May 1, 2000

The students and professors stood, barefoot, around a bed of glowing coals, waiting in the cold drizzle for the first person to take the plunge through the fire. Two students played drums, providing a rhythm others clapped or chanted to.

Sophomore Kristin Milam made her way to the head of the fire. Looking past the 12-foot-long bed of coals, she calmly and purposefully walked across them, head erect and face glowing.

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Black Cultural Center's Boateng dies

Boateng

Felix Boateng, director of the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center at Vanderbilt for the past four years, died Wednesday afternoon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after a brief illness.

"Felix Boateng was a dedicated teacher, a gifted mentor to students and an uncommonly principled, fair and generous individual," said Provost Thomas G. Burish. "He was unalterably dedicated to furthering diversity on campus and in the broader community.

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Faculty receive awards for teaching excellence

by Lew Harris

During his final Board of Trust luncheon, Vanderbilt Chancellor Joe B. Wyatt announced the winners of seven annual faculty awards for excellence and outstanding achievement. Wyatt will retire at the end of July.

Wyatt, who established Chairs of Teaching Excellence in 1993 to recognize outstanding classroom teaching, announced on April 28 that this year's recipients are Leonard Folgarait, professor of fine arts and chair of the department, and Terence Dermody, associate professor of pediatrics and associate professor of microbiology and immunology in the School of Medicine.

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