Post by Aggie77 on Mar 31, 2009 9:53:49 GMT -5
I received this via email (as did probably many of you) from the President of the Alumni Association, the one and only Pamela L. Johnson, and it reminded me of something one of my mentors would say. There are few points that I thought were worth sharing, 1.) Aggies everywhere are trying to make A&T better, 2.) Chancellor Battle has not gone in hiding, 3.) we all need to give and get involved more. I encourage you to join a local Alumni Chapter or Aggie Club, or both and if there are no local chapters, then join at the National level.
My mentor would say "An informed Aggie is a good Aggie, a giving Aggie is better. Be an informed and giving Aggie."
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Dearest A&T Alumni!
On last night, Saturday, March 28, 2009, I had the distinct HONOR of attending the Wilson County Chapter of North Carolina A&T State University Alumni Association, Inc.’s scholarship banquet. The Chapter’s endowed scholarship is named in the honor and memory of a dedicated alumnus, Mr. Crawford E. Lane, Sr., a 1947 graduate and Alpha Nu Chapter member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He was the beloved father of active alumnus Michael (Mike) Lane (National Association’s Alumni Giving Representative) , alumna Debbie Lane Ford and Crawford Lane, Jr. (NC State Grad).
The banquet was held in a most impressive place: Darden Alumni Center. This beautiful center was built by Darden High School Alumni; the only black high school in Wilson, NC, which no longer exists. The theme of the banquet was “The Aggie Connection: Realizing Dreams from Generation to Generation” and Chancellor Stanley F. Battle was the keynote speaker. The Chapter’s dedicated president, Mr. Randolph Sessoms communicated to the packed banquet hall that for years this Chapter requested the presence of a Chancellor to bring an address and this was the first response to the call. Alumni, I am here to tell you that the message Dr. Battle brought was WORTH the wait!
To a very engaged audience, where it was apparent committed individuals attended because of their undying love for the late Mr. Lane, Sr., A&T and hope for tomorrow, Dr. Battle succinctly expressed the need for our alumni to know and surpass our competition. What competition you may ask? Competition defined as OTHER universities who vie for our young brilliant children and in a lot of instances WIN because they are able to entice them when it comes to the OPPORTUNITIES (dollars). It is very important that I let you know that Dr. Battle recognized the Wilson County Chapter for solid commitment to give back to the University and the outstanding students born out of the Wilson County PUBLIC school system. However, the real issue is and Dr. Battle stated it so well, to which I will paraphrase and not provide verbatim, but if WE DO NOT START GIVING back to our alma mater and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), we will always lose our best and our brightest to our competition. He told two stories that I deem necessary to share with you:
1) A young lady applied to A&T. She had a stellar academic record and was a skilled basketball player. She was also the daughter of two Howard University medical school graduates. A&T was one of her choices, but in the end, Johns Hopkins University swept her off of her feet because of the OPPORTUNITIES afforded to her by them!
2) Dr. Battle, a graduate of University of Pittsburgh, was solicited by his alma mater while serving as the Coppin State University President, to make a major donation to his graduate alma mater. Reluctant because he said he never thought about giving to them, decided with Mrs. Battle, to make a $50,000 donation contingent upon the University of Pittsburgh making the scholarship available ONLY to an HBCU graduate. The Battles requirement was not initially accepted by the University of Pittsburgh and then they accepted the requirement to use the Battles’ donation for HBCU graduates pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh. The first scholarship OPPORTUNITY was made possible for an A&T graduate!
Alumni, money is tight and hard to come by for all in some respects. However, just like you do not miss giving to your churches; PLEASE do not miss your giving to your alma mater! If you practice making a gift on a MONTHLY basis, you will be SURPRISED how far your gift will go and how many OPPORTUNITIES it will positively provide! One of the best gifts you can give your offspring is an education at the alma mater that made your occupational dreams a reality or one of its sister HBCUs!
I would like to thank Dr. Battle for his direct and sincere discussion last night. Alumni please know that he represented the University well and his speech was very suitable for the occasion. I would like to think that ALL African American children, although presented with many options/opportuniti es, view our schools in the highest regards. However, I am a realist and I know there are many things that present us (African Americans/HBCUs) otherwise, but WE the products of these schools must ALWAYS stand true to who we are, what we have become and how we use it to be a blessing to others! Dr. Battle extemporaneously gave compelling reasons as to why we should COMMIT to GIVE. The number of our students attending OUR schools has decreased! If this continues, the decision makers will eventually ASK, “WHY DO WE EVEN EXIST?”
Thank you to the Chairs of this successful banquet, alumnae Joan Boykin and Margaret Mincey, the Lane Family, and the dedicated members of the Wilson County Chapter, led by President Randolph Sessoms for inviting me. The students who attended the banquet are in the stages of contemplating the next mile in their educational journey and I am sure they were inspired by the love shown for the late Mr. Crawford Lane, Sr. and the dedication of ALL who attended to provide OPPORTUNITIES, financially, to deserving students attending our Alma Mater from Wilson County, NC.
Lastly, and to Chancellor Battle’s point; OPPORTUNITY can be a deal breaker. Therefore, Alumni PLEASE make sure your GIVING equates to more OPPORTUNITIES that surpasses our competition. I will promise you that for every Alumnus/a I continue to meet, I will continue to ask, what differences are you making in the lives of our young people and our alma mater.
