The Compass
Thursday, December 12, 2002 2
( CAMPUS NEWS )
NATIONAL NONTRADITIONAL STUDENT WEEK: NOVEMBER 3-9,2002
According to Dr. Demetra
Tyner, for the first tinne in its history,
Elizabeth City State University
observed a full-week of celebration
for recognizing its Adult Learners in
the Graduate and Continuing Edu
cation Programs and Weekend/
Evening College. These Adult
Learners are students who are not
the traditional age of first-time
college students. Many of them
attend college in the evenings and/
or on Saturdays in addition to main
taining full or part-time employment
and raising a family. Others are
retirees interested in personal
enrichment. The celebration served
as a means of welcoming them to
the campus and letting them know
that we appreciate their presence
on campus. It also served as a
means of letting other adultsHn the
community know that it is “never
too late” to pursue a college degree
or to improve their personal and
professional expertise.
The following activities were
held to honor our Adult Learners:
Students for the Day:
Monday. November 4: Ms. Dawn
Graham, Elementary Education
Major; Freshman Weekend/
Evening College Student with high
est GPA.
Tuesday. November 5: Ms. Laura
Woolard, Middle Grades Education
Major; Sophomore Weekend/
Evening College Student with high
est GPA.
Wednesday. November 6: Ms.
Marlene Little, Elementary Educa
tion Teacher at Northside Elemen
tary School; The only currently
enrolled graduate student who has
earned National Board Certifica
tion.
Mrs. Mollie Beasley, ECSU Re
tiree of the Health and Physical
Education Department and cur
rently enrolled in a Continuing
Education class.
Dr. Thaddeus Beasley, ECSU
Retiree of the Biology Department
and currently enrolled in a Continu
ing Education class.
Mrs. Sandra Hendricks, ECSU
Retiree of Academic Computing &
End-User Support and Continuing
Education instructor.
Mr. James Spence, ECSU Retiree
of Office of Institutional Advance
ment and currently enrolled in a
Continuing Education class.
Mrs. Valerie Vaughan, ECSU Re
tiree of Laboratory School and cur
rently enrolled in a Continuing Edu
cation class.
Thursdav. November 7: Ms.
Joanne White, Social Work Major;
Junior Weekend/Evening College
Student with highest GPA.
Friday. November 8: Ms. Theo
Bohn, Sociology Major; Senior
Weekend/Evening College Student
^ ip *7
with highest GPA.
Recipients of “We Appreciate
You Gift Baas”
Ms. Rose Chesson, Continuing
Education Program
Ms. Lisa Jones, Graduate Educa
tion Program
Ms. Lori Speller, Weekend/
Evening College
Scavenger Hunt (Thursday.
November 7)
Ms. Willa Lamb, Coordinator of
Commuter Services, hosted a
Scavenger Hunt with
nine students participating. All
participants received gifts of ECSU
paraphanelia.
“Vikings’ Adult Learners Day”
(Saturdav. November 9)
“Door Prizes” and “Special Treats”
were given to all students and
Departmental Advisors participating
in Early Registration.
In October 1996, a group of
people, representing academic
institutions throughout the United
States and Canada, formed the
Association for Nontraditional
Students in Higher Education. The
organization is dedicated to the
improvement of services to adult
students in higher education. Na
tional Nontraditional Student Week
is promoted by ANTSHE. National
Nontraditional Student Week for
2003 will be celebrated November
2-8, 2003.
Photo courtesy of Continuing Education
UNIVERSITY POLICE URGES STUDENTS TO SECURE ROOMS UPON LIVING
Robert Davis
The Elizabeth City Campus police
advises students who live in dorms on
campus and in other similar type campus
housing to take extra precautions to
safeguard their valuables and dorm
rooms during Christmas and other
upcoming school vacations.
According to chief George Mountain
taking advance precautions is just as
helpful to his officers as it is to students
in safeguarding the campus.
“Students need to work together,”
Mountain says. “Never trust anyone with
your key, and if you see anyone you’re
not familiar with let the police station
know so they can at least check it out
because you never know what may
happen.”
Chief Mountain’s office says stu
dents should be especially careful about
securing electronic equipment like
laptops, videogames and televisions.
They also advise students who live on
first floors of buildings to make sure their
windows are locked before taking off for
home. First floor windows are especially
vulnerable, Mountain says.
Campus police also suggest that
other items also be though of before
leaving—students take time to unplug
irons, defrost and store refrigerators and
unplug fans and other similar appliances.
They also suggest that any items students
are not taking home with them be secured
in a locked closet.
