the voorhees voice-fall 2008

28
DR. CLEVELAND L. SELLERS, JR. INAUGURATED AS THE EIGHTH PRESIDENT

Upload: teesa-brunson

Post on 08-Mar-2016

236 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

DR. CLEVELAND L. SELLERS, JR. INAUGURATED AS THE EIGHTH PRESIDENT

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

DR. CLEVELAND L. SELLERS, JR.

INAUGURATED AS THE EIGHTH

PRESIDENT

Page 2: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008
Page 3: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

The Voorhees VOICE

Voorhees College

P.O. Box 678 ~ Denmark, S.C. 29042 ~ (803) 780-1234

PRESIDENT

Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Mr. Courtney L. Davenport

VOORHEES VOICE EDITOR/ LAYOUT AND

DESIGN

Teesa Johnson Brunson Director of Communications

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Jayme Bradford

Priscilla V. Ferrette

Cheryl D. McMichael

Sandra Rouse

Curtiss Sumner

CONTRIBUTORS

Valter Noronha, Director of Advancement Services

Dorothy Patterson, Director of Alumni Relations

Whitney Kennedy, Student

Lionnell Smith, Student

Shampale Williams, Student

Cecil Williams Photography, LLC

Unlimited Production Studio Photography

The Voorhees Voice is published for alumni, students,

faculty, staff and friends of Voorhees College. All items

may be reproduced with credit to the Voorhees Voice.

Comments or suggestions should be addressed to:

Teesa Johnson Brunson

Voorhees College

P.O. Box 678

Denmark, S.C. 29042

(803) 780-1194

[email protected]

www.voorhees.edu

Let your VOICE be heard!

In each issue, we include information on the

accomplishments of our alumni, students, fac-

ulty, staff and friends. Send story ideas and

updates to [email protected].

Miss Voorhees College 2008-2009 and

the Student Government Association

President 2008-2009 discuss goals for

the academic year.

Kendrick Wright shares his experiences

interning in Rep. James Clyburn’s office.

Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr. is inaugurated as

the eighth president of Voorhees College.

1984 graduate establishes a scholarship

for mass communication students.

Page 4: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

Miss Voorhees College 2008-2009, LaTonya Gillespie, and Student

Government Association President 2008-2009, Bryan Berry

Page 5: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

A fter meeting LaTonya Farracee Rainey

Gillespie for the first time, her intel-

lect, beauty, kindness and love for

Voorhees is immediately revealed. Gil-

lespie was officially crowned Miss Voorhees Col-

lege during Coronation on September 19, 2008.

She now carries her title as Miss Voorhees with

pride and honor.

Gillespie, a native of Atlanta, Ga., is the middle

daughter of Barry and Gwendolyn Gillespie. After

graduating from Westlake High School in 2005,

she enrolled at Voorhees as a Presidential Scholar.

“I chose Voorhees because of its strong Christian

values and quality educational programs,” said

Gillespie, who is a senior biology major.

“Voorhees has challenged me academically

throughout my matriculation.”

Gwendolyn Gillespie said she is very proud of

her daughter, and she knows she will continue on

the path of success. “LaTonya is a very bright

young lady who has always made me feel proud,”

she said. “I’m looking forward to the day when I

can refer to my daughter as Dr. Gillespie.”

LaTonya spoke highly of her achievements

while at Voorhees. During summer 2008, she in-

terned at the University of Massachusetts Medical

School, where she researched proteins and tran-

scription factors in relevance to lung cancer.

LaTonya’s educational goals are to complete her

undergraduate degree in biology and then enroll at

a medical school in hopes of becoming a pediatric

dentist.

She has not decided on a medical school to con-

tinue her educational endeavors, but she has nar-

rowed it down to two schools. Gillespie is cur-

rently researching Meharry Medical College and

the Medical College of Georgia.

Some of Gillespie’s organizational memberships

at Voorhees include the Honors College and the

women’s basketball team.

Lekeshia Watts, a senior business administration

major, has been friends with LaTonya since their

freshmen year. Watts said that LaTonya will be an

excellent role model for other young ladies at

Voorhees.

friendly to everyone, and her queenly

Vo

orh

ees is a stu

den

t-centered

enviro

nm

ent.

“She has a very personable approach and a down

-to-earth attitude,” Watts said. “She is very

friendly to everyone, and her queenly duties never

overshadow who she is as a person.”

When Gillespie’s reign as Miss Voorhees College

comes to an end, she wants to be remembered as

uniting young women and instilling in them ele-

gance, etiquette and educational goals.

During this academic year, she will host seminars

and workshops for students on preparing for an inter-

view, writing a resume and applying to graduate

schools.

“I want other colleges to look at Voorhees and say

that we are a community of scholars.”

Another scholar who portrays a positive image of

the Voorhees community is Student Government As-

sociation President Bryan Berry.

As a first-generation college student, Berry’s ca-

reer goals are to complete his undergraduate de-

gree in sociology and attend graduate school to

obtain a master’s degree in both education and di-

vinity. Ultimately, Berry wants to become an ele-

mentary school principal.

“I enjoy working with kids and watching them

develop and grow,” Berry said. “I feel that kids

must have a strong foundation in elementary

school in order to successfully graduate from high

school.”

A native of Darlington, S.C., Berry is the son of

Philip Wallace and Brenda Berry. He has two

brothers, Stevie Gee and Markell Berry.

Brenda Berry was excited about her son, Bryan,

enrolling at Voorhees. “I have always looked up to

Voorhees College because of its many successful

alumni who I have met over the years.”

“They all have so much pride in their institution,

and I want my son to have that same experience.”

