The News Argus
Oct. 22, 2007
Winston-Salem State University’s Student Newspaper
www.thenewsargus.com
Chancellor Reaves
prioritizing for the
academic year
WM-
■■■ Vo"!-
Stephanie Douthit
ARGUS STAFF
Chancellor Dr.
Donald J. Reaves,
who began his
duties as chancellor on
Aug. 15, met with the
entire Winston-Salem
State University faculty on
Oct. 3 in the Thompson
Center to discuss his pri
orities for the academic
year.
Reaves started his
speech by saying that all
decisions made regarding
the university are academ-
ically-based decisions.
Reaves discussed key
points such as further
developing WSSU as a his
torically black university
and his various goals in
order to achieve this suc
cess.
Highlights included
improving retention and
graduation rates, creating
the ideal college student
experience, better support
services including faculty
advising and customer
service, and preventing
crime on and around the
campus.
Faculty-specific priori
ties Reaves spoke about
were having shared gover
nance between the admin
istration and faculty, and
raising money for the uni
versity.
"By creating a culture of
giving, more money will
be given to the university
by faculty and staff, stu
dents, alumni, and sup
porters," Reaves said.
"This culture of giving
will help the university
make the transition from a
good institution to a great
institution," he said.
Reaves also said he
"I have met with SGA,
and they suggested show
ing up at different events.
In addition, I have an
open door policy with stu
dents."
Reaves closed the meet
ing by acknowledging that
he is very happy to be at
WSSU.
1
Photo by Lee Adams
Chancellor Reaves speaks to administrators.
Miss WSSU is
HBCU’s first
runner-up
The 22nd annual Hall of Fame weekend took place Sept.
29 with its annual Competition of Black College Queens in
Atlanta, Ga.
For the second year in a row, Winston-Salem State
University placed high in the competition. Amber Joi
Jefferson, Miss WSSU, from Baltimore, Md., was
announced as first runher-up at the final competition. She
competed against 34 other queens from Historically Black
Colleges and Universities across the nation in oratory, tal
ent, poise/projection, presentation and image.
In addition, Jefferson received a $2,000 scholarship for
placing as a runner-up. She is a WSSU Burke singer and
performed the song, "I'm Here", from the hit Broadway
play, "The Color Purple", in the competition. Jefferson,
who has received two callbacks for auditions for the
Broadway play, hopes to pursue that opportunity when she
graduates.
She is the daughter of Manning and Beverley Jefferson,
and is a senior majoring in Business Marketing. She is also
a WSSU Choir scholarship recipient.
The goal of the Competition of Black College Queens is
to showcase African American women who have already
been recognized by their respective college or university
with the coveted title of campus queen. The competition
highlights the intellect, talent and personalities of these
young women at HBCUs.
Additionally, the competition serves as a means to pro
vide financial assistance to HBCUs by presenting scholar
ships to the winners of the competition.
Last year's Miss WSSU, Tiffany Turner, placed as second
runner-up in the competition, making it the first time that
the university made the semi-finals.
Space cowboys:
Heroes of space travel to WSSU
Jerrod X. Johnson
ARGUS STAFF
Space travel.
Escaping this world
to explore the vast
ness of the universe. As
children, many people
imagine themselves as
astronauts, piercing
through the highest
clouds and leaving the
Earth behind.
On Sept. 27, two men
who did just that spoke
at Winston-Salem State as
part of the forum, "The
Real Space Cowboys." It
was sponsored by Omega
U.S., creators of the
Speedmaster, the watch
that was actually worn
on the moon. An actual
"moon watch" wiU be
auctioned off by WSSU at
a future date.
"They are true heroes
in the world of space
travel," Winston-Salem
mayor Allen JoLnes said
of astronauts Scott
Carpenter and native
North Carolinian Charlie
Duke.
Commander Carpenter
entered the Mercury
Program in 1966. He said
that the testing of his
aptitude to be an astro
naut was interesting, but
not painful.
"We were tested for
everything," Carpenter
said. "There were so
many unknovras in
space."
One of these examina
tions had him sitting in a
1
Photo by Garrett Garms
On Sept. 27 former astronauts Scott Carpenter and Charlie Duke visited
Winston-Salem State and discussed their experiences with students.
chair, his feet in water
fiUed with ice cubes, until
he could no longer han
dle the sensation. Every
form of stress possible for
Carpenter to endure was
tested by NASA.
Carpenter said one of
his most grueling tests
involved being dropped
in the Sahara Desert for
three days armed with
nothing but a parachute
and Band-Aids. He and a
few others made tents
and clothes out of the
parachute material, sur
viving by eating lizards.
"That had nothing to
do with being a space-
cowboy," Carpenter said
with a chuckle.
Photo by MCT Wire Service
Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin poses on the
moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.
Student-athletes held
to a high standard
See paa»4 fqr details
Ptioto by Garrett Garms
Athletes at Winston-Salem State and around the country face pres
sure both on the field and in the classroom.