Spotlight on Excellence
Student Profiles
Karl Green, Jr.,
a senior, business administration major, of Fayette, MS, interned
at the Army Field Support Command (AFSC) at Rock Island Arsenal in
Rock Island, Ill.
"My goal is to
learn all I can learn from being here on this wonderful
experience. I work for the Logistics Civil Augmention Program (LOGCAP)
headquarters. This departments is responsible for handling all the
contracts for the government to assure that all the contractors
who are performing work get paid and that the money is available
to pay them. It feels great being able to contribute and help
support our troops who are at war, knowing that we're responsible
for getting them what they need to survive. But most of the
information I work with is classified The government is a
wonderful place to work for because there are so many different
opportunities available in whatever you want to do in life," said
Green.
Alma Rankin, Fayette,
MS, political science major, graduated in May 2005. She decided to
come to Alcorn to fulfill her mother’s dream.
It was also her dream to become the editor of her college
yearbook. That dream became a reality after years of working on
the Alcornite Staff, when she was chosen as Editor-in-chief of the
yearbook. Rankin had a purpose to completely transform the
yearbook, and give the ASU family a new and exciting way to view
the events from the previous year which would capture not only
their attention but their memories as well.
“Now I am currently preparing to take the GRE examination, and I
plan to apply to graduate school at Kent State University in Kent,
Ohio, during the spring semester to get my master’s degree in
Public Administration. After receiving my MPA, I plan to attend
Florida State University’s College of Law. It is my dream to
someday become a Senator for the United States of America and give
back to the university that gave so much to me,” said Rankin.
Ishmael Simmons,
a sophomore, mass communications from Milwaukee, WI, participated
in the 2005 “Stomping on the Yard” Essay Scholarship Contest and
was selected as a finalist.
“Although I didn’t win, I found the contest a challenge for myself
on a personal level. Before coming to Alcorn, I would have never
thought to compete for anything. Since I have been at Alcorn, I
gained the confidence and courage I felt to enter the contest,”
said Simmons.
He is currently a member of the Beaute’ Noire Model Squad here at
Alcorn and have just recently tried off for the Alcorn State
University Cheer Squad. If all goes well then come this fall he
will be on the field cheering the Braves on.
Kimberly
Thornton, a junior, music education major from Detroit, MI,
was recruited to come to Alcorn State University and offered a
full music scholarship. She sings soprano at the Concert Choir.
Thornton was among other Concert Choir members who performed at
the presidential inaugural ceremony in Washington D.C. She enjoys
singing different types of music.
“I like gospel music of course, spirituals, classical, and choral
music,” said Thornton.
She sang solo “If I can help somebody” at The Spring Southwest
Mississippi Writing Conference with the choir Ladies in Order
of the Fine Arts Department.
She is planning to graduate either in Fall 2006 or in Spring 2007.
After graduation she would like to start teaching music somewhere
in the South, preferably in Memphis, TN. Also she is planning to
go back to school to work on her masters.
Margo McLeod,
a junior, accounting and business administration double-major from
Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada, has a perfect 4.0 GPA. While in
high school she searched for a University in United States,
preferably in the South with a golf team. Alcorn State was a
perfect mach for McLeod, she has got athletic and minority
scholarship here.
McLeod became a second president of International and
Multicultural Student Organization in August 2004. She has a lot
of friends among international students and American students, and
of course she is very close with her golf teammates.
“We are just like family. We spend a lot of time together
practicing, traveling going out for dinners, shopping, celebrating
birthdays, and watching movies,” says McLeod.
She is planning to graduate in May 2007. After that McLeod wants
to get some work experience in accounting before going to graduate
school to work on her MBA. She raises her bar really high looking
at such schools as Harvard, Stanford, and Northwestern University
in Chicago, IL. However, she has all the ingredients for success:
she has perfect GPA, she was picked as this year’s Academic
All-American, and plays an active part in the university and
community life.
