Homecoming 2014 Issue (Nov. 17) by The Johnsonian

Winthrop University

Althea Holenko / The Johnsonian

November 17, 2014

Rock Hill, South Carolina

Jacob Hallex / The Johnsonian

November 17, 2014

CAN A STUDENT DISCOVER THE TRUTH FOR AMERICA? When you’re a part of the CIA, you can. The CIA has paid student internship, scholarship and co-op opportunities in several fields of study. No matter what you do here, your contributions have great impact – and there is plenty to do. From accounting and finance, to economics, engineering and information technology, the CIA needs talented and intelligent professionals to continue the work that keeps our nation safe. The CIA is seeking motivated individuals with a sense of service for an exciting and rewarding yet challenging experience. Do you have that drive inside of you?

For additional information and to apply, visit:

THE WORK OF A NATION. THE CENTER OF INTELLIGENCE.

www.cia.gov An equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workforce.

ROCKET_Southern_Polytechnic_State_University_9-75x4-875.indd 1

10/1/14 8:32 AM

About The Johnsonian The Johnsonian is the weekly student newspaper of Winthrop University. CONTACT INFORMATION

LETTER POLICY

Our offices are located in suite 104 in the DiGiorgio Campus Center. Phone: (803) 323-3419 E-mail: editors@mytjnow.com Online: mytjnow.com

Letters and feedback can be sent to editors@mytjnow.com or by mail at The Johnsonian, 104 Campus Center, Rock Hill, S.C., 29733. Comments submitted online at www.mytjnow.com may be printed as letters and may be shortened for space and edited for clarity.

Please include your name, major and year if you are a student; your name and title if you are a professor; or your name and profession if you are a member of the community. Letters, cartoons and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily the opinions of The Johnsonian staff.

Weather MONDAY 61°26 ° RAIN

TUESDAY

41°19°

SUNNY, COLDER

WEDNESDAY 44°25° SUNNY, COLD

Editor-in-Chief ADARRELL GADSDEN gadsdena@mytjnow.com Managing Editor MICHAEL OWENS owensm@mytjnow.com Webmaster REAGAN MARTIN martinr@mytjnow.com News Editor CAROLYN RENNIX Opinion Editor TREY STOKES

Sports Editor TANISHA TERRELL

Director of Digital Information JACOB HALLEX

Arts & Culture Editor DANIEL JAMES

Ad Manager AVERY OWENS

Science & Technology Editor DEBORAH CROCKER

Ad Representatives TY STRICKLAND ANNA MCALL

Business Editor RAMAZAN HEYNI Copy Editors FRANCES PARRISH ADAM MATONIC RACHEL SHAFFER

Graphic Designer ALTHEA HOLENKO Faculty Adviser GUY REEL

November 17, 2014

Homecoming royalty announced

The 2014 homecoming king and queen crowned at homecoming game By Carolyn Rennix rennixc@mytjnow.com In spirit of homecoming week at Winthrop, students were encouraged to vote for students who make a positive impact on campus. Four men and four women were announced as the 2014 homecoming court representatives Tuesday during common time. The homecoming king nominees were Cameron Benton, Taylor Jernigan, Roberto Avalos and Jamal Tate. The women representing the homecoming queen court were Jazmine Linnette, Shar-

taysia Rodgers, Ali Jensen and Samantha Nance. Students had the remainder of the week to vote for their top choice. The 2013 homecoming king and queen, almunus Deshawn Clement and senior mass communication major Daisy Burroughs presented the 2014 title during halftime at the men’s basketball homecoming game Saturday. The 2014 homecoming king and queen recipients were Benton and Linnette. Benton is a senior Biology major and member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. Linnette is a senior business administration major with a concentration in entrepreneurship. She founded the campus organization Plain Jane and is an active member on the Council of Student Leaders (CSL). Benton and Linnette will now wear their crowns and represent the university for the following year. The two seniors will return to campus next fall to present their crowns to the 2015 nominees.

Former homecoming king and queen crown Benton and Linnette during the homecoming basketball game.

Photos by Jacob Hallex/ The Johnsonian

Homecoming brings talent to campus By Victor Volious voliousv@winthrop.edu

Photo by Jacob Hallex/ The Johnsonian

Timon Ruth performs spoken word for the audience.

Carolyn Rennix | News Editor rennixc@mytjnow.com

The performers in the Winthrop Homecoming Talent show got the crowd hyped by dancing, singing, rapping and telling jokes. Every year Winthrop hosts a homecoming talent show where students showcase their talent. The students that participated in this year’s talent show each brought their own style to their performance, keeping the audience on their toes. The show was hosted by Jay Dukes, a nationally-known comedian. He had the audience laughing at his jokes and antics. The performers were not the only students who got a chance to broadcast their talent. Jay Dukes had a segment where the audience was able to participate by dancing on stage and letting the rest of the audience be the judge. The audience members had a great time, laughing and singing

along with the acts. David Rookard, a junior marketing major said he thoroughly enjoyed the show. “I really enjoyed the talent in this year’s show, and I am hyped for the rest of Winthrop’s homecoming,” Rookard said. Ashley Minton, a sophomore dance education major, said that the talent was great. “I thought that the talent show was awesome and all of the contestant did really well,” she said. The winner of the Winthrop University Homecoming Talent Show 2014 was Thomas Kelsie, who danced, and the second place winner was Courtney Johnson, who sang. Courtney Johnson, a sophomore interior design major, wanted to perform in the talent show this year. “It was exhilarating being on stage. I participated in the talent show, because I wanted to entertain the audience,” Johnson said.

