October 31, 2011
A publication of the Judson College Department of Journalism Michael J. Brooks, Faculty Sponsor
Judson College Marion, Alabama
What’s New at Judson? By Ryan Dowling
Many of you are probably wondering why there are so many men running around campus. Well, security does know about them and the facilities department knows all too well what these men are up to. Judson has taken on many projects these past few months to revitalize and maintain sections of the campus. Bowling Library and Barron Dormitory seem to
be the headliners for these projects. To be up to par with Judson standards, Robb Leavell, the new director of facilities, said that Judson employees have put in over 500 hours of work into renovations. What’s new? If you frequent the library, then you have seen the new and amazing coffee corner. Rachel
Walker, a sophomore from Faunsdale, and her father built the counter you see in the corner of the main floor in three days with the help of monetary donations. The counter has storage space for teas and other goodies and the top is used for the new coffee and cappuccino machines. The corner also has shelves for storing personal coffee cups so you don’t have to haul them from the dorm to library. Robb Leavell, the new director of facilities, said that Judson employees have put in over 500 hours of work into renovations.
No worries, the cups are under watchful care from Dr. Washburn, Ms. Andrea, and Ms. Vanessa. Not only does this new addition add a sense of welcome to the library, but it allows students to get to know one another in a new atmosphere over a nice cup of Jo. The coffee corner isn’t the only addition to the library. A new handicap assessable ramp was installed this summer to allow more people easier access to the library. Adjacent to the library is Barron, a dorm that some students have run from in the past. Now, the dorm looks quite appealing and has many new features. The aesthetic changes include new paint, new
air conditioners and soon to be new furniture for the lobby (the HDTV is already installed and in frequent use by Barron residents). The best renovations to Barron according to some Judson students are the new, fully equipped kitchen in the basement and new air conditioners. Katie Davis, a junior from Corner, said, “I think the renovations in Barron are awesome! The new air conditioning units really make a difference and I'm super excited about the kitchen . . . downstairs!” If you haven’t seen these great renovations on campus, then you are encouraged to take a look and be a part of the excitement. The excitement isn’t hard to find. Just look in the basement of Barron. The residents use the new kitchen all the time. Laughter and good smells are always making an escape up the stairwell to truly capture the essence of a good college experience. Or you can enjoy a good cup of coffee to ensure an adequate study time or bonding around a table in the Bowling Library. Either way, Judson is on the move with renovations. Stop and take a look. You don’t want to miss seeing them.
Moving Day Blues By Sau Nam
but I just cannot adapt easily to the food they make. I miss my Mama’s recipes so much,” another freshman said. She said she really appreciates the dining hall providing good food, but it's not as good as Mama’s cooking! “Getting along with my roommate is my biggest adjustment,” Katie Brantley said. She said that she has never shared a room with someone--even with her sisters. During the first week, she did not know how to make friends with her roommate and she thought she would not get along with her roommate. However, she is so glad that she and her roommate are getting along and in an entirely positive situation.
Whenever I closed my eyes in the bed, I felt as if I were in Burma, but when I woke up, I realized that I was thousand miles away from home. Homesickness is what I was dying of and my freshman year was filled with tears.
It was quite a relief that Judson College survived from the flood of my tears!
I thought Judson girls were probably homesick, too, and this was confirmed when I asked them. They deal with their homesickness in different ways. Some go home every weekends, some call their parents at least once in a day, some hang out with friends and some do fun activities at the campus. Sometimes, I wish my Mom was here and woke me up to have breakfast and to go to classes.
“I deal with my homesickness by hanging out with friends,” said Haley Pham.
