College Is About Creating Yourself

As members of the Hampton University Class of 2013 prepare to graduate from their "Home by the Sea," we are taking a look back at their years at HU. This three-part blog series explores the experiences of three Hamptonians as they interpret -"It's a Hampton Thing, You wouldn't understand."

My freshmen year there was a message board that was posted on the north wall of the Harkness Hall lobby for parents and friends to leave messages for residents they came to visit. Although most messages were left by over-protective parents reminding their sons to behave or girlfriends and love interests trying to claim their territory, one message in particular stuck with me over my four years at Hampton. It read, “College isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself.” At that instant I immediately began thinking about the future “self” I was to create.

It's no doubt that a Hampton education is expensive, but the opportunity to have all the resources needed to create your ideal self is priceless. The key to Hampton, like life, is to make the most out of every opportunity. How does one do that? There are many ways.

First, Get up, Get Out, and Get involved. Hampton literally has hundreds of clubs, programs, and organizations that you can join. There is truly a niche for everyone. From early on I got involved with the Student Government Association and worked my way up the ranks from senator to eventually becoming a cabinet member and speaker of the entire Senate. It was truly a labor of love and an experience that allowed me to gain more confidence and grow into my own leadership style. While trying to get involved I also discovered what wasn’t for me. I have always had an interest in clothing and dance, but I didn’t fit in well with the fashion show circles nor the dance and Battle of the States crews. However, if I hadn’t tried it all, I would’ve never found what worked for me.

With that being said, secondly, don’t be afraid to take a chance, make mistakes, or fail. It’s a necessary part of the college experience and life. Whether it’s taking a chance and going to the party of the semester and knowing you’re going to have to pull an all-nighter when you return or trying out for Ebony Fire or Majestic dance team, you never know what will come out of a good try. I personally have failed extraordinarily since I’ve been at Hampton. I ran for office three times and lost, but the connections, opportunities, and relationships I have gained from those experiences I never would have had if I were afraid to fail.

With May getting closer and closer I realize how fast college really goes by. Enjoy it. These truly are some of the best years.  

- Jonathan Mark ’13

Jonathan Mark is a senior public relations major from Richmond, Va. He is an active member of the Greer Dawson Wilson Student Leadership Program. Jonathan will attend the University of Richmond T.C. Wilson School of Law in the fall.

HU J-School Hosts 'Central Park Five' Screening

The Scripps Howard School of Journalism & Communications welcomed WHRO for a special screening of “The Central ParkFive,” a new film from award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, tells the story of the five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem who were wrongly convicted of raping a white woman in New York City’s Central Park in 1989.

 The evening started with a reception in the J. School’s atrium. Wayne Dawkins, Assistant professor of journalism and guest panelist had his new book, “CitySon: Andrew W. Cooper’s Impact on Modern-Day Brooklyn,” on display.

Before Burns’ “Central Park Five,” Dawkins recalled the horror in his book. Cooper, a community activist and journalist, founded the influential City Sun Newspaper. On the night of April 19, a series of violent assaults inside Central Park were reported to police. In his book, Dawkins addresses the heated social climate in NYC and sets the stage of the young black and brown men being coerced into confessing to a crime they didn’t commit.

The reception was followed by the introduction of the moderator, Barbara Hamm, executive producer and host of "Another View" at WHRO (which airs at noon on Fridays on WHRV FM 89.5). The panelists included: Eric Claville, J.D., Assistant Dean of Liberal Arts who provided a legal perspective; Earl Caldwell SHSJC writer-in-residence and veteran journalist who was working at the Daily News at the time and covered the case and Wayne Dawkins, who was also a NYC journalist at the time covering the news story.

To view images from the event click here.

Watch Central Park Five Trailer on PBS. See more from Central Park Five.

HU Military Alumni Continue Great Works

HU Alumni Darrell Keith Williams Promoted to Major General

Hamptonians gather and celebrate promotion of Darrell Keith Williams.

Darrell Keith Williams '83, a West Palm Beach, Fla., native and former Hampton senior class president, was promoted to Major General at the Redstone Arsenal base, in Huntsville, Ala.

Ten visiting Hamptonians, as well as his wife and Hampton Institute sweetheart of 25 years, the former Miss Myra Richardson,'83- were present at the promotion ceremony.

Currently Williams, the Army's 121st two-star general of its 82,000 servicemen, serves as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

-Tim Alston, '77

HU Alumni Col. James George Returns to HU School of Business 

HU Alumni Col. James George is joined by HU MBA students

The HU School of Business hosted retired Col. James George, the CEO of Management Support Technology Inc (MSTI), located in Fairfax, VA. for a Leadership Application Program seminar on March 25.  George is a 1958 graduate of Hampton Institute where he majored in biology and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant.

During his hour-long presentation, George centered around differences between large and small companies, leadership, networking and many other interesting topics.  George also shared information about his extensive military training and experience.

LAP students presented George with a gift at the conclusion of his presentation.

-Lt. Col. Claude Vann, III, '77

HU Professors Capture and Explain the PanSTARRS Comet Seen Over Hampton Roads

HU Professors Capture and Explain the PanSTARRS Comet Seen Over Hampton Roads

The PanSTARRS Comet has been in the news recently due to its proximity to Earth’s moon, making it visible to many stargazers and comet lovers in North America and Europe.

On the evenings of March 12 and March 13, Dr. Kunio Sayanagi, HU assistant professor of atmospheric science, was able to take a few pictures of the comet as it blazed across the Hampton Roads skies.

While the comet has been available to observers since the weekend, it has been hard to capture a picture because of the comet’s low position above the horizon.

