RaiderView

Campus News

February 10, 2012 • Page 3

Inclement Weather Faced with severe conditions

By Nick Schrager RaiderView Staff raiderview@lindsey.edu

R

ecent unseasonably warm weather has treated the campus community to bearable conditions that allow for light coats, sweaters, and even T-shirts, but that does not eliminate the threat of inclement weather.

Stefanie Tarter, an instructor of applied science and meteorologist for ABC-36 in Lexington, said that the warm weather that the region has been experiencing is due to warm fronts that have blocked the cold air from Canada and allowed for warmer air from the South to come flowing into the area.

“We’ve been under that weather pattern predominantly so we’ve seen warmer sequences that have lasted weeks long,” Tarter said.

This weather pattern has allowed for the area to see

temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s, which is certainly out of the norm for December and January. In fact, according to Tarter, this year’s averages have been close to recordbreaking, but that does not mean there is not a chance for snow or severe weather.

When nasty weather strikes, it can create delays or closings for the Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) campus.

When it comes to deciding if there will be a delay or closing the decision rests with Dr. Bettie Starr, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean Adams, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management.

Starr said that the school monitors several media outlets to stay on top of inclement weather, and the decision to delay or cancel classes is not always easy.

“We try to determine if it is safe for students to travel,” Starr said.

Lindsey Wilson College’s population is mainly residen-

tial students (about two-thirds of LWC students live on campus, according to Starr) so the central issue is walking to and from class. Starr also acknowledged the other third of the student populous—commuters.

“We always tell commuters that if they don’t feel that they can drive to campus safely, then they shouldn’t drive,” Starr said. “We never want people to put themselves at risk but we also want to preserve the instructional time.”

The danger that affects people is driving in icy conditions where black ice can form.

“The idea of black ice is basically that it’s invisible on pavement, you cannot see it because the roadways are slick; some of it being frozen precipitation, some of it being just wet,” Tarter said.

Signs warn drivers that ice forms on bridges and overpasses before road ways but many drivers do not know why.

“Overpasses enable air to get underneath. The reason being is because [cold] air is going over and under so it’s going to freeze quicker,” Tarter said.

This is opposed to having cold air only touching the top surface because the ground is warmer than air above it.

Of course, faculty members are also susceptible to the effects of adverse weather.

Starr said that even if the campus remains open and on schedule, some classes may be canceled because the instructor could not make it in. Faculty members are asked by the school to contact their students through Blackboard or Angel.

But it is also important for students to contact their professors if they are snowed in or cannot travel and get the work that they missed.

“Typically, faculty are okay with that,” Andy McAllister, assistant dean of students, said.

According to McAllister,

if classes remain in session during snowy conditions, the school does what it can to make conditions safe for everyone on campus. Physical Plant works early in the morning to salt sidewalks and parking lots. McAllister said they start working by around five in the morning trying to get everything done by seven.

When it comes to alerting faculty and students of a delay or closing, the first message is sent via Raider-Aid. According to McAllister, Raider-Aid is a service provided by the school where users opt-in to receive text-message or email alerts about severe weather. A user can opt for either the text-message, email or both and it is free of charge to users though a cell phone company may charge according to their data rates.

Once a semester, the program is tested to make sure it works and great care is taken to avoid spamming users.

“We don’t want to use the system for; ‘hey there’s a basketball game’ or ‘hey, there’s a cookout—we want it so that students are not desensitized to it,” McAllister said.

According to him, other schools do this.

“When we want them [the students] to see ‘Oh its RaiderAid,’ it means something, McAllister said.

Students and faculty can sign up for Raider-Aid on Raider Net. After Raider-Aid, the school posts the information

on its website and contacts regional television and radio stations to help spread the word. Starr said that there can be a delay for the information to be broadcast there because some stations systems’ are automated and when many schools call at once, it can be hard to get through.

McAllister said the school is working on updating how the information is displayed on the website.

“I know they’ve been testing some of the features of it, trying to make sure it’s all compatible,” McAllister said.

The decision of whether there is a delay or closing is based on clear evidence that road conditions will not be safe.

“Most of our snow doesn’t come at convenient times,” Starr said.

Usually, the evidence is not clear until the early morning hours of the day.

