Sprockets Rockets - North Carolina A&T State Universitycampusweb.ncat.edu/publications/attoday/attodayspring03.pdf · training students for pit-crew work. The university has a racing

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Volume 6, Number 3, Spring 2003

Sprockets to Rockets

Motorsports 101

The Return of Small-Scale Hog Farms

The Final Note

2003 Class Reunions

A&T Today is published four times a year by The Division of Development and University Relations, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University1601 East Market StreetGreensboro, NC 27411Phone: (336) 334-7582

EditorSandra M. Brown

Contributing WritersMitch ArnoldDanya BacchusHarriet Frink Davis ’77, ’89MSLaurie GengenbachMillicent RothrockNettie Rowland ’72, ’95MS Mable Springfi eld Scott, ’99MSAaron StevensonM. Lanning ThompsonJoya Wesley

FeaturesMotorsports 101 By Millicent Rothrock 4

The Final Note By Nettie Collins Rowland ’72, ’95MS 12

Sprockets to Rockets By M. Lanning Thompson 20

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State UniversityVolume 6, Number 3, Spring 2003

PhotographersJames F. ParkerCharles E. Watkins

DesignNews & Record Direct

Board of Trustees R. Steve BowdenMilton S. “Brick” Brown IIICarole BruceD. Hayes ClementNashett C. Garrett - Student Rep.Henry H. IsaacsonCharles E. McQuearyRalph K. Shelton ’64 - Chair Velma R. Speight-Buford ’53 - Secretary Michael L. Suggs ’82Gerald Truesdale - Vice ChairJoseph A. Williams ’72

Executive Cabinet Chancellor - James Carmichael Renick Provost/Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs - Carolyn W. Meyers Vice Chancellor, Business and Finance - Willie T. Ellis Jr. Vice Chancellor, Development and University Relations - David W. HoardVice Chancellor, Information Technology/ Chief Information Offi cer - Rodney E. HarriganVice Chancellor, Research and Sponsored Programs - Earnestine PsalmondsVice Chancellor, Student Affairs - Roselle L. Wilson (Interim)Executive Assistant to the Chancellor - Colleen P. GrotskySpecial Assistant to the Chancellor, Legal Affairs - Lesley Renwrick

Deans Arts and Sciences - Caesar R. Jackson (Interim) Agriculture and Environmental Sciences - Alton ThompsonBusiness and Economics - Quiester CraigEducation - Lelia L. VickersEngineering - Joseph MonroeGraduate Studies - Kenneth Murray (Interim)Nursing - Patricia Price-LeaTechnology - Elazer J. Barnette

Page 4

Aggie PrideIt’s Showtime! Class Reunion 2003 30 Aggies On The Move 31Alumni Profi le - Willie Deese ‘77 34Alumni Profi le - Cynthia Williams Turner ‘90 35Alumni Profi le - Rainoldo Gooding ‘93 36Booknotes 37

Page 30

NEW!

National Alumni Association National President - John A. Petty ’70 First Vice President - James B. Graham ’73 Second Vice President - Marvin Morris ’72 Secretary - Helen Butler-Duncan ’73 Treasurer - Fred A. Davis ’58Parliamentarian - Eugene H. Preston Jr. ’57 Historian - Louise Murrill-Graves ’73 Immediate Past President – Lillie M. Robbins ’66 Mideast Region - Barbara Bell Jones ’70 Midwest Region - William Moses ’88 Northeast Region - Claudette Bennett ’75Southeast Region - John C. Holley ’61 Western Region - Chuck Burch Jr. ’82 Interim Executive Director - Harriet F. Davis ’75

A&T TODAY is published four times a year by The Division of Development and University Relations, North Carolina A&T State University, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, N.C. 27411. Phone: (336) 334-7582. FAX: (336) 334-7094. Postage Paid at Greensboro, N.C.

All editorial correspondence should be directed to Sandra M. Brown at the above address or [email protected].

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Offi ce of Alumni Affairs, North Carolina A&T State University, 1606 Salem Street, Greensboro, N.C. 27411. Phone: (336) 334-7583.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age or disability. Moreover, N.C. A&T is open to people of all races and actively seeks to promote racial integration.

North Carolina A&T State University is an ADA compliant institution, and University facilities are designed to provide accessibility to individuals with physical disabilities.

37,500 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $18,348.12, or $0.458 per copy.

Visit us online at www.ncat.edu

Other ArticlesAggie Pride Fuels Legislative Leadership 26A Portrait Worth A Thousand Words 38 Homecoming 2002 33The Return of Small-Scale Hog Farms 28

Page 28

Page 12

DepartmentsFrom the Chancellor’s Desk 2Inside Aggieland 9Campus Briefs 16 Research 24Mixed Bag 40

A&T TODAYSpring 20032

Aggie Pride!

At any given moment, this mantra can be heard on campus or at a gathering of alumni and friends from close by to the far reaches of the world. To some, Aggie Pride is a feeling, something that gradu-ally becomes a part of you and later, as one of our students has said, “makes you just bleed blue and gold.” To others, Aggie Pride means that we meet, maintain and strive to exceed high standards.

Recently, a group of students took all that they knew and felt about Aggie Pride and developed the Aggie Pride Compact (page 3). This one-page document captures the essence of Aggie Pride while defi ning what Aggies take pride in: values, achievement, commitment, self-deter-mination, lifelong learning, service, building community, respect, confi dence and legacy. In addition, the Aggie Pride Compact serves as an enduring promise from Aggies who are committed to the pursuit of excellence. It is part of the Aggie legacy --- a promise from one generation to another.

The Aggie Pride Compact also addresses two of the univer-sity’s current major priorities: the capital campaign and the Futures visioning process.

The $100 million capital campaign goal is attainable through our commitment and service to the North Caro-lina A&T legacy. According to the Compact, we must “take a personal stand to affect the continuous growth, devel-opment and enhancement of the University” by pledging our “talents and gifts” and by providing “personal fi nancial resources to preserve our legacy and ensure our future.”

Aggies, we can meet and probably surpass our goal … $44 million already has been raised!

A successful capital campaign will ensure our future by providing funds for student recruitment and retention through endowed scholarships ($25 million); faculty and staff development through endowed chairs, pro-fessorships and lectures ($25 million); pro-gram development ($25 million), community partnerships ($15 million) and capital needs ($10 million).

North Carolina A&T’s uncompromising excellence serves as the backdrop for our vision. Interdisciplinary learning, discovery, engagement and operational excellence will lead to achievement, self-determination and lifelong learning.

A&T trustees, alumni, students and employees fully endorse the Aggie Pride Compact. It will be distributed to all current and incoming students and parents in the months ahead. Furthermore, a framed copy of the docu-ment will be placed in every building on campus.

The Compact serves as a declaration of intrinsic Aggie values by Achieving Great Goals In Everything by Produc-ing Renowned Individuals Dedicated to Excellence.

Yours in Aggie Pride,

James C. Renick

AAggie Pride is consistently communicating and behaving in a manner that displays integrity, honesty, sound character, and virtuous ethics.

Aggie Pride is expecting and achieving success and setting high standards in all personal and professional ventures.

Aggie Pride is taking a personal stand to positively affect the continuous growth, development and enhancement of the University at large.

Aggie Pride is accepting and demonstrating a steadfast commitment to learning by taking responsibility through personal and professional development.

Aggie Pride is striving to significantly influence the development of individuals of all ages within and beyond our community to become lifelong learners.

Aggie Pride is exhibiting a positive and willing attitude to unselfishly serve and to pledge onestalents and gifts for the betterment of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical StateUniversity and the larger world community.

Aggie Pride is contributing to the establishment and maintenance of a safe, clean, and aesthetically appealing campus with a favorable ecosystem.

Aggie Pride is exhibiting a relentless desire and commitment to treat all individuals with a high level of appreciation and respect and to expect the same in return.

Aggie Pride is effectively representing the University by utilizing personal knowledge, skills, and resources.

Aggie Pride builds on the past, maintains the present, and accepts the challenges of the futurewhile providing our personal financial resources to preserve our legacy and ensure our future.

The essence of Aggie Pride is manifested in standards depicting what it truly means to bea responsible member of The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical StateUniversity Family. These standards provide the impetus andinspiration, which motivate students, faculty, staff,administrators, and trustees alike in their perpetualcommitment to excellence. North Carolina Agriculturaland Technical State University has a unique legacy ofnurturing individual students to realize their fullestpotential.

Copyright Spring, 2003 / North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University / All Rights Reserved

Values

Achievement

Commitment

Self-determination

Lifelong Learning

Service

Building Community

Respect

Confidence

Legacy

Therefore, as a member of the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University family, I unconditionallyaccept the obligation entrusted to me to live my life according to the standards set forth in this Compact. By my wordsand actions, I commit to Aggie Pride and the pursuit of excellence for myself and for my university.


ggie Pride Compact

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a learner-centeredcommunity that develops and preserves intellectual capital through interdisciplinarylearning, discovery, engagement, and operational excellence. As members of theuniversity community, all stakeholders share a pervasive sense of trust, pride, andallegiance in ensuring the preeminent status of North Carolina Agricultural and TechnicalState University in a global society. The following standards define the essence of Aggie Pride:

AGG I E

PRIDE

chieving

reat

oals

n

verything

roducing

enowned

ndividuals

edicated to

xcellence

A&T TODAYSpring 2003 3


Much to the delight of speed-obsessed students and professors alike, the university now offers motorsports classes that blend the nuts and bolts technical aspect of racing with important business training. At N.C. A&T, students can study everything from assembling and maintaining a high-performance internal combustion engine to marketing a racecar.

And students like Clark Moore love it. Moore, a junior majoring in manufacturing systems, entered A&T determined to become an Air Force pilot. Now, after participating in several motorsports programs, he’s not so sure.

Moore’s change of heart came during his time working on the school’s pit crew. Changing the tires on a racecar in mere seconds gave him a rush that is still with him a year later.

As part of its motorsports program, A&T offers a six-course Pit Crew Certifi cation Program with the goal of training students for pit-crew work. The university has a racing team that competes in the Intercollegiate Auto Racing Association and the Society of Automotive Engineers’ Mini Baja and Formula SAE design competitions. A&T also offers the Ford Automotive Engineering Lab, where students get hands-on work designing, building and maintaining racecars.

By Millicent Rothrock

FeatureStory

“Studying motorsports has taught me to appreciate the car and the sport itself,” Moore says. “The more I learn, the more I like it. Especially the fact that so many people play different parts and each part plays an important role in racing. I like the camaraderie.”

Teaching students about the different roles in motorsports is an integral part of the interdisciplinary program, says lead motorsports instructor Thurman Exum, who has enjoyed more than 20 years in the racing industry, including experience as a racer, engine builder and crew chief.

“Racing is about more than designing, building and driving fast cars,” he adds. “It is a huge business that continues to grow each year. In addition to racing around a track, cars also advertise everything from pain medication to detergent — products that NASCAR’s 75 million fans are very likely to purchase.”

Last year, the sale of NASCAR licensed merchandise topped $1.3 billion, nearly a 100 percent increase since 1995.

With so many fans and so much money changing hands, A&T motorsports students need to be well versed and well-rounded on the many areas and opportunities surrounding NASCAR, explains Dr. Marcus D. Tillery, chairman of the university’s manufacturing systems department.

“Students learn about the internal workings of engines and why they perform like they do. They learn how to set up a racecar from the

chassis to shocks to alignment – all of the dynamics that come into play on the track,” Tillery explains.

But they also learn the sport from a business perspective, he adds, including sponsorship development, marketing and promotion, and team management.

As a result, several university departments participate in the motorsports program. Classes are taught through the department of manufacturing systems, the department of mechanical engineering, and the departments of marketing and advertising.

Mechanical engineering seniors Frederick Fleming and Mbikayi Nsumuna test Mini Baja car.


Continued on page 6

FeatureStory

NASCAR couldn’t agree more, and as it begins a dedicated push to interest minorities in racing, offi cials are excited to see A&T’s two-year-old motorsports program come alive.

“We hope to raise awareness about the sport and career opportunities in the sport,” explains Dora Taylor, senior manager of diversity affairs for NASCAR. “Twenty-fi ve percent of NASCAR fans are fans of color. We are exited about that and want them to know that they are wanted on both sides of the track.”

NASCAR is so pleased with A&T’s program that it recently kicked off its NASCAR Diversity Initiative College Tour on the A&T campus.

In addition, the university’s motorsports program was featured recently on “NBC Nightly News” in a piece about NASCAR’s attempt to attract minorities to the sport as owners, drivers, engine builders and pit crew members.

But even before that national story ran, Aggies were making noise in the motorsports industry. A&T graduate Tinsley Hughes is co-owner of B&H

“Motorsports students can turn a wrench and they can turn a business deal. They can work both ends of the spectrum. We feel that type of individual will carry NASCAR into the next century with the understanding of technology and business and their impact on the racing industry.”

—Marcus Tillery, Ph.D., Chairman, N.C. A&T Manufacturing Systems Dept.

Instructor Thurman Exum, second left, and department chairman Marcus Tillery, far right, manage the School of Technology’s interdisciplinary motorsports program. They are pictured with members of the Aggie Pit crew, students Gary Koontz, Derrick Alexander, William Wynn, Brandon Simmons, Robert Johnson, Ting Huynh, Brandon Sampson, Joseph Spencer and Lamar Alexander.

Continued on page 8


Continued from page 5

FeatureStory

The evolving collegiate motorsports program at North Carolina A&T State University is exposing minority students to profes-

sional opportunities in auto racing, from driving to design.

