A look back at
the year’s
events
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Passports: Why
you need one
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page 2
Imus: What we
can all learn
from Don
Page 4
The News Argus
www.thenewsargus.com
Winston-Salem State University’s Student Newspaper
April 23, 2007
The Rammies puts students in the spotlight
Tamlka Green
NEWS EDITOR
Lights, camera, action! The
Rammies was the place to be on April
4. The star-studded event took place
from 7 to 9:30 p.m. This was an affair
to remember, serving as a creative way
to recognize and honor outstanding
student achievement in WSSU's mass
communications department. People
from all majors were invited to attend.
According to senior mass communi
cations major Vicki Smith, 21, dedicat
ed students had been preparing for
the Rammies since the beginning of
February.
"It was a good turnout," said Smith.
"Everyone seemed to be well enter
tained. This is probably the best
showcase of what the Rammies is all
about. I'm just happy everyone came
out."
The Sixth Annual Rammies Awards
kicked off with the famous red carpet
proceedings, in which attendees were
asked about their fashion choices for
the evening. Seniors Jessica "Diddy"
Parson and Erica McLeod were the
hosts for the red carpet.
"It was great to see my fellow class
mates take their dress codes to a high-
er level. Ttie men looked fabulous that
night! The girls were looking elegant
as well. It looked professional, and the
live band really added an elegant
touch to the evening," said McLeod.
After everyone had officially strut
ted their stuff on the walk of fame,
they gathered in the Anderson
Center's McNeil Banquet Hall for a
night of food and entertainment. The
live band, none other than WSSU's
own, provided the music for the night.
The master of ceremonies, junior
Theodis Chunn, started things off with
a bang as he paraded through the
room to the stage. Thirteen awards
were presented while everyone dined
on delectable finger foods and lemon
ade. The presenters used humorous
skits to keep the crowd excited as they
presented the well-deserved awards.
Perhaps the most memorable part
of the night was the video parody of
Young Jeezy and R. Kelly's hit "Go
Getter" performed by senior mass
communications majors Johnathan
Wedlock and Franklin Terry. This
song received a new twist, with the
term "go getter" replaced by "mass
comm-er."
"The video was a fun thing to do,"
Terry said. "It was fun, and I enjoyed
working with very professional
people."
Photo by Tiphane Deas
Glamour and glitz hit the red carpet at the annual Rammies Awards.
Overall, the evening was a huge
success, ending with an impromptu
mix and mingle. Students and
faculty alike enjoyed themselves
tremendously.
Marvin Lattimore, senior mass
communications major, said, "It [the
Rammies] was marvelous. It was
popping. Everyone worked really
hard."
Tecarra Sutton, junior English and
mass communications major thought,
"It was really nice. It was fun to dress
up. I loved the [mass communications
promo] video; it was really creative."
Siobhan Kelley, senior mass com
munications major, said, "I think that
this year's Rammies was the best put
together production by the mass com
munications students."
Sharrod Patterson, junior history
major, said, "I loved it. It was great.
I'm glad I won, and the video presen
tations were off the chain."
The 2007 Rammies was undoubted
ly a magnificent event. "I thought the
Rammies was an excellent event this
year, it was well put together and it
will definitely give the class of 2008
something to compete with," McLeod
said.
Alonzo Turner, sophomore mass
communications major, said it best:
"The Rammies theme this year was 'A
Star-studded Event.' There's no doubt
that the stars showed up and showed
out."
Rammies Winners
1. Best Editorial
Tamika Green
2. Best Newspaper Feature
Steven Gaither
3. Best Radio Announcer
Marvin Lattimore
4. Best Television Short
LaToya Porter
5. Best News Package
Jovan McLean
6. Best Television Host
Jerome Hancock
7. Best Television Reporter
Ashleigh Taylor
8. Best Photography
Sharrod Patterson
9. Best Television Promo
Jessica Parson
There were also extra
awards given to acknowlege
extraordinary achievers within
the department, students and
faculty.
Stephen A. Smith Student
Journalist of the Year Award
Steven Gaither.
Wendie A. Norton Award
Ashleigh Taylor
Shooting Star Award
Mr. Todd Davis
Memorable Moments
Look inside spring 2007
commencement ceremony
Tracey Bowen
STAFF REPORTER
Lights ... Camera ... Graduation!
