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THE CENTO

news for the students, by the students VOL. LXXXVI No. IX

Thursday, May 1, 2014

St. Baldrick’s event seeks to conquer childhood cancer

By ADAM FALLUJI STAFF WRITER

For many of us, it’s easy to count our blessings. The opportunities we have at Centre are easy to take for granted. It’s important to remember that not everyone has the same kind of life we do, and do what we can to help those in need.

To this end, students at Centre excel in community service and fundraising. Students and faculty alike organize events throughout the year to raise money for those who need it.

One of the most highly anticipated and successful fundraising programs on campus is St. Baldrick’s Day, part of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for conquering childhood cancer. Every year, students participate in a headshaving event to generate money for the organization.

Shaving one’s head is a difficult thing to do, but, to an extent, it allows the volunteers to put themselves in the shoes of those for whom they’re raising money.

“It’s the only time in my work with philanthropy and service that I actually put myself in an uncomfortable position for my cause, and that makes what you’re doing mean a whole lot more,” sophomore and Phi Kappa Tau’s former Philanthropy Chair Dexter Horne said. “A lot of the time you get into that trap of [thinking that] giving doesn’t mean anything because you’re so detached, but it brings you a lot closer to it when you actually get in their shoes.”

Horne is looking forward to shaving his head this year after volunteering last year and watching others do it. He views the fundraiser as a strong motivational tool: not the easiest thing to do, but a powerful way to fundraise.

Students won’t be the only ones participating, however. Assistant Professor of Philosophy Eva Cadavid and Visiting Instructor of French and Humanities Emily Cranford are also participating for the first time. Having the thought in the back of her mind after a student suggested participating years ago, Cadavid intended to participate last year after discussing it with Evening Circulation Librarian Jami Powell, but was unable to

PHOTO COURTESY OF PHI KAPPA TAU

Students sign up each year to get their heads shaved in an effort to raise money for the St. Baldricks Foundation. The event is hosted by the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. due to scheduling complications. This year Cadavid eagerly registered for the event as soon as possible, and after forming a Facebook page for her team, received an almost immediate response from Assistant Professor of Music Jaemi Loeb wishing to join.

Childhood cancer is a cause with growing support, but it is still underrepresented in the world.

“We hear about breast cancer all the time and recently prostate cancer, too. We raise a lot of money for adult cancer, but St. Baldrick’s is one of the few organizations that does it for children,” Cadavid said.“I’ve had a

number of very close family members battle cancer, and that’s really rough, but the last couple years I’ve been in contact with some little ones and thinking of children having to deal with what cancer does to a person’s body and life … it’s important, it’s really important.”

Cadavid’s team has so far raised over $3,000. Their contribution will be a hefty sum towards St. Baldrick’s, but their goal is set higher still.

“I don’t have all the money on my own to reach my goal, but if we all join together we can make a difference,” Cadavid said. “None of us can

write the check on our own, but if all it takes is for us to lose our hair — just for a little bit — it’s worth it. I can donate hair and maybe help create wigs for the children, and if that brings the money in — great!”

Cadavid isn’t the only woman participating in the head shaving event.

While men make up the majority of participants, this year women are well-represented.

“This is my first time participating.

I have a cousin who had a brain tumor when he was one, so we’ve always been into Relay for Life and that kind of thing and this is for kids, and so I’m

invested in that personally,” first-year Kenzie Bottoms said. “And I’m on the women’s team [of participants] which is cool. It’s not as big a deal for guys to shave their heads so it’s cool that we have enough people on board to encourage women to participate too.”

St. Baldricks represents a vital issue we face today. Cancer is a horrible thing, and the last people who should have to face it are children. Fundraising for the cause has a strong foundation on our campus, so be sure to support it and lend consideration to shaving your head next year. After all, it’ll grow back.

“Refocused” Strategic Plan promises to ensure bright future munity (faculty, staff, and students) as well as alumni, parents, and trustees.

There is greater consensus here about the direction in which we want to move and the funding that will be required to get us there,” Trollinger said.

“This is not always the case in higher education,” he continued. “At many institutions, the priorities for which funds are sought reflect little more than the current president’s preferences. While those preferences may be well thought out and very strategic, they are just as likely to be a reflection of the president’s personal interests and biases. In those instances, it is hard to establish a development program that takes a longview.”

A main issue those involved in the planning are constantly wary of is to not let a plan be set and then forgotten,but instead to have it constantly guide and affect what the college does. “Part of that process is always considering, what’s changed? What’s still relevant and what isn’t?” Pottinger Professor of History and Chief Planning Officer Clarence Wyatt said. “In this cycle in particular what we wanted to do was to build five years out from adoption a serious look at the plan and consider what was still relevant.”

President Roush also shares this sentiment, saying, “Strategic thinking and planning has a rich tradition at Centre — one that goes back well before my arrival in 1998. Since then, the importance of having a strategic vision for the

The plan itself contains “four strategic directions” that shape and guide the overall plan for the college. The first, as Wyatt described it, is “lives examine, lives empower,” and is the main “direction” behind the new strategic plan.

As Wyatt explained, there’s been a recent spike the past few decades in the number of college applicants, due to the number of children from the baby-

boom generation. “Because of this we have a deeper pool to draw from for places like us. Now, however, the ‘echo of the baby boom generation’ is fading out, [and] kids are working their way through college. As a result, the growth in traditional-age college applicants is going to flatten and probably decline, so it’s going to be much more competitive in the world of higher education,” Wyatt said.

According to Wyatt, several colleges are attempting to address this impending trend mixed with the economic strains that come with higher education.

Some, Wyatt explained, are seeking more short-term solutions, which Wyatt said can “dilute what they do and what they offer [either through lowering standards of applicants or tacking on graduate progras]. A lot of times they’re just efforts to bring in money, which there’s nothing wrong with. But if it’s distracting you from what you do and offer, it’s a questionable long-term solution.”

Centre is aware of these issues, and is conscious to avoid taking easy, shortterm solutions. “The path that we’re choosing is to take what it is that we do that no other setting can do, which is development of the human person, and take it to the next level. The way to think about it is that even though Centre is good at creating a holistic experience, what happens in class happens in class, what happens in Greek life happens in Greek life, etc. The question then becomes how can we take all of those

things and make them work more fully together, and to help students be more conscious of the relationship between everything they’re experiencing in the different aspects of their college experience. That they see all of this as a learning experience,” Wyatt said. “While we may not be able to compete with a UK or a University of Phoenix in terms of ‘efficiency,’ where we can compete is the experience we provide.”

Another direction of the strategic plan is “A Place for Opportunity.” The main focus of this goal, according to Wyatt, is to keep Centre a place that people can attend if they want, regardless of economic situation. Another focus of this direction is to reflect America’s growing diversity. “By 2019, America will be a majority minority country, meaning that more than half of the 1824 year old population will be people of color. How do we respond to those changes to, first, reflect this diversity, and to secondly appeal to these growing demographics?” Wyatt said.

The other two main directions of the strategic plan deal with facilities and how to make Centre a more sustainable campus in the future, and the final direction deals with the fundraising to fund these ambitious goals.

Centre has seen tremendous growth in recent years, and if this newly refocused strategic planning and the enthusiasm college officials have for it is any indication, Centre’s future is only going to get better.

ON CAMPUS

ON CAMPUS

CONVOCATIONS

CLUB EVENTS

IN SPORTS

Sherrié Austin May 6, 7:30 p.m.

Club Weisiger

St. Baldrick’s May 9 Campus Center

Honors Night May 6, 7:00 p.m.

Newlin Hall

SGA Derby Party May 3, 4:30 p.m.

The Ewen Room

Track & Field May 2 Centre at Billy Hayes Invitational

Carmina Burana May 11, 3 p.m.

Newlin Hall

Leapfrog-A-Thon May 10, 12 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Starting at Old Centre

Spring Dance Concert May 8, 8:00 p.m.

Weisiger Theatre

Carnival May 9, 4 p.m. - 12 p.m.

Walnut Street and Chowan

Men’s Golf May 16 Greensboro, North Carolina

By JOHN WYATT NEWS EDITOR

Centre College has continually been one of the leading institutions for learning, not just among Kentucky schools, but liberal arts colleges nationwide. Everything from Centre’s high alumni support rate to a graduation rate of nearly 87 percent – the highest in the state and one of the highest in the nation – is the result of the vision of Centre College officials to continue to make Centre the special place it is today. Centre’s recently “refocused” strategic plan is being developed and implemented to ensure that Centre College and its students continue to be successful and among the nation’s best and brightest.

Research for the newly refocused strategic plan started back in 2006/2007 and looked at the environment in which Centre exists — what’s going on within higher education as a whole — and the environment of Centre itself. Nearly 200 people were involved in the research and creation of this plan, something that is different from several other schools, according to Vice President for College Relations Richard Trollinger. “As a development officer/ educational fundraiser, part of what I have found to be particularly attractive about the way we do things at Centre is that our strategic direction and institutional priorities are established through a planning process that involves broadbased participation of the campus com-

It

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College has only increased. This vision and plan is a result of finding consensus among the institution’s trustees, faculty, staff, and students. The result: Centre has become a place known widely where we discuss what might be ‘best and possible,’ write it down, and, here’s the best part, ‘do it.” ‘The plan, in fact, becomes the way by which the College is led.”

“There is a greater consensus here about the direction in which we want to move and the funding that will be required to get us there.”

Section Editor- John Wyatt

Section editor- John Wyatt

The Cento - Page 2

News

Library hosts Edible Books Contest as part of National Library Week

By MARY BURGER STAFF WRITER

If you visited the library this past Thursday, April 24, you may have noticed a number of tables with interesting food items on them. This was the Edible Book Contest, part of National Library Week. The Edible Book Contest gave students and faculty/staff a chance to be creative and as well as an opportunity to de-stress. All contenders were on the table throughout the day, and the event ended with a reception from 4:00-5:30 that featured prizes for the winning contenders and cake from Burke’s Bakery for the students.

As most students frequent the library, many were able to partake in this exciting new event while printing papers, studying, researching, or hanging out.

The idea was presented to Reference/Interlibrary Loan Librarian Carrie Frey by Dean Stephanie Fabritius last year. Edible Book Contests are held around the country during National Library Week. This contest was held the week after National Library Week so that it did not interfere with RICE. “It just seemed like something that is really fun and a great event for the library and something to serve as a stress reliever for our students,” said Frey.

As it is April, any sort of de-stressing activity is much appreciated by students. The event itself was judged by three members of the Danville community: Alison Morlote of Sweet Creations, Patty Burke of Burke’s Bakery, and Mike Southernland of Brothers BBQ. These are all business owners of different local eateries.

There were four categories that the twelve entries could win. The People’s Choice category, voted on by those entering the library throughout the day, was won by Dave Frey’s “Magic School Bus Meltdown.” The Best Visual Presentation went to Assistant Professor

of Philosophy Eva Cadavid and Assistant Director for Employer Relations and Internships Mindy Wilson for “Un Dessert Sans Fromage.” It included an empty place setting with a plate full of different cheeses and grapes. The Best Literary Mash-Up went to Performing Arts Coordinator Sallie Bright for the “Swiss Family Robinson and Catcher in the Rye” and depicted figures made out of cheese and a catcher’s glove out of rye bread. And the Funniest/Punniest went to Carrie Frey for “As I Lay Dyeing,” featuring a hardboiled egg in red dye.

One winning entry, presented by Wilson and Cadavid, was based off of a quote from the 19th century book called The Physiology of Taste by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. The quote is “A dinner which ends without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye.” In order to submit an entry, “We used a china and silver place setting.

To make the plate look like dinner had been finished, I smeared some salad dressing on it and left a heel of bread.

We placed some cheese and fruit on a dessert plate,” said Wilson.

It was a fairly simple idea, and only took several minutes to put it all together. Wilson and Cadavid have already come up with several ideas for entries next year and highly recommend involvement with the Edible Book Contest.

Bright submitted two entries, one of which won Best Literary Mash-up as “Swiss Family Robinson and Catcher in the Rye.” “I’m a real book-aholic, [and] I love to read, so as soon as I heard about this, I just thought I’ve got to do it,” Bright said. Although she only submitted two entries, Bright said she has ideas for next year prepared.

Other equally amusing entries included a mountain of ice cream to represent the novel Cold Mountain. A Heath bar next to a Cliff bar laid close

RITA BASCONI | THE CENTO

Junior Anna Butler enjoys a piece of cake, which was provided to students as part of the Edible Book Contest this past week. to a Mary Jane candy and an Airhead to represent the character of Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights) and Jane Eyre (Jane Eyre). Another entry featured a cake with several holes in it to repre-

sent the popular book Holes.