With the help of ChevronTexaco, N.C. A&T students participate in annual design competitions and a collegiate racing series. In addi-tion, ChevronTexaco provides scholarship money for students with demonstrated aptitude and interest in motorsports, and has created a summer internship opportunity with the Robert Yates Racing team. Robert Yates Racing fi elds the Havoline #28 car driven by Ricky Rudd in the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit.

Russell Williams of Durham, N.C., was last year’s A&T intern with the Yates team. During his internship at the North Caro-lina-based race shop, Williams learned valuable skills and traveled with the team to the New Eng-land 300 in Loudon, N.H., and the Pennsylvania 500 in Pocono.

Williams is considering a career in motorsports, but he also believes that his experience will prepare him for a variety of careers in mechanical engineering, his major course of study at A&T.

Under the direction of Hoyt Overbagh, the lead team engineer, Williams learned the intricacies of racing at the Winston Cup level.

“It’s always great to have an extra pair of hands to tie up the loose ends, but with Russell it’s more than that,” Overbagh said. “His positive attitude and fresh ideas have really assisted the entire engineering crew.”

“I was involved in a lot of the hands-on work in the raceshop,” said Williams, who, for the summer, had the title of intern engi-neer with the Yates team. “From fabrication and measurements to race set-ups, the internship gave me an opportunity to be involved.”

During summer 2001, another engineer from A&T worked at Robert Yates Racing. Justin Blackwell, a May 2002 graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering, spent his internship devel-oping a measuring device to help the team maintain consistency among its cars. He hopes to get back into racing as his career progresses.

Both Williams and Blackwell were part of A&T’s Intercol-legiate Auto Racing Associa-tion (ICAR-A) team. The ICAR series, which includes fi ve other Southeastern universities, fea-tures racing among students in Legends cars. A&T’s Legends car was donated by Chevron-Texaco and features a similar paint scheme as the famed #28.

Participation in the North Caro-lina A&T ICAR-A team is limited to engineering students who

commit to working on the cars throughout the six-month season. Students must spend months working on the car before getting behind the wheel as a driver.

Many of these same students also participate in the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Formula Racing design competi-tion. In this competition, students design, fabricate, and compete with small formula-style racecars. Restrictions are placed on the car frame and engine so the students’ knowledge, creativity and imagination are tested.

Dr. David Klett, a mechanical engineering professor and advisor of the racing program at A&T, along with ChevronTexaco select a student from these racing teams each year to participate in the Robert Yates Racing internship.

“We hope to introduce young minority students to potential careers in auto racing,” said Klett. “By participating in our pro-gram, they get to experience many aspects of racing, from the long hours in the shop to driving in an actual competition. If they have the drive and determination, there’s no telling how far they can go in motorsports.” n

A&T teams with ChevronTexaco to increase minority opportunities in motorsports

Russell Williams, Justin Doss and Mark Acree work on Legends car. Williams was an intern wih the Robert Yates Racing Team last summer.


FeatureStory

Motorsports, which plans to run a full Winston Cup schedule in 2003. Hughes’ partner is Sam Belnavis.

Another alumnus, Chris Bristol, drove a car in the last two races of the NASCAR Goody ’s Dash in 2002 and is looking for sponsors so he can run the full Goody ’s Dash series this year. While at A&T in 1998, he helped the school win a national title in the ICAR-A Legends series.

“My years at A&T were a great experience,” Bristol says. “The motorsports program has defi nitely expanded since I graduated in 1999, and I’m happy to see it.”

Tillery hopes the program will grow even more in the coming years.

“Right now, students can concentrate on motorsports, but we have plans to develop a motorsports technology degree. The discussion to make it a major is well

underway and should come into fruition pretty soon.”For student and drag racer Candyce Marsh, a full-fl edged degree program couldn’t come soon enough. The daughter of a Top Sportsman drag racer, Marsh has been behind the wheel for four years. She plans to pursue her master’s degree in industrial technology at A&T.

“I just love motorsports and love being able to talk with other people who love the sport as much as I do,” she says. “Motorsports is an extension of life. You work hard to put everything together and hope it works out, but anything can happen and you have to be prepared.

“Everybody says they know about motorsports, but few can say I am educated in the fi eld,” Marsh says. “It’s nice being able to get a degree and being well-versed in the fi eld.” n


Pictured with N.C. A&T’s Legends cars are mechanical engineering students and members of the ICAR-A team: Justin Doss (seated), David Klett, professor and advisor to the racing program, Russell Williams, Scott Sawyer and Mark Acree.


InsideAggieland

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has partnered with the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy to win a National Institutes of Health Bridges to Doctorate Grant to help support graduate education for minority students.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health awarded the UGA College of Phar-macy $595,000 for this interdisciplinary, inter-institutional pro-gram designed to increase the number of minority graduates in the biomedical sciences. Tony Capomacchia, asso-ciate professor in the department of pharmaceutical and biomedical sci-ences at UGA, is director of the pro-gram and graduate coordinator.

“The Bridges to Doctorate program is innovative in that it broadens the scope of what is normally offered in the general biomedical sciences to include pharmaceutical, agricultural and engineering sci-ences, such as bioinformatics, biophysics and bioengineering,” said Capomacchia. “Few minority doctoral level scientists are being trained for academia, industry and government positions in these fi elds, or in such recognized biomedical research areas as biochemistry or genetics.”

Six students will be recruited each year for three years for A&T’s Master of Science (M.S.) programs in biochemistry, chemistry, physics, chemical engineering and mathematics. These students will then matriculate to UGA for a doctoral degree in a disci-pline dealing with the biomedical sciences.

The program, which is funded at an approximate rate of $200,000 per year, will provide M.S. support at A&T. The UGA Graduate School will provide 21-month stipends for doctoral work at UGA. At the end of that period, the student’s department will provide the stipend until the doctorate is completed.

A&T is the only college located near UGA to qualify for this type of inter-institutional program. The historically black colleges and

universities in Georgia either do not have graduate degree programs or do not offer degrees in these science disciplines. Physical sci-ence students are being targeted because they have fewer oppor-tunities to enter biomedical sci-ence fi elds.

Mentor collaboration between the two institutions will be developed to foster retention and facil-itate communication during the M.S./Ph.D. program. Caesar Jackson, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at A&T, will serve as the program’s co-director on the A&T campus.

“Producing graduates who can go on for the Ph.D. is an empha-sis in a number of degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences,” Jackson said. “This Bridges grant is a very signifi cant achievement for the College and for A&T to garner support for graduate education in our mathematical and physical sciences programs. Our partnership with UGA will provide our students with an opportunity to engage in more diverse doctoral pro-grams as well as help to alleviate the shortage of under-repre-sented graduate students in the general biomedical sciences.”

A&T, UGA Partner for Bridges to Doctorate Grant

Last semester, the Waste Management Institute at N.C. A&T co-sponsored a National Conference on Environmental Science and Technology at Grandover Resort and Conference Center in Greensboro.

Other sponsors were the U.S. Department of Energy-Savannah River Site, U.S. Department of Energy (headquarters), National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Envi-ronmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes, Kenan Center for the Utilization of Carbon Dioxide in Manufacturing, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Research Triangle Park).

The purpose of the conference was to provide a forum for the U.S. Depart-ment of Energy, the U.S. Environmen-tal Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation and other fed-eral agencies, industrial technology users and colleges/universities to address pollution prevention needs, solutions and research.

Dr. Godfrey Uzochukwu is director of the Waste Management Institute at A&T.

WMI Co-sponsors National Conference


InsideAggieland

The department of construction management and safety in the N.C. A&T School of Technol-ogy has received a $548,000 grant from Hous-ing and Urban Development (HUD).

The “Community Empowerment and Urban Renewal Initiative” will support three Com-munity Development Block Grant projects in Southeast Greensboro: (1) build or acquire a facility for community and technology out-reach in Southeast Greensboro, (2) assist the

historic Magnolia House in renovations and (3) provide assistance to the N.C. A&T Center for Energy Research and Technology (CERT).

The project director is Dr. Robert Pyle. Dr. Musibau Shofoluwe is executive director and Linda Tillman is project coordinator.

The department of construction management and safety has received more than $2 million in HUD funding since 1997. n

Bookstore Launches e-Commerce WebsiteUniversity Bookstore, in collaboration with The Nebraska Book Company and The CampusHub, has launched a new e-commerce website that will give North Carolina A&T State University stu-dents, faculty, staff and alumni the ultimate shopping experience.

Along with the benefi ts of a secure e-commerce site, ncatbookstore.com sells and reserves textbooks and it is one-stop shopping for merchandise that includes imprinted cloth-ing and gifts, computers, software, offi ce supplies, novels, industry trade books, and information about bookstore events such as graduation fairs, textbook buy back, sales and promotions.

“Now, students are able to purchase and reserve textbooks online from the convenience of their own computers,” said Timothy Moore, manager of University Bookstore. “This has been a major request from our students for some time, and we are very happy that now we are able to provide this ser-vice.”

In the very near future, faculty will be able to place and submit textbook requisitions to the Uni-versity Bookstore online.

Currently, campus departments are able to order offi ce supplies online. The bookstore plans to extend this service to students in the immediate future, which is part of the second phase of the website that currently is underway.

The new website is accessible 24 hours a day, anywhere that Internet service is avail-able. Students and alumni can access the bookstore and support their school no matter where they are.

The Umstead Act of North Carolina mandates that ncatbookstore.com can only process Web orders for students, faculty, staff and alumni. However, the website is available to anyone for browsing.

For more information, call Moore at (336) 334-7593. n

USPS Unveils StampsThe U.S. Postal Service has unveiled fi ve commemorative stamps at North Carolina A&T State University.

Four stamps that pay tribute to four outstanding women in journalism were unveiled Sept. 26: Nellie Bly, Marguerite Hig-gins, Ethel L. Payne and Ida M. Tarbell.

On Jan. 8, the Thurgood Mar-shall Commemorative Stamp

was unveiled. Marshall was the fi rst African A m e r i c a n justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. He continued in that capac-ity until he

retired in J a n u a r y

1993. Mar-shall died Jan. 24,

1993, at age 84. n

CMS Receives HUD Grant


InsideAggieland

The department of speech and communication was featured in the December edition of Presstime, the magazine of the News-paper Association of America.

The article focuses on the innovative collaboration between N.C. A&T and the local daily newspaper, News & Record. It also fea-tures several photographs of A&T communication students and administrators.

In the feature, Dr. Teresa Styles, department chair, shares how the partnership was formed and ways in which it has enhanced the university ’s student newspaper, The A&T Register, which has gone from being published once a semester to weekly. Accord-ing to Styles, the newspaper has been enhanced with the assis-tance of Val Neiman, assistant city/state editor for the News & Record who serves as faculty advisor to The Register. n

The New Year’s Resolutions Party lived up to the Aggie tradi-tion ... “there’s no party like an A&T party!”

When most New Year’s Eve revelers were winding down, North Carolina A&T State University was throwing a registration/information party on January 2 for potential stu-dents. From dawn to dusk, over 250 people came to Aggieland to advance their education.

“We wanted people to clearly understand the possibilities and opportunities available at N.C. A&T,” said Lee Young, assis-tant vice chancellor for enrollment management and director of admissions. “New Year’s is the perfect time to assess your future to make some very important decisions.”

Helburn “Bud” Meadows, former president of the A&T Sports Hall of Famers, wanted to help his daughter make some decisions about school. He arrived before 7 a.m. as WFMY/NEWS 2 was setting up cameras in the Smith Technology Build-ing lobby.

“I came to get information about the university for my daughter,” said Meadows, a 1952 A&T graduate.

Meadows was an example of what happened throughout the day as dozens of family members came to the New Year’s Reso-lutions Party to help other family members register for under-

graduate and graduate school. Lined up and down the lobby were tables fi lled with brochures, displays, and recruiting materials from the univer-sity ’s schools, colleges and major pro-grams. Prospective students talked one-on-one with A&T faculty and staff about their educational career concerns.

“We had a steady stream of people coming by to talk about going to school,” explained Dr. Kenneth Murray, interim dean of graduate studies. Murray, Ayanna Boyd-Wil-liams and Helen Haynes were busy

throughout the day fi elding questions regarding various grad-uate degrees plus the Ph.D. program in mechanical, electrical, and industrial engineering.

Current A&T students brought parents, wives brought hus-bands, and brothers brought sisters to make the third annual New Year’s Resolutions Party a real family affair. The largest crowds during lunch were encouraged to attend by 97 WQMG-FM’s radio remote. Between rhythm and blues and party prizes, the radio announcers joined the party goers for New Year’s treats like collard greens, black-eyed peas, lemon chicken, maca-roni and cheese, salad, rolls, peach and apple cobbler, and iced tea.

“Our New Year’s party with a purpose brought a whole new population of students interested in our Ph.D. programs in the College of Engineering. We met our goal,” said Mozell Weston, senior associate director of admissions. Participants were able to apply on site for spring semester as A&T offi cials provided detailed information about admissions and fi nancial aid. n

2003 Resolutions Become Reality

Department Featured in Magazine

Enrollment offi cer Douglas Kilgore (left) assists prospective students with the admissions process.

Alumnus “Bud” Meadows reviews admissions material at the 2003 Resolutions Party.


By Nettie Collins Rowland ’72, ’95MS

�inal n�te�the

D r. Johnny B. Hodge Jr., was mesmerized when 34, 261 fans at the Peach State Classic in Atlanta give North Carolina A&T State

University’s Blue and Gold Marching Machine a tremendous standing ovation after a superb performance. The experience was so overwhelming the energetic band director thought he was going to explode.

