Division of Institutional Advancement
Inside‌ 3
Voorhees biology students present research
Sonia King Gass Vice President
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Homecoming 2016 recap
Teesa Brunson Assistant Vice President
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Q&A with President W. Franklin Evans
Dorothy Patterson Director of Alumni Relations
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Concert choir tells Black Nativity story
Megan Freeman Director of Communications
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Voorhees receives $1.2 million UNCF grant
Curtis Sumner Webmaster/Graphic Designer
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McCord receives two career awards
Ulysses Williams Director of WVCD Radio
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Small has poem published
Tammy Williams Development Associate The VC Digest highlights news about alumni, students, faculty and staff. This is a monthly enewsletter distributed to alumni and friends of Voorhees College. To contact the Division of Institution Advancement, please call (803) 780-1013.
www.voorhees.edu
Voorhees biology students present scientific research
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hree Voorhees College junior biology majors, Akeena Harper, Jennifer William, and Rosaline Achiangia, attended the 6th annual Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium (SEMSS) at the University of Alabama to present a scientific abstract. During the symposium, the students presented an abstract on reverse antibiotic-resistance in bacteria with Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and programmed bacteriophage. The audience was comprised of students in doctoral programs, medical students, and undergraduates from all over the Southeastern United States. The research exhibits the uprising epidemic of resistance to antibiotics and its effects on human health. In the study, the students used phages for delivering a programmable DNA nuclease, an adaptive microbial immune system named CRISPR, to reverse antibiotic resistance and eliminate the transfer of resistance between strains. "Many people believe that medicine solely comprises of doctors, and they forget about the researchers behind the scenes. I am excited to present a collaborative and vital piece of research that will improve the nature of medicine. I would like to thank the SEMSS for creating a program that allows various subfields in medicine to come together as one,” said William. Achiangia said that working in the lab has given her a new interest of conducting research. Through SEMSS, she has had opportunities to present her research to influential people and network. Harper, who aspires to be a pediatrician, constantly seeks hands on experiences. "The more programs that I participate in, the further in my scientific journey I go, gaining more experience and knowledge. The SEMSS program gave me another perspective into the medical field that I will be able to apply later in my career,” said Harper. The students are proud of the work they have produced. Dr. Zhabiz Golkar, head for the Department of Health and Natural Sciences, was extremely excited about the opportunities that allow her student researchers to gain exposure and present their findings. “One of my goals is to enhance the impact of undergraduate research experiences on student intellectual growth, affective development, and interest in doing graduate work in the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field. Participating in such national symposiums gives our students the opportunity to network and improve their career choice from classrooms to the professional world.”
(left) Jennifer William and Rosaline Achiangia during the 6th annual Southeastern Medical Scientist Symposium . (right) Akeena Harper presents the scientific research of the group.
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Q: What do you see as your major challenges as president?
Q: What do you hope to achieve within the next five years?
A: Funding is a major challenge. We do not have the monies that I would love to attract students, pay faculty and staff for the jobs that they are committed to, and work on the esthetics of the campus. The other thing is the complacency around campus with completing tasks the same way for so long. We need to move into a new tradition and not be afraid of change. The institution has been at a status quo for so long and it is disheartening. We have to not only bring in students but retain the ones we already have.
A: In five years, I am hoping that we will be going through the full accreditation by SACSCOC. I would like for the institution to be stronger and raise more funds to operate with, have two full degree programs offered online, and re-open our off campus sites. I would like our buildings to receive a face lift and have the elegance and restoration it deserves. Voorhees College needs to become a household name that every one knows about and students want to apply to. I want to bring back some of the summer programs, such as Upward Bound, so that the campus is vibrant and active all year around.
Q: What are your three top priorities as president?
I think there is a market for the non-traditional students, and we need to capitalize on that as well. We need to stop competing with these local intuitions for the same students, but find those things that will attract a different kind of student. I want Voorhees to highlight the fact we are a liberal arts institution. We can later begin offering new majors including an interdisciplinary degree or general studies degree to allow a block of courses from different fields to collectively make up a degree. It will allow a student to be multi-faceted and multi-talented, which is what you want in this competitive job market.
A: Enrollment, fundraising and energy.
Q: What do you hope to achieve within your first year as president? A: Within the first year, I hope to end the fiscal year with a balanced budget, increase student enrollment, more alumni participation, and complete our fifth-year report for accreditation to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
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Q: How is this process going with adding online courses and when do you foresee Voorhees offering full online programs? A: This Spring, we will be piloting 10 online classes. We have to get our traditional faculty and staff more technologically savvy through professional development that will allow us to keep up with these students who live on technology. It is a new age, and we have to be open to change.
