Jacksonian 2005 by Jackson State University

Fall 2005

A PORTRAIT IN DEDICATION Resource Center Named in Honor of Sally McDonnell Barksdale

www.jsums.edu

THE WALTER PAYTON

R E C R EAT ION AND W EL L NE SS C ENT ER

OPENING SPRING 2006 Live well...play hard! JSU Box 18419 34 Walter Payton Place Jackson, MS 39217 Phone: (601) 979-1368 • Fax: (601) 979-8229 JAC KSON STAT E UNIV ERSIT Y

Institutional Milestones

7 College of Business Opens Classrooms to Major Markets 8 JSU Programs Rank High in National Studies

10 SMHART: Mental Health Institute Empowers Mississippians

Academic Achievements

11 Jackson City Council Honors JSU Academic Team 12 JSU Offers the State’s First Doctor of Public Health

13 College of Education & Human Development Hits Mark

Research

14 Research-Intensive Focus to Help JSU in Recruiting

15 High Performance Computing Propels University into Future

Partnerships

16 Barksdale Makes Largest Private Donation in JSU History 17 MLI Raises Two JPS Schools to Top Level 18 Northrop Grumman, JSU Sign Agreement 19 Union Paciﬁc Puts Students on Career Track 20 JSU-Freddie Mac Restore ‘American Dream’ 22 Collaboration is Goal of Urban Education Conference

Alumni

23 NEA Honors JSU alumna Marjorie Chambers

24 Verna McLaurin Felton: The Apprentice and Beyond 25Tim O’Neal Struggles for spot on PGA Tour 26 Trailblazing Trio: DeShun, Kenya and Warren Martin 27 Stacy Hawkins-Adams Pens Speak To My Heart 28 Alumni Conference Celebrates JSU Legacy T H E

jacksonian Fall 2005

www.jsums.edu Funding for this publication was provided by Title III, “Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

Student Life Twins Reign & Rule: Miss JSU & SGA President

30 Bettina Henderson’s Study Abroad to India 31

HBCU’s Top Pianist is JSU’s Eddie Gates

Athletics

32 Hoops Talent Plentiful, But Competition Fierce! 33 JSU Sports: Proving Ground for Professional Athletes 34 Lady Tigers’ Soccer Program Kicks into High Gear 35 JSU’s Men’s Track Team Returns to SWAC Glory

In Memoriam: The Tennis Legacy of Coach Willie Shepard

Exclusives Joe Willie Laymon: A Drivng Force at Ford WJSU Prepares to Broadcast in Digital

Alpha Kappa Alpha Funds Scholarship in Honor of Founder

Construction, Renovations Perfect Match for Manager’s Fast Pace Air Force ROTC Joins JSU Campus: Offers Aerospace Studies 44 Sisters Make Summer Commencement a Family Affair 45

Faculty and Staff Briefs 46

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jacksonian Fall 2005

THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

President’s Message

Dear Jacksonians: This edition of Jacksonian was laid out before Hurricane Katrina. Otherwise the issue would have been devoted to the human stories of an American catastrophe. The storm has and will continue to affect all of our lives in ways that we cannot yet fully understand. A great city and Gulf Coast region have been destroyed. People have lost homes and means of livelihood. Families have been cast like seeds in the wind across the entire nation. Many questions have been raised by this great tragedy. Why did citizens of the wealthiest nation in history suffer so long before relief finally arrived? How could a God-fearing nation ignore its poorest and most desperate citizens before the tragedy, and will it abandon them after? What will happen to New Orleans and other hard-hit areas in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, and what role will race and politics play in their future? For our part, we will do what we can. Any college or university student from a school that was closed due to Katrina is welcome at Jackson State. We will work out the financial issues later. We will do as much as we can to provide food and housing. We will keep moving forward, as is our way, despite the challenges. One thing is certain. Things will be different. I am a Jacksonian now, but just about everyone knows that my grandparents were from Pass Christian, and I was born and raised in New Orleans. The two places were unique and inextricably tied. Neither will ever be the same. Our hearts are heavy for those who are lost and who have suffered, but our minds are already beginning to focus on how we can build a better future. Respectfully, Ronald Mason Jr. President, Jackson State University

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is published for alumni, students, retirees and friends of Jackson State University by the Office of University Communications. Please send all letters and inquiries for consideration to: FROM OUR READERS The Jacksonian Magazine JSU Office of University Communications P.O. Box 17490 • Jackson, MS 39217 Phone: (601) 979-2272 • Fax: (601) 979-2000 E-mail: jfortson@jsums.edu Please mail ALUMNI HEADLINERS, IN MEMORIAM and address changes to: Gwen Caples, Associate Director JSU Office of Alumni & Constituency Relations P.O. Box 17280 • Jackson, MS 39217 Phone: (601) 979-6944 • Fax: (601) 979-3701 E-mail: gwen.caples@jsums.edu • E-mail: jsualum@jsums.edu

Director of University Communications Anthony Dean Managing Editor Henrietta Buck Senior Information Oﬃcer Tommiea P. Jackson Contributors Mark Alexander Eddie Brown Elbert Cobb Jean Frazier Deidre Bell Jones LaShonda D. Levy Larry McAdoo Reuben Mees Dr. Ivory Phillips Rita Presley Raymond Reeves Nechelle N. Robinson Aaron Thompson III Jean Walker Photography and Artwork Freddy Norman Jaro Cyvek Gerard Howard Lonnie Robinson (Artist of Sally M. Barksdale portrait on cover) Graphic Design DreamWorldCommunications2, LLC www.dwcom2.com

THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

By Jean Walker

The College of Business hosted its Grand Opening/Rib- we have hosted the Minority Serving Institutions Conference, bon Cutting Ceremony November 5, 2004 during Homecom- the College’s Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting and several reing Weekend. The Ceremony was held on the west lawn of the ceptions at the request of President Ronald Mason Jr. and other new building. The list of distinguished guests included President University officials. Emeritus, Dr. John A. Peoples Jr., former College of Business The College has established an entrepreneurial and profesdeans, Drs. William Cooley and David Swinton and alumnus, sional development program that will be unique, practical and former State Senator and the College’s major donor, attorney stimulating. It is designed to nurture the development of perBarbara Blackmon. sonal and professional attributes entrepreneurs must have to Union Pacific Railroad, one of the College’s longtime succeed. Whether a student intends to start a business or work partners, made a $50,000 presentation designated for scholar- in an entrepreneurial capacity with an existing company, success ships and faculty development. Additionally, room designations will demand much more than on doing the job well. The entrenamed for the late, Charles F. Moore, a major scholarship donor preneurship program will give budding business people the opand Union Pacific Railroad were unveiled during the opening portunity to enter the business world with a head start. Students ceremony. will attend classes, work with successful entrepreneurs, develop The completion of this facility represents years of planning business plans, take part in intercollegiate national and evenand construction. The Mississippi Legislature approved the con- tually international competitions, and numerous other learning struction of the $24 million building in partial settlement of the activities. Ayers Case. Jackson State University College of Business New partnerships have allowed College of Business students to be exposed to many cutting-edge educational initiatives that have taken them beyond the classroom and provided them with real-world experiences. A perfect example is the FBI’s project to involve our management and marketing students in a project designed to create a more diverse workforce for the bureau. Our students are given the broad perspective and understanding of a global economy that will prepare them to be business leaders in a constantly changing world. A new strategic plan is in place, and the College of Business Advisory Board shares my enthusiasm for the plan and my belief that it will take the College to The Executive MBA program will enroll its first students the next level of excellence. Construction of the new College of Business Building is comin the fall of 2006. The program is designed to help executives plete, and the first classes are being held here. The structure is prosper in their current positions as well as be productive and equipped with state-of-the-art technology, seminar/conference successful over the course of their entire careers. Our goal is to rooms and spacious classrooms. Since moving into the building, become the place “where executives come to learn.” J

INSTITU TIONAL MILESTONES

College of Business: Opens Classrooms to Major Markets

President Ronald Mason Jr. joins College of Business Dean Glenda Glover (center) during the grand opening of the new facility in November 2004. Sharing in the celebration are (from left): Ray Manning and Jim Eley of Billes/Manning Architects in New Orleans, alumnus and donor Barbara Blackmon, Mary Franklin, whose relative Charles F. Moore is the namesake of the former College of Business building, Hinds County Supervisor George Smith, Interim Associate VP of Academic Affairs Della Posey and Director of Facilities Management Wayne Goodwin. THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

JSU

Programs Rank High In National Studies By Tommiea P. Jackson and Jean C. Frazier on educating students and helping them to matriculate through the university as evidenced in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2005 Edition “America’s Best Colleges,” previous year, JSU ranked No. 5 in its produc- which points out high student retention, pertion of African-Americans with baccalaure- centage of full-time faculty and acceptance ates in biological and biomedical sciences and rate. No. 9 in its production of African-Americans Jackson State University’s First Year Exwith bachelor’s degrees in physical sciences. perience has been a great vehicle for not only This particular area shows improvement from helping to acclimate freshmen and transfer the previous year, where JSU was ranked No. students to university life, but engaging them 10. in community service, research and seminars, JSU ranks No. 11 in granting African- each parts of the Jackson State’s mission of Americans bachelor’s degrees in mathemat- teaching, research and service. ics and statistics. This is notable because JSU Created to ease the transition into coldid not appear in the ranking for the previous lege life, the program provides individualized year. attention for students and faculty cultivating Experienced and very competent faculty lasting relationships. The skill sets of the stuand administrators have ensured success in dents are assessed and identified as a match the departments within the College of Sci- with the best possible academic-career track ence, Engineering and Technology, said Dr. for the students. Jackson State outdistanced James Perkins, college director of research. its peer institutions on the National Survey Together, they have brought in impres- of Student Engagement (NSSE) with a 75 sive amounts of research dollars to support percent retention rate of first-time freshmen. projects in a variety of areas including comThe university’s high percentage of fullputational sciences and biomedical sciences. time faculty also has had a major impact on Contrary to the early 1970s, when research student retention, student growth and stafunds totaled about $10,000 a year, Perkins bility of the campus community. Faculty said nearly $20 million pour into the univer- members, 92 percent of whom are full time, sity allowing vital research and preparing JSU help provide students with a “sense of comgraduates for the work force. munity” through external activities which “Our students are include study-abroad and coming out of school getcross-cultural activities, ting good jobs with bachethe Habitat for Humanlor’s degrees,” Perkins said. ity projects and this year’s “Graduate students are Tsunami Relief Initiative. coming out getting facJackson State ulty positions or positions University’s 42 percent acin industry. Some have ceptance rate suggests that even continued research at undergraduate programs Harvard, the University of accompany a rigorous California at Berkeley and academic track that yields internationally.” high student achievements These exemplary banand graduation rates. ner rankings are the result Jackson State of a dedicated faculty, staff continues to strive for exand administration, focused Delphine Woody, JSU’s first Native cellence in all of our acaAmerican graduate, Class of ’06

Top publications this year have reported what Jackson State University administrators have known for some time: UNDERGRADUATES JSU ranks highly among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and traditionally white institutions (TWIs) in producing African-Americans and other minorities with baccalaureate degrees, a status ushered by high full-time faculty percentages and student retention rates. A June 2, 2005 report in Black Issues in Higher Education found that Jackson State ranks ninth in conferring degrees to African-Americans when compared with other HBCUs and TWIs. An improvement from the previous year’s report which listed JSU as No. 11, the report entitled, “Top 100 Degree Producers: Undergraduate Degrees 2005,” is based on the U.S. Department of Education data from 2002-03 data. Education proved JSU’s strongest suit, earning a No. 2 ranking for awarding bachelor degrees in education to African-Americans. Always strong in this ﬁeld, the area showed a bit of improvement as the previous year’s report placed JSU in the No. 3 spot. Jackson State was second only to Alabama State University this year, which ranked No. 1. Dr. Ivory Phillips, dean of the College of Education and Human Development, credits the strong teaching background of veteran educators for the high ranking. With many of those educators having more than 10 years of diverse experience, Phillips said the professors are dedicated to the ﬁeld, the students, and are knowledgeable about public education needs. “I knew we were doing a good job,” said Phillips. “Now it is just nice to know that others recognize we are doing that.” Many of JSU’s highest rankings this year were from the College of Science, Engineering and Technology. Holding steady with the

THE THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN••FALL FALL2005 2005

demic programs, said Dr. Velvelyn Foster, interim vice president for Academic Aﬀairs and Student Life. “The current rankings are the result of the university’s deliberate attention to quality instruction, mentoring students, and stellar support services provided by a host of units here on campus,” she said. “The University’s ‘First Year Experience’ provides an educational

anchor through its learning communities and common experiences for all freshmen students,” Foster continued. “Additionally, state-of-theart research facilities engage our faculty and provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in increasing the number of outstanding students who are prepared to enter the work force and positively impact our society, here in this country and globally, as well.”

Jackson State a Top Producer of African-American Doctorates GRADUATES

For the second consecutive year, Jackson State University is ranked second among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and eighth nationwide in the production of AfricanAmericans with doctorates in all disciplines combined, according to the July 14, 2005, issue of Black Issues in Higher Education. Black Issues in Higher Education examines data submitted to the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and compiles the Top 100 Graduate and Professional Degree Producers rankings based on information provided to the NCES. “Jackson State University is at the forefront in providing a quality education,” said JSU President Ronald Mason Jr. “Being ranked second among all HBCUs in producing African-Americans with doctorates two years consecutively and eighth overall is evidence of the quality education offered by Jackson State.” “Not only does JSU cultivate and prepare undergraduate students to enter into the workforce, we are serious about encouraging students to pursue advanced degrees, and it shows,” Mason said. The Division of Graduate Studies (DGS) has implemented several programs designed to assist students with successful matriculation at Jackson State. Students can attend graduate workshops, seminars and classes that help develop and strengthen skills required for completing program-specific exams. DGS enhances student experiences by providing opportunities for students to present research in national forums and communities of scholarly exchange. DGS also provides students with necessary tools, such as study guides for the GRE, MAT, LSAT or GMAT, in order to prepare them for other professional degree programs. The Division of Graduate Studies also provides guides for completing theses, dissertations and research projects. DGS also offers Cyber Orientation, a JSU web-based site that gives basic guidance in areas important to successful graduate studies at the university. In Cyber Orientation, students can find deadline dates, policy procedures and forms specific to degree levels. “Graduate faculty members are proud of our distinction as a doctoral research intensive university,” said Dorris R. Gardner, Ph.D., dean of the Division of Graduate Studies. “In order to maintain that designation, the university must continue to produce at least 10 doctoral graduates across three disciplines.” JSU ranked second among HBCUs in awarding doctorates to African-Americans in Psychology and fourth in Education.

