The First Five Years • Crossing The Line • Curtain Call

10
A&T TODAY
Fall 2004
A Student’s PERSPECTIVE
A Student’s Perspective
Today’s Dreams, Tomorrow’s Reality
By Aaron Stevenson
On May 17, 1954, at 12:32 p.m., the nation
as we knew it changed. Brown v. Board of
Education was the key to a world full of
possibilities where all people, regardless
of their background, could have a chance
to reach their full potential.
As we celebrate the 50 th anniversary of
one of the most pivotal events in recent
history, we must take this time to remember
that the Brown case did not win our
battle for the greatest education possible.
It simply afforded us the right to be on
the battlefi eld.
Our battlefi eld, North Carolina Agricultural
and Technical State University, is
committed to ensuring all students not
only reach their potential but go beyond
what the world deems possible. Every
day it seems as though new obstacles
and challenges arise for students to
battle head on. However, at N.C. A&T
we are not only taught how to overcome
these barriers but, as one of the leading
producers of engineers in the world, we
are taught how to build bridges, tunnels,
super computers, programs, light
rails, airplanes and space taxis that allow
others to overcome obstacles as well. At
A&T, students are taught excellence.
With tuition on the rise, the price tag
for excellence is not cheap. Over the last
50 years, Brown v. Board of Education
opened many doors for today’s youth;
however, many didn’t expect a $10,000
cover charge. More than 80 percent of
our students are on some form of fi nancial
aid. And with the student population
at A&T increasing by leaps and bounds
in past years, this means that the need
for university scholarships has become
imperative.
Thankfully, as part of the university’s
unprecedented $100 million capital cam-
paign, these scholarships will be available
to our students. With the help of alumni
and friends, fulfi llment of the campaign
will bring about the millions of dollars
needed for students whose only barrier
is fi nancing a college education. In order
for this to occur, we must fi rst meet our
capital campaign goal.
As Aggies, we are all well aware of what
is expected of us as students, as well as
alumni. We are not just Aggies for four
years, we are Aggies for life. We are a
family. As a family we do whatever it
takes to make sure our brothers, sisters,
sons and daughters succeed. As a family
we work together to bring about change
and innovation that affects all of mankind.
As a family we nurture a generation
of dreamers, and teach them how to
achieve their dreams.
With the reminder that dreams come
true and are not free, we will work as a
family to meet the goal of raising $100
million to help build upon the foundation
that has provided us with so much
to be proud of. And we will continue to
make today’s dreams tomorrow’s reality.
The world has changed a great deal since
1954, but the goal is still the same – to
provide each child with the greatest education
possible. North Carolina A&T
exists for this sole purpose, to educate
and produce greatness.
We must all take our rightful place in the
Aggie family tree. A tree seated on the
epicenter of the battlefi eld for equality.
It is up to us to decide if we want to be
knocked down in the shuffl e or continue
to rise above to heights that others aspire
to reach.
“A Student’s Perspective” is a regular column
written by Aaron Stevenson, a senior studying
math and computer science at N.C. A&T
State University.