Newspapers / The compass. / April 1, 2005, edition 1 / Page 6
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
The Compass/April 2005 Page 6 Opinion: Letting your light grow dim Some students lack motivation to succeed By Darrin T. Harris Correspondent Many students make mistakes their freshman year. I fall into that category. I did a small survey and I found out that at least four out of ten students attendirtg here don’t even have a 2.0 GPA. So that means out of a crowd of 140 people, 40 of them don’t have the school’s minimum grade requirements. I know a young man who had a 0.0 his entire sophomore year and just stayed here the entire year and left when he felt like it. Why wasn’t he kicked out earlier? Everybody deseiTes a chance but if you have a zero point anything and you’ve been physically able to attend class, you don’t deserve to be here. Others strived to get in this school and to stay in, but these students don’t even care about their education. I admit I messed up my freshman year also, but I worked hard to bring my GPA up. I did terribly in the first semester of my freshman year. I caught the problem too late and finished that year with only a 1.96 GPA. But upon returning, I worked hard and brought that up to a 2.65 in one semester. That is not as high as I want it, but it is a great improvement. What I c c i kfww m ye«ir^ iwfs« « Q.O Nl* #«liw sophofnom fmr ami Just b»r» tile enSr® ywnr Wl h# f®ft till# ti,. 93 don’t understand is if someone comes here to so something, why doesn’t he or she just do it? Even if you don’t care about grades, you should find a reason to do better in school. How will you come back to your smoking and/ or sex partners if you get kicked out? I know that something I really wanted motivated me to do better. But that is really the key to bettering yourself: We can’t fully blame ourselves for this, either. When I found out I had a 1.9, they only gave me a semester to bring it up. But other people have 0.0 with no incompletes and stay here for years. I know a senior who said he never reached 2.0 the entire time here. I believe everyone deserves a chance to prove him or herself, but this type of leniency spoils all of the wrong people. Tolerating such a low average for a semester is understandable, but years are far too much time. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I like the policies in some aspects but I just think they should really study the types of people they give all of these chances. Furthermore, I know a woman who lost her brother last semester. She still managed to ace all exams and tests, but she received a FA (Failure due to Absences) because of the funeral arrangements. I think that was backwards. It seems like only the people who really try are getting penalized for things that they cannot help. That’s why I think they should screen the people they plan to give the boot, and give them a semester to fix their problem (like they did me). Students and staff should both work on trying to keep us focused on our schoolwork. If we do so, then this campus would probably look a lot better. We all make mistakes, but there is a difference between helping someone and letting them use you. Wjmen Destiny Bottom photo: Vickie Winans Befow, left to right: Evangelist Doris Gramby, WRVS 89.9 FM D.J. Sheila Lee, Winans. Professor Lynelta Jordan Right; Vickie Winans By Toby Tate Editor-in-Chief Fulfilling your purpose in life was the theme at the 2"‘‘ Annual Women of Destiny Conference held on March 4 at the Elizabeth City State University Floyd Robinson auditorium, and March 5 at the Hampton Inn, focusing mainly on young women, women’s issues, and financial empowerment for women. The March 4 event, called “A Night of Healing,” was presented by Lynetta Jordan ministries and sponsored by The Daily Advance and other local businesses, and featured guest speakers Jordan, a motivational speaker, author and adjunct professor at ECSU, Sheila Lee of WRVS Radio at ECSU, Evangelist Grade King Lee, Evangelist Doris Gramby, Pastor of the Rebecca A.M.E. Zion Church, and national recording artist Vickie Winans. Around 40 to 50 formally dressed pebjile showed up Friday evening, paying $30 per ticket for both days. “Not many people showed up tonight,” Lee said to the audience, “but those of you who did are going to get a blessing.” After starting an hour late because of sound system problems, Lee spent a few minutes getting people who were scattered in different seats throughout the auditorium to move into the center seats, and then had them on their feet clapping and saying “amen” as she said a few words of encouragement. “I want you to shout like you’re at a football game,” Lee said. Photos by Rich Harvey .After an introduction by Lee, Jordan took the stage and began electrifying the crowd with her energy, explaining the meaning behind the conference. “Tonight is a night of healing, music and ministry,” Jordan said. “Even though this is ECSU, you are in the Lord’s house.” Gramby, a friend of Jordan’s who was invited to preach and sing at the conference, said it was a night for the coming together of the body of Christ. “It’s important to have Christ in your life,” Gramby said. “It’s good to have somewhere to go with your problems. He knows our problems before we even ask.” Gramby sang gospel music to soundtrack accompaniment, and kept the crowd energized while they waited for the aniva] of Winans, the singer whose .performance was the highlight of the evening. The second half of the two-day conference, held on March 5 at Hampton Inn, was a seminar cehtfering on financial empowerment, relationships, self-esteem, encouragement and empowerment. The Saturday event, called “A Day of Destiny,” also featured a special luncheon with Barbara Ciarra, a WTKR News Anchor from Norfolk, Va. The purpose of the first conference, held at Southgate Mall in March, 2004, was to unite women from all walks of life, and was attended by approximately 75 people, according