By Nechelle N. Robinson

According to the rankings, Jackson State not only ranks high among HBCUs, but is also very competitive on a national level. JSU ranked eighth in producing students with doctorates in all disciplines and 10th in producing students with doctorates in psychology nationwide. “These rankings are even more important since most of our doctoral degree programs were implemented within the last 10 years. In 1995, the university was ranked in the fourth quartile,” said Gardner. Jackson State received the following rankings in producing master’s degrees: third among HBCUs in awarding master’s degrees to African-Americans in English Language and Literature/Letters. fourth among HBCUs in awarding master’s degrees to African-Americans in Biology. fourth among HBCUs in awarding master’s degrees to African-Americans in Education. fourth among HBCUs in awarding master’s degrees to African-Americans in Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences. ﬁfth among HBCUs in awarding master’s degrees to African-Americans in Social Sciences and History. JSU was the only Mississippi institution to rank in the following areas: among all institutions to produce African-American doctorates in all disciplines combined and Psychology. among all institutions to award master’s degrees to African-Americans in health related professions and related clinical sciences. among all institutions to award master’s degrees to African-Americans in Social Science and History. Jackson State was ranked number one among Mississippi institutions in producing African-Americans with master’s degrees in Biology, Education and English Language and Literature/Letters. For more information regarding JSU rankings in Black Issues’ Top 100, visit their website at www.blackissues.com. For information on JSU graduate programs and admission procedures, contact Dorris R. Gardner, dean of the Division of Graduate Studies at (601) 979-2455 or visit the JSU website at www.jsums.edu. J

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THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

SMHART

EMPOWERS MISSISSIPPIANS

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK CREATES MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTE By Tommiea P. Jackson

he immense burden and limited understanding of disabil- plines within the College of Public Service (CPS). Social work ity associated with mental illness prompted the School students are trained in the provision of culturally specific, comof Social Work to form the Southern Institute for Mental munity-based mental health services along with grass-roots Health Advocacy, Research and Training (SMHART) last fall. service providers such as religious leaders, teachers, homeWith support of a $984,159 grant from the Health Resources based care providers for children and the elderly, and other and Services Administration and the Office of Rural Health leaders in the community. Policy, the institute addresses the need for additional mental Culturally sensitive researchers, advocates and clinicians heath services for African-Americans and other under-repre- are crucial to the effective provision of services to individuals sented populations in rural and urban areas. who often feel isolated and misunderstood, said Omari. If the Such an institute is especially important for communities professionals do not demonstrate compassion, concern and where the need for mental health service is high, but access is comprehension of the patients needs, that patient is less likely to seek or continue treatment. limited. Since joining the institute in February, Kira Powell, a policy “There is a definite need for more mental health service providers such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and licensed analyst advocacy specialist, has witnessed some of the daily clinical social workers in rural areas,” said Dr. Safiya Omari, strains of not only persons with mental illness but also their director of the institute, “But the shortage of those profession- families. “The family members are so stressed out, so overwhelmed,” als affects how services are provided and the quality of those said Powell, a 1998 and 2001 JSU alum. “That means not going services.” Those factors, combined with a pervasive stigma, leads to church, interacting with family and often, living a bleak life. There is a need for more support, and we hope to provide that persons with mental illness to go without treatment. “The struggles they have are just that much more difficult,” support.” J Omari added. As described in its name, the institute involves advocacy, research and training components. The advocacy area of the SMHART Institute develops activities that encourage and educate mental health consumers about ways the legislative process affects service and the shaping of mental health policy on local, state and national levels. The research component of the institute promotes investigation of the cultural aspects of helpseeking behavior and culturally competent mental health service delivery. This component also fosters the development of culturally competent researchers by providing research-training opportunities for students and faculty in the School of SMHART Policy Analyst and Advocacy Specialist Kira Powell advises expectant mom at the Mallory Social Work and other disci- Community Health Center in Canton.

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By Henrietta Buck

The Jackson City Council put the spotlight on Jackson State University’s academic bowl team in April with a resolution commending the scholars for ﬁnishing sixth among 64 teams from the nation’s historically black colleges and universities during competition in Orlando, Fla. The council gave special recognition to Cathy Patterson, coach of the team, as an outstanding citizen for her long-term success and leadership of bowl teams at Jackson State. In addition to her duties as vice provost for student life at Jackson State, she is the campus coordinator for the tournament, called the 16th Annual Honda Campus AllStar Challenge. Patterson said she was humbled by the council resolution and its recommendation by Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth I. Stokes, whose daughter, Keisha, is a member of the academic team. Councilman Stokes said that academic accomplishment should receive the same level of recognition that is commonly given to academic endeavors. “If we win a game, everybody is excited and congratulating each other, so let us congratulate these young people for showing that Jackson State has some of the brightest and the best minds in the world,” Stokes said. “I’m very proud of these young people,” Patterson said. “They did very well, and they deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments.” The 2005 team was made up of two juniors, a sophomore, and two freshmen. On the Jackson State team were its captain, Leon C. Bland, of Jackson, a junior accounting major; Keisha Stokes, of Jackson, a junior history major; Joshua Cotton, of Pass Christian, a sophomore history major; Rebecca Francis, of

New Orleans, a freshman majoring in criminal justice and mass communications; and Christian Varnado, of Jackson, a freshman majoring in urban affairs. The national tournament was held March 31-April 4 in Orlando, Fla., at the Walt Disney World Resort, where more than 300 students competed for

Patterson said the sixth-place ﬁnish in the tournament was bittersweet for the team because it fell on the 10th anniversary of Jackson State’s 1995 sole victory in tournament play. Despite having only one victory, JSU has never placed lower than “sweet 16” status in its 15 years of competition. The team ﬁnished 10 places higher than last year’s

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

Jackson City Council Honors JSU Academic Team

Jackson State’s Honda Campus All-Star Challenge team received a resolution from the City Council in April.

the National Academic Championship title and a $50,000 grant. Florida A&M University won the overall championship, with 2004 defending champion Morehouse College finishing in second place. The sixth-place finish gave Jackson State “Elite Eight” status in the competition, national recognition, and a $7,000 grant. Elimination rounds beyond JSU’s play were “final four” and the championship between the top two teams until one victor remained. Jackson State’s team, along with other prize winners, was featured in USA Today (April 18, 2005).

top 16 exit. Competing for his second consecutive year, Cotton received the highest individual honor on this year’s team and the second-highest amount of points in his designated (orange) division of competition. Scholars tested their knowledge on world history, science, literature, religion, the arts, social sciences, popular culture and African-American history and culture. Only four team members compete in the challenge at a time, with one serving as alternate. Jackson State was able to alternate two teammates so that all ﬁve played. J

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JS U

Welcoming the state’s ﬁrst Doctor of Public Health students this fall, JSU looks to improve health and health care services in Mississippi.

Offers the State’s First Doctor of Public Health

By Tommiea P. Jackson

Jackson State University has become the first college or university in the state of Mississippi to offer a Doctor of Public Health degree, just one year after the university became the first historically black college and university to have a School of Public Health. “To have a school to provide expertise in addressing nationwide problems,” said Dr. Isaac Perkins, Interim Associate Dean in the School of Public Health. “That is fantastic.” Approved by the University and Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning in July 2003, the offerings benefit the state on a number of levels, said Dr. Bill Smith, IHL acting assistant commissioner for academic and student affairs. “Mississippi urgently needed doctorally trained public health scientists, educators and practitioners to help address the disparities that affect Mississippi and minorities as a whole,” Smith said citing the stateʼs poor statistics in heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. “Jackson State is already intimately involved in health research projects and this doctorate should help further those research initiatives.” The Doctor of Public Health is designed to prepare students to become competent practitioners, research scientists and educators in a variety of public health areas including, but not limited to, epidemiology, behavioral health promotion and education and health policy management. Individuals with the Doctor of Public Health Degree can be expected to compete effectively in the job market and respond to the challenges posed by disparities THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN••FALL FALL2005 2005 12 12 THE

in health and healthcare affecting minorities and other historically underserved populations. “The program will provide students with a doctoral experience that is multidisciplinary, problem-centered, fully engaged and immersed and integrative of the diverse elements in the education of public health practitioners and researchers,” according Perkins. Public health is much more than provision of service, said Perkins. With more than 120 disciplines, public health addresses the needs of the community, not an individual. Candidates participating in a program that is more practice-based than academically-based have the skills to interact, network and mobilize groups towards better health. More than 100 people requested applications to begin study in fall 2005, but the inaugural class only includes 15, five students in each of the initial concentration areas of epidemiology, health policy and management and behavioral health promotion and education. While the distinction of having the first School of Public Health at any HBCU is an honor, Perkins will not rest until JSU has the first accredited School of Public Health at any HBCU. That requires approval from the Council of Education for Public Health, the body which has accredited 36 schools of public health nationwide including Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, John Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and Harvard School of Public Health. With the first class in place, JSU officials now turn their focus on accreditation, results of which are expected by early 2006. J

College of Education & Human Development Hits Mark By Henrietta Buck

he National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has recognized Jackson State University’s College of Education and Human Development for its quality programs, faculty, and candidates. The Teacher Education program was the ﬁrst in the state to be accredited by NCATE and has continuously retained that accreditation. The College of Education has traditionally graduated and placed more African-American teachers and administrators in the public school system than any other institution in the state and ranks second in that category in the nation. The counseling, rehabilitation and health and physical education

programs have increased the supply of educators, counselors and services providers in mental health agencies, schools, public and private rehabilitation centers and health related professions. The Rehabilitation Counseling program is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education, Incorporated. Under the leadership of Ivory Phillips, the reorganization of the Administrative structure includes the Schools of Instructional Leadership and Administrative Leadership and the addition of two departments, Educational Technology and Social and Cultural Foundations. The reorganization structure has substantially improved the

Dr. Ivory Phillips, dean of the College of Education and Human Development

College’s framework to support student achievement, child development, family development, educational partnerships, reading proﬁciency, and leadership development. Dean Phillip’s focus has been on building a new image through shared governance, academic enhancement and eﬀective leadership. He has been instrumental in enhancing existing academic units and expanding units to promote technology, social, and cultural innovations. Dr. Phillips has a unique approach in blending the talents and creativity of veteran administrators with new administrators to facilitate team building. His leadership has been instrumental in the acquisition of resources to support the College. J THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

Research Intensity to Aid JSU in Recruiting Faculty, Students

hile Jackson State University’s focus remains student-centered, Dr. Felix Okojie, vice president for research, has embarked on a goal to transform the university into a top research-intensive institution of higher learning that attracts new faculty and exceptional young minds to teach, conduct research and study at JSU. Thanks to the hard work of many, JSU is making tremendous progress in identifying the university’s needs and securing external funding to help realize its needs and potentials. For the fiscal year ending in 2004, a record $56.9 million was generated in research and sponsored program awards, making Jackson State No. 1 in generating research-intensive funds among historically black universities in the nation. Faculty and staff members have successfully received competitive funding from a variety of federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Defense (DoD), and many others. Still, JSU looks forward to amplifying research expenditures and laying the foundation for developing commercialized technologies, which bring economic benefit through licensing agreements. Faculty and staff members who were instrumental in making a significant contribution to the enterprise during academic year 2004-05 are honored during an annual “Research and Sponsored Programs Excellence Award Ceremony.” The festive gala acknowledged faculty and staff in over 20 award categories. The categories included recipients for a $500,000 to the $2 million and above group; inventor’s awards; technology transfer; junior faculty research; most published; highest number of proposals submitted; and group awards made to individuals making important contributions in our major research Centers. A special recognition award was presented to Dr. A. James Hick, program director for the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program for the National Science Foundation . The 2003-04 Research Visionary Leadership Award was presented to President Ronald Mason Jr.,

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for his outstanding leadership and support. JSU continues its important role with the Jackson Heart Study ( JHS), the ﬁrst large-scale study of cardiovascular disease in African-Americans. Jackson State has responsibility for the JHS Data Coordinating Center (CC) and mobilization of the community. The CC provides administrative support for the overall JHS, assures the validity of the research ﬁndings, and provides the comprehensive statistical needs. Funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Center on Minority Health, the CC is directed by Dr. Daniel Sarpong. The university recently completed negotiating the terms and funding for Phase II of the study.

Dr. Felix Okojie, Vice President for Research

In an effort to create new knowledge and take the University to a new level of commercialization, JSU has secured three patents. The works of Dr. Ernest Izevbigie, associate professor of biology produced the University’s first patent. Izevbigie is studying plants that have shown to be beneficial in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. His company, Herbal Therapeutics, Inc. will extract, purify, standardize and market the plant as a dietary supplement for breast cancer prevention.

By Rita Presley

Among JSU’s most noteworthy projects, The Vertical Integration of Missile Defense Surveillance Data Research Program, without doubt merits notice. This project, through our School of Engineering, will create information synergy among multiple data sources for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. Directed by Dr. Robert Whalin, a the associate dean, JSU partners with the University of Mississippi, University of Southern Mississippi and Radiance Technologies, Inc. to integrate the many surveillance databases for missile defense applications. As the University works to establish its trademark in creative endeavors, so will it increase its collaborations with the government, business and others with the shared goal of exploring new areas in research. Recently JSU partnered with the Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS) and the Northrop Grumman Information Technology, Computing Systems (NGIT). The NGSS partnership is directed by Dr. James Perkins, director of Research, Industry, and Community Relations for the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET). This partnership establishes a Northrop Grumman Professor of Engineering and a NG Center for High Performance Computing of Ship Systems. Both the professorship and the directorship are positions held by Dr. Shahrouz Aliabadi, whose areas of expertise include computational aerodynamics; computational ﬂuid dynamics; and high performance computation, readily complements the existing high performance computation (HPC) team. The JSU Army High Performance Computing Research team is lead by internationally recognized researcher, Dr. Jerzy Leszczynski. The NGIT partnership is directed by Dr. Willie Brown, vice president for Information Management at JSU. Jackson State University accepts and embraces challenges in order to develop and strengthen new interdisciplinary programs allowing faculty and students from diﬀerent areas to work together, energized by new and unique ways to approach research problems. J

Computing Needs By Tommiea P. Jackson

While many students shy away from math and the sciences, scholars at Jackson State University have immersed themselves in the areas of study, helping to keep the United States and the Army up to date on its high-performance computing needs, all while bringing national and international recognition to the university. Jackson State University is one of six universities taking part in the Army High Performance Computing Research Center (AHPCRC), a government-university-industry partnership that aims to help provide future generations with the advanced tools and training necessary to remain competitive. Other university partners include Clark Atlanta, Florida A&M, Howard, the University of Minnesota and the University of North Dakota. Network Computing Services Inc. serves as the industry partner. High-performance computing uses the fastest computers to gather information forgoing often expensive, time-consuming experiments, said Dr. Jerzy Leszczynski, professor of theoretical chemistry. Some of benefits include weather prediction and the study of environmental problems. “The fact that one can get accurate weather prediction ahead of time definitely affects your life,” Leszczynski said. “That’s just one of the areas where high-performance computing affects the lives of everyone.”

A technician runs a diagnostic test on one of Jackson State University’s high-performance computers.

