For Immediate Release

July 26, 1998

Contact: Public Relations

Phone: 252-985-5141

Rocky Mount, NC—North Carolina Wesleyan College President John White announced today faculty recipients of Leslie H. and Evelyn G. Garner Faculty Leadership Awards. The faculty members who received the awards will use them in developing January Term courses for 1999. They were recommended by the faculty's professional development committee and the vice president for academic affairs.

The faculty receiving the awards include: Chaplain Kirk Oldham for "January Outreach," a mission project to Costa Rica; English Professor Vivienne Anderson for "Media Madness: From Movies, Music & the Marlboro Man to Metacrawlers," an examination of the media's influence; Assistant Professor of Business Patricia Smith, for "Gospel Music;" and Assistant Professor of Physical Education Ron Smith for "Physical Fitness in Law Enforcement." Earlier in the year, Garner awards were given to Associate Professor of Chemistry Phil Brown for "Introduction to Black and White Photography" and to English Professor Paul deGategno for "A Sharp Lookout: Observing and Writing About the Natural World." The courses will be offered during the new January Term.

In the 1998-99 academic year, North Carolina Wesleyan College will institute a Four-One-Four academic calendar. The January Term gives both faculty members and students an opportunity to concentrate on an exciting and special-interest topic or an area of special curiosity which they want to investigate creatively without the usual academic pressures of daily schedules and distractions from several different courses.

As a result, students may travel to Central America or Europe to experience firsthand some of the world's great cultures or stay in Rocky Mount for electives in English, Religion or some other topic. January Term coursework could involve building a church or community center in a Central American country, retracing the footsteps of an historical or literary figure throughout the United States, or delving into the ecosystems of Eastern North Carolina. Faculty members may use the opportunity to team-teach, explore new inter-disciplinary fields, and share their disciplinary base. Courses designed for the January Term will not be courses offered in the traditional semesters.

Students will take only one course, which will allow them to be totally immersed in the topic. Faculty will typically teach only one three-semester-hour course during the term, which will allow them to give their full attention to the course and their students. Students may also propose courses for January Term. In such circumstances, the students will be stating their interest in pursuing a specific topic to see if there is a faculty member who would like to lead them in their endeavor.

Student Registration Procedures and Fees Registration for January Term courses will take place during registration period for the Fall Semester. For the purpose of registration, tuition, and room-and-board fees, January Term is considered as an extension of the Fall Semester.

The Leslie H. and Evelyn G. Garner Faculty Leadership Award supports faculty, who by submission of their proposals for course development, research, or public service are seeking to renew, strengthen, or extend their leadership capabilities and thus enhance their effectiveness as leaders and teachers.

North Carolina Wesleyan is an independent, four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The College offers bachelor's degrees in 22 majors to traditional-aged students on the Rocky Mount campus. Wesleyan also offers an adult degree program geared to working adults, with classes in Rocky Mount, and at additional teaching sites in Raleigh, Goldsboro, and Durham.