Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Jan. 2, 2014, edition 1 / Page 7
Part of Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
History-making NCCU grad: overcome fears SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE The youngest com mencement speaker in North Carolina Central University's history told some 600 new graduates that they must push aside normal fears of failure in order to successfully pur sue far-reaching goals. "Your desire to suc ceed must surpass your fear," Dr. Annika Barnett told graduates during NCCU's 122nd com mencement ceremonies, which took place Dec. 14, in the McDougald McLendon Gymnasium. Barnett, 26, received her bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in chemistry from NCCU in 2009 before attending Harvard University Medical School. She is the first NCCU alumna to graduate from Harvard Medical School, where she earned the Dr. Bemy Jelin Prize for aca demic excel lonro "There are three things that you should never fear: fear of failure, fear of change and fear of the unknown," said Barnett. "If you learn to face these head on, it will lead to success that you could never imagine." In order to complete her medical degree, Barnett said she had to overcome each of these fears. "No one wants to fall flat on his or her face in front of everyone," said Barnett. "In this age of social media, it is very easy for everyone to see when you succeed and when you fail." She said she viewed her application to Harvard, as "just one more application to put out there" as she neared the end of her studies at NCCU. B a r n e t t encouraged the Class of 2013 to push past the iso lation of the unknown. "When you do some thing that no one else has done before you, it is lonely," said Barnett. "It is uncomfortable being the different one. But you have to go out of your comfort zone to grow." Barnett graduated from the prestigious med ical school in May 2013 and earned a spot in the highly competitive Johns Hopkins Hospital pedi atrics and anesthesiology residency program. There are only four pediatrics and anesthesiology resi dency programs in the country and a total of just eight slots. "Something in me knew that if 1 didn't' at least go and try, I would regret it. I would always wonder 'what if,'" said Barnett. "Don't live your life in regret. Don't let fear of failure keep you from going for what may seem like a long shot." Barnett urged the graduates not to view her story as an anomaly. "You all have the capability and gifts to achieve your dreams. The thing holding you back is fear," Barnett said in closing. "1 pray my story of fearlessness liberates you today. I challenge you to embrace your fears. If your dream makes you nervous, then you are on the right track." Before the conferring of degrees, NCCU Chancellor Debra Saunders-White present ed a proclamation from U.S. Rep. and NCCU alumnus G.K. Butterfield to Dr. Bernice Johnson, interim provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. Johnson will retire from NCCU on Dec. 31, after 34 years of service. "For more than three decades, Dr. Johnson has positively impacted the lives NCCU students," said Saunders-White. "Her service to NCCU is beyond compare." Saunders-White host ed the traditional recep tion for graduates and their families on Friday, Dec. 13. Separate recep tions by campus colleges and departments took place after the Commencement ceremo ny. Johnson NCCIJ Photo D r . A n n i k a B a r n e It speaks to graduates and guests on Dec. 14. Concert from page A6 copies in just over a month. After spending three weeks at the top of the charts, Chandler pur chased a cape, a monocle, a top hat and a cane and became "The Duke of Earl," appearing in movies and on TV. Chandler also had a monster pop and soul smash in 1970 with "Groovy Situation," hit ting number eight on the R&B charts. He was a frequent guest on Soul Train in the show's pio neering years in Chicago, appearing three times in the first two seasons. Chandler's "Familiar Footsteps" was the show's original theme song. In 1978, capitaliz ing on the shift to dance music he again scored a huge hit with "Get Down," hitting number three on the R&B charts. Hailing'1 from Chicago, the Chi Lites had a string of hits with a lush, creamy sound that was distinguished by four-part harmonies and layered productions. During the early '70s, the group racked up 11 Top Ten R&B singles, ranging from the roman tic ballads "Have You Seen Her" and "Oh Girl" to protest songs like "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" and "There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is Seated at the Conference Table)." For ticket information, go to rjreynoldsauditori um .com. Chandler Medical from page A5 as one of the nation's top physician assistant pro grams, will move 24 fac ulty and staff and its 128 students from its present location at Victoria Hall to the fifth floor of 525? Vine. "This new space will allow us to scale up our program, support new curriculum advancements as well as create a high tech home base for com munity-based interven 2 tions throughout the region," said Reamer Bushardt. chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. Dr. Gregory L. Burke, director of Public Health Sciences added. "We're excited to seek synergis tic relationships with our new neighbors, including Inmar. the Emerging Technologies Center of Forsyth Tech and the numerous startup compa nies located in and around the Innovation Quarter." Virgil from page A4 an active pro bono public interest litigation prac tice. He teaches courses on community economic development, poverty, evi dence and the nonprofit sec tor. Virgil is also the found ing Director of the Institute for Public Engagement at T Tnil,o ??aAC 1U1V91 II1 V W1 l\ J ? ? uniVtftfSity-wide institute that promotes community based participatory reMarch an<J Engaged teaching across Wake Forest University* Prior to joining W%ke Forest, Virgil taught at another law school for several years and prac ticed law in Cleveland, Ohio and Omaha, Neb. He clerked for the Honorable George W. White, Chief Judge, U.S. uistnct ?^oun. Northern District of Ohio, is a for mer Legal Aid lawyer, an Equal Justice Fellow and a recipient of the Joseph Branch Excellence in Teaching. Award. "Wake Forest Law's clinical/experiential pro grams are fantastic, invaluable resources: for both law students and the local community," said Mark Vaders of the Class if 2013. Reynolds rc i ? a Grant from page AS every student. We under stand that good health is at the core of academic success and will work towards the goal of healthy children at every level." Lynne Mitchell, pre ventive health director at the Forsyth County Health department, added, "Optimal health is best achieved when people not only know what to do but live in an environment where healthy choices are easy to make ... Where we live, work and [play] impacts a person's health and health status. It is dif ficult to achieve health if ' the neighborhood you live in doesn't support healthy options and behaviors." REACH will address underlying issues affect ing communities' health by focusing on policy, system and environmental. change strategies to make! healthy choices easier! The project aims to\ impact at least 75 percent of the African American population in East Winston. "There are many ini tiatives and programs in this community that pro mote healthy eating and physical activity," sjtys Whitt-Glover. "We will work within existing pro grams to help make the healthy choice the easiest choice to make?it's called 'Healthy-by Default.'" Gramercy Research Group, www.gramercyre search.com, is an inde pendent research firm focusing on community and-faith-based participa tory research, chronic dis ease prevention and health disparities. For more information or to become involved with the UCLA Healthy by-Default REACH Project, contact Jonathan Collins at 336-293-8540, ext. 109, or jcollins@gramercyre search.com. Employment Discrimination Social Security Disability Certified ADR Mediator A ? * Immigration Law Civil Rights I Church Litigation Nonprofit/501 (c) Attorney S Wiyrn PKtoraon Patterson & Associates Counselors & Attorneys at Law 8 W. Third Street, Suite 220 Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Tele: (336)714-8858 Fax: 714-8859
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 2, 2014, edition 1
7
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75