AUGUSTA STATE UNI VERSITY’S
VO L XIX ISSUE I
Dr. Bloodworth: "A Legacy Worth Leaving"
Eat Local Eat Fresh Travel Light. Travel Right.
Spring 2012
Phoenix Magazine Augusta State University's
Editor-in-Chief
Megan Waite Steinberg Assistant Editor
Erica Wright Business Manager
Sara Tafazoli Advertising Manager
Travis Highfield Faculty Advisor
Dr. Debra van Tuyll
PHOENIX MAGAZINE c/o Augusta State University 2500 Walton Way, Augusta, Georgia 30904-2200 Phone 706.737.1614 Fax 706.667.4156 msteinbe@aug.edu / ewrigh11@aug.edu
Staff Writers
Catherine Collingsworth Kelli Harris Grant Howell Kerri King Jessica Warren Tanya Wren Eva Hollingsworth Tiara Jackson Travis Keels Madia Orlando Dominic Sterett Andrew Tarr Trey Thorne Carnela Wiley Valerie Wooten
Contributors
Melissa Clark Catherine Collingsworth Darius Cummings Chase Foss Dustin Gaddis Travis Highfield Jordan Kerley Devin Komline Stuart Prather Jana Shivers Fady Tawadrous Melissa Tyler David Wicker
Web Design Hal Gauldin
Cover photo by: David Wicker Phoenix Magazine is published three times per academic year with a press run of 2500 copies. It is created on Macintosh OSX computers using Adobe Creative Suite 4.0. The cover is printed on 80# white offset paper; the text is printed on 70# white offset coated paper. The body copy is Georgia, cutlines are Century Gothic and the nameplat is Desdemona and Archaelogicaps. This issue of Phoenix Magazine was printed by K-B Offset Printing, Inc. in State College, PA.
Editor's Notes Some people land their dream job just by being in the right place at the right time. I guess you could say that’s how I came to be the editor-in-chief of the Phoenix; I was in the right place, the first floor women’s restroom of Allgood Hall, at the right time, the first day of the fall 2011 semester, when Aimee Johnson asked me to be her assistant editor. Now I am the editor-in-chief with the best assistant editor a girl could ask for, and I’m living the dream and leaving my legacy before I graduate in May. I’m not the only one recounting what I’ve accomplished in my time here at Augusta State. In this issue, Catherine Collingsworth recounted Dr. Bloodworth’s many contributions to our campus in her article “A Legacy Worth Leaving”. By interviewing the people closest to our beloved president, she helped us see just how driven, compassionate and downright amazing Dr. Bloodworth is. In his short 19 years here, he has transformed our campus into the thriving institution it is today. The Phoenix wishes him the best as he retires as president and returns to his first love: teaching. We also wanted to pay tribute to one of our fellow communications majors, Matt Miklas. We have included “My Friend Matt”, the poem by Darius Cummings that was read at Matt’s memorial service. Matt was a very accomplished individual as well: he was the chief reporter for The Bell Ringer, an intern for The Columbia County News-Times, and an accomplished athelete. He most certainly left a legacy at Augusta State, one that undoubtedly inspires all of us to do our best. There are so many people who made this issue possible. First and foremost, I want to thank Dr. van Tuyll and the Phoenix staff for all their hard work on this issue, and thank you to the Augusta State Office of Public Relations and The Bell Ringer for their photo contributions—you're both lifesavers! Thanks to all who contributed to the Wingspan section—your beautiful words and photographs breathe life into this magazine. Erica Wright, there are not enough words to express my gratitude for you. Thank you for being my right hand, because this issue would not have been possible without your design expertise. “I love you more than coffee.” Lastly, I want to thank you, the reader. Thank you for picking up this issue. Thank you for reading this note. I am certain that you will find something in here that will interest you and inspire you. I hope you never stop reading, and I hope you never stop chasing after your dreams. Stay inspired. Chase your dreams. Leave your legacy.
PHOENIX MAGAZINE is a student publication of the Office of Student Activities and Department of Communications and Professional Writing at Augusta State University. PHOENIX MAGAZINE is a designated public forum and has been recognized as such by Augusta State University. The publication is funded by advertising sales and student activity fees. The opinions expressed in the Phoenix do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University System of Georgia, the administration or faculty of ASU, the editorial staff or the adviser of the PHOENIX.
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Calendar Spotlight: “Take Back the Night” -Megan Waite Steinberg
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Eat Local Eat Fresh -Melissa Tyler
Travel Light. Travel Right. -Grant Howell
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A Legacy Worth Leaving -Catherine Collingsworth
FATS - The Hottest Ride in Carolina -Stuart Prather
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“My Friend Matt” -a special poem by Darius Cummings
A Frame of Mind 24 Wakeboarding: Melissa Clark
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Energy Drinks, Think Before You Drink -Kelli Harris
Wingspan
-Chase Foss -Fady Tawadrous -Jana Shivers -Devin Komline -Catherine Collingsworth
OOPS!
In the article “Comic Books: A True Artform” from our Fall 2011 issue, the comic “V for Vendetta” was listed as a Marvel comic. It is actually owned by DC Comics. We regret the error. Phoenix 3
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Augusta Blues Festival Bell Auditorium 8:00 p.m.
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Elton John & his band James Brown Arena 8:00 p.m.
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Pig Out Goes Greek JSAC Breezeway 10:30 a.m.2:00 p.m.
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Steeplechase Ford Conger Field Aiken, S.C. 9:30 a.m.
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Funk You Sky City Doors 8:00 p.m. Music 10:00 p.m.
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ALS Association’s Walk to Defeat ALS 9th Street Plaza 7:00 a.m.
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Ballet Folklorico de Antioquia, Columbia Maxwell PAT 7:00 p.m.
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ASU Theater Presents: Julius Caesar Maxwell PAT 7:30 p.m.
2SPRING BREAK
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No class
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Rock Fore Dough 8 The First Tee of Augusta 3:30 p.m.
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Leonard Porkchop Zimmerman’s Art Exhibit Gaartdensity Art 6:30 p.m.
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The Mass Chaos Tour feat. Godsmack & Staind James Brown Arena 6:30 p.m.
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Take Back the Day Walk ASU Amphitheater 8:00 a.m.
Take Back the Night Rally Maxwell PAT 6:30 p.m.
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ASU Choir Concert Maxwell PAT 7:30 p.m.
Easter Seals 1st Annual Disc Golf Tournament Wildwood Park
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LAST DAY OF CLASS
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Sand Hills String Band Maxwell PAT 7:00 p.m.
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Jay Jacobs Art Exhibit Gaartdensity Art
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"Game Show" Fort Gordon Dinner Theater 8:00 p.m.
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Lady Antebellum James Brown Arena 7:00 p.m.
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Spoleto Festival Charleston, S.C.
Take Back the Night
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4-9
Final Exams
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Swamptown Getdown Music Festival Okefenokee Fairgrounds Waycross, Ga.
