File pho?o
Wake's Steve Justice plays for the Indianoplis Colts.
Grads
/n>m pa gt- B1
Forest ranked seventh with
an APR of 966.
This past April, the Wake
Forest men's basketball team
and men's track team received
recognition from the NCAA
for achieving academic marks
that ranked in the top ten per
cent of Division 1 teams across
the nation: Both Demon
Deacon teams posted some of
the top multi-year APR scores
of all squads in their respective
sports. The teams recognized
this year represent 1 1 .4 percent
of the 6,272 Division I teams.
A total of 192 Division I insti
tutions had at least one team
on the top APR list.
Wake Forest Student
Athlete Services and the
Academic -Services team work
diligently with professors,
coaches, families and most
importantly students, to help
ensure that each individual stu
dent-athlete achieves success
in the classroom. Academic
Services offers academic coun
seling, an extensive tytoring
program, academic monitor
ing. a monitored study hall,
and programs to teach and
instill good time management
and organizational skills
among its student athletes.
File photo
Kevin Marion is presently
with the Pittshburgh Steelers.
Want to apply for
student loans?
From student loans to
buying surplus government property,
all kinds of government information
are just a click or call away.
FlRSTGOVgov
1 (8 00) FED-INFO
GEORGETOWN, SC
Carolina Waterfront Showcase Auction Event
May 31, 2008, One Day Only
Saturday, May 31" ? Auction event featuring Atlantic access,
deepwater and marina homesites in Georgetown, SC. Up to 100%
financing available to qualified buyers Bid online or at the event.
visit www.WaterfrontAuction.com or call 888-886-2125.
gj CD CFM \Y7 A V ' Q gv
>|?r VJi\.LL/i> W/\I J mm
M rts/ 0IU* 6 mttf nmp-i SC4102
complete turnkey including: fixures, inventory, equipment, build out
& training Financing, location & lease assistance
from $49,900
no fees or royalties - ever1.
USA's Largest Developer
FREE DIRECTV 4 ROOM SYSTEM!
) I R E C T V
NOW 95 HD CHANNELS!
265+ CHANNELS1
Pkgs. start at $29.99
FREE HBO + Showtime + Starz
No Stnrt up costs!
Toll Free 866-695-7938
7
Staying On Track
A&Ts Jackson perseveres off the field
SPtl'lAL TO THE CHRONICLE
There is a popular chant
uttered by North Carolina A&T
athletes and fans
The lyrics go like this: "O,
O, O, it's soooo hard to be an
Aggie, soooo hard to be an
Aggie, it's sooo hard to be an
A&T.. Aggie "
While others sing it, N.C.
A&T senior women's track and
field athlete Jennifer Jackson
experienced and lived the song
out to its full meaning. The dif
ficulty she endured to become
an A&T. . .Aggie will pay off for
the future proud alumnus after
she received her bachelor's
degree in criminal justice on
May 10.
"1 am extremely proud of
Jennifer," said N.C. A&T assis
tant track and field coach James
Daniels. "She challenged herself
to do something that was not
very easy, especially when she
had other options."
During her career at N.C.
A&T, Jackson competed in the
60 meters, 200 meters and 1600
relay events during indoor sea
sons. When she competed dur
ing the outdoor seasons, she
competed in the 100, 200 and
400 meters and was a part of the
400 and 1600 meter relay teams.
But her career as an Aggie last
ed only ftoo years.
Jackson started her career at
Bowie State. When she compet
ed in the Penn Relays in the
spring of 2004, she spotted peo
ple in blue and gold uniforms
complete with Aggie Pride and
team cohesion. oShe saw the
Aggies compete in the 1600
meter relay, an event she would
eventually run for the Aggies,
and was impressed at how well
they competed against some of
the bigger schools in the nation.
And then there was that great
Aggie appearance.
It wasn't as much a definite
for the N.C. A&T admissions
office and the NCAA. Jackson
needed 19 course hours in order
to become eligible to run at N.C.
A&T. Jackson was left with the
choice of attending N.C. A&T,
which meant she would lose one
year for transferring and another
year in order to take the classes
needed to become eligible. Or
rt?oto by Charles Walk ins
N.C.A&T'S Jennifer Jackson will compete for a Regional title
this weekend at Florida State University.
Jackson could attend another
school with fewer academic
standards and compete.
"I do not want to give the
impression she was not a good
student but her course load did
not meet her academic needs,"
Daniels said. "I worked very
closely with Jennifer and her
family to map out a plgn that she
needed to follow to get here. 1
explained the disadvantage of
her coming. I believe I earned
Jennifer and her families' trust
because they turned down other
opportunities."
Jackson wanted the chal
lenge. One look at the women's
track and field team and it was
evident director of track and
field programs Roy "Spaceman"
Thompson and Daniels were
building a strong foundation
with future national qualifiers
Loreal Smith and Alexandria
Spruiel. The Aggies also had
other strong sprinters coming
through such as Christina Gray
and Carmenta Mitchell.
The most important compo
nent for Jackson, however, was
that she knew she could attend
any school. She couia maxe ^
grades there, remain eligible and
compete for championships. She
also knew from meeting Daniels
he would challenge her academ
ically and athletically, thus mak
ing her a better person when left
Aggieland.
"Coach Daniels reviewed
my transcripts and began to
explain my academic shortcom
ings." said Jackson. "After we
got past all my tears, coach
Daniels made me a promise. If 1
came to North Carolina A&T he
would make sure that I would
get all the help 1 needed to
obtain my degree. He was the
only coach that I spoke to that
was constantly reminding me
about my purpose and doing
something that many people
thought I could not do - get a
degree."
Jackson wasn't done shed
ding tears. She had to take
numerous community college
classes to obtain her eligibility.
There were times when Jackson
course load prompted her to call
Daniels weeping over \yhether
she could complete the task of ,
becoming eligible. Jackson,
who is not a distance runner, had
to become one academically in
order to reach the finish line of
competing at N.C. A&T.
She endured the long race
and began competing with the
Aggies during the 2007 indoor
season. Jackson will not only
come away with a degree from
N.C. A&T this spring, but dur
ing her career she and her 400
meter relay teammates won two
consecutive MEAC Outdoor
Championships. She is also a
two-time NCAA East Regional
qualifier and will compete-in the
East regional May 30-31 at
Florida State University.
It might be so hard to be an
Aggie. . but it's worth it.
'1 had been challenged
before about my academics."
said Jackson. "But this time was
different because I knew (coach
Daniels) was very serious about
not letting rtie come to A&T and
just get by. He expected me to
apply myself as if I was in a
track meet trying to win first
place. It definitely was a life
lesson that has made me a
stronger person."
BELIEVINGTN YOURSELFTS STRONG.
ACHIEVING WHAT YOU NEVER
BELIEVED POSSIBLE ISARMY STRONG.
_ There's strong. And then there's Army Stronq. There is no limit to]
the things you can learn from one of over 150 career opportunities available
to you in the Army. You can also receive money for college. To find out more,
visit your local recruiter, log on to goarmy.com or dall 1-800-USA-ARMY.
[U.S. ARMY
ARMY STRONG.
MONEY FOR COLLEGE
ENLISTMENT BONUSES TOTALING UP TO $40,000