“I felt like I had gone to the mountain top,” Hodge said. “I couldn’t believe it. It was something I had never seen before.”

It was at that very moment that Hodge knew he had reached the pinnacle of his career.

“I had been thinking and talking about retiring for quite some time, but that solidifi ed things for me. I said to myself, ‘Hodge it’s time to go boy. You can’t get any better than this.’”


FeatureStory

On Dec. 31, 2002, the legendary Hodge threw in the towel and called it quits. He had directed N.C. A&T’s marching band since 1980.

The 63-year-old’s interest in music began when he was an eighth grader at Henderson Institute in Henderson, N.C. It was there that he joined the band and began playing the tuba.

“In the band, I became intrigued with the sounds that the various instruments made when they blended together,” he said. “I spent a lot of energy mastering the tuba. I knew that if I became profi cient with one instrument, I could transfer that knowledge to another.”

That same year, Hodge had his fi rst contact with A&T when his band attended a festival for black high school bands at the college. During that time, the festival was the only forum for black bands from across the state to compete. It was at that competition that he met A&T’s band director, Walter Carlson.

“Carlson opened up A&T for high school bands to display their skills. It was very good exposure for the band directors and it didn’t cost them anything. It was also a good recruiting tool for A&T, for at the end of the event the university’s band would perform. Because of this, a lot of students decided to attend A&T.”

Hodge would later become Carlson’s assistant.

When he graduated high school, Hodge decided to attend North Carolina Central University and major in music. Actually, the decision was not his, but his grandmother’s. His grandparents had reared him after the death of his mother.

“My grandmother was in North Carolina Central’s fi rst graduating class, and there was no question that I would be attending her alma mater,” Hodge recalled. “She wanted me to major in biology and go on to medical school, but when she realized I was interested in music, she accepted it under the condition that I made good grades.”

In 1960, Hodge graduated from NCCU and later that summer married his wife Brenda Bethel. They have three children: Tia, John and Nikki.

The Hodges moved to Greensboro where he began working for the former Greensboro City School System. While working for the school system, he also taught the wind ensemble at Greensboro College and he obtained his master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Hodge joined forces with Carlson in 1973 and became A&T’s assistant band director. In 1974, the ambitious Hodge moved to Maryland to pursue his doctorate from The American University in Washington, D.C. While acquiring his degree, he taught for the Montgomery County School System in Maryland.

He returned to A&T in 1977 to teach music courses, and a year later he became symphony band director. In 1980, Hodge was named director of bands, thus giving him the leadership of the high stepping marching band.

When Hodge became the marching band director, the band was going through a transition and there were only 43 members. Today, there are 160 band members and 20 girls known as the Golden Delights.

Throughout his career, alumni have asked Hodge why the band has not increased in size, especially in the latter years.

“It’s not that I haven’t wanted a larger band, but we had limitation on how large the band could be because of the size of the band room,” he said. “I would have loved to have had 250 or maybe 300 members, but we didn’t have the space.”

Hodge points out that in order for A&T to continue to compete with the larger sound producing bands its membership must grow.

According to Hodge, the alumni have always been his number one critic. He has never had to guess what they were thinking.

“The alumni have never hesitated to tell me whether the band had a good or bad performance,” Hodge said. “But this never bothered me.

“I know I am good at what I do,” the self-assured Hodge said.

“I had a very competitive band. The students were dedicated to what we did. They

wanted to be the best, so they gave a lot of their

time and energy.”Johnny B. Hodge, Jr.


Continued on page 14

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“I like to try new things. Sometimes they work and other times they don’t.”

Hodge critiqued the band by taping all performances and reviewing them. He says that it was the students who made his job so fulfi lling. “I had a very competitive band. The students were dedicated to what we did. They wanted to be the best, so they gave a lot of their time and energy.” The demanding band director explained that being in his camp was not an easy task for the students.

“Some students can’t hang,” said Hodge. “The band is too rough. They can’t adjust to the rigorous regiment.”

As one of the student directors, Henry Wallace knows all about the Blue and Gold Marching Machine’s routines. The junior music major describes Hodge as being a demanding but fair person.

“Dr. Hodge is very assertive and he gets exactly what he wants,” said Wallace. “He reaches his goals. A lot of people don’t like his ways, but he explained to me when I fi rst came that that’s what it takes to get what you want.”

Wallace wants to be a band director someday, and he feels

that working with Hodge is helping prepare him for his career.

Alumna Robin Howard, the webmaster at N.C. A&T, played the fl ute in the symphonic band, the marching band and pep band when she was a student in the 1980s.

“It did not take long for me to realize that Dr. Hodge, or Doc as so many of his current and former students called him, was blessed with a wide array or musical talents,” Howard said. “Whether the band was playing ‘Dear A&T’ during Convocation, the latest in hip-hop during a halftime show, or classical music during our annual spring concert, he never missed a beat.”

Howard says that Dr. Hodge took his position at A&T very seriously. She adds, “He has an extremely strong work ethic, and he passed that dedication to his responsibilities on to his students. He encouraged us to apply that dedication to so many different aspects of life – from the football fi eld, to the classroom, to our careers.”

“I had the pleasure of being a member of the fi rst band that performed for the dastardly Johnny B. Hodge with hair,” said A&T Alumni Director Harriet Davis. “Believe me, it was truly an adventure I will never forget.

“None of us liked him, especially me. He was always towering over me to see whether or not I was really playing my



FeatureStory

clarinet. I never got to move to fi rst chair, always second. And according to him, I knew nothing about marching on a football fi eld. I did not quite get the right fl ank, left fl ank. He would yell to top of his voice, ‘Harriet, don’t you know your @#$%& right from your left?’ I would be so embarrassed. But, I did learn to recover quickly and I discovered much, much later that he was really a perfectionist and someone who really cared about his students.”

About 14 former band members who are working full-time jobs fi nd time to assist with the band, pro bono. Hodge considers them to be on his staff.

Under Hodge’s leadership the band has achieved a great deal. In 1991, they won an HBCU marching band competition that featured bands such as Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Central State, Morehouse and Morris Brown.

“We only had 96 band members, but we won the competition,” Hodge said.

The A&T marching band also became the offi cial band for the Carolina Panthers.

“In 1993 or 1994 we were named the No. 5 band amongst HBCUs. Over the years we have varied between one and fi ve.”You would think with all Hodge had to do, he would not have time to be active in his community. But in 1990, he

was elected to the former Greensboro City Schools Board of Education. He currently holds a position on the Guilford County Board of Education.

Hodge said that he ran for the school board because of some concerns that were not being addressed while his children were attending school.

“I was always taught that you make your changes from within,” he said.

Hodge is looking forward to having time off. He plans to write a book based on his dissertation, “The History of the North Carolina Black Band Directors,” and spend more time with his wife and family.

Looking over his career, Hodge feels that he has been successful because he believes in God.

“If you put God, your family and others fi rst, and yourself last – and have everything prioritized according to the majestic power of God – things will work out,” Hodge said. “I think your successes are nothing you created, but it happens because it is ordained from God.”

Currently, Hodge is chairing A&T’s search committee for a new director of bands. He also is serving as the university ’s symphony band director for the spring semester. n


CampusBRIEFS

Students

n Sirithala Irulappan, a graduate student in the department of chemical engineering, won fi rst place in the Student Paper Con-test at the 13th Annual Meeting of the North American Membrane Society. Her paper, “Synthesis and Eval-uation of Pt-Based Binary and Ternary Metal-Alloy CO-Tolerant Electrocatalysts for PEM Fuel Cells,” was chosen from among more than 44 entries nationwide. A cash prize of $250 came with the honor.

n Fourteen students in the accounting department received scholarships total-ing $28,500 at the 31st Annual Con-vention of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA). The recip-ients include Sarah Branch, Priscilla Bullock, Shanyce Campbell, Melanie Glover, Ral’Leisha Groves, Keisha Las-siter, Shondae LeGrand, Tia Hastye, Leslie Maynard, Robert Peterkin, Marcus Phillips, Jerome Smith, Rachel Wigfall and Ja’Kim Williams.

n Mechanical engineering professor Ajit D. Kelkar, along with mechanical engineering Ph.D. candidate Ronnie L.

Bolick, presented a paper, “Introduction to Fatigue in Riveted Joints and Adhe-sively Bonded Joints,” at the 2002 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Kelkar and Bolick also presented a research paper titled “Comparative Study of Riveted Joints and Adhesively Bonded Joints Sub-jected to Fatigue Loading” at Fatigue 2002, the Eighth Annual International Fatigue Congress that was held in Stockholm, Sweden. The pair also co-authored with another Ph.D. candidate, Jitendra Tate, a paper titled “Low Cost Man-ufacturing of Braided Composites.” Tate pre-sented the paper at the Ninth Interna-tional Conference on Composites Engineer-ing held in San Diego.

n The University has awarded Futures Fellowships to fi ve graduate students in the School of Agriculture and Environ-mental Sciences in recognition of excel-lence in research. The scientists have GPAs of 3.5 or higher and are conduct-ing independent research projects in bio-technology and biodiversity. Each recipi-ent received a plaque and $1,100. Zaki Abdulrahman of High Point is exploring properties of cow’s milk that can buffer against mastitis, a disease that

costs the dairy industry $2 billion a year to combat. Phani Chakravarthy, India, is investigating conventional and biotechnological approaches to mush-room cultivation under North Carolina weather conditions. Nicholaus Cunning-ham, Charlotte, N.C., is examining anti-infl ammatory drugs to gain a better understanding of how these act on a molecular level in cows. Angelique Fuller, Wilmington, N.C., is isolating the DNA of dogs to develop a model of mast cell disease, and is surveying veterinarians across the state to learn more about the incidence of the disease. Mast cells exist in all mammals and may be related to the development of cancer. Osman Hassan, Sudan, is researching benefi cial bacteria that the food industry uses in yogurt and other foods and supplements to fi ght dis-ease and boost immunity.

Faculty & Staffn “A Methodology for Speech Analysis,” a book chapter written by Dr. Linda Florence Callahan, has been published in the fourth edition of H.D. Flowers’ The Speech Arts (Kendall/Hunt Pub-lishing Company). In the chapter Cal-lahan explains that students in speech classes often are told to analyze speeches, but most textbooks fail to provide a spe-cifi c methodology for accomplishing the assignment. Calla-han is an associate professor in the department of speech and commu-nication.

Callahan attended the winter conference and planning meeting of the Associa-tion for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication in Palo Alto, Calif., in December 2002. Program chairs from each division of AEJMC attended the meeting to plan the national conference that will be held in Kansas City, Mo., this summer. Callahan chairs AEJMC’s Minor-ities and Communication Division.

Futures Interdisciplinary Biotechnology and Biodiversity Fellowship Award recipients Phani Chakravarthy, Zaki Abdul-rahman, Angelique Fuller, Nicholaus Cunningham and Osman Hassan


CampusBRIEFS

n Dr. Beverly L. Downing, an associate professor and chair of the Division of Education at Saint Augustine’s College in Raleigh, N.C., joined the adminis-tration fall semester as American Council on Education Fellow for academic year 2002-03. ACE Fellows participate in a year-long fellowship experience designed to prepare leaders who are skilled in the lead-ership and management of change. The ACE Fellows Program is the only yearlong leadership development program avail-able to higher education administrators in the United States.

n Dr. Susan Wilson Fletcher, an asso-ciate professor in the School of Nursing, has been named one of the top 100 nurses in North Carolina by The Great 100, Inc., which is a grassroots peer recognition organization that honors the nursing profession in North Carolina and the importance of regis-tered nurses in diverse practice settings. The organization also contributes funds for scholarships for registered nurse edu-cation. The School of Nursing ’s 2001-2002 Outstanding Teacher of the Year, Fletcher received the UNC Board of Governors Award for Teaching Excellence last March.

n Benjamin Forbes, program assistant for the agricultural research program, has been elected vice pres-ident of Users and Screeners Association of Federal Excess Per-sonal Property, Inc. The Association is an independent consor-

tium of federal agencies, cost reimburse-ment contractors, project grantees, fed-eral cooperators from land grant univer-sities, and others who acknowledge the prime directive to use Federal Excess Personal Property as the fi rst source of supply. The purpose of the organization is to share expertise, alert members to program changes, promote the benefi ts of using federal excess personal prop-erty, develop professionalism among fed-eral screeners, and provide a unifi ed voice to federal personal property concerns. The ultimate goal for members is to effi -ciently and effectively manage property purchased with tax revenue.

n Gamma Sigma Delta National Honor Society has given the Award of Excellence in Extension to Dr. Daniel Lyons Sr., assistant administra-tor of regional and county programs with the A&T Cooperative Extension Program.

n Michael G. Magoon is associate vice chancellor in the Division of Develop-ment and University Relations. He is man-aging the university ’s fi ve-year $100 million capital campaign and the development staff. Prior to coming to A&T, Magoon was director of Elon Uni-versity ’s Vision Cam-paign and director of major gifts. He also served as a major gifts offi cer and direc-tor of annual fund at Oberlin College. Magoon has a B.A. degree from Roches-ter Institute of Technology and a M.S. from Alfred University.

n The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has given the Gil-bert C. Robinson Award to Dr. W. Mark McGinley, P.E., a professor in the depart-ment of civil, architectural and environ-

mental engineering, for his contributions to the manufactured masonry and unit industry. An ASTM member since 1990, McGinley serves on standards, develop-ment groups in both ASTM Committees C12 on Mortars and Grouts for Unit Masonry and C15 on M a n u f a c t u r e d Masonry Units. His research has included structural performance of masonry walls, water penetration experiments on enve-lopes, and the thermal evaluation of steel stud wall systems. He also has been involved in projects related to the eval-uation of the energy systems of existing buildings and demonstration projects evaluating energy related technologies.

n Dr. G.B. Reddy, professor and chair of the department of natural resources and environmental design, presented a paper at the 17th World Congress of Soil Science held in Bangkok last month. The paper, “Loss of Soil and Her-bicides in Tillage and No-Tillage Systems,” was a synopsis of fi ve years of data gen-erated in an exper-iment conducted at the N.C. A&T farm. The results show a great deal of impact on water quality. Reddy is a national cer-tifi ed soil scientist who has been recog-nized by his peers. Reddy also made a presentation at Tuskegee University on “The Role and Contributions of Minor-ity Serving Institutions to the Issues of USDA-NRCS.” Representatives from His-torically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and 1862 Land-Grant Universi-ties attended the two-day summit that was organized by the National Council for Science and Environment.



