TODAYNorth CaroliNa agriCultural aNd teChNiCal State uNiverSity

PLUS

UNC Board of GoverNors HoNors MarY sMitH

iN searCH of a CUre

SPriNg 2007

Accelerated teacher education program lets math and science professionals make a career

change to become licensed teachers

FaSt trackOn the

North Carolina agricultural and technical State university

Spring 2007

TODAY

executive CabinetChancellor - Lloyd V. Hackley (Interim)Provost/Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs - Janice Brewington ’70 (Interim)Vice Chancellor, Business and Finance - Willie T. “Tommy” Ellis ’77Vice Chancellor, Development and University Relations - Mark Kiel (Interim)Vice Chancellor, Information Technology and Telecommunications/CIO- Vijay K. Verma (Interim)Vice Chancellor, Research and Economic Development - Narayanaswamy “Radha” RadhakrishnanVice Chancellor, Student Affairs - Sullivan A. Welborne Jr. ’61 (Interim) Special Assistant to the Chancellor - George AntonelliSpecial Assistant to the Chancellor - Shirley T. Frye ’53Special Assistant to the Chancellor, Legal Affairs - Camille Kluttz-Leach

deansAgriculture and Environmental Sciences - Alton ThompsonArts and Sciences - Michael PlaterBusiness and Economics - Quiester CraigEducation - Lelia VickersEngineering - Joseph Monroe ’62Graduate Studies - William J. Craft (Interim)Library Services - Waltrene Canada ’70Nursing - Patricia Price Lea Students - Judy N. Rashid ’74Technology - Ernest L. Walker (Interim)University Studies - Joseph L. Graves Jr.

alumni association Board of directors

Executive Director - Gladys Gallop ’76 (Interim)President - Teresa M. Davis ’89 First Vice President - Claudette Bennett ’75 Second Vice President - Chuck Burch ’82 Treasurer - Gerald Williams ’83 Secretary - Carolyn Rinehardt ’64

Geographical Area I Director, Seat 1 - T. Roberson Edwards ’73 Geographical Area I Director, Seat 2 - Eugene Preston ’57 Geographical Area II Director, Seat 3 - Deloris Chisley ’73 Geographical Area II Director, Seat 4 - Sam Eady ’65 Geographical Area III Director, Seat 5 - Jim Bridgett ’53 Geographical Area IV Director, Seat 6 - Marvin Walton ’91Geographical Area V Director, Seat 7 - Ulysses J. Cozart Jr. ’77

Board of Directors (BOD) Seat 8 (School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences) - Elvis Graves ’79 BOD Seat 9 (College of Arts and Sciences) - Nita DewberryBOD Seat 10 (School of Business and Economics) - Jerry Thorne ’75 BOD Seat 11 (School of Education) - Velma Speight-Buford ’53 BOD Seat 12 (College of Engineering) - Leotis Parrish ’91 BOD Seat 13 (School of Nursing) - Schenita Davis-Randolph

editor

Sandra M. Brown

editorial assistants

Nettie Collins Rowland ’72Mable Springfield Scott ’99 MS

Contributing WritersCorey CaldwellDarlene F. East ’04 Laurie GengenbachSamantha HargroveBrian M. Holloway ’97 Nettie Collins Rowland ’72 Susan Schumacher, Ph.D.Joya Wesley

university PhotographerCharles E. Watkins ’03

Contributing PhotographersEric Legrand James ParkerDeWayne Wickham

design

Donna M. Wojek Gibbs

Printing

P.N. Thompson/Henry Wurst, Inc.

Board of trusteesJohn J. “Nick” Becton ’79 Carole Bruce, Vice ChairD. Hayes ClementEunice M. Dudley Michelle Gethers-ClarkHenry H. IsaacsonAlbert Lineberry Jr. Franklin E. McCain Sr. ’64Velma R. Speight-Buford ’53, ChairMichael L. Suggs ’82Steven C. WatsonArnita Floyd Moody, Student RepresentativeJoseph A. Williams ’72, Secretary

explore. discover. become.A&T TODAY North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State UniversitySpring 2007

A&T TODAY is published quarterly by The Division of Development and University Relations North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University1601 East Market Street • Greensboro, N.C. 27411Phone: (336) 334-7582 • FAX: (336) 334-7094

Postage Paid at greensboro, N.C.

All editorial correspondence should be directed to Sandra M. Brown, University Relations Office, N.C. A&T State University, The Garrett House, 400 Nocho Street, Greensboro, N.C. 27411, or smbrown@ncat.edu.

PoStMaSter: Send address changes to Development Operations, North Carolina A&T State University, Dowdy Building, Suite 400, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, N.C. 27411. Phone: (336) 334-7600.

Visit us online at www.ncat.edu

ARTICLES

12) Seven receive ‘teacher of the year’ honor

12) uNC Board of governors honors Smith

19) Name value

22) on our Side

FEATURE ARTICLES 14) on the “Fast track”

Accelerated teacher education program lets math and science professionals make a career change to become licensed teachers

16) Something in Common

African Americans and Cubans share historical struggles

24) Bread and Butter

CIAA Hall of Fame inducts Joe Howell ’60

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a land-grant university that is ranked by the Carnegie Classification System as “high research activity.” N.C. A&T is an AA/EEO employer, and it is an ADA compliant institution; thus, facilities are designed to provide accessibility to individuals with physical disabilities.

40,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $21,248.00 or $0.53 per copy.

Page 16 Page 24Page 14

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical

State University is a learner-centered

community that develops and preserves

intellectual capital through interdisciplinary

learning, discovery, engagement, and

operational excellence.

DEPARTMENTS

2) inside aggieland

6) Campus Briefs

10) research

20) aggie Sports

26) People Behind

the Scholarships

28) aggies on the Move

29) in Memoriam

32) a Student's Perspective

33) Mixed Bag

Page 16

on the Cover: (Clockwise from top right) Teacher of the year Mary Smith, chemistry student Corey Caldwell and Fast Track graduate Terry Corbett Jr.

Page 5

a partner in the Greensboro Transit Authority’s Higher Education Area Transit (HEAT) program serving Greensboro and Jamestown. In a letter from the university, Chancellor Lloyd V. Hackley stated that the university has reassessed its needs and determined that the expanded transportation service that HEAT provides would be beneficial to students, faculty and staff. With the agreement of the university to immediately become a financially supporting partner,

A&T students can ride any HEAT or GTA bus on a fare-free basis.

Although A&T was not a financially supporting partner at the time of launching HEAT in August 2006, the university

was heavily involved in the two-year planning of the

transportation service. Anticipation of the inclusion of A&T was a part of the overall program strategy and that foresight is now returning dividends with the addition of the school and its 10,000-plus students. Said Libby James, public transportation manager with the City of Greensboro, “HEAT was conceptualized with seven schools taking part in providing enhanced transportation options for students and the general public. It is exciting to have this major institution of higher learning now an official partner in this groundbreaking effort and we look forward to even more students enjoying HEAT.” A&T students can access HEAT at any designated HEAT bus stop including the current A&T locations on East Market Street using their Aggie ONEcard for fare-free access. GTA is working to program HEAT and GTA bus fare boxes to accept valid Aggie ONEcards. However, during the fare box programming process, bus operators have been

2 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007 SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 3

INSIDE AGGIELANDHEAT

notified to admit all A&T students with valid student identification by visual inspection. Public transportation planners soon will establish the location of an on-campus stop and shelter to be located near Memorial Student Union. Additionally, A&T will gain an off-campus shuttle route similar to UNCG’s 73 that will serve student housing in the A&T vicinity. The route is planned to start operation by the fall 2007 semester. The HEAT service, supported primarily by federal and state grants, is a partnership between GTA, the City of Greensboro and the following financially supporting institutions: Bennett College for Women, Elon University School of Law, Greensboro College, Guilford College, Guilford Technical Community College, North Carolina A&T State University and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Service information including route maps and schedules can be found on the web at www.rideheat.com.

NEw MArkETiNg AND MANAgEMENT CErTifiCATE PrOgrAM

Companies throughout the United States are looking for new

recruits to replace their sales forces made up of baby boomers

who will be retiring in the next decade. The School of Business

and Economics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical

State University is helping to meet this increasing demand for

frontline sales professionals with the development of a new

certificate program targeted to undergraduate students – the

Customer Relationship, Marketing and Management Certificate.

Students who complete 18 credit hours in this program,

including an on-site internship, will be prepared to step into the

exciting world of professional sales.

A major partner with N.C. A&T in this new program is the

3M Corporation. The company has supported the development

of this program as a way to create recruits for their sales force.

In February, A&T hosted its first Sales Education for

Enhancing Deliverable Solutions (SEEDS) event. Sales

professionals from 3M visited and taught classes with A&T

faculty in a coordinated “teach-in” to promote the idea of sales

as a professional career path and the importance of sales in to

the health of any business.

NEr EDiTOrs CONfErENCE

Julius L. Chambers, the pioneering civil

rights attorney and former president of N.C.

Central University, highlighted the 57th

Annual Negro Educational Review (NER)

Board of Editors Conference that N.C. A&T

State University hosted April 26-28.

Chambers, whose distinguished career

includes service as director-counsel of the NAACP’s Legal

Defense and Education Fund (LDF) in New York, spoke during a

luncheon panel discussion on the theme, “Educating in a Time of

Cultural Evolution.”

Founded in 1950, the NER is a scholarly journal devoted to

providing “a forum for discussion of Afro-American issues.” It is

published quarterly and has readers across the United States and

in many other countries.

The journal relocated to N.C. A&T early in 2006 from Florida

A&M University, which the university is celebrating by hosting

the floating editors’ conference this year. Leila Vickers, dean

of the N.C. A&T School of Education and member of the NER

Board of Editors, was the conference chair.

OPTiONAl liCENsurE PrOgrAM

he School of Education at North Carolina A&T State University

has launched an Optional Licensure Program designed to help non-education majors increase to their post-graduation options by adding teaching licenses to their degrees. The internal recruitment effort is part of a larger endeavor by the University of North Carolina General Administration to meet the state’s demand for teachers. North Carolina has an estimated 12,000 available teaching jobs each year. Lelia L. Vickers, dean, and A&T School of Education graduate Kimberly D. Erwin, a former elementary school

teacher and principal now coordinating the university’s Master of Arts in Teaching program, are taking the message across campus that students can make a difference by becoming teachers. “In preparing to become a teacher, you develop skills that will serve you well in any job you may ultimately choose,” Vickers told students during the recent Career Development Conference sponsored by the Office of Career Services and the University/Industry Cluster. To earn a teaching license, students must take several education credit hours including 10 weeks of student teaching, and pass licensure exams.

Most students can complete these requirements by attending school for two summer sessions and using some of their electives. In addition to providing a stable alternative for future employment, learning the foundations of education and the basic skills needed to teach also can lead to corporate success. Licensed math and science teachers can earn a starting salary of as much as $40,000 a year. For more information about the Optional Licensure Program, contact Erwin at kderwin@ncat.edu or (336) 334-7848.

