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6 The Panther April 15-30, 2017
Clark Atlanta University
Annual Spirit of Greatness Gala
raises money for scholarships
Continued from page 1
owner of Wade Ford. The event was emceed by KDKA-CBS Pittsburgh Anchor
Lisa Washington Rushing and former DeKalb County Interim CEO Lee May, both
Clark Atlanta University 1998 alumni.
Barris, who started his career by selling jokes to comedians, kept the crowd
laughing during his acceptance speech but then turned sentimental as he reminisced.
“Clark Atlanta University played an integral part in the success I enjoy today,” he
said. “The lessons, friendships, trials and triumphs gained during my time at CAU
all helped propel me to where I am now.”
Like Barris, several of the honorees spoke of their humble beginnings: “My
mom had me at the age of 15, we didn’t have much, said White whose emotional
speech had the crowd in tears. “We couldn’t afford for me to go to college, then one
day I got a call from CAU, they accepted me, and that’s why I am here today,” the
tearful 12-time Emmy Award winner added.
The Spirit of Greatness Gala to date has raised more than $1.5 million for
CAU students. Alumni from all over the country attend the black-tie gala. This year,
actor/comedian Justin Hires of “Stomp the Yard,” “21 Jump Street” and “Rush
Hour” made a surprise visit.
Guests dined and danced to the sounds of Grammy-winner Howard Hewett.
Sanders sets sights on NBA draft
By Craig Allen Brown
SPORTS EDITOR
Tim Sanders has been a standout on the
basketball court since he was in high school.
He has exceled alongside great players
like current University of Alabama standout
Daniel Giddens. and current Boston Celtics
star Jaylen Brown. So now that his time as a
basketball player for Clark Atlanta University
is up, it only makes sense that he takes his
career to another level. Sanders has declared
for the 2017 NBA Draft.
The 6’2“ shooting guard from
Memphis, Tennessee had an exceptional senior
campaign. His team won a share of the regular
season SIAC East division championship and
the SIAC men’s tournament championship.
Along with those accomplishments, Sanders
also won the Most Valuable Player Award for
the SIAC tournament.
Sanders gives much of the credit to
first-year head coach Darrell Walker. “Playing
for Coach Walker was difficult at times, but
it was more positive than anything,” he said.
“Overall,
playing for him was a good learning
experience, and a lot of fun.”
Sanders led a Panther team that only
tallied nine wins last year, to 21 wins this year.
With this being his final year, he stated that he
couldn’t have picked a better way to go out.
“We won three tough games in a row
Tim Sanders
in order to clinch a share of the SIAC East,”
he said. “And to beat Lane College for my last
game in front of the CAU home crowd was
amazing.”
Sanders hopes to have similar success
on the next level. He is revising his meal and
workout plans in an attempt to get his body
more NBA-ready. He will participate in the
upcoming NBA combines, an event designed to
demonstrate how physically and mentally ready
a player is to NBA scouts and coaches.
Ronald McCullough Jr.
McCullough to graduate
in Mav two gears early
By Aliyah Janae Johnson
A former child genius is set to graduate
in May from Clark Atlanta University two years
early.
Ronald McCullough Jr., an Atlanta
native, will receive his B.A. in Biology on May
22. He will graduate with honors at the age
of 19. McCullough skipped the second grade
which allowed him to graduate from Maynard
Jackson High School at a youthful age of 15.
Following his mothers’ footsteps,
who is a CAU alumna, he enrolled at CAU
in the fall of 2013. During his matriculation
at CAU, McCullough has become a member
of numerous honor societies, including the
Isabella T. Jenkins Honors Program and the
Kappa Phi Honor Society —which is set to
provide students with the ultimate learning
experience.
Growing up McCullough was
recognized by his peers, family and teachers
as a genius but says he has always felt like a
regular teenager. He said, “I will not consider
myself a genius. I was placed in a setting for
my love of learning to manifest. Much was
expected of me and there was little room for
disappointment.”
McCullough aspires to be an astronaut.
Upon his graduation, he plans on going into a
graduate engineering program. McCullough
has been recruited by several of post-graduate
engineering programs but says he intends to
enroll in the biological/agricultural engineering
program at North Carolina Agricultural and
Technical State University.
“I just wake up in the morning and do
the right thing,” he said when asked about being
so successful at a young age. “Just by doing
what I believe is the right thing for my future.
I’ve been rewarded greatly.”
Alana K. Howard
The Panther newspaper’s
new leadership team
Craig Allen Brown has been selected as the edi
tor-in-chief of the Panther newspaper for next year. Alana K.
Howard has been named the managing editor and Alexis Cran
ford will be the new Lifestyle editor.
Brown and Howard are Mass Media Arts majors. Cran
ford’s major is English.
Craig Allen Brown