63.7 Spartan Echo

Vol. 63, Issue 7 1.22.16

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: [email protected]

Probation lifted, Norfolk State maintains full accreditation with SACSCOC

by Danielle Kirsh

Vice President Joe Biden and Norfolk State University President and CEO Eddie N. Moore, Jr. talk about the cyber security workforce training program on Jan. 16, 2015. Pho-to from Norfolk State University.

Norfolk State University’s probation was finally lift-ed on Tuesday, Dec. 8, by NSU’s accrediting agency the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Interim President and CEO Eddie N. Moore, Jr. was informed shortly after noon and spoke to the Spartan Echo imme-diately afterward. “We are off of probation,” Moore told the Echo in a phone interview.

“I feel very good. I wanted you to know,” Moore told the Echo. “I called you first.” “I’m particularly grateful for the students who stayed with us,” Moore said. Moore also thanked students, facul-ty, staff, alumni and friends of Norfolk State for their support. “We were able to accom-plish what we set out to do,” Moore said. “We’re really excited.” Moore expects that the lifting of the probation

will help increase enroll-ment at Norfolk State. The SACSCOC Special Committee visited Norfolk State University Oct. 13-15. The committee confirmed the contents of the univer-sity’s Second Monitoring Report that was submitted to SACSCOC in September. “They did provide a report to us as requested,” said SACSCOC President

continued on page 2

BOV finalizes two-year contract with President Moore

The Norfolk State Uni-versity Board of Visitors

finalized a two-year contract with Eddie N. Moore Jr. to continued on page 3

make him the president of the 80-year-old public in-stitution. The contract went into effect on Jan. 10. Moore is the institution’s 6th president and has said one of his first tasks as permanent president will be to implement a 100-day plan focused on three key strategic initiatives: enhance institutional accountability,

increase retention of cur-rent students and grow the enrollment of new students, and improve the University’s graduation rate. Moore has also initiated a campus-wide strategic planning and brand planning effort that will define the University’s future direction, and expand its promotional efforts to tell the NSU story effectively.

Last month, the NSU Board of Visitors approved a resolution for BOV Rec-tor Thomas N. Chewning to develop a contract with Moore, who had been inter-im president since joining the University in September 2013. The contract was final-ized earlier this week.

Creed is a knockoutPage 4

Tiller TakeoverPage 5

Urban LeaguePage 6

NSU HelpsPage 8


spartan news21.22.16

Probation lifted continued from front

Dr. Belle S. Wheelan. The outcome of the Committee’s assessment was that there were no recommendations for Norfolk State University based on their review – the best possible outcome for NSU. After SACSCOC complet-ed their visit in Oct., they reviewed all of the informa-tion they received at their annual meeting in Houston on Dec. 8, where they decid-ed the fate of Norfolk State and President Moore heard the news for the first time. NSU was placed on proba-tion for 12 months in Dec. 2014 until they were able to

fix some of the things that were below SACSCOC stan-dards as outlined in their Principles of Accreditation. Some of the 12 things NSU was required to fix included problems with administra-tion, governance and financ-es. “We expect all of our members to be in compli-ance with all of our stan-dards at all times,” said Wheelan. Since the probation was lifted, Wheelan said that means all problems have been corrected at Norfolk State University.“It means they are in com-pliance with all of our

NATO conference offers rewarding experience for NSU journalists

by Mahogany Waldon

Supreme Allied Command Transformation Gen. Denis Mercier speaking with jour-nalists following NATO’s COTC15 opening panel dis-cussions. Photo by Tykhari Coles.

