Walking down those steps at the Cintas Center, after shaking my principal’s hand and receiving my high school diploma, it hit me:  I was literally taking my first steps toward being a young adult.  Although the road was long and sometimes quite difficult, the benefits of my achievement far outweighed the difficulty in getting there.  I’d like to share my “transition” experience in an effort to help other students get through the rigors of high school and move on to higher endeavors.

At graduation, the success that people saw on the outside, displayed in my accolades, awards, scholarships, and honors, took a great deal of commitment on the inside.  Having worked so hard to remain 4^th in my class of 369 and the 4.6 GPA with which I graduated, I often wondered if anyone really understood what I went through to attain those things.

They saw that I had been accepted to and offered scholarships from the eight universities to which I applied.  The Annenberg School of Journalism at University of Southern California, the Medill School at Northwestern University, New York University, University of Miami, North Carolina A&T, Columbia College, and “The” Ohio State University were among my choices, but it all came down to the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Howard Bisons.  I chose Howard, but the choices available to me did not come without tremendous sacrifice and hard work, something most people did not see.

Beginning in elementary school, the incessant taunting and teasing and being called “nerd” and “geek” fueled the fire within me to keep learning and prove my peers wrong.  My father’s words still ring in my head, “Stand out. Don’t fit in.”

The “all-nighters” that kept me on the verge of falling asleep in class, the desperation I felt as I took seven AP and IB exams in May, and not eating lunch in order to get ahead on homework, all went into the process of getting scholarships and graduating with honors.

People would say to me, “Kiah, everything you do seems so easy. You are just naturally smart.”  Yes, I am smart, but it did not come easily; I worked diligently for the right to walk across the Cintas stage.  I planned, prioritized, and worked every day toward my scholastic goals.  At times I felt like giving up, but a lot of prayer and perseverance got me through what was the most difficult period of my short life.

I am not suggesting my way is best for all high school students; plot your own course and stay on it, do your very best in class, and graduate from high school, the effort for which must come from the “inside.”  I am thankful for my drive, my relationships, and most of all, my faith in God.  I am living proof that hard work does pay great dividends.

College is my comfort zone now, my safe haven; and I am so proud of my decision to attend Howard University.  I can immerse myself in my own heritage and culture; I am surrounded by students with similar ambitions and drive; and I am free to express myself and share my ideas and ideals without being ostracized.  The Bison legacy has been passed down to me, and has made my transition exciting and full of anticipation.  I know I missed the Buckeye experience, but I am a Bison now, and I‘m lovin’ it!

To my teachers from preschool to high school, my family, and my friends in my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, who helped me get here, I thank you for supporting me with scholarships, encouragement, counseling, instruction, moral standards, and unconditional love. I promise to make you proud, and I hope this inspires someone to fulfill his or her dream just as I have thus far.  Gotta go now; homework calls.

Kiah A. Clingman is a student at Howard University’s School of Communications, majoring in Broadcast Journalism.  She graduated from Princeton High School (2011).  For more information see: www.kiahclingman.com 

When flipping through channels on television nowadays, one mostly sees the violence and dangers that wreak havoc on the DC community.  Students and children in the community are always portrayed in the worst light and are never rewarded for their displays of success and achievements in and outside of school. But, the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science (MS) ² defied all stereotypes placed upon black children recently when they entered and won a state architecture competition.

The students presented in the regional competition on March 6, 2012 and are now waiting for their results to see if they qualify for nationals, which will allow them a weeklong stay with hotel accommodations. If they do win, two thousand dollars will be awarded to the Howard Middle School. Their regional competition consisted of a Skype interview by different judges in Philadelphia. There were different parts of the project that the students worked on including design, constructing, and ideas. Hawa Toumbou presided over the “making-it-green” segment in which she “redesigned the school into a green school.” During the interview she explained to the judges how the school was green and what her group put into it to make it safer for the atmosphere.