Dr. WilliamMoore, associate professor of atmospheric and planetary science, researches comets and was able to share information about the PanSTARRS Comet:

“It is called PAN-STARRS after the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, a robotically controlled telescope in Hawaii which first spotted the comet in June 2011.  It is a visitor from the outermost reaches of the solar system, a region known as the Oort cloud.  It takes over 100,000 years to go around the sun, and spends almost all of that time very far away, much further than Pluto.  

When it is out beyond Mars, it is a solid chunk of ices, frozen substances including water, methane, ammonia and dust. When it comes close to the Sun, like it is now, those ices turn into vapors and expand away from the surface of the comet, taking little chunks of ice and dust with them.

The chunks reflect sunlight, like a cloud, that makes the comet look hazy or fluffy. The vapor and dust get blown by the solar wind making the distinctive tail. Comets don't last forever. They lose mass every time they come near the sun, but since PAN-STARRS doesn't do that very often, it should last a long time.”

Sayanagi’s pictures were taken behind the HU Dining Hall. The images capture the comet and it’s tail as it glides across the skies of Hampton Roads. Click on the images to enlarge the picture.

The PanSTARR comet is circled in the image above to the left. The crescent moon is to the right. Picture taken March 12.

The PanSTARRS Comet is circled in the image above. The crescent moon is high above. Picture taken March 13.

The PanSTARRS Comet is circled in the image above, just above the Virginia Air and Space Museum in Downtown Hampton.

HU Child Development Center Welcomed Student Athletes for Read Across America Day

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” –Dr. Seuss

HU Student Athletes joined faculty and students at the HU Child Development Center (CDC) to celebrate the National Education Association’s (NEA) Read Across America program. 

“Dr. Seuss has been instrumental in all of our lives and it really starts with the basics… reading,” said Alexis Robertson, assistant director of athletics for student services and senior women administrator. “Our students are students first and athletes second so what better way to get out in the community and promote literacy than starting right here at the HU Child Development Center.”

Launched in 1998, Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. NEA’s Read Across America, which falls on beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss’s birthday, expects more than 45 million readers, both young and old, to pick up a book and read. With research showing that children who are motivated to read perform better in school, this annual reading motivation and awareness program aims to bring reading excitement to children of all ages.

“Read Across America Day became a very special occasion for the children of the HU Child Development Center thanks to an outreach from the Athletic Department and the volunteer HU student athletes,” said Constance Goode, director of CDC.

The track team and women’s basketball team read to small groups during the visit at HU’s CDC. Later that day, volunteers from the football, tennis and volleyball teams joined the group at other schools throughout Hampton Roads.

To view more images from the day click here!

HU Pharmacy students visit, advise at General Assembly

HU School of Pharmacy students and faculty  stand outside the General Assembly Building on Virginia Pharmacy Day.

HU Pharmacy students visit, advise at General Assembly

Twenty-four Hampton University School of Pharmacy students traveled to Richmond, Va. Jan. 30 to participate in Virginia Pharmacy Day at the General Assembly Building. The event is hosted annually by the Virginia Pharmacist Association and is a combination of a health fair, and legislative visits with state representatives, to discuss pharmacy-related issues.

HU School of Pharmacy Drs. Antonio Carrion, Carl Tullio and Ebony Andrews took the trip with students. Members of HU’s National Community Pharmacist Association (NCPA) developed informational brochures on diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, to disseminate to legislators. The group was honored as guests of HU Liberal Arts Dean and United Sates Senator, Mamie Locke D-Hampton, during the Senate session.

The trip was an opportunity for students to see the power of their voices, Andrews said.

“Meeting with the legislators and sitting in on the House and Senate sessions allows them an opportunity to voice their concerns and hopefully assist in the passage or denial of laws that impact the profession, and the provision of care to the patients we serve,” she said. “I want them to see they have the power to make a difference if they take the time to get involved.

Pharmacy Student Brittany Lowe was able to perform blood pressure checks on various people, including legislators, during the General Assembly visit. She also gave advice to politicians, as she witnessed them in the rush of their workday.

“I noticed that this population … traveled from room to room in a very hasty manner. I detected that their blood pressures were running very high,” she said. “Being in health care, I strongly believe it is imperative to be able to interact with patients that have different careers, and take into consideration the flow of their everyday work environment.”

The health fair consisted of cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure screenings. This year, a booth to take back expired and unwanted medications was available to both legislators and the public.

This experience can help students become well rounded, Andrews said.  

“I hope this trip inspires our students to become more involved in the laws and regulations that affect not only their profession as future pharmacist, but healthcare as a whole,” she said.

Lowe said the experience was eye opening to the health field’s political side.

“It gives students the opportunity to learn about the different health care laws and bills that are passed and can have an appreciation for health care from a political view instead of only as a clinician,” she said.

-Leha Byrd

HU WHOV Station Manager Hosts Book Signing

Jay Lang- “Wisdom From The Jazzman”

Jay Lang, station manager of 88.1 WHOV FM Hampton University Radio, has authored his first motivational work. The book was inspired by the author’s nightly motivational segment on his radio show, starting in 2001. An inspirational devotional, titled “Wisdom From The Jazzman” possesses segments based upon life experiences and wisdom learned through his spiritual journey. Köehler Books, an Imprint of Morgan James Publishing, published “Wisdom From The Jazzman” on January 1. It can be found in the Self Improvement section of bookstores worldwide as well as through iTunes, Kindle, Nook, Amazon.com, Quill, Books -A-Million and Sony E-Books.

A book signing will be held at Barnes & Noble Saturday Feb. 9 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. located in the Peninsula Towne Center in Hampton, Va.

For more information about “Wisdom From The Jazzman” and the author or to purchase the book please visit www.wisdomfromthejazzman.com

-Brianna Dance '14