November 17, 2014

Journalism terror tactics Department of Mass Communication to host cultural event about the dangers for international journalists By Carolyn Rennix rennixc@mytjnow.com Nearly 60 journalists have been killed globally this year, including American reporters James Foley and Steven Sotloff. Both of these journalists appear to have been beheaded by the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). In a video released earlier this year, Sotloff was pictured wearing an orange jumpsuit, similar to those worn by prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. As he kneeled, he was coerced to read a statement Photo courtesy of mass communication department about “paying the price” International journalist interacts with foreign children on the job. for U.S. airstrikes against

Islamic militants. On Nov. 18, 7-8 p.m., a panel will discuss the dangers of reporting abroad, how the killings impact media coverage and how terrorists are using journalists as political pawns in Owens Hall G02. The panel includes international journalist, reporter for WFAE-FM and former NPR reporter Tom Bullock. Two Winthrop professors, Guy Reel and Chris Van Aller, will also speak at the event. Those in attendance will receive both cultural and global credits. For more information contact Aimee Meader at meadera@winthrop.edu.

Fall into fashion Mass communication department hosts fall thrifty themed fashion show By Catherine Lowe lowec@mytjnow.com Bright patterns, chic styles and bold accessories. These are only a few words to describe the Winthrop fall fashion show Nov. 4. “Fall into Fashion: Worn, Tossed and Found” gave student stylists an opportunity to showcase their trendy talent with clothing items found at Plato’s Closet. Hosted by Professor Bonnye Stuart’s public relations class, the committee transformed Richardson Ballroom into a high-fashion runway. The class displayed the “thrifty” theme by decorating the room with recycled material, including glass bottles, newspapers and cans. The event was the main fundraiser for the mass communication department to raise money for their annual recognition dinner in the spring. The competition consisted of four categories: casual, business, wildcard and Eagle pride. Each designer styled two outfits for every category and presented them to the judges. Sophomore English major Candace Livingston, a competing designer, said that her style comes from ‘90s hip-hop styles and had outfits that ranged from old school

to hipster. “When I see things with a rougher look, I tend to gravitate more towards that and then put my own twist on it,” she said. Livingston said she wants to write for a fashion magazine after graduation. With her sophisticated yet urban taste, she said feels she can become a successful fashion writer. Senior business administration major Jamal Mitchell said he gets his inspiration from actors, GQ magazine and Student models flaunt their outfits on the runway. men’s fitness. He style. created classy and Her fashion influences come from urban designs. style icons online, but her biggest Mitchell said that this show was inspiration comes from Natasha his first time showcasing his designs Lillipore. publicly, but fashion has always “I just love being a little weird. I been a hobby. think it’s more fun that way to be a “I’ve always been that friend that little different and stand out,” she people ask for advice, but I’ve never said. had the opportunity to really show Saunders said she loves to try off my style like tonight,” he said. different styles and does not like to Senior integrated marketing stick to one type of look. communication major Julia “One day I’ll look like a total goth Saunders also had the opportunity girl, and the next day I might be to show her classmates her personal wearing Lilly Pulitzer,” she said.

Photo courtesy of Katie Samuels Winthrop’s fashion show was not the first for Saunders. Over the summer she had the opportunity to intern with local fashion designer Tara Davis and helped her with two fashion shows. Saunders plans on going into the fashion industry after she graduates. After visiting New York City three times this past summer, she fell in love with the lifestyle. “I feel like as long as you’re really determined and passionate then you’ll make it happen,” she said.

Flags fly high on Veterans Day Veterans were honored on the steps of Brynes Auditorium on a day of rememberance By Carolyn Rennix rennixc@mytjnow.com Veterans Day is a time to remember and honor the U.S. soldiers who dedicated their service for this country and to celebrate those who continue to serve. The American flags flew proudly as hundreds of Winthrop students gathered at the steps of Byrnes Auditorium Nov. 11 to pay their respects and remember all of the United States veterans. Army veteran and honorary speaker Sgt. Ken Hood spoke on behalf of the men and women he fought along side in the Vietnam War and for those who serve this country today. “On this day, I remember the veterans that I served with and the veterans standing here

today,” he said. “This is a day where I still stop and think about all of the men and women who were courageous and served for all of our communities.” Hood also thanked all of the active-duty military men and women present. “It is an honor to see all of the different uniforms here today,” he said. “You all deserve to be honored and thanked for your service and to not be ashamed of the uniform you proudly wear.” The Resource Center for Adult Students and campus organization Student Veterans of Winthrop hosted the event. The Student Veterans of Winthrop University strives to ensure that veterans are successful in their transition from combat to the classroom by developing programs and policies that help veterans with the transition, centralizing the critical resources that student veterans need to graduate and advocating on behalf of the student-veterans of Winthrop. At the closing of the event, students and military men and women read aloud the hundreds of names of the South Carolina and North Carolina soldiers who passed away this year.

Photo by Eric Hammett/ The Johnsonian

Winthrop ROTC students carry the flags at the introduction of the ceremony.

Photo by Carolyn Rennix/ The Johnsonian

Students stand together at Byrnes Auditorium for the ceremony.

November 17, 2014

A matter of perspective

Winthrop alumnus rebuts Roddey Tillman Hall should not be named after racist Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:

The subtlety of Ms. Roddey’s “argument” for keeping the name Tillman attached to Main Building takes some divining. Is she asserting that the name Tillman should remain as an emblem that the racial injustices of the past continue to this day, and we therefore are reminded every day of our continuing discrimination and assertions of white supremacist behaviors? If so, it follows that the Confederate Infantry Battle Flag should adorn the top of the Clock Tower (replacing the cross), and the bells changed to a chorus or two from “Dixie.” Incoming freshmen must be oriented properly regarding the persona of good ol’ Ben Tillman. Make them do a bit of Google research and write a paper using many of his populist statements — a good idea for any of my future correspondents.

