5 May 2006
Volume XXI, Number 8 and for the Wesleyan community.
NO^TH^AROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE RQCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA 27804
North Carolina Wesleyan Vice President To Give
Commencement Address as 200 Prepare to Graduate
North Carolinians Represent 90 Percent of Students Set for Ceremony
■
William C. Neisen
William C. Neisen, Vice President of
Development, will
deliver the commence
ment address May 6
during NC Wesleyan’s
spring graduation
ceremony at the
Mingis Auditorium of
the Dunn Center.
An honors
convocation, sched
uled for 10 a.m., will
precede commence
ment exercises, which
will begin at 1:30.
As of April 30, 219
students had applied
for graduation.
Besides distribut
ing diplomas, the
college will grant
an honorary degree ^
to Irene Howell of Goldsboro, the mother
of two NCWC graduates, in recognition
of her professional accomplishments and
community service. She has been a pioneer
in developing facilities for child care and
residential care facilities for mentally re
tarded North Carolina citizens. “A woman of
strong Christian character, an eastern North
Carolina native coming from a background
of meager means, Irene Howell’s vision and
commitment to her fellow humans has made
a difference,” President Ian Newbould said in
announcing Howell’s selection.
At the honors convocation, the college
will present two major awards to students.
The Algernon Sydney Sullivan award is
given to a senior who exemplifies aca
demic achievement as well as excellence in
character, leadership, service to the com
munity and commitment to spiritual values.
The President’s Cup recognizes superior
academic achievement.
Vanessa Gore, a psychology major,
spoke lor many graduating seniors when she
commented on her fondest memory' of NC
Wesleyan. “There are so many fond memo
ries of my time at Wesleyan, it is hard to
just pick one,” she said. “I suppose it will be
all the support that I received from not only
my friends but faculty and staff members as
well. Everyone here is so willing to lend an
extra hand to help out in any way that they
can. It is what impressed me the most when I
first arrived here, and it continues to leave a
lasting impression.”
Gore reflected on the friendships she has
made over the years. “My friends of course I
will never lorget,” she said. “They have been
there tor me through it all. We have had great
times together. We have stressed and worried
o^'Cr tests and papers, and we have kicked
back and taken a huge sigh of relief after it is
all over with.”
A member of the basketball and tennis
teams and various college organizations,
Gore plans to work for a year to earn money
for graduate school, with hopes obtaining
graduate degrees in clinical psychology or
counseling. And she intends to do volunteer
'vork during the next year to help her identify
a career path, which, she said, may rec]uire
a doctorate. Her ultimate goal is to start a
family counseling practice.
A Marv'land native, Gore is one of 21
tion-Noitli Carolinians set to graduate. Tlie other
20 come from Virginia (7 students), Maryland
(4), New Jersey (3), California (1), Delaware
(1), Florida (1), Georgia (1),
Pennsylvania (1), and W'ashing-
tonD.C. (1).
Business and social
science majors once again
dominate the list of graduates.
Eighty-seven students studied
business as either their first
or second major, while 39
majored injustice studies.
■Among the otlier most popular
majors are computer informa
tion systems (37 students),
accounting (30) and psychol
ogy (15).
The commencement
address will be one of Dr.
Nelsen’s final acts as an
NCWC Vice President. He has
announced his plans to leave
after two years of leading the
college’s fund-raising efforts. He came to
Baseball Team Takes
Conference Title, Sets
Sights on World Series
By Anthony DeGregorio
Decree Sports Editor
The North Carolina W’esleyan baseball
team seized the USA South Conference
championship title for the first time in the
last six years, but it isn’t satisfied.
The Bishops compiled a record of
27-16 and earned an automatic bid into the
NCAA South Regional, a double-elimina
tion tournament, scheduled to begin the
w'cekend of May 19th. The team awaits the
outcome of other Division III conference
tourneys before learning its next opponents.
If NCWC wins its regional, one of
eight around the nation, it will move to
Appleton, Wis. for the Division III World
Series at the end of the month. The school
has tw'ice won the national title, the most
recent in 1999 under current coach Charlie
Long. Its first title came in 1989 when the
squad was coached by John Fox, now the
head coach at the UNC-Chapel Hill.
