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FEATURE:
(AUGUSTA) — It has been
years since he last walked the
campus of Morris Brown
College, but Ronn Fudge still
attributes much of his success to
the Atlanta University Center
school. A 1983 cum laude
graduate of the African
Methodist Episcopal institution,
Fudge was known by most of his
colleagues for his outstanding
student leadership.
While at Morris Brown, Ronn
began as a student with inten
tions to major in Business Ad
ministration. But, late in his
sophomore year and attracted by
the journalism field, he changed
interests — becoming a Mass
Communications scholar. By his
junior year, Fudge had become
Editor-in-Chief of the college
newspaper, the Wolverine
Observer, where he served in
that position for two years.
Under his editorship, the paper
received both state and national
newspaper awards as well as
community-wide recognition.
Much of Ronn's tenure at the
Atlanta school was not con
sumed by his noted con
tributions to the college
newspaper, but the college as a
whole instead. As a junior, he
represented the school at a
week-long workshop emphasiz
ing American patriotism at the
Valley Forge, Pennsylvannia
Freedoms Foundation. Then
college president Robert Threatt
has helped deck the Bainbridge,
Georgia native with several
school and other type awards.
Among some of the citations for
which Ronn takes great pride in
receiving are his nomination to
Who's Who Among Students in
American College and Univer
sities; the National Dean’s List
and Outstanding Young Men of
America fQr 191)5; y, v
Some Brownites remember
him for his witty behavior but
enduring determination to
succeed. And, for this ambition,
Tie was voted by his college
senior class the person Most
Likely To Succeed. Others
remember his involvement in
Student Government activities.
The most noticeable position he
held during his college political
career include being president
of his sophomore class. On the
lighter side, Fudge was behind
many of the social events that
took place on the campus. For
example, he headed several
college beauty pageants, cor
onations and the like. While
working with all this, he
sometimes managed time for
pursuing such hobbies as dan
cing and modeling.
In the summer of 1983, hating
to leave his alma mater, Ronn left
Morris Brown and embarked on
a new college environment. One
that the likes of famous people
like CBS sportscaster Brent
Musberger would call his begin
ning. Fudge was accepted to
attend the nationally-acclaimed
Medill School of Journalism at
Northwestern University in
Evanston, Illinois. This is also the
time when he decided to ven
ture into broadcasting jour
nalism as a career. Working with
the WMED-TV Medill News
Service in both Chicago and
Washington, D.C., Ronn gained
invaluable experience. He
reported alongside professional
journalists in Chicago as a stu
dent news person as part of a
nine-month rigorous, intensive
journalism course. The masters
studies program in journalism
was extended during the last few
months of the curriculum to
include his working as a student
..^Continued on Page 11
Students Prepare for Future
Through Bible Study
The moment of truth. Ronn is shown here during a live newscast
which he anchors on the weekend. The Morris Brown College
graduate has been bringing the Augusta area news for nearly a
year as weekend anchor of Eyewitness News. During the regular
weekdays, he is involved with field reporting as a general
assignment reporter.
Former “Observer”
Editor Becomes
News Anchor
by Annette Collins
Some students at Morris
Brown College are burning the
midnight oil — not studying their
school work but the Bible.
Every Wednesday evening in
the basement of Fountain Hall,
Alex Anderson leads a group of
attentive students in Bible study.
Anderson, a minister and
campus representative for Inter
varsity church fellowship said
“The Bible study is part of the
Inter-varsity church fellowship
and they've been on the campus
of Morris Brown since 1977."
The thrust of the study is tc
provide a Christian foundation
for students. Anderson stated
"God prepares us for the future,
proper preparation begins here
at Morris Brown.”
In helping students to realize
their power to spread the word,
Jathan Sparks, a student, said
"From this room there are
enough people to go out and
change Atlanta, and change
Morris Brown. We can go out
and combat the evils on this
campus."
Anderson reinforced this
belief when' l he stated ,? "We're
really concerned about what's
happening on this campus."
The study has three goals that
is: to help Christian students
maintain their beliefs, reach out
to those who don't know Christ
and to challenge students to go
beyond barriers to show their
love for God, he said.
Even though there are few
students who attend the study,
Anderson said he has faith the
study will grow. Donnice Tabor,
a student, said "This was my first
night here. Normally at home I
would go to Bible study. I grew
up with the Lord, I believe in the
Lord and I plan on coming back
to this Bible study."
