DR. CLEVELAND L. SELLERS, JR. INAUGURATED AS THE EIGHTH PRESIDENT
The Voorhees VOICE PRESIDENT Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr.
Voorhees College P.O. Box 678 ~ Denmark, S.C. 29042 ~ (803) 780-1234
VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Mr. Courtney L. Davenport VOORHEES VOICE EDITOR/ LAYOUT AND DESIGN Teesa Johnson Brunson Director of Communications
Miss Voorhees College 2008-2009 and the Student Government Association President 2008-2009 discuss goals for the academic year.
Kendrick Wright shares his experiences interning in Rep. James Clyburn’s office.
Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr. is inaugurated as the eighth president of Voorhees College.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Jayme Bradford Priscilla V. Ferrette Cheryl D. McMichael Sandra Rouse Curtiss Sumner CONTRIBUTORS Valter Noronha, Director of Advancement Services Dorothy Patterson, Director of Alumni Relations Whitney Kennedy, Student Lionnell Smith, Student Shampale Williams, Student Cecil Williams Photography, LLC Unlimited Production Studio Photography The Voorhees Voice is published for alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of Voorhees College. All items may be reproduced with credit to the Voorhees Voice. Comments or suggestions should be addressed to:
1984 graduate establishes a scholarship for mass communication students.
Teesa Johnson Brunson Voorhees College P.O. Box 678 Denmark, S.C. 29042 (803) 780-1194 tbrunson@voorhees.edu
Let your VOICE be heard! In each issue, we include information on the accomplishments of our alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends. Send story ideas and updates to tbrunson@voorhees.edu.
www.voorhees.edu
Miss Voorhees College 2008-2009, LaTonya Gillespie, and Student Government Association President 2008-2009, Bryan Berry
“She has a very personable approach and a down -to-earth attitude,” Watts said. “She is very friendly to everyone, and her queenly duties never overshadow who she is as a person.” When Gillespie’s reign as Miss Voorhees College comes to an end, she wants to be remembered as uniting young women and instilling in them elegance, etiquette and educational goals. During this academic year, she will host seminars and workshops for students on preparing for an interview, writing a resume and applying to graduate schools. “I want other colleges to look at Voorhees and say that we are a community of scholars.” Another scholar who portrays a positive image of the Voorhees community is Student Government Association President Bryan Berry. As a first-generation college student, Berry’s career goals are to complete his undergraduate degree in sociology and attend graduate school to obtain a master’s degree in both education and divinity. Ultimately, Berry wants to become an elementary school principal. “I enjoy working with kids and watching them develop and grow,” Berry said. “I feel that kids must have a strong foundation in elementary school in order to successfully graduate from high school.” A native of Darlington, S.C., Berry is the son of Philip Wallace and Brenda Berry. He has two brothers, Stevie Gee and Markell Berry. Brenda Berry was excited about her son, Bryan, enrolling at Voorhees. “I have always looked up to Voorhees College because of its many successful alumni who I have met over the years.” “They all have so much pride in their institution, and I want my son to have that same experience.” As a minister of six years and the pastor’s assistant of Nation of Warriors Revival Center in Denmark, Berry said that more of his attention during his presidency will be on the spiritual aspect of the college experience. “I believe that all aspects are important in life, but only the spiritual aspects help you get through life,” he said. continued on next page
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Voorhees is a student-centered environment.
