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North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804
CAMPUS LIFE
March 14, 2008
Obama, Voter Turnout ‘Super’ in Campus Vote
By James Randolph
Decree Assistant Editor
In Wesleyan’s primary poll, Illinois Senator
Barack Obama obliterated his competition with
56.58 percent of the vote, organizers reported.
The Wesleyan primary poll was held on
Tuesday, February 5th in concurrence with
Super Tuesday—a phrase coined in reference
to the Tuesday on which the largest fraction of
states holds their primary election.
The event drew 304 participants, who cast
their ballot at two computers set up outside the
cafeteria. During the voting process, students,
faculty and staff were asked to answer a list of
questions about their political views; then the
participants were instructed to choose who they
planned to vote for or “are favoring” from a list
of the six candidates still in the race at the time.
The event, organized by the new Politics
Club and a host of other individuals and orga
nizations, yielded lopsided results, as Obama’s
nearest competition, fellow Democratic front
runner Senator Hillary Clinton of New York,
managed 18 percent of the vote.
Junior Trista Palmer favors Obama. She
.said that she respected his .stands on issues and
that she admired his speaking talent. “1 love to
hear him speak,” said Palmer.
A member of the new Politics Club,
junior Alecia Butler said she’s impressed by
Obama’s personal story. She said she voted
for him, becau.se he’s ‘real,” noting “he was
raised by a single mother and yet he went on
to become a Harvard graduate, a professor
at the University of Chicago and now he is a
presidential candidate.”
NCWC Student Advisor Stephanie Battle,
who helped facilitate the event, admitted
to being tom between Clinton and Obama,
although she later concluded that she was
favoring the Illinois Senator. “I really like his
stands on issues,” said Battle. “He talks about
education and parents being educated in order
to lead the education of the kids.” Battle also
said that Obama holds appeal because he is
family oriented. She said that Obama and
Clinton “would make a great president-vice
president combination although we know that
would never happen.”
A.ssistant professor of political science Dr.
Cameron Matthews, who helped to facilitate
and analyze the event, said that the voting
trends did not surprise. Matthews said that
younger voters throughout the nation are favor-
Politics Club
Is Revived
By Joyce Collins
Decree Campus Life Editor
“Make a difference. Don’t be a person
that just has an opinion, be that person
that acts on it and stands for what they
believe in.” -Politics Club Mission
The Politics Club was reinstituted
by senior Shannon Pugh, a political
science major who hopes to attend
law school after graduating.
The Politics Club unites members
through a shared interest in political
issues and recognition that govern
ment affairs are an essential part of
the education of future leaders.
Pugh envisions her club inspiring
young people to take stands on impor
tant issues and become involved in the
political process by voting; she wants
everyone to know that their vote counts.
“It’s amazing how many people say,
‘My vote does not count,’” said Pugh.
Pugh is also in the process of
creating a debate team. “I want to
have a debate team inside of the club
because having a debate team will
hopefully interest other people to join
as well as add to the growth of the
club,” she explained.
SPEECH from pg.1
Sophomore Valerie Johnson was taken by
Turner’s address. “I thought the speech was
absolutely captivating. It gave me insight
on how to live out my dreams. You always
hear people talk about how time flies and
you have to seize the moment. It also made
me realize how important it is to be selfless
because you never know who may need your
help,” she said.
Bom in 1948, Turner is an author, profes
sor, and a pastor at Mt. Level Missionary
Baptist Church in Durham. He started
Duke University in 1966. He received his
bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees all
from Duke University.
ing Obama and at present “we (Wesleyan) are
in a Democratic area within a nation that is
currently leaning Democrat.”
Dr. Matthews, who analyzed the questions
that poll-goers were prompted to answer
before choosing a candidate, revealed that
the campus was leaning liberal in all but one
area—the exception being economic issues on
which the campus’ stance was predominantly
conservative.
Although the voters heavily favored
Obama, interviews with Wesleyan students
and faculty presented a much more diverse
crowd of voters with unique ideas, intentions, '
and concerns.
Senior Jessica Daniel said she voted for
Clinton. If she gets into office, Daniel said.
“then we’ll have Bill back and the system will
be correct again.”
Jesse Shearin, adjunct professor of religion,
said he liked Republican candidate Mike
Huckabee. The former Arkansas governor,
popular among religious conservatives, has
since withdrawn from the race. “Huckabee is
a good leader, and strong leader, and honest...
maybe the most honest of all the current
candidates,” said Shearin. “He’s more willing
to make smart decisions that will help us in the
long nin as opposed to satisfying people now.
(We’ll) have to pay for things later on.”
Dr. Molly Weise, assistant professor of
sociology, voted for Senator John McCain,
a Republican of Arizona. “He is the most
experienced in foreign affairs politics,”
said Dr. Weise. “Foreign policy is the most
important thing. We have to try not to blow
each other up!”
Senator McCain, the presumptive
Republican nominee, came in third place
in the Wesleyan poll with 13 percent of the
vote while Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Ron
Paul rounded out the six candidates on the
ballot with 6,4, and 2 percent of the vote,
respectively.
