R.A.’s Wanted: Nice Perks – Challenging Job

Fliers are going up in every dormitory hall and the Student Union informing students about their chances of becoming residential assistants (R.A.). 

R.A.’s get to live on campus for free, but in return they must make sure the dorm is a safe environment that promotes academic success for students. 

Bennett College makes interested students go through an extensive application process that includes letters of recommendation, and presenting something personal like a paper or poem to show the applicant’s creative side. 

Angela Campbell a junior social work major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who is a resident assistant in Cone Hall says you have to be prepared for anything when it comes to the interview step.  

“Sometimes the interview could be individual, but there can also be group interviews, but you never know what you are going to be in.” 

Campbell says a panel of resident directors evaluates the students’ answers. Students who make it past that step are assigned to different halls to shadow current resident assistants. 

“Students will go around and do duty rounds, programs, and hall meetings. Students will do mock scenarios. They would act as though they are students getting into an altercation, and you would have to act as though you were an R.A currently. You would have to demonstrate what would you do,” says Campbell. 

Campbell says there is one last test called the round robin. 

“They are given scenarios on a power point while the students are sitting in a circle. Students are then asked really hard critical questions that will test students problem solving skills.” 

Students learn over the summer break if they’ve been chosen to be a resident assistant. The students also learn which dorm they will work in. 

Once the students return to school from their summer break the resident assistant job begins. 

Andria Coles a junior political science major from Philadelphia, PA is a resident assistant in Pfeiffer Hall where she has to make sure her freshwomen are in their rooms by 11 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on the weekends. 

“We do random room checks for the girls to make sure they are here for curfew.” 

Coles says resident assistants also have to do another type of random room check. 

“We also give cleanliness checks, if they do not pass we give them a 24-hour window to fix it.” Coles goes on to say there are some consequences if students don’t comply. “We will tell the R.D.(resident director), and she would decide how to fine them. Usually it’s in between three or five dollars.” 

Coles says resident assistants are responsible for planning programs throughout the year, and sitting at the desk. 

“On weekends you are assigned desk duty from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., so they can see us here.” 

Chelsea Tatum a sophomore psychology major from Denver, Colorado says that you’re always on call.  

“There have been incidence that residence have called me at 4 o’clock in the morning because there was a bug in their room, also they have been times when I would have to separate two girls from almost fighting.” 

Tatum says she loves being the R.A. in a freshwomen’s dorm. 

“I’m able to relate to what they are going through. I can listen to them, and be able to help them.” 

Tatum says she doesn’t have any dislikes about being a resident assistant. 

”Honestly I cannot think of any dislikes about being an R.A it is what I exactly thought it would be.” 

If students are interested in becoming a resident assistant make sure you pick up an application from Ruth Dennis-Phillips who is the director of campus life. You can contact her at 336-517-2207. 

By: Briana Smith

Naturally ME Connects to Belles Roots

Naturally ME gives students the tools to connect to their roots – literally.  The campus organization helps its’ members build family trees. The executive board is hosting workshops to teach members how to search for ancestors through birth and death records.

Naturally ME is the first Bennett College organization to focus its efforts on natural hair and cultural roots. President Imani Wilburg-Folds, a junior, created the organization in the spring of 2011. She came up with the title Naturally ME because it assists students with understanding their “natural essence.” Wilburg-Folds says Naturally ME was originally about hair, but it has become much more.

“I have dreadlocks and most of my friends are natural, so we thought it was important to give other natural students a club that was created strictly for their hair issues,” she says. “Naturally ME does that and more. This is just the beginning!”

Naturally ME was a small club, but it is now expanding to include Bennett College faculty and staff members with natural hair and students from other schools in Greensboro.

The mission of Naturally ME is broadening as well. The club promotes students connecting with their hair and now, with their cultural roots. Those in the club say there is a sudden need for students to know where they come from, so the club’s executive board is encouraging students to create ancestral trees.

“My Great-Grandfather raped my Great-Grandmother,” says Ife Madzimoyo, the club’s historian and photographer.  “Other students don’t realize what their family history entails. Most students are not connected because they don’t know how to begin searching.”

 Naturally ME aims to change this disconnect for all Bennett students by hosting workshops.  Members who have built their own family trees will facilitate the workshops and help participants find their relatives through birth and death records. Building the family tree is free for members of the organization.

“We’re not charging members to connect with their ancestors,” Wilburg-Fold says.  “It should be free to trace where you’ve come from.”

Naturally ME plans to conduct several family tree building workshops throughout the fall and spring semesters. The club wants to help at least five members find the African village their families originated from.

“I would love to figure it out,” says senior Jasmine Lewis. “I have to know where I’m coming from to get where I’m going.”

Naturally ME also has other events on its agenda.  There will be “Mommy & Me” sessions, which teach new mothers different hairstyles that don’t require hair relaxers. The club will also offer family tree building workshops to the Greensboro community as community service. There are also plans to have a hair show featuring both relaxed and natural styles.