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fter meeting LaTonya Farracee Rainey Gillespie for the first time, her intellect, beauty, kindness and love for Voorhees is immediately revealed. Gillespie was officially crowned Miss Voorhees College during Coronation on September 19, 2008. She now carries her title as Miss Voorhees with pride and honor. Gillespie, a native of Atlanta, Ga., is the middle daughter of Barry and Gwendolyn Gillespie. After graduating from Westlake High School in 2005, she enrolled at Voorhees as a Presidential Scholar. “I chose Voorhees because of its strong Christian values and quality educational programs,” said Gillespie, who is a senior biology major. “Voorhees has challenged me academically throughout my matriculation.” Gwendolyn Gillespie said she is very proud of her daughter, and she knows she will continue on the path of success. “LaTonya is a very bright young lady who has always made me feel proud,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the day when I can refer to my daughter as Dr. Gillespie.” LaTonya spoke highly of her achievements while at Voorhees. During summer 2008, she interned at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where she researched proteins and transcription factors in relevance to lung cancer. LaTonya’s educational goals are to complete her undergraduate degree in biology and then enroll at a medical school in hopes of becoming a pediatric dentist. She has not decided on a medical school to continue her educational endeavors, but she has narrowed it down to two schools. Gillespie is currently researching Meharry Medical College and the Medical College of Georgia. Some of Gillespie’s organizational memberships at Voorhees include the Honors College and the women’s basketball team. Lekeshia Watts, a senior business administration major, has been friends with LaTonya since their freshmen year. Watts said that LaTonya will be an excellent role model for other young ladies at Voorhees. friendly to everyone, and her queenly
2008-2009 STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION FIRST ROW (L-R): Charmaine Thompson, John Jackson, LaTonya Gillespie, Bryan Berry SECOND ROW (L-R): James Harris, Alton Brown, Terrance Brown THIRD ROW: Shampale Williams
Berry has chosen the theme, “Empowering the Present to Impact the Future,” for the 2008-2009 academic year for the SGA. “My cabinet and I will follow our theme by sponsoring various activities focusing on the importance of receiving an education,” Berry said. According to Berry, increasing participation among campus organizations in activities will be one of his main objectives as the SGA president. “We want to include each of our organizations in planning and carrying out our activities,” he said. “The goal is to bridge the gap for a better college experience among student life at VC.” Berry went on to say that the student government association officers are working hard to set a precedent for succeeding officers. “Our goal is to implement an activity fee within the cost of attendance at Voorhees to lessen the burden of student solicitation.” SGA Judicial Council member and junior mass communication major Shampale Williams said she 6
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has worked with Berry on various projects, and he is a role model for Voorhees students. “Berry is highly respected across campus,” Williams said. “Students not only look up to him, but they also admire him.” Aside from SGA, Berry is also a member of the Student Support Services Program and the chaplain for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. In his leisure, Berry enjoys reading, listening to music, traveling and spending time with family and friends. Berry said that Voorhees will play a vital role in preparing him for a successful future. “When I achieve my goals, I know that I will be able to look back at Voorhees as being a community that prepares scholars for a successful future.” -Teesa J. Brunson This article was contributed in part by Lionnell Smith.
Green spends the summer as a public relations specialist
Brittany Green
Brittany Green, a senior mass communication major, was one of 13 students to participate in an eight week internship with the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Green, a native of Sumter, S.C., worked with the Department of Energy in the Office of External Affairs at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, S.C. During this internship, she performed the duties of a public relations professional. “The work was exciting,” Green said.
“Before the internship, I had the knowledge but little experience, but now I’ve gained valuable hands-on experience that will carry me a long way.” Green assisted in the office by generating fact sheets and an office newsletter that she wrote articles for. The final project that Green was assigned was to devise a mock news show. “The show really introduced me to television broadcasting,” Green said. “The experience overall was excellent.” -Lionnell Smith
Mitchell completed a summer internship in North Las Vegas, Nev.
Cody Mitchell
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During the summer 2008, Cody Mitchell, a senior computer science major from Augusta, Ga., interned in North Las Vegas, Nev. for the Department of Energy. The Department of Energy has won more research and development awards than any other private sector organization according to Mitchell. With a mission to advance the national, economic and energy security in the United States, Mitchell said he learned how to promote technological innovations during his internship with the energy department.
Mitchell’s daily tasks consisted of ensuring cyber security, scanning computers and installing programs. His main focus was to strengthen and improve the quality of life through innovations in technology. “There are a lot of opportunities out there; you have to go get them and take advantage of every chance that you get,” Mitchell said. -Shampale Williams
Wright participates in an internship in S.C. Rep. James Clyburn’s office
Kendrick Wright
Kendrick Wright is the first Voorhees student chosen to participate in an internship in Rep. James Clyburn’s office. Wright was one of three students selected from a group of 15 students from all colleges and universities across South Carolina who applied for the internship. He officially began the internship in September. Wright, a senior majoring in business administration, said his biggest obstacle is handling stressful complaints from Rep. Clyburn’s constituents. “Recording the complaints of constituents is my main responsibility,” Wright said. “This is very challenging for me.”
Wright said that after graduating from Voorhees in May 2009, he plans to attend law school. He also said that he would like to pursue a political office one day. “I hope to have a career in politics in the near future,” he said. “Having a position of this nature will enable me to help out rural areas and motivate the youth, especially young men. I want them to know that there are other options for them in life rather than selling drugs.” A native of Andrews, S.C., Wright is an honor student at Voorhees and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the Honors College and the Student Support Services Program. -Staff Contributor
Dickerson gains a wealth of experience interning at Mountain View Systems Inc.