T

North CaroliNa a&t State UNiverSity is now

INSIDE AGGIELAND continued

SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 54 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007

NOw is THE TiME TO wAiVE iNsurANCE

North Carolina A&T State University requires all

undergraduate, graduate and professional students, taking six

or more credit hours, and all international students to have

medical insurance coverage as a condition of enrollment.

Students currently covered by a major medical insurance plan

should waive out of the plan offered by the university.

Log on to www.studentinsurance.com and follow the

instructions on the website. The deadline to waive is

Sept. 14, 2007.

Be sure to print the confirmation page and keep it for

your records. This will serve as a receipt and proof that

the student complied with the university’s requirement.

Adjustments will not be made after the deadline without the

confirmation page or confirmation number.

Students who fail to appropriately waive coverage by the

Sept. 14 deadline will be enrolled in the University Health Plan.

The Sebastian Health Center staff is available to assist

students. For further details or assistance, call (336) 334-7880.

the third National Conference on Environmental Science

and Technology will be held at North Carolina Agricultural

and Technical State University, Sept. 12-14, in the Alumni-

Foundation Event Center.

The conference will provide a forum for the U.S.

Department of Education, U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration and other federal agencies, as

well as industrial technology users and colleges/universities

to address pollution prevention problems, solutions and

research needs.

Topic areas include bioremediation, fate and transport

of contaminants, pollution prevention/solvents and processes,

innovative environmental technologies and sensors, and global

climate change.

The deadline to register for the conference is Wednesday,

Aug. 15. To register online, visit www.ncat.edu/~wmi/

conference/conf.html.

For general information, contact Godfrey Uzochukwu,

director of the Interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute

at N.C. A&T, by email, uzo@ncat.edu, or telephone, (336)

334-7030. Information about lodging is available at www.ncat.

edu/~wmi/conference/hotels.html.

ENVirONMENTAl sCiENCE AND TECHNOlOgY CONfErENCE

n March 13, the Division of Information Technology and Telecommunications,

the School of Technology and the College of Engineering teamed up to host the Cisco Solutions Express (CSE) Demonstration Showcase. Newly designed, the CSE is a 90-foot, 18-wheel mobile truck equipped with Cisco’s latest business and technology solutions. The mobile demonstration venue was created specifically for enterprise and government businesses. The CSE truck features hands-on demonstrations that highlight security, mobility, unified communications and network management solutions. It also has a video demonstration of the Health Care Interpreter Network (HCIN) video

illustrating how hospitals can use the power of the network to bring language translators into hospitals nationwide. “Going forward, one of our goals is to make N.C. A&T a truly technology enabled institution in service of our community,” said Vijay Verma, interim vice chancellor of ITT. “Therefore, we need to strengthen our existing partnerships with other organizations and build new ones. “We see Cisco Systems as a key partner in these efforts. Having the Cisco CSE event at A&T is one of several events that we plan to organize in order to bring some excitement to this campus,” he added.

he National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), in conjunction with the department of journalism and

mass communication at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, held the 15th Annual Broadcast Short Course at N.C. A&T, March 14-17. Thirty-nine students from across the country, including 24 A&T students, participated in the four-day seminar that was created to acquaint African American college students with behind-the-scenes jobs in the broadcast industry. The short course aims at encouraging more African American journalism students to pursue television management as a career. It also gives students an opportunity to interact with African Americans who currently work as news directors, producers, writers, assignment editors, directors and some of the top television stations in the country.

NABJ sHOrT COursE

CisCO sOluTiONs sHOwCAsE

Note

T

O

fACulTY & sTAff

SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 7

CAMPUS BRIEFS

6 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007

The Center for Student Success recently honored seven members of the faculty for excellence in academic advising: Sylvia

S. Black, assistant professor, department of business administration (School of Business and Economics); Pamela ivey

Chavis, clinical assistant professor (School of Nursing); derome o. dunn, assistant professor, department of mechanical and chemical engineering (College of Engineering); anthony graham, assistant professor, department of curriculum and

instruction (School of Education); valeria

J. McMillan, associate professor, department of family and consumer sciences (School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences); Barbara Milliken, adjunct instructor, department of electronic, computer and information technology (School of Technology); and gail Wiggins, assistant professor, department of journalism and mass communications (College of Arts and Sciences).

vivian Barnette has been named director of counseling services at N.C. A&T. Barnette is a former staff psychologist and interim counseling center director for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also has served as a staff psychologist for the University of Iowa Counseling Service and the University of Oregon. She is a licensed psychologist and is certified as a health service provider-psychologist (HSP-P).

ruby Jayne Carlson has been appointed temporary staff employment manager for the Office of Human Resources. Carlson is a former executive assistant to the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. She has 15 years of human resource experience including manager of a temporary agency and human resources manager for a Fortune 500 company in Burlington, N.C.

Recipients of the 2007 Center for Student Success Excellence in Academic Advising Award are (l-r) Anthony Graham, Sylvia Black, Pamela Ivey Chavis, Gail Wiggins, Valerie McMillan and DeRome Dunn. Barbara Milliken is not pictured.

William J. Craft, professor of mechanical engineering, has been appointed interim associate vice chancellor for research and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, effective March 5. Craft has over 30 years of educational experience at A&T as well as industrial experience with Martin Marietta Corporation.

ray J. davis, associate dean for undergraduate programs in the school of technology, made a presentation at the 69th Annual Conference of the International Technology Education Association March 17 in San Antonio, Texas. The title of Davis’ presentation was “A National Survey on the Status of Distance Learning in Technology Teacher Education.”

Joseph l. graves Jr., professor of biological sciences and dean of university studies, was chosen for the faculty of The Association of American Colleges and Universities Institute for General Education, May 18-23, at Salve Regina University, in Newport, R.I. In addition, an article that was co-authored by Graves, “Against Racial Medicine,” appears in a special edition of Patterns of Prejudice, Sander Gilman editor, Vol. 40(4-5): 481-494. The volume is titled “Race and Contemporary Medicine: Biological Facts and Fictions.”

alton l. Kornegay, an assistant professor in the manufacturing systems department, was elected president of the Industry Division of the National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT) during the organization’s 39th annual convention in Cleveland, Ohio. NAIT is the foremost accreditation body of colleges and universities of technology in the United States. The Industry Division is one of the four primary divisions that make up the executive board of NAIT.

Stephanie luster-teasley, assistant professor of civil and chemical engineering, is one of 15 scholars participating in the 2006 Institute for Scholarship on Engineering Education (ISEE) cohort. Luster-Teasley’s year-long tenure as an ISEE Scholar began last July at Howard University with a one-week intensive residency culminating in a well-defined plan for conducting a research study. Throughout the year, she will continue to work on her project, which focuses on the impact of case studies used in a laboratory course on student motivation, knowledge gained, and cognitive ability to apply lab techniques to societal practice.

“Autumn Passages,” a documentary by Michael Moore, video/teleconference producer, was a part of the Heritage Film and Video Festival that was held March 31 at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Md. The documentary is about Joyce Wellman’s tenure as artist in residency at N.C. A&T during the fall semester of 2005.

ivan t. Mosley Sr., chairman of the manufacturing systems department, has been selected as a Distinguished Technology Educator. The DTE designation is a coveted mark of distinction in technology education, recognizing those who have demonstrated a high level of competence and conscientiousness in the field of technology education. With 4,700 members worldwide, only 146 others have received this honor.

lea e. Williams, interim associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, has assumed additional responsibilities as interim director of The Center for Student Success. Williams’ career in academia spans nearly three decades.

Barnette Carlson Craft Davis Graves Kornegay Luster-Teasley Moore Mosley Williams

Magnetohydrodynamics Using Numerical Analysis and Simulation.” In addition to winning this award, the Ronald E. McNair Scholar received a certificate of excellence for his oral presentation at A&T’s 2007 McNair Symposium in January.

evan Paul, a chemical engineering major and waste management certificate candidate, has been selected as the first O’Brien & Gere Scholar for the university. O’Brien & Gere, an environmental engineering consulting company located in Syracuse, N.Y., awarded N.C. A&T’s Waste Management Institute $10, 000 to support Paul during his junior and senior years at the university. The company also will provide him with a summer internship.

alan antwine, Chanel helper, Meegan

Johnson, Jonathan Jones, Karlen Marshall,

Pauline Braxton and Joseph Bostic are seven A&T students who have been awarded Xerox Technical Minority Scholarships that recognize high academic achievement in the fields of science, engineering and technology. They were among 122 winners from more than 26 states and Puerto Rico chosen from 800 qualified applicants. The majority of the scholarship recipients received $1,000 toward college tuition costs for 2006-2007, and 12 scholarships were granted in amounts up to $10,000.

Four graphic communication systems majors (School of Technology) placed in the American Society for Quality Section 1109

scholarship competition that was held in February. The competition featured posters and presentations by undergraduate and graduate students. Jasette Casterlow, won first place; terrance o. Winbush, second place; Phillip J. troxler, third place; and lashia levins, fourth place.

Miss N.C. A&T, Crystal r. Williams, was the first runner-up in the Miss MEAC Competition and Coronation that was held during the MEAC Tournament weekend in Raleigh, N.C. Thanks to Aggie supporters around the globe, Williams received the top score in the online voting segment. Aggie Pride!

Baucum

Jordan Baucum, yolonda Crumpton and daniel davis are participating in the UNC in Washington program this spring. The program is a statewide initiative conducted by the UNC Office of the President that is designed to provide an opportunity for upper-level students from 14 of the University of North Carolina’s constituent institutions to expand teaching and learning using Washington, D.C., as the classroom. As part of the program, the students are required to conduct an internship. Crumpton, a journalism and mass communication major, has an internship at Strauss Radio Communication, and political science majors Baucum and Davis have internships with the Washington Bureau-NAACP and the Office of U.S. Senator Richard Burr, respectively.

Corey J. Caldwell, a senior chemistry major, is a recipient of Alpha Lambda Delta’s Warner O. Moore Jr. Fellowship. Caldwell was awarded $3,000 for graduate study for academic year 2007-2008. Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society for First Year Students awards 23 fellowships to its members for graduate study.

darkus Jenkins, a graduate student majoring in chemistry, presented a paper at the 58th Southeast Regional American Chemical Society Meeting in Augusta, Ga. The paper, “Synthesis, X-ray Crystallography, and Photoluminescence Studies of Gold(l) Complexes with Tri2-furyl Phosphine Ligand,” was co-authored by associate professors Zerihun assefa and abebe

Kebede of N.C. A&T, and richard Sykora of the University of Southern Alabama. Jenkins also conducted a hands-on laboratory session – “Is it Physical or Chemical?” – for participants of the Summer Space Science Institute for Teacher-Student Team workshops.

