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4 The News Argus Nov. 12, 2007 Features A world of possibilities Volunteers reach out to help others Brandon Crawford ARGUS STAFF /rnagine studying architec ture at the Parthenon in Greece, or art history at the Sistine Chapel in Rome. What about studying a language in the country in which it is spo ken, or observing exotic plant life where it lives and thrives? Now, can you imagine doing those things and actually being able to afford it? According to the Winston-Salem State pam phlet, "Why Study Abroad" it all seems possible. Studying abroad is the act of a student pursuing educational opportunities in a foreign coun try. Normally, classes are taken while studying abroad and cred its are transferred to a higher education institution in the stu dent's home country. When studying abroad you may live in a dormitory or apartment with other students, or with a host family. A host family is a group of people who live in that coun try and agree to provide student lodging. Lots of things are involved in the study abroad opportunity: reasons, cost, and types of pro gram. One of the most common rea sons for students to study abroad is a fascination with another language. Students also do study abroad because they may want a change of scenery, adventure, or to enrich their education. Study Abroad can inspire a new career path, impress potential employers with a standout resume, and experience a different language Photo courtesy of Media Relations Many Winston-Salem State students have taken advantage of the university’s Study Abroad Program. firsthand — and become fluent in it. Expense is the first thing that crosses many students' mind when considering studying abroad. In some cases, a semes ter abroad can cost less than a semester at the current school. Colleges in other parts of world often cost less than college in the United States. Other expenses include plane tickets, additional travel expens es, and sometimes housing. Financial aid for students to study abroad is available if they enroll in a program that is approved by their college. Federal law states that financial aid can cover all "reasonable" costs for a study abroad pro gram, including round trip transportation, tuition and fees for the program, living costs incurred during the program, passport and visa fee, and health insurance. "If the expenses are going to be taken care of, I have nothing to lose that I see, so far," said Ashley Gains, who plans to study abroad next summer. Several programs are avail able, including academic-year programs, semester programs, summer programs, internship service-leaming programs, vol unteer abroad programs, and intensive language programs. Victor George studied in Africa for one semester and the experience was monumental for him. "Studying abroad is a life- changing experience," said George. "I personally would do it again if I could." Trygeania Dowell STAFF REPORTER RODGERS Winston-Salem State students reach out at Mount Zion's Baptist Church Youth Educational Enhancement Program (YEEP) to tutor children from kindergarten to eighth grade. On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights volunteers from WSSU help children learn math, computers and language arts. Freshman nursing major Jennifer Rodgers, 18, tutors second graders in Language Arts on Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. Rodgers says she initially volunteered to fill up the required hours she needed at WSSU but her experience left her with a change of heart. "Now," Rodgers said "I'm doing it to help out the kids." Junior Charles Dodd, who at 78, is the oldest student at WSSU, teaches language arts to the sixth, seventh and eighth graders on Thursdays. He says he is passion ate about the work he does for the YEEP pro gram. "You feel related that young people would feel good about themselves because they are learning what is necessary for them to learn in the school system," he said. Willie Richardson the director of the pro gram who received an award by the Coalition for Drug Abuse Prevention on Oct. 25 says he tries to work with volunteers who are in psychology and elementary educahon. "The YEEP program has as many as 20 vol unteers and they have close to 60 children they are tutoring," Richardson said. Part of the mission of the YEEP program is to enhance spiritual, physi cal and mental growth. The program also recognizes that the church has a responsibility to develop a balanced life for the children. The YEEP pro gram not only tutors children but also tries to teach them to use healthful habits and practices on taking care of their bodies. Faith and a personal relationship with God are also encouraged among the youth in the pro gram. The program is open to youth throughout the Winston-Salem commu nity. The program's motto is based Philippians 4:13 from the Bible. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." "I recommend the program to anyone who is looking to volunteer to help others," said Keisha Battle. "It's a great experience and I think you'll enjoy it.'' BATTLE Hazing and Fraternities: Controversy continues ■ Photo courtesy of Library of Congress Researchers say that brutal or intense hazing rituals are rooted in the tradition of slavery. J. Samuel Cook-Dormoh BLACK COLLEGE WIRE The word excites people on both sides of the debate, those who see it as a sacred rite of passage and those who view it as a barbaric form of torture. Hazing incidents have occurred recently at Jackson State, Florida A&M and Southeast Missouri State universihes, all involving black students. The incidents have placed the spotlight on initiation practices among the historically black fraternities and sororities, as well as some of the marching bands. A study published in College Student Journal in 2001 found African American