Chancellor Donald J. Reaves

Over the past several months, it seems that I have spent a great deal of time and energy and thought dealing with issues that affect the future of this university.  We have had to deal with a budget for 2009 through 2011 that included significant reductions in allocations from the state.  That meant we had to make spending adjustments that were difficult, but necessary to protect and preserve the core mission of the university which is to provide our students with an education.

We also have been working diligently on Winston-Salem State’s strategic plan for 2010-2015.  That effort has created a new focus on our vision and mission for the university, with many people from across the campus and the wider community having had an opportunity to provide input into our future direction.

Then, there have been other issues and activities ranging from the decision about intercollegiate athletics to the selection of a new athletic director to the unveiling of a master plan for the future development of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.  These and many more issues have filled the agendas of my staff, of the students and of the various boards, including the Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Board of Visitors.

With all of the focus on the future, we sometimes forget to take time to pay homage to our past.   Having the privilege of spending time with the 50^th Reunion Class during our Homecoming 2009 celebration reminded me that we often need to take time to express our gratitude for those who came to this campus before us.  As we plan for our future, we must remember our proud heritage and we should celebrate how far this institution has come since its founding in 1892.

Over the past several weeks, the message of remembering, honoring and celebrating the past has been brought home to me by two key events on our campus.

During Homecoming, we also celebrated Founder’s Day, a time to remember Simon Green Atkins.  It was his determination, courage and strength that created Slater Industrial Academy in 1892 with a one-room frame structure, 25 students and one teacher.  He knew that preparing African American students to teach African American children was of key importance to the future of all African Americans.   He had a vision and though he faced a shortage of resources, he still managed to create a school that has stood the test of time.

In addition to being the founder and serving as president of WSSU’s predecessor institutions, Simon Green Atkins changed his community with other activities such as Columbian Heights, a new housing development for African-Americans, playing a role in the founding of Forsyth Savings and Trust Company, the first bank for African-Americans in the city, and being instrumental in starting the YMCA.

The other event that reminded me of the legacy of the university’s founding family was the J. Alston Atkins Memorial Lecture in Constitutional Law.  The lecture honors the legacy of Jack Atkins, the son of Simon Green Atkins, who is someone to be admired in his own right.

Jack Atkins managed to position himself for a life of privilege and success when he graduated from law school with high honors at the age of 24.  In a time when a man of color faced tremendous obstacles, he had gotten a good education and a good job practicing law.  Yet, he was a soldier in the battle for civil rights, arguing a voting rights case before the U.S. Supreme Court when he was only 37.  He went on to argue other cases before the Supreme Court and filed law suits that became the catalyst for actions that ultimately led to the desegregation of public education in this state and more equitable support for the HBCUs in the University of North Carolina System.  Additionally, when he was needed, Jack Atkins returned to Winston-Salem Teacher’s College as executive secretary and served for 24 years.

I find looking back on the legacies of these two visionaries inspiring and, sometimes, a bit daunting.  They both had visions of how the world should be and the courage to do whatever it took to help move toward the future.

We now have an obligation to all of those who came before us and were diligent in their pursuit of a better world for future generations.  Today, our vision is still one of developing graduates who are prepared to be competitive in today’s world and who also have the strength and the character to help make that world a better place.

So, the lessons of the past are still relevant to the plans for our future.  We need to be reminded of that on occasion so that we can celebrate the progress we have made over 117 years and maintain our commitment to the progress we need to make during the years ahead.

Bill Hayes

Bill Hayes, whose career in college sports spans 36 years, has been named the new athletic director for Winston-Salem State University.  He will begin work at WSSU on January 1, 2010. Hayes is currently athletic director at Florida A&M University.

Hayes served as head football coach at WSSU for 12 seasons, during which the team won three CIAA championships.

“We are absolutely delighted that Bill has agreed to come home to Winston-Salem State University,” said Chancellor Donald J. Reaves. “We conducted an extensive search to find the right person with the right credentials who would be able to immediately make a difference in our athletic program.  Bill Hayes certainly fits that description.  I am truly delighted that he has accepted our offer, and I want to thank the search committee and its chair, Dr. Dennis Felder.

“Over the years, Bill has maintained ties with the university and with our community,” Reaves added.  ”Having him in this key position will certainly support our efforts to build our athletic program to the championship level.”

“As a former athlete and coach, I have an abiding passion for athletics and the betterment of our young people through sports,” Hayes said.  ”Also, having worked at WSSU under the legendary Clarence ‘Big House’ Gaines years ago, I have a true appreciation for the great tradition of Rams’ sports.”

