Unwrapping the Gullah Culture

By: Kevin Pernell, EWS Digital Content Creator/Analyst/ Junior, Mass Communications Major, North Carolina A&T State University

As a sophomore, Mass Communications major at North Carolina A&T State University, my goal was to apply for and secure an internship to further my exposure to the concepts I learned in my courses. Therefore, over the fall and spring semesters, I applied for different programs and opportunities, received acceptances, and was even rejected at times. Despite being discouraged, I never gave up on searching for more opportunities. 

After learning about the Campbell-Wright HBCU Gullah Geechee Internship Program, I was excited to submit my application. Being from the small country town of Jackson, North Carolina, I hadn’t ever known or so heard of the Gullah Geechee people. Therefore, I saw this internship as an opportunity to grow as a journalist and photographer, but also to experience a new culture and possibly uncover some of my roots. 

During the first week of the program, I met my cohort members who attended HBCUs from across the nation. For our first venture, we traveled to Morehouse College to take the certified interpretive guide course that was taught by Erica Veal. The course was provided to us through the National Association for Interpretation, whose mission is to professionally develop those who desire to share natural and cultural heritage. After taking the course, the important skill that I learned was how to intentionally approach communication with unique and meaningful experiences. 

After this experience, my peers and I implemented all we learned during training along with us on our travels. Our next stop was the Penn Center (Learn about the Penn Center more here) on Saint Helena Island, SC. Here, we learned how richly rooted the community is, and how it played a role in the Civil Rights Movement. The Penn Center was founded in 1862 and was the first school in the South for freed slaves. This is also the location where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wrote his “I Have A Dream” speech. Also not too far from the Penn Center is the retreat house and dock, which were both built for him in 1968 as a place to have meetings and also have some peace and quiet. Being around all of these important pieces of history truly was amazing because I was able to capture all of these moments with my camera and also had the opportunity to speak with historians who are knowledgeable in the history of the Penn Center. 

Additionally, trying Gullah food for the first time was quite interesting. The food was very tasty and flavorful. I ate red rice, shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, and sweet cornbread. One of my favorite restaurants was Gullah Grub, and not only did they have good food but the owner and local landowner had a vision to preserve the Gullah culture. I spoke with Mrs. Sera Renolds Green, who is the owner of an abandoned building located behind Gullah Grub. She expressed to me that she wants community members and students to contribute ideas to reconstruct the building into a place that celebrates Gullah Geechee heritage. St Helena Island has one of the strongest and most well-preserved connections to Gullah Geechee culture, so having a site where people can go and learn more about this heritage is vital for the area. 

As I spoke with more natives, the praise house was mentioned quite often throughout the Gullah corridor. While approaching the praise house, I could feel its history flow through my body. The building has been standing for over 100 years and is one of the few left standing.. I really understood the importance of the praise house after engaging with St. Helena Islander elder Deacon James Peter Smalls. As we entered the house,  Deacon Smalls sang songs such as “Watchman,” “Working on the Building,” and “Go with Me to my Father’s House.” All of these spiritual songs have a deeper meaning, often reflecting hope. I learned how praise houses were a sacred place, historically used by enslaved Africans, particularly within the Gullah Geechee community for worship, cultural preservation, and community meetings. I also learned a few ring shout traditions. During this visit, we also toured the South-View Cemetery, where many notable African Americans lie at rest, Robert Smalls' home, the International African American Museum, and historical sites in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. 

Lastly, throughout my travels, I was able to connect with many historians, storytellers, and even look at primary sources from years ago to pull together my research. I was able to gather insights from elders who have experienced to sustain the Gullah Geechee heritage. 

One of the most powerful moments from the internship was when I gave my first tour to the community and those who were visiting the area for Juneteenth at Mitchellville Freedom Park. I had never given a tour before, but after taking the CIG training and speaking with many elders and learning from them, I was very knowledgeable while giving my tour. 

Overall, this internship truly was an eye-opening experience and has given me the hunger to become a better journalist and tell people's stories because stories can be impactful and long-lasting. 

How An Editor Can Benefit Your Writing

By: Mikayla Clapp, Public Affairs Writer/Editor

Having an editor to review your writing is an extremely valuable resource that can make a significant difference in the quality of your work. As a former writing tutor and college student who frequently visited my university’s writing center, I have witnessed the difference an editor can make in the final outcome of a piece, both in my personal writing and in that of the students I worked with. An editor is not someone who will merely tell you what is wrong with your writing, but rather is a knowledgeable resource that will point you in the right direction and collaborate with you to improve the overall quality of your work. Specifically, an editor is someone who can easily spot common writing mistakes, serve as a sounding board for your ideas, save you time, and make the writing process easier.