Veterans Day, Nov. 11. A time when we make special note of the sacrifices made by the members of the armed forces of our country. When I was a kid the date was called Armistice Day, because the World War I ended at 11 minutes past 11 o’clock on the 11th day of the 11th month. It seems a bit contrived to us now, but back then it was to drill into the minds of all involved the precise date of the armistice. I can’t tell you the exact date or time of the endings of World War II in Europe, known now as VE Day (Victory in Europe), or of the War in the Pacific, VJ Day (Victory over Japan). I recall that they were in 1945, and I even remember where I was when the radio broadcast each of those two momentous events. But there have been some interesting changes over time in how we know about such things. During WWI all photographs were in black and white. Movies were silent and made with hand-cranked cameras. The films had to be taken back to a lab for processing and were then eventually shown in the newest entertainment venues, the cinemas. Radio broadcasting didn’t exist, let alone television. By WWII, radio was widely available; local stations did live shows and shut down at around 11:00 p.m. with the national

RICHARD CRIST DAVIS, ‘10 Lake Wylie

“”

Incoming freshmen must be oriented properly regarding the persona of good ol’ Ben Tillman.

Winthrop students need to get into the game

Adarrell Gadsden Editor-in-Chief Students enjoyed the festivities that led up to the annual homecoming games but didn’t do the most important thing: go into the games. Winthrop students enjoyed tailgating and a week full of events such as a talent show, the Chalk Your Spirit event and a comedy show. While these events are all great ways to get involved, the point of concluding homecoming in basketball games is to get all students into the Winthrop Coliseum supporting both the men’s and women’s basketball teams. While basketball may not be Winthrop’s favorite pastime, going in and supporting the two basketball teams as they kick off their seasons is important. The Winthrop women’s basketball team were presented their Big South Conference Championship rings, something they would have most likely liked to share with the whole student

body. Students waiting around outside to walk in just before the game begins miss the opportunity to be a part of a special moment in Winthrop history. The students who also were a part of the homecoming court, and the two who went on to be named king and queen, would have wanted all their peers to be present. While it would be great to see students fill the rafters of the coliseum every night, the student body should at least being able to fill the coliseum at homecoming. Winthrop coliseum has a seating capacity of 6,100. If just the students who lived on campus partook in these games as spectators, it wouldn’t be difficult to fill the coliseum with the addition of Winthrop faculty and staff, alumni and the Rock Hill community. Students also filed into the game and left after halftime. While I understand that those who left early only came to support those in the homecoming court, it isn’t fair to student athletes who work so hard during the offseason. Winthrop students should be ashamed for their lack of support of the Winthrop basketball teams and should do a better job in getting out and supporting the team in the future.

Trey Stokes | Opinion Editor stokest@mytjnow.com

anthem. Short-wave radio made it possible for an entirely new form of journalism to be invented. Edward R. Murrow was a prime pioneer, giving live broadcasts of war action as it was happening. His newscasts began with the signature line: “Hello, America. This is London calling.” Before long reporters were being embedded with the troops both in Europe and in the Pacific, actually going in with invasion forces in places as hostile as Guadalcanal and the Philippines. Cinematography equipment and techniques had improved so that color and sound would be incorporated into films shown in home movie theaters, and the folks at home could feel a sort of participation. Broadcast reports were still limited primarily to the three radio networks, NBC, ABC and CBS. MovieTone News prepared the films seen in the theaters. Now it is almost 70 years since then, and the news is transmitted via satellite as it occurs and on a spectrum of broadcast TV networks including cable, many of which run 24 hours a day. Casualties are reported on a day-to-day basis and with detailed accuracy impossible three quarters of a century ago. But the result of those casualty reports is that the public has become much more sensitive to the numbers of killed and wounded American troops. In the almost 14 years of the conflict in Afghanistan, there have been 2,144 military deaths. By contrast, during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII, a campaign that lasted 40 days, U.S. casualties included 19,000 killed. Another contrast: traffic

deaths in Texas, Florida and California in 2013 have each exceeded the total deaths in the entire Afghanistan campaign. Until 1980, there was a recognition that people involved in conflicts sometimes developed problems that were mental in nature. The condition was usually called “shell shock.” It was often viewed by military leaders as weakness on the part of the person exhibiting its symptoms, up to the point when on August 3, 1943, Lt. Gen. George S. Patton slapped a soldier who was hospitalized for psychoneurosis, accusing him of cowardice. Now the condition is given the formal title of PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and it is becoming more widely recognized. It is not merely something found among troops involved in firefights. It may be found in support personnel who never get anywhere near the actual combat zones. It may also be experienced in the families of deployed military personnel as they anxiously wait at home. So, this Veterans Day, and every day, please recognize that the freedoms we enjoy and take far too much for granted exist largely because of the services of our men and women in the military. Never miss an opportunity to say “Thank you for serving” to a service person in uniform, and to persons of mature years (that’s code for “old people”) who wear “Vietnam Vet” or other emblazoned clothing and headgear. May God bless all our service people at home and away for making our freedom possible. DAVE BIRLEY Rock Hill

Police should do more to prevent rape Dear Editor: Texts, automated voice messages and emails are the main features that Winthrop University uses to communicate hazardous and potentially dangerous situations to students, faculty and staff. I am sure we can all remember one instance where a WU alert awoke us either in the middle of the night or the early morning. Personally, I remember waking up to a phone call in the middle of night when a robbery took place at the CVS across the street from campus. Even though some may have complained about being awoken by the phone call, it did not bother me at all because I felt safe; I felt that Campus Police was truly looking out for our safety. However, my opinion has completely changed due to the recent event of a young woman being raped on campus whose crime was simply walking back to her dorm room. The night that this violation took place, all cell phones remained quiet and did not glow in the dark. There were no automated voice messages or text messages being sent out as students either slept or walked back to their dorm rooms, completely oblivious to the potential danger on campus. Instead, students were informed about the assault the next day at approximately 11 a.m.. Besides being disgusted that such a horrendous crime occurred on campus, I was extremely disappointed in Winthrop University and Campus Police for failing every single student on campus and not putting our safety first. A simple automated voice message or text message informing students that a dangerous situation on campus has happened and to stay in your area until further instructions would have been sufficient and would have made students feel safer on campus. Throughout my past three years at Winthrop, I have always been very aware of my surroundings on