Taichien Dickerson
Taichien Dickerson, a junior majoring in accounting, spent his summer in Fort Collins, Colo. interning at Mountain View Systems Inc. While interning with this company, Dickerson assisted the company with logistics, prepped computers for boot camp students seeking certification in Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) and worked closely with the network administrator. Dickerson said that this experience has made him more prepared in the technology field. “My knowledge in technology is
up to date, and now I have quantifiable advantages, a better business sense and the skills I need to be successful,” Dickerson said. His goals are to be a successful business man, elevate his knowledge on technology and attend graduate school. When asked what advice he would give to underclassmen, he said, “Find out what will get you prepared for the next level and stay focused to achieve your goals and be successful.” -Shampale Williams
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his semester, Voorhees enrolled nine freshmen from Talbotton, Ga., the birthplace of Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, Voorhees’ founder. These students were Shemika Jones, Andrea Mahone, Courtney Johnson, NaEisha Owens, Britney Smith, Branton Smith, Brittany Horton, Darius Hamler and Garry Favors. The Talbotton students came to Voorhees not only to receive a quality education, but also to learn more about Wright’s journey from Talbotton to Denmark on her mission of establishing a school for young African Americans. Talbotton student Branton Smith said that it means a lot to him that he is able to attend Voorhees College. “Wright’s journey is special to me because she overcame many obstacles and passage ways to establish her school,” Smith said. “Without her journeying to Denmark in 1897, I would not have been given this opportunity today. I felt that it was my duty to make the same journey that Ms. Wright did by enrolling at Voorhees. I want to make sure that her hardships, trials and tribulations were not made in vain.” Elizabeth Evelyn Wright was born underneath a rust-red roof in Talbotton, Ga. on April 3, 1872. Both of Wright’s parents were illiterate, yet Wright made it her obligation to establish Voorhees College so that future generations would have opportunities that her parents did not have. The illiteracy and poverty of Wright’s family was a major influence on why she wanted to make a difference in her community. She was motivated to save her race from economic and social oppression. Wright found that the only way for blacks to overcome oppression was receiving an education. At the age of 16, Wright enrolled in Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. While she was at Tuskegee, she was strongly influenced by one of the world’s most prominent black educators, Booker T. Washington.
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TALBOTTON, GA. FRESHMEN AND MISS VOORHEES: FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Shemika Jones, Andrea Mahone, Courtney Johnson, NaEisha Owens, Britney Smith, Branton Smith, Brittany Horton, LaTonya Gillespie Not pictured: Garry Favors and Darius Hamler
It was Wright’s goal to be an inspiration among her people like Booker T. Washington. There were two themes that strongly dominated the life of Voorhees College’s founder, which were the education of blacks and the training of blacks in industrial skills. Wright’s mission in life in her own words was, “to try to Elizabeth Evelyn Wright help my fellow man to help themselves, and if a way was not open for them, I must open it myself.” She was willing to sacrifice anything to get an education. She worked in the day and attended classes at night; it was her dedication that separated her from others. She was moved by the inspiring and motivating words of Booker T. Washington. Wright came under his spell and knew that she would dedicate her life to doing for her race what she saw and experienced Booker T. Washington doing. On numerous occasions in her quest to open a school for African Americans, she was harassed, in-
insulted and threatened, yet she persevered. She withstood the Ku Klux Klan and other anti-black groups that tried to destroy her dreams. Finally, after overcoming many obstacles, she found a location in Denmark. In 1897, with just a dinner bell and 14 chairs, she opened the Denmark Industrial School. The total enrollment was 14 students Voorhees President Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr. said that students can learn many life lessons from Ms. Wright. “When she founded this school, she was a 23-year-old woman in frail health who overcame challenge after challenge to build her school.”
First female dormitory on campus
In 1902, the name of the school was changed to the Voorhees Industrial School in honor of a New Jersey philanthropist, President Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr. Ralph Voorhees. Ralph Voorhees and his wife, Elizabeth, intrigued by Wright’s vision and dedication, continually donated funds assisting Wright with purchasing more land and constructing buildings on campus. One hundred and twelve years later, Voorhees College is still standing. It is because of its founder having a goal and persevering until she reached it. Voorhees College has had an influence on not only students’ lives but the community and the nation as well. LaTonya Gillespie, Miss Voorhees College 20082009, said that Wright was an inspiration to those who were around her and remains an inspiration for generations to come. “Her mission in life was simply to help others receive an education so that they could better themselves in life.” -Teesa J. Brunson Shampale Williams
Elizabeth Evelyn Wright Voorhees College Founder
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The Inauguration and Consecration Celebration of Voorhees College eighth president, Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr., was held October 16, 2008. The ceremonial activities included a Pre-Inaugural Kickoff exhibiting the works of renowned artist, Jonathan Green, an Inaugural Concert, featuring Dr. David Oliver (organist), Dr. Yvette McDaniel (soprano) and Ivan Griffin (baritone) and a Community Worship Service. The keynote speaker for the Community Worship Service was the Reverend Cleveland Sellers, III, the son of President Sellers and his wife, Gwendolyn. The Right Reverend Mark J. Lawrence, Bishop of South Carolina, clergy members and numerous representatives from Episcopal Churches attended this event. The Voorhees family was also joined by key political, business and education leaders from across the country. 12
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Voorhees’ loyal son returns home.
