edward waters college september 2015 newsletter
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Edward Waters College, the City of Jacksonville and the Department of Families and Children came together Wednesday, September 30th to celebrate the grand opening of the Schell Sweet Community Health Clinic. The clinic will serve EWC faculty, staff, and students; as well as the surrounding community.
“We are delighted to open this clinic and be able to offer medical care in addition to the many services that are already available through the Schell Sweet Community Resource Center,” said Schell Sweet Community Resource Center Director Marie Heath.
The grand opening ceremony included a program, ribbon-cutting, clinic tours and a reception. Speakers included City of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, Department of Children and Families Interim Regional Director
Patrica Medlock, Paul DiLorenzo of Casey Family Programs and Clinic Director Dr. John Assi.
“This clinic is important to our entire community, since so many children and families are facing health challenges because of lack of transportation and lack of income,” said Medlock.
“A large number of people in these areas have either been going to an emergency room for treatment, which costs both them and our community significantly more
money, or deferring health care entirely. We predict the Schell Sweet Community Health Clinic will significantly improve the health of the people in these neighborhoods. As a result, those neighborhoods will be stronger.”
The 4,600 square foot facility includes a reception area, seven exam rooms, a laboratory, conference room and two doctors offices. The Schell Sweet Community Resource Center at EWC has provided senior wellness programs and services to the Jacksonville community since 1999. Through unique partnerships with more than 25 service providers and the City of Jacksonville more than 10,000
people have been assisted annually through this community center.
Schell Sweet Community Health Clinic OpensEWC opens campus-based community clinic to lower health disparities
Edward Waters College Newsletter
September 2015
Florida Representative Mia Jones, District 13; Florida Senator Audrey Gibson, District 9;
Patricia Medlock, Interim Northeast Regional Managing Director for the Department of
Children and Families, Vicki Abrams, Assistant Secretary of Operations
for the Department of Children and Families; Larry West, Vice President of Case Management
for Family Support Services of North Florida; Dr. John Assi, Clinic Director;
Marie Heath, Director of the Schell Sweet Community Resource Center;
Marybeth Tita, Chief Financial Officer for United Healthcare
Members of the community taking a tour of the new clinic.
One of seven exam rooms available in the Schell SweetCommunity Health Clinic
Edward Waters College Biology majors, Ariana Vitale and Melvin Johnson, were selected to present their research projects in the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) in Seattle, Washington. Both students were also awarded the ABRCMS Student Travel Subsidy, which supports first-time students at the conference.
ABRCMS is the largest, professional conference for minority students to pursue advance training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), attracting approximately 3,300 individuals, including 1,700 undergraduate students, 400 graduate students and postdoctoral scientists and 1200
faculty, program directors and administrators. Students come from over 350 U.S. colleges and universities.
The conference is designed to encourage underrepresented minority students to pursue advanced training in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) and provide faculty mentors and advisors with resources for facilitating students’ success.
During the four-day conference (November 11-14), Vitale and Johnson will join over 1,500 students to participate in poster and oral presentations in twelve disciplines in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, including mathematics.
This conference is sponsored by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD) and managed by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).
EWC Biology Students Selected to Present in National Biomedical Research Conference
Edward Waters College, Florida’s oldest historically black college and private institution of higher education, is rallying behind a grassroots initiative aimed at encouraging young African-American leaders through the hashtag “#BlackMindsMatter.”
Black Minds Matter (BMM) works to develop young African Americans for the 21st century through the use of the arts, education and political activism.
Through engagement in cultural events, speaker presentations, and the Heritage Concert Series, BMM
strives to increase voter registration, college
matriculation and HBCU funding.
The #BlackMindsMatter movement officially kicked-off with a voter registration drive in the George N. Collins Student Union Building on the EWC campus September 18th.
Gospel vocalists Le’Andria Johnson, Laval Belle and Karen Briggs also held the first performance of the BMM’s Heritage Concert Series that evening at the Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church, 10325 Interstate Center Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32218.
BMM’s goal is to fight social injustice through the promotion of education. BMM works to provide scholarships to underprivileged youth who
will attend historically black colleges in the United States. You can learn more about #BlackMindsMatter at www.blackmindsmatter.com.
Edward Waters College Kicks-Off the #BlackMindsMatter Movement
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Volunteer Lorraine Williams and Founder Laval Belle
Biology Majors Ariana Vitaleand Melvin Johnson
Edward Waters College held its Fall 2015 Convocatum Est. Ceremony Wednesday, September 16th, to commemorate the Class of 2019’s commitment to academic excellence.
