Congratulations to members of the Benedict College’s Class of 2008 !!
Volume 84, No. 1 & 2
Columbia, South Carolina
Tigers Men’s Basketball team wins
SIAC and Tournament Championships
April-May 2008
Results of Campus-wide Elections
Ryan Hickman becomes
new SGA president
By Ebony S. Shelton
Editor in Chief
Ryan Hickman, a junior,
Mass Communications major,
was elected the new president
of the Student Government Association at Benedict College on
Wednesday, April 9, for the
2008-2009 academic year.
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Ryan Hickman to become
SGA President for 2008-2009.
Hickman, who is a native of
Penns Grove, N.J., said that he
had envisioned himself being the
SGA president since his freshman year and that he has many
new ideas to improve conditions
on the campus.
Speaking about the overall
“negative” opinion of Benedict
College among students and the
local community, Hickman said,
“First, I plan to incorporate a way
to increase campus morale.”
One plan Hickman said he has
is to get more students involved.
He said he would like to mold
and build more student leaders
while finding a way to make himself a better leader as well. To
do this, he said he wants to bring
freshmen into the organization
and give them an immediate
sense of pride and to attach them
to peer mentors and tutors.
Hickman also said students can
get a lot more things done to
improve conditions on campus if
they will meet the administrators
and faculty half way.
“I also want us to stop depend-
ing on the faculty and staff to get
things done around campus,”
Hickman said. “If they can just
give us the tools we need to do
things like clean up Mather Hall,
we as the students can come in
and take care of the rest.”
He said he feels that projects
that involve students will increase the morale of all students
and give incoming freshmen “a
better outlook.”
Another plan he has is to have
the upperclassmen go out into the
community and show people in
Columbia what Benedict students can do and that alone will
make a difference about the
community’s perception of
Benedict.
Asked about the team he has
to work with, Hickman said he
feels very confident about the
new SGA officers and Miss
Benedict College and her court.
Speaking about Miss Benedict
College, Hickman noted another
plan. “We are looking at possibly having a Mr. Benedict in the
future,” he said.
Aundrea Mack wins
Miss Benedict College
2008-2009 crown
By Shanelle Latimer
Staff Writer
Photo courtesy/Floyd Ingram
Michael Holmes dunks another basketball in the BC Tigers Men’s
Basketball’s march to SIAC Championship against Clark Atlanta University
in their semi-finals game. See more photos and story on page 8.
Over 200 students to receive degrees
at Spring Commencement on May 10
Representative Joseph H. Neal to Deliver Commencement Address
More than 200 students are
expected to receive their baccalaureate degrees during the
Spring Commencement Convocation to be held on Saturday, May 10, at the Charlie W.
Johnson Football Stadium,
home field of the BC Tigers,
located at Read Street and Two
Notch Road, Columbia.
Representative Joseph H.
Neal, Representative of District
70, will deliver the Commencement Address. Rep. Neal, who
is a graduate of Benedict College, studied at the Colgate
School of Divinity, Rochester,
N.Y., and continued his studies at the Pittsburgh Theology
School, Pittsburgh, Pa. He has
done further study at the University of South Carolina.
Presently, Representative
Neal is employed as a Senior
Consultant for New Horizons
Systems of Columbia, a multiservice consortium for personnel management training and
development of customized
software applications. He has
worked as an instructor in
Richland School District I,
Counselor for the Department
of Juvenile Justice; Personnel
Recruiter for Fluor-Daniel Engineering Co.; and as a Recruitment Program Manager
for the State Budget and Control Board, Division of Human
Resource Management.
Representative Neal is in his
eighth term as the Representative from District 70, in the
South Carolina House of Representatives. In the House, he
served as First Vice Chairman
of the Medical, Military and
Municipal Affairs committee,
which is responsible for legislation affecting the Department of
Social Services, Department of
Corrections, Mental Health and
Mental Retardation. He is past
Vice Chairman of the House
Task Force for Consumer Finance Reform and the past Vice
Chairman of the House Task
Force for Welfare Reform.
Representative Neal serves
on the Ways and Means Committee, the Education Over Sight
Committee and Rules Committee. Rep. Neal is a past chairman of the Legislative Black
Caucus. He also serves as the
assistant Democratic Leader for
the South Carolina House of
Representatives. Throughout his
career, Rep. Neal has sponsored
numerous pieces of legislation
for improving the quality of life
for all people. Rep. Neal presently
continues his battle to end racial
profiling in SC. Rep. Neal was responsible for the introduction and
passage of South Carolina’s first
anti-racial profiling legislation
that became law in the 2005 session.
His numerous affiliations include membership in the following: Member, NAACP; Member,
Moving Forward Community
Group, Lower Richland Water
Authority, and Lower Richland
Community Council, and Kappa
Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He is
serving as Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Chester, SC. He is
the founder of the Area Communities in Economic Development,
a community development organization and the Rural Sumter
Communities for Economic Development also a non-profit corporation.
--From Benedict College Press Release provided by Kymm Hunter.
Photo courtesy/Floyd Ingram
Aerial view of the 2007 Spirng Commencement being
held at the Charlie W. Johnson Football Stadium.
The new Miss Benedict College is Aundrea Mack, who was
elected during campus-wide
elections held on April 9.
Mack, who is a member of
Delta Sigma Theta, said she ran
for the position because it was
something she wanted to do
since her freshman year.
Asked how she felt winning
the Miss Benedict’s crown for
the 2008-2009 school year, she
said she saw the crown as a
“symbolization stone” that will
show her commitment to the
institution and community.
“It’s more than just a job,”
Mack said. “I’m thrilled. It’s a
movement [that] is about to be
taken.”
She further explained, “My
platform is living through my
destiny. Benedict needs more
unity and bridging the gap between the pre-alumni, the young
and the seasonal.”
How she plans to carry out her
platform, Mack, a native of Beaufort, S.C., said one of her goals
“is to change the media view of
Aundrea Mack
Miss Benedict College
2008-2009
the College and to finish things
that have already been started.”
As Miss Benedict College, she
said her message to the student
body will be that students should
be a “more positive influence on
each other.”
Mack, a junior, Psychology
major, added that students should
not allow limitations set by society to affect them, noting that this
can only be done “by encouraging each other and not allowing
the present or past to control our
destiny.”
As Miss Benedict College,
Mack is expected to be rewarded
with a check every month, scholarships, and perhaps even the use
of a College’s car.
Mack won after contesting for
the position throughout March,
beating four other candidates,
and taking part in the Miss
Benedict College Pageant held
on April 7, in the Antisdel
Chapel.
School of HASS organizes ‘Big Read’
activities around “Lesson Before Dying”
By Darius D. Porcher
Staff Writer
The School of Humanities,
Arts, and Social Sciences
(HASS) at Benedict College
organized a month-long
program entitled “The Big
Read” from Feb. 1 through
March 23, in collaboration with
the Richland County Public
Library and the Charles Brooks
Theatre Ensemble that brought
the school and the community
together around activities based
on Ernest J. Gaines’ novel, “A
Lession Before Dying.”
Sponsored in conjunction
with the National Endowment
for the Arts (NEA),“The Big
Read” was a series of events
that included community-wide
book
readings,
panel
discussions, essay and artistic
contests, and theatre production
of Gaines’ award-winning
novel on race relations in the
deep South.
The program, organized at
Benedict College through a
grant received by Dr. Linda
Quillian, dean of the School of
HASS, was kicked off at the
Richland County Public Library
in Columbia at 3 p.m. on
Sunday, Feb. 3.
The Richland County Public
Library will celebrate the Big
Read and the 19th National
African-American Read In with
the classic novel,’’A Lesson
Before Dying.”
The Richland County Public
Library and Benedict College,
along with other local groups
and businesses, worked
cooperatively in celebrating the
“Big Read” experience from its
kickoff to March 29, when the
Big Read Awards banquet, with
Benedict’s recent graduate
Curtis Wilson as master of
ceremony, was held in the
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Dr. Linda Quillian, dean of the
School of HASS, makes opening remarks at ‘Big Read’ program in foyer of FAHC Bldg.
Swinton Campus Center as its
closing program.
During the banquet, awards
were given to both individuals
and organizations, including the
Richland County Public Library
as a “Stellar Partner,” and Prof.
Charles Brooks, III, for directing
the “Big Read Threatre” produc-
see BIG READ/page 6
Page 2 - BC Tiger News
OPINION/EDITORIAL
From The Editor’s Desk
BENEDICT COLLEGE
Tiger News
HBCU Pride
Box 57, 1600 Harden Street, Columbia, SC 29204
(803) 705-4645 / bctigernewsstaff@yahoo.com
Editorial/Layout Staff
Editor in Chief
Ebony S. Shetlon
Editorial Page Editor
Aliya Saulter
News Editor
Shatoniah Miller
Assitant Editorial Page Editor
Shanelle Latimer
Assistant News Editor
JenVon Cherry
Features Editor
Kenesha Belton
Assistant Features Editor
Ernest “Mario” Hendley
Sports Editor
Maurice Green
Assistant Sports Editor
Serenity Tucker
Two Views about 2007 Fall Semester Registration
Entertainment Editor
Ebonee’ Boyd
Copy Editor
Marshay Moore
Assistant Copy Editor
Janael Ceasar
Advertising Manager
By Shatoniah Miller
Staff Writer
Assisstant Entertainment Editor
Paris Pixley
Photo Editor
Johnathan Randolph
Assistant Photo Editor
Jacquinn Allen
Circulation Manager
Kelada Mitchell
Cierra Proctor
Assistant Advertising Manager
Shakiya Pinckney
Assistant Circulation
Dameon Terry
Staff Writers
Tamara Cooper; Brandon Jordon; Joseph Kinsey; Albert Reese;
Shalene Simmons; A. Marquis Williams; Carlos Woods.
Advisor
Dr. Momo Rogers, Sr.
For News Tips and Advertising
Contact us at (803) 705-4645
or send an email to: bctigernews@yahoo.com
Editorial Policy
Tiger News is a student-run newspaper, serving the Benedict College
community with information. It strives to be fair and unbiased in the
reporting of events, and provide a forum for open expression and discussion of issues to develop campus and community awareness. We
welcome opinion pieces, including Letter to the Editor. All letters
must be signed and/or emailed to: bctigernews@yahoo.com. Tiger
News reserves the right to edit copies for clarity or to refuse to carry
them if they are judged not in the best interest of the community.
Out on My Own: The Off
Campus Experience
By Dameon Terry
Staff Writer
Everyone wants their own
space. There is nothing like having your living environment the
way you want it. That is the reason I decided to live off campus. I
love the fact of knowing that I am
going somewhere after classes
that is just for me.
That is, everything will be exactly how I left it and how I want
it to be. Once you accept that living off campus has its own pros
and cons, it beats living on campus.
The biggest perk I got in living
off campus is having my own
bathroom. When I lived on campus, sharing a bathroom with a
whole floor of guys wasn’t fun at
all. It is suprising how nasty grown
men can be. There were times
when I would walk in the dorm’s
bathroom and walk right back out
because it was so nasty.
I also like having my own
room. Nothing against my old
roommate, but there is nothing
like your own little sanctuary. I
can come home after a full day of
classes and practice and go into
my own little world. Looking
back, there is no comparison to
coming to my own threshold.
A major con to living off campus can be that it is very expensive. If you are not financially
stable, you could run into some
problems. You have to keep your
rent paid, your lights on, gas in
your tank, and food in your stomach.
When such expenses hit hard,
I have known of some off campus residents who, while talking
down the cafeteria food, have at
times sneak in for a quick meal.
I haven’t really experienced the
lows yet, but I am sure those
days will come. However, right
now, I am enjoying every minute
of the highs.
The Pros and Cons of
On Campus Living
By Maurice Green
Staff Writer
Most students cannot afford
the luxury of living off campus.
For these students, living in the
dormitories on campus has its
pros and cons.For most dorm residents, the cons outweighed the
pros.
Take, for example, the Haskell
Dormitory. It is one of the more
newly renovated buildings at
Benedict College, located on
Haskell Street behind the cafe.
Despite this, it seems to be one of
the least comfortable dorms because of its many different living
conditions.
The building is not that old, but
it is already beginning to fall apart.
The main concern of many of its
residents is that heating and cooling systems do not work according to what the season is. They
say that the air works during winter and the heat works during the
spring. This makes things very uncomfortable and causes students
to act out in ways they may not
usually do. According to a local
student survey, students spend
less time in their rooms at Haskell
than any other dorm on campus.
