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Friday, November 16, 1990
BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. C.
Vol. XLXII, No. 1
In
Fall Honors Convocation: Elynor Williams, a vice-president with the Sara Lee Corporation, and President Gloria R.
Scott pay tribute to scholars Gladys Sarpomaa (left) and Shanaz Chowdury (right), who have attained perfect 4.0 grade
point averages. The ceremony honored 74 students who made the dean’s list and 62 who were cited on the honors
list, (photo courtesy of Office of Public Relations).
Executive provides tips
by Olivia M. Rowe
Elynor Williams, newly ap
pointed vice-president of public
responsibility for Sara Lee Cor
poration in Chicago, reflected
upon the words of a song by
Michael Jackson called “Man in
the Mirror,” as speaker for the
fall honor’s convocation Nov. 1.
Jackson’s IjTics state “Start
with the person in the mirror . . .
take a look at yourself . . . make
the world a better place, stand up
and lift yourself, make that
change,” £ind Williams encouraged
students to face the person in the
mirror and to challenge that re
flection daily.
“No one ever really ‘makes it’,
if part of ‘making it’ means you
stop growing and becoming a
better person, stop stretching
towards new horizons and a
greater understanding; if ‘making
it’ means you stop learning new
things about yt>urself and your
world,” said Williams.
The strategy to effect change
is to focus on four key areas;
education, mentoring, networking
and entrepeneurship, according to
Williams.
As a member of the Executive
Leadership Council, which is com
prised of 40 black corporate exe
cutives from the Forbes 1000
corporations, Williams said the
group’s goal is to facilitate econo
mic empowerment for African-
Americans.
“Our ability to be self-sustain
ing and to fully participate in
the economy is the next step in
our efforts to gain equality,” said
Williams.
Williams aaid blacks entered
corporate America as a result of
the Civil Rights Movement when
corporate managers sought blacks
to fill quotas established by the
federal government. Thereafter,
she said, the quotas diminished,
racism renewed itself and illit
eracy, drug abuse, homelessness,
environmental issues and other
social problems developed, affect
ing our economy and ability to
survive.
Williams stressed awareness
and adaptability.
“Change is swirlng around us,
some good, some bad. We must
become aware of these changes,
both current and historical, if we
are to effect change and incor
porate it sucoe'ssfuuy in our daily
lives,” sadd Williams.
She said the future appears
hopeful for women and minorities.
“The new workforce will reflect
demographic and ethnic changes
with minorities in 30 percent of
entry-level jobs smd 90 percent
filled by women,” said Williams.
Students were encouraged to
sharpen their writing and speak
ing skills, know themselves as
best as they can, take good advice
and good criticism, plan to suc
ceed and set goals for maintain
ing a healthy, drug-free body,
with plenty of exercise, rest and
nutrition.
Alumna comes home
by Kimberly Dargan
A 1987 graduate is back to mo
tivate students to strive for ex
cellence.
Ms. Victoria Dunn, a Greens
boro native and former SGA pre
sident, has returned as an instruc
tor in the English department
where she wants to help students
experiencing the same problems
She had as a freshman — shyness
and difficulty coping with college
life.
Involvement in student activi
ties, including serving as a colum
nist for this E>aper, boosted her
self-confidence. A turning-point
came at an event sponsored by
the United Methodist Church in
New York.
“It was a conference that
brought 14 African women and
12 American women to live to
gether and have a conference in
a living, type of experience for
two weeks. We were talking about
issues of our cultures and the dif
ferent concepts of work, which
were not so different. My room
mate at the conference was from
South Africa. We exchanged Aqua
Fresh toothpaste. The only dif
ference was that thedr toothpaste
in South Africa was not as sweet
and more gritty. Learning about
different cultures broadened my
perspective.”
EHmn, a former Bennett scholar
with a 3.5 g.p.a., received a
master’s degree at A&T where
she taught part time for two years.
She worked here in the summer.
“I always knew I was coming
back, Bennett College is my alma
mater. I love this college and
when the opportunity was avail
able, I jumped at it. Bennett
College has a wonderful environ
ment and a change of pace. Now
I am actively involved as family
and faculty,” Dunn says.
Dunn looks up to Dr. Charlotte
Alston, vice-president of aca
demic affairs. “She inspired me.
I can’t express how I feel
about her. Dr. Alston was the
choir director and professor of
music. The choir was very disci
plined. I remember, I was a sop
homore and this certain day I
was tired because of studying so
much. She talked to me and 1
remember her saying, ‘Don’t give
in to this and you will be all
right. You will be all right. Just
don’t become corrupted,” the
alunrna says.
Dunn married Mr. Roger Raynor
on Oct. 20 in Annie Merner Pfeiffer
Chapel. She says of her husband:
“He is kind of quiet and a re
served type of person, but in non-
traditional ways he is incredibly
strong. You always need someone
there no matter how old you are.
