in The news
By Rhonda Jessup & Gianea Bennett
Music deParTMenT sings Praises For new PracTice rooMs
Mason Carroll on double bass
The Music Department is singing “Hallelujahs” for the recent addition of four practice rooms in the Music Suite. The rooms are sound proof and well ventilated. Three of the rooms are equipped with pianos. One room is larger to allow for ensemble rehearsals. According to Stuart Burnham, chair of the Music Department, students have always been able to practice in the music suite or in the Chapel. However, the recent upgrade provides the opportunity to have three or four people practicing at the same time, while still having the ability to hold class in the next room. “If you watched the London Olympics last summer, you probably saw at least one story about how many hours a day the athletes train in order to compete at that level,” Burnham said. “It is no different in music. God gives some people musical talent, but realizing the potential of that gift requires daily practice, as well as the proper facilities. Our students now have the latter, and many of them are already devoting more time than ever before to improving their technique and polishing their repertoire.” • Photos by Matt Stevens
James Fisher on Cello
243 graduaTe in
sTudenTs receive
suMMer coMMenceMenT
ToP honors
On August 18, Mount Olive College graduated 243 students. Mount Olive Alumnus Robert “Bob” Kornegay was the keynote speaker. In his remarks he said, “College is about connections and discovery. No man is an island. No one knows it all. And no one who graduates from college has done it all. A graduate that has learned about the world realizes there is much more to learn. I congratulate you on your fine achievement today. I challenge you to continue to be passionate Joseph Brown, Kennedy Gray, about life, to become a cheerleader for others, and and Katrina Taylor to connect with many people so that your horizons will continue to be bright. May God grant you happiness, success, and a life filled with love.” • Photo by Mandy Hensley
vega ParTiciPaTes in PresTigious
in Phi BeTa laMBda coMPeTiTion Jessica Pineda of Mount Olive and Martin Brekko of Norway received national recognition at the PBL Awards of Excellence ceremony held in San Antonio, Texas. Pineda brought home fifth place in Business Communications, and Martin Brekko placed seventh in International Business. Mount Olive students Jacob Morton of Beulaville and Efrain Valencia of Louisburg also attended the National Leadership Conference. The students were accompanied by PBL Adviser Sonya O’Brien who served as an event administrator for the public speaking event and an event coordinator for the business decision making event.
Mayo clinic inTernshiP
Laura Vega
8 | TODAY | FALL 2012
Mount Olive College senior exercise science major Laura Vega completed a prestigious Clinical Research Internship Study Program (CRISP) at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. “The Mayo Clinic was a great experience. Not only did I learn how to collect data and do research, but just being in an operating room environment with the patients was really cool. The best part was being able to watch so many surgeries every day. Learning how to talk to patients and making them feel comfortable is definitely a skill I will be able to use in my career,” she said. Going into her senior year at MOC, Vega has 3.9 GPA and is a member of the volleyball team. She is expected to graduate in December 2013, and plans to continue her education by earning her master’s degree in public health. • Photo by Mandy Hensley