The Guilfordian
February 13, 2015 I 9
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Brothers Doing Positive for diversity
COMMITTEE WORKS TO IMPROVE
RETENTION RATES OF MINORITIES
BY BANNING WATSON
Staff Writer
“We’re trying to create a brotherhood that is open
to every student on campus where we help each other
to succeed,” said senior Shelton Watson, co-founder of
Brothers Doing Positive.
Brothers Doing Positive has technically existed at
Guilford since 2009 in the form of a committee under
Blacks Unifying Society, now Brothers and Sisters in
Blackness. BDP since waned due to lack of consistent
leadership with main leaders graduating.
Watson and fellow student co-founders senior Lawrence
Blake and sophomore Taylor Knox have worked to revitalize
and renovate the program as part of their Multicultural
Leadership Scholars Program project focusing on minority
male retention rates at Guilford.
“We wanted to transform the program into more of a
mentorship,” said Blake. "We wanted to give something back
to the campus as our legacy. We want the upperclassmen to
give back to the newcomers on campus and from there we
want to connect with the community through volunteering
and working with elementary schools and inner-city youth.”
While the group welcomes any students, BDP aims to
help younger male students succeed.
“We really want to get in touch with some of the
younger male students here and make sure they’re on the
right track, helping with any issues they have, making them
aware of the resources they have at Guilford on and off
campus, and trying to get them better prepared for the real
world,” said Knox.
think one of the reasons we're seeing this retention
problem on campus is resources. If a person doesn't have
the resources to succeed, then that person is most likely
to leave the school.
Josi Oliva, president of community Senate
BDP’s faculty advisor, JaEric Brooks-Shoffrier,
administrative and research assistant in the Multicultural
Education Department, hopes to see BDP take root in the
Guilford community this time around.
“My goal is to see this program become a mainstay here
on campus, to have recurring programs and events and for
the organization to build partnerships, not only with other
student organizations but with administration, athletics
and alumni as well,” said Brooks-Shoffher.
Barbara Boyette, assistant academic dean for academic
support, believes there is a deep need for groups like BDP
at Guilford. 5
“Retention rates in general are a concern at Guilford,”
said Boyette. “Minority students’ retention lags behind
white students, but recently people are thriving: and staying
more. The idea of the group for me is (to) get some
successful men involved in helping other men be successful
on campus. Retention rate among men is worse than it is
for women, so we’re trying to focus on a population we
can hopefully make a difference with.”
Jose Oliva, president of Community Senate, also pointed
to the absence of such a program as a concern for Guilford.
“I think one of the reasons we’re seeing this retention
problem on campus is resources,” said Oliva. “If a person
doesn’t have the resources to succeed, then that person is
most likely to leave the school. What has happened in the
past is that there has not been a solid mentoring program
for people of color who can help navigate the culture.
“Being a minority on campus at Guilford is very difficult
and looking at the diversity of the staff at Guilford, there
are very few people from minority groups working closely
with the students.”
Guilford’s Cline Observatory open house reaches New Horizons
On Feb. 6, the physics department hosted their monthly open house at the Cline Observatory located in the Frank Family Science Center to let community members get a chance to see the facilities.
BY LILY LOU
Staff Writer
Have you ever seen a cluster of stars
being born, seen Jupiter through a
telescope or even been up to Guilford’s
Cline Observatory? You may soon have an
opportunity to. ,
Every month the Guilford College
physics departnlent hosts an open house at
the Cline Observatory. Oh Feb. 6, it hosted
another one. The show began at ,7;00 p.m.
with a presentation on Pluto and NASA’s
New Horizons spacecraft in the Joseph
Bryan Jr. Auditorium.
The topic of these presentations changes
each time, but Pluto was chosen because
the New Horizons spacecraft will encounter
Pluto in July after being launched nine years
ago and traveling over three billion miles.
The presentation gave basic information and
a background on Pluto.
“I was never really told why Pluto became
a dwarf planet, and I thought it was great
that they explained what defined a planet,”
said Tina Barber, a Gibsonville resident.
After the;pre^rit:atibh, attendees went up
to the observatory for a viewing through
telescopes while videos about Pluto were
projected in the Joseph Bryan Jr. Auditorium.
“You’ve seen pictures of Saturn and
Jupiter, but to look through the telescope
yourself is somehow different,” said Associate
Professor of Physics Don Smith.
This-experience changed many people’s
perspectives.
“(Looking through the telescopes) makes
you . feel\ very small,” said senior Alex
Garrison.
The open houses are free and welcome to
the public.
“The best thing about the open houses is
seeing people who have not been exposed to
some of the astronomy and all the oohs and
ahhs that come along with that,” said CCE
junior Joseph Holmes, who helps run the
event. “Especially with children. Children
are particularly enthused by it.” ,
Once a year, Guilford coordinates with
local schools and invites students to enjoy
the event. During this'; event, Guilford
invited students from Jeffetsori Elementary
School to learn about Pluto.
“I like the kids being here,” said Keith
Holliday ‘76, former Greensboro mayor
and member of Guilford College’s Board
of Visitors. “It’s very healthy for Guilford
College to be a part of the community and
to have these young people getting excited
about real science instead of seeing it on a
computer screen.”
Many adults and students also came to
this event.
“I was surprised that the turnout was
so great,” said Greensboro resident Alex
Schwitter. “I was so happy that people took
an interest in science. ’
Guilford’s open houses have advanced
from when it began as a telescope in an open
field.
“Over time the program has gotten
more sophisticated,” said Glaxo Wellcome
Professor of Physics Thom Espinola. “We’re
able to show people more and handle more
people.. There’s no longer a line trickling out
to a telescope.”
The next Cline Observatory Open Houses
are on March 28 and April 11. The topic for
March is still undecided, but in April the
topic will be the sun, and the observatory
will host a sunsport viewing.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity,” said
Smith. “Both the planetarium and the
observatory are fairly rare for a college our
size, and I hope more students will come
and take advantage of it because, especially
in urban environments these days, you just
don’t get to see the sky very often.”