Oakwood University's  OU? Oh, Yes!
Vol. 3, No. 16                                                                                April 19, 2013
  
  
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50 years ago this week -- "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" 

 


Tuesday, April 16th, marked the 50th anniversary of one of the most important civil rights documents ever written. Dr. Martin Luther King began writing his famous letter from the Birmingham jail.

 

Guided by Mrs. Paulette Johnson, Director of Library Services, OU administrators, faculty and students participated in a worldwide celebration of this anniversary, by reading Dr. King's letter in its entirety.

 

The reading took place on the steps of the Ashby Auditorium, where Dr. King spoke in 1962. Tuesday's brief program was featured on WAAY TV 31  and Fox54.

 

 

 
OU establishes Faculty/Staff Think Tanks

 

According to Dr. Garland Dulan, Vice President for Academic Affairs, "The purpose of our Faculty/Staff Think Tanks is to utilize the combined knowledge and wisdom of the faculty and staff in addressing the major issues of importance to the future of Oakwood."

 

This process started in 2012, he continued, under the direction of President Pollard and works in coordination with the President's Council; one outgrowth of it to date is the OU Leadership Academy, purposed for training faculty and staff how to enhance or build their leadership skills.

 

"Think Tanks utilize the best talents of the faculty and staff in moving the institution forward in planning strategically for Oakwood's future. Yes, some of the issues discussed in Think Tanks deal with resolution of current needs or problems, but the focus is on addressing the most important issues that will take the institution to the next level.

 

Our Think Tank hot topics?

 

  • How to best coordinate the strategic planning initiatives (Strategic Actioning ideas) of Oakwood with Title III initiatives?
  • How best to infuse the concept of "service learning" into the curriculum as a regular part of the learning a student receives in class, so that students actually embrace the importance of and gain the experience of "Enter[ing] to learn, Depart[ing] to Serve" before they graduate?
  • Critical Thinking
  • How to integrate our faith into the learning students receive at Oakwood; what ways to do this best? A series of mostly outside experts and consultants will bring expertise to the Faith & Learning workshops.

 

Dates of this year's Think Tanks are:

 

  1. May 14-16 (Strategic Planning) and Service Learning,
  2. May 20 (QEP Faculty Workshop - for QEP faculty, who will teach as part of the Critical Thinking initiative), and
  3. May 21-22 (Integration of Faith & Learning Workshops).

"Finally, we'll know that our Think Tanks are succeeding when three things occur:

 

  1. When meaningful dialogue and serious engagement of participants takes place;
  2. When positive change take place in how we teach and model behavior to our students and constituents; and
  3. When we establish measurements rubrics for ensuring the outcomes we expect are achieved."

 

   
Q: Say, Home Depot: did Oakwood University win the 2013 Retool Your School contest, after amassing a 51,000-vote lead on the last contest day, April 15?

 

Not so fast, Oakwood Nation.

 

A: According to Mrs. Lucy Cort, OU RYS contest coordinator/proposal writer: "Winning schools will be notified via email on or around May 3, 2013."

 

The application information states that "The winning proposal for the Campus Pride Grant ($25,000) will go to the applicant with the most votes and social media activity, as assessed by The Home Depot during the Voting Period. 

  

Also, earlier this week, when President Dr. Leslie N. Pollard reported to the General Conference Spring Council in Battle Creek, MI, on Oakwood's participation in The Home Depot Competition, "200 leaders from around the world erupted in applause. The outpouring of love and support was amazing!

 

Thanks to all our alumni, friends, supporters and our worldwide family for your support, which gave us a 50,000 vote lead on the last day of the competition!!!"  

 

 

This week on "Ask the Expert" --

 

 

President Dr. Leslie N. Pollard discusses authoring Loving Leadership and Leadership Matters books on this week's "Ask the Experts"  WAAY-TV midday news program.

Like Father ... ?

 

Last week, OU? Oh, Yes! reported about OU's Enactus Team participating in a regional competition.  The photo (right) was captioned:  "A photo opportunity for Oakwood's Enactus team (l-r): Faculty Advisor Shaunda Roach; students Alex Mereius; Kinah Hibbler; Brittany Hughes; Samuel Thomas, Jr.; Faculty Advisor Jean Lai Hing."

 

We immediately heard from both father and son.  The father said: 

 

"Now that I have finished bowing in acceptance of the wonderful Enactus award, I have to inform you that it's really Samuel E. Thomas, III, who deserves the credit.  Look at it this way - it's all in the family.

 

Samuel Thomas, Jr.

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REVIEW & HERALD PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION

 

Thanks, gentlemen, for keeping us on our editorial toes. 

 

 

  

 
 
 
 
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