Some students say that the
school should be held responsible for making sure the living
conditions for students are as
comfortable as possible. Most
students who live in Haskell also
say that many of the restrooms
and bathrooms are not well kept.
They say that the showers are
“filthy,” and that it costs too
much money to be at Benedict
and not be able to take a decent
shower. One student said that the
school spends so much time
working on the outside appearance of the school that they forget or just do not care about the
inside livingconditions of the
students who are the most important part of this institution.
The students only want the college to recognize some of the
problems taking place on campus that affect them directly, before they try to do things that
only benefit administrators.
April-May 2008
Students suggest changes
to registration process
Registration for Fall Semester
2007 saw its ups and downs.
There were more students this year
which meant longer lines and frustration among students.
Returning student Oscar
Gramling, speaking about the
whole registration process, said,
“It was a little disorganized for returning students.”
New student Aaron Smith’s reaction to the registration process
was simply put, “very long lines!”
When both students and staff
were asked if they had any ideas
on how the registration process
could be improved, a few has some
ideas and suggestions. Jamie Thomas, who is considered a “Financial Aid Wag and Tag,” suggested
that students be given more opportunities to clear their requirements over the summer.
“I think that everybody
should be in the same area or
building,” suggested Deslyn
Haywood, a Financial Counselor. “That would eliminate a
lot of headaches and make it
easier for students, especially
new students.”
The two students who spoke
earlier, Gramling and Smith, suggested that there be a specific
time for students with last
names to register, such as A to
M at one time and N to Z at
another time. They also suggested that there be several areas for different classes or majors to register at.
Although Benedict College
had a larger freshman class this
fall, the registration process itself was not different from last
year. “It’s like that every year,”
said Gramling. “Hopefully they
can come up with a better strategy on making the registration
process a little easier.”
Returning students ‘feel’ neglected
as focus turns to large freshman class
By Ebony S. Shelton
Editor in Chief
Many returning students were
in for a rude awakening in August
as they arrived on campus to start
the new school year.
Their first major disappointment
was that most were directed to
nearby Columbia hotels asp
oppopsed to their campus dormitories.
Because of this change in loding,
many parents said they were “extremely upset.”
The problem was that the fall
2007 semester brought a record
“new highs” to the college’s enrollment with nearly 900 incoming
freshmen.
Returning students were therefore left “virtually homeless” as all
of the new freshmen occupied most
of the dorm rooms.
Chris McFalling, a sophomore,
majoring in Mass Communications, said the incident was probably the most disappointment he
has had since being at Benedict.
“I felt like no one cared about the
returning students, and it seemed
like the only ones who mattered
were the freshmen.”
McFalling is currently staying at
the Red Roof Inn off St. Andrews
Road.
For students living in local
hotels, there are a few positives
and some negatives.
“Transportation can sometimes be a problem because the
shuttle only comes every hour
and if you miss it, there’s no
one to take you to school,”
McFalling noted.
Another problem faced by
students who are living in local
hotels is access to the cafeteria, which closes at a certain
time.
Another problem he disclosed is that, unlike students
on campus, those students in
hotels do not have refrigerators
or microwaves and are unable
to cook for themselves if need
be.
“If you don’t have a class at
the time that the shuttle is
headed to campus, you can’t
eat,” McFalling added.
“We also can’t hang out with
our friends when we want to
because a lot of them actually
live on the yard,and I don’t
have any transportation,” he
said.
However, another student,
Ronald Bragg, a junior transfer
student from Tuskegee University, majoring in Engineering, is
somewhat happy about living
in the Red Roof Inn.
Two Fine Arts professors
speak out against non-renewal
of their teaching contracts
By Darius D. Porcher
Staff Writer
Two professors in the Fine Arts
Department, who received notices
denying the renewal of their contracts for the next school year, have
claimed that their departure from
the department will affect the
program’s future accreditation.
John G. Wright and N. Jones
Henderson said they believe the
decision to deny them renewal of
their contracts was due to the fact
that they do not have Ph.Ds.
“I think the non-renewal of my
contract will negatively affect the
accreditation process at this
school,” Wright, assistant professor of Art, said. “I believe that my
credentials meet the standards for
SAC, NASDA, and NCATE.”
Asked why he thinks the ac-
creditation process would suffer, he answered, “I think that it
will be very difficult for them to
find a Ph.D. in Art Education.”
About not having a Ph.D.,
Wright said that the standards
for the position clearly emphasize the words “Ph.D.” and
“Years of Experience.” So, why
he does not have a Ph.D., he
and Henderson have many
years of experience, with nearly
20 years for Wright and about
40 years for Henderson.
Speaking about getting a
Ph.D., Wright said, “I think that
if they were to give me the opportunity to get a Ph.D., and
actually fund the Ph.D. for me,
I would be more than happy to
get it.”
Since they received their
non-renewal notices around the
Easter break, they said many
Arts major and other colleagues
The Student Government Association, Student Activities
Committee and a number of Greek
letter organizations supposedly
run Benedict College’s campus
as far as campus events go. For
years, students have not only
been proud of being here at
Benedict but also glad for the opportunity to attend a historically
black college or university
(HBCU). So, for me, as one such
student, it is hard to understand
why other students, especially
here at Benedict, don’t necessarily share that same view of HBCU
pride or enthusiasm.
On more than one occasion,
I have been surrounded by fellow BC students that completely
dislike everything about Benedict
College. Their dislikes range from
not liking the food in the café to
the rules and regulations of the
college to just about everything,
including the atmosphere around
Columbia itself. Which brings me
to a very important question I
sometimes asked my fellow students: Why are you here?
For a long time I have always
wanted to attend a historically
black college or university, and
so coming to Benedict is, in a
way, a fulfillment of that dream.
However, I knew that when coming to Benedict the experience
would not be that of the scenes I
had seen on the television show,
“A Different World,” but I was
hoping that it would be similar.
My wanting to attend an HBCU
was part of my yearning for a
sense of togetherness and unity
with my fellow students as portrayed on that sitcom’s HBCU
campus, but instead the attitudes
of some of my colleagues here at
Benedict have completely turned
me off. Don’t get me wrong, I still
love Benedict, but it’s not because of the organizations and
the students per se, but because
this institution gives me the opportunity to better myself when I
potentially could not have done
that anywhere else. I have gotten that HBCU Pride, and
Benedict has done that for me
and for so many others during
Ebony S. Shelton
Editor in Chief
these many years of its existence.
It is because of this that I honestly feel that having to be surrounded by so much negativity
really brings down the moral of
students like me and the college
family as a whole. The more students complain about the college,
the more such negative comments spread like wildfire both on
campus and off campus. Rather
than just complaining about
what’s wrong with Benedict, perhaps such students can become
involved in campus organizations and help change what is
wrong with the college. How
many students were actually concerned about how things are being run and voted in the recent
campus-wide elections to choose
the right student leadership?
As editor of the Tiger News,
I want to appeal to my peers to
be excited about Benedict. For
example, show some BC or HBCU
pride to high school students
visiting our campus with the intention of later enrolling. Don’t
shout out to those students touring the campus such negativity
as “don’t come here.” Instead,
invite them in with open arms and
let them know that this is a historical college that produces future leaders who go on to become
successful and contributing African Americans, and that if they
should enroll and get involved,
they too can to be a part of an
historical institution and also
enjoy HBCU pride. But first, I
think we need to work on our own
attitudes in order to exhibit that
pride in our home. You know
about “charity begins at home,”
don’t you?
Advisor’s Notes
An Explanation
We wish first to apologize to
our readers (the College family)
for not publishing an issue of the
BC Tiger News over this academic year.
We simply have found it difficult to produce the paper under
some adverse circumstances, including especially the lack of a
writing/production lab with adequate computers and software.
It is always tedious to put out a
newspaper, regardless of its size,
but add to that doing so without
adequate equipment.
So, until we get a writing/production lab properly equipped
with state-of-the-art computers
and software, we will continue to
do the best we can under the circumstances, but our best will not
be “good enough” to come out
with any amount of a regular frequency of publication.
We expect the situation to be
remedied by next year (starting
2008 Fall Semester) when requisitions now going through the
procurement process will bring
us a promise of about 15 IBMcompatible computers for writing and two MAC machines for
production.
We want to thank Dr. Burnett
Joiner, our VPAA, for working
hard with us and for identifying
the funds to get these needed
equipment, but the process is
slow (as it was started last summer); so, we wait patiently!
The publication of our newsin the Department have put together a petition and gathered
signatures to send to the Administration to have the decision
changed. However, the non-renewal decisions remained.
The petition showed that many
valued the contributions made to
Benedict College by these two
professors. Henderson, who has
worked at Benedict since 1999,
said he was motivated to come
Dr. Momo K. Rogers, Sr.
Faculty Advisor
paper is a laboratory project integrated in our Production Print I
& II courses. Thus, even though
the paper has not been out, students in these courses have
learned the fundamentals to prepare them for jobs in the real
world. These include writing
news stories from campus events
to copyediting/proofreading to
headline writing to layout with
dummy sheets to pagination (all
hands-on experiences).
Content-wise, because we
could not finalize work on the issue for the 2007 Fall Semester, we
decided to provide two pages of
that issue on Pages 4 and 5 to
highlights a few events, sort of a
“newspaper of records.” The rest
of the paper has more recent
events for Spring 2008.
Thanks go to staff members for
both the 2007 Fall and 2008 Spring
semesters for their hard work.
Special thanks to Ashley Tillman,
our Editor in Chief for Fall 2007,
and Ebony S. Shelton, for Spring
2008, who have been “great” students to work with as an advisor.
Let’s all have a wonderful and
safe summer with the hope of returning in the Fall to continue to
be a “Power for Good in the 21st
Century.”
to Benedict by Tyronne Geter,
who was then head of the Ponder Art Gallery.
“I told him as long as the salary was set, I would be more than
happy because I’ve always
wanted the opportunity to teach
at an all black institution.”
Wright, who joined Benedict in
1989, said his absence next se
see FINE ARTS/page 8
April-May 2008
CAMPUS NEWS
BC Tiger News - Page 3
Founder’s Day features Disney World Comes to Benedict
Pepper tells students to
recent graduates, inducts
have a ‘love for learning’
h a l f - c e n t u r y a l u m n i Disney chairman speaks at All-College Assembly in Antisdel Chapel
By Johnathan Randolph
Staff Writer/Photo Editor
By Janael Ceasar
Staff Writer
Benedict College celebrated its
138th annual Founder’s Day on
March 4, featuring for the second time remarks by recent
graduates who were invited back
to relate their experiences in the
real world since their graduation.
They included Jonathan L.
Weston, ‘07 (Economics/Finance
major); Jameka D. Young, ‘07
(Child and Family Development
major); Curtis W. Wilson, ‘07
(Mass Communication/Broadcast major); Marlon L. Clarke, ‘04
(Biology major); and Juarez Jackson, ‘04 (Engineering major).
Another highlight of the program was the induction into the
Half-Century Club of 100 alumni
from the Class of 1958.
Speaking in the jam-packed
Benjamin E. Mays Human Resources Center Arena on campus, the five alumni related their
experiences, noting their various
experiences as they transition
from the classroom to the real
world.
Clarke, who is a graduate student at the Medical University of
South Carolina , said he was one
of two students receiving a fully
paid scholarship at his school in
Charleston.
He thanked Dr. Swinton for
Photo courtesy/Susan Dugan
The five recent graduates (standing) posed
for photo with President David H. Swinton
after receiving certificates of par ticipation.
supporting his efforts to enter
medical school and his professors for preparing him well.
Wilson, already a well-known
broadcast personality in Columbia before receiving his degree,
said it was an “honor to return
back to my alma mater” so soon
after graduating.
Encouraging the students, he
said, “Times may get rough and
may seem hard, but remember to
stay focused and make sure that
you accomplish your goals in order to excel.”
Other speakers who participated in the program included
Kendra Miller, vice president of
the Senior Class, who introduced
Photo Courtesy/Susan Dugan
Partial view of members of the class of ‘58 who
were inducted into the Half-Century Alumni Club.
the occasion; Scott E. Blanks, professor of Theater and advisor to
the Senior Class, who read the
“History of Benedict College;”
Emmie Davis, instructor of English, English, Foreign Languages and Mass Communications Department, who read the
“Founder’s Day Litany;” and
Tondeleya Jackson, director of
Service Learning, who gave the
acknowledgments and announcements.
