The Cameron University Collegian: March 5, 2012

Monday, March 5, 2012

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Seven inducted into Cameron University Athletics Hall of Fame

News

World News Rising conf licts with Iran continue to raise the stakes in international affairs.

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News

Miss Lawton Cameron student Brooke Jeffus will represent Lawton at the state pageant.

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Photography

Shutter Society Photographer Kelsey Carter presents another edition of the Shutter Society.

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Volume 86 Issue 18

A&E

Photo courtesy of CU Public Affairs Photo by Matthew Berberea

The new inductees: Athletic Director Jim Jackson congratulates James Colbert as a new inductee of the Athletics Hall of Fame. Seven new members were inducted on Feb. 24.

Sports

Tennis Men and Women’s Tennis emerge victorious over Cowley College at home.

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by Matthew Berberea Sports Editor

Friends, family and alumni joined together on Feb. 24 to honor the seven newest members of the Cameron University Athletics Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame banquet was held at the McCasland Foundation Ballroom on the second f loor of the McMahon Centennial Complex.

The evening began with an introduction from CU President Dr. Cindy Ross. She said that athletics are an integral part of the university and the overall mission of Cameron.

“Athletics is what ties a university together,” President Ross said. “It is a common bond. It is critically important to what we are doing.”

After dinner was served the ceremony began with the first inductee into the 2012 class, Hillary Baggett Hubert.

Hubert was a volleyball player at Cameron who said her only goal was to raise a conference championship banner at Aggie Gym. In 1998, the Aggies volleyball team was successful in achieving that goal.

“That banner was four years of hard work,” Hubert said. “To win in five sets against West Texas was amazing.”

Hubert said there was another moment that she could never forget from the night of the championship.

Vocal Performance Cameron University’s Concert Choir and Centennial Singers perform together.

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Crossroads

Shelter The C. Carter Crane Emergency Homeless Shelter seeks to create opportunities.

See ATHLETICS Page 8 Page 3

Forensics team takes first at state tourney

by Matthew Berberea Sports Editor

The Cameron University Forensics team traveled to the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Forensics Association 2nd Annual Tournament on Feb. 24 to compete for the state championship.

The event was held in Oklahoma City and consisted of 14 regional schools, including the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University.

The tournament was comprised of debate events as well as individual events. The debate events were Lincoln-Douglas, a one-on-one format, and Parliamentary, a team event with teams of two.

Heading into the tournament, Cameron University was the highest nationally-ranked team out of the participants.

The Aggies were able to win the overall sweepstakes, placing first in the debate events and placing a respectable fourth place in the individual events.

The Black and Gold swept the Parliamentary debate events with teammates Paul Boudreaux and Kaylee Jones joining another Cameron team, Skylar Williams and Zak Rajpari, in the finals.

Boudreaux and Jones had never competed as a team prior to the tournament; Jones said this was her first time competing in the format, and that hard work helped pave the way to victory.

“It feels good, but at the same time I’m not surprised … because our team works really hard,” she said. “Paul has been reading and cutting arguments all year, so I knew that he was fully prepared.”

Boudreaux typically competes with Brett Carlton, and the two are currently ranked 45 in the nation out of more than 800 teams. The duo will compete in the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence later this month, along with Cameron teammates Skylar Williams and Zak Rajpari, ranked 60 nationally.

Williams and Rajpari joined Jones and Boudreaux as the only teams to go undefeated in the tournament.

Rajpari said they are focusing on building up the Cameron brand and strive to make the university Forensics Team nationally known.

“We are trying to build a national reputation by getting sent to events like NPTE,” he said. “We do have something to prove, but at the same time we

Photo by Elijah Morlett

Preparing for wins: Forensics team members Kaylee Jones and Paul Boudreaux prepare for a practice debate round. The team won the the state tournament and are now preparing for national competitions. have been proving it consistently all year.”

I addition to the success Cameron found in the Parliamentary events, two members of the team also excelled in the Lincoln Douglas portion of the debate event.

Brett Carlton and Zak Rajpari reached the semi finals and were matched up in the same bracket.

Carlton advanced to the finals based on a walk over, which is granted when two members of the same school are matched up in a round.

In the finals, Carlton faced off against Sean Grove from Kansas Wesleyan University, who had defeated him in an earlier round.

Carlton was able to get the win in the finals, taking two of the three possible ballots from the judges.

Carlton said that the win did not come easy, and that it was the product of hard work.

“It was a tough round,” he said, “I put out around 60 arguments in a six minute round. It was definitely a challenge, but it was worth it. You have to work hard to be the best and not expect to have anything

thrown into your lap.”

After the sweep in debate events, it was up to the individual event team to seal the win for the Aggies.

Cameron had top five finishes from multiple members in individual events, as Kaylee Jones took first in in Communication Analysis. Boudreaux finished second in pentathlon, fourth in programmed oral interpretation and fifth in extemporaneous speaking.

Jiri Rivera took second in extemporaneous speaking, fourth in oratory and fourth in informative speaking on his way to qualifying for the Interstate Oratorical Association Tournament.

Forensics Team Coach Dan Schabot said that he was proud of the way his team performed. He also said they continue to win based on hard work and a consistent team effort.

“They deserve all of the credit for their performance,” Schabot said. “All year they spend countless hours on research, and always do everything they can to help each other.”

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News

March 5, 2012

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Tensions rise between Iran and the West

By Colin DuRant Staff Writer

Relations between the West and Iran have become more strained in the past few weeks in light of Iranian administration’s recent moves to change policies regarding exportation of oil and advancements in Iran’s longopposed nuclear programs.

Late in January, Iranian energy officials announced a plan to reduce oil exports to European and Western nations involved in sanctions on Iran.

Iranian officials have since mostly reneged on their threats, and as of Feb. 27, the Iranian embargo has only affected Britain and France.

However, the lack of predictability of Iranian oil exports and concerns about their nuclear programs have served to drive up the price of crude oil around the world.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sent a team to Iran to discuss the state of their nuclear program last week. According a press release from the IAEA, “Intensive efforts were made to reach agreement on a document facilitating the clarification of unresolved issues in connection with Iran’s nuclear program,” the press release said.

The general director of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, spoke to the Washington Post about Iran’s nuclear program.

“I can say they (Iran) have well over 3000 kilograms of enriched uranium of 3.5 percent, and it is increasing,” Amano said.

