Vol. 42, No. 17 February 21, 2013

A Weekly Update of Activities at Rust College

Campus NewsBriefs

Where Tomorrow’s Leaders are Students Today

Rust College to Kick Off QEP Campaign

Rust College will hold a kickoff for the promotional stage of the 2013 Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Wednesday, February 27, at 3:00 p.m. in the McMillan Multi-Purpose Center. The kickoff, which will be in the form of a pep rally, will feature the Rust College band, majorettes, and cheerleaders. The entire campus and the outside community are invited as the College

places in motion a key step in preparation for seeking reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) this fall. The kickoff is a way to get students, faculty, and staff fully involved with the topic of the QEP, “Building Communities Academically for Total Student

Success.” Footage from the event will become part of a music video that will help promote the QEP. The Quality Enhancement Plan is a comprehensive document that will be submitted to SACS that attacks a substantive need that exists within the academic program. The five-year goal of the plan overall is to increase positive student outcomes in the classroom and in college life. Faculty and staff members have already been working closely with the administration and the Core QEP Committee to conduct assessment of the College’s needs, and create a

workable approach to developing the QEP. The kickoff is the beginning of everyone making the QEP part of the language and culture of the campus. “This event is a signal to the campus, the local community, and the world that Rust College is ready to focus on student success in a targeted way and roll up its sleeves to get it done,” said Dr. Kenneth E. Jones, chair of the First

Year Experience Program and director of the QEP process. Dr. Jones leads a team of representatives from each of the academic divisions, student leaders and staff who are creating the building blocks for what the plan ultimately will become. Building Communities Academically for Total Student Success or “B-CATS²” is the slogan the College will use to help the campus easily identify the QEP. When the planning document is completed and approved by SACS, it will focus specifically on first year students with the goal of improvement in general education studies, increased service learning and participation, and increased first year retention. All academic divisions, student groups, college leaders,

and members of the local community will have opportunities to play strong roles in helping the QEP reach its goals. Also making sure there is plenty of energy at the kick-off will be the fraternities and sororities who will put on a short step-show. SGA President Chase Carr and other student leaders will voice their support for the QEP, urging students to learn more about it and get involved. Miss Rust College Shakaree Hale will welcome everyone to the event. So, there will be music, stepping, a QEP rapper, and cheering at the kick-off—all to raise awareness of an activity that

promises to impact the college in a positive way. You can follow the progress of the QEP by clicking on “Access Other Links” on the homepage of the Rust College

web site, then clicking on “QEP Blogspot.” You may also reach the QEP blog at ww.therustcollegeqep.blogspot.com.

“BY THEIR FRUITS… Page 2

Black History Moment: Ella Jo Baker By: Hope Green

Ella Jo Baker was born in Norfolk, Virginia on December

13, 1803. She studied at Shaw University in Raleigh, North

Carolina. As a student Baker challenged school policies that

she thought were unfair. She moved to New York City after

graduating as class valedictorian in 1927. In 1930, she joined

the Young Negroes Cooperative League, whose purpose was

to develop black economic power through collective

planning. Baker was also involved with numerous women’s

organizations. In 1940, Ella Baker began her work with the National Associa-

tion for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She worked as a field

secretary and then served as director of branches from 1943 until 1946. Inspired

by the historic bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, Baker co-

founded the organization In Friendship to raise money to fight against Jim

Crow Laws in the deep South.

She moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1957 to assist in the organization of Dr.

Martin Luther King’s new organization, the Southern Christian Leadership

Conference (SCLC). A group of black college students from North Carolina

A&T University refused to leave a Woolworths lunch counter in Greensboro,

North Carolina where they had been denied service on February 1, 1960. After

the Greensboro sit-ins, Baker left the SCLC. She wanted to help the young ac-

tivists because she saw young, emerging activists as a resource and an asset to

the movement. In April 1960, she set up a meeting for the for the student lead-

ers of the sit-ins at Shaw University. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating

Committee (SNCC) was conceived from this meeting.