Using only top-of-the-line equipment, AHPCRC facil ities at JSU include NT workstations, an IBM RS/6000 SP, and a CRAY SV1ex. In addition, JSU AHPCRC researchers have direct access to other AHPCRC resources including a CRAY T3E-1200E and other IBM RS/6000 SPs. Having joined the team in 1989, JSU’s participation has grown from only the Computational Chemistry program to involve other areas of the College of Science Technology and Engineering, its graduate and undergraduate students. Together, they are involved in research projects that include Fine Scale Modeling and Product Generation for Visualization of Dynamics and Phenomena, Chemical/Biological Defense, Environmental Quality Modeling and Nanotechnology. Leszczynski, also program director of Computational Center for Molecular Structure and Interactions (CCMSI), served as Team Coordinator for the Environmental Science program at AHPCRC from 1997 to 2001. He now leads an interdisciplinary group of researchers from each of the universities in the area of Chemical – Biological Defense and Environmental Modeling. They devote their research activities to computational simulations important for national defense. The successful research and both challenging and thought-provoking conferences have garnered national and international attention. The annual Current Trends in Computational Chemistry Conference held each November brings more than 200 participants from over 30 countries. Past participants have included Nobel Prize winners Drs. John Pople, Herbert Hauptman, Walter Kohn and Jerome Karle. Faculty members and college students aren’t the only ones who get to explore the world of high performance computing. Each summer high school students get handson experience with equipment in an eﬀort to introduce them to the concepts. The two-week program teaches them programming language and allows them to perform their own experiments. Just over 15 years ago, Jackson State did not even have infrastructure for such research. Not only are infrastructure and equipment in place today, Leszczynski said, now the university has the ability to recruit the strongest faculty members and the brightest students for Ph.D. programs. “Now we can compete with other schools nationally and internationally,” he said. “We bring in grants, edit scientiﬁc journals and organize conferences.” J

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R E S E A R C H

JSU Helps Meet Nation’s High-Performance

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Barksdale Makes Largest Private Donation in JSU History: Center Named in Honor of Philanthropist’s Late Wife By Tommiea P. Jackson

ormer Netscape Communications president and chief executive oﬃcer James Barksdale announced his $5 million commitment to Jackson State University and the Mississippi Learning Institute on Aug. 10, 2005. The donation was given in memory of his late wife, Sally McDonnell Barksdale, who was a member of the JSU Development Foundation Board. Sally Barksdale took great pleasure in her work with JSU, said James Barksdale during the announcement. “She would often come home and tell me all the great things happening,” he said. “Sally would be very proud of this day and this program.”

James Barksdale

eﬀorts have that much more impact.” Sally Barksdale, who died of cancer in 2003, took the time to learn about JSU at a time when it was not the most popular thing for her to do, said Mason. That kind gesture, he said, “painted the scene for the most signiﬁcant event in the future of education in Mississippi.” Sitting in the audience, Mary Sue McDonnell Mitchell felt proud of her sister. Mitchell was also pleased that she had given the late Sally M. Barksdale the right advice when she began considering a post on the Jackson State University Development Foundation Board. “She called me over and said, ‘I want to talk to you about something,’” Mitchell said remembering the call. Living only next door, it didn’t take long for her to arrive at her sister’s home. “From what I hear, Jackson State is a bud just ready to blossom and said it is something I think you would really enjoy,” Mitchell remembered telling her sister. In the coming months, Barksdale would share exciting details about JSU, its leader and its growth.

During the press conference announcing the university’s largest private donation, Barksdale and JSU President Ronald Mason Jr. dedicated the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Educational Resource Center. The center will house the Mississippi Learning Institute, which oversees the JSU Region of America Reads Mississippi, the Rod Paige Reading Room, and several innovative educational initiatives that will serve the Jackson State community. This contribution allows the JSU and its partners to reach more students and teachers in the Jackson area, said Dr. Monique Guillory, director of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Educational Resource Center. “Each individual partner in the collaborative is working toward improving education on some level. Working together our

“There have been so many changes,” said Mitchell after President Mason took Mitchell, and her husband, Don, on a brief walking tour and his popular “window tour” from his ninth floor office in the Administration Tower. “The changes are just breathtaking!” she said after her first visit to the campus in more than 30 years. “Mason has a vision, and he’s going down his list checking things off,” she continued. “He’s got a plan.” That has helped to ensure her sister’s visions are realized, Mitchell said. “I just realized again how lucky I was and how fortunate education is to have had Sally and Jim who were willing to commit back to their home state,” Mitchell said. “It was our hope that it would be contagious, that it would get others involved. I think it is doing that.” J

THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

Sally McDonnell Barksdale

George Elementary School

A Mississippi philanthropist and education advocate, she was the wife of Internet pioneer and former Netscape CEO, James Barksdale. The Barksdales have three children, Susan Barksdale Howorth of Oxford, Miss.; Betsy Barksdale Pokorny of Winter Park, Fla. and John David Barksdale of New York City, NY. She was the daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. Thomas F. McDonnell, and grew up in Hazlehurst, Miss., where she graduated from Hazlehurst High in 1961. She later graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Business. During her life, Sally M. Barksdale concentrated on community work. She and her husband, James, donated $100 million to create the Barksdale Reading Institute. Other gifts include $5.4 million donated to the University of Mississippi to create the Sally McDonnellBarksdale Honors College and endowment at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson for full medical scholarships for African-American students. Sally Barksdale served as a board member of The University of Mississippi Foundation and Jackson State University. While living in Memphis, she served on the Playhouse on the Square board and Memphis in May council, and was president of the Episcopal Women in the Diocese of Tennessee. She also was active at Holy Communion Episcopal Church and St. Mary’s School for Girls. In Seattle, Wash., she provided leadership on the board of Lakeside Parents Club. J

By Henrietta Buck The Mississippi Learning Institute, an initiative between Jackson State University, the Department of Education and Jackson Public Schools, experienced tremendous success during its first year, with two Level 3 JPS elementary schools increasing test scores to Levels 4 and 5 – the second highest and highest rankings, respectively. With a mission of bridging the K-12 and four-year college career track, MLI is preparing students early for success in higher education and beyond. The first year of the project focused on reading proficiency at George and Isable Elementary Schools. During its second year, MLI has expanded to include Blackburn Middle School, where educators continue to see improvements in reading skills. “We’re exactly where we’re supposed to be in terms of implementation,” said Dr. Monique Guillory, director of the Mississippi Learning Institute. “Collaborative partnerships like this take a lot of work, but we’re on track to where the teachers really see us as a resource, and that’s what we are,” she said. Funded through a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, MLI’s objective is to improve test scores on the Mississippi Curriculum Test – particularly in reading and mathematics. So far, the emphasis has been on the reading aspect of the test, with math to be added during the 2007-2008 school year, Guillory said. Five schools are beneficiaries of the grant: George, Isable and Poindexter Elementary schools, Blackburn Middle School and Jim Hill High School. Jackson State University President Ronald Mason said that through career track programs such as MLI, educators plant the seed for the future of universities and the world. “Students need preparation for higher education,” Mason said. “Some of them drop out in elementary school – they don’t even make it to middle and high school levels – so we have to reach them early to produce our future scholars, doctors, engineers and world leaders. That’s why the Mississippi Learning Institute is a top priority of Jackson State and key to our future.” Pamela Grenada, a kindergarten teacher at Isable Elementary, and Sharon Turner who teaches fifth grade at George

Elementary are veterans of the MLI Project and see how it has transformed students and learning over the past year. Turner, who has been teaching at George Elementary for five years, said her individual class went from having less than eight students performing at grade level to all 22 students testing proficient for fifth grade. “It has been very instrumental in improving student learning,” Turner said. “It’s one thing to tell a child something, but it makes a difference when they have examples they can see. Students get resources like workbooks and other hands-on materials that enhance learning, and the teachers get professional development workshops and different strategies to enhance teaching.” Mary Bailey, who became principal at George during the 2004-2005 school year, said that attaining Level 5 under the previous principal, Nehru Brown, keeps the pressure on to maintain that level. Brown is now principal at Hardy Middle School and works with MLI as a consultant. “There’s no doubt that the Mississippi Learning Institute has had a tremendous impact here,” Bailey said, pointing to banners and posters proudly displayed in the hallways. “We love it.” Grenada, a Greenville native who has been with Isable Elementary School for six years, agreed. “Support for education is appreciated not only by the teachers, but by the students who respond to having access to what they need in their learning environment,” Grenada said. Theresa Bland Green, principal at Isable Elementary saw her school rise from a Level 3 to a Level 4 in state testing. She said participation in the Mississippi Learning Academy is a privilege for her school. “It is a point of distinction for us, and I think it improves the expectation level for our teachers and our students when they know their efforts are not going unnoticed.” Dr. Earl Watkins, superintendent of Jackson Public Schools, spoke glowingly of the Mississippi Learning Institute, saying it has played a key role in improving the accountability rating at George and Isable Elementary Schools. “We are hoping to build on that success as students advance to Blackburn Middle School and Jim Hill High School.” J THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

P A R T N E R S H I P S

MLI Helps Jackson Public Schools Reach Top Level

Northrop Grumman and JSU Sign Agreement, Pledge Support By Tommiea P. Jackson

In a partnership that has already begun to place Jackson State University students into research and potentially successful careers with one of the country’s top companies for the design, engineering, construction, and life cycle support for major surface ships, JSU President Ronald Mason Jr. signed an agreement with Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Inc. in December. “Fostering opportunities within Mississippi’s higher-education system builds partnerships that can lead to success on many levels,” said Philip A. Dur, former president of the company headquartered in Pascagoula. “This program will outline new career paths for many Jackson State students and provide them the skills necessary to create an experienced roadmap for their future.” The partnership allows career development, recruitment and employment opportunities, cooperative research, experts to speak to students and advise professors in course development. Northrop Grumman Ship Systems promises $10,000 annually in scholarships for students seeking degrees in engineering, business, accounting, psychology, human resource management, quality assurance, logistics and JSU President Ronald Mason Jr. (left) and former technology. This year, the company has provided $250,000 for the Northrop Northrop Grumman President Philip Dur agree to Grumman Professor of Engineering who also will serve as director of the provide educational opportunities and research JSU Northrop Grumman Center for High Performance Computing of Ship experience for JSU students. System Engineering. Dr. Shahrouz Aliabadi, has had but a few quiet moments since taking on those roles in January. “It has been very fast-paced,” said Aliabadi, who built a successful High Performance Computing Program during his eight years at Clark Atlanta University. Aliabadi’s staff has grown from three to seven, while projects have increased from the single Northrop Grumman project to four additional ones. Currently, three proposals are pending. “In six months, we have grown almost twice,” Aliabadi said. And there are plans for even more expansion. Aliabadi hopes to have 10 to 15 people working in the center in the next year. The staff is housed in a 3,500 sq. ft. secured space in the Mississippi e-Center. A work in progress Aliabadi calls it; the area has four offices, a spacious reception area, cubicles for students and soon will have a technology classroom. Having access to the best resources and equipment through another partnership with the Army High Performance Computing Research Center also at Jackson State, Dr. James Perkins said students get to work with the state-of-the-art-software in an environment that is not only recognized nationally, but internationally. “We are exposing our students to high tech environments where they are doing leading edge research that could impact our national defense,” said Perkins, director of research for the College of Science Engineering and Technology. Marvin Dwayne Watts’ calm demeanor changes when he begins describing the research he does with the Northrop Grumman partnership. The Clark Atlanta University Ph.D. candidate, who recently started a master’s program in environmental engineering at JSU excitedly, but articulately, talks about his role in helping to ensure that ships move through the ocean smoothly and use fuel efficiently. He also describes how he works to make sure military equipment function with precision. “With missiles, it is important that it hits the target you want,” he said with a laugh. “But missiles usually don’t go in a straight line so you do different things to try to keep it on course so that it hits the target you want. We look at those things using software.” Watts has met and worked with some of the most well respected researchers in academia and industry, a formula that makes it hard for him to make postgraduate plans. The 25-year-old isn’t quite sure what professional avenue he will pursue after completing his studies. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with national and international researchers, even people in industry,” he said before listing the advantages of teaching or continuing research with a company. “They each have appealing qualities. It’s hard to say right now.” Undergraduate and graduate students with strong backgrounds in engineering, mathematics and computer science are invited to tour the facility to learn more about the offerings at JSU. For more information on Jackson State’s partnership with Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, visit www.ngc.jsums.edu or call 601-979-1821. J THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN••FALL FALL2005 2005 18 18 THE

Pact with Union Paciﬁc puts Students on Career Track

By Eddie Brown, Jr.

Union Paciﬁc Railroad donates $50,000 to JSU’s College of Business.

he first order of business on Angela Harrison’s daily “to-do list” is reading and responding to all unread e-mail messages. After completing her first and most time-consuming task, she grabs a pen and pad to retrieve voice-mail messages from the phone on her desk. She dials in the pin number and, after the operator’s prompt, chooses the “retrieve message” function. “Thanks for calling Union Pacific,” says her recorded voice, “You have reached the desk of Angela Harrison….” A 2004 marketing graduate, Harrison is one of 10 Jackson State University students who has successfully gained employment with one of America’s leading railroad company, through a partnership between JSU and the company. As a result of this partnership, the railroad company established the Union Pacific Excellence Fund which provides scholarships, financial resources for faculty research and development, and academic resources for the Business Resource Center located in the College of Business. Over the past four years, UP has contributed at least $200,000 to the scholars fund. According to Lori Swanier, director of the Career Management and Placement Center, students in the College of Business are immediate beneficiaries of the partnership. Through the UP Scholars Program, eight business students demonstrating a commitment to academic excellence receive awards in the amount of $2,000. Typically, students receiving the scholar awards are selected for an internship opportunity in Omaha, Nebraska. Upon completion of the internship, students have an opportunity to earn an “extra” incentive through continued participation as a UP Ambassador. These ambassadors earn stipends each semester to represent the company by distributing brochures and making presentations on behalf of UP at campus events or functions occurring in the College of Business. “This is great for the students,” Swanier said. “After the internship is over, a UP Ambassador can earn up to $1,500 per semester

or up to $3,000 per year. Swanier said students, if employed fulltime, would earn an annual salary equivalent to $42,000 per year. “When our students transition into the work force, they are already accustomed to earning a good salary, working hard, and most importantly, we decrease the chances our students will experience a culture shock.” Lovell Cox, business manager for UP’s international intermodal division agrees. “Interns are given the opportunity to work at our headquarters and experience our company’s corporate culture,” said the 2002 JSU grad who leads UP’s recruitment efforts at the university. He believes another benefit to interns is the experience of working on projects for the company. According to industry trends, Cox said, interns are paid competitively and have an opportunity to travel to various locations within the UP network. Swanier said UP provides career possibilities in an industry where students would not have had an opportunity. “It allows our students to get exposed to something different while becoming well-rounded and diverse individuals,” she said. Due to the unique partnership between UP and JSU, efforts to recruit minorities to the company have proven successful. Cox said JSU provides qualified candidates for employment, assisting UP in its goal to create a diverse company. Currently, Union Pacific recruits from 26 colleges and universities throughout the nation. Among historically black colleges and universities, UP recruits from Clark-Atlanta, Jackson State University, North Carolina A&T University and Tuskegee University. “UP has tapped into what we like to call a hidden market,” Swanier said. “Companies come to JSU and are surprised that we have the same caliber of students of Ivy League universities.” Jackson State University offers degrees in all disciplines recruited by Union Pacific including accounting, finance, management, marketing, engineering, and information technology. J THE THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN••FALL FALL2005 2005

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Pictured during the announcement of Jackson State University’s Workforce Home Beneﬁt Program in April are: Jackson Metro Housing Partnership Executive Director Tim Collins, National Director of Freddie Mac Housing and Community Investment Vaughn Irons, former Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, (D-Miss.), President of Trustmark National Bank Jackson Metro Division, Harry Walker and JSU President Ronald Mason Jr.