According to Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli officials have stepped up rhetoric regarding a potential preemptive strike against Iran to prevent that nation from acquiring nuclear capabilities.

“The IAEA report constitutes additional proof that the State of Israel’s assessments are correct. Iran is continuing with its nuclear program without let-up,” he said.

At a ceremony for Hezbollah commanders, Deputy Defense Minister of Iran Ahmad Vahidi spoke on his country’s willingness to strike.

“Iran’s warriors are ready and willing to wipe Israel off the

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Restraining the pressure: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad answers questions during a press conference. Tensions between Iran and Western countries have escalated in recent weeks over issues such as Iranian nuclear programs and pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Photo courtesy MCT Campus

Expanding Facilities: Iran’s nuclear facilities continue to expand and become more numerous. The International Atomic Energy Agency has mounted pressure on Iran to be more forthcoming regarding their nuclear programs. map.” Vahadi said.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified in the Senate to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities and their level of determination about

acquiring nuclear weapons.

“We assess Iran is keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons, in part by developing various nuclear capabilities that better position it to produce such weapons, should it choose to do so,”

Director Clapper said.

Despite this assessment, however, most American agencies have reported Iranian nuclear capabilities lay far behind the ability to actually create a nuclear bomb in the very near future. In an interview

with the New York Times, Kenneth Brill, former United State Ambassador to the IAEA commented on Iran’s intentions.

“I think the Iranians want the capability, but not a stockpile,” he said.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey appeared on the CNN television program Global Public Square for an interview with Fareed Zakaria on Feb. 19. General Dempsey addressed the Iran issue and expressed the same belief that Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weaponry is unclear.

General Dempsey also spoke about the possibility of an Israeli strike and American desire for the State of Israel not to do so.

“Well I’m confident they (Israel) understand our concerns,” he said, “But I also understand that Israel has national interests that are unique to them.”

In a report which has been called into question, Washington Post editorial writer David Ignatius wrote that, according to an inside source, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has rationalized the possibility of an Israeli attack.

“Secretary Panetta believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June,” Ignatius wrote.

Secretary Panetta and the Pentagon declined to comment officially on the remarks.

The United State’s relationship with Iran has long been strained, dating back to the Iranian Revolution in 1979 in which the Westernsupported monarchy, under the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s leadership, was dramatically overthrown.

The new government established itself as an Islamic Republic, where Islamic clerics hold most governmental positions.

No formal diplomatic relations exist between the United States and Iran. Most foreign policy discussions between two nations take place through intermediaries such as the European Union and the United Nations General Assembly.

Rutgers bullying trial begins

By Colin Durant Staff Writer

Dhuran Ravi, the former Rutgers University student accused of using a webcam to spy on his roommate, began his trial by jury this past week in the Middlesex County Court in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

According to an indictment from the Middlesex County Prosecutor, Ravi faces conviction on up to 15 individual charges including: bias intimidation, invasion of privacy, witness and evidence tampering.

The trial began 18 months after the incident, in which — as reported in a Middlesex County Prosecutor news release — Ravi used a webcam to view and transmit a live image of 18-year-old Tyler Clementi on Sept. 19, 2010.

On Sept. 22, 2010, Clementi committed suicide, jumping from the George Washington Bridge in New York City, after learning of the video spying and a second incident of privacy invasion which took place on Sept. 21.

According to the prosecution, the live stream showed Tyler Clementi engaging in sexual activities with another man, which Ravi and Molly Wei — friend of Ravi and hall mate of both students — privately viewed and made posts about on Twitter.

Wei was also charged in the original indictment, but on May 6, 2010, Wei made a plea agreement with the court.

Court documents show that Wei’s charges were dismissed in exchange for

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

Cyberbullying: Dharun Ravi stands as the court begins it’s lunch break.

Ravi was charged with using a webcam to spy on his roommate, causing him to commit suicide after the video was made public. agreeing to testify against Ravi, complete 300 hours of community service and attend sensitivity counseling.

A statement from the family of the victim commented on Wei’s agreement.

“Actions have consequences,” the statement said. “We wish Ms. Wei will become a person who will make better decisions, help people and show kindness to those she comes in contact with.”

Ravi’s jury trial began after Ravi rejected two similar plea bargains from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s office, one of which would have resulted in only a probationary sentence.

Ravi’s attorney, Steven Altman made a statement following Ravi’s rejection of the agreement.

“Why would he reject the plea? He’s innocent,” Altman said. “He’s not guilty.

That’s why he rejected the plea.”

According to Louis Raveson, a Professor at Rutgers School of Law, the prosecution’s main challenge regards the bias intimidation charge, a hate crime which has only been a part of New Jersey law for 10 years.

“In order for it to fit the definition of bias intimidation, the act doesn’t have to have been for the purpose of intimidation,” he said. “If you can show that the victim was intimidated and reasonably believes he was singled out because of his orientation, that can be sufficient.”

Chris Adams, a criminal defense attorney practicing in New Jersey, highlighted the difficulty surrounding prosecution of bias intimidation.

“A jury has to be sure beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of intimidating someone because of their sexual orientation,” Adams said.

According to court reporters, most of the opening arguments for the case and the jury selection for the trial have been focused primarily on painting conflicting images of Ravi’s intentions and state of mind during the video-spying.

“This case illustrates the ways the fields of hate crime and cybercrime prosecution are expanding,” the New York Times reported.

Mr. Altman, attorney for the defense, focused on downplaying the personal aspects of the crime.

“We do stupid things, we make mistakes, especially when we’re young,” he said. “It doesn’t mean we’re hateful, we’re bigoted or we’re criminal.”

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News

March 5, 2012

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CU student crowned Miss Lawton

By Teewhy Dojutelegan and Jessica Goodman

Cameron University is home to yet another queen.

Brooke Jeffus, a senior majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies and Biology, was recently crowned Miss Lawton.

The journey to being crowned Miss Lawton, according to Jeffus, started a month before the pageant, which was held on Feb. 12 at the McMahon Memorial Auditorium.

Jeffus competed against seven other young women from Lawton.

According to Jeffus, the phases of competition included: private interview with the panel of judges, on stage question, physical fitness in swimwear, talent and evening gown.

Jeffus said although she felt a bit tense, she enjoyed the experience.

“The experience was great,” she said. “I felt a little nervous, but mostly I was having fun” According to Jeffus, the judges looked for people who had confidence in themselves and their abilities. This confidence is what brings out the best in the contestant.

