Derrick Brooms was appointed executive director of the Black Menโs Research Institute at Morehouse College in Atlanta, effective August 1. Dr. Brooms joins Morehouse from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where he is a professor of Africana studies and sociology and the associate department head of Africana studies. His research primarily centers on Black men and boysโ pathways to and through college, their engagement on campus and identity development, as well as their lived experiences and representations in the media. He is the author of several books including Being Black, Being Male on Campus: Understanding and Confronting Black Male Collegiate Experiences (SUNY Press, 2017) andย Stakes is High: Trials, Lessons, and Triumphs in Young Black Menโs Educational Journeys (SUNY Press, 2021).
Dr. Brooms is a graduate of the University of Chicago, where he majored in African and African American studies. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Loyola University Chicago.
Sherrilyn Ifill is the inaugural holder of Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Esq. Endowed Chair in Civil Rights at the Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. Professor Ifill most recently served as the seventh president & director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund. Earlier, she was a professor at the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore for 20 years.
Professor Ifill is a graduate of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She earned a juris doctorate at New York University.
Aisha Ali-Gombe, an associate professor of computer science and engineering at Louisiana State University, was named the director of the universityโs new Cybersecurity Clinic.
Dr. Ali-Gombe is a graduate of the University of Abuja in Nigeria, where she majored in computer science. She holds an MBA from Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria, and a masterโs degree in computer science and a Ph.D. in engineering and applied science from the University of New Orleans.
Stephen and Rae Ann Gruver said the funds from the verdict over their sonโs death would help support the mission of the Max Gruver Foundation, an organization committed to ending hazing on college campuses.
Peter Gitau was named vice chancellor for student affairs at the Spokane campus of Washington State University. Most recently, Dr. Gitau was the vice president for student services at Butte-Glenn Community College in Oroville, California. He has also held executive leadership positions at Utah Technical University, Northern Kentucky University, and Southern Illinois University.
Born and raised in Kenya, Dr. Gitau received his bachelorโs degree in secondary education from Kenyatta University in Nairobi. He earned a masterโs degree in educational administration from Eastern Illinois University and a doctoral degree in higher education administration from the University of Kansas.
Donald Miles is the new executive director of the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics at the University of South Carolina. He joined the staff at the university in 2012.
Miles is a graduate of the University of South Carolina-Aiken, where he majored in political science. He holds a master of public administration degree from Augusta University in Georgia.
Pat Kendrick was appointed interim executive director of athletics and recreation at Xavier University in New Orleans. She has been the head womenโs volleyball coach at the university for the past six years. Prior to joining the staff at Xavier University, she served in various roles as a coach and instructor with USA Volleyball.
A native of Lorton, Virginia, Kendrick is a graduate of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where she was a two-sport athlete in volleyball and track & field.
Joseph O. Montgomery is the new interim associate vice provost for enrollment management at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He was vice president for enrollment management and student success at Tuskegee University in Alabama.
Montgomery is a graduate of what is now Voorhees University in South Carolina, where he majored in biology. He holds a masterโs degree in adult education from North Carolina A&T State University.
Brittney Johnson was named senior associate athletic director for compliance and senior woman administrator at Florida A&M University. Before joining FAMU, Johnson served as the associate athletic director for student-athlete development and academic success at the University of South Alabama.
Johnson earned a bachelorโs degree in health sciences from the University of Alabama in 2007. She holds a masterโs degree in foods, nutrition, and wellness studies from Alabama A&M University and is working on a doctorate from Walden University.
Maison de la Luz is a boutique hotel located in New Orleans, Louisiana, conceived by Atelier Ace. The establishment was inspired by traditional Southern guest houses, and features an environment of effortless sophistication and luxury. The guest house, which was designed in partnership with Studio Shamshiri, offers 67 private rooms filled with quiet Southern design typologies.
The building that houses Maison de la Luz was an Italianate style structure with a rich history within the city. It served as the City Hall annex for nearly 50 years from its construction in 1908 until 1957. Despite its historical significance, the design team successfully transformed the 55,464-square-foot building into an exclusive guest house while maintaining its original charm.
The guest house offers an airy and serene breakfast room, a private living room, and a secret salon connected to Bar Marilou, providing guests with a unique and unorthodox experience matched by its historical aesthetic and ambiance.
Photos by Stephen Kent Johnson.