TECHNICIAN
friday november
12 2012
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Parents pay students a visit from home Alex Petercuskie Staff Writer
Students included their parents in activities that exemplify college life over the weekend, toting parents to tailgates, service events and parties for the 2012 Parent’s Weekend. Although attending a football game is a tradition many parents
and families chose to partake in, a number of other activities took place as well. This year marked N.C. State’s 125th anniversary, and for $18 parents had the option to pre-register for tickets and select which events across campus they would attend. These events included a comedy show by K-VON and a chocolate
festival, which supported breast cancer awareness. One of the more popular events during the weekend was the football game, which included a heavily attended pre-game tailgate party for parents and families. During the tailgate students and families ate traditional North Carolina-style barbecue from The Pit, a
celebrated restaurant in downtown Raleigh that was featured on Food Network, NBC and ABC. However, for some, The Pit may not have lived up to its expectations. Christina Asti, a senior in business management, went to the tailgate party with her brother and parents, and said in addition to being disorganized, the highly publicized
tailgate was disappointing and had practically run out by the time she got there. While Asti showed her family her usual tailgate spot in the student section and visited other tailgates, Asti said she and her family ate at
PARENTS continued page 3
ROTC leads Wolpack in honoring veterans
Families contribute to campus landscape
Alex Petercuskie Staff Writer
Though many organizations did not plan events to celebrate Veteran’s Day, there is at least one organization on campus that will always celebrate the holiday: N.C. State’s ROTC. ROTC students hosted events during the weekend to recognize the holiday, kicking off the celebration Friday with their annual two mile run around campus. A variety of N.C. State community members met at the Bell Tower to begin the run, which was followed by a ceremony and breakfast commemorating armed forces veterans and those currently serving. Chancellor Woodson has made appearances at the annual ceremony in the past, but this year Woodson was unable to attend due to prior engagements. Students in the ROTC program are constantly reminded of the sacrifices made by countless servicemen and women, yet the realities of military involvement and war can sometimes feel distant to, and even disregarded by, the average student. Air Force Lt. Col. Chris Froeschner has worked at N.C. State for three years and said the Veterans Day run and ceremony is an awesome tradition. “The beauty of this day is that it’s not just about the people who are serving now, but the people who have served. You realize how many lives it touches,” Froeschner said. “It’s getting smaller and smaller the number who have served.” In the past the run and ceremony have included just ROTC students, but Froeschner said the event has been growing, working with other campus organizations and sponsors. ROTC accounts for about 450 people, but this year an extra 80
Elizabeth Moomey Staff Writer
Several parents and students woke up early to give back to N.C. State through the 13th annual Student-Family Planting Project Sunday morning. About 50 people mulched and planted shrubs and other small plants between Syme, Welch and Gold residence halls. Instead of being a student-only service project, this allows families to “give back to the community,” said Alex Parker, member of Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service and sophomore in Spanish education. Maria Zermeno, member of Parents’ Orientation and sophomore in biological engineering, noticed the need to include parents in the event. “Parents are a huge part of N.C. State,” Zermeno said. The Family of the Year helped with the landscaping project. Sarah Cutler, a junior in math education, and her mother, Ann Gentry Cutler, an alum, said they were glad to give back and meet other families. Sarah Cutler lived in Syme for two years, and Ann Gentry Cutler lived in Welch as a student. Janet French, mother of Brian French, a freshman in First Year College, decided to participate because she loves to plant. Although Janet French had to harass her son to come out, they enjoyed spreading mulch together.
JOHN JOYNER/ARCHIVE
Mikey Ledford, sophomore in computer engineering, and Kyle Backhus, sophomore in German studies, stand guard in front of the Memorial Bell Tower late at night on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011. The annual vigil is held in memory of those who have served, starting at 8pm and running over night until the morning of Veteran’s Day.
people partook, including Student ROTC was responsible for organizBody President Andy Walsh, who ing the run and ceremony. Accordran right up front with the ROTC, ing to Lt. Col. Froeschner, the Army, according to Froeschner. Navy and Air Force divisions switch Froeschner said the N.C. State off organizing the event every year. baseball team’s coach Elliot Avent, Patrick Phillippi, a cadet and who is veteran, parspecial projects ofticipates in the run ficer in AFROTC, every year, and othsaid although he er runners included was pleased with N.C. State faculty, the turnout, his atstaff and alumni titude is that more veterans. people can always “Several people contribute. who couldn’t run “No matter how were cheering us many people are Lt. Col. Chris Froeschner on at 6:00 in the there, I would almorning,” Froeways say it is not schner said. “We ran by the f lag enough,” Phillippi said. “I would garden on Harris Field that had like to see greater student and comabout 880 flags set up in honor of munity involvement. I would like veterans.” to see more sports teams, student This year N.C. State’s Air Force clubs and student organizations
“It’s getting smaller and smaller the number who have served.”
CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL RAISES BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
come out and join us … waking up early is a small sacrifice compared to what our veterans have done for us.” As a symbol of their appreciation, about 50-60 veterans, including student veterans, received red, white and blue rubber bracelets with the words, “N.C. State thanks our armed forces veterans,” handed out by Lisa Zapata, vice provost of Academic and Student Affairs. Phillippi said a unique aspect of the Veterans Day celebration is a vigil put on by Arnold Air Society, in which two cadets stand guard at the bell tower an hour at a time from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. “It is a solemn event similar to the guarding of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” Phillippi said.
VETRANS continued page 2
TREES continued page 3
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PAGE 5 • MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2012
TONY HANKERSON, JR.
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MATT CLARK
KATHERINE HOKE/TECHNICIAN
Lisa D’Costa, senior in chemical engineering, gets a cupcake from the Edible Art table at the ninth annual N.C. State Chocolate Festival in Talley Student Center Friday. The event, hosted by the Women’s Center was a fundraiser for the center as well as for the Kay Yow/WBCA Breast Cancer fund.
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