An Editor Can Easily Spot Common Writing Mistakes

Trained editors are very familiar with common writing mistakes and often have experience in recognizing these and offering suggestions for correction. For example, it can be easy to make a small grammatical or sentence structure error, especially when you are writing a longer piece. Editors are more likely to recognize and catch these small errors because they function as a fresh set of eyes on your writing. Editors are also knowledgeable on how to quickly address and fix these errors without completely changing the sentence or section where the error occurs.

An Editor Can Serve as a Sounding Board for Your Ideas

An editor is someone you can collaborate and share your ideas with. They can function as a sounding board for your thoughts related to your specific writing piece and assist you in developing your ideas. They can also help you by discussing ways in which you can implement your ideas and plans for your writing. Editors are often familiar with a wide variety of different types of writing, and therefore, the accompanying conventions and norms of different writing pieces. For example, editors can assist you with finding the best way to describe the setting or with further developing your analysis of a source material. For documents like cover letters, dissertations, and academic essays, editors can help you ensure that your writing meets the established standards of these specific types of writing.

An Editor Can Save You Time & Make the Writing Process Easier

Lastly, editors can help save you time, especially if you are working on a longer piece. They can assist you with tedious tasks like formatting and organization in styles such as MLA and APA, ultimately allowing you to focus more attention on refining your work. An editor essentially functions as readily available writing support. Their job is to ultimately make the writing process easier for you. 

Overall, having an editor for your writing comes with a variety of benefits. An editor can easily spot mistakes, serve as a sounding board for your ideas, save you time, and ultimately make the writing process easier. Acquiring an editor will ensure that your writing is the best it can be and meets the expected standards of quality writing. The next time you are writing an important piece, consider having an editor review and refine your work. 

Check out this video from Dr. Chambers on how to decide if you need an editor!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpJInsYn9_g&list=PL92VvHO96-6yidr8ViKjHR2wnAghyTBkA&index=10

Career Readiness: Setting Your Child Up to Succeed Beyond School

By: Mikayla Clapp, Public Affairs Specialist

Career readiness is essential to setting students up to succeed in their chosen career field. Whether your child is an early high school student, about to graduate, or a college student, it is never too early or late to encourage them to get career ready. Helping them engage in professional development and get career ready will benefit them in a variety of ways and ensure that they are taking actionable steps to reach their career goals.

What Is Career Readiness and Why Is It Important?

Career readiness is an all-encompassing term that refers to the process of preparing oneself to enter the workforce. This process generally consists of several steps, including building application materials, outlining a career plan, and developing new skills that will help your child in their chosen career. These steps can be taken over a period of several weeks to months and in any order. They are also generally ongoing, in that they can always be revisited and improved as your child grows in their career. The career readiness process is generally done while students are still in school, but can be done after graduation or during the job search. Becoming career ready is important to your child’s success, as it will ensure that they feel prepared and confident to enter the workforce, and it will aid them in securing the jobs and roles they are most interested in.

Building Application Materials

Application materials generally include a resume or CV and a cover letter. It is recommended that when helping your child build their application materials, you advise them to tailor their materials to the jobs that they are applying for; therefore, it is a good idea to know what types of roles they are interested in. A resume or CV are both documents that summarize an applicant's work experience, skills, and professional qualifications. Although a resume and CV are very similar, a CV tends to be more comprehensive and is role-specific. Additionally, a cover letter is a one-page document that allows applicants to highlight their most relevant qualifications and express their interest in a specific role or company. To get started helping your child build their resume, CV, or cover letter, sit down with them and make a list of all their work/volunteer experience and extracurricular activities. Then, utilize reputable online resources like Purdue Online Writing Lab to view examples of these documents and start compiling your child’s information in the correct format.

Making a Career Plan

Making a career plan is a vital step to helping your child become career ready. A career plan is essentially an outline of your child’s ideal or desired career path and the steps they will take to get there. A career plan can be detailed or general, but it is recommended for your child to have at least an idea of what they may want to pursue within the next 2-4 years of their educational and professional trajectory. To help your child make an education and career plan, first collaborate with them to assess and reflect on where they are currently in their professional journey. Consider what skills, education, and experience they will need to move forward in their field and what roles or companies they one day wish to work in. Then, help them make a list of actionable steps they can take to gain the necessary skills and experience they need to progress. For your child, gaining new skills and experiences can look like taking on more responsibility in their current job, getting a degree in their field, or taking on additional extracurricular activities. Once your child has a career plan, encourage them to refer back to it every so often to ensure that they are on track to meeting their goals.

