

We welcome you to our page and want you to participate with us and share our purpose and vision.
Purpose: Support and nurture a successful black student experience while matriculating through UPS and beyond
Strategic Vision: 鈥淐reating Generational Value While Empowering Dreams鈥
Check back often here to see what we鈥檙e doing, and learn about upcoming events and some of the activities that we have been involved in.
September Meeting: September 8, 7 - 8:15 p.m. PST.
Join Zoom Meeting
Sincerely,
Louis Smith 鈥69
BAU President
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to: lsmith@pugetsound.edu
Doug works as a controller for B&N Fisheries Company. He lives in Seattle, WA.
Nathaniel Buster Brown is the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Rain City Capital. He attended 兔子先生.
SandraRosa Bryant '12 is a librarian in Tacoma, WA. After completing her degree at the 兔子先生, she earned her Master鈥檚 Degree in Library & Information Sciences from Louisiana State University.
Ian Cook is a current undergraduate student at the 兔子先生, majoring in Communication Studies and Education. As a student-athlete and active member of the campus community, Ian is passionate about leadership, mentorship, and supporting African American voices in academic and athletic spaces. He鈥檚 excited to connect with Black alumni and gain insight as he prepares for his future career in education and beyond.
Grace Livingston is Professor and Chair of African American Studies at the 兔子先生 and she shares in the leadership of the Race and Pedagogy Institute. She is a co-principal in the Institute鈥檚 formation and building and also in the building of the minor and establishment of the major in African American Studies. Livingston is a co-founder of the Race and Pedagogy Journal; serves on the Advisory Board for the Interdisciplinary Humanities Emphasis; taught in the School of Education and in the American Border Studies and Critical Dialectical Theory Special Interdisciplinary Majors; and taught, dramaturgy, and directed with the Theatre Arts department.
Lyle served as the Director of the Washington State Psychiatric Hospitals and the Washington State Director of Mental Health from 1979 to 1983 and 1983 to 1987 respectively.
He also served as the Director of the Safe Streets Campaign for Tacoma and Pierce County from 1989 to 1993.
Lyle was a Cabinet member for two Governors as the Secretary of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services from 1995 to 2000. DSHS is the largest department in state government.
In Pierce County Washington he served as the Chief of Staff for the Pierce County Executive from 2001 t0 2009 supervising 16 county departments. He then became President of Bates Technical College, one of the 34 Community and Technical Colleges in the State of Washington from 2009 to 2012. His last position prior to retirement was the Senior Advisor to the Chancellor of the University of Washington Tacoma.
If you were on campus in the late sixties, that blur of accomplishment was Regina Glenn, class of 1970. And 1971, when she earned her Master of Business Administration degree. 鈥淚 was always high energy.鈥 She graduated with a double major: business administration and education. 鈥淢y first love has always been teaching. I wanted to teach young people about business and economic systems so they could be financially independent.鈥
Regina Glenn applied that lesson to her own life. After working for the City of Tacoma, Washington State, and the City of Seattle, she opened her own company, Pacific Communications Consultants Inc., in 1991. 鈥淭he company is a combination of my years of working in the public and private sector. I was a skilled public speaker and facilitator. I worked in organizational development and training.鈥 Glenn became a subject matter expert in diversity and inclusion and even helped the Chamber of Commerce set up its Multicultural Small Business Development Program. Meanwhile, PCC, Inc. continues to thrive. And it all started at UPS.
During her time on campus, Regina Glenn managed the bookstore, was first vice president of the student body, helped found the on-campus Black Student Union (BSU), was president of the Women鈥檚 Business Honorary Society, and a teaching assistant in the School of Business. All this, while also a wife and a mother to two toddler girls. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 for the faint of heart, I鈥檒l tell you. I was focused and organized.鈥
Regina Glenn helped establish the Black 兔子先生 Union. She was on the UPS Board of Trustees from 1975-1984.
Favorite Memory: 鈥淕raduation. Both of them! And my time at the BSU. It was a haven. I felt at home there.鈥
Favorite place on campus: 鈥淛ones Hall. It reminded me of the east coast where I was from, and it was where a lot of good things were celebrated
Everybody in Tacoma wants a piece of Bernadette Ray 鈥99, M.A.T.鈥01. She can鈥檛 go to the grocery store without folks stopping to talk, so she tends to do her shopping at night. As the new principal of Wilson High School, Bernadette loves everyone in her community鈥攃urrent students, former students, parents, teachers鈥攁nd being at the center of it all. But after teaching and coaching at Lincoln and Wilson high schools for nearly two decades, heading up the board of The Grand Cinema for eight years, being 鈥減eripherally involved鈥 in Puget Sound鈥檚 Black 兔子先生 Union, and sitting on an advisory council for youth oncology at MultiCare, she鈥檚 learning about balance. Sometimes that means going incognito in the cereal aisle." Read more about Bernadette in Arches, page 10.