While the school is not bound to the same rules as public schools regarding how many days classes can be canceled, the issue with having a lot of closings can affect students.

“Students would not have the opportunity that is provided in class to learn,” Starr said.

“When students miss class, they lose the critical information that is needed in order to pass.”

Any member of the LWC community can find the delayed class schedule in the student handbook.

S.U.B Extends Hours for Study

By Judah Taylor RaiderView Staff raiderview@lindsey.edu

C

ollege students occasionally need a late-night study session to prepare for a big test, but on a small campus it can be difficult to find a place where one can comfortably study in peace. SGA President Khyati Patel has been working closely with Dean of Students Chris Schmidt to accommodate Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) students in need.

Beginning next week, the hours for the Cralle Student

Union Building (SUB) will be extended to 3am from Sunday through Thursday nights.

With Public Safety right next door in an attached office, students will now have a safe late-night study area where they can comfortably study.

The new hours “will be quiet hours,” Patel said. “You won’t be able to come in to hangout or goof around... It’s just for [students] who may have a big test the next day, to have a quiet place to study.”

Patel is also actively trying to raise funds to make the SUB a little more “homey” for studying students. Depending upon how much money is raised and granted, more

tables, comfortable chairs and desk lamps could be added to designate an area for students to study.

Students looking for additional work-study hours may contact Khyati Patel for more information about working during the extended hours, and students who have suggestions about campus improvements may contact their SGA representative or President Patel via the Lindsey email, or alternatively attend an SGA meeting.

SGA meets every Monday in the cafeteria meeting room (next to the sandwich bar) at 2:30.

BackPage

March 3, 2011 • Page 10

“We don’t even know what the scope or depth of what it could mean yet until we get into it and people start telling us what it’s meant to them...”

Journey

to the center of

Entrepreneurship

By Nick Schrager RaiderView Staff

T

he recession ended two years ago but many jobs have been lost—possibly forever—all over the country. According to The United States Department of Labor, the current unemployment rate stands at a firm nine percent.

In an undisclosed room in the Turner Building, preparations are being made by Linda Grider, Dan Koger, Norm Miller, Steven Gordon and Al Eferstein to change this.

Laughter unfolds from time to time as the talks grind about cost, resources and the region. The plan? To create a program that will both educate and train entrepreneurial leaders within the community. Its title?

Build your own job.

Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) is reaching out to the community by sponsoring an eight-part series of lectures held at The Pines golf course in Columbia. The lectures range from how to prepare a business and market plan to staffing to accounting as well as business law and communications.

The cost to attend? Free.

“We’re trying in The Center for Entre-

preneurship to provide training and education for entrepreneurs at the college and in the community,” Linda Grider, the Director of Community Outreach and the team leader for The Center of Entrepreneurship team, said.

The program started over a year ago as a seed that turned into the sapling that is here today.

“By attending seminars, people will learn the phases of starting, organizing and operating a business,” Grider said.

But the education goes both ways according to Koger, an Associate Professor of Communications at LWC. “I’d like to look at it as that we’re learning from each other [The Center for Entrepreneurship and the community].”

According to Koger, this opportunity gives the school the chance to apply what is learned in the classroom in a real-world setting. Doing so allows students to see their knowledge in a different light.

“There’s a place for lecture and there’s a place for textbooks but there’s an enormous place for what the community can teach us,” Koger said.

Koger said that both sides possess knowledge that the other does not have.

“We can learn from them and they can learn from us… from an economic standpoint, this is an expensive resource sitting up here and society has chosen to spend its

Dan Koger (left) and Linda Grider plan lectures for the eight-week series on entrepreneurship. Photos by Nick Schrager. resources for this institution to exist… we owe the people…” Koger said.

All of this needs to be organized however, and Koger said it is coming in the form of lectures.

The series of lectures is open not only to students who are majoring in business, but anyone who is interested in attending.

According to Grider, whether you will be graduating this year or next, the seminars will help students (and anyone else

in attendance) gain knowledge of how a business works and that the knowledge acquired from attendance will help them down the line. “…it will give them the competitive edge,” Grider said.

For students who have ideas for a business that is not yet established and would like to know more about how to start one, these seminars will give them the understanding and chance to explore their options.

“They’re going to learn to prepare a business plan, then they’re going to learn how to market… then ‘how am I going to fund it?’” Grider said.

