LIVING
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TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014
Networking on ‘gossip’ site AFRICA PAGE 7 ery domain imaginable. “The first week, I spent about $200 or $300 on domains and the web developer where you actually build the site,” Onukwuru said. “When the site first came out, it was absolute garbage,” he added. “It was so ugly. From there, we started to tweak and kept moving along.” Onukwuru said the site is updated weekly, but events typically only take place during fall and spring semesters. In order to keep people visiting year-round, Onukwuru and fellow site-managers decided to add more content with a fashion blogger and comedy specials. “You’re not going to stop by every day and see something new,” Onukwuru said. “But I
want people to come by once and see an event. Then maybe they check back next week for a new music video or fashion tips.” Junior information science and technology major Adefolarin Adeleke runs the music portion of the site, posting information about new African artists and their work. Adeleke said it’s easy to recruit schools to provide content because there is virtually no downside. “The key word is free,” Adeleke said. “We just sent out emails to schools and told them we promote and advertise their events for free. Who wouldn’t want to go for that?” Africans Can Gossip received attention when Onuk-
Chima Onukwuru’s website promotes the events of African student organizations on various university campuses. The site has expanded from Temple. | JESSICA SMITH TTN ADVERTISEMENT
wuru was honored at the Second Annual SEAL Award Gala on April 4. The event awarded leaders who positively represent the African community. Though Onukwuru was the only Africans Can Gossip contributor named, he said the honor belonged to all eight of the site contributors. “It wasn’t a solo effort,” Onukwuru said. “Even though I came up with the idea, I needed people to expand on it. My friends like [Adeleke] came into play and helped me take it to the next level. I told them we all had to go up as a group to get the award.” One of the speakers at the event was Farai Gundan, a cofounder and CEO of mobile and online advertising network FaraiMedia LLC, and a contributor to Forbes magazine. “We were recognized in front of somebody who spends time with the richest women in the world,” Onukwuru said. “She started off as a blogger. It was so inspiring to meet people like her doing big things in the African community. It motivates you.” Onukwuru and Adeleke said they are by no means finished with the site. They said they plan to expand after graduation and bring more people on board. “You know, you always have your doubters,” Onukwuru said. “We had people saying, ‘Oh, it’s not going to work. Oh, you can’t do this.’ But now we have people asking to contribute all the time. It’s crazy what happens when you work hard and stay humble. We just want to get bigger.” “We’re not done,” Adeleke said. “Stay tuned.” Jessica Smith can be reached at jessicasmith@temple.edu
Joyce Rasing was awarded a scholarship given to students who have lost one or more parents. She said it will allow her to finish her degree. | ALEXIS WRIGHT-WHITLEY TTN
For Rasing, a chance to complete her degree RASING PAGE 7 to be confident about paying hours a week, and I’m taking 12 her tuition, but she said it does credits this semester.” not take from her having to supDespite the obstacles she port herself. She works several has faced, Rasing said she jobs to pay for her day-to-day wishes to continue the legacy of expenses, at Barnes & Noble Goldsmith once she graduates on the University of Pennsyl- in Fall 2015. The scholarship vania’s campus and serving as a requires that the recipient continues efforts verbal coach and to give back to site director at a the community nonprofit orgapost-graduanization that oftion. Rasing fers SAT prep to plans to go to low-income high graduate school school students. and work in the She was civil and public also a part of service fields, Temple’s ROTC primarily as an program and the urban developTemple Univerer in the intersity Philippine est of the comAmerican CounJoyce Rasing / junior munity. cil. R a s i n g ’s “That [is] the extent of my social life,” goals after graduation are also Rasing said. “I easily work 40 hinged on her intention to stay
“I love being
in Philadelphia. It’s so real, and going to Temple makes you see the reality of the city.
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in Philadelphia. The King of Prussia, Pa., native said she believes that being in Philadelphia has helped her to decide her career path. “I love being in Philadelphia,” she said. “It’s so real, and going to Temple makes you see the reality of the city.” Rasing said she is grateful to CLA for the opportunities it offers students, adding that it has been nothing but a positive snowball effect on her college career. Above all, Rasing said it is important to her to remain optimistic. “It’s tough, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Rasing said. “I either work hard or not hard at all.” Alexis WrightWhitley can be reached at awrightwhitley@temple.edu.
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Are you the next Editor in Chief of The Temple News? The Temple News, Temple University’s award-winning student newspaper, is looking for an editor-in-chief for the 2014-15 academic year. Candidates must be enrolled, matriculated Temple students who, if chosen as editor, will be registered for at least nine hours of undergraduate course work or five hours of graduate work during their entire term of office. A good candidate should demonstrate strong leadership ability and proven managerial skills with prior media experience. A candidate’s experience in the business, editorial and design aspects of newspaper publishing will be a factor in the selection of the editor. Contact Student Media Program Director John Di Carlo at john.dicarlo@temple.edu to obtain an application. Candidates should submit a completed copy of the proposal packet, two letters of recommendation, a current resume and a number of writing samples to the Office of Student Media in Room 304 of the Howard Gittis Student Center. Candidates will be interviewed and selected by the Temple University Publications Board. Applications are due Monday, April 21. Are you the next Templar Editor? Templar, Temple University’s award-winning yearbook, is looking for its editor for the 2014-15 academic year. Candidates must be enrolled, matriculated Temple students who, if chosen as editor, will be registered for at least nine hours of course work during their entire term of office. A good candidate should demonstrate leadership ability and proven managerial skills, with prior media experience. A candidate’s experience in the business, editorial and design aspects of yearbook publishing will be a factor in the selection of the editor. Candidates should submit a completed copy of a proposal packet, two letters of recommendation, a current resume and a number of layout, design and writing samples to John Di Carlo, Student Media Program Director, in Room 304 of the Howard Gittis Student Center. Please send an email to john.dicarlo@temple.edu to obtain a proposal packet. Candidates will be interviewed and selected by the Temple University Publications Board. Applications are due Monday, April 21.