“Let’s face it, cafeteria food that is totally different from Mama’s cooking,” said Emily K. Booker. She said that adjusting cafeteria food is pretty hard and she said it will take time for her. “I know people at the cafeteria are doing a great job,
“I was home schooled so it is different being around with people all the time,” another freshman said. She said she did not know how to socialize with friends. She said she is still adjusting and managing with her socializing skills. “In college there is no one to make me go to class or to make me study. I have to be responsible on my own,” said Adele Baker. Taking on new responsibilities is what she has been struggling with as a freshman. “Sometimes, I wish my Mom was here and woke me up to have breakfast and to go to classes,” another freshman said.
Studying at college is one of big transitions in our lives. Especially as freshmen, adjusting to a new en-
vironment, home sickness, dorm room lives, class assignments and, of course, adjusting to cafeteria food that is totally different from home recipes, are common jitters that most freshmen have. Judson librarian and JUD instructor Andrea Abernathy suggested freshmen should seek supportive friendships, get involved in school activities, set up rules with their roommate and keep healthy snacks in the room. She also advised them to study at least
three hours in a day in addition to class hours. And the library is a good place to do this, she said!
Dr. Michael Brooks, a former JUD instructor, also suggested that getting involved in a local church is a good remedy for moving day blues. "The churches of Marion welcome Judson students," he said. "And they offer opportunities to grow in your faith and to serve others."
A Summer of Service By Rivers Brunson
Marion Matters, Faith-based Service and Learning, Restoration – these are all ways in which Judson women serve for the sake of Christ. Do they only participate out of obligation? Guilt?
It’s easy to get on board during the school year when opportunities literally knock on the door of your dorm room.
Here are four women who traded in their summer vacation for a summer of service.
Amanda Nolander of Huntsville worked with Project 52 Ministries. She and her team worked with refugees in the Nashville area from over 60 different countries. “It was very eye-opening for me, she says. “I saw a need that isn’t being met. God has brought the nations to us!” Through English as a second language (ESL) classes, construction projects and a number of other methods, P52 attempted to meet this need. Here are four women who traded in their summer vacation for a summer of service.
Amanda’s favorite part of the summer was toward the end, just when her team was discouraged because of a “zero salvation decision” tally mark. Two of her teammates had been sharing with and ministering to a couple from Nepal, with seemingly no results. Amanda and the rest of the group were faithfully praying for them, when one night they received a text message, proclaiming “We have another family member!” The team rejoiced in the salvation and was encouraged to “finish strong.”
Camp Sumatanga is where Amber Smith of Irondale spent her summer. A servant with many hats, Amber was an instructor for a ropes course, a canoes instructor and lifeguard – all while “answering questions about Jesus,” which she says was the best part. Camps were held for elementary, junior-high, senior-
high and special needs kids. Her two favorite aspects of the summer were seeing kids’ lives changed and singing songs while hiking mountains. Camp Sumatanga is located in Gallant, Alabama.
Along with several other Judson women, Rebecca Malphurs of Dothan got to spend time in Ethiopia this summer. The group was split up to do different ministries, and Rebecca was nearly giddy when telling of hers. “We went to different Muslim women’s homes and befriended them. When the opportunity arose, we would share the gospel with them,” she explains.
Team leader and missionary, Laura Lee said of Rebecca’s team, “It was truly remarkable the doors that were opened to reaching Muslim women in this area. The missionaries will now have an avenue to reach these people with the gospel in a way that they never have before.” Though they were unable to see the harvest of their labor, they are confident that the ground was tilled and ready for seeds to be sown. A memory that really stands out to Rebecca is of the story of a ten-year-old boy who spoke very good English. “A missionary complimented him, ‘You speak English so well!’"
"It’s not for me!"he said. "God has given me a gift so that I can share the gospel. It is not for my glory." “The wisdom and maturity of that ten-year-old boy humbles me and fills me with wonder all at the same time!” Rebecca said. Taylor Griffin of Arab just couldn’t get enough of serv-
ing the community of Marion during the school year, so she decided to stay throughout the summer! She worked alongside Bethany Rush of Thomasville, for Sowing Seeds of Hope.