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) invit-ed journalists from Norfolk State University’s Spartan Echo to its “Chief of Trans-

formation Conference” at Norfolk’s Waterside Mar-riott. As one of the invited journalists, I was thrilled to represent my university at such an important event and traveled to the event with my fellow Echo colleague Richelle Hammiel. The con-ference featured representa-tives from all 28 nations that make up NATO. The student journalists were able to view two panel discussions, had lunch and attended a pri-vate press conference with NATO’s Supreme Allied Command Transformation General Dennis Mercier of France. Our knowledge about NATO centered on the fact that the organization is made up of militaries from rich nations that make im-portant decisions every day. We were somewhat famil-

iar with their mission and importance in world affairs. (Note: the Paris terrorist attacks occurred only some days before we attended the conference.) As a result, Richelle and I were nervous because we felt our role in the event would be over-looked and insignificant. We were HBCU student journalists and sure that the many five-star generals and other world leaders in atten-dance would not be aware of Norfolk State University nor care about us. The large crowd that had gathered in the main lob-by was mostly made up of men in military regalia that featured more stars, stripes and badges than we could really comprehend. We also noticed that most of these important looking men were white and looked at us

standards and have no cloud hanging over their head,” said Wheelan. SACSCOC first began their investigation in the spring 2013 semester after financial audits were not completed for two consec-utive years. Following that news, the Virginia Board of Nursing barred new stu-dents from enrolling in the associate degree program at NSU after too many students were failing the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX). By fall 2013, the associate degree nursing program was dis-continued. In Aug. 2013, NSU’s Board of Visitors voted to fire President Tony Atwater and

bring in Interim President and CEO Eddie N. Moore, Jr. who was previously presi-dent of Virginia State Uni-versity and had an extensive background in finance man-agement with the Common-wealth of Virginia. By the end of 2013, SACSCOC held their annual meeting where they decid-ed to give NSU a warning, stating that if they didn’t fix the outlined problems they would be placed on proba-tion. With the lifting of the probation, SACSCOC says NSU is in compliance with all of the accreditation stan-dards and will not face more investigation because of past problems.

“They will not be reviewed until their regular schedule for review occurs,” Wheelan said of NSU. “Their next review will not be any more rigorous because of past issues.” Norfolk State has been fully and continuously ac-credited since it first became eligible for accreditation in 1969. “Today’s news en-sures that Norfolk State will continue toward improve-ment, growth and a culture of assessment,” said Moore. “Norfolk State University has emerged a much stron-ger institution; an institution well-positioned for a bright-er future.”

as if they were wondering “What do these young black women have to offer to this powerful room of gentle-man?” There were very few people of color that made up the many military leaders in the room, a shocking insight that gave me the following revelation: “Imagine how powerful the military is, then take a look around this conference; that speaks volumes about who runs the world.” In our own military, just last year, Michelle How-ard became the first black woman to hold the four-star rank in America. The statis-tics give one a lot to ponder. In a private press confer-ence with the host of the conference, Supreme Allied Transformation Command-er General Dennis Mercier, students were able to ask the general questions regarding

NATO’s plans and future. After the conference, the NSU Spartan Echo staff was pleased when LCDR Eiffert revealed that the General, as well as other officials from the day, were very pleased with us. All in all, the expe-rience gave me insight into a very powerful, yet unique, organization, an experience I will forever cherish. Finally, the Spartan Echo from Norfolk State Univer-sity was the first to publish their resulting story online, which NATO has promised to link to on their Allied Command Transformation website. Behold! You can read the sto-ry at http://spartanecho.org/2015/12/09/nato-of-ficials-discuss-new-ini-tiatives-during-confer-ence-in-norfolk/.


spartan news 31.22.16

President Moore continued from front

Senator Mark Warner seeks to help college students

Virginia Senator Mark Warner (D) was among the first generation of his fam-ily to go to college and law school. He told the Spartan Echo during an interview on Tuesday, Jan. 13, that he understands the hardships of attending college and said that’s why he’s working to make college more afford-able. Warner explained that the average college student today will graduate with $25,000 in debt, or more, and that students nation-wide are a total of 1.3 trillion dollars in debt. Many find themselves in colleges and majors that do not best fit them and, as a result, they graduate with a degree with no job to pur-sue. Consequently, Warner is proposing several acts

in the U.S. Senate with the intentions to help students who have already graduated college and others who are on the way to higher educa-tion. Warner told the Spartan Echo that the following acts will increase college afford-ability. Go to High School, Go to College Act – this increases the access that stu-dents with low income have to earn free college credits in high school with the help of a Pell-Grant program. •Student Right to Know Before You Go Act – allows students and parents to be informed of what schools are best for them, including the retention and graduation rates, as well as potential job opportunities based on your major.

