Congrats, Grads! Soar Eagles, Soar!

Over 900 graduates participated in Commencement ceremonies yesterday!

Congrats to all of our new NCCU graduates!

Register Today for an Eagle Institute Orientation Session.....

The spring 2009 semester at NCCU has officially come to an end! Students finished exams last week, moved out of their residence hall rooms this past weekend, and the Commencement ceremony takes place this weekend on May 16!

Now it's time to get ready for the summer 2009 Eagle Institute Orientation sessions!

Have you registered for and Orientation session?
If not, remember there is limited space during each session.....

End of the Semester Reflection.....by LaTeisha Harris

Name: LaTeisha Harris

Hometown: New Rochelle, NY

Current Place of Residence: Charlotte, NC

Major: Business Administration, concentration in finance

My name is LaTeisha Harris, and I am a current freshman at North Carolina Central University (NCCU). To pass my time I like to shop, travel, workout, and spend time with my family. When I chose to attend NCCU I thought mainly about the learning environment. I felt that since NCCU did not have large classroom and the teachers could concentrate on the students more than at a larger campus. Now that the academic year is over, I see that NCCU was a good choice for me. However, now that the semester is over, I do see some bits and pieces that I could have changed.

There are also a lot of things that I would tell incoming freshmen about college life. Some things that I would tell all incoming freshmen are to get involved with the different activities that are here on campus. Getting involved opens more opportunities and it increase your networking skills. When you attend and join different activities on or off campus, you meet people for different places, and you can learn more about their surroundings. One of the many events that I enjoyed this school year was Spring Fling Week. During Spring Fling Week there are a large number of activities that allow you to interact with this campus. NCCU has a lot of fun things to offer even by the time that activity is over, you will see much knowledge and fun you have.

Overall my experience at NCCU has been good. The main thing that I had to focus on was to find study habits that work for me and what activities fit into my life. My semester went by fast and the classes I had were not too difficult. Second semester was much harder than first semester, and at one point I though could not make it. But once I started to concentrate and managed my time better, every thing worked out fine.

College is the beginning of your new life. As long as you do not give up, anything is possible.

A Guide to Enrollment: Save the "Little Book" today!

Attention, New Eagle Students!

Download and save "The Little Book" today!
It includes a "cliff notes" version of the steps you take
to confirm your enrollment at NCCU.

Click on the image below to access it today!

Meet Your Eagle CORE Orientation Leaders....

During the Eagle Institute Orientation this summer, you will meet our C.O.R.E. orientation leaders.

They are established NCCU students who will provide guidance to help you transition into the college environment. Meet them below!

A Life-Changing Experience by Titania Fisher....

I remember attending the new student orientation and hearing the words “Community Service?!” The words that came out of my mouth were, “Lord, Jesus. Why? What was the purpose of this?” I couldn’t understand why I had to commit to volunteering my services….

I’m a strong believer in everything happens for a reason. After trying to find a place to volunteer for a while, I called a shelter in Raleigh that was listed with the Academic Community Service Learning office. I spoke with a gentleman by the name of Dwight who stated he still needed help in the kitchen. “How hard could working in the kitchen be?” I thought to myself. Little did I know this would be a life changing experience for me….

I started my community service the next day. When I arrived at the shelter, the kitchen staff introduced themselves and didn’t waste anytime with putting me to work. My title for the day would be line server. Dwight showed me how much food to put on each tray, and after that it was show time. When the doors to the kitchen opened, I could see a long line of men waiting for dinner to be served. I studied each face that walked through the door. To me these were not faces of strangers. But in these men I could see my father, grandfather, brother, uncle, the guy sitting next to me in class, my pastor, and I could go on and on. These weren’t just men that suffered from mental illness, alcohol abuse, or drug attics. These were men that you may come in contact with every day that at one point had every thing going for them and at the snap of a finger lost it all.

I had the pleasure to talk with a gentleman who told me his story of how once he lost his job. It was like a domino effect and every thing went down hill form there. After sharing his story, he wanted to know what brought me to the shelter. I told him I was a student at NCCU, and I had to complete community service hours. He then offered me words of encouragement....He told me to make finishing school my first priority. He also encouraged me to stay focused, and if I should fall off track, to make sure I get back on.

At that moment I finally got it….The light came on. I realized how blessed I really am. As we go through our day-to-day lives, we forget others who are less fortunate. This day provided me the opportunity to reflect on the values that my parents and NCCU have instilled in me.

Titania Fisher,
NCCU Student

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.