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THE VOORHEES VOICE
EIGHT FOR OUR EIGHTH Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr. graduated from Voorhees High School in 1962. Decades later, he has returned to his alma mater as the eighth president.
What does it mean to come back to Voorhees during such challenging times? It’s interesting! This is something that I never thought would really happen. Going along the path that I took, getting back here is amazing. What I will do is begin to focus on the history and legacy of Miss Elizabeth Evelyn Wright. We will have to get back to being studentcentered and focused on values, behavior and attitudes, which is what Voorhees originally did.
What do you feel students can learn from Voorhees’ founder, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright? I think of the core values of Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, which were the importance of education, determination, resilience and the willingness to work hard. These are some of the values young people and students need to begin to build during their college years. Miss Wright kept going with the idea that she was going to be successful with establishing her school.
What is your definition of success for Voorhees students?
What do you see in the future for Voorhees? I see Voorhees in the next five to ten years as having a premier liberal arts curriculum. I also see Voorhees having the resources to continue three things: increasing faculty development; awarding more scholarships to young people; and having additional student activities, more specifically athletics. I would like to see a good, solid athletic foundation. Those things are a part of the college experience.
We have to help our young people identify what success is. Success in this more hip hop generation and certainly the post civil-rights era has more to do with material achievements. Success should include satisfaction, reverence and the good feeling in helping others or smoothing the road or path for someone else.
We promised young people that they will have a productive college experience. Fortunately, having a variety of student activities is an important part of social development.
While we are helping to build character, we also want to be able to define success. Success for me means we have produced a person who is a good citizen, not a person who is necessarily an attorney or a doctor. While all of that is important, we would like to produce good citizens who go out and make a difference in the world, change people’s lives and continue to build communities based on faith and Christian perspectives.
Do you believe Voorhees’ student enrollment will grow tremendously in the next five to ten years?
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I think that we will always be small, and there is nothing wrong with that. I do think that in five years we will be in the position to increase our student enrollment to at least 1200. We want to be a diamond in the rough. I’m not talking about trying to become the University of South Carolina or South Carolina State University. I’m talking about trying to become the liberal arts college that Elizabeth Evelyn Wright was actually dreaming of.
What would you like the Denmark community to know about Voorhees’ future? The most important thing is to get excited, but also recognize that African American institutions are endangered. If we do not reach out and hold on to these institutions, they will all disappear. That would be a tragedy for Elizabeth Evelyn Wright to go through all that trouble just to have Voorhees taken away from her. This means that we all have an obligation. This is an opportunity to make this institution available to generations yet to be born.
I would love to see Voorhees being competitive with other HBCUs and other liberal arts colleges in the state of South Carolina. We have been there, and we can get back there. I want our students to be able to go around the world and make a difference. I would like some students to become doctors, lawyers and engineers doing things important in their communities. Others will become teachers and professionals working in communities passing along important values to another generation.
What message would you like to send to alumni? Come visit the school, contact classmates and tell them to get involved. Take advantage of opportunities to come back for Founder’s Day, and remember that it did have meaning. It is a product of who we are. We want alumni to dust the shades off so that the light can shine through and get more excitement in their lives about Voorhees. We are trying to do the same thing that you saw President-elect Barack Obama doing in terms of excitement. People used to think $25 would not make a difference, but Obama said to give what you can and let’s make history together! Alumni must give.
Do you sometimes feel that it is a dream that you are now the president of your very own alma mater? Sometimes I have to pinch myself and say, “Am I really here?” Then reality sets in and says, “Yes, I am really here, but I have a really big responsibility of not only showing up but being able to move the school to new heights and tie to that the legacy of not only Miss Wright, but many of the other former college presidents. Some of those presidents were Dr. John F. Potts, third president of Voorhees, Dr. Luns C. Richardson, who has been president of Morris College for 34 years, Dr. M. Maceo Nance Jr., fifth president of South Carolina State University, Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman College and Claflin University’s current president, Dr. Henry N. Tisdale. All of these leaders are native South Carolinians. These leaders have set before me quite a challenge, not just the operational, administrative and governance components, but what they represented in terms of their depth as educators. I would like to create the same kind of community and environment as they did where young people have the opportunity to learn how to become critical thinkers and move on to become successful.
