The News Argus, May 2003
STUDENT
eatures
Combat
feelings of
suicide with
help from
campus
organization
Page 11
Mignon Turner wins Miss WSSU title by landslide
By Janell J. Lewis
ARGUS NEWS EDITOR
A phone call from Chancellor
Martin, the inspiration of
friends and a genuine passion
for the Winston-Salem State
University community all led
to the election of Mignon
Turner to direct students under
her reign as Miss WSSU in the
fall.
Turner, raised in Burlington,
showed off her talent at the
Miss Winston-Salem State
University pageant with an
impressive performance of Tai
Kwon Do, in which she holds a
black belt.
"1 was really excited," she
said. "Running for Miss WSSU
has been a dream of mine since
my freshman year." Turner
admitted she was nervous, this
being her first pageant.
"I'm not a competition per
son."
TTiis young lady is apart of
the varsity cheerleading squad
but said that is more of a fami
ly atmosphere, therefore it's
different. The day after the
pageant. Turner, who is a junior
mass communications and
Spanish double major, was
voted in by a landslide to be
crowned Miss WSSU, and she
hopes to follow in the footsteps
of Rolanda Patrick.
"Rolanda was great; she was
a wonderful queen," said
Turner. "I think she was an
inspiration."
Other people Turner consid
ers vital devices of motivation
and encouragement include
Spanish professor Michael
Brookshaw, SGA President
Kristie Swink and Chancellor
Harold Martin.
She said: "The mass commu
nications students are really
inspiring. When I look at the
leaders on campus, the people
who do most of the speaking,
the people who do all the orga
nizing, a lot of those students
are mass communications stu
dents."
These students inspire her to
do well in the major as well as
in the community.
Turner has shown her pride
for the university by involving
herself in activities that support
the school's events through
athletics, SGA and sorority life
since she entered the institution
in 2000.
When asked why she decided
to run for Miss WSSU, she said,
"I have such pride for the
school that I wanted to repre
sent this pride in the communi
ty as well as on campus."
Turner acknowledged that
she is proud of her school and
the educational experience she
is receiving.
"I think that the outside
community should see that stu
dents here are very proud in
our university," she said.
Turner feels strongly about
the whole perception of jiistori-
See MISS WSSU,
Page 11
Argus photo by Janell J. Lewis
Mignon Turner has had aspira
tions of becoming IVIiss WSSU
since she first came to campus.
i
I
I
Deejay Ceasefire worls the turntables at C.E. Gaines Center for Hoops for Hearts.
Argus photo by Janell J. Lewis
Fortune cookie's prediction came
true for Rosice 'Ceasefire' Batsuli
By Janell J. Lewis
ARGUS NEWS EDITOR
"Music will be a big part in
your life."
These are the words that Rosice
"Ceasefire" Batsuli read in 11th
grade as he cracked open a for
tune cookie. That piece of paper
has now become a reality.
Batsuli, better known as Cease
or deejay Ceasefire, is a junior
music business major who has
been breathing the life of a disc
jockey for almost four years.
If you don't know who he is,
you must not be a student at
Winston-Salem State University. If
you're a student who has never
seen or heard his talent, you must
be deaf. Cease came a long way
from one "chromed-out"
turntable (held up on a dresser),
10 records (only hardcore rap)
and a paycheck from Pizza Hut.
"My first gig was in the
Thompson Center," he said, "for
$25 for a poetry [program]." At
this point he realized that he
needed more records.
Cease's next gig in the Whitaker
Gym would nearly change the
entire meaning of intramural
games.
"I asked Wimbush if I could just
start playing music in the gym
during the games, and after that,
anytime 1 was in that gym, the
bleachers were filled."
As a freshman, not only did the
games get him much exposure,
but he also began performing at
cookouts, parties and clubs. Cease
says he would wake up early and
lay down late, as he endured life
as a disc jockey. And that's exact
ly what being a disc jockey means
to him — it's a life. Any of
Cease's peers can tell you that he
thoroughly does his research.
"When I came back my sopho
more year, I had read up on
records in the summertime ... 1
study it [music]," said Cease.
"When you catch me in the com
puter lab. I'm checkin' the charts,
the Billboard charts. I'm always
askin' what was on 106&Park,
tryin' to make sure what's hot, or
what's going to be hot."
Very rarely do you even see this
deejay dancing at a party, but
instead, "All I do is stand back
and study how the crowd reacts
to certain music."
Eve's productions. Reflections,
and deejay Tommy G are only a
few of those who have aided
Cease in getting where he is. He
has been a deejay at big name
parties including those with
Capone and Noreaga, and has
since got the chance to meet Funk
Master Flex.
Experienced deejays, such as
Storm in Charlotte, have compli
mented his talents and told him
he can go far if he sticks to it.
Anybody who knows anything
about being a deejay knows that
See CEASEFIRE, Page 11
Mock trial
is a great
law lesson
By Nicole Ferguson
ARGUS MANAGING EDITOR
The charge — murder.
The case — The State of Virginia vs. Muhammad
and Malvo
The verdict — not guilty
But not really...
Dr. Larry Little's Criminal Law classes performed
a three-hour mock trial on the infamous sniper case
around the Washington, D.C., area last fall. The
trial, held March 17 in RJR's main lecture hall, gave
Little's students the opportunity to showcase their
verbal, persuasive and reasoning skills as they
stepped into the shoes of prosecution and defense
attorneys and expert witnesses.
"I think I've gained more knowledge about this
case," said Jovan Turner, a senior public administra
tion major, who served as a prosecution attorney in
the trial. "I also think I have a new appreciation for
lawyers."
The student attorneys, who, according to Turner
were involved in "intense rehearsals" for about a
month and a half, set out to convince a 12-member
jury, also composed of Little's students from
American Government classes, of the guilt or inno
cence of John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd
Malvo using a wealth of evidence from the trial.
They also had the opportunity to exercise their
knowledge of criminal law in front of a law practi
tioner who once walked in their shoes.
"Every year I generally like to bring back a for
mer student to serve as a judge just to show that it
can be done," said Little of Angela Seabrook, a
Charlotte-based lawyer who acted as judge in the
mock trial.
Seabrook, who is a 1997 graduate of Winston-
Salem State University, attended North Carolina
Central University's School of Law and obtained
her juris doctorate. She now owns a private law
practice in Charlotte. Little described her as " a role
model for our students," and Seabrook expressed
how proud and honored she was to be amongst
the WSSU students, many of whom aspire to prac
tice law.
"I am absolutely blown by the talent I've seen in
here today," said Seabrook, who says litigation and
cross examination are her personal favorites in
practicing law.
"It's critical for our people to be in the court
rooms so that we can get fair representation," she
said.
Each side, the defense and the prosecution, pro
vided a number of witnesses, some who played
those that were involved in the actual case such as
police chief Charles Moose and victim Iran Brown,
and others who portrayed fictional characters such
See MOCK TRIAL, Page 11