Much Love –
Pamela, Class of 1991
Aggie Pride,
Pamela L. Johnson, National President
NCA&TSU Alumni Association, Inc.
Aggie Pride is giving back for a BETTER tomorrow! Have you made your deposit today?
My mentor would say "An informed Aggie is a good Aggie, a giving Aggie is better. Be an informed and giving Aggie."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dearest A&T Alumni!
On last night, Saturday, March 28, 2009, I had the distinct HONOR of attending the Wilson County Chapter of North Carolina A&T State University Alumni Association, Inc.’s scholarship banquet. The Chapter’s endowed scholarship is named in the honor and memory of a dedicated alumnus, Mr. Crawford E. Lane, Sr., a 1947 graduate and Alpha Nu Chapter member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He was the beloved father of active alumnus Michael (Mike) Lane (National Association’s Alumni Giving Representative) , alumna Debbie Lane Ford and Crawford Lane, Jr. (NC State Grad).
The banquet was held in a most impressive place: Darden Alumni Center. This beautiful center was built by Darden High School Alumni; the only black high school in Wilson, NC, which no longer exists. The theme of the banquet was “The Aggie Connection: Realizing Dreams from Generation to Generation” and Chancellor Stanley F. Battle was the keynote speaker. The Chapter’s dedicated president, Mr. Randolph Sessoms communicated to the packed banquet hall that for years this Chapter requested the presence of a Chancellor to bring an address and this was the first response to the call. Alumni, I am here to tell you that the message Dr. Battle brought was WORTH the wait!
To a very engaged audience, where it was apparent committed individuals attended because of their undying love for the late Mr. Lane, Sr., A&T and hope for tomorrow, Dr. Battle succinctly expressed the need for our alumni to know and surpass our competition. What competition you may ask? Competition defined as OTHER universities who vie for our young brilliant children and in a lot of instances WIN because they are able to entice them when it comes to the OPPORTUNITIES (dollars). It is very important that I let you know that Dr. Battle recognized the Wilson County Chapter for solid commitment to give back to the University and the outstanding students born out of the Wilson County PUBLIC school system. However, the real issue is and Dr. Battle stated it so well, to which I will paraphrase and not provide verbatim, but if WE DO NOT START GIVING back to our alma mater and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), we will always lose our best and our brightest to our competition. He told two stories that I deem necessary to share with you:
1) A young lady applied to A&T. She had a stellar academic record and was a skilled basketball player. She was also the daughter of two Howard University medical school graduates. A&T was one of her choices, but in the end, Johns Hopkins University swept her off of her feet because of the OPPORTUNITIES afforded to her by them!
2) Dr. Battle, a graduate of University of Pittsburgh, was solicited by his alma mater while serving as the Coppin State University President, to make a major donation to his graduate alma mater. Reluctant because he said he never thought about giving to them, decided with Mrs. Battle, to make a $50,000 donation contingent upon the University of Pittsburgh making the scholarship available ONLY to an HBCU graduate. The Battles requirement was not initially accepted by the University of Pittsburgh and then they accepted the requirement to use the Battles’ donation for HBCU graduates pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh. The first scholarship OPPORTUNITY was made possible for an A&T graduate!
Alumni, money is tight and hard to come by for all in some respects. However, just like you do not miss giving to your churches; PLEASE do not miss your giving to your alma mater! If you practice making a gift on a MONTHLY basis, you will be SURPRISED how far your gift will go and how many OPPORTUNITIES it will positively provide! One of the best gifts you can give your offspring is an education at the alma mater that made your occupational dreams a reality or one of its sister HBCUs!
I would like to thank Dr. Battle for his direct and sincere discussion last night. Alumni please know that he represented the University well and his speech was very suitable for the occasion. I would like to think that ALL African American children, although presented with many options/opportuniti es, view our schools in the highest regards. However, I am a realist and I know there are many things that present us (African Americans/HBCUs) otherwise, but WE the products of these schools must ALWAYS stand true to who we are, what we have become and how we use it to be a blessing to others! Dr. Battle extemporaneously gave compelling reasons as to why we should COMMIT to GIVE. The number of our students attending OUR schools has decreased! If this continues, the decision makers will eventually ASK, “WHY DO WE EVEN EXIST?”
Thank you to the Chairs of this successful banquet, alumnae Joan Boykin and Margaret Mincey, the Lane Family, and the dedicated members of the Wilson County Chapter, led by President Randolph Sessoms for inviting me. The students who attended the banquet are in the stages of contemplating the next mile in their educational journey and I am sure they were inspired by the love shown for the late Mr. Crawford Lane, Sr. and the dedication of ALL who attended to provide OPPORTUNITIES, financially, to deserving students attending our Alma Mater from Wilson County, NC.
Lastly, and to Chancellor Battle’s point; OPPORTUNITY can be a deal breaker. Therefore, Alumni PLEASE make sure your GIVING equates to more OPPORTUNITIES that surpasses our competition. I will promise you that for every Alumnus/a I continue to meet, I will continue to ask, what differences are you making in the lives of our young people and our alma mater.
Much Love –
Pamela, Class of 1991
Aggie Pride,
Pamela L. Johnson, National President
NCA&TSU Alumni Association, Inc.
Aggie Pride is giving back for a BETTER tomorrow! Have you made your deposit today?