CampusBRIEFS

n Gov. Mike Easley has appointed Dr. James C. Renick, chancellor, to the North Carolina Board of Science and Technology. The board advises and makes recommen-dations to the governor, the secretary of commerce and the economic develop-ment board on the role of science and technology in the economic growth and development of the state. The board has 17 members and the governor appoints 15. The governor and secretary of com-merce serve as ex-offi cio members.

n Dr. Lizette Sanchez-Lugo, director of the dietetics program and assistant pro-fessor in the depart-ment of human environment and family sciences, has been appointed to serve on the Minor-ity Health Advisory Council for the state of North Carolina. The Council, whose members are appointed by the governor, the speaker of the house and the senate president pro tempore, is comprised of 15 legislators, community leaders, and health and human services professionals from across the state, advocating for policies, programs and services that improve minority access to public health. It also advises the governor and the sec-retary of the State Department of Health and Human Services on minority health issues.

n An abstract sub-mitted by Dr. Sarla Sharma, professor of psychology, has been accepted for paper presentation at the Impact of Global

Issues on Women and Children Confer-ence was held in Bangkok, Feb. 16-21, 2003. Sharma presented “Sexual Traffi ck-ing in Women: Global Profi le and Issues,” which was part of scientifi c sessions related to the theme Children and Wom-en’s Rights/Violence.

n Dr. Alton Thompson, dean of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sci-ences, is the co-author of two chap-ters in a recently released book titled The Social Risks of Agriculture: Ameri-cans Speak Out on Food, Farming and the Environment. The chapters Thomp-son co-wrote are “Public Perceptions of Government’s Role in Agriculture and Farming” and “Agriculture’s Social Risks and Directions.”

n Lee Young is assistant vice chancellor for enrollment man-agement and direc-tor of admissions. Before this appointment, Young was associate vice president for enroll-ment management at Indiana State Uni-versity. He has over 25 years experience in higher education: fi ve as an instructor and 20 in enrollment management at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, Wichita State University and Indiana State University. He has published sev-eral articles on admissions, fi nancial aid and enrollment management for profes-sional periodicals such as The Journal of National Association of College Admis-sions Counselors (NACAC), American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offi cers (AACRAO) and The Admissions Strategist. Young received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Jackson State University.

n Dr. Wyatt D. Kirk, chairman of the depart-ment of human development and services, has received a three-year appointment to the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Counseling and Development (JCD), the fl agship journal of the American Counseling Association (ACA). Kirk’s appointment to the nation-ally and internationally acclaimed schol-arly journal commenced July 1 and will run through June 30, 2005.

n Alumnus George M. “Big G” Small ’79 has been named head football coach. Small has extensive coaching experience with stints at Gram-bling State Univer-sity, Florida A&M University, Univer-sity of Tulsa, Savan-nah State University, and Langston Uni-versity. Most recently he was assistant head coach and shared defensive coor-dinator at Hampton University (2002), defensive line coach at Youngstown State University (2001-2002) and head coach at Kentucky State University (1995-2000). At Division II Kentucky State, Small led the school to its fi rst winning season in 20 years, his team won the fi rst Pioneer Bowl in 1995, and twice he was named Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Confer-ence Coach of the Year. Four of Small’s KSU players were drafted by National Football League teams and several other players joined NFL Europe and Canadian Football League. Small was a defensive lineman and captain at A&T. In 1979, he was named All-MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), Pittsburgh Courier All-American, North Carolina All-State, National Dean’s List, and Who’s Who Among Outstanding Names and Faces. Small played six seasons in the profes-sional ranks.



DeRome Dunn, Ph.D., remembers being fasci-nated with the family ’s tractor, why it sometimes broke down and what could keep it from break-ing down. He thought that given the chance, he could create more reliable mechanical components. It was a belief that led him to a career as a researcher and associate professor of mechanical engineering at North Carolina A&T State University.

Younger brothers Derrell and Derrek also eventually found their way from the family ’s Whitsett farm to East Market Street. Of course, the path was blazed by their father, Samuel Dunn, Ph.D., who himself was an educator and researcher in A&T’s plant science depart-ment for more than 35 years.

“To be honest, I never really gave much thought to my deci-sion to come to A&T as a student,” said DeRome, who received both B.S. (’78) and M.S. (’84) degrees in mechanical engineer-ing from A&T.

“My father worked here, and I often came here to see him in his Carver Hall offi ce and at the A&T farm. When it was time to pursue a career in engineering, A&T was a natural choice.”

In 1991, after completing his Ph.D. at Virginia Tech, DeRome eagerly accepted a position in A&T’s department of mechani-cal engineering. By that time, Derrell and Derrek had already completed their degrees at A&T – Derrell earning a B.S. (’84) and M.S. (’86) in electrical engineering, and Derrek earning a B.S. in electrical engineering (’89) and a B.S. in mathematics (’90).

After fi nishing two M.S. degrees and a Ph.D. at Vir-ginia Tech, and working a short while at Tuskegee University, Derrek joined his brother on the A&T faculty in 1998. Derrell, meanwhile, opted to work in industry, and continues as a systems engineer at Hewlett-Packard.

At A&T, DeRome and Derrek work in different research areas and within different academic struc-tures: DeRome in the Col-lege of Engineering and

Derrek in the School of Technology. While DeRome’s research is centered on composite materials, most recently on the fatigue tolerance of materials used in aircraft, Derrek’s research focuses on indoor positioning systems based on the Global Positioning System concept.

“We came from the same background, but our interests diverged as we progressed through graduate school,” said Derrek. “It’s not that we’re not interested in what each other is doing; we just are involved in our own projects.”

Though the roles have now reversed between the sons and their father, who continues to raise peaches and other fruit on the family ’s farm, the years of service to A&T continue to add up. There has been a Dunn family member on the A&T faculty for more than 45 consecutive years, and the brothers and their father have combined for more than 50 years of teaching and research service.

“I feel comfortable here (at A&T),” Derrek said. “It’s home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.” n

FacultyProfi le

A Dunn Deal Brothers follow father into A&T teaching and research

By Mitch Arnold


Associate professors Derrek and Derome Dunn

The mechanical engineering department has played a major role in propelling

N.C. A&T to the forefront over the last two decades. With over $20 million in research dollars coming from NASA alone in the past two decades, mechanical engineering students work with top-notch faculty in state-of-the-art facilities, taking part in fascinating research with signifi cant, far-reaching implications, both personally and professionally.

This year, the mechanical engineering department employs 18 faculty members who teach 171 undergraduate students and 47 graduate students. Thirty-fi ve of those grad students are enrolled in the master’s degree program with 12 pursuing Ph.D.s.

The department is made up of three research centers: the Center for Composite Materials, the NASA Center for Aerospace Research, and the CREST Center, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Current research funding in the mechanical engineering department averages about $6 million per year.

Drs. Suresh Chandra and William Craft are two mechanical engineering professors who helped put the department on the map. Both began teaching at A&T in the early 1970s, both served as department chairman, and both continue to leave their professional marks on the school, its students and its ever-growing national recognition and professional reputation.

Mechanical Connection

N.C. A&T professors and graduate students recently submitted a research proposal to Michelin Tire Company to develop a new sensor that can detect even the slightest changes in air pressure.

The opportunity to submit the proposal grew from a campus visit last summer by representatives from Michelin’s headquarters in Greenville, S.C. They came to A&T to meet faculty and members of the student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

The Michelin representatives quickly captured the students’ interest with a demonstration of a two-wheeled electric scooter called the Segway. Invented by Dean Kamen, who is dubbed by Smithsonian Magazine as the “Pied Piper of Technology,” the Segway can travel at a top speed of 10 miles per hour for up to 15 miles on one battery charge.

Michelin manufactures special tires and

The North Carolina

A&T School of

Engineering is one of

only four such

programs in the state.

Over the last 30 years,

it increasingly has

attracted major

research projects,

funding and industry

support.

By M. Lanning Thompson

Sprockets to Rockets


Cover STORY

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rims for the Segway, and A&T students and professors alike took turns riding on the device that speeds up when you lean forward, slows down when you lean backward and turns a complete circle with a fl ick of your thumb.

The Segway occupies very little space and is economical to run, but the bottom line for the engineering students was more basic – it was fun. Many students said they were surprised to fi nd out that unlike conventional two-wheeled bicycles or scooters, they didn’t have to balance themselves to stay upright. The Segway balances for the rider using a gyroscope. It can even climb stairs because the machine has a lot of torque.

The Segway demonstration was an opportunity for Michelin to speak to Dr. William Craft, a mechanical engineering professor at A&T, and tell him of their interest in commissioning an engineering project that would develop state-of-the-art instrumentation and techniques for systems that can detect small changes in air pressure.

“I was looking on the Web at some ideas for a U.S. Department of Energy project relating to the commercialization of nuclear power when I found a company in Virginia dealing with optical fi ber sensors. I realized it could potentially relate to one of the Segway components,” said Craft, who chaired the mechanical engineering department from 1989 through June 2002.

Just how the potential research and the Segway are connected cannot be discussed until legal details are worked out, but Craft said the contract could be valued at approximately $80,000.

But the value for A&T graduate student Otha Carter can’t be measured in terms of dollars. Carter, who is pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, helped Craft develop the proposal that was submitted to Michelin in November 2002.

“I think it is something we can do,” said Carter, a 24-year-old scholarship student from St. Louis, Mo.

Continued on page 22A&T TODAY

Spring 2003 21

William J. Craft, Ph.D.Research Professor Department of Mechanical EngineeringNorth Carolina A&T State University College of EngineeringEmail: [email protected]

Chair, N.C. A&T Department of Mechanical Engineering, 1989-2002Assistant Dean, N.C. A&T School of Engineering, 1977-1981

Education B.S., North Carolina State University M.S. and Ph.D., Clemson University

Research InterestAnalytical Solid Mechanics

Dr. William Craft’s specialized research area over the past 10 years focuses on the analysis and design of composite struc-tural materials. These materials include braided and woven textile composites, minimum weight structures for specialized missions, the determination of residual strength and prop-erties after impact and specialized structural and modeling problems involving new technologies.

He is also interested in the development of optical and electri-cal strain and displacement sensors. In addition, Dr. Craft has been active in curricula development relating to professional engineering, educational, and related topics.

Craft is leading the following research projects at A&T:

• The development of stiffness and thermal expansion model-ing concepts for various types of composites. A structural model was recently proposed for 4-step (track and column) textile braids, which incorporate the off-axis orientations.

• The exploration of efficient structural systems for planetary exploration missions. Recently a space frame system was developed to simulate an aerobrake for a Mars Mission. A minimum weight structure was developed for both composite and aluminum truss members.

• Research into development of efficient, minimum weight structures for commercial aviation systems, particularly supersonic transport concepts. These structural concepts include sandwich shell composites materials where new face and core materials have potential advantages of extending the environmental range and of reducing weight. There are many potential contributions of this research including new materials systems, new manufacturing and joining concepts, new test methods and the analysis of complex shapes and geometrics.

A&T student Candice Dixon tries out Segway scooter during a demonstration on campus.

Cover STORY

Carter and many other mechanical engineering students were curious to see how the scooter was made and how it was powered. It was right up their alley since mechanical engineering involves the study of physics, forces of nature, various types of energy and modes of transportation.

Mechanical engineers research the suitability, strength, fabrication and cost of materials, thermodynamic effi ciencies and fuel, and the conversion of energy into motion. Carter’s thesis will be based on pressure sensors, so the research project could be especially valuable to him.

In addition, he will come away with another benefi t. The research grant also will pay his tuition and fees, and this summer he will complete an internship with Michelin.

“I want to learn more about the corporate experience as well as the research end of it,” said Carter, who transferred to A&T from a four-year college in Illinois.

Craft fi rst taught Carter in an undergraduate mechanical engineering class. He has helped his student look at the fi eld of engineering with a creative, open mind.

“You look at how to solve one problem and it leads you to think of how to solve another problem,” said Craft.

Michelin recently invited N.C. A&T as well as several other universities to its headquarters located in Greenville, S.C. The fact that major companies such as Michelin seek out A&T for research makes Craft and his protégé proud.

“Less than 10 percent of our research is done for private industry and about 90 percent is for government, especially the federal government,” said Craft. “I think it is especially exciting for our students to become involved in real-world problem solving and short-term projects that can improve the quality of life in their lifetimes,” he said.