Lawrence Woods,
Alan Williams and Javeyeta Collier, all from Alcorn State
University were among six students who interned last summer for
the Army Field Support Command (AFSC) at Rock Island Arsenal in
Rock Island, Ill.
Lawrence Woods,
who is a senior, industrial technology major interned in the
Centralized Munitions Directorate, Joint Munitions Command. He
rotated through several different jobs during his experience
there.
“I’m trying to be a project manager,” Woods said while completing
his internship. “That’s my goal.”
In my next move, I want to be an item manger.”
As an item manager, “I know that every day that I come to work,
I’ll be responsible for somebody in the war, and of the soldier
doesn’t get his ammunition, then I fail. That’s important to me.”
Woods also has a desire to deploy to Kuwait sometime in the
future.
One of the things that he likes about the army is the number of
opportunities that are available.
“I definitely would like to work for the army because there are
different avenues that you can take. There are so many programs
that you can go into, and the sky’s a limit.”
Alan Williams,
who is a junior, business administration major, worked with AFSC’s
Contracting Directorate.
“I work with different contractors every day that are doing things
in Kuwait – doing things all across the world. My business
administration background definitely helps me because in the
future I want to be in management,” Williams said.
“This is an experience of a lifetime. Not only am I learning about
the military, nut I’m learning about military life and I’m
learning about civilian life. I am also learning about how
corporate America works.”
Javeyeta
Collier, who is a senior, accounting major, worked with AFSC’s
Contracting Directorate. She evaluated and studied bid proposal
submitted by small businesses and contractors.
“Working for the army – I know I contribute to the soldiers in the
field in the sense that we make sure that the government – the
rates that they are charged, the prices are fair and reasonable.
And we make it possible to have enough money to purchase the
ammunition that they have in the field,” Collier said.
She appreciated the efforts that the program sponsors and command
have made to make students feel comfortable.
Marla Hughes,
a junior, computer science/mathematics major from Liberty, Miss.,
interned for the U.S. Department of Defense in Maryland this
summer.
Hughes worked as a programmer, using various programming
languages, C, C++ and Java. Most of the information she worked
with was classified, she said. This was her third summer interning
there.
Hughes plans to join the Department of Defense in the future as a
full-time employee.
Carla Hughes,
a senior, criminal justice major from Liberty, Miss., interned for
the FBI this summer. She was located in Quantico, Va., doing
research for the behavioral science unit. Hughes also plans to
pursue her further career with the FBI.
Chrystyna Tate,
a senior, technology education major from Chicago, Ill., interned
for the Argonne National Lab and U.S. Department of Energy, the
Offices of Science, located in Darien, Ill.
“We were troubleshooting and studying further development
construction of a Longmuir Through. We made sure that the barrier
and the motor of the through worked correctly,” she said.
In addition to the research, Tate developed an education module
for the same topic.
Trinica Wells,
a senior, political science/pre-law major from McComb, Miss.,
interned at the University of Arkansas the William H. Bowen School
of Law.
“Well, we studied one semester of law school in a month. We also
attended that Arkansas Bar Association meeting, and learned what
the law is like,” Wells said.
Wells was among 25 participants in the program. She was the only
student from the state of Mississippi. She is planning to attend
Loyola School of Law in Chicago, upon her graduation.
Natasha Johnson,
a senior, accounting/finance major from Indianola, Miss., interned
for the FBI’s Finance/Commercial Payments Division this summer.
During her internship, she had a chance to learn about some
financial procedures in the FBI. After her graduation, Natasha
plans to be employed a full-time employee with the FBI, and earn
her Master’s in Public Administration/Economics degree.
Elena Chueva,
a junior, communications major from Voronezh, Russia, has been
playing for Women’s Soccer Team for over 2 years.
“I’ve been into sports all my life. I can’t make it without it.
However, I’ve never really played soccer before I came to Alcorn.
I really enjoy playing and I am also great friends with the girls
in our team.” Chueva said.
Chueva is multi-talented: she works as an on-air announcer at 91.7
WPRL The Gold radio station and maintains her GPA as high as 3.93.