JSU-Freddie Mac Home Beneﬁt Program Restores American Dream to West Jackson Community By Tommiea P. Jackson

The revitalization efforts of Jackson State University reach beyond the borders of its campus. Blazing a trail for other historically black colleges and universities to follow, JSU’s Workforce Home Benefit Program aims to help Jackson State University employees attain the American dream of owning homes, while improving the west Jackson community. The first HBCU to adopt such an initiative, JSU partnered in April with Freddie Mac, Trustmark National Bank, the City of Jackson, Jackson Metro Housing, Voice of Calvary Ministries and the West Jackson Community Development Corporation (CDC). The program enables the university’s 1,400 employees to qualify for a variety of important home buying resources, including special loan products with flexible features, financial literacy/homebuyer education, and new or renovated homes built near worksites. “The partnership represents a unified effort to create a seamless transition between the JSU campus and west Jackson communities,” said JSU President Ronald Mason Jr. “The benefits to our constituents will serve as a catalyst in their sharing in the vision of Jackson State as a premiere university serving its families and building vibrant campus communities.” One of the first applicants, Tracy Thompson, looks forward to cutting her daily travels by living close to work and her children’s daycare. An office assistant in Community Health Programs, Thompson hopes to live and work in the same community with close access to her children once she enrolls them

THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

at JSU’s Kids Kollege. “I’m excited,” she said of the prospect. A major tool within the Jackson State Initiative is Freddie Mac’s new Home Possible® suite of mortgage products. The Home Possible mortgage provides loans up to 100 percent, helping more employees acquire single-family homes or refinance. Ninety-seven percent LTV mortgages also are available for families purchasing one- to four-unit properties. “Freddie Mac is delighted to bring our Workforce Home Benefit initiative to Jackson,” said Dwight Robinson, senior vice president of Corporate Relations and Housing Outreach for Freddie Mac. “We are pleased to be part of this effort to help JSU employees live near where they work and to strengthen the community through homeownership.” Additionally, JSU employees are eligible for up to a 1.5% interest rate reduction as a part of the initiative. Both the zero and 3 percent down payment versions of Home Possible allow employees to contribute as little as $500 from their personal funds and have flexible credit requirements. As one of the nation’s largest investors in residential mortgages, Freddie Mac will purchase eligible mortgages from Trustmark National Bank. The program’s success is further supported by the City of Jackson’s Homebuyer Assistance Program, which will provide funds that JSU employees will use for down payment, closing costs and other costs toward the purchase of a home. Jackson State University employees are in a unique strategic

position to access home ownership, said Jerry Watson, director of Housing and e-City Development, pointing out that the opportunity is available to first-time homeowners and those who previously may have owned multiple homes. This initiative fits into the university’s mission to create a “sense of community” with faculty and staff while rendering tangible services towards the growth and development of the campus community. Etched in the university’s campus master plan is the economic development component of e-City, a five-squaremile neighborhood with boundaries bordering Mississippi Highway 18, Robinson, Raymond, and Terry roads. With an aggressive mission of cultivating business development, schools and a technology hub, the housing component plays a pivotal

West Jackson neighborhood,” Walker said. “Where blight and neglect often permeate the community, new homes will be constructed and older homes renovated to bring back a vibrant and thriving community of years past.” To prepare more families for the challenges of homeownership, Jackson Metro Housing Partnership will provide comprehensive ﬁnancial literacy education through Freddie Mac’s CreditSmart® curriculum, pre-and post-purchase homebuyer counseling, and a wide range of low down payment mortgages that will enable more families to overcome many of the key barriers to homeownership. “This partnership represents a meaningful attempt to increase homeownership in our City, while at the same time

Pictured (from left) are Director of Housing & e-City Development Jerry Watson and JSU Facilities Management employee James Earl Jones.

role in providing a stable collegiate-community in support of the campus as a world-class urban university. “The program is an absolute win for Jackson State University, its employees and the community in which we live,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-MS, who was on hand for the announcement. “Through this unique public/private partnership, JSU employees will have greater access to home buying resources, and help revitalize the surrounding West Jackson neighborhood.” Harry Walker, president of the Jackson Metro branches of Trustmark National Bank, considers the Workforce Home Benefit Program as a lifeline for first-time homebuyers and for those with moderate incomes in search of a permanent home. He also considers the program as one that promotes stability in the community. “While the obvious beneficiaries are Jackson State employees, a greater benefit is provided to the surrounding

stabilizing the employment base of one of the nation’s premiere HBCU’s and the only Urban University of our state,” said Tim Collins, Executive Director, Jackson Metro Housing Partnership. This announcement signals the latest Freddie Mac effort to expand homeownership opportunities in the Jackson area. Over the past five years, Freddie Mac has purchased $1.3 billion worth of mortgages in Jackson, Miss., financing 11,885 homes. Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned company established by Congress in 1970 to support homeownership and rental housing. Freddie Mac fulfills its mission by purchasing residential mortgages and mortgage-related securities, which it finances primarily by issuing mortgage-related securities and debt instruments in the capital markets. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in six homebuyers and two million renters in America. For more information, visit www. freddiemac.com. J THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

Collaboration is Goal of Urban Education Conference By Tommiea P. Jackson

hile funding continues to be a top concern for educators, participants in Jackson State University’s annual Urban Education Conference realized how collaboration can cure some of the ills of a financially strapped system of education. More than 200 educators, health care professionals, religious and other community leaders spent two days in workshops and training sessions aimed at creating a network by which professionals may pool resources to serve more people. Themed “Strengthening Urban Education through Collaborations,” participants discussed means to match agencies with resources with groups that have particular needs. Without that knowledge, educational needs go unmet while some efforts are often duplicated, said Dr. Rodney Washington, assistant professor in the departStudents in the Executive Ph.D. Program in Urban Higher Education ment of elementary and early childhood education. prepare to debate advantages of multicultural curricula. Bringing together a variety of organizations and key players in the area of education showed that collaborations are possible and can be very beneficial, said Alfrenett Johnson-Orr, director of Mayor Harvey Johnson’s Youth Initiative for the City of Jackson, who applauded the efforts to streamline services to produce better-educated youth. “Duplication is prevalent,” Johnson-Orr said. “A lot of us don’t talk about what we’re doing. Organizations often provide the same services to the same children. Some of the children get a lot of services, some don’t get any. There needs to be more coordination.” Guest speakers included Louis Carter, CEO of Best Practices Institute and vice president of research at Linkage, Inc. Waltham, Mass. and Dr. Orlando Taylor, dean of the Graduate School and professor of Communications at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Citing another result of failure to collaborate, Washington said JSU students in the College of Education and Human Development often volunteer in area schools, but if school leaders are not aware, they may go without or begin the laborious task of searching for funding to provide service. Ironically, poor planning often doom collaborative efforts. Sometimes groups partner, Washington continued, agreeing to work together, but fail to work out the details of the deal. Without a clear understanding of responsibilities, resources are overlapped. Further efforts are needed to chart meaningful services, end duplication and fill in gaps where services are lacking. The larger community needs more conferences similar to the one held at JSU. Continuing as is, Johnson-Orr said, will render fragmented services for chilExecutive Ph.D. Program in Urban Higher Education students debate dren and families. J disadvantages of multicultural curricula.

THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

By Reuben Mees

– Hattiesburg Americam

As a teacher, students said Marjorie Chambers had the eyes and ears of a hawk.

As a civil rights activist, organizers of the movement said she had the strength and determination of the bird of prey. As she sits in her home at age 80 reviewing a 47-year career in education and the countless lives she has touched, Chambers’ attention to detail is still keen. “The Hawk,” as the Hattiesburg resident is still known to her friends, is one of 10 people in the United States to be honored this year with the National Education Association’s Human and Civil Rights Award. In one of her earliest memories – walking to the store on the red clay of southern Forrest County – Chambers told her mother Lugenie Carter that she wanted to be a teacher. “I didn’t know the Lord had so much intention for me,” she said. It was on that day in the early 1930s that she set her sights on becoming an educator. After enduring a childhood marked by poverty, she graduated as valedictorian of both Earl Travillion High School and Jackson State University. Then as she stood at her career crossroads on graduation day 1947, Chambers never gave her choice to become a teacher a second thought. The president (at Jackson State) was going to recommend I take a job in Liberia as a missionary, but I knew I had to teach here in Mississippi.” “It was that spirit that led her through the turmoil of the civil rights era and made her an inspiration to countless students she taught at Rowan and Hattiesburg high schools. “Mrs. Chambers is an inspiration to this day,” former student Douglass Baker said. “She was the most beloved to the many students she taught. Coming on in the civil rights era, she taught us you could Marjorie Chambers, 80, recipient of the National Education Association Human achieve any goal you set out for. She taught that your and Civil Rights Award, sits in front of portraits of herself in her home in Hattiesdestiny was up to you and the fact that you were black burg. At right is a photo of her as a social studies teacher at Rowan High School. At left is a photo of her as a 1947 graduate of Jackson State. should not hinder you one iota.” But not only did she inspire students like Baker, who was one of the first five African-American students at the University of Mississippi, Chambers took an active role in the movement. In the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, she and other black educators were teaching students about the Constitution and voting while they struggled for their own right to vote. “I taught in a school where we saw men like Vernon Dahmer die because he was fighting for the right to vote,” Chambers said. “Some black students would come up to me and say other teachers wouldn’t allow them to ask questions about voting. It was a scary and dangerous time.” But despite the intimidation and killings surrounding her, she continued to teach and encouraged her students to take what they had learned home to help their parents. In the ensuing years, Chambers became one of the first black teachers at Hattiesburg High School when the district underwent integration. She taught there until she retired in 1994. Still the longtime teacher humbly denies that the award she is receiving this year might be a reflection that she has accomplished the goals she had set out to achieve. “The only thing I know is that I worked hard, and many of these students are personal testimonies to that,” she said. J THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

A L U M N I

NEA Honors Marjorie Chambers as Lifelong Educator

Verna McLaurin Felton: THE APPRENTICE and Beyond

By Tommiea P. Jackson

Former Jackson State University and Provine High School student Verna McLaurin Verna McLaurin Felton is all smiles Felton walked off the set of NBC’s hit primetime program The Apprentice, last season, with Omorosa Manigault-Stallworth, but not because Donald Trump belted out those infamous two words, “You’re fired.” of show’s second season. Felton, who attended JSU in the early 1990s, could not discuss details of her departure during her brief visit to Jackson State’s campus during the spring. She did, however, say that she disagreed with the direction producers wanted to take the show. “What was going on was not something I wanted to be a part of,” she said to a group of JSU student leaders. “So I packed my bags, and I was gone.” When asked if she would participate in another reality television show, Felton replied with a definite “no.” She said she would only consider hosting one of the shows or possibly serving as a guest. Reality television shows, she learned, are designed to be more entertaining than realistic. Felton, who manages multi-million dollar projects for Microsoft in Seattle, said she already made a great accomplishment when she beat out millions of others who wanted a chance to compete for a top position with Trump. Felton endured a month of IQ tests, personality tests and tests to demonstrate her charisma and television appeal. In Jackson visiting family members, Felton agreed to share some of her experiences with “The Donald” and other Apprentice cast mates. She spent more time sharing advice and her philosophy about success. The married mother of two said that her integrity took precedence when she had to decide whether or not to remain on the set. Felton and Trump parted amicably with a firm handshake following a brief meeting in Trump’s Manhattan The women of “The Apprentice” Season 3 strike a pose during an office. after party at the season’s close. But success is not a destination for Felton, who often works 70-hour weeks and has added small television and radio shows to her busy schedule. The former Provine High School shotput standout continues to set goals and look for her next big opportunity. She encouraged JSU students to do the same. “Your career never reaches its peak,” she said, “even in retirement.” After reaching each goal, she begins a new search for yet another challenge. Once identified, Felton told the students, she seeks out mentors, training opportunities and prepares herself to assume another position. Felton appeared to be “a focused young lady, gracious and poised,” said Klarissa Hardy, JSU’s Miss JSUelect, who said she felt inspired watching the former Apprentice BookSmarts team member. “She’s knowledgeable about what she wants in life,” but does not have a cut-throat attitude,” Hardy said. Felton talks to JSU student leaders about her reasons for leaving “That’s admirable.” J “The Apprentice” THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN••FALL FALL2005 2005 24 24 THE

Of divots, dollars & a dream

O’Neal Struggles for Spot on PGA Tour

photo by The Savannah Morning News

By Mark Alexander / The Clarion-Ledger

iger Woods is the only African-American golfer on the PGA Tour. Former Jackson State standout Tim O’Neal, who plays on the developmental Nationwide Tour, would like to become the second – although not for the reason some may think. The only race he’s concerned about is the race to get to golf ’s big leagues. “Tim O’Neal the golfer wants to make it, not Tim O’Neal the black golfer,” O’Neal said. “Obviously, I would be (the second). But it’s not something I really think about.” O’Neal, the only African-American on the Nationwide Tour, has been ohso-close to joining Woods on the big tour. Twice. Needing only a bogey on the final day of PGA Tour qualifying school to secure his playing privileges on the 2000 Tour, O’Neal instead made triple bogey. Last fall, again on the final hole of the final day, his 12-foot birdie putt slid by the hole and he fell one shot shy of qualifying. Such close calls would be enough to shatter some golfers’ psyche. Not O’Neal. It made him want to work that much harder to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing on the PGA Tour. “It took me a day or so to get over it,” O’Neal said. “I didn’t sleep that well that night knowing I was that close. … But I had to put that behind me. The one positive thing I took from that is that I really haven’t played well in the final stage, and I’ve been right there. If I play good, I get through.” O’Neal, a native of Savannah, Ga., turns 33 in August. He became a professional in the summer of 1997 after being named the SWAC golfer of the year four years in a row and has spent the last nine summers hop-scotching around golf ’s minor leagues, where players are often battling for top prizes in the $20,000 to $30,000 range. Compare that to the PGA Tour, where one victory can be worth more than $1 million and where 41 players have already made more than $1 million this season, and it’s easy to see why O’Neal continues to pursue his dream. He played on various mini-tours for four years, scraping out a few dollars here and there. He spent one season on the Nationwide Tour (known as the Buy.com Tour at the time) but lost his playing privileges because he didn’t earn enough money, then returned to the mini-tour circuit. He played mainly on the Canadian Tour and Hooter’s Tour in 2002, then played on the Golden Bear Tour in Florida the past two years before playing his way back onto the Nationwide Tour through the PGA Tour’s qualifying school. He’s had some success since turning pro – he made more than $100,000 in 2002 and $135,000 last year – but he’s also experienced some lows, struggling to make it in a business where only a precious few of the world’s top golfers survive. “I’ve struggled a little bit here and there,” O’Neal said. “It’s been tough at times. But I expected it to be tough.” In 2000, actor Will Smith, who learned of O’Neal from a friend, threw financial support O’Neal’s way. That arrangement lasted only two years, however. Since then he’s virtually been on his own, paying for his hotels, food, gas, airfare, entry fees, etc., while also trying to support his wife and daughter back home in Savannah. “I’ve got three sponsors: me myself and I,” O’Neal said, laughing. “A lot of the guys out here do have sponsors to help them out with expenses. I don’t.” O’Neal said he gets “a little money” from Mizuno because he uses Mizuno clubs in competition. “But,” he added, “you don’t get the real money until you get to ‘The show.’” There are several ways for O’Neal to reach The Show. One is to win three tournaments this summer on the Nationwide Tour, earning what Tour officials refer to as a “battlefield” promotion, a mid-year call-up. Another is to finish in the top 20 on the Nationwide Tour money list, which would give him privileges on next year’s PGA Tour. A third way is through Q-School, where some 160 players go head-to-head over six rounds with 35 playing spots on the line. O’Neal could avoid a seventh trip to the Tour’s Q-School if he continues to play as well as he’s played the first half of the season.