Exploring Space Travel Since the recent deaths of the seven Columbia space shuttle astronauts, the U.S. space program has been hotly debated as to whether it is worth the extreme risk of life and the half-billon dollar expense for each launch.

The mission that came to an abrupt and tragic halt Feb. 1 in the fi nal moments of the 16-day space journey deeply saddened Dr. Suresh Chandra, an A&T mechanical engineering research professor with close research ties to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Although this is the second devastating space shuttle loss since 1986, Chandra

is adamant that space research and exploration must continue. Chandra strongly believes this even though he still feels pain from the loss of his close friend, the late Dr. Ronald McNair, an astronaut who graduated from the North Carolina A&T State University School of Engineering and died in the 1986 Challenger shuttle explosion.

As he sits in his offi ce in the building named for McNair, Chandra does not waver from his commitment.

“If anything, (the tragedy) underscores the need that our research must continue,” Chandra said. “We must continue to explore and be sure that the safety is never compromised.

“The research efforts will be enhanced, not diminished,” he predicted.

Chandra leads many of N.C. A&T’s aerospace research projects funded by NASA. Since the

typical space shuttle launch costs approximately $500 million, he and other research scientists are beginning a $16 million research project to explore ways to help make space shuttle launches at least 20 times safer and 90 times more economical.

It is a tough problem, but one he says must be tackled and solved.

“NASA is interested in space transport that will be safer, less expensive using state-of-the-art technology. It won’t be solved overnight but will be a long-term project, one that could take up to 20 or 30 years. It is very exciting,” said Chandra.

Chandra is collaborating with the lead


Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Carolyn Meyers (standing) discusses status of new National Institute of Aerospace with Dean of Engineering Joseph Monroe, Professor William Craft, Acting President of National Institute of Aerospace Robert Whitehead and Chancellor James C. Renick.

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Suresh Chandra, Ph.D.Research Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering North Carolina A&T State University College of EngineeringEmail: [email protected]

Appointed Professor and Chairman, Department of Mechanical Engineering, N.C. A&T State University, 1971-1974Acting Dean, School of Engineering, N.C. A&T State University, 1974-1976Dean, School of Engineering, N.C. A&T State University, 1976-1988

EducationB.Sc., Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Allahabad University, IndiaB.Sc., Chemical Engineering, Banaras Hindu University, IndiaM.Ch. E., Chemical Engineering, University of LouisvillePh.D., Civil Engineering (Fluid Mechanics), Colorado State University

Research Interests Computational fluid dynamics and propulsion, a method of solving complex engineering problems using supercomputers

Dr. Chandra helps conduct aeronautical and aerospace research relevant to technologies critical to NASA’s primemissions.

research school, the University of Florida at Gainesville, as well as with Georgia Tech to formulate specifi c research projects that a seven-member university consortium will undertake. His research specialty is propulsion.

“It is really in recognition of what we have done in aerospace research that we were invited to be part of this project,” said Chandra, who is working with two other A&T colleagues on the NASA research.

They are Dr. Frederick Ferguson, associate professor of mechanical engineering and director of the NASA Center for Aerospace Research at A&T, and Dr. Nail Yamaleev, a research associate in the NASA Center for Aerospace Research.

As one of seven universities chosen by NASA to conduct the $16 million research project, the collaboration with the other university scientists will be invaluable, according to Chandra, who also said that it helps faculty members as well as students. Those working on the research benefi t from the collaboration with the brightest research minds from Cornell University, Syracuse University, Mississippi State University and Prairie View A&M University.

“It keeps your faculty engaged in state-of-the-art technology and research and that includes going to national and international conferences to present papers and interact with peers from all over the world.”

Faculty members then bring their new knowledge and information back to their classrooms and help students become aware of the

latest technology. Research dollars help purchase equipment, labs and supercomputers to help students solve complex governing equations in aerospace engineering. The funds also help pay for student assistantships and tuition.

“We really hope it will mushroom into a bigger project than it is right now,” said Chandra, who came to A&T in 1971 as chairman of the mechanical engineering department.

Within a year or so, one or two A&T students will graduate with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Their theses are based on the work they complete with the NASA project, he said.

“The relationship has far-reaching, invaluable implications. It is a cooperative venture and a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of the other university ’s information and expertise.

“If you are always doing everything in isolation, in many ways you are limited. This opens up all kinds of avenues.”

Chandra hopes more collaboration and more NASA research will follow, despite the questions and concerns about space travel viability that will continue to be raised due to the loss of the second shuttle. He wants people to know that the research being conducted at North Carolina A&T could possibly help prevent future space disasters as well as benefi t society by improving food production, fi nding cures for diseases and slowing down the aging process.

“This is important work that must continue. What is really frightening is the thought that one day it will stop.” n


A&TRESEARCH

Innovative Researchers

North Carolina A&T State University saluted faculty, staff and students on Nov. 6 at the second annual Faculty Innovators Rec-ognition Luncheon. Sponsored by the Division of Research, the event recognized 16 researchers who developed innovative tech-nology.

This year’s honorees included Felix Abali, Mohamed Ahmedna, John Allen, Shyam Argade, Vishnu Sarma Avva, Marwan Bik-dash, Anthony Cunningham, Salam Ibrahim, Vendetta Knight, Shamsuddin Ilias, Robert Sadler, Matthew Sharpe, Kunigal Shi-vakumar, Syrulwa Somah, Mannur Sundaresan and Miles Tal-bert. Vernotto C. McMillan, manager of the technology transfer department at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Hunts-ville, Ala., was keynote speaker.

The Offi ce of Technology Transfer and Commercialization, which is a branch of the Division of Research, manages the uni-versity’s intellectual property, licenses its technology to com-mercial partners, provides technology transfer services to the A&T community and leads the development of companies based on its technology. These efforts benefi t the public through economic development and the university by attracting top quality faculty and students, enhancing fi nancial rewards for faculty and creating job opportunities for graduates.

Golden LEAF Grant Greensboro could become the center of a new biotechnology industry based around exotic mushrooms, thanks to a $355,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation to Dr. Omon S. Isikhuemhen, a researcher in the School of Agriculture and Envi-ronmental Sciences. In all, the university received a total of $580,000 from the foundation in its latest round of grants.

The funds will enable Isikhuemhen to train farmers in intensive mushroom cultivation and to equip a facility at the campus farm for producing blocks of sterile growing medium necessary for reliable, high yield production. Isikhuemhen expects to begin distributing the mushroom substrate to farmers by May. He hopes eventually to be able to produce 1,000 packs per week.

In addition to grocers and restaurants, a potentially huge market for mushrooms is the pharmaceutical industry, which is just beginning to recognize the cancer and disease fi ghting proper-ties found in exotic mushrooms, including shiitake, oyster, reishi, maitake and other varieties. Two industries have requested that A&T develop a technology for extracting the curative compounds found in mushrooms, and several other biotech researchers at A&T are now engaged in mushroom research that could have applications as functional foods and supplements for humans or livestock.

Recipients of Faculty Innovators Awards this year include (seated, l-r) Matthew Sharpe, Vishnu Sarma Avva, Kunigal Shivakumar, Marwan Bikdash, Mohamed Ahmedna, Felix Abali and Vendetta Knight. Standing are Shyam Argade, Shamsuddin Ilias, Earnestine Psalmonds (vice chancellor for research), Miles Talbert, Mannur Sundaresan, John Allen and Vernotto McMillan (manager of technology transfer at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, keynote speaker).

Dr. Omon S. Isikhuemhen


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“Nutty” IdeaDr. Mohamed Ahmedna, a food scientist with a fl air for fi nding new uses for agricul-tural byproducts, is developing a process for converting pecan shells into activated carbon adsorbents for removing chemical or petroleum contaminants from drinking water. He has been awarded a $299,870 grant from the U.S. Department of Agricul-ture to develop the technique and to build a prototype well fi lter.

The new adsorbent would be virtually identical to the substance used in existing well or countertop water fi lters, but would have several major advantages. Unlike present adsorbents, which are derived from coal or petroleum, the product would make use of a renewable resource. It also would do a better job because it can be manufactured to target specifi c cleanup tasks. In addition, it would save consumers money.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly one million Americans become sick each year from drink-ing contaminated water. Pesticides, herbicides and other con-taminants such as heavy metals, nitrites and volatile organics are common culprits.

Though Ahmedna is focusing on pecans because of their ready availability in North Carolina, the technology could easily be adapted for hard nutshells of any kind. It even could be refi ned further to make use of soybean hulls, peanut shells or other car-bon-based agricultural byproducts.

Other N.C. A&T faculty collaborating on the project are Dr. Ipek Goktepe, an environmental toxicologist; Dr. Shamsuddin Ilias, a chemical engineer; Dr. Kofi Adu-Nyako, an economist, and Dr. Jimo Ibrahim, a cooperative extension specialist. n

Dr. Mohamed Ahmedna

A&TRESEARCH



with that. I sign on, I support and I vote. Whatever I can do to support A&T and the other black institutions, I try to make sure that I do it.”

A&T’s newest member of the General Assembly is equally steadfast. Bell, a member of the university ’s class of 1961, is just completing his fi rst term repre-senting District 97 in Duplin, Sampson and Wayne counties. “I’m a proud Aggie,” he says. “I think everyone who knows me understands that.”

Along with other members who have stud-ied at A&T or earned graduate degrees from the institution, these representa-tives are fi lling the Statehouse with Aggie Pride.

“There is some kind of bond between Aggies and I think that’s different from any other university I’ve seen,” Bell says. “If you fi nd out a person is from A&T, then you are no longer strangers.”

That has been true for Bell and Earle, Majority Whip and chair of the Appropri-ations Committee for Health and Human Services, which oversees the second larg-est budget in state government. She says she has enjoyed having newcomer Bell as her seatmate. “We’ve become great friends and he has an awful lot to offer. He has a great future

Although the Aggies representing Guil-ford County in the N.C. General Assem-bly have rightfully taken the lead in sup-porting North Carolina A&T State Uni-versity, they have not been alone.

Reps. Larry Bell and Beverly Earle, seat-mates in the Statehouse, and Rep. Arlie Culp, a non-traditional Aggie from way back, also are indebted to the institu-tion.

Over the years, when Reps. Alma Adams and Flossie Boyd-McIntyre and Sen. Bill Martin needed backing for one or another A&T initiative, some sources of support have been steady. Earle gives them props for their leadership and stands fi rmly behind them.

“They tend to want to be the ones that lead,” Earle said. “I don’t have a problem

Aggie Pride fuels legislative leadership

Beverly Earle

here,” she says. “Maybe along the way we can come upon a few other Aggies to put there.”

A native of Sampson County who retired as the county ’s superintendent of schools, Bell gives A&T much of the credit for pointing him toward success.

“When I went to A&T in 1957, I was a country boy from a rural area who didn’t know very much about a whole lot of things,” he says. His experience at A&T launched a life-time of learning for Bell, who later earned a master’s degree from A&T and a doc-torate from East Carolina University.

Before leading him to the Legislature, Bell’s desire to make a difference led him to become a Sampson County commis-sioner.

“I probably was the only superintendent of schools and county commissioner who held those positions simultaneously in North Carolina. Most people would look at it as a confl ict of interest, but the Attorney General did not view it that way,” he says. “It was busy, but one of the goals of the board of education was to have better communication with the commissioners, so I fi t the bill perfectly.”

His interest in education also fi ts with his work in the General Assembly, where he serves on several committees, including Educational Appropriations, Judiciary III,

In the Fall 2002 edition of A&T Today, we highlighted three state legislators who reside in Guilford County. This article focuses on the three other Aggies in the Statehouse.By Joya Wesley

Larry Bell


Mental Health, State Personnel and Agri-culture, for which he serves as vice chair-man.

“By serving on those committees I get a birds eye view of almost everything going on in the General Assembly,” he says. “It works me very hard, but I am learning.”

Earle, a Greensboro native, fi rst enrolled at A&T in 1961. She went back in 1971 to continue working toward a degree in social work, as she also began a career with BellSouth.

“The closer I got to graduation, the more I realized that I could not leave Bell-South,” she recalls. “Strangely enough, the committee that I chair is the closest that I have ever come to working with social service issues.” Earle, who relocated to Charlotte in 1977 and retired from BellSouth three years ago, is completing her fourth term repre-senting District 60 in Iredell and Meck-lenburg counties. Running unopposed, she is poised to begin a fi fth term.

Her political career got its start in 1985 when she worked on the campaign of another Aggie, then-Charlotte Council-man Steve Majid.

Long before then, Earle believes A&T laid the groundwork.

“You don’t always realize what the future is going to bring, but A&T helped mold me into the type person that I am now. I care about people but I feel that, at the same time, I know how to work with people. This is something that you learn during your college years.”

It’s important to her that future North Carolina students can enjoy what A&T offers.

“Just having the good black college expe-rience is always an advantage to young people. You have instructors there who take you under their wing,” she says. “They pass on their values to the stu-dents.”

Culp, who earned a plant science degree from the School of Agriculture in 1976, also remembers professors taking time to help him.

A 1960 graduate of Catawba College, he worked 15 years in soil conservation with the USDA before he enrolled at A&T.“I had never had any soil courses,” Culp says. “I had to work and go (to school) at night and on Saturdays and I fi nally made it through.”

Culp, who has served seven terms repre-senting District 30 in Chatham, Guilford and Randolph counties, had an atypical A&T experience.

“It was kind of unusual … in some classes there were only about two of us,” he says. “I was pretty near 50 when I got through.”

