Light at the End of the Tunnel - by NCCU Student, Titania Fisher.....

Okay, so spring break is over. Some may have gone to Cancun, while others may have spent time with their family and friends. I, on the other hand, focused on getting my community service hours in. I didn’t have time to party or hang out with my family or friend. Don’t get me wrong, I would have loved to spend time with my loved ones, but I had bigger fish to fry!

The other day, when I was looking at the school calendar, I realized that in less than two months this semester will be over. Now it’s crunch time! As I sit in my office going over each syllabus for classes that I’m taking, I make sure that I’m not behind on any assignments. I learned early on in the game. The only way I was going to get through this semester was by making sure that I was ahead on all of my homework assignments. In another week or two I will be finished with all of my assignments. Then I can start studying for final exams. I started off on a rocky road, and now I think I finally got this school thing down to a science.

To all my fellow freshmen, I would like to say stay encouraged, stay focused, and know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Future Eagle CORE Leader and NCCU Freshman, Jamal Cuthbertson....

My name is Jamal Cuthbertson. My hometown is Charlotte, North Carolina. I am a Freshman Political Science and English major. Myhobbies are playing tennis, running to free my mind from stress, and reading non-fiction books.

My favorite candy is "edamame"(chocolate-covered soybeans!!). I am currently involved in thePolitical Science Club, the SGA Freshmen Class Council, and I will also be a new Eagle Core Orientation Leader this summer!

I chose to come to NCCU for its variety of oppurtunities offered to EVERYONE as well as the committment to provide service to the local community while producing well-trained professionals for the global marketplace. The NCCU motto "Truth and Service" means going beyond the peripheral limitations as it relates to reaching out to the local, state, national and global regions for a more advanced society.

I would like to leave the footprint of being the student who didn't hesitate when people needed that particular person to help with a community service activity or just being the one who others can simply depend on when it comes down to not only business matters but social matters as well.

NCCU Eagle CORE Orientation Leader, Sylida Carter....

Hello, New Eagles!

My name is Sylida Carter, and I'll be one of your Eagle CORE Leaders for the orientation sessions this summer!

I'm excited that you've chosen North Carolina Central University as your next stepping stone in life! This summer, be prepared to meet new people, faculty, staff, and future lifelong friends! Also be prepared for a life-changing experience, and one you will never forget.

During your orientation session, I'll be one of the CORE Leaders to help guide you in a small group to help you enroll for your first year of college. We'll get you to the right place on campus to secure your financial aid, housing, Eagle Card, and scheduling for classes.

We're here to assist with any questions you have about NCCU, and I'm excited to meet everyone in North Carolina Central University's Class of 2013!

Hope you have a great transition from your prior institution of learning to NCCU!

With Eagle Pride....Amplified!
Sylida Carter
NCCU Class of 2010

Is NCCU the School for You?

My name is Kimisha Falls. I was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. I like shopping, hanging out with friends, spending time my family. I'm a sophomore soon to be junior in the fall. I sit and wonder where time went, because it passed by so fast! My best advice for freshman students who are thinking about coming to NCCU in the fall, is you should attend NCCU if it's for you!

NCCU is a great school and have lots of helpful and wonderful people. NCCU also has one of the top business and law programs in the nation. NCCU has so much to offer, and I'm so glad I choose to come here. People have always told me that your college years goes by really fast, and they were not lying. It seem just like yesterday I was a incoming freshman with no clue where to begin my career path. My first semester at NCCU when I was a freshman was hard because I felt lost and I was so far way from home (well at least it felt that way - Charlotte is only 2.5 hours away).

I went through the whole semester undecided because I didn't know what I wanted to do anymore, and before I knew it, it was spring semester 2008. So I finally decied to become an Accounting major because I would like to have my own business and foundation.

I have so many things to prepare for in so little time because time goes by so fast. Coming to NCCU has been great. I'm so glad I choose NCCU to purse my education further. Since I've been here, I have learned a lot. I have learned to become more responsible, independent, to manage my time better, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO ALWAYS STAY FOCUSED!