Jeffus said the pageant is different from what the media portrays.

“The pageants associated with the Miss America Organization are nothing like what you see in the movies,” she said. “We all have a lot of fun together and encourage each

Photo courtesty of Brooke Jeffus

The winning smile: Brooke Jeffus is crowned Miss Lawton. Jeffus, a CU student, will compete in June at the Miss Oklahoma Pageant. other. All the girls were so nice.”

Jeffus said winning a title opens up more opportunities.

“When you win a title that is part of the Miss Oklahoma Organization, the work doesn’t stop the minute you are crowned; that is just the beginning,” she said. “Having a title gives you the opportunity to really be involved in the community you

represent.”

Jeffus said she is honored to have the opportunity to represent the City of Lawton and Cameron University at the Miss Oklahoma pageant in June.

She also plans to give back to the community through volunteer work and promotion of her platform, “Engaging Girls in Science.”

Academic work is still very

important to Jeffus. She credits her professors for being considerate.

“So far, I have adjusted well and have been able to find a balance between getting my school work and studying done as well as traveling to Tulsa and OKC for meetings, appearances and preparation for the Miss Oklahoma pageant,” Jeffus said. “I have fantastic teachers here at Cameron who have been very understanding about the busy schedule.”

According to Jeffus, she is thankful for the support she had throughout the pageant.

Jeffus said her family encouraged her a lot.

“My family was a huge support while competing, especially my mom and sister,” she said. “Also, the members of the board and the director of the Miss Lawton pageant, Jerry Hickingbottom, have been so great to work with.”

She also thanked her friends at Cameron University and all those people who came out to support the pageant.

Jeffus said although she’s only had the title for a few weeks, she’s eager to make great memories.

“Well, I’ve only had the title a few weeks, but I know throughout the next year I am going to make wonderful memories, especially at the Miss Oklahoma pageant,” she said.

The Miss Oklahoma Pageant will take place June 5-9 in Tulsa.

CU establishes the Cleo L. Craig Endowed Scholarship

By Angela Goode Staff Writer

Cameron University has established the Cleo L. Craig Scholarship for Special Education. The scholarship was made possible in part due to a $14,000 gift from the Cleo L. Craig Foundation. The donation is the first in a series that will total $100,000.

Cameron University President Dr. Cindy Ross said that the donation is deeply appreciated and that it will go a long way to helping those students that go into the Special Education Field.

“We are deeply grateful to the board of the Cleo L. Craig Foundation for its support,” she said.

President Ross said that the Foundation has a history of partnering with the university and their continued contributions

have played a consistent role in the campus’ developments and achievement.

“C.L and Helen Craig and the Cleo Craig Foundation have a history of partnering with Cameron and have played a tremendous role in Cameron’s growth and continued success,” she said. “Thanks to their generosity, Cameron graduates who pursue certification in Special Education will enter the workforce with the knowledge to educate students with special needs.”

The Cleo L. Craig Scholarship in Special Education caters to juniors and seniors who are

full time students, residents of Southwest Oklahoma, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above and are pursuing certification in Special Education. The scholarship will cover tuition, books and other educational fees. Eligible students can retain the scholarship for up to six semesters.

C.L Craig, Jr., a secondgeneration Cameron alumni, is the Chairman of the Cleo L. Craig foundation. His mother, the late Lucille Craig, and his wife Helen Wood Craig also attended Cameron. He said the foundation is thrilled with CU’s interest in the training special education

teachers.

“We are pleased to be able to participate in the preparation of dedicated educators for Special Education in Southwest Oklahoma,” he said. “We are impressed with Cameron’s interest in this vital area of education that is often overlooked.”

The Cleo L. Craig Foundation, established in 1997, provides funding and support to education and human services.

Previously, the Foundation had donated $200,000 to Cameron’s centennial “Changing Lives” campaign, and they also provided support for the Department of Education’s “Camp of Champs,” a summer camp for special needs children.

The Foundation was honored with a gala last spring as the McMahon Centennial Complex’s balcony was renamed “The Cleo L. Craig Foundation Balcony”.

Other scholarships being offered to students with an interest in education include: Jane M. Morse Memorial Scholarship, Sondra Bonnington Special Education Scholarship, Irene and Buck Clements Early Childhood Education Scholarship, Regent’s Future Teacher Scholarships, Comanche County Retired Teachers Association Scholarship, Comanche City Retired Teachers Association Scholarship and the Scottish Rite Scholarship.

CU also offers tuition waivers for students seeking a Masters in Education.

For more information about scholarships being offered at CU and information about the CU Education degree, students are encouraged to contact Jennifer Dennis, the chair of the Education Department, at jdennis@cameron.edu or call 580.581.2320.

ATHLETICS continued from Page 1 “After we won CU Eddie gave me a big smooch,” Hubert said. “Some memories never fade away.”

The second inductee of the evening was James Colbert.

Colbert was a quarterback for the Aggies and is the all-time leading passer for CU. Colbert was one of the few black quarterbacks in that era and he said he was grateful for the chance he was given at Cameron.

“There were not a lot of black quarterbacks at that time,” Colbert said. “That did not seem to be an issue at Cameron. I just want to thank Coach Jensen for giving me the opportunity to play.”

The next new member of the night was football coach Charlie Dean. Dean was the assistant to Head Coach Leroy Montgomery from 1955-1963, and during that time the Aggies won two national championships.

Lonnie Morrison, a member of the 1961 Junior Rose Bowl Championship team, accepted the award for the now deceased Dean.

Morrison said that Coach Dean believed that players must be willing to do whatever

it takes to win at all costs.

“Coach Dean’s philosophy was there is a price to pay for winning and he wanted players who were willing to pay that price,” Morrison said.

Former head football coach Leroy Montgomery was the next inductee, following Coach Dean.

Montgomery’s son, Mike Montgomery, accepted the award on his father’s behalf and said that Aggies football was a family affair for the Montgomerys.

“She (Dorothy Fae Montgomery) was a second mom to a lot of the kids who came through here,” he said.

“He (Leroy) cared about people; he cared about their life plan. It wasn’t just lip service” The fifth inductee into the 2012 class was Carl “Tuffy” Roberts, a booster and lifelong fan for the Aggies.

Tuffy’s son Doug accepted the award for his father and said that while his father was technically a booster, he filled in wherever he was needed.

“Once when he went to Las Vegas with R.T. Toma and the women’s basketball team, R.T. got kicked out of the game

Photo by Brandon Nerris

Cameron legends: Seven Aggies get inducted into the CU Athletics Hall of Fame this year.