INTERVIEWED BY TEESA J. BRUNSON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
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NEC Sphericall® gives Voorhees the technological edge
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EC Unified Solutions, Inc. (NEC), a leader in enterprise business communications, announced Voorhees College is using the NEC Sphericall solution to provide students, faculty and staff in five locations with software-based voice and desktop communications tools to achieve a 40 percent savings over its previous traditional telephony solution. NEC Sphericall is a 100 percent software-based alternative to traditional telephony that leverages open standards for flexible, pure IP-based unified communications. For Voorhees, Sphericall provides a means for faculty and staff to interact between departments and connect with students using IP voice or desktop communication tools across five locations in South Carolina. “NEC Sphericall was the right solution for Voorhees College in a number of ways. First and foremost, it fits the specific communication needs of both our faculty and students,” said Tim Kentopp, chief technology officer for Voorhees. “The fact that we have achieved significant cost savings helps us from a budgetary standpoint tremendously. Even better, our staff has an advanced means of communicating that fits their expectations, and this is some-
thing other area colleges currently do not possess.” Voorhees faculty and staff leverage a number of the unified communications (UC) features within Sphericall, including instant messaging, click-tocall, presence-based call routing and unified messaging to the Outlook inbox. These capabilities allow the faculty and staff to streamline decisions and processes that dramatically improves customer service for students. From an IT department perspective, Kentopp and his staff benefit from Sphericall’s centralized management features and automated failover, which allows calls to automatically re-route when service is disrupted in one of the college’s five locations. Students and faculty also have four-digit dialing throughout the college’s multi-site network. Developing solutions that can help improve organizational efficiency is part of NEC’s UNIVERGE®360 vision to unify business communications. The approach enabled Voorhees to provide enhanced software-based communication services to faculty and staff as well as students at a significant cost savings over traditional telephony options. -Staff Contributor
Dr. Fadh Z. Eissa, Voorhees biology professor, was part of a team of 42 professionals from institutions across the United States who reviewed the Sixth Edition of Microbiology: A Human Perspective. Professor Eissa holds two doctoral degrees, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and a Doctor of Philosophy. He is one of only 120 scientists in the United States who are board certified by the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology.
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Billingsley uplifts Voorhees during Fall Convocation
Dr. Andrew Billingsley
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he college needs a commitment to academic excellence and for students to do their best is what Voorhees College President Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr., said during his first Convocation in September. The keynote speaker at the college’s 112th Convocation was Dr. Andrew Billingsley, a professor of sociology and Afri-
can American studies at the University of South Carolina During Billingsley’s address, he encouraged students to stay in school, study and graduate. He gave students three reasons why they should do this. “You will be able to provide for yourself, family and children,” Billingsley said. “College graduates earn twice as much as nongraduates.” Billingsley’s number two reason was having a prosperous life. “College graduates on the average live longer, stay out of trouble and stay out of jail more than nongraduates.” Billingsley also focused on providing community service. “My number three reason for staying in college is, if you finish, you will be better able to give back to the community that helped you,” he said. “I urge you to make yourself ready when the time comes for you
to step forward and lead our nation.” Later in his address, Billingsley told students that they should try to emulate Voorhees College founder, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, because she received an education from Tuskegee in hopes of helping others. “Elizabeth Evelyn Wright is still a “beacon of light” 112 years later.” He said that President Sellers is a positive role model for them as well. “Dr. Sellers is another great beneficiary of Voorhees,” he said. “After all the struggles and turmoil he went through during the Civil Rights Movement, he never stopped learning.” “He is prepared to lead Voorhees College into the future if you give him your cooperation and support.” -Teesa J. Brunson
Chief Weldon is presented with a donation
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he Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office made a donation to Chief James Weldon for Voorhees College. The sheriff’s office donated six protected vests and a new emergency radio. The donation received from the Bamberg County Sheriff’s Office was valued at $3,500. “Voorhees College greatly appreciates this donation from the sheriff’s office,” Chief Weldon said.
