External Affairs News @ FVSU

Motivational speaker to serve as John W. Davison lecturer

clinem — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:56:49 -0500

“We’re exploring ways that we can help young people do well in college,” says Director of the Center of African-American Male Research, Dr. Said Sewell. “African-American youth are told negative things – that they cannot do anything outside of the stereotypical stuff, so we want to encourage them they can do more.”
Fort Valley State University students can learn the secret to success from Sewell during the second John W. Davison Lecture Series. “You can do whatever you’d like” will debut at 7 p.m., on Friday, Dec. 5 in the C.W. Pettigrew Center. Sewell, who Ebony magazine named as one of America’s rising young leaders, is an award-winning associate professor, ordained Baptist minister and one of Ebony magazine’s 2005 most eligible bachelors.

Sewell says that he’s been traveling around the country delivering lectures to help young people move toward their greatness.

The Houston, Texas, native entered Morehouse College at the age of 15 as an early admission scholar. Sewell graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science at 19. The director earned a master of public administration in public policy degree from Texas Southern University at the age of 21, and a Ph.D. from Clark Atlanta in 2001. Sewell has also done post-graduate work at Harvard University’s School of Divinity.

“Yes, you may be the first one in your family to go to college, and you may be struggling to pay your tuition, but if you have enough fortitude and perseverance, you can do what you dream of doing and have the ability to succeed.”

The director is currently working at the University of West Georgia, where the student government association gave Sewell its highest award – Dr. Jim Mathis’ Outstanding Faculty Member for 2002-03 and 2006-2007. Additionally, Sewell received the University System of Georgia’s African-American Male Initiative Best Practices Leadership Award in 2007, and The Visionary Award from the Follow Me Foundation, Inc.

There are three more lecture series planned for the remainder of the academic year. On January 16, former NBA player Mike Glenn will be the guest lecturer. For more information, contact Alecia Livatt, development associate, at (478) 825-6959.

FVSU Named To Georgia Trend’s 2008 “Best Places To Work In Georgia” List

miltonc — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:01:36 -0500

Atlanta, GA – Fort Valley State University is named among 15 companies selected for Georgia Trend Magazine’s 2008 Honor Roll of the Best Places to Work in Georgia. The companies are featured in the magazine’s November 2008 issue. The story and list will be available online at www.georgiatrend.com. An alphabetical list of the winning companies follows.

The magazine’s editorial staff selected the winners from more than 400 nominations submitted by employees from businesses, government offices, educational institutions and nonprofits.

“We wanted to know where the best places to work in Georgia are, so we asked the experts – the employees,” says Georgia Trend Publisher Neely Young.

Any employee at any level could nominate his or her company by using a ballot on the magazine’s website.

This is the third year Georgia Trend has asked employees for nominations; the first year the magazine published the names of all nominated companies. Last year, as this year, the editorial staff selected 15 companies for the Honor Roll.

“We simply asked employees to tell us what makes their company the best,” says Georgia Trend Editor Susan Percy. “And they did. We didn’t just count the number of nominations, we evaluated what each company’s employees had to say about where they work and made our selections accordingly.”

One company, the Bank of North Georgia, is a repeat winner – it was on the 2007 list. Other winners include banks, law firms, a city government and an ambulance service.

Here are the 2008 winners:

Bank of North Georgia
Alpharetta
Kessel Stelling, President and CEO

The Beck Group (design & construction)
Atlanta
Brad Phillips, Managing Director

Carroll EMC
Carrollton
Ernest A. “Chip” Jakens, President and CEO

City of Decatur
Decatur
Peggy Merriss, City Manager

Connecture (automated solutions for healthcare industry)
Atlanta
Dan Maynard, President and CEO

Floyd County Health Department
Rome
Pat Townley, County Nurse Manager

Fort Valley State University
Fort Valley
Larry E. Rivers, President

Function (marketing & design)
Decatur
Dana Castle, Managing Partner

J &J Industries (carpet)
Dalton
Jim Bethel, CEO

Jackson Spalding (marketing & communications)
Atlanta
Glen Jackson and Bo Spalding, Co-Founders

Mid Georgia Ambulance Service
Macon
Ben Hinson, CEO

Morris, Manning & Martin (law firm)
Atlanta
Robert E. Saudek, Managing Partner

Nalley Automotive Group
Duluth
Henry Day, CEO

Owen, Gleaton, Egan, Jones & Sweeney (law firm)
Atlanta
H. Andrew Owen, Senior Partner

The People’s Bank
Winder
Christopher B. Maddox, President and CEO

Scholarship donors honored at ceremony

clinem — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:47:49 -0400

A small but joyous crowd gathered on a warm, sunny October afternoon to honor those who keep Fort Valley State University students in school by funding scholarships. On Thursday, ten commemorative bricks inscribed with donors’ names were unveiled at the Wildcat statue in the center of campus. In the case of alumni, the year of graduation is etched in stone.