The Hall of Fame, which was started in 2007, currently has 35 members. and he asked dad to come down and coach,” he said.

“Dad’s heart was family, then Cameron.”

Jo Tahsuda was the sixth inductee of the night. Tahsuda played for the women’s basketball team and currently sits at the top of the Cameron record books for scoring with 1,620 career points.

Tahsuda said that she felt at home while playing at CU because of the support from her coach and people like

Tuffy Roberts.

“The years I had here were wonderful,” she said. “Tuffy was always around and R.T. Toma was a great guy. He made it like one big family. He took care of his girls.”

The final entry into the Cameron Hall of Fame class of 2012 was former football standout Robert Whitman.

Whitman is the Aggies all-time rushing leader with 2,950 yards. He said that everything he did was possible

because of the people and situation in which he was placed.

“God blessed me with great teammates,” Whitman said. “God put me in a great place at a great time. This is a wonderful honor to share with family and friends.”

The evening concluded with the new inductees joining fellow members of the Cameron HOF in spending time with fans and alumni.

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Voices

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna

Houston’s half-staff honor sparks controversy

Editorial Staff

Editor-in-Chief - Elijah Morlett Asst. Managing Editor - Aaron Gill News Editor - Teewhy Dojutelegan Crossroads Editor - Dianne Riddles A&E Editor - James Meeks Sports Editor - Matt Berberea Copy Editor - Alex Rosa-Figueroa Aggie Central Editors - Aaron Gill, Mitch Watson Archivist - Mitch Watson

Newsroom Staff

Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Megan Bell, Tyler Boydston, Kelsey Carter, Fern Cepeda, Leah Ellis, Rachel Engel, Angela Goode, Jessica Goodman, Sarah Holloway, Tiffany Martinez, Lizzy Owoyemi, Miranda Raines Interns - Sarah Brewer, Colin DuRant Circulation Manager - Matt Thompson Advertising Manager - Elijah Morlett Photographer - Kelsey Carter

Newswriting Students

Valera Ainsworth, Adrian Alexander, Amanda Goemmer

Faculty Adviser

Dr. Christopher Keller

About Us

The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Edmond Sun via the Duncan Banner.

by Tiffany Martinez Staff Writer

As many are probably aware, American pop icon Whitney Houston passed away earlier this month. The singer, pianist and onetime actress was found submerged in bathtub at a Beverly Hills hotel room around 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11. Twitter broke the news of the death almost 30 minutes before the reports were released by mainstream media. Cameras captured fans across America in a sort of hysteria as they each mourned the death of the 48-yearold star in their own unique way.

All of this was much anticipated — the social media power house, twitter, bringing news of her death

Our Views

The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author.

The unsigned editorial under the heading “Voices” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board.

The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma.

Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.

The first issue of The Cameron University Collegian is free each subsequent issue is $1.50

to the world before any other media outlet — fans across the United States feeling as though another celebrity death is “one more sign” that we are closer to the end of our days. Even the way in which the body of Houston was found, as she had admitted on several occasions to having drug problems and suffering from depression, was likely in the event of her death. So what was it, you may ask, that turned heads in this heartbreaking event? In the days following Houston’s death, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, ordered state flags to be flown at half staff in memory of the celebrity’s death.

The severity of this offense, and yes I will dare to call it an offense, is beyond words. The honor of having an American flag lowered to half mast should be reserved for men and women of the armed forces — men and women who have sacrificed their lives for the freedoms that the people of our nation are so very privileged to have.

Though the results of Houston’s autopsy have not yet been revealed, she is suspected to have died from an overdose. An excessive amount of prescription pills, alcohol, and pain killers were reportedly found

in the hotel room at the discovery of her body.

I make no argument to the sensational contributions Houston has made to American music, and I make no argument that she was without a doubt one of the most talented vocalists of our generation.

However, an individual that led a life of drugs, gave an example to young women everywhere that it is perfectly fine to stay in an abusive relationship, and refused rehab treatment from her own mother, deserves no such honor as the lowering of an American flag upon her death. It almost makes the significance of such a sign of respect lose its true meaning. It is an insult to the brave souls who put on a uniform everyday with the intention of defending this country with their lives, if necessary, to put be on the same level of an addict.

The execution flying a flag at half staff should be done for acts of heroism, and acts of heroism alone.

Research revealed to me that Houston is not the first of entertainers, or non-military natives, that have been honored with this tribute — other musical entertainers, coaches, and prominent celebrities have also received this gift of mourning across different states. However,

this issue was not brought into this great of a lime light until the recent death of Houston. I cannot be more pleased that such light was shed upon it. It seems that so often in our society, an excessive amount of attention is given to undeserving individuals. Idolization of the rich, pretty, and careless has come to rule our culture. An extreme shift of priorities, and perhaps a reflection as a people of what we deem important, needs to be implemented — and implemented quickly.

The death of a loved one is a tragedy no matter what the cause or stipulations. Again, an argument of the extent of this woman’s talent or the seriousness of her loss is not trying to be made.

The idea of our nation’s flag flying at half staff in her oh-so-loving memory however, is absolutely ridiculous. The idea of an elected official that we are supposed to trust to make positive and sound decisions making that call is even more ridiculous. Houston did not lose a limb in the line of duty. She did not find a cure for cancer. She was not a leader of this nation. She was a singer, a singer that need not be confused with the real fallen heroes of this country.

The changing perception of nerd culture

Letters Policy

Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis.

The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length.

Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks.

All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification.

Letters can be sent by regular mail, by e-mail to collegian@cameron.edu or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060 or at www. aggiecentral.com.

March 5, 2012

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by Tyler Boydston Staff Writer

I’ve been a nerd as long as I can remember. In elementary school, it meant that I knew a bit more about “Star Wars” than a few of my other classmates, and then in middle school it meant that I was pretty much marked for death. I was afraid to make the funny “Star Wars”-related comments because of the bully problem that ran rampant in those awkward three years. It wasn’t until high school hit that I realized that being a nerd was actually a good thing.

While in high school (the years of 2005 to 2009), I began to see more movies targeted towards the nerd culture. Things were starting to become marketed to us. More films were based on comic books, and video games became much more mainstream than they were before. I credit the success of “The Dark Knight” in 2008 as well as the rise in popularity of the “Halo” game series among the reasons for the popularity of nerd culture.

