December 2006 - Benedict College
December 2006 - Benedict College
December 2006 - Benedict College
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Happy<br />
Holidays<br />
Volume 82, No. 1 Columbia, South Carolina <strong>December</strong> <strong>2006</strong><br />
Nadia J. Muhammad crowned<br />
Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>2006</strong>-2007<br />
By Kamilah Fabien<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
Nadia J. Muhammad received<br />
her crown as Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
<strong>2006</strong>-2007 in an elaborate<br />
ceremony held in the Benjamin<br />
E. Mays Human Resources<br />
Arena on Oct. 20.<br />
“Now that is a queen!” said a<br />
member of the audience as<br />
Muhammad, a senior, Mass<br />
Communication (Broadcast)<br />
major, entered the arena to be<br />
crowned.<br />
Muhammad was voted the<br />
new queen of <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
last semester, succeeding BC<br />
graduate Tina Ivory Sanders,<br />
who was also a Mass Communication<br />
major.<br />
Dr. David H. Swinton, president<br />
of <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, performed<br />
the formal swearing-in<br />
of Muhammad for the school<br />
year.<br />
After she received her crown,<br />
Muhammad then listened to several<br />
tributes from her parents<br />
and other relatives, her sorority,<br />
AKA, and the faculty.<br />
First to pay tribute were Timothy<br />
and Beverly Muhammad,<br />
parents of the new queen. Her<br />
mother, who spoke on behalf of<br />
her family, emphasized the<br />
theme of the African woman,<br />
praising her daughter’s decision<br />
to follow in the paths of her ancestors<br />
by attending an HBCU.<br />
Muhammad was then presented<br />
with a fur coat by her parents,<br />
much to her and the audience’s<br />
surprise.<br />
Next, Muhammad’s grand<br />
aunt, Dora Aiken Brown, a 1944<br />
graduate of <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
spoke fondly of Muhammad as<br />
a child, saying “A little doll she<br />
was and still is.” Brown, who<br />
was a roommate of current faculty<br />
member, Dr. Alma Byrd,<br />
gave anecdotes of college life at<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> “a little while<br />
ago” when she was a student<br />
here over 60 years ago.<br />
In one anecdote which drew<br />
laughter from the audience, she<br />
spoke of the visitation rule of her<br />
President David H. Swinton formally crowning Nadia J.<br />
Muhammad as Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>2006</strong>-2007.<br />
age to promise Muhammad, before<br />
leaving the podium, that as sented her a $1,500 scholarship<br />
in the department. She then pre-<br />
long as she was alive, she would award from the Ron McKnight<br />
be present for all of her suc-<br />
Foundation.<br />
cesses, but that if she was not<br />
alive, that she would still be with<br />
her in spirit.<br />
Susan Dugan, professor of English,<br />
Foreign Languages, and<br />
Mass Communication department,<br />
speaking on behalf of the<br />
faculty, noted how proud they<br />
were of Muhammad as a student<br />
days at <strong>Benedict</strong> when, on Sundays<br />
evenings, male students,<br />
dressed in their Sunday best,<br />
would be allowed to visit the female<br />
dormitories “for one whole<br />
hour.”<br />
Although the program was not<br />
long enough to permit all of<br />
Brown’s nostalgia, she did man-<br />
Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> delivering Royal speech<br />
“First, giving honor and<br />
thanks to the Almighty God<br />
who is the head of my life, the<br />
Beneficent and Merciful for<br />
each day of my life. I thank you<br />
for making this night possible.<br />
To Dr. David H. Swinton and<br />
our first lady, Mrs. Patricia<br />
Swinton, for your dedication<br />
and love for <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
I am so honored to be your<br />
queen. Thank you for your support<br />
and I will forever honor<br />
and cherish this evening. To my<br />
Mom and Dad, I love you for<br />
the prayers, love, support, and<br />
guidance. You help me to be the<br />
virtuous woman I am today and<br />
what I look forward to become<br />
in the future, I thank each day<br />
for you. To my family, the<br />
Aiken’s, the Harrison’s, the<br />
Photo courtesy of Susan Dugan<br />
Miss Nadia J. Muhammad<br />
Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>2006</strong>-2007<br />
School of Humanities<br />
holds MARKS Mixer<br />
for students and faculty<br />
by Koren Merchant<br />
Staff Writer<br />
The School of Humanities,<br />
Arts and Social Sciences<br />
(SHASS) held its first MARKS<br />
Mixer in the lobby of the George<br />
Ponder Fine Arts/Humanities<br />
Center building to promote good<br />
“marks” or grades in school,<br />
encouraging students to meet<br />
with their advisors in order to<br />
know each other in a social setting.<br />
“We wanted to let the students<br />
no that we’re here to promote<br />
them, and we support the<br />
students in getting good marks”,<br />
said Dr. Julian Quillian, dean<br />
of SHASS, whose office organized<br />
the mixer.<br />
She said the idea of students<br />
getting “good marks” was the<br />
key to them becoming successful<br />
academically, and the event<br />
was organized so that students<br />
and faculty could work tofether<br />
to achieve “good marks.”<br />
“MARKS” stands for the following:<br />
M stands for Meeting<br />
Classes/Obligations; A for Advising<br />
Successfully; R for Registering<br />
On Time; K for Knowing<br />
Your Advisors; and S for<br />
Shepherding Academic Performance.<br />
The overall theme of the event<br />
was to show that faculty members<br />
care about their students and<br />
see MARKS/ page 5<br />
Evans’s and the Muhammad’s<br />
for the rich history I am proud<br />
to be apart of; you as family<br />
have shown me what it means<br />
to be a part of a family and I<br />
will forever love you for that. I<br />
have always heard about a college<br />
called <strong>Benedict</strong> growing<br />
up, yet it was friends and family<br />
like Mrs. Mills who accepted<br />
me with welcome arms. To the<br />
faculty, staff, family, and friends<br />
like Mrs. Barbara Moore, Dr.<br />
Whaley, Mrs. Damara<br />
Hightower, Mrs. Tondelaya<br />
Jackson and many more I will<br />
forever honor you. I will forever<br />
thank the Mass Communications<br />
Department for furthering<br />
my education like Mrs. Susan<br />
Dugan, Mr. Ron McKnight,<br />
Mrs. Gladys Shabazz, Dr.<br />
Momo Rogers and the staff of<br />
Tiger News and my Dean Dr.<br />
Linda Quillian and her staff,<br />
thanks a million, your teachings<br />
will go far with me. Thank you<br />
to the dynamic women of Psi<br />
Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha<br />
Sorority, Inc. you will forever<br />
be my sisters, your laughter,<br />
motivation, support, and sisterly<br />
relations will forever be<br />
love. I am so happy to have sisters<br />
like you. I love you as my<br />
sisters sincerely. To Student<br />
Activities - Mrs. Mary Davis<br />
and Mr. Marion Wright - for<br />
your dedication and work, your<br />
advice is always on time and<br />
appreciated. To Student Government<br />
Association <strong>2006</strong>-<br />
2007- Ryan, Keisha, Joshua,<br />
Solomon, Devon, Danielle, and<br />
Teckla - you are truly awesome<br />
and student leaders in my eyes.<br />
You saw what <strong>Benedict</strong> students<br />
consist of and that is power for<br />
good in the 21st century. I love<br />
you all for believing in me. To<br />
my Attendants - Nichelle and<br />
Pam - my court, you are truly<br />
royalty and my backbone. The<br />
unity we have is what I have always<br />
desired. I have learned so<br />
much from you two because you<br />
are women from different walks<br />
of life. I love you two. To my<br />
glam squad - my hair stylists<br />
Bad Boy Roy, to Mrs. Karen<br />
Walker for the styling of my attendants<br />
and suits and gorgeous<br />
dresses we wear - your<br />
hands are truly gifted and to<br />
Carmen from MAC make-up.<br />
Overall to <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> you<br />
are <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, shall I go<br />
how I thank you for being apart<br />
of an HBCU that is a gem in<br />
my eyes that will always<br />
sparkle. Thank you to the Campus<br />
Queens and Escorts and to<br />
you for being a part of this<br />
world of a masquerade - thank<br />
you for witnessing a tale of<br />
woman who became a queen,<br />
that queen by the name of Nadia<br />
J. Muhammad.”<br />
Alumni crown Miss BCNNA<br />
at Homecoming ball<br />
by Curtis Wilson<br />
Copy Editor<br />
Mrs. Rosena Lucas, class of<br />
1960, was crowned the <strong>2006</strong>-<br />
2007 Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
National Alumni Association<br />
(BCNAA) during the Homecoming<br />
event which took place at the<br />
Radisson Hotel, downtown Columbia,<br />
on Bush River Road,<br />
called “An Evening of Jazz with<br />
Class.”<br />
The First Runner up to Miss<br />
BCNAA was Ms. Zenobia P.<br />
Simmons, class of 1989, and the<br />
Second Runner up was Mrs.<br />
Betty Davis DuRante, class of<br />
1973.<br />
Lucas, a native of Hopkins<br />
South Carolina, graduated from<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> with a B.A. degree in<br />
Photo courtesy of Susan Dugan<br />
French and English. She grew<br />
up in Columbia where she taught<br />
at W.A. Perry Junior High<br />
School. After changing careers,<br />
she also worked for Planned Parenthood<br />
and took a position with<br />
the South Carolina Department<br />
of Social Services as an Adoption<br />
Specialist.<br />
Lucas, who has devoted her<br />
life to assisting the community<br />
through her Volunteerism, also<br />
remains active in the church. In<br />
the quest to further her education,<br />
she has also attended the<br />
University of Nevada and the<br />
University of South Carolina.<br />
Also crowned during the<br />
alumni homecoming event were<br />
Monisha Johnson and Solomon<br />
see BCNNA/page5<br />
After the tributes, Muhammad<br />
then gave her formal acceptance<br />
speech as Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
<strong>2006</strong>-2007.<br />
She first started by thanking<br />
all those who had made the event<br />
possible as well as those who had<br />
supported her in other ways, including<br />
her parents and relatives,<br />
the Office of Student Activities,<br />
the SGA, her sorority<br />
sisters in the AKA, the Mass<br />
Communication faculty, her<br />
glam squad, and the rest of the<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> family.<br />
She then thanked those present<br />
at the Coronation for being witnesses<br />
to “the tale of a woman<br />
who became a queen.”<br />
The coronation included two<br />
entertainment acts. In an AKA<br />
tribute to the new queen, her sorority<br />
sisters serenaded the new<br />
Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, who<br />
came down from her throne to<br />
join the group in the sing along.<br />
That was followed later by the<br />
dance of the queen’s royal court,<br />
which was elegantly done.<br />
Earlier, the Rev. Glenn Prince,<br />
dean of Chapel/Campus Minister,<br />
blessed the occasion, calling<br />
on God’s grace and charging the<br />
audience to honor the African<br />
woman and her beauty.<br />
Besides President Swinton,<br />
others present included Mrs.<br />
Patricia Swinton, first lady of<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>; visiting<br />
Queens from a few other<br />
HBCUs; attendants to the queen;<br />
members of her royal court; administrators,<br />
faculty, and staff<br />
members; and many visitors<br />
from near and far.<br />
The Master and Mistress of the<br />
Ceremony, who added grandeur<br />
to the Coronation, were Curtis<br />
Wilson, himself a <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
student and WLTX-TV anchor,<br />
and his co-anchor, Darci<br />
Strickland.<br />
The Coronation was followed<br />
by a reception at the Swinton<br />
Campus Center where many students,<br />
family, and friends of the<br />
queen enjoyed a night of partying<br />
with the help of refreshments<br />
and the music from a DJ.<br />
SGA launches 3.0 Challenge<br />
to encourage freshmen’s<br />
academic achievements<br />
by Kamilah Fabien<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
The SGA has come up with a<br />
new 3.0 Challenge program, an<br />
incentive-based academic<br />
achievement project for the incoming<br />
<strong>2006</strong> Freshman class.<br />
Speaking during an interview,<br />
Joshua Stroman, second vice<br />
president of the SGA, said, “The<br />
challenge is on,” describing the<br />
3.0 Challenge as “an incentive<br />
based program intended to support<br />
and encourage high academic<br />
achievement among<br />
freshmen.”<br />
Stroman, who is responsible<br />
for masterminding this project,<br />
said it is a result-driven project<br />
that rewards freshmen for meeting<br />
high academic standards.<br />
He said the project will compare<br />
grades after this semester with<br />
grades of freshmen in previous<br />
years.<br />
He also explained that the<br />
Challenge is not only geared towards<br />
freshmen getting better<br />
grades but also towards retention<br />
of freshmen.<br />
He said the way the Challenge<br />
works is that freshmen who earn<br />
a GPA of 3.0 and above will receive<br />
certain rewards, including<br />
being the guests of honor at an<br />
awards ceremony. Other rewards<br />
might include a concert<br />
for the awardees, receiving of<br />
certificates, and their names being<br />
displayed on a Freshman<br />
Honors Wall of Fame.<br />
Stroman said these rewards are<br />
intended to instill a sense of academic<br />
achievement and personal<br />
pride, adding that there is a need<br />
for this type of program because<br />
the college is an open enrollment<br />
institution.<br />
Stroman, who said he can<br />
identify with many of the students<br />
on the campus because he<br />
did not complete grades nine<br />
through twelve, added that he<br />
initiated the project because he<br />
wanted to motivate other students.<br />
He noted that his matriculation<br />
thus far at <strong>Benedict</strong> has<br />
been successful and believes that<br />
other students will be able to do<br />
the same. He emphasized that<br />
even though some members of<br />
the public may have a negative<br />
perception of problems at<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, he said that<br />
there are students who see these<br />
problems and are trying to effect<br />
positive changes for themselves.<br />
He said that although the<br />
Challenge is a student-based<br />
TIGER NEWS/Kamilah Fabien<br />
Joshua Stroman, second Vice<br />
President of the SGA.<br />
program, it does have the support<br />
of the <strong>College</strong> administration,<br />
noting that “Administrators<br />
do not have all the answers.”<br />
Stroman said, in order to<br />
implement the project, he continues<br />
to have meetings with different<br />
departments to make them<br />
aware of what the program is<br />
about so that they can correctly<br />
divulge information to students.<br />
Departments involved with the<br />
3.0 Challenge include the Student<br />
Leadership Department and<br />
Community Life.<br />
He added that aside from rewards<br />
for accomplishments, the<br />
program will also attempt to offer<br />
assistance to freshman in the<br />
form of study tips and classroom<br />
interaction strategies which will<br />
be posted around campus in various<br />
locations.<br />
INSIDE<br />
THIS ISSUE<br />
Carnival<br />
celebration .....3<br />
Alumni Career<br />
Day........................4<br />
Clyburn provokes<br />
students<br />
to vote............5<br />
Where I am<br />
now.........................6<br />
Two BC students<br />
shoot for<br />
stardom...........7
OPINION/EDITORIAL<br />
Page 2 - BC Tiger News <strong>December</strong> <strong>2006</strong><br />
our view<br />
Welcome! - How’s Everything Going<br />
by Nadia J. Muhammad<br />
Editorial Page Editor<br />
The advisor, editor-in-chief, and other members of the editorial<br />
staff welcome you as you read the first issue of the Tiger News for<br />
the <strong>2006</strong>-2007 academic year. We plan to provide you with the latest<br />
and important news of what’s happening on the campus of our dear<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
As students, faculty, staff and administrators, we are all members<br />
of the <strong>Benedict</strong> family, and have all faced everyday with tasks that<br />
will impact our lives at <strong>Benedict</strong>. As caring members, we should often<br />
wonder how everything is going with each other.<br />
Since the beginning of the semester in August, with scheduled<br />
classes, academic activities, service-learning hours, story deadlines,<br />
