since 1960 “of, by, and for the Wesleyan community”
May 7, 2010
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE, ROCKY MOUNT. NORTH CAROLINA 27804
Senator Hagan Urges New Graduates to Take Risks
Bv Meahan Herd
By Meghan Herd
& Decree Staff
U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) and
Martin Luther King El each delivered
a brief and inspiring message to NC
Wesleyan’s class of 2010 at graduation
ceremonies held in the Dunn Center May 1.
The freshman senator- a lawyer and
banker by training-reminded the audience
that college graduates gain a distinct
advantage in the job market over high
school grads. “Your college degree is
opening options for you out in the world,”
she said. With a college degree, “employers
will answer your knock at the door.”
But Hagan said the slumping economy
has meant that new graduates must show
initiative as there’s no guaranteed job
waiting. She uiged graduates to take risks.
“Jump in canon-ball style,” she said, adding
that, throughout history, many prominent
Americans, such as the Wright Brothers,
were willing to fail before they found
success. Such success stories, she said,
required not “temporary bravery,” but
“sustained courage.”
Picking up on Hagan’s theme. King
exhorted the graduates to pursue their
passions. “Always woric to ftilfill your
dream, whatever it might be,” he said.
“Never give up. Never give up.”
During his speech. King invoked
lessons he heard fiwm his father. “We must
identify our calling and do it well. If you
sweep streets, then you should sweep like
Michelangelo carved stames,” he said,
telling the audience that his father used
to say “‘Anyone can be great, because
anyone can serve.’”
King and Hagan were presented with
honorary degrees by the college, and
major awards were bestowed on two of
Wesleyan’s honors students and a faculty
member. Elena Pisarik was awarded the
President’s Cup for academic excellence.
She plans to attend graduate school in
accounting. Ben Lilley, a math major
already hired by the college’s admissions
department, was presented the Algernon
i i*
.*1 ' .
The men's tennis team claimed its second consecutive USA Soutfi Confer
ence title, vanquishing Christopher Newport, 6-3, in the championship, after it
recorded a 6-0 regular season mark. See sports, pages 4-5. si photo.
Sydney Sullivan award in recognition of
his “character, leadership and community
service.” Dr. Bill Yankosky, promoted
earlier in the year to the rank of full profes
sor, was named winner of the Exemplary
Teacher Award, the third math professor to
receive the honor in the past five years.
According to the college registrar’s
office, 182 students had applied to
graduate. Of that total, 73 were from the
traditional day program and 109 were
from the adult degree program’s three
different campuses. Among the graduates
were 156 native North Carolinians and
26 others from the following states:
Virginia (13), Maryland (5), New Jersey
(2), Colorado (1), New Jersey (1), New
York (1), Pennsylvania (1), Texas (1) and
Washington DC (1).
In recent interviews many new
graduates expressed optimism about the
future. While some plan to attend graduate
school, others intend to plunge into
employment opportunities in business and
the armed services.
Reshanda Smallwood plans on working
first and then enrolling in the MBA program
at Fondham University in New Yoric, while
Jaleesa Murray would like to pursue a job in
mariceting before she enters graduate school
at Gardner Webb University.
After moving back to Goldsboro,
Anthony Tyus hopes to find an internship
or job in software/database development
Jjefore graduate school in 2011. He said he
wished he’d been more proactive in tack
ling the job market while still at Wesleyan.
In particular, he thinks he could have done
more networking with professionals, “who
know about the field of work and can be a
reference to get my foot in the door. Find
ing the best-fit position for my credentials
has been a challenge.”
Grad school is in the plans for Carmera
Thomas, a biology major who will seek
a masters in public health. Like Tyus,
Nyborg Leads Quiz Bowl Team to Early Success
Nyborg
By John Kostet
Decree Staff Writer
Wesleyan’s first quiz bowl team entered four
tournaments in its d^t season, finishing with
some notable individual accomplishments and
grabbing a third, sixth and ninth team placing
amid tough competition.
