62.4 Spartan Echo

10.24.14

Vol. 62, I ssue 4

Top Stories Inside

A preview of the upcoming basketball season.

Page 5

An interview with NSU Athletic Director Marty Miller.

Page 4

NSU Alum Darnell Maybe23rry scores his dream job.

Page 5

Fellow Spartan creating National Marching Band League Jason Gill

Jermal McMillan, a junior business management major and native of Wilmington, North Carolina, has set his sights on an entrepreneurial opportunity that is quite unique. McMillan is in the process of creating the National Marching Band League (NMBL), which would be the first of its kind.

McMillan, the founder and CEO of J.M. McMillan Enterprises, first plans to make the company an LLC. The LLC would then have three different sub-companies working beneath it.

The NMBL, which would be similar to a professional sports league with teams being based all over the country, would be founded right here in Hampton Roads with the first team named the Marching Sound of the Bay Band.

The league would have teams compete in a regular season, have playoffs and ultimately crown a champion.

“We want to create a systematic league similar to what the NCAA has created in governing athletics. We want to do that for musical ensembles domestically first, but ultimately worldwide,” McMillan said. “The teams would have band members that get paid just as professional athletes do.”

Entertainment Bands Programming Network (EBPN) would be the second division of the LLC and serve as the coverage arm of the NMBL. “EBPN would work a lot like ESPN does for sports, but it would be for bands,”

Jermal McMillan is the founder of JMcMillian Enterprises, a business venture geared towards college marching bands. Photo by Tykhari Coles.

McMillan said. “General reporting, field reporting, commentating, broadcasting and highlighting are what EBPN would do for not just bands, but all musical ensembles.”

The Sound Achievement Foundation would be the non-profit division of the LLC, which is a benefit corporation and would play a role similar to what the AAU does with amateur sports.

“You’ll have a full profit entity and a non-profit entity combined together while interchanging money to help each other advance,” McMillan said. “You couldn’t do that before because of legal issues, but you can now because it’s considered a benefit corporation.”

McMillan hopes that with a high level of interest, the company could generate revenue in a variety of ways.

“We would do the same thing [sports leagues] do as far as marketing, sales, the

use of venues, parking sales, revenue from apparel, CDs and DVDs,” McMillan said.

McMillan, the second youngest of eight siblings, was inspired to create such a unique entity by his pure love for music. At the age of six, he became a performing bandsman for the Boys and Girls Club in Wilmington. Then, as a member of the U.S. Marines, where he served for four years, he was a part of the 2nd Marine Division Band in Jacksonville, North Carolina and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band in San Diego, California. He is also a support staff member of the Spartan Legion where he is in charge of the lower brass section.

“I went into the Marine Corps band because it gave me a sense of professionalism along with the acumen of a true musician,” McMillan said. “I also went to Iraq for six months and that is

not something most musicians would want to do…it is not something I would take back because I’ve served my country proudly.”

McMillan’s focus now turns toward creating a marketing scheme from the ground up.

He is currently working with Launch Hampton Roads, which is a program at Old Dominion University that helps young entrepreneurs create business plans.

“I’ve gotten a lot of guidance during the seven years I’ve been trying to put this together,” McMillan said.

With the support of all the musical organizations on campus, McMillan urges students, particularly music lovers, to spread the word and get involved in the movement toward building something special.

For further information or inquiries about becoming involved, email McMillan at mrceo517@gmail.com.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

2

Spartan News

10.24.14

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

10.24.14

Spartan News

3

Communications and marketing working to better NSU’s information output Antonio Garland

Messages are sent daily via email throughout Norfolk State University’s campus; however, many feel that email alone is not an efficient way to spread information. In the wake of recent car break-ins, some students are concerned that they weren’t notified and were unprepared as a result.

NSU’s Communications and Marketing (C&M) staff are working diligently to find new ways to spread information efficiently throughout the campus.

C&M supports the university with a variety of communication tools and marketing tactics that produce useful information for students. They work with various forms of media including writing newsletters, providing annual reports and working with local news stations to inform students as well as the community.

C&M consists of four staff

members: Stevalynn Adams, Regina Lightfoot, Stanley Donaldson and Christopher Setzer, each specializing in different fields of communication. Their main obligations are to share how the C&M office communicates to the university, explain what makes something news worthy, gather feedback and give resources.

