Faculiy Spotlight, Audrey Muhammad By L’ Asia Brown Features Editor There is a new face at Fayette ville State University. Her name is Audrey Muhammad and she is a University College Advisor. A proud native of Toledo, Ohio and graduate of Bowling Green State University, Ms. Muhammad demonstrates a strong passion for teaching and literature. She taught high school English for five years before relocating to California to teach writing at a local community college. While in California, she pub lished her first piece of literary art. Rhymes of the Times; Black Nursery Rhymes, a creative nurs ery book teaching black history to young children with rhymes titled "Martin Had a Little Dream" and "Pretty Little Black Girl." Possess ing an additional adoration for fitness, Ms. Muhammad briefly taught kick-boxing classes and pro duced a workout tape with several of her high school students. Currently a Freshman Semi nar Instructor at FSU, she remains busy but finds time to write a fit ness column twice monthly in the international newspaper. The Final Call, as well as publish Virtue To day Magazine (www.virtuemag. com). Ms. Audrey's beloved five- year old daughter, Hasana, enjoys calling herself "mommy's business partner" and looks forward to aid ing her mother with the promotion of her newest book, Get Fit to Live: Be Your Best You!, a compilation of brilliant fitness columns she has written over the years. Ms. Muhammad looks forward to mentoring students, helping with beneficial programs and having a positive impact on FSU's campus. The Voice (TV): What was your major? Muhammad: My under graduate major was Psychology and Sociology and my Master's is in English with a concentration in Technical Writing. TV: What courses do you teach at Fayetteville State University? Muhammad: I teach Freshman Seminar 101 and 102, and I am a CRISS Lab instructor. TV: From your perspective, what sets a freshman up for fail ure or success during their crucial first year in college? Muhammad: Excellent question! I think that students need 1. support (family, friends). 2. Good professors that are encouraging and supportive. That is why I think the Freshmen Seminar/advisors instructors are so important. At least students have someone to go to for advice or to vent. Sometimes students en counter professors or coaches that are not encouraging and have a negative attitude toward students. Negative relationships can send a student to another school. TV: What is the single most suppressed quality that a freshman must acess to become successful in their college career? Muhammad: I believe a student must have the attitude or belief that he or she that shows women as the epitome of beauty, class and intelligence. For more information, you may visit: virtuemag.com TV: What are some words of advice you can offer new students to help them adjust to college life in general? Muhammad: I would highly suggest that students try to enjoy their college years by mak ing the most of it. Focus on do ing "very good" (B) or "excellent" (A) in all of their classes and seek help whenever you need it. Get involved with at least one organi zation or group on campus and attend events. Utilize your time wisely because this is an invest ment in you. Best wishes to all of my students. You are the best! can succeed, but it is going to take work. Every student must have the quality of determination and be willing to go the extra mile to get help. TV: If you could go back to your freshman year in college, would you do anything different? Muhammad: No, I loved it! I re ceived straight A's and had fun at the same time. TV: You just finished a book. How can this book help students to improve their own quality of life while attending college? Muham mad: I did just complete my book. Get Fit to Live: Be your best you!. It is a motivating book to encour age men and women to think about what they put into their bodies and their minds. I don't focus too much on weight loss, because everyone is not made to be a size two, but instead, "be your best you" and be a healthy you. For students, it will give them insight on how to improve their diet and incorporate exercise into their daily lives. I am also the publisher of Virtue Today Magazine, a women's magazine MONEY FOR SCHOOL!!!! Finding it hard to pay the bills? Tuition getting to be too much? Consider the Air National Guard You can get up to $4500 a year to pay for tuition. Up to a $750 a month stipend while in school Plus training and experience Call: 910-308-8793 NCANGRA@yahoo.com Call: 910-308-8793 Whatever Your Business Increase sales by advertising Email: VoiceAdManager@yahoo.com March 12,2008 VOICE Pg. 5