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Voorhees names Dr. Carl Carpenter as the executive vice president/academic dean
Dr. Carl Carpenter
Dr. Carl Carpenter has joined Voorhees College as the executive vice president/ academic dean. Carpenter has
more than 30 years of experience in higher education in various faculty and administrative roles. As executive vice president/ academic dean, Carpenter will work directly with President Sellers on advancing the quality of each academic program and ensuring that each academic program is preparing Voorhees’ students to be competitive in their area of study. “I have always been a proponent of academic excellence,” Carpenter said. “It is important for Voorhees to continually prepare students by offering more majors and enhancing faculty productivity through teaching, research and community service.” Prior to Voorhees, Carpenter
served as professor of education and interim vice president of academic affairs at South Carolina State University. Additionally, he has served in administrative and faculty roles at Fort Valley State University and Claflin University. Carpenter earned a bachelor and master degree from South Carolina State University and a doctorate in education from the University of South Carolina. “Voorhees College is fortunate to attract an expert with a history of accomplishments in academia,” President Sellers said. “Our students will benefit immensely from Dr. Carpenter’s leadership over our academic programs.” -Staff Contributor
Davenport will lead institutional advancement
Courtney L. Davenport
Courtney L. Davenport has been hired as the vice president of institutional advancement. Davenport’s main responsibility will be overseeing the fundraising efforts of Voorhees and 20
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directly assisting Dr. Sellers with the overall image enhancement of the college. Davenport, a resident of Atlanta, Ga., earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Morehouse College. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Troy State University. He received certification in fund raising management (CFRM) from the Center of Philanthropy at Indiana University. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Association of Black Foundation Executives, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and the Judge for the National
Commission on Philanthropy and Circle of Excellence. In his role, Davenport will also oversee communications, alumni relations, development, sponsored programs, Title III, WVCD-790 AM and advancement services. Sellers said that Davenport’s experience in fundraising will be a tremendous asset to Voorhees. “I feel confident in Mr. Davenport’s ability to direct institutional advancement,” Sellers said. Davenport said he looks forward to helping Voorhees become a premier liberal arts institution in the nation. “I know that Voorhees is on the right track to become an educational asset for all students under the leadership of Dr. Sellers.” -Staff Contributor
Dr. F. Perna Carter
Dr. F. Perna Carter is excited about her new role at Voorhees as the vice president for student affairs. Carter will serve as the principal administrative officer of
the Division of Student Affairs. She is a charter member of the National Sponsored Programs Administrators Alliance, a member of the National Association of the Title III Administrators, the American Society of Public Administrators and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. A native of Montgomery, Ala., Carter earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering and a certificate in health systems from the Georgia Institution of Technology. She furthered her education by receiving a master’s degree in public administration from Auburn University and a doctorate in public policy and administration from Mississippi State University. “My focus will be creating a more nurturing and caring environment
so our students can excel to their greatest potential inside and outside of the classroom,” Carter said. “We must continue to show our students how much we appreciate them by adding more student activities and giving them a more vocal role in some of the student programming that we have on campus.” President Sellers said he knows Dr. Carter will be a positive asset for students. “I feel confident in Dr. Carter’s ability to work with students and create a more student -centered environment.” -Whitney Kennedy
Voorhees graduate returns as head men’s basketball coach
Francis E. Simmons
Francis E. Simmons is the head men’s basketball coach. With 33 years experience as an educator and coach, Simmons
served 17 years at South Carolina State University as the assistant men’s basketball coach and four years as head women’s basketball coach at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla. “I want to bring a sense of success to the program,” Simmons said” “But in order to achieve any success, our athletes must remember they are students first.” Simmons began his coaching career at Walterboro High School as the boy’s varsity basketball coach from 1975-1985 and went on to work as a sports specialist in the Caribbean Islands, where he taught fundamentals to international bas-
ketball athletes. President Sellers is looking forward to working with Simmons and agrees that student athletes must strive to excel in academics as well. “Voorhees is a community of scholars,” Sellers said. “Every component of the Voorhees community must demonstrate scholarship including our student athletes.” Simmons holds a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education at the University of South Carolina. -Lionnell Smith
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Faculty/Staff Highlights
Dr. F. Perna Carter serves as vice president for student affairs
Voorhees welcomes new hires in academic affairs Voorhees College President Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr. is continuing his goal of moving the institution toward academic excellence by hiring four new employees in academic affairs. The recent hires include: Dr. Donald Small, director of faculty development/ professor of education; Dr. Doris Matthews, director of teacher education/professor of education; Dr. Isaac Brunson, director of the college choir/assistant professor of music; and Richard Reid, archivist. Dr. Donald Small, recently named director of faculty development/professor of education, is a native of Wilmington, N.C. and a retired tenured professor of educational administration research from South Carolina State University. Small also taught at Fayetteville State University and Benedict College. “I am absolutely excited to work with President Sellers and Dr. Carpenter, vice president of academic affairs,” Small said. “I have found them to be true professionals in academia.” Small received his doctorate in educational administration from the University of Kansas in 1978. He obtained a Master of Arts degree in educational administration and a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography from North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C. Fellow newcomer, Dr. Doris Matthews, comes to Voorhees from Claflin University. Matthews received a doctoral and master’s degree in elementary education from the University of South Carolina. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Newberry College. “In my role, my main responsibility is reinstating the teacher education program in elementary education at Voorhees,” Matthews said. “My goal is to get
more minority students prepared to be successful teachers in South Carolina and across the United States.” Sumter, S.C. native, Dr. Isaac Brunson, who graduated from the University of Michigan with a doctoral and master’s degree in music in 2007 and 2003, said he hopes to increase the number of members on the college choir. “The best advertisement and recruiting tool is the quality of your work,” Brunson said. “If I take the group that I have now and concentrate on the quality there, this will do more for recruiting than anything else.” Brunson also received a master’s degree in music from Winthrop University in 1998 and a bachelor’s degree in music from Coker College in 1987. Richard Reid, a 1970 South Carolina State University alumnus, was hired as the archivist. Reid is currently researching Voorhees’ founder, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright. He is in the process of developing a documentary on Wright’s journey from the Tuskegee Institute, which is now Tuskegee University, to founding Voorhees College. Reid said he is excited about working at Voorhees and learning more about Voorhees’ founder, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright. “Just to explore the life and times of Elizabeth Evelyn Wright is fascinating,” Reid said. “Her story by itself is one of great strength and determination.” Dr. Sellers said he looks forward to working with each of the new employees in their respective roles. “Each of these individuals brings outstanding and valuable capabilities to our institution,” President Sellers said. -Teesa J. Brunson
During summer 2008, Jayme L. Bradford, assistant professor of mass communication at Voorhees, was selected to participate in a “Digital Media Summit” at ABC Studios in Burbank, Calif. The program was co-sponsored by Disney and the International Radio and Television Society. In addition, Bradford has served as a consultant and panelist for the Southern Regional Press Institute at Savannah State University since 2006. She was also awarded a newsroom fellowship from the Radio Television News Directors Foundation to spend a month at WCNC-TV in Charlotte, N.C.