The Wesleyan team hosted one tournament,
entered one at the University of
Maryland and two in Richmond,
all as part of the Academic Compe
tition Federation and the NatiOni
Academic Quiz Tournaments.
The team advisor, reference
librarian Steve Bahnaman, said
he was somewhat pleased with
their first results. “We have a
JV-type of team right now. We
did not expect much,” he said,
adding that the team will aim for
the national playoffs next year.
Student Jacqie Flynn agreed and
said they have been doing well fw
being a new team. “We're still learning what
goes Ml at tournaments and what kind of ques
tions that are going to be asked,” Flynn said.
Decile the team’s lack of experience,
there’s been one outstanding player throughout
the season as Wesleyan honors student Adam
Nybwg surprised many by capturing a couple
of individui awards. ‘Tve won a couple of
bodes. Apparently ^ving away lesser-known
books by famous authors is a common practice
in Quiz Bowl,” Nyboig said.
His teammate Flynn was very impressed
by his performance. “Adam has been
absolutely amazing at tournaments, making
evetyone else very proud of him,” she said.
Bahnaman agre^ and said it was inpressive
for Nybcsg to put up such perfomiances during
his fiik year. Nyboig was on a quiz bowl team
in high school, but Bahnaman explained the
set-up in college to be a bit different
Quiz Bowl is the common name for a
trivia competition between two teams of
four. A moderator reads 20 descriptions of
tides, names and locations chosen fk>m sci
ence, literature and history. Called toss-ups,
the descriptions are designed to become
easier as more information and clues are
unveiled. The first team to hit the “buzz but
ton” gets to answer; if they’re correct, they
can receive up to three bonus questions.
Here’s a sample question: “This
counuy’s Lapua Movement succeeded
in banning Communist activities, and a
1918 civil war saw Gustav Mannerheim’s
government forces emerge victorious. The
Continuation War, which saw this country
aid Germany’s invasion of the Soviet
Union, was a sequel to the Winter War
in which the Soviet Union preemptively
invaded this country. The 1975 Confer
ence on Security and
Cooperation in Europe
led to some ‘Accords’
named after this countiy’s
capital. For 10 points,
name this country led by
Taija Halonen, whose
major city is Helsinki.
ANSWER: Finland”.
Bahnamaa the fomier
quiz bowl star at Emoiy
Univasity, said he had the
antotion to form a team ever
ance he started as a lihnarian
at NC Wesleyan in 2007.
He felt there was a lack of student
activities associated with overall
knowledge and liberal arts. “NC Wesleyan
is doing a great job with sports events and
activities related to certain fields, but seems
to miss out on general education outside
the classroom,” Bahnaman said.
So last fall he put up some posters ,
and handed out a few flyers with low
expectations on participation. “I never
thought so many as seven people would
show up to our first meeting” Bahnaman
said, impressed, as his alma mater Emory,
never had more than 11 players.
Flynn was one of the students that saw
the flyers and attended the first meeting. “A
friend and I decided to check it out just for
fun,” she said. “We really got into it and
kept going back to practices.”
Askle fitxn knowledge, one of die main
attributes required in quiz bowl is Ihe aMity to
listen and anticipate wtee 4ie passage is gdng.
But most important is flie c^Mcity to menwrizB
names and titles, Ihoi^ Bahnaman said it’s
unnecessary have to ‘taow everything. You have
to be intelligent in a w^ ttiat you can sort, place
and connect irvformalion with fl* corect liel.”
Nyborg added mental endurance to the
list of ti:aits necessary for success. “Since
the tournaments are at least a third longer
than they should be,” he said. He noted
that a specialist will do wonders for a team,
meaning that a team should be as broad as
possible with different strengths. Bahnaman
agreed and said that ideally there should be
one specialist for every topic, but not even
the biggest schools always have that luxury.