Naturally, I was ecstatic to see the nerd culture becoming more mainstream. Finally, the tortured nerd stereotype would be completely thrown away. What I began to see instead scared me worse than the middle school

bullies attacking nerds.

I’ve begun to realize a trend over the past few years that makes me worry for the nerd culture and its future. I’m not exactly sure when I noticed it, but I finally realized one day that nerds are being used. Companies aren’t making these countless comicbased films for our enjoyment, they’re making these films to make money from us.

To illustrate these concerns, let me present some examples of films made and marketed for the nerd culture. The countless reboots of films, such as “The Incredible Hulk,” “Punisher: War Zone” and the upcoming “The Amazing Spider-Man” show that either studios are running out of ideas, or they are wanting to crank out as many superhero films as they can while the genre is still interesting to the movie-going public.

Attacking the nerd culture even further, MTV’s reality series “My Life as Liz” features a selfproclaimed nerd in her daily life.

While I’ve never seen the show, I’ve read up on it and seen that it has faced harsh criticism online from viewers claiming that Liz Lee is not a real nerd and that the show is made to profit off of the nerd demographic.

While the show itself doesn’t bother me in any way, it is the impact that it has had that scares me. I had a friend try to convince me to watch the show last year because “It has nerd things in it.” The same can be said about the CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory,” though I do not choose to watch that show regularly, as it seems to just try to use the nerd angle to gather a larger fanbase, or, in better terms, the nerd angle is used as a gimmick, which is my main fear of the nerd culture’s popularity.

The amount of comedies based around nerd characters shows that things haven’t really changed.

While it is culturally accepted to be a nerd, the joke is still on us. All of the eccentricities of the characters on “The Big Bang Theory” makes the audience laugh at how socially inept the characters truly are, and at nerds in general.

The ever-increasing popularity of television shows and movies with nerd protagonists makes one thing clear: people are buying into the nerd culture more now than ever before.

The biggest problem that I have is the use of the term ‘nerd’ and how it doesn’t seem to mean what most people think it means. A dictionary definition of the term typically defines it as someone who focuses solely on one topic or field, while also being socially inept.

While many people will describe

themselves as nerds, they are missing a large part of the concept of what a nerd is.

I’ve stopped calling myself a nerd. I think a lot of people should stop calling themselves nerds as well. While a portion of people focus solely on one topic in life and are knowledgeable in that field, they seem to be socially active in some way, shape or form. The term nerd is actually a bit more tragic than what we tend to really see.

I’m a fan of movies and comics, but that doesn’t necessarily qualify me as a nerd. Maybe the nerd culture that seemed to rise over the past few years is faltering, and maybe it’s our job as a society to make sure that companies don’t take advantage of their demographics, while we don’t take advantage of the nerd culture in general.

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Shutter Society

March 5, 2012

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5

Photo by Kelsey Carter

Shooting film in a digital age: While shooting film photography can be more difficult, it is not impossible to manipulate the camera and lens the same way that a digital image may be made. Changing the aperture and shutter speed works the same way, but checking to see if the adjustments will yield a correctly exposed image is more difficult. This portrait was created by shooting on an overcast day with 200 ISO film while using a 50mm lens.

Master the basics Capture the magic

by Kelsey Carter Staff Photographer

I think I have developed this false sense of adulthood that revolves around a cycle of working, eating and sleeping, so I find it imperative to step outside of the boundaries of this society and take time to enjoy the aspects of life I do not visit daily. I guess this is the root of my photography interest. The work is, at times, quiet, though not dull; photography is exciting and different each time, and it allows me to view and perceive the world through a different lens.

All throughout my childhood — and I am sure I was not the only one — I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I never thought to say that I wanted to spend my time developing hobbies into an expertise, or even a career. I do not mean to imply that what we do in our free time should be turned into work, but I do think it is okay to work at an interest. Typically, when we are successful at something we get more joy out of it, so, finding success in things we do for fun may just be a good idea.

There are a few basic techniques every photographer should know when they begin shooting, but before techniques are tackled and skills are developed, the photographer must acquire basic

level knowledge about the topic. A great place to start is with equipment. By knowing how the camera, lenses and all the specs work, a photographer can then manipulate them as needed in order to get the image desired. After the basics are mastered, new equipment such as different lenses, external flashes and filters may be used for special photo needs.

Things every photographer should know about their equipment: Decide first if you want to shoot film or digital. Assuming that the majority of new photographers are shooting digital, I will focus on that. Once you’ve chosen which camera you will use, read the manual. I know, no one wants or really even needs to read a manual about anything digital, but it will prove useful.

Get to know the camera: what type of memory card does it take, what are its ISO capabilities, is it full-frame?

Then, figure out what ISO and fullframe means, along with words like RAW or megapixels — know what these terms have to do with your image production.

All of these topics can be found in the manual that comes with the camera body.

The next, and probably most complex part of a camera is the lens. While the camera body contains the controls

Photo by Kelsey Carter

Explore possibilities: After mastering the fundamental properties of a camera body and lens, a new lens option may be explored. Here a kit lens was used to focus through a fisheye lens that simply attaches to the lens already on the camera. to adjust shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation, it is actually the lens that changes. Manipulations to these settings are endless and can be made by setting the camera to a few different things.

Shutter speed priority, which allows the photographer to chose the shutter speed desired while letting the camera pick the aperture necessary for a correctly exposed image. Aperture priority mode allows you do exactly the opposite of shutter speed priority, while manual lets you chose both the shutter speed and aperture, giving the photographer ultimate control and room for creativity.

Photo by Kelsey Carter

Flex your creative muscles: By opening up the lens’s aperture as wide as it will go depth-of-field is created, allowing the water drops on the surface to be focused on and the objects below to be out of focus. A creative image was created by playing with water’s reflective properties and a macro lens.

A brief explanation of shutter speed and aperture may allow you to shoot out of the auto or program mode sooner, and even jump straight to manual mode, which is the most fun in my opinion.

Shutter speed is the amount of time the lens is letting light reach the light sensor.

Shutter speeds range from around 30 seconds to 1/2500 of a second depending on the camera capabilities. By changing this number you can not only gain the right exposure by using slower shutter speeds in low light situations, but also capture moving objects while still showing detail by using a quicker speed.

Aperture is the amount of light that you are letting during the time the lens is open. Changing the f/stop of the lens creates effects such as depth-of-field and also allows for correct exposures. The lower the aperture, such as f/2.8, the more light may be let in and the higher the aperture – f/32 – the less light is making it in.

