News Argus, September 2001
■
STUl^ENT
Far-Flung Adventure
wssu
students
got more
than jetlag
from their
trip to
Singapore.
They got
a lesson
in life
By Keith Caesar
Argus News Editor
Imagine spending
your summer vaca
tion in a foreign land
where you interact with
a new culhire while con
tinuing with your educa
tional goals.
Students from
Winston-Salem State
University, have not only
seen this image, they
have acted upon it, gain
ing new perspectives of
the world in which we
live.
Carmon Choice, a
senior biology and
chemistry major, and
Temekia Wilkinson, a
senior biology major,
were two students from
the university who
recently spent their sum
mer studying across the
globe.
The two traveled to
Singapore as part of a
research program fund
ed by Minority
International Research
Training (MIRT) from
May 18 to Aug. 4.
They were joined by
three other students,
including two students
from Medgar Evers
University and Tougaloo
College in Mississippi.
Choice said that there
were things he expected
when traveling to
Singapore.
"I had some idea of
what it was going to be
like, cause we've had
other students who went
there before," he said. 'T
did not expect it to be
like the U.S., nor like a
third-world country."
The group studied at
the National University
of Singapore. However,
it wasn't all fun and
games as they were each
involved in a number of
research projects.
But as he stopped to
take a look at his sur
roundings, Choice noted
a few things.
"What stood out the
most was the level of
competition in
Singapore. They have to
start competing at a very
young age for jobs," he
said. "What you leam
about Singapore when
you arrive is that their
people are the main
resource. They have no
natural resources, no oil,
no coal. So they have to
train their people to take
on positions in compa
nies."
Choice said that the
Photo by Keith Caesar
Carmon Choice recommends that all students travel abroad.
program was extremely
beneficial and helped
him gain a better per
spective of the world
and a greater apprecia
tion for the people of
Singapore.
"Their time for
extracurricular, sports,
arts is limited. Because
they are focused when it
comes to their educa
tion."
He said that students
in Singapore spend an
average of six days in
school.
While having just
returned from one
adventure. Choice is
gearing up for another
journey this spring.
This time he will be
heading to the outback
of Australia where he
will be attending the
University of
Wollongong for the
semester.
As rewarding as this
experience has been for
him. Choice is encourag
ing all students, especial
ly those in biology, to
seek international educa
tion and see where it
takes them.
"I would honestly
enlighten people on
traveling abroad, so that
they get new perspec
tives."
Campus Voices
Why did you choose
to attend WSSU?
“I came to
WSSU
because I
tieard a lot of
great tilings
about the uni
versity. I also
wanted to go to a historically black
college so that I could be exposed
to more black cultural events.”
Julius Boseman,
Charlotte
5 .
m-
“ WSSU’s
business pro
gram is
nationally
accredited and
that is impor
tant to me
because I’m pursuing a business
degree. I also decided to come
here because my older brother
goes here.”
Blance Fullard, Wilmingtonj
[“After talking
to WSSU
lalumni I got a
better under-
Jstanding of
Ithe university.
iThey had a
jlot of school spiht and seemed
Isatisfied with their educational
jexperiences.
Constance Hyman,
Wilmington
chose to
attend
WSSU
because I
wasn’t
ready to
leave
home. I also received a schol
arship.”
Aquilla
Winston
Martin,
-Salem