Today, The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights advances racial and economic

justice to ensure dignity and opportunity for low-income people and people of

color. The Center is located in Oakland, California.

Senior Lady Bearcats Ciara Johnson, Telicia Gayden and

Marian “Nikki” Lee celebrate their last home game at Rust

College. Also pictured: Anna Johnson, manager/statistician,

Coach Ato Green and Dr. Ishmell Edwards, Athletic director

Lady Bearcat Seniors Say Farewell By: Hope Green

The Rust College Lady Bearcats basketball team played their last

home game on Saturday, February 16, 2013. These phenomenal ladies

played an awesome yet close game against the Concordia College

Lady Hornets. In the end, the Lady Bearcats came out on top with a

winning score of 71-67. Although the team celebrated their win, it was

a bittersweet moment as they had to say goodbye to Ciara Johnson,

Marion "Nikki" Lee, and Telicia Gayden. These three women will be

graduating on April 28, 2013 and embarking on their various career

paths.

When asked if she had any final words for next year's Lady Bearcats,

2012-2013 Lady Bearcat Captain and NCAA Milestone Achiever (500

Rebounds) Telicia Gayden stated, “To my teammates, I say to you,

keep working hard, stay focused and positive! And to my Co-captain

Jessica Brown, I challenge you to be the leader that the team will need

and help guide the team to a successful season! I love you all and will

truly miss y'all!”

Valentine’s Day Gift The Ladies of the Offices of Enrollment Services

and Financial Aid were recognized with a special

Valentine’s Day gift on February 14, 2013.

Pictures left to right: Mr. Johnny McDonald, Ms.

Stephanie Stone, Ms. Suprena Duncan, Mrs.

Benita Marion-Ivy, Ms. Cynthinia Tompkins,

Mrs. Helen Street, Ms. Bernetta Scruggs, and

Ms. Kinshasa Qualls. Not pictured: Mrs. Melanee

Nyan.

...YE SHALL KNOW THEM” Page 3

Rust College Students Shine as McNair Scholars

Six Rust College students received the opportunity to participate in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program at

The University of Mississippi. The McNair Program is for first generation, low-income students who engage in scholastic undertak-ing which will increase their chances for success in graduate school. The University of Mississippi has three major partner institutions: Alcorn State University, Rust College and Tougaloo College. Mr. Sana Sise, Computer Science instructor, is the coordinator for the McNair Program here at Rust College. The 2012 accepted scholars at Rust College were: Cherlinca Boyd, Demitrius Moore, Chase Carr,

Taesha Simmons, Jamishela Williams and Raven Ransom. As program participants they:

� received personal and academic counseling and assessment;

� interacted with faculty and student mentors;

� endured intensive GRE preparation;

� expanded library and research skills;

� attended professional meetings and visit graduate schools;

� presented research findings at regional and national research con-ferences; receive assistance with graduate admissions, financial aid

applications, and participated in admission workshops. The students also compete for the opportunity to do an internship that includes a $2,500 stipend. Nineteen (19) scholars are chosen for this

intense, six-week research internship at the University of Mississippi.

Cherlinca Boyd Demitrius Moore Chase Carr

Taesha Simmons Jamishela Williams Raven Ransom

The Home Depot

“Retool Your School

Project”

Vote to Support

Rust College!

It’s your turn to make your voice heard in

helping select this year’s RETOOL YOUR

SCHOOL Campus Improvement Grant

recipients.

This year, The Home Depot is doing even more

to increase the number of grants offered to

HBCUs by creating an additional Tier II Grant

award in the amount of $10,000, for a total of 12

Tier II Grants. We will continue to award the

$50,000 Tier I Grant and the $25,000

Campus Pride Grant.