Marvin Q. Jones Jr., a junior applied mathematics major, won $500 for having the most outstanding poster presentation at the Georgia Institute of Technology Graduate Technical Symposium 2007, Merging Multiculturalism and Multidisciplinary Research, held March 15-17 in Atlanta. His presentation was titled “An Investigation in Astrophysical Gas Dynamics: Analyzing Two-Wave Interaction in Ideal

Caldwell Crumpton Davis Jones Paul Williams

SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 98 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007

The School of Nursing held its Capping and Pinning Ceremony in March. The following junior nursing students were capped: lashanda M. adams,

Natasha J. alston, Zonie C. armstrong, Jerry asare-

Passh, lakeisha B. askew, Maureceia a. autry, taneika

r. Baker, tiffany S. Banks, Katrina Best, Janae t. Bosby,

holly l. Branch, tunisha Branch, Martin a. Bynum,

Jenny Callahan, Cameron Chalmers, Wanda Chapman,

elizabeth a. Chitwood, ashley K. Cunningham, angela

Cobb, Kendall J. Collins, ashura Corbett, Brandy daye,

adia e. dial, ernest h. dick, Jacklyn S. elmore, tracy

Fields, Courtney Flewellen, Carol e. Florence, angelina

v. garofalo, Crystal C. griffin, tia hamlet, Suzann

C. henry, lachele C. horton, Seray t. Jah, timeka

C. James, Barbara Johnson, Candace M. Johnson,

deNeece Jones, Julie Jones, Sharon lewis-Keith,

Shatara lynch, Beverly McCoy, ashlee J. McCrea,

Beth S. Mcentire, ashley McNeil, Kristen Martin,

Kinnitrish Means, Jose’ Mendoza, alemu t. Mengistu,

tiffany S. Mitchener, lauren l. Munford, euniqua e.

Neal, Sherry N. Patterson, latasha r. Phillips, Crystal

J. Porter, latoya r. ramsey, Misty reagan, Chiquita

reid, Natasha S. Sanders, Keatah B. Smith, Juanita C.

thompson, alicia travis, amy troy, vernicia valentin,

tedrick l. vernon, Jennifer N. Williams, lorraine Wilson and edward l. Withers.

Senior nursing students who were pinned include Maud

acquah-Nelson, ruthetta Banks, Jade S. Bland, tia l.

Broadnax, Sabrina N. Brooks, ashley S. Brown, armecia

Burnette, avis P. Carter, Carolyn Chaffin-tate, tonii a.

Chavis, dionna e. Croom, Peace o. darku, Sabrina l.

davis, Shantay l. dawson, lakera S. daye, Callie M.

France, april Freeman, rashidah J. habeebulah, Brenda

K. hall, Nicole hankerson, Karena r. harris, Jennifer

M. harrison, ashley l. hughes, Jacqueline r. ivey, Joi

Johnson, tiffanie a. layton, Phyllis F. Madrey, tiffany

l. Martin, Sohnnel K. Morrow, tawain r. Mcalister,

Brittany M. McCoy, tunisia Mcdowell, Chau N. Nguyen,

Sylvia Nimmons, alex J. Passmore, Nylz h. reyes,

Cathy richards, Nicole rodgers, elissa rodriguez,

Bethany g. rouse, Shikira P. Sherrer, Courtney

Singletary, Clarissa Staten, Brittany C. tate, Melinda

valentin, Michelda West and Kimberly l. Wright.

Josh ellis, Shaun harrison, roderick ross and Breon

Williams, students from the department of graphic

communication systems and technological studies,

participated in the Printing Industry of the Carolinas, Inc.

(PICA) student awards program. Ellis won the Special

Judges Award for his entry, “The Godfather”; Harrison

won the Best of Category Award for “Oska Phones”;

Ross won the Special Judges Award for “Sidewalk

Surfer”; and Williams won the Excellence Award for

“World Wide Aggie Pride.” The winners were announced

at the 40th Annual PICA Awards Banquet, held at

Grandover Resort and Spa in Greensboro, N.C.

sTuDENTsCAMPUS BRIEFS continued

Four students from the department of graphic communication systems and technological studies are winners of this year’s PICA awards. Pictured left to right are E. Dean Gilbert, assistant professor; Roderick Ross, winner of a Best of Category Award; Cynthia Gillispie-Johnson, department chairwoman; Josh Ellis, winner of a Special Judges Award; and Breon Williams, winner of an Excellence Award.

orth Carolina Agricultural and Technical State

University has launched its first spin-off company based on research conducted in the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Provagen, as the company is called, is a biotechnology company that plans to produce

and market a protein – called Protein V – that can be used in medical research or in manufacturing treatments and diagnostic tests for disease. N.C. A&T will retain equity in the company and earn royalties on the product. “Creating commercial ventures out of research is important because it ensures that our research makes it out of the laboratory and into the marketplace, where it can benefit consumers and society,” said alton thompson, dean of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. “That’s what a land-grant university is all about. We are in the business of finding solutions and then getting the information to the people who need it.” As with any biotech startup, many regulatory and market and

product development hurdles must be surmounted in advance of production, but in the best-case scenario, the company could be ready to start production in three years. The university is looking at the new Gateway University Research Park-North Campus in Greensboro as a home for the company. Protein V is medically important because it forms strong chemical bonds to antibodies, which makes it possible to extract them from blood serum. Antibodies in their purified form are increasingly used to treat and diagnose disease, as well as in research. The university’s Office of Outreach and Technology Transfer has been instrumental in establishing Provagen as a corporation. The next steps will be to hire a CEO, seek small business funding, and continue with market and product development. Other groups assisting in the start-up include the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, N.C. Small Business and Technology Development Center and the HiTEC Program at N.C. State. “We are very pleased that something that we have been working on for so long might have a useful application in what has become the multi-million dollar market for antibody binding proteins,” said John allen, a molecular biologist whose discovery of Protein V and subsequent research paved the way for the company.

SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 1110 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007

RESEARCH

loury ollison Floyd and Stephanie luster-

teasley have received the Rookie of the Year Award, which was implemented two years ago to recognize assistant professors in their second year of appointment who have shown extraordinary research initiative and have displayed outstanding promise for future research activities. The award has a $1,000 cash stipend. Floyd is an assistant professor in the department of curriculum and instruction. Since her tenure began in 2005, Floyd has been awarded almost $250,000 in funded research, she has authored several articles and she has presented at over 30 conferences and workshops. Luster-Teasley is an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the departments of chemical engineering and civil,

architectural and environmental engineering. Luster-Teasley has secured approximately $260,000 in sponsored research funding, she has produced articles in peer-reviewed publications and she has presented papers at several conferences. Margaret Kanipes, an associate professor of chemistry, and dhananjay

Kumar, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, have received the Outstanding Young Investigator Award. The award is given annually to junior, tenure track or research faculty in the third or fourth year at the university and it carries a $2,000 stipend. Recipients of this award must have demonstrated outstanding capability and exceptional promise for significant future achievement as evidenced by distinctive contributions to their discipline. They must

be innovators with unlimited potential for new discoveries. Since her arrival at A&T, Kanipes has participated in research and directed the research of several students. She is currently the principal investigator on grants totaling half a million dollars from the Department of the Army and the National Institutes of Health. Kanipes is also preparing a manuscript and is the author of several papers, including 10 refereed journal publications. Kumar has published over 18 technical articles in peer-reviewed journals, has been invited to serve on National Science Foundation review panels and is the recipient of two prestigious grants from NSF: the Nano Exploratory Research Grant worth $100,000 and the Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research

TOP iNVEsTigATOrs rECEiVE uNiVErsiTY HONOrs Six North Carolina A&T researchers have been honored by the university for their outstanding work.

A&T lAuNCHEs firsT sPiN-Off COMPANY By Laurie Gengenbach

When Jones Elementary fifth grader Nicole Shaw (pictured right) of Greensboro

needed a consultant for her science project “Sick Shopping Carts” – which

focused on E.coli and other germs on shopping cart handles – she turned to

dora l. Som-Pimpong, a research technician in the biology department at A&T.

The research has resulted in the student winning local science fair honors.

While competing locally, ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” happened to

see a local news clip of Shaw and Som-Pimpong discussing the project. ABC

interviewed Shaw after the competition, and her comments were broadcasted the

next morning in a segment about shopping carts having more germs than public

restrooms and Arkansas lawmakers trying to pass a bill that would require stores

to clean their carts.

After winning in the elementary division at the local and regional levels,

Shaw competed against 72 other students at the North Carolina State Fair

where she and seven others won the Exemplary Award, the highest honor in the

competition. She also received a monetary gift and a nomination for the Discovery

Channel Team Challenge. If chosen for Team Challenge, a national competition,

she will have the opportunity to win $20,000.

Shaw is working on a patent for a shopping cart cleaning system.

wiNNiNg COMBiNATiON

Team funded at $1.4 million. The Senior Researcher Award is given annually to the most outstanding researcher. The recipient must be tenured and must have demonstrated sustained research productivity through submission of proposals, proposals that have actually been funded, refereed publications, citations received, intellectual property disclosures, patents and/or copyrights, and other pertinent contributions. Mohamed

ahmedna and Shanthi iyer are the award recipients this year. Ahmedna is an associate professor in the food science and nutrition program. He has submitted over 27 research proposals during his seven-year tenure at A&T, and he has been awarded 15 times in excess of $4 million. Ahmedna has authored or co-authored over 100 scientific papers and professional

presentations, two book chapters and one reference book. In addition, he has successfully submitted three patent applications on research technologies developed in his lab. A recent publication was listed by Science Direct as one of the top 25 hottest articles worldwide as judged by the number of downloads on the Internet. Iyer is a professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering and a trailblazer in the world of semiconductor research. She is also director of the Army Battlefield Center of Excellence for Environmentally Stable Flexible Displays. (There are only five Centers of Excellence in the United States housed at HBCUs. Iyer’s is

funded at $2.5 million.) Iyer has authored or co-authored over 60 refereed articles, proceedings and presentations and is referred to by her colleagues at institutions such as the University of New Mexico, North Carolina State University and Clemson University as a “dominant research force in the semiconductor materials area.” Her outstanding work places her among the top researchers in her field throughout the world.

The 2007 Outstanding Researchers are (l-r) Loury Ollison Floyd, Dhananjay Kumar (standing), Margaret Kanipes, Mohamed Ahmedna (standing), Stephanie Luster-Teasley and Shanthi Iyer.

Allen Thompson

N

SChool of agriCUltUre aNd eNviroNmeNtal SCieNCeSMulumebet “Millie” Worku, an associate professor in the department of animal sciences, is committed to student centered teaching approaches and empowers her students to achieve their highest potential by being receptive to their needs and being aware of their circumstances. She encourages and respects sustained effort and diligent commitment to excellence. As a result, Worku’s students regularly excel in further studies and the work arena. Her students note that she “goes out of her way to demonstrate her commitment to each and every student” and that she is “always interested in the well being and success of her students as individuals and professionals in and out of the classroom.”