the dedication of the Charlie W. Johnson football stadium, and Homecoming<br />
week activities, you will have to admit that this semester is<br />
already full of anticipation for a successful year. For seniors, <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> will never be forgotten for the motivation it tries to give us<br />
students to succeed in all that we do.<br />
We have one of the largest freshmen classes that has enrolled at<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> this semester, and one question that arose was: “Have the<br />
uppersclassmen taken notice” For instance, Greeks on this campus<br />
often look at freshmen as student leaders of the future for their<br />
organizations. However, do members of the Class of 2010 know what<br />
to ask of the Greeks Some Greeks on campus say that the answer is<br />
“No.” It’s not enough for these Greeks to say: “Just visit the website<br />
of your perspective organization.”<br />
The Tiger News will not only take notice of such questions, but<br />
hopes to serve as a forum for the presention of issues, current events,<br />
sports, features, activities of various campus organizations, and all<br />
things pertaining to our <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> community.<br />
So, as you read this issue of the Tiger News, know that we feel<br />
obligated to inform you about the latest happenings on campus and<br />
in the <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> community. Expect honesty and fairness in<br />
our coverage, reporting of news events, and general presentation of<br />
information in the monthly issues of the Tiger News.<br />
Feel free to send us notices of your activities and also your opinions,<br />
about how things are going around campus for publication.<br />
We only ask that you too show a sense of honesty in dealing with us,<br />
remembering that we are <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> and whatever appears in<br />
our newspaper reflects us.<br />
Finally, on behalf of the editorial staff, we proudly welcome our new<br />
advisor, Dr. Momo Rogers, Sr. Along with his guidance and the<br />
enthusiasm of all of us on the editorial staff, we anxiously look forward<br />
to putting out another issue of your Tiger News before the end<br />
of this semester.<br />
Editor in Chief<br />
Kamilah Fabien<br />
News Editor<br />
Marquita Watson<br />
Entertainment Editor<br />
Sherell Watson<br />
Photography Editor<br />
William Sledge<br />
Advertising Manager<br />
Janael Ceasar<br />
Circulation Manager<br />
Chaquain Meyer-Boone<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Kentrell McGrier<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Koren Merchant<br />
Photographer<br />
Zachary Smith<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Tiger News Staff<br />
Assistant Editor<br />
R. Nathaniel Roberson<br />
Editorial Page Editor<br />
Nadia J. Muhammad<br />
Features Editor<br />
C. Dante Winstead<br />
Sports Editor<br />
Kimberly Webber<br />
Copy Editor<br />
Curtis Wilson<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Thomas Hunter<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Reginald Tisdale<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Adreinne Williams<br />
Advisor<br />
Dr. Momo Rogers, Sr.<br />
For News tips and Advertising, contact us at (803) 705-4645<br />
or send an email to: bctigernews@yahoo.com<br />
Editorial Policy: As a student-run newspaper, we strive to be fair and<br />
unbiased in our reporting, and provide a forum for open expression<br />
and discussion to develop campus and community awareness.<br />
Samuel J. Vance<br />
Made in America<br />
For many years a public service<br />
commercial was run in this country<br />
that said “If you want to get a good<br />
job, you have to get a good education”.<br />
During that time our nation<br />
was emphasizing the importance of<br />
a high school diploma. A high<br />
school diploma is still the bedrock<br />
of American employment, and I<br />
would never encourage anyone to<br />
do anything less. I also strongly<br />
encourage black Americans to get<br />
some type of advanced training<br />
and/or higher education.<br />
I am not saying anything now nor<br />
will I say anything in the future that<br />
is intended to demean or discourage<br />
education. Education is the<br />
super glue of the super structure<br />
that we refer to when we say the<br />
“American Dream”. We need more<br />
people with two year and four year<br />
degrees. We need more people with<br />
masters and PhD degrees. Indeed<br />
PhD should stand for “Preach<br />
Higher Dreams”. It is, after all, one<br />
of the highest educational dreams.<br />
Today, I am addressing a threat<br />
that is being presented to Americans<br />
of all educational levels, even<br />
PhDs and medical doctors.<br />
Our nation is being attacked by a<br />
dream thief that goes by the name<br />
of globalization. It has manifested<br />
itself through what is known as<br />
outsourcing. This is a process that<br />
has been underway for quite some<br />
time. Unfortunately the people that<br />
were able to oppose it were the<br />
people that tended to do the least<br />
to fight it. Many of them felt smug<br />
and insulated from the ravages of<br />
outsourcing. They thought that<br />
their level of education would protect<br />
their income and therefore their<br />
standard of living.<br />
Martin Luther King said “That<br />
injustice anywhere is a threat to<br />
justice everywhere”. How naive is<br />
a man that thinks that his rights are<br />
not connected to the rights of others<br />
If the rights of the weak have<br />
been abridged, the rights of the<br />
strong will surely follow.<br />
Many years ago I picked up the<br />
expression that “The life that<br />
you save may be your own”.<br />
Me, myself personally, I have<br />
been following outsourcing for<br />
quite some time but the final<br />
straw for me came when I began<br />
to call for airline ticket<br />
prices. I noticed that every time<br />
that I called Delta; I got a person<br />
with an East Indian accent.<br />
Were there not enough people<br />
in the United States with high<br />
school diplomas for these jobs<br />
Taking airline reservations has<br />
traditionally been a good entry<br />
level job. It was always the type<br />
of job that was considered to<br />
be a great stepping stone for a<br />
person that desired a starting<br />
position with a major corporation.<br />
Less than a week after this<br />
happened I was talking about<br />
this to a friend of mine from the<br />
medical field and my friend said<br />
that she had been informed that<br />
Blue Cross has outsourced its<br />
customer jobs to the Indian<br />
subcontinent. Once again we<br />
have a major corporation with<br />
entry level jobs that are being<br />
denied to Americans.<br />
I have tried to sort this out in<br />
my mind and the more that I<br />
think about the ramifications of<br />
the economic flight of America,<br />
the more confusing this gets.<br />
Many years ago I read that<br />
Henry Ford said that he wanted<br />
his employees to make $5.00 a<br />
day so that there would be<br />
somebody that could afford to<br />
buy his cars.<br />
I decided to try and sort this<br />
through with someone who had<br />
more knowledge and experience<br />
with this than I did. How bad<br />
was this really I decided to<br />
speak to Bob Baugh because<br />
he is the National Executive Director<br />
of the AFL-CIO Indus-<br />
From The Editor’s Desk<br />
Hello, Fellow<br />
Students!<br />
My name is Kamilah Fabien<br />
and I’m the new editor of the Tiger<br />
News. This semester, we have<br />
a new staff and we’re really excited<br />
about bringing you all the<br />
news and entertainment that you<br />
want in your campus newspaper.<br />
(Meet members of our editorial<br />
staff below in the sidebar!)<br />
We’ve worked hard to cover<br />
most of the events since the semester<br />
started in August, but for<br />
technical reasons, we weren’t<br />
able to come out with an issue till<br />
now. However, we hope you’ll<br />
still enjoy reading our first issue.<br />
Sections we wish to feature<br />
in our paper will include Campus<br />
News, Opinion/Editorial, Campus<br />
Life, Features, Art & Entertainment,<br />
and Sports. As we think of<br />
other areas of interest to you,<br />
we’ll add them. If you think of an<br />
area that we can add, please let<br />
us know.<br />
We would like for you to really<br />
feel that the Tiger News is<br />
your newspaper. We’re even willing<br />
to try answering any questions<br />
you might have about the<br />
school. There’s just one problem<br />
Advisor’s Notes<br />
I’ve been a faculty advisor to a<br />
student newspaper at three other<br />
colleges, but I must admit that,<br />
for the first time, I’m having the<br />
kind of editorial staff members<br />
I’ve dreamt of. A staff that is not<br />
only enthusiastic but also very<br />
diligent and reliable in carrying<br />
out its task.<br />
Were it not for the lack of equipment<br />
and other facilities, this issue<br />
of the paper would have been<br />
out at least a month ago. However,<br />
our lack of equipment has<br />
not dampened the spirit of my<br />
students who continue to write<br />
their stories and to show up for<br />
our copyediting and layout labs.<br />
Thus, I can truly say that this<br />
group at <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> is also<br />
the first that has made my work<br />
almost stress-free and also fun.<br />
Their willingness to work with<br />
what is available certainly demonstrates<br />
the school’s slogan of<br />
trial Union Council. He started off<br />
the conversation by telling me<br />
that “manufacturing is the canary<br />
in the coal mine”. It turns out that<br />
we have lost 3.5 million manufacturing<br />
jobs since 1998.<br />
In the new millennium we have<br />
expanded our job losses into research,<br />
engineering, design, and<br />
professional technical jobs. We<br />
even have companies that are<br />
outsourcing the reading of X-<br />
rays (do we really need this one)<br />
GE has outsourced tens of thousands<br />
of financial service job in<br />
particular. And just in case you’re<br />
thinking that what we need are<br />
more major American companies<br />
with major contracts, you had<br />
better think again.<br />
Kamilah Fabien<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
though…we don’t know what<br />
your questions are!<br />
This is therefore an invitation<br />
to you to write letters to me for<br />
inclusion in our “Letter to the<br />
Editor” column on this page. If<br />
you want to ask a question, or<br />
just want to make a statement<br />
about something; either way, feel<br />
free to write your letters and email<br />
them<br />
to<br />
bctigernews@yahoo.com.<br />
We’re really excited about<br />
hearing from you and serving<br />
you better.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Kamilah Fabien<br />
Dr. Momo K. Rogers, Sr.<br />
Faculty Advisor<br />
preparing students to be powers<br />
for good.<br />
I thank the staff for putting their<br />
all in getting out this first issue. I<br />
hope you enjoy reading it, knowing<br />
that much time and efforts<br />
were put in getting it to you.<br />
Finally, I would also like to<br />
thank my colleagues, Susan<br />
Dugan and Donald Holmes, for<br />
being there with their assistance<br />
whenever I called on them.<br />
Boeing got a new Aerospace<br />
contract to build 787 jets. Boeing<br />
turned around and outsourced<br />
more than 70% of the labor that<br />
was needed to build the 787s.<br />
Meanwhile they have laid off<br />
25,000 machinists and 25,000 engineers.<br />
They thought that these<br />
jobs should go to some very deserving<br />
people in places such as<br />
China, Japan and Italy. As we<br />
went through these facts, Bob<br />
Baugh pointed out something<br />
that we have heard many times.<br />
“The last hired are the first to be<br />
fired”, so this job destruction<br />
does not bode well for Black<br />
America.<br />
see AMERICA/page 3<br />
M<br />
e<br />
e<br />
t<br />
o<br />
u<br />
r<br />
S<br />
t<br />
a<br />
f<br />
f<br />
Marquita Watson<br />
News Editor<br />
Kimberly Webber<br />
Sports Editor<br />
Curtis Wilson<br />
Copy Editor<br />
Thomas Hunter<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Adrienne Williams<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Nadia J. Muhammad<br />
Editorial Page Editor<br />
Sherell Watson<br />
Entertainment Editor<br />
Janael Ceasar<br />
Advertising Manager<br />
Reginald Tisdale<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Koren Merchant<br />
Staff Writer<br />
R. Nathaniel Roberson<br />
Assitant Editor<br />
C. DanteWinstead<br />
Features Editor<br />
William Sledge<br />
Photo Editor<br />
Chaquain Meyer-<br />
Boone<br />
Circulation Manager<br />
Kentrell McGrier<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Zachary Smith<br />
Photographer
COMMUNITY/SOCIETY<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2006</strong> BC Tiger News - Page 5<br />
Students say ‘not<br />
enough’ vendors at<br />
<strong>2006</strong> HBCU Job Fair<br />
Kamilah Fabien<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
Nearly 70 vendors participated<br />
in the <strong>2006</strong> HBCU Job Fair held<br />
Sept. 26, at the Brooklyn Baptist<br />
Church, sponsored by Sen.<br />
Lyndsay Graham, <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
and other local HBCUs.<br />
Because not all of the 70 registered<br />
vendors showed up, some<br />
students said there were not<br />
enough vendors in their various<br />
fields.<br />
“I would have like to see more<br />
medical people there,” said<br />
Michelle Booker, a senior, biology<br />
major.<br />
Booker added the lack of vendors<br />
was not so much of a problem<br />
as was the lack of variety<br />
among the vendors present.<br />
Another student, Amanda<br />
Mackey, a senior, Computer Science<br />
major, said she was not impressed<br />
with the vendors who<br />
showed up. “I felt as though I<br />
was being rushed,” Mackey said.<br />
However, Mackey had a different<br />
impression of the workshops<br />
provided during the fair. She said<br />
she found the “Resume Writing”<br />
workshop helpful. “They exposed<br />
you to a lot of different<br />
formats,” she said.<br />
Other workshops included<br />
“Business Etiquette/Dress for<br />
Success,” “HR Benefit Package/<br />
Credit Worthiness,” and “Starting<br />
Your Own Business.”<br />
Many other students said the<br />
highlight of the job fair was the<br />
‘freebies’ given out by the participating<br />
companies.<br />
The fair was open from 10 a.m.<br />
to 3 p.m. Students were shuttled<br />
to and from the event location<br />
and provided with lunch.<br />
Saturday Academy needs<br />
volunteers for K-5 program<br />
by Janael M. Ceasar<br />
Advertising Manager<br />
If you love volunteering your<br />
time for a positive event and you<br />
love working with children and<br />
are full of life and energy, you<br />
may be a great choice for the Saturday<br />
Academy Program for<br />
Youth. From the month of October<br />
through <strong>December</strong>, the Saturday<br />
Academy will be held in<br />
five participating schools across<br />
the state, involving more than 350<br />
students every week.<br />
There are an array of activities<br />
to choose from including tutoring,<br />
character lessons, sports,<br />
computer training and cultural<br />
An Official Letter<br />
to<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Students<br />
from President<br />
David H. Swinton<br />
Dear <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Students:<br />
arts. Children participating will<br />
range from kindergarten through<br />
5th grade, (K-5). Volunteers can<br />
also serve as personal mentors<br />
for the youth that participate.<br />
On Saturday, Oct. 21, the Saturday<br />
programs kicked-off with<br />
volunteer training. The training<br />
was held at Harbison West Elementary<br />
in Irmo starting at 8:30<br />
a.m. until noon. Other training<br />
dates are as follows: Oct. 28, Nov.<br />
11, Nov. 18, Dec. 2, and Dec. 9.<br />
All training dates are Saturdays<br />
which makes it convenient for<br />
most, according to the Academy.<br />
If you are interested in becoming<br />
a volunteer contact Justin<br />
Grant or Kevin Sampson at (803)<br />
561-0060.<br />
Now that Halloween is over and all of the ghosts and<br />
goblins have disappeared, it is time for you to buckle down to the<br />
serious business of finishing this semester on a positive note. You<br />
are nearly two-thirds of the way home. It is absolutely crucial that<br />
you redouble your efforts to assure that you are progressing<br />
smoothly towards your various degrees.<br />
The importance of completing your college education can<br />
not be over stated. According to the Southern Regional Education<br />
Board, a college graduate can expect to earn more than twice as<br />
much per year as a high school graduate ($23,657 vs. $47,100). The<br />