The Edible Book Contest allowed members of the Centre Community to get creative and also allowed students the opportunity to view these creations

and take a short mental break, something that is always appreciated in late April. It is the library’s hope to hold the contest again next year with more entries, especially from students.

Examining food labels: The meaning behind labels for animal meat

By SANDRA JABLONSKI CENTRE STUDENT

Animal products these days are covered with tons of different labels that have implications about how the product was produced and the welfare of that animal during its life.

These labels are intentionally vague so that the consumer can come to their own conclusions about what the labels are actually saying. What do these labels really mean? Do they have any bearing on the quality of the animals’ lives and welfare?

Here at Centre College, we do not have a choice between “cage free,” “free range,” or “certified humane” eggs and meats in Cowan Dining Commons.

After graduation, we do. 77 % of Centre’s seniors surveyed said that they planned to change their diet after they left Centre. However, only 13% of those students said that they plan on becoming vegetarian or vegan.

I asked the senior class what they thought a few common food product labels meant. In every category, the

students responded with the types of answers that the producers would like all of us to believe. For “cage free” and “free range,” the responses were generally the same.

There was an overwhelming idea that animals (egg-laying chickens were mentioned most often) were not kept in any kind of cage but rather in a barn where they were left to live free and happy lives with access to the outdoors.

When asked what “certified humane” meant, students said that they believed that the animals were both raised and killed in humane ways, but no one gave their definition of humane (even though a few said that they believed their personal standards were probably higher than the industry’s).

With every different label, a few people said that they were not completely sure what it really meant. It’s hard to know what the labels really mean when they imply that animals are “unrestrained” and “allowed to roam free in large enclosures.”

Leaving Centre, our seniors are

going out into the “real world.” With 70% of the students surveyed starting jobs within three months of graduation, budgets will be tight.

“Are you willing to change your eating habits and adjust your purchasing habits in support of the ethical treatment of animals?”

That being said, it is important to know what we are really spending our money on. Luckily, the Humane Society has put together two fact sheets

that are guides to reading labels and what those labels mean for animal welfare.

“Cage free,” when referring to egg production, means just that – the chickens are not in cages. However, they do not have access to the outdoors, beak cutting is permitted, and there is no third-party auditing. Since there are no auditing or density regulations, large numbers of chickens can be put in one barn.

“Free range” eggs come from chickens that live uncaged inside of barns and have some kind of access to the outdoors; however, there are no requirements for the amount or quality of that access. Forced molting through starvation and beak cutting is allowed.

The “certified humane” label is very similar to the “cage free” label except that forced molting through starvation is prohibited, there are requirements for stocking densities, and it is verified through third-party auditing.

For larger animals produced for meat, “certified humane” generally means that the animals are outside

(except for turkeys and pigs), are given bedding, hormone and nontherapeutic antibiotic use is prohibited, and pain relief or anesthesia and analgesia must be used for any physical alterations, depending on the animal’s age.

The labeling program (Humane Farm Animal Care) verifies compliance.

As you can see, different labels can mean a varity of different things, and those differences can be small. There are many, many more labels that all sound and look very similar to each other, but each label can come from a different labeling program and control for a different level of animal welfare.

Senior class, what will you choose next year? Will you consider food product labels and the implications those labels have for animal welfare?

Are you willing to change your eating habits and adjust your purchasing habits in support of the ethical treatment of animals? I encourage you to do a little more digging and find out what more labels mean before you make your next purchase. The choice is up to you!

Centre PAWS provides stress relief through working with animals

By MARY BURGER STAFF WRITER

Without a doubt, the best days on Centre’s campus are ones when puppies and kittens come. The excitement and joy can be felt all across campus as students find stress relief through playing with the animals, reminding us of the pets we left back home. Sadly, the puppies and kittens only come to campus about once a semester. Centre PAWS, however, gives students the opportunity to work with these fluffy creatures all the time.

Centre PAWS stands for Pets and Animal Welfare Society. What sets Centre PAWS apart is that this organization works with animal organizations in the Danville community. “Our main responsibility as an organization on campus is to connect students with animal organizations in town. We are mainly a contact and resource for the town. Every weekend volunteers are needed for the Danville-Boyle County Humane Society PetSmart adoption weekends.

Volunteer responsibilities include helping with adoptions and cleaning up, but mostly, cuddling puppies and talking with others who love animals,” junior and president of Centre PAWS Andrea Merchak said.

“You can directly work at the Humane Society, which is not very far from campus,” junior and the current secretary/incoming treasurer Beth Jun said.

“There are opportunities every weekend to volunteer at the rescue center,” sophomore and vice president Amanda Vokoun said. “We are also responsible for bringing puppies and kittens to campus.”

The organization does several fundraising projects for various animal organizations around Boyle County.

EMMA COMERY | THE CENTO

Junior Andrea Merchak is currently serving as the president of Centre PAWS and is the main organizer behind the organization’s fundraising and service events.

“This is less of the focus of the club, but it helps these organizations and it gives students who are unable to leave campus for any reason an easy way to help out,” Merchak said. One example of fundraising is the Angel Tree in the winter.

The most recent fundraising activity was in support of Hal’s Haven, a local cat rescue and adoption center in Danville. Centre PAWS sold Easter eggs

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that contained candy, prizes of $2, and occasionally the elusive $5 bill. This event made $250 for Hal’s Haven.

“In the past, most of our fund raising efforts have benefitted the DanvilleBoyle County Humane Society, but we felt that it was important that some of the smaller, private organizations who do great work get recognized on Centre’s campus and a financial donation from our club. Name recognition is

sometimes just as important as donations as it will hopefully inspire some Centre students to spend their time volunteering which is so important for rescue centers,” Merchak said.

Most students know that the Humane Society is a place where volunteering is possible, but helping organizations like Hal’s Haven definitely puts the name of these organizations on the radar of Centre students.

Looking for service hour s or want to relieve stress by cuddling these loveable creatures? Contact Merchak or Vokoun, who stress that Centre PAWS is not a huge time commitment. By emailing these two you are simply opening yourself to the possibility of working with these furry friends. As in the words of Amanda Vokoun, “Everyone loves puppies and kittens, so why not get involved?”

Thursday, May 1, 2014

ARTS & LEISURE Section Editor-Hayley Hoffman

The Cento - Page 3

Arts@Centre.edu

Stunning Macbeth brought to Centre’s stage

JAMES NALLEY | THE CENTO

By SARAH CORNETT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DramaCentre’s production of Macbeth opened on April 23 to a sold-out audience. The show, which has been in rehearsals since February, was directed by Professor of Dramatic Arts Tony Haigh and starred senior Dramatic Arts major Andrew Stairs as the title character.

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, tells the story of a Scottish thane who is told by a trio of witches that he will someday become king. Macbeth takes matters into his own hands and goes on a killing spree of sorts to eliminate any who may stand in his way.

The show was a stunning visual piece. Immediately upon entering the theatre, audience members were greeted by the thrilling set designed

by Centre alumna Krit Robinson ’09.

The stage held two large half-pipes, covered with planks and ladders; between them, a wooden moon hung, brilliantly lit by senior lighting designer Tyler Rowe.

This visual spectacle was fed wonderfully into the contained energy of the 10th-century Scottish setting, which the cast brought to life magnificently. Junior Olivia Kernekin portrayed the frightening Lady Macbeth with true star quality. She had a wonderful ability to move easily from one emotion to another, moving seamlessly from seductive to vengeful.

Stairs slid easily into the complex role of Macbeth and captivated the audience with his masterful monologue in act five. Though he might be considered a rather small actor for the role, physically, he made up for it with a large stage presence and a powerful vocal register that made it easy to believe that he was a Scottish warrior destined to be king.

Audiences also easily fell in love with senior Kat Yrene and eight-year-

old Jacob Earle’s precious performances as Lady Macduff and Young Macduff, respectively – until they were shocked by the family’s murder

by Macbeth’s unnerving for-hire assassins (played by first-years Sean Fannin and Dan Caudill and junior Parker Leonard).

The witches were a delightful surprise, moving about the stage with a leonine grace that went wonderfully with their gleeful sadism. They played haggish carrion in fascinating body suits swirled with Celtic tattoos.

The witches’ scenes were beautifully offset by first-year Emilie O’Connor’s vocals as she stood hauntingly at the top of a half-pipe overlooking the ravaged landscape beneath.

The ensemble cast put on a strong performance, and despite a very large cast for a Centre production, none of the actors ever seemed lost or unfocused.

Despite the great acting displayed and the beautiful technical aspects, many parts of the production were unsettling or fell flat for the audience.

For a beautiful set with so many possibilities, too much of the action took place on one level, leaving the underwhelming feeling that the set was underutilized. Actors often stayed center stage on a smaller ramp and only ran up the half-pipes when looking to fuel some of the lagging scenes.

The actors also seemed to struggle with the fight choreography by Lee Look ’92. The opening unscripted battle went from entriguing to humorous at the first slow-motion death and only continued to get funnier and funnier as it progressed. Actors swung their swords cautiously through the air as a cheery backtrack of historically inaccurate bagpipes played behind them.

Additionally, the costumes looked as though they had been thrown together from a pile of cloth prior to

the performance. Pieces of what could have been plaid-patterned blankets were draped over the Scottish warriors; strips of out-of-place leopard print adorned pairs of boots.

All of the unfortunate elements of the play came together to create a rather disturbing scene in the fourth act. The witches danced around as their overlord Hecate loomed over them. But Hecate’s alarmingly bright dress made of sheer flames and voice

modulation fit for Darth Vader weren’t the most shocking parts of the scene.

Shortly after he appeared onstage, Macbeth was hung on the “moon” by the witches in what resulted in making Macbeth seem like a twisted Christfigure. The overwhelming lights and music made the scene even more confusing to watch and caused most of the audience to miss out on one of the most important scenes in the play.

Additionally, there was one incred-

ibly confusing moment in the murder of the Macduffs that was turned into a rape scene. It was unsettling, and, above all, entirely unnecessary.

Despite these missteps, the production was thoroughly enjoyable and was a credit to the actors and technicians that worked on it. The actors overcame any difficulties caused by a beautiful but difficult set valiantly, and truly put on a production of which the Bard would approve.

JAMES NALLEY | THE CENTO

Juniors Olivia Kernekin and Daniel Rundberg in DramaCentre’s production of Macbeth, which ran April 23-26 in Weisiger Theatre.

In the Rotation: Professors’ Music Recommendations

By DEREK BEAVEN & JOHN WYATT STAFF WRITER & NEWS EDITOR

Sometimes, it seems like professors and students are speaking different languages, but what about the “universal language” of music? In this edition of In the Rotation, Derek Beaven and John Wyatt talk to some of their favorite Centre professors to find out what they’re listening to these days.

Lisa Williams Favorite artists: Cat Power, Heartless Bastards, Fiona Apple, Nina Nastasia, The Roots, PJ Harvey, White Stripes, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Steve Earle, Gillian Welch, Del McCoury Band, Amadou and Mariam, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole Trio.

Fond music memories: “I think my first concert may have been Iron Maiden. No, that’s not right; it was Rush. I was a sophomore in high school and was taken to it by a group of friends. Rush used to come to Nashville once a year or thereabouts … The best concert I ever saw was Jane’s Addiction on the “Nothing’s Shocking” tour. I still think that’s a sublime album. I feel lucky to have seen them at the time and place that I did.”

Currently listening to: “In the last six months or so I’ve loved new albums by Valerie June, Fatoumata Diawara, Sharon Jones and the Dap

Kings, Alt J, Shovels and Rope, Hard Working Americans, Warpaint, [and] Alsarah and the Nubatones.”

Recommendations: “If you’ve never listened to/heard of Portishead, I highly recommend them. They only have three albums, plus a live one …

My favorites are the first two [albums].

There is nothing like their second album, just called Portishead.”

Christian Haskett Favorite Artists: The Grateful Dead and the Jerry Garcia Band.

Fond music memories: “A few big moments stick out in my memories of the Grateful Dead … My first show, at Madison Square Garden, in 1992. It was just magical. Then Edie Brickell sat in for the end of the second set, which was pretty special ... A string of shows in Buckeye Lake, OH, in a total downpour, followed by a real winner in Palace at Auburn Hills, outside Detroit, and then Giants Stadium … Second date with my wife, Maggie, she showed me her collection of about 300 classic live shows on tape (this was before the internet took over) and I asked her, ‘So, do you wanna just go ahead and get married right now?’…

I put my first two kids to sleep every night for about eight years singing them Grateful Dead songs. They now will perk up and sing along sometimes, and I’m always a little surprised. I’m

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looking forward to singing to Babyman soon, too.”

