06 FS&U Summer

Fayetteville State and You

THE

STRENGTH

OF IRON Volume One. Number 2. Summer 2006

FS&U 16

Pictured are some of the many Fayetteville State University students currently enrolled in on-post classes at nearby Fort Bragg.

See lead story, page 3.

Volume I, No.2 Summer 2006 FS&U (Fayetteville State and You) is published quarterly in the interest of Fayetteville State University. All items may be reproduced with credit to Fayetteville State University.

Fayetteville State University, 1200 Murchison Road, Fayetteville, NC 28301. Subscription is free. Editorial submissions may be sent to the same address. Submission of photographs, articles, and other materials is done at the risk of the sender, and Fayetteville State University cannot accept liability for loss or damage. Unsolicited materials will not be returned. Articles will be published at the discretion of FS&U and may be edited for content and space availability.

All submissions become the property of Fayetteville State University.

Fayetteville State University is a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.

Visit us on the web at www.uncfsu.edu

Publisher: Fayetteville State University Managing Editors: Jeffery M. Womble Ben C. Minter Editorial Staff: Jeffery M. Womble Summer Kulhman Art Direction: Chad Locklear Ben C. Minter Circulation: Photography:

Xenia Lopez Dennis McNair Summer Kulhman Summer Kulhman Chad Locklear

Fayetteville State and You

The Alumni Gates containing the University’s

The Alumni Gates containing the lantern logo stand adjacent to the newly University’s renovated J. W. Seabrook Auditorium. lantern logo which stand adjacent to the newly renovated J. W. Seabrook Auditorium.

IN THIS ISSUE

pg 2 From The Chancellor pg 3 The Strenth of Iron pg 6 The Magic Flute pg 8 Admissions Veteran Joins Ranks pg 9 When Dreams Become Reality pg 11 Back to High School pg 12 Family Fun Day pg 14 Communication is Key pg 18 A Night to Remember pg 20 Fall Sports Schedules pg 21 C.H.E.E.R pg 22 The Chancellor’s Speaker Series pg 24 Critical Languages pg 25 LaBlanc Joins Trustee Ranks pg 27 Naomi Hurst’s Scholarships pg 28 Alumni Accentuation pg 30 Learning Communities FS&U 2

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Dear Broncos and Friends, Welcome to another issue of FS&U. This quarter’s edition focuses on events that have brought alumni, friends, and supporters of Fayetteville State University to our campus over the past few months. It also contains a story that addresses an

important issue that will have an impact on our campus and the community in the years to come.

As a result of the Department of Defense’s Base Realignment and Closure

(BRAC), FSU’s neighbor Fort Bragg will be adding an estimated 20,000 soldiers to the current 40,000-plus military personnel who are there normally when the

base is at full capacity. Additionally, there will be an increase in the number of dependents and civilian Army employees. I am pleased to announce that FSU plans to put out the welcome mat so that our new neighbors know immediately upon their arrival that we embrace them.

We have implemented new academic programs courses at the bachelor’s and master’s levels with

military personnel and their dependents in mind. In this issue of FS&U, you will find a story about the

new languages we will be offering in the fall to meet the needs of soldiers and their families who travel to other lands. Our fully online programs in criminal justice, psychology, and sociology will allow any Fort Bragg soldier or his or her dependent to earn FSU degrees at any time of the day or night and from any place on the planet with Internet access.

This is an exciting time for FSU, the Fayetteville community, and Fort Bragg. Through FS&U, we hope to share our progress and our spirit with you.

Happy reading!!!

Yours truly,

T.J. Bryan Chancellor

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IRON

THE STRENGTH OF

With more than 43,000 soldiers and their family members, Fort Bragg is one of the largest Army installations in the country, and it’s going to be getting even bigger.

The iron-willed Bronco resources are poised to assist.

The Department of Defense’s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission made its decisions on military base closures and realignments final in November, and with the decisions, Fort Bragg is going to be seeing a lot of exciting changes and a booming growth over the next few years. Fayetteville State University and Fort Bragg have a solid relationship, and through the changes, FSU is working to make that bond even stronger.

To put the move into perspective, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander Col. Al Aycock likens the effects BRAC will have on Fayetteville and Fort Bragg to Wal-Mart moving its headquarters from Arkansas to the Sandhills area. As a result of BRAC, 22 major bases will close, and more than 800 military installations will be affected in an effort that is designed to reduce excess military infrastructure between 5 and 11 percent and save $48.8 billion over 20 years.

U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld called the 2005 BRAC “an opportunity to reset our force.” Resetting and realigning forces include major changes to Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, anchors of the Fayetteville community, therefore affecting the city and FSU. Fort Bragg will add several forces back from overseas, and Bragg’s 82nd Airborne Division will gain a brigade of soldiers. Pope Air Force Base will also convert to an Army Air Field.

The Air Force will leave significant air force personnel, but the numbers will drop from approximately 6,000 to 2,000 personnel.

After the conversion, the Army will be responsible for the post.

The biggest change for Fort Bragg through BRAC is that, by 2011, when all changes must be completed, the Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) and the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC),

currently located in Georgia, will relocate to Fort Bragg. This move will bring an estimated 20,000 soldiers, family members, and civilian Army employees to the Fayetteville area.

These changes will not just affect Fort Bragg but also the entire Fayetteville region through housing, roads, and many other ways.

The city of Fayetteville and Fayetteville State University will have to adjust to the new residents and needs of the community.

The leaders are excited about the opportunities for growth. According to Col. Aycock, the addition of FORSCOM and USARC will not only bring a significant number of troops to Fort Bragg, but also it will bring a huge power base and could strike a trend as military contractors and other related companies could choose to relocate to the Fort Bragg area to follow FORSCOM and USARC. Though FORSCOM and USARC will not move to Fort Bragg until fiscal year 2009 and 2010 (October of the respective years), the planning is already underway for their arrival, and Fort Bragg is currently undergoing the construction and building of the facilities required to accept a new brigade.

“BRAC started at Fort Bragg the day the announcement came out,” Aycock said. “We continue to do planning with the Department of Defense for all the facilities and changes. With report dates of units coming in, we have to make sure we have the right facilities at the right time.”

A regional effort is underway in all counties surrounding Fort Bragg to determine the impact BRAC will have on this part of state, and they have been planning as well. City of Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne says this growth has been a long time coming.

“I was involved in the whole BRAC process as a community 3

liaison all the way through,” Chavonne said.

“So I’ve been involved in communication and have been a representative on the regional committee and in regular contact with FORCES command and Fort Bragg.”

As part of the city’s plan to accommodate the new residents, it will broaden and add highways, and is looking into expanding the airport to accommodate the influx of travelers on the roads and in the air.

“Currently at Fort Bragg, with 43,000 soldiers, there are 56,000 round-trip plane tickets generated a year,” Aycock said.

“FORSCOM command, along with Army Reserve Command generates 30,000 plane tickets alone.”

“Fayetteville will look at our airport,

WHAT IS FORSCOM? FORSCOM is the Army’s largest major command. n FORSCOM consists of more than 730,000 Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers, with soldiers located at 15 installations. n FORSCOM trains, mobilizes, deploys and sustains combat ready forces capable of responding rapidly to crises world-wide. n The Active Component of FORSCOM has nearly 200,000 soldiers and commands three Army Corps, I Corps at Fort Lewis, WA; III Corps at Fort Hood, TX; and XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, NC. Together they include six divisions, two armored cavalry regiments, five separate brigades, and a range of other corps combat, combat support, and combat service support units. n A subordinate command of FORSCOM, U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC), commands all U.S. Army Reserve units in the continental United States, except those assigned to Special Operations Command. FORSCOM’s Army Reserve strength stands at about 179,000 soldiers.

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approach other airlines, etc. to try increase traffic,” Chavonne said. “Hopefully that will mean more flights from Fayetteville, which is a great example of a direct result of how FORCES Command will benefit all of Fayetteville.”

By the time all of the BRAC changes are in place, the portion of Bragg Boulevard that runs through Fort Bragg will be closed to civilian traffic. Because of the traffic that will have to be routed to different areas, the city is planning to widen Murchison Road to six lanes on the area through Fort Bragg. The city is also planning to build an outer loop from Ramsey Street that will connect to the

“

Chancellor T. J. Bryan looks forward to providing higher education to military personnel who will be relocated to our region. She says, “FORSCOM and USARC personnel will require higher education for advancement. FSU has been steadily adding both baccalaureate and master’s programs to its academic portfolio. Many of these programs are being designed with the needs of military personnel and civilian employees in mind. We are honored to be positioned so that we may meet the educational needs of our nation’s finest.”

“FSU and Fort Bragg already have a great relationship. FSU offers a multitude of

We are honored to be positioned so that we may meet the educational needs of our nation’s finest.

- Chancellor Bryan

All American Freeway.

Since FSU is located on Murchison Road, it will directly be affected by the widening of the road. The Mayor sees this as a great opportunity for the city and the university to flourish.

“Murchison will become a major corridor into Fayetteville and will become one of our new gateways,” Chavonne said. “Right in the heart of that is the university, and if we do this right, this change in Murchison Road and opportunities for the gateway to the city will pull the city and the university even closer together.”

FSU will be affected in more ways than just the major highway through campus, and the university is doing its own planning to prepare for the influx of military personnel and their families.

The residents that FORSCOM and USARC will bring to Fayetteville include mostly higher-ranking military officials and civilians. Because many of them will already hold bachelor degrees, the need for higher educational opportunities such as master’s degrees and doctorate degrees will be greater.

“As changes go, you will find that Fort Bragg and Army Airfield (to transition from Pope Air Force Base) have many that have higher degrees. The educational needs will be in more master’s degrees and certification programs,” Aycock said. “Educational institutions around Fort Bragg can assist in the process by working with us to determine the particular needs of the organizations.”

FSU is doing just that. FSU currently offers classes on Fort Bragg. The university is set to continue working on expanding the relationship with Fort Bragg by tailoring course offerings to meet the educational needs of officers, enlisted soldiers, and their families.

”

degree programs both in traditional face-toface mode and online. As a member of the chancellor’s community relations board, I see things FSU is trying to do to leverage the military, such as offering a variety of languages and international programs. FSU sees a great market in the military here and is already well on the way to help in the BRAC area,” Aycock said.

“

“FSU sees a great market in the military here and is already well on the way to help in the BRAC area.”