report also noted that college graduates are less likely to be<br />
unemployed. Indeed, the economic benefits of completing college<br />
are common throughout the country and well known. On average,<br />
throughout their working lives college graduates will earn about $1<br />
million more than high school graduates.<br />
Indeed, the economic benefits of a college education are<br />
strong. However, of equal importance is the positive impact of a<br />
college education on the social and community status of the<br />
individual. People who achieve a college education live wellrounded<br />
lives by every social indicator. <strong>College</strong> graduates are<br />
generally more informed citizens and have a greater participation in<br />
civic and community affairs. Individuals with college degrees are<br />
sought out for leadership positions in hopes of making the world a<br />
better place. <strong>College</strong> graduates have a greater understanding about<br />
how the world works which makes it easier for them to make<br />
connections in society.<br />
Each of you is on the pathway to becoming college<br />
graduates with the possibility of achieving all the benefits that a<br />
degree entails. However, whether you achieve this goal or not is up<br />
to you. Your effort and desire will determine your success. Of<br />
course, some level of college education is better than none; but, the<br />
real prizes come with graduation. Moreover, your achievements at<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> will determine your success after you graduate. Do not be<br />
content to merely skate by, but try to achieve as much as you can<br />
while you are here. The more you achieve the better off you will be<br />
and the more you can do for yourself, your family and your<br />
community.<br />
I also encourage each of you to learn how to present<br />
yourself in a positive way in public. You never know who is watching<br />
and as they say, “you never get a second chance to make a first<br />
impression.” You should always care about yourself and take pride<br />
in your appearance and the way you speak. If you think less of<br />
yourself, then so will every one else. I would encourage each of<br />
you to look at some of the old photos of <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> students.<br />
You will see a sense of pride and respect projected in the photos<br />
which would be good for all of us to emulate today.<br />
Finally, although we do not require attendance at Chapel<br />
service, I would encourage each of you to attend Chapel or some<br />
church service each Sunday. You will be surprised how a little<br />
spiritual food will prepare you for the rest of the week. Each of you<br />
has my best wishes for the rest of the semester. Remember, your<br />
success will be directly proportionate to your effort.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
David Holmes Swinton - President and CEO<br />
Congressman Clyburn provokes<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> students to vote<br />
Clyburn promises<br />
lower interest rates to<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> students<br />
by Thomas Hunter<br />
Staff Writer<br />
District 4 South Carolina<br />
Congressman Jim Clyburn excited<br />
students with promises at<br />
an All <strong>College</strong> Assembly.<br />
At 10:30, the students, faculty,<br />
and members of the community<br />
began to pour into the<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s historic<br />
Antisdel Chapel as they eagerly<br />
awaited to hear the voice of<br />
Congressman Jim Clyburn, who<br />
was the guest speaker of the<br />
day.<br />
The program began with Jim<br />
Claude, Vice President of Membership<br />
Affairs. He opened the<br />
program by stating the purpose<br />
of the event as well as the Student<br />
Empowerment Initiative.<br />
Student Empowerment Initiative,<br />
which also sponsored the<br />
program is an effort to provide<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> students the<br />
opportunity to register as voters;<br />
to motivate students to<br />
Representatives of the<br />
Republican and Democratic<br />
parties were on hand for a voter<br />
empowerment rally hosted by<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> on Nov. 2, in<br />
the Anitsdel Chapel.<br />
Harry White, Chief of Staff of<br />
the Republican Party and Bakari<br />
Sellers (D), State Representative<br />
were the platform speakers for the<br />
rally.<br />
Curtis Wilson, student and<br />
WLTX Channel 19 anchor, kicked<br />
off the program with welcome<br />
remarks. Wilson was followed by<br />
student Roderice Gilliam who did<br />
the purpose and said, “We as<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> students need<br />
to be well informed.”<br />
White, who serves as Chief<br />
Staff to the Republican governor<br />
of South Carolina, Mark<br />
Sanford, focused on statistics<br />
which bolstered his point that the<br />
governor has helped minorities<br />
by attempting to put money back<br />
into their hands.<br />
vote in the upcoming election;<br />
and to provide students with the<br />
opportunity to meet candidates<br />
for the upcoming election.<br />
After the purpose was given, a<br />
powerful, and thought provoking<br />
prayer was given by Glenn<br />
Prince, dean of chapel.<br />
Following prayer, members of<br />
the award winning gospel choir<br />
added an extraordinary moment<br />
with “Imagine Me”.<br />
Next, Alexandra, a junior political<br />
science major, introduced the<br />
man of the hour, congressman<br />
Clyburn.<br />
She noted his many achievements<br />
which included that he<br />
raised 350,000 to fund education<br />
for black students, he has membership<br />
to the NAACP, Mason,<br />
Omega.<br />
He is a graduate of SC Executive<br />
Institute. He has been<br />
awarded honorary doctorate degrees<br />
from 16 different colleges.<br />
Greeted with a standing ovation<br />
from the audience, Clyburn<br />
travels to the mic.<br />
First, he began to reminisce, the<br />
last time he was here was the<br />
graduation of his 3rd daughter,<br />
where he was the commencement<br />
speaker. He was awarded an<br />
Students attend voter<br />
empowerment assembly<br />
Representatives of the Republican and Democratic<br />
parties rallied students to vote on Nov. 7<br />
by Bobbie Love and Johnathan<br />
Randolph<br />
Contributing Writers<br />
BCNAA from page 1<br />
Hill as Mr. and Miss Pre-Alumni<br />
<strong>2006</strong>-2007.<br />
Other queens in attendance for<br />
the Crowning Ceremony were<br />
Ms. Thelma Whitney, Class of<br />
1960; Miss BCNAA 2003; Mrs.<br />
Lula Yeargin Williams,Class of<br />
1965; Miss BCNAA 2005-<strong>2006</strong>.<br />
Many returning alumni and<br />
guests were present for the event<br />
with entertainment<br />
featuring Kindred Spirit Band and<br />
show.<br />
DATABASE from p.3<br />
Database Newsletter is also in<br />
development to highlight various<br />
graduate and professional school<br />
academic and cultural programs.<br />
Since its announcement, the database<br />
has been averaging 30-40<br />
submissions per day. Submitting<br />
your information to the National<br />
Minority Student Database is<br />
free and goes directly to graduate<br />
and professional programs<br />
interested in recruiting more minority<br />
candidates.<br />
See more online at<br />
www.shropshiregroup.org or<br />
contact The Shropshire Group at<br />
info@shropshiregroup.org.<br />
Graduate and Professional<br />
schools can gain access to the<br />
National Minority Student Database<br />
by becoming a member of<br />
The Shropshire Group. Membership<br />
includes subscription to the<br />
database, prominent listings in all<br />
print and online publications,<br />
and disbursement of academic<br />
White said that there had been<br />
a 13 percent rise in taxes, but only<br />
a 5 percent increase in earnings<br />
by the average South Carolinian.<br />
He added that the $6 million that<br />
resulted from the tax increase is<br />
basically controlled by “old<br />
white men.”<br />
Sellers, the youngest official<br />
elected to the State House of<br />
Representatives in South<br />
Carolina, spoke about the state’s<br />
education system, asking, “Why<br />
do we tell the children that<br />
minimally adequate is good<br />
enough”<br />
Sellers also discussed the<br />
ambitions of governor hopeful<br />
Tommy Moore as it deals with<br />
healthcare.<br />
Other students involved in the<br />
program included Bertrand Boyd<br />
who did a spoken word piece.<br />
Joshua Stroman, 2nd vice<br />
president of SGA, introduced the<br />
speakers. There was also a<br />
performance by the <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> Concert choir, singing<br />
the Negro National Anthem in its<br />
entirety.<br />
Elections were held on Nov 7.<br />
ALUMNI from page 8<br />
that’s pre-season,” said Watson<br />
as an afterthought.<br />
Last season <strong>Benedict</strong>’s<br />
basketball team won the<br />
conference championship with a<br />
24 -3 record and Watson sees big<br />
things for this season as well.<br />
“I’m blessed to have the team<br />
I have,” Watson said, noting that<br />
all his players are talented, but<br />
that Lamont Robinson and<br />
Martinis Woody seemed to be<br />
exceptionally so. The team also<br />
has returning starters Bennie<br />
Lewis, Leslie Brown, and<br />
Zachary Barron.<br />
The only thing Watson<br />
believes that he has yet to see is<br />
how the team will come together<br />
as a unit. The first home game<br />
was scheduled against Augusta<br />
State on Nov. 15.<br />
This year’s team lineup include<br />
Darius Lane, Leslie Brown,<br />
Marcus Carroll, Lamont<br />
Robinson, Bennie Lewis, David<br />
Wine, Kenneth Thompson,<br />
Charles Gibbs, Zachary Barron,<br />
Eric Priester, Jamal Nuh, Corey<br />
Myers, Lamar Owens, Martinis<br />
Woody, Rickey Shipp, Stephon<br />
Myers, Antiniel Oliver, and<br />
Robert Booker.<br />
material during the Shropshire<br />
Group National Minority Applicant<br />
Recruitment Tour. Membership<br />
dues are used to provide<br />
scholarships, academic counseling,<br />
and an extensive minority<br />
mentor program.<br />
honorary doctorate degree from<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
November 7 could make a significant<br />
change in the country,<br />
stated Clyburn.<br />
He introduced his good friend,<br />
C.K. Butterfield, North Carolina<br />
congressman. Although he was<br />
white, Clyburn called him a<br />
‘brother’, due to his promise to<br />
keeping that seat in the Congressional<br />
Black Caucus.<br />
Clyburn goes on to explain a<br />
typical Election Day. “I start my<br />
day at the polls in Columbia,” he<br />
stated. “Then after 7p.m. I go to<br />
Sumter, Florence, and then<br />
Orangeburg. He was not able to<br />
do travel two years ago due to a<br />
disturbance that was taking place<br />
in the <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> campus<br />
center. On Election Day 2004,<br />
students were not able to vote.<br />
“Some goons out of the state<br />
tried to disrupt the voting process”<br />
stated Clyburn. “I am here<br />
to make sure that this doesn’t<br />
happen again”.<br />
He began to talk about the issues<br />
that plague our society in<br />
the 1960’s. “We fought for the<br />
right to vote” he stated.<br />
He added that today, due to the<br />
lack of black voting, people who<br />
MARKS from page 1<br />
want their students to be successful.<br />
“In order to achieve these good<br />
marks,” explained Linda Kershaw,<br />
professor of music, “we have to<br />
be shepherds as teachers, and<br />
you have to be shepherds as students.”<br />
Addressing the immediate effect<br />
of having such an event,<br />
Dean Quillan said, “The mixer<br />
was an excellent opportunity for<br />
the students to communicate<br />
with their advisors, and to receive<br />
pertinent information about their<br />
audits.”<br />
Did the idea of students getting<br />
to meet and know their advisors<br />
and other faculty members<br />
in a social setting work<br />
“I think it was a wonderful<br />
are not in our best interest have<br />
slipped into office.<br />
He explains how we have<br />
found ourselves having to fight<br />
again. “We would not be in Iraq<br />
if we voted in 2000” he stated.<br />
“We must vote and we must<br />
vote in big numbers so that we<br />
can dismiss any disruption”.<br />
His plan if he’s elected again,<br />
is to cut the interest rate of on<br />
student loans in half from 8.1%<br />
to 4.1%, which was followed with<br />
a standing ovation from a house<br />
full of students.<br />
“The interest loans have been<br />
increased to 8.1%, which is more<br />
than the interest of a mortgage”<br />
stated Clyburn. “We will make<br />
college tuition tax deductible for<br />
your parents”.<br />
In his closing statement, he<br />
challenged all the college fraternities<br />
and sororities to get involved<br />
with getting their peers<br />
to the poll.<br />
The house warmly accepted<br />
Clyburn’s plea to go to vote on<br />
November 7, which was obvious<br />
by their response to his speech.<br />
On November 7, Clyburn was<br />
elected congressman for the 12<br />
executive year.<br />
idea,” said Emmie Davis, professor<br />
of English. “The social situation<br />
allowed us to blend.”<br />
Kevin Christie, a senior, psychology<br />
major, said, ”It was fabulous,<br />
I really enjoyed the food,<br />
and the opportunity to meet with<br />
my advisor. It made me feel good<br />
to see students and faculty together.”<br />
Many students, who attended<br />
the event, met and ate with their<br />
advisors, having fun and taking<br />
care of business at the same time.<br />
“I believe it made students<br />
more comfortable in approaching<br />
their advisors,” said Alecia<br />
Lawerence, secretary of the English,<br />
Foreign Language and<br />
Mass Communication department.<br />
<strong>College</strong> Students: How’s Your Credit<br />
Grade<br />
With college students receiving<br />
so many unsolicited credit offers,<br />
it’s important to study up<br />
on handling credit.<br />
(NAPSA)-Though you may be<br />
hoping for an “A” in biology this<br />
semester, what do you think your<br />
grade will be in managing your<br />
credit Both are important, but<br />
your school grade will only last<br />
for a semester, while your credit<br />
score stays with you a long time.<br />
For college students receiving<br />
all those unsolicited credit offers,<br />
it is especially important to have<br />
an understanding of how to<br />
handle credit early so they can<br />
avoid problems later on. This may<br />
account for the interest in a campaign<br />
designed to increase<br />
awareness and understanding of<br />
automotive financing, unlock the<br />
mysteries of personal credit and<br />
help consumers decide whether<br />
buying or leasing a new vehicle<br />
is right for them.<br />
The campaign, now in its second<br />
year, is called SmartEdge by<br />
GMAC.<br />
“SmartEdge is a wonderful and<br />
straightforward way to educate<br />
consumers about personal credit,<br />
as well as vehicle financing options,”<br />
said Barbara Stokel, executive<br />
vice president, GMAC<br />
North American Operations. “We<br />
are encouraged to be significantly<br />
expanding this successful<br />
campaign in <strong>2006</strong>. We expect to<br />
host nearly 1,500 SmartEdge activities<br />
this year, estimated to<br />
reach more than 500,000 consumers.”<br />
SmartEdge by GMAC has<br />
hosted, and will continue to host,<br />
financial literacy events throughout<br />
the country, specifically targeting<br />
Atlanta; Chicago; Cleveland;<br />
Dallas; Houston; Miami;<br />
Sacramento; San Antonio; San<br />
Diego; St. Louis; Charlotte, N.C.;<br />
Memphis, Tenn.; and Tampa, Fla.<br />
In addition, consumers can access<br />
GMAC SmartEdge program<br />
information online at<br />
www.SmartEdgebyGMAC.com<br />
and learn more about activities<br />
around their city.<br />
The program focuses on teaching<br />
consumers how to establish<br />
good credit, manage a budget and<br />
evaluate vehicle-financing options.<br />
The program and consumer<br />
tips are free to everyone with<br />
absolutely no strings attached.<br />
“Buying a vehicle is usually a<br />
person’s first big financial decision<br />
and going about it isn’t always<br />
easy. That’s why GMAC<br />
has created SmartEdge,” said<br />
Don Ferguson, director of Minority<br />
Dealer Development, Relationship<br />
Marketing and Diversity.<br />
“It’s an education tool that<br />
brings vehicle-financing information<br />
to consumers in a fresher,<br />
more engaging way that gives<br />
people the flexibility to learn at<br />
their own pace.”<br />
The company also introduced its<br />
Get the Edge Instant Win and<br />
Sweepstakes, which gives <strong>2006</strong><br />
seminar attendees a chance to<br />
win a 2007 Chevrolet HHR or<br />
Chevrolet Cobalt and other<br />
prizes.