The second half of the progam
included the “Induction of
Alumni into the Benedict College
Half-Century Club.”
President Swinton inducted
about 100 alumni from the Class
of ‘58 as new members of the HalfCentury Club, including eight
who are deceased.
He then recognized past inducted members of the Half-Century Club, starting in 1935 to 1957.
Musical interludes included
performances by the Benedict
College Wind Ensemble, conducted by Herman Jones, Jr., and
the Concert Choir, conducted by
Dr. Linda L. Kershaw
Earlier, after opening remarks by
President Swinton, invocation
and spiritual reading were done
by the Rev. Thomas V. Davis, campus minister.
Plenary session involves
local high school students
By Ebony S. Shelton
Editor in Chief
As part of activities associated
with Black History Month, which
also featured the live Teleconference beamed from campus,
Benedict College introduced area
high school students to prominent African Americans on
Wednesday, Feb 13, in the
Antisdel Chapel during The Annual Plenary Session.
High school students who attended the Session came from
Dreher High School, Eau Claire
High School, Gilbert High School,
Lower Richland High School,
Spring Valley High School, and
W.J. Keenan High School.
Dr. David H. Swinton, president
of Benedict College, welcomed all
of the high school students and
introduced them to the many “distinguished speakers” who included The Honorable Barbara A.
McKinzie, from Chicago, Ill.;
Debra Watson Norman, from
Orangeburg S.C.; Kenneth S.
Hudson, from Boston, Mass.;
Darryl V. Hunter, from Detroit,
Mich.; and Nicole A. Johnson,
from Washington, D.C.
Dr. Swinton told the speakers
the College appreciated their
coming here to “give at least two
minutes of your busy time” to
these students.
In their remarks, all of the
speakers encouraged the students to be “powerful and strong
in the community” and to not let
anyone deter them from their
dreams.
This message was reiterated
by Watson who said, “You all
should be proud to be African
American students whether in
high school or in college and to
continue on your quest for higher
education.”
Earlier, the Rev. Dr. Charles B.
Jackson, senior pastor at the
Brookland Baptist Church in Columbia, opened the program with
invocation and prayed for the
audience and the success of the
program.
Photo Courtesy/Susan Dugan
One of the prominent speakers addressing high
school students during the Plenary before the annual
Benedict’s Black History Month Teleconference.
The Pre-Alumni Council on Feb.
1 hosted “From Motown to Your
Town,” a talent showcase at
Benedict College to help kick off
the Black History Month celebration.
The showcase, held in the Little
Theatre of the Henry Ponder Fine
Arts Building, honored acts from
the past, paying tributes to the
African American heritage.
The talent show, which was led
by Nadia Muhammed, former
Miss Benedict College (20062007), and Byron McKelvey, the
Pre-Alumni Council’s president,
was attended by approximately
60 people.
The show opened with singing acts from past as a tribute to
Sam Cooke (played by Byron
McKelvey) and proceeded with
tributes to Aretha Franklin (by
Jameila Craig), Betty Wright (by
Cierra Proctor), Diana Ross and
the Supremes (by Aliya Saulters,
Cierra Proctor, and Monika
McGee), and Michael Jackson (by
DeAngelo Rolex).
Acts from the present consisted
of Deanna Jones singing, “As We
Lay,” a song by Kelly Price, and
Cierra Proctor singing, “So
Gone,” a song by Monica. T h e
future acts consisted of Ali Jones,
alias “Nation Boy,” and Dymar
Thompson, alias “Philly,” singing
as a duo. They performed one
original piece together, and Jones
performed an original piece by
himself.
The show ended with DeAngelo
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Former Disney Chairman
John Pepper addressing
the special All-College
Assembly held in the
Antisdel Chapel.
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Chairman John Pepper thanking Joshua Stroman,
SGA president, for introducing him while President
Swinton and Campus Minister Rev. Davis look on.
Benedict College’s annual Black History
Month Teleconference airs on public television
By Shalene Simmons
Staff Writer
Benedict College’s annual
Black History Month Teleconference XXI took place on Feb.13
in the Antisdel Chapel on campus.
The theme of this year’s teleconference was “The Struggle
Continues - Carter G. Woodson
and
the
History
of
Multiculturalism.”
The teleconference was a twoday event which began with the
teleconference reception and
dinner and ended with the live
telecast, which could be seen on
the 345 local PBS stations across
the 50 states in the United States
of America and also in 177 foreign countries.
The program consisted of
high school students and distinguished guests from different
parts of the United States, who
addressed the students, and discussed issues confronting
American Americans, especially
the young people, in today’s
seociety.
The distinguished guests included Darryl V. Hunter from Detroit, Michigan; Dr. Eunice M.
Dudley from Kernersville, N.C.;
Kenneth S. Hudson from Boston,
Mass.; and Dr. Nicole A. Johnson,
a traveling preacher from Washington, D.C.
In their remarks, each of the
speakers encouraged students to
realize that the African American
tradition is going to continue
through them and that they shall
overcome today’s obstacles because “the struggle continues.”
In this regard, Hudson told the
students,”Take full advantage of
this opportunity; build a foundation for as far as you want to go.”
Throughout the telecast, entertainment was provided by a few
high school bands along with the
Benedict College Wind Ensemble
award-winning Gospel Choir, under the direction of Darryl Izzard.
Photo Courtesy/Susan Dugan
One of the participants on the Teleconference
panel addressing the audience during the telecast
of the Benedict College’s annual Black History
Month Teleconference held in the Antisdel Chapel.
Miss Benedict College
holds ‘Chat n’ Chew’
Tyecia Smalls, Miss Benedict
College 2007-2008, held her first
“Chat N’ Chew” on Feb. 11, an
event at which she greeted 30
young women.
To get things started, Aliya
Saulter, first attendant to Miss
Benedict College, introduced an
icebreaker to get everyone to become acquainted before the
event, sponsored by the SGA,
got underway. The icebreaker
was that everyone present had
to give “an adjective to describe
your personality and the adjective had to begin with the first
letter of your name.”
After the icebreaker, Smalls
greeted the participants and told
them that the purpose of the
meeting was to strengthen the
social bonds between women on
campus and to give them a place
to express themselves and tell
their own individual stories.
Smalls added, “From Chat N’
Chew, I wanted everyone to
hopefully gain new friends, and
to realize that all women face
problems and go through
things.”
After the greetings, many of
the women presented what they
considered problems and issues
they face on campus. They also
asked questions they wanted answers to, ranging from personal
issues to religious ones.
Asked if the event was useful,
Whitney Gay, sophomore and
Public Health major, said, “The
Chat N’ Chew was very beneficial and it was also a learning experience.”
She added, “I thought Chat N’
Chew was very informative. It allowed women to speak out about
some of the various issues we go
through on a daily basis. I really
enjoyed every minute of Chat N’
Rolex singing, “Ordinary
People,” a song by John Legend.
Those who watched the talent
show were generally full of
praises.
Phorode Brown, freshman,
Early Childhood Development
major, said she enjoyed the
show. “I only wish there were
more acts and there was actual
singing,” she said, “instead of
the lip singing they had at the
beginning of the show.”
Lateasha Gause, senior, Mass
Communications major, said the
show was “very informative.”
By Kelada Mitchell
Staff Writer
Pre-Alumni Council hosts talent show
to pay tributes to African American pioneers
By Cierra Proctor
Staff Writer
John Pepper, former chairman
of the Board of Disney, told students at Benedict College that
they should have a “love for
learning” as he did when he was
in college.
Speaking on the topic of the
importance of education at
Antisdel Chapel, on April 2,Pepper told the students in the jampacked hall, “The most important
thing I learned in college is to
have a love of learning,” as he
reflected on growing up. He also
emphasized the importance of
reaching out to others to learn.
He then answered questioned
prepared by pre-selected business majors. Question topics
ranged from the weak American
dollar to the efforts of Disney
theme parks to be more ecofriendly.
He ended his speech with a
plea to all the students to promise him that they will continue
on until they receive their degrees despite the challenges that
may occur.
The Benedict College Concert
Choir, under the direction of Dr.
Linda L. Kershaw, performed the
Negro spiritual, “Wade in the
Water,” arranged by the late
Moses Hogan.
Pepper is also the Co-Chair of
the board and one of the founders
of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (NURFC),
and former CEO of Procter &
Gamble. Dr. David H. Swinton,
President of Benedict College,
said, “Mr. Pepper is an insightful
leader who successfully led one
of the most admired companies
in the world.”
This special All-College Assembly was held in conjunction with
the 18th Annual Charter Day Dinner at which Pepper was also the
keynote speaker that evening.
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Tyecia Smalls, Misss
Benedict
College
2007-2008, speaking.
Chew. I would encourage other
women to come out to the next
Chat N’ Chew.”
After the event, Smalls said she
thought it was a “success.” She
said, “I hope Chat N’ Chew will
be an event that Miss Benedicts
to come will implement as part of
their platforms. Personally, I will
continue to have Chat N’ Chews.”
“I liked how they incorporated
impersonations of former black artists,” Gause said. “The show was
very nice and hysterical. The guy
who did Michael Jackson was so
funny. Overall, I think it was a successful event.”
2007 FALL SEMESTER IN REVIEW
BC Tiger News page 4
FALL SEMESTER
Columbia, South Carolina
143 received degrees during December 2007 Commencement
( CANDIDATES FOR THE
BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE): SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES — Studio
Art: Terry B. Capleton* Charleston, SC. English:
Zalando F. Barnes*- Columbia,
SC; Sherell Watson - Brooklyn, NY. Mass Communication: Javell Bostic Bennettsville, SC; Justin O.
Cooper* - Columbia, SC; Kimberly N. Diamond - Columbia,
SC; Waldrick D. Green - Lake
City, SC; Tremaine J.
Hendrick** - Sicklerville, NJ;
Thomas Hunter, Jr. - Columbia,
SC; Chaquain A. MeyerBoone** - Cross, SC; William
P. Sledge - Columbia, SC;
Reginald D. Tisdale - Kingstree,
SC; Marquita A. Watson - College Park, GA; Adrienne Williams - Chester, SC; Curtis W.
Wilson*** - Columbia, SC.
Music (Instrumental): Troy
Cato - Sumter, SC. Political Science: Tasha A. Nelson** - Oak
Hill, WV; Ashley L. Reed** Georgetown, SC; Felicia K.
Robinson*** - Sumter, SC.
Religion and Philosophy:
Landrum Washington - Columbia, SC. Psychology: Constance
Brown* - Ft. Leonard Wood, MO;
Kanetha S. James - Antelope, CA;
Monisha Johnson** - Columbia,
SC; Juanita S. Moses - Sacramento, CA; Sheena P. Smith –
Hephzibah, GA; Aja T. Trotter**
- Carson, CA; Tamara Turner*
- Columbia, SC. Sociology:
Dwight N. Junior – Willingboro,
NJ; Donald Mathis~ - Newberry,
SC; Jerry M. Screen - Columbia,
SC; Nigel Smith* - Bowman, SC;
Branden L. Wade - Ladson, SC.
(CANDIDATES FOR THE
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE ): Criminal Justice:
Damil T. Adeyemi - Riverview,
FL; Keshia G. Aiken - Columbia,
SC; Da’Che A. Brooks – Houston, TX; Quemaki N.
Buckholts* - Columbia, SC;
Asia C. Conners* - Columbia,
SC; Stephanie N. Dawkins Columbia, SC; Janiah M. Ford
- Columbia, SC; Tonya N. Gray
- Chester, SC; Ryan B. Kirby Columbia, SC; Tanesha S.
Lee** - Abbeville, SC; Kimberly R. Lockhart - Gaffney, SC;
Jeneika T. McKinstry - Columbia, SC; Sadiya M. Scandrick*
- Columbia, SC; Craig B. Scott
- Columbia, SC; Harmoni Shaw
- Tulsa, OK; Tamika M.
Stroman - Columbia, SC;
Lashaundra R. White - Beaufort, SC. SCHOOL OF SCI
April-May 2008
Special Edition 2007
Tyecia N. Smalls
receives crown as
Miss Benedict
College 2007-2008
By Ashley Tillman
Editor in Chief
see DEGREES/page 5
(Top left) Commencement speaker Dr. Michael L.