Develop New Skills

Encouraging your child to develop new skills is essential to getting them career ready. Regardless of what field they are entering, some of the most important skills your child will need for the workforce are soft skills. Soft skills are non-technical skills and attributes that will enable your child to collaborate with others and become a well-rounded employee in the workplace. Some important soft skills include effective verbal and written communication, adaptability, leadership, time management, and conflict resolution. To help your child develop and build their soft skills, encourage them to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, participate in group activities at school or work, and take on leadership roles. Also encourage them to be patient and open to feedback while developing these skills. Check out this resource from Indeed.com for more information on soft skills.

Although it is ultimately up to your child to engage in the career readiness process, there are definitely things you can do to assist them in getting career ready. Encourage them to start early, make a plan, and continually check-in with themselves to assess where they are in the process. Your motivation and support alone will benefit your child as they get ready to enter the workforce.

Navigating My First Year at an HBCU

By: Kevin Pernell, Digital Content Creator/ Analyst

Entering my first year at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in the Fall of 2023 was quite the challenge. However, I took it on by improving my habits and learning what I needed to be successful. Explore a glimpse into my journey!  

Navigating Campus

After taking the 2-and-a-half-hour drive to Greensboro, North Carolina, from my hometown, I was excited to move into my dorm room. For my decor, I brought all of the obituaries of loved ones that I have lost and hung them up on my wall just as a reminder that I have people who had high expectations of me. 

The day after I moved in on campus, I took it upon myself to familiarize myself with the buildings I did not tour during my college visit and also during new student orientation. Although I did not understand which buildings were for which department, I read the signs. I also walked my schedule to ensure that I timed out how long it would take me to go from class to class to be sure I was not late. Then, when the semester started, my Freshman 101 class taught me more about navigating the campus. My professor gave us many resources, such as apps and flyers, to let us know how to find out about campus events. 

Some of my favorite spots on campus during my first year were the student center and library. The student center was enjoyable because it was a good place to meet new people and socialize. The library is where I went when I needed time to myself to just focus on my studies. 

During this year, my favorite class was English because I had a good relationship with my teacher; she was very understanding and dedicated. Lastly, I enjoyed going to events on campus, such as the organization fair and the talent shows.

Improving My Study Habits 

Throughout high school, studying diligently was something that I did not do as much as I should have, but when I entered college, those habits changed. Due to complications with my Math class and Business Technology class, I had to determine study habits that worked for me. However, a crucial factor that prevented me from studying was the setting I was in. In my dorm room, I had difficulty focusing on studying because of loud noises. After time, I learned that going to the library at night offered me the quiet time I needed to retain information.  

Discovering My Major

Initially, I chose Business Information Technology as my major because I intended to work in the data analytics industry. However, I knew deep down that this career choice wasn’t where my heart wanted to be and that I only wanted to be in it for the money. I took Math 103 during my first semester, and as time progressed, I noticed that math would be one of my struggles, and it continued into my classes during the second semester as well. After discussing these challenges with my mentor, she suggested that I change my major to something that I am more passionate about. 

Over the summer, I thought more about my career and my interests. I’ve always loved sports. I attended many sporting events growing up, was a student-athlete in high school, and always enjoyed watching games such as football and basketball with my friends. Watching sports also makes me excited and eager to learn more about the sport. Therefore, in the fall of 2024, I changed my major to Journalism and Mass Communications with a focus in Mass Media Production in hopes of pursuing a career in sports journalism! 

Getting Involved and Moving Forward 

As I reflect back on last year, I think about how I wasn’t as involved as I should have been.  But so far in my sophomore year, I have joined more clubs such as Men On The Move and Lewis Gives to volunteer in the Greensboro community. I have volunteered at elementary schools and nursing homes for Bingo night. Joining clubs has also helped me to make new friends because I am more social while volunteering. Getting more involved on campus is something that I am glad I made the decision to do, and I am looking forward to making more memories during my time at NCAT. 