our ill-lit campus. However, as I walk to and from my evening classes, I now feel the constant need to continuously look around me, being aware of every single person around me, scanning to see if anyone looks as though he does not “belong” on campus. It simply all comes down to this: it shouldn’t be this way. I shouldn’t have to feel as though I need to walk to my evening classes with a very thick textbook in my arms to use as protection if needed. My friends shouldn’t feel the need to carry pepper spray and wasp spray in their hands, and our parents should not have to worry about us walking alone on campus to the library, our rooms or our cars at 8 p.m. at night. Unfortunately, this tragedy is not being addressed even though it has affected each and every single one of us. We live in a culture where a victim of rape becomes the one at fault. Now, every single female on campus has also become the victim, with our sense of safety ripped away from us and replaced with fear. What happened on campus was a tragedy, and campus police should be reassuring us that we are, in fact, safe by either increasing security on campus once the sun goes down or working to make campus better lit at night. Perhaps CSL should hold a panel discussion between students and Winthrop police so they can hear firsthand what areas on campus we do not feel safe as well as our reasons. Instead, Winthrop University and Campus Police are simply brushing this violation under a rug, hoping it will not be mentioned again and forgotten. Next time that you are in class, remember the statistic that one out of every four women will be a victim of sexual assault. How many more assaults will have to happen before action will finally be taken? LAUREN SWITZER Senior Spanish major

November 17, 2014

Eagles soar on Homecoming

Eagles pummel Pfeiffer By Michael Owens owensm@mytjnow.com

Behind a near-career day for Keon Moore, the Winthrop men’s basketball team kicked off their 201415 campaign in dominating fashion, defeating the Pfeiffer Falcons 85-59 Satuday at Winthrop Coliseum. Moore showed out early and often, providing court to court offense for the Eagles. The redshirt senior ended his day with 25 points, two shy of his career high and shot 70 perecent from beyond the arc. “It’s nice to win the first one,” said Winthrop head coach Pat Kelsey. “We Jacob Hallex / The Johnsonian talk to our guys all the time about the season being a marathon and not a Winthrop senior Keon Moore (top) sprint and putting all your focus and attention in each one of these games drives on a Pfeiffer defender. Andre Smith (left) brings the ball that you have to play. Learn from it. down court during Saturday’s win Take the positives and the negatives and then close the book and move over Pfeiffer. Both finished with forward to the next one.” double-digit performances and The first half started off rough for near-double-doubles in the first both teams, as scoring was scarce. game of the 2014-15 season. Moore got things going with the first Winthrop points of the season, Jacob Hallex / The Johnsonian connecting on a long-range bomb that

put the Eagles ahead after an early Pfeiffer score. The Eagles then began to dominate the game, leading by 19 at the half before extending the lead to 26 not long into the second half. The visitors showed early in the second half, going on an 11-2 run but could not overcome the early doubledigit lead put up by the Eagles in the first half. Senior Andre Smith also performed well, scoring 13 points and getting 8 assists. Redshirt freshman Dube Okeke was also impressive in his debut, scoring 10 points and blocking a shot. Other freshmen made their debuts in the game as well, including Xavier Cooks and Joseph Lopez. “I knew a lot of our younger guys, our newcomers, would be nervous,” Moore said. “But I feel like they handled themselves very well. I feel they stood up to the challenge, and they’ll get better from here on out.” The Eagles will next head to the upstate Monday night, as they face the Clemson Tigers inside Littlejohn Coliseum at 7.

Featured Photos

Yellow fellows fire up Winthrop fans at Homecoming

Jacob Hallex / The Johnsonian

Lady Eagles cruise past Gallaudet By Tanisha Terrell terrellt@mytjnow.com The Lady Eagles beat Gallaudet University 117-43 Saturday afternoon in homecoming play. The team dominated the game and were up 64-19 at the half. At the half senior Samiya Wright shot five for five with 14 points. Junior Schaquilla Nunn had 24 points by the half and sophomore Erica Williams also had double digits by the half with 11 points. Winthrop shot just under 60 percent in the first half. “I was pleased with everybody who played and everyone scored the ball.” said Winthrop head coach Kevin Cook. “Now we will get ready for Furman on Monday night.” The team continued to dominate the game throughout the second half, eventually winning by 74. Schaquilla Nuun set a new Winthrop record for single points in a game with 39 points. Nunn also finished with 16 rebounds giving her a double double, nine blocks and five steals. Wright finished with a doubledouble scoring 17 points and getting 11 rebounds. Williams scored 17 points and freshman Ezinne Mbamalu tallied 20 points in her Winthrop debut. The Lady Eagles out shot Gallaudet 55 percent to 26 percent in the game. The team will take on Furman University at Winthrop Coliseum Monday at 7 p.m.

Jacob Hallex / The Johnsonian

Jacob Hallex / The Johnsonian Jacob Hallex / The Johnsonian The 2013-14 Winthrop women’s basketball team was honored during Saturday’s Winthrop center Schaquilla Nunn (center) goes for the ball during the Eagles’ 117-43 win over doubleheader. Both banners were Gallaudet Satuday. The junior set a new single-game scoring record with 39 points against the offically revealed and players and staff Bison. from last year also received rings.

