Volume XXI, Number 2
since 1960 “of, hy, and for the Wesleyan community.
15 October 2005
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA 27804
IWesleyan Community Enjoys Homecoming
By Decree Staff Writers
Wesleyan crowned a King and
I Queen, won its home football game
and welcomed back alumni as part of
the week-long celebration of Home
coming 2005.
I Seniors Danielle Davenport
md Maurice Dawson were elected
[Homecoming Queen and King. Other
jmembers of the Homecoming Court
included juniors J.D. Richardson and
Kelvin Clark, sophomores LaKisha
Kee and Travis Bell, and freshmen
Iwastasia Burnett and Kadeem McCord.
More than 2,000 fans were on
hand for the football game which took
place under sunny skies. In the game,
[Wesleyan upped its overall record
to 2-3 as the offense exploded for a
41-25 victory over Maryville College
(for full coverage, see Trevor Seibert’s
report on page 3).
Here’s a roundup of other events
from the week;
—Friday night, the NCWC
cheerleaders led a pep rally for the
weekend’s athletic events.
—Early Saturday morning, around
100 participated in the Chris Cash
Memorial RunAValk. Sponsored by
Ford’s Colony, the event was held in
honor of Captain Cash, a Wesleyan
graduate who was killed last year
while serving in Iraq. Del Pietro, of
4m
Jr..
Photo by Evelyn Hunt«
Seniors Maurice Dawson and Danielle Davenport were crowned Homecoming King and Queen.
Winterville, led all runners with a time
of 17.58 over a course that wound
around campus and the adjacent
Ford’s Colony area. Wesleyan student
Blake Rice took first in the age 20-29
category, and Zollie Woodlief won in
the 15-19 group.
Race proceeds will add to the
$20,000 already raised for a scholar
ship fund in Cash’s name. (Race
organizer Paul Giemza noted that a
second race for the Christopher Cash
fund is planned for December 4th in
Greenville.)
—Before the game, Wesleyan
hosted a carnival. One highlight was
an exhibit by the Wesleyan chapter
of Habitat for Humanity, which, with
assistance from NCWC athletes,
constructed a shack near the Hart-
ness Center to spotlight the plight of
America’s homeless.
—At halftime of the football game,
besides presenting the Homecoming
Court, Wesleyan inducted two new
members into the Hall of Fame. Since
1999, the college has enshrined 28
former athletes. Inducted Saturday
were Rich McNee, a member of the
1989 National Championship baseball
team; and Lloyd Nelson, the MVP
on Wesleyan’s inaugural basketball
season, 1963-64. Each received a
plaque, and the college will hang
banners with their names in the lobby
of the Taylor Center.
—Saturday night there were two
dances. A student dance was held in
the school cafeteria, decorated in the
school colors, blue and gold, with
music provided by a DJ from radio
station 95.1 And Wesleyan alumni
gathered for a dance at the Dunn
Center, with popular music from the
past 50 years.
—^This year’s Homecoming
activities stretched into Sunday, when
chaplain Barry Drum led a worship
service in the Wesleyan chapel for
students, alumni and college staff and
faculty.
‘Day’ Deemed Successful
I By Decree Staff Writers
“Day for Wesleyan” volunteers
raised $503,652 in donations and
pledges, a record amount that sur
passes last year’s total by $39,893.
The total amount will rise to
more than $1 million, thanks to a
dollar-for-dollar matching grant from
the Frank E. Brown Trust. A native of
Edgecombe County, Frank E. Brown
was a philanthropist and special friend
of Wesleyan.
According to Tom Maze, director
of annual fund and alumni affairs, the
money raised is put into the general
operating fund, unless a donor ear
marked the contribution for a specific
area of the college such as an aca
demic department or an athletic team.
Maze said that around 100
Wesleyan staff, alums and students as
well as community leaders supported
the event, which was started in 1982.
Karen Moss, assistant to the
vice president of enrollment, noted
that the fund-raising effort is more
effective when staff and alums can
team with Wesleyan students. Moss
visited Signs Now, Speight’s Trophy
and Swimworld with Tamyra Villines.
“I think our students really impress
the companies we visit,” Moss said.
“The contributors like talking to the
students and really take an interest in
their classes and career plans, their
impressions of Wesleyan.”
SGA President Kelvin Clark
called the event “a phenomenal day
for the college and the students.” He
made calls and gave a speech during
a luncheon event.
Junior Richard Tibbs, SGA
treasurer, participated for the second
year in a row. “Last year it was all new
for me,” he said. “This year, with one
year’s experience, I was more relaxed,
more aware of the impact a Day for
Wesleyan’ can have on campus. 1 just
like to help out anywhere and any way
I can. It’s a fun experience and very
rewarding.”
Tibbs joined Mike Pratt, Wesleyan
class of ’67, who is headmaster at
Rocky Mount Preparatory School.
“You make relationships with members
of the community, with people you’ll
meet down the line, in the work world
and as alums,” said Tibbs who plans
to participate in next year’s event.
Other participating Wesleyan
students included LaQuinta Alston,
Shanisha Barnes, Stuart Briscar, Janay
Carpenter, Maurice Dawson, Van
essa Gore, Cornelius Grimsley, Joey
Helms, Yvonne Johnson, Kenneth
Komegay, Kyle Kuhn, Kelly Leonard,
Andrea Lynch, Stephen Mobley, Jer
emy Ottaway, Matthew Schell, Ayona
Spain, Ashlei Swida, and Jason Zom.
Maze said that all students played a
vital role in helping to make “A Day
Photo by Decree Staff
In an upcoming issue, the Decree staff will look at possible solutions for the high price of textbooks.
for Wesleyan” such a successful event.
The alumni effort was spearhead
ed by Dewey Clark (’82), director of
operational support at MBM Corpora
tion in Rocky Mount, and Rod Grindle
(’82), president of Carolina Power
Systems, Raleigh. Clark headed
Rocky Mount day program alums and
Grindle the ADP graduates.
“A ‘Day for Wesleyan’ is an excel
lent opportunity for the community
to see how great the college is and
how important it is to the students and
all of Northeastern North Carolina,”
Maze said.
He added that the event gives
supporters and alumni the opportunity
to share lunch with the students and
staff, and “see and feel the campus
atmosphere.”