As a minister of six years and the pastor’s assis-

tant of Nation of Warriors Revival Center in Den-

mark, Berry said that more of his attention during

his presidency will be on the spiritual aspect of the

college experience.

“I believe that all aspects are important in life,

but only the spiritual aspects help you get through

life,” he said.

continued on next page

5 THE VOORHEES VOICE

Page 6: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

Berry has chosen the theme, “Empowering the

Present to Impact the Future,” for the 2008-2009

academic year for the SGA.

“My cabinet and I will follow our theme by spon-

soring various activities focusing on the importance

of receiving an education,” Berry said.

According to Berry, increasing participation

among campus organizations in activities will be one

of his main objectives as the SGA president. “We

want to include each of our organizations in plan-

ning and carrying out our activities,” he said. “The

goal is to bridge the gap for a better college experi-

ence among student life at VC.”

Berry went on to say that the student government

association officers are working hard to set a prece-

dent for succeeding officers. “Our goal is to imple-

ment an activity fee within the cost of attendance at

Voorhees to lessen the burden of student solicita-

tion.”

SGA Judicial Council member and junior mass

communication major Shampale Williams said she

has worked with Berry on various projects, and he is

a role model for Voorhees students.

“Berry is highly respected across campus,” Wil-

liams said. “Students not only look up to him, but

they also admire him.”

Aside from SGA, Berry is also a member of the

Student Support Services Program and the chaplain

for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

In his leisure, Berry enjoys reading, listening to

music, traveling and spending time with family and

friends.

Berry said that Voorhees will play a vital role in

preparing him for a successful future.

“When I achieve my goals, I know that I will be

able to look back at Voorhees as being a community

that prepares scholars for a successful future.”

-Teesa J. Brunson

This article was contributed in part by Lionnell Smith.

2008-2009 STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION FIRST ROW (L-R): Charmaine Thompson, John Jackson, LaTonya Gillespie, Bryan Berry

SECOND ROW (L-R): James Harris, Alton Brown, Terrance Brown

THIRD ROW: Shampale Williams

6 FALL 2008

Page 7: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008
Page 8: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

8 FALL 2008

During the summer 2008, Cody

Mitchell, a senior computer science

major from Augusta, Ga., interned

in North Las Vegas, Nev. for the

Department of Energy.

The Department of Energy has

won more research and develop-

ment awards than any other private

sector organization according to

Mitchell.

With a mission to advance the

national, economic and energy se-

curity in the United States, Mitchell

said he learned how to promote

technological innovations during

his internship with the energy de-

partment.

Mitchell’s daily tasks consisted of

ensuring cyber security, scanning

computers and installing programs.

His main focus was to strengthen

and improve the quality of life

through innovations in technology.

“There are a lot of opportunities

out there; you have to go get them

and take advantage of every chance

that you get,” Mitchell said.

-Shampale Williams

Brittany Green, a senior mass

communication major, was one of

13 students to participate in an eight

week internship with the Depart-

ment of Energy and the National

Nuclear Security Administration

(NNSA).

Green, a native of Sumter, S.C.,

worked with the Department of En-

ergy in the Office of External Af-

fairs at the Savannah River Site in

Aiken, S.C.

During this internship, she per-

formed the duties of a public rela-

tions professional. “The work was

exciting,” Green said.

“Before the internship, I had the

knowledge but little experience, but

now I’ve gained valuable hands-on

experience that will carry me a long

way.”

Green assisted in the office by

generating fact sheets and an office

newsletter that she wrote articles

for.

The final project that Green was

assigned was to devise a mock

news show.

“The show really introduced me

to television broadcasting,” Green

said. “The experience overall was

excellent.” -Lionnell Smith

Brittany Green

Cody Mitchell

Green spends the summer as

a public relations specialist

Mitchell completed a summer

internship in North Las Vegas, Nev.

Page 9: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

9 THE VOORHEES VOICE

Kendrick Wright is the first Voor-

hees student chosen to participate in

an internship in Rep. James Cly-

burn’s office. Wright was one of

three students selected from a group

of 15 students from all colleges and

universities across South Carolina

who applied for the internship. He

officially began the internship in

September.

Wright, a senior majoring in busi-

ness administration, said his biggest

obstacle is handling stressful com-

plaints from Rep. Clyburn’s con-

stituents.

“Recording the complaints of

constituents is my main responsibil-

ity,” Wright said. “This is very

challenging for me.”

Wright said that after graduating

from Voorhees in May 2009, he

plans to attend law school. He also

said that he would like to pursue a

political office one day.

“I hope to have a career in politics

in the near future,” he said. “Having

a position of this nature will enable

me to help out rural areas and moti-

vate the youth, especially young

men. I want them to know that there

are other options for them in life

rather than selling drugs.”

A native of Andrews, S.C.,

Wright is an honor student at Voor-

hees and a member of Kappa Alpha

Psi Fraternity, Inc., the Honors Col-

lege and the Student Support Ser-

vices Program.

-Staff Contributor

Wright participates in an internship

in S.C. Rep. James Clyburn’s office

Kendrick Wright

Taichien Dickerson

Taichien Dickerson, a junior ma-

joring in accounting, spent his sum-

mer in Fort Collins, Colo. interning

at Mountain View Systems Inc.

While interning with this com-

pany, Dickerson assisted the com-

pany with logistics, prepped com-

puters for boot camp students seek-

ing certification in Microsoft Certi-

fied Professional (MCP) and

worked closely with the network

administrator.

Dickerson said that this experi-

ence has made him more prepared

in the technology field.

