In a great effort to assemble stronger affinities with students, faculty, alumni, and administration at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the U.S. Navy Recruiting Outreach and Diversity has revealed the establishment of the “Divine Nine” Ambassador program.
“Divine Nine” refers to the nine sororities and fraternities established by African American students more than a century ago, mainly at HBCUs. These organizations are known collectively as the National Pan-Hellenic Council or the “Divine Nine.”
As incorporated in this new program, the Navy has delegated 19 Active-duty Officers and Reservists to serve as ambassadors. Most of them are HBCU graduates with “Divine Nine” affiliations. They are set to attend events at HBCUs to create deeper connections with the present “Divine Nine” members and discuss the tremendous Navy career opportunities available to HBCU graduates.
To create customized activations that genuinely engage with campus communities, the program will leverage HBCU games this fall. Earlier this month, Divine Nine ambassadors gathered at Hampton University in Virginia on Sept. 9-10. to have a hand in the festivities before the football game against Tuskegee University.
This coming weekend, Sept. 16- 17, “Divine Nine” Ambassadors will visit Arlington, Texas’ Choctaw Stadium, for the football game between Texas Southern University and Southern University.
“The Navy has always attracted the best-and-brightest HBCU graduates and ‘Divine Nine’ members to its ranks,” Commander Dominique “DJ” Jackson, a graduate of Southern University and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, said.
“These officers make incredible contributions to our service and rewrite our history every day. It is important that the current generation of HBCU students and ‘Divine Nine’ members know about this legacy and understand the opportunities that are available to them in today’s Navy,” Jackson said, currently serves as Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer for Naval Surface Forces Atlantic.
U.S. Navy “Divine Nine” Ambassadors
Commander Renee S. Baggot
North Carolina Central University
Delta Sigma Theta
Lieutenant Commander Jasmine M. Bee
Prairie View A&M University
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Lieutenant Commander Julia H. Brown
University of Tennessee — Chattanooga
Delta Sigma Theta
Lieutenant Shannon Davis
Hampton University
Sigma Gamma Rho
Lieutenant Arielle Dixon
Hampton University
Delta Sigma Theta
Commander Shemeya “Cole” Grant
Prairie View A&M University
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Retail Services Specialist Ricardo Guilory
Hampton University
Omega Psi Phi
Senior Chief Navy Counselor Shaunell Hyatt
University of Arkansas — Grantham
Alpha Phi Alpha
Lieutenant Ryan Irving
Morehouse College
Alpha Phi Alpha
Commander Dominique Jackson
Southern University
Omega Psi Phi
Lieutenant Jordan M. Johnson
Spellman College
Delta Sigma Theta