The camera lens tends to control much of what the photographer can use to manipulate and create unique, artistic images. With that said, it is wise to focus the finances available for your hobby toward the lenses you would benefit from the most, rather than purchasing the most expensive camera body.

As previously stated, once the fundamentals have been mastered, the photographer may experiment with equipment that allows for more manipulation and fun, creative image production.

Having the correct knowledge about your camera will open up the possibilities for learning knew techniques in photography and mastering them, rather than shooting a good looking photo on accident, and not knowing how the magic happened.

6

Sports

March 5, 2012

www.aggiecentral.com

Tennis handles Cowley at home

by Colin DuRant Staff Writer

Cameron Aggies Tennis engaged in some home court action on the Friday of Homecoming weekend.

Both the men’s and women’s teams played their first home match of the spring season against the Cowley College Tigers of Mulvane, Kansas.

The men entered the spring season with a 0-2 start after taking two losses on the road against Collin College and University of Texas-Arlington.

The Aggies were able to turn that streak around with a solid victory over the Tigers, defeating Cowley 7-2.

The doubles matches were a clean sweep for Cameron, as all three doubles pairs secured a victory.

First, CU’s No. 1 pair, Thomas Peixoto and Duje Janjic, defeated Cowley’s top doubles team of Zack Evenden and Jack Busby 8-6. Then, Nicolai Ferrigno and Mateus Campos defeated Nei Dos Santos and Manuel Raga at the No. 2 slot with a score of 8-4.

Jorge Gerosi and Gonzalo Garzon secured the doubles sweep at the No. 3 position, defeating Edgardo Tapia and John Ward 8-3.

Nicolai Ferrigno, freshman from Denmark, continued his impressive run with a threeset win over Tapia at the No. 3 singles position. Ferrigno dropped this first set 3-6 — only his second lost set this spring — but went on to win the second and third sets 6-1 and 6-4, respectively.

Head Coach James Helvey said he was pleased with

Photo by Brandon Neris

Winning combination: Junior Duje Janjic prepares to hit a backhand in a match against Cowley College on Feb. 24 at the Streich-Henry Tennis Complex. Janjic and teammate Thomas Peixoto secured a victory over Cowley’s top doubles team.

Ferrigno’s performance so far.

“He’s got a really good game, a dynamic game,” Helvey said.

“He’s been doing really well, especially as a freshman.”

Peixoto took a victory at the No. 1 singles slot, and Mateus Campos and Jorge Gerosi also secured wins at the No. 5 and No. 6 singles spots.

For their part, the Lady Aggies looked to continue their early success this spring. The women’s team took on Cowley after coming off of a 4-0 win over the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm of Bethany, Oklahoma.

The women found themselves off to a rough start, dropping two of the three doubles matches.

Sara Londono and Florencia Tornero managed to secure a victory at the No. 2 position against Cowley’s Kirstin Richardson and Arianna Raga in an 8-5 set.

Antonia Moberg and Elvira Sholles struggled in an 8-4 defeat in the No. 3 slot.

Nationally ranked doubles team Julia Puckhaber and Amanda Moberg also lost a tight 9-7 match against Cowley’s No. 1 doubles pair,

came in and advanced Brad Blumer to score for the last Aggie run of the inning.

The Lions started plated the first of their two runs in the top of the second inning. Christian Allen reached for the Lions on an error committed at second.

Gordon Miller then stepped up to the plate and shot a double up the middle to center to bring Allen around to score.

The Aggies led 3-1 after the bottom of the third, in which they plated no runs.

The fourth inning was a different story as the Aggies brought two more runs across.

With Garcia back on base as well as Kevin Lum, Taylor Lyons drove a single up the middle and both Garcia and Lum rounded third to score after both men reached on errors.

Going into the top of the fifth

with a score of 5-1 the Lions had runners on the corners as Ben Smith stepped in and hit into a double play but was still credited with an RBI as Nick Gumm, who was on third plated the second and final run for the Lions.

The CU men did not score again until the bottom of the eighth when Kevin Waukau swung for the fences and homered over the centerfield fence, sealing the win for the Aggies and the final score of 6-2.

Wade Myatt was on the mound for the Aggies and pitched eight of the nine innings for the Aggies. James Rhodes replaced Myatt in the top of the ninth and close out the game for CU. With momentum behind them, and Clay Vanderlaan on the rubber, the Aggies headed into the second game of the day ready for another CU win. And a win was exactly what they walked away with.

The Aggies played the second game to seven innings and walked away victorious by a score of 13-2.

Head Coach Todd Holland said the Aggies pitching staff had an excellent day.

“Our pitching was unbelievable,” Holland said.

“Wade and Clay gave really great outings, and I am really proud of them.”

On the offensive side for the Aggies, Josh Dawson reached

Diana Davitaia and Zsofia Biro.

The Lady Aggies really turned it around in singles action however, losing only one of the six matches and securing an overall victory of 6-3.

Amanda Moberg, junior from Sweden, defeated Zsofia Biro in a quick two sets 6-1, 6-0.

Sara Londono, Elvira Sholles, Florencia Tornero and Antonia Moberg also came up with wins for Cameron, with none of those matches requiring a third set for victory.

Coach Helvey expressed satisfaction with his team’s

performance in the matches.

“It was fantastic. They’ve got a really good team,” he said.

“Both teams had a good task in front of them to step up and play and they did that.”

Junior Amanda Moberg felt good about her team’s performance as well.

“I think we all had some pretty good matches so we’re going into this weekend with more confidence,” she said.

Overall, the matches constituted a nice homecoming weekend for Cameron Aggie Tennis and prepared them for continuing spring action.

CU Baseball takes two of three from Lions

by Aaron Gill

Asst. Managing Editor The Cameron University men’s baseball team ended the month of February with a 2-1 series over University of Arkansas Fort Smith at McCord Field.

Game one for the Aggies came to a close at 6-2 after nine innings. The Aggies showed how dominating the lead would be throughout the game as they scored three runs off four hits in the first inning.

Tyler Cox stepped to the plate with men in scoring position.

