WSSU choir sings leader's praises

D'Walla Burke's students say that she teaches them much more than music

» AUDIO: Click to hear a recording of the Winston-Salem State University Choir singing "That's How Good God Is," under the direction of D' Walla Simmons Burke

Christopher Hawley said he had trouble meeting people when he arrived at Winston-Salem State University ­-- so much so that he was thinking about going back home to Durham. Then, he said, a friend suggested that he try out for WSSU's choir.

He tried out, was accepted and decided to stay for another semester.

Now a senior, Hawley says that his relationships with choir members and the choir's formidable director, D'Walla Simmons Burke, made all the difference in his career at WSSU.
















Photo: Choir Director D'Walla Simmons Burke philosophy is simply, "You can do nothing great by yourself." The Fort Valley, GA native was educated at Hampton University, UNC Greensboro and has lead the WSSU Choir as conductor to perform Faure's Requiem at New York's Carnegie Hall, becoming the first black female professor to debut as a conductor in this venue. In 2006, the WSSU choir was invited to perform with the Dvorak Symphony Orchestra in Prague, Czech Republic.

"The people in choir are like family to me," he said. "If it wasn't for choir, I probably would have transferred to another school."

He thinks of Burke, he said, as a second mother.

"She's very stern. She's going to push you, but that's a good thing," he said. "My mother's in Durham -- she's not with me now. Ms. Burke is right here with me."

Burke has been the director of choral and vocal studies since she came to WSSU in 1989. She had been teaching at Voorhees College near Denmark, S.C.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

FAMU's Harris fits men's basketball recruits into place

Photo: Cecil Bent is the crown jewel of Coach Eugene Harris first incoming class. The 6-9/290 center will play immediately for the Rattlers.

Coach Eugene Harris isn't exactly starting from scratch, but he likes what he has so far as he attempts to rebuild the FAMU men's basketball program.

Harris said he believes he's found a center and a forward to improve the Rattlers in the post. Akini Akini did most of the work down low for FAMU last season in his final year of eligibility.

Incoming center Cecil Bent and forward Yannick Crowder will play right away, Harris said. Six of the seven other recruits are guards. They will join four returning players from last season's team.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Bent averaged 14 points per game with 8 rebounds at Swainsboro (GA), Swainsboro High School. He was a member of the 2008 Region 3-AA Champions basketball squad. He also competed in the State Sweet 16 tournament. Bent played for the South team in the GACA North-South All Star Game in which his team defeated the North team 100-95. He was also ranked as one of the top 24 basketball players in the state of Georgia.

-beepbeep

SSU goes for experience in AD hire

Within seconds of being introduced as Savannah State University's athletic director, Bart Bellairs on Tuesday used words like "gold mine" and "sleeping giant" to describe Savannah's only NCAA Division I school.

He'll no doubt use those terms frequently in his quest to help SSU increase revenue, join a conference and achieve success, both athletically and academically. Bellairs will begin at SSU on June 1.



Bellairs, 51, has spent the past three years as Virginia Military Institute's senior associate athletic director. He was instrumental in tripling revenue during his first two years at the Lexington, Va., school, which competes in the Big South Conference.

Bellairs is the first white AD at SSU, a historically black university that began playing sports in 1915. His hiring comes five months after SSU hired its first white football head coach, 39-year-old Robby Wells.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Barack Obama - in Portland, OR

Senator Obama spoke before a crowd of 75,000 people in Portland, Oregon on May 18th, 2008. This was the largest crowd of any event in the Democratic Primary.


Yolanda Adams recently performed during a political rally for Senator Barack Obama. during her performance she had a mutlitude of encoraging words for the audience.

Yolanda Adams recently performed in Louisville, Kentucky during a rally for Senator Obama. In this clip she performs her hit song "Open My Heart"

Carter adds seven to SCSU men's basketball team

With the exception of the coaching staff and four returning starters, the 2008-09 South Carolina State men’s basketball team will look altogether different than last year’s edition.

Last year’s 20-loss campaign only served to expedite head coach Tim Carter’s ongoing make over of the team. Taking advantage of the scholarships made available with the departure of four players and the dismissals of David Cobb and Derrick Davis, Carter was able to add seven players during the recently completed signing period:

- Guard Jimmy Williams (6-4), East Laurens High School in Dublin Ga.- The Class 2-A Player of the Year in Georgia, he averaged...

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Jim Brown, TSU team up to motivate potential college students

By TSU Media Services

Academy to feature life-skills program started by Jim Brown

Houston, Texas - NFL Hall of Famer and community activist Jim Brown’s “Amer-I-Can” program will be a major component in Texas Southern University’s conditional summer academic program for students who do not meet the University’s new admission requirements that will be phased in over the next year.

Hundreds of students will attend TSU’s summer program that will run June 6 through July 31. The summer program is a unique opportunity that prepares students for college-level coursework.

Photo: The 72 year old Jim Brown is still a force with his "Amer-I-Can" program.

The free program provides students with centered instruction in mathematics, reading, and writing along with leadership and character development. The “Amer-I-Can” program is a 60 to 90 hour, 15 chapter life management skills curriculum that will be part of the program.

Video: http://www.khou.com/video/index.html?nvid=246709&shu=1

“The beauty of the 'Amer-I-Can' program is that it is applicable to all people, as it transcends race, age, gender, religion, and socio-economic status,” said Brown. “The Amer-I-Can” program will change the lives of these students and will motivate them to make the best of their college experience and become great leaders on campus.”

Since its inception in 1988, more than 500,000 youth and young adults have successfully completed the “Amer-I-Can” program. Students who complete the program experience on average a 60% decrease in disciplinary incidents, a 38% decrease in absences, and a 35% increase in their grade point averages. The program is changing lives nationally in more than 16 states and internationally in the United Kingdom, Belize, and South Africa.

TSU’s recently adopted admissions standards change the University’s previous “open-admissions policy” by raising the bar for students upon acceptances. Prospective students will be required to graduate from high school with a minimum 2.0 GPA. Students who graduate in the top 25% of their class will be automatically admitted. Other students will need to submit an ACT score ranging from 15 to 17 or a combined SAT in the range of 775-825 (on the 1600 scale). Any student who does not meet the University’s minimum requirements will still have the opportunity to enroll at the University after successfully completing the conditional summer academic program.

CONTINUE READING MORE STORIES ON THIS TOPIC, CLICK BLOG TITLE.

Jim Brown, The Greatest Player in NFL History

TSU top defending champ Prairie View for SWAC title

Candy Robinson spent most of a disappointing 2008 baseball season trying to convince Texas Southern it could be a good team.

On Monday the Tigers proved they’ve been listening to their longtime coach.

Texas Southern capped an improbable run through the 2008 SWAC tournament with an improbable victory against Prairie View A&M, claiming the championship with a 12-11 triumph at Lee-Hines Field.

The Tigers (16-32) will be the SWAC’s representative in the NCAA tournament after scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to erase an 11-7 deficit.

CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.