Ryan T. Brown was recently named assistant district director-elect for the Georgia District of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Brown is the first member of Valdosta State University’s Mu Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha to earn this distinction.

He will be sworn into office during an awards breakfast at the 80th Southern Region Conference in Raleigh, N.C. on March 27.

His position is the highest office that an undergraduate member can hold in the state. As assistant district director, Brown will help oversee the 41 chapters in Georgia and sit on the fraternity’s Southern Region Board of Directors, which governs all chapters in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Brown’s responsibilities include coordinating a state leadership conference at VSU this fall, planning an empowerment retreat for the southern region and assisting with the Georgia District Convention that is held once a year.

“This designation is like turning a vision into reality for me,” Brown said. “I have several platform goals I would like to accomplish through Alpha Phi Alpha. As assistant district director, I can make suggestions for programs to be implemented throughout the district, such as the college tours I am creating for underprivileged high school students. Because of the hard work that goes along with this position, I have appointed my fraternity brother, also a VSU student, Caleb T. Johnson, as my chief of staff.”

The assistant district director-elect was nominated for the position by Mu Omicron Chapter President Anthony Palmer and Dr. Jerry Hardee, a former district director. He was selected among two other undergraduate members, one from Emory University and one from University of Georgia. He said that he attributes his win to his campaign manager, Sirocus Barnes, and the financial support from his chapter.

Brown became a member of the Mu Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha in fall 2009. A Thomasville, Ga. native, he plans to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2012.

In addition to the fraternity, Brown is a member of the university’s Planning and Budget Council and Strategic Planning for Philanthropy Committee. He also served on the university’s search committee for a vice president of Finance and Administration. He is an active member of VSU’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a former senator of the Student Government Association.

The Valdosta State University Alumni Association named Felicia Norwood the 2010 Distinguished Alumna of the Year for her momentous professional accomplishments, community service and continued dedication to the university.

The president of Mid-America Region for Aetna, Inc., will ride in the VSU Alumni homecoming parade float Friday, Oct. 1; the university community will honor Norwood prior kickoff of the 3 p.m. game against Ouachita Baptist on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Norwood, who graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1981, oversees medical economics and network management of a 17-state region for the nation’s largest health insurer. Prior to her current role at Aetna, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority member was the president and chief operating officer of ActiveHealth Management, Inc. in New York. The Yale Law School graduate also served as senior policy advisor for Health and Human Services to former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar.

Demanding professional responsibilities have not kept the political science major from participating in a variety of mentoring programs. She is a major supporter of the local Boys & Girls Club in her hometown of Camilla, Ga., and is a member of the organization’s Jeremiah Milbank Society and The Executive Leadership Council. She also serves on the Vestry of the Church of the Transfiguration in New York.

Visit the VSU website the week of homecoming, Oct. 1-2, to learn more about Norwood’s professional drive to provide quality health care as well as her personal mission to create opportunities for disadvantaged youth. The fall issue of the VSU Alumni Voice will also feature Norwood’s accomplishments and contributions.

Phi Beta Sigma, Inc., raised $500 and gathered 10 boxes of clothing and food for Haiti relief during a fundraiser Wednesday afternoon on the Pedestrian Mall. According to Phi Beta Sigma president Jaymien Kelly, around 300 people came out to the event and an estimated 150 people donated clothing, food and money for the cause. Kelly expressed why hosting the fundraiser was significant to their organization as well as why other organizations and students should continue to help the victims of Haiti.

“As members of a Greek organization and NPHC [National Pan-Hellenic Council], we should be the first ones willing to help out our own people,” Kelly said. “Not only do we have a member of our fraternity who is of Haitian decent, we saw fit within ourselves that we needed to do something within our organization to get it out there that people need to help those [victims] out.” Kelly also explained that the Haiti Relief Clothing and Canned Food Drive fundraiser was the first of other planned fundraisers to come.

In addition to Wednesday’s fundraiser, the fraternity has been selling Papa John’s fundraising cards, from which 30 percent of the proceeds will go to the victims of Haiti. A car wash is also scheduled for this Saturday, from which 20 percent of its proceeds would benefit victims. The car washing fundraiser will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Arby’s parking lot on St. Augustine Road.

According to Kelly, Phi Beta Sigma has set a goal to raise at least $2000 to help out earthquake victims in Haiti. If you would like more information about any of the Phi Beta Sigma, Inc. fundraisers, you can contact any member of the fraternity.

About 13 Phi Beta Sigma brothers organized a food and clothing charity near VSU’s West Hall.

In less than an hour, they collected five boxes of goods to send to folks on the island.

And cash donations were accepted on behalf of the American Red Cross.

“Our motto is ‘culture for service, service for humanity’”, said Jaymien Kelly, president of VSU’s Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. “So we’re able to put our best foot forward to help more victims out in Haiti who have been affected by the earthquakes; so we can show that we care.”

Donations will be delivered to West Hill Church of Christ by Friday.

The South Atlantic Affiliation of College and University Residence Halls (SAACURH) recently honored Chinasa Ordu for her contributions as an advisor for the Valdosta State University chapter of National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH).

VSU’s Chad Freeman, September 2009 SAACURH Regional Executive Board Member of the Month, nominated Ordu for the SAACURH Advisor of the Month award. The organization honored her for actions in September, including assisting the executive board plan as they planned several events, increasing active membership, creating a fun and informative environment for members, and supporting members as they fulfill the organization’s mission of recognition.

“Her desire to learn about the national, regional and campus organizations that go with the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) and help the skull and bones chapter here at VSU grow and be molded into one of the top honors offered at VSU,” Freeman said.

Ordu participated actively in residence life serving as a resident assistant and C.L.A.S.S. Advocate at the University Georgia. Her graduate studies in educational leadership at VSU further simulated her passion to get involved in the field of student affairs.

Past experiences that led up to her leadership position include her involvement in her sorority Delta Sigma Theta, her position as a complex director over Langdale and Reade Halls for Housing and Residence Life, and her work supervising the night operations staff for housing as well.

“She is an invaluable resource to the NRHH chapter at VSU,” Freeman said. “She not only supports the executive board, active and honorary members with their decisions and ideas, but also serves as an effective advisor by helping us to navigate the politics of the university and financial responsibilities as well as other aspects of running an organization that we as students do not fully understand.”

The efforts of Ordu and the executive board of NRHH helped the organization to achieve many goals and revitalize itself after suffering from a lack of involvement on many levels,