Currently listening to: “My twoyear-old has crammed about $.50 in change into my CD player in my VW, so lately I have to whack my stereo Fonzie-style just to get the radio to work, and then I get to listen to NPR. Plus, I knocked my antenna off a few years ago putting a canoe on the roof, and then taped it back on with hockey tape, so my reception sucks. In the car, it’s NPR.” Recommendations: “I think a playlist of my favorite songs, to which I can pay little attention but still enjoy, absolutely moved me through my dissertation. I’m not afraid to listen to Ellie Goulding or Taylor Swift, though I will blame it on my daughter. It also pays to be chummy with [junior] Logan Pauley; I was his advisor for about four days once, and every email he sent had a YouTube link to some weird band or other. He and [sophomore] Jacob Harrison are good for that kind of stuff.”

Stacey Peebles Favorite artists: Paul Simon and Jack White.

Fond music memories: “[Paul] Simon’s album Graceland came out in 1986, when I was in fifth grade. I didn’t know much about music (or anything!) back then, but I loved it,

and loved how different it sounded than anything else that I had heard before. I remember thinking that Graceland must be a place in Africa. When I figured out that it wasn’t, I was fascinated by how Simon was blending African and American music and stories.”

Currently listening to: “Lisa Williams turned me on to Shovels and Rope. They’re terrific.”

Recommendations: “I really hope Jack White plays a show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville this summer. I’m sure Jack reads the Cento, so maybe this will convince him.”

Sarah Egge Favorite artists: Shinedown Fond music memories: “On my long drives between college and my parent’s house, I listened to Shinedown’s album Leave A Whisper so loud that my ears rang for awhile after I got home. In graduate school, I became a DJ for the university’s alternative radio station. I grew to enjoy bands like the Black Keys, Blitzen Trapper, the Dead Weather, Mumford & Sons, the Kills, and Fitz & the Tantrums. When I was writing my dissertation (and at the risk of revealing my weird musical tastes), I had to listen to pop music to keep writing. I listened to a lot of artists like Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Pink, and Lady Gaga. Actually, I still

do. The last song that played on my iTunes radio was ‘#SELFIE.’ Wow.” Currently listening to: “I listen to a lot of iTunes radio now. I enjoy the alternative station, but I switch around depending on my mood. I don’t have a favorite artist at the moment.”

Recommendations: “My musical tastes shift depending on what I’m doing (running, reading, driving, etc.), and I don’t limit myself to one type of musical style. I recommend, then, that we spend less time letting music define us according to narrow options and choose music that reflects us at a certain time or moment. My musical tastes have changed over time, and I’d like to think it’s a good thing that I have branched out and listen to a variety of styles.”

Kyle Anderson Favorite artists: “Growing up, my favorite artists were They Might Be Giants and Green Day.” Fond music memories: “Earliest memories are of protest and folk rock, Peter, Paul & Mary (which I still sing to my girls before bed).”

Currently listening to: “The National. I discovered them through my brother-in-law a few years ago.”

Recommendations: “For some grit: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. For some chills: Priscilla Ahn. For some thrills: ‘Lungi Dance’ by Honey Singh.”

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Section Editor-Hayley Hoffman

Arts & Leisure

Grammy-Winner Bobby McFerrin at the Norton Center

By ADAM FALLUJI STAFF WRITER

On April 17, for the final performance of the Norton Center’s season, Bobby McFerrin offered a performance like no other. McFerrin, a world-famous vocalist and musician, gave a show that dazzled his audience and exceeded their expectations.

“I went because my friends were going, and it wasn’t what I expected,” first-year Ryland Atkins said. “The noises he made with his body and voice were unexpected.”

McFerrin’s techniques include making percussion sounds and large leaps in pitch in an improvisational manner similar to scat singing. His abilities extend to multi-phonic singing – singing two pitches at once while maintaining a melody – and creating sounds by thumping his chest. His a capella abilities allow him to perform and record as an unaccompanied vocal artist.

“I think out of all of the convocations we’ve had, this was one of the prime opportunities to see improv at its finest,” first-year Kaylind Batey said.

The son of operatic baritone Robert McFerrin Sr. and singer Sara Copper, McFerrin didn’t release his first recorded work until he was 32, after spending six years developing his distinct musical style. He spent the first two years trying not to listen to any other artists so he could focus solely on developing his personal sound.

“I’ve always been a big fan of his music and I knew he was going to have an awesome show, but I didn’t realize he was going to be that amazing,” Batey said. “He was much more engaging and personable than I thought he’d be.”

Bobby McFerrin is best known for his 1988 hit song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” the first a capella song to reach number one in the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which brought him wide-

PHOTO COURTESY OF CENTRE.EDU

First-year Riley McCormick improvs alongside Bobby McFerrin at a demonstration before McFerrin’s performance at the Norton Center.

spread fame around the world. He has also earned ten Grammy awards including “Song of the Year,” “Record of the Year,” and “Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Male Artist.”

Taking its name from a common quote by Indian mystic and sage Meher

Baba, the song’s message of a happy perspective has been integrated into American pop culture. It was used as George H. W. Bush’s 1988 U.S. presidential campaign song without McFerrin’s permission or endorsement, an event which McFerrin reacted to

publicly, and he has since removed the song from his performance repertoire in protest.

Following his success, McFerrin effectively ended his career in releasing music, and began pursuing other musical opportunities in recording studios

and on stage, such as his performance at Centre.

“I thought it was really amazing that such a famous guy came here,” firstyear Max Prah said. “I knew I had to go see him.”

His performance had a specific list of songs to go through, but McFerrin immediately established that he wouldn’t be performing in any particular order. Rather, he whimsically leapt from song to song, talking and joking in between each and often performing quick improvisations and voice impersonations. His energy invigorated his crowd, often earning reactions and shouts. McFerrin made use of his audience’s enthusiasm by inviting several audience members to sing with him on stage.

“I really liked when he asked people from the audience to go up and sing with him. Not a lot of people do that,” Atkins said.In addition to his performance at night, McFerrin also hosted a lecture and demonstration earlier in the day in which he discussed his musical techniques in improvisation and encouraged aspiring musicians in the crowd to come on stage and improv with him.

“Some people were hesitant to come down at first, but he made them feel really welcome,” Batey said.

McFerrin’s presentation left students with a new perspective on music, opening their minds to possibilities they hadn’t considered before.

“It was very different in comparison to the other Norton Center appearances we’ve had this year,” Prah said.

“I thought it was cool how laid back it was and how personable he was. I felt like I knew him and he knew us after seeing it. It was more than just a show you watch.”

The Norton Center will be announcing their 2014-2015 online soon at www.nortoncenter.com.

Senior Week Committee prepares for “The Final Run”

By LAURA HUMBLE STAFF WRITER

Senior Week: the promise of relaxation and fun, the reliving of old memories and the creation of new ones. For many students, it’s the only thing keeping them going as the semester draws to a close.

“It’s a good time for our seniors to reflect on the memories they’ve made for the last four years,” sophomore Kirsten Larson, a member of the Senior Week planning committee, said.

“And it’s a good time to be on campus and not stress about academics, clubs, and other things. They can all take a breather and remember the good times.”

The events are proposed and planned by the Senior Week planning committee, which is headed by Student

Life Coordinator Elizabeth Frank ’13 and Director of Campus Activities Kendrick Durham. Student members of the committee include first-year Weiling Kang; sophomores Kelli South, Abbi Jacobi, Jessica Peak, Sangyi Hu, Erin Mays, and Kirsten Larson; and juniors Claire Phillips, Ellie Graham, and Alyssa Watson.

South divulged that the theme this year is “The Final Run,” referring to the time-honored Centre tradition of “Running the Flame.”

“On Wednesday night, we are playing a movie (to be decided) on the big screen outside,” South said. “We will have popcorn and other snacks for people to come and go as they please.

Thursday, during the day, will be a ‘Spring Break in a Day’ theme. We will be providing snow cones by the sand volleyball courts with music and a

large inflatable water slide/slip n’ slide combo.”

Spring Break in a Day is the event that junior Claire Phillips is most excited about.

“For those seniors who missed out on the classic college Spring Break experience, we’re bringing it straight to your backyard,” Phillips said. “There will be beach volleyball, an awesome giveaway, and the coolest water inflatable I have ever seen.”

Thursday night’s activities, according to South, will include a viewing of a slideshow featuring pictures and videos of the senior class. Larson is in charge of the slideshow, and said seniors should get especially pumped because this year it includes blurbs from professors.

Also on Thursday, the winners of the Senior Superlatives Survey will be

announced. South urged students to nominate a senior for superlatives during lunch outside Cowan this week.

“I want to … get a lot of participation [for this],” she said.

“Friday’s event will include tiedyeing with all the materials provided, and we will be bringing back the makeyour-own croakies printer from last year,” South said. “The last event is Friday night, [and] we will be making s’mores at the Brockman fire pit.”

Larson urged everyone to attend these awesome events.

“Even though people spend time with their friends, definitely stop by and check them out,” she said. “You don’t have to stay the whole time. But we do have good dinners!”

The planning committee has planned out the menus for Cowan each day alongside Sodexo.

“We’re being very intentional about making sure the Cowan favorites make an appearance that final week,” Phillips said.

Further incentive to attend the events are the giveaways.

“Each event we host will have a different free giveaway for those who attend, so be sure to stop by,” South said.

“As always, there will be free t-shirts for the seniors and their guests and they look fantastic.”

Phillips echoed this sentiment about the week’s special shirts.

“The t-shirt design is really cool this year,” Phillips said. “We have some talented artists in our group … but I am not one of them. [The shirts] closely follow the theme.”

With such fun events planned, Senior Week 2014 is sure to be an excellent send-off to some of Centre’s finest.

BYOBlanket music festival unites campus musicians

By AUDREY JENKINS STAFF WRITER

On Fri., May 2, Centre Encore will be hosting the BYOBlanket music festival outside of the Campus Center.

Centre Encore is Centre’s very own music society, which was recently revived by sophomore Sue Choi.

“This past August was Centre Encore’s first birthday,” Choi said. “We have been officially running for over a year now after a couple of years of inactivity.”

One of Centre Encore’s main goals is to connect campus musicians with opportunities both on campus and in the greater Danville area. One opportunity will make its second appearance on campus May 2 — the BYOBlanket music festival.

“BYOBlanket is an ambitious and friendly lawn festival for Centre musicians and performers to show off what they can do,” Choi said. “Original songs, favorite songs, original choreography, favorite dance moves are all encouraged for performers and audience alike.”

Centre Encore hosted the event last year but was forced to bring the event inside due to rain.

“We ended up hosting it in the Warehouse,” Choi said. “Even though we had a small audience, we all had a great time – and people even brought blankets.”

Taking place on the lawn outside of the Campus Center this year, the festival encourages students to “bring their own blankets” and dinner, sit outside, and jam alongside their friends.

“It’s a very relaxed environment,” Choi said. “We want everyone to hang out with each other on the lawn while the event is happening.”

Performers at this year’s BYOBlanket festival include Moments in Motion, Nicholas Teale, Every Weird Thing!, Alan Secor, and Mus Musculus.

Mus Musculus, a student-led ska band, performed at the festival’s previous reincarnation last spring and have since opened both of Phi Kappa Tau’s “Air Guitar” parties.

“We play several different genres now

JAMES NALLEY | THE CENTO

Junior Jonathan Hunt and sophomore Sue Choi set up for a Mus Musculus performance at the Warehouse last week. Both are officers in Centre Encore and perform in the band.

from blues to pop to rock,” junior Michael Yu, the band’s guitarist, said. “This range of genres speaks to the musicianship that our band consists of. We have three music majors and the rest have an extensive background in music.”

The band is currently working on recording their first album with the help of Associate Professor of Music Nathan Link.

Junior Ali Gautier and her Pearl suitemates formed their band Every Weird

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Thing! after Centre Encore’s Battle of the Bands last semester.

“We all love and are involved in music in some way, it’s kind of like a fifth roommate,” Gautier said. “After the Battle of the Bands last semester, we realized that we could have put a band together and competed and were disappointed that we missed out, but then we were approached with this opportunity so we jumped in head first.”

Every Weird Thing! will be perform-

ing covers of “Pompeii” by Bastille, “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton, and “My Old Kentucky Home.”

At the end of the festival, all students will come back onstage to lead a group performance of “Centre Dear” to give the performance a “Centre meaning.”

