Campus
The Compass/April 2005 Page 7
Vaugjian ^ves offbeat
Founder’s Day speech
Ex-coach suggests
ECSU name change
By Toby Tate
Editor-in-Chief
If you went to the founder’s Day
Convocation on March 9 at
Elizabeth City State University
expecting to hear a conventional
keynote address, then you w'ere
probably disappointed. A better
word for the speech might be
“controversial.”
Recounting stories about his
early days as a legendary
basketball coach at ECSU,
Robert L. “Bobby” Vaughan,
namesake of ECSU’s Vaughan
center, mixing witty remarks and
wry humor, had much to say
about the present and the past of
ECSU, as well as embracing
change for the future.
Vaughan spoke about the
meaning of the word “founders,”
saying that there are founders all
around us on the ECSU campus.
“We talk about foundations,”
Vaughan said. “No matter how
tall the building, the foundation
has to be equal in order to
maintain the
weight
thereof.”
Vaughan
said the
school
consistently
produces
good
students.
“ECSU has
a glowing
history of
taking an average student,” said
Vaughan, “and turning out an
above average product. You
don’t have to be the best to get
better.”
One of the first things Vaughan
did was to salute the women’s
basketball team for their recent
CIAA game against the Shaw
University Bears, in which
Celeste Trahan, a rookie
freshman, broke a tournament
record by pulling down 26
rebounds (see story on page 4).
“I want to salute our women’s
basketball team,” Vaughan said,
“as founders of a new
beginning.” This was followed
by cheering and applause from
the crowd.
Vaughan had a poignant
message about honoring the
original founders.
“We need to honor our founding
fathers,” Vaughan said. “Cherish
yesterday, live today, dream
tomorrow and embrace change.”
Change seemed to be the theme
for the evening, as Vaughan
spoke about building the future
on the foundation of the past. He
also made no apologies for the
speech he was about to make,
which contained colorful
language used within the context
of his stories, one about his
dislike of student attire while
marching in local parades.
“The Chancellor didn’t approve
what I’m going to say,” Vaughan
said to an expectant audience.
“Neither therefore did the
chairman of the board or the
president of the alumni
association. It may be somewhat
radical, but I will say it anyway.
I am no longer employed here,
and I can’t be fired,” Vaughan
said amidst much laughter. “And
I truly love ECSU.”
Vaughan spoke about his early
days at the school and run-ins
with various chancellors and
professors over his coaching of
the basketball team, including
See Speech on page 8
$382,000 grant to help
promote student health
Student Health Ser
vices seeks volunteers
By Shanna Williams
Staff Writer
Elizabeth City State
University was recently the
recipient of a $382,000 grant
from the Kate B. Reynolds
Charitable Trust that will support
the expansion of the Body Basics
Fitness Program at ECSU.
In the student health
services area Ms. Regina
McCoy-Davis is the grant
administrator and Ms. Beverly
Shannon is the advisor of Peer
Health Educators. Together they
work to promote health and
wellness throughout ECSU
campus. The grant will be paid
over the course of three years in
the amount of $ 169,000 in 2005,
$ 114,000 in 2006, and 99,000 in
2007.
In the past, the Body
Basics Fitness Program served
university students at the ECSU
Student Health Services, and
provided nutrition and fitness
workshops as preventive
measures
for obesity
and also to
decrease
the risks of
developing
chronic
diseases
related to
obesity. Ms.
Shannon is
a registered
nurse who
provides assistance at the
Student Health Services and has
been an employee of ECSU for
approximately two years.
She is also the advisor for the
Peer Health Educators on
campus.
A Peer Health
Educator is one who is trained
to help students to educate peers
about different health issues.
These student workers from
ECSU will train for the job and
then volunteer up to 40 hours a
semester. Ms. Shannon would
like to recruit and train
approximately 20 people who
will in turn recruit and train
others for this program.
“I will expect peers to
educate peers on topics that are
related to HIV/AIDS, the two
major health issues among
African Americans that need
decreasing,” Ms. Shannon said.
The grant will provide
new equipment accessible to the
Health Department and to
connect community-wide
projects. The Body Basics
Fitness Program includes
nutrition education as well as
physical fitness, and will be
divided into two parts of fitness
and training, for 30 minutes
apiece. At a later date, aerobic
classes will be included as well.
