A few Dorm Room Essentials

Its what many high school students dream of. That day of going off to college to experience something new and exciting. While you may be ready for that new adventure, you might want a few items for your dorm room. This dorm room will be your home away for home so it's only right that you make it your own with these items below.

1. A Mini Fridge - While a few dorms won't allow a portable refrigerator, some will. It's a good idea to get a mini fridge to keep your personal foods cool. 

     2. Portable Speaker - A speaker is a good idea to have if you want to keep yourself entertained Just make sure you are in compliance with the noise and music rules in your dorm.

      3. Portable Fan - These are good investments to help you keep cool in case it gets a little to warm in your room. they are also compact so it helps to save space.  

       4. LabTop - A lab top is essential to any college student that doesn't feel like going to the library  and work on their assignments. It's portable and very convenient. Prices may vary depending on the brand, but they are good investments.

       5. Storage Mirror - This over the door mirror would be ideal for a college student. It's also a storage unit that can hold many miscellaneous items.

The Power of the Pen (and Writing Lab) with Mrs. Pinson

South Carolina State University has a Push Writing Lab located inside Turner Hall which is coordinated by Mrs. Arah Pinson. Pinson, who is also a long serving professor, started at SCSU in 1989 to present day. Mrs .Valerie Goodwin was the previous coordinator. Upon Pinson's takeover, she plans to get the word spread out about the writing lab.

A lot of students don't know about the writing lab or what it's purpose is. This center is used to help students hone their writing and grammar skills. "When our students leave SCSU, they represent the University" said Pinson. Students can go there to get a better understanding of the various writing styles and rules that are applied to it.

The writing lab is also trying to gain exposure. Since it's not as much used as needed, Pinson and her trusty team are trying to make it "lit." funding is most definitely needed to help expand the writing lab. "We're looking for donations, and we want to paint and mural the wall." said Pinson.

To also help with the exposure of the lab, they are planning a spring open house as well as a soft skills for students workshop. This workshop will help students with study skills, time-management, note taking and self discipline. Pinson is a serious advocate for the success of her students and you can tell when she began to tear up and say "My passion is my students."

The writing lab can be used as a work study and all students and majors are welcome. Students must meet a certain criteria in order to become a tutor. You must also have a letter of recommendation. Take Zaire for instance. She is a grad school tutor and according to Pinson "Our right arm." She helps with grammar and organization, and thesis statements.  Pinson is looking for students like her to come help out and be a great tutor.

While big things are in the works for Turner Hall writing lab, Pinson and Zaire had five things that everyone should know about it. They are

1. They are there to help
2. Will offer workshops
3. They are not a fix it shop
4. Tutors will not guess what grade you will get
5. You leave with a lesson

(What the writing lab is for)

Bulldog News Now: A brief look inside the newscast

We had to chance to an exclusive look at how the South Carolina State University Communications department produces it's newscast  BNN which is short for Bulldog News Now. The set has that local television station look and a team of thriving students were working diligently to make sure it went well.


We watched as the news anchors sat and rehearsed their scripts while getting familiar with the teleprompter. The anchors were making sure they were pronouncing and enunciating words correctly for accuracy.

Behind the scenes, BNN students were busy at work as well. They were making sure everything ran smoothly in regards to the production, teleprompter and audio. Ms. Pryor who is over the newscast made sure each person  was doing their job effectively.
   

Dayah Barnes: Marching To The Beat of Her Own Drum

A female drummer? Quiet unless she knows you? A North Carolina native? This could only be none other than Miss Dayah Barnes herself. Let's start with a few basics shall we? She loves the colors pink and Blue, she loves the occasional crab legs, and she likes Prince.Although she gives off the quiet reserved type vibes,  this 23 year old senior Mass Communications major from Fayetteville has many interesting things that sets her apart from many. 

Dayah has a knack for playing the drums. She was a member of the South Carolina State University Marching 101 drum line. She is also apart of The Bongo Brothers which is associated with the band. After a long journey with the band, she decided to leave due to conflicts. Aside from band activities, Barnes loves to travel, create memos, and create vlogs. She is also a "cute shoe" fanatic. If a shoe is cute, then best believe she will more than likely get it. 

"I love the environment here and the family feel" said Barnes when talking about SCSU. "I wanted to come here because I've been in North Carolina all my life." Being a writer is something near and dear to Barnes's heart thus her majoring in Journalism. Her blog globetrotti showcases some of her work. After graduation, she plans to go work for the FBI. 

Avery Daniels: A man focusing on HIStory

From his hometown of Orangeburg S.C., A tuba player for the South Carolina State University Marching 101 band, to the Miller F. Whitaker library as the archivist what isn't there interesting about Avery Daniels? Daniels has a lot he has accomplished under his belt and wasn't afraid to share it.