CAMPUS LIFE<br />
Page 4 - BC Tiger News <strong>December</strong> <strong>2006</strong><br />
Bertrand Boyd and the Ladies of Zeta<br />
Phi Beta win Capital City Classics’<br />
Step Show and Party Hop Competition<br />
by Marquita A. Watson<br />
News Editor<br />
The Palmetto Capital City Classics’<br />
Step Show and Party Hop<br />
Competition showcased the talents<br />
of <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> students,<br />
and Bertrand Boyd and the<br />
ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority,<br />
Inc., proved to be the most talented<br />
as winners, each receiving<br />
a prize of $500.<br />
This event, originally scheduled<br />
as a Greek step show, was<br />
held on Aug. 31, in the Benjamin<br />
E. Mays Human Resource Arena<br />
on campus.<br />
Zeta Phi Beta, the only participating<br />
sorority, was up against<br />
the men of Phi Beta Sigma, Alpha<br />
Phi Alpha, and Kappa Alpha Psi<br />
Fraternities, Inc. However, it was<br />
Boyd, a spoken word artist, who<br />
competed with the local rap<br />
group, “Pickett Fence,” the<br />
dance group, “Wanted,” and a<br />
Bertrand Boyd , one of the winners of the Palmetto<br />
Capital City Classic’s Step Show and Party Hop Competition<br />
Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa<br />
Alpha sponsors six events to<br />
kick-off <strong>2006</strong>-2007school year<br />
by Nadia J. Muhammad<br />
Editorial Page Editor<br />
The Psi chapter of Alpha<br />
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., began<br />
the <strong>2006</strong>-2007 school year<br />
with a series of events to raise<br />
school spirit.<br />
On Aug. 15, the sorority held a<br />
Freshman Female Drop-in in<br />
Mather Hall, giving out academic<br />
and scholarship information and<br />
door prizes to the new freshman<br />
students who attended.<br />
In the hopes of promoting<br />
school spirit, the sorority also<br />
sponsored “A Splash of Pink, A<br />
Puddle of Green: AKA Supports<br />
Our Tiger Football Team,” which<br />
coincided with the first football<br />
game against Morehouse <strong>College</strong><br />
on Aug. 26. During this event,<br />
members of the Psi Chapter provided<br />
face painting to spectators.<br />
The ladies of the Psi Chapter<br />
also participated in the first pep<br />
rally of the semester, not only<br />
joining in the cheers but also giving<br />
prizes out.<br />
Dennis Taylor, a junior, majoring<br />
in Therapeutic Therapy,<br />
and member of the Tigers football<br />
team, won the “In Support<br />
of our Tigers” raffle gift. This gift<br />
includes pink and green Gatorade<br />
drink, mouth guard, ice pack,<br />
green hand towels, and candy elegantly<br />
placed in a lime green gift<br />
bag.<br />
President David H. Swinton<br />
and the first lady of <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
Patricia Swinton, along with<br />
several alumni, who were present<br />
during the pep rally said they<br />
were pleased with the sorority’s<br />
participation in the pep rally.<br />
Speaking about why the group<br />
decided to participate in the pep<br />
rally, Ebony Howard, a junior,<br />
Criminal Justice major, who is<br />
also Psi Chapter Community Service<br />
Chairman, said, “For our<br />
football team we wanted to express<br />
our gratitude towards their<br />
hard work along with the face<br />
paint to promote school spirit<br />
and esteem.”<br />
On Aug. 28, members of the Psi<br />
Chapter presented the seminar.<br />
“Safety and PEARLtection, A<br />
Safety Awareness Seminar.” The<br />
seminar included safety and protection<br />
strategies for the<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> campus and the<br />
surrounding metropolitan community.<br />
Lt. Beverly L. Flemming of<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s Department<br />
of Campus Safety, who was the<br />
guest speaker, informed the participants<br />
of crime statistics for<br />
their awareness and safety tips<br />
to remember as helpful hints.<br />
“We must be watchful at all<br />
times especially when walking at<br />
night by yourself,” Flemming told<br />
students in the audience who<br />
seemed interested in her presentation.<br />
After the seminar, one student,<br />
Khristanna Nelson, a sophomore,<br />
majoring in Early Childhood Education,<br />
said, “I loved the safety<br />
seminar because I never thought<br />
of taking it [safety] into consideration<br />
and by coming here tonight<br />
I felt cautions about what<br />
our community faces.”<br />
The Psi chapter held another<br />
event, “Skee-Week,” on October<br />
2-7, which included several activities,<br />
including the Miss Emerald<br />
Ecstasy pageant.<br />
Responding to why the Psi<br />
chapter is holding so many<br />
events this school year,<br />
Tondaleya Jackson, advisor to<br />
the Psi chapter, said, “Service to<br />
all Mankind since 1908 is what<br />
Psi Chapter here strives to hold<br />
true to its sorority model.” That<br />
model, she noted, will continue<br />
to be their service on “our historically<br />
known campus of<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>.”<br />
few other local steppers, who defended<br />
the pride of the male students.<br />
The only downside of the competition,<br />
according to many<br />
people in the audience, was that<br />
there were too many talented<br />
acts, making the show very long.<br />
“They were taking up too much<br />
time and needed to cut some of<br />
the acts,” Cierra Proctor, a junior,<br />
majoring in Mass Communications,<br />
said.<br />
Preston Simmons, a sophomore,<br />
Mass Communication major,<br />
added, “The show could’ve been<br />
better if tryouts were held to select<br />
the talents instead of letting<br />
everyone participate.”<br />
Despite this shortcoming, other<br />
students thought that going<br />
through the many acts allowed<br />
them to find a few “favorite acts”<br />
that made long duration of the<br />
competition worthwhile.<br />
Simmons said Boyd’s poetry<br />
was his favorite showcased talent.<br />
“He brought us something<br />
fresh,” said Simmons. “Everybody<br />
rapped, sang, and danced.”<br />
Ryan Hickman, a Mass Communications<br />
major, said his favorite<br />
act was “Wanted,” the dance<br />
group formerly known on campus<br />
as “II 2 NUN.”<br />
“They never cease to amaze<br />
me,” Hickman said, explaining<br />
why he chose the group as his<br />
favorite.<br />
Proctor disagreed with both<br />
Simmons and Hickman, arguing<br />
that her favorite group was the<br />
“The Diamonds,” a group of<br />
Lower Richland High School<br />
steppers.<br />
“They had passion and were<br />
fun to watch,” Proctor said.<br />
Although there was disagreement<br />
about who really was the<br />
best during the talent show, there<br />
was no argument about which<br />
group was the winner of the<br />
party hop competition.<br />
“The Zeta’s deserved to win,”<br />
Simmons said. “They were on<br />
point and prepared.”<br />
Proctor agreed. “They were the<br />
only group who didn’t mess up,”<br />
he noted.<br />
“They were organized and had<br />
the best moves,” Hickman added.<br />
Sherell Watson, a senior, English<br />
major, and a member of the<br />
winning group said the Zeta Phi<br />
Beta ladies worked hard to be the<br />
winners. “We appreciate the fact<br />
that the audience loved our party<br />
hops,” said Watson. “It was hard<br />
work and a lot of practice!”<br />
Vote to put Tigers<br />
Marching Band in<br />
<strong>2006</strong> Charlotte<br />
Pioneer Bowl IX<br />
by Curtis Wilson<br />
Copy Editor<br />
The <strong>2006</strong> Charlotte Pioneer<br />
Bowl IX, where bands of the Central<br />
Intercollegiate Athletic Association<br />
(CIAA) and the Southern<br />
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference<br />
(SIAC), will battle it out for<br />
national recognition, takes place<br />
on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m. in<br />
the American Legion Memorial<br />
Stadium, Charlotte.<br />
In order for any school band to<br />
be invited to participate in the<br />
national championship of<br />
HBCU’s marching bands, students<br />
of each school and their<br />
supporters are required to go<br />
online to www.pioneerbowl.com<br />
and vote for their favorite school<br />
band to get registered for this<br />
competition. The bands with the<br />
most votes will receive invitations<br />
to compete in this year’s Pioneer<br />
Bowl IX.<br />
The deadline for voting your<br />
school band into the competition<br />
is Nov. 27.<br />
The Pioneer Bowl is the only<br />
NCAA-sanctioned bowl game<br />
for HBCU’s. Tickets to attend the<br />
Pioneer Bowl IX are $15 in advance<br />
and $20 on the day of the<br />
event.<br />
For further information and<br />
directions, call (757) 865-0071.<br />
Alumni present ‘real world’<br />
situations to students<br />
during Alumni Career Day<br />
by Kamilah Fabien<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
Homecoming week at <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
featured a lot of events, including<br />
the chance for students to interact<br />
directly with alumni at<br />
Alumni Career Day presentations.<br />
Each major had a designated<br />
area and its own speakers.<br />
The Mass Communication and<br />
English majors were met by Benefit<br />
Councilor, Maria Romero;<br />
School Administrator, Damera<br />
Hightower and Housing Program<br />
Manager, Jamie Divine.<br />
Romero, who graduated in 1969<br />
with a business administration<br />
degree, was disappointed when<br />
she graduated and was not met<br />
with an immediate job offer.<br />
When she did get hired though<br />
she broke records and served as<br />
the first African-American<br />
woman to be employed by General<br />
Motors account department<br />
worldwide.<br />
Romero urged students to visit<br />
the career development office on<br />
a regular basis and to apply for<br />
internships from as early as their<br />
freshman year. Romero, who does<br />
work with the National Urban<br />
League, is appalled by the low<br />
numbers of African-American<br />
college students who apply for<br />
internships.<br />
Divine, who had a six year matriculation<br />
at <strong>Benedict</strong> from 1993-<br />
1999, now develops housing for<br />
low-income bracket people.<br />
Divine insisted that students<br />
not get carried away with work<br />
like he did. “<strong>College</strong> is your job,”<br />
he told students while warning<br />
that it is easy to get carried away<br />
with making money rather than<br />
focusing on your academic endeavors.<br />
Damera Hightower a <strong>December</strong><br />
1995 graduate left college intending<br />
to be an English teacher. She<br />
Library staff holds Information Literary seminar for students<br />
by William Sledge<br />
Photo Editor<br />
The Library staff conducted 19<br />
sessions for freshmen and two<br />
sessions for Sophomores of its<br />
Information Literacy Seminar<br />
from Sept. 11 through Oct. 2, at<br />
the Benjamin F. Payton Learning<br />
Resouce Center.<br />
Bridget Sledge, reference librarian,<br />
said the seminar sessions<br />
are designed to ensure that students<br />
are equipped with knowledge<br />
and skills to effectively utilize<br />
all the resources available in<br />
the library.<br />
Sledge added, “This also gives<br />
us the opportunity to have all the<br />
new students enrolled in the<br />
library’s computer system, so<br />
they can check books out.”<br />
She said the seminar also provided<br />
information about the<br />
library’s policies and procedures.<br />
Jacnita Kennedy, a Social<br />
Work major, who attended one<br />
of the sessions, said, “This is a<br />
good way to get new students<br />
into our library.”<br />
did teach for a while but soon<br />
found herself as a dean and a<br />
school principal while still in her<br />
twenties.<br />
Hightower now serves as an<br />
administrator at <strong>Benedict</strong>’s Office<br />
of Institutional Effectiveness and<br />
is also pursuing her doctorate at<br />
the University of South Carolina.<br />
Hightower’s advice to students<br />
included a warning not to get into<br />
debt with credit cards. She also<br />
was very concerned with the ineffective<br />
way that students<br />
sometimes communicate in professional<br />
settings.<br />
“Communication is your social<br />
currency,” said Hightower and<br />
expressed that Mass Communication<br />
and English majors were<br />
expected to be able to communicate<br />
more eloquently than other<br />
students.<br />
Student and WLTX anchor,<br />
Curtis Wilson, also spoke at the<br />
meeting. He briefly addressed students,<br />
letting them know that a<br />
good personality could sometimes<br />
open doors for you. Wilson told of<br />
when he worked solely at radio station<br />
The Big DM and was called<br />
unexpectedly one day and offered<br />
the position of anchor at WLTX.<br />
He now works in both capacities.<br />
Students were given the opportunity<br />
to ask questions and many<br />
had fears of entering the work<br />
force. The speakers offered words<br />
of encouragement and more helpful<br />
advice before the meeting came<br />
to an end.<br />
CAU Game<br />
from page 8<br />
it more difficult for the other to score.<br />
With a hard hit from the Tiger’s<br />
defense, CAU fumbled again in the<br />
fourth quarter, giving the Tigers a 3<br />
point lead (18-21). The Tigers continued<br />
to fight their way to victory<br />
as Jeffery Nobles scored a long<br />
touchdown run with a little over two<br />
minutes left in the game.<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong>’s alumni, students, and<br />
fans stood up and cheered for the<br />
effort that the players put forth and<br />
the hard work they did to defeat the<br />
Clark Atlanta University Panthers<br />
on their own turf!<br />
The <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Marching<br />
Tigers Band ended the night by<br />
playing the school’s Alma Mater.<br />
Students sang and football players<br />
held their helmets high. This win<br />
gave the Tigers a record of 2-1.<br />
FREE Money - No!<br />
FREE Education - Yes!<br />
African American<br />
Students Are<br />
Not Applying<br />
Even if you do not have a<br />
college-aged child at home,<br />
please share this with someone<br />
who does, pass this scholarship<br />
information on to anyone and<br />
everyone that comes to mind.<br />
Though there are a number of<br />
companies and organizations<br />
that have donated monies for<br />
scholarship use to African<br />
Americans, a great deal of the<br />
money is being returned because<br />
of a lack of interest.<br />
No one is going to knock on<br />
our doors and ask if we can use<br />
a scholarship.<br />
Take the initiative to get your<br />
children involved. There is no<br />
need<br />
For money to be returned to<br />
donating companies because we<br />
fail to apply for it.<br />
Please pass this information on<br />
to family members, nieces,<br />
nephews, friends with children<br />
etc. We must get the word out<br />
that money is available. If you<br />
are a college student or getting<br />
ready to become one, you<br />
probably already know how<br />
useful additional money can be.<br />
Our youth really could use these<br />
scholarships.<br />
(If clicking on the link doesn’t<br />
work, then type in the Web site<br />
address manually.)<br />
1) BELL LABS FELLOWSHIPS<br />
FOR UNDER REPRESENTED<br />
MINORITIES<br />
<br />
http://www.bell-labs.com/<br />
fellowships/CRFP/info.html<br />
2) Student Inventors<br />
Scholarships http://<br />
www.invent.org/collegiate<br />
< http://www.invent.org/<br />
collegiate><br />
http://<br />
www.invent.org/collegiate/<br />
3) Student Video Scholarships<br />
<br />
http://www.christophers.org/<br />
vidcon2k.html<br />
4) Coca-Cola Two Year <strong>College</strong><br />
Scholarships<br />
<br />
http://www.cocacolascholars.org/programs.html<br />
5) Holocaust Remembrance<br />
Scholarships<br />
<br />
http://holocaust.hklaw.com/<br />
6) Ayn Rand Essay Scholarships<br />
<br />
http://<br />
www.aynrand.org/contests/<br />
7) Brand Essay Competition<br />
< h t t p : / /<br />
www.instituteforbrandleadership.org/<br />
IBLEssayContest-2002Rules.ht<br />
m m > h t t p : / /<br />
www.instituteforbrandleadership.org/<br />
IBLEssayContest-<br />
2002Rules.htm m><br />
8) Gates Millennium<br />
Scholarships (major)<br />
http://<br />
w w w . g m s p . o r g /<br />
nominationmaterials/<br />
read.dbmID=12<br />
9) Xerox Scholarships for<br />
Students<br />
<br />
http://www2.xerox.com/go/xrx/<br />
a b o u t _ x e r o x /<br />
about_xerox_detail.jsp<br />
10) Sports Scholarships and<br />
Internships<br />
<br />
http://www.ncaa.org/about/<br />
scholarships.html<br />
11) National Assoc. of Black<br />
Journalists Scholarships (NABJ)<br />
<br />
http://www.nabj.org/html/<br />
studentsvcs.html<br />
12) Saul T. Wilson Scholarships<br />
(Veterinary)<br />
<br />
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mb/<br />
mrphr/jobs/stw.html<br />
13) Thurgood Marshall<br />
Scholarship Fund http://<br />
www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/<br />
sk_v6.cfm<br />
14) FinAid: The Smart Students<br />
Guide to Financial Aid<br />
scholarships) http://<br />
www.finaid.org/<br />
15) Presidential Freedom<br />
Scholarships<br />
http://www.nationalservice.org/<br />
scholarships/<br />
16) Microsoft Scholarship<br />
Program<br />
http://www.microsoft.com/<br />
college/scholarships/<br />
minorityasp<br />
17) WiredScholar Free<br />
Scholarship Search<br />
http://www.wiredscholar.com/<br />
paying/scholarship_search/<br />
pay_scholarshipsearch.jsp<br />
18) Hope Scholarships &Lifetime<br />
Credits http://www.ed.gov/<br />
inits/hope/<br />
19) William Randolph Hearst<br />
Endowed Scholarship for<br />
Minority Students<br />
http://<br />
www.apsanet.org/PS/grants/<br />
aspen3.cfm<br />
20) Multiple List of Minority<br />
Scholarships<br />
http://<br />
gehon.ir.miami.edu/financialassistance/Scholarship/<br />
black.html<br />
21) Guaranteed Scholarships<br />
< http://www.guaranteedscholarships.com/>http://<br />
www.guaranteedscholarships.com/<br />
22) BOEING scholarships (soma<br />
e HBCU connects)<br />
<br />
http://www.boeing.com/<br />
companyoffices/<br />
educationrelations/scholarships<br />
23) Easley National Scholarship<br />
Program
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2006</strong><br />
CAMPUS NEWS<br />
BC Tiger News - Page 3<br />
Fighting ends SGA’s Glow Party,<br />
Campus Safety Officers order<br />
students out of HRC Arena<br />
by Kamilah Fabien<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
Campus safety officers ordered<br />
students attending the SGA’s<br />
Glow Party to vacate the HRC<br />
Arena early Saturday morning,<br />
Sept. 9, when a fight broke out<br />
among students.<br />
The theme party, which required<br />