Final Results (304 total votes cast): ■
Obama 56.58%
Clinton 18.42%
McCain 13.49%
Huckabee 05.92%
Romney 03.63%
Paul 01.97%
Chardae Smallwood performs
during a Black History Month
6VGnt. Photo by Penrod
North Carolina Wesleyan Welcomes New Counselor: Carolyn Rea
By Kyaire Daniels
Decree Staff Writer
Carolyn Rea, the newest addition
to the NC Wesleyan’s Student Support
Center staff, talked about her new
dual-position at the college and the
innovative programs that she has in the
works to promote student success.
Rea was welcomed by her new
co-workers. “We are all very happy
that Carolyn decided to join the Student
Support team,” said Scott Marsigli,
director of Freshman Advantage. “Her
impact on our students can already be
felt, even after only a few weeks.”
Carolyn Rea
Photo By Penrod
Rea’s new position as NCWC
Director of Counseling and Disability
Services is ground breaking. Prior to
her arrival the positions were held by
two individuals, Jeanie Kerr (Coun
selor) and Ginny Fowler (Disability
Services).
In her role as disabilities counselor
she will be responsible for accom
modating students that have mental and
learning disabilities.
While Rea gets comfortable in her
new position she states that she wants
to be recognized for her counseling
abilities first. As counselor she will
have scheduled office hours to counsel
students on a one- on-one basis.
In the coming months Rea hopes to
start many innovative programs, one
of which is the C.H.O.I.C.E.S Peer
Education Program. C.H.O.I.C.E.S
stands for choosing healthy options in
the college environment successfully
Rea asked faculty and staff to select
eligible and upstanding students to be
the first candidates for the program.
The students chosen for the program
will undergo an application process.
They must be in good academic
standing; be willing to dedicate several
hours per week to the program; be
enthusiastic, energetic and outgoing;
and be able to help their peers be
successful individuals.
The chosen students will be trained
and certified through the BACCHUS
Peer Education Network. The trained
peer educators will provide both formal
and informal programs, presentations,
theater skits, discussions, interactive
games, and informational tables on
issues relevant to Wesleyan students.
In addition, they will work with other
campus organizations, clubs and offices
to foster campus-wide involvement.
At the interest meeting for Rea’s
peer education program, junior Ashley
Fletcher said, “I think this is a great
idea, to actually incorporate students
from all backgrounds in a group to
better educate and serve the campus.”
Sophomore Sarah Matulich, who
was also invited to the interest meeting.
said, “I think it will be fun. I’m excited
about it. She [Carolyn] has a lot of
good ideas, and seems like the right
person to start a program like this.”
This peer-education program has
worked well for Rea in the past, and
she hopes to recreate the same success
here at Wesleyan.
Rea also plans to collaborate with
her co-workers in the Student Support
Center as well as the Wellness Center
to create other programs and activities
throughout the semester.
Rea wants all her initiatives to focus
on issues that are directly related to
the Wesleyan student population such
as mental health, anxiety, bi-polar
disorder, alcohol and drugs, grief and
loss, stress and time management.
Because most mental health problems
surface around the ages of 18-24, Rea
believes that these programs can help
foster successful and mentally healthy
young adults.
Rea, who was previously the director
of Counseling and Wellness Services at
Culver-Stockton College, Culver, Mo.,
said she decided to come to Wesleyan
after talking with Dean of Students Robert
Perkins. “I felt he had some great ideas for
Student Affairs and improving the student
experience at Wesleyan,” she said “When
I interviewed, I saw that there were many
caring professionals on campus that I
could collaborate with and develop some
innovative programs for students.”
Rea holds a master’s degree in
clinical psychology from Edinboro
University in Pennsylvania as well
as a bachelor’s in psychology from
the same institution. She is a licensed
Professional Counselor (LPC) and a
National Board Certified Counselor
(NCC).
Black Alums Urge Students to Take Initiative
By Kyaire Daniels
Decree Staff Writer
African-American alumni Davon Davis
and Jasmin Spain returned to inspire
students, share vivid memories of their
time at Wesleyan and offer advice on being
a young black professional.
Student Activities Director Jennifer
Evans is also an African-American alum.
Evans sponsored the event with hopes of
encouraging the black student population
at Wesleyan. “I thought it would be nice to
bring back some of Wesleyan’s own black
alumni in honor of Black History Month,”
said Evans, “black alumni who were
active in student activities, and athletics
and academically successful while they
were in school and now are successful
professionals.”
Davis and Spain are both shining
examples of Evans’ vision. A 2001
graduate with a bachelor’s in psychol
ogy, Davis works as a student advisor at
Hampton (Va.) University. Spain received a
bachelor’s in exercise science in 2(X)3 and
now serves as resident director of Petteway
Hall on the NCWC campus.
The two alumni took the stage of
Powers Recital Hall to detail their experi
ences at Wesleyan and as working black
professionals. The event had a low turnout,
with around 10 students in attendance,
the majority of which were from two
campus organizations, S.O.D (Sisters of
Distinction) and S.A.A.B (Student African
American Brotherhood).