­— Colonel Aycock

”

FSU will have the opportunity to provide for these residents in other areas in addition to education. Many members in the military have traveled around the world and enjoy cultural varieties. FSU currently provides a variety of cultural programs, including art, music, theatre, and the Chancellor’s speaker series. Chavonne is working to determine

AFROTC cadets train at FSU’s Capel Arena.

what the needs of the future community will be in this area.

“We’re just now starting to have discussions with people about what their cultural experiences are, what they are looking for in an area. They’ll come in with certain expectations and interests and I think it’s going to raise the bar for our community,” Chavonne said.

The changes at Bragg could jumpstart even more changes for Fayetteville and FSU. The leaders are looking forward to the growth as a golden opportunity. The yet unseen benefits could bring even more changes to Fayetteville.

Aycock is looking at the changes as a “golden opportunity” for the city and not just with the BRAC moves.

“Defense contractors will be considering moving, to locate here, and the opportunity to move here to headquarter in this area will depend on how well the area markets itself,” Aycock said. “Where they locate in the Sandhills area is a golden opportunity.”

Chavonne sees that challenge and is ready for it. “The challenge for us is that nothing says those people will live in Cumberland County or Fayetteville. Nothing says military contractors will locate their businesses here. We need to do our best to show that we are a welcoming place and entice as many people as possible,” Chavonne said.

Fort Bragg has been an anchor in the community for nearly forty years, and Fort Bragg has worked with the local and regional officials to build a strong relationship between the base and its counterparts. For years, Fort Bragg and Fayetteville have had a stigma, but with the work of local community leaders and Fort Bragg officials, that stigma is being lifted and the city is realizing what a gem it has in Fort Bragg.

The community is recognizing the Army as an asset, and the Army is recognizing the community as well.

“For five or six years the city and county have worked in a new way to recognize the importance of Fort Bragg,” Chavonne said. “It is a great place for a military installation.”

In recent years, Fort Bragg has won several awards as a post. It won runner-up honors last year in the Community of

Excellence award, largely based on the installations relationship with the local community.

The city and FSU are hoping the relationship with the Army and Fort Bragg will strengthen through the new changes and that the partnership will grow even more.

What BRAC will ultimately mean to the Fort Bragg community and to FSU will be decided in the future, but one thing is certain: The city of Fayetteville and FSU are determined to continue to forge an iron-clad relationship with Fort Bragg to help build a community that is strong and welcoming to any and all new members.

“For 40 years now, this [the perception of Fayetteville as a military town] is something we ran away from. Now we can embrace it and can be a part of what I believe will be a bright future,” Chavonne said.

“How great an irony that is which in one point was a negative about this community now is being perceived as a great asset.”

FSU’S ARMY AND AIR FORCE ROTC PROGRAM

Chancellor Bryan with Lt. Col. Evangeline Cheeks Professor of Aerospace Studies at FSU.

As part of the University of North Carolina system, Fayetteville State University is one of 12 colleges and universities in North Carolina, which provides a commissioning source for the Army’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).

ARMY ROTC PROGRAM n Program began at inception in August 1989 n Bravo Company (FSU), Part of the Campbell Battalion (FSU, Campbell University, Methodist College, and UNC Pembroke) n FSU currently has 41 AROTC cadets n Will add between 40-50 in the upcoming class REQUIREMENTS: n Complete a medical exam certified by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Board n Pass Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) and meet AROTC height and weight standards

n Enroll as a full-time student in AROTC classes and leadership laboratory during each academic term. n Maintain at least a 2.0 GPA academically and at least a 3.0 GPA in Military Science n Complete the 32-day Leader’s Development and Assessment Course n Pass the Combat Water Survival Test n Receive a bachelor or master’s degree n Perform physical training three times a week AIR FORCE ROTC PROGRAM n Program began in 1971 n Part of the Detachment 607 (FSU, UNC Pembroke, and Methodist College) n FSU currently has 40 AFROTC cadets n Will add between 50 and 60 in the upcoming class

REQUIREMENTS: n Complete a medical exam certified by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Board n Maintain at least a 2.5 GPA academically n Pass the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test n Meet AFROTC weight standards and pass the AFROTC Physical Fitness Test (PFT) n Enroll as a full-time student in AFROTC classes and leadership laboratory during each academic term. n Perform physical training twice a week SCHOLARSHIPS

The FSU ROTC programs offer scholarships for up to four years.

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F ute Mozart’s

The beautiful sounds of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Opera, The Magic Flute, were heard around the Fayetteville State campus on July 21st and 22nd as the opera was performed as part of the summer music festival in Fayetteville.

Each day, the cast with five principle characters performed to a crowded Seabrook Auditorium. The opera’s plot was a traditional good over evil that offered fantasy for everyone’s imagination with its dragons, boy-angels, charmed animals, and of course a magic flute.

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FSU professors, soprano Brenda Wimberly (artistic director), and FSU Choral Director Marvin Curtis (musical director) were the recipients of two major grants to produce the opera. They received the $10,000 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Challenge America Fast Track Review Grant and a $7,800 grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County. The Opera was a huge success and a delight to those who attended.

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R

oxie M. Shabazz has worked in admissions for 20 years, and she has always enjoyed direct contact with students. So when she learned that Fayetteville State University had an opening for associate vice chancellor for enrollment management, she jumped at the chance to apply.

At the time, Shabazz, 47, was assistant vice chancellor for admissions at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Now she spends just over three hours each day commuting from Wilmington to Fayetteville for her new job.

“I really am excited about it,” Shabazz said of the position she has held since Dec. 1. “I really am. When I came to interview at FSU, I immediately felt a connection, and felt I could work here. I am hoping to contribute and to make a difference, and I’m very excited. I think what we do here is very special.”

Shabazz and husband Rashid decided not to take their sons, Bilal, 9, and Kimani, 8, out of school mid-term, thus she’s commuting for the remainder of the academic school year.

But Shabazz is making the most of the time spent in the car by listening to books on tape.

“Prior to having children, I read a lot,” she said. “I was always reading, even as a child. My mother actually said to me that I read too much, go out and play. Now I deal with their activities, (like) soccer, basketball. But I love listening to books on tape. I think that’s why I don’t mind the commute.”

Shabazz received her bachelor’s degree in General Arts in 1981 from Villanova and her master’s degree in Social Service from Bryn Mawr College in 1985. She said she would love to pursue a doctorate at FSU. “It’s that time,” Shabazz said. “I’ve pretty much reached my career goals, so I need to complete my educational goals.”

As associate vice chancellor for enrollment management, Shabazz has oversight supervision of undergraduate and graduate admissions, financial aid, and registration.

Three directors report to her, and she’s responsible for their staff

members as well.

Shabazz said she didn’t come to Fayetteville State University with pre-set goals.

“I didn’t come with goals as much as I came wanting to hear from our deans, students, faculty, staff, and certainly our chancellor, about what direction we want to see FSU going in,” Shabazz said. “We have strategic planning as all institutions do, and we’re in the midst of our continual strategic planning.”

Shabazz is reporting to Dr. Perry Massey, special assistant to the chancellor, until FSU’s new provost begins next month.

He said he thinks Shabazz has implemented the right approach from day 1 on campus.

“I’m fearful of anybody coming in with their own little notebook with pre-conceived notions saying this is what we’re going to do,” Massey said. “Anytime you come into a new environment, the first thing you ought to do is learn about the place you’re coming into, and, as she said, find out what it is we’re doing and where we want to go. Then you mirror that with your experiences and the goals and objectives of the university to move the university forward.”

During her first two weeks on campus, Shabazz busied herself meeting people and learning the lay of the land at FSU. “I obviously met with all of my direct reports, and we have set up weekly meetings,” she said. “I’ve been meeting with the deans.

I met with two of our deans prior to the holiday break. I’m meeting with every staff person in my unit … and I go to as many (campus) events as I can. I try to meet everyone who I think I need to know, and people have been very welcoming, very supportive and very helpful.”

Shabazz, originally from Philadelphia, worked in Wilmington for five years before coming to FSU. She also has worked briefly at Spellman College in Atlanta, although she has spent most of her career in Virginia.

Her former colleagues at UNC-Wilmington had mixed emotions when she announced she was leaving for FSU. “I was really excited for her, but I was pretty devastated because she was a great mentor for me, and she meant a lot to this office,” said Ebony Freeland, an assistant director of admissions at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. “I was very sad to see her go but happy for her at the same time.” Freeland, who worked with Shabazz for four years, said she has a strong work ethic.

“She’s very dedicated,” Freeland said. “She expects you to do your work but still have fun and be comfortable while you’re doing it. I think Fayetteville State University got a great person in Roxie. She’ll be a great asset to the university, and we certainly miss her here.”

So far, FSU officials are pleased with Shabazz.

“Thus far we’re very satisfied with her, and I think that has to do with the fact that she brings experiences from a much larger institution in UNCW and she also brings experiences from a historically black institution, having been at Spellman,” Massey said.

“She has come in and swiftly gotten her hands filled with a number of challenges in terms of learning how we do things, but at the same time she has made some changes to ensure the operations run more smoothly.”

Shabazz said she looks forward to a rewarding career at Fayetteville State University.

“It has been a wonderful adjustment so far,” she said. “I’m learning a lot.”

Admissions Veteran Joins Ranks 8

Dreams When

become reality Annette Maria Fernandez could have done without all of the attention given to her at FSU’s May graduation.

But she certainly deserved it. departure date.

“Once he didn’t get to leave in the summer we had the whole summer together, we spent Josue Fernandez congratulates wife, Annette, following Spring more time together commencement exercises. Annette’s road to obtaining her degree was difficult as she juggled family and school responsibilities while and we fell in love,” Josue was deployed to Iraq.

Fernandez said.

Even so, she had quite a time getting a telephone interview from Miami. “I was a her parents to accept her plans. Not only little surprised and upset because she was so was she young, but throughout high school young, and she was going to get married so Fernandez had talked openly about her plans to early.” become a big-time attorney.

Chico changed his mind after a candid talk “I wasn’t even supposed to have a family,” with Josue Fernandez.

Fernandez said.

“Her boyfriend talked to me and promised me “I was supposed to go to college, go to law that she would go to college and finish,” Chico school, become a big shot attorney and save said. “He said he would be by her side and he the world.” would be a good husband. He said she was Fernandez became interested in law after going to have everything she needed, and he taking judicial courses and participating on her would help her get the degree.” high school’s mock trial team.

