6 Thursday, February 15, 2001 The CompaSS
Students Balance Love and Academics
Chrishanda Rodgers and Johnathan Williams
tell how they balance love and academics.
Inger Parker
frenchvanilla80@hotmail.com
On a college campus, love can be a
distraction from studies, it can break
up friendships, and it is often destroyed
when third parties interfere and temp
tations arise which cause one to be un
faithful. Because of the complexities
involved with maintaining a relation
ship and studies, some college students
choose to avoid falling in love, and
some, nevertheless, value love and take
it to another level.
Though there are strong odds against
college sweet hearts, maintaining a re
lationship and one's studies is possible.
Three vivacious, yet serious couples,
tell of their success with love while
they maintain friendships and, most
importantly, their academics.
Jason Potter, an ECSU freshman,
adores his special lady whom he'd
rather not name. The "apple of Potter's
eye," a student at Norfolk State Uni
versity, is nearly forty-five minutes
away from him, yet his love for her is
strong. Potter describes her as quiet
and easy-going, and said her personal
ity is why he loves her so much. The
two met in middle school and during
their seruor year in high school, they
became a couple. Potter said he thinks
about her often, but he balances his
time between his studies, his sweet
heart and his friends by setting goals.
"I have to get my education first so I
can take care of her just in case we get
married, but usually, after I study, I
give her a call," said Potter.
Potter said although he sets goals,
balancing love and his studies isn't al
ways easy. "Know what you are get
ting in to, because it is not as easy as it
looks. Relationships are just like jobs,
they both require a lot of hard work
and dedication," he said.
Duane Lenard, an
ECSU junior, not only
balances love and col
lege, but also marriage.
Lenard was recently
married on December
29, 2000 to Tina Lenard,
"his beautiful black
queen," who is away on
a military base in South
Carolina. He and Tina
met through a mutual
friend a little over a year
ago. He said he was not
interested in how Tina
looked, but Tina held his
interest because of her
good conversation. Sur
prisingly, Tina asked for
Lenard's hand in mar
riage, and Lenard said
he had no problem
accepting.
Lenard said that he
manages his time between
Tina, studying and friends
by dividing his time amongst the three.
"When she is here, she is my focus and
my real friends imderstand that. Also,
as far as my work, I do my work when
it needs to be done," said Lenard.
Lenard said that he has no plans of
getting a divorce and; therefore, has no
intention of falling to temptations that
often cause relationships to end such
as other women. "I would never look
at another woman and ask myself why
couldn't my wife be like that? The only
person who should tempt me is my
wife," said Lenard.
With all of the obstacle that are
against college sweet hearts, Lenard
advises couples to keep their relation
ship between the two of them, learn
how to communicate with each other,
and most importantly, while in college,
leam how to divide your time between
you personal life and academics.
Chrishanda Rodgers, an ECSU jun
ior, and Johnathan Williams, a student
at Roanoke Bible College, met each
other several years ago at church
through family members. "It was the
oddest thing because I was talking to
God about something else when He
put Chrishanda in my mind," said Wil
liams.
When it comes to having to divide
their time between their studies and
each other, the couple said they don't
have a problem. "It's not that I don't
think about her all the time, it's just
that anybody who has a lot to do can
become creative and develop organi
zation skills," said Williams. Rodgers
agreed and added that she usually has
no problem making time for her rela
tionship and books. "I have written
some of my best papers talking on the
phone with him, but when I find that
talking to him is a distraction, I call
him back and concentrate on my
work," said Rodgers. The couple said
that as far as friends, they feel that they
are blessed to have mutual friends who
respect their relationship.
Most college couples who become
threatened by temptations are usually
tempted to explore other individuals,
however, Williams and Rodgers, both
whom are "born-again Christians,"
said the only temptation they try to
avoid is the physical temptation of each
other. "I pray a lot for us in that regard,
and Chris believes in me and respects
me as a man of God. She looks out for
me as far as my reputation is concerned,
and I do the same for her," said Will
iams.
Williams and Rodgers offered advice
which has helped their relationship that
they feel will also help others. "I would
advise that couples ask themselves do
they love the person they're involved
with, or do they need the person? If
they find that they need them, they are
being selfish." Rodgers added that
couples shouldn't waste their time with
each other if they really don't want to
be together. "Feelings change, love is a
decision," concluded Rodgers.
Each couple agreed that dating in
college and dating in general is com
plicated. However, each couple com
mented that dedication to studies and
to loved one's is the key to a successful
relationship while in college.
2001 Honda All Star Team’s Ready for the NCT
DeTra Smith
depot9@hotmail.com
The Honda Campus All-Star Chal
lenge Varsity Team has been on Eliza
beth City State University's campus for
over ten years now and is still going
strong. The campus coordinator and
coach is Derrick L. Wilkins, who has
been with the team for six years. A
group of volunteers assists the team,
including Dr. Velma Blackmon, Janice
Robinson, Laura Ann Barclift, Alexis
Joyner and Drusiano Scerbo. In order
to be selected for the team, students
must first participate in the HCASC
Campus Tournament and demonstrate
potential for being an outstanding
player on the traveling team.
As of November, those who were
given this honor were Katrina Banks,
Jamel Davis, Warren Gibbs, Deric
Hardy, Joshua Henson, Kymber Tay
lor, Gregory Lawson, Deanna Morring,
Chaka Ruffin, Shannon Penn, Mark
Ralph and Joseph Studivant. The
squad practices twice a week to pre
pare for the National Championship
Tournament (NCT). Their practice
sessions consist of playing the ac
tual game against a faculty team,
writing down and discussing ques
tions that may be asked and listen
ing to professors lectvire on a variety
of topics. "A good team is balanced,
therefore we have members who are
strong in different areas, not the same
ones," said Wilkins.
The five players who have been
selected to represent ECSU at the
NCT, which will be held April 7th-
11th, 2001 in Orlando, EL are Joshua
Henson, Chaka Ruffin, Warren
Gibbs, Dearma Morring and Shan
non Penn. They will stay at the
Hilton Walt Disney. World Resorts.
Criteria for making the traveling
team consists of sharing the enjoyment
of the game, having the willingness to
come to practice, commitment to the
team, having a good balance between
depth of knowledge and speed, high
self esteem, curiosity, ability to work
cooperatively, knowledge in multiple
areas and temperament.
The traveling team, which is the five
players and an alternate, play games
in eight minute halves and rotate be
tween games. The questions asked,
which are unknown beforehand, will
range from natural sciences to sports. "
I develop them to not only know the
answers, but to be quick about respond
ing to the questions," added Wilkins.
At the NCT, ECSU will compete with
sixty-four other Historically Black Col
leges and Universities.
The individual teams are in Compe
tition for $329,000 in monetary grants
to upgrade campus facilities’ institu
tional resources and to improve the
quality of student's lives. The first place
prize is $50,000, the second place prize
is $25,000 and the third place prize is
$8,000.
In 1997, ECSU's "Giant Slayers" won
second place. The money that was
earned went to the Honda Account,
provided scholarships and allowed for
stipends to be given to the team play
ers. "Last year, we were in the process
of growing, but now we are in the pro
cess of rebuilding a good team, which I
am really optimistic about, and I be
lieve they are capable of winning,"
Wilkins enthusiastically added.
Sponsored by American Honda Mo
tor Co. Inc., Campus All-Star Challenge
is sanctioned by the National Associa
tion for Equal Opportimity in Higher
Education ( NAraO) and the Associa
tion of College Unions International.