“My knowledge in technology is

up to date, and now I have quantifi-

able advantages, a better business

sense and the skills I need to be

successful,” Dickerson said.

His goals are to be a successful

business man, elevate his knowl-

edge on technology and attend

graduate school.

When asked what advice he

would give to underclassmen, he

said, “Find out what will get you

prepared for the next level and stay

focused to achieve your goals and

be successful.”

-Shampale Williams

Dickerson gains a wealth of experience

interning at Mountain View Systems Inc.

Page 10: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

10 FALL 2008

T his semester, Voorhees enrolled nine fresh-

men from Talbotton, Ga., the birthplace of

Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, Voorhees’ foun-

der. These students were Shemika Jones, Andrea

Mahone, Courtney Johnson, NaEisha Owens, Brit-

ney Smith, Branton Smith, Brittany Horton, Darius

Hamler and Garry Favors.

The Talbotton students came to Voorhees not only

to receive a quality education, but also to learn more

about Wright’s journey from Talbotton to Denmark

on her mission of establishing a school for young

African Americans.

Talbotton student Branton Smith said that it means

a lot to him that he is able to attend Voorhees Col-

lege. “Wright’s journey is special to me because she

overcame many obstacles and passage ways to es-

tablish her school,” Smith said.

“Without her journeying to Denmark in 1897, I

would not have been given this opportunity today. I

felt that it was my duty to make the same journey

that Ms. Wright did by enrolling at Voorhees. I want

to make sure that her hardships, trials and tribula-

tions were not made

in vain.”

Elizabeth Evelyn

Wright was born un-

derneath a rust-red

roof in Talbotton,

Ga. on April 3,

1872. Both of

Wright’s parents

were illiterate, yet

Wright made it her

obligation to establish Voorhees College so that fu-

ture generations would have opportunities

that her parents did not have.

The illiteracy and poverty of Wright’s family was

a major influence on why she wanted to make a dif-

ference in her community. She was motivated to

save her race from economic and social oppression.

Wright found that the only way for blacks to over-

come oppression was receiving an education.

At the age of 16, Wright enrolled in Tuskegee In-

stitute in Alabama. While she was at Tuskegee, she

was strongly influenced by one of the world’s most

prominent black educators, Booker T. Washington.

It was Wright’s goal to be an inspiration among

her people like Booker T. Washington. There were

two themes that strongly dominated the life of Voor-

hees College’s foun-

der, which were the

education of blacks

and the training of

blacks in industrial

skills.

Wright’s mission

in life in her own

words was, “to try to

help my fellow man

to help themselves,

and if a way was not open for them, I must open it

myself.”

She was willing to sacrifice anything to get an

education. She worked in the day and attended

classes at night; it was her dedication that separated

her from others.

She was moved by the inspiring and motivating

words of Booker T. Washington. Wright came under

his spell and knew that she would dedicate her life to

doing for her race what she saw and experienced

Booker T. Washington doing.

On numerous occasions in her quest to open a

school for African Americans, she was harassed, in-

TALBOTTON, GA. FRESHMEN AND MISS VOORHEES: FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Shemika Jones, Andrea Mahone, Courtney Johnson,

NaEisha Owens, Britney Smith, Branton Smith, Brittany Horton, LaTonya Gillespie

Not pictured: Garry Favors and Darius Hamler

Elizabeth Evelyn Wright

Page 11: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

11 THE VOORHEES VOICE

insulted and threatened, yet she persevered. She

withstood the Ku Klux Klan and other anti-black

groups that tried to destroy her dreams.

Finally, after overcoming many obstacles, she

found a location in Denmark. In 1897, with just a

dinner bell and 14 chairs, she opened the Denmark

Industrial School. The total enrollment was 14 stu-

dents

Voorhees President Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr. said

that students can learn many life lessons from Ms.

Wright. “When she founded this school, she was a

23-year-old woman in frail health who overcame

challenge after challenge to build her school.”

In 1902, the name

of the school was

changed to the Voor-

hees Industrial School

in honor of a New

Jersey philanthropist,

Ralph Voorhees.

Ralph Voorhees and

his wife, Elizabeth, intrigued by Wright’s vision and

dedication, continually donated funds assisting

Wright with purchasing more land and constructing

buildings on campus.

One hundred and twelve years later, Voorhees

College is still standing. It is because of its founder

having a goal and persevering until she reached it.

Voorhees College has had an influence on not only

students’ lives but the community and the nation as

well.

LaTonya Gillespie, Miss Voorhees College 2008-

2009, said that Wright was an inspiration to those

who were around her and remains an inspiration for

generations to come. “Her mission in life was simply

to help others receive an education so that they could

better themselves in life.”

-Teesa J. Brunson

Shampale Williams

Elizabeth Evelyn Wright Voorhees College Founder

First female dormitory on campus

President Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr.

Page 12: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

12 FALL 2008

The Inauguration and Consecration Celebration of

Voorhees College eighth president, Dr. Cleveland L.

Sellers, Jr., was held October 16, 2008.

The ceremonial activities included a Pre-Inaugural

Kickoff exhibiting the works of renowned artist,

Jonathan Green, an Inaugural Concert, featuring Dr.

David Oliver (organist), Dr. Yvette McDaniel

(soprano) and Ivan Griffin (baritone) and a Com-

munity Worship Service. The keynote speaker for

the Community Worship Service was the Reverend

Cleveland Sellers, III, the son of President Sellers

and his wife, Gwendolyn.

The Right Reverend Mark J. Lawrence, Bishop of

South Carolina, clergy members and numerous rep-

resentatives from Episcopal Churches attended this

event.

The Voorhees family was also joined by key politi-

cal, business and education leaders from across the

country.