College of artS aNd SCieNCeSMary a. Smith, an associate professor in the department of biology, continually encourages her students to reach beyond their own visions and provides valuable opportunities to nurture their development as scientists, scholars and learners. As one of her students notes, “Dr. Smith inspires the genius, challenges the mind, and nurtures the soul.” Colleagues and students alike praise her deep commitment to actively involving undergraduate students in the process of learning, a pedagogical strategy that transforms students’ lives. A colleague says, “… she has strived to make her students lifelong learners, equipping them with the tools, discipline-based fundamentals, and more important, the intellectual curiosity to take what they have learned and use it to further their careers.”

associate professor of biology Mary A. Smith is one of the winners of the

13th Annual Awards for Excellence in Teaching, given by The University of

North Carolina Board of Governors.

The 16 recipients, representing an array of academic disciplines, were

nominated by special committees on their home campuses and selected by

the Board of Governors Committee on Personnel and Tenure. The recipients

were honored at a luncheon where each received a commemorative bronze

medallion and a $7,500 cash prize.

Established by the Board of Governors in 1994 to underscore the

importance of teaching and to reward good teaching across the University,

the awards are given annually to a tenured faculty member from each UNC

campus. Winners must have taught at their present institutions at least

seven years. No one may receive the award more than once.

Smith believes that excellence in teaching requires ongoing

professional development, a commitment to developing students as

independent learners, and a focus on building a student-centered learning

environment. Recognized by her colleagues as an “innovator in classroom

instruction,” she is continually seeking out effective approaches to motivate

and engage students in learning science.

She regularly leads summer student-faculty research teams at venues

such as the Argonne National Laboratory and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory,

exposing her students to cutting edge technology while developing their

research confidence.

A professor of biology at A&T since 1995, Smith received her

baccalaureate and master’s degrees in science education from Morgan

State University and a doctorate in plant physiology from Cornell University.

North Carolina A&T State University honored seven professors as Teacher of the Year for their respective colleges and schools during the annual Honors’ Day program.

SChool of BUSiNeSS aNd eCoNomiCSThe primary mission of Kathryn e. dobie, a professor in the business administration department, is to provide students with the opportunity to grow in their understanding of their own potential and in their ability to reach their goals. To accomplish this, Dobie encourages students to expand their abilities through active involvement in the learning process. Dobie believes that active discovery is essential for students to gain the passion for knowledge and the ability to apply it in varied situations, critical attributes in today’s competitive world economy.

SChool of edUCatioNPaul K. ankomah, an associate professor in the department of human performance and leisure studies, believes that teaching should help students move beyond the world of textbooks and factual knowledge to encourage reflective practice, collaborative thinking and effective communication. He views students as discoverers of new ideas and knowledge creators rather than as passive receptacles for memorizing previously developed knowledge. A former student writes, “Dr. Ankomah makes learning fun, practical and relevant to the ever changing and evolving world.”

College of eNgiNeeriNgThe teaching philosophy of vinayak N.

Kabadi, a professor in the department of mechanical and chemical engineering, is grounded by the commitment to bring out the best in his students. For example, in his core undergraduate classes, Kabadi began organizing recitation sessions outside the organized lecture hours. The recitations were so successful that other departments in the College of Engineering have made these types of sessions a requirement for their students. One of Kabadi’s former students wrote, “Professor Kabadi is one of the best instructors I have had in my entire academic life. ... I learned a lot in this class, but most of all I felt that my success and learning was important to him. It made me work harder knowing that Dr. Kabadi was pulling for me.”

SChool of NUrSiNglinda C. Mcintosh, clinical assistant professor, is committed to respecting the students she works with as unique learners who are able to learn and produce scholarly work more efficiently when they are both challenged and listened to. Her willingness to work with students and treat them fairly is one reason she is respected by students and her colleagues. A former student says, “Dr. McIntosh inspired me to put forth incredible effort by her encouragement and supportive coaching.

She provided an opportunity for me to develop as a person as well as grow into a competent and caring nurse.”

SChool of teChNologySyrulwa l. Somah, an associate professor in the construction management and occupational safety and health department, believes that true education involves preparing students for the duties and responsibilities of life. He says that effective teaching combines practical and theoretical teaching to ensure the “wholesome functioning” of graduates. One of Somah’s former students notes, “Upon meeting Dr. Somah, I was extremely impressed with his passion for seeing his students succeed, his superior knowledge and experience in the field. As a graduate and safety professional, I now appreciate all that Dr. Somah tried to instill in us on how to be an asset to our employer. Dr. Somah’s excitement and passion for teaching and student learning is immeasurable and quite contagious.”

Ankomah Dobie Kabadi McIntosh Smith Somah Worku

uNC BOArD Of gOVErNOrs HONOrs BiOlOgY PrOfEssOr fOr ExCEllENCE iN TEACHiNg

SEVEN RECEIVE ‘teaCher of the year’ HONOR

12 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007 SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 13

14 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007 SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 15

erry Corbett Jr., a graduate of N.C. A&T State University who also

completed the School of Education’s “Fast Track to Teaching” program, will receive his teaching license this winter. Corbett began teaching math at Greensboro’s Dudley High School at the start of the academic year, and he has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Instead of working in his field, he is lending his expertise to help Guilford County Schools cope with a severe shortage of teachers – especially math and science teachers. “Teaching has always been something I had considered. When I found out about Fast Track, I figured this would be a way to actually do that,” says Corbett. School of Education Dean Lelia L. Vickers received a grant from the University of North Carolina General Administration to offer Fast Track, an accelerated teacher education program designed for math and science professionals who want to make a career change and become licensed teachers of math and science. For 10 weeks over the summer, Fast Track participants spent six hours a day, four days a week, in the classroom learning the skills they need to become

effective teachers. In addition to the coursework, each student who completed the program and began a teaching job also was assigned a mentor. As Corbett’s mentor, Leon Sturdivant of the A&T faculty visits the school and offers pointers in such areas as content, classroom management and discipline. “That’s been very helpful,” Corbett said. “We discussed discipline in Fast Track, but actually applying that in a classroom setting is a little different than it is in the book.” At 26, Corbett was the second-youngest participant. Most of the participants, he said, “were people who had been in various industries for awhile.” Corbett’s experience entering teaching has been mostly pleasant, although he says there have been challenges. He teaches three classes: calculus, pre-calculus and “bridge math,” a course for students needing to strengthen their skills. “Teaching can be a rewarding experience,” he says, adding, “it also can be a trying one.” In addition to what he has learned in Fast Track and on the job, Corbett also is applying experience he gained working

as a tutor during high school and college, and running a card game league for elementary school students at a bookstore in Burlington, his hometown. He got involved with the latter through his sister, who is 10 years younger. He acknowledges that working with younger children differs from working with high school students. “A lot of people underestimate younger kids, but seeing how I’ve been around them so much, I’ll talk to them like I’ll talk to anyone else,” he says. “They have a lot to say if you’ll listen to them.” At Dudley, he has learned some things about older students. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget that they are still just kids, because at this age they’re trying to act grown,” he says. “But they remind me every once in a while that they are not grown.” With more learning to do and more to offer the school system, Corbett plans to continue teaching. Fast Track participants agreed to make a commitment of at least three years. “I’m definitely going to stay for awhile,” Corbett says. “I learned a lot in my first semester here. Second semester should be different in a good way.”

By Joya Wesley

FaSt trackOn the

“A lot of people underestimate younger kids, but seeing how I’ve

been around them so much, I’ll talk to them like I’ll talk to anyone

else,” he says. “They have a lot to say if you’ll listen to them.”

— Terry Corbett Jr.>Accelerated teacher education

program lets math and science

professionals make a career change

to become licensed teachers T

to young people today and many may not know

much about them. Mention the same names to

the people of Cuba, young and old alike, and you’ll

find out much more.

With economic chips stacked against the

burgeoning communist country — stifling U.S.

trade embargos and the hopes of finding oil

off its coast — the average Cuban seems more

adequately informed of its struggle than their

neighboring African Americans.

According to a group of journalists who

recently traveled to Cuba with the Institute for

Advanced Journalism Studies, Cubans are very

aware of America’s shameful history and have a

lot in common with African Americans.

“There is an interesting historical connection

between African Americans and Cubans of

African descent. Cuba’s struggle for independence

from Spanish colonial rule started in 1868.

Three months after the (U.S. Constitution’s) 14th

Amendment was ratified, which gave citizenship

to blacks in the United States, Cuba’s war for

independence began,” said DeWayne Wickham,

director of the Institute for Advanced Journalism

Studies at North Carolina A&T State University

and a columnist for USA Today.

Wickham took three columnists — Tonyaa

Weathersbee, Florida Times Union, Erin Aubry

Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, and Gregory Kane, The

Baltimore Sun — on a fact-finding trip to the

communist country in February, as part of the

institute’s mission to enhance the coverage of

important issues facing people of African descent.

The IFAJS hosted a special presentation

luncheon, Feb. 27, with a Cuban twist, and shared

with N.C.A&T students and professors the stories

yet to be told.

The group of reporters served as panelists

and informed the audience of Cuba’s two-fold

fight. Unlike the United States where the fight

for independence and the struggle against

slavery were separated by nearly a century,

Cubans launched both social and political battles

together, Wickham said.

That, he added, happened on Oct. 10, 1868,

when a plantation owner freed his slaves and

urged blacks and whites to join forces to end

Spain’s control of the island.

Despite the negative publicity felt towards

Cuban ruler Fidel Castro by most Americans,

prior to his rule Cubans fleeing the hostile

environment were mostly black. It wasn’t until

after Castro came to power (1959), did Americans

see white Cubans seeking asylum and escaping to

Florida's shores in droves.

Cuba’s history, like most of the Caribbean

islands, was infused by powerful European

countries, including Spain, the United States

and the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics,

all seeking its rich soil, sugar cane and tobacco

production.

For 400 years, Cuba was a colony of Spain.

Tired of the poor treatment, the Cuban people

formed an independence movement and by

1868 began to fight the first of three wars for

independence. Then in 1898, the U.S. entered

the war against Spain and declared Cuba

independent but under the protection of the U.S.

Cubans, in 1902, began to rule

independently, although U.S. influence

remained strong. The U.S. naval base

Guantanamo Bay is still housed on the

island under agreements dating back

to 1903.

Throughout most of the first half of

the 20th century, the Cuban government

functioned under a series of corrupt

presidents and dictators. In the mid-1950s

many Cubans, longing for true independence,

opposed the corruption and political

repression under Fulgencio Batista and

organized a revolt known as the Cuban

Revolution.

In 1959, Fidel Castro and a number of

other revolutionaries overthrew the Batista

government and by the 1960s Castro split with

the United States and became an ally of the

USSR – then the world’s leading Communist

nation. Castro formally embraced Marxism,

the political philosophy that forms the basis

for communism.

