OU? Oh, Yes! Vol. 3, No. 10

Vol. 3, No. 10 March 8, 2013

Did you vote today? On each of your electronic devices (phone, tablet, home and office PCs)?

In The Home Depot's fourth annual "Retool Your School" Campus Improvement grant program, Oakwoodites' online voting -- at www.retoolyourschool.com, "tweeting" and sharing of Instagram messages -- with the hashtag #OakwoodRYS2013 -- has helped Oakwood shoot to the top of the list of 75 HBCUs participating. OU went literally from the bottom of the list to the top in a matter of hours! Our closest competitor is the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

The Campus Pride Grant will go to the school with the most votes and social media activity. We're asking all of our readers to please:

1) Go online and vote for Oakwood University - once a day, every day, on every electronic device you have (smartphone, iPad, PC, etc.);

2) Tell your friends - family - church members - all of your Facebook and Instagram contacts, Twitter followers, etc. Imagine what we can do by the April 15th deadline!

The editors of OU? Oh, Yes! believe "We can do this!" We'll keep you posted.

Oakwoodites attend international vegetarianism conference

Every five years, the Nutrition Department at Loma Linda University's School of Public Health conducts a scientific vegetarian nutrition conference on the health effects of plant-based diets. This event offers an opportunity for health professionals and researchers to learn from each other in plenary sessions, workshops, poster presentations and social gatherings.

During the 6th International Conference, held in Loma Linda, California, February 24-26, 2013, Dr. Marta Sovyanhadi, chair of the Family & Consumer Sciences Department (left), and dietetics students Avanelle Thomas (sophomore) and Loica Marc (senior), shared research during the poster session. The two projects presented were: 1) "Vegetarian health nuggets: are they only foods for thought?" by Loica Marc, Marta Sovyanhadi and Eva Starner; and 2) "The importance of SDA universities to emphasize the need of nutrition education and a vegetarian diet," by Marta Sovyanhadi, Avanelle Thomas and Eva Starner.

In the latest Southern Tidings --

Oakwoodites Wintley Phipps, Dr. Prudence Pollard, and Elder T. Marshall Kelly are featured on pages 28, 30 and 34 respectively, in the March, 2013, edition of the Southern Tidings.

OU employees trained in emergency response

~ by Jason McCracken, Director of LETC | Photo by Ray Leftridge

During the month of February, on Monday and Tuesday evenings, a number of faculty, staff, students and community members met in a Moran Hall classroom for the 20 hour Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) certification course.

"While it is commendable to want to assist in an emergency situation, it is much better to be trained to render good service," said Assistant Vice President for Service-learning, Mrs. Patricia Stewart Daniel, who along with Scott Worsham, Emergency Management Officer, Huntsville/Madison County, coordinated the month-long training.

The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness, how to look for hazards that may impact their area, and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. The course was taught by professionals from local agencies in the Huntsville/Madison community including: HEMSI, Huntsville Fire and Rescue, Emergency Management, and Madison Fire and Rescue.

Individuals who completed the course (pictured above) received a certificate and a backpack containing a vest and helmet that identifies the wearer as CERT trained, along with other essentials, such as flashlight, goggles and work gloves. CERT members were encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness activities and projects in their community.

Oakwood alum is president of Southern Africa Union Conference

My name is Tankiso Letseli and I am currently residing in Bloemfontein, South Africa. I graduated from Oakwood College (now University) in 1990 (BA Theology), Master of Divinity (M.Div) from Andrews University in 1993, MA (New Testament Studies) in 1998, and DLitt et Phil (Ph.D) New Testament Studies in 2002.

I am currently serving as the President of the Southern Africa Union Conference (SAU), Bloemfontein, South Africa (2011 - 2015). Prior to that I served as Senior Lecturer, Vice-President for Student Services, and President of Helderberg College, Cape Town, (2006 - 2010). I have also served as the SAU Family & Health Ministries Director (2002 - 2005), and also served as Departmental Director and President of the Trans-Orange Conference, Johannesburg (1993 - 2001).

I am married to Duduzile Letseli, and we have two lovely children: Thabiso (son of 21 years old) and Teboho (daughter of 15 years old).

Jesus Christ, His mission, and my family are still my passion. I am proud to be associated with Oakwood University.

Private school in Alexandria, LA with 10 students (and Oakwood alum principal) could be approved for 70 voucher slots

A private school in Alexandria could have nearly eight times its current enrollment next year through Louisiana's voucher program. Alfred Booker Jr. Academy, formerly Smyrna Seventh-day Adventist School, could be approved for 70 student spots in the Louisiana Scholarship Program that uses tax-funded vouchers to pay for students

Sheldon Eakins, principal and teacher at the Alfred Booker Junior Academy, sits in the schools recently upgraded library. (Eakins is the son of OU Public Safety Chief Lewis and Mrs. Denese Eakins.)

to attend private schools, school officials said.

The program currently is accepting applications for the 2013-14 academic year. The state has released the names of participating schools but has not revealed how many students each school will be allowed to accept under the program

Read the rest of the story here.

Former OU Professor includes several Oakwoodites in "Healers in a Multi-Cultural Nation"

Dr. Ramona Hyman, author, performance artist, poet and Associate Professor of Humanities, School of Religion at Loma Linda University, created and presented the "African American Seventh-day Adventists: Healers in a Multi-Cultural Nation" program on February 16, 2013, at the Loma Linda University Church, in Loma Linda, California.

Dr. Ramona Hyman

Dr. Mervyn Warren, Dean, School of Religion and Theology at Oakwood University preached during the first service on "Faith Hall of Famers: Are we there yet?" and Dr. Calvin Rock, retired pastor, educator and Vice President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists preached during the second service on "Healed by Something Better." The online edition of the Adventist Review featured Dr. Rock's sermon in its entirety.

An amazing panel discussion on Healers in a Multi-Cultural Nation was followed up in the Damazo Amphitheatre, Centennial Complex with dynamic speakers Dr. Benjamin Baker, Dr. Andy Lampkin, Dr. Andrea Trusty King, Mr. Anthony Paschal and Dr. Maury Jackson discussing the importance of Healing in a Multi-Cultural Nation for African Americans and all Americans.

The dynamic and healing program ended with a Vespers gospel concert with Daughters of Zion and the Valley Crossroads Chorale, and a touching tribute, honor and presentation to celebrate the work of two dedicated African Americans, Drs. David and Maxine Taylor Professor of Religion and Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Loma Linda University.