... Celebrating those of our readers who are survivors, and remembering with you those who are no longer with us. 

One of the several agenda items was Oakwood's relationship to independent ministries (for details, click here: http://www.oakwood.edu/oakwood-university-a-naps).

(l-r) Board members Robert Lemon, Dan Jackson, Leslie Pollard and Alphonso McCarthy)

Board members in front of newly-remodeled Cunningham Hall, at the conclusion of their meeting and tour, October 22, 2012.

This meeting also included a summary of the work coordinated by the Marble Leadership Group; a report by several Board members who attended September's Strategic Actioning session; and a walkthrough of the newly renovated Cunningham Hall.

Board members tour Cunningham Hall

The Office of Spiritual Life (OSL) is featured in the October, 2012, issue of the President's FYI.  To view the issue, click here: 

http://www.oakwood.edu/images/zfiles/administration/Presidents-FYI/Presidents%20FYI%20Issue%2010%20-%20October%202012.pdf

Dawnette Chambers (center) SAC's 2012-12 Student of the Year Award

For the first-time ever, Team PR submitted various promotional materials for professional recognition awards from the Society of Adventist Communicators (SAC). God blessed, and we won: 

1. Corporate Communication: "Best Constituency Video: President Pollard's Welcome Message to the Evangelism Council" (Anthonye Perkins)
2. Corporate Communications: "Best Promotional Materials for a Special Event: Presidential Inaugural Weekend" (Jerry B. Ross) 

3. Print: "Best Student Newspaper: The Spreading Oak" (former editor Stephanie Campbell)

4. Magazine: "Best Magazine Cover Design: Oakwood Magazine, Spring 2012" (Jerry B. Ross)

5.  One-time Event Promotions: "Invitation to Presidential Inaugural Weekend" (Jerry B. Ross)

6.  Book Cover Design: "Raise a Leader (Review & Herald Publishing Association) by Dr. Prudence Pollard", and

7.  2011-2012 Student of the Year - Miss Dawnette Chambers, Communications Dept

   

Jason McCracken, then

In 1979, Elder Jason & Mrs. Carolyn McCracken arrived on their first mission assignment to the Central Brazil Mission in Goiania, Goias Brazil. McCracken is considered as the first African American student missionary to Brazil in 1975, and the second African American to serve in that country.

On September 18, 2012, Elder McCracken was invited by the same Pathfinder club (Desbravadores) in Brasilia to conduct a Week of Prayer, recognizing the 40^th anniversary of the club's organization. He was the youth and pathfinder director of the Central Brazil Mission where he inspired the club to conference, union and division status during the 80s.

The objective of the Week of Prayer was to celebrate 40 years of rich history, register all members (400) of the club since 1972, and inspire the former Pathfinders to return to church. McCracken made the accomplishment of this goal his central focus oughout the week.

McCracken shares the Brazilian Pathfinders' history, as he served as the first Junion Youth Specialist of the Central Brazil Union in 1986, with a membership of 400 clubs and 18,000 pathfinders.  During his time in this role, he organized:

• The first Camporee of Rio Grande do Sul Conference in 1975.

During the week, Elder McCracken visited many Adventist schools with a student enrollment of more than 1,100. He promoted Oakwood University via the web and talked about the institution's history. Most of the students had never heard of Oakwood, which gave him the opportunity for him to really promote the University. (While in Brazil many of our sister institutions were recruiting students at the same time Elder McCracken promoted Oakwood.)

The weekly attendance was extremely high in a church that holds over 1,300. The nightly attendance filled the lower level of the church. The Week of Prayer ended with seven baptisms and over 120 youth and adult decisions to return to church and rebaptism.

Jason McCracken, now (center), in full Master Guide regalia

The Church Orchestra composed a song for the event, in which Elder McCracken participated and sang every night, the theme song "In Moments Like These." He preached his last sermon with such emotion as he told his story of how God called him to ministry in order to save a friend dying of AIDs. McCracken told his friend, on his death bed, to repeat Psalm 23 "until you die." His friend died repeating Psalms 23. The congregation cried with Elder McCracken as he made his final appeal to the youth by asking them to meet him at gate no. 1 (of the 12 gates) in Heaven. This motivated the120 Pathfinders who had left the church to return and make a commitment to God!

Elder McCracken was given a gift of the Brazilian selection team with his name inscribed on the back with the number  10. Brazil will host the World Cup in 2014.

The Department of History and Political Science welcomed approximately 100 people to the McKee Business & Technology complex auditorium, for the second and final installment in its "History Careers Seminar Series," on Monday, October 15, 2012. Ms. Jane Mabry, an antique and collectibles appraiser, was the guest speaker.

The program began with an invocation by Paul Richardson, a junior history major and treasurer of the OU Historical Society. Dr. Ciro Sepulveda, Professor of History and faculty advisor to the Historical Society, delivered the devotional. Gramond McPherson, a junior history major and president of the OU Historical Society, issued a general welcome. Dr. Alfonzo Greene Jr., Assistant Professor of History and co-advisor to the Historical Society, introduced the guest speaker.

Ms. Mabry described her journey to becoming an antique and collectibles appraiser, and elaborated on her responsibilities in that capacity. Ms. Mabry, assisted by her husband, provided a verbal estimation of value on various artifacts attendees brought to the event to discover their monetary worth. These items included: a collection of early edition Booker T. Washington books, a Civil War Confederate sword, slave shackles (being held by Ms. Mabry in photo), a James K. Polk Peace Medallion, a set of 19^th century Shakespeare books, and a niddy noddy (a tool used to make skeins from yarn) made in the 1800s. McPherson, accompanied by Anthony Medley II (a junior history major and secretary of the OU Historical Society), presented Ms. Mabry with gifts of appreciation - including a copy of the volume Last Day Events by Ellen G. White.

Dr. Samuel London, Chair of the Department of History and Political Science, thanked Ms. Mabry and her husband for sharing their expertise in antiques and collectibles. He also spoke on the interest generated for the study of history through antique and collectable appraisal as shown on popular television programs like The Antiques Road Show and Pawn Stars.

Ms. Marie Stephenson, a junior history major and vice-president of the OU Historical Society, delivered both the announcements and closing prayer.