Story, Layout and Photography by Megan Waite Steinberg
woman knows the fear that overwhelms her when she walks alone at night. Uncertainty, vulnerability and anxiety course through her veins, as any number of predators could attack at any moment. Relief washes over her only after her safe arrival at her destination. Women have a valid reason to fear the night. According to the most current U.S. Census Bureau report, over 81,000 incidents of rape against women were reported in 2009. That same year, they reported 24 incidents of rape that ended in murder. While these numbers may seem low, they do nothing to assuage the fear of women all over the world who do not venture out at night for their safety. Augusta State University’s Women’s Studies Student Association is joining forces with Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services and the Paine College Counseling Center on Thursday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. to present their 16th annual Take Back the Night rally. It is one of many events that will occur during Sexual Assault Awareness Month at Augusta State, and as in previous years, this year’s rally will be held on the front lawn of the Maxwell Performing Arts Theater. The event is free and open to the public. According to takebackthenight.org, the first Take Back the Night events occurred in England in the 1970s. Originally called “Reclaim the Night” rallies, women gathered in solidarity against the “Yorkshire Ripper”, a serial killer who was on a nocturnal murderous spree at the time. Reclaim the Night rallies sprung up all over the world: India, Australia and eventually Philadelphia in October of 1975. Dur-
ing these gatherings, women walked with candlelight through the streets, symbolically reclaiming the courage to venture out at night. In 1977, the rally became officially known as Take Back the Night. Shannon Nix, counselor for Augusta State’s Counseling Center and Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services, explained that the rally will be conducted in two parts. From 6:30-7:30 p.m., participants will have the opportunity to decorate a t-shirt to hang for the Clothesline Project—a tradition that allows victims to share their story through art, and allows other participants the opportunity to support them through art too—the chance to create a handprint banner, and make a peace paper crane. They will also be able to visit with the organizations with booths and gather information about sexual assault awareness. The second hour of the rally (7:308:30 p.m.) is devoted to guest speakers. This year’s event will host Augusta State's president Dr. William Bloodworth, Anne Ealick Henry from Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services, and Dr. Todd Powell-Williams from Augusta State’s Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. Nix believes that the key speakers during the program are the survivors of sexual assault. “The Take Back the Night rally ends with stories of survivors,” Nix stated, “and this is why I tell people to attend. This is the most powerful and empowering portion of the program, evidence that healing does occur and survivors can live full lives [after being assaulted].” The evening will end with the tradi-
tional candlelit walk around Augusta State’s campus. The Augusta State Women’s Studies Student Association and students from Paine College will lead the march. Nix believes this year’s rally will be particularly special because it will be the last event before the impending merger of Georgia Health Sciences University with Augusta State. Because Augusta State already collaborates so well with Paine College and other community members, she hopes that next year’s rally will strengthen the bond between the two schools. “I am interested and excited though,” she said, “to see how we can expand our partnerships and include GHSU in the planning of Sexual Assault Awareness Month events in the future.”
Megan Waite Steinberg is a senior communication major on the studies track.
A paper crane perches on last year’s TBTN program, logo designed by Kelly Highland.
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Eat Local Eat Fresh Story by Melissa Tyler Photographs and Layout by Megan Waite Steinberg
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ave you ever really thought about where your food comes from? Think about this: you can go to the grocery store at any point throughout the year and buy strawberries. The strawberry season in our region ends in June. So where are the grocery stores getting them? Grocery stores get most of their produce from large farms in distant places like South America and California. When the produce has to travel that far, just how fresh is it? Some people only eat organic food
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instead of choosing to eat local, fresh food, but according to Rick Catts, owner of Good Earth Produce and Garden Center located on Davis Road, eating organic produce is not as important as eating fresh, local produce. According to Catts, food that is considered organic cannot be grown with any pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. “Some of our small farms are not necessarily certified organic, but we know what they put on the produce,” Catts said. “It’s not like the massive farms where they spray one type of something to treat everything; these
guys are treating certain insects.” Catts recommends not focusing on eating only organic foods, but eating local foods because you can know how well the food is grown. “If you know where your food is coming from then you know how it is grown,” Catts explained. There are several reasons why you should buy food that is locally grown and sold. Catts says that most people just want to know where their food is grown. He gets the majority of his produce locally or within a 75-mile radius. Catts believes, “When you get food
locally, you get it when it is the freshest and it just tastes better.” He knows the farm each type of produce comes from, how it is grown, and how it is handled. When you shop for locally grown food, the produce vendors should be able to explain each of those aspects of production to you. Sean Wight, owner and executive chef of local restaurant Frog Hollow Tavern, gets 85 percent of his ingredients for the menu locally. “I’m more into serving fresh, local stuff than necessarily organic,” Wight said. “I would rather use well-grown, pretty produce than so-called ‘organic.’ Most of it isn’t [organic] anyway, but when I can get healthy, local organic [produce], I will.” Wight has his own farm in Edgefield, S.C., where he acquires some of his ingredients, but he also shops at the local farmer’s markets or roadside stands. He makes serving as much locally grown food as possible his priority. “Our stuff is picked, and we get it in,” Catts affirms. “I can tell people when and where the produce was picked. Who wouldn’t want to eat the food when it has the best flavor?” There are several places throughout the CSRA that offer locally grown food. Downtown Augusta hosts the Augusta Market at the River every Saturday on the Commons; this year the first Market is March 24. Several roadside stands or stores that sell local produce are located throughout the area, including Catts’ Good Earth stand. During the “growing seasons,” you can find other family-owned stands on Washington Road, and some will sprout up in Edgefield County off Highway 25. During the strawberry season, for example, the locals can pick fresh strawberries from Gurosik’s Berry Plantation in Edgefield, or Bell Farms Strawberry Patch in North Augusta, S.C. While a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are available during the spring, summer and autumn months,
the winter months yield very little produce, so the local markets and stands close down. Good Earth is open a little longer during the year than the rest of the local stands, but it closes down during the winter months and reopens every March. One of the main misconceptions that keeps people from eating local is that they think it is more expensive than buying from corporate establishments like Kroger and Publix. This is not always true. Most of the time, farmer’s markets charge less for their produce than the grocery stores. For example, during the strawberry season, a local farmer typically charges around $11 for a gallon of his sweet red berries, while a grocery store wants about $3 for only a quart. The same goes during the apple season: when a grocery store wants anywhere from $2.29 to $3.99 for a pound of Honeycrisp apples, the local stands will offer the same pound of apples for about $1.99. When you buy produce from a local market, you are getting the produce at its peak season. When produce is at its peak, it costs less. The suppliers do not have to pay their producers to ship their food long distances, which helps cut down on overall cost. Another bonus is that when consumers buy local, they invest in their community. Catts and Wight both said that they would rather purchase their products from someone they know from the area. “If we buy from people in California, that supports them out there,” Catts notes. “It does nothing for our [local] economy.” Wight believes in supporting other local farmers as well. “I would rather give my money to somebody I know and that is local, than some faceless person across the country,” Wight stated. While we live in a world where much of our fruits and vegetables come from far-away places, Augusta’s local farm-
ers provide fresh, affordable and delicious produce to the area season after season. Sow a seed in the local economy and eat fresh.
Melissa Tyler is a senior communication major on the public relations track.
What’s In-Season By Season: Winter: • kale • grapefruit • radishes • garlic
Summer: • • • • • • • • •
blueberries corn watermelon cucumbers field peas peppers peaches tomatoes Vidalia onions • summer squash
Spring: • asparagus • blueberries • lettuce • melon • okra • peaches • strawberries • onions
Autumn: • • • • • •
apples cabbage cucumbers grapes pecans sweet potatoes • peppers
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lean clothes: check. Somewhat clean clothes: check. iPod, laptop, favorite blanket, memory foam pillow, everything but the bathroom sink: check. Congratulations: you have already over-packed for this trip, and forgotten a handful of essential travel necessities. Now you stand in line, fuming over the fact that you just shelled out $125 to check three overweight bags. A TSA agent tells you that you need to step over to a different area to have your carry-on bag randomly inspected because you have packed four giant bottles of shampoo and conditioner into your toiletry kit, and it looked suspicious on the X-ray machine. You have held up the line for everyone behind you and looked like a travel rookie. What should have been a vacation meant to relieve you of stress from your day-to-day grind has turned into into a trip from hell that you cannot wait to end.
Photos taken at Augusta Regional Airport
Travel Light. Travel right.