Lomax, president & CEO, UNCF. (Bottom left): Partial view of the graduates. (Above) President David
H. Swinton presenting Curtis Wilson with the ‘Outstanding Senior Award’ for the Winter Class of 2007.
(All photos Courtesy/Susan Dugan)
PICTORIAL REVIEW OF HOMECOMING 2007
Calendar of Events – Homecoming 2007
October 15
- Mr. and Miss Homecoming Pageant
7:00 PM
Antisdel Chapel - Benedict College campus
October 15
- Carnival/International Students’ Celebration
6:00 PM
Bon Fire and Pep Rally
Activity Field - Benedict College campus
October 17
– Wild-Out Wednesday
7:00 PM
Swinton Campus Center -Benedict
College campus
October 18
--An Evening of Jazz with Class- Celebrating Classes
ending in 2’s & 7s
All Sororities and Fraternities Invited
Featuring: The Skipp Pearson Ensemble
9:00PM - 12AM
Marriott Columbia Hotel
--Sepia Fashion RevueVogue and
Esquire Models of Chicago
7:00 PM
HRC Arena
October 19
—13th Annual LeRoy Walker Invitational Golf Tournament
Windemere Country Club 7:30 AM
—Alumni Career Day
10AM-12 Noon
David H. Swinton Campus Center
— State of the College- Address:
Dr. David H. Swinton
12 Noon
—Alumni Awards Luncheon
Marriott Columbia Hotel
—Welcome Home Class Reunion Reception
7:30 PM
Featured Performance by the Reunion BC Concert Choir
—Homecoming Concert
9:00 PM
Mays Arena (Gym) - Benedict College campus
--Benedict College Annual Homecoming Parade
10AM
Sumter Street - Downtown, Columbia
—Alumni Tailgating Party
12 Noon- 2 PM
Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, Columbia, SC
---Tiger Football -Homecoming 2007
Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, Columbia, SC
2:00 PM
Benedict College vs. Fort Valley State University
—Homecoming Step Show
7:00 PM
Mays Arena (Gym) - Benedict College campus
—Homecoming 2007 LIVE Concert- featuring The Manhattans
Featuring Gerald Alston and Blue Lovett
Township Auditorium-1703 Taylor Street, Columbia, SC
8:00PM
—BC Homecoming 2007 After-Party- Hosted by the Young Alumni9:00 PM
- featuring DJ GitLow
Marriott Columbia Hotel
October 20
—Homecoming Worship Services
11:00 AM
Antisdel Chapel- Benedict College campus
Speaker: Rev. Thomas V. Davis, Campus Minister
—Homecoming Gospel Concert
6:00 PM
Featuring the Benedict College Gospel Choir
Antisdel Chapel- Benedict College campus
October 21
—Battle of the Bands (not a BC sponsored event)
4:00 p.m.
Charlie W. Johnson Stadium
2007 HOMECOMING WEEK
ACTIVITIES IN PHOTOS
The first three photos of at the top showed the Homecoming Parade.
At the top, the float carrying Miss Benedict College and her Court,
followed by BC Cheerleaders, and the float carrying the SGA officers. At the bottom is the scene of the BC Tigers scoring a touchdown during the Homecoming Game. (All photos/Floyd Ingram).
Tyecia N. Smalls was crowned
on Oct. 16, as Miss Benedict College 2007-2008 during her coronation, which had the theme,
“The Garden of Dreams.”
The coronation, an elegant affair which took place in the Benjamin Hayes HRCenter Arena on
campus, hosted by Prof. Scott
Blanks and Tiaa Booker-Rutherford, who served as masters of
ceremony.
As the program began, Dr.
Swinton and his wife walked out
from under the white-flowered
arches onto the purple carpeted
gym floor, followed in pairs by
members of the President’s Cabinet and their escorts, members of
the Student Government Association, and several past Miss
Benedict Queens.
They were followed by royal
representatives of Benedict College organizations, young ladies
who dressed in white gowns escorted by young men wore tuxedoes.
Next came the Miss Benedict
College’s attendants: first attendant De’Qustay Johnson and second attendant Aliya Saulter, who
both wore gold gowns. They were
followed by Nadia J. Muhammad,
Miss Benedict College 20062007, who dressed in a radiant
multitude of magenta-hued gown
and took the center chair on the
beautifully decorated stage.
As the prelude to the new Miss
Benedict’s appearance, four little
girls in ballerina customs, with
wings and wands attached,
danced alongside their instructor,
as they gathered on both sides of
an arch waving their wands until
Smalls appeared.
Smalls glided down the center
of the floor, amidst thunderous
applause, with a gorgeous gown
adorning the college’s colors of
royal purple, gold and white, with
a train that was carried by Joshua
Stroman, the SGA president, and
Timothy Peters, SGA first vice
president.
Once everyone had been
seated on the stage, a series of
tributes to Smalls began, with
the first one being a song by
Tamone Bacon, whose singing
got this scream from a member
of the audience , “You better sing
Tamone!”
Angelois Smalls, the greataunt of Smalls, next gave a
speech honoring her niece, in
which she said that she “always
sensed something special” in her
niece who, she noted, “always
gave in to her siblings needs despite her own.”
She also said, “Tyecia is a talented artist that has had her
work published.”
About the choices her niece
had made in life, she admitted
that she was uneasy when
“Tyecia decided to enroll in the
United States Army, but Tyecia
was committed and she returned
a more sophisticated and mature
individual.”
Dymar Thompson gave another tribute song, followed by
remarks by SGA President
Stroman.
In her acceptance speech,
Smalls thanked the student body
for its support. She also thanked
her campaign team, which was
called the “Dream Team.”
She then thanked her first and
second attendants, calling them
her “backbone,” and reassured
them that she did not and would
not take them for granted.
She then promised to always
represent God first, and Benedict
College to the best of her abilities and in “a dignified, professional and graceful manner.”
She then praised her predecessor, saying that “Nadia exemplified what queens should be,” and
thanked her for her “helpful advice.”
The coronation ended with the
“Grand Promenade,” a beautiful
dance done by 35 couples comprised of the Royal Court queens
and their escorts.
2007 Fall Semester in Review
April-May 2008
BC Tiger News Page 5
Fall Convocation
TIGERS SPORTS
Pres. Swinton recognizes students
for academic success, leadership Palmetto Capital City Classics features
By Ashley Tillman
‘difference experience’ for Tigers fans
Editor in Chief
Students were recognized for
their academic success and scholastic achievements during the
138th Fall Convocation of
Benedict College, which took
place on Sept. 13, at 11 a.m. in
the Benjamin E. Mays Human Resources Center Arena.
After asking the audience to reflect individually in a moment of
silence for “the losses of 9-11,”
Pres. David H. Swinton, who was
the keynote speaker, began his
remarks on the difficulty of the
registration process.
“College is not an easy thing
for students or staff,” he noted.
“It’s a challenge for us all.”
He then disclosed that there
are 2800 students at Benedict
College for Fall 2007, with “200
plus that haven’t cleared yet.”
Addressing the issue of housing the large influx of students,
Dr. Swinton said, “Some are
sleeping in hotels. This process
gets more difficult every year.
But we are committed to working
with you as long as you work
with us.”
Dr. Swinton then asked the students a series of rhetorical questions about why they came to
Benedict College. Some of the
questions included: “Did you
come to college to eat in the Caf?
Because a lot of handsome
people are here? Was it for the
Thursday and Friday night parties? Was it because it offered
victims for robbery schemes?
Were you looking for a place to
find a little marijuana?”
Although some students
clapped for all of these reasons,
(except the question of robbery
schemes), Dr. Swinton made it
By Marquita Watson & Tremaine Hendrick
Contributing Writer & Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy/Susan Dugan
President Swinton addressing the Fall Convocation.
clear that some students were not
in college for the right reasons.
He then explained that attending college for the reasons he
listed in his questions would
cost students their future.
“What you do here at Benedict
is a privilege, not a right,” he told
the audience of mostly students.
“In order to keep that privilege
you have to perform as positive
members of the community. You
have to be the best you can be.”
Dr. Swinton advised the students to take advantage of learning knowledge and technique,
problem-solving skills, and diplomacy to learn how to get along
with people.
“Ninety-nine percent of you
are capable of getting an ‘A’ or
‘B’ in every class. Not all of you
will, but if you apply your best
efforts you can.”
“Grades have not shot through
the roof,” Swinton said in reference to the Success Equals Effort Policy (S.E.E. Policy). “If you
don’t apply effort you won’t get
the benefit of the S.E.E. Policy if
you don’t go to all your classes.”
He also advised them to “Be
like college students; have your
own image of what you want to
look like as a college student.”
Inspiring students to become
initiators of change, Dr. Swinton
said, “The world needs you to
sharpen up your skills. Anything
you see that is wrong, you need
to prepare yourself to alter that.
You have the power. Differences
need to be made.”
Swinton encouraged students
to be part of the top tier of not
only African American society,
but also the top tier of the world.
“You should not be at Benedict
if you are not planning to be a
professional,” he said.
“Don’t let anybody tell you,
you are not capable of being the
best, that you’re less than somebody else. You can’t do nothing
about where you’re from, but you
control where you’re going.”
To the faculty, Dr. Swinton said,
“I ask you to do your best to
work with the students and don’t
give up on anybody; stick with
them till the end of the course.
And to advisors, Advise.”
He continued, “Nobody should
tolerate laziness, inadequacies, or
slack of any kind. No one wants
a doctor looking in books during
surgery.”
Concluding his remarks,
The Palmetto Capital City Classics (PCCC) was a different experience this year for some than in
the previous years.
Though the Tigers were victorious over the Livingstone Bears
at their first PCCC on their new
turf, winning the game with a
score of 43-6, there were changes
made outside of the game that
some fans did not appreciate.
The changes made at this years’
game included the ticket office location, the posting of event staff
at the front and back gates, and
the band not being able to spend
its full amount of time on the field.
This year those who had tickets on hold for them at the ticket
office had a difficult time getting
them. Instead of the tickets being available at the ticket office
in front of the stadium, they were
moved to a new location on Two
Notch Road. Considering the
weather and parking situations,
to most, this was not a good idea.
“It was past ridiculous, you
had to walk a mile just to get tickets!” Alsha Huggins, a senior, Biology major, said.
Confusion about getting tickets ranged from finding the new
location to the fact that some tickSwinton thanked the band and
choir, and encouraged the football team to do well against
Tuskegee University.
In concluding, Dr. Swinton
said, “Keep these thoughts in
mind if I’ve said something meaningful to you. Have a great year.”
ets were also being sold at the
front and back gates, but most
people did not know this. Those
students, and especially visitors,
who did not know about tickets
at the gates, had to locate the new
ticket office on Two Notch Road,
but only to find out later that
they could have bought tickets
at the gates. Most were angry
about that.
Michael Heggie, a senior, Computer Science major, who also had
to walk the long distance to Two
Notch Road, to purchase his
ticket, said, “It [the ticket situation] was not organized at all.”
The tickets situation was not
the only unorganized matter at
this years’ Classics. The bands
also had problems with the time
they had alloted to them to share
the field at half time. Unfortunately, the visiting band goes on
first, and Livingstone’s band
spent more time performing than
Benedict’s marching band, and
this was not appreciated by many.
“It [the time difference] interfered with the effect that we
could’ve had on the crowd because we had to crunch everything into the few minutes that
we had,” said Amos Walker, a
senior, Music Education major,
and member of the Marching Tigers Band of Distinction.
Besides the time problem with
the bands, the guest performer,
Montana tha Mack, a rapper from
Atlanta, Ga., experienced technical difficulties while performing
his single, “Do tha Rock Man.”
The microphone did not work
properly and instead of performing live, he was forced to rap
over an audiotape.
There was also problem with
tailgaters. One of the changes
made was that tailgaters were not
allowed to be on the property
without purchasing tickets,
whether or not they planned on
attending the game. While most
people complained against this,
some thought that this was a
good idea.
“I think they are trying to have
more control over the crowd and
make the game safer for those
who are attending,” said alumnus
Jessica Green.
Not everyone was pleased with
the Classics game itself. Though
she is not a big football fan, Brittany Ashby, a freshman, Business Management major, said she
enjoyed the event.
“I didn’t know it [the game]
was this big of a deal,” Ashby
said. “I heard they’re doing better than they were last season.”
Despite the changes, most said
the new Charlie W. Johnson
Football Stadium was “great.”