The team tries to practioe at least once a week,
reviewing different questions as it sirnulates game
corxitions. Rdying on his own ej^Hiences as a Quiz
Bowte; Bahnanan teaches file team slxut names
and tiflesttiat he knows ae very common at ctmpeti-
ticns.‘For an examfie I could say; heie are ftie five
most femous J^Hnese wriCis, and iWs is what you
need to know atout ten,” B^maman said
While fwoductive, the practice sessions allow
fw camarilerie as well. “We’re having tiin witti
iC’ Flynn said.
The quiz bowl team has received
solid support from students, faculty and a
generous staff who provided financial help
to make their trips possible. “The staff has
been very supportive and it was not hard to
convince tiiem about us,” Bahnaman said.
Wrth a little more experience the team
hopes to keep improving their skills next
year, and with most of their squad coming
back they are optimistic of qualifying for the
national playoffs. “We’re getting the hang of
the way tournaments work,” Flynn said.
Five Punished for Role
By Jarad Brown
& Decree Staff
President James Gray announced that
three studaits have been expeUed and two
others fined for their involvement in last IMl’s
thefts at the boctetDDE.
The news came in a recent email sent to
members of the Wesleyan community and
during a campus-wide meeting on April
21, when the president updated students on
recent community activities and plans for
improvement at the college.
The thefts occurred as members of
the Wesleyan football team were getting
sized for Aeir USA South Conference
championship rings. Taken were books,
personal care items and cash.
Two students were convicted and expelkxl
eariiaintheyear.
Nine studaits were tsDu^ befoE the
college’s disdffary board m April 10.
FoBowing twdve hours of witness testimony
and delibesatkjns, the board convicted four
and acqmtted five, the piesklent saki adding
she would like to first find a job—in re
search—but the market has been difficult
“I’ve been facing obstacles with getting a
job in my field,” she said, “because a lot of
the jobs require previous experience.”
Other grads will enter the military.
Among them is Megan “Gumby” Kinmer,
a CIS major, who expects to keep a “low
profile in Rocky Mount” prior to enlisting in
the Air Force next fall. “I’m really excited to
start my basic ti:aining,” she noted.
Malynda Jones will become part of
the Army family soon after she joins her
husband James Jones, an officer who is
set to move to Korea. At some point she
would like to attend graduate school,
though she considers her immediate
prospects somewhat bleak. “For Army
spouses, available government jobs are
low paying and trivial,” she said.
Some new grads kx)k at the job market
with trepidation. Peter Veach wants to find a
job in business administration. “I’m just hop
ing I can find a job in my career fieW,” he said.
As the class of 2010 was about to begin
their new lives, some members took a
moment to reflect on their time at Wesleyan.
Many acknowledged that the college had
jaovided an opportunity for personal growth.
“College is supposed to broaden a
narrow mind and I can say Wesleyan has
done that for me,” said Smallwood. “Wes
leyan allows its students to step outside
a closed box because you’re around so
many different nationalities and students
genuinely different fiwm yourself.”
Tyus feels that he has matured during
tiie past four years. “I’ve gotten wiser
and more educated in a field I wanted
to pursue,” he said. “And I got my life
together spiritually.”
Thomas agreed tiiat her time at
Wesleyan has been very beneficial.
“When I came in as a freshman, I
wasn’t sure what type of experience I
would have in college,” she said. “I didn't
think I would interact with the many
people that I have over the years, join the
clubs that I was in, or leam the things I
have learned. Wesleyan has helped me
grow and understand more about myself
and to be tolerant of others. I don’t take any
experience for granted. I think that my four
years at Wesleyan will be hard to forget.”
All the graduates interviewed said
that tiiey will miss some aspect of tiie
Wesleyan community.
While Tyus said he will miss the new ad-
, ditions to the college, such as the new litrary
and grill, others pointed to the relationships
that they’ve framed over the years.
Smallwood will remember the friends
“who have brought fun times in my life
and who have made me laugh until I cry.”
Kintiier said she Uked the atinosphere
on campus, the athletic department in
particular. “This place has become a home
to me,” she said. “Not being able to just go
hang out in the field house and the ti:aining
room is going to be a big change.”