Story and Photography by Grant Howell Layout by Erica Wright
If any of this sounds familiar, do not be alarmed. You are not the only one, I promise. It seems nowadays that everyone is packing for an arctic expedition that will last six months, when in reality they are going to the beach for a long weekend. Maybe some people feel the need to be prepared for any sort of unknown dress codes, or they do not want to be caught off-guard by a random cold front or hurricane. Other people just want to showcase their latest wardrobes. Maybe people ultimately want a sense of feeling at-home by surrounding themselves with a plethora of personal possessions. Kathy Lord, a senior sales associate at Mori Luggage & Gifts with 25 years of experience in the luggage industry, says that people should consider packing lighter and buy a jacket at their destination if inclement weather occurs. “If you need a sweater, I don’t care if you’re in Russia or in Georgia, you’re going to be able to find a sweater,” Lord
said. She also added that people should be wary of the “what ifs” and not try to plan an outfit for everything, even though she admittedly still has a hard time doing this herself. “Lay out everything you think you’re going to need [in preparing for a trip], and take away half of it,” she advised. Other items to consider packing would be a small luggage scale, an expandable piece of luggage or extra duffel. The scale can be useful for knowing that your bag meets the weight requirements set on checked bags. This could help travelers avoid any last minute problems or hidden fees. The expandable bag can be convenient because most people buy souvenirs when they travel such as t-shirts, hats, ornaments and pretty much anything else they think a loved one or friend may like. This is also where the extra duffel helps. If you buy a lot of trinkets or tchotchkes, you can put them in the
duffel and check it as a separate bag. Travelers should also consider upgrading luggage to a piece that is rigid and has a solid frame or structure to it. Lightweight luggage is nice when there is a weight limit for checked bags. However, a heavier bag that will protect fragile belongings and purchases may prove more valuable for peace of mind. One of the most important things to remember is to check the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA website in the weeks before your trip at www.tsa.gov. The website is constantly updated with regard to carry-on limitations and prohibited items. Limitations such as the 3-1-1 rule, which states that every traveler is allowed three, oneounce liquid containers in a one-quart clear bag. Only one clear bag per person is allowed in a carry-on bag. Remember, you can put big bottles of conditioner, shampoo, mouthwash, etc. in your checked bag but you cannot put them in your carry-on. It is also not a bad idea to check current currency exchange rates prior to leaving for a trip, as they fluctuate daily. You can check the exchange rates for a few days and possibly catch the rate when it is low to benefit your wallet. Most major banks will also exchange currency at their international branches for a low percentage rate. Lastly, but most importantly, notify your bank that you will be traveling abroad so
that they do not put a hold or stop on your account. This is a must. Not only will this keep you from carrying extra cash, but sometimes the percentage a credit card company charges to exchange the currency on a purchase is low. Careful planning can alleviate stress and it can also help make your trip more affordable. Maria Darley, director of Study Abroad at Augusta State University, recommends using the websites www.lonelyplanet.com, www.letsgo.com, and www. goabroad.com to plan your trip. “If you plan ahead and use websites such as these, you can really cut costs,” says Darley. “I would also recommend calling ahead to where you’re staying and talk to someone on the phone. You can sometimes get more information such as room amenities, popular restaurants nearby, upcoming festivals, etc. by talking to someone rather than just looking around on a website.” Check your electronic devices to see if they are dual voltage. These devices can include iPods, laptops, curling
irons, hairdryers, cell phones, cameras and anything else that requires electricity. On dual voltage appliances, the charger will have the numbers 100240v, which means you will only need a simple adapter plug rather than having to lug a heavy converter around the world. Protect your health while traveling and check to see if the country you are traveling to requires or recommends any immunizations to enter. This can be done by asking a travel agency or the study abroad office, or by checking the Center for Disease Control’s website at www.cdc.gov. Traveling abroad can be one of the most enjoyable experiences in college and life in general. The best advice you can take is to take your time in planning and do your homework on the country you are traveling to. Do this and your trip will be filled with so many memories that you might never want to come back.
Grant Howell is a senior communication major on the public relations track.
Sturdy luggage isn't the only must-have item for travel. From top: passport, vacuumsealed bag, neck pillow, extra duffel, plug adapters, and 3 oz. travel bottles.
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Worth Leaving
Dr. Bloodworth reclines at his desk. Photo credit: David Wicker 12 Spring 2012
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ineteen years.
One year shy of two decades. A lot can happen in 19 years, and for Augusta State University, a lot has. The past 19 years and many of its successes can be attributed to its president, Dr. William A. Bloodworth, Jr. When Bloodworth announced his retirement on August 9, 2011, it took many by surprise, and even though he is retiring, there are no plans for him to slow down in the near future. “I think I am fortunate at this stage in my life,” Bloodworth said. “I don’t want to retire; I will be a full-time faculty member.” Bloodworth will step down from his role as president on June 30, 2012, and he will begin working on a history of Augusta State he has been asked to write by Board of Regents Chancellor Hank Huckaby. “I have this assignment from the chancellor next fall to work on writing the history of this institution during the 19 years I’ve been president,” Bloodworth said. “I don’t know quite know how to do that. I can’t avoid writing it in first person.” After he finishes writing the book, he will return to teaching as a full-time faculty member beginning in January 2013. Even though he hasn’t taught every year in his presidency at Augusta State, he said he went for a number of years without teaching before resuming in 2001. While he has many fond memories of his teaching career, he can especially recall in vivid detail what happened on a particular September morning in class. “It was 9/11 and I was teaching English 1102,” he said. “We were studying Shakespeare’s [A] Midsummer Night’s Dream, and I had gotten a little television set because I had a tape so I could show some scenes of a dramatic production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I had put the television up and class was over. Someone said turn the television on, and that second plane hit the second tower. We were seeing it
right there.” As a professor of English and American studies, Bloodworth said when he returns to the classroom he would like to offer an English course on the literature of medicine because he thinks in the Augusta community, that would be a useful course to teach. In addition to English 1101, he would like to teach a section on American History. Most importantly, he is looking forward to returning to teaching. “I will probably work more hours per week,” Bloodworth said, “but more of those hours will be focused on things I’ve chosen to do rather than the things I have to do.” One thing Bloodworth focused on was changing the campus, and it has changed quite dramatically in his 19 years as president. Even though he has been given much credit for modernizing and expanding the campus, he said there were a lot of problems when he arrived. For starters, the majority of the classrooms at Augusta State were in buildings that were originally used as warehouses for the Arsenal in 1941. Bloodworth said they were not very attractive buildings, but they had been adapted for use as classrooms and offices. Because the Arsenal buildings were constructed of cement and asbestos, that led to concern about exposure to asbestos, so six of the older buildings were demolished to make way for the new campus. Augusta State received approval in 1994 for Science Hall, and in June 1997, the Board of Regents agreed to fund two new buildings: Allgood Hall and University Hall. “In this job,” Bloodworth said, “you take the challenges that come and try to turn them into something good, which is what we did with the buildings and
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the particular way we designed the campus and the history walk.” He said he really wanted to honor the Augusta community’s tradition of African-American history on campus, which is how Washington Hall came to be. The building was renamed in honor of Ike and Justine Washington, both of whom are now deceased. The Washingtons were former Richmond County educators and local civil rights activists. Bloodworth said in May 1997, the Washingtons were asked to donate to the school to get the Board of Regents’ approval for renaming the building after them. He said even though the Washingtons had a close affiliation with Paine College, they agreed to this request. For Bloodworth, it was important to have a building named in their honor because they were two highly respected AfricanAmerican leaders in Augusta. Another tradition he wanted to continue at Augusta State was golf. He said that, given the success of men’s golf on campus, he thought it was important to have a women’s golf team. He led the fundraising to get the initial funds to create a women’s golf program, and in 2001, the women’s golf team officially got its start. He said the women’s golf team was something that didn’t have to be done, but it is something that he takes pleasure in having been a part of. For the most part, he said during his 19 years at Augusta State, he tried to manage things, be respectful of faculty, be mindful of traditions, establish good relationships with the community, and get to know people. “Understand that in this job, you are almost always the public face of the university, and [I had to] handle
He transformed the image from what used to be a military barrack to campus life.
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Legacy A
Story by Catherine Collingsworth | Layout by Erica Wright
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ASU’s Office of Public Relations.
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He carefully considered when to retire, but he did it because he wanted it to be a seamless transition. He is all about this university.
