aspire - Welcome to Alabama A&M University

FALL 2007ASPIREEngage, Enhance and Enrich the Student ExperienceOFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRSALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITYNew AAMU Dean of Students NamedJeffery T. Burgin, Jr. is a servant leaderin the student development field. Hisareas of interest are diversity, leadershipdevelopment, and African-American Greek life. He wasthe Associate Dean ofStudents & Director ofMulticultural Affairs at theUniversity of Tennessee atChattanooga (UTC).Burgin’s responsibilitiesincluded MulticulturalAffairs, Judicial Affairs,Volunteer Services, andCampus Ministries. Prior toworking at UTC Mr. Burgin’sfirst job was at OhioUniversity as the AssistantDirector of MulticulturalPrograms.He has also worked at Washington &Jefferson College as Assistant Dean ofStudents and faculty member (nontenured) where he developed theCollege’s Office of Multicultural Affairs.Mr. Burgin is involved in the communityin many capacities. He has participated inChattanooga Actors Guild roundtables,Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chattanoogaand a college preparation trainer for areahigh schools with a concentration onAfrican-American males.Burgin is a life member of Alpha PhiAlpha Fraternity, Inc., and serves as theVice President of the Psi LambdaGraduate Chapter. HisProfessional participation hasbeen in American CollegePersonnel Association(ACPA), where he served asCommunity Outreach chairfor the Pan African Networkand was the 2003 recipient ofthe Outstanding Contributionsto Multicultural Educationaward. In addition, he servedas Director of the DiversityCommittee for the AssociationBurgin for Student Judicial Affairs(ASJA). He is also a graduateof the Tennessee State VictimAssistance Academy and the SocialJustice Training Institute.Burgin holds a Bachelor of Arts degreein African American Studies from theUniversity of Cincinnati, and a Master ofEducation degree from Ohio University,where he majored in College StudentPersonnel.He is a member of the New CovenantFellowship Church in Chattanooga. Heand his wife Camille have two children,Celeste and Caleb, and a cocker spanielnamed Eboni.Message from the VPDR. JEROME ROBERTSWelcome to Alabama A&M University—a progressive university with a rich historyof serving students forover 135 years. TheDivision of StudentAffairs is the home tomany of theUniversity’s studentservice offices andorganizations. We arededicated to supportinga community ofscholars, providingRobertsleadership in the development of servicesand programs that enrich student life,promote personal growth, and enhance theacademic experience.As a student, your active participationin the educational offerings, cultural events,extra-curricular activities, and socialprograms will determine the success of yourcollegiate experience.Each of the program areas in StudentAffairs have dedicated, committed staffready to ensure our students have the toolsnecessary to become successful. Please feelfree to contact me, or any of my staff at 256-372-5233 with any comments or questions;your feedback is important to assist us inserving you better.I hope that each and everyone of youwill work hard and make this a momentousyear.Long-Awaited Wellness Center Placed on Fast Track!During the February 2007 meeting ofthe AAMU Board of Trustees, PresidentPro Tem L. Shefton Riggins informedstudents and the audience that numeroushurdles had been cleared that had delayedthe start of construction for the longawaitedStudent Wellness Center.The massive two-story structure will beequipped with several examination rooms,a nurse’s station, administrative offices,and a large classroom.The facility will also house a swimmingpool, six-lane bowling alley, twobasketball courts totalling 15,377 sq. ft., a4,000-sq. ft. weight room, a game room,numerous locker and storage facilities, aWelcome to “The Hill”, Class of 2011more than 4,000-sq. ft cardio area, anaerobics room, track, and racketballcourts.The facility will be located in thevicinity of Normal Hills StudentApartments (intersection of Chase Roadand Meridian Street). The project will bere-opened for bids in October 2007.

Student ActivitiesDirector ExcitedAbout School YearEdwan O’Neal joined the staff onApril 2, 2007, as Director of StudentActivities. He receivedhis bachelor andmaster’s degrees fromthe University of WestAlabama. With anextensive backgroundin student services,O’Neal has served asan Instructor forLeadership andOrientation,O’NealCoordinator for Student Activities andStudent Center, Academic Advisor,Founder and Coordinator for the MissAlabama Southern Competition andnumerous roles as a facilitator andcounselor.With a new mission statement andinitiatives, states O’Neal, the office ofStudent Activities is looking forward to avery productive year. The number onegoal for the office is to develop the wholestudent. Academics are the mostimportant attributes of college, but wewant our students to engage in diverseatmospheres that broaden theirprospective leadership qualities. Thegeneral purpose is to creatively, actively,and mentally challenge our students in apositive and efficient manner.Student Activities Calendar of EventsSeptember 13 Men’s Night Out (Clyde Foster) 6 p.m.August 23 Freshmen Speeches (Student Center) Women’s Night Out (Engr Bldg) 6 p.m.August 24 Freshmen Elections Online Voting September 14 International Student Fun Day (Quad)12 NoonAugust 27Faculty/ Staff Appreciation WeekAugust 29 Freshmen SGA Installation Ceremony September 18 Organization Workshop (Engr Bldg)Ernest Knight Center 7:00 p.m.12:30 p.m.September 19 Skate Night (Roller Time) 8-11 p.m.August 30 Greek Workshop September 22 Pool Tournament (Game Room)Clyde Foster NSB 12:30 p.m.6 p.m.September 26 Spiritual Leadership (Clyde Foster)6 p.m.September 1 Bulldogs @ Tenn. State, 6 p.m. BET (On-Campus)September 6 Keith Brown Motivational Speaker September 28 “GET ON BOARD” (On the Quad)Ernest Knight Center, 7 p.m. 12 NoonStudent Government Association Officers2007-2008Executive BoardSenior ClassMichael Butler, PresidentTavis Richardson, 1 st Vice PresidentObi Henderson, 2 nd Vice PresidentMelody M. Cooper, Executive SecretaryFreddie D. Stokes, Executive TreasurerJustin Adu, Executive ParliamentarianBrittany Morton, Miss AAMUMoshae Donald, Executive HistorianAshley Bryant-Massey, Yearbook EditorValecia Ellis, Newspaper EditorJustin L. York, PresidentEmily Worthy, Vice PresidentClelata Lewis, SecretaryTristan Teague, TreasurerJazmine Brantley, ParliamentarianSabrina Cates, HistorianShannon Lott, Miss SeniorASPIRE is published quarterlyby the Office of StudentActivitiesat Alabama A&M University.For additional information orto make submissions,please contact theOffice of Student Activitiesat (256) 372-5615.Designed by theOffice of Information andPublic RelationsInstitutional AdvancementFall 2007 EditionJunior ClassSophomore ClassFreshmen ClassJoshua E. McCoy, PresidentChristan Duncan, Vice PresidentBrandi Braughton, SecretaryKrista Ford, TreasurerApril Calhoun, ParliamentarianBrittani Lewis, HistorianAyla Wells, Miss JuniorWillie Carter, PresidentDestini Wilson, Vice PresidentCandace Davis, SecretaryBrooks Jones, TreasurerJanie Charleston, ParliamentarianChristina Johnson, HistorianLillian Davis, Miss SophomoreAntwan Holt, PresidentCrystalyn Cook, Vice PresidentVernelle Sanders, SecretaryAiisha Comer, TreasurerCresencia Roberts, HistorianChaz Tolbert, ParliamentarianAshley Jones, Miss Freshman