•K-12 1⁄2 Act. – will give a free semester of community college for potential stu-dents enrolled in a program of study with intentions of receiving apprenticeship or postsecondary certificate. As well as making college more affordable, Warner also hopes to help and pre-vent student debt for current and future students with these acts. •Dynamic Repayment Act – gives students a way to pursue their dreams after college with income-based repayment programs that help graduates through periods of unemployment or low-income. •Employer Participation in Repayment Act – helps employees repay student loans by giving up to $5,500 pre-tax to their employees’

“The Board of Visitors is pleased to announce the appointment of Eddie N. Moore, Jr. as the 6th presi-dent of Norfolk State Uni-versity,” states Chewning. “Eddie is the right leader at the right time for this insti-tution and we are fortunate to have this high caliber of leadership and experience at Norfolk State.” According to Chewning, among Moore’s accom-plishments as Interim President was the removal of NSU from probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Moore’s di-rection and oversight of a

cross-departmental effort to prepare the monitoring re-port for SACSCOC success-fully addressed administra-tive and procedural matters at the school, which existed prior to his arrival in 2013. “President Moore has set the tone for continuous improvement and account-ability at NSU,” Chewning continues. “His previous experience as a member of the board of trustees for the accrediting body proved to be invaluable during this re-view. He guided us through the accreditation challenges and helped us emerge as a stronger institution.” Before his arrival to NSU, Moore served as president of St. Paul’s College from No-

vember 2011 through June 2012. Previously, Moore served as the president of Virginia State University (VSU) from 1993-2010. Before his tenure at VSU, Moore was treasurer of the Commonwealth of Virginia, where he served on 18 state boards and had oversight authority for more than $20 billion of Virginia’s assets. Moore also served as comp-troller at the College of William and Mary. “I am truly honored to serve as President and am appreciative of the oppor-tunity to serve in the best interests of NSU students, the University as a whole, and our community,” said Moore. “Norfolk State is

“I am truly honored to serve as President and am apprecia-tive of the opportunity to serve in the best interests of NSU,” said President Moore.well-positioned for a bright-er future and I look forward to being a part of its great legacy.” Moore has a bachelor’s of science degree in account-ing from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA

from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a certified public accountant in Texas and the Commonwealth of Virginia (inactive). Presi-dent Moore is married to Elisia Moore and has 5 chil-dren and 5 grandchildren.

federal and/or private stu-dent loans. Warner hopes that these legislative acts for students will be approved and that the issues they address will receive the support of President Obama’s admin-istration and the attention

of the media. That’s why he reached out to student newspapers at colleges and universities throughout the Commonwealth of Virgin-ia. The Spartan Echo was one of three newspapers to speak with him on these issues.

by Carman Chatman

Warner hopes that these legislative acts for students will be approved and receive the support of President Obama.


spartan entertainment41.22.16

Add these to your “watch list” this spring by Aegious Perkins

2016 is proving to be the year of the sequel: Ice Cube is presenting the third Barbershop. The Divergent Series: Allegiant and Ride

Going into the month of February, it is known that the temperatures are going to be some of the coldest of the year. Most students are going to want to grab some Starbucks and stay inside for some Netflix and chill time, so here’s the Spartan Echo’s watch list for the spring semester. Shonda Rhimes continues her reign on ABC. Although she is wrapping up the successful show How to Get Away With Murder, accord-ing to ABC she is premier-ing a show named The Catch

that will be taking its time slot. The show is another dra-ma-with-a-twist and should be a must see for this season.

Marlon Wayans is presenting a spoof of the film Fity Shades of Black. Photo from Facebook.com/OfficialYL/photos.

Rocky spinoff Creed is a real knockout by Mahogany Waldon The highly anticipat-ed Rocky movie spinoff Creed was everything true Rocky fans expected it to be plus more. Director Ryan Coogler delivered with this film and gave viewers an energetic work that makes Creed one of the best films out of the Rocky franchise. Creed, starring Michael B. Jordan as the illegitimate son of Rocky Balboa’s rival turned friend Apollo Creed was released on Nov. 25, 2015. Beginning in a juvenile detention center, young Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) who is a belligerent and defiant youth is unit-ed with the wife of his late father. During his time with her, Adonis learns of his fa-ther’s legacy and decides to

follow in his footsteps only to find that he has some rather big shoes to fill. Creed features a cameo from the original Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone who

is a long way from being the 1976 boxing champ that he once was. In the film, Rocky serves as an unsuspected mentor to Adonis Creed. Throughout the movie, Rocky finds that he has his own battles to face. The film also features actresses Phylicia Rashad and Tessa Thompson.