Once Fernandez’s family got on board with “I could read simulated court cases and the couple’s plans, it was time for a wedding. learn my part as an attorney or a witness,” she “My mom wanted to make a big deal, recalled. buy the white dress, invite the family, etc.,” “I and a fellow student wrote an appeal, and Fernandez said. we got second place statewide. I was really But the couple wanted to keep it simple into this.”

– and did. On Oct. 20, Josue’s birthday, they The prospect of Fernandez graduating from wed during a private courthouse ceremony. A college was such a big deal because no one small reception followed. on either side of her family had ever done so.

Minutes before saying ‘I Do,’ however, they Understandably, her family wasn’t happy when made some important decisions. she said she was getting married at 18.

“Right before we walked into the “I told my mom, and they flipped out on courthouse we talked about everything, like if Annette Fernandez with father, Freddy Chico me,” Fernandez remembered. “They went we want children, etc.,” Fernandez said. “He crazy. They said I’m not thinking straight. I told me I was going to graduate no matter International University until Josue Fernandez think I know what I’m doing but I don’t.” what – even if we didn’t end up growing old said he didn’t want to leave Florida without Freddy Chico admits not speaking to his together he would make sure I graduated from her. He even took one less elective during his daughter for a few months. college – because he had promised my dad.” senior year so that he’d have to go to summer “At first I got mad with her,” Chico said in After Josue Fernandez completed basic school to make up the credit, thus delaying his 9 Fernandez, who’s married with a toddler and has custody of her 9-year-old sister, Chelsea Chico, earned a bachelor’s of science degree in social studies and a bachelor’s of arts degree from FSU. However, her road to graduation was much longer and different than most.

Fernandez, 24, graduated from Miami Springs High School in June 2000. Four months later, she married high-school sweetheart Josue Fernandez.

She knew getting married so young wasn’t necessarily the smartest thing to do, but the couple was in love and military obligations threatened to separate them.

“He said to me, ‘Well, I signed up for the military, and I’ve got to leave after school,” Fernandez said. “I was like, well yeah, okay.”

Fernandez had planned to go to Florida

training at Fort Jackson, S.C., the couple moved to Fayetteville, where he was stationed at Fort Bragg. About three years later, he was sent to Iraq. Just two weeks after his deployment, Fernandez learned she was pregnant with their first child.

“I was able to tell him when they were getting ready to leave for Kuwait, Fernandez said. “I remember telling him to hold on and let me pull over. I pulled over the truck, and I broke down (crying) and told him. I was sad that I had to tell him over the phone like that.”

Learning that he was going to be a father over the phone didn’t bother Josue Fernandez.

“I heard the phone drop, and he was yelling ‘I’m having a baby. I’m having a baby,’” Fernandez said. “I heard somebody tell him you’re not The Fernandez Family having a baby.

Your wife’s having a baby. He started telling me he loved me and he was sorry he wasn’t here with me.”

Josue Fernandez Jr. was born on May 1, 2004.

Balancing marriage, motherhood and college was tough, but Fernandez was determined to make it all work and become an alum of Fayetteville State University.

“It wasn’t easy,” she admits. “I guess that’s why it took longer than I expected. It took almost five years, but I went to summer school so it seemed longer. It took a lot of juggling my classes around my husband’s work schedule. I took a lot of night classes after the baby was born, online classes because I was breastfeeding, and I couldn’t drive.

“After six months he started going to hourly care,” she continued. “I had to pay $7.50 three times a week so I could go to one class on campus. I had to drive to Fort Bragg, drop him off, drive to take one, 50-minute class then go back to get him, take him home, change him, feed him, put him down for a nap and do homework.”

Fernandez said she wanted to just give up at times.

“Right after he was born I became very neurotic over him,” she acknowledged. “I had very hard separation anxiety.”

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But despite all the pressure she was under, Fernandez didn’t give up.

“I figured I’d gone this far, and earning a college degree was the one thing I (really) wanted to accomplish,” she said. “Army wives were telling me I wasn’t going to finish school.”

When things got really bad, Fernandez called Ruth Chico, her grandmother, with whom she’s extremely close.

“If I was feeling sad and like I couldn’t do this anymore, I would call Abuela (Spanish for grandmother) and she would tell me she had eight kids, or she would tell me I could do it,” Fernandez said. “It seems hard, but it’s not that hard, she’d say. She would say time flies by very quickly, so don’t agonize over not being able to micromange everything.”

Fernandez took her grandmother’s advice to hang in there but did much more than that.

“She was a very good student gradeswise,” said Dr. Jane Peacock, who teaches upper- and lower-division Spanish classes at FSU. “She was just very energetic and would make sure she got everything done. She was always a very dedicated student.”

Peacock taught Fernandez Spanish Culture and Civilization and Spanish Golden Age Theater, both upper-division classes. She met her while Fernandez did her student teaching.

“She seemed to be a natural student-leader type,” Peacock said. “She really takes charge.

She expresses herself well … lets you know what she’s thinking. She’s also very active and very willing to go the extra mile. She should do really well as a teacher.”

Fernandez said she wants to teach Spanish to elementary children. But teaching probably wasn’t on her mind May 13 at FSU’s graduation, especially when Lt. Gov. Beverly Purdue began publicly praising her.

Someone at FSU had contacted Fernandez prior to graduation, but she thought her name would simply be mentioned with the names of other graduates who had remarkable stories. She had no idea Purdue was going to single her out.

“My husband doesn’t want to admit

it, but he teared up,” Fernandez said. “My sister told me, and my mom told me. My dad got all teared up. To me, it seems like with her telling the story it validates my emotions during a certain time period in my life.”

Unfortunately, Fernandez’s grandmother was ill and unable to attend her graduation.

“I got to talk to her beforehand, and then I called her right after it was done,” Fernandez said. “My grandmother has been balling every since. Every time I call her she says she’s really happy, and she starts going on about how she didn’t get me a good enough (graduation) present. She told all her neighbors I graduated.

And just how special is Fernandez’s graduation from Fayetteville State University?

She had to pay $40 to get extra copies of her degrees for her mother, Lydia Chico, and her grandmother.

A small price to pay, all things considered.

COMMENCEMENT STATS Total Graduates: 417 College of Basic and Applied Sciences: 135 College of Humanities and Social Sciences: 118 School of Business and Economics: 77 School of Education: 87 Doctoral: 1 Honor Candidates: 121 Valedictorian: Titichia Mitchell Salutatorian: Martianna Daniel Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue, below, was the keynote speaker at the 139th Spring Commencement Ceremony.

FSU Grad Sings Her Way

Back to High School

Tiffany Adams graduated from Fayetteville State in May, but this August, she will be heading back to high school. Adams will be taking on a new role. She will be a teacher. Adams has been named the new choral director at E.E. Smith High School.

Adams, a general music major with a concentration in voice, can rest easy for the summer as she does not have to worry about finding a job. Less than two weeks after graduation, Adams was hired by E.E. Smith, part of the Cumberland County Schools system. She is very excited about her new endeavor and about teaching high school students music.

“Knowledge is power, and it’s important that people understand that music is a vital part of education. Often times music is pushed to the side as an extracurricular activity and not viewed as an integral part of everyone’s core education,” Adams said.

Adams wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to do after college, but she didn’t hesitate when offered the position as choral director after just one interview.

“I love the art of teaching, how you can take something that has resonated with you, and you can pass that on to someone else in the hopes that it will touch their lives in a special way,” Adams said. “I am so excited. I cannot wait to meet the students. I cannot wait to begin working in the program; I am really excited. I have so many ideas for the new semester, working with the choral department and the other performing arts instructors.”

Adams is confident with her abilities but is fully aware of the responsibility that comes with her new position.

“I’m looking forward to imparting the knowledge that I have about music and in some way transferring my appreciation of music to the students,” Adams said. “It is a huge responsibility, however, I feel completely prepared for undertaking it. I have a willingness to learn and a desire to touch others’ lives.”

Adams’ responsibilities include teaching the students voice and directing and conducting. She will prepare the choral students for a spring and fall concert, as well as prepare the E.E. Smith 16, a show choir group which

includes dancing and choreography in its performances.

Adams has been performing classical music for five years and has had some experience in teaching. She taught a freshman seminar course at Fayetteville Technical Community College, and she is ready for the challenge of teaching high school.

“I can imagine teaching will be somewhat of a challenge.

I feel that if I make myself clear from the beginning what my expectations are, I think the students will respect that. I’m looking forward to working with the students. It’s easier to lighten up than tighten up … I operate with a firm hand and allow the students to understand the amount of respect that’s required,” Adams said.

11

Family

Fun Day a sucessful change for Fayetteville State University

Family Fun Day proved to be a great end-of-the-year celebration for employees and their families. The day provided a delicious lunch and plenty of sweets for dessert, including cotton candy, popcorn, and snow cones. Adults and children alike were able to enjoy the numerous games, activities, music, and dancing throughout the day.

12

Family Fun Day was hosted

by Chancellor T.J. Bryan as a way to bring employees and their families together to celebrate a successful year and rejuvenate for the year ahead. Chancellor Bryan initiated the first-ever Family Fun Day as a replacement for the end-of-the-year conference.

THE CHANCELLOR’S FAMILY FUN DAY AWARDS PRESENTATION The following units, departments, and individuals received awards during the first Family Fun Day held May 15.

CHANCELLOR’S AWARDS FOR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

COLLEGE/SCHOOL FACULTY OF THE YEAR

Dr. Maxwell Twum-Asante College of Basic and Applied Sciences Department of Psychology

Department of Management Ms. Phoebe Hall Department of Performing and Fine Arts Department of Natural Sciences (Two Awards) College of Humanities and Social Sciences Department of Performing and Fine Arts Department of Criminal Justice CHANCELLOR’S OUTSTANDING UNIT AWARD

Charles W. Chesnutt Library Facilities Management Information Technology and Telecommunications Services Marketing and Public Relations Student Activities CHANCELLOR’S SPECIAL SERVICE AWARD

Brigitte Bonner-Lindsay

FSU 2006 BOARD OF GOVERNORS EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD

Dr. Ngozi Kamalu Department of Government and History FSU 2006 TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Dr. Kimberly Smith-Burton School of Education

“Seeing progress, that to me was the thing. I think that one of the gifts I have is exportation, encouraging others and I think if a person has faith that you can do it, it builds your faith that perhaps you can,” McAllister said.

