r
tKIje Cljarlotte ^os(t
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1997
14A
UMOJA
Word Around
Camp
Word Around Camp
•Freshman Elee Elijah Stewart was elected to
the Clark Atlanta University Dean’s List for the
fall semester. A 1996 graduate of West Charlotte
High School, Elee is a hiology/premed major. He
received a four-year scholarship to the school
which is part of the Atlanta University Center
that also includes Morehouse College,Spelman
College and Morris Brown College.
Stewart
•Calvin Dark, a senior at the North Carolina School of Science
and Math, has been awarded a full scholarship to Duke
University. Dark, a native of Siler City, also serves as the State
Master Knight of the North Carolina Council Order of the
Knights of Pythagoras, a service organization for young men.
Dark placed second in the General Baptist State Convention’s
oratorical contest and was a National Achievement Scholar final
ist. He hopes to become a lawyer.
•Beverly Nunley, a 21 year old student from UNC Charlotte,
has won the Mastercard American Collegiate Talent Search cam
pus competition. Beverly performed a vocal piece, “I Am
Changing.” She was accompanied by Tori McKay. Beverly will
perform in a semifinal competition in February. The finals will be
held on Feb. 23.
/ferns for Word Around Camp should be faxed to
(704)342-2160 by 5 p.m. on Monday.
Students interested in writing for Umoja should call,
(704)376-0496
PHOTO/SUE ANN JOHNSON
West Charlotte’s Sherilynn Black takes a break from her busy
schedule. The busy senior balances grades and activities.
A touch of class
SPECIAL TO THE POST
Perhaps it is her birth date -
Feb. 14, that has given
Clanitra Stewart the desire to
do volunteer work in her com
munity. Or maybe it's her grat
itude for the blessed life that
she has Uved.
Whatever the reason, this
University of South Carolina
student has heart.
A senior in USC's prestigious
South Carolina Honors
College, Stewart has main
tained a 3.6 grade point aver
age as a psychology major and
earned an honorable mention
spot on the USA Today "All-
USA '97 College Academic
Team." Her other academic
accolades are numerous:
Mortar Board, Omicron Delta
Kappa, Golden Key, the
National Society of Collegiate
Scholars, Who's Who Among
Students in American
Universities and Colleges and
Psi Chi, the psychology honor
society.
Even so, Stewart has made
time to be involved as a volun
teer at the Kampus Kiddie
Daycare Center at USC and as
a mentor for minority students
in the honors college.
As a member of Mortar
Board, she has been involved
in a number of philanthropic
activities in Columbia, includ
ing fund raising for SisterCare
and participating in the Lunch
Buddies program at Rosewood
Elementary School.
"It's important to do what
you can for other people," says
Stewart. "I have been blessed
to have the life that I have.
You never know what effect
you can have on someone else's
Ufe. Hopefully, you can have a
positive impact."
Stewart came to USC at age
16 after graduating from
Brookland-Cayce High School.
She selected USC because she
could be close to home and
have the opportunity to study
in the honors college.
"The small classes offered by
the honors college appealed to
me. Even at some of the best
Ivy League schools, classes can
be large, and students compete
for attention. Here at USC, the
classes are small, and profes
sors have time to stop and
answer your questions," says
Stewart, the daughter of
Clarence and Gertie Stewart of
Cayce.
Another consideration for
Stewart was the fact that
undergraduate students have
the opportunity to conduct
research at USC. Stewart was
one of only 10 students select
ed from about 200 appKcants
from throughout the U.S. to
participate in the psychology
department’s Summer
Research Institute in 1995.
Dr. Robin Morris, an associ
ate professor in USC's psychol
ogy department, describes
Stewart as a “bright student
who is self-motivated and self-
directed.”
Stewart works with Morris
to conduct research in the field
of cognitive psychology to bet
ter understand how the brain
processes language. This
research interest helped
Stewart land an internship
last summer at AT&T.
Stewart’s leadership skills
make her a positive role model
for other students. “As presi
dent of Psi Chi, Clanitra has
helped the membership of the
honor society grow more rapid
ly than at any other time.”
Local students attend Hardy conference
By Melodye Micere
Stewart
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
The van marked “Central
Piedmont Community College,
Student Life” was packed with
luggage and students. The desti
nation? Richmond, Virginia to
attend The Carroll F. S. Hardy
Black Student Leadership
Conference. “Developing Our
Strengths...Developing Our
Strategies: Roles,
Responsibihties, Realities” was
the theme chosen to help stu
dents “gain new knowledge, net
work, meet new people and
...enhance leadership skills and
capabilities,” according to
Carroll F. S. Hardy, President
and CEO of Stuart Educational
Leadership Group, Inc., spon
sors of the conference. In its 11th
year, the national forum brought
hundreds of African American
students to participate in a full
schedule of sessions and pro
grams featuring professional
speakers and facilitators.