party-goers to wear white clothing,<br />
started late Friday night,<br />
Sept. 8, and was scheduled to<br />
end at 2 a.m. Saturday morning.<br />
However, it ended prematurely<br />
because of the fight around midnight.<br />
“I said it would end at 12 and it<br />
was over by 12:15,” said Monica<br />
Peterson, a sophomore, who<br />
stood outside the gym because<br />
students were being compelled<br />
by campus safety officers to vacate<br />
the premises and return to<br />
their rooms.<br />
The fight, though minor, sent<br />
many students running through<br />
the stands of the gym and to the<br />
outskirts of the dance floor, even<br />
though the DJ urged them not to<br />
run. Soon after, campus safety<br />
Tiger News/Kamilah Fabien<br />
Students leaving the gym after campus safety officers forced them<br />
to leave the gym and to return to their dorms.<br />
declared the party over and many<br />
reluctant and incensed students<br />
left the gym grudgingly.<br />
“The good suffer for the bad,”<br />
said Fiaz Mohammed, a senior,<br />
chemistry major, reacting to the<br />
school’s non-tolerance policy towards<br />
violence. Mohammed said<br />
he believes that “the non-tolerance<br />
policy is good, because if<br />
students act like children, then<br />
they should be treated like children.”<br />
However, he noted that the majority<br />
of students at the party<br />
were not fighting, but that the<br />
party had ended for them all just<br />
the same.<br />
Speaking before the party took<br />
place, Ryan David, president of<br />
the SGA, said he wanted the<br />
party to serve as a demonstration<br />
of the SGA’s event planning<br />
skills, hoping that the party<br />
would encourage students to attend<br />
other SGA activities.<br />
David also added that he hoped<br />
the party would end at the intended<br />
time, 2 a.m., perhaps<br />
awared that last year the Glow<br />
Party ended early due to the students<br />
fighting. His hope was not<br />
realized, as again, this year’s<br />
party also ended early due to students<br />
fighting.<br />
Despite this setback to its first<br />
activity of the school year, David<br />
said the SGA, though faced with<br />
budget cuts, still plans to carry<br />
out its major activities for this<br />
semester: the coronation of Miss<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong>, and events of the<br />
Homecoming Week.<br />
David therefore urged other<br />
campus organizations to take up<br />
the slack and also host events<br />
that would encourage socialization<br />
and boost student morale.<br />
Students seen dancing moments before the end of the party.<br />
Students socialize and display school<br />
spirit at Dutty Wine Carnival celebration<br />
With everyone from freshmen<br />
to seniors and all of the different<br />
campus organizations present,<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s Dutty Wine<br />
Carnival Celebration gave students<br />
the opportunity to socialize<br />
and display school spirit.<br />
Opening the carnival on the activity<br />
field, on Oct. 26. Ryan<br />
David, president of Student Govby<br />
Sherell Watson<br />
Entertainment Editor<br />
ernment Association, said, “The<br />
goal of this event is to fellowship.”<br />
David added, “We predict a<br />
nice turnout and hope everyone<br />
has a good time.”<br />
With DJ Lucky Leon entertaining<br />
the crowd of about 200<br />
students, playing hits ranging<br />
from rap to reggae, the students<br />
were able to visit several display<br />
tables.<br />
Display tables were set up by<br />
members of Alpha Phi Alpha<br />
International students learn<br />
of legal options to stay in<br />
the U.S. after graduation<br />
by Kamilah Fabien<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
TIGER NEWSKamilah Fabien<br />
Attorney Larry J. Needle recently<br />
met with international students<br />
here at <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> to<br />
discuss their legal options for<br />
staying in the U.S. after graduation.<br />
Needle of the Ogletree,<br />
Deakins, Nash, Smoak and<br />
Stewart agency has a lot of experience<br />
dealing with immigration<br />
law and took the many questions<br />
of students, even dealing with<br />
individual scenarios.<br />
Needle maintained his main<br />
point throughout his discussion,<br />
which was to urge international<br />
students that no matter what,<br />
they should remain in status.<br />
“Use it or lose it,” said Needle<br />
of the OPT (Optional Practical<br />
Training) opportunity that international<br />
students are given after<br />
graduating from a degree pro-<br />
TIGER NEWS/Kamilah Fabien<br />
Attorney Larry J. Needle<br />
gram. This is a one year-time period<br />
that international students<br />
are allowed to work in the U.S. in<br />
their field if they obtained their<br />
degrees in the U.S.<br />
Needle advised students to<br />
apply early for OPT to ensure<br />
that the process was as smooth<br />
as possible. Because travel outside<br />
the U.S. for international students<br />
after graduation has<br />
proven to be difficult in the past,<br />
Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi<br />
Fraternity, Inc., The National<br />
Council of Negro Women, Alpha<br />
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Sigma<br />
Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.,<br />
BCARTI, Pre-Health Club and the<br />
Senior Class, where food, drinks<br />
and other items were sold and<br />
given away.<br />
Nadia J. Muhammad, Miss<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, who attended<br />
the carnival, said the carnival<br />
theme of school spirit was being<br />
shown. “The event is going very<br />
well, with all of the different organizations<br />
coming out, and selling<br />
different items in support of<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, the carnival<br />
theme tradition is being shown,”<br />
Muhammad said.<br />
Immediately following the carnival,<br />
all students were invited to<br />
the Benjamin E. Mays Gymnasium<br />
to attend the alumni basketball<br />
scrimmage game and to meet<br />
the members of the <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>’s Men and Women’s Basketball<br />
teams.<br />
Needle suggested that the best<br />
situation for travel would be for<br />
students to have their valid student<br />
VISAS, a letter from their<br />
employer and their EAD (Employment<br />
Authorization Document) or<br />
receipt of it.<br />
He said that aside from the OPT,<br />
international students and professionals<br />
would still be in status<br />
if a change of status occurred.<br />
He added that a change of status<br />
from F-1 (student VISA) to<br />
H1-B (professional or specialty<br />
status) would allow international<br />
students to work in the U.S. for<br />
up to six years, and can eventually<br />
lead to those individuals being<br />
sponsored by their employers.<br />
This change of status is employer-based<br />
and the employer must<br />
first test the market to ensure that no<br />
willing and qualified American could<br />
be employed in that position.<br />
Needle said he has noticed the<br />
recent trend for the cap on H1-<br />
B’s to be filled very early. Only<br />
65,000 H1-B’s are issued every fiscal<br />
year, 7,000 of which are reserved<br />
for nationals of Chile and<br />
Singapore because of special<br />
agreements between the U.S and<br />
these countries. Needle attributes<br />
see OPTIONS / page 7<br />
President Swinton refers to <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> as ‘the best’ during Fall Convocation<br />
by Adrienne Williams<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Dr. David H. Swinton, president<br />
of <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, told the college<br />
family at this year’s Fall Convocation<br />
that students at<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> are the “best in<br />
the world.”<br />
President Swinton, speaking<br />
Thursday, Sept. 14, in the Human<br />
Resources Center Arena, during<br />
the One Hundred Thirty-Seventh<br />
Fall Convocation, said he also<br />
believes that “our college is the<br />
best in the world.”<br />
Noting that “we should have<br />
faith in God and make no excuses”<br />
about who we are, he<br />
added, “We also must understand<br />
the value of education and<br />
the commitment must come from<br />
the heart.”<br />
Addressing the students directly,<br />
he said, “Value your education<br />
and be a power for good<br />
in society.”<br />
Dr. Swinton also encouraged<br />
the students to be “ambitious, set<br />
high goals, and aim to be more<br />
successful than the average person.”<br />
Speaking about problems in the<br />
world, Dr. Swinton pinpointed the<br />
AIDS epidemic in Africa as a major<br />
problem, but noted that “we<br />
have our very own epidemic here<br />
in the states, partly because we<br />
have a lack of dignity, self-respect,<br />
and privacy.”<br />
Concluding, Dr. Swinson said,<br />
“We must love ourselves in order<br />
to love someone else.”<br />
Earlier, Dr. Rudy W. Watts, executive<br />
vice president at<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, who served as<br />
master of ceremony, opened the<br />
convocation by ensuring students<br />
of the college’s “full support”<br />
to their education and said<br />
they should enhance “unity to<br />
make this fall semester a positive<br />
experience.”<br />
Nadia J. Muhammad, Miss<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> (2206-2007),<br />
brought greetings from the student<br />
body, and told her fellow<br />
students, “As future leaders, we<br />
must set the example to those<br />
who will come after us.”<br />
Ryan David, president<br />
of the Student Government Association,<br />
introduced the occasion,<br />
telling the audience that<br />
“The air on campus is filled with<br />
excitement and the beliefs that<br />
with an optimistic mind and an<br />
enthusiastic heart anything is<br />
possible.”<br />
Teckla S. Womack, the student<br />
member of the Board of Trustees,<br />
introduced the Convocation<br />
orator, President Swinton, assuring<br />
him of a “warm and inviting<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> welcome” as<br />
this year’s speaker.<br />
Throughout the ceremony, the<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Wind Ensemble,<br />
conducted by Dr. Sean<br />
E. Daniels, and the Concert<br />
Choir, conducted by Linda L.<br />
Kershaw and accompanied by<br />
pianist Ronald H. High, performed<br />
musical renditions, including<br />
“Total Praise” by the<br />
Ensemble and “Patriotic Medley”<br />
by the Choir.<br />
Library gets new computers,<br />
upgrades students’ access to Internet<br />
by William Sledge<br />
Photo Editor<br />
About 24 new computers will<br />
be installed in the Benjamin F.<br />
Payton Learning Resources Center,<br />
the <strong>College</strong>’s library, to provide<br />
additional computer workstations<br />
for student access.<br />
Bridget Sledge, reference librarian<br />
at <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, said<br />
the new computers are a collaborative<br />
project between the Office<br />
of Scholarships and the Library.<br />
She added that students, faculty,<br />
and staff will be able to access<br />
the Internet and do word<br />
processing using Microsoft<br />
Word.<br />
She also said that students still<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong>’s Recreation and Services<br />
program receives national accreditation<br />
The National Recreation and<br />
Park Association (NRPA) and the<br />
American Association for Physical<br />
Activity and Recreation<br />
Council on Accreditation granted<br />
accreditation to the Health,<br />
Physical Education and Recreation<br />
Department for the baccalaureate<br />
degree in recreation and<br />
leisure services during its recent<br />
meeting in Seattle, WA.<br />
The program is accredited<br />
through October 2011.<br />
“The recreation and leisure services<br />
program has a solid track<br />
record and produces graduates<br />
who quickly rise to leadership<br />
positions in the field and who go<br />
on to pursue graduate studies,”<br />
said Dr. Janeen P. Witty, Dean for<br />
AMERICA from p. 2<br />
Just in case something in this<br />
article has disturbed you, you’ll<br />
probably sleep better tonight<br />
knowing that the average CEO of<br />
a Standard and Poor’s Company<br />
made $11.75 million in total compensation<br />
in 2005. I’ve concluded<br />
that we need to look at<br />
Homeland Security in a new way.<br />
Homeland Security isn’t just<br />
about being safe in your home.<br />
Homeland Security is also about<br />
being able to afford a new home<br />
to be safe in.<br />
This election cycle and every<br />
election cycle hereafter we need<br />
to pay close attention to anything<br />
and everything that our<br />
future leaders have to say about<br />
outsourcing. If we don’t ‘Made<br />
in America’ will be just a memory<br />
that is made in our minds.<br />
Samuel Justiss Vance<br />
is a columnist for BlackNews.com<br />
and is the C.E.O. of<br />
Talkinggreen.com which produces<br />
the syndicated radio segment — A<br />
Positive Moment. Samuel Vance<br />
may be reached for public<br />
engagements, interviews and<br />
column syndication at<br />
714-210-7337.<br />
A student using one of the new computer workstations.<br />
the School of Education. “This<br />
accreditation is the external validation<br />
that <strong>Benedict</strong>’s program<br />
and our graduates meet national<br />
standards.”<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> will be included<br />
on the list of accredited<br />
programs in recreation, park resources,<br />
and leisure services education.<br />
This list is published in the<br />
February issue of Parks and Recreation<br />
magazine and the NRPA<br />
website.<br />
Dr. William F. Gunn, Jr., program<br />
coordinator, led the efforts of the<br />
faculty, students, alumni, and<br />
community partners through the<br />
accreditation process. Additionally,<br />
Dr. Ifeanyi Emenike, chair of<br />
the HPER department, provided<br />
Education Nonprofit Creates<br />
National Minority Students Database<br />
BC Office of Public Relations<br />
Dr. David H. Swinton,<br />
President of <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>.<br />
need to use their usernames and<br />
passwords to access the new<br />
computers.<br />
Noting that the new computers<br />
are a “welcomed and well deserved<br />
upgrade” that will be<br />
beneficial to Library Services,<br />
Sledge said, “I am excited about<br />
the upgrade because it will bring<br />
more students into the library.”<br />
leadership for the initiative<br />
through the allocation of resources.<br />
Dr. Emenike has faculty<br />
and students who enjoy their<br />
work and service with others.<br />
The recreation and leisure services<br />
program joins two other<br />
nationally accredited programs<br />
in the <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> School<br />
of Education, the teacher education<br />
program, accredited by<br />
NCATE and the social work program,<br />
accredited by CSWE.<br />
For more information, you may<br />
contact Dr. Janeen Witty, Dean<br />
of School of Education at 803-<br />
705-4761.<br />
(From Press Release, Office of Public<br />
Relations, <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>.)<br />
Los Angeles, CA<br />
(BlackNews.com) - The Shropshire<br />
Group, Inc., a nonprofit<br />
aimed at increasing minority interest<br />
in graduate and professional<br />
school, has created the<br />
National Minority Student Database<br />
(NMSD). The main purpose<br />
of the database is to provide a<br />
link for minority students seeking<br />
academic and financial information<br />
about graduate and professional<br />
schools.<br />
A student can fill out the inquiry<br />
form located on the main<br />
page<br />
of<br />
www.shropshiregroup.org and in<br />
turn receive updates on scholarships,<br />
academic interests, and<br />
application information from an<br />
extensive list of graduate and professional<br />
school admissions officers.<br />
“This is a method of centralizing<br />
the minority recruitment process,”<br />
says Sonel Y. Shropshire,<br />
the organization’s President &<br />
CEO. “The more graduate and<br />
professional schools see minority<br />
students as interested applicants,<br />
the more attractive they<br />
become to their academic institution.<br />
I have been overwhelmed<br />
by the student response.”<br />
Shropshire, who was Dean of<br />
Admissions for such universities<br />
as UCLA, Loyola (CA),<br />
Texas Wesleyan, and Stetson<br />
over ten years, knows how vital<br />
the minority recruitment market<br />
can be in diversifying higher<br />
education. “There are so<br />
many instances where schools<br />
do not know where to find interested<br />
minority applicants. This<br />
database will provide students<br />
and universities with viable options.”<br />
Shropshire will also be<br />
conducting professional development<br />
workshops for colleges<br />
and universities interested in<br />
achieving faculty, staff, and student<br />
diversity.<br />
A National Minority Student<br />
see DATABASE/page 5
FEATURES<br />
BC Tiger News - Page 6 <strong>December</strong> <strong>2006</strong><br />
B.C.A.R.T.I. Encourages<br />
Creative Arts at <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
by Chaquain Meyer-Boone<br />
Circulation Manager<br />
“Bacardi,” the popular alcoholic<br />
drink, sounds like a club at<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong>. However, here it has a<br />
totally different meaning. At<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong>, B.C.A.R.T.I stands for<br />
the <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Art Intelligentsia.<br />
It is a club that caters to<br />
all of the arts including poetry,<br />
painting, drawing, singing, dancing,<br />
acting, rapping, sculpting,<br />
writing, and etcetera.<br />
Originally established in 2002,<br />
B.C.A.R.T.I has been the longest<br />
running open MIC venue at<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, frequented by<br />
poets, artists, musicians and actors<br />
across the southeast. It was<br />
created by Omari Fox, whose ability<br />
to think outside the box encouraged<br />
him to create<br />
B.C.A.R.T.I. The club aims to foster<br />
community pride and enlightenment<br />
through intelligence and<br />
awareness of the arts, and also<br />
be a creative and uplifting voice<br />
not only for <strong>Benedict</strong> but for every<br />
person according to Eboni<br />
Epps, B.C.A.R.T.I president.<br />
Intelligentsia is defined as being<br />
intellectual or learned people,<br />
collectively, especially those capable<br />
of thinking for themselves.<br />