Ms. Garistine Davis School of Business and Economics Department of Accounting

Dr. Patrick Larkin Department of Managerial Economics and Finance Dr. Eric Hyman Department of English and Foreign Languages Dr. Stanley Johnson Department of Government and History Ms. Phoebe Hall Department of Performing and Fine Arts

Dr. Kwaku Twumasi-Ankrah Dr. Kimberly Smith-Burton Department of Sociology School of Education Major Michelle Coghill Department of Middle Grades, Secondary, and Department of Aerospace Studies Special Education Dr. Marlene Cain-Caston FSU DEPARTMENTAL FACULTY OF THE YEAR Department of Elementary Education Dr. Maxwell Twum-Asante Dr. Francis Keane Department of Psychology Department of Educational Leadership Dr. Sherrice Allen Dr. Kimberly Smith-Burton Department of Natural Sciences Department of Middle Grades, Secondary, and Special Education Ms. Garistine Davis Department of Accounting

“We’ve had one as mature as 52 and one as young as 18, just out of high school. You’d be surprised at the number who just fall through the cracks,” McAllister said.

Family Fun Day culminated with an awards ceremony hosted by Chancellor Bryan. During the ceremony, university departments and staff members were recognized for their hard work and dedication throughout the year.

13

Communication

is key

New bachelor of arts degree prepares students for jobs in the media...and more When spring semester classes began at Fayetteville State University in January, Dr. Marvin V. Curtis had a reason to smile.

And Curtis, assistant dean for The College of Humanities and Social Science, wasn’t the only one grinning.

For the first time in school history, Fayetteville State is now offering a bachelor of arts degree in communication. Students have the choice of electing speech or mass communication as their focus of concentration.

“The approval took about a year and a half,” Curtis said recently in an interview. “We had to do an intentto-plan proposal, and once you get that approved, you do the authorizationto-establish proposal, which is very lengthy, about 60 pages.”

The proposal includes questions from The General Alumni Association, and GAA approval is required before new degrees can be offered at any of the 16 schools in the University of North Carolina System, Curtis said.

Also required is approval by The Board of Governors, the governing body for all of North Carolina’s state-supported schools.

Curtis, who has worked at Fayetteville State University for nine years and is its choir director, 14

said he is really excited about the newest degree being offered there.

“In the process of doing all of this, the faculty helps to write the proposal,” Curtis said. “We have to do surveys of students and businesses as part of it. We have to gather resources. We have to get it read by outside consultants who write letters of recommendation for the program, and what usually happens is when the outside consultants get it for the first time they read it and send it back with questions and comments and we amend it and get it back to them. Then we get letters of support from them, which we include in the proposal that goes to GAA. It’s a complete notebook when GAA gets it.”

Included in the GAA proposal was a list of new courses that would be offered for students trying to earn a bachelor’s in communication, Curtis said. Among the new courses are international

communications; presentation technologies; introduction to public relations and advertising; communication research methods; and rhetorical theory and criticism.

Existing courses available to students are Audio Production 1 and 2; Speech Writing; Argumentation and Debate; Intercultural Communications; Interpersonal Communications; Mass Media Internships; Voice and Diction; and Phonetics.

“We didn’t have enough (courses) to offer the degree itself,” Curtis said. “Some of the courses were added before we even got to the point of writing the proposal.

Some of the existing courses have been there for only a year…We were authorized to offer a degree in speech theater, (but) in order to offer a new degree, you had to write a new proposal.”

Curtis said he thinks a communications degree will go a long way toward helping FSU students obtain jobs and get into graduate school.

The new degree is big news on campus, he said.

“In this world, communication is key, and our students need to be involved in knowing how to correspond, not only with each other but also within the global environment,” Curtis said. “There’s a foreign language component that’s also involved with this degree. There’s also an intercultural part to this degree because the world is no longer just The United States of America. So we’re giving our students more

options and preparing them for graduate school if they want to go.”

Dr. Todd S. Frobish is the area coordinator for FSU’s Communications Program and also its Speech and Theater Program.

He agrees with Curtis that the communications degree is good news for Fayetteville State University.

“We had the speech and theater program, and we still have it, but students who are majoring in speech and theater have their transcripts read a degree in speech and theater, which included those who were taking mass communication courses, which doesn’t help them too much in the field,” said Frobish, an assistant professor for the Department of Performing and Fine Arts.

“We wanted to help make it more attractive for careers by giving it a more substantial degree, one whose title actually reflects the work they’ve done at the college.”

Frobish said he thinks the bachelor’s of arts in communication will become a popular choice among FSU students.

“Part of getting it accepted as a new program included doing surveys,” Frobish said.

“We got very favorable results from students wanting those programs. In addition, we got responses from area media outlets, like local TV stations, The Fayetteville Observer and other sources, and they were very excited that we’re offering this program.”

Frobish said FSU is conducting a search now for a journalism professor who will begin teaching in the fall.

“And then we’ll hire one additional faculty member every year for the next few years to get the program the way we want it to be,” he said.

Like Curtis, Frobish said he’s excited about the new degree being offered at Fayetteville State.

“I think this is a program that has potential to expand and attract a good cohort of students, from not only this area but surrounding areas, and I think it has the potential to expand to a master’s program … maybe within five to 10 years.”

Curtis said that Campbell University in Buies Creek was the nearest school offering a similar degree – a bachelor of arts in mass communication and a bachelor of science in mass communication.

North Carolina State University in Raleigh was the closest school to offer either a BA or a BS in communication, he said.

As a result of the new degree being offered, FSU’s radio station is being upgraded, Curtis said. “We’ve got some grants, and the chancellor has also put some money into the station,” he said. “The WFSS Advisory Board has been re-activated, and we’re also expanding the television station.”

In addition, Alfred Wiggins – who had a recurring role as a judge on the hit TV show “Matlock,” starring Andy Griffith – has signed on as a new professor at FSU to help out with TV production, Curtis said “He was the principal in the movie “Drumline,” and he’s on the faculty now,” Curtis said. “He’s helping to get the TV part together for us, which is good because he has the background.”

FSU Offer’s New Masters in Criminal Justice

The number of undergraduate students majoring in criminal justice at Fayetteville State University is second only to students majoring in business administration in terms of numbers.

Now those students who wish to further their education with a master’s degree in criminal justice can stay at FSU. On February 10, the North Carolina Board of Governors approved a master’s degree in criminal justice for FSU, and the program is set to begin this fall.

“The excitement about criminal justice careers has been around for a long time. I often say, ‘Where would Shakespeare be without crime?’ The vast majority of our movies, books, and TV shows all center around crime issues, so people have had a long fascination with crime and justice,’’ said Dr. David Barlow, professor and interim dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

“That’s one of the reasons we’re the largest major on campus behind business administration.”

Students in the master’s program will

be required to take 27 hours and present a thesis or 33 hours without a thesis. At the end of the program, all students will be required to pass a comprehensive exam.

“My wife (Dr. Melissa Barlow, professor and interim chair of the criminal justice department) and I were both hired about 3 years ago. We’ve long known that there’s a major shortage of people of color getting advanced degrees in criminology and criminal justice, so we felt that Fayetteville State was a good place to cultivate those students and, hopefully, launch them in to doctural, programs as well,” Barlow said. “The other side of it is that we see a need in this area for practitioners to get advanced degrees, particularly those involved in management of criminal justice agencies.”

Students in the criminal justice program can look forward to flexibility as well. The entire program from beginning to end will be available online.

The department has already admitted 10 students to the master’s program and is reviewing more applications. With four new faculty members to the department, there will be a total of 11 faculty members with the hopes of adding another three or four next year.

“They’re all very qualified people with diverse approaches to the subject matter,” Barlow said. “I really am excited about the faculty we’ve hired. We have people with doctoral degrees and backgrounds in criminal justice, criminology, social work, juvenile justice, and urban planning. We have two people that each have well over a decade of experience as practicing criminal attorneys,” Barlow said. “We see this as a beginning year, but it’s going to pick up and be big and very, very popular.”

15

Joyner Hall

“Who’s got my blouse?!” Heard no more.

The three-storied Joyner Hall has stood like a matronly protector on the campus of Fayetteville State University since 1930. Decades later, it entered the new millennium offering the same solace and protective supervision over the young women of this campus that had characterized it for decades. And now, because of the constant university growth, creating a lack of office space for faculty and staff, Joyner Hall will enter a new era. After more than 75 years, the doors will close to its female population and open again in welcome to a new family that will soon call it home, FSU faculty and staff.

The peels of youthful laughter will be replaced with the hum of computers. Joyner’s hallways will no longer echo the swish of crinoline skirts or the rustle of blue-jeaned legs as students scurry from bed to class. Beginning in fall 2006, those sounds will be replaced with rustling papers. No longer will excited giggles be heard during the night. No more “Who’s got my blouse!” No longer the bell ringing as some young, goodlooking male comes calling – only the sound of telephones peeling out a request to be answered.

Thousands of young women called Joyner Hall home through the years, young women whose memories of Fayetteville State will be filled with thoughts of Joyner Hall and the memories made there. If the walls could talk, what stories and history they would tell. Tara Melvin, the FSU Resident Director who lived in Joyner Hall both as a student and later as a residential learning coordinator, remembers her time in Joyner Hall fondly.

“I remember my first hall meeting there with a former residence director, Ms. Janie Nettles, who is now retired. She 16

always stressed to us the importance of being ladies, acting a certain way, carrying yourself in a way that is proper for ladies,” Melvin said.

Though Joyner Hall, named after Dr. J.Y. Joyner, former superintendent of public instruction, will not serve as a dormitory for incoming FSU students, the memories made there will never evaporate. New memories will be made as Fayetteville State faculty and staff create their own home in the building.

Melvin is now the residence director and will live in Hood Hall. She said she understands the need to turn the residence hall into faculty offices.

“We’ve made our adjustments. We still have our memories of Joyner Hall and what it meant to us as individuals,” Melvin said. “I guess it had to happen so that the university can continue to grow.”

With the closing of Joyner Hall, FSU will have 100 fewer spaces than in the past, but Adrina Russell, FSU’s Director of Housing, said the shortage has not been a problem. She has been able to accommodate all students who have sought room assignments so far.

The chatter of young ladies, however, will not be lost forever. Joyner Hall will eventually return to a dorm in two to three years after renovations have been completed on several buildings including Taylor Social Science, which houses the political science, history, sociology, psychology, and criminal justice departments. The work necessitated the temporary moving of faculty offices from the building to Joyner.