Sports Feature
Tailgating experience at new stadium
filled with ‘grandeur and excitement’
By Marshay Moore
Sports Editor
The start of the Palmetto City
Classic tailgate experience at the
William Brice Stadium was one
of grandeur and excitement. For
one, the experience was not what
I expected. From the crowds of
people, vendors and cars rolling
in very early, to the entertainment
limelight, made the atmosphere
around the stadium seems as if it
was electrified. I couldn’t help
but smile with curiosity to see the
new vendors and those whom
were back again to sell their new
products.
Not only did the tailgate let me
wonder around in the vendors’
world like a little kid but it made
me yearn for some of the most
tasteful smelling foods around.
Some cooked ribs, others chicken,
fried and baked, corn on the cob,
hotdogs,
sausage
links,
vegetables, and barbeque hash.
Most vendors just quench our
starving thirsts with sodas water
Gatorades, icees, ice cream,
desserts, and even snow cones.
Mostly I noticed that food and
fun was not the only reason for
tailgating…it was unity. The
seniors usually socialized about
Benedict’s football team, their
highlight players, anticipations
for prior games, and even their
experiences when they attend
this institution.
The day was as hot as a sauna
but, it did not stop DJ Prince Ice
from spinning some records and
letting the locals dance their
minds out. Local radio personnel
came and made an appearance as
well supporting this Classic.
With the aroma of food, the
laughs of children, chatter of
Benedict alumni and friends, the
booming and heart thumping
music from the stage, and the
electrified atmosphere of a
beautiful September day, that
was more of a memory tailgate
experience.
DEGREES from page 4 (December 2007 graduates)
ENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS – Biology: Patrice D. Davis Columbia, SC; Latisha R.
De’Bose* - Hempstead, NY; Autumn Dukes - Allendale, SC;
Juanita L. Frett* - St. Thomas,
Virgin Islands; Tiffany A.
Hamilton - Birmingham, AL;
Akisha L. Harvin - Lane, SC;
Whitney X. Henderson* Tacoma, WA; Latavia P. Moore*
- Lexington, SC; Tinequa T.
Singleton* - Columbia, SC;
Barnard D. Swanson - West Columbia, SC. Computer Information Science: Harold Hall - Columbia, SC. Computer Science:
Olaniyi O. Bajulaiye*** - Nigeria; Timothy D. Diggs* - Augusta,
GA; Nikita T. Hall* - Chester, SC;
Lajoele A. Rapp - Columbia, SC.
Environmental Health Science:
Gairy.J. Latalladi - St. Thomas,
Virgin Islands. Mathematics: India Puch** - Columbia, SC.
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND
ECONOMICS – Accounting:
Brittney N. Jenkins - Columbia,
SC; Carmen N. Johnson*** Bristow, VA; Shamekia W. Keitt Columbia, SC; Ricky S. Lightner
– Rock Hill, SC; Sherly Sylvester
- Miami, FL; Tamara Y. Veal*** Columbia, SC.
Business
Administraticn (General): Kecia
Lara*** - Columbia, SC;
Anjanette President - Columbia,
SC; Esa S. Washington* - Columbia, SC. Business Administration
(Management): Irosa Enabulele -
Columbia, SC; Karissa M. Garvin
- Charlotte, NC; Edward H.
Harrison - Columbia, SC; Barbara
J. Hill* - Winnsboro, SC; Naomi
D. Lowery - Somerset, NJ;
Stanley M. Richardson Spartanburg, SC; Steven D. Taylor - Simpsonville, SC. Business
Administration (Marketing):
Sontil N. Davis - Winnsboro, SC;
Hillard Garner, II* - Hopkins, SC;
Vmce D. Green - Ridgeville, SC;
Alicia N. Mackey - Charlotte, NC;
Ellis K. Robinson - Bronx, NY;
Shavon T. Sanders** - Columbia,
SC; Christy K. Yusuf - South Nigerian. Economics (Finance):
Joel L. Brown - Miami, FL; Carnell
N. Foster - Columbia, SC; Sterlin
Gilliard - North Charleston, SC.
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION –
Child/Family Development:
Marcus Adams - Elgin, SC;
Nakisha M. Adams - Columbia,
SC; Whitney L. Clark* - Charleston, SC; Andrea P. Gaddist* Ridgeville, SC; LaKeasha M.
Gause - Columbia, SC; Katrina
Green* - Lynchburg, SC; Chet W.
Henderson** - Roopville, GA;
Rashaad J. Jones - Ridgeville, SC;
Shayla M. Jones - Raeford, NC;
Channel E. McFadden - Lake City,
SC; Latoya K. Moore - Ellerbee,
NC; Cassandra E. Norris* Anderson, SC; Edward Peeples Columbia, SC; William E.
Robinson - Hartsville, SC; Erica
S. Smalls* - Columbia, SC; Sabrina
E. Smith* - Columbia, SC; Brittany D. Wiggins* - Walterboro,
SC; Tisa S. Young*** - Winnsboro,
SC. Early Childhood: Brandy J.
Anderson* - Rock Hill, SC; Tyderah
N. Bradley* - Lawrenceville, GA;
Gail A. Garrick* - Columbia, SC.
Public Health: Bernard Broughton,
II* - Charleston, SC; Justin P. Hodges
- St. George, SC. Recreation: Randy
Booker - Atlanta, GA; Jody D.
Drye* - Lakeside, CA; James Fuller
- Brunswick, GA; Yasmeen A.
Hameen*** - Columbia, SC; Jeremy
B. Harper - Columbia, SC; Chaz T.
Harris - Columbia, SC; Jimmie Jones
- Jonesboro, GA; Sabrina O. Parker
- Blackville, SC; Cherri T. Robbins Detroit, MI; Keyona S. Roberts Rowesville, SC; LaKysha L. Roberts - Rowesville, SC; Dennis Taylor* - Jackson, MS; Tawanda Ward Philadelphia, PA; Alton R. Webb* Augusta, GA. (CANDIDATES
FOR THE BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK DEGREE) — Social
Work: Samantha E. Bryant Walterboro, SC; Christina A. Cobb**
- Columbia, SC; Renaul T. Gillispie Columbia, SC; Brian A. Goodwin St. Matthews, SC; Alfonso J. James
- Sebring, FL; Devaris T. Locket Charlotte, NC; WiIliam M. Snow Columbia, SC; Ebony S. Thomas* Hartsville, SC; Shameil N. Thomas Detroit, MI; Neishia Werts - Jamaica,
NY; Nakia S. Williams - New Haven, CT. (CANDIDATES FOR
THE BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE) — SCHOOL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION: Interdisciplinary Studies: Christina Presley*
- Bamburg, SC; George Whitehead*
- Hopkins, SC; Kashif Wingo* Bloomfield, NJ.
Summa Cum Laude*** — Magna
Cum Laude** — Cum Laude* —
~Awarded Posthumously.
Palmetto
Classics
in
Pictures
(Photos Courtesy/Floyd Ingram)
Sports Interview
Marcus Webb speaks after
Palmetto Classics game
After losing the season opener to Morehouse College in Atlanta,
23-14, the Benedict College Football Tigers bounced back, seemingly in great shape, and totally annihilated the Livingstone College Blue Bears, 43-6, in the 6th annul Palmetto Capital City Classic on Sept. 1. Benedict’s starting Quarterback, Marcus Webb, led
the way going 5-9 with 140 passing yards and running the ball 10
times for 53 yards and two touchdowns. At the end of the game,
Webb received the game’s Most Valuable Player award and was
also named the Palmetto Capital City Classic MVP. Thus, the BC
Tiger News sought him out for an interview.
Marcus Webb
Tiger News: How long have you been on the BC Tigers football team?
Webb: I have been a quarterback on the team for three years, but playing on the field for two.
Tiger News: Did you play in High School? What position?
Webb: Yeah, I played for Coffee County High School in Douglas Georgia. During my time there I
played multiple positions. Besides Quarterback, I also played Wide Receiver and Free Safety.
Tiger News: Doing research, we found that you have accomplished a lot; BC Player of the Week,
Classic game MVP. What obstacles did you overcome to get to this point?
Webb: Man, I just used a lot of perseverance, belief in God, and strong family support. That’s what I
give all the credit to. I really can’t take anything from them because they just have played such a major
role in all that I have done.
Tiger News: How do these accomplishments make you feel?
Webb: I was very happy and honored because I know what I’ve been through in life to get to this
point. I just want to say “Thank You” to the people who nominated me.
Tiger News: Do you think that the team has improved since last season? If so, how?
Webb: I think that we have improved as a team as a whole because we have come together and jelled
so well. I can honestly say that we have been a real team compared to everything last year. Now we all
have the same common goal.
Tiger News: We understand that there is a new coaching staff. Is there a difference between the old
and the new? If so, what?
Webb: There’s a lot of differences with the coaching staffs. Don’t get me wrong I loved (old head
coach) Coach Hendrick to death. I feel that Coach Hendrick and (new head coach) Coach Conner have
a lot of the same beliefs. But now with the new coaching staff they are more tentative towards my
weaknesses and take the time to make sure that I understand my craft.
Tiger News: Was there a football training camp held this summer? If so, was it challenging? And what
was challenging about it?
Webb: (Laughs) Boy, boy, let me tell you something about that. That South Carolina heat in the middle
of the summer is no joke. That was definitely the most overbearing obstacle. But besides that we had
to get in the flow and execute the tasks at hand.
Tiger News: What was last season’s record? What predictions do you have for this season?
Webb: Our record last year was 3-7. By us losing the first game this season to Morehouse, I can’t say
we are going to be undefeated. But I will say we are going to end up 10-1 this season and win the
conference. In order for that to happen we need perfect execution and the belief that we can accomplish anything.
Tiger News: Well, Marcus Webb, we would like to say thank you and good luck to you and your
teammates on the remainder of your season.
Webb:(Laugh) Thank you and I appreciate everything.
BC Tiger News - Page 6
Community Life holds
mandatory dorm meetings
By Cierra Proctor & Kelada Mitchell
Staff Writers
The Community Life Department at Benedict College, on
March 5, held separate mandatory meetings in the Swinton
Campus Center for female and
male students to discuss maintenance and living conditions in
the dormitories.
The first meeting was held at
7 p.m. for the female students, and
at 8 p.m. for the male students.
Bridgett Jones, director of
Community Life, started the
meeting by thanking everyone
who attended. She then introduced the various Residential
Hall Advisors (RHAs) from each
of the dormitories. She also introduced the Community Life
staff.
Talking about the responsibility of the Dorm Council, Jones
explained the purpose of the
Community Life Department,
which is in charge of student living, especially about taking care
of the maintenance and living
conditions of the dorms.
She ensured the students that
their letters of concern about
dormitory conditions were not
being ignored.
About one of those concerns,
Jones said, “The key machine
was not stolen, the computer to
code the keys was. I do understand your concerns.”
Jones, noting that many of the
students did not understand
what the Community Life’s
charges were, explained each of
them to the students.
Jones then told them about
her office’s concerns, which include dorm safety and computer
access. She said visitors to the
dorms must sign in for security
reasons. She stressed that many
computers are not able to access
the Internet because some students have stolen the cords.
She also noted that some students have been cutting the
wires to the exit doors, which was
a dangerous act.
The meeting ended with
Jones informing the students
that the last day in the dorms is
May 10, and that summer school
will begin May 27.
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Oak Street Dormitory,
located near campus.
April-May 2008
STUDENT LIFE
Annual Harambee Festival attracts
variety of activities to BC Campus
By Cierra Proctor
Staff Writer
The Benjamin E. Mays Human
Resources Arena on campus was
turned into a cascade of foods,
Greek paraphernalia, a performance stage, and all kinds of
booths, as Benedict College celebrated its 18th annual Harambee
Festival on Feb. 23, as one of
many activities it planned for
Black History Month.
Various entertainment acts, including step teams, models, dancers, singers, and guest speakers
showed up to make the day-long
program both fun-like and informative.
Several vendors put up booths
with educational and health-related exhibits, addressing many
of the issues of concern to visitors. For example, one booth provided health screenings and told
visitors about the benefits of seeing their doctors annually.
Speaking about his visit to one
health booth, Shardae Metz, junior, Elementary Education major,
said, “I liked it. I wish there were
more booths for health.”
Many speakers spoke during
the Festival on various subjects.
One of the keynote speakers was
Darrin Henson (the actor who has
performed in “Soul Food,” the
series; “Stomp the Year”).
Kelada Mitchell, a senior, Mass
Communication major, who listened to Henson, reacted not to
what he said about African American heritage but also actor’s
presence and the entire atmosphere at the Festival.