Students from Grider’s Compensation and Benefits class will give a lecture about core concepts they have learned in class on May 11th.

“We want people to come and be a part of the whole series,” Grider said.

The schedule for the program is set to run through June where it will pause for the summer months before resuming in the upcoming fall semester.

“We don’t even know what the scope or depth of what it could mean yet until we get into it and people start telling us what it’s meant to them,” Grider said.

There are big plans going on in The Center for Entrepreneurship and time will tell what is to come, but for now, it is just business as usual.

DESK ART: Expression from caves to classrooms COMMENTARY

By Amie Dockery Back Page Editor

I

n the era of social networking, not only do we insist on staying connected via the Internet, but we also stay connected through writing. We still use this primitive form of communication not only to write love letters, but to display the same information we display online. Just as cavemen spared the lives of trees by writing on the rock walls of caves, we spare the lives of trees by writing on desks.

In almost all classrooms words have been carved, smeared, and even inked to state information that must date back to previous generations of Lindsey Wilson students, for much of the subjects being talked about seem almost nonexistent, with the exception of what is written or drawn about professors.

In Slider, a desk illustrates Tip Shanklin, an English professor. In many classrooms the outing of past students or who was there is what is most prominent.

For most this seems to be an immature action, one that is displayed by middle

school children who still think it is cool to stick chewed gum under the desk. Yet, why do we feel the need to write and draw pictures as college students? None of us would dare write the answers to homework on the desk (mostly due to being accused of cheating), so running out of paper is not a legitimate reason. Why did the caveman truly draw himself hunting animals? He could not have possibly known that future generations would find the drawings and realize he was there, for he never wrote “______” was here on the walls. He was probably just expressing what was going on in his daily life just as we do on websites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Just as those websites are used for expression, they are also used as sources of entertainment. As harsh as it sounds it is true. The same is also true for all the “status” updates that are written on the desks.

The words are mocked, the faceless people judged. The legacy of what was once written will live on. The humor we find in reading the past is pointed out to others, because who can really avoid the grey pencil markings that come together, forming words and illustrating what we believe to be the past?

e

Desktops in Slider 300 have a variety of creative expression, including this rendition of Associate Professor of English Tip Shanklin. Photo by Brandon Girdley.

CampusNews

March 8, 2012 • Page 4

Women’s Studies Conference anticipated

By Nick Schrager RaiderView Staff raiderview@lindsey.edu

C

oming this March to Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) is what is hoped to be a future tradition, LWC’s first Women’s Studies Conference.

Dr. Kara Mollis, and assistant professor of English and the Women’s Studies program coordinator along with several other faculty members including Dr. Molly Ferguson have spent the last year preparing for the event which will be held in the Slider building (rooms 300 and 201) on March 23rd from 9:30 in the morning until 3:30 in the afternoon.

According to Dr. Mollis, 14 anticipated students will be presenting projects based on Women’s Studies issues. Topics range from history, narratives, gender violence and oppression as well as literature. The conference will feature the student’s presentations in five panels (a group of presentations) and each panel has a faculty advisor as its chair person.

“These are professors who have supported this kind of work in their own classroom, so the scope is on gender… a lot of the projects, in the panel, come from that particular professor’s classes.” Mollis said.

Most of the projects that will be

presented will be papers although there may be a visual art display and PowerPoint presentations as well.

Two of the English majors are presenting work from analysis they did over the past semester on Toni Morrison and Margaret Atwood while focusing on gender. “…that’s one example. They’re not all English panels,” Mollis said, “we also have a women’s history panel… [topics] ranging from investigations of women’s roles in religion, historically and today,

how things have shifted. ” There will also be another paper on women within the last century’s workforce and society.

Mollis said that most panels

will be about 50 minutes long and after each panel, there will be time for the audience to ask questions.

Discussions may be also be held.

During the lunch period of the day (1:30 to 2:20), there will be a Women’s Studies Brown Bag Lunch in the Cranmer board room with discussions of contemporary major issues in Women’s Studies.

It is hoped that the Women’s Conference will become an annual event. According to Mollis, this first event is geared mostly to the LWC community so that a large

Graphic by Kacie Goode

number of students may present, but in the future it could grow.