Choi hopes that through the BYOBlanket festival, Centre will become a more “music-friendly” campus where students can meet up with another and perform. She, along with Centre En-

core’s other officers, are launching a Facebook group in the fall where any student can ask for musicians to join or host impromptu jam sessions.

“We’re hoping to increase exposure so that people are more familiar with Centre Encore and we can become a resource for everyone on campus,” she said.

BYOBlanket will take place on Fri., May 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. outside of the Campus Center.

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FEATURES

Thursday, May 1, 2014

His smile will warm your coffee

By ALEC HUDSON STAFF WRITER

Going to Jazzman’s is a daily ritual for many at Centre College. Whether it’s rushing to get a coffee before class or buying protein shakes after a workout, there never seems to be a shortage of customers.

Part of this is because of the highquality staff that works there, including arguably one of the most friendly and recognizable faces on campus — Denzal Doneghy. The 26-year-old has been working for Sodexo for six years and during that time has gained the admiration and respect of many students and staff.

“I like the atmosphere of working here,” he said. “I try to take time to talk to students and see how their families and holidays are going. To me it’s part of being human, not caring so much about yourself and seeing how others are doing.”

Doneghy’s kindness and ability to engage with people comes from a genuine sense of gratitude for each day. That gratitude itself, though, comes from a difficult past that has affected him to this day. Most of his childhood was spent in Lexington and Louisville, Ky., though he was born in Danville, because of medical problems that his mother and brother faced.

“I had an autistic brother with scoliosis who needed to be taken care of, and when I was ten, my family discovered my mom had lupus,” Doneghy said. “They truly made me who I am, my mom and my brother. My brother was like my superhero even though he was younger. He had so many back surgeries that seeing him go each time was like seeing him die and be resurrected again.”

Even with the medical difficulties of his mother and brother, Doneghy still enjoyed a supportive family who helped him get through the times of trials. But in 2011, both his mother and brother died within six months of each other, something for which he did not feel prepared.

“Everyone has a dark past, but I needed to regain myself after so much loss,” he

SARAH CORNETT | THE CENTO

Doneghy is a regular barista at Jazzman’s Cafe and is known by students as not only the man behind coffee creations but the man who has a consistently positive attitude and outlook.

said. “And I did that through peace and happiness. When you lose someone close, you want to know that they’re okay. I’ve been blessed with upbeat, positive dreams of my mother and brother together. I don’t go to church like I should, but I know I’ve experienced them in dreams.”

Though he has endured hardship and loss, Doneghy is not a sad or pessimistic man.

“When I wake up I thank God for the day,” he said. “Everyone is trying to live for

positivity. I try to help by having a lending ear to all who need it.”

Aside from his college job, he lives with his dog Joe and takes care of his six-yearold son. For Doneghy, having a child was “the best thing — period. They make you better. My son says he wants to work for Centre like me and take classes. I just hope I can set a premium example for him.”

Since he has invested much more time at Centre than any student, Doneghy has a few notes as far as changes that he would

like to see take place across the student body, especially in the way that students view each other.

“Well, a pay increase for the Sodexo staff would be nice,” he joked, “but aside from that, I feel that students need to meet different people and not get attached to cliques. I hear people gossip and talk negatively about others, but Centre students are all nerds. We’ve all experienced being mocked or being made fun of. I just wish the campus would come

together more. We need to be honest that we all have flaws but we all also have great things about us.”

In the end, Doneghy would simply like everyone to be grateful for the lives that they are living.

“You never know when your last breath of life comes, and I want to make sure that I’m giving off positive energy even if I’m old and wrinkly,” Doneghy said. “Honestly, I don’t know what life is or is supposed to be, but I’m living it.”

Box performances held throughout the year, it becomes clear that the Dramatic Arts program attracts an eclectic group of students spanning several different majors. The kinds of people that are attracted to the dramatic arts can be reflected clearly by the fact that “the large number of individuals involved in productions aren’t majors or minors at all,” according to senior Martha Grace Burkey.

As a wide range of personalities participate in theatre, it is no surprise that Centre’s Dramatic Arts majors end up pursuing an equally diverse range of professional fields — from game designing, to marketing, to law.

Aside from the variety seen in the success of alumni majoring in Dramatic Arts, the one aspect of Centre’s theatre program that is more impressive than all others is the highly personalized teaching that students receive.

“Expect to be engaged. Expect to

be committed,” Haigh said. “Expect to consider works from literary perspectives and a point of view applicable to our time.”

As Haigh continued to highlight the “highly personalized education of the Dramatic Arts program,” he could not help but proudly reveal his recently-held tea party for over 60 students, as well as their annual tradition of renting a lake house for a weekend.

The phenomena of engagement and commitment surely reflect the principles of Centre — but they are embedded within an immense amount of diligence and time-management capability.

“It is a graduation requirement for Dramatic Arts majors and minors to receive at least three production practicum credits during their time at Centre. Depending on the level of involvement a student has in a production, this could mean dedicating close to 15 hours a week or more, [such as] 3 hours of rehearsal a day [for] five days a week for two or three months per production outside of normal classwork,” Burkey said.

What seems to be so appealing about the program, moreover, is the highly praised and elegant fruits of the work that is put into learning to be a genuine thespian, including producing plays that seem flawless and creating unbreakable bonds with your fellow peers. This allure

is something that nearly every Dramatic Arts student, from seniors to first-years, will agree upon.

“What I love about the theatre program at Centre is that it goes beyond being an acting program,” first-year Sean Fannin said. “It’s an all-encompassing experience.”

What may largely contribute to this “encompassing experience” are the requirements for the major. Along with practicums, every Dramatic Arts major is required to take a course on performance, technology and design, and dramatic history and literature courses.

Considering the sense of accomplishment as well as the feeling of community that is conceived from such a large but rewarding workload, it is no surprise that the Dramatic Arts Department embraces its interpersonal relationships with tea parties and weekends at the lake.

When you’re drawn to that drama

By MASON McCLAY CENTO WRITER

“The entire process is creativity!”

Professor of Dramatic Arts Dr. Anthony Haigh exclaimed, eyes filled with enthusiasm.

“What about those students who have been exposed to and love theatre, but are unsure of whether they should pursue it as a major?” Haigh said. “Let me read you something.”

Haigh proceeded to log on to his Facebook account and read a testimony sent from an alumna of the Dramatic Arts program, in which the alumna illustrated how grateful she was that her education in theatre has molded her into an exceptionally effective leader and speaker.

If you have attended any theatrical productions, such as last weekend’s performance of Macbeth or any Black

“What I love about the theatre program at Centre is that it goes beyond being an acting program.”

Here are the keys to this man’s vault

By MASON McCLAY CENTO WRITER

Let’s face it, the ability to fly is something we all long to have. Ask anyone for his/her most-preferred, classic superpower and the answer will understandably be, “I wish I could fly!”

Unfortunately, unlike the potential opportunity of being bitten by a radioactive spider to grant you webslinging powers, or being a product of an experimental disaster that gives you extraordinary strength, there has been little scientific progress in obtaining the ability to fly. Very sad.

However, some of you may have even experienced this sensation, or at least something close to it.

Welcome to the world of polevaulting — the cheapest way to get into the four-meter-high club.

As it is clear that pole-vaulting is the greatest means of flight, I had an incredible idea — I would attempt to pole-vault. But to avoid fatal injury I PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKAYLA PAOLINI first thought it would be best to talk When competing in pole-vaulting events, there are several techniques that jumpers, such as sophomore Isaac Toney, have to master. with experts in the field to learn the

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best pole-vaulting secrets, including techniques, rituals, diet — hopefully everything I needed to know to be airborne.

In order to empirically test the advice I was given, I figured I would take ten points that seemed to be the most helpful from three different pole-vaulters and practice one piece of advice at a time whilst vaulting.

In the end, the experience was one of passion and persistence. Now, here are the results: Attempt # 1) Advice: “You’re more likely to get hurt if you jump scared,” senior Michael Orr said. At first I thought, “Excellent advice!

Fear is obviously my biggest enemy.”

But perhaps this advice is for veteran vaulters. I put on my fearless face and nearly concussed myself (and others).

Attempt # 2) Advice: “Ibuprofen is a way of life. The last time anyone competed without it was maybe never,” sophomore Mikayla Paolini

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Features

Section Editor-Kate Szczur

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said. Given my initial attempt, painkillers were obviously needed.

Unfortunately their effects include delayed reaction time. I ended up going up, and coming down, on my back.

Attempt # 3) Advice: “[Believing in superstition] is a no-fail system because [vaulters] are incapable of changing only one variable at a time.

‘Oh, you wore a ribbon this week and had a green sports bra? Well, you did better last week when you tucked your laces into your spikes on the left side and wore your hair in a bun,’” Paolini said. Well, with a lack of ribbons and sports bras, I tried my best to use this advice with any number of ridiculously colorful socks. The conclusion? My approach was better, and I think I ran faster, but overall I just felt more ignorant.

Attempt # 4) Advice: “Having perfect body weight distribution is really important. So is eating six desserts in Cowan on any given night,” Paolini said. At this point, I needed just a slight morale boost. So, I adopted a more creative approach that allowed for an interesting interpretation of this advice. I made weighted pants that served to fix this problem. And

the results were conclusive: I made it over the bar.

Attempt # 5) Advice: “Build up core strength to get a strong swingup phase,” Orr said. Since my core strength is already perfect, I considered this advice simply because it made me feel better about myself.

The jump itself was a fail, however.

Attempt # 6) Advice: “Find the equilibrium of strength-perpound,” first-year Stephen Orr said.

I calculated that to most effectively be able to propel myself from a pole, I needed about 180 Newtons of force.

Now that’s about one Newton perpound of body mass. Unbeknownst to me, I am much stronger than that.

This advice helped me stabilize my jumps by trying less.

Attempt # 7) Advice: “The event appeals to a really bizarre group of people,” Paolini said. Well, I’ll fit right in. This secret point of advice boosted my confidence significantly, and after the prior six attempts, the advice from attempt number one (fearlessness) began to bear some truth.

Attempt # 8) Advice: “Polevaulters are sometimes like that angst-y middle child — the one who insists that while everyone can appreciate their event no one will ever truly appreciate it,” Paolini said. As a middle child, I thought that this was more of a point of contemplation. I closed my eyes before vaulting, looked into the eyes of neglected, younger

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKAYLA PAOLINI

When competing in track and field meets, Paolini has to focus on distributing her body weight in just the right way in order to clear the four-meter-high bar. She also pays attention to little “superstitions,” such as wearing her hair in just the right way, before vaulting.

Mason, and told him to suck it up.

Surprisingly, it worked pretty well.

Two for eight.

Attempt # 9) Advice: “You have to be comfortable being upside down,” [Michael] Orr said. Unbeknownst to most people, I suffer from a disease known as invertigo, commonly known as bat syndrome. It gives me

an insatiable desire to be upside down. I harnessed the full potential of my invertigo for this attempt, but went upside down a little too early.

Synopsis: two chipped teeth.

Attempt # 10) Advice: “Sometimes it’s just about looking at that pole and saying, ‘Hey dude, let’s party,’” just like someone once said. For my final

attempt to make it over the bar, this wise adage was taken wholeheartedly.

This one last attempt was the dance, and the pole was the object of my affection. In an elaborate array of fluent motions, and through my most powerful plant yet, I soared well above the bar.

I was finally airborne.

Looking back before going forward

By LAURA HUMBLE STAFF WRITER

The semester is finally drawing to a close, and with it, the school year.

Students are gearing up for their final papers, tests, and projects and are excited for the day they will have it all behind them. The end of the semester is also a time for personal reflection back on the highs and lows of the 2013-14 school year.

This is especially true for first-year students who almost have one entire year of their college careers under their belts. Dee Dee Flynn, Gracie Nilsson, and Bryce Rowland spoke about their experiences as first-years at Centre.

Flynn, Nilsson, and Rowland all hit the ground running the minute they came to Centre. Flynn is involved with Greek life, women’s voices choir, Colonel Corps tour guides, Student Activities Council (SAC), and college choir. Nilsson has also been involved in Greek life and SAC as well as Centre players. Rowland is a part of Greek life, student government, the orchestra, and was a member of the cast for last semester’s production of Our Country’s Good. These activities have

served to enhance the college experiences for all three of these Centre students.

“My favorite experience at Centre this year was participating in the play [during the] Fall semester. I was able to get close with a group of people I otherwise would not have met,” Rowland said, “and they’re incredible people. It was fun to be part of something so much bigger than myself right off the bat to start college.”

Along the vein of favorite experiences over the course of the year, Flynn had something to add.