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Gifts to FSU are essential to the continued strength and excellence of the university.

Charitable acts enable the as work of art, antiques, etc. where university to advance beyond such gifts will further the work of the what state appropriations allow, institution. making possible scholarships, Current Will endowed professorships and A current will provides you with an facility enhancements. Through opportunity to distribute your estate a planned gift to FSU, you can according to your wishes. It offers maximize the personal advantages one last opportunity to express your provided by charitable giving and values to your heirs, a chance to care create a legacy for the for your heirs according "Our student future. to their special needs

applications and

and the occasion to Bequests enrollment are up. We make a gift to charitable Bequests are gifts grew by twelve percent organizations such through wills or this year, and for fall as Fayetteville State living trusts and are 2006, acceptances are University. In regards considered to be one up by 84%" to federal estate tax of the easiest and Chancellor Bryan, on the savings, an outright most popular planned growth of FSU gift to Fayetteville gifts. Bequests State University from your estate— can be made of specific assets whatever the amount, and whether it or amounts. For the greatest is expendable or for endowment—is flexibility, bequests can be stated entirely free from federal estate as a percentage of the total taxes. This means that the university estate. If you plan to make a is able to use the full amount of the charitable gift by will, you have bequest, whereas if it were left to various options to explore. FSU an individual, a significant amount will accept bequests of, but not (up to 55 percent) might go to estate limited to, cash, real estate and taxes. tangible personal property such

If you are considering a charitable gift by will please meet with your attorney to discuss all options that meet your financial objectives and be as clear as possible in describing what you want given and to whom. We hope you’ll tell us when you have named Fayetteville State University in your will.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank you and recognize your generosity.

If you have any questions about planned giving and would like to learn more, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 910-672-1339.

5

ways to help your

university

1 2 3 4 5

grow

Specific Bequest

This is a gift of a specific item to a specific beneficiary. For example, “I give my collection of antique books to the FSU library.” If that specific property has been disposed of before death, the bequest fails and no claim can be made on any other property.

Unrestricted Bequest

An unrestricted gift is for our general purposes, to be used at the discretion of our Chancellor and the Board of Trustees.

This bequest is administered without conditions attached and is frequently most useful, as it allows for the university to determine the most pressing need for the funds at the time of receipt.

Restricted Bequest

You may specify how the funds from your bequest are to be used. This form of bequest is most useful if you have a specific purpose or project in mind. The university recommends that you consult with us prior to making this decision to ensure that your intent can be carried out.

Honorary In Memorial Bequest

This is a gift in honor or in memory of someone. We are pleased to honor your request and have many ways to grant appropriate recognition.

Endowed Bequest

The Endowed Bequest allows you to restrict the principal of your gift, requiring us to hold the funds permanently and use only the investment income they generate. Creating an endowment in this manner means your gift can continue giving indefinitely.

17

A night to remember M

ore than $109,000 was raised during FSU’s 3rd Annual Chancellor’s Scholarship Gala, a black-tie event featuring famed R&B crooner Peabo Bryson.

Held April 8 in FSU’s Capel Arena from 7 p.m. to midnight, the event took six months to plan and was attended by nearly 800 people.

WRAL News Anchor Gerald Owens served as emcee. Suffice it to say, the gala was a huge success.

“We hoped to raise at least $50,000 through corporate and individual sponsorships, and we surpassed our goal with a total of $61,340,” said Wendy L. Jones, FSU’s Director of Development.

“Regarding ticket sales, we had hoped to have a full house selling all available seats, and we were only a few short of doing so.”

Jones, who has worked at Fayetteville State for six months, said the gala is the university’s primary fund raiser and helps provide full scholarships for rising freshmen and transfer students.

“In addition to providing financial support for scholarships, the event raises awareness among current and potential donors,” Jones said. “Often times, gala attendees are visiting our campus for the first time. Their visit and support of the gala allows us to showcase our facilities and identify our needs to a captive audience. Their

18

visit to campus will hopefully lead to a lifetime of support which will assist with establishing scholarships and supporting existing ones.”

Of course, the 3rd Annual Chancellor’s Scholarship Gala wasn’t an ordinary campus visit.

After all, it’s not everyday that FSU Chancellor T.J. Bryan rolls out the blue carpet amidst tons of glitz and glamour to throw a bash to end all bashes.

The menu consisted of numerous culinary delights, including: individual shelled and succulent Maine lobster claws; jumbo poached shrimp drizzled with tequila infused cocktail sauce; herb encrusted petite filet of beef bathed in a wild mushroom and Merlot wine demi glaze; tilapia; North Carolina sweet potato puree; petite baby green pods; and lemon curd custard tarts.

Participants dined while socializing in “The Blue Orchid Club,” a makeshift 1930s to 1940s era jazz club.

“Live jazz set the tone while the room was decorated in white, silver and crystal with accents of FSU blue,” said Ben C. Minter, FSU’s Director of Marketing & Events. “The dark blue carpet served as the foundation for round tables draped in white linen with white, crystal and silver settings.”

Additionally, each table was adorned with a single crystal candle holder with a 36-inch white taper set in blossoming cellophane and silver ribbon with live, blue orchids resting on a mirrored base. Pewter and white-globed, two-tiered giant chandeliers hung throughout the room for mood lighting.

And in case that didn’t work, there were the vocals of Peabo Bryson, a Grammy winner who has sung popular duets with Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Melissa Manchester, and Regina Belle.

Bryson, originally from South Carolina, serenaded gala attendees with some of his biggest hits, including “I’m So Into You,” “Can You Stop The Rain,” Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You,” “A Whole New World (from “Beauty and the Beast”) and “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again.

He headlined entertainment for the gala, but The Reggie C Jazz

Trio, featuring world famous trumpeter Ray Codrington, and local act The Optimism Band also performed.

Dignitaries included Fayetteville Mayor Anthony Chavonne; members of The Fayetteville City Council; The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners; The Cumberland County Board of Education; Fayetteville State University’s Board of Trustees; and The Fayetteville State University Foundation.

Also present were FSU National Alumni Officers, Col. Al Aycock, Garrison Commander at Fort Bragg and an FSU alum, and other Fayetteville State graduates.

Patrons undoubtedly had a good time. But events like this don’t just happen.

Minter said the hardest part wasn’t in planning it but rather in ensuring the plans were implemented.

“Everything looks good on paper,” Minter said. “But it’s the actual implementation – the setup, which includes long hours of physical labor with last-minute problems and decisions regarding décor, etc. It’s challenging to make sure everything is in place and functional so that all the pieces of the puzzle combine to create magic.” Magic indeed.

And plans are already underway for next year’s event.

“Featured entertainers are being contacted for possible contracts,” Minter said. “Theme studies are being conducted and vendors are being put on notice. There’s no way that we can look forward to next year’s gala without planning a year in advance. Detail is the key to providing both an evening of enjoyment and reaching our goals in helping underwrite scholarships for FSU students.”

at The Blue Orchid Club

19

S T S ’ R U FS L SP L A F *Indicates conference games. **Televised conference game.

football schedule AUGUST 26 Wingate

Wingate

1:30 p.m.

SEPTEMBER

2 Virginia Union Richmond, VA 9 Presbyterian College Home 16 Presbyterian College* Clinton, SC 23 St. Paul’s College* Home 30 Virginia State* Petersburg, VA

6:30 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

1:30 p.m.

OCTOBER 14 N.C. Central* 21 Johnson C. Smith* 28 Saint Augustine’s*

6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

Home Charlotte Home

NOVEMBER 4 Livingstone College** Home TBA 11 CIAA Championship Durham TBA

Note: Dates and times subject to change. All home

games will be played at Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium.

cross country SEPTEMBER 14 Saint Andrews 21 Greensboro 27 UNC-Pembroke

Laurinburg Greensboro Pembroke

TBA TBA TBA

OCTOBER 3 Methodist 19 CIAA Championship

Fayetteville Cary

TBA TBA

VOLLEYBALL schedule AUGUST 25-26 Converse Tournament

Spartanburg, SC

SEPTEMBER 4 6 8

Winston-Salem State N.C. Central* Tusculum College Lander College 9 Johnson C. Smith

Saint Andrews College 11 St. Augustine’s College* 13 Johnson C. Smith* 15-17 CIAA Volleyball Roundup 19 Limestone College 20 Livingstone College* 23 WingateTri-match Saint Andrews 26 UNC-Pembroke 6:00 p.m.

Raleigh 6:00 p.m.

Winston-Salem Home Greeneville, TN Williamston, SC Charlotte Laurinburg Home Home Durham Gaffney, SC Home Wingate Wingate Pembroke 29

6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

TBA 6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Shaw*

OCTOBER

4 Winston-Salem State* 6:00 p.m.

6 Barton College Wilson 6:00 p.m.

9 Livingstone College* Salisbury 6:00 p.m.

10 Francis Marion Florence, S.C. TBA 14 Saint Augustine’s* Raleigh 2:00 p.m.

17 Johnson C. Smith* Charlotte 6:00 p.m.

19 Virginia State University Home 6:00 p.m.

26 North Carolina Central* Durham 6:00 p.m.

NOVEMBER 1-4 CIAA Championship Durham TBA

20

TBA

C.H.E.E.R. Making the transition from high school to college isn’t always easy.

So at colleges and universities across the country, officials are establishing ways to ease students into college life.

At Fayetteville State University, the CHEER (Creating Higher Expectations for Educational Readiness) Program does just that.

“The CHEER Program gives students a sense of community, a sense of belonging here,” said Vicki McKenzie, Transfer Counselor for University College at FSU. “Many of them are anxious about leaving the security of high school and facing new challenges. Being involved in CHEER gives them the opportunity to ‘sample’ college life without feeling overwhelmed by a regular class schedule.”

Another important benefit of CHEER is its limited cost to students, McKenzie said.

“The university covers the tuition cost (at the in-state rate), books, lunches and, for some, the cost of housing,” she said. “Students are able to focus on their classes and earn six hours of college credit without worrying about the financial aspect.”

Dr. Jon Young, FSU’s Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, said the program started during the summer of 2002.

“This is an example of a summer bridge program, and summer bridge programs are fairly common throughout the United States,” Young said. “There are many different formats, and the exact format is going to be very, very different from campus to campus … What they all share in common is the goal

of giving students experiences that will help them make the transition to college life.”