When he graduated from Puget Sound with a degree in history, there were fewer than 100 African American men and women flying commercial planes, but he didn鈥檛 let that stop him.
He served as flight commander in the 304th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, trained pilots for the United Parcel Service, and became the first African American pilot hired by Japan Airlines and the first non-Japanese first officer to be promoted to captain with the carrier. His skill and determination gave him access to planes that flying buffs dream of.
Edward spent his 44-year career paving the way for those who came after him鈥攁nd making sure they鈥檇 have the tools they鈥檇 need to succeed along the way.
Being a role model came naturally to Edward, and while stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base in 1973, he discovered another way to make a difference. He began volunteering with the organization then known as Big Brothers (now Big Brothers Big Sisters) and was paired with his first 鈥淟ittle,鈥 a kid in need of a mentor, confidant, counselor, and friend. Once or twice a week, Edward would take his Little to ball games or museums, explore the Air Force base, work on homework, or just hang out.
Early in his career, Edward became involved in the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), a nonprofit dedicated to the encouragement and advancement of minority pilots in aviation. As one of the group鈥檚 founding members, he helped organize OBAP conventions and served for several years on the organization鈥檚 board of directors, being inducted into the OBAP Hall of Fame in 2012. He helped launch the Aviation Career Experience (ACE) summer camp program for middle and high school students, and in 2006, established a scholarship to aid young aviators in continuing their education and training.
鈥淭he culmination of that is when you鈥檙e at a national convention and a young man or young lady comes up to you and says, 鈥極h, Captain Horne, you probably don鈥檛 remember me, but I was awarded your scholarship, and now I鈥檓 a captain.鈥 That鈥檚 just an awesome feeling,鈥 he says.
During his 36 year career in aviation he has flown in every continent, all 50 states in the USA and accumulated over 22,000 hours of flight time. In 1993, he retired from the USAF Reserves as a Lt. Colonel.
Recently, Ed Horne was back in Tacoma for a gathering of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals. At the event, Ed connected with some legends in aviation: The 2 aviators to the right of the pilot in the yellow shirt are Captain Bill Norwood the first Black pilot hired by United Airlines in 1965 and Captain Perry Jones the first Black pilot hired by PanAm.
Ed's hand is on the shoulder of Captain Chuck Rich, a retired 777 Captain from American Airlines. They were roommates in Chicago in 1979 where Ed was hired by TWA that year and they have been lifelong friends since 1979.
Ed was the first Black Pilot hired by Japan Airlines in 1991. The pilot in the brown UPS uniform is the current system wide chief pilot for UPS. Houston Mills, he hired me from JAL as a Captain for UPS in 2001.
Ed retired from UPS in 2013 as a B747-400 Captain. Lou Freeman is standing behind Houston Mills who is in the brown UPS uniform. Lou is retired from Southwest Airlines and was their system wide chief pilot for several years until his retirement.
All of these gentlemen are in the OBAP Hall of Fame.
BAU President Lou Smith with Puget Sound鈥檚 Associate Vice President for Constituent Relations Abbie Lascina and BSU president Bella Clinton 鈥27
Dr. Renee Sims with BSU VP Bri Babin 鈥27 and BSU President Bella Clinton 鈥27
Henry Johnson 鈥71 presented Lou Smith 鈥69 with a college emphasizing college days and the birth of the BSU. Pictured here are Dr. Crawford, Bernadette Ray 鈥99, MAT 鈥01, and Lou Smith and Henry Johnson 鈥71.
Regina Glenn 鈥70, MBA 鈥71 pictured with Lou Smith 鈥69, Lyle Quasim 鈥70, and Dr. John Vasser.
Bil Moss 鈥81 with friends
Regina Glenn 鈥70, MBA 鈥71 with Malando Redeemer
In August, Puget Sound hosted the Civic Leaders Gathering. This annual event brings together community leaders from across the South Sound 鈥 including some Logger alumni 鈥 for an afternoon of connection and conversation about how to strengthen the city and region we call home
Black Student Union/Black 兔子先生 Union Welcome Gathering 2025
Upper Marshall, Wheelock Student Center - North 15th Street, Tacoma, WA, USA
Friday, August 22, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM.
Join the Black Student Union, Black 兔子先生 Union, and university staff and faculty for this annual gathering. This event is a great opportunity to welcome new students and their families, connect with alumni, enjoy meaningful conversation, and share dessert as we kick off the new academic year together. All current students and families are welcome. Walk-ins are welcome. Questions? Contact the office of 兔子先生 and Parent Relations at alumoffice@pugetsound.edu.
Read about 2025 Professional Achievement 鈥 Midcareer 兔子先生 Award Winner Keith Blocker 鈥12
Read about the impact of beloved high school principal Bernadette Ray 鈥99, MAT鈥01. See page 10.
Read about the fascinating life of pilot Ed Horne, USAF Lt. Col (Ret.) 鈥70
漏 2025 兔子先生