“I know what my favorite experience is at Centre, but I’m not really sure when it happened. My favorite experience was waking up one day during this past year and realizing that I found the perfect college for me. The day I found out that I didn’t fail my finals was also a close second,” Flynn said.

“My favorite experience was waking up ... and realizing that I found the perfect college.”

Joking aside, these first-years’ experiences at Centre have changed their outlook on life, already molding them into the strong leaders full of character and integrity for which Centre strives.

“I went to the same small private school for most of my childhood, and while I value the education I received very much, along the way I kind of forgot that there were so many other people in the world besides the ones I went to school with. I tried to stay involved in my city and my community, but there was this disconnect between the people I had been around for most of my life and the people I only saw intermittently,” Nilsson said.

“Centre has been wonderful in that it’s reminded me that there are more people in the world than the ones that I saw in my high school hallways.”

She also said one of her favorite aspects of college is the ability to make new friends and forge strong, lasting relationships with people.

Flynn, despite having a vastly different background from Nilsson, has come to a similar conclusion.

“Centre has changed my take on private schools. I went to a huge public school in high school, and, not going to lie, I made fun of the pretentious people who went to private school. However, coming

to Centre has made me appreciate the private school environment,” she said.

“It has also made me open my eyes more to other cultures and mindsets. I love my diverse group of friends that I have here at Centre, and they make me a better person.”

Rowland shared this sentiment of how the college is capable of changing its students and changing them for the better.

“Centre has strengthened my morals and parts of my personality,” Rowland said. “If you come into this campus a malleable person, it will quickly mold you, whether you want it to or not.”

It is interesting to note how quickly Centre can influence and change a person.

After just one year, Flynn, Nilsson, and Rowland are already growing into more open individuals.

“I would advise first-years to be prepared to have the best four years of their lives.”

So it is only fair that they share their secrets to success.

“I would advise first-years to be prepared to have the best four years of their lives, but to remember to be intentional with your time. Get in your professor’s office hours often and early because that is the key to doing well at Centre,” Rowland said.

Upon reflecting on her first year at Centre and her experiences at the college, Flynn was able to give a similar piece of advice.

“Embrace Centre head-on. The students, faculty, and staff here are some of the best people I have met and they make wonderful role models. I would tell first-years that all you have to do at Centre is be yourself and be open to new experiences,” she said. “Even if it means going to a professor’s office hours instead of that nap that you desperately thought you needed.”

Nilsson added a note about being openness as well.

“Don’t be afraid to get involved and try new things, but also don’t feel like you have to continue with the things that don’t fit like you thought they would,” she said. “College is incredible because it gives you the opportunities to do so many things and see how they work for you.”

No tu-tus but all the pain

By AUDREY JENKINS STAFF WRITER

AUDREY JENKINS | THE CENTO

Settles leads a barre fitness class, mixing ballet dance techniques with yoga and pilatees.

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If you are looking for an easy workout, put this article down and walk away right now, because Barre Fusion is simply not for you.

When I walked into the dance studio to experience my first session of Barre Fusion, I had no idea what to expect. The name itself reveals almost nothing about what goes on in the class. Is this a class about the fusion of barres? How does one fuse a barre?

Wait, what the heck even is a “barre?”

Is that the same thing as a bar?

I hardly had time to ponder much more than this before the Barre Fusion instructor, Marlene Settles, turned on some soft instrumentals and launched us into one of the most excruciating workouts my body has been privy to in months. By the time I left, I was simultaneously debating whether my legs would ever be the same again and planning the next time I could come back and participate in this intense workout.

Barre Fusion is, as Settles described it, a combination of barre movements taken from basic ballet, pilates, and yoga.

“It’s a whole different type of workout. It’s so beneficial because you work your entire body: you get your arms and your core and your legs and it’s great for muscle tone in general,” Settles said.

The hour-long workout is a series of movements designed to stretch and tone all parts of the body. Settles leads participants through easy-tofollow movements that combine the use of the ballet barre, yoga mats, and resistance bands. The routine includes lots of “roll backs,” squatting, and lunging, and requires a great deal of flexibility and sheer concentration to complete.

The exercise movements are conceptually easy, but require a great deal of patience and muscle tone to master. Centre Professor of Biology Dr. Anne Lubbers can easily attest to the difficulty as well as the rewarding aspects of Barre Fusion.

“I have been coming to Barre Fusion for two years now. I keep on coming back because I don’t get any other programmed exercise and it feels good. I am getting more balance and better balance. Don’t feel foolish if you can’t do everything perfectly,” Lubbers said. “Even now, after two years, there are a whole bunch of things I can’t do right. The more you do it the more you can fine-tune it and try and be more graceful to make it look [prettier]. But it’s well worth it.”

Another regular participant in Barre Fusion, junior Claire Konieczny agreed with Lubbers’ assessment of the class: “I’ve been coming for a year now. I had never done anything like this before, but it sounded really cool and different, so I decided to try it out. It’s very difficult because you

work so many parts of your body, but it’s very fun as well. I would definitely recommend this to others,” Konieczny said.

Although most participants will acknowledge the difficulty of the class, it seemed to be motivation to continue, rather than a reason to stop coming.

“It was my first time here at Barrre Fusion, and it was very bad.

I don’t exercise ever. My calves were cramping up in the first fifteen minutes,” sophomore Maggie Kaus said.

When asked if she had any advice for students who were interested in trying out Barre Fusion, instructor Settles enthusiastically replied that she is always excited to have new students in her class. “I would encourage you all to try it! There have been people that just come to the class and then end up staying for years.

I really enjoy teaching it because I enjoy being with the students,” Settles said.

The class meets from 5-6 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday in the Sutcliffe dance studio. Granted, I am not one of the exercise gurus on campus. Most of my physical activity comes from spontaneous dance parties in my room, running to class late, or trudging up to the steps to the fourth floor of Crounse, but I guarantee that Barre Fusion will pose a delightful challenge for any and all who are brave enough to participate.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

The Cento-Page 7

OPINIONS

opinions@centre.edu

Section Editor-Justin Allard

Serving Self-Interest: Using skills to create an impact

BY JUSTIN ALLARD

OPINIONS SECTION EDITOR

After a very formative Alternative Spring Break experience, I have been thinking about service. I spent a week working with other Centre students in Chicago. We lived in the Darst Center, an organization that serves as a hub for service groups coming to learn about urban poverty.

The goal of the Darst Center is to promote learning by interacting directly with community members suffering the effects of poverty, homelessness, or both.

We visited many organizations devoted to aiding these causes and helped at each one, learning how they functioned and speaking with the people who benefitted from the services.

This was one of the first times that I was encouraged to learn directly from the people affected by the services we were supplying. Our representative from the Darst Center, Josh, always invited us to ask questions of the people we were serving. I learned about their individual experiences and received a much better idea of what they needed from us after speaking with them.

It seemed that organizations that I had worked with in the past merely instructed the volunteers on what the people needed. They spoke about the people they were working with in the abstract: things that needed help. This was not meant to intentionally depersonalize them: it simplified the process of working with new volunteers.

Speaking of the issues and the people in this way was great for learning how to get tasks done, but made no progress in understanding the problems and effectively treating them.

I never felt like I understood the situation better than when I began. The issues still seemed like an impenetrable other that could never be solved, just managed

piecemeal on a day-to-day basis.

My experience with the Darst Center and these new thoughts happened to coincide neatly with an article I recently read about a school service trip to a Third World country in which the group was required to build a house for a family lacking one.

The author wrote that her group had no experience with construction and spent the days molding and stacking mutant bricks that served no purpose.

At night, men from the area would undo their misshapen efforts and reconstruct a neat substitute. The students in this scenario were receiving an experience of helping while actually hindering the community.

The community had the ability to construct houses more efficiently than the group of students; they would have been able to build the house much faster than having to spend hours undoing the mistakes of the well-meaning students. The purpose of their trip was not to actually provide service, but to provide for themselves the experience of serving others.

While this can be very important to those who benefit from the experience of serving, a meaningful experience for the volunteer does not necessarily help those in need.

I learned something from the Darst Center about the importance of taking a self-interest in doing service. I was at first confused at this — self-interest containing the connotation of selfishness — but it makes sense. By finding a form of service that coincides to your own interests and abilities, you can more efficiently act with the purpose of helping other people.

When a person pursues service in which they have self-interest, they are more likely to maintain motivation, focus, and enthusiasm. They will more likely to complete tasks to a higher standards. And they will be more likely to benefit from and love what they are doing.

We tend to overextend ourselves in

KRISTY ROBERTACCIO | THE CENTO

Junior Morgan Whitehead pulls weeds at the Heart of Danville Spring Downtown Cleanup, helping to tidy up Constitution Square.

terms of service. The world has many issues and it seems that society tells us that each individual needs to be eradicating all of them simultaneously. To do service in this vein would be maddening and ineffective.

If people spread themselves too thin, we would be addressing all these issues but not giving any of them the attention

and depth that they need.

By focusing on only one or two issues that are important to you personally, you can serve in a manner that effectively and intelligently treats the problem.

Ideally, you would not have a food connoisseur go on a hunger strike or a skydiving enthusiast work as a miner. These tasks would be torturous, and while they

might provide benefits, there are other people who are more excited about hunger strikes and mining.

In the same way, service does not have to be about sacrificing or doing tasks that are excruciatingly against your own interest. Service is not about martyrdom.

It can and should be something you enjoy and something you can do well.

Some transparency needed in regard to Centre’s private investments

BY ALEC HUDSON STAFF WRITER

One of the negative aspects of going to a private liberal arts college is that the school’s endowment is not transparent. Though students and staff are allowed to meet and discuss the endowment with members of the Board of Trustees, the official documents and investments of the endowment are kept private to ensure little outside interference.

While this may seem reasonable to an institution that isn’t required to give financial information to the public, it raises a serious question about what sort of investments the school is directly involved in.

Is it possible that Centre, like many institutions of higher education, directly invests in companies that legitimize foreign occupation of land by the government of Israel?

This question has been posed by many faculty members, but the administration has refused to look into the question so as not to touch what is widely seen as too controversial of an issue.

But the reality is that if the college does indeed invest with firms that support the illegal occupation of the West Bank by Israel, our college is directly responsible for prolonging one of the most destructive and inhumane campaigns of land acquisition in history.

Because of this, the administration and leadership of Centre College should seriously consider looking into their investments and divesting from all companies or entities that support the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

To be clear, regardless of what lobbyists for Israel may say, opposition to such apartheid tactics by Israel against the Palestinians does not equate to anti-Semitism.

There are many progressive Jew-

ish organizations and activists, such as former Israeli Education Minister Shulamit Aloni, Jewish-American scholar Noam Chomsky, and Rabbi Michael Lerner who are critical of the Israeli government’s policies in the Occupied Territories and demand that the government change its policy.

Furthermore, such attempts at changing the foreign policy of other nations are not without precedent.

Throughout the 1980s, universities and other institutions were proactive in divesting and boycotting the government of South Africa during its Apartheid regime when the Reagan administration preferred a “constructive engagement” with the racist regime.

Students like the young Barack Obama marched and protested to ensure that the racist regime of South Africa would not receive any financial backing from American institutions.

They did this because they knew that support of the South African gov-

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ernment would only prolong the undemocratic regime and support their efforts to silence critics.

Likewise, current financial support of institutions for the Israeli government has allowed the country to continue its hypocritical policy of seizing land in the name of defending the interests of Israel and its unique Jewish heritage.

This is hypocritical because for a nation that feels threatened by radical Islam and hostile theocratic states to the point that it won’t negotiate with the leaders of Gaza, it has in recent years promoted a theocratic policy of settlements by justifying the claims of religious settlers.

Palestinians are kicked out of their homes, threatened by settlers who are directly armed by the Israeli government, and are left impoverished in refugee camps from Lebanon to Jordan. These are not the actions of a just government. The Israeli regime

under Benjamin Netanyahu has time and again given settlers access to land that does not belong to them and has ignored calls from international bodies including the United Nations and the International Court of Justice to stop the illegal settlements.

While this campaign is critical of the criminal actions of the Israeli government, it must be clear that such a campaign does not have the intent of the destruction of the state of Israel. It is simply an effort to force the Israeli government to recognize international law and cease its unilateral claiming of Palestinian territory.

Because of this, Centre College must seriously consider divesting from Israeli companies and institutions that enable the Israeli government’s criminal acts. Centre’s administration can make a bold statement for human rights if it has the courage to ensure that none of its investments are directly funding illegal foreign occupation.

the Cento Senior Staff

Sarah Cornett: Editor-in-Chief Rachel West: Managing Editor Grant Blayney: Technology Editor W.K. Prewitt: Business Manager Sara Loy: Copy Chief James Nalley: Photography Editor

Section Editors

John Wyatt: News Justin Allard: Opinions Kate Szczur: Features Hayley Hoffman: Arts & Leisure Matt Cox: Sports

Staff writers

To apply to be a server or host for the sumer, please bring a copy of your résumé to 314 West Main Streest Suite 100.

