wfn.org | Students provide witness for Black College Fund

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

July 6, 2000 News media contact: Linda Green·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-31-71BP{319}

NOTE: A photograph is available with this report.

By Kathy Gilbert*

GLORIETTA, N.M. (UMNS) -- Fourteen college students representing the United
Methodist Church's 11 historically black colleges and universities spent
most of their summer traveling to annual conferences to promote awareness of
their schools.
	
"There were a lot of ups and downs during my summer itineration. I was able
to do some soul-searching and discover how I relate to different and
sometimes difficult situations," said Murtavius Miller, a student at Paine
College in Augusta, Ga., and one of the 2000 Lina H. McCord summer interns
for the Black College Fund.
	
Each year, students enrolled in the 11 schools are selected on the
recommendation of their college presidents to serve as good-will ambassadors
to promote and interpret the Black College Fund throughout the church's five
jurisdictions. 

The 28-year-old program is supported by local church apportionments and
promoted by the internship program, which was named for former fund
executive Lina H. McCord. The Black College Fund and Ethnic Concerns section
of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry sponsors it. 

The 14 students consisted of four interns and 10 ambassadors -- former
interns who serve as mentors for interns and promote the fund on short-term
assignments beyond the annual conference sessions. The students traveled
across the United States to 33 annual conference sessions, local churches,
United Methodist men's and women's groups, and youth events. They thanked
people for paying apportionments and described how the fund has changed
their lives. The students are all members of United Methodist churches.  

"Through interacting and observing the Black College Fund interns and
ambassadors, I become more convinced of the exemplary job being done by our
historically black colleges and universities in helping students not only
realize their full potential, but also assume their responsibilities as
instruments for a better society and world," said the Rev. Joreatha Capers,
staff executive of the Black College Fund and Ethnic Concerns section.
.
"Their future is in our hands as much as our future is in their hands.
Support of the Black College Fund will help this great work continue," she
said.

More than 15,000 students attend the church-related historically black
schools.
	
Kenneth Neat Jr., a student at Claflin University in Orangeburg, S.C., and
one of the ambassadors, traveled to the Baltimore-Washington Annual
Conference.
	
"I was taken to inner-city Baltimore and was able to see the deplorable
conditions many African Americans live in," he said. "Our people are often
segregated by train tracks and barbed-wire fences. We have a Third World
country right here in America that needs our help. Seeing those conditions
inspired me to want to make a difference." 
	
"It is a blessing to feel like a blessing to others," said Vaneasha Jackson,
a student at Claflin and one of the interns.

The 2000 Lina McCord summer interns and their itineration schedules were:

·	Vaneasha Jackson, Claflin University, Orangeburg, S.C. -- West
Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, North Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky.
·	Murtavius Miller, Paine College, Augusta, Ga.-- Alabama-West
Florida, Missouri East, Mississippi and Missouri West.
·	William Jones III, Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Ark. --
West Michigan, Central Pennsylvania, West Ohio and East Ohio.
·	Tartil Wimbush, Paine College, Augusta, Ga. -- Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Illinois Great Rivers and Dakotas.

The 2000 ambassadors and their summer itineration schedules were:
·	Kenneth Neat Jr., Claflin University, Orangeburg, S.C. -- New York,
Peninsula- Delaware and Baltimore-Washington.
·	Jeffery Thomas, Paine College, Augusta, Ga. -- North Indiana and
Iowa.
·	Monica Rolfe Glasper, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta -- Kansas
East and West.
·	Althea Vallady, Paine College, Augusta, Ga. -- New England.
·	Dorrett Green, Wiley College, Holly Springs, Miss. -- Oregon-Idaho
and Northwest Texas.
·	Rupert Thomas Jr., Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Ark. -- New
Mexico and Pacific Northwest.
·	Tarnisha Adams, Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Ark. --
Student Forum at Clark Atlanta University, Little Rock and North Arkansas. 
·	Kia Fisher, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta -- Student Forum.
·	Justin Roberts, Dillard University, New Orleans -- Student Forum.
·	Tia Woods, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta -- Student Forum.
·	Richard Abrams, Paine College, Augusta, Ga. -- Student Forum and
Rocky Mountain.
·	Joseph Jones, Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Ark. -- Student
Forum. 
·	Roberta White, Claflin University, Orangeburg, S.C.-- trained and
debriefed interns.

For more information, visit www.umc.org/benevol/bcf/default.htm on the Web
or contact the Black College Fund, Division of Higher Education and
Ministry, P.O. Box 340007, Nashville, TN 37203-0007; phone: (615) 340-7378. 
# # #
*Gilbert is a staff member of the Office of Interpretation at the United
Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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