Participating colleges and uni
versities included Arizona State,
Beaver College and LaSalle
University of Pennsylvania,
Florida International
University, Eastern Michigan
University, Ohio State,
University of Georgia,
University of Delaware and a
host of universities from
Virginia. North Carolina was
represented by Central
Piedmont, Johnson C. Smith
and UNC Charlotte.
During the three-day confer
ence, participants attended ses
sions focused on conference's
leadership mission. Issues of
campus leadership, strategies
for increasing influence, building
coalitions and locating funding
resources were discussed in
depth in the various conference
sessions.
Steve Birdine, Coordinator of
Diversity Programs for Indiana
University Bloomington, chal
lenged students to stay focused
on acquiring the skills necessary
to graduate with excellence in
his session, “What Have You
Done For Us Lately?”
“Coping Strategies: Being
Black on a White Campus,” was
presented by Doreen Loury,
Director of Gateway to Success,
Beaver College, while Dr. Mary
Churchill of the University of
Richmond was the facilitator to
a lively session on Black
Male/Female Relationships.
Other conference session pro
vided information on financial
planning, the entertainment
industry, computer technology
and conflict mediation and reso
lution.
The quality and diversity of
conference sessions was not lost
upon the Afiican American stu
dents attending Central
Piedmont Community College.
As members of the Black
Student Organization, each was
eager to meet fellow students,
attend programs and have fun.
Accompanied by BSO advisor
and Student Life Supervisor,
John Toms, it was an adventure
in self-development for the
entire group.
“This was my first time attend
ing the conference. I have truly
learned a lot to assist me in my
quest to be a more effective
leader,” Jewel Leak, 19, said,
“This has been a very enriching
experience.”
Certainly, the conference
keynote speakers were a source
conference enrichment. Nicole
Green, 20, was particularly
impressed with one.
“Sister Souljah was deep. She
really caught my attention when
she spoke about elders....basical-
ly, elders should ‘say what they
mean and mean what they
say.’ ” The rapper/activistiauthor
was also popular with BSO pres
ident, Talathia McAdams, 23:
“Sister Souljah said that the
woman has 360 degrees of
power. This is taught in Africa...
We are the earth and we are the
one's that make things grow and
blossom.”
Other keynote speakers
included Michael Eric Dyson, a
professor of Communication
Studies at the UNC Chapel Hill.
Dyson gave theluncheon
address, mixing his own brand
of hip-hop intellectualism, in
part by decoding rap as com
mentary on everything from eco
nomics to ethnics.
Author and former U.S.
Surgeon General, Dr. Jocelyn
Elders delivered the banquet
address challenging and educat
ing students to the issues and
concerns that they will inherit in
the next century.
Michele Moore, 18, said the
conference gave her “the
strength to keep going on and
being proud.”
Also impressed was. Brother
Rock, 23, who said it spoke to
“the knowledge of self-respect,
love for one another, unity and
economic development.”
Kareem Allah Pratt, 20,
summed up the conference as
“definitely one of the most pow
erful and rewarding experiences
that any black student could
attend.”
Black shines as scholar, activist
By Gena Watkins
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
To say that West Charlotte
High School senior Sherilynn
Black is busy is an imderstate-
ment.
“Everything I do is a reflection
of who I am,” she says.
Sherilynn is president of the
Student Government, and the
National Honor Society. She is
finalist for National
Achievement and Pogue schol
arships, as well as scholarship
from Coca-Cola and UNC
Chapel HiU.
And then there’s her commu
nity service.
Sherilynn’s president of the
National Conference’s Youth
Involvement Council, a United
Way volimteer and often volrm-
teers at the Metrolina Food
Bank. Last year she organized a
seminar for young women that
won her the Girl Scout Gold
Award.
The 17-year-old also boasts a
4.59 grade point average.
“I prioritize,” she says. “I feel
that there is time for me in
everything I do.”
After a stint as an intern at
Carolinas Medical Center,
Sherilyrm pretty much decided
on a career in medicine. She
hopes to research that will erad-
■ icate AIDS and cancer.
Sherilyrm credits her parents,
Don and Elda Black, for her suc
cess and offer simple advice to
other teens.
“Be true to yourself,” she said.
“Don’t shy away from achieving
your full potential.”
Sherilynn strives for excel
lence in everything she does.
CAMPUS PROFILE
QAKWOOD COLLEGE
Huntsville, Alabama
Location; Huntsville, Alabama
Founded: 1896
Enrollment: More than 1,300 full-time students and
over 250 part-time students
Achievements; Oakwood ranked 12th in the nation in
awarding baccalaureate degrees in life sciences to
African-Americans and are 4-time winners of
the UNCF Tenneco Excellence in Teaching Awards.
Campus: This Seventh Day Adventist institution
owns a radio station and a Black history museum and
plans Convocations and Art and Lecture series
that feature famous alumni like entertainer Clifton
Davis, gospel singing group Take 6, and world
renowned soprano Shirley Verrett.
Oakwood College students gather to discuss course
requirements during registration
For more info contact the
Oakwood College Office of Admissions
Oakwood Road, NW
Huntsville, Alabama 35896
(205) 726-7000 or http://www.oakwood.edu