Hayes joined Florida A&M in January 2008 after serving as athletic director at North Carolina Central University for nearly five years.  He also served as head football coach at N.C. A&T State University for 15 years after leaving WSSU in 1987.  In addition to posting the most wins of any football coach at both WSSU and N.C. A&T, he led major fundraising efforts during his tenure as athletic director at both Florida A&M and N.C. Central.

Hayes also served as an assistant football coach at Wake Forest University for three seasons, the first African American assistant coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

A member of the Sports Halls of Fame for both WSSU and N. C. Central, he was also inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame.  Hayes has been active in the Boy Scouts of America and received its highest regional award for a volunteer in 2001.  He was selected as MEAC Football Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1999 and was CIAA Athletic Director of the Year in 2006 and 2007.

“Based on Bill Hayes’ track record, I feel confident that he will make a major contribution to our athletic program immediately,” said Felder.  ”I was, however, extremely impressed with the number and the quality of the applicants for the athletic director position. We had applicants from all levels of athletic programs, from large and small schools, and from public and private institutions.  To me, that illustrates the reputation and tradition that WSSU has in academics and athletics.”

The selection committee, which included faculty, students, staff and four alumni members, worked over the last six months to fill this position from among more than 175 expressions of interests, nominations and applications.

East Ward Winston-Salem City Councilman Derwin Montgomery.

Derwin Montgomery ‘10 was interning in Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines’ office this past summer when the idea hit him: He should run for a seat on city council this fall, as a college senior.

No one else was stepping up to oppose Jocelyn Johnson, the sixteen-year Democrat incumbent in the city’s East Ward (which includes the university). So Montgomery, 21, who says he’d been planning a run for council in 2013, switched into high gear. In months he had organized a successful primary campaign; no time like the present.

“I knew this was a prime opportunity, because I graduate in May. After that I wouldn’t have the same political capital that I do now, being on campus,” he says.

That capital came up big for Montgomery, with students voting early and in big numbers. He campaigned online and in person, often educating his peers in the process. And he beat Johnson handily, taking 57 percent of the vote in the East Ward primary in September.

Without a Republican opponent, Montgomery won the council seat on Tuesday, the first Winston-Salem State University student to serve on city council.

Montgomery came to WSSU from Hopkins, South Carolina, where he was politically active in high school, including three years as class president. At Winston-Salem State, he has been active in the chapter of NAACP since his freshman year; he serves as chapter president this year.

But he knows about defeat, too. He ran for student government president in his sophomore and junior years and lost both times. This year Montgomery serves as president pro tem of the student senate.

In high school, Montgomery thought he would try biology in college. But attending a campus program on the sciences the summer before his freshman year convinced him otherwise. “That helped me define that political science is what I was really interested in.”

Montgomery in a moment of thought prior to the election.

The youngest city council member says in order to tackle any of his priorities for the East Ward, the first step will be organizing people. He plans to bring together neighborhood groups in each precinct to talk about pressing issues such as public safety and economic development, “so people begin to talk to each other and neighborhoods know they’re not alone.”

Already, he says, running for elected office has made a difference. “My campaign definitely made students on campus more aware of local issues. The university is the largest employer in the ward, and we (the students) make up the largest number of residents.”

Montgomery plans to enter Wake Forest University School of Divinity next fall for a master’s degree.

He thanks two fellow students who have served as his campaign managers: Shanda Neal and Candace Knight.

WSSU help seniors get the hang of Wii Bowling

Winston-Salem State University researchers visited a Clemmons, NC, retirement community Oct. 21 and 28 to study the effects of the Nintendo Wii Bowling game on the quality of life of the sixty and older population living in retirement facilities.

The researchers worked mainly with the residents and staff at Clemmons Village I and II on Holder Road.  They performed some work at Independence Village on Reynolda Road in Winston-Salem.

Dr. Cynthia Bell, WSSU assistant professor of occupational therapy in the School of Health Sciences, Elizabeth Fain, WSSU occupational therapy instructor, and six students conducted the study.  They used Nintendo’s Wii Bowling game to assess quality of life, confidence in preventing falls and social skills – three major areas in the lives of seniors.

“There have been a number of cases at senior communities in which people are led to believe that residents who play Nintendo Wii Bowling tend to experience greater quality of life.  But that is based mostly on unofficial observation,” said Fain. “This study will scientifically confirm the true effects,” she noted.

This resident is totally into the game.