For more information on Naturally ME, connect with the club on Facebook by clicking on this link.

By: Evette Brown

The Essence of Naturally ME 

Whether natural or relaxed, curly or straight, hair in the African-American community is as diverse as our complexions, socio-economic backgrounds, and religion. Here, we showcase several Belles who are connected to their roots.

Imani Wilburg-Folds, Junior, Psychology Major

Naturally ME President

Natural Hair Choice: Teeny Weeny Afro (TWA)

Ife Madzimoyo, Sophomore, Africana Women’s Studies major

Naturally ME Historian/Photographer

Natural Hair Choice: Dreadlocks

Raven Williams, Junior, Psychology Major

Naturally ME Secretary

Natural Hair Choice: Twist Outs

Belles Bite Your Tongues

Belles know how to speak up, but many haven’t learned when to be quiet.  Students and alums say Belles need to learn when to bite their tongues.

Nadirah Goldsmith, Le Belle Shoppe Supervisor, class of ’99 says that the bookstore is one of the hot spots for student conversations.

“Bite the tongue. I have heard people talking about the senior staff and I simply tried to do my best to redirect their frustrations.”

Goldsmith says she made an inappropriate comment during one class at Bennett, and it made going to class awkward for a long time.

“I did say something really inappropriate in front of a teacher and I was really embarrassed. I was a freshwoman and in Ms. Speas class trying to prove that I was a good girl with cool tendencies, and ended up saying something really foul that had the teacher’s mouth dropped.”

Some administrators say because of their job description, they typically hear a lot of complaining. The Honors Dorm Resident Director, Vanessa Saulter says students need to be careful about what they say, and whom they are saying it to.

“All I can say that it has happened to me. Some students never speak to you directly about the issue they may have and just talk behind your back. Beyond a favor, most of the time they need something that requires me to have the final say so. I have cut people off, and some of them I deal with.”

Angeline Pearson, journalism & media studies major form Sacramento, California is known for being outspoken by her peers.  Pearson says she knows when and where to speak her mind.

“I’m very vocal about my opinions. My main problem is that I let problems build up and then I go off about a teacher. I might walk in on a conversation that other students are having about a professor that I might feel some type of way about and then I’ll have something to say, but I have never disrespected a teacher.”

Student Activities Advisor Rachel Pridgen says students must learn the essence of networking and building relationships on campus.

“Of Course it happens all of the time, but students need to understand that a lot of doors can be opened for them with faculty and staff, but when they have ugly things to say about people that has a tendency to make people not to want to serve them.”

Admitting to being bad-mouthed, Pridgen still sticks to the golden rule.

“At some point in time your going to need that person and have to come face to face with them. My job calls me to provide you with a service. Students know that nine times out of ten I’m going to tell you about [yourself] then go ahead and do what I have do with you.”

Whitney Widdles, a senior, theater major form Stockton, California says she hasn’t tarnished any relationships with professors or administrators.  She wants her sisters to do two things when it comes to speaking their minds.

“Watch your tongue because it can get you in a lot of trouble. Observe more, that is why you have two ears and one mouth, so that you can listen more than you speak.”

By: Lydia Blanco

A Queen’s Ransom

It’s election season, and many new queens will be crowned on Bennett College’s campus. Queens are visible ambassadors for the college and different organizations. The students are supposed to take on a lot of duties and expenses after they are elected.

The Director of Student Activities, Rachel Pridgen talks about the queen’s financial responsibilities for coronation.

“The student queens pay for her sash, dress, hair and make-up. Only classes are responsible for paying for $250 towards the preparation of getting the class queen ready, and that doesn’t even cover all of her expenses.”

Pridgen addresses the talk from some who believe organizations have to spend their money on the queen’s coronation expenses.

“Organizations aren’t responsible for paying for their queen.”

Pridgen says it is completely voluntary if an organization wishes to pay for their queen.

“If the organization has money and wants to help her, they may do that, but it is not required of them.”

Coronation is a way to formally let the school, community, and friends know which faces are responsible for providing community service to the student body and members of prospective organizations.

One queen says all queens don’t need to participate in coronation.

“I think that coronation is a good idea and everyone loves participating in it. But, it is a lot of money, time, and effort and sometimes organizational queens don’t fulfill tasks as much as the Royal Court has to,” says Miss HIV/Aids Taskforce, Shevon King.

The Royal Court consist of Miss Bennett College, Miss Royal Blue and White, and each class queen.

Another queen says just the opposite.

“I wouldn’t say that [coronation] is a waste of money. If you’re going to acknowledge the royal court, then you might as well recognize the other queens as well. You don’t want one queen to feel like they are not as important as the other ones,” says Queen of Psi Chi, Tatiana Walker.

Pridgen says, that all organizational queens do not have to participate in the coronation ceremony. It is a decision queens choose to make.

By: Delrisha White