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came in at a low time in the history of campus, so he had a big job to do. He had to pick us up and carry us forward. It was a tremendous responsibility. So to look at where we are now, compared to where we were then, the difference is really profound, both in the physical nature of the campus and the emotional nature of the campus.” Childers said from Bloodworth’s first day as president, he was out-and-about in the community. She said he got out on campus and made himself visible; he has always done that and still does. “It’s very easy for a president to lock himself in and become all involved in the work in the office because it is allconsuming,” she said. “A president has to make a concerted effort to get out. The paperwork, the responsibility of the job and keeping the flow going will consume a president.” Childers said Bloodworth’s legacy is the expansion of the campus, but he brought Augusta State to a pinnacle within the community with the modernization of campus, the history walk and athletics. She said he brought what was virtually a small community college to the fore-front of Augusta. She worked with Bloodworth for 15
years, and even though they no longer work together, they still talk and see each other fairly regularly. She still goes to basketball games and sits with Bloodworth and his wife, Julia. She
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even went on the road trips to Massachusetts for the basketball championship games. “We were friends as well as coworkers,” Childers said. “We were very close. It takes years to develop the relationship, but I guess it’s hard to do this type of job without a relationship. You have to trust one another to the ninth degree. It doesn’t come in a year; it doesn’t come in two years; it comes in periods of five years. You have to be on top of your game every day. There’s no slacking. I made my share of mistakes. He didn’t get mad, but I could tell when he was not happy with the circumstances.” Judy Cooke has been Bloodworth’s assistant for seven years now. Cooke took Childers’ place when she retired. She said she’s watched the office change and as technology has progressed, the way they run the office has evolved, but Bloodworth still has his own ways of doing things. She said everything is very detailed, and each morning, they start with checking the calendar. Bloodworth has a calendar given to him the night before so he knows what he has to do the next day. The calendar details the who, what, why, when and where of each meeting. Organization is key to his office running smoothly and efficiently. Cooke and Tina Zimmerman, administrative assistant for the president’s office, coordinate everything for him. They use Microsoft Outlook, but Cooke said Bloodworth uses his trusty pocket calendar. “He hasn’t quite been able to move past [it] because he is of that age; he just hasn’t gotten there yet,” Cooke said. “I tried very hard. I got an iPhone a few years ago, and I tried to get him to get a PDA or something. He got one at my insistence, got it, had it for a not even an hour and said, ‘I just can’t do it, Judy. I just can’t do it.’ I said, ‘But Dr. Bloodworth you know it would just be so much better.’ He went and got his old phone.” His old phone and his calendar are a lot like the president himself: trustwor-
He’s very humble, he’s a very, very smart man, but he cares so much. He has had huge responsibilities and they will continue to go on until the day he is not here.
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away,” Hendee said. those responsibilities “He’s not the kind of as well as I could.” person who is real Bloodworth said. “I’m outgoing; he’s a quiet really, really pleased person, but he’s a very that I have been able ambitious person. to do this work and He’s done a lot for this get such extraordinary university. We have a help from people here. whole new campus.” There are just extraor Bloodworth is dinary people here.” unpretentious. He Bloodworth is quite doesn’t take a lot of modest about his accredit for how the unicomplishments. For versity has changed in him, the best story of just shy of 20 years. his work is told by othASU’s campus, pre-Bloodworth... Photo courtesy of ASU’s OfHowever, when Blooders. Those fortunate fice of Public Relations worth first came to Auenough to work with and Hendee said he learned the comgusta College, the school was much difhim over the course of 19 years truly munity very slowly but very carefully. ferent than it is now, for many reasons. appreciate the man he is and his viShe said he kept a pocket calendar, Nancy Childers was Bloodworth’s sion for a small college that has been which she called his little black book, assistant for 15 years before her retiretransformed into a respected univerand from the first time he met somement in 2008, following 27 years of sity through athletics, academics and one, he wrote their name in the book— employment at the university. In addiaesthetics. something he’s done for 19 years. He tion to her career at Augusta State, she Helen Hendee has known Blooddidn’t just include high society people; is also an alumna of the university. She worth since he began his tenure as he included everyone, which is part of graduated in 1980 with a bachelor’s in president; in fact, she was one of the what makes him so effective. To him, business administration. She, too, has people who interviewed him for his job. no matter whom a person is, they are seen many changes over the years at At the time she was the interim execuimportant. Augusta State. tive director of development. Hendee Bloodworth’s return to teaching did “When I came to work in the presiis now the vice president for Developnot surprise Hendee. He has always endent’s office in March 1989, it was a ment and Alumni Relations, an alumna joyed teaching and his students. Henddifferent campus physically, and it of the university, and has been a part of ee said he doesn’t short-change his stuwas a different campus emotionally,” Augusta State since 1985. dents; he truly loves teaching, and for Childers said. She knows Bloodworth well, and him, even though he will miss his job as At the time, Richard Wallace was when he first moved here, she helped president, going back to the classroom president. Wallace died in July 1991 him get settled in his apartment, which is something he will love to do. while he was in office. Martha Farmer, was located within walking distance of “He has always, at heart, been an a former dean of the business school, the school. Some of the furnishings in English teacher; that’s never gone served as acting presihis apartment were dent for about two Hendee’s, including years, and Bloodworth her mother’s bed. He became president in stayed in this apartOctober 1993. ment for his first year “The campus was as president before his at a low ebb then,” wife and son joined Childers said. “We him in Augusta. had lost Dr. Wallace. Without any pomp Dr. Farmer had done or circumstance, Henwhat I would say was dee said he just rode a magnificent job of into town and became keeping the campus president of Augusta afloat, of keeping the College. campus going. Presi It took some time Bloodworth for him to get settled, ... our campus transformed by Bloodworth. Photo courtesy of dent
thy and dependable. She said he has his Outlook, pocket calendar, and another calendar that schedules things four months in advance. He can just glance at a piece of paper and know what is planned. He has university, community, civic and a personal life to keep up with, and Cooke said it is really difficult for him because he has so many demands on his time. Despite the fact that he is busy and has many things to accomplish in the course of a day, Cooke said he’s not too important for anything. In fact, he is so “unimportant,” that when the occasion calls for it, he dons an apron and cooks for his vice presidents. Breakfast is usually the meal, served on Fridays. In addition to his culinary skills, he is also organized. Cooke said Bloodworth puts together everything for his communications class he teaches every semester. From the nametags on the first day, to the refreshments for the start of the semester, he does it all himself. Cooke said Bloodworth loves his students and the faculty. Despite the fact he is busy, she said he will not stop working because he is retiring; he started in the classroom and that’s where he wants to end. “He’s a fabulous, husband, father, grandfather,” she said. “He’s very hum-
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be, and they have adjusted accordingly. “It’s difficult,” Julia Bloodworth said. “It is hard to balance. We have a time that we can talk, make a little bit of time we can talk each day so we can go over things. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know or be up-to-date on everything that is going on at ASU, and then I need a sounding board when I get irate over parents
He has handled a lot of projects. Allgood Hall, University Hall, University Village, Christenberry and the golf house, and he came out successful.