Getting Into the Groove - My First Months at NCCU by Titania Fisher....

Getting Into The Grove of Things:

Okay, so it’s been over a month now that I’ve been attending NCCU. Wow! Where did the time go?

It seems like it was just yesterday when I was driving around in circles looking for a parking space and praying I wouldn’t be late for my first class. Now as I sit in my office studying for midterms, I realize that we’re half way through this semester.

My first semester at NCCU has been a rocky one. Just when I thought I had my home life, school, and work down to a science, I received a email from my advisor stating I would have to meet with her once a week, go to two Lyceum programs, and write two reports. OMG! And I still have to do my community service hours!

Where am I going to find the time to do all of this and still keep up with my homework assignments? This means, I would have to live, sleep and eat NCCU. I must also give up Spring Break to complete the rest of my community service hours and write Lyceum papers. I can easily get discouraged from all of this, but instead, I draw the good out of it and use it as a stepping stone to get to the next level of achieving my goal.

Freshmen and Sophomores LEAD!

On Saturday, February 21, nine freshmen and sophomore students from NCCU attended the LEAD 2009 Conference at Meredith College. The conference theme was "Sustain Yourself, Sustain Your Environment." The conference displayed various innovative methods to be sustainable, to go "green," and to be considerate of sustainability during hard economic times.

The LEAD Conference is hosted by a college or university each year in North Carolina. It brings together students from around the state for a day of leadership development workshops!

The nine NCCU students presented a workshop about diversity, discrimination, and stereotypes and how it applies to leadership roles. It was a wonderful experience, and the students represented NCCU with tremendous professionalism and school spirit!

Most excitingly, the LEAD 2009 Conference ended with the announcement that LEAD 2010 will be hosted at North Carolina Central University.

All incoming freshmen will have the chance to attend the LEAD conference in February 2010 at NCCU to learn valuable leadership skills!

Students pictured are (left to right): Jamal Cuthbertson, Melony Ochieng, Adam Hendrick, Olivia Scott, CJ Thompson, Kimisha Falls, Audrey Barbee, Brian Merritt (advisor), and Brandon Hicks. Not pictured: Julie King, and Peggy Watson Alexander (advisor)

Keep reading....Many of these students are featured in the NCCU Freshman Year Blog!

Advice for Freshmen from Tatania Fisher.....

NAME: Titania Fisher

HOMETOWN: Stamford, Connecticut

FAVORITE CANDY: None, but my favorite color is purple :-)

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE NCCU: Because NCCU has an excellent Law Department


A Little About Me:

My name is Titania Fisher. I was born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut. I like reading, shopping, traveling, and spending time with my family. I’m a first semester transfer student at NCCU. I have and Associate Degree in Criminal Justice, and while attend NCCU, my major will be Criminal Justice with a minor of Psychology.

During my first semester at NCCU I've felt overwhelmed by trying to juggle working full-time and going to school. I learned very soon that I would have to put my social life on the back burner. I realized that going back to college wasn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be. If I wanted to pass all my classes I would have to hit the books hard. I would have to stay focused and develop a routine, which would allow me to stay positive and not give up.

My life in general - Going back to school has made me feel better about myself, and I’ve met a lot of new people from all walks of life. My life is not too affected by my school work because I’m new to the area, and I don’t know that many people. So, I just focus on work and school.

One thing I wish I knew before starting college:
That I would have to fit community service into my already-busy schedule. (Community service hours are a requirement for NCCU student to complete each semester)

A few suggestions to prospective students:
Stay focused, manage you time, and ask questions!!!!

More from Karrehl Moore, NCCU Freshman.....

Lots of Work: Being a freshman I am often pressured with lots of work and as well as a lot of other things going on. Currently I am an Accounting major, a Conference Assistant for New Residence Hall I and II, and part of the election board and hall committee in New Res I.

My Major: I may only have one class in my major for now (Finite Math 1210), but I will have much more than that for my next year in college as a sophomore.