Tanisha Terrell | Sports Editor terrellt@mytjnow.com

7 November 17, 2014

2014-15 Winthrop basketball schedules

November 17, 2014

Banners wave as Eagles’ spirit soar following decorating party Daniel James jamesd@mytjnow.com As white flags rested on bright red table clothes, students from various campus organizations painted them with elaborate designs in various colors. At the Resident Student Association’s Homecoming Banner Decorating Party in the DiGiorgio Campus Center, students competed to see who could create the banner that showed the most school spirit. The event was a chance for students to design their own banners for Homecoming, which would then be judged by the Council of Student Leaders, DiGiorgio Student Union and RSA. When all of the banners were hung in the campus center, the top 5 banners were as well as the grand prize winner, which featured an eagle decorated for Mari Gras. Resident Student Association

President Nicholas Cunningham said that this is the first year that they have hosted the event. In the past the Homecoming Banner Decorating Party was sponsored by the Homecoming committee but was transferred to the RSA after DSU downsizing. Many students still say that banner decorating is an important part of Homecoming week. “This is a chance to bond with one another and to support our athletes,” said Mimi Gale, freshman consumer and family sciences major. Cunningham also said that after the event was transferred to the RSA, there was a loosening of rules. He said that in the past, the banners had to be affiliated with a particular student organization, but this year anyone could make a banner, granted that it showed school spirit and did not have anything vulgar on

it. Members of the Homecoming court also came to the event to show their support. “I think it’s important for members of the court to come out to Homecoming events,” Homecoming court finalist Alexandra Jensen said.

At the end of the evening, 19 banners were completed and submitted. Cunningham said that this was a positive surprise. “We definitely had more people than we thought,” Cunningham said. “Ten was where we hit over what we expected.”

Photo by Daniel James / The Johnsonian

Comedian brings joy and laughter to Byrnes Auditorium Christine Buckley buckleyc@mytjnow.com Headliner Brandon T. Jackson, known for his roles in popular movies like “Tropic Thunder,” “Big Momma’s House: Like Father, Like Son” and the “Percy Jackson & the Olympians” series, showed students that his comedic abilities are expanding beyond the big screen as he prepares for an HBO comedy special. Jackson hosted Winthrop University’s first ever Homecoming Comedy Show Nov. 14. The event was held in Byrnes Auditorium, which turned out to have terrific acoustics for the comics’ performances. Opener Chad Daniels, who has performed on many talk shows and recorded a full-length, YouTube-exclusive comedy special titled “As Is,” was equally funny.

Daniel James | A&C Editor jamesd@mytjnow.com

The night began with Chad Daniels offering a joke about his high school football coach, who had recently died when Daniels moved back to Minneapolis, Minnesota. This established a sardonic tone early on that was underlying in Daniels’ material. The opener discussed racial issues, relationships and family life, including the hilarious situations a father finds himself in while raising an adolescent son and a preteen daughter. There were many times the comedian offended a portion of the crowd, to which he consistently reminded them that he had a set list planned, and that they’d better get used to his type of comedy or else it would be a long 30 minutes. Despite this, Daniels produced a lot of laughs and was given applause, even though he was, as he said, “Not the person [the crowd] came here to see.” Who the crowd had come to see was headliner Brandon T. Jackson. The young co-

median graciously thanked the crowd for coming out in such unpredictable weather and discussed topics that many college students can identify with: being broke, having first-world problems and living with jealous roommates. While the comedian performed racial and religious bits, Jackson never cultivated a tone of division or animosity. Instead, he talked about experiences that cross cultural and ethnic boundaries and unite us as Americans in the 21st century. Notable examples include the childhood whooping, which he said built America, and the odd space we all live our daily lives, existing somewhere between reality and fantasy – thanks to Channing Tatum. Overall, the Winthrop University Homecoming Comedy Show was a success. Those who attended enjoyed nearly two hours of consistent laughter, leaving Byrnes Auditorium in a better mood than they arrived.

November 17, 2014

Sororites step to the beat at the NPHC Homecoming Step Show Daniel James jamesd@mytjnow.com National Pan-Hellenic Council sororities and fraternities treated students to a show Saturday at the Homecoming Step Show in Byrnes Auditorium. Groups that participated include the Lambda Kappa Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Incorporated at Winthrop, the Eta

Nu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta from Clemson University, the Alpha Delta Chi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi from Newberry College, the Xi Beta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta from Winthrop, the Nu Chi Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma from Winthrop, and the Kappa Lambda Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi of Clemson University.

Photo by Frances Parrish / The Johnsonian

Women’s basketball player a star on and off the court Daniel James jamesd@mytjnow.com This is Pamela Decheva, a junior sports management student major. Decheva is from Sofia, Bulgaria, and was recruited to the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team after playing for the Bulgarian National Team in 2007. She transferred to Winthrop after her freshman year at USC. During her time in Bulgaria, she attended school and learned five languages: Bulgarian, Serbian, Russian, Macedonian and English. “It’s a common thing overseas; people know a lot of different languages because most of them aren’t the same language, but some of them are similar,” Decheva said. Decheva said that there are major differences between Bulgarian and English including the alphabet. One letter that resembles the number three in Arabic numerals represents the letter z in Bulgarian. Another difference that she noticed is in the education system. “In Bulgaria, education is not very expensive. Everyone can pretty much go and get an education. Here it’s like a privilege,” Decheva said. “I’m blessed to actually be here and do what I do,” Decheva said. Decheva has been studying sports management and is graduating this December. She has applied to graduate school at Winthrop for a master’s degree in business administration. “What I like about Winthrop is that it is small and you get a chance to get to know your teachers,” said Decheva. “They’re more like your friends than they’re your teachers.” She said that the information that the teachers at Winthrop provide is valuable and can easily be applied to experiences outside of college. In addition to her studies, Decheva also plays as a forward on the women’s basketball team. She played in all 33 games of the 2013-2014 season