“Our hope is that we will offer

this every single year… it should be an annual event, and as it grows, if it grows, and we’re hoping that it does, we would be definitely interested in maybe opening it up to the community outside of Lindsey, inviting students from local colleges for instance, to present their work…”

Mollis said.

The idea for this conference started as a colloquia series (an informal presentation once a semester by a student or faculty member). Dr. Mollis shared the idea with Dr. Ferguson and from there it expanded until the idea was presented formally last August.

These two are coordinating with the Catherine Wilson Center along with many others to make the conference possible. So far, according to Mollis, there have not been many obsticles to hold the program back.

“We really haven’t faced any obstacles, I mean it’s been pretty smooth, there was a lot of student interest, so that helps…”

Mollis said.

Attendence is free of charge and Mollis said students and faculty should be seeing more advertisement of the event to come. Anyone with questions can email her at: mollisk@ lindsey.edu

A Change of Taste Food Fair offers a variety of choices to LWC students

By Kacie Goode RaiderView Design Editor raiderview@lindsey.edu

T

he typical lunch hour of Cranmer Dining Center was transformed Wednesday, March 7th, when the annual Food Fair came to Lindsey Wilson College (LWC).

The Food Fair is an event held on campus in which different vendors set up tables in the dining center and hand out samples of different food products to the students, staff, and faculty.

“It’s good to see all of the varying types of food in here and it definitely brought a lot of people into the dining center,” Adair County resident, Sgt. Dakota Meyer, said.

Randy Burns, the alumni director for LWC, announced the event and found the fair to be something of great impact on LWC’s campus.

“A lot of times when we have something really good at the college, we start taking it for granted,” Burns said. “The food quality we have at Cranmer dining center is incredible and one the things that has allowed that to grow is this event.”

Aside from food, the fair also had door prizes and a hot wing eating contest. Amelia Withers, who was one of two female students competing in the contest, said that she really enjoyed having the event at LWC. “It was really awesome,” Withers said. “It made the money we pay towards our meal plan

worth it.”

There were 13 brokers representing companies like General Mills, Pillsbury, Gold Metal, Tyson, Koch Poultry, Field, Fischers, Brakebush, Lamb Wesson, Maid Rite, and Sara Lee. Among them was Mitch Shaheen, a broker for B&B Creative Marketing, who was an eager participant in the fair.

“The food fair allows us to show students and faculty different items that they normally don’t have the opportunity to try.”

Shaheen mentioned that several of the items his table offered were Kentucky Proud products.

“It’s important that we show Kentucky Proud products during these tough economic times,” Burns said. “Students fill out response cards and hopefully the college will order the items.”

Apart from allowing students to sample different products, the Food Fair also gave students a chance to offer their input on the food offered to them by the dining center.

“With the Food Fair, the students can take away a sense of belonging to the menu making process and being the first ones to try certain brand new items,” Jeff Willis, director of food services, said.

A survey was placed on each table with a list of items shown at the fair. Students were asked to complete the survey with their name, the food they liked, the name of the vendor and any comments they had. Foods with the highest rating will be considered for addition to the menu.

“It’s a great way that the dining center is able to improve the quality of the food that is offered to the students,” Burns said.

The Mu Sigma Chapter

By Audri Clark Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) has a new National Honor Society for its criminal justice students. The Mu Sigma Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society, is now active at LWC. Alpha Phi Sigma was established in January 1942 as an Honor Society for law enforcement students.

In 1981, Alpha Phi Sigma was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) as a certified member.

Alpha Phi Sigma was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies in 1981. The Chapter at Lindsey Wilson College – Mu Sigma – was admitted to the international society in April, 2011.

In our short life we have already had 15 members and more will be honored with admittance before the close of this semester. Among the many benefits is a close association with experience.com, an organization that assists with job placement for Honor Society members, and membership in the honorary society meets one of the requirements for entrance at the GS-7 level in numerous professional and technical occupations in the Federal Service.

WANT TO BECOME A NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY MEMBER? Students who desire such membership must meet the following basic requirements: • They have declared their major, minor or equivalent in a Criminal Justice or Law Field leading to a baccalaureate or graduate degree.

• Undergraduate students must have completed at least three full-time semesters or equivalent and at least four (4) of the courses must be in the Criminal Justice related field.

