Fort Valley State University

She’s America’s dream girl. On the Wildcat Report’s 2008-2009 season opener, Jennifer Hudson performs the song that catapulted her career. The grammy award winner’s new, self-titled CD hit stores last week. Also appearing on the show produced by FVSU’s marketing department is the fly jock, Tom Joyner, “Krave”, an Atlanta urban pop group and “Legends of Funk”, comprised of three 70’s bands: the Das Band, Confunksion and the Barkays. The artists performed at the Tom Joyner Family Reunion during Labor Day weekend.

If a group of Fort Valley State University representatives have their way, community residents throughout Middle Georgia will know all about the achievements, research facilities and amenities offered on the sprawling 1,365 acre campus. The Community Ambassadors is a group formed by FVSU President Larry E. Rivers, Communiversity Committee Chair Wilton Walton, and Wilhemina Hill to organize events that strengthen the bond between the university and community. Recently the ambassadors met at the historic Anderson House for a tour of FVSU.

Obesity is a leading cause of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. It impacts our pocketbooks. The State of Alabama recently challenged its employees to lose weight and get in shape by charging a “fat tax” beginning in 2011. Will other states follow suit? The topic of obesity will be tackled at the first Brown Bag Lunch Seminar, this semester, hosted by Fort Valley State University’s Population Studies Center, at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 in Bywaters Building, Room 105. Dr.

High schoolers and their parents are invited to experience life through the eyes of students at one of Georgia’s premiere educational institutions when Fort Valley State University hosts its 2008 Fall Preview Day. The event is Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Health and Physical Education Complex. “This is an opportunity for parents and students to enjoy the best that FVSU has to offer,” said Donavon Coley, the university’s director of admissions. This is a family affair because we are a family-friendly campus.”

FVSU and Gordon College will sign MOU

If you’re an in-service teacher looking for additional education or a young person dreaming of becoming a teacher, then Fort Valley State University’s College of Education has four new programs to meet your needs. The university has received developmental approval for two new degree programs and two certification programs from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission – the state’s teacher licensing board.

Safira Sutton, a senior at Fort Valley State University, is already making strides toward becoming a scientist. Aside from earning a biotechnology scholarship and interning for research programs, the 24-year-old has been studying a protein in plants to see how it can benefit humans with certain illnesses.

The Warner Robins native is so impressive that she was nominated, and selected, as a national role model.

“When people actually recognize that you are trying to make a difference, it actually makes you feel well,” Sutton said.

Skyler Thornton rushed for a season high 113 yards and two touchdowns while the Fort Valley defense picked off three passes to lead the Fort Valley State University Wildcats to a 33-30 win over the Dragons of Lane College on Oct. 4. The Wildcats improve to 2-4 on the season and 2-2 in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play while the Dragons fall to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the conference.

Fort Valley State University’s homecoming week starts and ends with two not-to-be missed concerts for music lovers of all kinds.

The FVSU Jazz Band will perform at the Georgia National Fair, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008 from 6 to 6:45 p.m. and from 7 to 8 p.m. near the agricenter’s clock tower.

The FVSU Jazz Band consists of students from various academic majors who have a desire to perform and gain a greater understanding of jazz literature and improvisational techniques. The band has shared the stage with “The Count Basie Orchestra”, and toured in New York, Bahamas, and throughout the southeastern United States. The band is under the direction of FVSU’s Professor Leonard A. Giles, assistant professor of music.

A new $16.8 million science facility will raise the quality of research and teaching at Fort Valley State University. A groundbreaking to commemorate the construction of a state-of-the-art learning facility for the biological and chemical sciences will take place 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 on the west lawn of the C.W. Pettigrew Center.

A poster at Plains Farm Day Tuesday stated that “Agriculture is More Than Farming.”

Nearly 600 third-graders from across Georgia spent the morning learning not only about the many facets of agriculture, but also about other topics. Students spent about 10 minutes at nearly 20 stations setup around the Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center, and learned about many subjects including soil, fish, peanut butter and President Jimmy Carter who grew up in Plains, where this event is held annually.

Whether it’s a project proposal, a response letter, or article for a peer-reviewed journal, effective writing is the ticket to upward mobility in the workplace. Boosting the communications skills of FVSU students through the written word is the goal of a new program, “Doing the ‘Write’ Thing: Writing to Evidence Critical Thinking.” Its mission: to improve students’ critical thinking skills and encourage excellent writing in all disciplines.

Dr. Terrance Smith, Fort Valley State University’s vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, is listed among the top young leaders in the “Peach State”. Today, Georgia Trend, a magazine about business and politics announced its 2008 “40 Under 40” finalists. The list is featured in the publication’s October issue and online at www.georgiatrend.com.

A government organization has awarded Fort Valley State University’s Rural Business Outreach Institute a financial prize to continue its efforts to help local businesses. The United States Department of Agriculture recently awarded a grant of $115,000 to RBOI. The funds will be used to provide assistance to entrepreneurs through workshops, conferences, seminars and one-on-one business consultations. FVSU is the only university in the “peach state” to receive funding for such a program.