Page 13: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

13 THE VOORHEES VOICE

Vo

orh

ees’ loya

l son

return

s ho

me.

Page 14: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

EIGHT FOR

OUR EIGHTH

What does it mean to come back to Voorhees

during such challenging times?

It’s interesting! This is something that I never thought

would really happen. Going along the path that I took,

getting back here is amazing. What I will do is begin to

focus on the history and legacy of Miss Elizabeth Eve-

lyn Wright. We will have to get back to being student-

centered and focused on values, behavior and attitudes,

which is what Voorhees originally did.

What do you feel students can learn from Voor-

hees’ founder, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright?

I think of the core values of Elizabeth Evelyn Wright,

which were the importance of education, determination,

resilience and the willingness to work hard. These are

some of the values young people and students need to

begin to build during their college years. Miss Wright

kept going with the idea that she was going to be suc-

cessful with establishing her school.

What is your definition of success for Voorhees

students?

We have to help our young people identify what suc-

cess is. Success in this more hip hop generation and

certainly the post civil-rights era has more to do with

material achievements. Success should include satisfac-

tion, reverence and the good feeling in helping others

or smoothing the road or path for someone else.

While we are helping to build character, we also want

to be able to define success. Success for me means we

have produced a person who is a good citizen, not a

person who is necessarily an attorney or a doctor.

While all of that is important, we would like to produce

good citizens who go out and make a difference in the

world, change people’s lives and continue to build

communities based on faith and Christian perspectives.

What do you see in the future for Voorhees?

I see Voorhees in the next five to ten years as having a

premier liberal arts curriculum. I also see Voorhees

having the resources to continue three things: increas-

ing faculty development; awarding more scholarships

to young people; and having additional student activi-

ties, more specifically athletics. I would like to see a

good, solid athletic foundation. Those things are a part

of the college experience.

We promised young people that they will have a pro-

ductive college experience. Fortunately, having a vari-

ety of student activities is an important part of social

development.

Do you believe Voorhees’ student enrollment will

grow tremendously in the next five to ten years?

I think that we will always be small, and there is noth-

ing wrong with that. I do think that in five years we

will be in the position to increase our student enroll-

ment to at least 1200.

We want to be a diamond in the rough. I’m not talking

about trying to become the University of South Caro-

lina or South Carolina State University. I’m talking

about trying to become the liberal arts college that

Elizabeth Evelyn Wright was actually dreaming of.

14 FALL 2008

Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr. graduated from Voorhees High

School in 1962. Decades later, he has returned to his alma

mater as the eighth president.

Page 15: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

I would love to see Voorhees being competitive with

other HBCUs and other liberal arts colleges in the state

of South Carolina. We have been there, and we can get

back there.

I want our students to be able to go around the world

and make a difference. I would like some students to

become doctors, lawyers and engineers doing things

important in their communities. Others will become

teachers and professionals working in communities

passing along important values to another generation.

What message would you like to send to

alumni?

Come visit the school, contact classmates and tell them

to get involved. Take advantage of opportunities to

come back for Founder’s Day, and remember that it did

have meaning. It is a product of who we are. We want

alumni to dust the shades off so that the light can shine

through and get more excitement in their lives about

Voorhees.

We are trying to do the same thing that you saw Presi-

dent-elect Barack Obama doing in terms of excitement.

People used to think $25 would not make a difference,

but Obama said to give what you can and let’s make

history together! Alumni must give.

What would you like the Denmark community

to know about Voorhees’ future?

The most important thing is to get excited, but also rec-

ognize that African American institutions are endan-

gered. If we do not reach out and hold on to these insti-

tutions, they will all disappear. That would be a tragedy

for Elizabeth Evelyn Wright to go through all that trou-

ble just to have Voorhees taken away from her.

This means that we all have an obligation. This is an

opportunity to make this institution available to genera-

tions yet to be born.

Do you sometimes feel that it is a dream that

you are now the president of your very own

alma mater?

Sometimes I have to pinch myself and say, “Am I

really here?” Then reality sets in and says, “Yes, I am

really here, but I have a really big responsibility of not

only showing up but being able to move the school to

new heights and tie to that the legacy of not only Miss

Wright, but many of the other former college presi-

dents. Some of those presidents were Dr. John F. Potts,

third president of Voorhees, Dr. Luns C. Richardson,

who has been president of Morris College for 34 years,

Dr. M. Maceo Nance Jr., fifth president of South Caro-

lina State University, Mary McLeod Bethune, founder

of Bethune-Cookman College and Claflin University’s

current president, Dr. Henry N. Tisdale. All of these

leaders are native South Carolinians.

These leaders have set before me quite a challenge, not

just the operational, administrative and governance

components, but what they represented in terms of their

depth as educators. I would like to create the same kind

of community and environment as they did where

young people have the opportunity to learn how to be-

come critical thinkers and move on to become success-

ful.

INTERVIEWED BY TEESA J. BRUNSON,

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

15 THE VOORHEES VOICE

Page 16: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008
Page 17: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008
Page 18: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

N EC Unified Solutions, Inc. (NEC), a leader

in enterprise business communications, an-

nounced Voorhees College is using the

NEC Sphericall solution to provide students, faculty

and staff in five locations with software-based voice

and desktop communications tools to achieve a 40

percent savings over its previous traditional teleph-

ony solution.

NEC Sphericall is a 100 percent software-based

alternative to traditional telephony that leverages

open standards for flexible, pure IP-based unified

communications. For Voorhees, Sphericall provides

a means for faculty and staff to interact between de-

partments and connect with students using IP voice

or desktop communication tools across five loca-

tions in South Carolina.

