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Clarion administrator, students on WPXI program

Dr. Brenda Sanders Dédé, assistant vice president for academic affairs and director of the office of research and graduate studies at Clarion University, and two Clarion University graduate students will be the guests on the Pittsburgh WPXI-TV (Channel 11) “Impact” program this weekend.

“Impact” airs Saturday, April 19 at 5:30 a.m., with an additional presentation on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on PCNC (Pittsburgh Cable News Channel), carried on some COMCAST outlets.

Dede and students Sasha Gardnier and Amil Cook will discuss Clarion University’s Frederick Douglass Program. The Clarion University Frederick Douglass Program has three mechanisms: Frederick Douglass Graduate Assistantships, the Frederick Douglass Collection in Carlson Library and the Frederick Douglass Summer Scholars Program.

Gardnier and Cook are two of the eight Frederick Douglass Graduate Assistants at Clarion University this year. The assistantships help to diversify the racial composition of Clarion’s graduate student population. The university offers assistantships to qualified students at historically Black colleges and universities wishing to pursue a master’s degree in one of Clarion’s graduate programs. Gardiner from Nassau, Bahamas, is seeking a degree in speech language pathology. Her undergraduate degree is from Florida Memorial University. Her assistantship is in Clarion University’s Department of Communication and Speech Disorders.

Cook is seeking a degree in education/history. His undergraduate degree is from Morehouse College. He is a son of Sally Cook of Randolph, Mass. His assistantship is with Clarion University’s Department of Education.

The Clarion University Frederick Douglass Summer Scholars program provides university experience for doctoral candidates primarily from historic black colleges and universities. The presence of these teaching fellows diversifies the summer session faculty.

The Frederick Douglass Institute of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is a system-wide collaborative was started in 1999. This effort was to encourage faculty and staff professional development around issues of equality and diversity by providing information and programs through scholarships and research, forums, exhibits, conferences and visiting scholars. The Institute will play a role in serving the traditionally underserved numbers of universities and civic communities, and provide opportunities for faculty to work with these groups and to serve as sources of encouragement.

Frederick Douglass (1818-95) was an escaped slave, fiery abolitionist, revolutionary journalist, dedicated defender of women’s rights, a spellbinding orator, prolific writer, advisor to President Abraham Lincoln, and a public official.

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