Jones said it saddens her to leave peers
as well as faculty and staff “I feel that if
in Book Store Thefts
that appeals wae filed by all four of the
convkted.
Accrading to the {XEskient, the Appeals
Qanmittee then heand evidence and ruled that
c«e afpal wouM be doikri. The other three
students were allowed to retum to school, but
two of them were placed on pobatirai, fined
S250 and prohitated firm playing qxxts for
Wesleyan, fiie president said.
“We never got to the absolute tmth we
were kxAing fra;” Gray sakl “We did the best
we coukl witti the evidence we had, thou^”
The cafnpus-wkle meeting, heki in Everett
Gymnasium, allowed President Gray to
{Tovide a “state of the schooT’ address. “I
really just wanted to give a summaticm of
the academk; year,” he sakL ‘1 wanted to put
things in perspective for students, both good
and not so good.”
Beskies discussing the bode strae incklent
and hi^ghting the success rf Wesleyan’s
athletic teams—four conferax* titks—the
presklent outlined recent initiatives to
see THEFTS pg 7
you’re an honest person, and make an effort
to build relationships, many are willing to
form a bond with you as well,” she said.
Thomas admits tiiat she will miss
college life in general.
“I’ll miss my friends, peers and
professors who have helped me so much,”
she said. “I’ll miss the whole college
experience.”
Strickland To
Serve Third
Term in SGA
By Melanie Rhodes
Decree Staff Writer
Jacob Shickland has been elected SGA
president for the third consecutive year.
The recent SGA election brought both
old and new leadership to the forefiiont The
Executive Board for 2010-2011 is:
President - Jacob Strickland
Vice President - Vacant
Treasurer - Jasmine Mann
Secretary - John Wrlliamson
Each candidate was unopposed. To
date there have been no qualified candidates
apply to run for vice president and this
office remains vacant at this time. A separate
election will be held for the position of vice
president in the near fijture.
Sophomore
Sharise Jones
praised the ^
leadership s
demonstrated, ^ J
by Strickland
inthepasttwo _ «
years. “I think he * • -I
is doing a great -i '
job on campus,” ,
slie said. “He is
canyingttetitie Strickland '
very well.
Williamson, a rising junior, said the presi
dent’s background should benefit studenls
in 2010-11. “Strickland has the experience
to get the job done and leadership ability to
guide us for the future.”
Asked about the lack of candidates
for each of the SGA positions, Stiickland
responded: “In my opinion, students are
overcommitled, overwraked and the GPA
requirement may have had an impact as well
on the lack of candidates this year.”
Strickland looks forward to tackling the
challenges faced by the student body. “As
SGA president for the third term, many
challenges still need to be completed,” said
Strickland.
He said that many changes have already
been in the works. As examples, he noted
the implementation of a recycling program
and the return of the college yearbook.
The president said he would like to see an
increase of student participation in events
and students organizations. “I hope to see
the completion of these items while serving
as SGA president,” he said.
In 2010-2011, Strickland said, SGA will
embark on several new initiatives. One
is the possible institution of a dress code,
whkh, he believes, would “increase the pro
fessional atinosphere on campus.” Another
change would involve the establishment of
a new honor code, which “encompasses the
values, honra; and integrity of students.” In
a related move, an honor court, comprised
of four students, two faculty and two
staff, would be created to make decisions
regarding misconduct among students. “The
purpose is to be student-wiented, making
NCWC the best school,” Stiickland said.
Mann intends to manage the SGA
budget and funds in an orderiy fashion. “I
wanted to run for treasurer because I saw
a need in the SGA to fiilfill,” she said. “I
believe that honesty and integrity are very
important and feel that I will hing those
qualities to the position of Dourer.”
As far as his goals, Williamson wants
to increase publicity of SGA meetings
and work to get mc«e students involved in
the CHganization. “I hope to run for SGA
president next year,” he added.