The Fly Jock Gives Back
K\/ Crcacsmo
by Deirdre Freeman
On February 26th, student leaders
from Fayetteville State University traveled
to Charlotte to represent FSU at the Chan
cellor’s CIAA Luncheon. Guest speaker,
Tom Joyner Sr., chose Fayetteville State
as his HBCU of the month for February.
With a kick of poise from Associate Vice
Chancellor for Student Affairs, Juanette
Council, Mr. and Miss Fayetteville State
and their Royal Court; SGA representa
tives; The Voice, and The Mane Attraction
Ensemble made their way through tables
full of FSU alumni. They all took a little
time to introduce themselves and strut a
little bronco pride.
Each month the Tom Joyner Founda
tion chooses a Historically Black College
or University to receive its support. During
the past month, scholarship support mon
ey was sent directly to the university for
students. The scholarships are awarded to
students by way of the Office of Financial
Aid based on need and other stipulations.
Year round funds are raised for
the scholarships through Tom Joyner’s
national partners and The Tom Joyner
Morning Show. Earlier that week, Joyner’s
show featured FSU, and conducted live
interviews with FSU faculty and Chancellor
James A. Anderson. If anyone happened
to be listening to The Tom Joyner Morning
Show last month they may have heard
Joyner and his crew ask his listening audi
ence to call in to make donations, for the
university.
A graduate of Tuskegee Institute, with
an honorary doctorate from Clark Atlanta
University, Joyner Sr. is the founder of
REACH Media. Inc. , The Tom Joyner
Foundation, blackamericaweb.com,
and the host of The Tom Joyner Morn
ing Show. "The hardest working man in
radio,” Joyner said at the luncheon, “I do
the things I do because no one has ever
told me I couldn’t. Someone once asked
me why I fly in between shows-back and
forth. I told him, because no one ever told
me I couldn’t."
In honor of the man himself, alumni,
FSU administration. Miss Freshman
Tatianna Mosley, Mr. Freshman Quiton
Graham, and Student Activities Council
member Allyssa Hubbard, all spoke of
what financial scholarships mean to them.
Mosley, a native of Charlotte, NC, is a
child of a pretty well sized family, a
family that is simultaneously putting
children through college and doesn’t
plan to stop: She admits it's scholar
ships and people like Mr. Joyner and
FSU alumni that make her ride a little
easier. "This is what It's all about,”
said Joyner. “When you graduate,
your job isn’t done. It's about giving
back to the university you came from,
to make way for other students to
graduate and do the same."
Being Tom Joyner's school of the
month helps FSU tremendously. It
allows FSU to forge partnerships with
its national sponsors. This ultimately
encourages them to make dona
tions to the university's scholarship
program. Not only does this huge
recognition help provide awareness
of the university within Fayetteville,
but even across the nation.
When asked, “what's the best
advice to give any student attending
a university, whether it be HBCU or
not," Joyner Sr. said, “pray and when
you get done pray some more."
photo by Monique Vaughn
Innovation in Education
by Brensha Williams
Who says you have to finish
high school before you go to col
lege? Cross Creek Early College
High School (CCECHS) is what's
called an early college-high school
located right here on the campus
of Fayetteville State University.
It basically means high school
students can earn college credit.
With approximately 300 students
and 25 staff members, Cross
Creek Early College High School
takes a different approach towards
academics and achievement.
Diversifying itself from the rest of
the high schools in Cumberland
County, CCECHS seeks students
from underrepresented groups
and first generation college
students. Students are exposed
to a challenging curriculum, which
includes college coursework, start
ing their sophomore year in high
school. Because of its alliance
with FSU, CCECHS students have
access to many opportunities not
afforded to students at traditional
high schools.
CCECHS works hard to
prepare students to compete
with traditional students at FSU.
“Cross Creek Early College High
School challenges students to
develop higher level thinking skills.
Besides offering a smaller class
room setting, our teachers employ
21st Century learning strategies
to include, writing to learn, scaf
folding, literacy circles, class talk,
questioning, and collaborative
group work. We hold all students
to a high standard of excellence,
and support their rigorous curricu
lum through the AVID program at
each grade level,” says Jacqueline
Mardis, a counselor at CCECHS.
Mardis goes on to say, “As a
practice, we recruit first generation
college goers, and tap into their
hidden potential. In many college
classes our students out-shine the
traditional college students. We
are proud to have earned the title
of being a Model School and look
forward to sharing our innova
tive approach with many other
schools.”
The academic achievements
and readiness of CCECHS stu
dents have sparked rave reviews
from FSU professors. Chemistry
professor. Dr. Jonathan Breitzer,
says many of the Cross Creek
students he has taught have been
well prepared for college course-
work and are able to keep up with
traditional students with ease. The
students see the benefits too. “I
was in the first class at CCECHS.
The experience was a blessing. I
loved the program and felt that we
were like a big family,” says Ashley
Crawley, a junior mathematics and
secondary education major and
former CCECHS student. Crawley
loved the small class size. “The
classroom was not full of students,
which gave the teachers a chance
to really get to know all of their
students and it helped to develop
a strong teacher-student relation
ship, making it easier for students
to learn.”
Since its opening a few years
ago, CCECHS has not had one
student drop out of school. As
one of the first “Learn and Earn"
high schools in North Carolina,
CCECHS won the inaugural In
novator Award in recognition of its
achievements for preparing stu
dents for life, college, and careers.
Students take honors courses and
have the opportunity to earn up
to 60 hours of tuition-free college
credit, prior to high school gradu
ation. The benefits of participating
in such a program are phenom
enal. For students like Crawley,
the experience is invaluable. “With
the dedication and support of all
the teachers and (principal) Mindy
Vickers, we all developed an
appreciation for the program. We
learned about life and the impor
tance of an education."
Entrepreneurs Abound At FSU
by Ervin Speight
Ever wondered where, or better yet when, names like
Diddy, Russell Simmons, Jay-z or Dame Dash got their
starts? Rapping on the stoop, corner or brownstone alley
ways encircled by a group of other potential wannabe rap
per friends is the start for many music industry and fashion
stars. But it took serious gumption to go from producing or
spitting rhymes to becoming masters of their own multi-mil-
lion dollar side business ventures such as Sean Jean, Phat
Farm and Roc-a-fella records. Inspiration often starts at an
early age and Fayetteville State students are no exception.
These students are striving for more now rather than
waiting until they take all their classes, earn all their credits
and have a degree in hand. Junior, Precious Baldwin,
cuts hair at the outrageously low price of five dollars with
satisfaction being guaranteed. She operates from her eas
ily accessible New Residence dormitory lobby. Freshman
Art major. Hakeem 'Sage' Atkinson, is the co-chair of his
and his brother's upcoming clothing line “Illusion." Stick
ers of the brand’s logo are posted on various surfaces
around campus. Atkinson sells t-shirts for a mere seven
dollars. They’re reminiscent of shirts and other apparel
that Pharell of The Neptunes would don. “Well personally
I feel ILLUSION represents the small things that can be
misinterpreted but understood. The little things we overlook
in the big picture that catch your eye and make you think.
ILLUSION could create a universal theme as well as a
personal character theme,” says Atkinson. Atkinson is an
art major He says he’s learning a lot and this is only the
beginning of what he hopes will be a long and successful
career. (I want to) “Market and gain a sense of relevance in
other related fields that I feel will make me gain a sense of
multiple mediums and be qualified for numerous employ
ments in the design world.”
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