SPRING/SUMMER 2008 TODAY NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURAL AND TECHNICAL STATE UNIVERSITY Pomp and Circumstance INSIDE Chancellor Stanley F. Battle Believes in N.C. A&T Leadership Program Awards First Doctorates Bill Cosby Entertains Aggies TONorth Carolina AgriculturalD and Technical AState UniversityY Spring/Summer 2008 DEPARTMENTS ARTICLES 2) Inside Aggieland 9) Distinguished Nanoscientist to Lead Joint School 5) Campus Briefs 12) Leadership Program Awards First Doctorates 8) Research 22) Perseverance Sustains Aggie Club 23) Aggie Sports 26) Aggies on the Move FEATURE ARTICLES 29) In Memoriam 14) A Twinspirational Moment 32) Mixed Bag A&T’s top senior and twin brother surprise mom at commencement 18) I Believe in North Carolina A&T Chancellor Stanley Fred Battle’s Installation Address 30) “FUNraising” North Carolina Agricultural and Technical Alumni use non-traditional methods to State University is a learner-centered community that develops and preserves raise funds for N.C. A&T intellectual capital through interdisciplinary PAGE 18 learning, discovery, engagement, and operational excellence. PAGE 12 PAGE 14 PAGE 16 On the Cover: A&T TODAY Editor Printing Executive Cabinet Alumni Association Board of Directors Chancellor Stanley North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Sandra M. Brown P.N. Thompson/Henry Wurst, Inc. Chancellor - Stanley F. Battle President - Pamela L. Johnson ’91 Fred Battle Spring/Summer 2008 Provost/Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs - Alton Thompson (Interim) First Vice President - Marvin L. Walton ’91 Editorial Assistants Board of Trustees Vice Chancellor, Business and Finance - Robert Pompey Jr. ’87 Second Vice President - “Chuck” Burch Jr. ’82 Velma R. Speight-Buford ’53, Chair A&T TODAY is published quarterly by Samantha V. Hargrove Vice Chancellor, Development and University Relations - Mark Kiel Treasurer - Gerald Williams ’83 Franklin E. McCain Sr. ’64, Vice Chair The Division of Development and University Relations Nettie Collins Rowland ‘72 Vice Chancellor, Human Resources - Linda R. McAbee Assistant Treasurer - Kristen R. Rutledge ’89 D. Hayes Clement, Secretary North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Vice Chancellor, Information Technology and Telecommunications/CIO - Vijay K. Verma Recording Secretary - Charvetta Ford-McGriff ’85 Contributing Writers Spence H. Broadhurst 1601 East Market Street • Greensboro, N.C. 27411 Vice Chancellor, Research and Economic Development - Narayanaswamy “Radha” Radhakrishnan Parliamentarian - Randall E. Dunn ’91 Merl F. Code Pamela McCorkle Buncum ’81 Phone: (336) 334-7582 • FAX: (336) 334-7094 Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs - Sullivan A. Welborne Jr. ’61 Immediate Past President - Teresa M. Davis ’89 Lorrie R. Davis-Dick Karen J. Collins ’84 Chief of Staff - William A. Clay Executive Director - Deloris C. Chisley ‘73 (Interim) Postage Paid at Greensboro, N.C. Samantha V. Hargrove Charles C. Cornelio General Counsel/Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer - Valerie L. Green Geographical Area I Director, Seat 1 - T. Roberson Edwards ’73 Brian M. Holloway ’97 Willie A. Deese ’77 All editorial correspondence should be directed to Sandra M. Brown, Special Assistant to the Chancellor, Community Outreach and Special Projects - Wendell Phillips Geographical Area I Director, Seat 2 - Eugene H. Preston Jr. ’57 Pamela L. Johnson ’91 Michelle Gethers-Clark University Relations Office, N.C. A&T State University, The Garrett House, Associate Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs/Enrollment Management - Yvette Underdue Murph Geographical Area II Director, Seat 3 - Deloris C. Chisley ’73 Nettie Collins Rowland ’72 Albert S. Lineberry Jr. 400 Nocho Street, Greensboro, N.C. 27411, or [email protected]. Director, Athletics - Wheeler Brown ’79 (Interim) Geographical Area II Director, Seat 4 - Malinda N. Carmon ’73 Cindy Waters David N. Street, Director, Internal Auditing - Larry R. Kreiser Geographical Area III Director, Seat 5 - James E. Bridgett Jr. ’53 Jean Wilson Student Representative POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Development Operations, Geographical Area IV Director, Seat 6 - Irvin Moore ’72 Joseph A. Williams ’72 North Carolina A&T State University, Dowdy Building, Suite 400, University Photographer Deans Geographical Area V Director, Seat 7 - Ulysses J. Cozart Jr. ’77 Patricia Miller Zollar ’84 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, N.C. 27411. Charles E. Watkins ‘03 Agriculture and Environmental Graduate Studies - William J. Craft (Interim) Board of Directors (BOD) Seat 8 (School of Agriculture and Phone: (336) 334-7600. Design Sciences - Donald R. McDowell (Interim) Library Services - Doris Mitchell (Interim) Environmental Sciences) - Arthur Purcell ’67 