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gusta State as Dr. Bloodworth, but to his wife, Julia Bloodworth, he is Bill. They have been part of this community for nearly 20 years, having moved their family here from Missouri. “When Bill and I moved here, Bill (moved here) first,” Julia Bloodworth said. “Our son was a senior in high school, so (we) waited until he graduated.” She and Bloodworth are each other’s support system. She said she knew what she wanted to do for a career, which was work with abused children, and he has always been extremely supportive, even going with her on field visits to abused children’s homes. Her work has limited some of her involvement in his activities and responsibilities at Augusta State, but she said he knew how important her work was to her, and he was supportive in all of her decisions. She started a non-profit organization, Augusta Child Advocates, in 1999 and was the executive director until 2003. She still uses her time to work with abused children. Between the Bloodworth’s busy schedules, they make time for each other. Julia said it is sometimes difficult because he may come home from work and have to go back to the school, or sometimes they both have functions they attend together. She said they knew from the beginning how it would
or the treatment of children.” After this summer, they will have more time for each other. Their plans after he steps down as president include visiting old friends and spending time at their condo at Myrtle Beach. While they don’t have any major plans yet, she said she thinks it will help him to know they have things to do. “It will be difficult for Bill,” she said. “I think because he’s always been [go, go, go] and all of a sudden, it’s not going to be that way. I don’t know what it will be like. He is looking forward to teaching, he really is. He loves students; he loves to teach. I think that will help him ease into permanent retirement. I think if he weren’t doing that, it would be really hard on him.” For a president to retire is a change of pace, but as Joyce Jones, vice president of student services said, Bloodworth isn’t the type to just retire and sit in a rocking chair. “He loves to teach,” Jones said. “He loves to write. He’s still going to be contributing to this campus. He’s done a good balance of ‘maker of men and women,’ and ‘maker of buildings.’ It’s sometimes hard for a president to balance that, and he has done both of those.” Bloodworth’s ideas and plans for Augusta State have made the school what it is today. Jones said with the addition
of student housing, University Village, there are more traditional students coming to Augusta State. The university used to be a commuter school with more non-traditional students, but she said the age range of students has changed since the addition of housing. Bloodworth’s relationship with his campus is a unique one. He is very visible on campus, often seen walking across campus or eating lunch in the cafeteria. He regularly attends basketball games and golf matches. Jones said he is one of the most highly visible presidents she has ever seen. “Students don’t realize that you don’t always see the president even in your four years at a university, let alone you’re able to take a class from him, because rarely do presidents teach,” Jones said. “Maybe at orientation or graduation, those are the only times that many students at other schools even get to see their president. Dr. Bloodworth is quite visible. You see him all the time.” Bloodworth has made an impact on the campus with his leadership and how he wanted the campus to grow. Jones said his vision for Augusta State has been a good one even though he has had many obstacles over the years. “He has had to take on some issues,” she said. “He’s had a lot of challenges, and he was able to overcome those. He has good people skills, so he has been
Bloodworth at Homecoming. Photo courtesy of the Office of Public Relations.
able to build relationships with the Summerville community and the city commission. He’s very high-energy.” Building good relationships with the community is one aspect of being president, but under Bloodworth’s tenure at Augusta State, building the main campus has also been an important part of his presidency. The start of the transformation began with Christenberry Fieldhouse, and Clint Bryant, director of athletics, is one of the few people at Augusta State to see the full transition from college to university. Bryant has been at Augusta State since 1988, and said he started about a year after the Board of Regents had granted approval to build the Fieldhouse. They broke ground in November 1989 on the $7.5 million building. Bryant said he has people tell him all the time they can’t believe Christenberry is 20 years old, and he credits the maintenance and custodial staff who take care of and have pride in it. The old gym, in comparison to what Augusta State has today, was much different. Bryant said the original gym was put in an old warehouse, had a very low ceiling, and it held about 450 people. The very last game the basketball team played in the old gym turned out to be a memorable one, and it proved just how much Augusta State needed new facilities. “I remember the last game we played in there, Feb. 5, 1991, against Baptist College, now Charleston Southern,” Bryant said. “I knew the roof leaked, but for whatever the reason, there was never a practice or game where it rained. On this particular Saturday, it rained. I walked in and everyone’s standing there and there is a big leaking puddle of water in the middle of the gym floor. I looked at the visiting coach, Gary Edwards, now head coach at Francis Marion, and said we were going to have the first Division I (basketball) game called because of rain. We laughed. I called Philip Pridgeon, who still works at the Physical Plant, and he brought over plywood and a trash can to take care of the leaking ceiling. The game went on.
Bloodworth shows off his jersey from the ASU’s basketball team. Photo by David Wicker. And we won. That was the game before we moved into (Christenberry).” College athletics is a business of recruiting. Bryant said before Christenberry was built, they would only do drive-bys past the campus with recruits because the main campus was depressing. Today it is much different. Bryant said the coaches and student athletes are proud of campus, and he said they
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mation from Augusta College to Augusta State University occurred under Bloodworth’s watch. He said for years Augusta State was derisively called “Harvard on the Hill,” but the campus had a different feel about it. “There was actually a fence on Walton Way that made people feel that they needed to stay out of it,” he said. “It was an old arsenal. It wasn’t meant to be very warming; it was meant to be very ‘stay away from here.’” Now, the campus is very welcoming. At the main entrance are the fountain and the flower beds, and as Bryant said the addition of the History Walk, the amphitheater the middle of campus, the grove, and the walk between the academic buildings give the campus a
He’s our No. 1 fan
take recruits on tours. What sets Augusta State apart from other schools is the design and layout of the campus. There is Main Campus, Christenberry Fieldhouse, and the soon-to-be Georgia Health Sciences University campus addition. As Bryant pointed out, the transfor-
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ble, he’s a very, very smart man, but he cares so much. He has had huge responsibilities, and they will continue to go on until the day he is not here. He carefully considered when to retire, but he did it because he wanted it to be a seamless transition. He is all about this university.” Augusta knows the president of Au-
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He never wants the focus on him; it’s what the institution has accomplished. He takes very little credit for it himself.
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“I think Dr. Bloodworth and his 19 years of being here has been able to help us make that transition from Augusta College to Augusta State,” Bryant said. “It has helped prepare us for that next transition that a new president will have the opportunity to come in and benefit from the leadership that Dr. Bloodworth and his administration have provided.” In 19 years things have changed for athletics. Augusta State moved from the Big South Conference to the Peach Belt Conference, which allowed for the expansion of athletics and gave Augusta State the opportunity to compete against larger schools like Columbus State, USC Aiken and Lander. Augusta State also earned the title of Back-2Back Golf National Champions; the men’s basketball team has become an elite premier program, and the women’s basketball team was named in the Elite-8 in 2004. “We’ve done OK for a school our size,” Bryant said, “and we’ve done this in a non-traditional type of way. Athletics is not the most important room of the house, but athletics serves as the front porch. A lot of people will look at Augusta State and say it’s pretty cool.