“I enjoyed Harambee,” Mitchell
said. “This is my fourth year attending and every year there is
something new that catches my
attention. This year it was the
guest speaker. He was cute.”
Outside the Arena, on the activity field, several vendors
packed the area with food, ranging from local “soul food” to international cuisine. They sold
everything from hot dogs to oysters.
However, De’Qustay Johnson,
a senior, Biology major, was not
however pleased with food available.
“It was good,” he said of the
festival in general. “ The food
vendors could have had a bigger
variety.”
Besides local vendors and
those from many parts of the
country, many academic departments and campus organizations
also had booths, exhibiting information about programs at the college.
Some of the organizations included The Pre-Alumni Council,
the Pre-Health Club, Alpha Phi alpha Fraternity Inc., and Kappa
Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
Departments in all four schools
exhibited information about their
academic programs, and gave out
brochures and other souvenirs.
Students who attended the festival, generally, had positive comments about it.
Phorode Brown, a freshman, Elementary Education major, said, “I
enjoyed Harambee. It was fun.”
Byron McKelvey, a senior,
Child and Family Administration
major, said, “The Harambee festival was an experience that ignited sparks of interest and
honor in my African heritage.
The festive atmosphere brought
unity back to BC’s campus.”
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
One of several groups performing on the Harambee
stage in the HRC Arena as spectators watched.
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Outside view of Harambee showing one of many
food booths featuring a variety of food and drinks.
TigerFest provides week of Benedict Colle ge pr ofessor
fun activities, fashion show and student attend Grammy
By Ebony Shelton
Editor in Chief
The Annual Benedict College
TigerFest kicked off on Thursday, April 3, in the Swinton Campus Center, where rising sophomore and junior students met candidates runing for the SGA.
The week-long program
featued activities around campus, including a fashion show.
One such activity was the firstever SGA Prom which took place
in the HRC Arena on April 4. The
Prom was free for students who
were dressed appropriately to
once again enjoyed their “high
school” prom memories.
Ryan Hickman, a junior and
Mass Communications major,
who was one of the candidates
running for SGA president,
helped to put together this year’s
activities. “We tried to do things
that have never been done before,” he said.
Besides the prom, the muchtalked-about BET Awards show
was staged, somewhat of a superlative contest for all BC students. Categories included
BIG READ from
page 1
tion, and other faculty members
who participated in the program.
Cast members who staged the
drama version of “Lesson Before
Dying” were introduced by Prof.
Brooks, and each also recevied
awards from Dean Quillian.
The “Student Awards” went
to Tierra Green, winner of the
Essay Contest, and Shelley
Smith, winner of the Book Cover
Design. Benedict College,
Dr. Souley Ousman
awards for “Best Dressed” and
“Most Attractive.” Most students said this was the “best activity” during TigerFest.
Other activities included Campus Beautification Day, the
HPER Department’s slam dunk
contest and a faculty and staff
Greek Unity Day.
However, many students said
they knew nothing about the sequence of events or found out
too late to fix their schedules accordingly.
Preston Kirby, a senior, Mass
Communication major, said that
he did not know about Tiger Fest
until the middle of the week.
“I just happened to hear somebody talking about it in class,”
he said.
As a working student, Kirby
said he was only able to participate in one activity because he
could not rearrange his schedule at his job.
Hickman said that they should
have done a better job of promoting the various activities for
TigerFest.
“That is one of the things that
we plan to work on the future,”
he noted.
recipient of the NEA Big Read
Initiative Grant, is one of the 127
community sites nationwide
participating in The Big Read
experience to “incite the public
to read.” The NEA has funded
more than 300 of these “The Big
Read” programs around the
country.
The NEA , established in 1965
as an independent agency of the
federal government, is a public
agency
dedicated
to
“supporting excellence in the
arts and providing leadership in
arts education for all Americans.”
Ms. Faye O. Hardy
Students listening to reading of
Dr. Sybil D. Rosado
“Lesson Before Dying” by above
faculty and others at “BIG READ”
program in Foyer of FAH Bldg.
Awards ceremony in Los Angeles
By Ebony S. Shelton
Editor in Chief
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Two student models who
took part in the fashion
show during TigerFest.
A Benedict College student
may have had a life-time experience when he was taken by his
professor to attend the 50th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 10.
Ron McKnight, instructor of
Mass Communication, Department of English, Foreign Languages and Mass Communica-
Dr. Jackson encourages
students to explore
study abroad program
By Justin “Juz” Cooper*
Staff Writer
Dr. Norma L. Jackson, director
of the Office of International Program at Benedict College, said she
would like to encourage students
at the College to explore and experience studying abroad.
“International experiences are
very important in today’s job market,” Jackson explained about the
benefits of studying abroad.
“Many employers look for potential employees who are as comfortable and as informed when
traveling around the world as
they are when traveling around
the block.”
Jackson, who is also Associate
Professor of Comparative Literature and Spanish at Benedict College, said that many students at
the college ask for information
about the Study Abroad Program
but fail to complete the process.
Jackson noted that Solomon
Hill, a May 2007 graduate, was
the first student to participate in
the study abroad initiative since
it has been offered.
“The Study Abroad Program is
available to all Benedict College
students,” Jackson emphasized.
“Solomon, however, worked conscientiously to fulfill the required
tasks. He had the GPA; he came
to the office, filled out the required forms, and as a result of
his discipline and commitment he
capitalized on the opportunity.”
Benedict College’s Study
Abroad Program presently has
more offerings for those students
who want to study in South
America.
“Many African Americans are
unaware that there are blacks
through Central and South
Americas, and the Caribbean,”
Jackson said, explaining why perhaps most Benedict students
have not taken advantage of the
program. “In fact there are more
blacks in Brazil than in the U.S.”
Jackson pointed out that blacks
in Central and South America face
forms of oppression similar to
blacks in the U.S., and also noted
that many blacks in Central and
South America have followed the
struggles of blacks in the U.S. almost as closely as U.S. blacks do.
“Martin Luther King, Malcolm
X, Angela Davis, for example, are
black heroes as much in the barrios of Bahia, Brazil, today as they
once were in projects of Brooklyn, New York yesterday,” Jackson said.
Citing the CIA World Fact
Book, Jackson disclosed that
only 5.6 percent of the world’s
population speaks English as a
primary language.
“This means that worldwide 94
out of every 100 people have a
non-English mother tongue,”
Jackson noted. “Learning a second language opens many doors
to an individual in today’s
diverseDr. Norma Jackson said
her world.”tata Jackson said
she believes that learning a foreign language increases employment opportunities.
Interested students can call the
OIP at 803-705-4527 or email Dr.
Norma
Jackson
at
jacksonn@benedict.edu, or visit
Rm. 302, Administration Building.
tion, took one of his students,
Stanley “Noodles” Davis III,
sophomore, Mass Communication major, to the Grammy this year
because he was impressed by the
“hard work” the student did last
semester and is doing this semester.
McKnight, who has attended
the Grammy Awards for the last
13 years, said Davis, who has
acted as his assistant and whom
he has mentored, was granted the
opportunity to accompany him
because “Stanley managed to do
everything I’ve asked him to do
all year and still maintain his
strong 4.0 GPA.”
McKnight added, “I never expected it to be so easy to get permission from the Deans of our
schools to let a student travel with
a professor, but they all know
Noodles and they think he’s
great!”
Asked how he was able to have
a student invited to the Grammys,
he said that in order to get an invitation to attend, a person has to
be recommended by a member of
the Recording Academy, of which
he is a longstanding member.
“You have to be accomplished
in the music industry,” he explained about the membership.
“You have to own your own company and gross a certain amount
of money per year. You also have
to give to MUSICARES, a program dedicated to keeping music
and the arts in public schools. You
must also know what the Academy stands for and give a portion
of the profits from your company
to the Academy.”
About why he decided to take
students with him to some of the
Grammy Awards ceremonies,
McKnight, who said he has been
taking a student with him to the
Grammys since his second year
attending the star-studded program, disclosed that it is because
when he was younger, he was
given many opportunities in life,
and now he wanted to do the same
for other young people.
“Students and young people
in general have a mis-direction
of what glamour really is,”
McKnight said, of the experience
of attending the Grammys.
“When you think of the red carpet and The Staples Center you
see glamour but you never see
the 1500 people working around
the clock to keep the show running. I wanted him to truly see
the mud before the glamour.”
Davis, a native of Harlem, N.Y.,
said that the experience was life
changing. “I can’t even describe
what it meant for me to be able
to be there,” Davis explained. “I
was the only person in there with
a camera. You have to get permission from the Academy in
order to bring one. Mr.
McKnight helped me with that
and I appreciated it.”
He also said that he saw
people that he never would have
thought he would meet. “I was
in the elevator with Beyonce,”
he noted. “I met Terry Lewis,
Chris Brown and Big Tigger. The
whole experience can’t really be
expressed in words. I left a boy
and came back a man. I feel like it
was a rite of passage, and now I
feel like I don’t have to prove
myself to anyone anymore.”
Stanley
“Noodles”
Davis at the Grammys
decked up in a tuxedo.
MISS BENEDICT COLLEGE from page 1
give the students an idea who
were running and competing for
the various positions. The week
of the elections, the candidates all
had tents set up between the Mini
Dorm and Stewart Hall, where they
displayed their campaign materials and had food, music, drinks,
and fun activities in order to persuade students to vote for them
on elections day.
Besides Mack, this year’s can-
didates for Miss Benedict College included Shani Jones, a junior, Child and Family Studies major, from Bridgeport, Conn.;
Shanta Gardner, a junior, Psychology major, from Estill, S.C.;
Tiarra Johnson, a junior, Business Administration major, from
Ridgeway, S.C.; and Tiffany
Clark, a junior, Criminal Justice
Major, from Birmingham, Ala.
FEATURES
BC Tiger News - Page 7
BC students serve as ‘paparazzi’ The Dugans receive honor
in museum’s Hollywood program at Women’s Day assembly
April-May 2008
By Jonathan Randolph
Staff Writer
Nine Benedict College students participated in the opening
of the South Carolina State
Museum’s new exhibit, “Hollywood Comes to South Carolina:
A Century of Filmmaking in the
Palmetto State,” on Saturday,
Jan. 12, in Columbia.
The students, all Mass Communication majors, included
DeAnna Gantt, Ernest Henley,
Perry Jackson, Bobbie Love,
Darius Porcher, Cierra Proctor,
Johnathan Randolph, Kenneth
Smith, Marshay Moore,and Marquis Williams.
The students, who served as
“red carpet paparazzi” for the
event, were asked to get involved
with the event when students at
the University of South Carolina
could not participate and so
needed to be replaced.
Susan Dugan, instructor of
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Kenneth Smith, Bobbie Love, and Ernest “Mario”
Hendley serving as Paparazzi at the South Carolina State Museum’s Hollywood show in Columbia.
Mass Communication at Benedict
College, who is also associated
with the Museum, is the one who
got the Benedict students to volunteer as replacement for the
event.
She said when Tut Underwood,
director of Public Information &
Marketing at the Museum, asked
her to find a solution, she asked
for volunteers in her Digital Photography class.
Love, who was one of the volunteers, said, “This was a great and
a fun experience for us.”
As paparazzi, the Benedict students got to take photos of participants in the event who walked the
red carpet, including Joe Penner,
who was the MC for the event;
“Radio,” whose life was chronicled
in the Cuba Gooding Jr.’s film of
the same name; and look-a-likes for
Gomer Pyle, Barney Fife, Alfred
Hitchcock, Humphrey Bogart, and
Elvis Presley.
The “Hollywood Comes to
South Carolina” exhibit commemorates the history of South Carolina
role in the film industry. The exhibit
runs until October 19. Regular admission fee is $3 for ages three and
up. For more information call,
803-898-4921
or
visit
southcarolinastatemuseum.org.
The Charles Brooks Theatre
Ensemble perfor ms drama
version of ‘A Lesson Before Dying’
By Shalene Simmons
Staff Writer
Benedict College’s School of
HASS and The Charles Brooks
Theatre Ensemble, in conjunction
with the National Endowment for
the Arts, performed the stage
version of Ernest J. Gaines’ “A
Lesson Before Dying” on Feb. 27,
at 5 p.m. in the Little Theater of
the Ponder Fine Arts & Humanities Building on campus.