C&M is also responsible for several online publications including The President’s Report, Making Waves, Media Resource Guide and the more popular E-Daily, which serves as the primary method of spreading news around campus with announcments via email.

As the majority of students and faculty have access to mobile devices, C&M is incorporating the use of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, to spread the word of import-

ant announcements. C&M also intends on using the monitors in the Student Center to display information.

“It’s really important because we need to be informed about the things on campus,” said Emanie Yearwood, a sophomore psychology major.

“People need to know what’s going on so when something happens…they are prepared with the proper knowledge, rather than being clueless and thinking everything is ok,” said Keyiera Douglas, a freshman theater major.

Despite not having various ways to receive information, students should also be reminded to check emails frequently.

“I think it’s important [for NSU to spread information], but it’s also important for the students to read their emails,” said Nyenda Anderson, a sophomore psychology major.

Students are highly encouraged to sign up for campus alerts, which provide voice messages in case of emergencies.

C&M is working to create

external communications to advertise on radio, billboards and at Norfolk International Airport. They’re currently brainstorming new ideas.

The main struggles with marketing campus events is releasing information in a timley fashion and positioning the information where more people can see them.Photo by Tykhari Coles.

Students pursue options at Graduate and Professional School Day Melissa Dale

On Thursday, Sept. 25, various graduate school programs and employers piled into the Student Center for Graduate and Professional School Day. 28 different colleges and universities were in attendance; many of which had great things to say about Norfolk State University and its students.

“The thing that is different about these students is that they are open to different opportunities and are willing to take risks and learn. They are interested in many different programs,” Dannette Beane, director of recruiting and diversity initiatives at Virginia Tech University

said.

Eastern Virginia Medical School had representatives from their public health, biomedical, art therapy and medical master’s programs.

Amber Donlan, program administrator for the medical master’s program, wanted to recruit students from all majors.

“This program will take any major and it is specifically for students who were not able to quite get into medical school yet. They may have had a low grade point average, but they still deserve a shot. It is a one year program and the students take five of the eight classes that medi-

cal students take during the fall semester, with the final three [coming] during the spring,” Donlan said.

William & Mary’s Mason School of Business is a traditional two-year general management program that accepts students with a vast array of academic backgrounds. They believe it adds to the school’s dynamic. What they do differently is a leadership development experience that pairs students with retired/semi-retired Williamsburg business executives.

Norfolk State offers 16 master’s and three PHD programs, but many of the stu-

dents were inquiring about programs that have yet to be offered at NSU. The selections of universities at this event tried to offer something for all majors.

Rodney Greene Jr., a senior political science major, had a great experience. “The event was amazing! I got to engage in conversation with my top law school, William & Mary School of Law. The event showed me how fortunate I am to go a great university.”

However, some students were not pleased with the amount of information the representatives had.

“The event was very infor-

mative, but I did not know if the schools offered any programs relevant to my interests,” senior psychology major Ericka Beard said.

Senior psychology major Andrea Sweatt asked a representative from Old Dominion University about their master’s program, “They did not have anyone on site who could give me information, but they did give me the phone number of someone who could.”

Despite the various responses, students registered and filled out surveys for the Office of Career Services to help improve events like this for students in the future.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

Spartan Sports

4

10.24.14

Marty Miller seeks support for NSU athletics Paige Jefferson

Norfolk State University’s athletic director, Marty Miller, made a statement regarding NSU’s need for more support and assistance from its students and fans.

This is not to alarm students. The athletics program is not facing financial troubles.

The attendance at football games, however, has decreased, which means that ticket sales are lower. The rules for tailgating have changed to help combat that problem.

At most schools, the football teams bring in the bulk of the revenue for the school. If NSU’s football team is supported, it in turn supports the athletics program as a whole.

The goal is to create additional revenue and other revenue streams for the athletics program.

“We’ve found that more of our fans wanted to tailgate versus coming into the game…we did a study of what other institutions are doing in relation to tailgating and the way that it works is that you have an opportunity to tailgate up until thirty minutes before kickoff here. At that time, we decide to shutdown tailgating hoping that it would encourage our fans to purchase a ticket and come into the game. That is so that we would have additional revenue from ticket sales. Secondly, it would also provide that home field advantage

hopefully for our student athletes by having a larger crowd in the stadium. And if you research

Less than ideal attendance at college football games is not only an issue at NSU, it’s a national issue. tailgating, at most institutions this is what they do,” said Miller.