“NEC Sphericall was the right solution for Voor-

hees College in a number of ways. First and fore-

most, it fits the specific communication needs of

both our faculty and students,” said Tim Kentopp,

chief technology officer for Voorhees. “The fact that

we have achieved significant cost savings helps us

from a budgetary standpoint tremendously. Even

better, our staff has an advanced means of communi-

cating that fits their expectations, and this is some-

thing other area colleges currently do not possess.”

Voorhees faculty and staff leverage a number of

the unified communications (UC) features within

Sphericall, including instant messaging, click-to-

call, presence-based call routing and unified messag-

ing to the Outlook inbox. These capabilities allow

the faculty and staff to streamline decisions and

processes that dramatically improves customer ser-

vice for students.

From an IT department perspective, Kentopp and

his staff benefit from Sphericall’s centralized man-

agement features and automated failover, which al-

lows calls to automatically re-route when service is

disrupted in one of the college’s five locations. Stu-

dents and faculty also have four-digit dialing

throughout the college’s multi-site network.

Developing solutions that can help improve organ-

izational efficiency is part of NEC’s UNI-

VERGE®360 vision to unify business communica-

tions. The approach enabled Voorhees to provide

enhanced software-based communication services to

faculty and staff as well as students at a significant

cost savings over traditional telephony options.

-Staff Contributor

Dr. Fadh Z. Eissa, Voorhees biology professor, was part of a team of

42 professionals from institutions across the United States who reviewed

the Sixth Edition of Microbiology: A Human Perspective.

Professor Eissa holds two doctoral degrees, a Doctor of Veterinary

Medicine and a Doctor of Philosophy. He is one of only 120 scientists in

the United States who are board certified by the American Board of Vet-

erinary Toxicology.

NEC Sphericall® gives

Voorhees the technological edge

18 FALL 2008

Page 19: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

T he college needs a

commitment to aca-

demic excellence and

for students to do their best is

what Voorhees College Presi-

dent Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr.,

said during his first Convoca-

tion in September.

The keynote speaker at the

college’s 112th Convocation

was Dr. Andrew Billingsley, a

professor of sociology and Afri-

can American studies at the Univer-

sity of South Carolina

During Billingsley’s address, he

encouraged students to stay in

school, study and graduate. He

gave students three reasons why

they should do this.

“You will be able to provide for

yourself, family and children,”

Billingsley said. “College gradu-

ates earn twice as much as non-

graduates.”

Billingsley’s number two reason

was having a prosperous life.

“College graduates on the average

live longer, stay out of trouble and

stay out of jail more than non-

graduates.”

Billingsley also focused on pro-

viding community service. “My

number three reason for staying in

college is, if you finish, you will

be better able to give back to the

community that helped you,” he

said.

“I urge you to make yourself

ready when the time comes for you

to step forward and lead our na-

tion.”

Later in his address, Billingsley

told students that they should try to

emulate Voorhees College foun-

der, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, be-

cause she received an education

from Tuskegee in hopes of helping

others. “Elizabeth Evelyn Wright

is still a “beacon of light” 112

years later.”

He said that President Sellers is a

positive role model for them as

well. “Dr. Sellers is another great

beneficiary of Voorhees,” he said.

“After all the struggles and turmoil

he went through during the Civil

Rights Movement, he never

stopped learning.”

“He is prepared to lead Voorhees

College into the future if you give

him your cooperation and support.”

-Teesa J. Brunson

Dr. Andrew Billingsley

T he Bamberg County Sher-

iff’s Office made a dona-

tion to Chief James

Weldon for Voorhees College.

The sheriff’s office donated six

protected vests and a new emer-

gency radio.

The donation received from the

Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office

was valued at $3,500.

“Voorhees College greatly ap-

preciates this donation from the

sheriff’s office,” Chief Weldon

said.

Chief Weldon is presented with a donation

19 THE VOORHEES VOICE

Billingsley uplifts Voorhees during Fall Convocation

Page 20: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

more than 30 years of experience in

higher education in various faculty

and administrative roles.

As executive vice president/

academic dean, Carpenter will work

directly with President Sellers on

advancing the quality of each aca-

demic program and ensuring that

each academic program is preparing

Voorhees’ students to be competi-

tive in their area of study.

“I have always been a proponent

of academic excellence,” Carpenter

said. “It is important for Voorhees

to continually prepare students by

offering more majors and enhanc-

ing faculty productivity through

teaching, research and community

service.”

Prior to Voorhees, Carpenter

served as professor of education

and interim vice president of aca-

demic affairs at South Carolina

State University. Additionally, he

has served in administrative and

faculty roles at Fort Valley State

University and Claflin University.

Carpenter earned a bachelor and

master degree from South Carolina

State University and a doctorate in

education from the University of

South Carolina.

“Voorhees College is fortunate to

attract an expert with a history of

accomplishments in academia,”

President Sellers said. “Our stu-

dents will benefit immensely from

Dr. Carpenter’s leadership over our

academic programs.” -Staff Contributor

Dr. Carl Carpenter has joined

Voorhees College as the ex-

ecutive vice president/

academic dean. Carpenter has

Dr. Carl Carpenter

Davenport will lead institutional advancement

Courtney L. Davenport

Courtney L. Davenport has

been hired as the vice president

of institutional advancement.

Davenport’s main responsibil-

ity will be overseeing the fund-

raising efforts of Voorhees and

directly assisting Dr. Sellers with

the overall image enhancement of

the college.