While the gap between whites and

blacks in America continued to widen with

the passage of Black Codes, Jim Crow laws

and the rise of organized hate groups such

as the Ku Klux Klan, whites and blacks in

Cuba united under the conflict and fight for

independence.

“Black and white is not spoken of like it is

here,” said Weathersbee.

“When you ask them ‘what are you,’

they just say ‘Cuban,’” she added. But

Weathersbee and the other panelists agreed

that there is still a lingering scent of racism

toward darker skin.

A&T student Kathryn Lomax, who

attended the luncheon, said she was shocked

to learn that so many American students are

studying in Cuba.

“I thought it was interesting and it

gave me incentive. I could go to Cuba and

become a doctor and learn the language and

it’s free,” said the 21-year-old public relations

major.

Lomax said she was glad she learned

more about the country.

“I learned not to believe all of the

information that I read about Cuba in the

paper. I should find out more about their

culture for myself,” she added, noting that

Cuba’s educational and health systems appear

to be farther along than what we have here in

the United States. “What they have seems to

be working. I think America needs to humble

itself and look at what other countries are

doing.”

Beneath the surface, Cuba is a

fascinating place with close cultural ties to

African Americans. Black activists like Marcus

Garvey, W.E.B. Du Bois, Stokely Carmichael and

Langston Hughes all spent time there.

In the capital of Havana, visitors can see

the Martin Luther King Center located next to

that city’s Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Though still regarded as a poor country,

in past years Cuba has relaxed its views to

allow more tourism and trade.

“Cubans place a higher value on the

collective good rather than individual

gain,” Wickham told the audience. “While

many of them would like to enjoy many of

the freedoms and consumer items that we

take for granted, most Cubans want to

retain their free health care and education

systems.”

Also, despite their widespread poverty,

Cubans have a life expectancy and literacy

rate that is similar to those in the U.S., and

their infant mortality rate is lower than the

U.S. While American media still perpetuate

the myth that communism is evil, the U.S.

has diplomatic and economic ties to both

China and Vietnam. Even with poor housing

conditions, the Cuban constitution guarantees

housing for its citizens, virtually eliminating

homelessness.

Kaplan admitted that the trip helped

open her eyes to biases we have as Americans.

“I didn’t realize how 'American' I was until

I spoke with Cuban people,” she said. “We don’t

think the same way. We think individual and

they think more for the whole.”

The 90-mile distance and 45-year-old

trade embargo has not stopped Cubans from

inhaling American culture.

“Ask Cubans about the music they

like and their answers will have a familiar

ring. The 50-something reservations clerk

in the hotel where I stayed said she likes

Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton. A man in

his early 30s told me he favors Luther

Vandross and Lionel Ritchie. Two college

students in their early 20s said they enjoy

listening to rappers Big Daddy Kane, Mos

Def and Talib Kweli. All of this suggests that

blacks in Cuba know a lot more about us

than we do about them, and that’s a pity,”

said Wickham.

16 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007 SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 17

African Americans and Cubans share historical struggles. Something in Common

… on Oct. 10, 1868, a plantation owner freed his slaves and urged blacks and whites to join forces to end Spain’s control of the island …

Mention the names W.E.B. Du Bois, Paul Robeson and Marcus Garvey

By Samantha Hargrove

NAME VALUEOYALL M. MACK SR. ’69 HAS A PASSION. It is the naming of the

Teleconference Center in the College of Arts and Sciences’ General Classroom Building in honor of his parents, Thelma Sarah Montague Mack and the late Ernest Edward Mack Sr. His passion for the naming is his way of giving back for the values of discipline, dedication and commitment to excellence, that they taught him. “There are thousands out there like us, whose parents and grandparents worked hard for us to have a better life,” said Mack. “Many of us, when we move up, have a tendency to forget the sacrifices of our ancestors.” Rather than gift the university in his own name, he has chosen to honor his parents who believed in their parents’ tradition of teaching and living the values of family, hard work, community, property ownership and sharing. “These rules have been in place for the children of the Macks and Montagues for over 100 years before I was born,” Mack said. Thelma was born on a farm in King William County, Va., and is the 14th of 15 children born to John Montague and Sarah Carter. Ernest was the third born of Sebon Mack and Mamie Lee Bothwell who moved from Lewisville, Ga., to Virginia to work on a 600-acre farm. The Macks placed a high premium on fatherhood and constantly instilled it in Royall and

his older brother Ernest Jr. Both parents insisted they observe, listen and learn from their father’s and grandfathers’ mistakes so they, too, could be good fathers. Royall both admired and feared the way his parents thought. “They seemed to be emotionally and intellectually inseparable,” he said. He was never able to maneuver one to say “yes” and the other “no” in order to put them on opposite sides of parental issues. As parents, they demonstrated bonds that were immeasurable. Mack remembers that his parents were not head-over-heels romantics, but they displayed something around their sons that is priceless, friendship. To this day he believes that it was the secret of their great devotion. “It is difficult to know all the reasons why people divorce,” he said, “but of this one thing I am sure, friendship holds couples together.” In 1965 when Royall Mack applied to A&T, Mel Groomes, the baseball and football coach, told his father that Royall could be a better student than an athlete. Royall’s dad agreed and despite opportunities at nine majority institutions they insisted he attend A&T. As he looks back over his life, he also agrees that both Groomes and his father were right. So, why would the CEO of Ciara Enterprises, Inc. (a company that provides strategic plan development, tactical execution and budgeting

expertise to profit and non-profit

organizations) and a recent scholar-in-residence at A&T be so passionate about naming a room in memory of his parents? Why would a retired executive at The Gillette Company based in Boston, Mass., who was recognized for developing a program that resulted in a $1 million contribution to his alma mater – the largest gift to a Historically Black College and University in the company’s history at that time – not choose himself? Why would a man who has been inducted into the prestigious National Black College of Fame and who serves on numerous boards and in community organizations feel the need to honor others first? Why would a loving husband, father of five and grandfather of seven, be so dedicated to this endeavor? Because over 60 years ago, his parents poured into him many valuable lessons and now it is time to give back to two people who have given so much.

SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 19

RAlumnus Royall M. Mack Sr. ’69 names room in his parents’ honor By Darlene F. East ’04

20 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007 SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 21

AGGIE SPORTSBy Brian M. Holloway ’97

sTuDENT-ATHlETEs HONOrED fOr ACCOMPlisHMENTs48 Aggies also recognized by the MEAC

sCHMiEDEl NAMED AggiEs VOllEYBAll COACH

wAlls PArTiCiPATEs iN NCAA lEADErsHiP CONfErENCE

inety-eight North Carolina A&T student-athletes were honored in April

by the athletics department for earning a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better. Kaycee

anderson, austin ewing, Jerrine Foster

and James howard earned 4.0 GPAs. Anderson, a volleyball transfer out of Sheridan Junior College, is a junior from Kaysville, Utah. Her major is sports science and fitness management. Ewing is a 5’10” men’s basketball player from Atlanta, Ga. During this past season, he was a red shirt junior on the court. His major is psychology. Foster runs track and field for the Aggies. She is a freshman civil engineering major from Jamaica.

Howard is a red shirt freshman baseball player freshman from Atlanta. He is majoring in graphic communication systems. Twenty-two A&T cheerleaders received awards, and out of the university’s 15 varsity sports, swimming had the best percentage of athletes to earn a 3.0 or higher. Eight out of the 11 swimmers (72.7 percent) were recognized. In addition, 48 Aggies were recognized by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for academic excellence. The MEAC does not recognize freshmen on its Commissioner All-Academic team. The following is a list of Aggie athletes recognized by the MEAC.

Women (25): Jamie Brungard (BO, biology), danielle hanna (BO, sports science), erica Johnson

(BO, political science), Shea Stark (BO, biology), adia dial (SB, nursing), Britney hodges (SB,

social work), Sylvia Felder (SB, sports science), Chaola Simmons (SB, social work), tabitha veney

(SB, psychology), donielle Campbell (SW, graphic communication systems), asha el-Shair (SW,

professional theater), Kira Johnson (SW, history), aasiya townsell (SW, journalism and mass

communication), Signe Walbauer Signe (SW, biology), gia Wright (SW, English education), Jewel

Wright (SW, sports science), terika Palmer (WE, mechanical engineering), Christina ruffin (WE,

sports science), atir Carter (WT, mechanical engineering), Brittany dixon (WT, sports science),

Christina gray (WT, health and physical education), Carmenta Mitchell (WT, marketing), Krystal

Cooper (VB, accounting), valosha odom (VB, biology) and lauren Walker (VB, biology).

Men (23): ronnie Battle (BA, sports science), Cyril daniel (BA, marketing), Charles gamble (BA,

landscape architecture), James howard (BA, printing and publishing), Nicholas Mayo (BA, sports

science), graham rosser (BA, sports science), ryan Sellers (BA, sports science), Jasper Smith (BA,

management), eugene Banks (FB, finance), Michael Caldwell (FB, accounting), Michael Christen

(FB, economics), Chaz dawson (FB, management), elton Fowler (FB, civil engineering), ortiz green

(FB, electronics technology), Chaz truesdale (FB, biology), tarrish alexander (MT, sports science),

Justin Byron (MT, finance), Jesse Fox (MT, engineering physics), antonio lee (MT, industrial

engineering), Kevin lowe (MT, marketing), lonnie Phifer (MT, management), Steven rush (MB,

chemistry) and austin ewing (MB, psychology).

fter spending two seasons as assistant coach, lyndsay Schmiedel has been

promoted to interim head volleyball coach. The Aggies volleyball team was 16-4 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference over those two seasons, including an appearance in the MEAC Championship game in 2005. Schmiedel, 24, will be entering her first season as head coach of a collegiate program. Before arriving at N.C. A&T, Schmiedel

served as an assistant volleyball coach at Christopher Newport in Newport News, Va. In her only season there, Schmiedel helped the CNU Captains win the USA South Atlantic Conference Championship as well as the regular-season conference title. The Captains also advanced to the Division III NCAA regionals.

