North Carolina Central University will offer its first Ph.D program in more than 50 years.

The school received approval from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to offer a doctorate in integrated biosciences. The first students could enroll in fall 2012.

The program would offer degrees in biomedical sciences and pharmaceutical sciences.

Housed in the College of Science and Technology, it would draw on resources from other parts of the university, including the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, which is named after the noted Charlotte civil rights lawyer.

The program aims to focus on health disparities and expand the number of minority scientists, particularly African-Americans, in biomedical research.

A recent report by the National Science Foundation noted that African-Americans make up about 12 percent of the U.S. population but account for only 3 percent of scientists and engineers.

“We want good students, period, without regard to race or ethnicity,” Hazell Reed, NCCU’s vice chancellor for graduate education and research said in a statement, “but NCCU has a commitment to drawing more minorities and women into the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines.”

NCCU issued its last Ph.D in the mid-20th century. From 1955 to 1964, five people earned doctorates from the school. All were in the field of education.

***

Ebony queens

Ashley Graham, Miss SC State University 2010-2011, will be featured in the September “HBCU Queens” issue of Ebony magazine.

Queens from all historically black colleges and universities competed in an online voting competition. The top 10 winners will be featured.

Readers cast their votes based on each woman’s biography and a video stating why she should be an HBCU Queen in Ebony.

Of the 2 million-plus votes cast, Graham, a 2011 physics graduate, placed second, behind Desiree Williams of Hampton University.

“It is truly humbling to be thought worthy enough to represent my Alma Mater on such a grand and national scale,” she said in a statement released by the school.

The remaining eight are:

Tiffany Sorrells, Benedict College
De’Jonique Garrison, Clark Atlanta University
Jasmine Gurley, North Carolina A&T State University
Ashlee Thomas, Howard University
Charnee’ Pearson-Starling, Bennett College
Charlena Kennedy, Bethune-Cookman University
Neshaszda Brown, Albany State University
Breana Watkins, Tuskegee University.

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