THE SCOTIA EXPRESS

By Valerie Miller
Editor


They came. They saw. They left resumes and cover letters.
Recently, more than 20 students from Barber-Scotia College attended the Ninth Annual College Spring Break Job Fair at the spacious Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Sponsored by K.W. Productions, more than 200 of the nations' top companies where on hand to offer jobs, internships and advice to students and job seekers. The long list of participants included national corporations and non-profits: Wal-Mart, Walt Disney, Delta Airlines, Boys and Girls Club of America, R.J. Reynolds, Turner Entertainment, Blockbuster Inc., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Reserve, Kaiser Permanente, and the U.S. Army to name just a few.
For Scotia students and others, the fair presented them with a wealth of information and contacts.
''I wish I was looking for a job because if I was this is the place to be,'' said Dashard Dawson, a freshman at Scotia.
Whether looking for a job or not, most of the students agreed this was the place to be. Many brought back massive amounts of information, from tip on resumes and cover letters, to how to talk to potential employers.
Tariq Shakoor, director of Career Placement at Atlanta's Emory University and publisher of several books, was the featured speaker. He offered valuable information, from researching the company before you go on the interview to asking questions about pay rates and advancement. He also told students that it's very important to clearly define their goals and expectations before looking for a job.
Scotia students thought the trip was informative and very important. ''This job/internship fair was a learning experience for some and an opportunity for others,'' said Scotia freshman Brittany Robbins.
For some, it was a gold mine.
Scotia sophomore Andrea Wallace has already received her confirmation letter for an internship with Walt Disney World, one of the top internship programs in the country. She wasn't the only one happy about the job fair.
''I have a pretty good feeling, I know that I secured an internship,'' said Jemila Sanford, a sophomore at Scotia."I'm just waiting on the call or letter."

When Historically Black Colleges and Universities Close, Dreams Die with Them


By Valerie Miller
A column from the Editor

I thought we were important to you.
That is all that I can say right now about my school's situation and many other Historically Black Institutions that have either closed or close to closing, schools such as, Mary Holmes College, Knoxville College and Morris Brown College.
Our people (African Americans) can go and play basketball, football, and even own pro teams. They own businesses and media companies. They live in big homes and drive expensive cars. (You know who you are).
But when an HBCU faces financial ruin and death, where are you?
Is this any way to pay tribute to our ancestors, especially those who risked being killed in pursuit of an education. Remember when it was against the law to teach a Black child to read or write.
Now, all you have to do is take away in institution's accreditation and watch it crumble. You don't even need a gun, just the stroke of pen.
Shame on you Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for not doing all you could to keep these schools alive. Why not offer some real help in meeting the accrediting requirements instead of just sending people out to take notes and names. Blames must also be placed on the schools for not doing all they were supposed to do as well.
Equally distressing, why isn't anyone rallying to help schools like Scotia?
I am beginning to feel like we are not as important as all of the fancy things in life. It's really simple; no accreditation for HBCUs means no federal funds, which accounts for a large portion of a school's operating budget.
When non-minority schools loose accreditation folks who love the school rally together to regain accreditation. At most black schools, however, people plead and beg and soon realize very few care.
Why can’t we come together and give the funds to support our schools. Maybe people don't understand the true significance of HBCUs.
It used to be that the church was the most important institution in the black community. While religious institutions are still important, I'd argue black progress for the last 50 years is directly related to HBCUs, who still graduate more blacks with bachelor's degrees than anywhere else.
We're also talking about our history. Mary McLeod Bethune, of the greatest educators of all time (black or white, male or female) graduated from Barber-Scotia College. The founder of Bethune Cookman College is probably somewhere crying right now when she looks down on Scotia and other struggling HBCUs. Recently, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, the United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation, and Hampton University have been awarded $1 million for a new collaboration to improve fiscal management, campus operations and professional development at the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige has announced.
But is this enough? Finally, I believe HBCUs give you something that you cannot get anywhere else. Comfort, love, appreciation and motivation are among the things I've gotten from my time at Scotia. When these schools close, dreams—past, present and future-- die with them.