Less than ideal attendance at college football games is not only an issue at NSU, it’s a national issue.

Schools like West Virginia University, Boise State University, and the University of Michigan have been affected by ticket sales being on the decline as well.

“Ticket sales have been going down for the last couple years and if you looked at the USA report, attendance at football games are down 7 percent this year. So, this is a national trend that’s going on over the country. So what we’ve been trying to do as athletic directors and athletic administrators is to come up with other avenues to keep that decline from getting worse, but there is a national trend taking place

right now,” said Miller.

Scheduling is something that has played a significant role in this situation. Due to NCAA rules, not being able to play against schools like Virginia State, a game that traditionally attracts big crowds, has resulted in a decline in attendance.

“Once we can get those teams back on our schedule, then I think we’re going to see an improvement because that’s really when it started going down,” said Miller.

Beginning in August of 2016, The NCAA’s new eligibility standards will come into play. Increasing revenue would help NSU’s student-athletes to meet the mandates.

The revenue would be used for student athletes to enroll in the summer bridge program, summer school, increase scholarship awards, improve graduation rates by awarding additional fifth-year scholarships (student-athletes that have completed their eligibility to compete but need one or two semesters to graduate), upgrade facilities and meet other permissible NCAA mandates.

Increased revenue and good attendance at football games could lead to better recruiting and better facilities, as they do play an integral part in that process.

“When prospective student athletes are trying to determine where they

NSU Athletics Director Marty L. Miller issues a statement in an effort gain further support for Spartan athletics. Photo from nsuspartans.com

are going to play, they want to go to an institution where they have great attendance. They want to play before large crowds…so that’s another reason why we are trying to encourage more individuals and more of our fans to come to the games. [We also need] more of our students because it would help us to get some of those higher level prospects and help us with what we are trying to accomplish. That’s one thing I think a lot of people missed with that statement. It serves several purposes,” said Miller.

Miller believes that stu-

dents have the power to help “change the landscape of the athletics program at Norfolk State University” by attending the games and setting the tone.

“What we are trying to create here is what they call a twelfth man effect.

That’s where your fans have provided so much enthusiasm and support for the home team, that it becomes an advantage.

So we’ve been trying to do things like have little contests and give out prizes, but try and encourage our students to come to the games to support our own student athletes,” said Miller.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

10.24.14

Spartan Sports

Mayberry’s NSU experience leads to dream job Kazahna Joyce

A young Washington Wizards fan from Northern Virginia by the name of Darnell Mayberry gained aspirations of one day covering teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Constantly reading the work of beat writers from The Washington Post, Mayberry made it his mission to have his own collection of articles covering NBA news published, and he did just that.

The 2004 Norfolk State University (NSU) graduate began covering the New Orleans Hornets, now known as the New Orleans Pelicans, after Hurricane Katrina hit the team was temporarily relocated to Oklahoma City. Prior to covering the Hornets, Mayberry was a reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal in Ohio and then began covering Oklahoma State University Football for The Oklahoman.

Sports editor Mike Sherman saw potential in Mayberry and gave him a shot at his dream job by assigning him to cover the Hornets for The Oklahoman.

Once the New Orleans area began to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets left Oklahoma City and went back to its home of New Orleans.

In Mayberry’s favor, some changes took place in the NBA as well. The Seattle Supersonics were sold and the new owners moved the team to Oklahoma City and

NSU Alum Darnell Mayberry currently doubles as a writer for The Oklahoman newspaper and as a beat writer for the OKC Thunder basketball team. Graphic by Tykhari Coles

named the team the Thunder.

Mayberry’s experience and desire gave Sherman no doubt that he was the perfect guy to cover the OKC Thunder for the The Oklahoman. Throughout his years covering the Thunder, Mayberry has watched some players come and go, and gained personal friendships with others.

He has had the opportunity to speak with legends such as Charles Barkley, and discuss the Oklahoma City Thunder on national programs including ESPN, ESPN Radio and NBATV. Dealing with high profile athletes like the 2014 MVP Kevin Durant and star point guard Russell Westbrook may often lead to challeng-

ing situations. Mayberry credits his experience with the Spartan Echo and the advice from his mentors for his success in the “demanding” job he had once dreamed of having.

“My journey to my dream job was a unique one. I was blessed to be in the right place at the right time. But without years of preparation and an unwavering commitment to my craft, I doubt being in the right place at the right time would have mattered. I believe it’s all the work that I did before ever receiving an opportunity that allowed me to not only receive this position, but also to remain in this position,” Mayberry said.