During her collegiate career, Schmiedel was a four-year starter as setter for the Akron Zips. When she graduated in 2004, she was third on the Zips all-time assists list. Schmiedel is a Livonia, Mich., native, and she attended Livonia High School where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. “I’m looking forward to next season,” said Schmiedel. “I’m happy to still be working with my team, and I’m happy to be their head coach at North Carolina A&T. We have a great group of student-athletes on the team. I’m expecting a lot from them next year. They already have experienced my coaching style and they respect it, so I think it should be an easy transition.” The Aggies return three starters next season, including versatile setter Brenden Chatman. They also lose three starters to graduation in all-time kills leader Arlene Mitchell, Darlene Mitchell and defensive standout Lauren Walker.

ide receiver Curtis Walls represented N.C. A&T at the

2007 NCAA National Leadership Conference that was held May 27-31 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Florida. Walls is a 5-foot-9 receiver from Charlotte, N.C., who will be a senior when the 2007 football season starts in September. He was in the run-

off for president of the A&T Student Government Association. The conference provides NCAA student-athletes with a forum to openly discuss issues that may affect them on their campuses and in their communities, while also providing them with the opportunity to enhance their leadership, communication, decision-

making and problem-solving skills. The leadership conference also promotes better communication among student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty and communities. The five-day leadership conference consists of daily exercises and activities to help the student-athletes develop as individuals and as contributing members to a group. Walls is a football representative for A&T’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, an organization that exists at many universities across the country, also allows for student-athletes to express their concerns and ideas to athletics administrators. Walls caught 42 passes for 471 yards to lead the Aggies in receptions and receiving yards. He had nine catches for 115 yards against Division I-A Louisiana Lafayette on September 23.

Ewing

Anderson

Howard

W

AN

22 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007 SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 23

arly in March 2006, A&T’s athletics sponsorship programs reached a new level

when Nationwide agreed to be on their side with a $50,000 sponsorship. Sponsorships and private donations are very important to the athletics program, and A&T is proud to have Nationwide as one its largest sponsors.

“They have signed a multi-year agreement with us that gives them far reaching exposure and access to our Aggie fans and supporters,” said Phillip McAlpin, director of development for athletics and executive director of the Victory Club. Nationwide is a Fortune 500 company with over 80 years of experience and it is one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the world. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide has many locations in North Carolina. Prompted by Nationwide’s involvement with the football rivalry classic between A&T and South Carolina State, McAlpin approached North Carolina agents Gail Mosley, (Greensboro office), John Peterson (Burlington, Greensboro and Goldsboro) and Sam Richberg (Greensboro) to determine interest in building a relationship. The agents liked the idea and – along with McAlpin – enlisted the support of Todd Brewer, director of sales operations, and John Thrasher, regional vice president of the North Carolina operation. Using their expertise, knowledge of A&T’s history and status as an outstanding historically black university, the Triad market and the sales skills and profitability of the supporting agents, Thrasher and Brewer sold the idea to senior management at Nationwide. A&T athletics is among an elite group of minority programs, foundations and community initiatives that Nationwide sponsors or is a partner. “Nationwide is also proud of its partnership with the Tom Joyner Foundation, the National Urban League and the NAACP,” said Lorraine Brock, vice president of urban and diverse markets. “Nationwide has invested more than $450 million towards fostering homeownership and revitalizing urban communities across the country.”

Brewer agrees with McAlpin that there are multiple reasons why this is a good relationship for A&T and Nationwide. “When we looked at the growth of the university in terms of the direction it is going in education and increased enrollment,” Brewer said, “we could see that it was a great opportunity to partner our name. Athletics is a good way to gain exposure to students, alumni, faculty, staff and fans.” Richberg is a Nationwide agent with mixed alliances and doesn’t need to be convinced to give. “I have always loved A&T football,” he said. He is a graduate of Dillard University and a very active Aggie Club member who is pleased with the relationship. “We played a role because we produced and our corporate office took notice of that,” he said. Agent Mosley likes what her company is doing, too. “I am proud to be involved with a corporation that supports A&T,” said the Carolina alumna. “They are my family’s school and I have been coming to events at A&T ever since I was born.” Peterson sees his role as being a facilitator in recognizing two organizations that have a vested interest in developing the African-American community and bringing them together. “I know A&T and what they represent,” said the North Carolina State alumnus. “I know Nationwide’s mission and vision and I felt that there were commonalities there that are relative to the African-American community that could work in the best interest of both parties.” So far, the sponsorship has been just that, in the best interest of both parties. In January, Nationwide’s North Carolina operation held its annual sales kickoff in Greensboro with over 500 agents in attendance. A&T’s drumline and cheerleader squads were showcased at that event. “Expanding sponsorship opportunities is always the goal of our athletics department,” said McAlpin, who is a visionary, “and the relationship with Nationwide is really the template for where we want to move all of our athletic sponsors.”

AGGIE SPORTS continued

ON Our siDENationwide sponsors athletics initiatives By Darlene F. East ’04

www.ncataggies.com

E

Bread & Butter

SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 25

The Aggie delegation congratulates N.C. A&T basketball great Joe Howell ’60 at his CIAA Hall of Fame induction. Pictured left to right are Donald Young ’57, Walter Holtzclaw ’62, Jerry Powell ’63, Vince Miller ’60, Al Attles ’60, Howell, Herb Gray, Paul Greer, Charles Harrison ’59, Coach Cal Irvin and Bob McQuaige ’59.

oseph Howell ’60 has never been a man who likes to talk about himself.

But according to the statistics, he really doesn’t have to say a word. His outstanding basketball record at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University speaks for itself. As the glue that held the team together, this guard led the 1958 and 1959 Aggies basketball team to two CIAA championships and became known as the “bread and butter” of the budding team. In 1956-57, he was said to be the “brightest spot in the athletic picture for N.C. A&T’s basketball team.”

So it came as no surprise to others when it was announced that Howell would be inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hall of Fame. “It is just like it was yesterday. I will always remember those days as some of the best days of my life,” said Howell during his acceptance speech at the John B. McLendon Jr. CIAA Hall of Fame brunch that was held March 2 in Charlotte, N.C. Other inductees included Leroy “Lanky” Banks, Shelia Baxter, Joe Gilliam, Bill Hayes, Al Roseboro and A.B. Whitfield. Howell’s basketball days began on the school yards and playgrounds of

N.C. A&T basketball great Joe Howell ’60

assumes rightful place in CIAA Hall of Fame

By Samantha Hargrove

Philadelphia, Pa. As a member of the Older Boys Club of Philadelphia, he played hard and earned a certificate of achievement as a member of the International Federation Basketball Championship Team. He attended West Philadelphia High School and was known as a very skillful and aggressive player. In 1954, while still in high school, he was chosen as one of the top five players in the City of Brotherly Love and was a member of the All-City Public School League. His basketball legacy includes playing against the late great Wilt Chamberlain, a player Howell now admits his high school team could never beat. His once in a lifetime opportunity to attend A&T on a basketball scholarship came with the aid of his childhood friend Vince Miller ’60, who convinced coach Cal Irvin to recruit Howell. “Our team needed a guard and I told Coach Irvin. Back then, white institutions were not recruiting black players. On my word alone the coach gave him a full scholarship,” Miller recalled. It couldn’t have happened at a better time. According to Howell, who had recently graduated high school and was working, he did not have the means to attend any college. “This was a great thing because I came from a home with a single mother and I would not have been able to afford to go to college any other way,” he said. He would later become the first college graduate in his family. When he entered A&T in 1955, it didn’t take him long to make a name for himself. As a six-foot guard, Howell was also known as a well rounded player and served as the team’s captain for two years.

“I tried to keep the team motivated. My thing was never give up; no matter how down we may be, we could always come back,” he said. On the court Howell was a force to be reckoned with. Off the court he conveyed a more humble spirit. Former teammate and coach for the Golden State Warriors, Al Attles ’60, remembers the days of playing with Howell. “We had a good team. Joe was a very quiet guy. Unassuming. But he was an outstanding player on the court,” he said. “I watched how our team just grew and grew.” Amidst the fond memories, Attles said, “I have played all around the country and I would say on a college level, (Howell) was as good as any player I have ever played with or against.” The group has stayed very close over the years, attending homecomings and supporting one another through the decades. “Our team is still very close. It was a good team. It goes beyond statistics for us,” said Attles. “For those of us who have played with him, he sticks out in our memories. I am very happy for him,” he added. “We like to talk about how good they were as players,

but I say they were better people,” he added. “He was just a very good basketball player. I have been very fortunate to play with him,” said Miller, who along with eight other teammates attended Howell’s induction ceremony. “We were the first team from A&T to make it to the NCAA final four,” he recalled. “We were probably also the first team from A&T ever fly on an airplane,” said the 69-year-old. Among a host of accolades, Howell earned the title of 1959 CIAA scoring leader, Jack Gibson Memorial Award, four-year starter in basketball, two-year starter in baseball and was inducted into the N.C. A&T Hall of Fame. During his basketball career at A&T, Howell scored more than 1,500 point and played on the All-CIAA team. After graduating, he played semi-professional basketball before becoming a middle school teacher and coach in his hometown. “I liked teaching and coaching middle school. The kids really didn’t know which way to go. I think I made a difference,” said the 71-year-old. He retired from teaching three years ago and says he is living out the rest of his years enjoying simpler things in life, like long walks and cutting grass. He and his wife Beatrice have been married for more than 30 years. They have two adult children, Lisa and Dustan, and one granddaughter. “I know that I was a great basketball player in my day because I had great players around me and a great coach, Coach Cal Irvin. If these guys did not pass me the ball, I wouldn’t be standing here today,” he said.

Joseph “Joe” Howell ’60

J

26 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007

PEOPLE BEHIND the SCHOLARSHIPS

MArCHiNg ON By Nettie Collins Rowland ’72

lot of people say they can’t give back to the university because of

what they make,” says Blake dye, a former member of A&T State University’s Blue and Gold Marching Machine, “but they don’t realize the amount of money that they waste on trivial things.” In February, Dye, a human resources professional on the West Coast, donated $12,500 to N.C. A&T to establish an endowed scholarship for the university’s marching band – a first for the program. The gift has been matched with a Title III grant and is now up to $25,000. “I have never had a high paying job,” the 38-year-old explains. “But I have found creative ways of living within my limited means. Everyone that knows me knows I am notoriously cheap.” An aspiring actor who spent two seasons as a featured police officer on HBO’s “The Wire” and had principal roles on Court TV’s “Psychic Detectives” and the History Channel’s “The Cole Conspiracy,” Dye prepares his own meals, uses coupons, buys mostly at clearance or closeout sales and finds ways to entertain himself with free activities. He also drives a seven-year-old midsized car. Dye fits the bill of being frugal; however, mention education to him and his demeanor changes. “Education is the true path to a successful future,” he said. “I have always wanted to establish a scholarship on campus. I wanted to create one that would offset some of the costs of school so that students would not have to quit the band to work.” The New York native is quite familiar with the ordeal of having insufficient funds to participate in the band or money to pay for tuition. He encountered both

while matriculating at A&T. Dye’s Aggie experience began in 1986. He arrived at A&T hoping to continue music studies and improve as a cellist, but he soon discovered that would not be possible because there was no orchestra. That did not deter him. Dye was given a chance to join the Marching Machine with the understanding he would learn to play a wind instrument. Within six weeks the confident musician had mastered the baritone horn. He fondly remembers “Rumors,” the first song he learned to play and other hits such as “Diamonds” and “Hip to be Square.” A&T’s band director, Kenneth Ruff, often reminisces with Dye about the good times they had playing in the band. They are both founding members of the university’s band fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, and throughout the years have seen the band grow from 120 to as many as 220 members. Ruff was utterly surprised when Dye awarded the gift to create an endowed scholarship for the band. “Over the years Blake has volunteered with the band and has often said he wanted to do something for the band, but his donation was a shock to me,” Ruff said. He is especially proud that the scholarship was created by his line brother. “It is the first major contribution made by a band alumnus since I have been here,” he said. Idella Jones, student services coordinator for the Career Services Office remembers the jovial Dye. “He had a great sense of humor,” she said. “There were times, however, when I

