SEPTEMBER 29. 1994 • BENNETT BANNER • 5
Photo by Phamriphto Rhuo
Opening Convocatum Est
(From left) Seniors Michell Huff and Cinzia Atkinson joined by
juniors Tracy Bedford and Makia Moore leave the Annie Merner
Pffeifer Chapel after attending Convocatum Est, Aug. 25.
Mother-daugher duo
attending Bennett
Attention sophomores;
Americorps is here
Stephanie McCorkle
Managing Editor
Imagine going back to school
with an adult daughter attend
ing the same institution that
you are attending.
Soimd strange?
It isn’t according to senior
mass communication major
Kelly Drayton and her mother
Brenda Drayton, social work
major.
The mother-daughter duo
from Winterhaven, Fla. are not
the first maternal team to attend
the College; however, they are
the first to be enrolled in Bennett
at the same time during an aca
demic semester.
Brenda Drayton attended
Poke Community College in
Winterhaven as a social work
major, but she always wanted
to go to a four-year institution.
But not for her benefit.
“I needed a degree to better
help my community, as well as
to find a place in society,”
Drayton said.
Drayton’s daughter couldn’t
be more proud of her mother,
but stressed that just because
her mom attends the same
school that she does, does not
mean she is going to be tied to
her apron strings.
“She has her life, and I have
mine,” Drayton said.
Other students around the
campus have been very sup
portive of her as well.
Amina Morrison, a transfer bi
ology major from Rochester,
N.Y. said.
“She’s really nice. I think it
would be beneficial to have your
mother at school with you, be
cause it would push you to work
harder.”
Brenda has met the other
“altemative”students and says
that they have lieen supportive.
“ I have met the older students
and we get alone fine.”
She believes that college has
given her a sense of fulfillment
that she has wanted all her life.
“The classes are fine, and I’m
having a ball. I love the Beimett
community.”
Brenda works as a circulat
ing relief coordinator, in ad
dition to being a full-time stu
dent.
Drayton is thankful for the
chance to attend college, but
is very concerned about her
hometown in Winterhaven.
The area from which Drayton
came is a rural neighborhood
that is predominantly African
American and the chances of a
college education is slim, un
less there is athletic ability
worthy of a scholarship.
“The black children do not
know about Bennett, or many
other schools like this,”
Drayton said. “They don’t
have many black guidance
counselors in the schools to
encourage them.”
As a social work major,
Drayton has a right to be wor
ried about the futures of the
young people in her commu
nity, because not many people
there are.
“I would like to get litera
ture out to them about Bennett,
because the white guidance
counselors there are telling
them to go to junior colleges
and technical schools. They
have no one encouraging them
to go to schools like Florida
A&M, and others.”
Mariacorazon Hill
Banner Reporter
Attention Sophomores.
Are you are looking for some
thing productive to do with your
spare time?
Do you enjoy working with
new people? If the answer is yes,
then look no further.
This job may be for you.
The 1993 National Conunu-
nity Service Trust Act is part of
President Bill Clinton’s National
Service Plan.
College students render com
munity service by becoming a part
of the Americorps program.
Americorps is a nationwide
community service organization
that, unlike many programs, pro
vides students with monetary in
centive for continuance and
completion of college education.
Although the acquisition of
Tahja McVay
Banner Reporter
There is something new
about Bennett’s chaplin this se
mester. The face is the same, but
something has t>een added.
The Rev. Sherrie Cook
was ordained as a deacon in the
United Methodist faith June 11 in
Lake Junaluska, N.C.
When Cook became
campus minister in 1992 she was
still in school studying to become
a deacon of the United Methodist
faith.
Cook’s new duties in
clude preaching, leading worship,
and officiating baptisms.
Before she was ordained.
Cook said she had to first receive
the call of God and be recognized
by the people of the church. Then
the church recommended her to
the conference. She met with three
conunittees.
In two years she said she will go
through Uie same process to be
come an elder.
Cook, a Greensboro na
tive, has been more active in the
community since ordination,
preaching at different churches.
Some of the Belles say they see
grant funding came about through
the joint proposal-writing ef
forts of five other colleges and
universities, B ennett has two par
ticular individuals to thank.
Riley Kline, field coordinator
for social work and director of
Outreach Services, and Andreana
Coleman, directorof Institutional
Research and Planning for
Bennett College, collaborated in
writing and submitting a 10-page
proposal during in April.
By July, Bennett received of
ficial notification that it was one
of the six colleges and universi
ties entiUed to a grant for the
amount of $800,000 for the
Americorps program. The grant
took effect Sept. 1.
The Faculty Resource Net
work shares a common theme of
safety with Bennett College.
The other five participating
institutions are: Manhattan Col-
what a difference the ordina
tion has made within her.
Gerri Roland, junior
from Washington D.C. said,
“She really has grown. You
can tell by her sermons on Sun
day mornings and she will be a
great asset to today’s society
and women of Bennett Col
lege.”
When Cook became
campus minister, she said that
she wanted everyone to know
her as laid back and compas
sionate.
lege, Richiud Stixklon C’ullegc,
Johnson C. Smith University, New
York University, imd Bennett’s
brother schixil, Morehouse ('ol-
legc.
Upon completion of 9(K) tiours,
participants, wiUi sophomores
having top priority, e:uii $2,378
for educational funding. I'his
award is sent from tlic govern-
meni directly lo the scholastic in
stitution of the student’s chcx)s-
ing.
“I feel very gotxl about the
program,” Kline said.
“It’s an oppt^rtunily for stu
dents to be involved in commu
nity service while leaniing ;ui edu
cational award which can be used
for undergraduate and graduate
education.”
For more information, contact
Riley Khne at 370-8733 Vicki
Burke, Chair of the ScK'ial Work
I>:paruneni, at 370-86W.
Now she says,”
ordination sets me apart ”
“ ITiere is a big
difference between campus
ministry and local ministry,
but 1 think Bennett is a good
place to grow and come into
your own and work with other
folk.”
Along with preaching at dif
ferent local United Methodist
Churches, Rev. ('cx)k teaches
philosophy of religion this se
mester.
ATTENTION!
FOR $2.50 YOU CAN ADVERTISE IN THE BENNETT BANNER.
FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT NICOLE ISAAC AT: 292-6318.
Or stop by the Banner Office in Shell Hall C
Mon. thru Fri. - Noon to 2 PM
Bennett chaplin ordained
Newly ordained Rev. Sherrie Cook