| | UAHuntsville alum Reggious Bell shares importance of giving back to the university(11/05/2009)
University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) graduate student and alumnus Reggious S. Bell ('08 BSBA accounting) and billionaire Bill Gates share an enviable trait: they believe in helping others in need.It was the Gates' Millennium Scholars Program (GMS) that allowed Bell to enter UAHuntsville's College of Business Administration in the fall of 2004. "If it wasn't for the GMS Foundation, college probably wouldn't have been much of an option without more financial struggle. I was given the opportunity to dig in at UAHuntsville and find other uses for my time without worrying about finances," Bell said. Bell had little difficulty juggling his academic responsibilities with his social life while attending the university as an undergraduate student. "The college campus is by far the best time to develop social relationships …. You never know if you're talking to a millionaire in the making." He believes the value of a college degree increases when students make time to involve themselves in social and community activities. At UAHuntsville, Bell has held offices in many clubs and organizations on campus, and has been involved in numerous student activities including recruitment and mentoring. "Helping others is just a part of me …. My friends tell me that I am going to leave this world trying to help someone." The giving spirit was instilled in Bell at any early age — along with his fascination of computers. By age eight he was proficient at using his sister's computer and keen to learn more about the intricate workings of the electronic brain. As a student at Demopolis High School (Demopolis, Ala.), Bell became a tutor for the federal government's After School Program, where he tutored in mathematics and computers. Presently, Bell is an accountant for PHOENIX, a non-profit organization offering manufacturing and services from the U.S. Government to the public sector. "The basis of PHOENIX is to improve an individual's quality of life by helping persons with disabilities obtain ethically responsible employment and vocational services. "I wear several hats at PHOENIX, one of them is assisting my supervisor with IT problems. Currently we are trying to make our entire company more 'green' and use the computers a lot more for daily activities," he explained. "This will, in the long run save the company time, and improve the quality of work from our employees. The knowledge that I obtained from my two years as a computer science major at UAHuntsville has enabled me to be a great asset to this organization. Our department uses the computer about 98 percent of the time," Bell said. Socially, Bell spends most of his time with fraternity members. He serves as the advisor to the Alpha Sigma Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He made a decision earlier in the year to run for state office in order to expand his leadership knowledge to other collegiate chapters in the state. He also serves as the Social Program Chair of UAH's Minority Graduate Student Association (MGSA). "It's always a pleasure working with this group and a privilege serving alongside Dr. Adriel Johnson, Sr., (associate professor of Biological Science, and faculty advisor of MGSA)," Bell said. Although Bell is attending UAHuntsville as a graduate student in the accounting program, he remains steadfast in his commitment to give back to the university. "When you have received the quality of education that I have, you feel inclined to give back. You get an inclination to pay it forward. I feel obligated to give back to UAHuntsville in whatever way possible," Bell said. "I try my best to attend alumni activities as they work into my busy schedule. I' m just a phone call or an e-mail away for anyone who needs my help at UAHuntsville," Bell said. "The university is like a home away from home to me. That's why I, like many others before me, refer to the campus as The University of Alabama at HOME." **EDITOR'S NOTE: The GMS was established in 1999 by a $1 billion grant, and is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Each year the Gates Foundation awards 1,000 scholarships to minority students graduating high school who have demonstrated leadership abilities through outstanding academic accomplishments, leadership skills and community involvement. For more information: Joyce Maples, (256)824-6414 |
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