Soaring Eagles

Shelby Thomas plans to continue the family tradition of helping others.

Rachelle S. Gold, Ph.D. is leading an effort to preserve the stories of NCCU alumnae through CLEOPATRA — Collected Lady Eagle Oral-History Project and Training Research Acumen.

“Art is the human experience held still for a moment,” said Hulme. “I do that in music, to some extent."

“It’s like the real world,” dePyssler said. “How are you going to make this story work?"

Protest or ‘freedom songs’ were an essential part of the ‘classical’ period of the Civil Rights Movement, bookended by the Montgomery bus boycott of 1954 and the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Bronx-born and Eagle-made, Sherise Malachi ’01 is a wife, mother and dynamic professional whose career has spanned major music labels, top media markets and mission-driven nonprofits.

Baccus hasn’t just survived college, she has thrived. She has kept up a 3.6 GPA at NCCU, been awarded six scholarships and is a member or officer in several honor societies and organizations.

“She is a driven individual,” Thompson said. “Nineteen and about to graduate. Hard working and focused.”

Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) team participated in the 36th Annual National Championship Tournament and reached the “Super Sixteen” playoff round.

As classmates reunited after five decades, a deep sense of gratitude filled the air. The passage of time had only strengthened their appreciation for the journey they shared and the lives they had built.

Speakers include Durham Mayor Leo Williams ’05,’15; Author and Pulitzer/Emmy-nominated journalist and producer Ernie Suggs ’90; and public affairs strategist Reggie McCrimmon ‘13 for the May 9-10 celebration.

More than 60 high-achieving NCCU students attended DevCon 2025.