At Fayetteville State, the CHEER Program occurs during the second summer-school session and lasts for five weeks. Students complete an English course and a math course, earning six credit hours.

McKenzie has taught English courses in the CHEER Program and said she thoroughly enjoys it.

“There is such a cross-section of students who enroll in CHEER: some need significant support in grammar and punctuation, and so on; others are more experienced writers,” she said. “The classroom variety makes instruction challenging yet rewarding.”

“Besides taking two courses, CHEER participants are provided with a variety of academic support activities, including tutoring and workshops that help them prepare for their freshman year,” Young said.

Any student who gets admitted to Fayetteville State can apply for CHEER, but it’s up to them to apply, Young said.

In its inaugural year, the CHEER Program had nine participants, Young said. By 2003, that number had more than doubled to 20. In 2004 it increased dramatically to 63, and last year 148 students were part of FSU’s CHEER Program.

While it’s still too early to say conclusively, Young said he thinks the program will go a long way toward increasing the grades of participating students.

“The students who are in CHEER, on average, perform much better than students who are not in CHEER,” he said. “When I

say they’re performing better, what I mean is they’re progressing toward graduation in four years more effectively than non-CHEER students.”

Shieka I. Leach said CHEER has already had a positive impact on her.

The 18-year-old just completed her freshman year at FSU and plans to become a nurse.

“The CHEER Program was fun,” Shieka said. “It was a good experience. It helped me get through my freshman year as far as getting to know the campus and some of the professors. It helped me learn how to prepare for classes.”

Additionally, she said: “The good thing is it’s a scholarship-based program, so everything is paid for. And I already have a math course out of the way that I would need for graduation.”

In terms of changes to CHEER, McKenzie said officials are considering offering a wider array of classes to meet more diverse academic needs.

Also under consideration is CHEER 2, which would serve as a bridge from the freshman year to the sophomore year for students who didn’t participate in CHEER but could have benefited from it, she said.

For now, Young said he wishes only that CHEER could serve more students.

“We have not had to turn anybody away yet, and we’re not sure whether we’ll have to do that this year or not,” he said. “That would be a ‘good problem,’ but we’ll just have to see how many applications we get.”

21

2006-07 Chancellor’s Distinguished

Speaker Series

Fayetteville State University students, faculty, staff, and the Fayetteville community are in for a treat during the 2006-2007 academic year. Chancellor T.J. Bryan released her Distinguished Speaker Series lineup full of several familiar names.

The Chancellor’s distinguished speakers have been a highlight of the academic years in the past, bringing in such guests as Donna Brazile, Shoshana Johnson, Ron Jaworski, and Julian Bond. This year, the series includes eight new movers and shakers of the world.

Regardless of whether you are into history, politics, military, activism, or football, there will be someone on this list of distinguished speakers that will appeal to everyone.

“Fayetteville State is honored to have so many unique and interesting speakers scheduled to speak at our university this year,” Chancellor T.J. Bryan said. “It is our goal each year to provide speakers who will touch our students and community with their words. This year, we are excited to have several well-known guests on our list.”

22

“Whether your hobbies range from football to politics, we are looking forward to a great year filled with speakers who will touch a variety of our students, faculty, staff, and greater community,” - Chancellor Bryan

SEPTEMBER 19

Chief Red Hawk A Cherokee Indian and Founder of OPM Management Solutions, an organization established for the advancement of cultural understanding. Chief Red Hawk sat on the tribal council of the American Cherokee of Georgia as their tribal Medicine Man and Spiritual Leader. Chief Red Hawk is also a traditional dancer, author, artist, and recording artist. He won a TELLY award for music video of the year in 2004 for “The Songs Remember.”

NOVEMBER 14

JANUARY 24

Dr. Manning Marable

Cheech Marin

Dr. Manning Marable -historian, political theorist, human rights activist, professor, and journalist.

Dr. Manning Marable is known for his writing and has written or edited more than 200 academic articles and 21 books. Since 1993, Marable has been a professor of Public Affairs, Political Science, History, and African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York City. Marable also was the founding director of the Institute for Research in AfricanAmerican Studies at the University.

As an actor, director, writer, musician, art collector and humanitarian, Cheech Marin is best known for his role in the poplular 80’s films, “Cheech and Chong.” He attracts fans through his comedy and films, as well as his projects for children. To this day, ‘Cheech and Chong’ films are the number one weekend video rentals.

FEBRUARY 6

MARCH 13

Reverend Bernice King -- the youngest daughter of the late Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. An elder at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, King is an ordained minister.

King has spoken to audiences around the world. She is the author of Hard Questions, Heart Answers.

Former New York Jets Coach and appointed the 10th Head Coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006.

Edwards has been a head coach in the NFL for five seasons. He has been a player, scout, assistant coach or head coach in the NFL for 26 years.

Rev. Bernice King

All events take place at J.W. Seabrook Auditorim on the FSU West Campus beginning at 7 p.m.

Herman Edwards

MARCH 21

Anita Hill Law professor, speaker, researcher, and author, Anita Hill was catapulted into the public light after bringing allegations of sexual harassment against her former boss, then Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. Through her testimony at Thomas’ Senate Confirmation Hearings, Hill brought the issue of sexual harassment to the forefront of Americans’ minds. Hill now lectures on sexual harassment, race and gender, and other civil rights issues.

23

Critical

Languages Fayetteville State University students may soon be speaking a new language.

For the first time in university history, FSU will be offering four new languages, Chinese, Hindi, Pashto, and Dari, each considered “critical languages.”

FSU will be the first of the 11 Historically Black Colleges or Universities in North Carolina to offer all four of these languages at the same time. It is believed that no other HBCU in the country offers all four courses.

“FSU’s proximity to Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base provides a unique opportunity for the military personnel to take these courses. There is also a growing population of the Asian community in the Fayetteville area who might take advantage of these courses,” Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Valentine James said.

“Nationally, there is a growing trend for a need to expand the study of foreign languages… particularly Asian languages, because China and India represent the new frontier of rapid economic development.”

In early 2006, President George W. Bush launched the National Security Language Initiative (NSLI) in an effort to increase the number of Americans learning “critical-need foreign languages.”

The languages that will be offered in the fall to FSU students include Chinese, which is the most common language of the world, spoken by more than 1 billion people; Hindi, spoken by 496 million people; and Dari and Pashto, variations of Arabic and the two official languages of Afghanistan.

“The Chronicle of Higher Education in one of its publications claims that these languages are very, very critical and much-needed in order to do business overseas in countries such as India and China. These countries would probably become two of the best trade partners with the United States,” James said.

Currently, Americans are behind other parts of the world in speaking foreign languages. The

National Virtual Translation Center states that only 9 percent of Americans can speak their native language plus another language fluently compared to 53 percent of Europeans.

Less than 8 percent of undergraduates in the U.S. take a foreign language course and less than 2 percent study abroad in any given year, according to the Department of Education. Of the languages studied by students in the U.S., fewer than 2 percent currently study any of the target languages, said to be critical to national security and cultural understanding according to the Department of State.

Part of the NSLI includes a request for funding for the Departments of Education, State, and Defense and the Director of National Intelligence. Part of the money is earmarked for adding Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants and additional funding for more Fulbright Scholarships for students to study languages abroad.

The new languages offered will bring more staff dedicated to this area of study to FSU. A full-time teacher’s assistant has been added to the faculty to teach Chinese. The new professor holds a PhD in Chinese Literature and History. Under the NSLI Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants program, the federal government is providing two teaching assistants to help teach Hindi and Pashto at no charge to the university.

The assistants will help the students learn the languages while professors from other area universities teach the class through commuting and teleconferences.

“We have two individuals coming to FSU as Fulbright teaching assistants: one from India and another from Afghanistan. They are going to be available to help the students in the spoken language. It’s one thing to be able to learn and practice in the classroom, but it’s another thing to have a conversation in the language. These graduate students will be able to help our students to become better speakers of Hindi and Pashto,”

James said.

Fayetteville State students and members of the community interested in taking these new language courses will have flexibility in taking the courses.

“We want to embrace Fort Bragg soldiers, their families and people who work during the day. For our students here, they can take classes during the day, but for most other people, classes would be at night. Most of the classes would be at night,” James said. “No language is really difficult to learn. I would encourage anyone who has interest to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities that are being provided by the University. We have a new state-of-theart laboratory and excellent faculty who are very caring and they are willing to bend over backwards to make sure the students understand the languages.”

James said jobs, the opportunity to be a citizen of the world, and to be a well-rounded person, are the benefits of learning one of these languages.

“Many doors become open to those who speak several languages and one understands many perspectives of a single issue,” he said, “The whole aim now is to become a global citizen; to become that, people need to speak more than the English language. These critical languages are of utmost importance.”

New languages at a glance CHINESE

HINDI

PASHTO

DARI

Total Speakers: More than 1.3 Billion

Total Speakers: 800 million

Total Speakers: Around 25-30 million

Total Speakers: About 5 million

Region: Eastern Asia

Region: South Asia

Region: Afghanistan

Fact: Chinese is the most spoken language in the world.

Fact: One of the most widely spoken languages in the world, due to the population of India.

Region: Afghanistan and Pakistan

24

Fact: One of the official languages of Afghanistan.

Fact: It is the Afghan dialect of Farsi (Persian).

LeBlanc Joins

Trustee Ranks

From 1993-2001, Catherine W. LeBlanc was Executive Director of The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

While serving under thenPresident Bill Clinton, her primary responsibility was to help increase funding to the country’s 105 HBCUs. During that time, Fayetteville State University benefited from LeBlanc’s efforts, as did all of the historically black institutions of higher learning in the U.S. But now Fayetteville State has LeBlanc all to itself, if you will, and administrators and others affiliated with the university couldn’t be more pleased. That’s because LeBlanc is among the newest members of Fayetteville State University’s Board of Trustees.

“Her vast experience means that the university has the benefit of a number of best practices, data and general knowledge readily available,” FSU Chancellor T.J. Bryan said. “She understands how HBCUs operate.

She knows that they have been historically under-funded; have assumed missions of service to the underserved and to a host of other students, such as adult learners and children of HBCU alumni; and have unique customs that warrant ongoing valuing and preservation. She has been extremely generous, sharing her knowledge and savvy in an array of areas.”

Because of her background in higher education, LeBlanc said she wasn’t overly surprised when Gov. Mike Easley asked her about becoming an FSU trustee.

