Livingstone Freshmen Attend National Academic Conference

The 33rd National Association of African American Honors Programs (NAAAHP) Annual Conference was hosted by Prairie View A&M University from October 31 to November 2, 2024, in Prairie View, Texas. Livingstone College presidential scholars Robert Osei Bonsu Senior, Muhammad Ibrahim, Te’J Rodriguez, and Carter Thompson traveled with NAAAHP National Parliamentarian Laura Johnson, Director of Andrew Carnegie Library at Livingstone, to compete with over 30 other HBCUs in quiz bowl, debate, Model United Nations, and paper/poster presentations.

As NAAAHP fosters academic excellence, leadership, and community engagement while also celebrating the rich cultural heritage of African Americans, Livingstone showcased its community service initiatives related to voter education efforts and engaged in quiz bowl and student research presentations. Te’J Rodriguez, a political science major from Greenville, North Carolina, presented Straight Outta Concrete: An Examination of Misogyny, Violence, and Afrocentricty in the Genre Gangsta Rap, which examined the relationships between African American audiences and communities, rap music lyrics and videos, Black collective self-esteem, and attitudes towards women. Ghana natives Robert Osei Bonsu Senior and Muhammad Ibrahim shared a STEM poster CAR-T Cell Therapy and CRISPR-Cas9: A Review of Alternative Treatments for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a safety endeavor to add complementary and alternative therapies for terminal diseases, and Carter Thompson of Indianapolis, Indiana gained recognition for his outstanding performance in quiz bowl and talent showcase featuring his guitar and vocal talent display.

Rodriguez said, “I was awakened to so many things at this conference. From the presence of HBCUs to the power of networking and the purpose of competition, this experience has inspired me to elevate my dreams and pursue them with tenacity.”