Fear of falling has a major impact on mobility and consequently the social and other activities of residents of senior residential facilities, according to the researchers. “Those issues impact quality of life,” Bell said, noting that study results are planned for release in January.  “Social relationships have a tendency to decrease with age when fewer social opportunities are available.  Establishing supportive social relationships is central to the older person’s self-efficacy, well-being and continued success in socializing,” she added.

The study involves examining three groups.  The participants in group A were exposed to virtual rehabilitation through the Nintendo Wii Bowling only. The participants in group B were exposed to both the Nintendo Wii Bowling and the fall prevention education (checklists, tips and low-impact exercises).  The participants in group C were not be exposed to the Nintendo Wii or the fall prevention education.

Virtual rehabilitation is an interactive video game experience that utilizes gross and fine motor skills to enhance overall quality of life through physical and mental well-being.

The Nintendo Wii system is a recent technological advancement in the area of virtual reality video games and provides an interactive experience that blends physical activity and interface through simulation of real world environments.  Participants can engage with the games one-on-one or in a group setting.<–>

The winning team, from left to right: Dr. Suresh Gopalan, assistant dean of graduate programs in the WSSU School of Business and Economics, the team's advisor; Nathan Thompson, WSSU assistant controller; Miranda Dalton, the manager of enrollment and family services for Rockingham County Head Start; and Willie Hunt, a portfolio review manager at BB&T Corp.

Three MBA students from Winston-Salem State University took third place in the 2009 National Student Case Competition, held as part of the National Black MBA Association’s annual convention.

The competition was sponsored by Chrysler Group LLC and The Chrysler Foundation and brought in teams from 22 of the nation’s leading business schools to compete for $35,000 in scholarships. The WSSU team won $8,000 in scholarship money. UNC Chapel Hill earned first place and Emory University took second place.

The WSSU team was comprised of MBA students Nathan Thompson, an assistant controller at the university; Willie Hunt, a portfolio review manager at BB&T Corp.; and Miranda Dalton, the manager of enrollment and family services for Rockingham County Head Start.

The National Student Case Competition is a unique event designed to give high-powered student teams an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and problem-solving skills in a formal competition. Teams are given a hypothetical business case from which they develop business solutions. Each student team then prepares and presents its case before a panel of experienced business executives. Teams are judged on their analysis of the case, the feasibility of their recommendations and the quality of their presentation.

The competition was held September 22-26 in New Orleans.

John Payton

John Payton, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, delivered the J. Alston Atkins Constitutional Law Lecture on October 15. The event was presented by the university and the Winston-Salem State University Foundation and sponsored by the law firm of Kilpatrick Stockton.

Payton, who has defended some of the most important civil rights cases in the U.S. in recent years, prefaced his remarks saying, “I’m not going to be shy about some of the things I am about to say. This not the time to be shy.”  He wasn’t.

The United States has become even more separated by race, Payton said, and in the aftermath of President Barack Obama’s election, watershed moment that it was, our country is still far from becoming a post-racial society. The barometers to measure that issue education, employment, health care, criminal justice all indicate wide disparities for minorities, he said.  The only barometer that shows any sign of significant improvement is in the area of effective political participation, Payton noted.  To hear more of his thoughts on these subjects and more, click here.

Payton explains his point.

Payton was the lead counsel for the University of Michigan in successfully defending the use of race in the admission process, including the undergraduate school argument before the United States Supreme Court.  He has taught at the Georgetown Law Center, Howard University Law School and Harvard Law School, where he had earned his law degree in 1977.

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) was founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall.  Although LDF’s primary purpose was to provide legal assistance to poor African-Americans, its work over the years has brought greater justice to all Americans.

Shannon Henry

Shannon Berg Henry was named director of internal audit at Winston-Salem State University, effective November 2.

As the university’s internal auditor, she will be responsible for evaluating financial and administrative processes to ensure that WSSU maintains an effective system of internal controls and accurate accounting records. Henry reports to Chancellor Donald J. Reaves.

“We are pleased that someone of Shannon’s background and experience joined the Winston-Salem State management team,” says Reaves.  “In addition to directing audits of all university processes and departments, Shannon will also be responsible for developing and implementing an institutional-wide system of enterprise risk management.”

Prior to joining the university, Henry had been an assistant state auditor for the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, where she was responsible for assisting with Winston-Salem State’s annual financial statement audit.  She also worked for Campbell University at Camp Lejeune, dealing with military tuition assistance and student accounts, and had been an associate accountant for Frontier Insurance Company in Rock Hill, NY.

Henry graduated cum laude from Mount Saint Mary College with a B.S. degree in accounting.  She also holds an A.A.S. in Paralegal and is working on her master’s degree in accounting and financial management with a CPA emphasis at Keller Graduate School.  She is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society.

