15 Famous People That Went to Delaware State University

15 Famous People That Went to Delaware State University

The Delaware state university was started as a College for Colored Students on May 15, 1891. The state university was established by the Delaware General Assembly.

The university awarded its first degrees in 1898. Provision accreditation was awarded to the university by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education where it became a State College by legislative action. The accreditation was rejected in 1949 but regained later in 1957. The college acquired the name state university On July 1, 1993.

The university went down in history as the first black college and university to adopt a no-smoking policy. The university started eliminating smoking on campus when the university restricted smoking to four designated areas.

On August 2015 the university adopt a complete tobacco-free policy. The policy was highly appreciated and in 2017, due to its efforts the university received the ACAS Health Leadership Award. On July 1, 2021, the 157-year-old Wesley College was completely acquired by Delaware State University.

Below are some of the notable alumni of Delaware state university

1. Reggie Barnes

Reggie Barnes was born on October 19, 1967, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attended Delaware State University. While still at Delaware State University, he participated in a rush for 1336 yards in 1988.

In 1989, he was signed as a free agent by the New York Jets. While at New York Jet he spent his time practicing squad.

In 1990, he moved to Canada where he joined Ottawa Rough Riders, he made an impressive performance by rushing for 1260 yards and 5 touchdowns. Due to his performance, he won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie Award.

In 1991, his team posed an incredible record of 1,486 yards rushing and 10 rushing touchdowns. Throughout his career, Barnes also participated in various sports such as Shreveport Pirates, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and Toronto Argonauts.

In 1996, he ended his career playing for Ottawa.

2. Dr. Clyde Bishop

Dr. Clyde Bishop was born in 1942. He is an American diplomat. Between 2006 and 2009, Clyde served as a U.S. Ambassador to the Marshall Islands. He also served as a U.S. member of the Senior Foreign Service and also as a class of Minister Counsellor.

He attended Delaware State University and received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1964. In 1972 he received his Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of Delaware.

In 1976, he received his Ph. D in Urban Affairs. He goes down in history as the first African American to earn a doctorate at the University of Delaware.

Between 1977 and 1980, he returned to Delaware State College to serve as chair of the Department of Sociology and Urban Affairs.

3. Clifford Benjamin Brown

Photo of jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown. Author Associated Booking Corporation. WIKIMEDIA

Clifford Benjamin Brown was born in 1930. He was an American jazz, trumpeter, and composer.

Brown’s family was a musical family where there lived in Wilmington, Delaware. He began playing trumpet at the age of ten years while still in school.

When he was thirteen years old he was surprised by his father with a new trumpet and Brown immediately enrolled in private lessons provided by his father.

Apart from playing trumpet at a young age, Brown attended Delaware State University to pursue math but he later joined Maryland State College.

 In June 1956, Brown died in a road accident and he was buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery, in Wilmington, Delaware.

4. Robin R. Christiansen

Robin Christiansen, the Mayor of Dover, Delaware, on December 2, 2014. Author
U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. WIKIMEDIA

Robin R. Christiansen was born on September 4, 1950. Robin is a politician currently serving as the mayor of Dover, Delaware.

On June 17, 2014, Robin was elected as a Mayor in a special election held in Dover. Before becoming a Mayor, he previously served on the city council of Dover between 1983 and 2001. He also served as a council president and vice mayor between 1990 and 2001.

In 1968, he graduated from Dover High School and was enrolled at Delaware State University, where he majored in history and political science.

5. Emanuel Davis

Emanual Davis was born on August 27, 1968. He is a retired basketball player. He played basketball while still at Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware.

Throughout his career, Davis participated in various leagues and associations across the world. This includes the Continental Basketball Association, Italian Basketball League, the United States Basketball League, and the Atlantic Basketball Association.

He later joined the 6 NBA seasons between 1996 and 1998 and 1999–2003. While at the NBA, he played for Houston Rockets, Seattle SuperSonics, and Atlanta Hawks. He managed to play 227 games where he scored 1,100 points.