5

Spartan hoops: 2014-15 season preview Kazahna Joyce

It’s that time of the year again! Norfolk State University (NSU) men and women’s basketball will kick off the 2014-15 season, home at Joseph Echols Hall against Morehead State University (women), and Pfeiffer University (men). Both teams have made major adjustments to their roster in preparation for the upcoming season.

Aside from MEAC competition, NSU men’s basketball will face tough non-conference opponents in Baylor University and the University of Virginia. Other non-conference competition consists of Boston University, University of Georgia, Texas Southern University, Vanderbilt University and James Madison University among others.

This season we will be introduced to a fairly new group of players. After losing key players last season, including All-MEAC performer Pendarvis “Penny” Williams, Coach Jones has recruited seven talented players to play alongside seven returning players; including redshirt junior Jeff Short, who will also be a new face to Spartan fans after sitting out last season as a division-one transfer.

Our Lady Spartans have made positive changes to their roster as well. Brehanna Daniels, Kayla Roberts, Nia Roberts, lo Chaney and Shayla Tanner make up the Lady Spartans 2014-15 recruiting class. The five recruits will join the nine returners that finished last season 12-16 overall and

8-8 in the MEAC. They will also welcome back forward Aivah Parhem, who missed last season due to injury.

NSU women’s basketball have a somewhat challenging non-conference schedule this season as well. The Lady Spartans will face Virginia Tech University, Radford University, East Carolina University, Hofstra University and Morehead State University, whom they will play Nov. 14 in their season opener at home. They are also scheduled to play in Tennessee State’s Thanksgiving Tournament and Stony Brook’s Seawolve’s Holiday Classic.

In addition to the improved rosters, Joseph Echols Hall underwent changes of its own this past summer. NSU athletics installed a new “floating” floor. Now the floor doesn’t literally float, but the construction of the floor allows more give than the original floor that has served as NSU’s basketball playing ground since 1982, when Echols Hall first opened.

“The new court has more of a Spartan feel, fresh green and gold with the updated design makes me feel excited to get back on the court and represent NSU,” said senior guard Jamel Fuentes.

The new floor was installed with intentions of decreasing the chance of injury throughout the season. The entrance ways leading to the court have also been renovated and new logos have been painted near all five entrances.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

Spartan Lifestyle

6

10.24.14

Relationship workshop gives students perspective Richelle Hammiel

College is a place where students are supposed to build their careers, meet their soul mates and make ever-lasting friendships and relationships. Adjusting to this new environment with new people is surely a challenge at first, but eventually many grow to love their surroundings.

In helping the students make this transition, Norfolk State University held a Relationships Workshop, where guest speaker Vanessa Caldwell Jenkins gave students valuable advice.

Jenkins stressed that the most important relationship to maintain is with the professors. She noted that professors expect their students to come prepared, so as soon as the course syllabus is received, read over it and come to class ready to learn. Taking initiative is a big part of becoming responsible.

If problems arise, such as the miscalculation of grades or if someone is having a hard time understanding the material, she urged students to approach the professor in a respectable manner. Go to them during their office hours and have a healthy conversation. If the problem is not resolved, the student still has to follow the chain of command, which starts with the professor.

“You both have a role to play. You have the responsibility to go in and negotiate,” said Jenkins.

Living with a roommate or roommates is something that some students

look forward to and others dread. Perhaps the scariest part is not knowing who that person is and adjusting to their ways of living.

mate has drugs in the room, while the other chooses not to partake in any illegal activity, the one in the wrong has to be notified so that

hand, is a sensitive subject, but can still be handled with a warning. No intimate activity should ever take place while any individual

Ms. Vanessa Caldwell Jenkins, director of the NSU counseling center, held an on-campus workshop discussing relationships between significant others, spouses, roommates, teachers, etc.

Graphic by Tykhari Coles

Some may be extremely both parties won’t be puncomfortable with making ished. that new friend, while oth- “I will tell on you,” Jeners may isolate themselves, kins repeated several times making the living arrange- telling students what they ment uncomfortable for both parties.

“There are some learning Making and curves because everyone wasn’t raised the same way. maintaining There are some introverts healthy relationand some extroverts,” said Jenkins ships is a huge According to Jenkins, part of the coldrugs, intimacy, lights, television and cleanliness lege experience. are among the biggest issues among roommates.