Bright makes a point during lecture at Diggs Gallery.

“Young Americans,” a dynamic new series of photographs by photographer Sheila Pree Bright that explores the identities of young people and their relationship to the United States, is on display at Diggs Gallery.

These pictorial statements on America feature participants aged 18 to 25 posing with an American flag. It will run through March 6.

“We are extremely excited to have this wonderful traveling exhibit that captures these young people speaking for themselves through Sheila’s photography,” says Belinda Tate, director of Diggs Gallery. “When the exhibit opened at the High Museum in Atlanta, it was immediately deemed as bringing a contemporary perspective as well as an insightful look at the attitudes and beliefs of young people.

“What makes it even more exciting is that we had Winston-Salem State students participate in the project,” Tate added.  “Of 15 students who were originally photographed from WSSU, nine are still on campus and will participate in the opening reception.”

In addition to the actual exhibit, five of the WSSU participants are featured in the exhibit catalog, including current students Joshua Phifer and Kolin Robinson, both art majors, and Corderius Cowans, a mass communications major.

“When I came up with the idea for my photograph, I began to ponder life as an American through the eyes of being a young black male,” says Joshua Phifer. “I am always going to be judged first for who I am on the outside, no matter what I achieve. So I took that idea into consideration.”

“Sheila Pree Bright’s ‘Young Americans’ exhibit was a great opportunity for the youth of our nation to freely express ourselves without hesitation,” says Corderius Cowans.  “My intentions with my

Corderius Cowans shows visitor his contribution to the exhibition.

photograph were to suggest that ‘America’ is a burden that hinders me from freely expressing or expanding my actions and thoughts.  However, it was brought to my attention that someone could easily assume that I am embracing the thought of our country.  So one can say that Bright’s intentions were objective, because it attracts various intellectual thoughts.”

Pree Bright began working on the “Young Americans” series in the fall of 2006.  She invited her photo subjects to choose their own clothing, poses and interactions with the American flag.  The result is a mix of emotions that these young people were able to express, including WSSU alumnus Phillip Osborne III, who says that America brings to mind “struggle” and “opportunity,” meaning that you have “see and achieve opportunities.”

Click here to see and hear more from Sheila Pree Bright.

Pree Bright, who is based in Atlanta, has exhibited her photography widely in nationally acclaimed venues and has served as artist-in-residence at several locations.  She received national attention after winning the Santa Fe Prize from the Santa Fe Center for Photography in 2006 for her work entitled “The Suburbia Series,” which focuses on home environments of African Americans residing in the suburbs.

Protect yourself and others. Cover your coughs and sneezes. Wash or sanitize your hands often.

Thousands of people around the world and across the United States including hundreds in the state of North Carolina have been struck by the H1N1 virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control, flu activity is now widespread in 48 states. Nationwide, visits to doctors for influenza-like illness are increasing steeply and are now higher than peak numbers during many flu seasons. In addition, flu-related hospitalizations and deaths continue to rise nationwide. President Barack Obama has declared the H1N1 virus a national emergency.

As of Oct. 21, 2009, more than 800 people have been hospitalized in North Carolina for flu-like illnesses. As of Sept, 26, at least 12 of the total 18 flu deaths and more than 200 hospitalizations reported were attributed to laboratory-confirmed pandemic H1N1 flu.

The H1N1 virus is a contagious acute respiratory disease caused by one of several swine influenza A viruses (most commonly of the H1N1 subtype, but other subtypes – like H1N2, H3N1, and H3N2 – also circulate in pigs). Many countries routinely vaccinate swine populations against these viruses, as outbreaks among pigs are known to have occurred in several countries around the world.  Until recently, transmission to humans was occasionally reported.  In early 2009, several cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) were reported, the first of which occurred in Mexico, followed by several other countries, including the U.S.

Clinical presentation of swine influenza infection in humans resembles seasonal influenza and other acute upper respiratory tract infections, but presentation of the disease can also range broadly from showing no symptoms of infection to severe pneumonia resulting in death.

Here are some tips that may help you avoid the virus and help keep others from getting sick:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• Stay home if you are sick until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever (100°F or 37.8°C) or signs of a fever (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®)

For more information about the virus and what WSSU is doing to deal with it, check out the WSSU Web site at http://www.wssu.edu/WSSU/About/EmergencyProcedures/H1N1+Influenza+%28Swine+Flu%29.htm.

Pratt discusses his career during Master Class

World-renowned concert pianist and conductor Awadagin Pratt conducted a master class at Winston-Salem State University Oct. 8, in Kenneth R. Williams Auditorium.

