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Focus on an Administrator: Theresa Bryant change." She was attracted to WMC by By RANEE DEYO Sral/Wri", "the opportunity to work for somebody The new position of Executive Assis- who sounded very interesting and pro- tant to the President and Secretary to the gressive." College has been filled by Ms. Theresa Also, Bryant was eager to once again embrace a small liberal arts environment. Bryant this October. Since she did her undergraduate study at Bryant said that her job will probably "take a while to figure out the full a similar institution, Marymount Col- scope," of providing support in a variety lege, she thought that "both faculty and to both President Chambers and students get a sense of what true intellec- of Trustees. tual and social community can be at its a master's degree in English best" in smaller, private colleges. So far, in her first month at WMC, the University of Hawaii, Bryant Bryant has begun to get a grasp of that always thought that her career would be to teach high school and college compo- community. "I have a lot of expecta- sition. "For me, there bas never been a tions," she said. Theresa Bryant is the new Executive Assistant to the President and Secretary more satisfying position," she said. While dozens have offered their sup- to the College, beginning this past October. In addition to teaching on and off, she port, she's found the staff "to be very worked as an editor at the University of warm and open." But, most of all, the teacher in her said, "I really look forward for a career educa- Focus on a Student: Hawaii, in marketing and finally in public to fmding out more about the students- at Maryland's New Direc- tion system what WMC is and how the college is pre- tions in Baltimore, Eric Bird relations for the School of Continuing for paring them for the future." socializes Outside of work, Bryant University Studies at Johns Hopkins the past six years. with other career-oriented women on be- By ELISABETH BIDEAUD from everywhere, from Philadelphia, Although she loves teaching most, half of the latest women's issues. She Sral/WriU, from the state of Delaware, and they she is happy about the different types of was a member of the Executive Eric Byrd soars high above many keep moving in and out all the time." job experiences that she has brought to Women's Network in Baltimore for four other birds because his interests and Since he is a minority student at WMC. "I've moved around a great years and a part of The Women's Forum opinions are more diverse than simply WMC. finding an open-minded sur- deal," Bryant said. As an English or at Hopkins for the last three years. making music. rounding has, at times, been difficult communication major, diversity is an However, this feminist does not re- Everyone on the WMC campus Coming from a very diversified home- important part of the job experience," she strict her thoughts to the women of the knows that the music major is a piano town to a very "backward" place like said. present, but those of the pastas well. She virtuoso. However, not everyone may Westminster has been a hard transition, What brought her to Western Mary- is currently conducting private research know how proud he feels that he grew up he said. land? on women's literature in Harlem Renats- o in Willingboro, N.J. "In Willingboro, everybody got Bryant said, "I was looking for a "I love the place because it's a whole along, everybody did their own thing, SO bunch of different people, from a whole they didn't have time to be racist," the bunch of different backgrounds," he dark-hazel--eyed music major said. he said. "Some friends of mine had been Talking with Eric Byrd leads inevita- said. Byrd thinks that his hometown must be beaten up, things had been written on bly to talking about music. He grew up Byrd finds the mentality of his home- one of the last suburban towns in the na- their room's door, and one of my female with music. "My dad is a big jazz fan, town is quite the opposite of tion with a low crime rate. friends almost got raped." and there was always music in the Westminster's. "Here, in Westminster," However, in his freshman year, 1988, Nonetheless, Byrd says, the school house," he said. he said," people have been around for he realized that Willingboro might be an "did a good job in not tolerating such "'I might become a college profes- generations and generations. Whereas in exception to the rule: "I was one out of problems." WMC implemented intro- sor," Byrd said. He would like to deal New Jersey, we have families that come eight or ten black students on campus," ductory courses to African history and with jazz, jazz history, jazz theory and black American history. "The college jazz performance. "I think I would be was pretty cool about that," be said. "It qualified to teach it," he said. promoted black awareness." "I was a journalism major because I The fifth year senior, involved with was told I couldn't make a living out of the Black Student Union, is now one of music," he said. "But the more Iplayed, about 40 minority students. He has seen practiced, and the more musicians Imet, the town change a little for tbe better. the further I wanted to go." Thus, he "We accomplished a lot with people in switched his major. town, with Westminster community," he Byrd plays in three separate bands: said. "We had kids from Westminster the Jazmine Jazz Piano Trio, a Quartet, come up here and we played basket ball and a Quintet. He runs the Jazmine Jazz with them. Those kids are young, they Piano Trio. "I control it in the sense that are about 8-12 years-old, and they don't I book where we are going to play, and r have anything to do," he said. bandle the choice of music we are going "Even though I have never had any to play," he said. However, be feels net- type of problems in Willingboro that tberpowerful nor superior: "I'm not on a could be vaguely seen as being racially power-trip, that's not me," he said. motivated," he said, "there are some Music, however, is not his only inter- strange, strange people out there in est. He bas a special love for politics. Westminster." It seems Byrd is more "My friends tell me Ishould go intopoli- . afraid in Westminster than in tics because they sense that I have a ra- Willingboro, N.J. "Here, I'm more cau- tional way of dealing with problems," tious than I am at borne, because there Byrd said. are more chances that something might For the moment, being too busy to happen to me." become the next president oftbe country, ,.A month ago, security in Cranberry he prefers to put his ambitions in writing. Mall came to throw me out of the record "'I am actually in the process of writing a store The Tape World. They told me that book. It is the storyofa black guy inter- the merchant said I looked suspicious," ested in becoming the first black presi- he said. "There are not too many black dent in the United States," he said. "I people in Westminster. Therefore, don't know yet whether he will make it people in town don't know how to react," or not; I just started 2 weeks ago," he be said. laughed. D