How to Prepare for Classes Over the Summer

By: Mikayla Clapp, Public Affairs Writer/Editor

Whether you are a recent high school graduate about to start your college journey or a second-year PhD student, using your summer break to prepare for the upcoming school year can help you both succeed in your coursework and feel more confident in your academic skills as you start a new semester. 

Practice Your Writing Skills

It can be very easy to switch off our brains entirely during the summer, but it is important to continue exercising our creative and critical thinking processes to not lose them entirely. Therefore, practicing your writing skills over the summer can make the transition back to coursework and academic writing much smoother come the start of the semester. Taking time to write does not have to be laborious or dull. It can be as fun and easy as setting aside 10-15 minutes a day to journal or respond to interesting writing prompts such as these! A daily practice such as this will ensure that you continue to exercise and build upon the writing skills you’ve developed over your academic journey.

Get Organized

Getting and staying organized is key to academic success. Summer is the perfect time to sort or discard notes and papers from previous semesters, plan out your day-to-day schedule for the upcoming semester, tidy up all of your study spaces, and sift through your digital files and messages. Doing so will ensure you start off the new semester with a clean slate, ready to absorb and take on all of the new information and tasks that will come your way. 

Establish a Self-Care Routine

It is important to stay both mentally and physically healthy to do well in your academic coursework. Summer is a great time to check in with yourself to see if your current self-care practices are meeting your needs. If not, over break is the perfect time to adjust your self-care practices and even try something new. Check out this list of 50+ self-care practices for some ideas! Getting enough sleep, movement, and nutritious foods, as well as time for engaging in activities that you enjoy, will help you feel the best that you can.

Look Ahead–Start Planning for Your Professional Life

Summer is an ideal time to evaluate your professional goals beyond academia, and to see if your current path is aligning with your future career objectives. This is also a great time to update your resume, build your resume with volunteer work or a summer internship, and create a detailed plan for how you will achieve your future career goals. 

Rest

Although putting in work to prepare for the start of a new semester can be extremely beneficial, it is also important to allow yourself time to rest over the summer. It is essential to give yourself time to rest both physically and mentally during breaks so as to avoid burnout. Spend time doing things you enjoy and relaxing with friends and family so that you will feel recharged and ready to take on a new semester come fall. 

Intentionally preparing for the start of classes over summer break will help you feel more ready to take on a new semester and will ensure that you are setting yourself up for success in all areas of your life. Use your summer break to rest, reset, and ready yourself for all that is to come in the fall. 

Perspective from a Former Writing Tutor

By Mikayla Clapp, Public Affairs Writer/Editor

Writing center work is extremely valuable to the success of students in all disciplines. As a former writing center tutor myself, I can attest to the satisfaction and enjoyment that comes with working in a writing center space. Working part-time in my university’s writing center was one of my favorite parts of my undergraduate studies, and my time as a tutor benefitted me in a multitude of ways.

Tutoring Helped Me Become a Better Writer 

One of my favorite aspects of being a writing tutor was that writing center work helped me become a better writer. As the saying goes, “The best way to test your knowledge of a subject is to try and teach it to someone else.” Writing center work required me to put this principle into action and use my personal knowledge of writing conventions to help others improve their writing. Not only was this immensely satisfying, but it also allowed me to test my own knowledge of grammar, sentence structure, literary analysis, and research and organization methods. This helped me discover areas where I could improve my personal writing, analysis, and research skills. 

Tutoring Allowed Me to Learn from Others 

In addition, being a tutor allowed me to form relationships with my peers and learn from the students I worked with. For example, during my time as a tutor, I worked closely with a nursing student on her doctoral thesis. I met with this student virtually on a weekly basis for several semesters as she wrote and refined her thesis on polypharmacy in older adults. Although I was unfamiliar with her subject matter, I was able to assist her with different elements of writing, like grammar, diction, and organization. I built a close working relationship with this student and learned from her more about how to write and report data and research. From this experience, I learned that forming relationships in my professional life proved to not only make my job more enjoyable but also to make me better at my job. 

Tutoring Prepared Me for Many Career Paths 

Lastly, my time as a tutor prepared me for a variety of career paths since I worked one-on-one with people. In my role as a tutor, I developed interpersonal and communication skills that will serve me in a variety of roles. I have considered working in fields like education, health care, law, and social services based on my experience working in a writing center. In addition, the interpersonal and communication skills I gained have helped me post-graduation, particularly in relation to communicating with potential employers and volunteer work. I currently volunteer as a literacy and reading tutor for several hours weekly. My experience working in a writing center has been invaluable to my success as a literacy tutor because I am familiar with different learning styles and teaching methods. I am thankful that my time as a writing tutor allowed me to develop transferable skills that will aid me in a variety of career paths.