“I was not too surprised … but I was just very pleased to know that I was being considered,” she said.

LeBlanc attended her first FSU board meeting last September and said she is enjoying the responsibility.

“As a new board member, I am still learning about the budget and financial allocations and all of that, but what I have been very pleased about – and this was as a citizen even before I came on the board – was the flow of funds that have gone to Fayetteville State and other HBCUs through the focused growth initiative as well as the funding that came out of the bond issue which benefited all of the institutions that make up the UNC System. Some of the new equipment on the campus is a result of that.”

Bryan, who heard LeBlanc speak several years ago while she still worked in The White House, said her input on the board has already spoken for itself.

“The Board of Trustees is responsible for setting and approving the strategic priorities for the university,” Bryan said. “In that role, the other twelve trustees and she are moving the university forward. Their ultimate goal is to provide access to excellence in all spheres of the FSU universe. Additionally, the board is responsible for the university’s facilities master plan, a major undertaking given that FSU is landlocked and has not added “build able” acreage in over half a century.”

LeBlanc was born and raised in Goldsboro, home of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Even as a teenager, she was drawn to academic excellence. She graduated tops in her class at Dillard High School, earning valedictorian honors.

From there, she attended Duke University, where she was a National Achievement Scholar and earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1971. She later earned a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University Graduate School of Business in 1980.

Over the years, LeBlanc has done extensive work at Harvard’s Business School.

Presently, she is self-employed as a business and education consultant. She creates the workshops and other learning opportunities that are presented at the National Black MBA Association’s annual conference, which brings together thousands of AfricanAmerican business professionals and MBA students. She also works on a business ethics program with The Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, and she has done work in the area of diversity.

Friends and colleague say Fayetteville State is blessed to have LeBlanc on its trustees board. She is a woman of impeccable integrity, knows her way around the higher education playing field and will only enhance Fayetteville State’s stature.

“I consider her to be a national educational treasure,” said Nat Irvin II, Assistant Dean, Babcock Graduate Management School at Wake Forest University. “She has spent her life trying to improve the educational opportunities for people in this country and abroad. Catherine’s 25

Board chair, Nathan Garrett, far right, swears in new Trustee members, from left to right: Sylvia Ray, Catherine LeBlanc and Shirish E. Devasthali.

life has always been about education, and she’s a pioneer in that way.

When you think about the roles of HBCUs and the challenges they face, in the past and the present, it has been because of people like Catherine.”

Irvin has known LeBlanc since the early 90’s. He said he considers her a sister and has great respect for her.

Although LeBlanc could easily be a college president in her own right, Irvin said that’s not her style.

“If you think about Catherine’s role, it has been about helping college presidents to be the best leaders they can be, and then working with federal, state, and private agencies to get the funds they need,” he said. “Very few people operate in that arena effectively. There are a lot of people in it, but they’re not effective. Her reputation among the educational community is impeccable. She’s very quiet, soft-spoken.

She will not be tooting her own horn. People who know her know she’s about creating change.”

LeBlanc was appointed to the Board of Trustee’s Institutional Advancement committee and said she hopes to “be able to assist the university in its fundraising activities.”

Alvin Brown, Chairman of the National Black MBA Association, has no doubt that LeBlanc will assist FSU in fundraising and other ways.

“They’re fortunate to get her,” he said. “She’s going to be a

The FSU Golf Team secured a new title for themselves at the 2006 National PGA (Professional Golf Association) Minority Collegiate Golf Champions. After finishing second in last year’s tournament, the team beat out six other teams at this year’s tournament to gain the honor of becoming the 2006 National Champions.

The five FSU golf team members, Ian Milne, Derek Scott, Brent Snipes, Dell Barber, and Brandon Smith, along with their head coach, Raymond McDougal, led the university to its first Division II National PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship in 10 years. FSU won the championship back in 1995 and 1996, but hasn’t placed first since then.

Division II teams across the nation submitted their records to the PGA who selected seven teams for the tournament -- Lincoln University, Morehouse College, 26

Filler

tremendous asset to the board. She has excellent credentials. She’s a proven leader in professional development and education, and she served with distinction for President Clinton overseeing The White House Initiative on HBCUs. I believe if (former Presidential candidate Al) Gore had won, Catherine would have been considered for Secretary of Education. I think she would be Secretary of Education today.”

Brown, who has known LeBlanc for at least 15 years, said another reason FSU is fortunate to her on its Board of Trustees is her prior work history with UNC System President Erskine Bowles.

One of LeBlanc’s greatest qualities, he said, is her balanced approach to life.

“She’s big with family, with friends,” he said. “She understands the marketplace. She knows what corporations are looking for to hire the best and the brightest. But Catherine can (also) tell you about the hip-hop generation. She takes a holistic approach to life and her profession. I appreciate that about her. She has impeccable integrity and credibility.”

While LeBlanc may not be one to “toot her own horn,” she is unabashed about her pride in her children.

Her oldest son, Andrew LeBlanc, graduated from Yale University and is a vice president at Merrill Lynch in New York City. Her daughter, Tashelle LeBlanc, graduated from New York University, the University of Michigan and Howard University School of Law. She lives in Chicago and is currently studying for the Illinois Bar. Her youngest daughter, Lauren Miller, is a freshman at Howard.

“I am very, very proud of all three of my children, and I am very proud of the strong relationship that I have with each one of them,” LeBlanc said.

When she’s not attending FSU Board of Trustees meetings, LeBlanc enjoys reading and taking vacations that she can combine with “the opportunity to participate in a good personal or professional growth session.” She reads a lot of periodicals, like the Harvard Business Review and Fortune Business Week, and she loves O, The Oprah Magazine.

Truthfully, she considers work a hobby.

“My work is like my hobby because I love my work and I so enjoy doing it,” LeBlanc said. “It’s not like work for me. It really is like a hobby because I have an opportunity to utilize all of my experience and expertise to help create learning opportunities for young people that are stimulating, engaging, inspirational and motivational…”

Winston-Salem State University, St. Augustine’s College, North Carolina Central University, and Benedict College.

The tournament took place in Port St. Lucie, FL at the PGA Golf Club’s South Course. It consisted of three-rounds totaling 54 holes. FSU finished with 310 points, 8 under the next contender Lincoln University.

Milne placed first overall in the tournament and received the MVP Award. Scott finished second. The win was something they had hoped for, team members said.

“They (team) were very excited. It was exciting all the way around the course because it was close between two other teams, and we just kept plugging away, and we came out victorious,” McDougal said. “As the coach, you know you have objectives and goals. Your objective is to get there and your goal is to win it. Once you fulfill your goal, it is appreciative of course.

The FSU Golf Team takes a break from golfing for a picture at the PGA Golf Club’s South Course in Port St. Lucie, FL.

Now we are going to try to duplicate it for this coming year.”

The golf team finished the season with tournament wins at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Eastern Division Championship and the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship. The team also placed 2nd in CIAA Western Division Championships and placed first in their CIAA Conference Championship.

26

Naomi Hurst Supports FSU Through Scholarships

tional educa s Dr. John U S F i o utor t Bryan ontrib sisting Dr. c d e u a val cheon. As rst as n mi Hu gnition Lu o a N s o e c z e i R n ecog nors ryan r mber. ual Do ellor B ing the ann rustees me c n a h T r C u f d o s d vor oar endea Jr., FSU B n, Griffi

Fayetteville State University is able to provide more than $3 million in scholarship money to FSU students each year. Though part of the money for scholarships comes from fundraising efforts, a larger portion stems from individual donors who establish either an endowed or general scholarship fund. Naomi Hurst has made two endowed scholarship donations to FSU and while lending her financial support, she has also allowed her daughter’s legacy to live on forever.

Hurst graduated from FSU in 1982 with a business degree. While a student, she had a full-time career and was a full-time housewife and mother of three. Hurst is known across the Fayetteville State campus as a wonderful, caring lady, and she is also known for her pride and love for the university.

In 1994 following a tragic accident that took the life of her youngest daughter, she decided to show her support for the university and love for her daughter by donating money to establish an endowed scholarship.

She made a donation of $10,000 to endow the Donna Hurst Carter

Endowed Scholarship. Endowed scholarships such as this one are placed in an investment fund, and the income earned from that fund finances that particular scholarship. The income generated will provide for Fayetteville State University students forever.

“My youngest daughter Donna died in a car accident on Christmas Eve in 1993,” Hurst said.

“Her passion was health, and I wanted some young woman or young man who had that passion to get some help however, whatever help they could get from that small scholarship. And Donna’s name is alive.”

“Donna was going to change the world. She was the youngest child. Her ultimate goal was to be at the World Heath Organization in Switzerland. I think that she was determined, unstoppably determined.

She finished the University at Maryland and applied for a job at NIH and didn’t get it, so they had an internship program and she applied to get into their intern program and was accepted. She finally decided that research was where she wanted to be and she ended up in the neonatal unit working with babies with AIDS,” Hurst said.

Mrs. Hurst’s support of the university continued, and in 2004, she endowed a second scholarship, this time in her eldest daughter, Adrienne Hurst Lester’s name.

She gave Adrienne the gift for Christmas and said she was surprised.

The Adrienne Hurst Lester Scholarship may be awarded to students in the Schools of Education or Computer Science.

Hurst had a full career of her own and though retired is definitely staying busy. She and Adrienne have been able to travel extensively over the years to places such as South Africa, Spain, Paris, London, Cancun, and the Caribbean.

She retired in 1993, but has stayed busy. Among her many activities, she has been a trustee for the Fayetteville Museum of Art, been on the commission for the airport, on Partnership for Children, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Links Inc., the National Holiday Bridge Club, and a member of Lewis Chapel Baptist Church.

Her pride and love for Fayetteville State is apparent. She said she has been, “pleased with the growth, direction, and the leadership,’ and said that her support for the university will most certainly continue.

“I was present when Chancellor Bryan did her State of the University presentation. I’m excited about where it’s headed and my hope is the university will become the city’s university, that they’ll really embrace it and be proud to say Fayetteville State is in my city. That’s what I’m hoping,” Hurst said.

Naomi Hurst’s support of the university and love for her daughters has provided scholarships to deserving students since the inception of the Donna Hurst Carter Scholarship in 1994. The Adrienne Hurst Lester Scholarship will soon provide its first scholarship. Through the scholarships, Donna and Adrienne’s namesakes will continue to live on forever as will the Hurst family support to FSU and its students.