From left, Tony Bellew, Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Creed’ in London, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP).

Creed has created a new generation of Rocky fans.

Creed has an urban feel that is a polar opposite of the other films in the Rocky franchise. From its hip hop theme to the way the film captures the mechanics of street life in L.A. and Phil-adelphia, Creed has created a new generation of Rocky fans. In an interview with Ebo-ny magazine, Creed director Ryan Coogler said that the inspiration for the film came from his own experience with his father.“My dad introduced me to sports and was often times my coach. He was often harder on me than on the other guys,” Coogler said. This film adds another notch to the young director’s belt, his debut film was the critically acclaimed, Fruit-vale Station.

2016 is proving to be

the year of the sequel

Along 2 are also coming out this semester. Marlon Wayans is present-ing a spoof of the film Fifty Shades of Grey titled Fifty Shades of Black. The Wayans are known for re-making serious movies into comical film. Warner Bros. Pictures premiering yet another su-perhero movie titled “Bat-man V Superman: Dawn of Justice.” This film is a face-off between the two prominent superheros. There is also a remake of the 90s children’s movie The Jungle Book that will be released this spring.


spartan entertainment1.22.165

Tiller Takeover for 2016 by Jayla Lewis

It is safe to say that Bryson Tiller has the potential to take over the music industry and set a new path for his own “Trapsoul” sound. Photo from Facebook.com/BrysonTill-erMusic/photos.

Bryson Tiller, a new con-temporary R&B singer and songwriter from Louisville, Kentucky has become an overnight sensation. He coined a new genre of music called “trap soul” which combines slow ballads with up tempo melodies. Tiller has since signed to RCA Records, home to pop sen-sations such as Miguel and Tinashe. The social media sensa-tion created a buzz with his music and debut album entitled “TrapSoul” which dropped in late 2015. Sim-ilar to Vine breakout star: Bobby Shmurda, Tiller has managed to attract attention with tracks being featured in Vine clips and YouTube videos. This has spread to Twitter and other media platforms, showing the pow-

music into another popular song by Tiller entitled “Ex-change” where vocals from a 90s group KP and Envyi and their hit song “Shorty swing my way”. Tiller has familiar sounds to popular artists like Drake, The Weeknd, and PartyNex-tDoor to name a few. He has started going on tours in various cities to further promote his music. Tiller will also headline a show at the Norva in Norfolk, VA on Feb. 19, 2016, which sold out within hours of tickets going on sale. It is safe to say that Bryson Tiller has the potential to take over the music indus-try and set a new path for his own “Trapsoul” sound. Surely this isn’t the last of Bryson Tiller; let’s see what he has in store for 2016.

er of social media in under-ground artists reaching the global music market. According to goodfella-

music.com “Timberland and Drake co-signs to the success of his hit single “Don’t,” which has nearly

eight million plays on Sound cloud, Tiller is popping up on everyone’s radar.” Also sampling old school

It’s not too late to get involved with the SpartanEcho!

If you enjoy writing, graphic design or photography, it’s not too late to get in-

volved with the Spartan Echo.

The Spartan Echo welcomes any and all majors to join us. Previous journalism

experience is not a requirement.

Our meetings are held every Tuesday and Thursday in the Student Center,

room 344 at 12:30p.m.