On Oct. 10, WSSU’s Burke Singers performed with Pratt and the Winston-Salem Symphony in Reynolds Auditorium at Reynolds High School.  Among his generation of concert artists, pianist Awadagin Pratt is acclaimed for his musical insight and intense performances that receive tremendous audience response and press attention throughout the United States.

Pratt first gained recognition by winning the Naumburg International Piano Competition in 1992. He was the first African-American pianist to win this prestigious competition. Two years later, Pratt was awarded a 1994 Avery Fisher Career Grant.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pratt began studying piano at the age of six. Three years later, having moved to Normal, IL, with his family, he also began studying violin.  At the age of 16 he entered the University of Illinois, where he studied piano, violin, and conducting.  He subsequently enrolled at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, the first student in the school’s history to receive diplomas in three performance areas – piano, violin and conducting.

Pratt has played numerous recitals throughout the U.S., including performances in New York at Lincoln Center, Washington, D.C., at the Kennedy Center, Los Angeles at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Chicago at Orchestra Hall.

The Campus Life Marketing Committee, under the Office of Campus Life, Alpha Phi Alpha, and the Campus Activities Board, will host the 2^nd annual Holiday Benefit on Thursday, Nov. 19 in McNeil Ballroom at the Albert H. Anderson Center.

This event allows students to cater to local Winston-Salem families in need for the holiday season, from Thanksgiving through Christmas.  The students work to ensure that these families have a joyous family experience during the holidays.

The event will include a live band and entertainment, catered food and beverages, and an all-inclusive late night lounge ambiance.

The students hope to arrange sponsors and donors for all of the event needs. They are asking businesses to donate holiday gifts, food items, and/or monetary donations such as gift cards. Representatives from these business are asked to attend the event and present their contributions to selected families.

Don't miss "How Scrooge Stole Christmas."

The Drama Guild of Winston-Salem State University will perform “How Scrooge Stole Christmas” November 20-23.

The performances are at K.R. Williams Auditorium. Performance time is 7 p.m. for the Friday and Saturday shows, 3 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $4 for students, $5 for faculty and staff, $9 general admission and $6 for senior adults.

According to the show’s author and director, Andre Minkins, an assistant professor in the Department of English and Foreign Languages, this Scrooge has some strange notions about Christmas. “He tried to move it Uptown, away from a manager, and turned White Christmas Blue in spite of Black Nativity,” says Minkins.

In this updated version of the classic tale, Hip Hop artist Scrooge has bad memories of Christmas but his manager wants him to make a Christmas album and spread good cheer.  He balks at the idea and hatches a plan to ruin everybody’s holiday—until he gets a few visitors of his own that could ruin some things for him as well.

The show is a hilarious compilation of favorite Christmas themes sure to awaken the true spirit of Christmas and frighten away the Scrooge in all of us.

Starting with the spring semester of 2010, students will have a second option for fulfilling their General Education science requirement for non-science majors. The Department of Life Sciences is adding Environmental Biology (BIO 1320) to its offerings.  The class will be taught this spring semester by Dr. Stephen Viscidio, professor of biology.

The Environmental Biology class will cover basic concepts in the context of ecosystems and how humans affect these ecosystems.  How do the use of fossil fuels and other pollutants affect organisms of one kind or another?  Why are certain organisms endangered?  Is our behavior causing environmental changes and, if so, how? Students will learn how to use the scientific method to analyze the validity of environmental messages we see in the media every day.

Environmental Biology will fulfill the General Education science requirement for non-science majors.  The class will not have a specific Environmental Science lab, but students who choose to take the class can take the regular biology lab which will now include environmental biology concepts.  WSSU offers the class MWF at 9 a.m. for this coming semester.

Flags of the world.

A study abroad fair, faculty presentations, and documentary films on the international experience fill the schedule for the 2009 International Education Week, to be celebrated on campus Monday, Nov. 16 through Friday, Nov. 20. As part of the celebration, Kennedy Dining Hall and the Red Room will offer international menu items all week.

Summary Schedule, International Education Week, November 16-20, 2009

Monday, November 16

International Food in Kennedy Dining Hall and Red Room during lunch

9am – 10:30am: Opportunities and Careers in the Foreign Service and International Affairs, Mignon Turner, WSSU alum and Officer Intern in the United States Foreign Service programs in French-speaking countries. Co-sponsored by the American Democracy Project, Model United Nations, and the Ralph Bunche Society.  F. L. Atkins Building, Room 102.