Cox would drive in two runs as a single shot out to the left side brought both Andy Garcia and Josh Dawson across the plate. In the meanwhile, the Aggies loaded the bases for Benshell Garcia to step into the box. Garcia made his way to first after ball four

Right in the wheelhouse: Josh Dawson swings at a pitch down the middle earlier this season. Dawson was a central part of Cameron’s two wins Feb. 25 at McCord Field. on an error at second and was brought around in only a matter of minutes to start game two off with a bang. Blumer ripped a single into right field, which scored Dawson and put an RBI into his stat line for the day.

The two runs the lions scored were both tacked to the scoreboard in the top of the fourth when the squad’s designated hitter reached on an error allowing Austin Rawls and Thomas Shaddy to score.

The Aggies came out bats

blazing once again in the bottom of the fourth to produce six runs on four hits and one error. The team would seal the deal in the top of the fifth when Lum scored as Smith reached on an error committed by the third baseman.

Day two of the series was a different story for the Aggies.

The men tasted defeat as the Lions came out on top with a win over the Aggies, 4-9. The Aggies would end the day with eight hits and four errors.

Coach Holland said it was interesting to see how the team reacted to less production at the plate compared with the previous two games.

“We could have easily won that game,” Holland said. “We looked good at the beginning, but just kind of fell off. Yesterday, we got hits when we needed them.

Today, though, we let them take over.

“All our guys try hard and work their tails off, but we just have to get better at performing at a high level day-in and day-out, and that’s hard.”

7

A&E

March 5, 2012

www.aggiecentral.com

Community band performs at CU photo by Tyler Boydston

by Tyler Boydston Staff Writer

Voices and instruments blared out this Sunday at the Cameron/Lawton Community Band and Civic Chorale Concert.

During this concert, which took place at 3 p.m. Feb. 26 in the University Theater, the Civic Chorale, which Doris Lambert conducted, and the community band, under direction of Dr. Jim Lambert, performed many pieces, and finished the concert with a collaborative piece.

According to Dr. Lambert, Chair of the Music department, Cameron University students were not the only musicians on stage.

“I have approximately 50 musicians in the Cameron/ Lawton Community Band,” Dr. Lambert said. “They include Cameron students, alumni, faculty, residents from the greater Lawton/Ft. Sill area and students in high school, as long as they have some previous band experience.”

The Community Band and civic chorale perform together once each semester, and according to Dr. Lambert, the schedule for both semesters differs due to a musical in the spring semester and separate concerts for the two during the fall semester.

“The Cameron/Lawton Community Band and Civic Chorale perform once each

semester,” Dr. Lambert said. “In the fall, the Community Band meets the first eight weeks on Sunday afternoons and performs in early October and the chorale meets the second eight weeks.

In the spring we combine our efforts and meet in the first eight weeks.”

Kristina Henckel and Jiha Choi accompanied the Civic Chorale concert on piano, an addition Dr. Lambert was pleased with.

“The combination of accompaniment adds a superb ambiance to the program,” he said.

According to Dr. Lambert, the concert has a wide repertoire that compliments both the Chorale and the Community Band as they perform separate and in conjunction.

“We perform some lighthearted compositions, like Stevie Wonder in concert,” Dr. Lambert said, “and we have combined compositions with the band and chorale to conclude the concert, ending with ‘America the Beautiful’ and Irving Berlin’s ‘America.’”

A set of announcer notes between compositions were used in order to educate the audience about each of the pieces.

According to Dr. Lambert, the community aspect of the concert serves as an outlet for some to continue making music.

“I believe in the interactivity of a Community Band for many reasons,” Dr. Lambert said. “It

permits our constituents in the area to have an opportunity to continue their music making.

It also permits us at Cameron to identify young talent in high school and to recruit them at an early age.”

The Community Band also features a local celebrity this semester, Dr. Lambert said, in

the form of a weather forecaster from KSWO. “We have the weatherman from Channel 7 in the morning, Austin Bowling, playing the trombone,” he said. “He plays trombone and actually played throughout college as well.”

According to Dr. Lambert, the concert acts as a way of

showing progression of the musicians each semester.

“These concerts are very fun to do,” Dr. Lambert said.

“They’re truly wonderful. My goal is for everyone to feel like they’ve made some musical progress while we continue to enjoy the concerts.”

photo by Tyler Boydston

Conducting the band: Dr. Jim Lambert, Chair of the Music Department is conducting the Cameron/Lawton Community Band and Civic Chorale Concert.

Two choir groups unite for concert

photo by Fern Cepeda

Controlling the power of voice: Doris Lambert controls the flow and direction of the Centennial Singers. The choir performed alongside the Concert Choir during the concert.

by Fern Cepeda Staff Writer

A night filled with music took place on Feb. 23 in Cameron University’s Theatre.

Cameron University’s Concert Choir and Centennial Singers came together to deliver a performance for everyone to enjoy, with united voices singing with a piano accompanist, along

with bass, drums and guitars all helping to bring the music to life.

The night started off with the Concert Choir. Conductor Dr. Earl Logan, and Yiuka Chan, pianist began with a set called “Gloria.” Gloria has six songs and delivered nicely through the different voices on stage.

The voices all fit together to provide the audience a musical experience. The audience was also treated to a specific voice;

one that rang out in a solo performance.

Anjelika Ramsdell, a senior Vocal Performance major, is a soprano and had a solo in a number of songs. She finds the performance experience exhilarating.

“I love performing in front of an audience, it is so thrilling,” she said. “Getting the reaction from the crowd really makes me feel great, and reassures me that

I’m doing something right.”

Ramsdell was also grateful for her professor’s teachings, as they enabled her to make full use of her voice.

“I usually don’t have to worry about saving my voice because I have learned how far I can push it,” she said. “I’m pretty good at knowing what my voice can do and for how long. I have the great professors at Cameron to thank for that.”

The songs that the choir delivered were soft and well received. Audience members were tapping their feet to the rhythm of the music, enjoying the performance. Once the choir finished their performance, they took a bow and let the audience overwhelm them with applause.

Dr. Logan took a bow as well, and accepted the audience’s approval.

Once the choir got off the stage it was the sound of Quinton Williams’ marimba that took over the stage.

Williams performed a solo piece so delicate the sounds echoed

through the room. After the marimba solo, the Centennial Singers took over the evening.

Before each of the six songs the Centennial Singers performed, conductor Doris Lambert would explain a little about the song. The Centennial Singers had a chance to show off their solos in some of the songs being performed.

While all of the songs cradled audience ears, it was the Singer’s last song that got the most attention. The last song, “I’ve Got the Music in Me,” was fast paced and had a lot of beat to it, in addition to the Centennial Singer’s dance moves.