Minimum Qualifications for All Positions

– must carry 15 or more credit hours during the semes-ter of service (pre-registered at the time of application)

– 2.5 cumulative GPA or higher

– completed 15 or more hours during the semester of application

– 2.0 GPA or higher for the semester of application

– time and dedication to perform staff duties

– ability to follow instructions and meet deadlines


spartan lifestyle61.22.16

Fathers, stop being afraid of being fathers An editorial by Sade Moore “A third of children now live without their dad,” says deseretnews.com. Obama, who was raised by a single mother, said in Parade Magazine in 2009 “In many ways, I came to understand the importance of fatherhood through its absence — both in my life and in the lives of others…I came to understand that the hole a man leaves when he abandons his responsibility to his children is one that no government can fill. We can

do everything possible to provide good jobs and good schools and safe streets for our kids, but it will never be enough to fully make up the difference.” “Families headed by women are in poverty,” said Dr. Rowena Wilson, Dean of the School of Social Work at Norfolk State University. “23% of women who are heads of the household are jobless or unable to work.” Dr. Wilson encourages children and single par-

ents to seek out counseling groups and reach out to their communities for sup-port. “When a father hasn’t been there, it’s hard for him to make that step,” said Dr. Wilson. “The School of Social Work focuses on embracing the whole family and teaching students to build strong families with-out being judgmental.” Jasmine West is an exam-ple of how broken relation-ships led to a father-less

Urban League honors community

leaders at NSU event

The breakfast, created to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., recognized and presented awards to those dedicated to community service/volunteerism, education, employment, health and housing. (photo from ulhr.org).

The Urban League of Hampton Roads named Mr. James Church, Ms. Sharon Durrette-Hunt, Dr. Ashby Kilgore, Dr. Avi Santo and Mr. Bruce Thompson as its 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Leader award

winners. The awardees were hon-ored at the Urban League’s 32nd Martin Luther King Community Leaders’ Break-fast Monday, Jan. 18, at Norfolk State University’s Joseph G. Echols Memorial

Hall. The breakfast, creat-ed to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., recognized and presented awards to those dedicated to community service/volun-teerism, education, employ-ment, health and housing. James Church is the General Manager of Prior-ity Acura. Mr. Church is dedicated and committed to student excellence. He is a mentor in the Male Mentor Group at Coleman Place Elementary School in Nor-folk. Further, he supports students throughout the ed-ucational process by offering internships and real world opportunities to learn. A former athlete, he directs much of time to utilizing sports to teach young men and women life lessons.Sharon Durrette-Hunt, an

family. “Even with him acting very immature [as I tried to] rekindle a relationship, he still doesn’t think he’s wrong in certain areas, so it just gave me the opportunity to just give up,” said Jasmine West, a 24-year-old alumni of NSU. It’s time for fathers to stop being scared of being fathers. It doesn’t matter if you, as a father, didn’t have a father growing up or if you have run into some tough

obstacles in your life; you are taking away the option of having a father from your child. It’s your job to be an active parent, and no excuse is a good excuse.

Air Force veteran, is the founder and president of Enspyr, a business manage-ment consulting company. She has been instrumental in local fund raising events in support of youth, educa-tion and the homeless. See-ing a need to do more, she and her family prepare care kits for those without shelter providing food and personal items to restore dignity and hope. While writing her first book, “An Ordinary Opin-ion”, she served on the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast board of directors, and continues to be a force for change in her community. Dr. Ashby Kilgore is the Superintendent on New-port News Public Schools. She has launched numer-ous initiatives to enhance academic opportunities for all students. Under her direction, more minority students are now enrolled in gifted education programs, advanced math and sci-ence course work, and high school Advanced Placement and honors courses. Her personal passion is evident

as she tackles challenges to ensure quality education is provided to all students. Dr. Avi Santo is the Execu-tive Director of the Institute of the Humanities at Old Dominion University. He has been instrumental in promoting race relations awareness in the communi-ty. Dr. Santo conceived of a project that would focus on 100 years of African Amer-ican creative resistance to stereotypes and misrepre-sentation in popular media. The project was one that encompassed an evening of music, dialog and the debut of a short film produced by the Old Dominion Univer-sity film program. Bruce Thompson is the Chief Executive Officer of Gold Key PHR Hotels and Re-sorts. He has several devel-opments in the Oceanfront area. He was instrumental in building an Oceanfront playground for the disabled and helped organize the an-nual JT Walk to Defeat ALS, which raised more than $5 million. Started in 1984, the Mar-

For more informationon this issue,

please contact Dr. Wilson at 757-823-8648.


