The field of nursing is one of the fastest-growing industries, especially with the ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic. For nearly, two years, the world has seen the resilience and strength of nurses who continue to stand on the frontlines.   Since 2009, the School of Nursing has offered an affinity group to provide mentorship to fellow Aggie alumni in the field of nursing.  The School of Nursing Affinity Group (SONAG) was founded by Dr. Erma Smith King ‘74 and is organized to provide consultation and advice to the department, help with recruitment efforts of qualified faculty and students, provide scholarships, and offer a professional network of alumni.   The current president, Dana Lee Hines ‘00, a native of High Point, North Carolina, has been a nurse for more than 20 years and is passionate about showing care to…

Inspired by the 90’s culture, Ronnie Staton ‘18 and his wife, Damaris Staton have taken a unique approach to their business, The Staton Wood Company. Their business is best known for producing custom, handcrafted wood gifts and apparel in the Greensboro, North Carolina market.   “Being in business with my wife is very strategic, I am the artist and craftsman and she is everything I am not. She runs the business and handles everything from customer service to the finances,” said Ronnie.  Since childhood, Ronnie always knew he had an artistic gift and attended Alamance Community College to receive his associate’s degree in advertisement graphic design in 2016. However, growing up in Greensboro, he set his sights on attending North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and received his…

Diane Brice-Williams, Ph.D. ‘82 is a special education teacher for Prince George’s County Public Schools, and a former member of the flag team for the Blue and Gold Marching Machine.   With the 45th anniversary of the alumni band, Brice-Williams shares her reflection of her experience in the band and why leaving a legacy is so important with Tamisha Keith, director of major gifts for N.C. A&T.   “The Blue and Gold Marching Machine has a phrase, often imitated, but never duplicated. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University produces leaders and doers who are innovators and stand out!” expressed by Brice-Williams.   Director of Gift Planning (DG): How has your experience at North…

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University celebrated its annual Fall Convocation program Thursday, Oct. 28. During the program, Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. provided the state of the university and welcomed alumni to the “Greatest Homecoming on Earth” celebration. Roderick M. “Rod” McLean ’92, served as the keynote speaker. He is vice president and general manager of the Air Mobility and Maritime Missions (AMMM) Line of Business (LOB) at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Marietta, Georgia. He is also the site general manager of the 5,000-employee Marietta facility. McLean graduated from North Carolina A&T with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He holds a master’s degree in engineering from…

For the 95th celebration of the Greatest Homecoming on Earth, the Office of Alumni Relations wants to show appreciation to the Aggie Heroes who continue to serve on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. We salute our healthcare professionals, educators, law enforcement, and facilities personnel.  Aggies, we ask that you take a moment this week to thank an Aggie Hero.  Dr. Padonda Webb ‘03  Executive Director, Student Health Center  Excerpt from N.C. A&T Alumna Webb Leads Student Health Center During COVID-19 Pandemic  In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit our nation, doctors and nurses stood on the frontlines to answer the call. With resilient and grace, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has been fortunate to have under its leadership, Dr. Padonda Webb…

In the 1990s, African American students flocked to historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) due to a popular sitcom, “A Different World,” and for Cordell Charleston ‘97 ‘00, he was in search of “Hillman College.”  “Growing up, I had never seen black people going to college until I watched ‘The Cosby Show’ and ‘A Different World,’ said Charleston. “I knew that I wanted to attend an HBCU that gave me a sense of belonging and allowed me to connect with people from similar backgrounds.”  Charleston, a native of Illinois, attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in the fall of 1992 and majored in mechanical engineering. While in school,…

For more than two decades, Tyreasa Washington, Ph.D. ‘98 has worked in the field of social work and is one of the nation’s leading scholars who examine the social, academic and behavioral outcomes of African American children who reside in kinship care.  In the African American community, kinship care has a long history in the family dynamic where a family member takes on the responsibility of caring for children who are not their own.  “Growing up in Jacksonville, N.C., I was always concerned about the well-being of others. I was the kid in school who noticed a child not having enough food, or someone going through a bullying situation. I always found myself…

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has announced its newest cohort of National Alumni Scholarship recipients, who exemplify excellence in their academics and Aggie Pride among members of the class of 2025.  The North Carolina A&T National Alumni Scholarship provides the opportunity annually for incoming freshmen to receive full financial assistance that includes tuition, room and board, and books through the National Alumni Scholarship Program. The fund was established in 1982.   “Every year, the Office of Alumni Relations and the scholarship committee looks forward to the incoming applications for the National Alumni Scholarship program,” said Teresa Davis ‘89, vice chancellor of alumni relations. “This has been a long-standing tradition in the alumni…

In August 2021, Donald Boone ‘08 took a leap of faith when he left his full-time position at Amazon to work as a full-time entrepreneur in his company, BoxedUp, Inc. Without any inkling of knowing, he received a call a week later from Google for Startups that his company was selected to receive $100,000 in funding, $100,000 in Google Ad Credits and $100,000 in Google Cloud Credits through the Black Founders Fund.  Launched in 2019, BoxedUp, Inc. is the first on-demand rental marketplace that allows equipment owners to ship their products to customers, instead of relying on in-person transactions. The company provides services such as studio-quality camera equipment, 3D printers, podcasting equipment, drones…

Homecoming 2021 will present a new opportunity to put a purpose before the party begins. On Wednesday, October 27, the Office of Community Engagement will host the university’s first Community and Economic Engagement Summit. The day will be filled with dynamic keynote speakers, working sessions centered on entrepreneurship, and several breakout panel discussions. This year’s summit, with a theme of “Pathways to Economic Recovery,” will focus on strategies that inform participants about the connectivity between building personal wealth and building healthier sustainable communities. Event Survey link:https://bit.ly/Economic-Recovery-Survey Register Here:https://bit.ly/PathwaysSummitRegistration Since our Carnegie Classification as a Community-Engaged University in 2015, N.C. A&T has focused on continuous improvement and has continued to find…