I Am Grateful for My Time as a Tutor 

I will always recall my time as a writing center tutor with much fondness and appreciation. The students I worked with and my fellow tutors truly made the experience worthwhile, and I benefited in many ways from having had this role. My hope is that everyone discovers a job or career that is just as fulfilling for them as being a writing tutor was for me. 

Why Jazz Music is the Best Writing Music

By Daniel Holloway, Media and Copy Editing Intern

As an English Major and college graduate, I have written my fair share of essays 一long essays, short essays, reading analyses, journal entries一and, after a while, the process grows monotonous. I have searched for effective ways to focus on my work, but after trying them, none last more than a few days before I begin to find flaws. For example, television shows, as well as movies, have ongoing plots, characters, and visual motifs to follow that a casual watch won’t allow me to catch. This issue is most prominent with first-time viewings, as my brain simultaneously tries to learn about new characters and their stories while also thinking of what to write. Sporting events also require a high level of investment, as I always want to see which team will win and how. Upbeat genres of music such as rock, hip-hop, and pop often grow to be too melodically intense for writing. Very energetic songs or the climaxes of certain songs don’t lend themselves to the peace of mind needed to come up with an idea. However, jazz music continuously shines as the best distraction for my work. It is light and soothing while still having enough variation to keep me attentive. Another potential candidate fails in the latter criterion, but I will write more on that later.

The type of distraction one needs resides in the individual, so I will refrain from calling television a completely invalid aid in focusing. However, writing is a visual medium in itself, so I do not see the need to overload my visual palette while still trying to listen for what is being said or, worse yet, further stretch my ocular capacity by reading the subtitles. Conversely, music needs only the ears to be effective.

Source: https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Jimmy-Cobb-Kind-of-Blue-drummer-for-Miles-Davis-dies-570771621.html

Jazz music, or at least the best kind to write to, typically has a consistent drum pattern and an accompanying bassline paired with one or more solos.  Piano, saxophone, trumpet, and even drum solos are among the many instruments whose solos help to make jazz songs gradual without being overwhelming.  A great example of such progressions is arguably the greatest and most popular jazz album of all time, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue.  My favorite track, “Blue in Green,” features two of the greatest jazzers of all time, Davis and John Coltrane, taking turns on the trumpet and saxophone, respectively, soloing on the bass and drums.  The piano work of Bill Evans underscores, then intercedes the wind sections, moving the track along beautifully.  Works like these make writing a joy, as I always find my words flowing just as naturally as the playing of Davis’ band.

Another key element of jazz’s fit for writing is just that一words一or, rather, its lack thereof.  Most other genres of music have words, which, especially in the case of more lyrically inclined genres like rap or some pop, impede my ability to form diction of my own.  While expressing myself isn’t impossible, why allow the chance of hindrance when artists like Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, and Bobbi Humphrey exist?

Source: https://www.dancemusicnw.com/history-lofi-beats-to-study-relax-with/

Any modern piece about auditory distractions would be remiss not to mention the current juggernaut of the topic, which is lofi hip-hop.  It is a worthy adversary to jazz.  It is easy on the ears, is very rhythmic, and many beats even use jazz songs for samples.  I have two concessions, though, that keep the genre from being the best to write to.  For one, the most popular channels that stream lofi hip-hop are often live, meaning that writers are stuck with whatever happens to play as they write.  Admittedly, this is a minor complaint, as one could create their own playlist on Youtube.  My major gripe with lofi is that the beats are much more repetitive than jazz music.  As I’ve mentioned before, though the drumming in jazz can sometimes be very simple, the playing works in tandem with the solos and other instrumentation to make the constant stream of creativity that lofi hip-hop merely borrows in parts.

With a perfect combination of creativity, easy listening, and rhythm, all without being a multi-sensical disturbance, jazz music stands above all other contenders as the best complementary medium while writing.  If you are wondering which records best serve this purpose, here are 5 albums I recommend for any writer looking for something to help them along:

●      Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, & London Symphony Orchestra - Promises

●      John Coltrane - My Favorite Things

●      Herbie Hancock - Fat Albert Rotunda

●      Wes Montgomery - A Day in the Life

●      Thelonius Monk - Underground