Don’t expect to see Culp at Homecom-ing, but even he believes in A&T’s future.

“I see A&T staying right up there at the forefront,” he says. “It certainly has attracted people like myself who can go there while they ’re working. It provides a good alternative for education.”

For Bell, whose son Larry Bell Jr. is fi rst in a long list of relatives who also are Aggies, Homecoming is a family affair. He is look-ing forward to seeing more growth at A&T - growth like he has seen at univer-sities in his area, including UNC-Wilm-ington and East Carolina University, over the years since he graduated.

“A&T has not grown in comparison to them, so I feel like there must be a dis-parity,” Bell says. “I feel that as a member of the Educational Appropriations Com-mittee I can do something about that dis-parity.”

Bell also hopes A&T will be a leader in eliminating the achievement gap and in pioneering agricultural alternatives to tobacco and new sources of food for developing nations.

“Those are some things I would like to see us get involved in and I would like

to see the Legislature provide more funds for those kinds of issues. I also have tried to make myself available for A&T pro-fessors whenever they are trying to get funds for research.”“A&T is the largest of the black institu-tions and I think that it probably has the most promising future,” Earle says, “but I think all of them do as long as we sup-port them.”

Earle also would like to see more A&T students serve as interns in the General Assembly.

State government provides a wealth of opportunities, even for Earle, who recently returned from a mission to Taiwan. It was her second time traveling

Arlie Culp

there, and she was the only woman and the only black representative Taiwan invited. “It was a great opportunity for me to have been invited,” she says, adding that it was an inspiration for her to continue giving back. “I want to make sure that I repre-sent everybody well.”

“I am very, very proud to be associated with A&T,” Earle added. “I look forward to working and doing everything that I can possibly do to help the university grow and prosper and to give to young people the opportunities that I feel it gave to me.” n

FeatureStory

By Laurie Gengenbach

The School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is spurring a revival of small-scale hog farming in eastern North Carolina, in a program designed to benefi t hurting tobacco farmers, support sustainable agriculture, and put the fl avor back into pork.

Designed by Dr. Charles Talbott with funding from the Golden LEAF Foundation, the project is connecting 10 farmers a year for three years with a growing niche market for premium pork. The foundation granted the program $250,000 in 2001 and $225,000 in its latest round of grant making. Participating farmers reside in Nash, Edgecombe, Bladen, Duplin, Johnston and Sampson counties.

Talbott and others running the program expect it to build credibility for small-

scale hog farming in a state that has seen the factory-

like confi nement industry become the standard. As it stands,

banks are leery of loaning money for small-scale ventures, having seen so many go

under in recent years. Concerns about water quality, meanwhile, have prompted a moratorium on permits to farms producing more than 250 hogs per year, which means small farms are limited in how much they can grow.

“We’re hoping to establish a nucleus of farmers and gather enough data that a prospective farmer could take to a bank to show how this can be done,” said Mike Jones, program coordinator. The reports from the fi eld

turn to a more delectable dinero.

It’s a small-scale

might also convince regulators that a modest increase in the 250-hog limit would be reasonable, he added.

The linchpin of the project is the buyer, Niman Ranch, a national label of premium, antibiotic- and hormone-free meats from old-fashioned breeds raised according to Animal Welfare Institute guidelines. The tasty, marbled pork that Niman contractors grow in North Carolina and other regions is earning rave reviews from chefs and “foodies,” or other consumers willing to pay a higher price to support the causes of animal welfare and conservation. Whole Foods,

which has locations in Winston-Salem and the Triangle, is a Niman buyer, as is the nationally renowned Magnolia Grill in Durham.

“I can take a pork roast, cook it to medium, and it is incredibly moist and succulent,” says chef and owner Ben Barker, of the Niman-grown meat. “I can even reheat it and it will have the same

succulent juiciness the second day, which is impossible with commercially produced pork.”

Unlike the confi nement industry that caters to consumer demand for low-fat meat and maximizes production by raising hogs indoors, small-scale farmers raise hardy breeds outdoors and practice traditional animal husbandry. The animals root, wallow and furrow where they see fi t, or take shelter from the elements in the squat Quonset huts that dot their enclosures. They ’re fatter and grow slower than those raised in

confi nement systems, but are more disease resistant and require less hands-on care.

Waste lagoons, which have proven to be the bane of the confi nement industry, are not needed because the smallness of the herds insures the land can support the waste. Many farmers use the sustainable practice of growing crops on last year’s pasture.

Such practices used to be the norm in eastern North Carolina, before pork prices plummeted, driving small hog farmers out of business. The late 1990s brought the death knell for these mom and pop operations, when prices hit an all-time low of 10 cents per pound. The breakeven point for a hog farmer is 35 to 40 cents per pound. Niman safeguards the integrity of its label by ensuring its farmers stay in business. It pays them a six-cent premium over and above the day ’s national average commodity price, or 40 cents per pound, whichever is highest.

Those selected for the program often have had some experience raising hogs, and have been forced to quit or cut back on raising tobacco. Such was the case with Hollie Brown of Duplin County, who has seen his government allotment for tobacco cut in half over the past fi ve years. He entered the program this past Thanksgiving, and now has almost 100 pigs. Brown says he has “four or fi ve friends” who are eager to get into the business and he plans to help them.

“The meat tastes so much better. I think that’s going to make the difference for the small producer,” he said.

In an unforeseen bonus, the program is serving as a glue to strengthen a rural community that has been hit hard by the decline of tobacco, Jones observed.

“These are traditional farmers,” he said. “They go to church together, they borrow each other’s equipment, and when one needs help, they pitch in. In many ways they are living the lifestyle that was much more common in eastern North Carolina 50 years ago.”

Biological diversity and safeguarding national food security are other key issues the project addresses, says Talbott.

“In less than two generations, Americans have basically forgotten the important relationship that crops and animals formerly held in sustaining total farm productivity and profi tability,” he said. “We have essentially replaced dynamic farming systems with megalopolis size animal units and bio-diversity with mono-culture. In moving from an agrarian, rural society, we endanger our national food security by losing the knowledge base of farmers who understand such things as the complete biological cycle of the sow, and how to raise a piglet to a market hog.” n


Mike Jones

Duplin County farmer and N.C. A&T alumnus Hollie Brown, left, talks about his pigs to Elizer MacLean, a research techician at A&T’s swine unit. Brown entered Dr. Charles Talbott’s small-scale hog program last Thanksgiving and now has almost 100 pigs. Talbott, with grant funds from the Golden LEAF Foundation, is connecting 10 farmers a year for three years with a growing niche for premium pork.

Charles Talbott

AlumniAggiePride

It’s

Show

Time!Alumni, gear up for reunions – May 9-10, 2003 – starring classes ending in 3 and 8

By Harriet Frink Davis ’75, ’89MS

The North Carolina A&T Alumni Association and the Offi ce of Alumni Affairs are gearing up for what is slated to be the most star-studded event in the history of the university.

Alumni, your alma mater looks forward to offering you excite-ment, enrichment and an opportunity for you to give back to your university during this magnifi cent weekend. This will be a time to connect, discover, celebrate and donate.

COME AND WITNESS the tremendous construction and ren-ovations taking place throughout the campus.

TAKE A TOUR and visit the amazing February One Monument of the “A&T Four” located in front of the Dudley Building. Pause for a while, read the inscription and take pictures. Pass the baton within your immediate “Aggie” family. Tell them about these four courageous young students who ignited a national civil rights protest that led to the demise of segregated facilities.

As you leave the monument, go inside the newly renovated Dudley Building. Named for the university ’s second president, it is the oldest building on campus. As you enter, marvel at the splendor of the Mattye Reed African Heritage Center and the H.C. Taylor Art Gallery. Keep the “Aggie” legacy alive by extolling these amenities from generation to generation.

EXPAND YOUR MINDS when you see the new facilities for the School of Business and Economics and the College of Arts and Sciences.

SEE Bryan Alumni House for the last time before demolition. Help us move from good to great as we make plans to build

a bigger and better alumni facility. Invest now by staking your claim on the purchase of furniture, meeting rooms, naming opportunities, equipment, etc.

VISIT the newly renovated Memorial Student Union. STOP by the “Aggie Sit-In” diner and relax a while in the courtyard. While you’re in the Union, sneak a peak at Stallings Ballroom, where the Saturday Night Alumni Awards Banquet will be held.

EMBRACE “From Generation to Generation: The Campaign for North Carolina A&T.” Charity begins at home, so please come to your reunion bearing monetary gifts to contribute to the $100 million capital campaign. More importantly, let’s see which class will leave its “star” on the A&T star-studded class reunion walk of fame during the weekend.

For those of you participating in the 2003 Class Reunion who do not have access to our web page, here is all you need to do.

The Greensboro Downtown Marriott is the headquarters hotel. Call (336) 379-8000 or 1-800-228-9290, and ask for Ann Allen to make your reservation today. A block of rooms has been reserved and the special rate is $89 plus tax. The deadline for reservations at this rate is April 17.

You are urged to pre-register for the weekend in order to receive information and souvenir packets and to gain admission to the Annual Awards Banquet. The pre-registration fee is $55, and the deadline is to pre-register is April 30. After this date, the registration fee will be $60. Make your check payable to the N.C. A&T Alumni Association and mail it to the Offi ce of Alumni Affairs, 1606 Salem St., Greensboro, N.C. 27411.

The registration desk, located on the second fl oor of the Mar-riott, will be open from 12- 7 p.m. Friday, May 9. The Alumni Annual Meeting will be held in the Virginia Room at 6p.m.

Commencement ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 10, at the Greensboro Coliseum. Transportation to the event will be provided by the Class of ’53 (Golden Anniversary). A shuttle will depart from the front of the Marriott at 7 a.m. and it will return to the Marriott immediately following commencement.

The star-studded Annual Alumni Awards Banquet will be held Saturday, May 10, in Stallings Ballroom on the campus. The event begin will begin at 6 p.m.

It’s show time! So join us for another opportunity to REMINISCE, REUNITE and REPLENISH!

Visit our website at www.ncat.edu/~alumni. n


AlumniAggiePride

Aggies on the MoveFormer North Carolina A&T football and track standout Erbil Barkley ’56 was named as one of seven 2001 induct-ees into the Buddy LaRosa High School Sports Hall of Fame. Barkley, a member of the Central High School Class of 1952, was a two-time all-city running back and an Ohio state prep track champion. Bar-kley rushed for over 1,000 yards both his junior and senior seasons, twice earning All-City honors. He also was the starting halfback for the winning south team in the Ohio NorthSouth All-Star game. Bar-kley starred in both football and track at N.C. A&T, where he was a four-year starter. He was inducted into the N.C. A&T Hall of Fame in 1995.

A&T Sports Hall of Famer (1980) and retired Houston Oilers defensive end Elvin Bethea ’68 has been named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Bethea was drafted out of A&T by the Oilers during the third round of the 1968 NFL draft. Although he was drafted as an offensive lineman, for 16 years he played defensive end in 205 regular season games and four playoffs. Bethea has chosen his A&T football coach, Hornsby Howell, to pres-ent his award at the induction ceremony on Aug. 3.

Ayana K. Browne ’97 is a product engineer/integrated product team leader at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Conn.

Chuck Burch ’82, direc-tor of the Western Region-N.C. A&T State University Alumni Association, has formed a fi nancial planning and account-ing practice based in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas, area. Burch is now president of the Burch Financial Group, offering personal and business fi nancial planning, income tax preparation and planning, account-

ing and business development services to clients throughout the country. He is a certifi ed public accountant and certifi ed fi nancial planner licensed to sell insur-ance and mutual fund products.

The North Carolina Board of Commu-nity Colleges recognized Phyllis Cavi-ness, R.N., B.S.N, M.Ed. ’78 for her contri-butions to the community college system during its annual recognition luncheon last fall. Caviness, associate’s degree nurs-ing instructor, received the 2001 Excel-lence in Teaching Award. In addition to teaching at Richmond Community College, Caviness serves as the nursing supervisor of a 104-bed long-term care facility in Cheraw, S.C. She resides in Ellerbe, N.C.

Aldon Coefi eld ’59 was inducted into the Barber-Scotia College Hall of Fame in August 2002. Coefi eld served as direc-tor of athletics, head basketball coach and chair of the health and physical educa-tion department at the college from 1963 to 1979. Coefi eld is also a member of the N.C. A&T State University Sports Hall of Fame (1984). A native of Kin-ston, N.C., he resides in Concord, N.C.

Iris Carlton-LaNey, Ph.D. ’72 has received the 2003 Distinguished Recent Contribu-tions in Social Work Education Award from the Council on Social Work Edu-cation. Carlton-LaNey is a professor in the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina. She has pub-lished over two dozen articles in scholarly journals, has served as guest editor for sev-eral nationally distrib-uted journals and has edited three books. A native of Warsaw, N.C., Carlton-LaNey was inducted into the N.C. A&T State

University Department of Sociology/Social Work Hall of Fame in 1998.

Clarence L. Fisher ’69 has been honored for his work with the homeless in Gas-tonia, N.C. The city ’s mayor presented Fisher with an engraved skillet for initiat-ing a program with 10 local churches that has fed 30,000 breakfasts to homeless cit-izens since January 2001.

Retired N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry E. Frye Sr. ’53 of Greensboro was one of two 2002 recipients of the Univer-sity Award, the highest honor given by the Board of Governors of the 16-campus University of North Carolina. The awards recognize illustrious service to higher education in North Carolina. Frye was honored for his lifelong efforts to expand educational and economic opportunities for North Carolinians from all walks of life.