(MS) ²  is a public charter school committed to academic excellence with a specific focus on math and science with different after-school programs, such as the architecture club, with a purpose to introduce that specific field to students and to show them how to design buildings.  From a different perspective, architecture student Niambi Klugh says, it is “a club that teaches you different symbols for buildings, walls, and doors and shows you how buildings are designed.” Their advisor, Jahdal McKenzie, diligently works with the middle school students to guide them in the right direction toward success, yet it is important to know that it is the students’ execution of their ideas and designs that win the contest in the end. McKenzie said, “The competition was to redesign the existing middle school and improve upon conditions to make it a better learning environment for the community at large including students and staff.

Minnah Green, one of the students, expressed that “she wants to be an architect when she gets older” and “[her] favorite part of the architecture club is that [she] gets to design all of the projects.” Another student, Eric Aull said, “I want to pursue an architect career because I think that people who don’t have money to pay for expensive housing should still be able to have housing. I will help to get inexpensive construction materials that can help make the house an affordable place to live.” All of these students have dreams and aspirations that they see as attainable. We as a community need to rally around them to support them for the good things they are doing to better not only their future but the future of this nation.

Howard University’s Engineering and Architecture program should also work closely with these students since they are involved in the careers to which these younger students aspire.  Anniah Henry, another student, said, “I have been able to go to the architecture school on Howard University’s campus to work with a couple of interns; we loved working with the college students.” If college students encourage these younger students their collaboration can be a blueprint for a brighter future in design and construction of green buildings.

Let’s all get behind these young people as they pursue excellence, and let’s give them credit for being positive and doing outstanding work while representing their school.  They are also setting a positive example for others youth.  For their accomplishments, we say, Bravo, well done, and keep up the great work.

Washington D.C.- Peggy Lewis, journalist and professor, talked to Howard University students about how to create the perfect “voice” for broadcasting.

Do you think you can speak clearly while holding a pen in your mouth? Well Peggy Lewis, professor and journalism department chair here at Howard University, taught the HUABJ students exactly how to do it with ease at the Voice-Over workshop hosted by Denise Sawyer.  By having each one of the students read a sample selection from a television anchor’s script, she was able to critique each student individually.  She also told them how vital it was to record themselves speaking and listen back so they can critique their own mistakes.

Peggy Lewis taught HUABJ students the importance of taking care of their voices so when they deliver, everything will come out of their mouths the way they want it to. “Preparation is key,” she explained. “Practice breathing the entire time you are talking.” A journalist has to know the range and control of their voice. It is crucial to know when to speak softly for a stronger emphasis or when to increase your dynamics to capture audience attention.

Anna-Lysa Gayle, junior broadcast news major, gave students advice on how to gain control of the voice.  “Read the Oxford English dictionary every day to practice speaking.” Reading aloud definitely can help a journalist master the art of speaking clearly and emphasizing specific words. Sometimes a journalist’s voice can grow tired, but Peggy Lewis was quick to instruct us to drink hot tea with lemon to slowly soothe the vocal cords.

“When you speak, act like you are talking to your mom!” Lewis gave the students a chuckle after this statement as she explained the significance of sounding more conversational. Journalists must give energy even when they don’t feel like it. “ If you are interested, then the audience will definitely be interested.”

Some examples of good and not-so-good reporter and anchors were mentioned throughout the workshop. By watching and thoroughly analyzing these voices on television, students can get a better assessment on how they should be speaking. Bryan Williams on Saturday Night Live, Steve Hartman on CBS, and Soledad O’ Brien are just a few of the good names that Lewis spoke about.

“Get ‘you’ out of the way first. Focus on the story and the audience who you are telling the story to.” Lewis advised the students to take stories out of the newspaper and to rewrite them for 30-second broadcasts. After writing them, students must be able to speak them in a way in which a story is being told to the audience. Instead of journalists focusing on themselves, they must speak in a way that creates a captivating listening experience for viewers.

Being able to write a voiceover or news broadcast is just half of the story. Peggy Lewis completed the other half by teaching journalism students the correct way to speak the part. Students must craft this skill so when it comes to hire for job positions, job recruiters will see their voice as conversational, authoritative, and most of all compelling.

