is a Mississippi State University alumnus and principal of Holtmann Properties in Jackson. He is also a partner in Concord Capital, a real-estate investment company that owns assets in three states and is an affiliate broker with Duckworth Realty, a brokerage in Jackson where Holtmann manages the company’s retail division. Crossman is an alumnus of Florida State University and chief executive officer of Crossman Career Builders.

JSU is the fourth historically Black college or university that Crossman, his family and firms have supported. His firms have previously established minority-focused real estate endowed scholarships at Florida State University, the University of Florida and Valencia College in Orlando, Fla., for students from diverse demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

For more information, visit jsums.edu.

JSU and Other HBCUs Partner with Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University is partnering with Jackson State University and seven other minority-serving institutions and historically Black colleges and universities to offer scholarships covering at least 30% of tuition for graduate program students. The partnership will also establish collaborative research and teaching relationships between the universities.

Other participating institutions include Xavier University of Louisiana, Dillard University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Howard University, North Carolina Central University, Tougaloo College and Tuskegee University.

Several of the professional and graduate schools in the program are also pursuing detailed agreements with select HBCUs to encourage more underrepresented minority students to attend Case Western Reserve. The CWR School of Law has concluded agreements with Hampton University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Tuskegee University, University of Alaska Anchorage and Xavier University of Louisiana to offer graduating students from those schools special incentives to apply to and enroll at the law school, including scholarships and alumni mentorship opportunities.

The law school’s initiative will support HBCUs as well as schools that predominantly enroll historically underrepresented minorities, including Native American and Latinx students.

For more information, visit case.edu.

MSU Partners with Mississippi Museum of Art

The Mississippi Museum of Art and Mississippi State University recently announced a new partnership that will offer expanded educational opportunities and professional growth for MSU students. The partnership will grant free unlimited admission to MMA for all students with a valid student ID, free gallery visits and group tours for classes

MSU Department of Art head and professor Critz Campbell is also joining MMA’s Board of Trustees as part of the partnership. Campbell is also a trustee on Penland School of Craft’s board and a recent recipient of the 2019 Jane Crater Hiatt Fellowship from the Mississippi Museum of Art. He is one of 14 new trustees joining MMA's board this year.

Through the partnership, MSU faculty will have access to MMA archives and education services to extend learning and research beyond the classroom, a release from MSU says. MSU will also be able to make use of MMA's program of exhibitions, public programs, community engagement and educational initiatives. MMA is also offering paid post-baccalaureate fellowships for recent MSU graduates.

For more information, visit msstate.edu or msmuseumart.org.