Anthony Fox ’77 has been appointed by North Carolina Governor Michael F. Easley to serve as a member of the North Carolina Banking Commission. The Com-mission supervises, directs and reviews all actions of the Commissioner of Banks. Fox, a partner in the governmental and regulatory group of Parker, Poe, Adams & Bernstein L.L.P., is serving a four-year term that expires March 31, 2006.

The late Jack H. Gibson ’52 was inducted posthumously into the Summit County (Ohio) Sports Hall of Fame in October 2002. Gibson was a football standout at Garfi eld High School in Akron, Ohio, and at N.C. A&T, where he earned four letters and All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association honors. He was inducted into the N.C. A&T Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.

Shannon A. Godfrey ’96 competed for $50,000 on the national television show “Fear Factor.” The 90-minute special epi-sode aired Nov. 5, 2002, on NBC.



AlumniAggiePride

John Guy ’73 is director of pro personnel for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. Guy has coached at the college and NFL level.

J.M. “Jackie” Jackson ’94, a computer network specialist at Capital One, won her bid for city council in Richmond, Va., last November.

Sharon E. Jacobs ’96, a sixth-grade math and science teacher in the Guilford County (N.C.) School System, was one of 35 teachers from the United States chosen to participate in the British Amer-ican School Partnership pilot teacher exchange program during the 2001-2002 school year. The program is part of the Visiting International Faculty program based in Chapel Hill, N.C. Jacobs taught at Pebsham Primary School in East Sussex, England. While in England, she was pre-sented the Cultural Ambassador of the Year award.

Donna James ’79, executive vice pres-ident and chief administrative offi cer of Nationwide, was one of 50 outstand-ing American women business leaders selected to join their counterparts from Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and northwest Russia at the Helsinki Women Business Leaders Summit, Sept. 25-27, 2002, in Helsinki, Finland. The summit provided an opportunity for the partic-ipants to exchange business practices, build management skills and develop business partnerships among Baltic Rim, American and Russian business leaders. U.S. Ambassador to Finland Bonnie McElveen-Hunter hosted the summit along with the U.S. Embassies in Lithu-ania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia. James participated in a panel discussion about developing a personal brand.

Charles M. Jones ’52 has accepted the U.S. Dept. of Defense’s honorary appoint-ment of residency in the historical Sol-diers and Airmen’s Home in Washing-ton, D.C. His selection was based on dis-tinguished military service during World War II and the Korean, Vietnam and Desert Storm wars.

Alfonzo King ’56 is mayor of Goldsboro, N.C. He is the city ’s fi rst black mayor.

William Lash is a member of the Lock-heed Martin Washington Metropolitan Area Management and Data Systems Engineering Leadership Development Program (ELDP) Class of 2004. His rota-tional interests include software testing and web development. Last November, Lash coordinated an event that served Thanksgiving dinner to homeless people. Lash has a B.S. degree in computer sci-ence from N.C. A&T.

Tanya S. Martin ’99 is assistant director of Doorways, Inc., an Atlanta-based com-pany that sponsors The National Histori-cally Black College and University Fair.

A Greenville, N.C., garden park has been named in honor of Beatrice Carr Jones Maye ’37. The delta-shaped park is located on Farmville Blvd. near East Carolina University. Maye is also the 2002 recipient of the Sheppard Memorial Library John G. Clark Jr. Memorial Award. The award is given annually to a commu-nity person in the community who has shown outstanding accomplishment in reading or the encouragement of reading. Maye is a retired librarian who remains very active in her church and commu-nity.

Col. Chaplain Clarke L. McGriff ’77 is senior chaplain for the U.S. Army ’s 19th Theater Support Command. McGriff supervises religious support for over 20 units that provide service to 40,000+ mil-itary and civilian personnel in the Repub-lic of South Korea.

Last year, former North Carolina state senator Henry McKoy ’68 accepted an appointment from President George W. Bush to the U.S. Peace Corps to serve as regional director for the continent of Africa. As one of four regional directors, he oversees the Peace Corps’ work in 25 countries. A Republican, McCoy has served as a senior executive for two North Carolina governors, Jim Hunt (1978-1984) and Jim Martin (1984-1993). Former Pres-ident William Clinton appointed McKoy to the African Development Foundation, 1996-2002.

Johnny E. Sigers ’99, a commercial sales engineer, was awarded the Piedmont Natural Gas Company Regional Outstanding Sales Engineer of the Year in Commercial Gas for 2001. The award includes three states: North Caro-lina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Sigers resides in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Vincent T. Snipes, Ph.D. ’91 is dean of the School of Mathematics and Science at Livingstone College.

Retired Lt. Col. Argarita Stewart ’76 was featured in articles in Pulse, a nurse’s magazine published by the Atlanta Jour-nal-Constitution and in Dekalb Neigh-bor, a local newspaper in Dekalb County, Ga. The articles highlight her patriotic services as an Army Reserve nurse in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. She currently works as a regis-tered nurse/staff nurse in the postpar-tum unit at Rockdale Hospital in Cony-ers, Ga.

Ryan L. Urquhart ’96, ’98MS has gradu-ated with a Ph.D. in industrial and system engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. n



AlumniAggiePride

G reensboro’s quality of life shot straight to the top when “The Greatest Homecoming on Earth” hit North Carolina

Agricultural and Technical State University, Oct. 6-13.

N.C. A&T presented eight, power-packed days of food, fun and fes-tivities. Over 40,000 people piled to Homecoming 2002 and left more

than $9.3 million for our local economy.

Homecoming included a block party, pep rally, basketball tournament, fashion show, Founders Day, comedy connection, coronation, step-

show, distance learning workshop, entrepreneurship class, golf, tennis, bowling, parade, football, hip-hop convention, dances, worship services,

concert, and gospel show. Special attractions featured Ricky Smiley, the Tuskegee Airmen, H.C. Taylor Art Gallery, Mattye Reed African Heritage Gallery, February One Monument, Aggie Pride Mural, The Isley Brothers, Stephanie Mills, Ludacris, Mystikal, Men of Standard, LaJune Thompson, and Sold Out. Aggies celebrated the historic, record-breaking 2002 fall enrollment with 9,074 students. Homecoming showed off a brand new campus with new construction and renovations. We were elated our Motorsports Technology Program, led by Dr. Marcus Tillery and Dr. David Klett, was featured on the “NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw.” We were overjoyed to reach a milestone when A&T, along with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation and fi ve other universities received a landmark NASA contract. And we were impressed Chancellor James Carmichael Renick was chosen by President George W. Bush to serve on the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. But the spirit of Aggie Homecoming was best seen when soul food connoisseurs

eagerly taste-tested mouth-watering delicacies by tailgaters. Like Ms. Dee Dee’s jamba-laya grits; Sheila McCauley’s fresh-picked collard greens; Kay Brandon’s macaroni and cheese; Jim Pender’s smoked turkey; Obrie Smith’s barbecued beans; Aldon Coefi eld’s potato patties; and Deborah Harris’ Aggie fried chicken and marinated coleslaw. It was Aggie Pride that brought Dr. John Kelly Sr. and Mrs. Joan Kelly to Saturday’s football game to celebrate Homecoming 2002 and their 50th wedding anniversary.

Aggie Pride motivated Rev. Van McDonald to stir up 170 pounds of chitterlings, 100 pounds of fried fi sh, and 70 pounds of barbecued ribs. Aggie Pride pushed alumni band members Chauncey and Zenobia Walker, Jesse Barnes and Ronald Cooper to march in the three-hour parade for 26 consecutive years. Aggie Pride moved Eva “Fever” Foster to pledge $10,000 toward A&T’s $100 million capital campaign in memory of her father, Rev. J.O. Foster, A&T’s fi rst quarterback in 1902.

Aggies came from across the country and around the world. There were blue and gold fl oats, blue and gold cars, blue and gold trucks, blue and gold suits, blue and gold dresses, blue and gold shoes, blue & gold nails, blue and gold toes, and of even blue and gold hair.

So watch out Greensboro. Aggie Homecoming just gets bigger and better each year. Some futurists have mentioned a possible river for Greensboro.

Don’t be surprised if blue and gold yachts end up at an upcoming Aggie Homecoming! n

By Mable Springfi eld Scott ‘99 MS


AlumniAggiePride


Willie A. Deese ’77 has a very basic philosophy when it comes to life, “Play to win!”

Deese says that if he is going to expend energy, he’d rather win than lose. And for Deese, winning isn’t a problem.

Even as a business administration major at A&T, Deese set his goals high. During his junior year, he became a co-op student and com-pleted an assignment with Digital Equipment Corporation in Spring-fi eld, Mass. He credits the co-op experience as a turning point in his professional life.

“A&T prepared me for the opportu-nities that came my way,” he said. “After fi nishing my co-op I knew that I wanted to run a manufactur-ing site for a large company.”

Upon graduating, Deese began working for Digital Equipment. And by the late 1980s, his goal of becom-ing a site manager was realized. From that point on, Deese’s game has led him to the top.

Those who have followed Deese professionally over the years are inclined to think that his career has been one long winning streak. In 1992, Deese was recruited to join SmithKline Beecham as director of purchasing for the Clini-cal Laboratory Division in Philadelphia, Pa. He launched a series of initiatives that transformed the way procurement was executed in the lab testing industry.

Within four years, Kaiser Permanente, the world’s largest integrated health maintenance organization, recruited Deese as vice president of national purchasing. This became an opportunity for him to change the way procure-ment was managed within the HMO industry.

In 2001, Deese was named senior vice president of global procurement for GlaxoSmithKline, the new, $32 billion company formed from the merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. It is the world’s second largest phar-maceutical company.

Deese manages the acquisition of $14 billion of goods and services all around the globe. His task is fairly straightforward: lead and manage 1,600 people, buy well, deliver great quality and service, and save over $1 billion in the fi rst three years of the merger. Deese and his team exceeded the goal one year early and now they have set new, more aggressive targets. His recipe for winning is to set aggressive targets, then beat them. His responsibilities were recently expanded to include global logistics and external manu-facturing.

In the book titled The Purchasing Machine, published in 2001, Deese is identifi ed as one of the “Top 10 Procurement Leaders” in the world, and he is cited as a “charismatic leader who would shine anywhere he landed.”

After nearly 30 years of winning in the professional arena, Deese recog-nizes the importance of giving back to the university that prepared him for his future. He has established an endowed scholarship to support

students in the School of Business and Economics, and he is naming a room in the new Alumni Center.

“I believe A&T’s $100 million capital campaign is an impor-tant strategic initiative that all Aggies should be making the sacrifi ce to support,” he said.

Deese has been married to the former Carol Chalmers for 24 years. They have one son, Brandon, a sophomore at New York University. The Davidson, N.C., native now calls Chapel Hill, N.C., home.

Danya Bacchus is a junior, electronic media major at N.C. A&T. She is a practicum student in the University Relations Offi ce.

Playing for SuccessBy Danya Bacchus

Willie A. Deese ‘77

AlumniAggiePride

A premonition can sometimes become reality.

In 1986, upon hearing that Cynthia Williams Turner was going to pursue a college degree in business, her former high school chorus teacher Almina Taylor’s words were, “One day you will return to music.”

Last year, Taylor’s prediction came to fruition. Turner, an accounting professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, debuted her con-temporary urban gospel CD, Just Because, with her hus-band, professional jazz guitarist and bassist Kevin Turner. The 10-cut CD was written and produced by the Turners on their new gospel label, SeeSon Records/Marina Park Music, and can be heard on radio stations across the country.

The CD features Cynthia Turner and Heartspeak, a contem-porary gospel ensemble. All eight ensemble members have a Central Illinois connection.

“The name Heartspeak was inspired by Luke 6:45,” said Turner. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good … for (out) of the abun-dance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

Turner’s exposure to the world of music began when she was a youngster growing up in Portsmouth, Va. Being a preacher’s kid, she grew up singing in the choir and playing the piano. She also sang in her elementary and high school chorus.

When Turner came to A&T in 1986, she continued to display her musical talents while keeping her primary focus on academics. She found the time to sing with the A&T Fellow-ship Gospel Choir and Jazz Ensemble.

Dr. William Smiley conducted her solo performances with the A&T Jazz Ensemble. Smiley, who currently teaches the history of jazz at A&T, recalls Turner as someone with a beautiful voice.

“Cynthia reminded me of Sarah Vaughn,” said Smiley. “She had a lot of musical skills. She could play the piano and sing.”

During Turner’s sophomore year, she performed with the late legend Lionel Hampton when he visited the campus.

It was under the leadership of Jimmy Thomas and Ron Jones, musical directors of A&T’s Gospel Choir that Turner learned about the essence of music ministry.

“Their focus in their teaching was primar-ily on the effective musical delivery of the song’s message, and not the song’s mes-senger,” said 34-year-old Turner. “Such an ideal has stayed with me to this day.”

After graduating with a degree in accounting and a 4.0. GPA, Turner attended Ohio State University, where she was the fi rst African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in accounting.

It was Turner’s soul mate Kevin’s idea to produce the CD. Kevin has recorded with a variety of artists including Ray Charles and most recently Destiny’s Child.

Cynthia was comfortable in directing her local church choir, but her husband thought that with the evolution of con-temporary gospel music and the embrac-

ing of gospel artists such as Kirk Franklin, there was a place for his wife in music industry.

This proved to be true. Today, radio announcers are refer-ring to Cynthia as Lady Kirk Franklin because of the solo “talking” she does on the CD.