Davenport, a resident of Atlanta,

Ga., earned a bachelor’s degree in

biology from Georgia State Univer-

sity and a bachelor’s degree in psy-

chology from Morehouse College.

He earned a Master of Public Ad-

ministration degree from Troy State

University. He received certifica-

tion in fund raising management

(CFRM) from the Center of Philan-

thropy at Indiana University.

He is a member of the Associa-

tion of Fundraising Professionals,

the Association of Black Founda-

tion Executives, the Council for

Advancement and Support of Edu-

cation, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,

Inc., and the Judge for the National

Commission on Philanthropy and

Circle of Excellence.

In his role, Davenport will also

oversee communications, alumni

relations, development, sponsored

programs, Title III, WVCD-790

AM and advancement services.

Sellers said that Davenport’s ex-

perience in fundraising will be a

tremendous asset to Voorhees. “I

feel confident in Mr. Davenport’s

ability to direct institutional ad-

vancement,” Sellers said.

Davenport said he looks forward

to helping Voorhees become a pre-

mier liberal arts institution in the

nation.

“I know that Voorhees is on the

right track to become an educa-

tional asset for all students under

the leadership of Dr. Sellers.” -Staff Contributor

20 FALL 2008

Voorhees names Dr. Carl Carpenter as

the executive vice president/academic dean

Page 21: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

Dr. F. Perna Carter serves as

vice president for student affairs

Dr. F. Perna Carter is excited

about her new role at Voorhees

as the vice president for stu-

dent affairs.

Carter will serve as the prin-

cipal administrative officer of

the Division of Student Affairs.

She is a charter member of the

National Sponsored Programs Ad-

ministrators Alliance, a member of

the National Association of the Ti-

tle III Administrators, the American

Society of Public Administrators

and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,

Inc.

A native of Montgomery, Ala.,

Carter earned a bachelor’s degree in

industrial and systems engineering

and a certificate in health systems

from the Georgia Institution of

Technology. She furthered her edu-

cation by receiving a master’s de-

gree in public administration from

Auburn University and a doctorate

in public policy and administration

from Mississippi State University.

“My focus will be creating a more

nurturing and caring environment

Dr. F. Perna Carter

Francis E. Simmons

Francis E. Simmons is the

head men’s basketball coach.

With 33 years experience as an

educator and coach, Simmons

served 17 years at South Carolina

State University as the assistant

men’s basketball coach and four

years as head women’s basketball

coach at Bethune-Cookman Univer-

sity in Daytona Beach, Fla.

“I want to bring a sense of suc-

cess to the program,” Simmons

said”

“But in order to achieve any suc-

cess, our athletes must remember

they are students first.”

Simmons began his coaching ca-

reer at Walterboro High School as

the boy’s varsity basketball coach

from 1975-1985 and went on to

work as a sports specialist in the

Caribbean Islands, where he taught

fundamentals to international bas-

ketball athletes.

President Sellers is looking for-

ward to working with Simmons

and agrees that student athletes

must strive to excel in academics

as well.

“Voorhees is a community of

scholars,” Sellers said. “Every

component of the Voorhees com-

munity must demonstrate scholar-

ship including our student ath-

letes.”

Simmons holds a Bachelor of

Science degree in elementary

education and is currently pursu-

ing a master’s degree in education

at the University of South Caro-

lina. -Lionnell Smith

21 THE VOORHEES VOICE

so our students can excel to their

greatest potential inside and out-

side of the classroom,” Carter

said.

“We must continue to show our

students how much we appreciate

them by adding more student ac-

tivities and giving them a more

vocal role in some of the student

programming that we have on

campus.”

President Sellers said he knows

Dr. Carter will be a positive asset

for students. “I feel confident in

Dr. Carter’s ability to work with

students and create a more student

-centered environment.” -Whitney Kennedy

Voorhees graduate returns as

head men’s basketball coach

Fa

culty/S

taff H

igh

ligh

ts

Page 22: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

Voorhees welcomes new hires in academic affairs Voorhees College President Dr. Cleveland L. Sell-

ers, Jr. is continuing his goal of moving the institution

toward academic excellence by hiring four new em-

ployees in academic affairs. The recent hires include:

Dr. Donald Small, director of faculty development/

professor of education; Dr. Doris Matthews, director

of teacher education/professor of education; Dr. Isaac

Brunson, director of the college choir/assistant pro-

fessor of music; and Richard Reid, archivist.

Dr. Donald Small, recently named director of fac-

ulty development/professor of education, is a native

of Wilmington, N.C. and a retired tenured professor

of educational administration research from South

Carolina State University. Small also taught at Fa-

yetteville State University and Benedict College.

“I am absolutely excited to work with President

Sellers and Dr. Carpenter, vice president of academic

affairs,” Small said. “I have found them to be true

professionals in academia.”

Small received his doctorate in educational admini-

stration from the University of Kansas in 1978. He

obtained a Master of Arts degree in educational ad-

ministration and a Bachelor of Arts degree in geogra-

phy from North Carolina Central University in Dur-

ham, N.C.

Fellow newcomer, Dr. Doris Matthews, comes to

Voorhees from Claflin University. Matthews received

a doctoral and master’s degree in elementary educa-

tion from the University of South Carolina. She re-

ceived a bachelor’s degree in elementary education

from Newberry College.

“In my role, my main responsibility is reinstating

the teacher education program in elementary educa-

tion at Voorhees,” Matthews said. “My goal is to get

more minority students prepared to be successful

teachers in South Carolina and across the United

States.”

Sumter, S.C. native, Dr. Isaac Brunson, who gradu-

ated from the University of Michigan with a doctoral

and master’s degree in music in 2007 and 2003, said

he hopes to increase the number of members on the

college choir.

