It's a war out there

At the 25th Anniversary luncheon for the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program, representatives from Shell, AGL and other energy companies spoke about the battle for qualified new employees.

"We work together to get top students into energy programs, provide them with scholarships, and get them throught the pipeline to graduation. Then the war begins," was the general consensus. Much like computer programmers in the 1990s, graduates qualified for a career in an energy field are assured a job, it seems. But they'd better be sharp.

The energy industry, it was agreed, is an ever-changing field. And with a large number of employees preparing for retirement, the energy companies are looking for top graduates with leadership capabilities.

Well, FVSU is turning them out with the CDEP program. During the luncheon, 25 new scholarship recipients will be welcomed into the family. And they'll get a good look at what's ahead for them as they rub elbows with graduates and top managers in their future career fields.

CEDEP's silver anniversary

Designated a national model program by the U.S. Department of Energy, Fort Valley State University’s Cooperative Developmental Energy Program is celebrating 25 years of service.

CDEP helps minority and female students gain entry into oil and energy industry careers. To commemorate the silver anniversary, representatives from B.P. Corporation, Exxon-Mobil, Shell Oil Company and several governmental regulatory agencies will visit FVSU’s campus bringing contributions totaling more than $800,000 to fund student scholarships.

A press conference begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 4 in the C. W. Pettigrew Center. The 25th Annual Energy Career Day Luncheon begins at 11:15 a.m. in the same location. During the luncheon, 20 students will receive full CDEP scholarships valued at $50,000 each.

CDEP students attend FVSU in a science or mathematics-related track for three years; then transfer to a partner institution for two years to pursue an energy-related degree. Upon graduation, students receive two bachelor’s degrees – one from FVSU, another from the partner university. To date, more than 1,200 students have participated in the program and received $8 million in scholarships.

CDEP sponsors include ConocoPhillips, Shell Oil Company, Atlanta Gas & Light, ExxonMobil, BP America, Halliburton, Marathon Oil Company, BP America, and governmental agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey and the U. S. Department of Energy-National Nuclear Security Administration.

For more information, contact Dr. Isaac J. Crumbly or Jackie Hodges at (478) 825-6243

Gates sparks dreams for college students

While it may be a bit too late for Valentine’s Day or even a tad too soon for Peter Cottontail to come hoppin’ down the ol’ bunny trail, Bill Gates is, once again, is filled with the spirit of giving. For once, the Microsoft founder is giving us something other than the infamous “Windows Blue Screen of Death” or buggy new operating systems for which we have to download constant patches.

Most are aware of the philanthropic work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/) which, among its hundreds of projects, provides funding for vaccines in third world countries, assists small farmers in the poorest of the world’s nations build agricultural infrastructure, and offers scholarships for minority students with signifigant financial need through the Gates Millenium Scholarship Program (http://www.gmsp.org/). For a man who has made tens of billions of dollars in his lifetime and is currently the second wealthiest man on the planet, he and his family have certainly seen fit to spread that wealth among those individuals who most need the assistance.

For that reason, only mild surprise greeted last week’s announcement that Bill Gates and Microsoft were, once again, giving something of great value to individuals who were in need but had empty pockets. This time, however, Microsoft is giving away their bread and butter: software, free to college students. In a program being called DreamSpark, Microsoft is offering college students free, full-version, downloads of Web development and video game development software.

This is not second-tier low quality junk software; but the same software used by professional Web and game designers. Included in the offer are: Microsoft Visual Studio 2008, the entire Microsoft Expressions Studio (these are design programs which allow you to create Web pages and suites as well as create all the wonderful graphics and effects you see on premium pages), Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (this is Web-hosting software), and XNA Game Studio 2.0 (a video game development suite of tools).

If you wish to take advantage of Mr. Gate’s generosity, you’ll have to go to the DreamSpark Web site (https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/) and sign up for a “Windows Live ID.” Once that is accomplished, then you go through their process to verify that you are, indeed, a student (that’s why I’m still going to have to pay for my copies, darn’t). Then you will be allowed to download the software and install it.

While this is a bit of a hassle, remember, you are picking up over a thousand dollars of professional developer software. So, if your dream is to be a Web or game designer, Bill Gates has a gift for you: DreamSpark.

-Dr. B. Keith Murphy is Interim Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Fort Valley State University

Pancake Breakfast

Continuing on the theme of fundraisers:

The Fort Valley State University Recognition Committee will hold its annual Pancake Breakfast featuring Executive Chef Larry Rivers and his cabinet members, February 27, 2008 at 7:30 a.m. in the Woodard Gymnasium. Tickets are $5.50 each and will be on sale Friday, Feb. 15, 2008.

Plates will be ready at 7:30 a.m. and will extend until 10:00 a.m. Carry-outs will be available.



All-you-can-eat pancakes

Choice of sausage or bacon (limited amount of turkey and vegetarian options available)

Eggs

Juice


To purchase tickets, please contact one of the following committee members:

Patricia Barrett: Troup Building, 825-6330

Milton Bottom: Troup Building, 825-6474

Carlton Green: Meat Technology Building, 825-3076

Fannie Jackson: Student Center or Wilson-Roberts Building, 825-6311 or 6325

Marvin Little: Wilson-Roberts Building, 825-6200

Priscilla Martin: Library, 825-6384Verbret Moore: Troup Building, 825-6301

Charles Murphy: Peabody Building, 825-6202

Oreta Samples: O’Neal Building, 825-6904 or 6353

Dana Smith: Science Building, 825-6240

Jackie Whitehead: Stallworth Building, 825-6808 or 6322



YUM! See you there!

The need for scholarships

With a growing student population (applications for fall semester 2008 have surpassed the number of freshmen admitted in fall 2007), so grows the need for student scholarships. And at Fort Valley State University, this isn't something only the folks in the Foundation, or Financial Aid, or the Recruitment offices worry about. We all share the responsibility for making sure our students aren't so worried about money that they can't concentrate on their studies.

This is a switch for me. When I was in college, I worked two or three jobs at a time and took 18 credit hours each semester so I could graduate as quickly as possible. I still came out with debt. But the point is, I remember those days. So it's easy for me to jump on board with any scholarship effort we're putting together.

Next Thursday (get out your calendars and pens), a group of my friends and I will be hostessing a home-business mall in the Pettigrew Center. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., independent representatives from Cookie Lee, Creative Memories, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, PartyLite, Tastefully Simple and Weekenders will present an array of goods you can't find in any store. And each consultant has agreed to turn over profits to the scholarship fund. These women are coming for the day in the hopes of selling what they bring with them and taking orders for more, and instead of taking a paycheck for their work, they'll be taking home a list of new contacts and friends at Fort Valley State.

Fundraising opportunities like this one abound, and they all have on purpose: to make sure FVSU doesn't have to turn away a single student because he or she can't pay for their schooling. Stay tuned for more.

Misty Cline is a public relations specialist with Fort Valley State University and an independent consultant with PartyLite candles and accessories.