Many students dread going to the advisor’s office when they need something done; they dread it almost as much as the A-Building. After talking to some students, I found out that the advisor’s office can be helpful at times, but also stressful when you need things done right away.

Unlike the other major schools on campus, there are only two advisors in the School of Communications for a school with so many students. This can be very difficult for both advisors, as they try to juggle their daily duties, as well as students. Not only do students visit the advisor’s office to meet with Miss Williams or Mr. Brown, they also come to see Miss Dudley, Howard’s “career development go-to” expert. She is a valuable resource for students as they plan their careers during their four-year tenure at Howard.

Tatiana Cole, sophomore Legal Communications major, believes that the School of Communications advising office is the best on campus and she personally has not run into any problems. “Students do not use the office enough. They use it when it is an emergency or if they have a financial error,” says Cole.

Sophomore public relations major, Danielle Lomax agrees. “Students don’t go to the academic advisors office until they need to override, drop a class, or get an alternate PIN. They don’t know how much it could really help them.” Both Cole and Lomax have reached out to the office advisors to establish a relationship with advisors so when they are in need, the issue can be resolved. “Mr. Brown and Miss Williams have both done a lot for me over the past two years because I have stopped in once in a while to talk to them,” says Lomax.

There are ways to improve the effectiveness of the center. Students constantly struggle with getting help because of the small student to staff ratio in the office. Stephanie Holloman, freshman print journalism major, had to wait in line over an hour to talk to her advisor. As a transfer student from the College of Arts and Sciences, she is trying to get her information transferred over in the most efficient manner possible. Even though she had to endure a long wait she says, “Miss Pugh is nice and Mr. Brown is very helpful. He told me exactly what to do and how to do it.”

Students can benefit from the advisor’s office, but they must be willing to establish a relationship and not just request things just before a deadline. People are willing to help if you are sincere and timely when it comes to putting in requests.  So whether you are just stopping by to say hello to Miss Pugh, the secretary in the office, or going to get classes in order because of the delayed registration, make sure you keep in mind the full potential of that valuable office.

It is intriguing that even students who have disciplines within the School of Engineering pass by the emblem on the side of the Engineering Building at 2300 6^th Street NW without taking notice of this picture and what it represents. Students Aspire represents more than just five symbols corresponding to the different concentrations of engineering.

This 25-foot high bronze piece of art shows a male and female embracing each other and each discipline of engineering, reaching up toward success together to obtain more knowledge. Below the two students, there are roots of a tree representing the foundation on which they stand together. At the end of each root is a face.

Students Aspire is a public artwork on our campus created by artist, Elizabeth Catlett. This masterpiece was once surveyed in the Smithsonian’s Save Outdoor Sculpture in 1993. At age 95, Catlett continues to inspire different parts of the nation with her extraordinary artistic skills.

The real problem lies in why students walk by this sculpture each and every day without noticing it. Is the figure not big enough? Are students just not taking a look at their surroundings? Sophomore Caleb Davis, who is a student in the School of Engineering, said he is “indifferent about the sculpture because of the culture of [his] college.” Although Caleb has noticed the piece of art since his first day on campus, he is sure that “more than half of the engineering students don’t know about it and don’t really care.”

Has our attention been commandeered by our inclination for staring at our cellphones as we walk across campus?  Have we as college students become so disconnected with our history that we seldom give it any thought at all?  Are we simply indifferent to legacies that were built by past generations and left for us to enjoy?  Are we disinterested, or are we just uninterested in anything that does not have a nice beat?

I will not pretend to have the answers to those questions; each of us has to do a self-assessment and determine just where our individual heads are, what our priorities are, and what is important to us.  It is sad, however, to think that we, the students at Howard University, this historically significant institution, could ever be indifferent or uninterested in any of our surroundings, big and small, that comprise our wonderful campus.

Maybe Howard students can “aspire” to change that.