to this year’s conference brochure. For more inforniation on Lynetta Jordan and her motivational speaking ministry, go to www.lynettajordan.org. Auction finances choir’s Nigerian spring tour Trip includes faculty, Chancellor Burnim By Chris Chinaka Staff Writer The Elizabeth City State University art department recently sponsored a silent auction to help raise funds for the school choir’s 2005 spring tour in Nigeria, West Africa. Students, professors and many local artists contributed paintings and sculptures for the auction. Their goal was to raise $200,000, which will cover forty round trip tickets and hotel expense for two weeks. Twenty- nine singers and eleven faculty members including Chancellor Mickey Burnim will be making this journey. Billicia Hines, assistant director for the Spring Tour documentary, said “This event will help ECSU in getting international recognition. The students will get the opportunity to perform at different functions, churches, and various universities. The tour is beneficial to our students and it will teach a lot of us about diversity. I am very excited and I can’t wait to go to Nigeria.’’ The ECSU Choir tour itinerary will start on the May 11, 2005. Their flight departs from Norfolk International Airport on Wednesday afternoon and will arrive at Lagos Murtala Muhanmmed Airport on Thursday afternoon. May 12. The Choir will kick off their two- week tour with a State performance at Okpara Auditorium Umuahia and end with a performance at the National Arts Theatre in Lagos. “Reverend Rogger Owondi Pastor of the Methodist Cathedral Church invited us to Nigeria,” said ECSU professor and choir director Billy Hines. “Our main objective is to represent Elizabeth City State University as good ambassadors. We want to expose the school to encourage youths and broaden the cultural aspects of our students. It will be an astonishing life changing experience to sing and rejoice with the people of Nigeria. We will perform Classical, Anthems and Gospel pieces.” Recently the choir performed at the Memorial Baptist Church on March 6 as a part of their fundraiser. They are also advertising, selling T-shirts and accepting donations. The president of the ECSU choir, Tshombe Selby, said, “We are the premier goodwill ambassadors for the university. This is a big step for the choir, and we are blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime. Some people are a bit scared, but I am actually looking forward to traveling to another country. We are promoting our school, and at the same time learning life lessons. Mr. Hines has taught us so much this year especially about being on time, great performance and adjusting to different types of people. He is preparing us to become leaders for the future.” Woodson, Dubois instrumental in establishing civil liberties Black History a part of American culture By Nate Rhone Staff Writer Black history and culture is such a part of American life and education, that it's difficult to imagine a time when that wasn’t so. Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926 when it was first known as “Negro Histor}' Week”. It would later be promoted to “Black History Month” in 1976 to coincide with the nation’s bicentennial. The celebration of “Black History Month” and more importantly the study of black history were initiated by Dr. Carter G. Woodson who launched “Negro History Week” as an initiative to bring national attention to the contributions of black people throughout American history. Woodson founded the Journal of Negro History, the Associated Publishers, and the Negro History Bulletin. He also founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (now called the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History). Dr. Woodson chose the second week in February for “Negro History Week” because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the Black American population, Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Dubois In honor of Black History Month Elizabeth City State University had its annual Black History Month program on Thursday, February 3rd. The program featured guest speaker Dr. Reginald F. Hildebrand, associate professor of history at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Dr. Hildebrand is a published author and active lecturer in academic and community settings. His community service includes the Durham branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; membership on the planning committee for the African- American Film Festival in Durham; and President of the Board of Directors for the Greylock ABC Chapter of a Better Chance Inc. Dr. Hildebrand earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from Howard University and a PhD from Princeton University. Dr. Hildebrand’s keynote address “Not One Jot or Tittle Less; W.E.B DuBois and the Niagara Movement,” reflected the national theme for Black History Month, “The 100th Anniversary of the Niagara Movement.” W.E.B. DuBois, along with John Hope and William Monroe Trotter led the “Niagara Movement” in 1905 calling for full civil rights liberties, an end to racial discrimination, and recognition of human brotherhood. Their first meeting took place at Niagara Falls. The movement renounced Booker T. Washington’s accommodation policies set forth in his “Atlanta Compromise” speech which he delivered in 1895, and Ms refusal to speak out on behalf of black rights. At its height, the Niagara Movement had 30 branches in various U.S. cities, only lasted a few years, and never had more than about 200 active members, though its impact was tremendous. The movement paved the way for the creation of the powerful, interracial NAACP. DBois was.among 27 others who were part of the Niagara Movement that helped establish the NAACP. He became the only black member of the founding board of directors and their director of research and pubhcity.
April 1, 2005, edition 1
6
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75