6. Wayne Thomas Gilchrest

Official portrait of U.S. Congressman Wayne Gilchrest. Author – http://gilchrest.house.gov/News.asp?FormMode. WIKIMEDIA

Wayne Thomas Gilchrest was born on April 15, 1946. He represented Maryland’s first congregation district as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives.

He departed from politics in 2008 after he was defeated by State Senator Andy Harris. As the end of one thing is the beginning of a new chapter, he started working on environmental education after he departed from politics.

In 1973, he received a bachelor’s degree in history from Delaware State College currently known as Delaware State University.

7. Jamaal J. Jackson

Jamaal J. Jackson is a notable alumnus of Delaware State University. He was born on May 8, 1980.

He is a former American football player. At the National Football League, he participated in nine seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles.

He was signed in 2003 as a free agent by the Eagles after playing college football for Delaware State. Between 2005 and 2010, he became the Eagles’ starting center.

8. Shaheer McBride

Shaheer McBride is a celebrated Delaware State University alumnae. He was born on February 8, 1985. Shaheer played the American as a football wide receiver.

In 2008, the Eagles signed him as an undrafted free agent. He also participated in college football at Delaware State where he participated in four seasons at Delaware State University. He managed to finish 2nd in all-time catches, and also 3rd in all-time yards

9. Darnerien Richard McCants

Darnerien Richard McCants was born on August 1, 1978. He played American football as a wide receiver.

In 2001, he was signed by the Washington Redskins during the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He also participated in college football at Delaware State. While still at Delaware State University, he participated in one of his best seasons as a senior.

10. Sam Shepard

Sam Shepard. Author Soerfm. WIKIMEDIA

Sam Shepherd who is also known as El Mago is an American/ Venezuelan born on April 21, 1953

He is a well-known basketball player who played professional basketball during the summer Olympics for Venezuelan teams in 1992. In the 1990 world games, he played for Colombian professional teams. He later signed to two NBA camps for Washington Bullet’s tryouts and ABA Baltimore Claws.

Sam attended Delaware State University, where he performed well in basketball for the Hornets. Sam is a member of the different sports halls of fame such as the Delaware State University sports Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame in South America, and Hall of Fame North Lenoir High school.

After playing for Delaware State University until 1975, he decided to join Venezuela where he played for Liga Especial de Basket. He also joined the Colombian basketball team Loteria de Cucuta and played for the team between 1978 and 1982. While still in Colombia he managed to win four national championships.

11. John Gregory Taylor

Richard John Taylor. Author https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mosfetfaser. WIKIMEDIA

John Gregory Taylor is an American former football player. He was born on March 31, 1962.

John became the first Pennsauken High School football player to join NFL in the 1980s. Taylor studied at Delaware State College where he was a member of the college football team, the Hornets.

12. Walter Henry Tullis

Walter Henry Tullis was born on April 12, 1953. He attended Delaware state university. He retired from the National Football League.

In 1979, Walter was signed by the Washington Redskins during the twelfth round of the 1976 NFL Draft. He also managed to play for two seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

13. Teen Mom 2

Teen Mom 2 is a well-known American reality television series. The series premiered on January 11, 2011, on MTV.

The series tried to follow the lives of Jenelle Evans, Chelsea DeBoer, Kailyn Lowry, and Leah Messer as they tried their best to navigate their first years of motherhood. Teen Mom 2 series also tried to focus on different themes such as the themes of relationships between family, friends, and boys. The series also highlights the different struggles of young mothers raising children.

14. Solàna Imani Rowe

SZA performing in Toronto. Author Tiffany Komon. WIKIMEDIA

Solána Imani Rowe was born on November 8, 1989. She is commonly known as SZA. Imani is a songwriter and a singer in America.

She began her music career in the early 2010s when she released her first two extended. She later sang with the hip hop Top Dawg Entertainment and managed to release Z in 2014 which was her third EP.

In 2014, together with Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé, wrote the song “Feeling Myself”. In 2016, Imani featured on Rihanna’s song “Consideration”.

15. David G. Turner

David G. Turner is a notable Delaware state university Alumni who was born in 1945. He is a Canadian professor and an astronomer in the department of astronomy and physics at Saint Mary’s University.