Donna M. Wojek Gibbs Arts and Sciences - Michael Plater Nursing - Patricia A. Chamings (Interim) BOD Seat 9 (College of Arts and Sciences) - James J. Gooch ’67 Business and Economics - Quiester Craig Students - Judy N. Rashid ’74 BOD Seat 10 (School of Business and Economics) - Anthony C. Wright ’92 Visit us online at www.ncat.edu Education - Ceola Ross Baber Technology - Benjamin O. Uwakweh BOD Seat 11 (School of Education) - Velma Speight-Buford ’53 Engineering - Joseph Monroe ’62 University Studies - Joseph L. Graves Jr. BOD Seat 12 (College of Engineering) - Anthony “TJ” Jackson ’81 North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a land-grant university that is ranked by the Carnegie Classification System as “high research activity.” BOD Seat 13 (School of Nursing) - Linda R. Wilson ’75 N.C. A&T is an AA/EEO employer, and it is an ADA compliant institution; thus, facilities are designed to provide accessibility to individuals with physical disabilities. 40,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $21,248.00 or $0.53 per copy BOD Seat 14 (School of Technology) - Tony E. Graham ’78 INSIDE AGGIELAND Women Engineering the Future n April 5, N.C. A&T’s Society of O Women Engineers (SWE) student chapter hosted a workshop on campus for Junior Girl Scouts from Tarheel Triad Council. Eighty scouts, grades 3-5, participated in three types of engineering activities: (1) liquid chromatography (chemical engineering), (2) bridge building (civil/ architectural engineering) and (3) the Toyota Technology Challenge (industrial engineering). The latter was a race to efficiently build the most cars according to supply and demand. “The positive energy in that room was evident as the girls competed and improved the assembly line,” said Cindy Waters, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and SWE advisor. “Representatives from the Toyota Corporation were so impressed that Each scout left with a goody bag was definitely the best experience that my they have generously agreed to sponsor next containing a copy of Engineering-Go for girls have had,” said Greta Teasdale, leader year’s event.” It, a colorful inspiring magazine designed of Junior Troop 428. “The content of all the Waters said this type of event is to attract students, counselors, parents workshops was interesting and fun for the one of many ways that the SWE chapter and teachers to the exciting world of girls, and the timing seemed appropriate in helps spark young women’s interest in engineering, an SWE/Girl Scout patch, every case. … But probably one of the most engineering. SWE pens and a t-shirt of their own outstanding and remarkable things was the “It is essential to introduce young creation. In addition to Claire jewelry store way that the young women interacted with women to the exciting possibilities of gift cards, Toyota provided backpacks and the girls. They treated them with respect. L-R: City of Greensboro Mayor Yvonne Johnson, engineering and to see what these many fields book lights as room prizes. … You have unlocked a dream in the minds N.C. Senator Katie G. Dorsett and N.C. have to offer. This is a student-run event that “I need to make sure that anyone and of many young girls who never before even Representatives Earl Jones and Alma Adams requires months of planning,” she said. everyone involved knows that the workshop thought about engineering in their future.” LEGislators ASSEMBLE at A&T AGGIES RACE TO TOP 20 In recognition of the City of Greensboro’s bicentennial celebration, the North Carolina Aggie Racing placed 19th among 95 General Assembly held a session in Greensboro on the campus of North Carolina A&T registered teams at the Society of State University, May 22, in Harrison Auditorium. Automotive Engineers (SAE) Baja event Rep. Alma Adams, of the 58th district, suggested the legislators hold a special that was held on May 1-3. session in Greensboro. Adams is a resident of Greensboro and an alumna of N.C. A&T. The competition was hosted by The session at A&T was the third time the General Assembly has met in a Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, location other than the N.C. Legislative Building in Raleigh, the second session held Tenn. Daniel Acree, faculty director of at one of the 16 member institutions of the University of North Carolina, and the first Aggie Racing, and his 14 team members session held in Greensboro. This was the first time that the General Assembly met on participated in racing and technical events. the campus of a historically black university. 2 A&T TODAY • SPRING/SUMMER 2008 SPRING/SUMMER 2008 • A&T TODAY 3 INSIDE AGGIELAND CAMPUS BRIEFS FACULTY & STAFF Chemistry professor Jothi V. Kumar is N.C. A&T’s pick for the UNC Board of Governors’Award for Excellence in Teaching. Olen Cole Jr., professor and chair Nino recently chaired the state committee that