The Campus Pride Grant will go to the school

with the most votes and social media activity, as

assessed by The Home Depot. Follow us on

Twitter @RYS_2013 and use the hashtag

#RustCollegeRYS2013 on Twitter and

Instagram to earn points towards Rust College’s

social media activity.

Major Project

Rust College proposes to upgrade the present

Baseball field with a dugout, grading and

sodding and erecting a new fence.

Minor Project

Rust College intends to install wrought iron fenc-

ing on the East side of campus to improve safety

and appearance of the women's dormitories.

To Vote:

http://www.retoolyourschool.com • Click “Vote For Your School”

• Scroll through to find Rust College,

click and VOTE! ~ Schools with the

highest votes are at the top of the list—

let’s put Rust College at the top of the

list!

VOTING ENDS APRIL 15, 2013

Page 8 Announcements IN CASE OF EMERGENCY…

Emergency notifications for students, faculty and staff will be handled by mass email, Channel 19, WURC 88.1 FM, RC-TV 2, and

campus loud speakers. If you would like to receive emergency notifications by text message, please submit your cell phone number to

Mrs. Carolyn Hymon, Dean of Students. The numbers will be used for emergencies ONLY and will not be distributed.

Emergency Numbers:

Security office: 662-252-8090 Security guard on patrol: 662-216-3429

Dr. David L. Beckley, ‘67, President

Ms. Adrienne F. Phillips, Public Relations Specialist

Dr. Ishmell H. Edwards, ’71, Vice President for College Relations

TITLE III SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

The National Association of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Inc will award eight scholarships (one

for each region). The amount will be no less than $1,000.

The Criteria for Scholarship Selection is:

1. Student must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate at one of our mem-

ber institutions (in this case Rust College).

2. Student must have a (minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better on a 4.0

scale.

3. Civic and community involvement (to be described in the required essay)

Letters of recommendation should reflect the applicant’s involvement in extra-curricular and/or leadership activities, as well as, a description of the appli-cant’s work ethic, initiative, responsibility and his/her creativity. (Examples

should be cited).

Application Requirements:

1. Official transcript

2. Essay of 700 words or less. These requirements are clearly stated in the

application form. 3. Two (2) letters of recommendations (at least one from the applicant’s insti-

tution, i.e. faculty member, advisor, administrator, etc.)

Grading Criteria

Letters of Recommendations 20% Academic Merit 50% Civic and Community Involvement/

Leadership Activities 10% Essay 20%

Deadline Dates and submission requirements are:

1. The completed application form and essay may be returned by email at 2. scholarships@hbcut3a.org, or mailed the Post Office Box by 5:00 p.m.

(Central Standard Time) on July 31, 2013. 2. Letters of recommendations and official transcripts must be submitted by

mail to the following address by July 31, 2013 ATTN: Title III Scholarship Program P. O. Box 2049 Marshall, TX 75671 For additional information, you may call: Mrs. Karen Helton at (903) 927-

3369.

THE LENGTH OF THE ESSAY SHOULD NOT EXCEED 700 WORDS

Copies of the application are now in the Financial Aid Office, Personnel Office and the Grants and Contracts Office of the A Building.

Thank You…

I wish to express my sincere appreciation

for all the kind and encouraging words of

support from the Rust College family

over the loss of my brother, James A.

Worthy, Sr. It is the love and thoughtful-

ness shown by each of you that enables

us to cope with the loss of a loved one.

My brother was very proud of Rust

College.

Sincerely,

Alfred L. WorthyAlfred L. WorthyAlfred L. WorthyAlfred L. Worthy

Division of Business, Accounting Instructor Rust College

23rd Annual

Holly Springs/Marshall County

UNCF Banquet

Featuring

Dr. Kenneth T. Whalum

of The New Olivet

Baptist Church

Thursday, February, 21, 2013

7:00 p.m., Shaw Cafeteria

Tickets: $15.00

For more information,

contact the Office of Alumni

Development, 662-252-8000,

ext. 4913