including the game where the Lady Eagles won the Big South Championship. “It’s been a great experience from a learning perspective in how I have to manage my time playing basketball, doing my schoolwork, and being successful both on and off the court,” Decheva said. Decheva said that she hopes to play basketball professionally after graduate school. Beyond that, she said that she would like to combine her degrees and work for a professional sports organization such as the National Basketball Association or the National Football League. Despite her imminent graduation, her eligibility with the women’s basketball team continues over the next year and one half. This means that she will get to spend more time with her friends on the team. “We have a great team chemistry,” Decheva said. “It’s been great. We’re really close; everyone’s got everyone else’s back.” She also said that the coaching staff has been helpful to herself and her teammates and that the coaches have worked to make sure that all the members of the basketball team remain on track on the court and in the classroom. “I’ve learned so much from the whole coaching staff. They’re good to us and teach us basketball and teach us life lessons,” Decheva said. Taking lessons on leadership to heart, Decheva is involved in the Student Athlete Association Committee. She said that this group is composed of members of each of Winthrop’s teams and works to get student athletes involved in the community. “We do a lot of different projects. Most of the time we go to different elementary schools and get involved with the kids,” said Decheva. “It’s basically just simple jobs to make sure they keep up with their work and do different thing that can help them be successful later on.”

The Student Athlete Association also organized WUFest, a Halloween-themed event where each team had tables with games for kids to play including a cornhole game hosted by the women’s basketball team. While much of her time is spent studying for classes, volunteering and playing basketball, Decheva said that she enjoys hanging out with friends and teammates, watching movies and shopping. “I’m really into ‘Revenge’ right now. It’s a TV show on Netflix,” Decheva said. “I don’t really have a lot of free time. I mostly just do homework in my free time.” Despite how much she enjoys playing for the Winthrop team, Decheva said that her schedule has interfered with her ability to see her family. “We’re so busy with basketball that we don’t really get time off, but I get to see her around Christmas,” Decheva said. Her father and 13-year-old sister are currently living in Bulgaria and she gets to visit them once a year in the summer. Her mother and 9-year-old brother live in Chicago and get to see Decheva three times each year. She said that she looks forward to seeing her family when she gets time away from playing basketball.

Photo by Jacob Halex / The Johnsonian

Students draw from their school spirit

Daniel James jamesd@mytjnow.com

Photo by Jami Hodgins / The Johnsonian

“I love Courtyard.” “Spirit.” “I love Minnesota.” “Happy Homecoming.” Students wrote these messages and more in front of Owens Hall Monday. This event was organized along with the Paint the Town and Banner Decorating events to inspire students to support Winthrop sports, student

Photo by Jami Hodgins / The Johnsonian

organizations and the student body as a whole through art. Students were invited to write chalk messages on Scholar’s Walk with the rule that they were not to write any vulgar messages. By the end of the day, the sidewalk around Owens was filled with colorful graphs, drawings and phrases.

November 17, 2014

FBI careers: There is a place for you WU students show their interest in working for FBI By Ramazan Heyni heynir@mytjnow.com The Center for Career and Civic Engagement hosted FBI agent in their fourth spot light series Nov. 6, at Winthrop University to address their internship and job opportunities for Winthrop students. The event was about Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and it was presented by special agent Ann Colbert, recruiter and application coordinator from the Columbia division. “I usually don’t give presentations in this regard in other places, but when Tom asked me to come to present at Winthrop, I could not refuse because I graduated from Winthrop,” Colbert said. Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the Justice Department that is responsible for investigating violations of Federal laws primarily terrorists threats to the national security. “The FBI has 35,000 employees and James Comey is the current FBI director. For applicants to be eligible in hiring process, they have to have the following requirements. • US citizen • Written drug policy • No Felony • No bad debt. “Do not default on student loans,” she said. • Must be able to obtain and hold a Top Secret security clearance

• No failure to register for Selective Service. Colbert said they are currently hiring as they have positions open for all majors. The hiring process is all conducted online www.fbijobs.gov. The applicants have to go through several steps in the hiring process, such as passing physical test, polygraph, medical physical, drug test and full background investigation. Colbert said that applicants have to be between 23-36 years old to be an FBI special agent and have threeyear work experience. Physical test which is in phase one category composes of computerized test and IT panel interview and written test. “If you fail phase one, you can take it again, but if you fail for the second time, there is no way again,” she said. Colbert warned the applicants to plan ahead and strictly consider the following: • Social Media, especially your activities on Facebook and Twitter, • No marijuana use within last 3 years, • No other drug use within last 10 years, • No bias based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference...etc, • No anti-U.S. government, and Resolve any debt issues for credit report, “special agent position requires three year full time work experience and a four year degree from an accredited college,” she said. Colbert outlined the FBI core competence as these two (leadership and supervisory): •Physical fitness requirements( situps, 300m run, pushups 1.5 mile run. “Train now” she said.

Richest people in the world

The net worth of the top 10 wealthiest people in the world keeps boosting, listed on Forbes By Ramazan Heyni

heynir@mytjnow.com 1. Bill Gates $82.3 billion: Gates, Microsoft’s founder and owner, is a Harvard dropout and his shares are mostly from Microsoft. Also, around $6 billion of his earnings come from private company Cascade. Gates’ popularity has been increasing for his incredible philanthropic causes. According to Business Insider, it’s estimated that he has donated $30 billion to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since 2000. 2.Carlos Slim Helu & family $78.4 billion, America Movil Chairman: World’s second richest man Slim, based in Mexico has America Movil telecom operations in 18 countries in Americas. Slim has controlled the network in those countries, including TracFone in the U.S. with some 2500 million customers. Slims also has shares in the industrial and retail sectors in Mexico including Grupo Carso and Grupo Financiero. 3. Warren Buffett $71.2 billion, Berkshire Hathaway: American business

magnate, investor and philanthropist Buffett is considered the most successful investor of the 20th century. It is estimated that Buffett dedicated 99 percent of his personal fortune to humanitarian causes through Gates Foundation. 4. Amancio Ortega $58.9 billion: Inditex Fashion Group cofounder: Spanish businessman Ortega owns department clothing stores of Zara and accessory retail shops in Spain. 5. Larry Ellison $51.3 billion: CEF & Founder, Oracle: Ellison is an American businessman and the cofounder and chairman of Oracle Corporation. Enterprise Oracle Corp is a multinational computer technology corporation based in California. Ellison remained as the CEO of Oracle since his founding it until September 2014 when he announced that he would be stepping down from CEO to CTO (chief technology officer). 6. Charles Koch $42.7 billion 7. David Koch $42.7 billion 8. Christy Walton & family $40.4 billion 9. Jim Walton $ 39.3 billion 10. Alice Walton $ 37.8 billion