didn’t know if he was serious or playing.” At A&T, Dye was a student leader who was heavily involved with the university and the community. Along with playing in the band, he was a writer for the A&T Register and a member of Toastmasters. He also served as president of the North Carolina Student Legislature, later holding a state-wide office with the organization. Things were going quite well for Dye until his junior year when, like many college students today, he began experiencing financial difficulties. Over 82 percent of A&T students are currently on financial aid. “I had to leave college because I could no longer afford the out-of-state tuition,” the political science major said. “I was crushed. I knew that without a degree I wouldn’t be successful in what I wanted to do.” After dropping out of college, Blake worked arduously in the clerical and industrial areas trying to secure enough money to return. Eight months later he had acquired the funds he needed. And although he loved Aggieland and wanted to continue pursuing his degree at A&T, the out-of-state tuition was just too costly. The avid traveler who has visited 42 states and three foreign countries decided to move to Winston-Salem, N.C., where he could stay with relatives and attend Winston-Salem State University, which allowed him to pay in-state tuition. He joined the Rams band, served as captain of the Honda Campus All-Star Quiz Bowl team for two years, and received a degree in urban affairs. He later received a master’s in public administration and higher education administration from Appalachian State University.

A&T is benefiting from Dye’s second scholarship. In 2005, he raised enough money to endow a $10,000 scholarship at Winston-Salem State in honor of his late mother. Blake’s commitment to give back to A&T didn’t occur overnight; he made the commitment eight years ago. “A&T is where I gained my love and respect for the band, where I was very close to a lot of band staff, and where I made most of my lasting relationships.” He consulted Pamela Johnson, president of the Washington, D.C. A&T Alumni Chapter about his goal. “I simply told him that I would help him contact the right people to make his dream a reality,” Johnson said. Dye is among the 15 percent of Aggies who give back to the university. “As Aggies, we all started to develop our sense of professionalism from our days at A&T and we have got to give back to the place that helped us get to where we are today,” he said. Johnson echoes Blake.

“It is so important that alumni and friends make contributions to the university, regardless of the amount because their gifts help the university continue its mission of making significant impacts in this world and in the lives of young people who attend A&T,” she said. Aggies have no problem defining Aggie Pride, but Dye is exhibiting more than talk. “Aggie Pride is a commitment to the whole institution – not just having a sticker on your car or showing up at a football game. You must also give of yourself through service and through financial donations, and always represent the university as best you can.” Dye encourages all Aggies to give back.

Blake Dye (front right) with band director Kenneth Ruff and members of the marching band.

an endowed scholarship strengthens the long-term

financial underpinnings of North Carolina A&T State

University. Endowed scholarships provide a base of support

for generations of students in perpetuity.

An endowment is a permanent fund – often named

in honor of an individual – that is created for the purpose

of leaving a legacy to current and future Aggie students.

The principal, or corpus, of an endowment fund is never

spent. Only annual earnings or a portion of annual earnings

are awarded for scholarships. In this way an endowed

scholarship provides annual income to be awarded to

deserving students forever.

Typically, annual awards equal no more than 5

percent of the principal balance (depending on investment

performance). Thus, a $25,000 scholarship would pay out

$1,250 (5%) each year in the form of a scholarship. Annual

earnings above the payout amount are reinvested in the

principal of the scholarship fund. This builds the principal

of the endowment fund over time, allowing for larger

scholarship awards in future years.

Historical evidence proves tuition typically increases!

Reinvestment also serves as a hedge against inflation.

aMouNtS reQuired

Endowed scholarship (minimum) $ 25,000

fully Endowed scholarship $200,000

North Carolina or Washington, D.C. Student

fully Endowed scholarship $400,000

Out-of-state Student

The minimum amount to establish an endowed scholarship

is $25,000 and may be donated over a period of up to five

years ($5,000 gifts annually for five years). One year after

the principal reaches $25,000, the first scholarship award

may be made. (One year is needed after the minimum

is reached to earn interest.)

Donors may suggest a designation

and associated criteria for an endowed

scholarship. For example, the John Doe

Endowed Scholarship Fund may be

designated for a student in the College

of Engineering who demonstrates

financial need and who is from North

Carolina (or a specific county or region of

North Carolina).

Scholarship donors are required to

sign a Deed of Gift (pledge statement)

and document the desired scholarship

designation and criteria.

guiDEliNE TO EsTABlisH AN ENDOwED sCHOlArsHiP AT NOrTH CArOliNA A&T sTATE uNiVErsiTY

Once a member of the Blue and Gold Marching Machine who

dropped out of the university because he couldn’t pay tuition,

actor Blake Dye creates endowed scholarship for band students.

SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 27

“A

SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 29

MemoriamALUMNI NEWS

AGGIES ON THE MOVE

Alumni howard lee alford ’58, April 27

esther Bernice Wooten Barber ’48, Jan. 27, 2000

Fletcher Barber Sr. ’76, Jan. 26, 2000

Joseph P. “Joe” Cotton ’63, March 10

doran earle, April 24

lemon thomas long ’69, March 20

William N. “Bill” Martin ’66, April 6

Madie ruth oliver ’62, March 28

delorese M. twiggs, March 4

Kenneth McBeth Whiteside, April 12

John Zeigler ’57, March 9

Others harrison oladunjoye “eleko” akingbade,

former professor, March 17

Brenton Stovall, student, May 3

28 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007

1950s __________________________________

State Senator ulysses Currie ’59

(D-Maryland) was featured in a Baltimore Sun

article recently. In the article, Currie reflected

on his humble beginnings in Whiteville,

N.C., and as the first in his family to attend

college. He has served as Prince George’s

County’s senator since 1995.

1960s __________________________________

Betty J. Williams ’66 was appointed

to the National Association of Women

Judges (NAWJ) Board of Directors at the

organization’s annual meeting in January.

Judge Williams is co-chair of the NAWJ

Women in Prison Committee, and she chairs

the New York Chapter-NAWJ Women in

Prison Committee. Williams was elected

to Kings County Civil Court Judge in

November 2000 and is currently assigned to

Misdemeanor Brooklyn Treatment Court in

Kings County Criminal Court (Brooklyn, N.Y.).

She was featured in the 2006 fall edition of

How We Live magazine as one of six notable

professional women from her home state of

South Carolina.

1970s __________________________________

Merl F. Code ’70 has been

elected to the Palmetto

Institute Board of Directors

for a two-year term that

began Dec. 11, 2006.

Code is an attorney with

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,

P.C., in Greenville, S.C. He concentrates his

practice in the areas of positive employee

relations and diversity.

Melvin Carver, ed.d.

’72 has been selected by

the Oxford Round Table

Program Committee, Harris

Manchester College in

England, as a presenter at

their annual meeting July 8-13. Carver’s paper

presentation, “Balancing the Two Cultures:

Mainstream Universities Versus HBCUs in

the USA,” will focus on the strengths and

differences in art and humanity programs

at member institutions in the University of

North Carolina system. He is the chairman

of the department of art at North Carolina

Central University, and he recently illustrated a

children’s book, The Greedy Spider.

1980s __________________________________

harold W. george ’82

is the municipal court

judge for Willingboro

Township in New Jersey.

George also serves on

the boards of directors for

Trinity Cathedral Academy and New Jersey

Protection and Advocacy. He is a past trustee

of the Mercer County Bar Association and

he is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi

Fraternity, Inc.

elmer gilliam Jr. ’86 is

featured in an article in

the April/May 2007 edition

of Diversity/Careers in

Engineering & Information

Technology magazine

(www.diversitycareers.com). The article

addresses hot careers in the expanding fields

of pharma, biotech and medical equipment.

Gilliam is continuous improvement manager

at Talecris Biotherapeutics (formerly Bayer

Biological Products) in Clayton, N.C.

1990s __________________________________

John hodge ’90 is

making a name for

himself in the field of

education. Currently the

director of the Urban

Learning and Leadership

Center (ULLC) and former director of the

Achievable Dream Academy (ADA), a

Virginia inner city school, Hodge says he

believes in team work and is dedicated to

the education of African American children

all over. It was his dedication to ADA and

its partner organization ULLC that landed

his team on CBS’ “The Early Show” two

years ago. Prior to starting his career in

education, Hodge served in the 7th Infantry

Division of the U.S. Army.

the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) recently

honored four North Carolina A&T State University graduates at its 2007 Distinguished

Alumni Luncheon that was held during the 32nd Annual Conference on Blacks in Higher

Education in Washington, D.C.

The honorees were verdina W. Bingham ’93, business manager for Radio

One Inc.; hosea Butler Jr. ’58, retired district manager for the U.S. General Services

Administration; Pamela l. Johnson ’91, senior engineer with Technology, Automation

and Management Inc., and harold l. Martin Sr. ’74, senior vice president for academic

affairs for the University of North Carolina-General Administration.

The NAFEO Distinguished Alumni award honors alumni of historically black colleges

and universities or predominately black institutions “who rise to lofty heights in their

professions and use their time, talent and treasure to enhance the African American

community and the world.”

D.C. CHAPTEr ANNOuNCEs 2007 sCHOlArsHiP rECiPiENTs

he Washington, D.C. Chapter-North Carolina A&T State University Alumni Association recently awarded its 2007 academic scholarships to three N.C. A&T mechanical engineering students: Bobby henry iii, Jonathan McCoy and

leon White. These annual monetary awards recognize the academic achievements of metropolitan Washington, D.C., area students planning to attend or currently enrolled at N.C. A&T. The recipients of this year’s awards will receive between $1,000 and $4,000 to pay tuition and fees. Henry is a freshman from Bowie, Md., where he attended Jericho Christian Academy in Landover, Md. At A&T, he is a member of the Honors Program and the National Society of Black Engineers. Henry plans to pursue a career in the auto-motive industry and develop safe alternative fuel vehicles. He eventually wants to own a company that designs, develops and produces the most sleek, safe, fuel efficient vehicle in the world. McCoy is a sophomore from Columbia, Md., where he attended Long Reach High School. Currently, he is president of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and a member of the Honors Program, the National Society of Black Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He also is a volunteer for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. McCoy has a passion for business and plans to earn a master’s degree in business administration and own an engineering firm. White is a freshman from Upper Marlboro, Md., and he attended Charles Flowers High School in Springdale, Md. He is a member of A&T’s Honors Program and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and he serves on the executive board of the National Society of Black Engineers. White plans to pursue a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. He lives by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy: “live as if you were going to die tomorrow, learn as if you were going to live forever.” The scholarship recipients were recognized at Washington, D.C. Chapter’s Annual Scholarship Gala on April 6.