Anderson said the Bible study
■ series works through the
Religious Activities Department
under the guidance of Rev.
Ronald Mizer, college minister.
Choir Tour a Success
by Annette Collins
The Morris Brown College
Concert Choir ventured on it’s
38th annual tour on March 31.
Choir director, Glynn Halsey,
said the college choir has been
touring since 1948.
"We make this tour a major
recruiting effort for Morris
Brown," said Halsey. “That’s the
main purpose of the tour, to
attrack attention to our school,”
he added.
During the eight-day tour the
34-voice choir sang at churches
and schools in the Midwest
region.
The choir gave concerts in St.
Louis, East St. Louis, Chicago, St.
Paul, and Minneapolis, accor
ding to Halsey.
The Chicago and St. Louis
stops included concerts at local
high schools, said Halsey.
Halsey added that the choir
worked extremely hard and put
in long hours to practice music
for this tour as well as other
singing events. He continued,
"I'm extremely proud to be their
choir director.”
Halsey has been MBC's
college choir director for seven
years. During that tipie, he and
the choir have toured several
regions of the United States. He
said, "Since I’ve been director,
we've performed in over 19
states and we have a different
regional tour every year."
Derrick Pope, a graduating
senior, said that this, was-.tus
fourth tour.
"I find it very exciting to visit
different places throughout the
year," said Pope. He added, he
will miss the choir when he
graduates, but he will always
treasure his musical experiences.
Spirituals are Moving, Informative
by Laura Green you’re not going to find Negro
During Black History Month, spirituals in public schools as
Phi Mu Alpha-Sinfonia Fraterni- much.” Perry also informs that
ty, sponsored a lecture-recital on
Negro spirituals presented by
Frank Perry, Jr., M.M.E., Bass
Baritone accompanied by Ms.
Barbara McNeely-Bouie.
Mr. Perry is an Associate
Professor of Humanities at Jarvis
Christian College, Hawkins, Tex
as, and a doctoral student (Afro-
American Studies/Music) at
Atlanta University, Atlanta,
Georgia (Doctor of Arts In
Humanities).
Perry defines spirituals as Bible
stories set to music and that they
are not necessarily opera songs
but folk songs. He said,
"Spirituals havegotten out of the
repetoire of black singers. And
the Blues, Rock & Roll, Jazz, etc.
stemmed from spirituals.
As Perry talked about spirituals
he sang a few and told of their
meaning.
For example, the spiritual “No
More" is a protest song,
protesting against auction of
slaves. And the spiritual "My
Lord, What A Mornin' is a song
about Judgement Day. Spirituals
were used to translate secret
messages like the spiritual "Steal
Away," which was sung to invite
the slaves together to a secret
area to worship God.
He also noted, “During the
colonial period, a lot of spirituals
were written by outstanding
black men and women but they
could not print them."
Other songs sung by Perry
were "Go Down Moses," "All
God's Chillun Got Wings,"
"Nobody Knows De Trouble I've
Seen,” and many more.
Perry has received numerous
awards and is an active member
of Phi Mu Alpha - Sinfonia
Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Inc., the National
College Music Society, Natiopal
Association for Humanities
Education, Phi Delta Kappa
Professional Fraternity, Texas
Association of Music Schools,
American Choral Association
and Choral Association and the
Music Education National Con
ference.
“Scholars” Coming Soon
by Yolanda Cunningham
If you've been in Hickman
Center lately, you've probably
seen and heard the evidence of
some remodeling going on.
According to Tim Patridge, Cer
tified Executive Chef and direc
tor of the foods laboratory, at
Morris Brown College, the com
motion will evolve. Trito a
gourmet restaurant run by the
Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism
Administration Program.
The project, overseen by
Patridge and Dr. Ben Henry,
Chairman of HRTA, was thought
of three years ago when Patridge
taught at Morris Brown. Patridge
explained that this will be no hot
dog st.and, buta,^>lacewheitone
can dine on filet mignon, buffalo
and other delicacies. The
restaurant will be run entirely by
HRTA as a lab during class hours,
11-3 p.m., Monday through
Friday, just lunch will be served
and by reservations only.
Patridge said that the prices
promise to be reasonable and
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