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We don’t have Southern Conference football, but we do have pretty good golf and basketball.” Bryant said Dr. Bloodworth has been a friend of athletics, and Bloodworth goes to all the events. He rides the bus for the 18 hour trips to Springfield, Mass., to the Elite-8 championships. Bloodworth spray paints his hair blue at Homecoming to show support for the basketball team. “He’s our No. 1 fan,” Bryant said. “Coach Metress feels the same way.” November 16, 2011, was the seasonopener for men’s basketball against Paine College. Bryant and men’s basketball head coach, Dip Metress presented Bloodworth with a framed jersey. Even though Bloodworth will still be a part of Augusta State, this basketball season is his last as acting president. “We gave Dr. Bloodworth a jersey with his name and a (number) one on it that he will always have,” Bryant said. “He didn’t have a clue. We kind of pulled one over on him, but at the same time, I think he was appreciative of it.” Dr. Bloodworth’s support of campus activities is not limited to students and athletic events. He is involved in all aspects of the University. Kathy Schofe, director of public relations, said Bloodworth is very sensitive to the needs of the campus. He does not have to be reminded of things he needs to do, and she attributes his keen sense of responsibility to having been in education for many years. Over the years, Bloodworth has been very interested in students and their college experience. Bloodworth and Schofe are first-generation college students, and she said they both identify with students. He started “Pizza with the Prez” about five years ago, and Schofe said he designed it with the idea that it is not a gripe session, but more of a way for students to come together and talk about things, and it gives him an opportunity to meet students. “He is supportive, and he has always been that way,” Schofe said. “He is like that with everybody; he’s just a really
good man, a really good president. If he’s ever met you one time—I’ve never seen anybody with his memory—he would be able to recall your name, major and where he met you. To me, that’s phenomenal.” Because Schofe is the public relations director, she and Bloodworth have worked together for many years. One thing they used to do was every year was go around to classes at Halloween and talk about the spirits and ghosts on campus, and they would have someone from each of the buildings share their experiences as well. “One year we did a noon program, and we did it out in the Quad,” Schofe said. “Dr. Bloodworth, at the end, came and gave me a bottle of ghost repellent. I thought that was really cute.” The week of Nov. 14 2011, Schofe and her support staff attended The Georgia Education Advancement Council, which is a conference for all of the public and private colleges in Georgia for advancement and public relations professionals. Dr. Bloodworth nominated Schofe and the advance group for awards, but did not tell them he had done so. He drove to the conference on Thursday to present the awards to Schofe and her staff, who took top honors in the area of public relations. He also nominated Hendee and her staff in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, who won the award for Overall Institutional Excellence in Advancement. For him to go to such great lengths to take care of all of that speaks volumes about the kind of leader he is, Schofe said. Even though Bloodworth’s leadership will no longer be as president, he will still be remembered for what he has done in the course of his tenure. “He’s joining the faculty, so he’s not really leaving,” Schofe said. “We’re blessed that we’ll still have him. He never wants the focus on him; it’s what the institution has accomplished. He takes very little credit for it himself.” Bloodworth works very closely and has a good relationship his with faculty and staff, but he also has a good
relationship with students. He is seen as someone who cares about students and their well-being. Barinaadaa Kara, Student Government Association (SGA) president and senior political science major said, Bloodworth is very student-driven, and as president of Augusta State, Bloodworth takes his job to different level. He said it is important to have someone as president who focuses on the students instead of the administration because it allows students to voice their opinions. “I find him to be a great person,” Kara said. “His ideas are ‘what would the students want?’ What would the students like to see on our campus? That’s something about Dr. Bloodworth that is very dear to me, and that’s something I will look for in the new president.” Kara said he was surprised by Bloodworth’s resignation, but Bloodworth’s decision to stay at the University and teach is just another way of showing how much he cares about students and said it speaks volumes about his character. “I don’t think Dr. Bloodworth can be replaced,” Kara said. “I think we can find somebody who can fit into his position, and do the job just like he has done in the past 19 years at Augusta State. When he first arrived on campus, our campus was not like this. He has handled a lot of projects. Allgood Hall, University Hall, University Village, Christenberry and the golf house, and he came out successful.” Bloodworth asked Kara and SGA Vice-President Ethan Holliman to attend the Board of Regents meetings that were held on Augusta State’s campus in October 2011. Kara said they attended and were introduced in the meetings, had lunch with the Regents on campus, took pictures with board members, and were able to have a oneon-one conversation with Chancellor Huckaby while he was on campus. Kara said the work and vision Bloodworth has for his students, like his reasons for having students engage with not only the Augusta State administra-
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I mean, the floor was dirty, and he knelt down beside me in this beautiful suit, put his hand on my back and said, May I help you?
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uniqueness. The transformation is part of Bloodworth’s legacy. Bryant said as Augusta State prepares for the next transitional period, it is moving from being a commuter-minded university to being a more traditional, residential type of campus.
tion, but administrations from other schools is so they can see the quality of students Augusta State has. “He has his way of showing us off, and that’s a good thing,” Kara said. “If you have a president who believes we should move forward because he supports his students, that says a lot.” Kara will be the last SGA president under Bloodworth’s tenure as university president. He said it’s a sad situation, but at the same time, he knows it’s not the end of Augusta State; it’s just the beginning of whatever is to be continued. As for the new president, Kara said he hopes he shares the same vision that Bloodworth has for students. “He transformed the image from what used to be a military barrack to campus life,” Kara said. “He served two chancellors from the Board of Regents. It’s not easy to leave after 19 years on campus and still growing at the rate things have grown, all that comes from his leadership skills, his ability to listen to orders, his ability to pay attention to details, seek for new ideas. That will be a legacy that will continue for a long time.” Ethan Holliman, SGA vice-president and junior political science major, has worked with Bloodworth through the SGA and is also a former student of his. Holliman was a student in Bloodworth’s communications class, COMS 1010, and said he enjoyed having Bloodworth as an instructor. In fact, Bloodworth
asked Holliman to teach a class for him in a later semester. Having the president of the university teach a class isn’t typical, and Holliman decided to take advantage of having Bloodworth as an instructor for that very reason. There were some in the class who were not aware of who Bloodworth was—aside from being the instructor. “He was a very good professor in class,” Holliman said. “He is a very smart man, a very nice guy. He really has no problem talking to students and letting us know what he thinks, and listening to us.” Bloodworth’s impact on the campus is not strictly academic or businessminded. He is known for his very public persona, and he makes a point to speak to those he runs into on campus. He is also known for being a caring, kind man, and Beatrice Rehbein saw first-hand just how kind Bloodworth is. Rehbein is part of the custodial staff at Augusta State. In preparation for the start of fall semester last July, Rehbein was in the Jaguars Student Activities Center cleaning carpet one afternoon. “All of a sudden, I felt someone kneel down beside me,” she said. “There was Dr. Bloodworth in this beautiful suit. He had no concern. I mean, the floor was dirty, and he knelt down beside me
Bloodworth in his early presidency. Photo credit: Office of Public Relations.
Phoenix 19
in this beautiful suit, put his hand on my back and said, ‘May I help you?’ I said, ‘No, but you have made my day.’ He gave me a hug and said, ‘I’ll see you.’ It just made my day. I just about started to cry. He took the time, to get down to my level, which happened to be on the floor, and he’s the president of the school.” She said he was so sincere that if she had handed him the brush, he probably would have started scrubbing the floor. She emailed Judy Cooke to let her know she appreciated Bloodworth’s concern. He received a Kudos award for what he
did, which is a recognition given out to staff for their good deeds. “He just truly touched my heart,” Rehbein said. “He was just so sincere. It showed that he really cared.” His wife said it best; he’s very humble. To him, everyone is the same. He cares about his students, faculty, staff, and Augusta State. He accomplished something few are able to--take a small community college and make it into a modern university. Nineteen years and a legacy in the making, from athletics to academics to building a campus. For William A. Bloodworth, Jr., he has
built quite a legacy. A legacy worth leaving.
Catherine Collingsworth is a senior communication major on the public relations track.
FATS
The Hottest Ride in Carolina
Overlooking Sumter National Forest near the South Trailhead. Photo taken by Stuart Prather.
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He’s just a really good man, a really good president.