Taylor’s job was to organize for groups to do camps and mission work in Marion. Basketball camps and art camps are just two examples of service that took place. “It was cool to see Marion from a ‘Marion point-ofview,’ rather than a ‘Judson point-of-view,’” Taylor says. She enjoyed getting to know the students from Francis Marion High School an seeing the sincere gratitude of families who benefitted from construction projects.
“It was very eye-opening though, to see such poverty right here in Marion.” In fact, she says that Judson students do not do enough to help the community around them. She encourages her Judson sisters to “reach out, and help Marion.” Though many Judson women may think that missions aren’t for them, the truth is there is something for everyone to do!
To find out more about Project 52’s tasks in North America, check out www.goproject52.com; to learn about international projects, visit www.nehemiahteams.com. Another possibility is through the North American Mission Board’s “Innovators” projects, which allows students to work secular jobs while assisting local missionaries. (To find out more, visit www.answerthecall.net/innovators.)
And remember, camps need counselors every summer!
Am I Really Prepared? By Ryan Dowling
College is a time of preparation. It is a time to prepare you for your desired career field, to ready you for life’s hurdles and to ultimately make you successful. However, the question in the back of many Judson students’ minds is, “Am I really prepared?” In search of the answer to this cumbersome and anxiety inducing question, students take necessary precautions to ready them for life after college. Some students shadow professionals in their desired fields. Some students research
their possible career choice by researching salary, benefits and on-the-field guidance of current professionals. Some students, or even all that seek the answer to this question, go to seminar after seminar seeking tips for job interviews, professional dress, resume writing, and etc.; all for the sole purpose of answering the question, “Am I really prepared?” The truth is, according to Joyce Byrd, Judson students are prepared.
Who is Joyce Byrd and why would any Judson student care
Joyce Byrd with Alumnae Director Jennifer Truelove
about her opinion? Well, when Judson students need advice about the life outside of the "Judson Bubble," who better to ask than a Judson graduate? Joyce Byrd graduated in 1962. Her major was sociology and elementary education. While at Judson, Byrd treasured the small school atmosphere and luxury of attending an exclusively female, Christian college. She loved not being a “number” or lost in the crowd. This allowed her to really flourish and expound on her leadership potential.
Byrd’s love for missions and service were embraced and nurtured, as well. She served as a missionary for the Alabama Sunday School Board the summer of her freshmen year. The Baptist Student Union (now Baptist Campus Ministries) helped her explore her God-given talents that summer by connecting her with the board. She was able to work 10 weeks across the state conducting VBS and recreations for the youth. This service mentality fostered through Judson helped Byrd find her true calling in life. While serving as a missionary, Byrd worked with 15 year old girls in Troy. These girls were in need of a mentor and an advocate because of
their home lives. That summer confirmed Byrd’s calling from a life of missionary work to social work. After Byrd graduated from Judson, she said that finding a job or acceptance into graduate school wasn’t hard. She was offered three jobs without applying for them when she graduated due to Judson’s reputation of preparing its students with a quick mind and leadership qualities.
Byrd’s graduate preparations weren’t hard either. Because of Byrd’s impeccable high score on the state Sociology exam, not only was Byrd easily accepted into Tulane University where she received her Masters in Social Work, but the state of Alabama paid for her master’s degree.
Byrd worked for the Alabama Mental Health Department until she retired. From her success, Ms. Byrd gives Judson students more advice.
She wants Judson students to know that campus involvement is essential to career preparation. She was an avid athlete, playing basketball, tennis and volleyball. She also participated in the BSU (BCM) where she found her call-
ing in life. She said, “Become as involved as you can. Don’t skirt the extra-curricula. It’s important to adapt and become involved in the community.” In accordance with life after Judson, Byrd states, “[Be] tough skinned. Even in church work, you have to be toughskinned. Keep your faith in God. God will give people to encourage you.”