“We need to maintain our focus and
stay hungry for a national championship,”
said Blake Rice, NC Wesleyan’s ace, who
this year has pitched 80 innings and set a
school record with nine complete games
enroute to claiming USA South Pitcher of
the year honors.
See "Baseball" on page 5
NC Wesleyan in 2004 after serving since
1986 as president of Scholarship .America,
the nation’s largest private sector scholar
ship and educational support organization.
Under his leadership, the organization grew
seven-fold in size and program outreach and
won recognition as one of America’s most
efficient nonprofit organizations.
During his career, Neisen has served
as president of Augustana College (South
Dakota) and as vice president and dean of St.
Olaf College in Minnesota.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from
Midland Lutheran College, his master’s
in religion and ethics from Columbia
University, and his Ph.D. in political science
from the University of Pennsylvania. Having
served as a Fulbright Scholar in Germany,
Neisen has authored two books concerning
faculty development and a variety of articles
in the fields of ethics, government, higher
education, private secUir responsibilities, and
student aid.
Elected Officers Look
To Improve Campus Life
By Jessica Bowen
Decree Managing Editor
The results are in. The 2006-2007
Student Government Association executive
board. Campus Activities Board, and Mr.
and Mrs. Wesleyan have been elected.
SGA President is sophomore Tina
Sirois and Vice President is junior Martin
Hill. Freshman Amber Long was elected for
the secretary position and junior Amber Hug
gins is SGA’s new' treasurer. There were other
nominations for the vice president’s position;
however, the nominees failed to meet the GPA
and/or credit hours requirement.
In an earlier interview, Sirois told the
Decree that she hopes to increase student
participation in campus activities. Other
primary goals include:
*Creating additional office space for
SGA organizations
*Improving campus life, in particular
the niles that govern campus life
*Enhancing the dining hall atmosphere
and food selection
One of Hill’s goals as Vice President
is to “not only establish a voice but to
enhance Greek life and establish a more
physical presence for current and upcoming
students.” He plans to establish a better line
of communication between students, faculty
and administration.
Hill says he would like to increase
quality programs such as a Step Show. “Tlie
demand has been so high on campus,” he
said, “and students have been willing to
volunteer their time to help.”
Improving the living quarters in resi
dent halls is another of Hill’s goals. “As far
as living is concerned, I would like to add
features such as a coin machine in residents’
living quarters,” said Hill, “and improve
the concession systems such as other small
colleges or universities.” Hill believes the
vending machines should be operated by
student ID cards
Hill ran for SG.A vice president because
he says he is a “confident individual” who has a
drive for success and wants to give the students
what they want to the best of his ability.
“I bring a different spice to the table
by being involved with a lot of student
organizations since freshmen year,” says
Hill. “I relate directly to the students and
have an understanding of where they are
coming from.”
Hill says he knows what it’s like to be
misunderstood and hassled and he plans
to “bring that to the table and use it as
motivation and dedication to carry out this
position.”
Hill also believes there should be better
equipped handicap systems for dormitories
so handicapped people can have access to
all dormitories without using the fire exits.
Junior Jessica Jones is C.AB’s President
and freshman Caitlin Garippa holds the vice
president seat. Tamyra Villines, freshman, is
CAB’s new treasurer and Yvonne Johnson,
freshman, is the secretary. Sophomore Mike
Fernandez will be the SGA Representative
for CAB.
Jones, who is also president of the
Black Student Association and an RA, plans
to get students’ support for next year’s
activities. “You can’t do a program if you
don’t know what you audience wants,” says
Jones. Jones added that she wants students
to have fun on campus and not “run home
on the weekends.”
Jones is glad to have a CAB executive
board for next year. “You can’t downgrade
this year’s CAB because they didn’t have
a full executive board, they only had
President and Vice President,” Jones says.
Jones ran for CAB president because
she was tired of having nothing to do on
campus. Jones says “You can’t complain
about something, if you’re not willing to
suck it up and do it.” Money for activities
is included in tuition, but there are no
activities, noted Jones. “Where is the money
going that we paid for?” She wants to have
more activities to show for the money spent
on activities.
Freshman Michael Davis was elected
Mr. Wesleyan accompanied by freshman
Kelleigh Jackson as Miss Wesleyan.
Photo by Grace Wallace
Despite winning only three matches in her program's inaugural season, Lacrosse
Coach Lorin Smith sees many reasons for optimism. See interview on page 5.