It’s all about having respect should tell their roomand knowing that certain mate(s). things are not acceptable.

Intimacy, on the other For example, if a room-

other than his or her partner is in the room. If not the case, it may be necessary to talk with a residential advisor (RA) and follow their instructions.

As Jenkins noted, in order for a person to be in a relationship in college, he or she has to be wise in every aspect, as well as make sure that there is a healthy balance between relationship and schoolwork. One must truly be certain that both individuals have a clear understanding of the term “relationship.” It is important not to lead someone on if a relationship is not desired from the beginning.

“Listen to what he tells

you. If you don’t get permission to be a girlfriend, don’t act like one. Men and women have different motives,” said Jenkins.

Both parties have to know their worth before allowing another person to come into his or her life. Again, respect and self-respect are key factors in relationships.

Jeff Johnson, a junior and special education major, stated that this portion of the workshop regarding men and women’s perspective was his favorite part.

To him, it was definitely informative.

A few members of the faculty even stopped by to take a few notes.

“It’s a discussion that’s needed. More students should hear this. Then, they would know how to respond to more situations. It touched on faculty-student relationships, student-roommate relationships and dating and personal relationships. All of them have a common thread, but there are definitely differences,” said Mrs. Duanne Hoffler-Foster, the mass communications and journalism adjunct professor.

Making and maintaining healthy relationships is a huge part of the college experience.

Those relationships will help you learn who you are and ultimately determine who you become. Connections are a huge part of getting a desired career and that one student who was never paid attention to, could make a difference in someone’s future.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

SPARTAN ECHO | Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504 | NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

10.24.14

Spartan Lifestyle

To be or not to be: relaxed or natural Malaun House

There is a saying that, “When a woman changes her hair, she is about to change her life.” The new trend that has many females reevaluating their hair is the “all natural” look.

Some decide to transition into being natural by letting their permed hair grow out, while others demonstrate their bravery by getting a big chop.

“I cut all of my hair off when I decided to start being natural. It was a huge transition going from having hair, to being bald, but I loved it; having no hair became my style,” senior English major Janae Thomas said.

Becoming natural can be a major transition and often takes time to adjust. There are many products that will help with the process, but every product works differently depending on the individual’s texture of hair.

Some of the most vital products used on natural hair come from things found around the house like natural Olive Oil. “Some say that oil clogs

your pores, but I think a light oil is necessary for any type of hair. My scalp is extremely dry, so I use a lot of natural products like Jojoba and Shea Butter,” freshman Kinesiotherapy major Asia Carolten said.

One of the most essential methods for keeping hair healthy, natural or relaxed, is to keep the hair clean and moisturized. Hair that is relaxed is often stripped of its natural nutrients, so drinking water can help to keep the scalp moisturized.

“After I wash my hair, I always use a leave-in conditioner and then I blow dry it using a heat protectant spray.

I learned the hard way that putting too much heat on your hair can damage it,” junior fashion merchandising major Alana Preston said.

There are also a lot of different YouTube channels that specialize in natural and protective style tutorials.

Some women say that relaxed hair is easier to tame, while others believe that natural hair is better because it is not processed.

Not recognized? Be sure to register your student organization with Student Activities In the Oct. 3 Homecoming Issue of the Spartan Echo, we said on page 3 “...there are over 100 activities and organizations on campus and many of them receive little or no recognition at all.”

We would like to clarify that this is because many student organizations do not register with the Office of Student Activities and take advantage of the systems in place at the university to help them. The Spartan Echo registers each semester and is grateful for the support of Student Activities and the resources they make available to us.

We couldn’t do what we do without them.

For more information, phone (757) 823-8200.

7 editors Jason Gill Editor -in-Chief

Danielle Kirsh Online/ Managing Editor Antonio Garland News Editor

Ladies can maintain a variety of classy hairstyles, meanwhile keeping their hair as healthy as possible. Photos by Tykhari Coles

“Honestly, I feel like hair is hair whether natural or processed. Sometimes natural hair does work better with certain styles, but then there are times when permed hair is better...depending on the style,” sophomore music major Tierra Smith said.

For more tips on healthy hair, natural or relaxed, check out Pinterest and YouTube to read articles, watch videos and read blogs about tricks that work for others.

Calling all writers, graphic designers, photographers and videographers...

The Spartan Echo is accepting applications now for all editor positions. Editors will serve during the spring 2015 semester and may receive a performance grant for their service.