With all of this said, the question still lingers, “Am I really prepared?” The answer is, yes. From the lips of a Judson graduate and probably other successful graduates, you will hear the same answer. Their lives bring truth to such a statement. So, relax, but not for too long. The world is anxiously awaiting another prepared Judson girl to keep the Judson legacy of success going.
Faculty Focus: Dr. John Weber “Chance and Balance” By Carli Ludlow
It is not common for many of us to have our lives flash before our eyes, but one person on this campus has had this experience. It wasn’t a clichéd moment, it was the realization that he could possibly die. The year
was 1971 during the Vietnam Conflict; the man was Dr. John Weber.
Weber was the senior advisor to a southern Vietnamese Ranger Platoon that was flying to a base camp
in the Chu Prong Mountains; he was the only American on board. His helicopter was shot down by enemy forces. Though severely wounded, he made his way back into friendly territory and was rescued a few days later. Dr. Weber retired from the military after 21 years of service as a lieutenant colonel with a purple heart and a law degree. He has always been interested in criminals, representing the underdog and gaining that new perspective.
He said his reason for entering law school was simply chance. Weber took the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) to exercise his mind, and scored very high on it (the 99th percentile). Because of this the army offered him a chance to go to law school and he decided to give it a try. He attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. It was there that he and his wife decided to start building their family. Mrs. Janet Weber, like her husband, is a very interesting person to talk to. She’s the serene secret to the balance that Dr. Weber achieves. They met at a party in the Indian Town Gap Military Reservation in Pennsylvania (Mrs. Weber’s father was the Post Commander). She comes from a family of Judson girls and she herself is connected to us through traditions. They have two daughters: Allison, who works two jobs, one for a start up computer company and another for an art museum, and Amy who is a teacher.
Dr. Webber is a lawyer in the morning and a professor in the afternoon. When asked how he handles both careers he said “It’s just about how you balance things." When speaking of his job as an attorney, he said that he gets to be a ham! He convinces people to get another perspective. He said it’s like a test, it’s more than just being a communicator, and it’s being a connector. Weber tries more cases than most criminal defense attorneys--three or four a year and a lot of them are "pro bono." He has always been interested in criminals, representing the underdog and gaining that new perspective.
Mrs. Weber remarks that her husband has an “avocation to help people who may not get it otherwise. He wants to make sure everyone gets their fair shake.” When asked about his knack to help the underdog, Weber spoke of Vietnam and how it was a “better cross section of America than you would normally have. There was a great range of ethnic groups and that brought many different perspectives.”
Dr. Weber has been teaching students at Judson for 13 years (one of the longest serving professors here at Judson). His classes are the epicenter of issues and current events in the realm of criminal justice. Students get the opportunity to see their subjects come to life in the form of a trip to the courthouse or a women’s correctional facility. In the midst of their crazy schedule, the Webers enjoy traveling. They recently attended the Alabama vs. Penn State game in Pennsylvania, not far from where they got married.
The Top Ten Great Quotes Of All Time Compiled by Michael J. Brooks
10. “The first black president will be a politician who is black.” – Former Virginia governor Douglas Wilder. 9. “I strongly support the feeding of children.” – Former president Gerald Ford. 8. “Smoking kills. If you’re killed, you’ve lost a very important part of your life.” – Brooke Shields.
7. “The only thing worse than watching a bad movie is being in one.” – Elvis Presley. 6. “It’s wonderful to be here in the great state of Chicago.” – Former vice-president Dan Quayle. 5. "A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls." – Former vice-president Al Gore.
4. “Except for the killings, Washington is a safe city.” – Former D.C. mayor Marion Barry. 3. “Football features two of the worst aspects of American life—violence and committee meetings.” – George Will. 2. “It’s the same old story: boy finds girl, boy loses
girl, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day.” – Leslie Nielsen in “The Naked Gun.” 1. “She drove me to drink. That’s the one thing I’m indebted to her for.” – W.C. Fields.