11 am – 2:00 pm: Study Abroad Expo, Thompson Center Lobby.

12:15 pm – 1:15 pm: Opportunities with the Peace Corps. Peace Corps Representative. Thompson Center, 304

1 pm – 3:00 pm: Infusing Cultural Competence in the Health Sciences Curriculum, School of Health Sciences. Occupational Therapy International Fieldwork experience in Costa Rica and international faculty presentations and cultural displays. F.L. Atkins Building, Room 202.

3 pm – 4:30 pm:  New Faces: Immigrants and Refugees in North Carolina, Presented by the Center for New North Carolinians at UNC-Greensboro. Focus on education and community outreach programs for youth and children, and opportunities for internships and service learning. Co-sponsored by Club Latino. Diggs Gallery.

Tuesday, November 17

International Food in Kennedy Dining Hall and Red Room during lunch

12 noon – 1:30 pm: Faculty Experiences Abroad: Implications for Professional and Personal Development.  Presentations on South Korea, India, Spain/Morocco, and Brazil. Brown Bag Lunch (coffee and dessert will be served). Hall-Patterson Room 305.

Wednesday, November 18

International Food in Kennedy Dining Hall and Red Room during lunch

11 am – 1 pm: Taste of the World. Come and enjoy food from around the world and learn about study abroad opportunities. School of Business and Economics. Lobby of RJ Reynolds, outside RJR 136.

2 pm – 4:30 pm: Study Abroad and International Student Symposium, presented by the Ralph Bunche Society and Students International Association, Thompson Center 207A.

Refreshments Courtesy Links Inc.

Thursday, November 19

International Food in Kennedy Dining Hall and Red Room during lunch

11 am – 12:15 pm: Songs and Dances from Popular Bollywood Movies from India, performed by famous stars of the Indian film industry based in Bombay (Mumbai). Presented by Dr. Abhijit Sen, International Communication class, EJ- 3101 (Computer Science Bldg.).

11 am – 12:15 pm: Sudan/Darfur: Background to a Genocide, a power point presentation by Dr. Guy Martin, Comparative Government of Developing Areas/Africa class, in Anderson Center, Room C-102.

11am -2pm: Study Abroad Expo, Thompson Center Lobby.

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Languages and Cultures of the World, Department of English and Foreign Languages. Artifacts, books, music, food sampling, and attire from selected countries will be presented.  Hall Patterson Lobby.

3:30 pm – 4:45 pm: The Struggles of South African Youth Against Apartheid and Democratic Transformation in Southern Africa, Antionette Sithole, Curator of the Hector Pieterson Museum in SOWETO, South Africa. Moderated by WSSU Diplomat-in-Residence, Ambassador Molelekeng Rapolaki of Lesotho, R.J. Reynolds Building, Room 136.

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Invisible Children, Documentary on Child Soldiers, with discussion by Gai Ajak Riak and Joseph Akoon, former “Lost Boys” from Sudan, presented by the Ralph Bunche Society. Thompson Center, Room 207 A.

Friday, November 20

International Food in Kennedy Dining Hall and Red Room during lunch

The remainder of WSSU’s Football Schedule is as follows:

Date            Opponent                         Site                              Time

Nov. 7         Delaware State                 Winston-Salem, NC      1:00 p.m.

Nov. 14       North Carolina Central     Winston-Salem, NC      1:00 p.m.

Nov. 21       Norfolk State                    Norfolk, VA                  1:00 p.m.

The following is the WSSU Men’s Basketball Schedule:

Date	Opponent / Event	Location	Time / Result
11/13/09	at Oregon	Eugene, Ore.	TBA
11/14/09	vs. UC Davis	Eugene, Ore	TBA
11/15/09	vs. Colorado State	Eugene, Ore.	TBA
11/20/09	vs. Atlanta Christian	Winston-Salem, N.C.	7:00 p.m. ET
11/24/09	at Wake Forest	Winston-Salem, N.C.	TBA
11/30/09	vs. Milligan	Winston-Salem, N.C.	7:00 p.m. ET
12/05/09	vs. South Carolina State *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	4:00 p.m. ET
12/08/09	at Charlotte	Charlotte, N.C.	TBA
12/19/09	vs. Ferrum College	Winston-Salem, N.C.	4:00 p.m. ET
12/22/09	at Maryland	Landover, Md.	TBA
12/29/09	at Georgia Tech	Atlanta, Ga.	TBA
01/04/10	vs. Columbia Union	Winston-Salem, N.C.	7:30 p.m. ET
01/09/10	at Delaware State	Dover, Del.	4:00 p.m. ET
01/11/10	at Maryland Eastern Shore	Princess Anne, Md.	7:30 p.m. ET
01/16/10	vs. Morgan State	Winston-Salem, N.C.	4:00 p.m. ET
01/18/10	vs. Coppin State *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	7:30 p.m. ET
01/23/10	vs. Norfolk State *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	4:00 p.m. ET
01/25/10	vs. North Carolina A&T *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	7:30 p.m. ET
01/30/10	at Florida A&M *	Tallahassee, Fla.	4:00 p.m. ET
02/01/10	at Bethune Cookman	Daytona Beach, Fla.	7:30 p.m. ET
02/06/10	vs. Howard *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	4:00 p.m. ET
02/08/10	vs. Hampton University *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	7:30 p.m. ET
02/13/10	at Morgan State *	Baltimore, Md.	4:00 p.m. ET
02/15/10	at Coppin State *	Baltimore, Md.	7:30 p.m. ET
02/20/10	at Norfolk State *	Norfolk, Va.	4:00 p.m. ET
02/22/10	at North Carolina A&T *	Greensboro, N.C.	7:30 p.m. ET
02/27/10	vs. Florida A&M *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	4:00 p.m. ET
03/01/10	vs. Bethune Cookman	Winston-Salem, N.C.	7:30 p.m. ET
03/04/10	at South Carolina State *	Orangeburg, S.C.	7:30 p.m. ET
03/13/10	at North Carolina Central	Winston-Salem, N.C.	TBA

The following is the WSSU Women’s Basketball Schedule:

Date	Opponent / Event	Location	Time / Result
11/07/09	vs. Southern Virginia #	Winston-Salem, N.C.	6:00 p.m. ET
11/13/09	at Liberty	Lynchburg, Va.	7:00 p.m. ET
11/16/09	at Gardner-Webb	Boiling Springs, N.C.	6:00 p.m. ET
11/20/09	vs. Lipscomb	Morehead, Ky.	4:30 p.m. ET
11/21/09	vs. Presbyterian	Morehead, Ky.	1:30 p.m. ET
11/22/09	vs. Morehead State	Morehead, Ky.	3:30 p.m. ET
11/25/09	vs. Furman	Winston-Salem, N.C.	7:00 p.m. ET
12/01/09	vs. USC Upstate	Winston-Salem, N.C.	7:00 p.m. ET
12/05/09	vs. South Carolina State *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	2:00 p.m. ET
12/13/09	vs. Elon	Winston-Salem, N.C.	2:00 p.m. ET
12/20/09	at Mississippi	Oxford, Miss.	1:00 p.m. ET
12/30/09	at Campbell *	Buies Creek, N.C.	5:45 p.m. ET
01/02/10	at North Carolina	Chapel Hill, N.C.	2:00 p.m. ET
01/05/10	at North Carolina Central	Durham, N.C.	7:00 p.m. ET
01/09/10	at Delaware State *	Dover, Del.	2:00 p.m. ET
01/11/10	at Maryland Eastern Shore *	Princess Anne, Md.	5:30 p.m. ET
01/16/10	vs. Morgan State *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	2:00 p.m. ET
01/18/10	vs. Coppin State *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	5:30 p.m. ET
01/23/10	vs. Norfolk State *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	2:00 p.m. ET
01/25/10	vs. North Carolina A&T *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	5:30 p.m. ET
01/30/10	at Florida A&M *	Tallahassee, Fla.	5:30 p.m. ET
02/01/10	at Bethune Cookman	Daytona Beach, Fla.	5:30 p.m. ET
02/06/10	vs. Howard *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	2:00 p.m. ET
02/08/10	vs. Hampton University *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	5:30 p.m. ET
02/13/10	at Morgan State *	Baltimore, Md.	2:00 p.m. ET
02/15/10	at Coppin State *	Baltimore, Md.	5:30 p.m. ET
02/20/10	at Norfolk State *	Norfolk, Va.	4:00 p.m. ET
02/22/10	at North Carolina A&T *	Greensboro, N.C.	6:00 p.m. ET
02/27/10	vs. Florida A&M *	Winston-Salem, N.C.	2:00 p.m. ET
03/01/10	vs. Bethune Cookman	Winston-Salem, N.C.	5:30 p.m. ET
03/04/10	at South Carolina State *	Orangeburg, S.C.	5:30 p.m. ET

Show your Ram Pride come out and support our teams!!!