The College Newspaper Since 1889

Mary Burger Laura Humble CJ Donald Audrey Jenkins Adam Falluji Dana Reynolds Alec Hudson Gray Whitsett Derek Beaven The Cento is a student-run, student-edited publication of Centre College with issues appearing fortnightly.

Advertisements appearing in the Cento do not reflect the opinions of the Cento or its staff. Advertising space is purchased by individuals or businesses and reflect the positions and agendas of those patrons. The Editorial Board of The Cento is composed of members of the staff and does not reflect the opinions of any one individual of the staff.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

The Cento- Page 8

Section Editor-Justin Allard

Opinions/Editorials

Combating the Censorship of Journalism Censorship still a problem nationally and at Centre

By RACHEL WEST

ing silenced by their administrations, which are afraid of repercussions reflected in donations.

In a twenty-first century world, it These are only the instances that can seem like access to information is have been reported. Successful cenimmediate. sorship, after all, means that no one When a starlet causes a scandal, finds out it has happened. it’s on the Internet in seconds. When a breaking news story comes in, you get an alert on your iPhone telling you all about it.

Information, and thus the media, now works at the speed of light. We can find out about anything in real time with the push of a button.

Because of the seeming immediacy of information, it is often easy to overlook occurrences of one of the biggest obstacles to free media in the world: censorship.

It has become a dirty word (for good reason), and it’s something we convince ourselves doesn’t happen to us or in our space anymore.

It’s very easy to say that censorship is the work of dictators, something that happens in China or North Korea or Saudi Arabia. We are a country So the number of incidents of cenwith a free press, after all. sorship in modern journalism is probExcept when we’re not. ably much more than we can even beExcept when the United States me- lieve, particularly here in the society dia is being called “more controlled” of the “free press.” and “more susceptible to censorship As easy as it is to say that the centhan ever” at the latest Inter Press sorship of journalism doesn’t affect Service panel in Norway. Except when you personally, it clearly affects how the United States military censors you perceive the world around you. photographs taken by the Miami HerHow would we perceive Nixon if ald at Guantanamo Bay. the Washington Post had been cenExcept when a high school student sored instead of breaking the Wateris banned from even writing a story gate story? about medical marijuana, with her How would history remember the principal refusing the story because Vietnam War if the New York Times he thinks student journalism should had been silenced instead of releasing serve as “marketing” and “a mouth- the Pentagon Papers? piece” for the school.

Bringing an end to the censorship These instances are not isolated. A of journalism is important because simple Google search about censor- journalism helps a society shape their ship in the United States yields hun- perception of current events. If jourdreds of results. nalists cannot print stories about Local governments are censoring events or cannot print a full story, small town newspapers. Major na- then it is society that suffers from the tional newspapers are being told that lack of information about the world they cannot print a story because it is around them. a matter of national security. College This is not just something that afand high school journalists are beMANAGING EDITOR

“Bringing an end to the censorship of journalism is important because journalism helps a society shape their perception of current events.”

fects readers on a national level, however. This is something that happens on college campuses as well. A college newspaper might operate on a smaller scale, but the fundamentals and goals are the same, and thus it is equally important that student journalists not be silenced.

The stakes are lower when you are dealing with collegiate journalism, true, but the point of collegiate journalism is threefold: to prepare student journalists for a career in journalism, to keep students informed about events on the campus and in the world, and, as is always a principle of journalism, to watchdog those collegiate bodies that have extreme power over the day-to-day lives of students.

This includes college administrations, faculty congresses, and even student governments.

When information about the campus and about these collegiate authorities is censored, either by outside forces or by the journalists themselves, there ceases to be journalism.

Instead, there is marketing literature and being a “mouthpiece” for the college, which is not the purpose of collegiate journalism.

In my four years as a writer and editor for the Cento, I have experienced censorship in all forms.

My editors have been screamed at by an administration figure over a proposed article that I wrote and told that they could not publish the article under threat of repercussions for the newspaper.

I have received emails from different college officials that, though polite and professional, made it clear that they were displeased with the way they or their department was represented in an article I wrote or authorized and that there could be consequences of that.

The leader of a prominent campus organization has told me that if I published an article that she disagreed with, she would make sure that my remaining years at Centre were very difficult, socially and academically.

Even worse, in my opinion, are the

efforts that people brush off as “not censorship” but which seriously impinge on journalistic freedom.

These are the well-meaning administration officials who ask to read an article before it goes to print (the underlying thought being “so that I can make sure it says what I think it should”).

It is the faculty member who asks to see a transcript of their interview “so they can make sure they said everything correctly.” It is the person who suggests “maybe our advisor should approve every article before it’s printed.”

It is the student leaders who blur the lines between organizations and ask that a writer who is also a member of their organization write about them.

“The Cento has committed itself to responsible journalism, and that means not letting anyone say we cannot print the truth.”

It is when they suggest to an editor who is a part of their membership that they should particularly edit an article or all articles about them to “make sure it reflects their message.”

It is student leaders and administration that refuse to talk to the press about an issue and then discredit a story when their point of view is not represented.

I am not going to say that we are or always have been a model of journalism fighting against censorship.

Sometimes, we have folded and let those that would silence us have their way.

When I was a sophomore, nothing seemed scarier than a too-polite email from a college official. Even when I was willing to fight, sometimes my editors were not.

That is not a critique of anyone personally. It is difficult to balance the demands of being a student and being a journalist, and sometimes you just are not equipped to fight.

Recently, we have folded less and less. We have committed to the fight that says we are not going to let anyone censor us, whether that means telling us that we cannot publish something or telling an editor to edit a story a certain way.

The Cento has committed itself to responsible journalism, and that means not letting anyone say we cannot print the truth or an honest opinion.

I have always been grateful for the level of student journalism that has been available to me at Centre and from the Cento. Our newspaper is allowed to exist and generally allowed to operate independently.

Our faculty advisor does not attempt to stifle our creativity or our business model. Usually, officials accept our controversial articles as a standard part of journalism.

Despite that, I have dealt with more instances of censorship in four years than I imagined possible when I first started out.

It is not always meant to demean the work I am doing, and sometimes I do not think the person who is doing it even realizes what they are attempting to do.

The work done by student journalists at Centre will continue to remain important as long as there are students here who are committed to receiving the finest-quality education and college experience.

That is why we will continue the fight against censorship and remain committed to providing high-quality student journalism.

The Gray Area: The Final Shade of Gray

BY GRAY WHITSETT COLUMNIST

We critique, I believe, because we feel. If there is no connection, no emotional investment, there stands no motivation to lift a finger, whether to help or to hurt. Those who don’t bother to care don’t bother to do much of anything.

But I also believe we must consistently doubt it. Framed in such a way, it seems beautiful, and indeed it holds something inherently human, something fundamentally honest, in its own way a truth deserved of affection.

But realistically, a lot of people complain because they enjoy the attention it elicits and the disunion it creates. However, no poetry can justify selfishness.

All this is to say, there are those who cloak their scorn in a delusion of love: incessant disparagement constitutes their adoration. Any indecency can render a man tougher – it takes a particular level of intimacy to make him better.

I say all of this to address a con-

cern I always have in writing this column. When you have a steady writing position, whether it’s rooted in opinion, like mine, or news, or sports, I think you invariably struggle to balance passion, relevance, and interest.

You want to care about what you write, but you never write just for yourself.

Along the way, you have to sustain your personal interest level, as well as the interest level of your readers.

While I admittedly doubt my viewership is terribly high, I am always left with a certain anxiety, a concern there that might be that one avid reader who for one reason or another takes a genuine interest in my musings.

How will this person judge this week’s article? What will they conclude of my body of work?

Why do they read it in the first place? Do they agree with what I have to say, or enjoy the steady devolution of my writing?

I don’t say this to present myself as a narcissist; quite the contrary, I always, as best I know how, attempt to factor in the reader: that set of

abstract eyes about which we know nothing.

This is my last article in this line of writing, as the Cento’s 2013-2014 year comes to a close.

“...If you believe in what you’re doing, and you believe what you’re doing will lead to the betterment of the world around you, pursue it.”

And with this termination I find myself reflecting on the substance of this year’s work. Without a doubt, there are better topics I might’ve chosen, both for myself and for campus.

Furthermore, the quality of my writing surely could’ve been stronger – when could it not? And certainly my

opinions on the matters I chose could have been more astute, more thought out, more holistic.

These are my shortcomings, the shortcomings with which I’m sure each of us could identify. We cannot ignore these, lest we stagnate, so we must internalize such reflections, regardless of their effect on the individual.

I am comfortable with this process.

But the reason I take no issue with my faults in this context is because I believed in what I was writing.

In retrospect, maybe I shouldn’t have on each piece, but while writing each column I put my heart behind every word.

We go to a really great school. It’s not perfect, and though we try our best to believe otherwise, it’s not the best.

But I seriously do buy into what we espouse – a broad-based education that doesn’t just toughen us but aids in our betterment.

And I write about Centre because I care about Centre. Moreover, I care about the individuals who study and

work here.

Strip away all the intangible history and heritage, we’re the only players who really matter in this equation. We are the ones who feel, who seek to find enjoyment in life.

And I care about that. It’s something I can do, and I care about doing it.

As I mentioned, this is my last article of this column. I’ve said plenty, so let me just say thank you. I’ve enjoyed writing and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading.

I suppose if we need to end this with some sort of lesson, a cumulative moral here at the finish line, let it simply be that if you believe in what you’re doing, and you believe what you’re doing will lead to the betterment of the world around you, pursue it.

Even a world as small as Centre, I think it’s worth doing.

You will never do anything worth doing without incurring some cost.

If something is worth it to yourself, I think it’s worth caring enough to try it.

Will Work for Experience: Woes of Desperate Interns

BY SARAH CORNETT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Each year, students across the nation begin the crucial and chaotic hunt for the perfect internship. If they’re smart, the search begins in the early fall.

Several hours are spent scouring through internship directories and databases, organization’s websites, and emails to find a few hundred possibilities.

By the winter break they’ve cranked out more cover letters and versions of their résumé than they thought humanly possible.

Finally, by mid-spring they are stuck in an endless loop of first round interviews, second round interviews, and even third round interviews, all for a chance at an esteemed internship.

For the millennial generation, it is no secret that internships are a necessary part of any competitive résumé.

In fact, many professionals are starting to claim that internships and work experience are more important than a high college GPA. Yet, no matter how wonderful these internships might appear, the majority of them are unpaid.

Despite the fact that interns are

still expected to work at least 40 hours per week, report to a supervisor, and complete assigned tasks like regular employees, they receive no hard currency.

Instead, companies have opted to pay interns in cold, hard “experience.”

But don’t fret, because experience is a golden ticket to the future!

Experience will send any lowly intern on a bullet train to the top of their profession.

In the mean time, interns shouldn’t bother thinking about how experience won’t buy groceries, a ticket on the public transportation system in that big new city, a new professional wardrobe, or pay the rent on that overpriced, one-bedroom apartment.

Why would anyone worry about all of that unimportant nonsense when they have experience?

While in some cases an unpaid internship may help supply the individual with contacts, a portfolio, and certain skills, none of this is guaranteed.

So if experience is the currency, then who exactly is paying the price?

It seems that companies are getting quite the deal by exploiting labor and time from interns for virtually no cost.

Interns, on the other hand, are forced to take on other (paying) jobs,

The College Newspaper Since 1889

scholarships, or even loans to help with the basic cost of living. Other students, however, end in even worse circumstances, realizing that they cannot afford to travel and live with an unpaid internship.

So the real question is: Are unpaid internships fair?

Many businesses and corporations argue that while unpaid internships might not be ideal, it is still a decision that the company can legally choose to make.

However, other organizations like the Fair Pay Campaign believe differently. This group is focused on creating and proposing legislation aimed at ending unpaid internships.

They believe that each intern should be paid at least minimum wage with a capped working week of 40 hours.

The second goal stems from numerous lawsuits that have recently been filed by interns against their past employers.

In 2009, a lawsuit was brought against W Magazine from a former intern who claimed she worked 12hour days for about $1 a day in the publication’s jewelry and accessories department.

In 2012, a young intern for the public relations company Hearts Cor-

poration began a lawsuit soon after she quit the company after several months of working a 55-hour week for no pay.