20 Spring 2012
Photo credit: Travis Highfield
Story, Layout and Photos by: Stuart Prather The CSRA has many biking trails but FATS is the most acclaimed test of any rider's skills in our area. The Forks Area Trail System is a 37mile web of mountain biking bliss designed for beginners and addicts alike. Nestled in the Sumter National Forest, the trail system in Edgefield County, S.C. presents technical sections that keep the interest of the experienced and intrigue the novice. The system of whoops - a series of bumps, apt for jumping - and turns is sectioned into six different trails. The Northern Trailhead consists of the Big Rock and Tower trails. The Southern trails are Brown Wave, Skinny, Great Wall and Deep Step. Casual mountain biker, Simon Williams, 22, senior Criminal Justice major at Augusta State Univerisity, has ridden all of the trails at FATS and appreciates the diversity and challenges
that they provide. He’s learned from his first ride at FATS to his latest that focus and toughness are required. “I always find different sections that I can improve on,” Williams said. “But no matter how many times I fall, I still love coming back.” The two newest trails at FATS are found at the Northern Trailhead. Tower is a 3.6-mile trail that requires more skill than others, but its quick pace and short distance are a blast for any rider. The uphill sections can be difficult, but the speedy downhill sections are a worthy trade off. Big Rock is similar to Tower in its narrow and steep nature, but it offers unique details that set it apart. The abundance of rocks impeding your safe travel and the cedar bridge provide riders with new terrain and interesting scenery. This 3.8-mile burst keeps rider's attention while entertaining them,
but be informed: dipping and dodging some limbs is required. “I like the intensity of the Northern trails because it’s something you can do pretty quick and get a great work out,” Williams said. “I usually can finish one of them in 30 minutes.” The Southern trails begin with a choice of riding either Deep Step or Great Wall. Deep Step is a 5-mile loop that requires more uphill climbing but delivers excitement in return. Great Wall is the longest trail totaling 7.5 miles. According to the
Southern Off Road Bicycle Association, or SORBA, Great Wall is the most “wellrounded” trail at FATS. Riders get their fill of most every aspect of mountain biking with this uphill, downhill, winding, fast trail. A short sprint down the beginning of Great Wall will connect riders to Skinny if they choose. SORBA suggests this trail for beginners because it’s easy to access and little climbing is involved. Although it is said to be the “easiest” ride, this 6-mile trail contains whoops that get the best of any rider. The last of the trails, Brown Wave, is connected to Skinny and presents a 5.8- mile loop that most riders love. According to SORBA, this trail got its name because it feels like “surfing” on a bike. Little climbing and an abundance of whoops make this trail a blast to ride for anyone. “Brown Wave is probably the best
trail for an easier ride,” Williams said. “It has the least amount of climbing and technical stuff.” All of the trails at FATS are thrilling in their own ways and continue to be sought out destinations for mountain bikers from all over the country. The RVs and out-of-town license plates seen in the parking lots are a testament to its quality. Singletracks.com’s reviewers have given rave reviews of the trails, calling them “Fast, fun and flowy.” Other reviews said FATS was among the best trails in the nation as one reviewer stated, “[FATS] was as sweet as any IMBA trail we’ve ever ridden.” To add to the trail’s accreditation, the 2009 International Mountain Bicycling Association’s Epic Status Award was given to FATS. In 2010, the trail hosted the IMBA World Mountain Biking Summit. Locals should take advan-
tage of the trail that is almost in their own back yard. “It’s such a short drive to go to a trail that’s so good,” said Williams. “A lot of people don’t even know about FATS that live in Augusta, but I think word is spreading.”
Stuart Prather is a senior communication major on the public relations track.
“My Friend Matt” poem by Darius Cummings personal friend of Matt Miklas
Matt is happy. Matt is a friend of mine. Matt is a child of God. Matt always made me feel happy. Me and Matt use to go to ASU games together. He used to sit by me at the ASU games. We use to go to the bowling alley together. He swam at the Y.M.C.A. in the lanes. We used to eat pizza at Stevie B’s together. It was a lot of fun! He used to be my Miracle League baseball coach. He was always there to give me a high five. He was always smiling when he was on Earth, now he is in heaven. Matt taught me never to give up. Matt will be my friend always.
In memory of Matt Miklas
Above: SORBA's 22 Spring 2012newest logo. Below: Forks Area Trail. Photos provided by Dustin Gaddis.
Photos courtesy of The ASU Bell Ringer
Phoenix 23
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Photography and Story by Melissa Clark Layout by Erica Wright
t is 7:30 a.m. on a hot summer morning. A fog is hovering over the ground, and you spring out of bed because the anticipation of your day makes sleeping longer impossible. Your mind is racing. All you can think about is getting to the water. Once you arrive at the water and look at its serenity, a feeling of fresh excitement courses through your body. Its tranquility seems to taunt you, whispering a challenge only you hear. Then you submerge into its depths and
24 Spring 2012
defy it by boosting off its wake. All of your worries and stresses from the week seem to flow out through your muscles. Nothing else matters except wakeboarding and the next jump you land or trick you make. This is a snapshot of the perfect day of wakeboarding for Jimmy Powell, a wakeboarder of three years. Wakeboarding for Powell is an emotional escape and a physically rewarding activity he participates in and is a major part of his identity. “At the end of the day, you get to
a point where you’ve worn yourself down physically,” Powell explains. “You’ve completely been able to forget about all of the problems in your life and you find yourself in this mellow, surreal state of mind. That’s really the best part of wakeboarding, and that’s what keeps me coming back. Even if you have some things in your life that really kind of sucks, you can always get out there and wakeboard and it’s easier to find yourself.” Wakeboarding, for those who don’t know, is a water sport in which the
Joel Schrader (left, center) and Jimmy Powell (right) show off their best tricks.
Wakeboarding: A Frame of Mind
rider is strapped to a board and does tricks behind a boat’s wake. A wakeboard looks like a snowboard, but it is used to ride on top of the water instead of snow. Wakeboarding as a sport doesn’t have a clear-cut beginning, and according to Todd Weatherill’s article on wakeworld.com, wakeboarding was never really invented but just done. People just started using boards behind boats and challenging each other to ride the water. Wakeboarding is still a fairly new sport because it did not start getting recognition until the late 1980s and the first US marketed wakeboard, the Skurfer by Tony Finn, did not come on the scene until the early 1980s. Wakeboarding, especially on the river, has started creating strong communities of people whose main form of interaction is wakeboarding. A couple who recently moved to the Augusta area, Scott and Sarah Arendt, credit wakeboarding as the reason they enjoy the Augusta area. The Arendts moved to Augusta over a year ago and reside on the river. They have been avid boaters since they were little and when they moved to the area they didn’t know anyone. “My buddy told us when you move to a new place, buy a new boat and you’ll have instant friends,” Sarah said. Not only did the boat help them out, but since they enjoyed wakeboarding, they were able to take part in one of the wakeboarding communities to make instant friends. The Arendts speak of wakeboarding on the river compared to their hometown in Michigan as paradise. “It’s unique in this area because regardless of the day or time, the water is like butter,” Scott said. Wakeboarding for the Arendts is also something that has kept their
relationship strong and has brought them closer. They describe wakeboarding as an obsession that they have. “Scott will be on the road five days of the week, and I’ll call him on the phone, and Scott will be like, I’ve been thinking about this trick, and we got to try this,” Sarah said. “Then the minute we get to see each other, we’re out on the water doing stuff.” Another wakeboard enthusiast, Joel Schrader, shares the Arendt’s obsession with wakeboarding. Schrader has been training to compete on a pro level next year. He has been wakeboarding for the past nine years and has competed in numerous wakeboarding events. “I like to think of myself as being humble and low profile,” Schrader said. “But part of liking to compete is being seen and doing stuff in front of a crowd and getting your blood pumping.” Competing on a pro level, according to Schrader, means having to have height in jumps, being able to do rails and being able to do technical tricks. The intensity of the ride is also something that is different in competing because as soon as you land one trick you have to be setting up for your next trick. Wakeboarding, however, is not just something Schrader does for the competitions. “It’s all I think about,” Schrader said. “As far as a hobby, I don’t really consider doing anything else. It’s what I want to do when I have free time. I really don’t know what I would do with my life if I weren’t sitting in a boat right now.” Schrader is also working on hosting a wakeboarding event next year to bring more publicity to the sport in the Augusta area. He is hoping to
have four wakeboarding events that will start at the river, continue to Lake Olmstead, move to Wildwood park and finish at the river. He is talking with event sites and sponsors and hopes to be able to use the proceeds from the event to give to a local charity. So keep an eye open for this wakeboarding event next year. Wakeboarding is a way of life for all of these riders. According to Powell, to join in on the community, check out wakeworld.com and look for the “Be a third, find a third” section of the website. This part of the website allows people to post inquiries if they are looking for riders or need someone with a boat to ride with in their area. However, Powell cautions that this section usually is directed towards people who are experienced riders. To learn how to get into the sport, Powell suggests looking at wakeworld. com. On the site, look for wakeboarding pro clinics that will be hosted at Lake Murray in Columbia, S.C., or Acworth, Ga. A pro-clinic is taught by pro wakeboarders. They come for competitions at those lakes and many of them will hosts clinics that anyone can go to. Another alternative according to Powell would be to contact a local water sport store, like Neptune Dive and Ski. An additional source for beginners would be Joel Schrader because he offers lessons for all ages. To contact him about lesson his e-mail is joel.schrader21@gmail.com.
Melissa Clark is a senior communication major on the public relations track.