College of Arts and Sciences dean Charles Ford proudly displays Spirit of Giving Cup presented to him by WSSU vice chancellor for university advancement, Michelle Cook (left) and Annul Fund director, Kimberly Reese (right).

to the college of Arts and Sciences winner of the  2008-2009 Spirit of Giving Cup competition. The faculty and Staff in the college contributed a total of $5,900 to last year annual fund campaign with a participation rate of 15 per cent.

The Spirit of Giving cup was presented to Dean Charles Wesley Ford and the College on Friday, October 23rd.
·        Faculty/Staff ” Spirit of Giving” Competition Initiative was created 2005-06 academic year with strong emphasis to boost support for the capital campaign.
·        Purpose-Competition promotes donor support annually for the annual fund from faculty/staff.
·        Mission-Seek out the highest level of participation of the number of donors/monies by units to the annual fund and promote annual recognition of winning unit by awarding a trophy cup that is housed in that winning for the entire calendar year.

The ” Spirit of Giving” Competition Initiative raised a total of more than $39,000.

(From left to right) Neiman Murrell (BMC vice president), Chevara Orrin (BMC advisor), Milton Rhodes (President & CEO Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County), Justin Redd (BMC president) and Rudy Jones (BMC Student Representative)

to Chevara Orrin, director of Conferences and Institutes and advisor to the student organization Black Men for Change. At The Arts Council of Winston Salem and Forsyth County annual meeting held Wednesday, Oct. 28, Black Men for Change received special recognition for their volunteerism in the arts.  The meeting was held at the Old Salem Visitors Center.

Since 2007, Black Men for Change have been members of the Winston-Salem Symphony Encore Society. They have served as ushers and hosts for the 60th Anniversary gala, Kicked-Back Classics, Classics, Pops, and Discovery Concert Series. In addition, they have volunteered with RiverRun International Film Festival, Piedmont Craftsmen, and Piedmont Opera. Black Men for Change also served as volunteers for the 2009 WSSU Patti Austin benefit scholarship concert.

As campus cultural leaders, the organization hosts an annual event that promotes music, spoken word and visual art – Cool Relax III: An Evening at Arts at Diggs Gallery to raise awareness and encourage other students to participate in the cultural offerings at WSSU. A percentage of this year’s proceeds will benefit the Arts Based Elementary School.

In addition to their commitment to the arts, BMC has a year-long mentoring initiative with students at Petree Elementary School. They recently donned women’s shoes to raise awareness about sexual violence and will be exhibiting at the Faces of a Healthy Future Conference to raise awareness about sickle cell anemia and trait. One of their signature events, the Walter Harley Scholarship Winter Ball is in honor of a BMC member that died from this disease.

Black Men for Change is leaving a legacy of service for future young leaders.

Dr. Cecil Yancu

to Dr. Cecile Yancu, assistant professor of Sociology and Dr. Deborah Farmer,

Dr. Deborah Farmer

assistant professor of Gerontology, who  will be taking seven senior gerontology majors to the 62nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America in Atlanta November 19-21.
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. GSA’s principal mission – and that of our 5,200 members – is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. The theme for GSA’s 62nd Annual Meeting is “Creative Approaches to Healthy Aging”.

The WSSU Friends of the Library is inviting the community to the premiere showing of the documentary film, A Change Has Come… Now What?

The film will highlight the annual C.G. O’Kelly Library benefit at McNeil Banquet Hall of the Albert H. Anderson Center on Saturday, November 21, at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $50.00. The ticket price includes live music, dinner and a show designed around the documentary.

For more information about this event call 336-750-2442.

The Gerontology Club is having a food and personal care drive for older adults in the community.  The supplies will be given to Senior Services for distribution to older adults in need. If you would like to donate any of the items listed feel free to drop them off at Dr. Deborah Farmer’s office, 106 Coltrane Hall.  Please be aware that all donations need to be turned in by Monday, November 23, so that the supplies are available for Thanksgiving. The list of needs include:

Food Needs

Small canned hams
Canned chicken
Canned tuna or salmon
Peanut butter
Crackers
Canned fruit or fruit cups
Cereal
Nutrition supplements like Boost and Ensure

Personal Care Items

Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Denture adhesive
Denture cleanser
Denture holders
Washable or disposable bed pads
Adult diapers
Cleaning wipes
Plastic trash bags
Nail clippers
Lip balm

For more information contact Taniseia Long, Gerontology Club president, at tlong692@wssu.edu.

The pictures say it all. To see more Homecoming photos go to the flickr site at www.flickr.com/photos/wssuphotography/ .

The Cotton Club comes to WSSU.

High-stepping dance routines.

The pageantry.

The Red Sea of Sound raging at the parade.

The Game.

The Ram Faithful. We Believe.