Let's flashback a few years back shall we? Daniels graduated from Orangeburg-Wilkinson High-school back in 1996. He continued his studies at SCSU. While at college he always wanted to be a member of the Marching 101. "I never played an instrument" He had his eyes on the tuba and seeked help from his friends in  band that played the flute. He played the tuba from 2003-2006. He also joined the band Fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi

After graduating from State, he worked an the band's equipment manager. He also served in the United State Marine Corps.


At 40 years old, Daniels is currently the Head of Archives at the library on the campus of SCSU. He is the forth person that has held this position. He has always been interested in History. He did his internship at the State Archives in Columbia S.C. He gained his Masters in Library Science from The University of South Carolina. He was offered a job at Alabama A & M University, but turned it down so he can be close to home her in South Carolina.

(Daniels in his office in Archives)

Thomas E. Miller

A hall on the campus of South Carolina State University named after him? An educator, lawyer and politician? It has to be none other the Thomas Ezekiel Miller. Born June 17th, 1849 in Ferrebeeville, S.C. Miller was born too an unmarried white couple, but rumor has it that he was raised by a black couple in Charleston. His light skin complexion caused speculation about whether or not he was black or white. He could have passed for a white person, but he identified himself as black. He attended South Carolina College (now know was University of South Carolina) and graduated in 1875.

(Thomas E. Miller)

Fast forward years later, Miller was an active politician as served as a member of the republican party as he represented Beaufort in the South Carolina house and then the senate from 1847 to 1882. He praised rural black southerners for their progress they had made since the emancipation. He condemned southern white Democrats for their undemocratic efforts to deny black men the suffrage. "It is not the fear of Negro supremacy in the south that causes southern election officers to suppresses the Negro vote, but it is the fear of the rule of majority regardless of race." 

Fast forward to September 30th, 1896, Miller who was the first President of Colored Normal Industrial, Agricultural, and Mechanical College of South Carolina, and his his 11 faculty members welcomed students to the school. The 8-acres campus and 11-acre farm was home to the first students.Today known as South Carolina State University  it was a primary and secondary vocational training school modeled on Hampton and Tuskegee. Miller was the longest serving President of SCSU from 1911-1937.

(Old hall located on Normal Industrial, Agricultural, and Mechanical College of South Carolina)

A building located on SCSU campus is called Miller Hall. This building is named after Thomas E. Miller. It was built in 1938 in his honor. Miller Hall is one of the 1st buildings that wasn't named after board members making it distinct. It has also been stated that Miller Hall was built by students. 

(Old picture of Miller Hall)

Miller Hall: Then and Now

Across from the student center stands a building that is old and abandoned. Many SC State students walk past it everyday and even relax in front of it. Want to know what building i'm referring to? It's Miller Hall. This distinguished hall has rich history lurking beyond its aged walls.

Originally built in 1938, this building was named after the first president Thomas E. Miller (pictured Below) of South Carolina State University which was formerly named Colored Normal Mechanical and Industrial College. This dorm was intended for male junior and seniors, but later changed to all female. "Miller hall was one of the 1st buildings that wasn't named after board members" says Avery Daniels the archivist of Miller F. Whitaker library at SCSU. The most recent use of Miller hall was back in 2006-2007 when students resided in it for band camp. 

(Thomas E. Miller)

Present day, Miller Hall from the outside still looks good, but the inside tells a different story. We had a chance to go look inside Miller with my class, and we got an eye full. The walls were peeling, old chairs were scattered throughout the floors, and old keys to the rooms were all laid out.  

This building looks like it has major code violations and has been left abandoned to hold old furniture that can be seen in current dorms on campus now. It would be nice to see Miller Hall restored and used as a dorm again, but for now, it's just an old building on campus that students walk by everyday to observe.

Have a look at a few pictures I captured while inside Miller Hall.

   

Hurricane Florence

It seems like every fall semester, South Carolina gets threatened with a Hurricane. Hurricane Florence was on track to impact South Carolina, and we had to take precaution. We were notified by school officials that classes were canceled and that we had to leave. This hurricane was nothing to play with and was intensifying.

During my time back at home I didn't do much. I did watch the news a much as possible and see if Florence was still going to impact South Carolina as previously forecast. Those days we got off from school were basically chill days for me lol. I'm Glad Florence was downgraded into a tropical storm once it hit here, and glad we were spared from the worst compared to our neighboring state of North Carolina.

Feature Story

Feature Story

My summer in 3 words was Hot, Chill, and fast. Now I know that when summer hits, you're supposed to expect them temperatures being in the 90s and above. I am South Carolinian and you would think that I would be used top the heat right? Wrong!! Some days were extremely hot, and I was over it.

My summer was pretty chill. If i wasn't at work, then I was at home in the air conditioning chilling as usual. I would generally take a walk late in the afternoon after the sun sets.

It seems like every summer goes by faster and faster. Summer lasted for like a few days lol, but I glad it went by quick. I enjoyed having time off from school.