N.C. A&TWINTER 2017-2018 Stormy Weather Studying global warming through Arctic disturbances GROWTH SPURT ROBOTICS AND REWARD IDEATE TO CREATE THE COMMUNITY WHISPERER N.C. A&T Magazine BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIRMAN Timothy O. King ’76 CHANCELLOR Harold L. Martin Sr. ’74 CHIEF OF STAFF Nicole Pride AssOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR UNIVERSITY RELATIONS Todd Simmons EDITOR Sandra M. Brown PRODUCTION Donna M. W. Gibbs, Graphic Design Village Printing, Printing Services PHOTOGRAPHY Ezekiel K. Best Caitlin Bragg Tonya Dixon ‘04 Kevin L. Dorsey Chris English/Tigermoth Jessie Gladdek Erin Mizelle Xiangdong Zhang College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences iStock CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joy Cook Tonya D. Dixon ’04 Brian M. Holloway ’97 Tiffany S. Jones ’03 Todd Simmons N.C. A&T Magazine is published biannually by the Office of University Relations for alumni AGGIES and friends of the university. All editorial correspondence should be directed to the editor at the address/email below. EDITORIAL OFFICES N.C. A&T Magazine Office of University Relations 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411 Phone: 336-256-0863 Postage Paid at Greensboro, NC POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Advancement Services 2017 MEAC CHAMPIONS North Carolina A&T State University The N.C. A&T Aggies celebrate after 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411 defeating the North Carolina Central Eagles, Nov. 18, to secure the Mid-Eastern North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C.A&T) is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges Athletic Conference championship. On and Schools Commission on Colleges. | N.C. A&T does not Dec. 16, the Aggies edged the Grambling discriminate against any person on the basis of age, color, Tigers to win the 2017 Black College disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, Football National Championship, finishing race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any the season undefeated and untied with a other basis protected by law. | N.C. A&T is an AA/EEO and ADA historic 12-0 record. compliant institution. TABLE OF CONTENTS N.C. A&T UPLIFTING WOMEN MAGAZINE Chancellor’s Town Hall Series kicks off the fall 2017 season with Harold L. Martin Sr., Angela Rye, Gabrielle Union, Lisa Ling and Danya Bacchus FEATURES Growth Spurt 32 N.C. A&T enrolls largest student body ever 42 NO DOUBT Former presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett offers advice to women in STEM Daymond John 36 ‘The People’s Shark’ shares wisdom with student entrepreneurs Robotics and Reward 44 Award-winning 4-H STEM specialist gives limited resources youth opportunities with robotics Ideate to Create 46 Classroom theories come to life in makerspaces 38 New Heights 52 Aggies shoot for the stars at NASA DEPARTMENTS The Community Whisperer 56 50 Landscape architecture alumnus Walter Hood STORMY WEATHER Campus Highlights 4 In Memoriam 59 uses subtle approach to revitalize Oakland Physics professor Jing Zhang studies to improve global weather predictions Athletics 24 People Behind the Scholarships 6 1 neighborhoods Alumni Notes 58 2 • N.C. A&T MAGAZINE NCAT.EDU • 3 CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS The project is designed to “We understand that Valued at $300,000, this The TQI initiative, coupled accomplish several goals: in our state there are a award will increase the with N.C. A&T’s rural number of underserved number of highly qualified residency program, • Increase the number rural communities in need STEM high school teachers provides CEd the necessary of trained professional of mental health services. produced for public schools funding to strengthen its counselors with Faculty in the Department in Alamance-Burlington capacity and quality of specialized knowledge of of Counseling are working Schools, Davidson County STEM-oriented graduate the integration of primary to alleviate this disparity,” Schools, Guilford County degree programs, the care and behavioral said Paige Dunlap, assistant Schools, and Randolph ability to credential highly- health; professor and co-principal County Schools. qualified teachers for rural investigator of this initiative. areas and the number of • Enhance the academic TQI is a collaborative overall graduate student learning experience In addition to providing partnership with historically enrollment. of students preparing graduate candidates with black colleges and to become professional training in professional universities to help remove CEd offers the Master of counselors by providing counseling, school the barriers for individuals Arts in Teaching degree high quality academic counseling and substance striving to obtain their in 13 disciplines, among training while emphasizing abuse counseling, the initial