HSSU has unveiled its new tagline: Potential, Possibility and Power after a year-long process that included surveys, focus groups, and student input.
As HSSU President Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith enters her third year at the helm of the HBCU, her school has structured a new strategic plan, celebrated the opening of its newest building, and continued expanding its programs.
The Vashon Center on the HSSU campus of Harris-Stowe State University officially opened on Tuesday April 11, 2023. The renovated center is home to the Wolff Jazz Institute and the National Black Radio Hall of Fame on the upper level. The lower level is designated for HSSU classrooms and support spaces.
It is also a new repository for historical documents from former Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr., the late attorney Frankie Muse Freeman, and the late Dr. Henry Givens Jr. President Emeritus of Harris-Stowe State University.
The historic building dates to 1937 when the center opened its doors to the St. Louis community. There were few public recreational centers available for Black people in St. Louis and the Vashon Community Center was one of them.
The center served residents in the Mill Creek Valley neighborhood and surrounding communities. The idea behind facilities like the Vashon Community Center was to create a place for Black families and youth for cultural events, sports, and education.
“The rebranding represents the university’s progression and continued elevation. Students come to HSSU with unlimited potential, and our dedicated faculty and caring staff introduce students to infinite possibilities, then they graduate with the power of HSSU embedded in them, Smith said in a release.
“The tagline serves as a constant reminder that HSSU welcomes our scholars, mentors, and educates them, which sets them up for success. Our graduates take this power into their careers and communities to accomplish their goals, impact our region, state, nation, and world.”
Smith served as interim president of the university for a year before she was named to the position. In June, she was officially sworn in as the HBCU’s 21st president, making her the first woman to serve the university in that role.
She explained the tagline reflects the talent of HSSU students, the superlative education the faculty and staff provide, and the powerful contributions graduates will make.
“We are very excited about what this message conveys to our Harris-Stowe family and to all the communities we serve,” Smith said.
“We are excited about our scholars, what they bring and who they are. And we are dedicated to ensuring that they graduate with bright futures enabling them to contribute throughout the region and the world. Potential, Possibility & Power says it all.
“Our new tagline broadcasts the university's personality– enterprising, optimistic, and proactive‒ and focuses on the unique potential our scholars can tap into through academics and campus life at Harris-Stowe.”