Elizabeth City State
University has received many
grants in the past, but the Kate
B. Reynolds grant is providing
Student Health Services to
address issues of eating habits
and proper exercise. The Kate B.
Reynolds Charitable Trust,
established in 1947 under the
will of Mrs. William Neal
Reynolds, conducts grant-
making activity exclusively in
North Carolina.
The Kate B. Reynolds
Charitable Trust and Student
Health Services needs student
volunteers to become Peer
Health Educators. ECSU needs
support from students to make
this program a success.
Band of brothers creates fraternity
Society is built on
godly principles
By Samuel Bennett
Staff Writer
On December 1, 2004, 15
undergraduate brothers of Nu
Gamma Psi (fraternity) were
added to the Pan Hellenic
Council at Elizabeth City State
University. Originally named
Sigma Chi, seven young boys
created a brotherhood to help
keep young men out of trouble
in the town of Plymouth, North
Carolina.
This brotherhood went thr ough
a series of metamorphoses,
constantly changing the rules
and regulations. However, some
brothers of Sigma Chi were not
too fond of these changes and
three of the seven founders
departed.
In 1999, the remaining four
brothers, Adrian White, Lejohn
Purkett, WiUiam Wynn, and Gary
Whitley decided to take the
responsibility of a real fraternity.
The young men realigned their
priorities and decided to have a
meeting to discuss what would
Sam Bennett,
far left,
stands with
his new frat
brothers.
ECSU student Octavia Armond looks over paperwork with Carolyn
Anderson from the Lenoir County school system.
Photo by Rich Harvey
ECSU job fair attracts
regional businesses
Students network, get
possible internships
Seen in The Daily Advance
By Toby Tate
Editor-in-Chief
Approximately 60 employers -
a group that included everyone
from the U.S. Army and Nucor
Steel to Wal-Mart - participated
in this year’s Career Day and Job
Fair at Elizabeth City State
University Thursday.
Students lined up at kiosks
across the R.L. Vaughan Center
gymnasium floor, asking
potential employers about
summer internships and job
opportunities after graduation.
Michele Perry, an ECSU senior
majoring in health services, said
her favorite kiosk was the
colorful display put on by the
Virginia Beach, Va. Public
Schools.
“They have the most impressive
set up,” Perry said. “They have a
lot of pictures showing teacher
interactivity with students. It’s
more inviting” than some of the
other kiosks.
Like many of the other
organizations represented at this
year’s Career Day and Job Fair,
the Virginia Beach schools kiosk
offered brochures and folders
brimming with information
about job opportunities and an
application for employment.
One of the main reasons ECSU
holds the job fair is to get
students interested in seeking
internships with prospective
employers. The Virginia Beach
City Public Schools internship
program. Students with an
Instructional Message, or
SWIM, is such an internship
program.
See Fair on page 8
t
to
oin
Pre-approved credit card with
Student Checking for Full-Time Students.
soon be the beginning of the
transformation of fraternity life
as we know it. In this meeting,
the four founders would discuss
the colors, mascot, mottos,
shield and name of their
fraternity. NGY is a fraternity
based on the Godly principles of
Love, Community Service,
Brotherhood, Leadership and
Courage. The fraternity colors
are sand khaki, hunter green and
white, and the mascot is a Lion.
One motto of NGY is “It takes a
man to pledge a fraternity; but it
takes a stronger, more
courageous man to build one!”
Adrian White, one of the four
founders and the first president
of the organization, said, “I feel
proud when I reflect back and see
how many lives we have
Contributed
photo
influenced. This Alpha Chapter
in Elizabeth City impresses me
by the effort put forth into getting
the group established on the
yard. I look forward to seeing big
things out of this group because
1 too was in their shoes at North
Carolina A&T.” White also
talked about the hardships, time
and dedication it took to convert
the brotherhood from high
school to college.
There will be tough times and
rough roads ahead in the future
for this new group. Only time
will tell what difficult tasks lie
ahead in the fight to stay alive.
“Pressure is in the air like
always,” White said. “And it will
give drive and inspiration to
prolong the existence of such a
valuable bond.”
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