Once the song was over, the audience gave a roaring applause.

Then the accolades died down, the Singers gave the audience an encore performance of the song’s ending. Smiles of joy came from that stage as the show ended.

The evening’s concert was well-received, and audiences were able to experience a night of music they might not have been able to hear ordinarily.

photo by Fern Cepeda

8

Crossroads

March 5, 2012

www.aggiecentral.com

Homeless shelter provides relief for those in need

by Dianne Riddles Crossroads Editor

The C. Carter Crane Emergency Homeless Shelter (CCCEHS) is not just a place to sleep for homeless individuals.

According to Program Director Betty Caldwell, the CCCEHS was established in Lawton on December 15, 1985.

The shelter is a program that operates under Great Plains Improvement Foundation, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit agency.

Great Plains is a member agency of Lawton/Fort Sill United Way. The United Way, Federal grants, the City of Lawton, local contributions and donations fund the budget.

According to Caldwell, the CCCEHS mission statement is to assist and empower the homeless to obtain their goals of employment, permanent housing and becoming members of the community.

CCCEHS is a program that assists and helps the client through supportive services necessary to place a client back into the main stream of life.

Caldwell said that the CCCEHS program is the only homeless program which allows its clients to stay for a period of six weeks, during which time the shelter provides a home environment and strong supportive case management services to help each individual find employment and affordable housing.

According to Caldwell, the main criterion for being a resident of the shelter and a member of the program is that the individual be homeless. If the individual is under 18, they must have a parent residing with them.

The CCCEHS provides additional emergency assistance, such as referrals for counseling, food, medical and clothes; local bus tickets; job and housing assistance;

Photo courtesy of Dianne Riddles

Photo courtesy of Dianne Riddles

C. Carter Crane Emergency Homeless Shelter: The shelter program provides much more than shelter. The CCCEHS program has been helping since December 1985. referrals for Veteran’s benefits, Department of Human Services and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance; and computers in the shelter for client use.

As with most charitable organizations, Caldwell said the current state of the economy has had a negative impact on funding and donations; however, due to the small size of the program and protection of the confidentiality of the clients in the program, donations of goods are preferred over donations of time.

According to Caldwell, the shelter always welcomes donations such as clothing, as long as the clothes are acceptable attire for employment interviews, clean and in good repair.

“If someone wants to make donations, they are very much appreciated,” Caldwell said. “If they have a special recipe, a cake

or something that they would like to bake in a disposable pan and bring it – the clients love those types of things.”

She also suggested other donation items such as Lawton Area Transit System (LATS) passes — for transportation to and from job interviews and work; paper items such as toilet tissue, paper towels and plates; laundry items and toiletries. She said that items for children such as baskets for the upcoming Easter holiday and gifts during the Christmas season are welcome donations.

According to Caldwell, shelter residents occasionally are able to earn money by working to help someone in the community for a day or two.

“With summer coming up, someone with a mower might call and need someone to come and mow,” she said. “We’ve had people call and say they were

moving and needed someone who could help lift; someone here was able to do that and earn a little money.”

Caldwell said that after working with the homeless in Lawton for 27 years, her point of view is that no one should judged anyone until they have walked in a homeless person’s shoes.

“Place a light in your heart for the homeless. Why? Because you may be homeless one day,” she said. “You are only one pay check away from homelessness.”

Anyone wanting to donate money to C. Carter Crane Shelter for the Homeless may send it to P.O. Box 926, Lawton, Okla., 73502.

Anyone seeking assistance from the shelter may call 580.248.0936 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information, one may send email to blcshelter@ sbcglobal.net.

Cameron University instructor attends conference

by Leah Chaffins

sponsors’ goal was joining or bridging generations.”

McGrath said that simply holding one event had Staff Writer the potential to bring together these groups of people.

“I think part of what they had in mind was to Teri McGrath, instructor for the Cameron converge the activists on the campus with the activists English Department, has returned from a conference in the community,” she said. “By nature, this will at the University of Kentucky, where she served bring people of different age groups and generations as a panel member discussing topics ranging from media effects, what can be done about the rising cost together.”

McGrath pointed out the technological skill set of education and how to bridge the generation gap that today’s youths could offer traditional activists as between activists.

McGrath said that UK supports student activists, they join the ranks of political activists.

“With the Occupy Movement, young people are providing them with a building to use for planning beginning to get interested and becoming activists,” political involvement. she said. “The thing about the young people is that “It was at the University of Kentucky in they know how to work the social media and network.

Lexington,” she said. “It was held in a building on campus that is a community center. It is for political They understand what it means to live your entire life in a world where you have always had Google.” activists and organizations. It is a place on campus The value of traditional activism is not lost on specifically for activism.”

McGrath. She said that long time activists have much According to McGrath, bringing together the activists from a campus with the activists of the local to offer the new activists.

“The situation we are in now is that we have a community can be challenging, especially considering group of people who have been activists for years — the generation gap that has divided many activists. decades — and these people have learned the ropes “The conference was an opportunity for students of organizing groups of people, putting together and members of the community to interact, so there marches, petition formation and such,” McGrath can be cooperation between students and activists said. outside of the university, and also between the McGrath said that it was important for people of younger and older people,” she said. “The events

different age groups to come together because they have much to offer to other age groups. Combining their knowledge, the young and mature activists have skills from which both generations can mutually benefit from.

“These two groups of people need to get together, because one group knows the process — how to lobby, have rallies, permits and stuff like that — and the other knows how to work the technology,” she said.

“They could be very powerful if they get together.”

Another point of discussion that McGrath found important was how much debt graduates are walking away with in order to have a degree.

“The speaker talked about how much tuition has increased in such a short period of time,” she said.

“The concern is that cost of education is too high for the payoff.”

McGrath said she and others are concerned because people get an education to avoid or get out of financial dearth.

“The way education works now is that it is a step that everyone has to take in order to get out of or avoid poverty,” she said. “Now we have people who are in debt more than they ever have been in their lives.

They are trapped and in a situation where if they do not get the degree, then they cannot pay off the student loans. This is a huge problem and there was a lot of discussion about it.”

University of Kentucky conference panel members discuss several topics: Cameron University instructor Teri McGrath interacts with students of UK and members of the local community in Lexington, Ky., as they exchange thoughts and ideas about bringing youthful activists together with traditional activists. McGrath said that the sponsor goal of the conference was to bridge the generations to create a stonger activist presence.