Phoenix 25
Think Before You Drink
H
Story and Photos by: Kelli Harris Layout by: Megan Waite Steinberg ave you ever had one of those late-night study sessions that leave you exhausted the next day? And so to fight the battle of fatigue, you grab an energy drink on the way to class to give yourself that extra boost of energy to get you through the day. It seems that these days, energy drinks have become a staple for most college students due to their rigorous schedules. Since the introduction of energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, Rock Star and Full Throttle, just to name a few, companies have been tempting college students with advertising like “It Gives You Wings,” “Unleash the Beast,” “Party Like a Rock Star” and “Feel the Energy at Work.” But before you chug that next energy drink, you may want to think about the health risks these drinks can have on your body long after the energy boost has faded. Robbie Downing, a senior Augusta State University baseball player, experienced this very issue when he discovered he had developed a heart problem in 2010 at the age of 21 caused specifically from drinking too many energy drinks. Doctors discovered an irregular heartbeat during his yearly physical and after numerous doctors appoint-
26 Spring 2012
ments and medical tests, they determined he had atrial tachycardia, a condition that “causes the atrial chambers of the heart to beat rapidly,” according to Dr. Geraldine O’Meara, an emergency room physician at Trinity Hospital. After being diagnosed, Downing had to undergo a procedure called cardiac ablation. This procedure “is used to correct the irregular heartbeat by scarring or destroying tissue in the heart that triggers an abnormal heart rhythm,” states O’Meara. Chris Cooper, coach of the Augusta State baseball team, made the decision to ban all energy drinks from the dugout, locker rooms and game road trips after seeing the serious effects the drinks had on Downing. When he heard of a similar situation with another baseball player on a rival team, it affirmed his decision to strictly enforce this ban with his own team. “If I see them, I take them away,” says Cooper. “I don’t want them around.” Downing, now 23, steers clear of energy drinks and has changed his diet to include more fruits like apples, pineapples and strawberries to obtain energy in a healthier, more natural way. “It’s not worth the risk,” Downing says. Caffeine in moderate doses is not likely to be dangerous, but high doses of caffeine mixed with “natural herbs” like ginseng, guarana, yerba mate and gingko biloba that are used in energy drinks can be hazardous. These stimulants are added to the already highly caffeinated drinks to give an extra boost to the consumer. “Caffeine and the caffeine contribution of guarana are stimulants that act on the cardiovascular system and nervous system to increase respiratory rate, heart rate and blood pressure,” says Nicole Moore, an Outpatient Clinical Dietician at Georgia Health Sciences Medical Center. “These effects lead to the perception of decreased fatigue and alertness.”
In October of 2007, The Nutritional Journal published the findings of a study that investigated the energy drink consumption of college students, the key target demographic. The results showed 29 percent of students reported experiencing weekly jolt and crash episodes; 22 percent reported having headaches; and 19 percent had heart palpitations, all related to energy drink consumption. “Caffeine toxicity can include symptoms such as anxiety, tachycardia, insomnia and gastrointestinal upset,” says Moore. Another hazard of energy drinks is that the Food and Drug Administration has no regulations placed on the drinks because they are labeled as “dietary supplements,” even though they offer little or no nutritional value. Therefore, there are no limits set on the amounts of caffeine the makers of the beverages are allowed to put into the drinks. But since realizing the harmful effects and seeing the number of emergency room visits rise due to these types of drinks, scientists and doctors
ASU students (from left to right) Madia Orlando, Stephanie Marshall and Andrew Tarr drinking energy drinks during a late-night study session. have begun to petition the FDA to place regulations and guidelines on the companies that manufacture energy drinks. As any health professional would tell you, a healthy diet is the best choice
for maintaining energy. According to Moore, eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables and heart-healthy fats are the best food sources that will help a person maintain energy all day long. So before you chug that next energy drink, you may want to think twice about the effects it may have on your body and choose to grab some fruits or vegetables instead to get the energy boost you desire. Not only are the healthy foods better for your body, but your energy level will be more consistent throughout the day with none of the crashes experienced with energy drinks.
Kelli Harris is a senior communication major on the public relations track.
Energy drinks come in many different varieties, but their dangers are universal. Phoenix 27
a Wingspan devoted to the creativity of students, faculty, staff and alumni of Augusta State University.
Photo taken by Chase Foss
28  Spring 2012
Phoenix  29
Chase Foss
Bachelor of Science, Computer Science Sophomore
“
Three of the four photos are of Pike’s Peak. Matter of fact, I’d call it The Donut Shop Collection because the gift shop, lounge and café on top of Pike’s Peak are famous for their donuts. I almost choked on mine gasping for air. The altitude was a bit much for the first day.
“
30 Spring 2012
Phoenix 31
The People’s Wish Fady Tawadrous
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science Junior
This poem is dedicated “ to my home country of Egypt, and to all people oppressed by abusive systems.
Crouched in fear on your knees for your life they’ll have you beg and barter One cock back, click, you’re simply another martyr Lives have become cheap, a commodity Respect for human lives, that has become an oddity The midnight streets run red with the blood of the slain The hearts are black of those who inflict such pain What is the gain? What is the gain? In the desert, wolves in sheep’s clothes camouflage to fit the scene The image is nice, pleasant, serene Do not be fooled into the mirage, it’s just a fake screen The wolves attack, you are the prey Run as fast as you will, all to your dismay The cries, the tears The terror, the screams The lies that lead to destruction surround the land The people left broken, with nothing in hand Starvation goes beyond food, and drought more than water The people thirst for justice and hunger for truth So revolt I say, revolt at once! The Hand does not feed you, it strikes you instead Battered it inflicts you, leaves you for dead It strikes fear into your heart The sheer agony rips lives apart So revolt I say, revolt at once! The Hand hides knowledge, leaves us in the dark Revolution needs only the lightest spark We the people decide their fate The time of the Hand has an expiration date So revolt I say, revolt at once! Their reckoning has come, their reign is done An end to the rule of the gun Oh what a fateful web the spider has spun The loom unraveled The garment undone All that is left is the truth, naked and raw The lies have been exposed, an ant to a magnifying glass And there will be no free pass Injustice had been allowed to breathe, breed and swim No more I say, now it will drown Freedom in all its beauty will wear the crown The day has come where justice will soar, and truth will frolic The people will rejoice Peace has been begotten with their voice So revolt I say, revolt at once!
Phoenix 33
“
“Dog Daze” Jana Shivers
Bachelor of Business Administration and Management Senior
Phoenix 35
Catherine Collingsworth As th e crow fli es
Senior Bachelor of Arts, Communication - Public Relations
His inner voice continues talking, Urging him on as he keeps on walking Lost he is, on a dark dreary road, Feeling the pressure of his burdensome load Still unsure as he keeps on his search, The crow follows suit as it caws on its perch On he goes, into the night as he struggles through that inner fight Car after car, driving so fast, closer and closer, now they have passed When this will end he doesn’t know, still the bird glares, follows and crows
D evin Kom lin e Bachelor of Arts, Political Science Senior
Quietly, motionless, he stops and stands poised listens to the beauty of nature’s pure noise as night soon fades and sunlight is gifted he feels his fatigue soon will be lifted a sigh of relief to show his persistence, as the crow flaps its wings to announce its existence
“Sunrise on Cypress”
snapshot
stops for a moment, starts to bend down, quickly comes up and looks around Alone, he is, with nothing in sight, something to give most a fright he gives a smile to embrace the day, and the crow flaps its wings and flies away
36 Spring 2012
Phoenix 37
HOW TO SUBMIT To
THE Phoenix
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The Phoenix Magazine accepts submissions all year long from students, faculty, staff and alumni of Augusta State University. Submit your work to the editors at the Phoenix. We accept artwork, photography, fiction, non-fiction, poetry and story submissions. Be sure to include your name, year, major, department and title of work.
For specific information or questions, contact us at phoenix@aug.edu
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aken by to t Jo o h r
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