Spain was not surprised by the event
turnout. “My overall impression of the
student turnout was not shocking at all,”
said Spain. “It would have been great to
have more students to have attended, but
we must also understand that the Wesleyan
atmosphere breeds this. The event in my
opinion was for the students that were in
attendance.”
The two alumni dressed in traditional
business attire and sat center stage, gazing
out at the scattered crowd of students.
The spotlight lingered overhead as they
discussed a Wesleyan campus much differ
ent than the one students walk today.
The alumni described a campus that
was not over crowded by football players,
because there was no football team.
They said it was a campus where African
Americans only represented a small
fraction of the total population and still
had a unified voice. It was a campus, they
said, where students attended events and
activities, and took initiative in creating
and planning them, a campus with a
student government and a unified voice to
speak to administration.
“When I was an undergraduate student,
WE—as in the students—ran the campus,”
said Spain. “There was more initiative
taken by the students to get programs and
events done. We didn’t take ‘no’ for an
answer. We believed in each other, and we
supported each other.”
Davis and Spain echoed each other’s
ideas several times during the discussion.
It was clear that they both felt there was
a substantial difference in the attitude
between today’s students and those of their
undergraduate years. “We were proud to
be Battling Bishops,” said Davis. “Now
it seems that students lack drive. They
don’t want to take initiative. There is no
sense of school or black pride or personal
responsibility.”
During his time at Wesleyan, Davis, a
native New Yorker, was the first president
of S.A.A.B, a singer in the gospel choir, a
member of black student association, an
orientation leader and a student ambas
sador He cites his biggest influence as Dr.
Tyrone Bledsoe, the college’s first African
American officer, as vice president for
enrollment and student services.
“Dr Bledsoe used to always tell us to
‘watch his feet,”’ said Davis. “We watched
his feet and he helped us start S.A.A.B and
S.O.D.”
The alumni also skillfully tackled
issues that related to becoming young
black professionals. They talked about
their experiences while navigating the job
market. They shared tips on maintaining
professionalism and building a working
resume.
The alumni ended the forum by passing
the torch to the shjdents in attendance.
They dared the students to surpass the
achievements they had during their time at
Wesleyan.
Evans, pleased with the advice the
alumni offered, has started planning
for next year’s Black History Month
events. “I’m already thinking about Black
History Month next year and we are barely
finished with this year,” said Evans. To
increase student and alum participation,
Evans said she will need to plan earlier
and publicize more.
Davis and Spain have already signed on
to come back next year.
“As alumni,” Davis said, “I need to
be more proactive and lend knowledge
to students that are still here. We need to
rediscover the missing black presence in
the Wesleyan community, and if 1 can be a
part of that I am more than willing.”
Spain underscored the importance of
events like this one. “Yes, I would be
willing to come back and participate in
a similar program,” he said. “This is the
type of dialogue that should be open to
all students, and that all students should
attend. Students always have something
to say about how things are going at Wes
leyan, and this is the perfect atmosphere,
especially for African-American students,
to let their voice be heard, but also hear
some of the possible answers to some of
their questions.”
The black alumni forum was just one
of many Black History Month programs.
Now students will have to wait and see
how next year’s forum shapes up.
Anonymous Donation
Made to Encourage
NCWC Choral Music
By Chris Ochoa
Decree Editor
Wesleyan’s choral music program will
spend $80,000 a year on choral scholarships
and $20,000 a year on program building for
the next five years, thanks to an anonymous
gift of $500,000. Music Director Gene
Heavner plans to build the program through
more recruiting and advertising.
The gift will fund die North Carolina
Wesleyan Singers Scholarship which will
help more students to enroll in the fast-grow-
ing choral program. The scholarship will
award up to $4,000 per recipient.
Students who receive the scholarship
must enroll in Wesleyan Singers and main
tain sufficient progress as a member The
Wesleyan Singers is a mixed ensemble that
performs a wide variety of choral music. The
group performs at college and community
functions, is open to students and gives one
college credit. All scholarship prospects
are required to interview with Heavner and
perform an audition. The scholarship will
begin being awarded in the fall semester
Dr. Steve Ferebee, chair of the Humani
ties Division, said that the college is lucky
that someone in the local community thinks
that the arts are important enough to donate
such a generous sum. Speaking about the
donation. Dr. Ferebee said, “It makes us a
rnore interesting arid dynamic community.”
Dr Ferebee said that this donation shows
that the arts are just as important as athletics,
which bring in a significant number of .
sUidents to Wesleyan.
Heavner plans to add to the music program
by increasing advertising and purchasing
choral necessities. “Advertising the
scholarship is really important because I want
students to know they have an opportunity
to continue choir at the college level without
having to major in music,” said Heavner
The music director is acquiring cabinets
to store choral folders, which hold music
sheets for die performers. The college is
rebuilding the Steinway piano in the chapel
and has hired an accompanist to play it.
Heavner is excited to build the choral
program and is thankfiil for the anonymous gift.
“It was a total surprise and pivotal event
for the music department,” Heavner said. “It
changed our total direction.”