By Maya King, Campus Editor
Posted 7:05 PM EST, Sun., Sept. 11, 2016
Updated 2:10 PM EST, Weds., Nov. 23, 2016
On Saturday, September 10, Howard students, faculty and notable alumni gathered in the Knight Convention Center at the Newseum in downtown Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 45th Anniversary of the Howard University School of Communications. Among the alumni legacy awards given and heartfelt words of advice provided throughout the evening by the award recipients, one message stood out the most: Howard’s School of Communications would be receiving a much-needed facelift in the form of a brand new facility.
🚨BREAKING🚨: Announced during @HowardU's School of Communications 45th Anniv. Soirée, SOC will be getting a new Bldg! https://t.co/jI7qptelXc
— The Hilltop (@TheHilltopHU) September 11, 2016
“We are gonna have a future. We are going to have a new building,” said Michelle Miller, a national co-host of the anniversary soirée and CBS National Correspondent, in her closing remarks for the night.
Dr. Gracie Lawson-Borders, dean of Howard’s School of Communications, echoed Miller’s sentiment in the closing, saying “I ask [alumni] to come quick. We are going to get this new building. We’re gonna make it happen.”
LIVE on #Periscope: 45th Anniversary of @HowardU SOC Soiree/Awards at Newseum (Closing Remarks) https://t.co/eRF9vI1akp
— The Hilltop (@TheHilltopHU) September 11, 2016
The announcement, which was first announced at the soirée, comes as Howard finalizes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reverse auction of its WHUT’s television spectrum. WHUT is nationally known as the nation’s last remaining Black-owned public television station. [EDITORIAL: Power To The Pen: Student Media Matters]
The revenue from the sale, which can range anywhere from $461 million to $184 million or lower due to the contract of the reverse auction, has the potential to finance the major changes and renovation within SOC.
Further development or future plans regarding the surprising announcement have not yet been released to the public. The Hilltop will be gathering more details to share as it comes. [pdf-embedder url=”http://thehilltoponline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/13JAN2016-FCC-Auction-Statement-Pres-Frederick.pdf” title=”13jan2016-fcc-auction-statement-pres-frederick”] [pdf-embedder url=”http://thehilltoponline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/FCC-Broadcast-Incentive-Auction.pdf” title=”fcc-broadcast-incentive-auction”]