T

Bingham Butler

Johnson Martin

30 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007

James C. Dalton Jr. ’78 (left), Brig. Gen. Joseph Schroedel and Tony Carter ’78

DiffErENT PATHs lEAD TO BlACk ENgiNEEr Of THE YEAr HONOrs

ALUMNI NEWS continued

AGGIES ON THE MOVE

Details are forthcoming for events sponsored by the schools and colleges

1926-2007THursDAY, OCT. 25alumni Welcome deskSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, 10 a.m.

alumni Career fair (tentative)Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Imperial Ballroom, Time TBA

get your official aggie Paraphernalia from the N.C. a&t BookstoreSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, 4-11 p.m.

alumni reception (Invitation Only)Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel, 6 p.m.

miss a&t CoronationCorbett Sports Center, 7 p.m.

friDAY, OCT. 2629th annual richard e. moore memorial golf tournamentGrandover Resort8:30 a.m. Shotgun Start

aggie “No tap” annual Scholarship Bowling tournamentGate City LanesFirst shift begins at 9:30 a.m.

alumni Welcome deskSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, 10 a.m.

get your official aggie Paraphernalia from the N.C. a&t BookstoreSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, 4-11 p.m.

vendingSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Pre-function Area, Time TBA

Chancellor’s donor reception (Invitation Only)Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Victoria Ballroom, 6 p.m.

alumni ConcertGreensboro Coliseum, 8 p.m.(336) 433-5560

sATurDAY, OCT. 27Shuttle Service to aggie StadiumSheraton Four Seasons Hotel7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (every 20 minutes)

get your official aggie Paraphernalia from the N.C. a&t BookstoreSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, 4-11 p.m.

homecoming Parade8 a.m.

vendingSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Pre-function Area, 8 a.m.-Midnight

School of Nursing teloCa BreakfastSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Time TBA

football game a&t vs. Bethune-CookmanAggie Stadium, 1:30 p.m.Contact: N.C. A&T Ticket Office (336) 334-7749

victory Club Stewardship event (Invitation Only)Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Victoria Ballroom, 8 p.m.-1 a.m.

alumni danceSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Guilford Ballroom, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

suNDAY, OCT. 28alumni Continental BreakfastSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Imperial Ballroom, 8-9 a.m.

Worship ServiceSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Auditorium IV, 9 a.m.

vendingSheraton Four Seasons Hotel, Pre-function Area, 8 a.m.-noon

Celebrating 81 Years of the Greatest Homecoming on Earth

graduates to receive bachelor’s degrees in architectural engineering from N.C. A&T. Both graduates embarked on careers with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the Wilmington District (Wilmington, N.C.), but from there their paths took different directions. Twenty-nine years and numerous accolades later, both men received Black Engineer of the Year Awards in February 2007. Carter has remained with the USACE-Wilmington District. He currently works in the programs management branch as a civil engineer. His success in making diversity thrive has resulted in him earning the Black Engineer of the Year 2007 Affirmative Action in Government Award. Recognized as a “dynamo of creative energy” by his commanders at USACE, Carter is a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity committee, he manages the black employee special emphasis

program, and he is a trained EEO counselor. Carter also works directly with historically black colleges and universities and other educational institutions to whet students’ interest in pursuing fields in engineering and science. Dalton, USACE’s director of engineering and construction, is the only African American engineer who is a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES). He has earned the Black Engineer of the Year 2007 Career Achievement in Government Award. During his career, Dalton has participated in U.S. hurricane recovery missions in the United States and city design, infrastructure building and oil facility construction in Saudi Arabia. He is the first African American Corps of Engineers senior civilian in the Korean and Alaskan districts and the first to occupy senior Corps official status in Egypt and Iraq.

In 1978, tony e. Carter and James C. dalton Jr. were two of only six

32 A&T TODAY • SPRING 2007

s I listen to health statistics, I am dismayed by the reports stating that

cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. As a young black male, I am on high alert in the midst of my own life. According to the American Chemical Society, the rates of cancer and cancer death are expected to be dramatically higher for African Americans than any other racial or ethnic group in the U.S., again this year. In addition to having two family members’ lives taken by cancer, I have been moved to dedicate my life’s research efforts to encompass the potential for a global impact on cancer and – especially – to loosen the unyielding grip that cancer has on African Americans. As a student researcher in the department of chemistry at North Carolina A&T State University, under Dr. Marion A. Franks, we have focused our efforts on

chemoprevention. Chemoprevention is the attempt to use natural and synthetic chemical compounds to intervene in the early stages of cancer, before uncontrolled cell growth begins and increases the risk for cancer in an otherwise healthy individual. This strategy is used to stop the process of carcinogenesis, the transformation of a normal cell into a cancer cell. The drug candidates that we make are derived from a natural substance called gallic acid. Other researchers have shown that the structure of gallic acid is common in the framework of most of the active natural chemopreventive dietary components, such as cherries, raspberries,

soy, green tea and black tea. Our bodies have the ability to defend itself against cancer causing substances by using detoxification enzymes that act as the body’s own “policemen” by removing all toxins and cancer causing substances through a three-phase process.

The process is enhanced by the addition of certain chemical compounds found in dietary components. Therefore, what a person eats and drinks could possibly help them to prevent the onset of cancer. Unfortunately, it requires the consumption of large amounts of foods that are not the norm for American society such as three-day-old broccoli sprouts that have not been cooked. A need exists to determine the active compound in these dietary components and enhance them. There are also dietary components that will help increase the onset of cancer, in addition to the many environmental toxins that were not present 50 years ago. Thus,

there is a strong driving force to produce a drug that will increase the amount of detoxification enzymes in the body and at the same time will not produce a toxic effect on the consumer. The first group that would benefit from such a drug is cancer survivors and those who have a high risk for cancer. More importantly, this type of drug would show immediate benefits in the African American community, which leads the world in cancer caused mortality. Since chemotherapy and surgery have not been fully effective against the high incidence or low survival rate of most cancers, the approach we are suggesting has promising benefits. The goal of our project is to determine whether naturally occurring or synthetic gallic acid derivatives can be the drug described above. We suspect that by changing the structure of gallic acid we will enhance the body’s own natural protection against cancer causing substances and stop the promotion of DNA mutations. For that reason, our hypothesis is that gallic acid derivatives will allow the body to remove toxins and substances that cause cancer. To date, we have successfully made several gallate derivatives using simple synthetic organic transformations. Our reactions provide very good yields of pure products and may give a new methodology for the synthesis of many types of derivatized gallates that can be used as chemopreventives. We will discern further the efficacy of our synthesized gallate derivatives through anticancer studies using a human derived liver cell culture model (HEPG2) in collaboration with Dr. Minnie Holmes-McNary from the biology department.

Corey Caldwell is a senior chemistry major.

A STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVEiN sEArCH Of A CurE By Corey Caldwell

Chemoprevention is the attempt to use natural and synthetic chemical compounds to intervene in the early stages of cancer, before uncontrolled cell growth begins and increases the risk for cancer in an otherwise healthy individual.

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SPRING 2007 • A&T TODAY 33

MIXED BAGpproximately one-third of the adults I meet walking

across campus have either borderline blood pressure or high blood pressure (120/80 mm Hg or higher). African Americans have a greater chance of acquiring high blood pressure than white Americans and at a much earlier age. Overall, the American population has one of the highest rates of hypertension in the world, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) being the number one cause of death in American women. Alarming is the fact that people who may be on two or three blood pressure medications still have high blood pressure. Why is this alarming? Because blood pressure that remains higher than average contributes to CVD, including heart attacks, stroke, diabetes and many other associated illnesses. There may not be any noticeable symptoms of hypertension until the disease is serious enough to result in permanent damage, shortened lifespan and death. Most people will not go to the doctor unless they have significant symptoms. Insurance, the rising cost of health care and the time involved to go to the doctor are some of the reasons why individuals cannot afford to go to the physician. Hypertension has multiple causes, making treatment more difficult when the specific cause is not known. Diet, genetics, socioeconomic status and stress are all contributors to hypertension, which is considered a series of diseases. The high incidence of high blood pressure in America seems to be related to the American lifestyle, as evidenced by Africans moving to America initially with lower average BPs than their American counterparts. When they have been in this country approximately five years, their pressures rise to levels consistent with African Americans. With each generation, the factors associated with

hypertension increase. There is less exercise, more fast food, more salt and more chemicals in

our diets. We tend to live for the moment, rather than looking toward the futures in

our lifestyle. In addition, many people

with high blood pressure are hesitant to do anything

to treat the problem. Excuses include not

having enough

time, not avoiding their favorite foods, not wanting to exercise and not having money or medical insurance. Patients also do not like the side effects of the medications. My hypertension research program at N.C. A&T State University offers free treatment using one of three techniques that have been proven to lower blood pressure. For those individuals that are on medications but still have BPs in the hypertensive range, this is especially important. As a preventative, these techniques can also prolong life by controlling the factors that contribute to the gradual rise of blood pressure over the years. Initial funding is for African American individuals age 50 years or older that have hypertension. However, we are finding that so many younger people have hypertension, so we have submitted another proposal to use these treatments with adult African Americans, but we will not turn away any individual with high blood pressure, regardless of age or ethnicity. What does the Hypertension Research Program cost? Nothing, except a commitment to want to live longer and the equivalence of approximately one hour a day to devote to oneself. The treatment program is 12 weeks with six months of follow-up. The on-campus sessions meet twice a week for 12 weeks in the Hypertension Research Lab in the New Sciences Building; after that, twice a month for refresher classes and to collect blood pressure data. Sessions also are held at local churches and recreation centers upon request.

Sue Schumacher is an associate professor of psychology and founder of the newly established Hypertension Research Program at North Carolina A&T State University. For two consecutive years, she was nominated by the Southeastern Psychological Association for

the Outstanding Research Paper Award as a result of this research on alternative therapies to treat hypertension. She placed second this year. Schumacher’s research is funded as a subproject of a grant from the Research Infrastructure in Minority Institutions (RIMI) division of the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD). Information on this program is available by contacting Schumacher or her technician, Katherine Welker, at (336) 256-2375.

HigH BlOOD PrEssurE: THE silENT killErBy Sue Schumacher, Ph.D.

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Greensboro, NC____________________

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North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

1601 East Market StreetGreensboro, NC 27411

REMEMBERING THE PAST

Six North Carolina a&t

employees, all former or

active members of military

service, place a wreath in

front of the war memorial

on campus during this year's

Memorial day observation.

Pictured are edward Cheek

(Coast guard), Clinton

gillespie (army), debora

Ferguson (army), Celesta

dunston (army), david

Jackson (army) and edward

anthony eason (Navy).

Honoring Those Who Serve

www.ncat.edu