FVSU Blog

“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” Francis Bacon

If you’re an artist, playwright or musician just starting out, it’s sometimes difficult to find a great venue to get your work published or seen by an audience. Well, Fort Valley State University faculty, staff and students need look no further. The campus’ creative magazine “From the Yard” is making a dramatic return.

The journal, which will be edited by WIN writing instructors Christina Matthews and Caroline Lewis, is looking for high-quality submissions for its first publication.

• Fiction Short Stories (no more than one per reading period)
• Nonfiction Essays or Memoirs (no more than one per reading period)
• Poetry (up to ten poems or ten pages of poetry per reading period)
• plays or screenplays (no more than ten pages)
• Artwork (unlimited amount)

All literary submissions must be sent electronically and copied and pasted into the body of the e-mail message. Artwork may be submitted as an attachment or dropped off at the WIN lab, located at 124 Bond Building. Contact information (name, email, address, phone numbers) should be included in the body of electronic submissions. E-mail submissions to fromtheyard[@]gmail.com. [please excluded the brackets before and after the @, when submitting.]

The deadline for faculty, staff and students to submit their work is March 1, 2009. For more information, contact Matthews or Lewis in 124 Bond Building at (478) 825-6682.

   My name is Hailemariam Aberra Tassew, or just Halie for short.  I am a freshman majoring in computer science.

   On July 25, I came to FVSU all the way from Ethiopia. I was so tired because of the different time zones. It is an eight hour time difference, and takes almost two days’ travel.

   The first thing I learned from FVSU was friendship. Everyone is so close here. It reminds me of the moments I had in high school with my friends. It’s very common to say ‘hi’ to everyone. Even the professors and the president treat the students like family. That’s the best part of the university: feeling like you are home.

   The second point I like about the university is the food service. The food service is well organized and the employees are nice people. There are many employees who take care in preparing the food, and there are several choices of food. Every student can sit at a clean table and enjoy their food. There are a variety of beverages to drink while eating, and you can watch television.

   When I was in Ethiopia, my father paid for a suite so that he would know that I would be safe. By the time I came here, I was given a small room in Moore Hall. I spoke to the director of the housing services, and then she gave me back my space in the Wildcat Commons. Moore Hall has two beds, a study area, and an open closet in the same room.  The worst part is that it has only one bathroom for everyone living on the hall. My current dorm has four bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. I am enjoying my new suite.

   The classrooms are well organized compared to the classrooms of Addis Ababa University, which has many desks not marshaled, or organized. The best part of the buildings is that they all have elevators. Addis Ababa University doesn’t. By the organization of the classes, I am sure I will reach my classes on time.

   The library is nice, and definitely a place I won’t forget. On the first floor is a place to ask for information and to read magazines and newspapers. The second floor is a place to study silently. You even can have your own room to avoid disruptions. The third floor is for group discussion. Another advantage of the library is that you can search for a book from anywhere online, and go to the specific point where the book is located.

   FVSU has people who care, friends who are nice, very nice rooms to live in, comfortable classrooms, and a very organized library. If I have all these why would I regret loving the university?

– Hailemariam Aberra Tassew is a freshman at Fort Valley State University.

I’ve been researching the job market for December graduates. I’m finding a lot of writers are offering the same advice: go to grad school. So here’s the poll of the day: How many of you out there are seriously considering grad school as a means of putting off your entrance into the job market?

This week we observe American Education Week.  In its 87^th year, the week presents all Americans with an opportunity to celebrate public education and honor individuals who are making a difference by ensuring every child receives a quality education.  Fort Valley State celebrates the many accomplishments of our own educational institution, as well as the potential of our College of Education students who will make a difference in the schools of the future. 

Please join Dr. Carter, Dean of the College of Education, the CoE faculty, and students in recognizing the importance of education!  We invite you to visit the lobby of Hubbard Hall Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. this week to preview some of the many talents of our education students.  The various student projects spotlight all facets of learning and teaching.

Each year, FVSU’s Wildcat Battalion ROTC cadets spend Veterans Day honoring those who have come before them. These young soldiers-in-training host an event designed to honor the service men and women living in the area, those who graduated from FVSC or FVSU and went on to fight for our country, and those who have died in that service.

This year was no different from many others; the cadets were professional and respectful, the FVSU family attended to honor those loved and lost, and armed forces retirees stood and were recognized for their service.

Take a moment today - even though Veterans Day has passed - and thank God that these courageous people are willing to serve so you and I might enjoy the freedoms that come with being an American.