THIS MONTH AT XAVIER

IN THIS ISSUE:

Students designated
as Rousseve scholars

XU alumnus receives
Peace Corps Award

XU summer programs
keep campus humming

Xavierite to compete
for Miss Black USA

Three alums change
face of city parking

University begins
new SSN migration

XavierWrites

Baquet		Wilhite
Grier		Nave
Penn		St. Charles

Students

Marcus DeLarge, a senior political science major and French minor from New Orleans (St. Augustine High), was selected to participate in a month-long French Immersion Program at St. Ann University in Church Point, Nova Scotia (Canada).

Alumni

Roneisha Alexander ’05, has been accepted into the graduate program in neuroscience at Tulane University.

Alana Anthony ’05, has been accepted into the Meharry College School of Medicine.

Paul Atkins ’03, has received his masters degree in health administration from Saint Louis University. He is currently serving a two-year fellowship with the Johns Hopkins Health System in Baltimore, Md.

Lacey Bailey ’05, has been accepted into the LSU-Shreveport School of Medicine.

Bridget Battles ’05, has been accepted into the Meharry College School of Medicine.

Aj’a Boyd ’05, has been accepted in medical school at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Kristina Braud ’04, is serving as a research associate with the LSU Human Development Center in New Orleans.

Lesli Brown ’05, has been accepted into medical school at George Washington University and Virginia Commonwealth.

Junaia Carter ’05, has been accepted into medical school at Southern Illinois University.

Terrence Carter ’05, has been accepted into medical school at Southern Illinois University.

Ashley Cesar ’05, has been accepted into masters degree program in medical science at Indiana University.

Ashton Charles ’05, has been accepted into the Ph.D. program in genetics at Texas A&M University.

Aisha Collins ’05, has been accepted into medical school at LSU-New Orleans and LSU-Shreveport.

Tahera Darensburg ’04, has been accepted into the Ph.D. program in biostatistics at Emory University. She is currently interning at the Center for Disease Control in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Dr. Carolyn Dejoie ’44, has been appointed to the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners by the state Supreme Court. She represented the board at the National Bar of Examiners Conference, held in Seattle, Wash.

Miata Dick ’05, has been accepted into medical school at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Zakiya Donelson ’05, has been accepted into medical school at East Tennessee State University.

Odinakachukwu Ehie ’05, has been accepted into medical school at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the University of Wisconsin.

Jaszianne Faulk ’05, has been accepted into medical school at Morehouse College, Wayne State University, Meharry College and LSU-Shreveport.

Jacqueline Faulkner ’05, has been accepted into medical school at Morehouse College, Meharry College and Wayne State University.

Matthew Frazier ’05, has been accepted into the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health.

Isaac Grier ’02, has entered the Young Artist Program at Opera North in Lebanon, N.H., where he is scheduled to sing in four productions. He was chosen for the program in national auditions involving more that 500 other candidates.

Yolanda Harrison ’05, has been accepted into medical school at the University of Arkansas.

Ricky Haywood-Watson II ’05, has been accepted into the Tulane University School of Medicine.

Dana Hill ’05, has been accepted into the Ph.D. program in sociology at Texas A&M University.

Natasha Hollis ’05, has been accepted into the Ph.D. programs in biology at the Medical College of Georgia, Emory University, the University Alabama-Birmingham and Morehouse College.

Tamara Hughes ’05, has been accepted into the post-baccalaureate program at American University.

Ahmad Jababar ’05, has been accepted into the masters degree program in biomedical sciences at Barry University.

Ajani Jackson ’05, has been accepted into the Morehouse College School of Medicine.

Melissa Johnson ’05, has been accepted into the Ph.D. program in cancer biology at the Wayne State University Karmanas Cancer Institute.

Dionna Jones ’05, has been accepted into medical school at the University of Saint Eustatius.

Sangeetha Kandan ’05, has been accepted into medical school at LSU-New Orleans and Meharry College.