Undergraduates must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, as well as, a 3.2 average in Criminal Justice courses or rank in the top 35% of their class.

Membership shall not be denied on the basis of race, sex, age, or other criteria having no relationship to criminal justice.

For more information, contact: Chad Cole, Chapter President Zeth “Rogers, Chapter Vice President Brittany Pike, Chapter Secretary Catie Carmon, Chapter Treasurer

(Right) Students gather in the dining center for the hot wing eating contest

Audrianna Clark, Media Director

(Above) Vendors hand out samples to members of the campus.

Mike Giordano, Chapter Advisor

FAIR Continued from page 1 Fair, married mother of three, has been through many obstacles in her life. She has balanced careers with raising and family. Now, after over 15 years away from the world of the classroom, she returns to school, learning how to balance again.

“It hasn’t been too hard, but my school work has affected my daughter the most,” Fair said. “I have had so much support- especially from my husband. He single-handedly supports our family for me, so I can complete my school. I couldn’t ask for any better, but even when I am home, I’m not really home. It’s been an adjustment for all of us.”

Like many other non-traditional student, it is her goal to better herself, especially for her family. Even more than that, however, it is her goal to make herself happy with what she does with her life.

“I went to school for business at first.

I knew that there was a market for that and it was an easy way to earn a profit and a career. “ But she was miserable. She had a good job, her own hours, and great opportunities.

She even got to travel, but she wasn’t happy.

The job just wasn’t for her.

“If I have advice for anybody,” she says, “it is to do what you want now. If you don’t, you will be back here 15 years later wondering why you just didn’t do it in the first place.”

See FAIR page 8

INSIDE THIS ISSUE PERSPECTIVES: Charlie Sheen at his worst Page 2

A helping hand...

CAMPUS NEWS: iPad proposal not plausible for LWC Page 4 RAIDERLIFE: LWC Enrollment challenges Page 5 ENTERTAINMENT: Live jazz performance Page 7

• See

RaiderView

Raise your

Voice!

What would you say to the people of Japan in light of the recent earthquake and tsunami?

BackPage, page 10

Volume 19 • Issue 7

Student Newspaper of Lindsey Wilson College

April 1, 2011

Suicide

“God bless you.”

Joseph Payne (Sophomore) “It’s a tragedy. My heart goes out to all the people that have lost their lives and homes.”

Preventing tragedy

Hannah Peck (Junior) “The people who went through the nuclear plants are very brave and they risked their lives to save others.”

Samantha Payton (Sophomore) “The rest of the world should give their support...If a crisis happened here, I hope people would support us like we do them.”

Jake Zimmerman (Senior) “Stay strong.”

Josh “Phonzeey” Greene (Junior) “Stay strong and have faith.”

Mitchell Wright (Sophomore) “The world is supporting them, so they don’t have too much to worry about because we are all willing to help.”

Khyati Patel (Junior)

“You are in my prayers.”

Zech Greer (Sophomore) “God bless you and good luck recovering.”

Michael Johnson (Freshman)

By Tiffany Berger and Amie Dockery

Graphic by Nick Schrager

By Nick Schrager RaiderView Staff

J

ust one last breath, maybe one last word, prayer, apology to a friend or family member— or maybe nothing at all. Suicide: one word, three syllables. No formal definition needed.

According to The Center for Disease Control’s website, suicide was in the top 15 leading causes of death in The United States.

Human Services and Counseling graduate student Holli Clevenger said suicide is impersonal and knows no bounds when it comes to choosing its victims.

“It doesn’t know any discrimination,” Clevenger said.

Both genders are at risk but

females are prone to make more attempts at suicide through various means such as cutting or overdosing while males tend to choose a more lethal medium to conduct the act. That medium? A firearm.

“It’s often been described as ‘no way out’...”

What goes on in the mind of someone who is feeling suicide?

A variety of issues can lead up to thoughts that make someone consider taking his or her own life.

“Mostly hopelessness… not feeling things will ever get better and not seeing a way out, feeling

very overwhelmed and not able to cope with whatever is going on,” Clevenger said. “It’s often been described as ‘no way out.’”

According to Dr. David Ludden, an associate professor of psychology at LWC, “there are a lot of different explanations, a lot of possible reasons for it (suicide).”