Tim O’Neal follows his tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the MCI Heritage tournament earlier this year. It was one of his rare appearances in a PGA event. The Savannah, Ga., native, 32, has played on several minor league tours since finishing up at Jackson State University in 1997. In 13 tournaments he’s pocketed $98,717, good for 21st place on the Nationwide Tour money list heading into (an early July) event in West Virginia. His best finish came two weeks ago at the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic, where he finished second and took home $48,600. “I’m about halfway there,” he said. “I figure I need to make about $200,000 to make it. If I do, I get to go straight to the PGA Tour.” Charlie Sifford was the first African-American to play on the men’s pro golf tour. After he broke the color barrier in 1961, Jim Thorpe, Calvin Peete and Lee Elder followed. But today, Woods is the only African-American on the PGA Tour. The top tour for women, the LPGA Tour, has no black players. When Woods emerged as a star 10 years ago, many in golf predicted a rise in participation among young African-Americans in the sport, leading to more black pro golfers. So far, even Woods’ star power has done little to change the racial makeup of professional golf. This despite programs such as The First Tee and the Tiger Woods Foundation, aimed at helping young black golfers learn the game. “There has been no significant change in the numbers,” said Dave Lancer, the director of information for the PGA Tour. “I’m sure the First Tee program (in cooperation since 2000) will produce more minority golfers. It takes time, though. The program hasn’t been around all that long. You introduce these kids to the game, but they don’t become professional until their 20s. It’s a long process.” Eddie Payton, who coached O’Neal at Jackson State, said there are a “myriad of reasons” why more minority kids haven’t made it. “A lot of it has to do with opportunity,” Payton said. “Golf is a very expensive game; equipment is not cheap. Being able to stay out there (on developmental tours) financially is another problem. And most of your best black athletes play other sports, or get sidetracked by other things.” Payton thinks it’s just a matter of when, not if, his prized pupil makes it onto the PGA Tour. “Really, I expected him to do it before now,” Payton said. “But you have to pay your dues, learn from your experiences, and stay the course. He’s done that. He just needs that break. Once he gets out there, he will do well.” O’Neal shares Payton’s confidence. “I know I have what it takes to play on the PGA Tour,” he says. Payton says “it would be a huge deal” if O’Neal were to join Woods as the only African-Americans on the PGA Tour. O’Neal’s not so sure. “It could be, I guess,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see when I get out there next year.” J THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN••FALL FALL2005 2005 THE

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Trailblazing Trio: ByTommiea P. Jackson Kenya, Deshun and Warren Martin

Triplets Kenya, Deshun and Warren Martin made history when they completed undergraduate degrees, law school and became attorneys together.

aised in small town Mississippi, where poverty and despair are common, the Martin Triplets are well on their way to success. And they are blazing a trail for others to follow. On Oct. 12, 2004, just one day after their 26th birthday, Deshun, Kenya and Warren Martin Jr. were sworn in as attorneys in the state of Mississippi. They are believed to be the first triplets in the nation to graduate from law school, then take and pass the bar together on the first trial. As if that were not enough, in 2011, seven years after completing law school, the brothers plan to announce a $1 million endowment to attract the world’s best and brightest high school students to Jackson State University. “We are a shining example of what occurs when Jackson State is efficient,” said Deshun, special assistant to the Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood. “There are more of us waiting to be churned out.” Deshun, the comedian of the trio, is also advisor of the newly established Pre-law & Professional School Program at Jackson State. Kenya, the “religious right” of the three, is an associate at Watkins, Ludlam, Winter & Stennis law firm. Warren Martin Jr., described by his mother as the “serious” one, is a law clerk for Mississippi Supreme Court Justice James E. Graves. Growing up in Edwards, less than 30 miles west of Jackson, life was not always so sweet for the Martin Triplets, as they are affectionately known. After losing their father when they were barely 10 years old, Elinder Martin raised her triplets and two older sons alone on the salary of an elementary schoolteacher. “Sometimes people make their disparity greater so their triumph would seem greater,” said Kenya. “But ours is real. I remember eating peanut butter and crackers for dinner.” Elinder Martin agreed that it was hard raising five boys alone, but added that her strong style of discipline ensured that her boys

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knew they were expected to do well. “They swear I was harder on them, but a mother knows her children,” said Elinder Martin, also the triplets’ elementary school teacher. “I needed to pull out of them what I knew they could do.” Four of the five Martin brothers are now attorneys. Older brother Precious, a Tougaloo alum like his mother, is partner at Gibbs and Martin in Jackson. Ivan, the oldest, majored in criminal justice at Jackson State, but decided to pursue a career with the Hinds County Department of Public Works. The story of the triplets’ success has not gone unnoticed. In the last year alone, the trio has been featured in The Clarion-Ledger, The U.M. Lawyer, a magazine for University of Mississippi Law School alumni and in November 2004, The Montel Williams Show. Each time, the brothers laugh, they mentioned Jackson State as many times as they could. “Jackson State is owed so much because it gave me so much,” said Deshun. “It made me the ambassador that I am today and, effectively, changed my life. My mission from God is to help make it great, and God so help me, I will.” While they enjoy chronicling their path through Jackson State University and the University of Mississippi Law School, the brothers say they do not seek glory. Repeating their story, they say, can help dispel common thought that black men do not love themselves and cannot think on their feet. But the sharing of knowledge, time, and financial contributions should not stop with the Martin Triplets, they say. “We challenge all alumni, of all professions, to give as much as they can,” said Warren, “so that we can have the kind of Jackson State with the resources and facilities that address the needs of the community.” J

Stacy Hawkins-Adams’ Speak To My Heart: A

W r i t e r ’ s

D r e a m

C o m e s

By Larry McAdoo and LaShonda D. Levy

T r u e

On the decision to finally get serious and write her book, Born in Pine Bluff, Ark., Stacy Hawkins-Adams dreamed of becoming a writer from the time she could read and write. She says that Hawkins-Adams recounts, “About five years ago, the bug bit me again. as early as age 6, she wrote short stories and poems and shared them Off and on for the next few years I would talk a lot about doing it with friends and family, and when she was 8, she attempted to write and write a chapter here and there. In 2001, after I had my second her first book. Though she never completed the manuscript, Hawkins- child, I decided it was ‘now or never.’ I didn’t want to be 85 years old trying to encourage my grandchildren to go after their dreams and I Adams decided then that someday she would become an author. Likewise, Hawkins-Adams knew throughout her years at Pine hadn’t pursued my own. I have to mention Dr. Trussell again. She Bluff High School that she wanted to become a journalist. While was my biggest cheerleader early on, encouraging me to ‘just do it’ and conducting research on colleges with accredited mass communica- to believe that I would be successful. My family also has always been supportive of my writing and had faith that I could achieve any goal I tions/journalism programs, she discovered Jackson State University. “I heard good things about JSU from people in my native Pine set for myself.” Hawkins-Adams, who is married to Donald Adams, and has two Bluff,” said Hawkins-Adams, “and I decided to visit.” Because of her academic success throughout high school, she received a full academic children – a daughter, 6 and a son, 3 – finally finished her novel in 2004 scholarship at Jackson State University. She completed the require- and is enjoying critical acclaim as it goes into its second printing. The novel, entitled “Speak to my Heart,” is set in Richmond, Va., ments for her mass communications degree with a minor in political science in December 1992 and graduated Summa Cum Laude during and told through the eyes of Serena Jasper, a successful advertising executive who loses her focus when she learns a family secret – the man the 1993 Spring Commencement exercises. “I had great experiences at JSU and formed lifelong friendships,” she’s always known as her father is not. “The secret that Serena Hawkins-Adams. recalled struggles with is one that is “From serving as the editor of common in many families,” the Blue & White Flash and Hawkins-Adams said. “The singing in the Baptist Student question is, ‘how will Serena Union choir to being voted deal with the truth?’ Will she Miss Junior by my peers, and let it devastate her or make simply enjoying the Sonic her stronger?” Boom of the South, JSU gave “This story is about her me an opportunity to grow as journey to forgiveness and to an individual while also feeling realizing that you have to love as if I were part of a very special others and yourself despite community.” imperfections,” Hawkins-AdWhile at The Blue & ams said. “I chose this particuWhite Flash, Hawkins-Adams lar theme because I wanted said she gained solid leadership to write an entertaining book skills and honed decision-making skills that were required I chose this particular theme because I wanted to write an that would inspire readers to examine their relationship to determine which stories to publish and where to place entertaining book that would inspire readers to exam- and begin considering their them. ine their relationship and begin considering connection to God. It is not a preachy book, but I think Hawkins-Adams also voltheir connection to God. through Serena’s efforts to run unteered at WJSU, the public radio station on campus, during her freshman year at Jackson State. “I from God, readers realize that even when we distance ourselves from worked closely with Dr. Bobbie Walker-Trussell [program and music Him, or make mistakes, God never gives up on us.” Shantella Sherman, a JSU alumnus who was an editor under director at WJSU], who helped me learn how to modulate my voice and write copy for radio, versus the newspaper style of writing I was Hawkins-Adams at The Blue & White Flash, said that some of the success with “Speak to My Heart” has to do with Hawkins-Adams’ more familiar with.” “These skills,” said Hawkins-Adams, “were valuable when I joined Christian approach. “Too often we see the wrong ways to handle crisis in popular the staff of The Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper in the mid1990s and was tapped by my editors to make live television reports fiction with no regard to consequences,” Sherman said. “Stacy uses well-developed characters and a great storyline to entertain, but also from the newsroom.” Hawkins-Adams began her professional career in journalism as challenge the reader to explore practical, God-centered solutions.” Hawkins-Adams’ first book was released in October 2004. The a general assignment reporter at Florida Today in Melbourne, Fla. in sequel, titled “Nothing But the Right Thing,” is scheduled to be reDecember 1992. She has been a reporter at the Richmond Times-Dispatch since leased in April 2006. She is the first African-American author for August 1993, where she covers social issues for the paper and writes Revell Books. Speak to My Heart is available in bookstores nationwide, includa weekly column called “Inspirations.” She is also a regular contributor to a web site www.crosswalk.com and freelances for the NAACP’s ing Barnes and Noble, Waldenbooks, Family Christian Stores and www.amazon.com. J national magazine, The Crisis. THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

Alumni Conference Celebrates

Jackson State Legacy “Jackson fair, Jackson dear; thee I love my dear old college home; thee I love wherever I may roam.” The ﬁrst verse expressed by PawleyHall, creator of the Jackson State University alma mater, makes an important statement about the atmosphere Jackson State cultivates through its students and graduates. That is, the alumni and constituencies of this institution support and return to the university to help achieve the university’s goals and mission to ensure survival throughout the years. Renowned actress and 1969 JSU graduate Tonea Harris Stewart, Ph.D. opened her speech by singing “Jackson fair, Jackson dear” Stewart, banquet keynote speaker, is recognized as Aunt Etta on the television series In the Heat of the Night. Stewart serves as a professor and director of theater at Alabama State University. The Mississippi native shared her JSU story and emphasized the important role JSU faculty and administrators played in her success. “I could feel the energy and spirit of my fellow alumni members as they planned, focused, and committed to carrying out the legacy of our forefathers. It was an awesome experience,” said Stewart. Biennially, the Jackson State University National Alumni Association, Inc. (JSUNAA) assembles to discuss the vision of the association and the state of the university. The Sixth Biennial National Alumni Conference was held in July at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Jackson, Miss. The conference was open to all Jackson State alumni. The theme, “Bridging the Gap... Reconnecting...Supporting Your JSU,” was the foundation for the conference. The four-day event, July 7-10, 2005, featured general assemblies, hospitality rooms, breakout sessions, galas, receptions and an exhibit that showcased alumni chapters nationwide. “I think the conference momentum was wonderful,” said Gwen Caples, associate director for Alumni and Constituency Relations and a 1977 JSU graduate. “Alumni from all over were present in expressing their support for JSU.” Alumni utilized ﬂags THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN••FALL FALL2005 2005 28 28 THE

By Nechelle N. Robinson

to identify their chapters. During the parade of alumni chapters, Brenda Anderson, Ph.D., served as the “grand marshal”. “Get Ready,” a JSU musical staple recorded by the Temptations, serenaded the audience. Harold Bishop, Ph.D., luncheon keynote speaker and JSU graduate, reﬂected on JSU memories. Bishop spoke of dormitory life, campus facilities and football. Bishop also stressed the need for commitment and support from all alumni. “This conference had excellent facilitators and good speakers,” said Daniel Pridges a 1970 JSU graduate and member of the Hattiesburg Alumni Chapter. “This is

environments and potential employment opportunities. The Corporate Tour of Atlanta is Tonea Harris Stewart modeled after the Dallas/Fort Worth Corporate Tour, a tour that is coordinated by the JSU College of Business, the JSU Department of Computer Science and the JSUNAA Dallas/Forth Worth Alumni Chapter. Although the conference broke record attendance, alumni participation could have been better according to one participant. “The conference was great,” said

JSU alumni C. Jerome Brown and Jobie Martin listen among conference attendees.

what it’s all about; collaboration in order Geraldine Barial a 1978 graduate. “I just to have a voice.” wish we had more members and particiNumerous awards were given by the pation.” association to alumni chapters and alumJackson State President Ronald Mason ni. Terry Woodard, two-term president of Jr. showed his appreciation during the conthe thriving JSUNAA Metro ference by thanking alumni Atlanta Alumni Chapter, was and association members honored as “Alumnus of the for the support given to the Year.” Woodard serves on university. Mason also emphasized the three prioriseveral Boards and committees in the association. He ties at Jackson State: God. was instrumental in facilitatFamily. JSU. ing the JSU Corporate Tour The JSUNAA has over 45 of Atlanta, a tour that introalumni chapters nationduces JSU students to Atlanta wide. Hilliard L. Lackey, III, area businesses in an attempt Ph.D. is the current presito expose them to a variety of dent of the national alumni interview settings, corporate Terry C. Woodard named association. J “Alumnus of the Year”

By Eddie Brown Jr.