Therefore the club intends to<br />
operate under the assumption<br />
that its members symbolize the<br />
principles of this definition and<br />
will treat them as such.<br />
Members of B.C.A.R.T.I are<br />
encouraged to bring their individual<br />
talents and abilities to the<br />
organization; ideas and innovations<br />
are welcome from all members.<br />
The club intends to assist<br />
in the growth of individual members<br />
through the collective talents<br />
and abilities of the entire<br />
group.<br />
B.C.A.R.T.I seeks to offer<br />
support to other campus organizations<br />
. In addition to raising<br />
campus awareness of local artists<br />
and artworks, B.C.A.R.T.I’s<br />
intention is to assist in the development<br />
of all-round intellectual<br />
growth and to carry this<br />
learning into the world. The club<br />
also has numerous events on<br />
campus like a, talent showcase<br />
called “Hot Spit,” and hosting a<br />
Haunted House for children under<br />
twelve. The club frequently<br />
takes trips to poetry slams, museums,<br />
galleries, plays, as well as<br />
other activities.<br />
Contrary to popular belief, the<br />
club is not limited to art majors;<br />
the club welcomes anyone who<br />
is interested in joining, said<br />
Epps. So the next time you hear<br />
Bacardi, instead of thinking<br />
about indulging in activities that<br />
you may regret the next day,<br />
think about engulfing yourself in<br />
a more positive B.C.A.R.T.I, the<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Arts Club.<br />
To join and/or learn more<br />
about B.C.A.R.T.I, attend their<br />
weekly meetings on Thursday at<br />
7:00 p.m. in Room 108 in Fine Arts<br />
or contact Ebony Epps at (803)<br />
840-4060.<br />
Tiarra Johnson wins Miss<br />
Phi Beta Sigma <strong>2006</strong>-2007<br />
talent and beauty pageant<br />
by Sherell Watson<br />
Entertainment Editor<br />
After displaying poise, talent<br />
and beauty Tiarra Johnson was<br />
crowned Miss Phi Beta Sigma<br />
<strong>2006</strong>- 2007, beating off her competitors<br />
Sheena Smith, Wandtez<br />
King, Ramla Aden, and Tori<br />
Howard.<br />
With a promising night ahead<br />
for each contestant, the audience<br />
gathered into the Henry Ponders<br />
Fine Arts Building in the Little<br />
Theatre to watch as they captivated<br />
the judges with original<br />
dances, piano medleys, song solos,<br />
and many other performances.<br />
“The pageant was very successful<br />
and the contestants<br />
worked very hard and were truly<br />
dedicated,” said Randall Brown,<br />
senior, and member of Beta Mu<br />
chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity,<br />
Inc.<br />
While the contestants prepared<br />
for the evening gown presentations<br />
the audience was entertained<br />
with the poetic stylings of<br />
Bertrand Boyd, also known as Da<br />
Youngsta, and Kristen Williams<br />
who gave an enthusiastic and<br />
spirited performance of “Lord I’m<br />
Available to You.”<br />
Giving her impression of the<br />
overall show, Shanae Gooch, junior,<br />
biology major, said, “I enjoyed<br />
the talent portion the most, especially<br />
when she [Tiarra<br />
Johnson] danced to ‘Smooth<br />
Criminal;’ the evening gowns<br />
were also nice, especially<br />
Sheena’s[Smith].”<br />
After modeling various dresses<br />
Tiarra Johnson crowned Miss<br />
Phi Beta Sigma <strong>2006</strong>-2007.<br />
that showcased the style and<br />
glamour of each contestant, the<br />
ladies next prepared for the question<br />
and answer section. The<br />
questions asked varied from the<br />
greatest issues in society today<br />
to “What would you change<br />
about yourself” Each contestant<br />
answered to the best of her<br />
ability.<br />
Besides the coveted title of<br />
“Miss Phi Beta Sigma,” various<br />
other awards were given out to<br />
the contestants. Sheena Smith,<br />
senior, psychology major, received<br />
the Sigma Spirit award for<br />
the most ad sales; Wandtez<br />
King, freshman, business major,<br />
received the award for Most<br />
Photogenic; and Tori Howard,<br />
freshman, received the award for<br />
Miss Congeniality.<br />
Jovonavan Baldwin, junior and<br />
also a member of Beta Mu chapter<br />
of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity,<br />
Inc., said, “It was a great pageant<br />
and all the women were<br />
beautiful.”<br />
From the crowd’s reaction, the<br />
pageant seemed to be entertaining<br />
and an overall success.<br />
AKAsino kick-offs<br />
annual Skee-Week<br />
by Koren Merchant<br />
Staff Writer<br />
The ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha<br />
kicked off this year’s annual<br />
Skee-Week (Oct. 2 – 6) with<br />
“AKAsino Night,” an event that<br />
focused attention on breast cancer<br />
awareness while providing<br />
something for students who attend<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> to do<br />
during their leisure time.<br />
“We are attacking leisure time,<br />
and we want to promote fellowship<br />
and unity among students<br />
through fun and games,” said<br />
Nadia Muhammad, current Miss<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, and a member<br />
of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA)<br />
sorority.<br />
For this event, the David H.<br />
Swinton Center was transformed<br />
for one night into a Mini-Casino.<br />
The decorations and gaming stations<br />
made the Center to look as<br />
though students were really in<br />
Las Vegas or Atlantic City. There<br />
were Checkers, Spades, Connect<br />
Four, Sorry, and other games and<br />
fun things to do.<br />
As students entered the makebelieve<br />
casino, they received<br />
Breast Cancer Awareness Kits,<br />
wrist bands, bracelets, and Mary<br />
Kay products as prizes, given<br />
out by members of AKA .<br />
Ebony Howard, Community<br />
Service chair of the AKA’s, one<br />
of the key organizers the Skee-<br />
Week activities, said she was<br />
pleased with turnout for the<br />
event.<br />
“Everyone had a great time,<br />
student’s won prizes, and they<br />
had the chance to get to know<br />
some of the ladies of AKA,”<br />
Howard, a senior, Criminal Justice<br />
major, said.<br />
Asked why casino-like entertainment<br />
was chosen, she said,<br />
“I wanted something different<br />
because students don’t always<br />
have the opportunity to interact<br />
with each other.”<br />
Students attending the event<br />
also thought it was different and<br />
fun. Shondraya Francis, a junior,<br />
Mass Communication major,<br />
agreed that the AKAsino night<br />
was a fun and enjoyable night to<br />
be with other students.<br />
“It was just a nice environment<br />
to be in.” Francis said. “And it<br />
allowed me to speak to people<br />
that I’ve never spoken to on a<br />
regular basis, and now I have different<br />
feelings about some of<br />
them.”<br />
Approximately 46 students attended<br />
AKAsino night, which<br />
began a week of events hosted<br />
by the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha<br />
Sorority.<br />
Coronation of Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> - A Masquerade World<br />
by C. Dante Winstead<br />
Features Editor<br />
The coronation of Miss<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>2006</strong>-2007, in<br />
the Benjamin E. Mays Human<br />
Resource Arena was “A World<br />
of Masquerade.” That was the<br />
theme for newly crowned Miss<br />
Nadia J. Muhammad who entered<br />
her themed masquerade in a sequined<br />
mask complementing a<br />
gold gown with a long and elegant<br />
purple train.<br />
“She looks like a baby doll,”<br />
said Amber Davis, a senior, mass<br />
communication major, who is also<br />
a campus Queen and Nadia’s Alpha<br />
Kappa Alpha sister.<br />
Tina Sanders, now an alumnus<br />
of <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> and last<br />
year’s Misss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
turned over her rein and crown<br />
to Nadia. “She looks so nice,”<br />
said Sanders later.<br />
Muhammad and her royal<br />
court, consisting of first attendant,<br />
J. Nichelle Wimbush, a senior,<br />
biology major, and second<br />
attendant, Qwanteria Pamela M.<br />
Hall, a senior, Studio Art major,<br />
entered the Arena before her and<br />
sat on the special stage built for<br />
the occasion.<br />
Hall, who is confined to a wheelchair,<br />
was carried on a throne and<br />
placed in her royal chair.<br />
The royal entourage of queens<br />
and escorts represented organizations<br />
on campus was also in<br />
attendance, and each entered the<br />
arena majestically, in support of<br />
the new Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>.<br />
Where I am now<br />
Editor’s Note: This story is a follow-up article to the one printed last semester in the Tiger News by and about HIV-positive student Tawain Kelly. This is Part 2, giving an update of his condition.<br />
by Tawain Kelly<br />
When the article came out in<br />
March I was scared because even<br />
now there are still people who<br />
judge people with HIV as being<br />
nasty or think that they deserve<br />
what they got, especially in the<br />
black community. I told myself that<br />
people are going to judge me and<br />
look at me funny, but I knew that<br />
the article could help someone if<br />
only one. So I decided to pass the<br />
article out myself. One of the first<br />
students that saw me, looked at<br />
me and said , “That’s the guy who<br />
has AIDS,” I read lips well. So<br />
instead of running away I ran to<br />
her. She apologized for staring and<br />
I told her that it was ok because<br />
what that meant to me was that<br />
she was curious and it was my<br />
chance to openly talk to someone<br />
on campus about HIV/AIDS.<br />
Another person was a basketball<br />
player who just look at me in<br />
amazement. I guess because he<br />
has been in some of my classes<br />
and was shocked to know I was<br />
positive.<br />
I remember saying that Magic<br />
Johnson was not the face of HIV,<br />
but that I was the face. I had a<br />
reality check, when someone told<br />
me that I was not the face. I realize<br />
that there are so many faces to HIV/<br />
AIDS and that Magic and myself<br />
are just two faces of this disease.<br />
Everyday, like me, he wakes up<br />
knowing he is HIV positive, but<br />
makes an effort to make a<br />
difference in someone else’s life.<br />
Because Magic Johnson decided<br />
to be open about his status, I think<br />
people in general are better off<br />
because he has allowed people to<br />
say, “It’s ok and I can live.” From<br />
the littlest children born with the<br />
virus to the oldest woman living<br />
with the virus, HIV does not<br />
discriminate. That is why a support<br />
system is great to have and why I<br />
want to say thank you. It’s one<br />
thing to know your family loves<br />
you, but when people you just met<br />
circle themselves around you and<br />
hold you like <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
students have, especially those<br />
creative souls in the Mass<br />
Communication Department, it<br />
really makes a difference.<br />
When I was in so much pain and<br />
so sick that something as crazy as<br />
a bag of Salt N Vinegar chips made<br />
me sicker, it was good to have<br />
people like Mr. & Mrs. Hopper, Ms.<br />
Shabazz, Ms Meetz, Mr.<br />
McKnight, and my on call parents<br />
Ms. Susan Dugan and Lorraine<br />
Dunbar to protect me as if I was<br />
their own child. My pain became<br />
their pain and when I wanted to<br />
quit because of the pain they<br />
encouraged me not to quit. Don’t<br />
tell me I don’t have an excellent<br />
support system.<br />
After the article came out, I<br />
started getting phone calls. People<br />
asked me how much I would<br />
charge, like I said it was never<br />
about money but all about<br />
educating the youth. One thing<br />
that did happen was all the prayers<br />
I got from people I didn’t know. I<br />
tell you they had prayers going<br />
up for me and boy this summer I<br />
needed them all.<br />
The first part of the summer I<br />
was placed back in the hospital<br />
with Pneumocystis carinii (PC)<br />
pneumonia. It was bad because I<br />
knew that back in the day that a<br />
lot of people died from PC<br />
pneumonia. So in my mind I felt<br />
like I was getting ready to die,<br />
until I talked to my mom and my<br />
niece who gave me the strength<br />
to get up and move.<br />
I was invited to a planning<br />
commission to do something<br />
about the rise in HIV/AIDS in<br />
South Carolina. I was pulled to<br />
the side and told by this<br />
gentleman, “nobody cares about<br />
your mother or your niece,”<br />
when I felt sick and wasn’t strong<br />
enough to take on the job; so<br />
they fired me. The fact of this<br />
person coming and saying that<br />
my mother, my niece and all the<br />
people who support me didn’t<br />
matter, made him the fool. If it<br />
wasn’t for those people who<br />
openly supported me, I would<br />
be like so many other African-<br />
American people who are HIV<br />
positive, staying with strangers<br />
and looking for support in the<br />
wrong places. Next year on<br />
September 12, 2007 between 4<br />
and 4:30 p.m., I would have been<br />
knowingly positive for 10 years and<br />
I will celebrate because I am still<br />
here. If I am not here, then celebrate<br />
for me because I made it, because<br />
of my support system.<br />
During the summer I got<br />
depressed. My cousin lost his<br />
triplets the day I got out the hospital<br />
and a week and a day after they<br />
buried the triplets, my cousin James<br />
Cuthbert Jr. was shot in the head<br />
three times and then I was placed<br />
back in the hospital with PC<br />
pneumonia in both lungs. I was<br />
down to 101 pounds; my face had<br />
sink in and I was turning gray.<br />
When I went in the last time I was<br />
hooked up to the oxygen machine,<br />
put on morphine and asked what I<br />
wanted them to do if I became nonresponsive.<br />
I remember Ms.<br />
Goodwin who is like to a second<br />
mom, who has always been one of<br />
my biggest supporters, rushing to<br />
the hospital and I just collapsed in<br />
her arms. The doctors and nurses<br />
came in the room trying to at least<br />
make me comfortable. Ms. Goodwin<br />
brought her granddaughters up to<br />
the hospital because they wanted<br />
to see me and they lost it. If I ever<br />
wanted to know how HIV/AIDS<br />
affects a child that was my chance.<br />
If they were affected like that then I<br />
knew my niece was not ready for<br />
me to die, so I told myself, ‘it’s time<br />
to fight and fight hard.” I made it!<br />
I decided that whatever came my<br />
way I was going to fight as hard as<br />
I could. I was placed on a new<br />
medicine called Atripla, a one-a- day<br />
pill and it was working, at least I<br />
thought it was until I got out of the<br />
hospital and found out that one<br />
part of the medicine wasn’t<br />
working, so I was taken off and<br />
put on several other pills. Right<br />
now I am battling bad anxiety<br />
attacks, when sometimes I cry, am<br />
unable to move and shake badly.<br />
The other day I had fever of a 103.3<br />
degrees but it’s ok because I am a<br />
believer. I mean so many people<br />
have prayed for me to it becomes<br />
overwhelming.<br />
I am so appreciative of not only<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> because I am a<br />
name, not a number; I am<br />
somebody at <strong>Benedict</strong>. I<br />
appreciate the help of the staff at<br />
the MCC Clinic, my doctors and<br />
nurses, Hawthorn Pharmacy, my<br />
other mother Thelma Cornish and<br />
her husband and kids, Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Goodwin and the entire<br />
Goodwin clan because I am their<br />
child, Curtis Wilson, my mentor<br />
who has allowed me to be myself ,<br />
Chris, Darci, Nat, Wendy and the<br />
WLTX family, River of Life my<br />
church family who allowed me to<br />
stand in front of the alter and give<br />
my testimony, Richland Memorial<br />
Hospital, Wilbur and Frankie<br />
Tucker, Kim, Gino and Shannon<br />
(Nett), Nicole, Keisha, LeRoy,,<br />
Cynthia, Boom, Lamile, the<br />
McMillan Family, Black, the<br />
Bouknights, Folks all of you, Gwen<br />
and my Tamika-Goodwin Maddox<br />
who, for over 19 years has been<br />
my best friend the one who stuck<br />
by me when I gave up. She prayed<br />
for me and protects me when I<br />
didn’t want to protect myself.<br />
see Taiwan page 7<br />
After the ceremonial entrance<br />
of the royal court, Dr. David H.<br />
Swinton, president of <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>, then formally crowned the<br />
new Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, to<br />
make her reign official. After the<br />
crowning, Muhammad’s parents,<br />
Timothy and Beverly Muhammad,<br />
and other family members spoke,<br />
giving the new queen a fur coat<br />
from the family. Speaking on behalf<br />
of the family, Mrs. Muhammad<br />
expressed her deep compassion<br />
and pride in her daughter, saying,<br />
“ I knew Nadia was destined for<br />
success at <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, and<br />
I’m glad that Nadia is carrying out<br />
the legacy we and family members<br />
started when we attended<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> ourselves.”<br />
The new queen also received a<br />
$1,500.00 scholarship to continue<br />
her education at the graduate<br />
school level from Ron McKnight,<br />
her advisor and professor in the<br />
Mass Communication program,<br />
and the check was presented on<br />
his behalf by Prof. Susan Dugan.<br />
After the remarks and presentation,<br />
the new Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
embraced the student body<br />
in her royal speech, first giving<br />
praise to God and her family. Expressing<br />
her gratitude for being<br />
elected Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
she said, “I have a rich history<br />
coming from <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>, a<br />
lot of whom only wish me the<br />
best and only want to see me do<br />
good work for the school.” (See<br />
full text of her royal address on<br />
page 1.)<br />
After her speech, the Campus<br />
Queens and Kings performed an<br />
elegant ballroom dance in honor<br />
of the new queen. “It looked<br />
good,” said Christina Cason, a<br />
senior, mass communication major.<br />
“The choreography was well<br />
put together.”<br />
Two local celebrities served<br />
as master and mistress of ceremony<br />
for the coronation. They<br />
were Curtis Wilson and Darcie<br />
Strickland, co-anchors of WLTX,<br />
Channel 19. Wilson is also a<br />
classmate of the new Miss<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>.