“The best advertisement and recruiting tool is the

quality of your work,” Brunson said. “If I take the

group that I have now and concentrate on the quality

there, this will do more for recruiting than anything

else.”

Brunson also received a master’s degree in music

from Winthrop University in 1998 and a bachelor’s

degree in music from Coker College in 1987.

Richard Reid, a 1970 South Carolina State Univer-

sity alumnus, was hired as the archivist. Reid is cur-

rently researching Voorhees’ founder, Elizabeth Eve-

lyn Wright. He is in the process of developing a

documentary on Wright’s journey from the Tuskegee

Institute, which is now Tuskegee University, to

founding Voorhees College.

Reid said he is excited about working at Voorhees

and learning more about Voorhees’ founder, Eliza-

beth Evelyn Wright. “Just to explore the life and

times of Elizabeth Evelyn Wright is fascinating,”

Reid said. “Her story by itself is one of great strength

and determination.”

Dr. Sellers said he looks forward to working with

each of the new employees in their respective roles.

“Each of these individuals brings outstanding and

valuable capabilities to our institution,” President

Sellers said. -Teesa J. Brunson

22 FALL 2008

During summer 2008, Jayme L. Bradford, assistant professor of mass commu-

nication at Voorhees, was selected to participate in a “Digital Media Summit” at

ABC Studios in Burbank, Calif. The program was co-sponsored by Disney and

the International Radio and Television Society.

In addition, Bradford has served as a consultant and panelist for the Southern

Regional Press Institute at Savannah State University since 2006. She was also

awarded a newsroom fellowship from the Radio Television News Directors

Foundation to spend a month at WCNC-TV in Charlotte, N.C.

Page 23: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

Alumnus David Miller establishes a

scholarship for mass communication students

D avid Miller, a 1984 magna

cum laude humanities gradu-

ate, established an annual

scholarship at Voorhees, the David G.

Mil ler Mass Communicat ion/

Journalism Scholarship.

The scholarship is in the amount of

$1,000. Students who are interested in

receiving the scholarship must be a

mass communication major and

have at least a 3.0 grade point

average.

As co-owner of Our Weekly

Newspaper in Los Angeles,

Calif. since its inception in 2004,

Miller has implemented success-

ful strategies and marketing

plans for the popular 50,000

weekly periodical.

Our Weekly has a weekly read-

ership of more than 150,000 ca-

tering to the affluent African

American communities of Los

Angeles and surrounding areas.

As co-owner of Our Weekly,

Miller has more than 25 years of

experience in the newspaper in-

dustry with 17 years in manage-

ment in print media outlets such

as the Los Angeles Daily News,

Wave Community Newspapers,

LA Weekly, Los Angeles Times

and the Los Angeles Examiner.

His turnaround capability is

highlighted by his accomplish-

ments as director of advertising

of the Wave Community News-

papers where he led a dis-

tressed company to record

profitability through brand re-

vitalization, sales operations,

sales packaging, sales market-

ing and general advertising.

He is recognized for his suc-

cess in growing company sales,

profits and product turn-

arounds.

After graduating from Voor-

hees, Miller received a Master

of Science degree in journal-

ism/mass communication from

Iowa State University in 1986.

He is an active member of

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,

Inc.,

an executive board member of

the Crenshaw Chamber of

Commerce and an active mem-

ber of

California Black Media.

Miller resides in Los Angeles

with his wife, Paula, and their

two daughters, Jade and Jah-

nae.

1984 Alumnus David Miller

23 THE VOORHEES VOICE

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program January 22, 2009

Black History Month Program February 5, 2009

Honors and Awards Convocation March 19, 2009

Founder’s Day Convocation April 7, 2009

Commencement Convocation May 9, 2009

National Alumni Association Meeting June 19-21, 2009

Atlanta, Ga.

For more information on these

events, please contact Willie

Jefferson, special events coor-

dinator, at 803-780-1149 or

[email protected].

Alu

mn

i New

s

Page 24: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

2008 Alumna Siadra Strachan

24 FALL 2008

UPD

ATE O

N

2008

GR

AD

UA

TES

BY

TH

E V

OIC

E S

TA

FF

Siadra Strachan, Voorhees College’s 2008 first aca-

demic honor graduate, is currently enrolled at Bowling

Green State University in Ohio. She is pursuing a Mas-

ter of Accountancy degree and is the recipient of a full

academic scholarship and a graduate assistantship.

Graduating with a 4.0 grade point average, Strachan

was a member of the Honor’s College, Student Govern-

ment Association, Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, the

Voorhees College Poetry Society and the International

Student Association while at Voorhees.

Born and raised in the Bahamas on the island of Grand

Bahama, Strachan is excited about graduate school and

is grateful for all of her experiences at Voorhees.

“I honestly owe all my thanks first to God and sec-

ondly to the faculty and staff of Voorhees who gave me

the opportunity to grow as a student and future profes-

sional,” she said.

“While enrolled at Voorhees, I was blessed with great

professors who took a great interest in each student.”

2008 top honor student still soars

Former Miss Voorhees is now

at Georgetown University

June Demetra Streets,

Miss Voorhees College

2007-2008, continues

her quest for higher edu-

cation at Georgetown

University in Washing-

ton, D.C.

Streets is a student in

Georgetown Univer-

sity’s School of Nursing

and Health Studies.

Streets is enrolled in

the Accelerated Second

Degree Bachelor of Sci-

ence in nursing program

that prepares students

who have already com-

pleted a bachelor's de-

gree in another field for

June Streets

Miss Voorhees College 2007-2008

professional nursing

practice.