L I F E

imberly Hardy sits with her back erect and slightly away from her chair. She displays a firm and confident gaze. Her hands are clasped in her lap as she patiently waits to answer questions. She is assertive, yet polite. To the left of Kimberly, sits Klarissa Hardy revealing a quiet, but regal demeanor. Humble and refined, she subconsciously tosses the hair from her shoulders as if “the Great” were attached to her name. It is same to assume she is a queen. She carefully crosses her legs at the ankles as she gives Kimberly her undivided attention. She only speaks when there is a need. Klarissa is unobtrusive, thoughtful, kind. Together, these young women have an overwhelming presence, having nothing to do with the fact they are twins. Poised, articulate, and noticeably keen, the Hardy sisters hold the highest studentelected positions at Jackson State University, Miss Jackson State University-elect and Student Government Association president, both will serve during the 2005-2006 academic year. To many, the dynamics between twins or people of multiple births can be both amusing and eerie. The Tyler, Texas natives were asked if they competed with one another, stereotypes of twins. The fraternal twins snickered as they replied “no”, together. “We complement each other,” said Klarissa, chemistry major and Miss JSU-elect. “When one does something, the other is always backstage cheering and coaching the other,” said Kimberly, speech communications studies major and SGA president. “We are always right there for one another. We see where each other’s strengths and weaknesses are,” she said. One thing is certain of the two. Both speak with confidence, possess an uncanny sense of comfort with strangers, and believe in having an active voice in matters concerning the university’s student body – present and future. J

S T U D E N T

Twins Reign (and Rule!) as Miss JSU and SGA President

Kimberly and Klarissa Hardy THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

JSU’s Eddie Gates Wins National Piano Competition By Raymond Reeves – Special Feature from The Clarion-Ledger

Eddie Gates had no problem sticking with his piano lessons when he was growing up. That determination paid oﬀ when he recently won a national title. “It was nice; I enjoyed the experience. I had been out of competing for a while, but I got back into it and had some good results,” Gates said. Gates, 22, a former Callaway High School student who is a junior at Jackson State University, took top honors in the President James A. Hefner historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) national piano competition in April at Tennessee State University in Nashville. The competition is named after the Tennessee State president, who once led Jackson State. “I really just wanted to get some good constructive criticism from the judges on how to better improve my music,” Gates said. “I also wanted to meet a lot of people and get a lot of different interpretations on diﬀerent styles of music – which went well. ...It was a wonderful experience.” Gates began playing piano at age 6 and has studied with Gisele Gentry and JSU associate professor Karen Laubengayer. “You could tell that (Eddie) really had a passion for music; he was great in the academic area, but his music was just his knack,” Gentry said. “If he was having problems in other classes, he would work it out on his piano.” Gentry eventually referred him to Laubengayer, who taught her at JSU. “I knew...she would take him to that next level, and that’s exactly what she did,” Gentry said. “Ever since he came over to Dr. Laubengayer, it’s like his little candle turned into a light bulb.”

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JSU’s Eddie Gates ﬁne tunes his piano playing skills.

Laubengayer said Gates could play by ear – he could hear something and be able to play it – so she had to work on his music reading and theory. She also entered him in some pre-college competitions, at which he thrived. “He has a real passion for playing,” Laubengayer said. “That gift is there, and he works very hard. He just loves it.” And he had a strong support group at the recent national competition. “I was excited, very excited for him (when he won), Gentry said. “And add Dr. Laubengayer’s excitement about it, it’s like two mommas at the same time couldn’t be more proud of him.” Gates left Callaway to study his senior year at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas. “It was a diﬀerent experience; the kids there were a lot more focused, the music programs were a lot more developed, and it was a lot more challenging,” Gates said. (Dallas) was very diﬀerent

from being here in Jackson. It focused more on the arts.” His work at Jackson State also has helped, not just with his playing but with his focus and direction. “I’m more interested in pursuing a music career, because Dr. Laubengayer has shown me how to bring out certain musical elements within the diﬀerent composers,” Gates said. “I’ve developed a more serious passion about music because I’ve come to realize how to play music and what it takes to play it effectively and correctly – and how much further I have to go, even now.” Today, the man once referred to as a “hyper child” teaches children at the studio where he once studied. “He works with (students) ages 5 through adult at the studio,” Gentry said. “Everything that he’s learning he’s teaching to the kids, as far as the seriousness of playing. A lot of times you’ll get kids coming in that want to play music they’re hearing on the radio, and he has to say “let’s go back and review our scales and arpeggios.’ He’s very good with that because he knows what the expectations are to get a scholarship to college. “Dealing with a 5- or a 6-year-old is like getting a new piece of music for him; he’s got to have patience, to set a goal for every rehearsal and practice. Now, the kids just love him.” As he approaches his senior year, he’s preparing to go to pursue a master’s in performance and eventually a doctorate. Gates hopes to mix performance and teaching. J

Bettina Henderson’s Adventure Studying Abroad in India By Brianna Turner, with Excerpts from the Jackson Advocate

“Learning another person’s culture was the biggest highlight,” Henderson said. “But India is still a developing country, so it made me appreciate being an American citizen.” Bettina Henderson

hile most students were enjoying football games and pep rallies, one Jackson State University student was soaking up Indian culture at Mahatma Gandhi College in Guntur, India. Bettina Henderson, a senior psychology major from Jackson, Miss., spent her fall semester studying in India as part of the study abroad program sponsored by JSU. Henderson says she took advantage of this program for the experience of interacting with another culture. Henderson did not know what to expect when she left the United States. “I had never even been on a plane before, let alone traveled outside the country,” she said. The ﬁrst thing she noticed upon arriving in India was the large population and how crowded the streets were. “Over there, the animals walk in the road right alongside the people,” she observed. As far as the classroom setting, Henderson said there was not much interaction between the Indian students

and herself. “The other exchange student and I went to classes at night, while the Indian students attended during the day.” When she did interact with the others, she remembers that they looked at her funny, sometimes staring, because they could not ﬁgure out her nationality. “They knew our skin color was the same,” Henderson recalled. “But they just ﬁgured we were from Africa.” Mahatma Gandhi College is host to between 2,000 and 3,000 students, most of whom major in chemical engineering and science. Along with taking 18 credit hours, Henderson conducted research with SEEDS, the Social Education and Economic Development Society, a program that works with women and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The virus and syndrome are rampant in the Indian population, second only to its spread in Africa. Because of her work with the program, Henderson has been inspired to study public health when she goes

to graduate school after her May 2005 graduation. Henderson’s visit was not all work, and no play. While there, she took time to see the Taj Mahal and to attend several traditional Indian celebrations, even dressing in the standard Indian attire. Adjusting to the local cuisine and learning the language were some of the obstacles Henderson experienced. “I learned a few words, so that was good, but I never adjusted to some of the spices used in the foods.” Henderson said that she did make friends while studying abroad and keeps in contact with some of them via the Internet. “Learning another person’s culture was the biggest highlight,” Henderson said. “But India is still a developing country, so it made me appreciate being an American citizen.” Henderson said that she does not want her travels to end there. “I am ready to go again,” she said. “I might try Africa, maybe France.” J THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

JSU Men’s Track Team Returns to SWAC Glory By Aaron Thompson III and Jackson Advocate Sports Commentator, Elbert Cobb The Jackson State University men’s track and field team returned to SWAC glory this season by winning the conference indoor championship for the first time in more than 15 years. Junior Michael Tinsley, of Little Rock, Ark., capped an undefeated season this spring by finishing third in the nation in the 400-meter hurdles in the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Sacramento, Calif., in June. His time of 48.55 seconds earned him Indoor and Outdoor first team All-American status. Teammate Joel Williams, a senior from New Orleans, finished the indoor track season with the fastest time in the U.S. and the fourth fastest time in the world in the 800-meter run, with a time of 1:46.40, earning All-American status. Tinsley finished behind Florida’s Kerron Clement, 47.56, world champion and LSU’s Bennie Brazell 47.67. Brazell was a participant in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Williams and Tinsley earned a spot in the U.S. Trials for the World Championships held in Carson City, Calif. June 23-27. Williams finished sixth in his heat in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:49.56. Tinsley made it to the finals before finishing eighth with a time of 49.05. “I was extremely elated and pleased with the overall performance of the entire team,” said Dr. Donald Edmond, head coach of the Jackson State men’s track and field team. “They just really separated themselves from the rest of the field. They ran their best at the biggest venues. Michael and Joel, those guys are special athletes. All of them are hungry, because they see the evidence of what it does for them individually, and what it does for the university on a national level.” Donald also looks forward to another successful year in 200506.“I recruit to win nationally,” he said. “When you do that, you recruit to beat teams like Arkansas, LSU and Tennessee every year.” Tinsley enters the 2005-06 season ranked ranked No.1 in the nation in the 400-meter hurdles. “Michael Tinsley turned down a lot of money this year,” Donald said. “He could have gone pro this year. He resisted the money from Nike and Adidas so he can return and solidify our chances of competing for a national championship.” J

JSU junior Michael Tinsley leaped his way to All-American status, indoor and outdoor in the 400-meter hurdle in 2005.

Tinsley (left) helped rising senior Joel Williams put JSU back on the map in ‘05 earning indoor All-American status in the 800-meter run.

THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

Shelita Burns

Dakari Wallace

A T H L E T I C S

Hoops Talent Plentiful, But Competition Fierce! By Aaron Thompson III

Their games draw more fans than some small colleges. Year after year, Jackson-area high schools produce some of the most talented high school basketball players in America, making Jackson a destination for the nation’s high school basketball talent seekers. The men’s and women’s basketball coaches at Jackson State have taken notice, reeling in some of that talent. Coach Tevester Anderson’s 2005-06 roster includes sophomore guard Charlie White of Provine High in Jackson, Jeff Webb (Provine), Dakari Wallace (Jim Hill), Jeremy Caldwell (Murrah), and Julius Young (Murrah). Former national blue-chip recruit LaToya George (Clinton High) has found a home with Coach Denise Taylor-Lewis and the Lady Tigers. George, who signed with Louisiana Tech out of high school, will help junior forward Shelita Burns, senior transfer Crystal Robinson (Callaway), sophomore forward Shaneka Jones (Murrah) and freshman Jessica Mitchell (Murrah) solidify JSU’s roster in 2005-06. Robinson starred at Texas Southern the past two seasons. More and more of Jackson’s best are giving Jackson State a second look. “It hasn’t been the easiest thing in the world, but when you build a class program, guys want to be part of that,” Anderson said. “These guys want to be successful. We had success in our ﬁrst season, and we had more success last year.”

Anderson hopes the addition of more local talent at Jackson State will mean more recruits wearing Tiger blue. “They can see that they don’t have to go far off to be successful,” Anderson said. “They can come here and be successful, not only on the court, but they can have academic success as well. I’ve been a part of two recruiting periods here, and we’ve had success bringing in athletes from the area.” The Lady Tigers have had similar success in luring more local talent to JSU. “We’ve made great strides compared to my ﬁrst year here,” Taylor-Lewis said. “We would walk into the gym (at local high schools), and people were shocked.” Both coaches have taken the challenge of competing with other major in-state basketball schools for the attention of Jackson’s most talented athletes and consider building quality programs to be key in attracting local athletes to Jackson State. “The attitude now is that people respect the program again,” Taylor-Lewis said. “Jackson State has traditionally had a strong program. We’ve brought that respect back and earned the respect of the local coaches and student athletes.” Taylor-Lewis says that good recruiting now will make for success in recruiting more Jackson natives down the road. “When the local kids come in and become successful, not just on the court, but in the classroom, they become the recruiters,they attract players to us.” J

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JSU TIGER SPORTS:

Proving Ground for Pros By Aaron Thompson III

Jimmy Smith (top left), Lindsey Hunter (top right) and Walter Payton made JSU a household name on the professional sports scene.

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When Bob Hill became the first Jackson State athlete to be drafted by a professional team in 1956, he probably had no idea what type of legacy he would leave for a school never represented at the professional level in athletics. Since that time, however, countless athletes have left Jackson State to blaze their own trails in the professional ranks. Now, more than ever, the journey of Jackson State athletes ends with the signing of a professional contract, and the many household names produced by JSU have more than secured its official spot on “the map” of collegiate and professional athletics. Amidst raised tents, smoking grills, flying flags and blasting oldschool hits you can find conversation about JSU greats and their journeys wherever Tiger fans are gathered. Whether it’s a memory of Jimmy Smith hauling in an 80-yard touchdown pass at Memorial Stadium or Lindsey Hunter beating the odds with record-shattering performances at the Athletics and Assembly Center, Tiger fans have an assortment of nostalgic moments to draw on. Those memories are magic. The magic we know as JSU sports has translated, year after year, into the crossing-over of Tiger athletes to the pros. Who can forget Hunter’s magical performance in the National Invitational Tournament in 1993? Those whose attention he had not yet gained certainly gave Hunter another look after he poured in 39 points in the Tigers’ 90-88 overtime upset of the University of Connecticut Huskies in the NIT. Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun, called Hunter “the real deal” that night, as Hunter – now a key reserve with the NBA’s

Detroit Pistons - reached the scoring high of his college career. It wasn’t long before the NBA came knocking. Hunter became the third Tiger basketball player to be drafted in the ﬁrst round to the NBA in 1993 when he was selected by the Pistons. Hunter spent seven years with the Pistons, before a trade in 2001 landed him in Los Angeles, where alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, Hunter realized the culmination of his dream, winning the 2002 NBA Championship. It was a journey that took Hunter from high to higher. In 2003, he was traded back to the Pistons. The NBA Championship ring committee apparently followed the Murrah High School graduate to Michigan, where in 2004 he won his second NBA Championship in three years as a part of the Pistons’ organization. To date, more than 150 athletes have successfully made the leap from JSU to the pros. Hunter’s story is not unlike most of theirs, as JSU has long been a proving ground for athletic talent. JSU legends such as Lem Barney, Eugene Short, Jackie Slater, Purvis Short, Walter Payton, Jimmy Smith and Tim O’Neal have not only paved the way for future Jacksonians, but for Black athletes across the nation. Chris Jones, Joseph Scott and Scott Morris became the latest Tigers to sign the dotted line as they were all selected by NFL teams as free agents during the 2005 signing period. The trio becomes the latest additions to an extremely talented list of Jacksonians who preceded them. Tiger athletes are poised to add more and more names to that list in years to come. J