spartan lifestyle 71.22.16

Editorial: 2014-15 NSUAA Alumna of the Year challenges

the “Spartan Community”An editorial by Chloe’ Jones, NSU Class of 1973

Chloe’ Jones, NSU Class of 1973

Dear Spartan Echo Editor, After two seemingly long years of praying, waiting and hard work, members of the Norfolk State University community breathed a sigh of relief and sent praises to the Most High when Interim President and CEO Eddie N. Moore, Jr. announced that SACSCOC lifted the pro-bation and NSU maintains full accreditation! We salute members of his team who dedicated many hours to make this happen. While it is a major accomplishment and one to celebrate, the challenges are far from over. Many people have made statements via news and so-

cial media about what Nor-folk State should do. Well, I have suggestions that are needed and doable for those who are TRULY vested in the future of our university. 1. Accreditation is one thing, credibility is anoth-er. Although we haven’t lost credibility, we MUST breathe LIFE into what is being said and demonstrat-ed. Speak up and defend our fine institution when outsid-ers begin to make negative statements. The bleacher, parking lot, pew and cool-er conversations are great platforms to sell the positive aspects of NSU. 2. EVERY SPARTAN, whether you are a student, graduate or supporter, MUST talk with high school seniors who have not made a final decision as to what school they will attend next fall. Share with them how great this HBCU is; con-vince them that an educa-tional foundation from NSU will take them farther than

they would ever imagine; let them know NSU is a force to be reckoned with. A degree from NSU is PRICELESS! We need to have one of the largest freshman classes in Fall 2016. Then keep this recruiting method going yearly. Then, offer assistance or guidance with the appli-cation process and search for scholarships. 3. If you are a member of the Norfolk State Univer-sity Alumni Association (NSUAA), encourage others to join. The more members, the stronger the voice when we need to be heard. Then share your thoughts, ask your questions through your chapter president or Office of Alumni Relations. 4. If you are not a member of NSUAA, WHY NOT? Show your love and pride by joining the association, either by general member-ship at $25.00 annually or a local chapter in/near a city where you reside. WE NEED MEMBERS!

5. GIVE! Just think how much more NSU would have for scholarships and other areas if every sup-porter just in the DMV areas gave $5.00. WOW! No amount is too small (or too big–smile). Your contri-butions are accepted 24/7, sorely needed and MOST appreciated. 6. Demonstrate your love and pride for NSU public-ly during athletic events as we yell ”BEHOLD THE GREEN AND GOLD!” Yet, when the games end and our alma mater is played by our magnificent band, we are hurrying to leave. What message are we sending to outsiders? We must stand and remain still until the song is over. That’s respect and love shown.

CAN WE DO IT? YES WE CAN! LETS’ GO, SPAR-TANS! BEHOLD!

Chloe’ E. Jones, 1973, 2014-15 NSUAA Alumna

Wednesday, Jan. 27 2:00-5:00 p.m.Student Office Hours (Student Cen-ter room 331)

Wednesday, Feb. 10 2:00-5:00 p.m.Student Office Hours (Student Cen-ter room 331)

Friday, Feb. 19 11:30 a.m.-1:00 pmFaculty & Staff Brown Bag Discus-sions(President’s Dining Room)

Wednesday, Feb. 24 2:00-5:00 p.m.Student Office Hours(Student Center room 331)

Want to meet with President Moore? HOW TO REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT

TO MEET WITH THE PRESIDENTAppointments to meet with President Moore can be requested by com-

pleting the APPOINTMENT REQUEST FORM 2015-2016 form (LINK: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BLH9CZY). Identify at least two (2) dates and times at least 48 hours in advance of your preferred date and time. The request will be forwarded to the President’s Office for review and scheduling. Confirmation of the appointment or an alternative date

or time for the appointment will be offered within three (3) business days of the request.