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FALL 2008
Alumni News
Alumnus David Miller establishes a scholarship for mass communication students
1984 Alumnus David Miller
D
avid Miller, a 1984 magna cum laude humanities graduate, established an annual scholarship at Voorhees, the David G. M i l l e r M a s s C om m uni c at i on/ Journalism Scholarship. The scholarship is in the amount of $1,000. Students who are interested in receiving the scholarship must be a
mass communication major and have at least a 3.0 grade point average. As co-owner of Our Weekly Newspaper in Los Angeles, Calif. since its inception in 2004, Miller has implemented successful strategies and marketing plans for the popular 50,000 weekly periodical. Our Weekly has a weekly readership of more than 150,000 catering to the affluent African American communities of Los Angeles and surrounding areas. As co-owner of Our Weekly, Miller has more than 25 years of experience in the newspaper industry with 17 years in management in print media outlets such as the Los Angeles Daily News, Wave Community Newspapers, LA Weekly, Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Examiner. His turnaround capability is highlighted by his accomplishments as director of advertising of the Wave Community News-
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program
January 22, 2009
Black History Month Program
February 5, 2009
Honors and Awards Convocation
March 19, 2009
Founder’s Day Convocation
April 7, 2009
Commencement Convocation
May 9, 2009
National Alumni Association Meeting Atlanta, Ga.
June 19-21, 2009
papers where he led a distressed company to record profitability through brand revitalization, sales operations, sales packaging, sales marketing and general advertising. He is recognized for his success in growing company sales, profits and product turnarounds. After graduating from Voorhees, Miller received a Master of Science degree in journalism/mass communication from Iowa State University in 1986. He is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., an executive board member of the Crenshaw Chamber of Commerce and an active member of California Black Media. Miller resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Paula, and their two daughters, Jade and Jahnae.
For more information on these events, please contact Willie Jefferson, special events coordinator, at 803-780-1149 or williej@voorhees.edu.
THE VOORHEES VOICE
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20 0 U TH 8 G P D E RA AT VO D E IC UA ON E TE ST S AF BY F
2008 top honor student still soars Siadra Strachan, Voorhees College’s 2008 first academic honor graduate, is currently enrolled at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She is pursuing a Master of Accountancy degree and is the recipient of a full academic scholarship and a graduate assistantship. Graduating with a 4.0 grade point average, Strachan was a member of the Honor’s College, Student Government Association, Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, the Voorhees College Poetry Society and the International Student Association while at Voorhees. Born and raised in the Bahamas on the island of Grand Bahama, Strachan is excited about graduate school and is grateful for all of her experiences at Voorhees. “I honestly owe all my thanks first to God and secondly to the faculty and staff of Voorhees who gave me the opportunity to grow as a student and future professional,” she said. “While enrolled at Voorhees, I was blessed with great professors who took a great interest in each student.” 2008 Alumna Siadra Strachan
Former Miss Voorhees is now at Georgetown University June Demetra Streets, Miss Voorhees College 2007-2008, continues her quest for higher education at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Streets is a student in Georgetown University’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. Streets is enrolled in the Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in nursing program that prepares students who have already completed a bachelor's degree in another field for
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FALL 2008
June Streets Miss Voorhees College 2007-2008
professional nursing practice. While at Voorhees, Streets was a member of Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society.
Former SGA President continues his studies at Howard University Dameone Ferguson currently attends Howard University in Washington, D.C. on a full academic scholarship and a graduate assistantship. Upon completion, Ferguson will receive a master’s degree in clinical social work, with specialization in mental health and HIV/AIDS population. Ferguson graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. While at Voorhees, he was a member of Alpha
Dameone Ferguson SGA President 2007-2008
Kappa Mu Honor Society, the Honor’s College, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the concert choir.