Q: What do you expect from faculty in and out of the classroom? What does each staff member need to bring to the table on and off campus? A: I expect faculty to be committed to the mission of Voorhees and view this as more than a nine to five but as a calling. They need to do whatever they can to help these students succeed by building relationships in the classroom and at activities throughout the campus. Students need to see the professors all over campus supporting our students in all areas. The staff needs to be very professional and student oriented. Be focused on what is best for students, which can mean tough love. Show them what to do and what not to do. They may not understand now but when they get older, they will realize you were right. Staff need to help students formulate and make good decisions and be fully involved in their life.
Q: What is the message you would like to give to alumni? A: I want alumni to know that this is the same Voorhees that was good enough back then when they were in school as it is now, if not better. Alums need to re-invest, re-connect and re-engage in Voorhees College. Voorhees can only be as strong as their supporters. Alums are our best spokespersons, and they know better than anybody what we need.
Q: What do you think Voorhees needs to do to appeal to the millennial generation? A: We need to be flexible and adaptable. We need to stray away from doing what worked for us, and we need to ask millennials what they need to be successful. I want to bring in a think tank that will be a group of people from all over. The tank needs to be some alumni, older people, but some millennials to, who can help us strategically plan how do we reach this new generation of students.
Q: What purpose do you feel HBCUs serve or should serve in this global society? A: HBCUs are still producing 25% of the African-American employee population. HBCUs still have a track record of producing successful graduates, and that is extremely good. It helps African-Americans go and find their oasis in the sun and discover techniques for survival. HBCUs provide a sense of culture, heritage, and nurturing that those students cannot get from anywhere else. Students can feel like they belong while they are there and after graduation. There is a connectedness and opportunity to network that still makes HBCUs vital in this society. President W. Franklin Evans was named the 9th president of Voorhees college in July 2016. Prior to this position, he served as interim president of South Carolina State University. Evans is well versed in many areas including leadership and supervision in all academic programs, curriculum development, faculty recruitment, enrollment management, strategic planning, and the accreditation process. SEVEN
Voorhees College Concert Choir tells the story of the Black Nativity
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he celebration of the Holiday season was officially opened at Voorhees College with the annual Christmas concert by the concert choir. The community Christmas celebration held December 1 was titled, “A Black Nativity: A Gospel Christmas Music Experience.” The festive event involved skits, songs, and praise dances. The program opened with an African dance performance by choir members dressed in dashikis and other clothing of African patterns and designs. Some of the songs performed during the concert celebration were “Mary Did You Know,” “Oh Holy Night,” “Silent Night,” “Take Me to the King,” “Come Let Us Adore Him,” and “I Know I’ve Been Changed.” This year’s program was a theatrical performance under the direction of Rachel Jones, acting choir director. “In just a short period of time, I was able to come back to my alma mater and assist in an area I know all too well from when I was a choir member,” Jones said. “It has been a joy to work with these students and individuals from the community throughout this last month to bring my vision to fruition. The students and the other cast members’ dedication and efforts were undeniably represented in the performance as they captivated our audience,” Jones said. During Jones’ final remarks, she recognized an alum, Terry Bright, who flew from Washington, D.C. to attend the concert. Bright, who sang on Voorhees College Concert Choir with Jones, said he thoroughly enjoyed the event and is looking forward to new and exciting things happening at his alma mater. “The performance of Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity at Voorhees College was an experience,” Bright said. “I wish more alumni could have experienced this. Unlike Christmas concerts in the past, this performance had audience members exultantly leaping out of their seats as the choir performed Gospel music as if they were in church on Sunday morning.” The program concluded with remarks from President W. Franklin Evans, who said he could not have imagined a better performance. During his remarks, he mentioned how he was speechless and overwhelmed with the joy and pride from the talents displayed by Voorhees’ students. “I am on cloud nine, and I am so elated about the excellent job from our students, faculty, staff and community members with our annual Christmas celebration. This event shows the type of talent Voorhees produces.”