Meetings are 30-minutes in duration. Meetings will begin and conclude on-time. Individuals arriving late for a scheduled meeting are asked to contact the President’s Office at 757-823-8670 to reschedule at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting date and time.

e d i t o r s

Shareen NicholsonEditor-in-Chief

Mahogany WaldonManaging Editor

Tyeka Bailey News Editor

Meleah HolmesLifestyle Editor

Aegious PerkinsEntertainment Editor

Tyra WhitneyMultimedia Editor

Sarah JeffersonDeputy Graphic De-

sign/Layout Editor


spartan sports81.22.16

Joe Cook (NSU Class of 2009) is hot…in Alaska

by Thornton Collier

For the past three years, Cook has been in Alas-ka, where he recently was promoted to the position of Head Sports Director.

Norfolk State University’s Mass Communications and Journalism Department has been flourishing for many

years getting their students more prepared for the real world. It is easy to tell each student will have their own path and the key to succeed-ing is to never give up. Joe Cook was an NSU student from 2007-2009 spending most of his time working in the NSU TV production studio, but also serving as the Spartan Echo sports editor. “I graduated from NSU in 2009, but it took me three years to break into the busi-ness. During that three-year period, I used the skills I learned from my internships and teachers to freelance. I started a regional sports website, was a color com-

mentator for NSU basketball when they made the NCAA tournament in 2012, and did wedding videos and other projects while working as a part-time production assis-tant job at WVEC,” Cook said. Cook made it clear that it was not easy, but he stayed persistent in the process and ended up as a sportscaster in Alaska. “My job in Alaska came out of the blue,” Cook said. I received an email in Septem-ber of 2012 as if I already applied for an open position at KTVF in Fairbanks, Alas-ka. I was like what? Who?! Alaska?!” Cook said. This was a place with conditions

that might shock almost anyone. “I never thought I’d expe-rience -40 degree tempera-tures and sunlight at 2 a.m. in the summer, but I can say that now. It’s an adventure,” Cook said.” But I don’t regret my decision as I’ve gained a ton of life experiences and built relationships in and outside of the industry.” For the past three years, Cook has been in Alas-ka, where he recently was promoted to the position of Head Sports Director. He serves as a one man show that has utilized his skills learned at Norfolk State to shoot, produce, edit, anchor, etc. Joe understood that the

process may take a while. “My advice for people looking to get into sports broadcasting, television, or whatever, is to never give up,” Cooks said.” You have to be patient in the growth process and realize that wherever you start is not where you will finish. Stay confident in yourself and your abilities, but always look for ways to improve.” You can follow Joe Cook on the local KTVF website http://www.webcenter11.com/team-member/joe-cook or at Joe Cook Sports Facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/joe-cooksports.

NSU helps Amber Brown and her family

by Kievyn Lila

FILE - In this March 9, 2015, file photo, Norfolk State’s Amber Brown moves the ball against Delaware State during a first round game at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference NCAA college women’s basketball tournament in Norfolk, Va. A week ago, Amber Brown was a junior forward and sometimes starter on the Norfolk State women’s basketball team. Now, she’s laying in a hospital bed fighting for her life. (The’ N. Pham /The Virginian-Pilot via AP, File).

Many in the Spartan community are praying and giving their support, emo-tionally and financially, to fellow Spartan and stu-dent-athlete Amber Brown as she continues fighting her battle against diabetes and diabetic-related complica-tions with her health. For those that don’t know, Amber was placed in a medically induced coma and only recently woke up. She was found unconscious in her room due to diabetic complications. During this time, she’s been staying at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital where doctors said she’s suffered from three strokes on a major part of her brain, two heart attacks and a blood clot in the top of her head. Despite her condition, the family remains faithful and optimistic, finding different

ways to raise money for her medical fund. While NSU student-athletes are normal-ly covered by insurance for accidental issues, Amber’s treatment will have to be covered by the family’s med-ical insurance. As a result, members of the Spartan community have stepped forward to help. There is currently a Go-FundMe page dedicated to Amber where anyone can donate to her cause, includ-ing a Facebook page titled “Supporting Amber.” The Student-Athlete Ad-visory Committee will also be accepting donations for Brown’s family at all remain-ing NSU home basketball games this month. All dona-tions go toward the Brown family’s expenses and needs for their time spent away from Atlanta, Georgia and by the bedside of Amber.

63.7 Spartan Echo

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Transcript of 63.7 Spartan Echo