While at Voorhees,

Streets was a member

of Alpha Kappa Mu

Honor Society.

Former SGA President continues

his studies at Howard University

Dameone Ferguson SGA President 2007-2008

Dameone Ferguson

currently attends How-

ard University in Wash-

ington, D.C. on a full

academic scholarship

and a graduate assistant-

ship.

Upon completion, Fer-

guson will receive a

master’s degree in clini-

cal social work, with

specialization in mental

health and HIV/AIDS

population.

Ferguson graduated

with a bachelor’s degree

in mass communication.

While at Voorhees, he

was a member of Alpha

Kappa Mu Honor So-

ciety, the Honor’s Col-

lege, Alpha Phi Alpha

Fraternity, Inc. and the

concert choir.

Page 25: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

Jordan said that most of his time

was spent working on crystal re-

ports where he and a team of other

chief information officers up-

graded large data organization pro-

grams to be used on the site by

employers and employees.

“It was a challenge at first, but

we took it head on, and in the end,

we were successful.” Jordan said.

“I can honestly say that Voor-

hees prepared me for the tasks I

performed.”

Jordan, a member of the Sigma

Theta chapter of Omega Psi Phi

Fraternity, Inc. is currently em-

ployed with Voorhees in the infor-

mation technology department. He

aspires to one day become a

skilled computer networker.

Recent graduate Aaron Jordan

represented Voorhees College as a

chief information officer in a rigor-

ous internship program with the

Department of Energy and the Na-

tional Nuclear Security Admini-

stration (NNSA).

Jordan, a native of Stone Moun-

tain, Ga., graduated in May 2008

from Voorhees as a computer sci-

ence major.

While reflecting on the six-week

experience, Jordan said, “The

work was really good because it

forced me to apply what I learned

while at Voorhees.”

As a second-year participant,

Jordan said that he was excited to

return to the Savannah River Site

in Aiken, S.C. to get more hands-

on experience after graduation.

Aaron Jordan completes internship, now employed

at Voorhees in the Information Technology department

2008 Alumnus Aaron Jordan

Voorhees College is looking for all alumni! If you have relocated or lost your connection with the Voorhees family, please provide

all the information below. Voorhees looks forward to reconnecting with you!

MAIDEN NAME: ________________________________________________

NAME: ________________________________________________

GRADUATION YEAR: _____________________

ADDRESS: ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS: ________________________________________________

PHONE: (HOME) _____________________

(CELL) _____________________

Please mail to the Office of Alumni Relations ~ P.O. Box 678 ~ Denmark, S.C. 29042

If you wish to share any news

or updates with Voorhees to be

published in The Voorhees

Voice, please contact Dorothy

Patterson, director of alumni

relations, at (803) 780-1192 or

at [email protected].

Let your VOICE be heard!

25 THE VOORHEES VOICE

Page 26: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

2008-2009 Men’s Basketball Schedule

DATE TEAM TIME LOCATION

TBA Knoxville College 5:30 p.m. Knoxville, Tenn.

January 15 Life University 7:30 p.m. Marietta, Ga.

January 19 Mountain State

University

7 p.m. Bleckley, W.Va.

January 21 Claflin University 7 p.m. Orangeburg, S.C.

January 22 Fisk University 7 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

January 24 Morris College 4 p.m. Sumter, S.C.

January 26 Roanoke Bible

College

8 p.m. Elizabeth City, N.C.

February 3 Allen University 7:30 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 4 Mountain State

University

7:30 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 10 Life University 8 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 12 Fisk University 7:30 p.m. Nashville, Tenn.

February 16 Concordia College 7:30 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 17 Morris College 7:30 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 19 Roanoke Bible

College

7:30 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 21 Concordia College 7:30 p.m. Selma, Ala.

February 23 Talladega College 7:30 p.m. Talladega, Ala.

February 25 Allen University 8 p.m. Columbia, S.C.

February 28 Talladega College 4 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

March 6-8 NAIA Independent

Tournament

TBA Orangeburg, S.C.

March 18-24 NAIA National

Tournament

TBA Kansas City, Mo.

26 FALL 2008

Page 27: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

2008-2009 Women’s Basketball Schedule

DATE TEAM TIME LOCATION

January 22 Fisk University 5:30 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

January 24 Morris College 2 p.m. Sumter, S.C.

January 26 Roanoke Bible

College

6 p.m. Elizabeth City, N.C.

February 3 Allen University 5:30 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 10 Warren Wilson

College

6 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 12 Fisk University 5:30 p.m. Nashville, Tenn.

February 13 Brescia University

(NAIA Independent

Classic)

7 p.m. (cst) Owensboro, Ky.

February 14 Park University

(NAIA Independent

Classic)

1 p.m. (cst) Owensboro, Ky.

February 17 Morris College 5:30 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 19 Roanoke Bible

College

5:30 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

February 21 Concordia College 5:30 p.m. Selma, Ala.

February 23 Talladega College 5:30 p.m. Talladega, Ala.

February 25 Allen University 6 p.m. Columbia, S.C.

February 28 Talladega College 2 p.m. Denmark, S.C.

March 6-8 NAIA Independent

Tournament

TBA Orangeburg, S.C.

27 THE VOORHEES VOICE

Page 28: The Voorhees Voice-Fall 2008

“It’s a Family Affair”

The Voorhees College family thanks all alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends

for making Homecoming 2008 a great success! Please join us again for upcoming events.

Voorhees College Division of Institutional Advancement

P.O. Box 678

Denmark, SC 29042

Non-Profit

Organization

PAID

Permit #28

Denmark, SC

29042