The CD project was a two-year journey for the Turners. They both feel that God wanted them to create the musical piece.

“Since working together our relationship has elevated to another level,” Turner said. “We have learned more about patience, understanding, communication and trust of each other’s musical judgments and instincts.”

The Turners recently taped a performance on the “Bobby Jones Gospel Show,” and they are receiving rave reviews for Just Because.

The video for “There’s Not Another” currently is being played on “Benny Moore’s Video Gospel Countdown.” Audio snippets and information about the CD can be heard on the Turner’s website, www.marinaparkmusic.com.

When Turner was asked the question how do you manage being a college professor, wife, mother and performer?

“God blessed me with a husband, children (Julien and Justen), parents, siblings and friends who unselfi shly give of themselves to see that I successfully accomplish those tasks put before me,” Turner said.

She is fi nally letting her musical talents shine.

Her heart speaks musicBy Nettie Collins Rowland ’72, ’95MS


Cynthia Turner ’90 (center) and the urban gospel group Heartspeak

AlumniAggiePride


“Acting wasn’t always what I wanted to do. I actually stumbled upon it,” says Rain-oldo Gooding, a N.C. A&T grad-uate and actor in the 2002 motion picture drama, “Antwone Fisher.”

Gooding could actually give his father some credit for instigat-ing the stumble. In 1993, during his “second senior year” at A&T, Gooding wanted to “become a super music producer like Dr. Dre and DJ Premier.” Con-cerned about his son’s lack of job prospects as graduation day grew near, Gooding’s father sug-gested he sign up with a local talent agent.

Before long, Gooding booked his fi rst commercial – an ad for Belk Department Store. Then came commercials for McDon-ald’s, Nike, And 1, Napa, Pic-n-Pay and Duke Power. He found the work fun, challenging and rewarding.

In 1996, Gooding’s father prod-ded again by asking about his son’s next career move. That’s when Gooding decided to move to Hollywood.

“I arrived in Los Angeles not knowing anyone and not having any idea about what I was going to do. The excite-ment of being (in L.A.) is what kept my adrenaline fl owing.”

After fi nding an agent, the actor got work on “Moesha,” “Brooklyn South,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Charmed,” “Martial Law,” two Movies of the Week (“To Serve and Protect,” starring Craig T. Nelson, and “Miracle in the Woods,” starring Della Reese), and a pilot for MTV (“Camp P,” starring Master P).

In the meantime, Gooding’s agent called about an audition for a pretty big project. When Gooding fi nished the audi-tion, the casting director told him to read the script and return the next day to audition for Denzel.

“I remember thinking, ‘Denzel! I only know of one Denzel.”

The rest is history. Gooding won the role of Grayson in “Antwone Fisher,” which is two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington’s directorial debut.

“During fi lming I had an opportunity to talk to the real Antwone Fisher,” said Good-ing, “and he told me that he fi rst wrote the script for the movie in 1995.

“It occurred to me that God had made preparations for me even before I arrived in L.A. Before then, I couldn’t see a lot of things that God was doing and sometimes I got frustrated. But He already had planted the seeds.”

For example, Gooding’s niece suggested he go on the televi-sion show “Moesha” because it was one of her favorites. Just happened that his neigh-bor’s brother had been a writer

for the show, so that was a connection.

Gooding said he met Washington for the fi rst time in 1996, not an audition but at a church service. After some prod-ding by his grandmother, Gooding fi nally visited a church. Arriving late, he was forced to take a seat at the front of the church, which – unbeknownst to him – was beside Washington and his wife Pauletta.

And, before he received the role of Grayson, Gooding applied for a “real job” as a counselor at a youth home.

“Nothing is by chance,” Gooding said. “I feel very fortu-nate.”

Rainoldo Gooding is a native of Charlotte, N.C., where he attended West Charlotte High School. He is the son of Ray “Rockin’ Ray” Gooding and the late Patty Ann Jones.

Kismet and determination land Gooding in “Antwone Fisher”“A&T has been such an important part of my personal development. I didn’t realize

then that the study habits I developed would be a resource that I would use daily in my professional life.” - Rainoldo Gooding ’93

Actors Rainoldo Gooding ’93 (left) and Derek Luke on the set of the movie “Antwone Fisher.”

AlumniAggiePride

Booknotes


Battling the Killer WithinBy Thomas A. Farrington ’66 Old Mountain Press, Inc., 220 pp, paperback.

Men are in a raging battle with prostate cancer. Each year, nearly 200,000 men in the United States alone are diagnosed with this disease and more than 40,000 lose the

battle. With each diagnosis, says the author, comes a sense of fear and hopelessness that must be overcome in order to select the proper treatment.

Battling the Killer Within is an account of information technol-ogy entrepreneur and cancer survivor Thomas A. Farrington’s experiences along with 19 other men who were in treatment with him as they faced prostate cancer. The author also provides information that could help men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer better understand the importance of knowing their options. In addition to his book, Farrington has kicked off a campaign to educate men about prostate cancer that includes a system by which men can assess their own cancer risk in conjunction with interactive workshops. For more information, visit his website: www.battlingthekillerwithin.com.

GOD, I Ain’t Trying to Hear All That!By Ken Canion ’98 Simple Publishing, 139 pp, paperback

Aggie letterman Ken Canion depicts his col-lege and post-college experiences in this book about “keeping it real” by listening when God communicates to us. According to one

reviewer, “Those that are affi liated with any Historically Black College or University can relate to the book’s opening, which is fi lled with humorous stories and antidotes. The rest of the book talks about relationships, fulfi lling dreams and the small busi-ness spirit. There is a compelling and thought provoking mes-sage behind this book for all those who dream.”

Refl ections of Cherished Love By Darlene Jarvis Davis ’85 Ingenuity Publishing, 358 pp, hardcover and paperback

Six contemporary black adults go through a tangle of complications to fi nd what each cherishes most. Refl ections of Cherished Love

explores the nature of different kinds of relationships offering full-blooded, true-to-life romantic portrayals. This novel illumi-nates the essence and power of cherished love between friends and lovers, and it celebrates a richness of personality and human quality common to us all.

A Question of Color By Sara Smith-Beattie ’52 Sarche Press, 381 pp, paperback

In 1875, the North Carolina constitution pro-hibited interracial marriages, punishable by imprisonment and confi scation of all prop-erty. John Morgan was white. Susan was of Indian and Black heritage. They lived together

as man and wife during a time this law was strictly enforced. Faced with persecution and viewed with disgust, all of their vic-tories and defeats – every hope and every tear – were merely a question of color.

How to Survive When You’re the Only Black in the Offi ceBy Earl H. McClenney Jr. ’64First Associates Publishing, paperback

Minorities and women want and need infor-mation that will help them survive in the workplace. This book provides a frank dis-

cussion on surviving in an organizational environment that essentially is hostile. Learn how to apply time-tested advice and survival techniques and be prepared to recognize and respond to racism, sexism and cultural biases.

Giving Away the Keys: A Pro-fessor Unlocks the Secrets to College SuccessBy Bruce R. Gibbs ’86 You Will Learn Publishing, 152 pp, paperback

College instructor Bruce Gibbs gives stu-dents the advice and edge they need to make

college successful and fun. He provides a snapshot of what col-lege life is like and how students can make the most of their col-lege experience. Topics include class attendance, grades, credit cards, studying and dating.

Even before the new North Carolina A&T State University painting was offi cially unveiled, Dr. Lucille Piggott called to

order her print.

“I worked in the Dudley Building as Dr. Dowdy ’s stenographer,” Piggott said. “When I went to the A&T Bookstore, I ended up buying the framed print of the portrait to hang in my living room.”

Piggott is a big fan of William Mangum, so when she heard he had been commissioned to do a portrait of her alma mater, she immediately called University Relations. The 1954 alumnus is a former dean of women at A&T and her late husband Bert served as athletic director and head football coach.

“This portrait means so much as I reminisce about A&T’s campus. There’s a level of serenity in the painting,” Piggott said.

The painting was unveiled to over 450 people at A&T’s 43rd Anniversary Sit-In Breakfast by Chancellor James C. Renick, Mangum and Van King, president and publisher of the News & Record. Renick presented the fi rst framed copy of the print to King in appreciation for underwriting the project.

Renick and his wife Peggy have been art connoisseurs for years. When the chancellor fi rst saw the portrait, he moved closer and closer to see details.

“I was very impressed with the way Bill Mangum captured our campus,” Renick said. “There’s so much history with the Dudley Building, the oak trees; then our new February One monument and Aggie benches. It’s simply amazing!”

Mangum was deeply honored to do the portrait and thought the chancellor’s enthusiasm for the project and reception to the original made this a rewarding experience. “Surrounded by majestic oak trees, the stately Dudley Building caught my attention,” Mangum said. “The play of light that fi l-tered below these trees erupting with springtime in their buds was the promise of a new generation that was about to gradu-ate.

“My thoughts carried me back to the day they were planted. Nearly a century has passed and countless graduates have left with fond memories and missions in their hearts to change a way of life for themselves and their nation.”

Mangum is no stranger to Aggies because of his many com-munity involvements like Carolina Preserves, which featured two Aggies in the book of essays and paintings: Dudley Prod-ucts founder Joe Dudley ’62 and former N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye ’53. It preserves the icons and history of North Carolina with refl ections from unique personalities like John Hope Franklin, James B. Hunt, Shirley Caesar, John M. Belk, Michael Jordan, Dean Smith, Julius Chambers, Richard Petty, Rick Dees and Elizabeth Dole.

The North Carolina A&T University Foundation commissioned Ernest Watson to paint Aggie Pride, which vividly illustrates stu-dent life on campus. But the university did not have a portrait highlighting one of the historic campus landmarks. Mangum has done similar college landmarks for North Carolina State University, Duke University, Wake Forest University and the Uni-versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. n


Artist William Mangum and Chancellor James Renick pose with “A portrait of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.”

By Mable Springfi eld Scott ’99MS

A Portrait Worth A

Thousand Words!



Acclaimed North Carolina artistWILLIAM MANGUM

captures the beauty and heritage of A&T in his latest portrait.

Prints may be purchased atNorth Carolina A&T State University Bookstore

www.ncatbookstore.comPrint 10”x15”/ framed 20”x 24”

Autographed print - $65 plus taxFramed autographed print - $160 plus tax

Portrait was underwritten by the News & Record.

Mixed Bag

A s I approached Corbett Gym on Jan. 10 at 9 a.m., I saw a sea of

young faces. A long procession of stu-dents emerged from the front entrance, commencing almost 150 yards away.

Why would so many students line up for hours on this cold winter morning? Refund checks!

This was the fi rst day of tuition refund check distribution, and students were busting at the seams to receive theirs. At 9 a.m. there were no less than 400 stu-dents outside Corbett Gym, and the line was consistent throughout the day. An estimated 1,500 checks were distributed that day and the week following.

If each student who received a refund donated $5, $10 or $20 to the university ’s $100 million dollar capital campaign, that could easily amount to a gross undergraduate student gift of over TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!

Donations by way of tuition refunds are not the only method of student contributions. There are numerous ways students can get involved in the cap-ital campaign fund-raising process:

l Capital campaign gym- jams;l Capital campaign mixers and formal galas;l Capital campaign benefi t concerts, andl Class donations.

North Carolina A&T stu-dents have the creativity, tenacity and social grace to turn that 20 thousand dollar gift into a $100,000

gift. It is time for the student body to become proactive, grab the campaign reins and run with them. In order for this campaign to be suc-cessful, there must be a unifi ed effort between alumni, faculty, administration and students. It is time we started to do our part.

With an abundance of student-run orga-nizations on our campus, there are many avenues to pursue fund-raisers. I implore every student that has a desire to get involved and give back to her or his uni-versity to contact any student organiza-tion and organize an event to benefi t the capital campaign.

If A&T students can raise and donate $100,000 to the capital campaign, there is no reason why the faculty and admin-istration couldn’t raise 10 times that amount. Private donations can only get us so far on our capital journey; it is up to us to get us to our destination.

Major renovations and upgrades to classrooms and laboratories, additional amenities for the athletics complex, governmental and corporate internships and fellowships, and opportunities abroad are all just a small portion of the great incentives for students once we meet our $100 million dollar goal.

We – as students – must take charge of our future and the future of Aggies to come. It is our responsibility to ensure that this university not only remains top notch, but continues to raise the bar as well. We are the students who will benefi t from an innovative interdis-ciplinary university. We are the students who graze this campus and will go on to become leading constituents in society. We are the product of our university, and we all deserve the best. With the help of students past, present and future, the best is yet to come. n

Aaron Stevenson is an A&T Teaching Fellow who is majoring in math and computer science. He is a sophomore.

The Campaign: A Student’s Perspective - Part IIBy Aaron Stevenson


For information, contact:

Offi ce of Development

N.C. A&T State University

1601 East Market Street

Greensboro, NC 27411

Phone: (336) 334-7600

FAX: (336) 334-7094

Leave a legacy for tomorrow’s students.

Giving to A&T ... A Williams Family Tradition

Mrs. Jacqueline M. Williams ’63 President, Aggie Heritage Friends Planned Giving Society

AGGIE HERITAGE FRIENDS

Non-Profi t OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDGreensboro, NC

Permit Number 47

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411www.ncat.edu

Documents

Sprockets Rockets - North Carolina A&T State Universitycampusweb.ncat.edu/publications/attoday/attodayspring03.pdf · training students for pit-crew work. The university has a racing