One reason, Ludden added, is that someone contemplating suicide may assume that they have become a burden on their family. An example of this would be the elderly who may be facing a terminal illness and wish to end their own life. This, however, is only one side of the spectrum.

“There can be many reasons for committing suicide—probably the most prevalent reason for suicide has to do with a psy-

chological disorder like depression…” Ludden said.

“Every time an attempt is made or a statement is made it needs to be taken very seriously...”

People in a state of depression often think like that of a terminally ill person, assuming that they are a burden to their family or friends. The feelings of being a

See SUICIDE Page 5

Student Loans An Investment in your future

By Leslie Moore RaiderView Editor

S

tudent loans are often an essential part of financing a college education. Without loans, many Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) students could not afford to go to college.

According to Denise Fudge, Vice President for Educational Outreach and Student Financial Services, “Loans are an excellent resource and a low-interest method for students to finance their education.”

In the fall of 2010, LWC’s enrollment was an estimated 2,500 hundred students. Seventy-five percent of those students took out a student loan.

The most popular loans are those taken out through the Federal Stafford loan program, which are loans guaranteed by the federal government. There are two types of Stafford loans: subsidized and unsubsidized.

A subsidized loan accu-

mulates no interest charges while the student is enrolled in college. Eligibility for a subsidized loan as well as the maximum amount a student is allowed to borrow is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

An unsubsidized loan, which is available to all students regardless of financial need, does accrue interest.

Students have the option to pay that interest (on the loan) while they’re in school, which I highly encourage them to do because the interest is not that much on the unsubsidized loan,” Fudge said.

The advantage of paying the interest now is that the accumulated interest will not be added to the principal loan balance.

“You do have to be very aware of what you’re doing,” Fudge said. “Realize it’s a loan, and it’s going to show up on your credit history. For most students, this is the first time they’ve ever had any credit in

their name. So this really does start your credit history, whether that’s good or bad.”

The amount of money that each student is allowed to borrow varies, and in some cases, a student may qualify for a higher loan than what is needed to cover tuition. The assumption is that students will use the additional money to pay for related educational expenses, such as transportation, textbooks, or a computer.

However, Fudge cautions students to be responsible about how much money they borrow and to remember that the money has to be repaid.

“Just because you have all this loan money available to you, doesn’t mean you need to borrow every penny that you

can,” Fudge said.

“You pay for it when you get out of school and you pay for it in the long run. Just borrow what you need because you do have to repay it when you get out of school, and the more you borrow, the higher your payments are going to be when you graduate.”

Fudge said there are simple things students can do now to make things easier once they graduate and go into repayment. Students are advised to keep a record of what types of loans they have, how much

See LOANS, Page 7

RaiderLife LWC’s increased enrollment leaves campus facing...

By Jeremy Fothergill RaiderView Staff Writer

W

e are an enrollment-driven institute,” Dean Adams, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management at Lindsey Wilson College (LWC), said. “We are enrollment-driven because of the business side, but also because of our mission. If our mission is truly good and we believe in it then everybody can experience the mission of the college.”

In 2003, LWC had 1132 students’ attending the college. Now in 2011 LWC has 2116 students attending the college. That is 984 more students and an 86% increase from 2003.

There are 890 residential students this year. There were 772 residential students last year and 620 two years ago. That is a 49% percent increase in two years.

“What I think is happening, rather than being a small sleepy school in a small town

SUICIDE Continued from Page 1 burden and general hopelessness can lead to thoughts of suicide.

There’s the myth that says he or she only took 15 pills, they weren’t serious, or they just want attention.

Heather Davis, director of Residence Life, has worked at Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) for ten years, and said that any attempt is serious. The myth, Davis said, “exists out of ignorance, because that’s what it is, a myth.”

Though there may be a hint of needing attention, it is virtually never the root cause of the feeling to take one’s own life.

“Every time an attempt is made or a statement is made it needs to be taken very seriously… because you never know if that person will really follow through with it or not,” Clevenger said. “It’s a call for help regardless of what the end result would actually be.”

It may be an act for attention, but Ludden also said that it should not just be dismissed as that.

“I think in some cases it probably is what’s going on. They didn’t really want to commit suicide, but they did want to call attention themselves,” Ludden said, “…it’s a genuine cry for help.”