I will have taken almost all of my general education courses during my first and during the current, my second semester, of freshman year. If you choose a complex major, it is important to listen to and work with your advisor. Knowing that college isn't easy, any person new to a system must adjust his or herself to the way of doing things in college. For me I know things will become extremely hard soon enough considering that I am considering adding a second major.

To return to the Office of Orientation and First Year Experience website, please click here.

NCCU Athletics Update: Feature on Men's Basketball....

Incoming Freshmen....Are You Interested in NCCU Athletics?

Take a look at this video featured on the local television station, WNCN-TV 17 . It features the NCCU men's basketball team.

As our Athletics department makes a transition into Division I, many games will be played away from home! A response to a question regarding this transition was posted on the NCCU Athletics website-- http://www.nccueaglepride.com/ -- from the NCCU Athletic Director, Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree. See below:

Why do we have such a rigorous basketball travel schedule?
~Regina, Raleigh, N.C.

"I am so happy someone has finally asked this question. Due to our independent status right now, it is very difficult to schedule with teams who are conference members. If you notice that most schools start conference competition the beginning of January, thus the number of available dates these schools will have for non-conference games decreases significantly. Thus, we are left with very few open dates to schedule later in the season. Hence, all of our travel and the bulk of our schedule occurs during the months of November - January. Once we have been accepted for membership into a conference, our travel schedule will decrease."

Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree
NCCU Athletics Director

Photos courtesty of http://www.nccueaglepride.com/


To return to the Office of Orientation and First Year Experience website, please click here.

NCCU Freshman, Karrehl Moore, tells more....

My Activities on Campus: Knowing that I am a freshman in college and life as an athlete goes, I have held back on playing baseball for a year at least until things started to settle down.

Now, I did try out for the baseball team early in the fall, but it was not working out too well considering the committment it takes to remain on the team. I had all morning classes, homework, and baseball practice every day in the afternoon right after my last class. Because of this constant running around I got no sleep whatsoever. I may be a late-night person and like to be up at night, but when I need sleep I must NEED it because my body just shuts down.

Baseball at the time was just not working for me even though I know I love baseball and wanted to play it badly. Soon enough I made the personal decision to put it aside and get my academics straight first. The whole point of my story is to learn what you can and can't do alone and with other things as well. It is beneficial for you to decide what you really desire to do.

For the college life there is plenty of activity for everyone to get involved in. You must take it upon yourself to find out your interests and get involved. Other than that, just relaxing and hanging with friends in the residence hall is fun enough... but don't hang too much and fall behind. Just set boundaries for yourself and your peers.

Special Message from Sophomore, Kimisha Falls....

Name: Kimisha Falls

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Favorite Candy: Twix

Why Did I Choose NCCU? Good Business School

What I Wish I Knew Before Attending NCCU: I wish I would have known more about the school as a whole and what to really expect

Hello, New Eagles!!! My name Kimisha Falls, and I'm sophomore a Accounting Major. One of the wonderful ways I got involved around campus was joining the LEAD Conference Delegation this year. This conference bring students together from all around the state to help them become better leaders.

This is my first year attending the LEAD Conference which will be held on Februray 21, 2009 at Meredith College. Words can't really explain how I feel because it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm very excited about attending the conference as well as nervous because I never had to speak in front of more the 20 people before...and our group is presenting a program called "In Living Color: Appreciate and Synergize." It's all about diversity and how it applies to leadership roles.

Attending the LEAD Conference is going to be life changing. I know as a group we will do great during our presentation. We may even get lucky enough to host the Lead Conference here at NCCU in 2010.

Return to the Orientation and First Year Experience page by clicking here.

One Week Later - Reflecting on Inauguration Day of President Barack Obama from NCCU Transfer, Shawnita Luster....

Written on Inauguration Day by NCCU Transfer student, Shawnita Luster:

Today, we as a people stood together, not to comfort each other in grief and fear because of some far reaching threat brought on by a foreign power, but in hope.