In 2013, Eric Glatt filed an intensive lawsuit against Fox Searchlight Productions after his internship on a production set where he worked 14hour days seven days a week for about minimum wage.

The list of these lawsuits is evergrowing and ever-worsening.

In an attempt to help change the culture surrounding these unpaid internships, the U.S. Department of Labor released a fact sheet detailing the criteria for unpaid employment.

The six criteria state that the internship should be: similar to educational training, beneficial for the intern, ensure that no current employees are displaced, clarify that a job is not promised to an intern after the internship is concluded, and ensure that the intern understands that they will be compensated in a nonmonetary way.

If the employers have satisfied everything on this list then they are free, according to the United States Department of Labor, to hire interns with no monetary compensation.

Notice that this fact sheet does not discuss a cap on work hours, work-

ing conditions, or the need for other forms of compensation if paychecks are not given.

In other words, this system ensures that there are nothing but unpaid internships out there – the interns are just paying to work for someone else.

The fact sheet is certainly a step in the right direction, but this is the only action the government has taken.

While the idea of an internship is a wonderful concept, the reality needs to be improved.

The exploitative conditions and lack of pay have reached a ridiculous level and the only way conditions will improve is if students stop taking internships or someone steps in to regulate them.

As a past and future intern myself, I understand the need and challenges of having an internship.

Although it isn’t a requirement for a career, it certainly feels like one.

Especially as a Centre student, a top internship would make us all feel like we are on an equal playing field with those Ivy League applicants.

But be careful.

It is all too tempting to take anything and everything in the pursuit of “work experience,” but make sure the long hours, the lack of pay, and all of the stress is worth that experience.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

The Cento-Page 10

SPORTS Section Editor-Matt Cox

Sports@Centre.edu

Men’s Golf plays their way to a conference title

By CHARLIE GRIGSBY CENTO WRITER

10th out of 20. 20th of 30. 18th of 18. These are all regular season finishes of the Centre Men’s Golf team. For a program accustomed to weekend trophies and national rankings, it would be an understatement to call this season a disappointment. Heading into the SAA Tournament, the team had only one top-three tournament finish, and of their ten weekends played, only three saw Centre in the top eight scores. Considering the program’s recent success and current crop of talent, it’s not surprising that the players had higher expectations for their fall and spring seasons.

“We didn’t perform in the biggest tournaments we were in,” explained Junior Wilson Trent. “It was a mediocre [regular] season at best.”

The Colonels found themselves in an odd position. For the first time in the careers of the upperclassmen, Centre was not one of the favorites to win the conference tournament.

Oglethorpe, Berry, and Rhodes all top-25 teams in the nation - were expected to take the weekend before receiving their bids to NCAA Championship. Regardless of how Centre did in the SAA Championship, their season was over after the final round on Sunday. All the Colonels could play for was a tournament in which they were underdogs.

“No one thought we would come close to winning conference,” Trent said.

“The team didn’t think we couldn’t do it,” Trent said. “We had nothing to lose. We had to prove how good we were compared to those teams going to Nationals.”

On the first day, something weird happened. Centre posted a 290- a strong score- and the rest of the conference slipped. Oglethorpe, who would normally post scores from 285-290,

shot a 297. Rhodes followed with a four-man score of 299, and Berry with a 304. Suddenly, Centre was leading the #2 team in the country by seven shots, the #20 team by nine, and the #16 team by 14.

“It was kind of shocking, but we didn’t worry about what other teams were doing. We knew what [the other teams] were capable of. We knew they would come back strong and post a great number the second day,” Trent said.

Except they didn’t. After the second day, Oglethorpe and Rhodes were tied at 590, Berry at 595. With three highly touted teams chasing, the Colonels tallied another 290. Junior Grant Blevins tied first-year teammate Carson Riley’s first round score with a 68, the low score of the tournament. With lone senior Tyler O’Daniel, the group of three upperclassmen and three first-years held a ten stroke lead heading into the third and final round. The only team who didn’t notice was their own.

“As soon as we got back to the hotel, none of us talked about golf. Golf wasn’t the focus off the course because nothing could’ve been done until the next day.”

In the final round, the Colonels found themselves playing under pressure. No longer were they the team with nothing to lose; the struggles of the regular season didn’t matter anymore. The field was now chasing them, the clubhouse leaders, and regardless of what had happened the weekends before, they were the favorites with something to play for: pride and a trophy.

With three nationally ranked teams behind them, a conference championship in the balance, and a season’s worth of redemption at stake, a senior, two juniors, and three first-years calmly struck a 291. They finished eight shots ahead of second-place Rhodes; Blevins finished as individual tournament champion and was joined

PHOTO COURTESY OF CENTRE ATHLETICS

Junior golfer John Minton looks down range after hitting a shot from the fairway during the Jim English Invitational on the All-Conference team by Riley and O’Daniel. With a regular season that saw very little go right, Centre enjoyed an SAA Championship where they could do no wrong.

“We pulled through. We had clutch holes, and we made it so [the field] had to beat us. We weren’t coming to them,” Trent said.

Although Centre’s season is now over, this victory will carry significant

weight into the off-season. Talent-wise, the golf team is only losing O’Daniel, but Head Coach Tom Campbell is leaving to coach women’s basketball at Sewanee.

Director of Golf Bruce Brown will replace Campbell as Head Coach, so the transition will be a smooth one for the program. Still, next season will carry some uncertainty. The players will have to adapt to a new coaching style,

the issues from the regular season will have to be addressed, and a consistent travel team will need to be found.

But despite the change that is coming to the program, the players can rely on the fact that they were consistent when it mattered most.

And that regardless of the struggles they might have during a season, they will always compete among the best programs in the nation.

A discussion on the controversy of collegiate mascots

By DANA REYNOLDS STAFF WRITER

Since the adoption of Yale’s English bulldog, nicknamed “Handsome Dan,” mascots have been popular symbols used to set schools apart from their competitors. These symbols are often characters or animals chosen to display admirable traits such as aggression, courage, and heroism.

The creation of mascots has been very beneficial for colleges in helping build student morale and create publicity, but some mascots have spurred debate.

Although mascots were originally intended to be used for good luck and to get people excited for big game days, the depictions of some mascots and their different traditions have been considered offensive to certain ethnic groups.

Since the turn of the century, more and more colleges have adopted Native American tribe names and mascots.

Considered to display courage and spirit, Native American symbols and mascots have been widely used by sports

teams and within the NCAA and other divisions.

More than 900 high schools, colleges, and professional teams use AmericanIndian related images to pump up players, fire up crowds, and sell products.

But is this morally right? Critics claim that the use of such images is racist and offensive. Since the disapproval spurred

by Native American activists and athletic associations, 600 teams have shed the Native American connotations, including the University of Illinois, formerly known as the Fighting Illini.

For 80 years Chief Illiniwek served to inspire spirit, but his presence was considered offensive to many Native American groups and barred the university from holding postseason events.

Although supporters of the mascot claimed that it honored the contributions Native Americans made to the state of Illinois, American Indian groups claimed that the mascot was demeaning.

It was extremely upsetting for many Native Americans who viewed the halftime show. During half-time shows, Chief Illiniwek would prance around in

traditional clothing with a headdress.

Within Native American culture, the headdress was reserved for the most powerful and influential among the tribe. Many Native Americans felt as though they were being mocked.

Since 2005, the NCAA has had formal regulations against naming teams after Native American tribes, although some names still persist, such as the Florida State Seminoles.

Sophomore Taylor Harrison does not believe that Native American mascots need to disappear.

“I don’t think Native American mascots should be banned,” she said. “I think the only thing that should be banned is the negative stereotyping of Native Americans. There is nothing wrong with celebrating and honoring our country’s history. All that these sports teams are doing is showing pride in their schools.

They are also showing pride in the history and the different cultures we have.”

But what about the Florida State Seminoles? They continue to maintain their image with thousands of Caucasian fans with feathers in their hair and yell-

ing war chants on live television.

There are no protests and no angry responses from politicians or activists.

Why is this? It is because the university has a formal agreement with the Florida Seminole Tribal Council — this supposedly makes everything acceptable.

Fans use this as an excuse for their obvious racism and blatant disrespect for Native American culture. This agreement, though, is shaky, because the majority of Seminoles do not even live in Florida; they live in Oklahoma.

These Oklahoma Seminoles oppose the use of this mascot. The wealthy Florida Seminole leaders use the mascot as a method of promoting their business — the Hard Rock Café and Casino.

Junior John Ruble believes that this is a very complicated issue.

“I definitely think that it is insensitive on the part of Florida State to use that mascot, but I don’t think that they should be forced to change it,” he said.

“It wouldn’t really matter to me if the majority of the population did not approve [of] it, to be honest. If sixty percent of the Seminoles lived in Florida

that would not mean they should be able to speak for the other forty percent,” he said.

Although mascots have spurred a lot of controversy, they have also been a source of comic relief.

Ranging from fierce, aggressive mascots such as University of Michigan’s Wolverine to unbelievably ridiculous ones such as Delta State University’s Flying Okra, mascots are used to boost team morale.

Mascots, as long as they are used in a tasteful manner, provide more benefits than disadvantages. Game days would not be complete without them; they inspire fans to rally up to support the game-winning basket or jump with excitement when a team manages to take the game into overtime.

Junior Patrice Doyle believes that mascots are good things for schools and teams. In fact, she wishes that she saw the Colonel more at games.

“I think they’re beneficial,” she said.

“I barely see our mascot and it would definitely be helpful to make more people loud and cheerful.”

Societal problems revealed by the Jameis Winston case

By RACHEL WEST MANAGING EDITOR

On Dec. 7, 2012, a young woman at Florida State University (FSU) reported that she was raped by a stranger off campus. Almost a year later, a secret that threatened the university and one of the prized assets of its sports program came out: the main suspect was Jameis Winston, FSU’s premiere football star and one of the biggest names in college football.

Months later, all that’s left of the case is trauma for a young woman, fame for a football star, and a lot of questions about how society treats our college athletes.

Three weeks after Winston was named a suspect, the local prosecutor announced that they did not have enough evidence to charge Winston with the assault.

Winston went on to win the Heisman Trophy and lead FSU to a national championship. And to the world, that was the end of the story.

The story, however, didn’t end there.

On April 16, 2013, the New York Times published an investigative report on the case. They found that almost no investigation happened, either from the police or from the university.

Despite the fact that a witness filmed part of the assault on their phone, neither party followed up on the obvious lead.

When the young woman told investigators that it was Winston that had raped her, the police never interviewed witnesses or took a sample of Winston’s DNA. In fact, the lead investigator on the

case waited over two months to file his report and then never contacted the victim again. Meanwhile, crucial evidence, such as the video, was able to disappear.

Police fundamentally fumbled the case. They did not follow protocols. They did not follow up on obvious leads. They allowed evidence that could have closed the case to slip through their fingers.

The university’s athletic department did no better. Though records show that FSU knew about the accusations by January 2013, the university never responded and never launched an investigation.

FSU never even interviewed Winston.

Instead, they allowed their star player to carry on as usual, playing a full season without ever answering a single question.

No outsider, of course, can say that Winston committed the crime. As in all cases, he is innocent until proven guilty.

But even if Winston is innocent, the case is yet another example of the breakdown and corruption of authority figures in the face of college athletes.

It’s a story that we have heard again and again: a university that has stringent conduct and academic policies seems to forget about them when enforcing the rules would harm one of their athletes.

For Division I universities, athletics is a big business and one of the biggest sources of donations and prestige that the universities have available to them. So when it comes to a possible violation, they are willing to let the rules slide in order to keep the money rolling in.

The story gets even worse, in this case,

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because the police department fumbled the case so badly. In the 34 days following the victim’s report of an assault, practically no investigation was done. Investigators never even really attempted to identify a suspect.

Even the prosecutor, William Meggs, was outraged by this oversight, stating in a press conference: “How long does it take to identify a freshman football player?

10, 15, 16 seconds?” It might be worth it to note that during those 34 days, Winston played in and helped FSU win a bowl game in the team’s post-season.

“But even if Winston is innocent, the case is yet another example of the breakdown and corruption of authority figures in the face of college athletes.”

The case instead lay dead until the victim reported that she had seen the rapist on campus 34 days after the incident, identifying Jameis Winston. Even with the positive identification, investigators waited almost two weeks before contacting Winston. Two weeks after a very brief interview with Winston, investigators closed the case without ever even speaking with witnesses or testing Winston’s DNA. Winston reportedly told investigators

that he had, in fact, had sex with the victim, but that the sex was consensual. And reporters never followed up. They never tested the DNA. They never tried to find the video recording that they knew existed. Nor did the university or the athletics department push for it.