In 1994 following a tragic accident that took the life of her youngest daughter, Naomi Hurst decided to show her support for the university and love for her daughter by donating money to FSU to establish an endowed scholarship. 27

ALUMNI ACCENT ATION 28

Roosevelt Wright, ’58, left, was appointed to the FSU Board of Trustees in March, 2006. Wright is also the Chairman of the FSU Hall of Fame Committee.

Conrith W. Davis, ’74, was recently appointed to the seven member Texas State Board of Pardons and Parole by Governor Perry effective May 1, 2006.

While attending FSU, Davis was a member of the Tennis Team, Student Government, Editor of the Newspaper and Yearbook, Air Force ROTC an Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Davis is also a retired Lt. Colonel from the US Air Force and is married to the former Marilyn Joyce Bratcher. They have two sons, Conrith, II and Dalton, and reside in Sugar Land, Texas.

Maragret Daffodil Graham, ’66, member of the Winston-Salem Alumni Chapter, recently won first place for her Afghan at the 2005 Dixie Classic Fair. The afghan was “Best In Show.”

She also knitted a two-piece suit and a sweater with matching hat that won a blue ribbon.

CAPITOL CITY RECEPTION On June 6th Attorney and Mrs. Larry Height (Mrs. Yvonne Height,‘74, Ms. Alumni ‘06) along with the Raleigh-Wake Alumni Chapter hosted an FSU Capital Reception at the Capital City Club in Raleigh.

The guest of honor, Chancellor T.J. Bryan greeted FSU alumni and friends from the Raleigh-Wake area. Chancellor Bryan also presented gifts to incoming FSU students who will be attending the institution this fall.

Wayne Adams, ’91, announces his first book of poetry entitled: “Connections-Love Poetry”, which was recently released by Publish America of Fredericks, MD . The book has 199 pages of romantic poetry that features a surprise ending.

Chanavia Haddock, ’97, has been named sales coordinator for the Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Haddock will be responsible for sales calls, package bids and mailings to groups interested in visiting Fayetteville as well as coordinating hotel and convention space and tourism trade shows.

FSU National Alumni Association Officers: Ms Carole Battle, President; Mr. Rudy Waddell, First Vice President; Dr. Beatrice Carroll, Second Vice President; Mr Azriah Ellerbe, Sergeant-at-Arms; Mr. James M. Paige, Parliamentarian; Mrs. Yvonne Height, Finance Secretary; Mrs. Ruthie Rhodie, Recording Secretary; Mr. Dallas M. Freeman, Historian; Mrs. Brenda Freeman, Treasurer.

IN MEMORY OF Delphine H. Johnson ’43, 2/22/06 Gary D. Blackmon ’93, 3/24/06 Dr. Harold Bray, Former FSU Band Director, 3/01/06 Elizabeth R. Dargan ’56, 4/23/2006 Doris J. Kemp ’64, 6/02/06 Mable K. Lang ’42, 3/4/06 Rebecca L. Perry ’37, 5/28/06 Leon Pertillar ’69, 5/4/06 Johnnie Mae Pitt – Former Dietician for the Early Childhood Learning Center

FSU GRAD CONTINUES TO SERVE OTHERS

“I realize that the Lord has a job for all of us,” Gwen McAllister said regarding her life. If her job includes helping and mentoring others, McAllister has certainly been keeping busy.

McAllister, a 1965 FSU graduate, was recently profiled in the Greensboro News and Record for the program she created, Women Workforce Web or WWW. The program is designed to help teach underprivileged women job skills while helping students in the classroom. Though she is retired, WWW keeps her busy doing work and serving others.

McAllister had a full career before starting WWW as a teacher in the Guilford County Greensboro School System for 31 years. She studied teaching at FSU and since then, the 1965 Miss Fayetteville State has had a heart for teaching and for helping students.

McAllister retired following an asthma attack that hospitalized her. She never lost her heart for teaching or for helping people, and though she retired, she wasn’t ready to stop working or mentoring people yet.

While McAllister pondered what to do next, she remembered a friend’s struggle with her kindergarten students. This thought combined with major changes to the state’s welfare system by the then North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt caused her to think about how she could make a difference. These two situations helped her come up with the idea for Women

Keep In Touch!

Workforce Web that would combine tackling the problems of unruly students and women on welfare.

“When I retired, I was actually searching as in what more can I give, what can I do? The idea of combining helping women get job-skill training while helping children in our classroom came together.

Through prayers and talking with others, I sort of stepped out on faith and started Women Workforce Web,” McAllister said.

Seeing progress, that to me was the thing. I think that one of the gifts I have is exportation, encouraging others, and I think if a person has faith that you can do it, it builds your faith that perhaps you can.

Gwen McAllister Her plan began to take shape, and Women Workforce Web became an organization that took women into classrooms to help students. The organization was incorporated on September 27, 2000, McAllister’s birthday and it has been growing ever since.

WWW gives women job experience by placing them in settings with children (school and day care). The program lasts 12 weeks with nine weeks set inside the classroom or daycare. Participants

receive a stipend of $500 after completing the program. So far, 40 women have completed the program.

The program is run by volunteers and financed through a fundraiser each year. The Children’s Jubilee fundraiser brings 14 churches together to host a children’s choir jubilee.

Through patrons, sponsors, and supporters, WWW raises funds for the entire year.

Though McAllister struggled with asthma and later with breast cancer, she said she is constantly reminded of the Bible verse she thinks of most often, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you,’ … I realize that the Lord has a job for all of us.”

Alumni may submit information about jobs, retirements, births, marriages, etc., to FS&U by completeing this form and mailing to: Alumni Affairs, Fayetteville State University, 1200 Murchison Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28301.

MARRIAGE

Name

Class Year

Spouse

Address

Marrige Date

City

Other Info.

State

Zip Code

BIRTH

Class Year (if FSU alumni)

Birth ___ Adoption ___

Boy/Girl Date Born Home Phone Child’s Name E-mail EMPLOYMENT Company

New Job____ Promotion____ Retirement____

Other Info.

OTHER INFORMATION

Job Title Other Info.

29

LEARNING COMMUNITIES The New Face of PostSecondary Education

30

This fall when students return to school, many Fayetteville State University students will become a part of a learning community, and FSU is working to expand their learning communities to provide for even more students.

“Learning Communities have been around for a long time but are really a development of the late 60’s, early 70’s,” said Dr. John I. Brooks III, Director of The University College at FSU. This is the second year that Fayetteville State has offered Learning Communities. Jon Young, Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and officials from the school’s Advisement and Career Services office helped bring the concept to campus.

“They’re in student affairs and we’re in academic affairs, and we worked together to set up the program,” he said.

Bronco Men was the school’s initial Learning Community, and it was designed over the summer of 2004 and implemented that fall, Young said.

“The purpose of that community was to address the high dropout rate of male students in general but also at FSU,” Brooks said. “Nationwide, males drop out of higher education at a higher rate than females, so we tried to create a program that would address the needs of male students.”

“The basic idea of Learning Communities is to link classes,” Brooks said. Students enroll in the same sections

of all the classes, and the instructors coordinate their syllabi so the students can get a more focused “community feel” to the group, he said.

“And in our case, we linked a required freshman seminar with Introduction to Computers and English composition,” Brooks said. “We chose the computer class because we thought it would interest male students and we also wanted to get hands-on type courses.

Active learning strategies have been shown to engage male students.”

Brooks said those courses provided the “academic component” of the learning community, but there was also a career development component.

“The University College organized the Learning Community and Advisement and Career Services organized the career component by doing a couple of things,” Brooks said. “They linked the students in the Learning Community with mentors, and they also had a series of luncheons and seminars to give students a chance to meet with leaders in the community and to learn skills that would be helpful in their careers.”

For example, Brooks said the students attended a workshop on money management, which was led by a senior banking executive.

Benjamin D. Moore just completed his sophomore year at Fayetteville State University. He said that if it wasn’t for Bronco Men, he might not still be a student.

“For most of us in Bronco Men, it kept us focused on our work,” Moore said. “We didn’t have time to really socialize in class and talk about stuff we shouldn’t have been talking about. I needed that focus. I think without that I would probably be close to dropping out by now.”

Brooks said he likes Learning Communities for several reasons.

“First of all, students feel like they’re together,” he said. “They get to know each other, and they help each other.

They form study groups and are more willing to participate in class discussions.

Another benefit is that they see the linkages between different courses. For example, the English composition class may use as one its assignments a research paper from a history class, so students see that the skills they build in English composition can be used in history.”

Faculty members also benefit from Learning Communities because they get an opportunity to work with colleagues in other disciplines, Brooks said. So far, about 15 FSU professors are participating.

“The overall effect of Learning Communities is to get students more interested in their education,” he said.

“Learning Communities are not for everybody. Some students want that kind of close collaboration with other students and with the faculty, but some don’t. And some faculty actually don’t like collaborating with other faculty, but what we’re trying to do is add an option to the educational experience at FSU.” Even though they’re not for everyone, Brooks said he doesn’t see a downside to them.

“Last semester, there were about 50 students enrolled in Learning Communities at FSU, compared to 82 during fall 2005,” Brooks said. “The decline isn’t alarming because most of the university’s Learning Communities were designed for the fall semester.”

“Actually, one of the areas we’re going to grow is to extend some of these into two-semester communities,” Brooks said. “We anticipate next year we’ll have more students in the spring semester.”

In all, Fayetteville State University offers seven Learning Communities.

Bronco Women – which will sort of complement Bronco Men – will be introduced this fall, Brooks said. He feels the learning community idea is definitely working.

45 Undergraduate Degree Programs 23 Master’s Degree Programs In Arts and Sciences, Business and Economics, Education, and Humanities.

“Quality Education with a faculty to student ratio of 1:20. ”

Over 40 degree programs on site Small class sizes On-line classes Credit for Military MOS CLEP Exams accepted Green to Gold – Degree Completion ROTC program

Fort Bragg Office (910) 497-9111 or

www.uncfsu.edu

It’s All About

We’re in a building mode!

Shown under construction is the new wing of the Lyons Science Building which will add an additional 5,500 square feet with three floors of laboratories, classrooms, and research areas for use by FSU students and faculty.

Ever Changing.

Ever Growing.

It’s all about

!

Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Fayetteville, NC Permit No. 247

1200 Murchison Road Fayetteville, NC 28301