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2006</strong> BC Tiger News - Page 7<br />
Two <strong>Benedict</strong> students<br />
shoot for music stardom<br />
by Marquita Watson<br />
News Editor<br />
Listening to one of his creations<br />
in the audio recording studio<br />
located in <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s<br />
Broadcast Center, Charles “Ali”<br />
Jones smiles and nods his head<br />
to the beat, giving his tunes<br />
much approval.<br />
Jones, a senior, mass communications<br />
major, from Atlanta,<br />
has been writing everything<br />
from hip-hop to R&B since<br />
his junior year in high school.<br />
He is also a performer and has<br />
been a member of the group<br />
“Tre’ South” for three years.<br />
Jones, 23, also known as Nation<br />
Boy when he’s on stage, has<br />
produced hits for Dem Franchise<br />
Boys, a rap sensation out of Atlanta,<br />
who are also his childhood<br />
friends.<br />
“We grew up in the same<br />
neighborhood, you know, so I’ve<br />
been working with them since<br />
childhood.” said Jones.<br />
Over the summer he also did<br />
some work with Miami’s own<br />
Slip-N-Slide records, which has<br />
recorded hits for artists like<br />
Trina and Trick Daddy.<br />
When asked what his music<br />
is about, Jones explained,“My<br />
music is about what’s going on<br />
today, what happens in day to<br />
day life. I write about situations<br />
I face and what most people can<br />
relate to.”<br />
Naming songs he’s produced<br />
such as “She was 17”, “We gotta<br />
stand up”, and “Down Low”,<br />
Jones explained how his writing<br />
ranges from young love to his<br />
political views, and secret affairs.<br />
Jones has performed in clubs<br />
in Atlanta, and local clubs here<br />
in Columbia. He has opened<br />
shows for Dem Franchise Boys<br />
and other local hip hop artists.<br />
Though the group gets a lot of<br />
play time, they have not yet<br />
signed to a record label.<br />
“We’re not signed yet, but I’m<br />
just doing me, you know” said<br />
Jones.<br />
Playing one of his tracks,<br />
“Down Low,” he explained what<br />
the song was about.<br />
“You gotta man, I gotta girl<br />
but they don’t have to know,<br />
that’s the Down Low.”<br />
Just as the song was finishing,<br />
Reginald Tisdale, also a<br />
member of the group, Tre’ South,<br />
walked in.<br />
Tisdale, a senior, mass communications<br />
major, from<br />
Kingstree, S.C., had been with<br />
the group for four years.<br />
Tisdale, 21, whose stage<br />
name is Reggie Da Kidd, has<br />
been performing since the age of<br />
8 and described his style as<br />
‘country slang.” He has performed<br />
in many talent shows, local<br />
clubs, and with the group, he<br />
has also performed at Power Fest<br />
in Augusta, Ga.<br />
Neither Jones nor Tisdale has<br />
performed with any other group.<br />
When asked if they plan to take<br />
their music mainstream or let it<br />
go underground for a while,<br />
Jones replied, “I wanna go mainstream<br />
because I do music for<br />
other people.”<br />
Tisdale added, “We’re gonna<br />
go mainstream eventually, if<br />
you’re hot that’s what happens,<br />
but I don’t want to be completely<br />
mainstream because I don’t want<br />
people in all of my business.<br />
With many shows under their<br />
belts, the group plans to continue<br />
Museum of Afro-American Artists<br />
exbition in Ponder Fine Arts Gallery<br />
by Kamilah Fabien<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
Six Decades of Fine Art an<br />
exhibition recently opened in<br />
the Henry Ponder Fine Arts<br />
Gallery featured pieces from the<br />
Museum of the National Center<br />
of Afro-American Artists.<br />
Artists featured included<br />
African American artists such<br />
as: Charles White, Hale<br />
Woodruff, Calvin Burnett, Roy<br />
Deserve, Richard Yarded,<br />
Walter Williams, Aaron Pore<br />
Pitts, Evangeline Montgomery<br />
and Mahler Ryder.<br />
The exhibition also featured<br />
artists from other areas in the<br />
African Diaspora including<br />
Sudanese painter Khalid Kodi,<br />
Jamaican painter Kofi Kayiga<br />
Student looks at mixed media<br />
ditych entitled Two<br />
Months by Calvin Burnett<br />
and Marline Phipps a Haitian<br />
painter-poet.<br />
Of the works on loan from the<br />
Center are Two Months, a large<br />
ditych, which is when two<br />
independent pieces are hung<br />
together as one piece.<br />
Aaron-Pore-Pitts a musician<br />
and print making artist from<br />
Detroit, and also friend of<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> professor Napoleon<br />
Jones Henderson, is scheduled<br />
to be on campus next semester<br />
to do a master class with<br />
students enrolled in Henderson’s<br />
printmaking class.<br />
The museum is one of the<br />
earliest featuring the work of<br />
African-American artists and is<br />
considered by many to be the<br />
first African-American museum<br />
in the country; it was established<br />
in 1968 by Dr. Elma Lewis.<br />
The exhibition opening<br />
reception was held on Nov. 9<br />
and will run until Dec. 8.<br />
Negro USA - Lithograph -<br />
by Charles White<br />
Homecoming bonfire and pep<br />
rally unite entire campus<br />
by Keisha Braxton<br />
Contributing Writer<br />
Homecoming bonfire and pep<br />
rally , which took place the Tuesday<br />
of Homecoming Week,<br />
hyped up the spirits of the entire<br />
campus not just students.<br />
Chatter, laughter, stomping,<br />
and music filled the air as the<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> family got ready to<br />
cheer on the football team before<br />
the <strong>2006</strong> Homecoming Football<br />
game against Stillman <strong>College</strong>.<br />
The chill in the air did not stop<br />
those present from participating<br />
in multiple activities, including<br />
dance contests and party hopping<br />
conducted by the fraternities<br />
and sororities.<br />
“It was the first time the entire<br />
campus united without a<br />
single fight breaking out,” noted<br />
a student who asked not to be<br />
identified.<br />
The rally allowed the football<br />
players to get acquainted with<br />
their fans who wanted the team<br />
to bring them a victory.<br />
doing what they do best, make<br />
hits! Want to know more about<br />
this dynamic group, catch them<br />
on Nov. 11 at the Township Auditorium<br />
(WHICH CITY)<br />
where they will be performing<br />
live at the Apollo!<br />
Taiwan from page 6<br />
didn’t want to protect myself.<br />
My family has always been my<br />
greatest support system; I have the<br />
type of family that people want<br />
to be a part of. All my aunts and<br />
uncles love me and to them I am<br />
still the one to come to if they want<br />
to know what is going on in the<br />
family. Also, cousins that love me<br />
because I belong to them and<br />
nothing can ever stop that not<br />
even death. When I am sick they<br />
are sick, because my family loves<br />
me. My brother who had to go to<br />
the store and buy pampers the size<br />
of a six month old for his brother<br />
and he didn’t do it because he had<br />
to; he did it because I am his baby<br />
brother and he loves me. He knew<br />
me nine months before I knew<br />
myself and he always said he<br />
would take care of me and he has.<br />
The sad part is with HIV/AIDS,<br />
he can’t stop some things I go<br />
through from happening, but<br />
because he lets me know it’s<br />
already all right. My sister-in-law<br />
who has fought for my survival<br />
and will not let me give up. And<br />
that niece of mine who tells me<br />
she loves me and she tells her<br />
friends when I am sick, “You can’t<br />
be around my uncle his immune<br />
system is low,” is my protector.<br />
And that woman who didn’t know<br />
anything about HIV/AIDS, who<br />
told me and my brother to wear a<br />
condominium so we don’t bring<br />
any babies home; she would get<br />
up before I got up and have my<br />
medicine ready, have my food<br />
ready, and put my medicine in the<br />
feeding tube. My momma is my<br />
rock, because it is her love, and<br />
the love of the Almighty that got<br />
me here.<br />
And first and last in my life the<br />
Almighty where would I be if I<br />
wasn’t safe in His Arms. I have<br />
been told by so many I should<br />
have been dead. But He told me<br />
to live; I will fight until I can’t<br />
fight any more. This is hard and I<br />
tell you I go through it, but if I<br />
can help someone, so that they<br />
won’t go through what I do, then<br />
it will be worth it. Your lives are<br />
so important and some of you<br />
don’t realize it, you don’t get it.<br />
Peer Networks/Education about<br />
HIV/AIDS and other STD’s are<br />
needed in every community, but<br />
especially in the black<br />
community. Instead of saying<br />
somebody should do something,<br />
why not say, “I am somebody so<br />
let me do something.” If one of<br />
us has HIV/AIDS we all have it.<br />
We need peer networks/education<br />
on HBCU campuses or my story<br />
won’t be the last story.<br />
OPTIONS from page 3<br />
the cap being filled quickly to the<br />
fact that employers can file for<br />
an H1-B up to six months before<br />
the start of the fiscal year in October.<br />
Needle said there is a proposal<br />
in Congress to raise the cap of<br />
H1-B’s, but he is not hopeful for<br />
a response until after the November<br />
elections.<br />
When asked what he thought<br />
were the odds of a blanket amnesty<br />
being granted to illegal immigrants,<br />
Needle responded,<br />
“No chance!” In fact, he blames<br />
the current debate over illegal<br />
immigrants for the slow processing<br />
of legal immigrant cases.<br />
Needle’s visit to the <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> campus to discuss immigration<br />
matters was sponsored<br />
by the Office of International<br />
Programs, headed by Dr. Norma<br />
Jackson. For further immigration<br />
information, visit website<br />
www.lawrencejneedlepa.com.<br />
Concert Review<br />
Hip Hop artists ‘didn’t disappoint’<br />
restless fans at Columbia concert<br />
by Chaquain Meyer-Boone<br />
Circulation Manager<br />
When you hear the names<br />
Lil Wayne and T.I., you think<br />
of Hip-Hop. Now throw in<br />
Young Dro, Lloyd, and U.N.K<br />
and you basically have an<br />
abundance of talent. So it is no<br />
surprise that having them in<br />
concert is a momentous occasion.<br />
This occasion is even<br />
larger, because it is happening<br />
in South Carolina, a state not<br />
known for hip-hop concerts.<br />
The anticipation of the concert<br />
was evident, and the artists<br />
didn’t disappoint.<br />
Although the crowd grew<br />
restless due to the unfamiliar<br />
opening acts, when U.N.K hit<br />
the stage the crowd erupted.<br />
Performing the hit single<br />
“Walk it Out”, the group<br />
quickly turned an impatient<br />
crowd into a hectic audience.<br />
The next star up was Lloyd<br />
and he made sure he didn’t<br />
miss a beat by crooning to the<br />
ladies with his ode “Hey Young<br />
Girl”. “I’d rather keep my<br />
thoughts to myself, but you can<br />
tell by how I’m sweating how<br />
I feel,” said freshman Brittany<br />
Patterson referring to her affection<br />
for Lloyd. Lloyd also<br />
caused an uproar when he<br />
brought out his guest Lil<br />
Wayne and they performed<br />
their single “I want you”. It<br />
seemed like every person in<br />
the arena was on their feet<br />
singing along to every word.<br />
Although Lloyd and<br />
U.N.K provided stellar performances,<br />
the highlight of the<br />
night was undoubtedly the performance<br />
by Lil Wayne. After<br />
assisting Lloyd he performed<br />
a number of hits including “Go<br />
The Making of a Music Star<br />
by T.J. Hunter<br />
Staff Writer<br />
DJ”, Fireman”, “Earthquake”,<br />
and “The Block is Hot” just to<br />
name a few. “Weezy shut it<br />
down point blank”, said sophomore<br />
Norvell Gadson. Lil<br />
Wayne put a smile, on many<br />
of the female viewers’ faces by<br />
taking off his shirt. “Lil Wayne<br />
is my husband I’m going to see<br />
him after the show”, said<br />
freshman Mia Holliday.<br />
The finale saw T.I. and<br />
Young Dro ‘shoulder leanin’<br />
and caused an even greater<br />
uproar. T.I. performed an array<br />
of his hits including “What<br />
You Know” and “Why You<br />
Wanna”. However the crowd<br />
was infuriated when T.I was<br />
unable to perform some of his<br />
classic hits due to time restrictions.<br />
Nevertheless the audience<br />
left knowing that they enjoyed<br />
a remarkable concert,<br />
one that will not be soon for-<br />
‘Fame Comes and Goes - Stars Rise<br />
and Fall But Dreams Live Forever’<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> staged ‘Dreamgirls’ November 15-18 (see Story in our next issue)<br />
Columbia, SC - While powerhouse<br />
performers Beyonce<br />
Knowles and Jamie Foxx have<br />
teamed up for the motion picture<br />
launch of Dreamgirls in <strong>December</strong><br />
- <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> is ahead<br />
of the game as it gears up to<br />
bring this musical alive on the<br />
local stage this month.<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Fine Arts<br />
Theater Ensemble did produce<br />
its version of the Dreamgirls<br />
musical running from Nov. 15-<br />
18 (each night beginning at 7<br />
p.m.). Director and Assistant<br />
Professor of Theater Charles D.<br />
Brooks III brings this Broadway<br />
musical phenomenon to the<br />
Henry Ponder Fine Arts/Humanities<br />
Center Theatre with Dr.<br />
Sean Daniels, chair of fine arts<br />
and musical conductor for the<br />
production.<br />
Flashing back to the original<br />
script, Dreamgirls is about the<br />
dreams of a female singing<br />
group likened to the Supremes<br />
winning an amateur talent contest<br />
in the early sixties that leads<br />
them on a phenomenal journey<br />
to stardom. At the hands of their<br />
manipulative manager, Curtis,<br />
the group inevitably breaks up,<br />
because Effie, the singer who is<br />
the most vocally talented but is<br />
overweight and dealing with issues<br />
is pushed in the background<br />
so that the more attractive Deena<br />
can take front stage.<br />
Dreamgirls is a show about a<br />
time in American musical his-<br />
tory when what is called rhythm<br />
and blues blended with other<br />
styles of popular music creating<br />
a new American sound. Act One<br />
is set in the fabulous sixties - a<br />
time when we were still screaming<br />
at Elvis and listening to the<br />
Beatles, but were dancing to the<br />
new beat of countless girl and<br />
boy groups like the The<br />
Supremes, The Marvelettes, The<br />
Temptations, and The Shirelles.<br />
Act Two shows the creation and<br />
the arrival of disco - though the<br />
word is never used in the script.<br />
Dreamgirls is not just about<br />
singing, dancing and performing,<br />
the play is about the behindthe-scenes<br />
reality of the entertainment<br />
industry - the business<br />
part of show business that made<br />
possible the cultural phenomenon.<br />
“The message entrenched<br />
in this musical is what happens<br />
off stage and what pains come<br />
with working in this business,”<br />
said Mr. Brooks.<br />
Awards:<br />
(1981-82) Six Tony Awards for<br />
Book, Choreography, Lighting<br />
Design, Actor, Actress, and Featured<br />
Actor.Best Female Performance,<br />
R&B (Jennifer Holliday-<br />
And I’m Telling You I’m Not<br />
Going) - Winner<br />
Four Drama Desk Awards for Set<br />
Design, Lighting Design, Actress,<br />
and Featured Actor.<br />
History:<br />
Dreamgirls, created by the legendary<br />
Michael Bennett, opened<br />
<strong>December</strong> 20, 1981 and played<br />
an amazing 1,521 performances<br />
in New York City’s artistic<br />
Mecca, Broadway, at the Imperial<br />
Theater and again in 1987<br />
the production was received for<br />
177 performances at the Ambassador<br />
Theater starring an all star<br />
cast: Ben Harney, Jennifer<br />
Holliday (R&B chauntese),<br />
Loretta Devine (Waiting to Exhale),<br />
Sheryl Lee Ralph<br />
(Moesha).<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Fine Arts Theatre<br />
Ensemble of Dreamgirls<br />
musical show is produced by arrangement<br />
with, and the music<br />
and dialogue material furnished<br />
by TAMS-WITMARK MUSIC<br />
LIBRARY, INC., 560 Lexington<br />
Avenue, New York, NY 10022<br />
in association with<br />
DreamWorks, LLC and its affiliates.<br />
Dreamgirls features music<br />
by Henry Krieger and lyrics and<br />
book by Tom Eyer, and it was<br />
originally directed by Michael<br />
Bennett, produced by Bennett,<br />
Bob Avian, and Geffen Records,<br />
and choreographed by Bennett<br />
and Michael Peters.<br />
Media Contacts:<br />
Kymm Hunter, Director of<br />
Public Relations, 803-705-<br />
6654, 803-253-5132 or<br />
hunterk@benedict.edu.<br />
Natalie Brown, Assistant<br />
Director of Public Relations,<br />
Tips that will help move you along in the music industry<br />
You have recorded your<br />
songs, what next – you<br />
may be asking that question<br />
if you’re pursuing a career<br />
in music.<br />
Many people go as far as<br />
recording their songs.<br />
However, they don’t know<br />
the journey, or the necessary<br />
steps that will move them<br />
further along in pursuing a<br />
music career. These are<br />
some tips that will aid in<br />
obtaining your dreams.<br />
Step Out First Class<br />
No one is going to take you<br />
seriously, especially an<br />
industry executive with a<br />
burnt CD with marker<br />
writings, and a black and<br />
white printed cell phone<br />
picture.<br />
You should let them know<br />
that you are serious enough<br />
to put money into your<br />
project. Don’t just put<br />
together a CD and hand it out<br />
– give it to your friends.<br />
Remember that you are<br />
competing with hundreds or<br />
even thousands of aspiring<br />
musicians. If you’re the best,<br />
you should look like the best.<br />
Create a Press Kit<br />
Every professional musician<br />
has a press kit. A press kit<br />
basically gives the DJ’s and<br />
music executives an overview<br />
of who you are, and what type<br />
of music you have created.<br />
When presenting your demo,<br />
have a press kit along with it. A<br />
press kit includes a cover letter,<br />
bio, glossy black and white<br />
8.5x11 photo, calendar, and<br />
newspaper clippings of yourself.<br />
You should present this in a<br />
folder – preferably a black glossy<br />
folder.<br />
Remember to put your contact<br />
information on everything. If<br />
you don’t like to pay your cell<br />
phone bill, I wouldn’t<br />
recommend putting it in your<br />
press kit<br />
Build a Fan Base.<br />
Music executives only pay<br />
attention to people who already<br />
have a strong following. They<br />
must trust that your music will<br />
sell.<br />
You build a fan base by doing<br />
shows in your hometown and<br />
selling your demos.<br />
Create a Buzz<br />
Neek, Music Director of<br />
WWDM 101.3, told me “don’t<br />
come after me wanting to get<br />
your music played on the radio.<br />
Let me find you.”<br />
It is better for music executives<br />
to know who you are versus you<br />
knowing them. Music<br />
executives do not find interest<br />
in someone who does not have<br />
a buzz of their own. A buzz is<br />
usually passed through word of<br />
mouth.<br />
Don’t Give Up<br />
Persistence is always the key<br />
to success. Many of today’s<br />
top artists have spent years<br />
following their dreams.<br />
Preparation is Key<br />
Always be prepared. You<br />
never know when an<br />
opportunity of a lifetime<br />
might approach you. If you<br />
don’t have your stuff together,<br />
it could pass you by. It’s<br />
important to always stay on<br />
point. Remember,<br />
Preparation + Opportunity =<br />
Success<br />
The music industry consists<br />
of more than making songs,<br />
and beats and getting your<br />
songs on the radio. It’s all<br />
about what will sell. Music<br />
executives are nothing more<br />
than business people who<br />
rather sell music than<br />
groceries, or cars.<br />
They are more concerned<br />
about hits than giving<br />
anybody a record deal. It<br />
costs a record company close<br />
to $100,000 to release an<br />
artist.<br />
They are extra careful about<br />
whom they invest their<br />
money in. If you are not a<br />
person in the industry, see<br />
yourself as a product. Either<br />
you will be in demand, or not.