Clarisse Lukanda ’05, has been accepted into the American University of Antigua College of Medicine.

Kristen McCord ’05, has been accepted into medical school at the University of Illinois-Chicago and Morehouse College.

Jennifer Mullen ’05, has been accepted into the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Yakeyla Nave ’05, has been accepted in the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.

Kortlan Nelson ’05, has been accepted into dental school at Howard University, Meharry College and LSU.

Ahna Patterson ’05, has been accepted into the Southern University-Baton Rouge School of Law and the masters program in forensic science at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Nogba Pawoo ’05, has been accepted into the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dolly Penn ’05, has been accepted into the Florida State University College of Medicine.

Tysheena Perkins ’05, has been accepted into the masters program in biology at Texas A&M University.

Laura Perry ’05, has been accepted into the respiratory therapy program at the LSU-New Orleans Health Sciences Center.

Shannon Prudhomme ’03, has received a master of public health degree from the University of Michigan.

Demerial Rhodes ’05, has been accepted in the epidemiology program at the Tulane University School of Public Health.

Larry Shuler ’05, has been accepted into medical school at the University of South Carolina.

Kellie Stewart ’05, has been accepted into the University of Houston and Pennsylvania Colleges of Optometry.

Natalie Turner ’05, has been accepted into the Ph.D. programs in biomedical research at the University of Pittsburgh and Albert Einstein College.

Georgina Ushi ’05, has been accepted into veterinary school at Auburn University, Purdue University, the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Javon Wickliff ’05, has been accepted into the community counseling program at the University of Georgia-Atkins.

Rashun Wilson ‘97, has been promoted to Director of Human Services at the West Jackson Community Development Corporation in Jackson, Miss., where he will manage all organizational components relating to youth education, youth prevention and intervention of alcohol, tobacco and other illicit drug use, abstinence education and the parent resource center.

Shane Milligan Woods ’98, a seventh grade science teacher at J.P. Elder Middle School in Fort Worth, Texas, has one of 17 national winners of an all-expenses-paid trip to Habitat:H20 in Tampa, Fla., via the Making a World of Difference Science Teaching Contest, which was sponsored by the educational travel company WorldStrides.

Rodney Yapi ’05, has been accepted into medical school at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Vermont.

Faculty/Staff

Dr. Kenneth Boutte (associate dean, A&S) has completed the management development program of study in Harvard University’s Institutes for Higher Education.

Dr. Kenneth St. Charles (institutional advancement) has joined the IA staff as Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, where he will be responsible for raising funds for some the University’s key campaign initiatives, including capital, endowment and other major projects. He comes to XU from the United Negro College Fund, where he served as area development director for eight years.

LaJuana Gauff Chenier ‘88 (associate vice president for development) was designated as a “Faculty Star” by conference participants for her presentation at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) Kresge Learning Institute, held in Atlanta Ga.

Sybil Haydel Morial ‘52 (associate vice president for external affairs) has retired after 28 years of service at the University, including stints as associate vice president for public affairs and communications and director of the Drexel Center.

Vincent Spiziri, managing director of Washington D.C. based Bernstein Investment and Management Research, chats with incoming freshmen participating in this summer’s Business Achievers program – Rachel Lockhart, Kandice Keelen and Jamar Levingston – prior to presenting a $5,000 check to XU Board of Trustees chair Carroll W. Suggs in support of the Xavier Entrepreneurship Institute. Looking on is business professor Dr. Louis Mancuso. (photo by Irving Johnson III)

Students designated as Rousseve scholars

Thirty upperclassmen have been named Rousseve Scholars for the 2005-2006 school year.

Students selected for the Rousseve Scholars Program generally represent the top ten students in the sophomore, junior and senior classes based on their academic performance the preceding two semesters. Each recipient receives a full tuition scholarship (valued at $12,100) and a book allowance.

This year’s recipients – grouped are grouped by their class – are listed below along with their major field of study, hometown and high school.