Amounts vary by position. Some work-done from home-will be necessary necessa during the winter break to prepare for the spring semester. Please see the Spartan Echo staff page at http://www.spartanecho.org/staff for more information.

Applications are available online from Student Activities. https://www.nsu.edu/Assets/websites/student-activities/Student-Publication-Forms/Spartan-Echo-Publication-Application.doc

Malaun House Lifestyle Editor

Paige Jefferson Sports Editor

Trenton Fouche’ Entertainment Editor Tykhari Coles Multimedia Editor Kallie Gould Graphic Design/Layout Editor It’s not too late to get involved with the Echo!

We meet every Tuesday and Thursday in room 344 at 12:30 pm. ALL majors welcome.

Applications will be accepted via e-mail at seopfer@nsu.edu through Nov. 14th.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

Spartan Entertainment

8

10.24.14

“Black-ish” a hit for ABC Sherese Stringfield ABC has announced its fall lineup and the latest offering “Black-ish,” has already gained rave reviews. Premiering on Sept. 24, the show debuted at its 9:30 pm timeslot with strong ratings. According to Nielsen, over 11 million viewers, which beat out ABC favorites “Modern Family” and “The Goldbergs,” watched the show.

One of the show’s stars, Tracee Ellis Ross, posted on her personal Instagram account how she felt about the show’s recent success. “So excited about how many people watched, DVR’d, told their friends, tweeted and supported,” the actress posted. “#blackishABC Wednesday night! Cannot wait for you all

to tune in next #Wednesday!”

The show focuses on a suburban African-American family trying to embrace their heritage. The father, Dre Johnson, who is played by Anthony Anderson, tries to get the family to see the value and importance of African-American culture.

After getting promoted to CEO of the “Urban” division of the company he works for, he fights for support from his wife, Rainbow Johnson, after she finds his sudden obsession silly.

The show offers a comedic approach to an ABC lineup filled with more serious dramas like “Scandal” and “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” With the success surrounding the show’s pilot, “Black-ish” may be on track

to be one of ABC’s top rating juggernauts.

One local viewer, Cameron Pearson said, “I love it. Content is great. [It] reminds me of a modern Cosby show. I just hate the fact that they named the show that. We know it’s a black cast. The name does not have to remind us more of that.”

Junior pre-nursing major Sharell Steverson said, “The show seems okay so far. There is nothing about it that makes me run to the TV. I mainly just wanted the show because I was excited to see Tracee Ellis Ross back on TV.” The show airs every Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. on ABC.

“Black-ish” a hit for ABC opn Wednesday nights.

Photo from facebook.com/blackishABC

Student record label hits campus Chantelle Polite

Jennifer Jiggetts NSU ‘07

Peace Corps

Live, learn and work with a community overseas

Apply by January 15 to be overseas after graduation. Explore jobs in Fiji, Rwanda, Paraguay, Cameroon, Albania and more!

Seach all jobs at PeaceCorps.gov/openings #ApplyPC

Contact Marques for more info: manderson3@peacecorps.gov

Entertainment Alliance is a student run record label on Norfolk State’s campus. The organization gives students the opportunity to showcase their talents musically by holding different musical events. Entertainment Alliance also recruits students from other universities in the Hampton Roads area to join their record label.

“The purpose of the organization is to build on the craft of each artist and create personal growth,” said sophomore Audrey Thames, a student at Virginia Wesleyan College where she majors in communications and minors in business. “Also, we want to create a network system among students interested in the industry, internships and raise scholarships. At the same time, we serve the community around us right here in Norfolk through various programs and events. A majority of the events we hold are beat battles for student exposure, concerts, unplugged showcases, listening parties and cam-

pus cleanups. It’s the first of its kind at an HBCU.” Entertainment Alliance hosted its first showcase event on Sept. 8 in the Student Center.

The showcase featured talent from various student artists on campus, which included a jam session and regular performances.

“For the jam sessions, producers and instrumentalists came together to create beats. Then, we the artists transitioned through songs of today that everyone would know like “Partition” and the “Schmoney Dance,” Thames said. “Then, a few artists performed and we sang background for each other when necessary. We just tried to get the audience hype and vibe with us. It was a great way to kick off the semester.”

With many performance showcases to be held in the future, Entertainment Alliance will continue to persuade young artists at local universities to express themselves musically, in hopes of creating something greater.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu