HOT OFF THE PRESS | JUNE 2025

Charisse Carney-Nunes '88 with incoming president Eric Becoats '88

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A Farewell Message from the AALU National President

Dear Lincoln University Alumni, Friends, and Supporters,

As I bring my four-year term as National President of the Alumni Association of Lincoln University (AALU) to a close, I feel both reflective and excited for what lies ahead. It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to serve you and our beloved alma mater in this capacity.

I want to extend heartfelt thanks to the remarkable team of alumni who served alongside me throughout this journey. To our elected officers: Camille Claiborne, Vice President; Mirian Torain, Secretary; Rita McCaskill, Treasurer (1st term)/Finance Chair (2nd term); and Christopher Hill, Treasurer (2nd term)—thank you for your leadership. Special thanks to the additional Executive Committee members/participants: Tawana Frink, Eric Becoats, Sandra Marigna Harmon, Dawn McCoy, Scott Fields, Charles Latta, Robin Hayles, Bonnie Bowser, Andrew Spruill, and Ben Butcher. Your dedication, wisdom, and perseverance helped drive the AALU forward with consistency and heart.

I would also like to thank every member of the Alumni Council, including every Chapter President and Alumni Trustee.

As I look back, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished under the guiding framework of People, Power, and Participation. 

• People: We reaffirmed that the heart of the AALU lies in our membership. Through initiatives like the Sunshine Committee, chaired by Cassandra Poe-Johnson, our CIAA activities, our New Year's Prayer Service, and our student engagement efforts, we deepened our commitment to people through community and care.

• Power: We significantly increased alumni giving to the University, reaffirming our strength as a body committed to Lincoln’s growth and excellence.

• Participation: We built trust and transparency, grew our membership, and modernized communications—creating new pathways to stay connected to the AALU and to each other.

These weren’t dramatic leaps but deliberate, steady steps forward—built on trust, transparency, and a shared belief in what’s possible when Lions come together.

I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Eric Becoats as the next National President of the AALU starting July 1, 2025. Dr. Becoats brings exceptional leadership and a powerful vision for alumni engagement. Joining him are Mr. Bilal Key ’14 as Vice President, Ms. Robin Hayles ’89 as Secretary, and Ms. Rita McCaskill ’91 returning as Treasurer. Their theme of EXCELLENCE is a fitting tribute to where we’ve been—and where we’re headed.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I am forever grateful. The best is yet to come.

With Lion Pride and Gratitude,

Charisse A. Carney-Nunes, JD/MPA ‘88
National President, AALU

Watch the AALU President's February 2025 comments to the Board on YouTube here, or you can read them here.

The AALU thanks the Board for inviting these public comments for all 16 meetings since 2021. We also thank the Board for expanding access to Board meetings by consistently streaming them on YouTube.

If you missed a recent Board meeting, the streams for April and February 2025 are still available to watch on YouTube..

• President's Farewell Message
• Board of Trustees Message
• Alumni Spotlight
• It's End of Year Giving Time
• Summer Events (Golf, Cards Tournament Lincoln en Blanc)
• Alumni & Friends Book Club
• AALU Trip
• AALU CIAA Community
• Program
• Membership Matters
• Affinity Groups are here
• Nominations & Elections
• Celebrating Dr. Bennett '50
• Commencement/Induction to AALU

Dreena Whitfield-Brown '05 is an exemplary alum who makes us want to ROAR! Last month we celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the class of 2005, and it is a perfect time to lift up this alumna. Dreena hails from New Jersey and is self-made maven in the PR field who was named on Inc. Magazine's 2025 Female Founders List. Dreena built her firm, WhitPR, from her living room in a one-bedroom apartment and in 2024 the firm was a Power Partner Award Winner. WhitPR was founded in 2010 to bring multicultural perspectives to the spotlight, especially those often overlooked. We are proud of Lioness Whitfield-Brown and spotlight her and her story as another example of LU greatness. Visit her website at www.whitpr.com.

End of Year Giving Link

More Information

Our new Alumni & Friends Book Club is roaring!

It's a great way for Lions to just be together in for the love of reading.

Click photo to register to join

Click photo to register to join

Click photo to register to join

AALU Trip Update

Our LIONS IN PARADISE 2025 Trip departs in less than 3 weeks to the Beautiful Riu Palace Kukulkan, Cancun, Mexico.

As our Lions prepare for what is sure to be a wonderful time, we wish them all a lot of Alumni Fun! We will look out for the social media pics that we know will be shared.

Safe Travels, Lions!
Have a great time in Paradise!!!

