by Monica Spencer, student writer

Miss Oakwood, Nia Johnson, and Miss UNCF, Monica Spencer, served as spokespersons for the Angel Tree fundraiser. Photo by Anthony Chornes, II.

Last month, WJOU 90.1 FM sponsored an "Angels Among Us" campaign in an effort to assist with the needs of local Huntsville families for the Christmas season. A major focus of the campaign was to assist parents of the New Beginnings program. New Beginnings, housed on the Oakwood University campus, is designed to assist single-parent students on their journey to complete their degree.

With the assistance of Garden Cove Produce, Good Samaritan Hospice, and generous donations from community members and online givers, New Beginnings families were given items such as laundry detergent, bath soaps, pots, pans, children's clothing, educational toys, and sheets just  

to name a few. Along with assisting the parents and children of New Beginnings, the donations received from this campaign assisted some families in the Huntsville community. A total of 53 people were served, which included 20 adults, and 33 children.

Reggie Hicks, general manager and director of WJOU, expressed, "It was a wonderful collaboration of students, faculty, the staff of Oakwood, and the community. Hopefully it is something that we can do every year."

If you happen to be in Toronto, Canada, this coming Saturday, January 17, stop by the McVety Centre for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. Featured in this evening of music, inspiration, and motivation will be Oakwood's Voices of Triumph and Jesse Wilson, D.Min., associate professor of religion at Oakwood University. For more information on the admission cost for this event, please contact Pauline Christian at (416) 605-4724. 

Beginning this Saturday night and ending on Monday afternoon, Oakwood University will host the 2015 Martin Luther King Basketball Classic. Both Men's and Women's basketball teams will play games against competing colleges/universities. Tickets for the games are $10/day at the Ashby Auditorium (gymnasium) door. Students with a current Oakwood ID are free. Click here for the complete schedule. For more information, please contact Coach Roddy at (256) 726-7314.

Have you secured your brick for the Legacy Walkway that is being constructed in front of the Peters Media Center and Ford Hall? The Oakwood University Brick Campaign provides an opportunity to leave a legacy and support campus improvement at the same time.

The Legacy Walkway will feature names of donors, loved ones, special remembrances, and favorite sayings. Bricks are a great opportunity to congratulate a recent graduate, celebrate a degree or accomplishment, or honor your loved ones.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to leave more than a memory at Oakwood University. If you are interested in securing your brick in time for Alumni Weekend, the last day to order is Friday, January 16. Please visit Brick Pathway website www.bricksrus.com/order/oakwood to create your personalized brick. Leave your own legacy as we continue the Building on the Past Campaign (brick by brick).

Ruby Lathon, Ph.D., '92, was one of many interviewees in a special report on ABC's Nightline titled Race. Justice. In America. The program originally aired on December 11, 2014. 

Note: Please send an email to pr@oakwood.edu to share any Alumni stories with us.

This Sabbath (January 17), I will be preaching at the Oakwood University Seventh-day Adventist Church. My sermon title is "Buy One, and All Else is Free." The Oakwood University Aeolians will also be providing the music during the service. If you are not in the Huntsville area this coming Sabbath and would like to experience the Oakwood University Church service, please click here. The main service begins at 11:00 a.m. CST.

Depending on the weather, sunsets can be beautiful in Huntsville. Pictured here is the newly renovated Carter Hall with the glow of a winter sunset in the background. Photo by Richard Hodnett.