Seniors – Kendra Adams, accounting, LaPlace, La. (East St. John); Crystal Calloway, pharmacy, Fayetteville, Ga. (Fayette County); LaToya Clark, chemistry pre-med, Mobile, Ala. (Leflore, Ala.); ShaVonda Gaudin, biology, Houston, Texas (Debakey); Tiffany Haynes, psychology, Forrest City, Ark. (Forrest City); Brooke Howard, biology pre-med, Smyrna, Ga. (Campbell); Cuong Nguyen, biology pre-med, N.O. (Karr); Leslie Spillman, art, Baton Rouge, La. (McKinley); Katura Thomas, pharmacy, Catasauqua, Pa. (Catasauqua); and Christopher Whitmore, biology pre-med, Boston, Mass. (Latin).

Juniors – Jaime Anderson, biology, Lafayette, La. (Carencro); Heidi Becnel, pharmacy, Boutte, La. (Hahnville); Elise Crovetto, pharmacy, Chalmette, La. (Jackson); Symielle Gaston, psychology, Atlanta, Ga. (Westlake); Sheree Guimont, biology pre-med, Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville); Anh Van Mai, biology pre-med, Marrero, La. (Ehret); Thuy-Huy Nhan, biology pre-med, Marrero, La. (Higgins); Ray Scioneaux, biology pre-med, Lafitte, La. (Fisher); Jade Vincent, pharmacy, Lafitte, La. (Fisher); and Vincent Vu, chemistry pre-med, N.O. (De La Salle).

Sophomores – Aarielle Gentry, pre-pharmacy, New Iberia, La. (Westgate); Nicole Gonzales, pre-pharmacy, Chalmette, La. (Chalmette); Shayla Graham, engineering, Valdosta, Ga. (Lowndes); Breyanna Grays, biology pre-med, Grand Blanc, Mich. (Grand Blanc); Randal Harris, biology pre-med, Detroit, Mich. (Renaissance); Keisha Rogers, biology pre-med, Sheyboygan, Wisc. (Sheyboygan); Erica Stevens, biology pre-med, Mobile, Ala. (Murphy); Thao-Nguyen Tran, biology pre-med, Marrero, La. (Ehret); Alona Williams, pre-pharmacy, Baton Rouge, La. (Broadmoor); and Erika Wilson, pre-pharmacy, Decatur, Ga. (Towers).

XU alumnus receives Peace Corps Award

Charles Baquet, a former U.S. Ambassador and currently Director of Xavier’s Center for Intercultural and International Programs, was presented the Peace Corps' Franklin H. Williams Award last month in Washington, D.C.

Baquet was one of eleven former Peace Corps volunteers of color from across the nation recognized at the Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington, DC. The award honors Peace Corps minority volunteers who have put their overseas experiences to work in their communities and in their professions to promote a better understanding of other people and their cultures.

Baquet, a 1963 Xavier graduate, served with both the Peace Corps and VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), and also with the Foreign Service of the United States.

In the Peace Corps, Baquet served in Africa’s Somali Republic, being responsible to the Ministry of Education in Somalia. He taught English, History and geography at a boarding school and English at a trade school. While in the country he developed an intramural sports program, was instrumental in establishing a library, instituted plans for a teachers’ resource library, and showed educational films in towns and schools located in remote areas.

He served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti and was the U.S. Consul General in Cape Town, South Africa.

Baquet was nominated by President Bill Clinton to be the Peace Corps Deputy Director in 1994.
In addition to his bachelor’s degree from XU, he holds a Masters in public administration from Syracuse University.

Senate Debate Production earns "Telly"
		Alumna Arthurine Payton '85 of Cox Communications is all smiles along with XU Associate Vice President for University & Media Relations Warren Bell and Cox Manager of Production & Local Programming Daneen Storc. The source of their amusement is the national "Telly Award" for Community Service presented to Cox, the Press Club of New Orleans and Xavier for their production of a U.S. Senate candidates' forum last Fall 2004 televised from the Xavier campus. (photo by Irving Johnson III)

XU summer programs keep campus humming

Elementary and high school students took advantage of an array of challenging and diverse offerings, helping to swell this summer’s enrollment beyond the 3,100 mark.