New and transfer students were individually welcomed by the administration and witnessed their signatures in the College registry. Students then recited a pledge to uphold the core values of Edward Waters College and vowed to promote academic excellence, ethics, and servant leadership throughout their four years of matriculation.
Following the pledge, Edward Waters College President and alumnus, Dr. Nathaniel Glover, delivered an inspirational speech
about overcoming obstacles and the importance of determination. He stated, “In order to be success-ful in life you must have the four P’s. You must have a PLAN. You must be PREPARED. You must PERSEVERE. And you must PRAY.”
This new class of Tigers represent
12 states, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and England. The group also includes 103 new student athletes, 16 new EWC Triple Threat Marching Band members, and 23 new EWC Concert Choir members.
This class also includes 11 College Scholars which requires students to have a minimum 3.25 GPA and 10 Presidential scholars which requires a minimum of a 3.5 GPA.
Convocatum Est. is a traditional academic ceremony conducted to initiate, inspire and empower new students to set high academic standards during their matriculation at Edward Waters College. It also serves as the official opening-of-school ceremony.
Edward Waters College President Welcomes New Tigers
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They’re the “small band with the big sound,” and they are ready to take Atlanta, Georgia by storm. The polls for the Honda Battle of the Bands are open for their 14th annual marching band showcase for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Over the next month, fans will have the opportunity to vote online and help send eight top bands to this year’s Invitational Showcase, to be held January 30, 2016 in front of a packed house at the Georgia Dome.
In 2009 and 2013, Edward Waters College earned a spot to compete in the Battle of the Bands, which was created to “celebrate, support and
recognize the excellence of Black College marching bands and the unique academic experience offered by HBCUs.” With nearly 90 members in the Triple Threat
Marching Band, including the auxiliary, EWC was the smallest band to compete in the final eight battle in 2013, but they brought a big show for fans.
Honda annually awards more than $200,000 in grants to participating marching bands during the program period.
EWC’s new band director Mr. Kedrick Redding hopes to direct them on their third trip with your support.
Voting ends October 23rd at midnight. You can click here to cast your ballot for the Edward Waters College Triple Threat Marching Band.
VOTE the EWC Triple Threat Marching Band Back into the Honda Battle of the Bands
The EWC Triple Threat Marching Band received a standing ovationafter their half-time performance
when the Tigers played Kennesaw State University.
Dr. Nathaniel Glover welcomed more than 300 new and transfer students
for the Fall 2015 semester.
Miss Edward Waters College Brittany Wiseman, EWC Washington D.C. Alumni Chapter President Dayna Kent, and EWC Student Government Association President Shakyla Mayo participated in this year’s White House HBCU Week Conference, “HBCUs: Innovators for Future Success.”
The conference brought together university presidents, various government officials and corporate leaders to develop opportunities for collaborations, primarily in STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“(HBCUs) are the backbone of the nation,” said Sedika Franklin, with the White House Initiative on HBCUs. “We educate so many young minds — and we are look-ing to them as the future inventors and entrepreneurs.”
EWC Goes to the White House for HBCU Week 2015
EWC Hosts UF HealthStreet’s Our Community Our health Forum
Edward Waters College hosted the 2nd national Our Community, Our Health Forum September 24th in the EWC Center for the Prevention of Health Disparities. The forum was organized by UF HealthStreet, a community engagement program that works to reduce health and research disparities by linking community members to social and medical services and opportunities to participate in research that is relevant to them. In recognition of National Recovery Month, Dr. Maureen Boyle’s, Chief of the Science Policy Branch at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), presentation about innovative research findings on “Marijuana Use Among Youth” was streamed live for local participants. The presentation was followed by a question and answer session.
HBCUs Collaborate to HonorClassical Composers
The Edward Waters College Department of Music hosted faculty members from Claflin University for a unique presentation that honored some of South Carolina’s most dynamic classical composers. Faculty, staff and students filled the Milne Auditorium Monday, September 21st for “Contributions of Contemporary African-American Composers’ in Classical Music” presented by Dr. Laura Keith, Dr. Lori Hicks and Dr. Eunjung Choi of Claflin University.
“This lecture documents and examine the critical contributions of African-American composers from South Carolina. We hope this will expose our audience to the genre of classical music through this interactive lecture and recital,” said Dr. Eunjung Choi, primary principal investigator and assistant professor of piano at Claflin University. Pictured above: Dr. Eunjung Choi, Piano and Dr. Lori Hicks, Soprano
Office of Institutional Advancement
Joe MurgoVice President of Institutional Advancement
Wanda J. WillisAssistant Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Anita WaltonDirector of Development and Alumni Affairs
Dee RegistreCoordinator of Public Relations