My husband has a very under
spoken, very quiet strength and
he is my anchor.”
One thing she wants to ac
complish as a teacher is to in
crease student discipline.
“What I want my teaching to
draw out is discipKiine. Come to
class and listen while you are
there. I would like to see students
liberate themselves from the no
tion that I am here to spoon-feed
them. I would also like them to
liberate themselves to pursue and
to disagree; that is reaUy impor
tant. They don’t challenge, and
only when you are challenging are
you thinking,” Duim says.
Bell excels
by Erica Salter
SGA President Miji Bell emp
hasizes that she’s the students’
representative and sudents have a
responsibility to let their voices
be heard.
Bell, a communications major
from Durham, maintains that stu
dents must be supportive of their
leaders in order for the SGA to
be effective. It is also important
for students to be involved in SGA
business and to have active input.
“The best way to get students
motivated is to get the officers
to set an example,” says Bell, who
is determined to end the apathetic
attitude that exists on Bennett’s
campus. She plans “to implement
programs and activities that will
interest the student body.”
Bell will not be doing every
thing herself. She will rely on
other SGA officers more than
past presidents did. “We need to
work together,” she says. “The
burden doesn’t need to be on
one or two people.”
Bell is looking for dedicated
individuals who want to work.
“The SGA officers just don’t rea
lize how much there is to do,
even on a day-to-day basis,” says
BeU.
“The students have a respon
sibility just like the SGA,” Bell
states. “I hope to add new activi
ties that involve Bennett students
in the community where they
could play an important role and
have a tremendous impact.”
Greater involvement in elections
and combating illiteracy are two
possibilities.
Belle’s performance so far has
met with approval.
“I feel that she is doing an
excellent job and that she has
allowed everyone to know that
SGA is an active board,” says
Natisba Hoskins, a junior from
Ardmore, Pa. “She has sohediiled
regular situdent body meetings
which allow students to know
what’s going on. That’s a change
from the past. Miji is also very
organized which allows things to
flow well.”
Marcene Ross, a junior from
Grand Rapids, Mich., is optimistic
about Bell’s term in office. “We’re
in for a successful year, and there
wiU be a lot of activities,” she
says. “Miji is interested in what
the students want.”
Test stats given
by Era Hardy
Nearly 60 percent of the
students that took the Eng
lish Comprehensive Examina
tion passed while 40 percent
passed the Math Competency
Examination.
These figures are consistent
with past test results.
The English test, which 59
percent passed this year, was
instated in 1980. “Its pur
pose,” said Dr. Juanita Lewis,
chairperson of the English
department, “is to test the
thinking skills, writing skills
and language skills of each
student.” She added that “all
jobs reauire basic writing
skills. The better the student
writes, the better her chances
of progressing.”
The Math test was instated
in 1984. According to Dr. Ray
Treadway, chairperson of the
math and computer science
department, the purpose of
the exam is “to see if each
student has established a
minimum level of competence
in mathematics. The exam al
so tries to encourage students
to take standardized tests and
develop test-taking strate
gies.”
Why do more students pass
the English Comp, than the
Math Comp. ? According to
junior Kim Boyd, “Bennett
places a higher emphasis on
English skills rather than
math skills.”
Students that have taken
the English exam suggest
there’s room for improve
ment.
“I think we should be al
lowed more than four mis
takes,” said junior Alima
Easler-Bey. “Even on the
NTE (National Teacher’s
Exam) you’re allowed 12 mis
takes.”
“It takes 30 minutes to a
hour just to get your thoughts
together,” said junior Renee
Floyd. “I think more time
should be allotted for the
exam.”
When asked about the Math
0)mp., students made similar
suggestions. Students should
be more thoroughly prepared
for the math exam.
Each of these exams is a
requirement by the college in
order to graduate. If you have
not taken either exam, a
chance will come again during
the spring semester.
Communications department is thriving
by Monica Hawkins
“Lights, camera and
action” is the tune that the
communications department
is singing this year. There are
two new instructors and sev
eral new courses.
The communications de
partment is growing rapidly.
The number of students that
major in communications in
creases each year. Adjust
ments were made to accom
modate the rapid grovd;h of
the program.
Ms. Charmaine McKissick-
Kemp, director of the Inter
disciplinary Studies Program
and head of the communica
tions department, feels posi
tive about the future and so
does Bennett.
“The entire college has
been very supportive of the
new mass communications
program,” she says.
The communications de
partment is in the process of
becoming an official depart
ment. In June the board ap
proved mass communications
as a major. Once the depart
ment becomes official, mass
communications majors will
be required to take the gen
eral education courses of the
college. The Interdisplinary
(see page 4)