More than 800 young students took advantage of 18 separate special programs catering to a variety of age ranges and interests.

One of those popular summer entries – the Drexel Summer Enrichment program – drew more than 108 elementary and junior high participants. The program offered intensive math instruction and a choice of creative activities.

Several other programs also drew significant numbers to the campus, including some well-entrenched offerings – SuperScholar Excel (71 participants), ChemStar (68), BioStar (63) and MathStar (54) – and some newer ventures such as Family and Community Life Center’s academic enrichment program P.E.A.C.E. (66) and the College of Pharmacy’s Center of Excellence program (53).

Still other programs served as “bridge” activities for incoming or potential college freshmen. The Howard Hughes (79) program, Upward Bound/ Bridges (78), Theology’s InFLIGHT (30) and SEM program (8) all gave students the opportunity to earn college credits before they begin their freshman year.

It wasn’t all young and fresh faces on campus, however, as close to 2,000 regularly-enrolled Xavier students took advantage of reduced tuition to pick up credit courses during the university’s two five-week summer sessions.

In addition, 95 teachers participated in the Division of Education’s Pre-AP Institute and Advanced Placement Teacher Institute programs. Another 60 adults participated in the Institute for Black Catholic Studies.

Xavierite to compete for Miss Black USA

You might recall the 1950’s science fiction movies where the male action hero teams up with the beautiful female scientist. Yeah right!

Enter Rachel Wilhite ‘01, a doctoral student in epidemiology at the University of Arizona who will be representing her home state at the Miss Black USA pageant in Washington, D.C. next month.
Wilhite, 27, had never competed in a pageant before entering (and winning) the Miss Black Arizona contest last October. She said what attracted her to the pageant was the idea of the competition and scholarship money it offered as prizes.

Wilhite said that her title of Miss Black Arizona has allowed her to become more actively involved in community issues in her hometown Tuscon, while giving her the chance to interact with minorities and non-minorities at balls, banquets, charity events and church services.

Miss Black USA stands out from the hundreds of pageants held throughout the country each year because of its emphasis on scholarship and community service. Each contestant is required to raise $1,000 for the Children's Miracle Network and spend time tutoring in her community. In addition, there is no swimsuit competition. It has been replaced by a fitness component, which evaluates contestants' fitness level and workout apparel.

Wilhite hopes her platform, mentoring African-American females through the promotion of math and science, will help encourage them to pursue careers in those fields and "to achieve the highest level of education necessary to achieve their goals."

Wilhite, 27, is in the fourth-year of the doctoral program at UA, where she previously received a master’s degree in public health. This summer, Wilhite is in Durham, N.C., working as an intern with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Parking Solutions LLC
		Mark Boucree ‘90, Tyrone Rodgers ‘93 and Keith Pittman ‘93 show off the high-tech parking meters that led to the creation of their New Orleans-based business, Parking Solutions, LLC, which earned Innovator of the Year status from New Orleans’ CityBusiness magazine. (Photo by Tommy Santora)

Three alums change face of city parking

A trio of Xavier University graduates helped change the face of New Orleans downtown parking.

Parking Solutions, LLC, a New Orleans-based, minority-owned business founded by CEO Keith Pittman, 34, Tyrone Rogers, 36, and Mark Boucree, 37, formed a partnership with Standard Parking Corp. in 2004 to replace 2,600 single and dual space parking meters in the Central Business District.

The meters were replaced by 400 solar-powered, Parkeon Stelio pay-and-display terminals, which control up to 12 spaces at a time and accept coin and credit cards. The joint contract launched Parking Solutions; the company had $105,000 in 2004 revenue and projects $1.125 million revenue this year.