In fact, nothing would have happened with the case again if another student had not come forward with a similar story almost a year later. Though the second woman did say that she had never said “no” in her encounter with Winston, she was intoxicated beyond her ability to provide consent.

The push forced police to reopen the case. They finally interviewed witnesses, memories now foggy and with the crucial video evidence long-since erased. They also took a sample of Winston’s DNA, which matched the DNA found on the victim’s clothing. Still, they decided that there was not enough evidence to charge Winston, and the case disappeared.

A case like the Winston case raises some real questions. The university took practically no action during the case, despite their rules on sexual assault. The athletics department never investigated, taking Winston’s word on what happened.

The police department claims that they took the case seriously and conducted a full investigation, though that claim is laughable given the known timeline of events. The Tallahassee police department was referred to as “careless, uncaring, cavalier, and incompetent” by a judge in 2013 in a similar but unrelated case,

and this seems to be entirely true.

Both women who came forward have filed complaints, stating that the police investigated them rather than Winston.

And while the entire case is indicative of serious problems at FSU and the Tallahassee police department, it is also indicative of a problem with our culture. We are a culture that too often idolizes college athletics stars to the point that we’re willing to forgive unforgiveable behavior as long as they keep winning games.

We are a culture that will keep pointing out that Winston is innocent until proven guilty. We are also a culture that is willing to condemn a woman who has reported a rape as a liar, because women who are possible victims of sexual assault are always seen as guilty until proven innocent.

We are a culture, and a country, with a serious problem. Somewhere along the way, our priorities became unforgivably confused. We have decided that having athletes entertain us is a higher priority than protecting women from assault.

It is a horrifying failure of our society that cases like this happen, and it is even more horrifying that when they happen, we condemn those who shouldn’t be condemned and give them nowhere to turn.

It is a blemish on our ability to protect our citizens, and until we shift our priorities, it will continue to be so.

What happened in Tallahassee is a fundamental failure of the university, of the police, and of our society, and it’s something we need to commit ourselves to changing.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

The Cento - Page 9

Section Editor-Matt Cox

Sports

Women’s Tennis has a successful spring break

By DANA REYNOLDS STAFF WRITER

After a successful trip to Hilton Head over spring break, the Women’s Tennis team has come back ready to leave a mark in the Conference championships in Murfreesboro, TN. Sophomore Casey Blair felt as though spring break was a turning point for the team.

“I think that spring break was one of the biggest highlights of the season,” she said. “I feel like the team really bonded over a week of nonstop tennis. We all pushed as hard as we could against teams from all over and got a couple of wins.”

Although they fell slightly short of their goal to be in the top half of the conference throughout the regular season, the team is determined to finish the season strong.

According to Head Coach Matt Vonderbrink, the team really has an opportunity to place high in the conference. “Sewanee ladies are stronger than most other teams, but it is a jumble everywhere else,” he said. “Every point is going to matter.”

First-year Kate Tomey also emphasized the importance of every point in the Conference Championship.

“The teams are fairly equal across the board in the conference,” she said.

“There is very little difference in between the second team in conference and the seventh team, meaning that every conference match matters.”

The team was young this season, with eleven new players. Figuring out the correct lineup for everyone on the team provided some difficulties, but Vonderbrink emphasized that he has definitely seen improvement in his younger players.

“There were some growing pains associated with this season,” he said.

“[But] I think that we have pretty good depth. I think that our main weakness is just match experience.

Hopefully we are going to gain some of that through this year.”

According to first-year Courtney DeLong, college tennis has been a great experience for her so far, due to the attitude of the team.

“College tennis is different in that it seems to have more of a team spirit,” DeLong said. “In high school, the team only played together during tennis season. In college, we practice together all year round and are competing together instead of individually.

We cheer for all of our teammates.”

The team will graduate only two players after this season: seniors Kathryn Hays and Maddie Pitt. Hays has been recognized as a First Team All-Southern Athletic Association performer and an All-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference performer.

She also recorded the most singles and doubles wins on the team in 2011.

Pitt has had a remarkable senior season, starting sixth in the line-up and inching her way up to snatching the third spot. She has a 10-3 record for this season.

In 2012, Pitt was also named to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference’s All-Sportsmanship Team.

DeLong commented that the seniors were a great asset to the team. “It is going to be really rough losing them,” she said.

The team is waiting to hear from possible players for next season. They will be announcing their decisions by today, May 1, though the team just recently had a young woman commit from the Cincinnati area.

“We will be losing our number-one player,” said Vonderbrink. “We need players who will come in and play at the top of the line-up.”

RITA BASCONI | THE CENTO

First-year Women’s Tennis player Kate Tomey serves a shot over the net during action from a match earlier in the 2014 campaign

The Play by Play: The best moments from the class of 2014

By CJ DONALD COLUMNIST

Looking back on the (nearly) four years I have spent in Danville, I have realized that it would be hard to separate my experience as a Centre College student from my experience as an individual involved with Centre Athletics.

Beyond the sportswriting that I have been blessed to do for this paper, my sports involvement at Centre has ranged from team manager for Centre Men’s Lacrosse, super fan for varsity basketball, and, this spring, in-stadium voice for Centre Women’s Lacrosse.

With just three weeks to go until Mother Centre sends me out into the real world, I thought it proper to recap my favorite Centre sports memories authored by the class of 2014.

One: The fastest sport on two feet comes to Centre.

In 2011, the College welcomed lacrosse as an intercollegiate varsity sport for both men and women.

At that time, the spring sport had

begun to take root in high schools across the Bible Belt, evidenced by the 29 Kentucky and Tennessee athletes on the women’s and men’s rosters at the beginning of the season.

The Centre Women’s Lacrosse team started their first year under the instruction of Head Coach Julie Beer and Assistant Coach Jessica Chisley.

In just their first season of competition, CWL amassed a 11-6 record.

Two members of the 2014 graduating class - Meg Hawthorne and Sarah Mastey - led the team in scoring with 73 and 75 goals respectively. The Colonels got quality wins over SCAC opponents Birmingham Southern and Millsaps.

When Centre Men’s Lacrosse took the field, they did so under the leadership of Head Coach J.E. Bert Severns and Assistant Coach Reed Peterson.

The recruiting class that Severns and Peterson brought to the College consisted of 18 first-year students and one sophomore and junior transfer each. CML opened their inaugural season with an 18-1 win over Hanover.

The Colonels were led in scoring by current seniors Zack Connors (33 goals) and Connor Stubbs (26 goals).

Clayton Brown, also a member of the class of 2014, spent all 780 minutes in the goal for the Colonels and saved 171 shots.

Two: Basketball 2014 - Centre Men’s Basketball beats LaGrange and a young Centre Women’s Basketball team advances to the championship game of the SAA tournament.

In the 2012-2013 season, Centre Women’s Basketball played the second toughest non-conference schedule in all of Division III. Because of those out-of-conference battles, CWB was able to endure the trek through their SAA schedule with only two losses in fourteen games.

That season, the Colonels were carried by 2013 Centre graduates Bridget Winstead, Chelsea Benham, and Jenna Mire. As they took the court this past fall, the Colonels were guided by a frontcourt of two seniors: Paige Baechle and Mary Gordon Stough.

However, the majority of the members on the 2013-2014 squad were first-year or sophomore student-athletes.

So, with an even tougher 20132014 schedule, it was fantastic that CWB made it to the championship game of the SAA Tournament against Rhodes College. Baechle, who was second in the conference in scoring and rebounding, was named First Team All-SAA. Stough, juniors Alanna Guy and Maggie Hartlage and sophomore Alexis Guy were named Honorable Mention All-SAA players.

The Centre Men’s Basketball team started the 2013-2014 campaign ranked 23rd nationally in d3hoops. com Divison III poll.

In the inaugural season of the SAA, the team won the regular season and tournament championship trophies and made a trip to the NCAA tournament.

With that history in mind, CMB was certainly expected to ride the backs of seniors Donovan Whiteside and Collin Lopez and junior Josh Karsner into the NCAA Tournament.

The Colonels did just that and earned a NCAA First Round home game against the LaGrange Panthers.

In what was the most exciting second half they played all year, the Colonels capitalized on a two-point lead

at half-time to beat the Panthers in the final minute of the game behind strong play from Karsner, Lopez, and Whiteside.

With 4:19 left to play, Whiteside made two free throws to help the Colonels take a one-point lead. From there, CMB never looked back. After a layup by LaGrange, the Colonels used 29 seconds of offensive clock before Whiteside knocked down a 30-foot jump shot to put the home team ahead for good.

After a free-throw by sophomore Tyler Wesley, Karsner and White scored the final six points for the Colonels as they secured a first-round NCAA tourney victory over LaGrange, 78-71.

The Colonels, lead by Head Coach Greg Mason, finished with a 24-5 record and won their sixth conference championship in eight seasons.

This season, CMB joined Amherst, Hope, Rhode Island College, St. Thomas (Minn.), Virginia Wesleyan, Washington University, Whitworth, Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Wooster as the only programs to make at least seven NCAA Tournaments in the last eight years.

Centre Track and Field continues their winning ways this season

By DEREK BEAVEN STAFF WRITER

Centre College’s Track and Field teams have produced some impressive performances over the past few seasons. Now, with the season drawing to a close, the team looks to continue their fine form.

“This season has been one of our best to date,” senior Vanessa Bacorn said. “We have one of the most talented teams to come through Centre, and unfortunately we have had some injuries, but overall we have people who can score in every event we compete in. I personally have had a good season [and] the whole team has been running faster times than ever before.

I think that is due a lot to the fall training we did.”

Despite several injuries, the Women’s team has managed to take either first or second in every meet so far, including two first-place finishes in the home meets. The Men’s team has also been strong this year, tying for first at the Centre Invitational and taking second in the Twilight meet.

“Overall both the men and women have been pretty successful at the meets,” senior Cheyenne Evans said.

“A lot of school records have already been broken.”

Last week, both teams traveled to Conway, Ark. where they participated in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Conference Championships.

The Women’s team took second at the meet with a total of 178 points, finishing behind Rhodes’ 223 points.

Junior Hannah Ellis finished first in the 800.

For her performance Ellis was

PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA DINGLE

Sophomore Daniel Graham (left), first-year Hunter McCoy (middle), and senior Nick Niehaus (right) during a race this year named All-Conference along with senior Stephanie Hale, junior Emily Aikin, junior Ashley El Rady, junior Lilly Campbell, sophomore Cammie Jo Bolin, first-year Serena Gale-Butto, and first-year Brandy Orth Becker. Both relay teams were also named All-Conference.

The Men’s team took second as well, tallying 202 points, just two points shy of first place Rhodes’ 204.

Senior John Kieffer won first place in

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the 1500, the 3000, and the 5k. Kieffer received All-Conference honors along with senior Brent Joplin, senior Jack Schafer, senior Nick Niehaus, senior Michael Orr , junior Eric Beyerle, sophomore Victor Pataky, sophomore Jacob Duvall, first-year Elijah Scott, and the 4x400m relay team.

With conference behind them, both teams will now look forward to the final two meets of the season and then on to NCAA Nationals. For Bacorn,

who has battled injuries throughout her career, nationals are definitely a goal.

“I tore my ACL both my freshman and sophomore year and it had a huge impact on my training, so I think that finally being healthy for a full season has really helped,” Bacorn said. “My goal was to run consistent 25 second 200s, and thankfully I have been able to do that. Another goal is to make it to nationals in the 200, which I am

within a half second of.”

With the team growing each year, sending consistent competition to nationals is always something to strive for. As the team expands, so does their reputation and talent.

“We’ve got a bigger team than ever before, and I think that says a lot about the program in general,” Evans said.

“Our recruiting classes are growing, as well as the number of people who may play another sport but decide to try track for the first time. While it makes travel difficult, it’s definitely a good problem to have. It says a lot about the team’s reputation for being competitive at a high level.”

Both Evans and Bacorn are seniors who have been a member of the team for the past four years. “Track is unique in that it is both an individual and team sport. As an individual, you’re asked to push your body in ways that your mind wants to resist.

But you learn that you can do a lot more than you thought you were capable of,” Evans said.

“You also learn that it takes every single person on the team putting forth their best effort to win a title, and feeling the force of your team cheering you across the finish is incomparable to any other sport I’ve ever played.”

Bacorn agreed, citing the track team as crucial to her college experience. “[Joining] the track team at Centre is one of the best decisions I have made while here. There are so many different events, but seeing how everyone comes together during competitions and all of the great friends I have made from being on the team has been a huge impact on my overall Centre experience.”

Thursday, May 1, 2014