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VOLUME 103, ISSUE 5
Opinion
Beyond
A&E
Sports
Fitts says the global economy is going nowhere fast. And no one knows what to do about it.
Student borrowers may soon see relief from school loans if Obama signs executive order.
NCCU alumnus shows and tells the origins of the sloping hills and verdant greens.
Eagles drop homecoming game for first time since making the jump to Division 1.
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Campus Echo
OWS largely secular
OUR QUEEN REIGNS SUPREME
Religious activism not at front and center of occupy movement BY ROBIN ABCARIAN LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT)
M
iss NCCU Kelsey Hargrove is carried into coronation on October 23 in McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium. The Homecoming event featured an Egyptian theme, as organizational kings and queens were introduced to the Eagle family.
INSIDE Homecoming 2011 photo spread Pages 6-7
LOS ANGELES — On a bright and raucous afternoon outside Los Angeles City Hall, Cornel West was revving up a crowd at Occupy L.A. As he often does, the prominent philosopher and activist peppered his speech with religious phrases, at one point calling for recognition of “our prophetic Mormon brothers and sisters,” as well as Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and “black Baptists like myself.” The crowd gamely applauded. But the biggest roars came when West called out “the progressive agnostic and atheistic brothers and sisters” — a response that seemed to illuminate the largely secular underpinnings of the Occupy Wall Street movement and a challenge now facing the religious left. There have been flashes of religious activism, even deeply religious moments, in the protest movement that has spread across the country this past month. Some have suggested that the Occupy camps themselves have some hallmarks of a religious movement, with their all-embracing idealism, daily rituals, focus on
something larger than the self. But as the recent incident involving West suggests, the movement also has served to point out not just the gulf between haves and havenots in modern America, but between the religious right and not-so-religious left. Through much of American history, religious forces have been at the forefront of progressive social movements, tugging at the nation’s conscience to end slavery, fight poverty and injustice, extend civil rights to African-Americans and end the war in Vietnam. For more than 30 years, though, the energy in faithbased political activism has been mainly on the right, as conservative evangelicals and others have coalesced around opposition to abortion and to same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, more liberal religious denominations have experienced a loss of membership and what some see as the lack of a coherent social message. “The problem is — and this is true of the religious left in more general terms — it’s so disorganized right now,” said Laura Olson, a political science professor
n See OCCUPY Page 5
First gen students defy odds Some students, first in family to attend college, start their legacies
BY AARON SAUNDERS ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
When N.C. Central University family and consumer science senior Kendra Barnes walks across the stage and receives her diploma, she will accomplish something that no one in her family has. Barnes will be the first in her immediate family to graduate from a university. “Graduating is extremely important for me because I have siblings and I am like a role model,” she said. Barnes, who grew up knowing she would some day attend college, decided to
attend college because she wanted to further her education. While Barnes always knew she wanted to attend college, another Eagle says he did not. Eighteen-year- old Vincent Finney III, an NCCU undecided freshman, said he had no idea he would someday be attending college. The thought, he said, didn’t cross his mind until his junior year of high school. Even then, coming into his senior year in high school, he felt he might have to skip college to help his family.
The Fayetteville native’s mother has lupus and cannot work. But when his unemployed step father found work as a personal nurse, he decided he could head to college. “Being around so many intelligent people that are so driven to go somewhere inspires me to be driven,” Finney said of attending college. There are numerous reasons why people don’t go to college. Some aren’t interested. Some are sidetracked by the birth of a child. Some need to help out their families by working.
“The people in my family always ended up pregnant, or didn’t have the time, or wanted to work first,” said Biancca Thomas, a family and consumer sciences freshman. Not understanding the ins and outs of applying for college, or how to find financial aid also can prevent many from getting a college education. “I think it all starts with their counselors,” said Barnes. “For those who parents didn’t go to college, guidance
n See FIRST Page 3
Continuing Shepard’s dream 64th annual Founders Day convocation honors NCCU legacy
BY AARON SAUNDERS ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
In 1910 Jack Johnson defeated James Jeffries in a heavyweight boxing match that set off race riots around the country, Haley’s Comet passed by the earth, and Dr. James E. Shepard founded the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua. 101 years later, students, alumni, faculty and staff gathered at McLendonMcDougald Gymnasium to honor Shepard’s legacy at the 64th annual Founder’s Day convocation. “I challenge you Eagles today to follow the steps of
Convocation speaker Clarence Williams receives his Golden Eagle certificate from Chancellor Charlie Nelms. AARON SAUNDERS/Echo editor-in-chief
our founder and I promise that you will flourish,” said Miss N.C. Central University Kelsey Har-
grove. Convocation speaker Clarence Williams, a 1961 alumnus and former MIT
professor, read from five letters thanking Dr. Shepard for creating NCCU, which, he said, “raised him up. “On behalf of my class I would like to thank you for founding this institution in 1910,” said Williams. Along with his wife Mildred, Williams was inducted into the Society of Golden Eagles as a member of the class of 1961. “I stand here with great humility as a member of the incoming Golden Eagle class,” he said. Chancellor Charlie Nelms said, “Dr. Shepard would not be surprised.”
Cornell West and Tavis Smiley embrace as they rally hundreds of Occupy LA demonstrators on the steps of City Hall in Los Angeles, California, October 7, 2011. ROBERT GAUTHEIR/Los Angeles Times (MCT)
PhD for NCCU Biosciences doctorate debuts in fall BY DWAYNA CLARK ECHO STAFF REPORTER
For the first time since 1964, N.C. Central University will have a Ph.D. program. On Oct. 7, UNC system Board of Governors approved NCCU’s advanced degree program in integrated biosciences. In fall 2012, NCCU will welcome its first doctoral students in biomedical sciences and pharmaceutical sciences. “This program has been in the making for years, starting with former Chancellor Julius Chambers, who worked
hard to ensure that the state invested millions of dollars in research space and facilities here at NCCU,” said Chanta Haywood, dean of graduate studies. Haywood said NCCU is a powerhouse when it comes to research, teaching and service in health disparities. A recent report by the National Science Foundation states that African Americans make up about 12 percent of the U.S. population, but only account for 3 percent of working scientists and
n See BIOSCIENCES Page 2