Upon her graduation she is planning to apply to either Law School
or MBA Program in Natchez, MS.
Aleksandra
Orlova, a senior, mathematics major from Voronezh, Russia, has
been dancing in the Golden Girls dancing squad for almost 2 years.
“It’s a great experience. We travel a lot with the Marching Band.
The most memorable trips were: the one to the Battle of the Bands
in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2003 and to a football game in
Washington D.C., in 2004.” Orlova said.
Her dream is to go to the 5 year Master + Ph.D. program after her
graduation in May, 2005, and to become a college instructor. She
applied to several schools but the one she set her hopes for is
Boston University. She’s got necessary teaching experience
tutoring College Algebra and Calculus at the department of
Mathematics during last semester.
Stephanie
Miller, a freshman, elementary education major from Biloxi,
Miss., is interested in teaching, childcare, business and biology
the most. Miller had a full academic scholarship. She wants to go
graduate school upon completing her Bachelor’s. She has a dream of
opening up her own child care center. She wants to develop a
curriculum for the center, teach kids and also manage the
facility. Having big family and dealing with her younger siblings
inspired her dream. Speaking of family ways, one of the reasons
Miller chose Alcorn State University is that her mother is an
alumnus. She told her daughter that she really enjoyed Alcorn.
“People at Alcorn are very nice, they really make this campus.”
Miller said.
Nathaniel
Hughes, a sophomore, nursing major from Starkville, Miss., is
not only an excellent student with full academic scholarship, but
a distinguished athlete, a “big play” receiver for the Braves, and
a trek runner.
“I had one of my biggest games at Southern during my freshman
year. It was very memorable. We won 36:34. For a moment I felt
like a professional player,” Hughes said.
He was recruited by Coach McKenzie, but even before that he knew
he would come to Alcorn State University to continue “the dynasty”
of his grandparents, parents and many relatives Alcorn State’s
alumni.
Hughes wants to go to a medical school after completing his
bachelors, most likely to the University of Mississippi Medical
Center. However, if an opportunity to pursue a professional
athletics career presents itself he will pursue it.
Brittany
Villard, a freshman, music education major from Chicago, Il is
into music and psychology. She wants to combine these two subjects
in graduate school and to become a music teacher in future.
Villard plays clarinet for the Alcorn State Marching Band for the
concert season, and she is also in the marching band flag court
for the marching season. She is socially active and interested in
different aspects of university life. She is part of college
Democrats on Campus.
“It’s my second semester at Alcorn but I am still learning things
about university life and all the activities. I just found out
about National Council of Negro Women and I want to become a part
of this organization,” Villard said.
Tiffany
Blackmon, a senior, biology/pre-medicine major from Greenwood,
Miss., is a senator of the Alcorn State’s Student Senate.
Blackmon is planning to participate in McNair Scholar Program,
University of North Texas, Fort Worth, this coming summer. The
program she looks at is Research and Biomedical Sciences for
Public Health. Blackmon thinks that this internship will be a
great experience that will prepare her for working on her graduate
degree in Public Health.
“I am interested in working in the community, educating people
from low income areas how they can take better care of their
health. I am still deciding what exactly I want to do. I want some
hands-on experience. That’s why internships are important, they
help you to figure out what you want to do or don’t want to do,”
said Blackmon.
Naheerah King,
a freshman, computer science major from Vicksburg, MS, had
searched through a lot of schools before coming to Alcorn State
University. She came here for a visit and was pleasantly surprised
to see that people on campus actually cared and were interested in
having her here as a student.
“I am glad I didn’t go far away,” said King.
She would like to spend this coming summer interning as a computer
analyst in Vicksburg, she wants to get some experience dealing
with computers, learn to correct computer problems.
King likes to stay busy: she plays saxophone in the Band, and she
is a member of the Student Government Association (SGA). As she
said, she would like to be a part of as many organizations as she
can and definitely join a club that would help her understand her
major better.