“We have witnessed growth and change in bricks and mortar,” said Thomas Palmer of the FVSU Foundation. The event was the fifth such installation. “It’s about loving your alma mater,” said FVSU President Larry E. Rivers prior to pulling back the black cover on the new bricks. “It’s about helping students through scholarships.”

FVSU National Alumni Association President Robert Ross closed the short ceremony by telling the audience: “I have issued a challenge to the 2008-2010 Board of Directors to complete this circle (around the Wildcat statue).”

The next brick installation will be held during December’s commencement ceremony. Bricks are $500 each and can be purchased through the FVSU Foundation by calling (478) 825-6474 or online at www.fvsu.edu.

Groundbreaking set for FVSU science building

miltonc — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:27:17 -0400

A new $16.8 million science facility will raise the quality of research and teaching at Fort Valley State University. A groundbreaking to commemorate the construction of a state-of-the-art learning facility for the biological and chemical sciences will take place 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 on the west lawn of the C.W. Pettigrew Center.

The university’s first SMART building, as it is called, will house classrooms outfitted with ceiling-mounted projectors, built-in screens, internet access from instructors’ stations and white-board writing services. Additionally, the building will be energy-efficient and offer students wireless access to the internet. “The new science building with modern instructional and research classrooms and labs will assist us in recruiting high achieving students and exceptional faculty,” said Dr. Daniel K. Wims, executive vice president and vice president of academic affairs.

In the planning stage, professors developed a wish list of desired features. The facility will house seven biology teaching labs, five chemistry labs and two physical sciences labs for geology and physics. Four general purpose classrooms with 36 to 48 stations, a classroom with computer workstations for each student, project labs and a tiered lecture hall with 80 seats will be constructed, as well as office space for 25 faculty members.

“I’m glad to see that this building is finally coming to fruition,” said Dr. James Mack, chair of the department of chemistry. “It will give professors and undergraduates more laboratories in which to conduct research. The Miller Science Building was just old: it couldn’t accommodate the influx of students we have. Nor could it accommodate modern chemistry.”

Currently, FVSU’s biology program enrolls more than 300 majors each year – making it one of the largest degree programs on campus. The university also enrolls more than 325 students in chemistry courses each semester. The new building will increase the amount of space devoted to the programs by 80 percent. Entry-level courses in animal and plant sciences will be taught, with interdisciplinary programs in biotechnology, environmental health science, forensic science and health physics.

For more information, contact (478) 825-6319.

Foundation gives grant to FVSU

lewiss — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:47:30 -0400

A Houston County foundation is “keeping hope alive” for Fort Valley State University students who need financial assistance to stay in school. The Flint Energies Foundation, Inc. awarded Fort Valley State University a $5,000 grant. The money will be used for scholarships.

“The generous contribution from Flint Energies will allow FVSU to continue our efforts to meet the financial needs of students.” said Alecia Livatt, development associate in FVSU’s Office of External Affairs. “Flint has asked that we continue our great contributions to the community. I am excited that we are partnering with another neighboring business.”

Flint Energies’ first contribution to FVSU came in June 2008. Robert Ray Jr., chief executive officer and president of Flint Energies Corporation, presented an initial check for $5,000. “The foundation is a way for Flint Members to provide funding for worthy organizations in our area like Fort Valley State University,” said Susan B. Poole, manager of executive services for Flint Energies.

Flint Energies Foundation is a nonprofit organization started in 2001. The foundation is supported by the contributions of Flint members who “round up” their electric bill to help worthy organizations within service areas. The foundation has awarded $1.8 million since 2001.

Wildcat stamp on sale

clinem — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:27:46 -0400

Wildcat fans are giving their stamp of approval to support Fort Valley State University’s latest fundraiser. The university will sell a limited-edition first-class U.S. postage stamp to boost the amount of student scholarships. Wildcat fans can purchase a sheet of 20 stamps for $20 on a first-come, first-served basis. A similar effort was launched last year.
“Our Wildcat stamp initiative provides an additional means to acquaint the community at large with the university,” said Dr. Melody Carter, vice president of External Affairs. “Also, it’s a fun fundraising initiative in which parents and students can participate at a relatively low cost.”
According to Carter, “We rolled out the last stamp initiative near the end of the 2007 calendar year – just before the penny increase of 42 cents. We did make a small profit, so we are implementing it again. We all need stamps from time to time!”
Stamps can be purchased in three locations: the Office of External Affairs, in Bywaters 22, the FVSU Foundation located in the Troup Building, Room 243 and the Public Service Center in FVSU’s Evans Building. Acceptable forms of payment are cash, checks, credit cards and money orders.
To order stamps, contact the FVSU Foundation at (478) 825-6474; e-mail: livatta@fvsu.edu, (478) 825-6135 or call FVSU Public Service Center Director Joy Moten-Thomas at (478) 825-6081.