L ady Tigers ’ S occer P rogram Ki cks in to Hi gh Gea r

By Deidre Bell Jones

When the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) added the sport in 2002, JSU was one of the first schools to field a team. Although, the first official season for soccer was not recognized until 2003, the Lady Tigers have used every year as a learning experience. Heading into their third year, the Lady Tigers have improved every season. In 2003, the Lady Tigers finished with a 4-10-0 (12-0 in SWAC) record and just barely missed out on the SWAC championship. Last year, they tripled their wins and finished the season with a 12-9-1 overall and a 2-2-0 conference record. And they finished the year ranked third in the Eastern division. “We made a significant improvement this season,” said head coach Niji Olagbegi. “One of our biggest accomplishments was we were named the most improved Division I program in the country. We were able to turn the program around within one year. We won four games in the previous year and 12 this season.” The Lady Tigers have earned some respect in the surrounding soccer community by beating several schools outside the conference. They beat Louisiana Tech University 2-0 and secured a 2-0 win over Millsaps College. JSU also has fared well against other outer-league teams with well established soccer programs. They lost 0-2 to Nicholls State; 1-7 to Southeastern Louisiana; 1-2 to Lipscomb College; and 0-6 to the University of Louisiana-Monroe. “We are getting a lot of respect in this area,” said Olagbegi. “Everyone is waiting patiently to see what we will do this year.” “All schools in the area refuse to play us next year,” he said. “I’ve called Belhaven, Mississippi College and Millsaps, and they all do not want to play us.” In the conference, they became one of the league’s top teams last year. In their first rendezvous with Alcorn of the 2004 season, the Lady Tiger routed the Lady Braves 11-0. They also had lopsided wins over several other teams in the conference. Against Texas Southern University, they outscored the team 9-1 and they also scored nine goals against Alabama State twice in a weekend series. The team’s scoring duo was forwards Aisha Horne and Emily

Jessica Rea, goalie, dives for a stop

Paramarter, who were ranked among the top players in the nation. Horne and Paramarter finished with a one-two sweep in the conference in goals. Horne had 23, followed by Paramarter with 21. Horne led the league in shots with 72 and was ranked third in the country in points per game. She also is ranked eighth in points per game. Horne’s best game last season was against Texas Southern when she made four goals off eight shots. Paramarter, who is ranked first in the nation in goals per game, had an average of 2.72 shots per game. She had a team-leading five goals against Alcorn last year. Paramarter also finished the season ranked sixth in points per game. Defensively, Dinisha Blanding along with Erin Finlay and Emily Layer fended off scorers by helping the team to hold opponents to 12.5 shots a game. Against Alabama State, the team shutout the Lady Hornets by not letting them shoot or score goals. Goal keepers Britney Berry, Jessica Rea and Willow Finlay have combined for 122 saves last season. Berry led the pack with a 9-2 win-loss record. She had 60 saves and shutout two teams in 2004. Rea played in 13 games and recorded 50 saves. Finlay moonlighted as a goal tender and a middle fielder last season. As a goalie, she appeared in four games while garnering nine saves. On the field, she had two goals, two assists and 11 shots. With all they accomplished last season, Olagbegi and his team are determined to improve so more so they can bring home Jackson State’s first-ever soccer title. With the nucleus of well-seasoned players returning and with the addition of six signees, the Lady Tigers will begin their hunt for a championship. The new crop of Lady Tigers include: Christian Walker from San Antonio, Texas; Megaly Cerda from Houston, Texas; Andrea Hill from St Petersburg, Fla.; Vanessa Ramirez from San Antonio, Texas; Kim-cay Brown from Clarendon, Jamaica; and Sarah Linares from San Antonio, Texas. “My team is very blessed, and I’m happy we had a good recruiting year,” said Olagbegi. “I’m very confident that we will be able to repeat what we did last season.” J THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

IN MEMORIAM:

Tennis Legacy of Head Coach Willie Shepard By Deidre Bell Jones

Sunrise, February 1, 1951 Sunset, November 11, 2004 THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN• •FALL FALL2005 2005 36 36 THE

A year ago, Willie Shepard was elated about building his tennis program with young and talented players. Just before he had a chance to see those young, mature into top-caliber tennis players, he tragically died in a house fire on November 11, 2004. Those who worked with coach Shepard knew that he was passionate about one thing — teaching people the game of tennis. His love for the sport was further fostered at Jackson State University where he was named All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) for three consecutive years. After he graduated from JSU, he went on to be the first African-American player with the American Tennis Association (ATA) to be ranked No. 1 in the state of Mississippi. He also was named the state’s Player of the Year in 1982 and 1998. Throughout his illustrious playing career, Shepard has won five doubles championships; won over 20 tournaments; named Senior Cup Player of the Year seven times; and has received several awards from the City of Jackson for his accomplishments. When Shepard became the head coach of the tennis team at Jackson State in 1987, he used his expertise about the sport combined with his passion to enhance the university’s tennis program. While at his alma mater, Shepard was named SWAC Coach of the Year five times; he had three players to make the Academic All-America list; and he guided his men’s team to two conference titles. One of Shepard’s main projects as head coach of the program was to build a tennis court on campus. In the past, the team had to travel to various tennis courts around the city to have practice or to host home matches. After Jackson State opened its tennis facility in 2000, the tennis program now had a place — a state-of-the-art place — to call home. Before his death, coach Shepard praised the university for building the best courts in the SWAC. And he noted that the facility is wellliked by other teams in the conference because it is the only 12-court facility in the SWAC. To make their new home even sweeter, the tennis program was hoping to add another SWAC title. The last time the JSU men’s team won a championship was in 2001. After winning the conference championship that year, the team received an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Championships. JSU dropped four games to the University of Mississippi in their first-ever appearance at Regionals. Since JSU won their last championship, the program has been idle for the last two years and has missed out on participating in postseason play because of the new two-team format the conference ad-

Former Mayor of Jackson Harvey Johnson pays his respect for Shepard. Coach Willie Shepard (far right) with the 2003 Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams.

WJTV Sports broadcaster Lee Owens speaks to family and friends at Memorial Service. Former JSU baseball coach James Braddy comforts Shepard’s family.

JSU First Lady Belinda Mason greets Shepard’s wife.

Head Golf Coach Eddie Payton shares memories of fellow coach.

Tennis team members mourn the loss of Coach Shepard at the University memorial service.

opted in 2002. Coach Shepard was hoping to re-build the program over the next few years with young and talented players, but he never received that chance. Since his death, Shepard’s former player and current JSU soccer coach, Niji Olagbegi, took over the tennis program in the Spring of 2005. For the ﬁrst

time since 2001, the team made it to the conference championship where they played hard and fared well. “What we tried to do here since I used to play for Shepard was try to keep his legacy going to make JSU one of the best schools in the conference,” said Olagbegi. “We went to the

SWAC Championship for ﬁrst time in a while. Next year, I plan to take the program further so we can win a championship.” This season’s successes have been bittersweet for the tennis team. Olabegi and the players dedicated the season in memory Tennis team member of coach Shepard. J Tendai Kuwaza speaks at memorial service.

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Laymon:

A Driving Force at Ford Motor Co. By Nechelle N. Robinson

Joe Willie Laymon’s ambition has driven him from obscurity in Enterprise, Miss. to a top position in one of America’s leading automotive companies. As the first African-American to serve as a group vice president for Ford Motor Company, the 1975 Jackson State University graduate is blazing a trail for others to follow. As vice president for corporate human resources and labor affairs, Laymon is responsible for developing and implementing global human resource strategies, policies and programs for the 325,000-employee company, which distributes automobiles across six continents. “Things happen when Laymon gets involved,” said Bill Ford, chairman and chief executive officer of Ford Motor Company, calling Laymon a “tremendous asset.” “He knows how to lead people and leverage their strengths to drive success,” said Ford, the great-grandson of Ford founder Henry Ford. “He also believes passionately in giving back and helping others.” An active member of several organizations, including Human Resources Policy Association; American Society of Employees and the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc.; Laymon recently accepted a Cabinet position for the university’s Campaign for Jackson State to show his gratitude to his alma mater. “It is a part of my commitment to give something back to JSU,” Laymon Joe Willie Laymon, JSU Class of ’75 is Ford Motor Company’s first African-American Group Vice President. He supervises Corporate Human Resources and Labor Affairs. said. The Campaign for Jackson State is a university and nationwide fund-raising initiative to support student scholarships, faculty and staff development and program enhancement. As a member of the Cabinet, he is responsible for assisting in the development of corporate sponsorships, serving as an ambassador for the university and monitoring the progress of the campaign in addition to other duties. Evangeline W. Robinson, director of Institutional Advancement at JSU said the university family is proud of Laymon. “Not only

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E X C L U S I V E S

has he represented the University well by excelling in his field,” the awards are: Diversity, Inc.’s Top 50 Company for Diversity; she said, “but he also has made the commitment to assist the Working Mothers’ Top 100 Places to Work; and Latina’s Style’s University in its efforts to increase private support. We are very Top 50 Company for Hispanic Women to Work. Ford Motor Company may have set the standard for creatfortunate to have him working with us.” Serving as a chief officer in “corporate America” is not unfa- ing diversity in the automobile industry, but other automobile miliar to the married father of three who resides in Bloomfield makers are taking note of the progress. In order to maintain qualHills, Mich. with his wife, Dianne, and family. Prior to joining ity recruitment efforts, Ford must remain a leader in the area of Ford as the executive director of Human Resources Business Op- diversity. “Our competitors are very smart and capable,” Laymon said. erations in 2000, Laymon worked for the Kodak Company, the Xerox Corporation and the U.S. State Department’s Agency for “While we have been at the business of diversity longer than International Development. Each of these leadership roles came some, the gap is closing fast. We do direct marketing to diverse with substantial responsibilities, but Laymon depended on old- customer bases, support colleges and universities with large or fashioned hard work and determination to see him through to predominant minority populations and fund diverse community efforts,” states Laymon. the next higher position. Ford Motor Company also sponsors the Ford Detroit FootLaymon cites retention efforts as one of the major challenges of a competition driven-industry. ball Classic, a family event geared towards exposing adults and “We are in a constant battle for the world’s best and brightest youth to the collegiate experiences of Historically Black Colleges talent,” Laymon said. “A current and Universities. In its third year, focus is finding and retaining the game featured the Jackson some of the industry’s best deState University Tigers and the signers who will improve our Hampton Pirates on Sept. 3. performance in the area of veFord Motor Company not only receives recognition for hicle style and appeal.” its diversity efforts, it also gives But, even with the often honors to those who contribute stressful challenges, Laymon to the community. Each year enjoys being an advocate for during Black History Month, employees. “They know there’s Ford Motor Company and the a voice of fairness, firmness and Charles H. Wright Museum of flexibility in Ford’s senior policy-making and strategy-setting African-American History in sessions,” Laymon said. Detroit honor African-Americans who have dedicated their Laymon also is proud to lives to improving the Africancontinue the company’s longAmerican community. Musistanding history of ensuring a diverse employee base. In 1919, cians Al Jarreau and the late after having already established Ella Fitzgerald are 2005 award itself as a leader and pioneer in recipients. the automobile industry, Ford Laymon’s commitment to became a leader in creating a community and social causes is Ford Motor Company headquarters in Detroit, Michigan diverse work environment by not a characteristic that came hiring its first African-American employee, Eugene J. Collins. with his appointment to the group vice president position at “We have learned to forget the discrimination of color, race, Ford. He displayed signs of becoming a major player in corporate country, religion, fraternal orders, and everything else outside of America well before he entered the workforce. Even as a student human qualities and energy,” reads Ford’s company policy written at JSU, Laymon remembers the social activism on the “yard” and during the time of Collins’ hire 86 years ago. the activities with fraternity brothers in Alpha Phi Alpha FraterToday, Laymon ensures that legacy by promoting diversity at nity, Inc. all levels or “creating a meritocracy in ‘the corporation,’” he said. Luana Clayton, retired professor emeritus of English at JSU “I don’t think one group, race, gender or religion has a monopoly remembers her former pupil’s thirst for knowledge. on intellect, capability, competency, experience, skill, or the will “It comes to me as no surprise that Mr. Laymon has reached to get things done. Accordingly, the pool from which our leaders this pinnacle in his life,” said Clayton. “Joe Willie Laymon was a select talent is by definition diverse. We (the human resources very ambitious man with a fever and a drive to serve others.” area) control the pool.” In addition to his economics degree from Jackson State UniNumerous awards are evidence of a company that appreciates versity, Laymon holds a master’s degree in economics from the minority employees and a strong community supporter. Among University of Wisconsin-Madison. J

WJSU-FM 88.5

Prepares for Digital Broadcast By Larry McAdoo

Jonas Adams, WJSU on-air personality.

fter a two-year hiatus from conducting on-air fund-raisers Jackson State University’s public radio station, WJSU-FM 88.5 exceeded its $40,000 goal last fall. Money raised during the fund drive will be used to convert WJSU’s signal to digital, said Larry McAdoo, station general manager. “During this Drive to Digital campaign, we have raised a little over 25 percent of what the station needs to have in matching funds,” McAdoo said. The total cost of the conversion project is $281,327, and WJSU must raise $160,000 to match several grants it received toward the conversion. Newly hired membership director, Gina Carter, says preparation was the key to the campaign’s success. “We began planning for the drive July 2004,” Carter said. “Our approach was to make the campaign fun and exciting; use challenges from WJSU major donors; pair the right people together as on-air pitch teams; and offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to one of our members as a thank you gift for their support.” The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity went to James “Lap” Baker, a WJSU major donor. He received the honor of directing the JSU marching band, the Sonic Boom of the South, during a portion of the Capital City Classic half-time show Nov. 20. The Capital City Classic, the annual football game played between JSU and Alcorn State University, was attended by approximately 17,000 fans. The game also was seen on Black Entertainment Television via a tapedelayed broadcast.