Althea Holenko/ The Johnsonian • Keeping track of foreign travels/ interactions and being aware of national security issues, Types of jobs and careers the FBI offers are intelligence, craft (trade maintenance), technical, professional and administrative. The technical jobs include fingerprint examiners, evidence technicians, electronics technicians and computer specialists. The professional job openings include scientists of all types, attorneys, contract specialist engineers, accountants/ auditors, investigative specialists, architects and psychologists. The final administrative core involves management/program analysts, personal specialists, computer specialists, clerical and language specialists. Colbert said they currently offer honor internships for students with all majors, and they are usually paid. They have positions for computer science majors now, but it keeps changing across all majors.

“You have to watch because it could change,” she said. She said that applicants can also apply for summer internship in their residence city. “Of course you have to pass the whole background check process,” she said. Colbert also gave some resume suggestions, such as distinguishing between part-time and full-time work experience , including awards, certifications and internship. Colbert said students with any majors can apply and get hired. “The main thing is someone with core competence,” she said. Attendants said the presentation met their expectations, and they were looking forward to being a part of FBI. “This presentation was great and very informative, and I am looking forward to working with FBI,” economics major Tylor Richardon said. “If I can make it to be a special agent, that would be cool.”

How Will ISIS affect the U.S. Economy? By Kyle Dawson dawsonk@mytjnow.com In the past six months, unfortunate news has arisen from Iraq, the kind of news that has Americans’ hair standing on end. For the second time since the turn of the millennium, the U.S. finds itself pitted against a heavily-armed and extremely self-righteous Islamic military group. These obviously have geopolitical consequences—as did our last stint in Iraq—and no less important are the economic ramifications. The Iraqi war, which began with the U.S. invasion in 2003, is entering a new phase and perhaps far more dangerous territory. A Salafist-Islamist insurgent group which goes by the acronym in English of ISIS (and by other acronyms and names as well), said to be to the right of al-Qaeda has militarily and systematically taken over a large portion of Iraq. Already, ISIS has seized Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul, with a population of approximately two million, along with about 60 others towns and strategic locations. The group has also boasted of a march on Baghdad. Meanwhile, the Iraqi army appears to be crumbling. Amid talk of the United States getting back into the Iraq war or Iran intervening directly with its own military forces over the summer, the price of oil has begun to spike. Normally, any military conflict, especially in the Persian Gulf region, will elevate the per barrel price of oil. How-

Ramazan Heyni | Business Editor heynir@mytjnow.com

ever, another factor is at play. Just as in 2003, the threat of

a price and north of $140 per barrel was a key element in Reagan Martin/ The Johnsonian

escalation into straight out Iraqi civil war had driven the oil barrel price—and therefore gas prices—sky high. With the country focused on bloody civil war, efforts to export meaningful amounts of crude oil will nosedive. The recent dip in gas prices, however, is caused by the inability of ISIS to complete their takeover of Iraq in the amount of time it was originally estimated. The U.S. economy (as well as the global economy) still needs to hold its breath, for it is still very real and very possible that ISIS advances its front in the near future. A disruption in the supply of Iraq’s oil on the world market could create a cascading effect on oil prices. It should be remembered that in the summer of 2008 oil climb to

the unleashing of the global economic crisis, from which a feeble recovery is still underway. The global economy is fragile and vulnerable to another oil shock. Among all the calculations being weighed in Washington, Tehran and elsewhere, policymakers must understand that the growing signs of disintegration of the unified Iraqi state, among other crises in the Middle East, may foreshadow a repetition of the oil price crisis of 2008. The systematic unraveling of the American-installed Iraqi political structure may be foreshadowing to a return to oil scarcity and elevated oil prices, along with all the paired negative effects on the global economy.

November 17, 2014

Winthrop basketball player assists in finding a cancer cure Zoe Vernon’s summer research in phylogenetics may help biologists with their own research in the future By Deborah Crocker crockerd@mytjnow.com Winthrop student Zoe Vernon’s summer research in phylogenetics may help scientists move closer to finding a cure for cancer. The women’s basketball player and junior mathematics major was selected among eight students chosen to participate in a nineweek National Science Foundation research program in summer 2014. The project provided the funds for housing and meals, and Vernon was encouraged by her advisor to apply for the research program to assist her in getting into grad school. "I really enjoyed the summer, but I won't lie, it was pretty hard. It's exhausting trying to think about a problem all day from 9 to 5,” Vernon said. “But it was really fun when I figured out how to prove something that no one has ever proven before. That was pretty cool.” Vernon spent most of the day in Bancroft Hall, working on mathematical shapes to help scientists better understand evolution and the development of species. The nine weeks of the research program were spent learning how to perform research in mathematics.