We came together to commemorate history. For today, a man took vows to place our needs before his own. He committed to change, progress, and the reclaiming of America’s history, a history that is sipping with purpose and great successes. This man reminded us that we are in a very real “crisis”.

America is facing an overwhelming set of problems, but we shall prevail, just as the generations before us prevailed. This new leader while being poised in the shadow of leader’s before him promised that now the hard decisions will be made for the betterment of our country. No more will we make decisions for the privileged few. No more will we accept ‘worn out dogma” or endure unfulfilled promises. As our nation is strengthened by change, so will we reach out that all mankind may share in our strength. Then we may revive the spirit of brotherhood between nations. We are made up of many countries, but we are one world.

As I stood watching this momentous event unfold, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and joy. However, this is not just a joyous occasion. It’s a time for hard work. We embark upon a new era of responsibility. As students we are no less responsible. We are required to succeed and success is not easy. Nothing worthy is easy.

We must exhaust every resource to “shapen an uncertain destiny”, not just for ourselves, but for all future generations. We must settle for nothing less than perfection. Perfection isn’t a distant dream. It’s a real and attainable goal. We too must commit to change. One man can’t achieve the dream to improved a nation alone. He needs all of our aid. We have no right to stop. We have no right to fail. We have no right to be quiet. For too long have we been this way. Now is the time to act, yet not in violence, but with potency of mind and determination of will. With every course we pass, every degree we claim and every career we commence we become one step closer to fulfilling the dream.

We must in no way forget that through the inauguration of one man, we proved that we are powerful and that we shall be counted.

Along with President Barack Obama we can now assert our place in history as one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Return to the NCCU Orientation and First Year Experience page by clicking here.

Meet NCCU Freshman, Karrehl Moore....

Name: Karrehl Moore

Hometown: Queens, New York

Favorite Candy: Don't eat candy... sorry.

Why did you choose NCCU? Long answer....I'll cover it below!

Why did I choose NCCU? For one, the majority of my family lives in North Carolina, and I anticipated in coming back down here after being in New York since halfway through my 6th grade year. I enjoy not only just being in North Carolina but also having a second home that is no more than 15 to 20 minutes away (depending on how fast you drive) - my Grandma's house. This is where I am now starting to declare my residency.

What I Wish I Knew Before Starting College: I really wish I knew what a set back it would be for me if I were to do what those "party people" do every day for even just 2 weeks. Coming into college I really had no intentions of going to parties, clubs, and hanging out all day, knowing what happens to the average college student if he or she were to do that non-stop. Yet like most freshman I was a step behind in my work due to my late night hangouts.

By the time I realized my downfall I was really too late to make up for the time I have missed. Thus I have had many struggles getting through the first semester. My GPA was nowhere close to what I had originally anticipated, but I guess I must accept it and learn from what I have done wrong. My new motive is to do all of my work as soon as I get it (ASAIGI).

Return to the NCCU Orientation and First Year Experience page by clicking here.

Meet NCCU Freshman, Donyarsha Goode!

Name: Donyarsha Goode

Hometown: Weldon, North Carolina

Favorite Candy: Pineapple Now and Laters

Why did you choose NCCU? This reason I choose NCCU was because I have always wanted to be an Eagle, the marching band is great, and the school was close to home and quite affordable.

What I wish I knew before starting college? I wish I would have know how to be more social. I spent much of my time in my room.

My Advice to Incoming freshmen:
Hello NEW EAGLES! My name is Donyarsha Goode and I’m a freshmen here at NCCU. My advice to you is to stay focused. All the things you hear about college life aren't true....

Yeah you have fun, but you also learn to become more independent. No one is going to constantly tell you do this and do that. You must take on some responsibility and remind yourself.

Oh, and be sure to buy an alarm clock because you're definitely going to need it!


Return to the NCCU Orientation and First Year Experience page by clicking here.

NCCU Snow Day on January 20!

Classes were canceled on January 20 due to a snow day!
Below is a picture of O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium on the NCCU campus the day after!

Return to the NCCU Orientation and First Year Experience page by clicking here.