SPORTS<br />
BC Tiger News - Page 8 <strong>December</strong> <strong>2006</strong><br />
Charlie W. Johnson Football Stadium Dedicated<br />
as New Home for Bendedict <strong>College</strong> Tigers<br />
Pep Rally, Parade, and Speeches<br />
highlight opening day activities<br />
by Curtis Wilson<br />
Copy Editor<br />
Saturday, September 23, <strong>2006</strong><br />
will go down in <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>’s history as a remarkable<br />
day in the <strong>College</strong>’s life because<br />
it was the day all those who love<br />
the Purple and Gold of <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> had a reason to be more<br />
than proud. It was the day on<br />
which the formal opening of the<br />
multi- million-dollar, brand new<br />
Charlie W. Johnson Football Stadium<br />
took place under a bright,<br />
beautiful, and sunny sky.<br />
The day began at the Dust<br />
Bowl on campus, also known as<br />
the HRC Activity Field, with a<br />
Pep Rally, led by Ronald Davis<br />
of <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> who got everyone<br />
fired up for the dedication<br />
of the new stadium and the<br />
first game the <strong>Benedict</strong> Tigers<br />
football team was scheduled to<br />
play against Lenior-Rhyne of<br />
North Carolina. During the pep<br />
rally, Davis also recognized various<br />
campus organizations, including<br />
the Junior Class and the<br />
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity as the<br />
“Most Spirited” class and fraternity<br />
respectively. He praised the<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Cheerleaders<br />
and the Pep Squad for doing a<br />
great job of firing up students<br />
for the home team.<br />
Following the pep rally, the<br />
parade to the new stadium on<br />
Two Notch Road was organized<br />
and began moving from the main<br />
campus on Harden Street<br />
through the streets of Columbia,<br />
and finally through Read Street<br />
towards Two Notch Road.<br />
The parade route was filled<br />
with lots of smiling faces and<br />
hand waving from those in the<br />
parade and people watching the<br />
processional as it made its way<br />
through the local community towards<br />
the new Charlie W.<br />
Johnson Stadium. The parade,<br />
comprised of several floats, faculty<br />
members, cheerleaders, students,<br />
and vehicles carrying dignitaries,<br />
such as, Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Charlie W. Johnson the stadium’s<br />
namesake, Dr. and Mrs. David H.<br />
Swinton (the President and First<br />
Ladyof <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>), Dr.<br />
Leroy T. Walker (for whom the<br />
whole area around the stadium<br />
was also named), and members<br />
of the Board of Trustees, added<br />
to the grandeur of the occasion.<br />
The dedication ceremony,<br />
held on a podium erected on the<br />
field of the new stadium, was an<br />
elaborate affair highlighted by<br />
various speeches and the turnover<br />
of the key of the stadium to<br />
the Athlectics Director and the<br />
coach of the football team, who<br />
was preparing the Tigers for<br />
the first game on their new football<br />
field against Lenoir-Rhyne<br />
<strong>College</strong>.<br />
The whole ceremony was designed<br />
to unite the <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Family with all of its many<br />
supporters, including the local<br />
community, the city, and the state.<br />
It included a performance by a<br />
Mass Choir, comprising of the<br />
National Award-winning<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Gospel Choir<br />
and various high school and<br />
church choirs from the community,<br />
all directed by Minister<br />
Darryl Izzard, director of the<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Gospel Choir.<br />
The mass choir rocked the stadium<br />
with voices that truly<br />
moved the hearts of many.<br />
Several platform dignitaries,<br />
including local and state officials,<br />
were called by Dr. David H.<br />
Swinton, president of <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>, who served as master of<br />
ceremony, to address the crowd,<br />
and most did, bringing greetings<br />
and paying tributes to <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong>.<br />
Palmetto Capital City Classic<br />
features ‘Battle of the Tigers’<br />
bands during halftime show<br />
by Sherell Watson<br />
Entertainment Editor<br />
The halftime show at this year’s<br />
Palmetto Capital City Classic featured<br />
the talents of Savannah<br />
State University Marching Tigers<br />
and <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s own<br />
Marching Tigers who entertained<br />
the crowd with their musical talents,<br />
precision drills, and energetic<br />
dancers.<br />
The Savannah State<br />
University’s band first performed<br />
with such hits as “Shoulda Lean”<br />
by Young Dro and Young Joc’s,<br />
“It’s Goin Down,” giving the eyes<br />
and ears of the audience plenty<br />
of sound and motion to work with<br />
as the hypnotic colors of the flag<br />
team and the graceful moves of<br />
their talented dancers were displayed.<br />
Then the <strong>Benedict</strong> Marching<br />
Tigers took the field, playing<br />
their melodic renditions of Gap<br />
Band’s classic, “Yearning for<br />
your Love,” and Beyonce’s latest<br />
chart topper, “Déjà vu.”<br />
Reactions from the audience<br />
indicated that they liked what<br />
they saw.<br />
Sheriee Watson, <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
<strong>College</strong> alumni called the show<br />
“very entertaining and fun!”<br />
John Stewart, a student of<br />
Savannah State University, said,<br />
“I like the different formations<br />
and the moves of the female<br />
dancers of both SSU and BC’s<br />
band.”<br />
Fred Walker, a <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
supporter, said, “I really enjoyed<br />
the Young Joc song because<br />
the beat is catchy.”<br />
The halftime program ended<br />
with the introduction of Aliyah<br />
Saulter, the winner of the Miss<br />
Palmetto Capital City Classic<br />
Pageant, along with her court.<br />
Others introduced were Nadia J.<br />
Muhammad, Miss <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
as well as her First Attendant,<br />
J. Nichelle Wimbush, and<br />
Second Attendant, Pamela Hall.<br />
Tigers volleyball team faces<br />
tough competition this season<br />
by Kimberly Webber<br />
Sports Editor<br />
The volleyball season is well<br />
underway and the <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Tigerettes have already<br />
faced some tough competition,<br />
with a record of 4-5 in October.<br />
With this record, the Tigerettes<br />
are ranked third in the (give name<br />
of conference here) conference,<br />
but they hope to fight their way<br />
to the top of the ranks by the end<br />
of the season, to place themselves<br />
in a position to win the<br />
conference championship.<br />
Asked how she is preparing<br />
the team to win a championship,<br />
head coach Gwendolyn Rouse<br />
Photo courtesy of Susan Dugan<br />
President David H. Swinton (left), Dr. LeRoy T. Walker (center), and<br />
Charlie W. Johnson (right) looked over the Dedication and Grand<br />
Opening brochure during the press conference held at the new stadium.<br />
Tigers beat Clark-Atlanta<br />
Panthers in away game<br />
by Marquita A. Watson<br />
News Editor<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> Tigers Football<br />
team continued its winning<br />
streak with a win against the Clark<br />
Atlanta University Panthers in Atlanta<br />
on Sept. 9, following their<br />
victory against Savannah State<br />
University at home on Sept. 2.<br />
However, the streak ended a<br />
shaky start for the Tigers who lost<br />
their opening game to Morehouse<br />
<strong>College</strong> at home on Aug. 26.<br />
The Clark Atlanta game was surprisingly<br />
packed with <strong>Benedict</strong>’s<br />
fans who came out in large numbers<br />
to support their team, packing<br />
the visitors’ stands and<br />
proudly wearing the school’s colors<br />
of purple and gold.<br />
The enthusiasm of the <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
fans was soon tested when Clark<br />
Atlanta not only won the coin<br />
toss but also scored the first touchdown<br />
of the game, although they<br />
missed the extra point. After that,<br />
the Tiger’s offense struggled, but<br />
was not able to complete its<br />
passes or score any points.<br />
When the Tigers’ defense came<br />
on the field, they could not hold<br />
back the Panthers, who dominated<br />
the first half. However, luckily for<br />
the Tigers, the first half ended with<br />
the score 6-0, with the Panthers<br />
ahead.<br />
At half time, both bands gave<br />
exciting performances that lifted<br />
the spirit of fans from both<br />
schools. <strong>Benedict</strong>’s band was up<br />
first and played, “Ain’t No Stopping<br />
Us Now” by McFadden and<br />
Whitehead and the crowd sang<br />
along. <strong>Benedict</strong>’s Sweet Sensation<br />
dancers and Divine Silk color<br />
guard team gave the crowd more<br />
to cheer about. Clark Atlanta’s<br />
band next performed, entertaining<br />
the crowd with the latest hit,<br />
“Morris Brown,” from Atlanta’s<br />
own Outkast.<br />
Despite the entertainment,<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> fans did not forget what<br />
explained that her coaching techniques<br />
are based on developing<br />
discipline. She said, “Discipline<br />
is the key to a winning team.”<br />
She added that her team fights<br />
for every point and every play.<br />
Asked about the “rocky” start<br />
of four wins and five losses,<br />
coach Rouse said, “We could<br />
have easily been 7-2 if we could<br />
have cut out some of the mental<br />
mistakes.”<br />
Coach Rouse emphasized that<br />
the team has a strong bond and<br />
the players function with the belief<br />
that they will win together<br />
and lose together as a team.<br />
She said this year’s team is being<br />
built around five returning<br />
players, four of whom are seniors.<br />
The team also gained two<br />
transferred students and a freshman<br />
who, she said, “really mesh<br />
well with the team structure.”<br />
Talking about team leadership,<br />
she said the team is led by two<br />
team captains, Cylenia Noriss<br />
and Cheryse Rolle. “They keep<br />
the team together with their great<br />
leadership,” she said.<br />
Coach Rouse said Rolle has a<br />
great impact on every game, and<br />
the team’s success is centered on<br />
her performance. She noted that<br />
the team is also powered by its<br />
great setter, Britney Rouse, along<br />
with other key players such as<br />
Aniska Rolle and Latesia Davis.<br />
“When this team is playing at<br />
their best they are a force to be<br />
reckoned with,” she said. “They<br />
play hard in every game and<br />
never give up.”<br />
seemed like an upsetting first half,<br />
and many had already started to<br />
lose hope. However, when the second<br />
half began, the game suddenly<br />
became a reverse of the first<br />
half. <strong>Benedict</strong>’s Martin Degazon<br />
kicked off to the Panthers to open<br />
the third quarter, and it was a great<br />
kick that landed in the end zone,<br />
where the Clark Atlanta’s catcher<br />
was tackled and he fumbled the<br />
ball, giving the Tigers a chance to<br />
recover it and score a touchdown.<br />
The crowd went wild, the band<br />
played loudly, and the kick for the<br />
extra point was good. The Tigers<br />
now had a one-point lead, 7-6.<br />
However, the excitement did not<br />
last for long as the Panthers next<br />
had the ball and the Tigers defense<br />
once again struggled to<br />
hold them back, but could not, allowing<br />
them to score another<br />
touchdown. At the end of the<br />
third quarter, the score was 12-6,<br />
with the Panthers again leading.<br />
With an upsetting first half, Tiger<br />
fans started to lose hope. The<br />
game suddenly reversed at the<br />
beginning of the third quarter.<br />
Martin Degazon kicked off to<br />
Clark opening the second half with<br />
a great kick into the end zone.<br />
Clark’s catcher was tackled and<br />
fumbled the ball giving <strong>Benedict</strong><br />
a chance to recover it and score a<br />
touchdown.<br />
The crowd went wild as the<br />
band began to play and the kick<br />
for the extra point was good. This<br />
gave the Tigers a 1 point lead. Afterwards,<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong>’s defense<br />
once again struggled to hold the<br />
Panthers back, allowing them to<br />
score. The scoreboard showed<br />
12-7, with the Panthers up.<br />
The rest of the game was extremely<br />
exciting and had fans sitting<br />
on the edges of their seats<br />
with anticipation. The Panthers<br />
scored, and then the Tigers<br />
scored, 18-14. Each team played<br />
as hard as they could and made<br />
see CAU GAME/ p. 4<br />
The $13.6 million Tigers’ New<br />
Home seats over 11,000 fans<br />
by Nadia J. Muhammad<br />
Editorial Page Editor<br />
As the <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong> family<br />
assembled on Saturday, Sept. 26,<br />
to dedicate its new Charlie W.<br />
Johnson football Stadium, students<br />
were pleased about the stadium<br />
but had questions about the<br />
complex called the LeRoy Walker<br />
Health and Wellness Center, of<br />
which the new stadium is one of<br />
its premiere features. Because<br />
the student body wants to know<br />
more, here are some facts about<br />
the complex that should allay the<br />
students’ anxiety so that the new<br />
facility can continue to be supported<br />
by all.<br />
The new football stadium was<br />
not just opened for one game; it<br />
is now our football stadium, our<br />
own home field, moving us from<br />
the Dust Bowl to an 11,000-seat<br />
stadium. It is housed within the<br />
LeRoy Walker Health and<br />
Wellness Center complex, situated<br />
on 61 acres of land. The<br />
stadium, with the capacity to seat<br />
a maximum of 17,000 fans, features<br />
state-of-the-art accommodations<br />
and amenities on three<br />
levels, according to the official<br />
Dedication brochure.<br />
The first is comprised of a main<br />
ticket office, four concession<br />
stands, eight restrooms, three<br />
ticket booths, an information<br />
desk, a novelty room, a first-aid<br />
room, a security room, and an<br />
equipment storage area. A field<br />
house at the south end of the<br />
field also contains home and visitors’<br />
lockers and showers, a separate<br />
room for game officials, a<br />
storage room, a laundry room,<br />
and the home coach’s office.<br />
The hospitality and presidential<br />
suites are located on the second<br />
level, including a catering<br />
room with dumbwaiter and<br />
restrooms. The third level has<br />
classrooms and press suites.<br />
One side contains a room each<br />
for home coaches, communications<br />
and home radio, while the<br />
other side contains a room for<br />
each official, visitor radio personalities,<br />
and visiting coaches.<br />
As we are known to say:<br />
GO TIGERS!<br />
New team gets bragging<br />
rights during homecoming<br />
alumni basketball game<br />
by Kamilah Fabien<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
Coaches encourage football players to focus<br />
on final exams despite poor season<br />
by Jocelyn Young<br />
Contributing Writer<br />
Coaches of the <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
Tigers football team have<br />
told the players about the importance<br />
of their academic study,<br />
explaining that with final examinations<br />
approaching, they<br />
needed to start a time management<br />
strategy to enable them to<br />
study well and to be focused.<br />
The coaches spoke during a<br />
football meeting, held on Nov. 9,<br />
in the school gym located in the<br />
Benjamin E. Mays Human Resource<br />
Center on campus.<br />
Speaking about how many<br />
people see football players, Assistant<br />
football coachTrimmer<br />
The alumni basketball game<br />
culminated the events of<br />
Homecoming Thursday with<br />
much enthusiasm from students.<br />
The game followed the Dutty<br />
Wine Carnival which was held<br />
earlier that evening and most<br />
students present at the carnival<br />
stayed on for the basketball<br />
game.<br />
The new lineup of basketball<br />
players for the <strong>2006</strong> season took<br />
on alumni players in a match<br />
where bragging rights were at<br />
stake.<br />
The tipoff went to forward<br />
guard Bennie Lewis, giving the<br />
new team possession of the ball.<br />
The baskets came quickly as<br />
both teams fought to prove their<br />
ability and by the end of the first<br />
quarter the score was tied 28 to<br />
28.<br />
Several three pointers and<br />
excellent two-point shots later<br />
the enthusiasm of the crowd<br />
KAMILAH FABIEN/TIGER NEWS<br />
Homecoming basketball game featuring <strong>2006</strong> <strong>Benedict</strong> Tigers team<br />
players against alumni players in Benjamin E. Mays Human Resources<br />
Center arena gym.<br />
said, “Outsiders think that athletic<br />
players get away without<br />
putting effort into school work,<br />
when we know that’s not the<br />
case.”<br />
Coaches also talked about the<br />
upcoming season, and what<br />
changes needed to be made in<br />
order to improve their games.<br />
“Physicals will be given periodically<br />
to insure that the players<br />
remain in good shape,” said<br />
Coach Trimmer. He added that<br />
practicing harder will help the<br />
players achieve a goal that they<br />
will be proud of.<br />
Meanwhile, <strong>Benedict</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />
President David H. Swinton held<br />
a short meeting with the coaches<br />
on November 4, to inform them<br />
escalated even more when<br />
alumni player Malick McCullogh<br />
came on the court.<br />
With eight minutes and eight<br />
seconds left in the 2 nd and final<br />
quarter (the game was only 2<br />
quarters long) the score of the<br />
close game was tied again at 41.<br />
Both teams made use of their<br />
available time outs coming<br />
toward the end of the game, but<br />
it was the new line up who<br />
prospered and the final score<br />
was 55 for the new lineup and 52<br />
for the alumni team.<br />
Basketball Coach Fred Watson<br />
said that this year’s line up is<br />
comprised of predominantly new<br />
players, but also that this is<br />
“probably the most talented<br />
team” he has had. Watson feels<br />
confident about the season<br />
which began on Oct. 15. “I see<br />
the potential, I see the promise,”<br />
said Watson of the team judging<br />
from their practices so far. The<br />
team was picked to finish third<br />
in the SIAC conference, “but<br />
see ALUMNI/page 5<br />
that the coaches were not living<br />
up to the school standards as far<br />
as games were concerned and<br />
that the coaches may be released<br />
from their positions.<br />
President Swinton said, “Overall<br />
we have had a losing season,<br />
and only won three games, and<br />
lost seven games, which is ridiculous.”<br />
STOP THE PRESS!<br />
Just before going to our<br />
printers, we learned that<br />
Mr. John Hendricks, head<br />
football coach of the<br />
<strong>Benedict</strong> Tigers has been<br />
fired by President David<br />
H. Swinton.<br />
See full story in our next<br />
issue!