nubian message
ISSUE 20
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WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6 | 2011
april 6, 2011
NUBIAN MESSAGE
SENTINEL OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AT NC STATE SINCE 1992
Krimson Revelation photos pg. 6
Rocky path leads to Mark Gottfried The hunt for a new Head Coach was not an easy one. CJ Guion | Satff Writer After a three week search, NC State has finally named Mark Gottfried the new head coach of the men’s basketball team. Gottfried is the former coach of Alabama. He was successful in taking the basketball team to the NCAA tournament five times, has 1 SEC championship, and holds a 210-132 overall record, but his last two years as head coach were dissappointing. Gottfried has not coached a team for the past two years and returns to the bench after a brief stint as an analyst for ESPN. Athletic Director Debbie Yow and Chancellor Randy Woodward held a press conference at Vaughn Towers to announce the hiring. The announcement comes days after several coaches from universities around the nation declined to take on the challenge of uplifting the Wolfpack basketball team from the slump it has been in for the last five plus years. Critics are speculating whether Gottfried was a last resort due to the fact that many other coaches did not want to accept what many see as a loss cause. Earlier in the week, State fans received disappointing news after several of the top names on the list of potentials backed out of negotiations with the university including Shaka Smart of Virginia Commonwealth University. Smart signed a new eight year contract to remain at the University after leading a mid-major team who was not even “supposed” to be in the field of 68, all the way to the Final Four. Gregg Marshall of Wichita State followed suit and announced that he also does not plan on coming to the Wolfpack Nation. The two coaches joined what seem to be a growing list of coaches who appeared to feel the job was pointless. Others who told the University to look elsewhere were: Sean Miller of Arizona, Mark Turgeon of Texas A&M, Josh Pastner of Memphis, and Texas head coach Rick Barnes. Following the declinations of Smart and Marshall, Athletic Director Debbie Yow wrote a letter to members of the Wolfpack Club to give fans and alumni insight on the current status of the search.
Gottfried Continued on pg. 5
Interview with new AACC Director pg. 3
WWW.NCSU.EDU/NUBIAN
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. photos pg. 6
Pan-Afrikan Week kicks off with A Walk in Africa Yolanda Ray | Staff Writer This past Sunday at 7PM in Talley Student Center ballroom the African Student Union marked the start of Pan-Afrikan Week with its Annual Africa Night. Students, faculty, and staff had an amazing experience as tour guide Demi Olubanwo took them on “A Walk in Africa.” During this Journey the guests had an opportunity to explore the various regions of the marvelous continent of Africa. The African Student Union highlighted cultural characteristics of North, South, East and West Africa. The tour guide informed the audience that North Africa is home to the world’s largest desert, the Sahara, which covers an area larger than the entire United States. This region of the continent is also where the world’s longest river can be found, the Nile River. A slideshow was presented, documenting the rising of Egypt and the vast impact it had on millions of individuals in the Northern region of Africa. Members of the African Student Union performed a skit about an East African family living in America. Discussing the role that each parent plays in the household in respect to decision making and the harsh realities associated with arranged marriages. In their culture the khatbah, Arabic for matchmaker, plays a significant role in choosing the spouse for a family. The skits were extremely comical, but the presence of the African culture was no laughing matter. The southern region of Africa is well known because South Africa was one of the last countries to officially end apartheid. The end to apartheid was led by Nelson Mandela, an anti- apartheid activist who has received over 250 awards over the past four decades. West Africa is the tropical region of Africa which is rich in both culture and agricultural products. There were numerous special performances dedicated to each region that included drama, spoken word, poetry, singing, and
Also apart of Africa Night was a fashion show, which showcased a number of types of African fashion and clothing ranging from modern and trendy to formal.
dancing. The second half of “A Walk in Africa” was an African fashion show; showcasing extravagant custom made pieces. The vibrant colors and patterns illustrated the hard work and dedication that went into those striking creations. Ultimately, the success of the event can be illustrated through the words of Sasha Bouldin, a senior in psychology, “I really enjoyed the program. They all did a wonderful job”. This event offered insight to the African way of life, by taking an hour long walk in Africa.
Pan Afrikan: The Tradition that Unites a Community Alexis Teasdell | Staff Writer Pan-Afrikan week is a huge celebration hosted at North Carolina State that sets it apart from many other Predominately White Universities in the area. It’s something that is talked about all year long and several clubs plan for it with great precision. But what is Pan-Afrikanism and where does it come from? Pan-Afrikanism was a movement that began in the 1900’s and was inspired by Marcus Garvey. It was to create self awareness of our African ancestry while encouraging us to study our history and culture. This inspired Pan-Afrikan week at North Carolina State University. Although it is often referred to as “The Black Homecoming” Pan-Afrikan provides so much more.
Pan Afrikan originated in 1971 to attract African Americans to NC State. Back then there were approximately 200 African American Students enrolled here. As time went by, the event grew into something spectacular. From intellectual lectures from Chuck D, Sister Souljah, Michael Eric Dyson and so many more, Pan Afrikan serves to inform, educate and celebrate African American culture. Many alumni and current students unite to witness the NPHC Step Show or to attend Africa Night, or to even enjoy some good food at the Taste of NC State. There is something for everybody. What about cost though? Many may feel as though Pan-Afrikan is a great event but as low income college students, this just isn’t a good fit for them. This isn’t necessarily true. Pan-Afrikan continued pg 4