Hall of Famer to star in FVSU commercials

clinem — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:25:43 -0400

Hall of Fame inductee Doug Porter will be tackling the bright lights of television on behalf of Fort Valley State University to raise money for a worthy cause: scholarships. The former Wildcats coach will be making an appeal for donations to the President’s Scholarship Fund. The money will help keep deserving students on campus.
Porter, who recognizes the need for the new initiative, believes that the money will make a difference in the lives of students. Eula Solomon, FVSU Director of Financial Aid, echoed Porter’s call for scholarship donations. “Our university is literally working overtime to find aid resources for deserving students, but there’s just not enough to go around,” she said. “We need all the help we can get.”
Solomon said the university needs an additional $250,000 to help students immediately. “The money will be put to good use right now, and we will face further needs as we move into the fall semester,” Solomon said. “These are good students who deserve our help.”
To donate, contact the FVSU foundation at (478) 825-6474.

Star first baseman steps up to plate for FVSU students

clinem — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:48:42 -0400

Dmitri Young, star first baseman for the Washington Nationals National League Baseball Club, has stepped up to the plate to aid deserving Fort Valley State University students.

Following a chance encounter on a flight from Atlanta to Washington, D.C. with FVSU President Larry E. Rivers, Young has contributed $10,000 for student scholarships to be available for fall 2008.

“We struck up a conversation out of the blue,” Rivers explained. “This eventually led to a discussion about Fort Valley State and how critical was our need for financial aid funds in these hard times.”

Although Young previously had held no connections with FVSU, he reacted quickly to Rivers’ appeal. “I can’t stand to hear of qualified young people not being able to go to college,” he told Rivers.

Rivers, who accepted Young’s check before the plane landed in Washington, saw the first baseman’s generosity as a challenge to others. “Here is a man who is willing to open his heart to the needs of our young people,” Rivers said. “I would ask everyone who hears of this to understand that we are sending qualified young people home because we cannot provide badly needed assistance for students willing to work. Please, please help us.”

A native of Vicksburg, Miss., Young has played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, and Washington Nationals. A USA Today High School All-American, he has played in two professional baseball All Star games and contributed to the 2006 Detroit Tigers drive for the American League Championship.

“Our FVSU family offers sincere thanks to Dmitri Young and looks forward to extending our hospitality to him in the near future,” Rivers said. “In the meantime,” Rivers added, “I extend Dmitri’s challenge to all. Don’t let qualified young people be sent home for lack of financial aid. Our need is immediate. Help us to help them.”

A gift can be made to the Fort Valley State University Foundation in several ways – with cash, securities, real estate, bequests, and personal property. Many corporations offer matching gift programs that double or triple the value of donations from their employees. All contributions are valuable, regardless of size, and all gifts offer tax advantages to donors. For more information, please contact the FVSU Foundation Office at (478) 825-6474.

Wall of Honor unveiled

clinem — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:07:30 -0400

Fort Valley State University is making good on its commitment to honor donors who contributed to past fundraising campaigns. At an outdoor ceremony held near the Lottie B. Lyons Student Center, Dr. and Mrs. Larry E. Rivers gently pulled back a golden brocade cover revealing, for the first time, 215 names inscribed on FVSU’s Wall of Honor. Each person gave a $1000 donation. The applause of onlookers at the ceremony that also commemorated the 4th Annual Wildcat Brick Installation kicked off a weekend of celebrations that included the reunion of FVSU’s class of 1958 and the spring 2008 commencement activities.

FVSU National Alumni Association President Charles Robinson welcomed donors, alumni and guests; then Dr. Melody Carter, vice president of external affairs and executive director of the FVSU Foundation, recapped the history of the campaigns.

Dr. Rivers congratulated the alumni class of 1958 who were on campus for the 50th anniversary of their commencement. The president hopes similar ceremonies take place every year, as contributions pour in. State representative Calvin Smyre, a 1979 alumnus and chairman of FVSU’s Foundation Board of Directors, commented about the university’s growth. “There’s nothing more important than intellectual capital, so keep giving,” Smyre said. “And I’d like to remind people that just like it takes coal to run a train, it takes gold to run a campus. It takes money.”

At the conclusion of the wall program, the crowd moved a few feet to the square that surrounds the Wildcat statue for another unveiling. Eighteen new donors’ names are now inscribed on bricks for their contribution of $500 toward student scholarships.

Nearly 4,200 applications for fall 2008 are now being processed according to Dr. Rivers, compared to 800 applications received this time last year. He stressed the importance of giving. “Sometimes, students come with financial aid except for maybe $100 - $200. That feels like $2 million to students who don’t have the money. Hopefully, by giving to campaigns like this, you will help keep students in school.”