students have "more positive beliefs about the purpose of pledging" and are more likely to support and con form to pledging practices. According to the study, African Americans also held a significant belief that hazing processes should be intense, difficult and lengthy. Dr. Alvin T. Simpson, a profes sor of psychology at Alcorn State University and member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., agreed that African Americans are more likely to accept hazing as a means of joining fraternities or sororities because they are looking for an identity. He also said that brutal or intense hazing rituals are rooted in the tradition of slavery. "Based on some of the historical events that happened during slav ery, one expression that a lot of black males use to demonstrate their level of empowerment or level of masculinity is to present it during this type of initiation or process leading to initiation into a fraternity," he said. Both hazing and pledging were abolished in 2000 in a joint effort by the National Pan-Hellenic Council and are prohibited among the national offices of each black fraternity and sorority. Dr. Walter Kimbrough, president of Philander Smith College and author of the book Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities, says pledging and haz ing represent poor values. "Students place such value on pledging, even though the rules prohibit it, that they punish stu dents who actually follow the rules," Kimbrough wrote in a 2004 article in Black Issues in Higher Education. Forty-four states have anti-haz ing laws which are punishable by stiff fines and jail sentences. Hazing was officially eliminated as a means of initiation among black Greek organizations after the death of a student pledging Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. at Morehouse College in 1990. The National Pan-Hellenic Council, the governing body for black fraternities and sororities, instituted membership intake pro grams as a means of fraternity or sorority admissions, but numerous underground hazing incidents have caused some critics to ques tion the efficacy of intake pro grams. "We don't haze, we don't pledge, we don't have line names or numbers, we don't do any of that," said Teyonda Hamilton, basileus of the Rho Delta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc., a his torically black sorority at the University of New Orleans. Hamilton said improper conduct doesn't take place because of "head officials staying on our backs big-time." "Community service is a very big thing with fraternities and sororities and helping out not only black communities, but helping out the nation. We're behind elec tions, we're behind small-town communities, we're behind com panies, so I think that's a positive thing about fraternities and sorori ties," said Phaon Spurlock, a sen ior at Southeastern Louisiana University. The 22-year-old member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., points to the camaraderie of broth erhood and sisterhood within the organizations, as well as their work in the community. But Spurlock says that cama raderie is not extended to individ uals who are considered to be "paper," a term used for individu als who are not hazed. "It's something that needs to be changed. Everyone goes through a different process," he said. "People call people [paper] for cer tain reasons, but I think that after you become a member and you have that card or whatever, you are a member. I have seen people not allow them to have certain things or participate in certain events, but when it comes to net working in response to what they did and what they didn't do, they are still a part of this organization and should receive something from it." Brown and Spurlock disagree with the Survey of Attitudes About Fraternities and Sororities' findings regarding African Americans in relation to their non black counterparts.. "I'm not trying to be on one side of the fence, but the media is going to make the African American culture look bad. I know plenty of white fraternities and sororities that haze," said Spurlock."Just because you hear one study about African-American fraternities and sororities hazing, it becomes a big issue, but it's hap pening all the time with white fra ternities and sororities." Underground hazing was thrust once again into the national spot light in 2001 when Kenitha Saafir and Kristin High were both drowned while pledging the California State University at Los Angeles chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha. Since that time, black Greek organizations have gotten tough on hazing. Still, two mem bers of FAMU's chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. were convicted in 2006 of hazing and each sentenced to 24 months in jail for an incident in which a prospec tive member was hospitalized after being caned. Hazing rituals are not limited to Greek-letter organizations. In 2004, a former Florida A&M University Marching 100 member won a $1.8 million verdict in a civil battery case. Marcus Parker was beaten so badly with a pad dling board during a band initia tion that one of his kidneys tem porarily shut down, and his attor ney said he required four surger ies and probably would need a kidney transplant. And in 2001, Doug E. Fierburg, an attorney who won a $375,000 lawsuit against Omega Psi Phi Fraternity in 1997, told Black Issues in Higher Education that the fraternity was unable to obtain liability insurance because of the high number of lost court cases resulting from hazing inci dents. Kimbrough said the makeup of the organizations must change if pledging and hazing are going to end. He added that a "thug ele ment" has infiltrated the organiza tions. "This 'gangsta' mentality holds promising students hostage, causing them to sacrifice their morals and values in order to be accepted."
