Break the average

Join the university community in welcoming the new Aggies at the New Student Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 2 p.m. in the Memorial Student Union, Stallings Ballroom. Giving the keynote address will be Joseph B. Washington, a motivational speaker whose gift is to empower individuals through challenges and help them embrace their future.

Washington’s passion for speaking is a result of his own personal struggle with stuttering while growing up in San Diego, Calif. He worked hard to overcome his disability and has spent the past 20 years working in corporate America in a variety of managerial roles. Now, as president and CEO of the Joseph Washington Group Inc., in Atlanta, Washington has created a company specializing in helping corporations, non-profit organizations, colleges, network marketing groups and others maintain high performance and excellence. He is a featured writer in the book Walking with the Wise, along with authors such as Tom Hopkins, Mark Victor Hansen, Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Harvey MacKay, Cynthia Kersey.

For more information, contact the Office of New Student Programs at (336) 256-2212.

New trustee

R. Timothy Rice, president and chief executive officer of Cone Health, has been appointed to the North Carolina A&T State University Board of Trustees. He was appointed by Gov. Bev Perdue.

A native of Washington State, Rice has served in his current position since August 2004. He served as chief operating officer from 2001 to 2004. Prior to that, he was executive vice president of The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital and executive vice president of the Health Services Division.

Rice received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Washington State University and his master’s degree in health administration from Duke. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He serves on the boards of the North Carolina Hospital Association, Greensboro Partnership, National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), Piedmont Triad Partnership and the GTCC Foundation. Nationally, he is on the board of directors of The Joint Commission (an accrediting agency for healthcare facilities), the National Center for Healthcare Leadership, VHA Central Atlantic Board and the Southern Atlantic Healthcare Alliance.

Rice and his wife Carolynn live in Greensboro. They have two children and two grandchildren.

The other members of the board include Dr. Stanley L. Allen, Spence Broadhurst, Pamela M. Buncum, Karen J. Collins, Willie A. Deese (chair), Emerson U. Fullwood, Janice Bryant Howroyd, Albert Shuler “Al” Lineberry Jr. (secretary), Christian Robinson (ex officio), Dr. Bertram Walls, Faye Tate Williams and Patricia Miller Zollar (vice chair).

Honda Campus All-Star Challenge

North Carolina A&T State University is among the 72 HBCUs that completed the first phase of the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge 2012 National Championship Tournament qualification process. The field of 48 HBCUs for the championship tournament will be announced in early February.

In its 23rd season, a refreshed format for the HBCU National Quiz Championship was introduced last fall along with new promotions to increase the profile of the program. Student involvement doubled over last season and Honda Campus All-Star Challenge Question of the Game was played in front of more than 250,000 fans at HBCU football games.

HBCUs vie for the coveted “Great 48” slots at the tournament, which will be held March 30–April 3 in Torrance, Calif. The final games will be held at Honda’s North America headquarters, allowing hundreds of Honda executives and associates to experience the competition.

In 1989, Honda joined with the College Bowl Company establishing Honda Campus All-Star Challenge to showcase and recognize the academic talents of students at America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Over the past 22 years, more than 75,000 HBCU students have participated in Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, and Honda has awarded more than $6 million in grants. For more information visit www.hcasc.com.

Votes needed

N.C. A&T’s Natuculture: Biomimicry in Urban Landscapes project is competing to win a $10,000 grant in Rain Bird’s The Intelligent Use of Water™ Awards contest. Your votes are needed for A&T’s project to win.

To read about the Rain Bird Corporation, A&T’s project and to vote for A&T, click on this link: Natuculture. For other details about A&T’s project, contact Dr. Manuel R. Reyes, professor of biological engineering in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design, at 336-334-7787 or reyes@ncat.edu.

Winners will be announced on World Water Day, March 22.

New office

The new Office of University Outreach, Professional Development and Distance Education at North Carolina A&T State University will provide programming and community engagement activities toward the goal of becoming a premier engaged institution in alignment with the university’s strategic plan, A&T Preeminence 2020. The office is headed by Dr. Linda T. Adams, associate vice chancellor, and includes continuing education, distance and online education, K-20 engagement and professional development, STEM advancement and academic engagement, and summer sessions and certificate programs.

AggieAlert! options

North Carolina A&T State University now requires all students to opt in or opt out to receive text messages from AggieAlert!, a notification system for emergencies, life-threatening situations and inclement weather. A hold will be placed on the student's account until he/she opts in or out. However, there may be other holds on the account that are not affiliated with AggieAlert! that must be satisfied before he/she is allowed to complete the class registration process.

Please encourage your students to opt in or opt out of AggieAlert! when they log into Aggie Access or Self-Service Banner by following the instructions. To learn more about AggieAlert!, visit http://www.ncat.edu/AggieAlert.

The Department of Human Performance and Leisure Studies has received written notification from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction that its physical education and health education programs have been approved at the Master of Art and Advanced Licensure levels. For additional information, contact Dr. Daniel Webb, associate professor and interim chairman, at 336-334-7712 or dwebb@ncat.edu.