The story of Gaines’ book,
set in Louisiana in 1940s, transports the reader into the pre-Civil
Rights era in the South, where the
divide between the races was as
deep and free-flowing as the Mississippi River.
The main characater, Jefferson,
played by Joshua Williams, is
portrayed as a young uneducated black man who is not only
called an animal (a hog) but is
also unjustly sentenced to death
for a white store-keeper’s murder which he did not commit.
However, the theme of the book
is not lost in the stage version,
written by Romulus Linney, as
the point is made about being in
the “wrong place at the wrong
time.”
Jefferson’s aunt, Emma Glen,
played by Sandra Thomas, solicits the at-first unwilling teacher
at the former plantation’s schoolhouse, Grant Wiggins, played by
Bilal Salauddin, to help Jefferson
die like a man with dignity.
Althhough Grant desperately
wants to escape the poverty and
A scene from the stage version of “A Lesson Before Dying,” in the Little Theater,
directed by Prof. Charles D. Brooks, III of
the Benedict College’s Fine Arts Department.
Benedict hosts its own
‘Biggest Loser’ program
By JenVon Cherry
Staff Writer
Biggest Loser, which is a hit
TV show on NBC, features a range
of people trying to lose weight to
live a healthy lifestyle. At
Benedict College, a program by
the HPER has organized a version of the show, which it called
“Biggest Loser Obesity Reduction Program.”
The program began on Monday, Feb 11, at 5 p.m. in HRC Gymnasium.
Eva Loraine Dunbar, coordinator of the program, led 14 participants in beginning the exercising program. She told the
group that the program would ask
them to challenge themselves.
“Eating healthy and exercising go hand in hand,” she told
them. “You have to eat right and
exercise and get your body use
to a route.”
She explained that they would
complete eight weeks of exercising and building endurance, including fast walking, jogging,
and doing a dance step to some
music to get their heart beat racing.
One of the participants,
Tyeisha Hamilton, 24, and a senior student, said she wants to
tone-up and get used to exercising again.
Another participant, Lisa Taylor, who is the coordinator of the
Social Science and Criminal Justice Department, said, “I would
like to lose weight and to toneup to live a healthy lifestyle.”
Of the 14 participants, only
one was a male. Freeman
Burgress said he had joined for
the exercise, but not being married, he did not mind, he loved
being around so many women.
The program was opened to all
faculty, staff, students, and
people from the community who
wanted want to participate as the
program is free and for all ages.
racism of the parish, he is rooted
to the area by a sense of duty and
cannot break away.
Using atmospheric prose and
pitch-perfect dialogue, Gaines
treats both his characters and the
Louisiana countryside with honesty and understanding.
According to the program brochure, the setting of the drama,
which takes place in Bayonne, La.,
in 1948, is comprised of a storeroom, a table at the Rainbow Club,
a schoolhouse, and a bench in
front of the Parish Courthouse.
In Act One, the stage is set to
accommodate the “Rainbow Club”
at stage right. At stage left, a flag
and desk serve as a classroom.
Stage center serves as the storeroom to the Parish Courthouse. The
character, Grant Wiggins, will move
in plain sight, from one place to
another throughout the play.
Also, in Act Two, lights come up
on the Rainbow Club, where Vivian
is wetting one end of a handerchief
in a glass of water. Grant sits by
her as she soaks a lump on his forehead, not very gently.
The result is an evocative look
at the brutality of racism and the
power of compassion.
Other cast members included
Paul Bonin (played by Keith T.
Mills), Sam Guidry (played by
Charles Dodd), Vivian Baptiste
(played by Alaceyia Stubbs), and
the Rev. Moses Ambrose (played
by Leroy F. Bennett).
By Jonathan Randolph
Staff Writer
Susan Dugan, instructor of
Mass Communication in the
English, Foreign Languages
and Mass Communication
Department, and her mother,
Dixie Dugan, and daughter,
Stacy Montebello, were
honored at the annual Women’s
History Month All-College
Assembly held March 18, in the
Antisdel Chapel on campus.
Dugan, who coordinates the
Mass
Communication
sequence, had her family to join
her in receiving the honors.
Speaking about her
association with Benedict
College, Dugan related how she
was called to fill in for another
photographer at one of the
College’s many programs, and
that one assignment turned into
a 19-year association with the
College, teaching photography
and
other
mass
communications courses.
Thanking the organizers for
the honor of recognizing she
and her family in such a
“special” program, Dugan said
it was even more meaningful
because she was sharing the
moment with “my mother, Dixie,
and my daughter, Stacy, who
I’m very proud of.”
Speaking after her daughter,
Dixie Dugan spoke of the
“special relationship” she has
had with her daughter, Susan,
and explained the challenges of
motherhood that made it hard
The first Benedict College’s version of the well-known BET Awards
Show was held Thursday, April 9,
at 8 p.m. in the Benjamin E. Mays
Human Resource Center Arena on
campus.
The well-attended event, a re-enactment by students of the annual
BET Award Show broadcast nationally on the BET Network, honored the works of various African
American musical artists.
For the Benedict College’s version, about 150 student were nominated in different categories, such
as “Hustler of the Year,” “Most Attractive,” “Best Sorority/Fraternity,” and “Best Dorm.”
To start the show, the nominees
walked down the red carpet and
took their seats amongst the audience of about 500 people who came
under the direction of Dr. Linda
L. Kershaw, also performed the
song, “A Virtuous Woman,”
written by Guy Robinson.
After the assembly, a luncheon
was held in the David H.
Swinton Campus Center, where
works of art by Susan, Dixie and
Stacy were placed on display.
The program, organized by
the Women’s History Month
Committee, commemorates the
presidential proclamation of
March as “Women’s History
Month.”
Johnathan Randolph/Tiger News
Prof. Susan Dugan (top) making remarks during the
Women’s History Month All-College Assembly during which she and her mother and daughter (lower )
were honored for 19 years of service to Benedict.
Payton Learning Resources Center sponsor
‘Art of Storytelling’ for local children
By Marshay Moore
Copy Editor
The Payton Learning Resources Center held an “Art of
Storytelling” event in the BC
Cares’ POB classroom on Feb.
7, at 10 a.m., for about 80 children from the Benedict’s Head
Start, Benedict Child Development Center, First Nazareth Baptist Church Child Development
Center, and Joseph Keels Elementary District II Child Development Center.
About 17 teachers and adults
and five Benedict personnel
who were in charge of taking
care of the children. The BC
Cares was full of children’s
laughs, excitement and voices
in sync as they willingly participated with the storyteller in
stories of rhymes, songs, and
being attentive to the story being told and described to them.
“We usually do this type of
event during Black History
month,” Mary L. McAfee, a
staff of the Benedict College’s
Library, said. “For our participation of the Black History celebration, we do storytelling for
kindergarteners.”
First ‘BET Awards’
program re-enacted
at Benedict College
By Tamara Cooper
Staff Writer
for her to pursue her love of art,
and instead supported Susan’s
pursuit of art as her career. She
reminisced about her days as
Susan’s college roommate after the
latter decided to pursue art. She
added that it was “interesting” to
see her granddaughter also
interested in art.
When it was her time to speak,
Montebello, 17, said she has
practically grown up on the
Benedict College campus, having
spent most of her time with her
mother on campus.
Others who participated in the
program included Cristina Benner,
instructor of English in the EFLMC
Department, who read a poem in
Spanish, which she subsequently
assigned to her students to
translate as a special project.
During the assembly, Faculty
and Staff Choral performed a
song accompanied by Mrs.
McKinney on the piano. The
Benedict College Concert Choir,
to watch and cheer the participants.
One of the winners, Kenneth
“Hops” Taylor, senior, Mass
Communication major won the
Hustler of the Year Award.
“Even though it’s not a real
award, it feels good to be recognized,” Taylor said.
Reacting to the show she
just saw, Chemir June, junior,
Education major, said, “It was
very long but they kept it exciting the entire time. I hope we
have another one next year.”
The event was held by the
SGA and Student Activities
Committee.
During the program, the children laughed as McAfee, who also
acted as a storyteller, read the first
story about how the turtle lose his
shoes to a deer, using pictures and
interesting vocabulary that helped
identify the parts of the animals,
which got the children to laugh
even more and to be intrigued until even after the story ended.
Following McAfee’s readings,
Bridgett V. Sledge, a librarian of
Benedict College’s Library, began
a famous song, “If You are Happy
and You Know It” with the refrain,
“Clip Your Hands,” was sung with
the assistance of a brightly, furred,
jumping doll that amused the children even more.
After a brief intermission, the
storytelling continued with the
reading of the book, “What a
Wonderful World,” an adaptation
from Langston Hughes’ famous
composition written from his trumpet, a rhyme that is also an adaptation from the Mother Goose
Story called “The House that Jack
Built.” The recitation included the
children, the teachers , and other
library personnel challenging their
memory and incorporating giggles.
Rearing the end of this event,
McAfee told her final story, “I
Should Have Stayed in Bed” by
Jones Lexum that told a story of
a boy that was having a bad day
step-by-step.
The reading of the story, “The
Wheels on The Bus,” wrapped
up the storytelling event as the
children grabbed their jackets
and lined up in single file to get
on the school bus.
Speaking about the purpose
of reading to the children,
McAfee said, “It gets them interested at an early age to read.
A motivation to want to come to
college one day, maybe even
Benedict.”
Leslie Boose, the Center Coordinator of Benedict Head Start
said, “It [Benedict Head Start] is
a place where we service children from ages 3 to 5 years. This
is a non-profit preschool program. Benedict students also attend here for service learning.
We make sure that these children
get medical, glasses and it is free
for those parents who are trying
to go back to school.”
Marie Cole, a teacher at Joseph
Keels Elementary District II Child
Development Center said,
“We have storytelling at the
school. The children love to take
trips to hear other people’s voices
telling stories.”
‘Facebook’ distracts students
from school assignments
By Shalene Simmons
Staff Writer
Is “Facebook” becoming a distraction for students at Benedict
College? The answer could be
“Yes,” judging from the growing
number of students on campus
who can be seen using computers
in the library and some dormitories for the purpose of checking
out their “Facebook” pages.
What is more alarming is that it
would seem like the use of this
popular “social networking”
website is making students to forget about their academic assignments as they satisfy their interests in checking out on what’s
happening in Facebook.
For example, BC students are
utilizing the computers in the dormitories, library and Bacoats Hall
to check their Facebook pages instead of doing their class assignments for which the computers
were placed in those places.
Because of this, other students
who want to do their class assignments are not able to, since
Facebook users occupy these
computers to surf their
Facebook pages.
Speaking about the enormous
time being spent by students on
Facebook, Kenyatta Quarles, a
senior, Social Work major,
said,”Facebook can get you side
tracked because that is where
the latest gossip is and now that
is all students are concerned
with.”
Facebook is an Internet site
that has all kinds of information,
some telling about people’s relationship problems and it even
allows members to put their personal information online, indicating their current status.
“Facebook is where you can
find out information about parties and things going on in the
area,” said Keenan Bennett, a
freshman, Social Work major,
from Charleston, S.C.
However, the use of Facebook
is depriving others of using the
computers for other things.
Page 8 - BC Tiger News
TIGERS SPORTS
April-May 2008
Tigers Men’s Basketball team SPORTS ROUND-UPS
By Marshay Moore*
gets top ranking as second seed Staff
Writer/Copy Editor
in the NCAA Division II South
* Moore was Sports Editor on the
2007 Fall Semester staff.
Top team in the 2007-08 BCSP Final Top Ten - First for an SIAC school
There were no deep postseason
runs for black college men’s
basketball teams this year, but
that doesn’t mean there were no
dominant teams. And the most
dominant team also made the
deepest run.
Benedict (28-5) won the SIAC
regular season title by a
whopping six games and
followed that with a scintillating
run to that league’s tournament
title. Then, as a second seed in
the NCAA Div. II South Region,
the Tigers got the SIAC’s first
post-tournament win in 17 years
with a first round victory, and got
another win to reach the Regional
the BCSP ranking is also a first
for an SIAC school.
Watson masterfully blended a
deep and talented squad that had
seven players average between
5 and 12 points per game. The
Tiger attack was anchored by 67 big man Martinis Woody’s 9.8
points and 10.1 rebounds per
game and featured mercurial
guards Darius Lane (9.3 ppg.)
and Charles Gibbs (12.1 ppg.)
with 6-7 junior Bennie Lewis (11.3
ppg.) and 6-5 freshman
sensation Michael Holmes (10.1
ppg., 7.5 rpg.) as able finishers.