Advancing the Legacy Through Literacy:

Honoring Thurgood Marshall

Alums, the Royal Court and students at Cecil Elementary School.

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During CIAA weekend, Lincoln alumni and students gathered in Baltimore to celebrate youth literacy and honor the enduring legacy of Thurgood Marshall—a Lincoln graduate and civil rights icon.

As part of the Advancing the Legacy Reading Day, more than 100 books about Marshall’s life were donated to students at two Baltimore City elementary schools. Alumni and students read with the children, igniting pride in Black history and underscoring the importance of honoring our heroes.

Led by Yasmin Perkins ’04 of Consciously Curated, this initiative exemplifies how Lincoln continues to uplift future generations through education, cultural pride, and legacy-building.

Special thanks to Aleesha Manning ’03, Dr. Melissa Smith ’10, Tamika Daniels ’97, and Concentric Educational Solutions for their generous support—and to every alum who contributed to the purchase of books.

AALU + the 1st Club = Better Together

AALU donated $2,000 to the 1st Club due to our successful fundraising efforts during CIAA weekend, led by co-chairs Jason Jefferson '04 and Yasmin Perkins ‘04. Also, during the CIAA tournament in February, the 1st Club donated to AALU’s annual initiative to provide LU fans cheer items to ROAR with pride for our basketball teams. Thank you to all of the alumni who helped us deepen this partnership.

Lillie Carroll Jackson Museum: A Legacy Rooted in Lincoln

Alums and the LU Royal Court Visit Historic Civil Rights Museum

with Senator Clarence Mitchell '69 Click photo to see the full album.

The Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum in Baltimore holds deep ties to Lincoln University. It honors several alumni—including Thurgood Marshall and Clarence M. Mitchell Jr.—for their pivotal roles in civil rights history.

During CIAA weekend, alumni and student leaders visited the museum and participated in an inspiring dialogue with Senator Michael Mitchell ’69, a proud Lincoln alum. Their conversation centered on legacy, leadership, and civic responsibility.

To support the museum’s important mission of preserving and sharing our history, the Alumni Association proudly donated $500.

At a time when cultural institutions face immense challenges, we encourage all alumni to visit, donate, and amplify the story of this powerful museum. Supporting the Lillie Carroll Jackson Museum honors our past and helps secure our future.
Learn more here: https://www.lilliecarrolljacksonmuseum.org

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The Program Committee: Ensuring That We Always ROAR!

The AALU Program Committee has had an exceptional year.

We kicked off 2025 with the 4th Annual New Year’s Call to Prayer, a virtual gathering led by our beloved Chaplain, Mike Canty, and supported by Alumni Prayer Warriors. If you missed it, the heartfelt tribute video to our Fallen Lions is available here on our YouTube channel.

In March, we hosted the third annual Women’s History Month celebration: Lincoln Daughters. Committee members Carol Black ’67 and Karen Nicholas ’79 curated a moving program featuring interviews with the daughters of alumni and distinguished legacy families—including the Drs. Gabbin, Frank “Tick” Coleman’s granddaughter, and the daughter of VP Harry Stinson. Watch the full program here on YouTube.

And yes—we’re still working on installing the majestic twin Lion statues! We’re collaborating with the University’s Institutional Advancement and Facilities teams to re-ignite fundraising and launch the “Buy a Brick” campaign. Next steps include aligning with the University’s architectural master plan. Stay tuned—the best is yet to come!

On Saturday, May 3, 2025, the AALU presented Life Member Certificates to 30 Lions. We proudly welcome these Lions—our highest annual number to date!

After the meeting, we held our annual reception for new Life Members, hosted by AALU Membership Chair and Incoming President, Dr. Eric Becoats.

We are grateful for the commitment these alumni have shown to the future of the AALU.

And speaking of membership – it’s time for annual members to pay dues for the new fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2025. It’s only $36.32. But we invite you to join as a Life Member. More information, here: https://aalupa.org/life-membership

Nominations and Elections Committee

Many thanks to the AALU Nominations & Elections Committee for hosting a successful Candidates Forum, expertly moderated by Renee Mintz ’89. The team, chaired by Bonnie Bowser ‘78, delivered a transparent, trustworthy election process for our alumni community.

The new officers will begin their two-year term on July 1, 2025. The Board of Trustees is presently vetting our Alumni Trustee nominees and is expected to finalize its decision on AALU nominees by June 30, 2025.

A new committee was elected during the May 2025 General Body Meeting and has already begun its work. Be on the lookout for summer announcements about upcoming nominations. We need strong alumni leaders—could that be you?