Aaron Jordan completes internship, now employed at Voorhees in the Information Technology department
2008 Alumnus Aaron Jordan
Recent graduate Aaron Jordan represented Voorhees College as a chief information officer in a rigorous internship program with the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Jordan, a native of Stone Mountain, Ga., graduated in May 2008 from Voorhees as a computer science major. While reflecting on the six-week experience, Jordan said, “The work was really good because it forced me to apply what I learned while at Voorhees.” As a second-year participant, Jordan said that he was excited to return to the Savannah River Site in Aiken, S.C. to get more handson experience after graduation.
Jordan said that most of his time was spent working on crystal reports where he and a team of other chief information officers upgraded large data organization programs to be used on the site by employers and employees. “It was a challenge at first, but we took it head on, and in the end, we were successful.” Jordan said. “I can honestly say that Voorhees prepared me for the tasks I performed.” Jordan, a member of the Sigma Theta chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is currently employed with Voorhees in the information technology department. He aspires to one day become a skilled computer networker.
Voorhees College is looking for all alumni! If you have relocated or lost your connection with the Voorhees family, please provide all the information below. Voorhees looks forward to reconnecting with you! MAIDEN NAME:
________________________________________________
NAME:
________________________________________________
GRADUATION YEAR: _____________________ ADDRESS:
________________________________________________
If you wish to share any news or updates with Voorhees to be published in The Voorhees Voice, please contact Dorothy Patterson, director of alumni relations, at (803) 780-1192 or at dpatterson@voorhees.edu.
________________________________________________ E-MAIL ADDRESS:
________________________________________________
PHONE:
(HOME) _____________________
Let your VOICE be heard!
(CELL) _____________________ Please mail to the Office of Alumni Relations ~ P.O. Box 678 ~ Denmark, S.C. 29042
THE VOORHEES VOICE
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2008-2009 Men’s Basketball Schedule
26
DATE
TEAM
TIME
LOCATION
TBA
Knoxville College
5:30 p.m.
Knoxville, Tenn.
January 15
Life University
7:30 p.m.
Marietta, Ga.
January 19
Mountain State University
7 p.m.
Bleckley, W.Va.
January 21
Claflin University
7 p.m.
Orangeburg, S.C.
January 22
Fisk University
7 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
January 24
Morris College
4 p.m.
Sumter, S.C.
January 26
Roanoke Bible College
8 p.m.
Elizabeth City, N.C.
February 3
Allen University
7:30 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 4
Mountain State University
7:30 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 10
Life University
8 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 12
Fisk University
7:30 p.m.
Nashville, Tenn.
February 16
Concordia College
7:30 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 17
Morris College
7:30 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 19
Roanoke Bible College
7:30 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 21
Concordia College
7:30 p.m.
Selma, Ala.
February 23
Talladega College
7:30 p.m.
Talladega, Ala.
February 25
Allen University
8 p.m.
Columbia, S.C.
February 28
Talladega College
4 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
March 6-8
NAIA Independent Tournament
TBA
Orangeburg, S.C.
March 18-24
NAIA National Tournament
TBA
Kansas City, Mo.
FALL 2008
2008-2009 Women’s Basketball Schedule DATE
TEAM
TIME
LOCATION
January 22
Fisk University
5:30 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
January 24
Morris College
2 p.m.
Sumter, S.C.
January 26
Roanoke Bible College
6 p.m.
Elizabeth City, N.C.
February 3
Allen University
5:30 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 10
Warren Wilson College
6 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 12
Fisk University
5:30 p.m.
Nashville, Tenn.
February 13
Brescia University (NAIA Independent Classic)
7 p.m. (cst)
Owensboro, Ky.
February 14
Park University (NAIA Independent Classic)
1 p.m. (cst)
Owensboro, Ky.
February 17
Morris College
5:30 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 19
Roanoke Bible College
5:30 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
February 21
Concordia College
5:30 p.m.
Selma, Ala.
February 23
Talladega College
5:30 p.m.
Talladega, Ala.
February 25
Allen University
6 p.m.
Columbia, S.C.
February 28
Talladega College
2 p.m.
Denmark, S.C.
March 6-8
NAIA Independent Tournament
TBA
Orangeburg, S.C.
THE VOORHEES VOICE
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“It’s a Family Affair” The Voorhees College family thanks all alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends for making Homecoming 2008 a great success! Please join us again for upcoming events.
Voorhees College Division of Institutional Advancement P.O. Box 678 Denmark, SC 29042
Non-Profit Organization PAID Permit #28 Denmark, SC 29042