teaching certification. them biology, chemistry, an integration of grant will provide select The partnership with N.C. mathematics and behavioral health and candidates with $10,000 A&T is a new approach for technology education. The North Carolina primary care; stipends while working with this initiative as it focuses Agricultural and Technical rural populations during their intentionally on producing Recent college graduates, State University College of • Enhance the skills of internship experiences. classroom teachers with current lateral entry STEM Education (CEd) has been faculty and site master’s degrees who teachers, paraprofessionals awarded over $2 million supervisors who have Funding for the grant will have strong content and individuals who may in funding from the U.S. professional counseling be awarded over a four-year knowledge, enhanced be interested in changing Department of Health and practices serving rural, period. Joining Dunlap as cultural competence and their current career are Human Services (HHS), vulnerable and medically co-principal investigators diverse teaching skills. In encouraged to contact Tom Joyner Foundation “This award will provide underserved communities; are Quintin Boston, Angel years past, TQI placed a the College of Education Inc. and North Carolina high quality preparation, Dowden, Natalie Spencer strong emphasis on helping to learn more about this State Employees Credit intense and deliberate • Increase the number and Alisa Taliaferro. HBCU students obtain partnership at collegeofed@ Union Foundation (SECU), professional development, of internship placements undergraduate degrees. ncat.edu or 336-334-7757. to support programs and and financial stipends for and job opportunities that A partnership with the scholarships. our counseling graduate emphasize behavioral Tom Joyner Foundation In 2016, CEd was awarded And thanks to a $50,000 COLLEGE OF candidates,” said Anthony health and primary care Inc., through the Tom a $3.6 million grant to grant from SECU CEd received a $1.7 million Graham, dean. “More integration and serve Joyner Teacher Quality increase the number of Foundation, CEd will grant from HHS to support importantly, this initiative rural, vulnerable and Initiative (TQI), will provide highly qualified teachers provide internships for EDUCATION the project, “Enhancing provides critical resources medically-underserved 50 scholarships for produced for high-need education candidates Behavioral Health and and services for our rural communities; and individuals with bachelor’s K-12 public schools in rural through the SECU Public AWARDED $2.05 Primary Care in Rural Areas communities in North degrees in science, communities. Fellows Internship Program. Initiative,” which aims to Carolina. Our engagement • Partner with agencies, technology, engineering increase the number of organizations and and mathematics (STEM) to MILLION with our rural communities continued, page 9 professional mental health demonstrates the faculty’s institutions of excellence pursue a Master of Arts in counselors who serve commitment to the that specialize in the Teaching at N.C. A&T. rural communities in North college’s vision of equity, integration of behavioral Carolina. access and advocacy.” health and primary care. 4 • N.C. A&T MAGAZINE NCAT.EDU • 5 CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS “We’re very excited to have Core Technology as a new partner and hope to use this relationship as a model for working with more local businesses.” — JOHN MERRILL, executive director of On an annual basis, Core Gateway University Research Park Tech hires students for internships and permanent employment from N.C. A&T. In addition to research partnership opportunities Core Tech’s existing list The new 70,000 square foot with the JSNN, College of customers is a who’s building is part of Gateway’s of Engineering and the who of significant, highly ongoing efforts to advance College of Sciences and successful, prospective its overall core mission and Technology, the relocation global companies such as: attract new companies of Core Tech will enhance BMW Manufacturing, Merck, and strategic partners. the classroom experience Altria, Parker Hannifin, Once completed, this for N.C. A&T students, Newell Rubbermaid, new building will include including the addition Husqvarna and KontrolFreek office, manufacturing, of a potential plastics (provider of gaming laboratory, warehousing, engineering concentration components for PlayStation and distribution uses. to the applied engineering 4, XBOX 1, and Nintendo) to technology discipline. The name a few. The estimated cost for closest plastics engineering the project is $11.7 million “This is a unique technology program is “Given the many options with Gateway University opportunity to assist a at Pennsylvania State we evaluated for expanding Research Park contributing fast-growing