IBM Information Technology Branding Event Day held

John Thompson
John Thompson

IBM Information Technology and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) have joined forces to hold the IBM Information Technology Branding Event Day. On October 21, the students, faculty, president, and all other members of Tennessee State University will meet on the campus for a variety of sessions.

Registration begins at 7:30 am in the Student Success Center Auditorium (LRC) Room 230.

The workshop, that is set from 8 am-11 am, will be followed up with a BBQ Cookout Mixer for students, clients, TSU officials and others.

The event is set to take place one week prior to a career fair on October 26. In order to make it successful, John Thompson, Mobile Collaborative Education Consulting (MCEC) from San Jose, California, has been asked to head the discussion.

Anthony D. Testman
Anthony D. Testman

“I am seeking to attract 25-50 hires across all majors for this season. Your enterprise program brought me and the full IBM team to TSU,” said Anthony D. Testman, IBM university relations recruiter and HBCU and diversity program manager.

As a three-time IBM Leadership Award Winner, and seven time 100% club member with many accomplishments over his 19 years at the IBM Corporation and the ability to transform insight into action joining with TSU and John Thompson.

“Together, we can build a smarter planet,” said Testman.

The schedule of activities for the morning workshop is as follows:
7:30-8 am — Student Registration

8-10 am — John Thompson’s ‘Introductions/Kick Off’
Anthony Testman – ‘The New Cognitive Era’
POK Elton Desouza – ‘LinuxOne Demo’
Elissa Coughlin – ‘Digital Reinvention for the Cognitive Era’
Andy Rindos – ‘University Research Opportunities and Curriculum Development’

10–11 am — Breakout Sessions (Student Success Center),
Room 119, POK Elton Desouza – ‘LinuxOne Demo & Blockchain Break’
Room 207, Andy Rindos – ‘Research/IBM Watson/Data Analytics/Cognitive Computing’
Room 209, Anthony Testman and Elissa Coughlin – ‘IBM Careers/Cognitive Era for Millenniums’
LRC — Student Interview/Resume Writing Workshop

11–11:30 am — Transition to Cookout and NSBE Event – ‘Elliott Hall’

11:30–3 pm — Cookout BBQ: Networking Mixer — Music: Local DJ

11–1 pm — NSBE Networking Event — Students will transcend from their event to the Cookout

Metro report highlights affordability gap for African Americans in Nashville

A new Metro Social Services report finds African Americans in Nashville face higher poverty, housing cost burdens, and shorter life expectancy despite the city’s strong

Trump’s mail-in voting executive order faces legal challenges

Civil rights groups, state leaders, and attorneys general are suing to block Trump’s mail-in voting executive order, arguing it threatens voter access and state election

Black Press continues legacy of advocacy and truth-telling as it nears 200 years

As the Black Press nears 200 years, Black-owned newspapers still champion truth-telling, advocacy, and community storytelling from Freedom’s Journal to today’s Black Press Sunday.

“Earthrise,” “Earth Day” and “Earthset”

From Apollo 8’s iconic “Earthrise” to Artemis II’s new “Earthset,” this Earth Day reflections piece links space images, climate change, and Nashville Earth Day 2026.

What to do when inheriting a house that is paid off

Inheriting a house that is paid off gives you instant equity, but your next steps—legal transfer, repairs, and whether to sell, keep, or rent—determine its