FEATURES
PROFILE
Campus minister filling big shoes
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COOK'S MOTTO: “Life is to be enjoyed
by Deanne McLeod
to its' fullest."
by Lydia J. Oliver
Bennett Banner
The Rev. Sherrie Cook
describes herself as laid back
and compassionate, and you
will notice these traits as soon
as you walk into her office.
She’ll greet you with a warm
smile and a soft ‘hello’ and
take the time to listen to your
ideas and problems.
Rev. Cook comes to
Bennett from Tulsa, OK, by
way of Durham, NC. She was
bom here in Greensboro and
has Hved in 37 different states.
She has been involved in the
ministry for 14 years and was
ordained three years ago.
Many people have not
seen her around the campus
and those who have may not
have realized who she was.
Last semester she was only
really known to those mem
bers of the Belles of Harmony
or the Student Christian Fel-
lowship. This semester, that
number has increased to in
clude many more students.
Rev. Cook, although ap
proaching 40, can very easily
blend into the campus crowd.
She is a student at Duke Uni
versity, where she is finish
ing her Master’s degree in
divinity.
Mrs. Jimmie
Gravely, the assistant dean
of student development, said,
“I think students are trying
to compare Rev. Cook with
Rev. Woods (Bennett’s former
college chaplain), and are not
responding to Rev. Cook as
an individual.” Mrs. Gravely
also said that she hoped Rev.
Cook would be on campus full
time this semester since last
semester she was part-time
(working here and taking her
classes at Duke), which would
offer more of the students a
better opportunity to get to
know her.
Alicia Hubbard, a
freshman and member of the
Belles of Harmony, said that
she thought Rev. Cook is a nice
person but that she was trying
too hard not to offend anyone
and that the upperclass stu
dents in the choir seemed to
make a lot of comparisons be
tween Revs. Woods and Cook,
in terms of what the choir has
done in the past and what they
have accomplished so far this
year. “I’ve heard that before
we would have done several
concerts by now, but they have
to realize that the majority of
the choir are freshmen and we
need the time to leam the songs
that everyone else already
knew,” Ms. Hubbard said.
When asked what she
would most like the students
of Bennett to remember Rev.
Cook said, “Life is to be en
joyed. Enjoy life to its' fullest
in every expression of Ufe.”
She hopes that the
students will give her the
chance to help them and lead
them into their own under
standing.
Her motto for life.. .’In
my life Lord be glorified,’ and
her life is definitely a reflec
tion of that.
The black and m[}qd1^® of interracial relationships
by Jocelyn Biggs
Bennett Banner
He is white and she is black.
They are common ordinary people with
one thing in common they are in love.
To them, the color of their skin
does not matter. The only thing that
really coimts is that they love each
other and one day hope to be married.
But in the eyes of some, this should
never be.
Interracial or mixed relation
ships as they are sometimes called have
just made it to the fore front of society
in the 90’s. Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever”
was the movie of the 90’s that first
tackled this very controversial issue.
And every since, interracial relation
ships have been taking place every
where. Especially where famous per
sons are involved. The latest couple of
mixed color happened to be rock star
David Bowie and supermodel Iman.
Other stars involved in mixed relation
ships are Boris Becker, Sidney Poitier,
Qunicy Jones, Whoopi Goldberg,
Charles Barkley and Robert DeNiro.
Interracial relationships are
also taking place on college campuses
especially at predominately white
schools where blacks are few. This is
not really happening at predominately
black colleges, but here at Bennett,
some students are involved in mir/'d
relationships or have been involved in a
mixed relationships before.
Rekel Harris, a senior, says
that “I would be involved in a interra
cial relationship if I liked the person.
The color of their skin should not have
by Deanne McLeod
anything to do with it.” But others beg to
differ.
Willie Sykes, a senior at NC A&
T, says, “I would never consider talking
to someone of another race, for the mere
fact that a woman of a different race
could do nothing for me, and there is
nothing in the world like a beautiful
black woman.” Most of the young black
men interviewed said that they would
never consider a interracial relationship.
John Fouls, a student at NC
A&T, who has been in an interracial
relationship for three years says, “my
relationship with my girlfriend happens
to be the best thing that has ever hap
pened to me.” John met his potential
friend in a class that he was taking. John
says, “when I first saw her, I felt a certain
attraction to her. But I tried to deny it.
And then through a mutual fiiend I ibimd
out that she had a certain attraction to
me also.
“I must admit that at first it was
real hard for us. A lot of our fiiends did
not want think that it was right for us to
be together.” “But the way we saw it, it
was on us and if it felt right, it was right.”
“And it must be right becaiise we have
been together for three years.” Most
interracial relationships do no last so
long. However one must be mature and
understand the consequences that come
along with being involved in a relation
ship like this.
Consider the following relation
ships (*Names Have Been Changed).
*Janet Reynolds, a student at Bennett,
just left a interracial relationship that
lasted for only six months. Janet says,
“the pressurefrommyfriendsandfamily
really started to get to me. Whenever my
girlfriends and I went out with our boy
friends, we always got stares.” “People
would always say that I was selling out
myrace by dating a white person. “Tome
that did not matter, the only thing that
mattered to me was when we were to
gether he cared about me and me only.”
But Janet says, “after this relationship, I
doubt if I would get in another relation
ship with someone of a different race.”
*Brian Colemzin, a senior at
UNC-Greensboro, describes his first en-
covinter with a black female. “Michelle
was very pretty.” All the guys were
attracted to her, even the white ones. We
worked together at the counseling center
here on campus, and we would always go
to limch and dinner together. We had a
lot in common, the same interests and
values. So when Michelle asked me out
on a date, I was not surprised at all. We
went out to a nice restaurant and then a
Hease see Interracial, page 8 ,
ADVICE COLUMN
Exercise or
get help quick!
DEAR ROXI,
I am seeing someone
who has an aggressive tem
per. This oflen impacts and
interferes with our relation
ship. How can this person bet
ter channel their aggressive
feelings? What resources are
available to help this person
address their aggressive ten
dencies, and what can I do to
ensure that this behavior does
not threaten the quahty of our
relationship?
Signed Tired, but not through!
Dear Tired but not through,
Sounds like your
friend has a lot of anger out
side of your relationship. Your
friend really needs to find an
alternative way to channel this
anger, maybe exercise or if it
comes down to it they really
should seek counseling.
DEAR ROXI,
For the past six
months,Ihave wanted to start
a wellness and fitness plan
complete witii plenty of rest
and exercise and heathy eat
ing habits; however, I cannot
seem to get started. Do you
Plesise see Roxi, page 8
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