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Voorhees selected for $1.2M UNCF grant to improve job outcomes of graduates
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fter a six-month planning phase, UNCF announced that Voorhees College is one of 24 colleges and universities that will receive part of a five-year grant totaling $35.3 million for the UNCF® Career Pathways Initiative (CPI), a transformative effort to design and implement programs to improve employment outcomes for graduates. Voorhees, along with Claflin University and Benedict College, worked together over the past few months to apply for a CPI cluster grant, which collectively awarded $6M to the three institutions. The Carolina Cluster Pathway Program (C2CPP) will prepare students for high-paying private and public sector occupations in the Carolinas and elsewhere. It seeks to do this by guided pathways, curricular enhancements, and integrated co-curricular engagement. In its initiative, the CCPP will also include the formation of corporate and public advisory boards. Voorhees was awarded $1.2 million of the cluster grant to begin their process to get its students prepared for a career upon graduation. After submitting planning proposals, it is now time to turn them into action plans.
“Voorhees College is delighted to have received funding that will enable us to move our students from college to successful careers,” said Dr. W. Franklin Evans, president of Voorhees College. “We are proud of the long relationship we have forged with UNCF and are elated to have been selected for this opportunity. This grant provides us with additional resources to prepare our students to be competitive in this global society.” As an HBCU, it is important that Voorhees highlights the significance of African-American students not only obtaining a degree, but going out in the career world and utilizing their degrees to be marketable in a global society. “The UNCF Career Pathways Initiative is not only important to HBCUs and PBIs, it is important for the entire American higher education system and the American global economy,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF president and CEO. “CPI will serve as a model of best practices for all colleges and universities to follow, in order to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our students and the demands of the ever-changing marketplace for talent.”
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Voorhees alum receives two career awards
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oorhees ColCounty in 1993. lege graduate “McCord said he is John McCord humbled by receiving was recently these awards, but he is awarded the 2016 South mostly proud to inspire Carolina Law Enforceothers to get involved in ment Officer Association the community. (SCLEOA) Officer of the “In my many years of Year. In addition, he allaw enforcement, I have so received the Alston done so much for my Wilkes Society Law Encommunity and that is forcement Officer of the the biggest blessing of Year Award at the Seaall,” he said. wells Awards Banquet in During his time at Columbia. Voorhees, McCord was a McCord was nominatmember of the Men’s SSG John McCord accepting his award ed by his captain Eric AbBasketball Team and dullah based on his professionalism and record of Criminal Justice Club. He graduated with a bacheimproving the lives of youth within Aiken County. lor’s degree in criminal justice and considers the Since joining the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office in institution instrumental to the numbers of awards 2007, McCord has devoted many hours to reading and certifications he has obtained during his caprograms at schools and to the Aiken Youth Dereer. velopment Programs. SCLEOA is the largest law enforcement associIn addition, he has been involved in youth emation in South Carolina, which includes 46 counpowerment and mentoring programs since beginties and a number of applicants across the state. ning his law enforcement career in Orangeburg
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Voorhees professor gets poem published in two magazines
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amela Small, assistant professor of child development, recently had her poem titled “Enough Is Enough,” published in the Imara Woman Magazine and Christian View Magazine. Small said she was motivated to write the poem in hopes that it will inspire individuals to seek positive ways to resolve conflict in the communities in which we live. Small has worked in the education field for many years and has had the privilege of serving as president of the South Carolina Reading Association. During her ten-year span at Voorhees, Small has directed three academic programs. She first served as director of Voorhees Classics, a reading across the curriculum initiative that engaged faculty and students in activities to heighten cultural awareness. In addition, she directed the Summer Youth Arts Camp (SYAC) that involved community youth in grades k-12 in cultural, academic, technological, and athletic enrichment experiences. Her third program, Literary Fire, was an online poetry program that established a community of learners and lyceums. “As a freelance writer, my aspirations are to create meaningful poetry and write professional and children’s books that will be beneficial to society,” Small said. Pamela Small
UPCOMING EVENTS January 4: New Student Orientation January 5: Registration January 9: Classes Begin January 19: MLK Assembly Program February 2: Black History Kickoff Program February 7: Absalom Jones Feast Day of Service February 24: Economic Summit March 6-10: Spring Break March 17: Presidential Scholarship Gala March 17: New Students Visitation Day April 14-17: Easter Break
April 3-8: Founder’s/Inaugural Week Activities April 4: Day of Service April 5: Lecture Panel Discussion April 6: Founder’s Day Convocation April 7: President’s Inaugural Gala April 8: Ministerial Prayer Brunch April 25: Academics/Athletics Award Convocation April 26: Chairman’s Luncheon May 5: Baccalaureate Exercises May 6: Commencement Day Convocation June 9-11: National Alumni Association Conference (Columbia, S.C.)
For more information on these events, please contact the Division of Institutional Advancement at (803) 780-1194.
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