"Phylogenetics, the study of evolutionary relationships among a collection of organisms, was my particular section of the research," Vernon said. "So, I what I did was try to help biologists who want

and her GPA (grade point average), along with her drive and initiative to become a future scientist," Rusinko said. "It's rare to have a studentathlete among the applicants, but we got to choose the best students

Winthrop Media Realtors / Winthrop University

an evolutionary tree of life, for example, or a virus like HIV and they have DNA for that virus, and they want to see how the various species are related to each other." Winthrop associate professor Joseph Rusinko oversaw the project as Vernon’s research mentor. "Zoe was one of our strongest candidates in terms of her math

from throughout the country, so it was nice that some of those were from Winthrop. In my opinion, it is great that the athletic program can help draw a top quality student that may have not chosen Winthrop otherwise." According to Rusinko, the project required Vernon to design a geometrical shape with applications

Data hack disrupts US weather forecasts Officials failed to report the breach or disclose details of the attack By Deborah Crocker crockerd@mytjnow.com Due to a hacking attack from China, a vital data feed for U.S. weather forecasts had to be taken offline for two days in October, according to The Washington Post. The data breach occurred in September, but officials gave no indication of any problems until late October. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also failed to notify the proper authorities when it learned of the attack, claiming that the 48-hour downtime in October was a result of “unscheduled maintenance”. In a statement released Nov. 12, NOAA spokesman Scott Smullen said that all systems were working again and that forecasts were being delivered to the public. Smullen declined answers to questions outside of his statement, leading to an investigation on the attacks. “NOAA told me it was a hack and it was China,” said U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, a congressman with

an interest in cyber security. He also chided the NOAA for failing to disclose details of the attack, and “deliberately misleading the American public in its replies.” “All the operational data sent

weakness in the U.S. system to exploit. “The bad guys are increasingly having a hard time getting in the front of these agencies,” Olcott said. “So they figure if I can’t get in the front door, I’d ride along in with someone who has trusted access and maybe ride that connection to bigger agencies.” The outage reportedly skewed the accuracy of the National Weather Forecast’s long-range forecasts, according to NOAA. The attack had hit a server that contained security protections, but Deborah Crocker / The Johnsonian one person familiar with via NOAA, which is normally an the attack explained that the excellent service, was lost,” said flimsy security was equivalent to Stephen English, head of the “leaving a house protected by just satellite section at the European a screen door.” Center for Medium-range According to The Washington Forecasting. “If the outage had Post, the security breach could continued for a longer period, the lead to more NOAA difficulties in impact may well have become 2016 due to a gap in the coverage significant.” of polar orbiting satellites. Jacob Olcott, a cybersecurity In 2013, the Government consultant, believes that the Accountability Office claimed attack by China may have been the future gap as one of the top aimed less at manipulating 30 challenges facing the Federal weather data than finding a Government.

in biology. She described the structure from what she knew about the shape or the collection of points. “It is something you can't draw, so she was sort of inventing her own set of math tools to help address this question,” Rusinko said. As a sports player, Vernon is accustomed to hard work and determination, applying these qualities to her work within the research program. She arrived at Winthrop three years ago, having scored 2,805 points and 1,209 rebounds at Carolina Friends High School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She also overcame two knee surgeries, one of which forced her to receive a medical hardship for the 2012-2013 season. Rusinko believes that Vernon could become one of the future’s leading scientists. “She has the curiosity and work ethic to answer many of the questions that may challenge our generation, and she has sort of a humble personality that allows her to work very well with other people,” Rusinko said. “With those tools, which challenges she chooses to address will be up to her. But she is going to make a significant contribution to how we understand phylogenetics.”

History of the Week November 17, 1421

On this day in 1421, a storm in the North Sea batters the European coastline. The lowlands of the Netherlands near the North Sea were densely populated at the time, despite their known vulnerability to flooding. Small villages and a couple of cities had sprung up in what was known as the Grote Waard region. The residents built dikes throughout the area to keep the water at bay, but fatal floods still struck in 1287, 1338, 1374, 1394 and 1396. After each, residents fixed the dikes and moved right back in after the floods.

Tech Tip of the Week Be careful not to fall asleep with your smartphone. Being accidentally buried under a mass of sheets and covers may cause the phone to overheat, especially if it’s plugged into the charger. It may also become a fire hazard if the phone has no way of cooling itself down while trapped under a pillow. Power down your phone and put it on a desk before you go to bed – your safety matters more than a conversation.

New security vulnerability allows hackers to create fake iOS apps By Deborah Crocker crockerd@mytjnow.com A new security vulnerability found in iOS currently allows hackers to break into Apple mobile devices. According to cybersecurity company FireEye, hackers fool users into downloading fake apps that replace existing apps, releasing their private information. These apps, given misleading names like “New Angry Birds,” will replace any app downloaded by the Apple Store except for Apple’s pre-installed programs. The security company calls this security breach a “masque attack.” The vulnerability affects all Apple mobile devices using iOS 8 and later, including jailbroken devices. FireEye notified Apple of the bug in July, and also began sharing methods for iOS users to protect their security. "We consider it urgent to let the

public know, since there could be existing attacks that haven't been found by security vendors," FireEye said. According to independent security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski, the vulnerability will exist until Apple restricts its developer and enterprise certificates to devices that require app installations from outside the App Store. “The current way that applications are designed to install and run in iOS (including 8) allow for modified

binaries to be signed by any developer,” Zdziarski said. “It’s a difficult problem to address, and Apple could potentially do more to mitigate the risk; but this would require a redesign, though, and possibly would not be a complete solution. Some type of trusted computing involving the secure enclave is likely going to be necessary, in addition to good Flickr.com design.” Security problems caused by the bug include: Mimicking the login interface of

Deborah Crocker | Science & Technology Editor crockerd@mytjnow.com

the original app to steal the user’s login credentials, especially through banking and email apps. The data collected by the original app remains in the directory, allowing it to be gathered. For instance, the masque attack can steal local email caches and upload them to another server. Hackers can gain access to root privileges on the device. FireEye advises users to download apps only from Apple’s App Store, and to avoid third party apps altogether. Pop-ups from third party websites should be ignored, and apps that open with an “Untrusted App Developer” messages must immediately be uninstalled. Apple stated that it is aware of the security vulnerability and will be taking steps to fix the issue. "As always, we recommend that users download and install software from trusted sources," Apple said.