It was Watson and the Tigers
third SIAC tournament title and
Tigerettes lose close game to CAU’s Panthers
The Lady Tigers began the game against the Clark Atlanta University (CAU) Panthers in the Benjamin
E. Mays Arena at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9, with Fr., Charvez Holmes shooting a 3-pointer in the first 5
minutes which lead to an aggressive start towards a win.
Utivia Barnes, Center, sustained a head injury by hitting her head on the floor. After she recovered,
she soon was aggressively making steals leading the BC Ladies in a total of 17 rebounds for the first half,
which ended with a score of Benedict 44 and Clark Atlanta 32.
In a very close match that almost led to overtime by mere seconds; the Tigers and the Panthers were
tied. Charvez Holmes, a Guard from Decatur, GA., had a good game score totaling 14 points, and Sharita
Motley, a Guard from Durham, NC, scoring a total of 13 points.
Anticipation was in the air as the Panthers took possession of the ball. Scoring 39 points during the
second half to Benedict’s 24, high scorer for Clark Atlanta University totaled 28 points, Shantrell Moss,
made the game winning 3-point shot that ended with a final score of Benedict 68 to Clark Atlanta 71.
Claflin Panthers slip by Tigers due to turnovers
Two action shots of Darius Lane
in the Finals game against
Tuskegee University (above) and
the Semi-Finals game vs. ClarkAtlanta University (below).
The Benedict Tigers Men’s Basketball team suffered their third defeat of the season and second on
the road on Jan. 5, in Orangeburg, against the Panthers of Claflin University. In what turned out to be a
close match-up but heartbreak loss, the Panthers topped the Tigers by a score of 62-64.
Despite the loss, Benedict College’s Charles Gibbs, Jr., guard, had a good night going 9-9 from the
free-throw line and scoring a total of 21 points.
During the game, the Tigers brought down more rebounds than the Panthers by 8 boards and they
also made more 3-pointers than the Panthers by 4 shots. However, even with such impressive statistics,
the Tigers’ turnover of the ball a total of 25 times as compared to Claflin’s 16 turnovers may have caused
them the game. By the second half, the Panthers scored 35 points to Tigers’ 27 points.
Karl Ray, guard, was the highest scorer for the Panthers, totaling 22 points, followed by his teammate,
Philip Brown, who added 13 points allowing the Panthers to squeeze past the Benedict Tigers 64-62 at the
end of the game.
Fort Valley Wildcats dominate Tigerettes
The Tigers’ SIAC 2007-08 Championship team in a group photo
with President David H. Swinton, Athletics Director Willie Washington, and the Coaching Staff after winning their final game.
finals. There they bowed out just NCAA Div. II playoff berth in
one win short of the Elite Eight five years. The best news is
national quarterfinals. No other that all the key players return
team this season could match next season
********
those accomplishments.
For their historic run, Fred Reprinted from Press Release with
Watson’s Tigers get the nod as headline: “Benedict, Prairie View,
the top team in the 2007-08 BCSP A&T top final ranking” By LUT
Final Top Ten. Their place atop WILLIAMS - BCSP Editor
Championship Moments in Pictures
Photos by Floyd Ingram*
Crippled in the season but not fully defeated, the Benedict Basketball Tigerettes played another game
well but still suffered a defeat by the Fort Valley Wildcats on Saturday, (date?) at 5:30 p.m. in the Benjamin
E. Mays Arena on campus.
The first half started off with a rather pleasant rhythm as the Tigerettes tried to keep the fast pace of the
Wildcats contained. But the Wildcats still dominated the floor. At the half, Fort Valley led by 6 points as
the half ended with a score of 29-35.
For the Benedict College’s side, Nadia Fleming, a forward, dominated in scoring for the team with a
total of 16 points and 13 rebounds. Following her was Latonya Brathwhite (what’s her position) with a
total of 10 points. Utivia Barnes, a center, had excellent basket coverage coming away with 11 rebounds.
In the second half, the Tigerettes still could not contain the fast pace and dominance of the Wildcats,
and so the Tigerettes again settled for another defeat with a final score of 55-69.
With this loss, Coach Felicia Jenkins had to answer some questions about the team’s overall performance.
“This season is not what I was expecting,” she said of the string of defeats. “If our ladies will be
patient and poise, and play with the ability that they do have, we will have a wonderful season that is left.
It is still early though.”
About the game just played against Fort Valley, Coach Jenkins was even more reflective. “I am very
disappointed with the lack of patience from the offense,” she said. “They were playing beneath their
potential. When they believe in themselves as a team, they will achieve. It starts with the players first.”
Asked what she thought of the Tigerettes’ chance in their next game against Claflin, she said, “We
defend ourselves very well. We are our only defense!”
Sports Feature
BC vs. Claflin basketball rivalry
a game and fanfare to be a part of
BC Tigers vs. Clafin was a great
game. That’s my opinion, but it’s
more than an opinion, because
everybody knows that this game
is the biggest rivalry game ever
between the two schools. The
Tigers came on the court showing no mercy. They had something to prove. When the two
teams met in Orangesburg early
in January, the Tigers lost by a
devastating two points.
Now, we had home court advantage. But more than that, the
Tigers showed why they are
number one in the conference.
Head coach Fred Watson
watched with pleasure as his team
led the Clafin (mascot’s name),
cruising to a victory, as the Tigers had a bunch of dunks, layups, and steals that made the
crowd go crazy.
The crowd factor became important as they cheered for the
Tigers all the way, throughout the
game, and even participating in
some of the chats led by the
cheerleaders.
Besides basketball game, there
was also a fashion show. For the
Tigers’ fans, it is impossible to
be ordinary at such a big game.
Many came to the game prepared
to be seen, and to be seen, you
have to dress to impress. If you
are a student at BC, you know if
you only go to one game, it has
to be the BC vs. Clafin game.
Then, there were the cheerleaders. What is a basketball
game, especially at BC, without
the cheerleaders going back and
forth to determine who is “best”
fans. Well, in my book, BC cheerleaders won over the opposing
team’s cheerleaders, especially
for bringing the crowd to their
feet by leading everyone in the
BC anthem cheer: “GET UP BC.”
In this game, like the players
on the court, the BC cheerleaders let their opponents know that
they were in the BC’s house.
Natalie Caldwell, (classification, major), summed it all up
when she said, “The game was
exciting and intense.”
Track & Field
FINE ARTS from page 2
ally here until seven, eight, or
nine, working with students to
take full advantage of their potential. If the money’s not there,
we use our own resources which
is not always difficult because of
our years of experience.”
Attempts to speak about their
non-renewals with the Administration were unsuccessful because no one wanted to talk
about personnel issues as related
to those who contracts were not
renewed are considered confidential matters.
By JenVon Cherry
Staff Writer
SIAC Tournament Championships, Birmingham, Alabama
Michael Holmes with the SIAC Tournament’s MVP
Trophy presented to him after the Finals game
against Tuskegee University.
Coach Fred Watson receiving trophy as Outstanding Coach of the
SIAC Tournament.
(Top Left): Beginning of the SIAC Tournament’s
Semi-Finals game against Clark-Atlanta University.
(Top Right): The Tigers’ coaching staff looking on
from the sideline during the SIAC Tournament’s
Semi-Finals game against Clark-Atlanta University.
*The Tiger News staff wishes to thank Mr. Floyd Ingram, Web Administrator at Benedict College,
for readily contributing photos, stats, and other sports information to this paper.
(NOTE: all sports photos on this page courtesy of Floyd Ingram.)
Sports Commentary & Statistics*
BC Men’s Basketball ends Tuskegee’s
deter mination in SIAC Championship
Our BC Men’s Basketball Team ended Tuskegee University’s determination to become the 2008
SIAC Basketball Tournament Champions. BC won by the score of 74 - 69 in overtime in the Fair
Park Arena in Birmingham, AL. We are regular season and tournament champions of the SIAC
and are ranked #12 nationally in the NCAA Division II.
--75th Annual SIAC Basketball Tournament All Tournament Team
--#34 Michael Holmes
--#50 Martinis Woody
--Tournament Most Valuable Player: Michael Holmes
--Outstanding Coach of the Tournament: Fred Watson
Road to the Championship:
Thu., Mar. 6, 2008, BC Men vs. Albany State University, Score: 73 - 69 (W - 2OT).
Sat., Mar. 8, 2008, BC Men vs. Clark Atlanta University, Score: 81 - 57 (W).
Sun., Mar. 9, 2008, BC Men vs. Tuskegee University, Score: 74 - 69 (W OT - Championship Final)
For more, go to the following links:
http://www.benedict.edu/exec_admin/athletics/basketball-m/bc-basketball-men.html
(Men’s Basketball Team homepage)
http://www.benedict.edu/exec_admin/athletics/articles/bc-athletics-article_T262_R43.html (Recap Article)
http://www.benedict.edu/athletics.html (BC Athletics Portal page)
http://www.thesiac.com/ (SIAC homepage; Conference)
* Provided through campuswide email
by Floyd Ingram
Web Administrator
Benedict College
The Wind Factor
By Shatoniah Miller
News Editor
Windy! That is the word to describe the meet as a whole. Other
than the sky being blue and the sun
shining, the wind played a factor on
all of the athletes who participated
in the Benedict track team when they
traveled to Charleston Southern University to compete on March 8, in
Charleston, S.C.
“That wind is no joke!” said
Fedellia Ramirez, sophomore, and
distance runner.
Ramirez added, “Depending on
where you are on the track, the wind
is either for you or against you.”
When the officials were asked why
they would not let the athletes run
with the wind for the 100 meter dash
and the 100 and 110 meter hurdles,
Frank Hyland, head coach for the BC
track team, said, “Because it’s too
much wind.”
Hyland explained that since the
wind is very forceful, it would help
the athletes too much and would
cause them to run even faster than
what they would normally run.
Indeed, the wind did play a factor in the pole vaulting and javelin
events, which were postponed until
it could be decided whether or not to
allow competition. Later, the events
were allowed to take place.
mester could affect his students.
“Students don’t change, people
don’t change, but circumstances
do,” Wright noted. “There was
always a situation where I would
see potential in students, then I
would enlighten them so they
could recognize their potential.”
Also speaking about the potential seen in Benedict students,
Henderson added, “The potential is always there but Art students are undercut. We’re usu-
Spring Spor ts Championships
in Tuscaloosa, Ala. April 16-20
(Seed), 11.97m
Baseball Update (Double Elimina04/17/2008, Women Shot Put, 2nd
tion): 04/16/2008, BC vs. KSU,
Place, Bastian, Malinda, SO, 11.32m
Score: 19 - 12 (W)
(Seed), 11.58m
04/17/2008, BC vs. Paine College,
04/17/2008, Men 10000 Meter Run,
Score: 6 - 8 (L)
Softball Update (Double Elimina- 1st Place, Williams, Oneil, JR,
33:45.00 (Seed), 33:02.45
tion): 04/17/2008, BC vs. Stillman
04/17/2008, Men 10000 Meter Run,
College, Score: 1 - 3 (L)
04/17/2008, BC vs. Paine College, 2nd Place, Kirwa, Emmanuel, FR,
29:57.00 (Seed), 33:03.32
Score: 20 - 4 (W)
04/17/2008, Men 10000 Meter Run,
Tennis Update:
04/17/2008, BC Men vs. LeMoyne 4th Place, Chirchir, Charles, FR,
33:48.00 (Seed), 34:26.56
Owens College, Match Score: 3 - 4
04/17/2008, Men Shot Put, 2nd
(L - Eliminated)
04/17/2008, BC Women vs. Fort Valley Place, Terry, Dameon, JR, 12.03m
(Seed), 13.95m
State University, Match Score: 5 - 1 (W)
04/17/2008, Men Shot Put, 4th
04/17/2008, BC Women vs. Clark AtPlace, Wright, Stanley, JR, 13.87m
lanta University, Match Score: 5 - 2 (W)
(Seed), 13.64m
Track & Field Update (Finals):
04/17/2008, Men Hammer Throw,
04/17/2008, Women 10000 Meter
Run, 1st Place, Chepkoech, Irine, SR, 1st Place, Terry, Dameon, JR,
40.20m (Seed), 44.46m$
40:00.00 (Seed), 40:27.75$
04/17/2008, Women Shot Put, 1st
*Provided by Floyd Ingram
Place, Nixon, Gabrielle, FR, 13.89m