May 5, 2007, cannot come soon enough for some graduat
ing seniors. As the countdown continues, final touches are
being made to ensure that
the commencement cere
mony will be one of the
most memorable moments
for the spring 2007 gradu
ating class.
Among other details sur
rounding the big event is
the selection of the com
mencement speaker.
Graduates are in for a spe
cial treat, as this year's
speaker is a well-known,
respected mentor and
friend of the Winston-
Salem State University
family.
Former WSSU
Chancellor Dr. Harold
Martin is scheduled to
speak at the 9:30 a.m. com
mencement ceremony.
Martin is eagerly anticipat
ing Kis visit back to campus
and his participation in the graduation ceremony.
"I'm excited about it! I know many of the students per
sonally, and I feel that speaking at graduation will give me
the opportunity to come and wish them well as they go
forth into the world," he said.
Having departed less than a year ago from WSSU, Martin
is now the senior vice president of Academic Affairs for the
UNC system. Although WSSU's faculty, staff and student
body wished him well on his promising new position, he is
still missed by many at the university.
"I am pleased to hear that he is returning to speak at this
year's commencement," said 21-year-old graduating senior
and two-term SGA President Quentin DeBerry. "He is a
great role model and has truly been missed by the Winston-
Salem State University family. It will be great to see his face
around the campus again. It's nice to know that he's coming
back to wish our class well in our future endeavors."
With the graduating seniors having much to look for
ward to, they and their families can rest assured that the
spring 2007 commencement ceremony will be filled with
memorable moments.
Dr. Harold Martin
1
Photo by Lee Adams
Last year’s graduates anticipate their walk across the
stage at Joel Coliseum.
Fonzworth Bentley tells Rams about hip-hop industry
Erin Perkins
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Hip-hop renaissance man,
Fonzworth Bentley, arrived
at Winston-Salem State
University April 12 to share
with students his personal
experience and insight
about the music industry.
Bentley, who gained
national fame for being Sean
Combs' persona] assistant,
was on campus as part of
Boost Mobile's "The Game
Behind the Game" panel
discussion. WSSU alum and
radio-personality of 102
Jamz "Wildout Morning
Show," B-Daht, hosted the
discussion.
During the forum, Bentley
described his rise to star
dom, beginning from being
a pre-med student at
Morehouse University to
traveling to New York with
aspirations of becoming an
entertainer, to working at a
NYC Ralph Lauren Clothing
store, being at the right-
hand side of Sean Combs,
and now a rising hip-hop
artist and fashion designer.
The panel encouraged dia
logue among students about
the industry on a personal
and direct level, through the
experiences of artists such
as Bentley.
He discussed the impor
tance of confidence and
"branding yourself."
"'Can't' is not in my
vocabulary and it won't be
in yours after today,"
Bentley said. "There is
something powerful in
speaking. I believe you
speak things into existence,"
he added.
Bentley suggested to the
audience that everyone pur
chase a journal or what he
referred to as a "bleeding
pad." He stated that writing
or doodling thoughts daily
provides self-reflection and
leads to self-discovery. He
also recommended it as a
method to discovering how
to brand oneself as well as
seeking the insight from
those closest to you. He stat
ed that everyone has a color
that distinguishes who that
person is as an individual.
"Ask your real friends —
not associates — to tell you
what color you are," he sug
gested.
Account Coordinator
Nichole Felix, who worked
close beside him throughout
the day, gave her own
insight to Bentley's color. "It
is green because he has a
fresh perspective. He is
vibrant and lively all the
time as well as articulate
with a helpful insight."
As a public hip-hop fig
ure, Bentley's "fresh per
spective" on his celebrity
status has helped him rec
ognized his self as a role
model.
"Once you are on TV, you
are a public domain, you
now have a responsibility."
A responsibility that does
seem to have hindered his
spirituality.
Photo by Erin Perkins
Fonzworth Bentley meets a group of WSSU students.
"What motivates me? My
father in heaven, every
day...as a role model, you
have to be a fisherman of
men.
Following the panel dis
cussion, the Stomping on
the Yard Tour presented by
Boost Mobile held a Yard
Festival at 5 p.m. and the
Annual Spring Step Show at
the C.E. Gaines Complex.
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