Chief Mountain says that students
who live in the Complex should take the
same care in securing their possessions
as those who live in dorms. He suggests
that they should make sure who would be
the last one to leave the individual units
and also who will be responsible for
locking and securing doors, including
putting the deadbolt locks on. “
ECSU Shawn Leak says that there
are some simple things that students do ■
throughout the year that become more c
important when leaving for a long holi
day like Christmas. :
“[Especially] when going home on
weekends, make sure your tell your
neighbors to watch over your room in
case unfamiliar faces wander into your
room. We should watch each other’s
back because we all do live in the same
place.”
SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT GOING DOWN DUE TO BUDGET CUTS
Spencer’s, whether a person is retained
after the holiday depends on the '
person’s work ethic. “If they work better
than the regular employees than they
are kept,” said Painter. Painter would
like to hire more people, especially
during the season in order to better help :
the customer, but with the country going
through a recession, it is hard to.
Though it is hard to get a job for the
season, it is not impossible. Stores are
still hiring and need help. The keys to
getting one of these jobs is quite simple:
Be neat, be polite and be flexible. Also a
good attitude helps.
Antoine Rascoe
Holiday employment is down this
year compared to last year. Throughout
the area, Albemarle students who are
looking for a job will find that stores are
not hiring as many seasonal employees
as in the past.
“Retail experience, type of jobs held
in the past, and mannerism are qualities
that will help you get a job,” said Kathy
Taylor, manager of Belk’s in Elizabeth
City. But Taylor says she will only be
hiring 6 seasonal employees because of
payroll budget cuts. “There is not enough
money and time in the payroll in order to
train inexperienced employees for the
seasonal period,” Taylor says.
According to Taylor, “dressing
properly, attitude, personality and the
way students deal with the public,” are
qualities that help students obtain
seasonal employment at Belk’s. Stu
dents face stiff competition from the
regularly employed staff members.
Seasonal employees are hired to fulfill
regular positions. Christmas seasonal
employment at this particular Belk’s
begins two weeks before Thanksgiving
and ends at the beginning of January.
OnCue, a music and multi-enter-
tainment store at Southgate Mall, has
the same problem as Taylor at Belk’s.
OnCue is only hiring 3 seasonal employ
ees this year. Not having enough time
slots and payroll budgets prevent OnCue
from hiring more seasonal employees.
“The type of personality, experience,
working nights, and weekends are things
that stand out,” said one of the stores
managers. “Beggars cannot be choosers “
is the way the manager said those who
are seeking seasonal employment should
think.
Similar incidents are taking place at
Greenbrier Mall in Virginia. “I look for the
one’s ready to work and do the best job
for me,” said Sheila Painter the manager
for Spencer’s located inside of the mall. At
Spencer’s seasonal employment starts in
October and ends in January At
STUDENTS REFLECT ON CHRISTMAS PAST
Mario Bradley
Venom36@collegeclub.com
Was there a Christmas that was
very memorable to you? I am sure that
everyone has one. Christmas is the
holiday of which we celebrate the birth of
Christ. Christmas for many people is a
time for fellowshipping with family and a
time for charity. On Christmas, people
usually give gifts to one another to show
that they care. Personally, I see Christ
mas as the season when people express
love and unity.
ECSU students have a Christmas
they remember well. James Hill, a
senior, recently reflected his favorite
Christmas.
“It was the year when I visited my
Aunt Mildred and ate Christmas dinner
with my family. This Christmas was
special because I had the chance to
fellowship with my family,” Hill said.
“My favorite Christmas was the last
time my mom and dad were together. I
was about 3 years old, and that year I
received the best parents,” Lonnell
Harrison, a junior, said.
One thing that makes people look
forward to Christmas is receiving gifts.
This experience can be good if you get
the gift you want, but it can be bad if you
do not.
“I remember the Christmas when I
got some roller skates. That was my
favorite gift,” said Tasha Melendez, a
freshman.
As the legend continues, Santa
Claus rides in a sleigh led by eight
reindeers to deliver gifts to all the children
of the world on Christmas night. When
children get older, they realize that there
is no such thing as Santa Claus.
“The Christmas I remember most is
when I found out that Santa Claus was
not real. I was shocked when I found out
it was my parents,” Curtis Langley a
sophomore said.
Christmas is a wonderful time of
year that usually is instrumental in
bringing families together. It is a holiday
that is about love and the spirit of giving.
Between getting a chance to unite with
family and receiving gifts, Christmas
should continue to provide long-lasting
memories for many years to come.