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Once WJSU converts to digital broadWJSU enlisted local and national celebrities to help raise funds. Veteran Mississip- casting, consumers will have to purchase pi gospel announcer Gwen Cannon, WLBT digital receivers. Some newer model veSports Director Rob Jay, State Sen. Hillman hicles have the receivers installed from the Frazier of the 27th District, and members factory. of Jackson’s R&B Group of the Year, ComIn the January 17, 2005 edition of Curpozitionz, as well as JSU President Ronald rent, the trade newspaper of the public raMason Jr., served as guest pitchers during dio industry, an article by Mike Jansen said the campaign. Tony Award-winning jazz that National Public Radio, the Corporation, vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, electronic may try to jumpstart sales of digital receivand acoustic jazz guru Herbie Hancock ers this year by buying upwards of 50,000 and bass virtuoso John Patitucci also made radios to be resold to listeners. poignant appeals to WJSU’s nearly 20,000In the meantime, WJSU continues to member audience. fundraise. Currently listeners can log on the WJSU staff planned for an eight-day station web site at http://wjsu.org to hear fund-raiser, Nov. 13-20, and ended one day WJSU’s primarily jazz format. WJSU is also ahead of schedule. All of the money raised home to R&B classics 6 a.m. to noon each through on-air membership drives and special events will go toward WJSU’s digital conversion. The station recently received two grants totaling $115,038 to assist in its digital conversion. Upgrading WJSU to digital broadcasting will be a bonanza for the campus station. “WJSU is pleased to be in the forefront of this new tech- Gina Carter, WJSU’s director of Membership and Underwriting and Stan Branson,operations manager for WJMI, nology,” said McAdoo. “The WOAD, and WKXI. students we train and the audience we serve will both benefit from these upgrades. Our students will receive firsthand experience on cutting edge technology, and digital radio promises to provide listeners with higher quality sound with less interference than the current AM and FM transmission.” Digital radio offers the Dale Morris, Carter, and Rob Jay share the air. potential to provide audiences with additional programming services. Saturday and gospel 24 hours each SunAmong the first “value-added features of day. WJSU operates at 24.5 kilohertz and is digital radio to listeners will be standard- heard in Rankin, Hinds, Simpson and Coized artists and title displays to accompany piah counties. music programs. Radiotext messaging will WJSU takes pledges throughout the be a supplemental feature for stations to de- year. To contribute to the station mail ploy when artist and title information isn’t checks to WJSU, P.O. Box 18450, Jackson, displayed, such as promotional announce- MS, 39217. You also may make a pledge by ments for other non-music events. phone at 601-979-8672. J

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INC. ESTABLISHES ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN HONOR OF FOUNDER, MELITA WOODARD By Henrietta Buck

Members of the Gamma Rho Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. present $15,000 to JSU President Ronald Mason Jr.

embers of the Gamma Rho Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. presented $15,000 to Jackson State University President Ronald Mason Jr. in April toward funding of the Melita W. Woodard Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund. A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded annually to a full-time Jackson State student with at least a 3.0 GPA. The student also must demonstrate ﬁnancial need. “Melita Woodard was a pioneer in education, and this scholarship is a tribute to her many contributions to the community and to the university,” said Stephanie Chatman, graduate advisor to the sorority. “Gamma Rho strives to provide never-ending support to students at gaining the educational tools necessary to become successful men and women in our society,” she said. “This is indeed what Melita would have wanted.” Woodard, who founded the Gamma Rho Chapter at Jackson State (College) on April 24, 1949, was then the administrative assistant to the college’s ﬁfth president, Jacob L. Reddix, a post she served in for 26

years. She was the charter’s graduate advisor for 15 years before becoming an assistant professor at JSU in the School of Business and was active in the ﬁeld after her retirement in 1982. She remained a force in the sorority until her death March 10, 1995. The charter members of the Gamma Rho Chapter were 11 outstanding young ladies, affectionately known as “The Elite Eleven.” The outgrowth of that charter has produced a legacy of philanthropy and community service. There are currently 105 active chapter members on the university campus, according to chapter President Marquita McCullum of Vossburg, Miss., a junior psychology major. “Sisterhood, scholarship and service have been at the forefront of every aspect of our sorority,” McCullum said. “We are truly grateful for Melita Woodard’s hard work and dedication with the Gamma Rho Chapter. We have been working toward creating an endowed scholarship to honor our founder for many years, and we encourage other student organizations to do the same.” The AKA chapter has continued to

make its presence known throughout Jackson, Jackson State and the metro area donating not only through ﬁnances, but through volunteer service to the Boys’ and Girls’ Club, Parker’s Personal Care Home and the Stew Pot Community Center among others. The chapter also has adopted an AfricanAmerican family with eight children, ranging in age from infant to teenagers. Chapter members serve as mentors to these children and also participate in nurturing activities such as museum visits and music recitals in addition to donating food, school supplies and holiday gifts throughout the year. “It is through the dedication and generosity of such individuals and organizations that many students are able to afford higher education,” President Mason said. “People like Mrs. Woodard led by example, and that is what makes young people recognize the value of paving the way for others. We appreciate Mrs. Woodard’s legacy.” The Gamma Rho Chapter also sponsors an annual Spring Scholarship Ball which provides scholarships to deserving high school seniors. J THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN••FALL FALL2005 2005 THE

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Construction & renovations Match FACILITIES Manager’s Fast Pace By Tommiea P. Jackson

Wayne Goodwin talks and moves fast. He has to. Keeping up with all the construction, renovations and maintenance at Jackson State University is no feat for the sluggish. “This is the busiest time the university has ever had,” said the director of facilities management who remembers when Jackson State had one capital improvement project every two years. “Now we have several projects going on all the time,” he said. But don’t think for a minute that he’s complaining. “I’ve got a mind-set for it,” said Goodwin who moved up the ranks from electrician after his 1981 graduation from JSU. “It’s something I enjoy doing.” In the last year alone, the department of facilities management – which employs more than 160 – has overseen completed construction of the College of Business, Pedestrian Walkway, Student Health Center and renovations to the Faculty Apartments which now include ofﬁces for International Programs, Army and Air Force ROTC, Alumni Affairs, Alcohol & Drug Studies and the College of Science, Engineering and Technology and a new softball ﬁeld. Parking lots across the campus have been repaved. Blackburn Language Arts & Industrial Arts Building has

new windows and F. D. Hall Music Center has received a new roof. Having completed those projects, this fall the department will open the doors of the newly constructed Transitional Dorm Phase II and hopes to complete renovation of Dixon Hall by early spring and open doors of the Walter Payton Recreation and Wellness Center. Groundbreaking on the School of Engineering, Campbell College and a new baseball field/stadium are planned for the fall. Located on the far east edge of the Lynch Street campus, the College of BusiFacilities Manager Wayne Goodwin inspects the Walter ness is one of the university’s Payton Recreation and Wellness Center. newest additions. Boasting of state-of-the-art features and 105,000 square on the west entrance of the Lynch Street, is a feet of space, the beautiful five-story facility favorite of students, faculty, staff, administrahouses several tiered classrooms, seminar tors and alumni who often visit the campus. rooms, a large lecture hall, study rooms, lab- Spacious park benches and granite obelisks oratories, online class areas and a spacious donning the names and shields of the univerrotunda from which all levels are visible. sity’s active sororities and fraternities, along Pedestrian Walkway, which continues with two amphitheaters, provide a central from Gibbs-Green Plaza to the roundabout location and perfect environment for outside programs, or simply hanging out with friends. The fall of 2005 will see even more changes to the walkway as a small parking area between the Administration Tower and the former Financial Services and International Programs offices will be removed to make way for an extension to Dalton Street. Clearing of the Financial Services and International Programs building will provide space for a new Campus Union Building. The new campus union is intended to serve as the center of campus life. It will contain spaces that will support programs and services focused on the daily activities of the university’s students. The building will house the dining facility, bookstore, study lounges, computer/internet stations, a ballroom, small Inside the Walter Payton Recreation and Wellness Center, basketball courts look ready for theater, ballroom, meeting rooms, post office, retail spaces, campus police offices, adplay. The Center opens in spring 2006.

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ministrative offices and offices for the Student Government Association. Construction of this project, which will begin this fall, should be completed in 2006. Even parking on the campus has seen significant improvements with pavement and fencing of several parking lots. The Lady Tigers played host to Miles College in February, welcoming the team to its new softball field on Walter Payton Place. The facility accommodates up to 100 Tigers fans and visitors. The health center has moved from a modular campus to a spacious facility facing Prentiss Street near the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center. Transitional Dorm Phase John W. Dixon Hall, which will be completed in early spring, will house approximately 300 students. II, a twin dormitory to Transitional Dorm Phase I which was completed in 2002, will welcome Street entrance making it a wonderful entry for the west side of the its first residents in the fall. Located on the corner of Pearl and Pren- campus, said Marlin King Jr., assistant director of capitol improvements and 1999 JSU graduate. tiss streets, the coed buildings will share a laundry room. The 85,000-square-foot building will include tiered classrooms, Residents of Dixon Hall, which will be completed in early spring, will enjoy suite-style living. The 77,000 square foot building offices and laboratories for computer, telecommunications civil and environmental engineering. Environment-friendly the facility will house approximately 300 students. promises low overhangs to allow daylight and areas where classes may be held outside, King added. Campbell College, a new suite-style residence for students, will be located between the Dining Hall and the Jacob L. Reddix Campus Union Building. Historically, the site was home to Green Hall, the last remaining building of the Campbell College. The project, which will include an interior courtyard, will take up to two years to complete. The baseball field – which will move from the from the west end of the campus near the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center to east end of the campus near the College of Business – will include lights, dugouts, moveable Renovation of Gibbs-Green Plaza began this fall. The Pedestrian Walkway will extend to Dalton bleachers and will eventually acStreet once completed. commodate up to 600. There is no rest for the weary, said Goodwin who doesn’t anticiWith several projects under his belt in 2004-05, Goodwin and his staff are forging ahead for the projects of the 2005-06 which will pate any kind of break in the near future. “It’s going to be tight as a drum for the next five,” he said. “Jackinclude the groundbreakings of a new School of Engineering, baseson State is going to be a premier university. Others are going to visit ball field and Campbell College. Situated on the current baseball field, the School of Engineering Jackson State University, just to see how we do it all.” J will have a prominent position along the Metro Parkway and Lynch THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

JSU Welcomes Air Force ROTC By Henrietta Buck

Jackson native Col. Joseph L. Brown heads the Air Force ROTC detachment at Jackson State University.

THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

The Air Force ROTC has landed on the Jackson State University campus, and an official welcome was held Aug. 26, 2005 at 11 a.m. on the Gibbs-Green Plaza. With the addition of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, JSU becomes the only historically black university in the state to have an Air Force ROTC and one of only about 145 college campus programs throughout the nation. “We couldn’t be happier to be here,” said Col. Joseph L. Brown, Commander of the Air Force ROTC Detachment 006. “We’re in the best possible location from the standpoint of recruitment and population base. This is an excellent opportunity for us and for the university to offer our reserve program. I view this as a win-win situation.” President Ronald Mason Jr. echoed Col. Brown’s sentiment, saying that Jackson State is always on the lookout for outstanding programs that enhance its academic offerings. “We are honored to have another ROTC program on our campus,” Mason said. “The university has had great success with the Army ROTC through our Department of Military Science, and we are happy to have the Air Force ROTC join that tradition of excellence through Aerospace Studies in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.” The staff consists of Col. Brown, a native of Jackson, Miss., and graduate of Callaway High School and the University of Mississippi: Capt. Monique Johnson, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and assistant professor of Aerospace Studies/ Commandant of Cadets; Lt. Isaac Wright, a native of Memphis, Tenn., is assistant professor of Aerospace Studies; and Technical Sgt. Mary Ballard, a native of Fayette, Miss., is the detachment’s information manager. The detachment is housed in the university’s former faculty apartments on Lynch Street behind the John A. Peoples Jr. Science Building. It is located next to the longstanding Army ROTC, which is Military Science in the College of Liberal Arts, under dean, Dr. Dollye M.E. Robinson. However, the Air Force ROTC program joins JSU as Aerospace Studies in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, under dean, Dr. Abdul K. Mohamed. The ROTC program, which includes other branches of the military, was established with passage of the National Defense Act of 1916. The first Air ROTC units were established between 1920 and 1923 at the University of California at Berkeley, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Illinois, the University of Washington, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College. For more information, contact Lt. Isaac Wright, Unit Admissions Officer at 601-979-1630. J

Sisters Make Summer Commencement a Family Affair By Tommiea Jackson

Proud mother Ollie L. Shorter of Port Gibson (second from right) congratulates three of her daughters who earned degrees from JSU on August 6, 2005. Pictured are Cassandra McCalpin, Daniella Shorter and Rosie Jefferson.

ith three children earning college degrees in one day, there was only one thing that could make Ollie Shorter happier. She didn’t have to decide which graduation to attend. Daughters Rosie, Cassandra, and Daniella all earned degrees from Jackson State University on Saturday during the university’s 2005 Summer Commencement Exercises. Within a two-hour morning ceremony, the daughters received a doctorate, a master’s and a bachelor’s degree. Rosie Jeﬀerson, a teacher in the Jackson Public School District, earned a doctorate in early childhood education. Cassandra McCalpin, also a teacher in JPS, earned a master’s degree in elementary education. Daniella Shorter, the youngest member of the Shorter family, earned a bachelor’s degree in English after only three years of study. She began law school at the University of Mississippi in the fall. “I don’t know how to explain it,” said the 65-year-old mother who raised six children as a single parent. “I am overjoyed,” continued the Port Gibson resident. “Last night I didn’t rest. I was thinking about it.” Unable to attend college herself, Shorter stressed the importance of education to her children. In fact, most of her daughters now have advanced degrees in education. Daughter Glenda

Wilson earned a specialist degree from Alcorn State University in the spring while another daughter, Kesia Horton, will earn a master’s degree in education from Jackson State University in the spring. While the sixth child, and only son, does not hold a college degree, he is at the top of his ﬁeld, the sisters said. A master welder in Port Gibson, Carl Shorter helped to put his sisters through college. “My parents weren’t able to send me to college,” said the mother who often worked multiple jobs to meet her family’s needs. “I worked hard because I wanted my children to do better than I did.” The Shorter sisters were among more than 350 graduates awarded degrees by Jackson State University and its president Ronald Mason, Jr. at the Lee E. Williams Athletics & Assembly Center. Commencement speaker Dr. Roy L. DeBerry, vice president for economic development and local governmental aﬀairs, encouraged the graduates to pursue their dreams and to become social advocates. “JSU has established the foundation,” he said. “It is your choice to take the ideas and principles learned in class and apply them.” J THE JACKSONIAN • FALL 2005

FACULT Y AND STAFF BRIEFS

Faculty and Staff Briefs Dr. Glenda Glover, Dean of the College of Business was among five distinguished individuals honored during the 2005 Majesty Awards sponsored by Novia Communications. The event was held February 26, 2005 at the Belhaven Center for the Arts. The other honorees were Piney Woods President, Dr. Charles Beady, former Myersville Mayor, Mrs. Unita Blackwell, former judge, Attorney Fred Banks, and Reverend Charles Polk. Glover is one of only two African American females in the United States who has earned a Ph.D. (economics), a law degree, and is a certified public accountant. She received her Ph.D. in economics from George Washington University, her JD from Georgetown University, and her MBS from Clarke University. Glover sits on the board of directors of CitiBank and participates in a leadership role with several other national investment firms. She also is a member of the boards of the Jackson Airport Authority, the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, and the local chapter of the NAACP. Dr. Paul Tchounwou, President Ronald Mason Jr. presented Dr. Paul Tchounwou the Presidential Distinguished Professor Award in August 2005. Chairman and professor of Biology in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Tchounwou is an internationally recognized expert in toxicology and biomedical science. The Cameroon native is the director of the Environmental Science Ph.D. Program and deputy director of the NIH-Center for Environmental Health at Jackson State University. Dr. Edmond Donald and his JSU Men’s Track Team captured the SWAC Indoor Conference Championship for the first time in more than 15 years. Team members Joel Williams finished the indoor season with the fastest time in the U.S. and the fourth-fastest time in the world in the 800meter run. Michael Tinsley, capped an undefeated season with the third-fastest time in the nation in the 400-meter hurdles. Both earned All-American status and a shot at the Olympic team.

Dr. Mark G. Henderson, assistant professor of Speech and Communication Studies, was elected president of the National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts.

Dr. Jerzy Leszczynski, professor and architect of the Current Trends in Computational Chemistry Conference, was elected as a corresponding member of the European Academy of Sciences.

Eddie Payton, head coach of JSU’s Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams, enjoyed anotber stellar year. Both teams won Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships. The men’s team garnered its 18th consecutive conference title, and the women’s team won its ninth title.

Dr. Russell Thomas Jr., director of jazz education in the Department of Music, was instrumental in having Jackson State chosen as a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Masters on Tour host for Mississippi. As part of this nationwide tour, JSU will have an audience in all 50 states through performances, educational activities and speaking engagements featuring some of the most proliﬁc NEA Jazz Masters. THEJACKSONIAN JACKSONIAN••FALL FALL2005 2005 46 46 THE

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