In addition to managing and operating the parking meter program for New Orleans, Parking Solutions has a management contract for the French Market and Union Passenger Terminal parking facilities.

“We’ve had mostly good responses and we’ve also had a few people who are not willing to accept change with the new machines,” said Pittman. “The city had old mechanical meters and we introduced to them state-of-the-art meters that offer more convenience for paying.”

The three Parking Solution founders graduated from Xavier University in the early 1990s and reunited in 2002. [Pittman ‘93, Rodgers ‘93 and Boucree ‘90] Boucree had parking operations experience from working in Denver and San Francisco. Pittman worked in governmental affairs for Hilton Hotels and Rodgers was employed at Bally’s Cassino.

The three saw Parkeon’s pay-and-display meters at an international parking trade show. Parkeon has pay-and-display systems covering more than three million parking spaces with 120,000 machines installed around the world, including: Chicago, Denver, Portland, Seattle and Miami. The Stelio terminals enable drivers to use the time they pay for any spot inside a specific zone and issue a receipt for each transaction to be displayed on a vechicle’s dashboard.

“We did three-phase training with patrol officers in 2003 as a pilot program and they learned the new system in a day. It’s very user friendly,” Pittman said. “It makes it a whole lot easier on them. It cuts down on parking disputes and they know how much time cars have to be in that space.”

The meters will have a pay-by-cell phone feature soon, but the city has decided not to equip them to accept paper money after learning similar devices in Miami frequently jammed with bills. The meters are connected to a central computer system allowing operators to know exactly how much money is in each meter. Additional payment methods using cell phones and parking debit cards are planned, according to Pittman.

Standard Parking already had a major presence in New Orleans when it was approached by Parking Solutions. Chicago-headquartered Standard Parking operates more than 45 parking facilities and 20,000 parking spaces in the city.

Boucree said Parking Solutions recently opened an office in Atlanta to explore expansion plans along the Southeast.

“We’re certified as a minority parking company in seven states in the Southeast,” he said. “We’re trying to be the premier parking company in the Southeast and we’re very selective where we go, helping to replace old meter systems with the new technology.”

by Tommy Santora
reprinted with permission
New Orleans Publishing Group, LLC

Gold Rush Basketball Camp
		James Allen, a linebacker with the New Orleans Saints football team, talks life issues with some of the 70 youngsters attending the annual week-long Gold Rush basketball camp, just one of the many pre-college programs offered on campus this summer. (photo by Irving Johnson III)

University begins new SSN migration

With the mounting concerns over identity theft and the recognition that Social Security Numbers (SSNs) are linked to a significant amount of personal information, the University has recently undertaken a project to replace SSNs as the primary identifier of faculty, staff, and students.

Although the University will still be required to collect SSNs for reporting and taxation purposes, it will be assigning unique nine-digit XU identification numbers as the new primary identifier for the University community – including faculty, staff and students.

As a result of the assignment of new identifiers, new Xcards will be issued by the Campus Card Office. The new Xcard will be issued in exchange for the old one. Without the old one a $10.00 replacement fee will be charged.

These cards will have a new design so that visually it can be determined at a glance whether or not a card was issued before the conversion to XULA ID’s. The old Xcard will no longer be valid as of 5 p.m. CST on August 8, 2005. The current card will be used until that date.

New Xcards for continuing students will be available at the start of the Fall 2005 semester. New students will have time set aside during Orientation Week to take pictures for the Xcard. All students can pick up their new Xcard in the UC after they have been fiscally cleared.

Faculty and staff will have new Xcards issued on an as-needed basis throughout the Fall 2005 semester. Frequent users of the Xcard are encouraged to pick up new Xcards at the Campus Card office starting on Aug. 9, 2005. For more information visit here.

100 Black Men Honor NCF
		President Norman Francis accepts the Man of the Year award from 100 Black Men of America’s vice-president for operations Curley Dossman, Jr., and national chairman of the board Albert Dotson, Jr. Esq. during the group’s national conference in New Orleans.

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