Drugs and alcohol can also play a minor role in depression and lead to suicidal thoughts, though it is not a leading cause.

“Substance abuse at its worst can put people in the state of minds where they think more about it (suicide), but substance abuse as you probably already know just enhances sometimes what is already there,” Davis said. “So if they’re in a lonely state or if they have changed some of their habits even, substance abuse will enhance those things and make them seem a whole lot larger than they maybe really are.”

Students get overwhelmed, too. Ludden said that people in the college-age bracket are at risk for depression due to the uncertainties of life such as money, relationships and even the stress that is brought on by college academics.

“Most students are racking up debts instead of making money,” Ludden said.

The LWC community is not excluded from this issue. Unnamed students wander into the Counseling Center of their own accord to receive help from time to time.

“It’s a touchy subject… we have several people that have come to us before saying that they are thinking about it (suicide), thinking about attempting, thinking about cutting themselves, hint around at the fact that they ‘just don’t want to be here anymore,’” Davis said, and that’s what the Counseling Center is for.

April 1, 2011 • Page 5

n g Problem The

Gr

ow i

in Kentucky, is that our reputation is getting better,” Adams said. “Everything is getting better all around in our academics and athletics so I believe that is one reason. The other is our investment in improving the college.”

With the increase of residential students, LWC is having to build more residence halls to house the students. With more students, the campus is going to need more classrooms to teach the students. A sore issue among students is parking. More students means that more parking will be needed.

“I think all these problems we have with the growth of students is a wonderful problem to have,” Adams said. “A lot of schools would love to have the problems we are having now with enrollment.”

To accomodate the growth of the campus, LWC has bought more houses for students to live in. And just this year, the new dorm Smith Hall was complete.

A couple of years ago, the Fugitte science building was built and opened up

Immediate help is necessary if a person is having thoughts or sudden impulses of a desire to commit suicide. People in eminent danger of submitting to the thought of killing themselves should call emergency services.

“Call 911 and tell them the situation, and from there 911 (Emergency Services) is able to provide the appropriate services,” Clevenger said.

It is important to be around others and to let them know about those thoughts or urges.

Ludden likewise urges people seek help, “What I would really like to tell students is if they’re experiencing any thoughts of suicide at all, please try to find a counselor,” Ludden said.

Upon seeking help, one should expect immediate attention and care from the responders. Upon arrival at a hospital, the person could stay for up to several days in a psychological wing for evaluations and may receive medication as prescribed along with therapy.

“If they are a danger to themselves and (therapists) kind of get them calmed down and in a state of talking about what’s going on, what the issues are and coming up with a treatment plan that’s right for them…”

Clevenger said.

Drug treatments alone do not cure depression according to Ludden, but they can alleviate the symptoms when coupled with counseling and therapy.

“It’s like taking a cold medicine. Cold medicines don’t cure your cold. They treat your symptoms, they reduce the fever, they reduce the coughing and so on so that you can rest, and that’s the idea… Drugs like Prozac do the same thing, they don’t cure the depression but they do help elevate levels of certain chemicals in the brain that can help you feel better,” Ludden said.

These coupled treatments could involve simple outpatient counseling or being put into an impatient facility.

Counseling is a broad treatment that varies from person to person, but all therapy programs involve a broad amount of human intervention. When a person seeks help from the Counseling Center on campus, one of the first things to be done is a series of questions that assesses a person’s vulnerability and to determine if a person is a threat to themselves.

“In more extreme cases (of vulnerability), they could be sent home at that time, and that doesn’t mean kicked out of school that means sent somewhere where the immediate care will happen through their family and then we can assess later if we have what it takes to put them in the best place,” Davis said.

These circumstances, however, rely on a person’s willingness to seek help, but what if you suspect a friend, family member or peer is contemplating suicide?

“Tell someone immediately,” Davis said.

several new classrooms. Because of the addition of new academic programs, more buildings are being built.

The new nursing building is under construction right now.

“I won’t say we have plenty of classroom space, but we have more options than we used to with the new buildings,” Adams said. “The more we grow, the more we going to need.”

“We are enrollment-driven because of the business side, but also because of our mission...”

The commuters can never find a parking spot close to their classes, so they have to park across the campus.

“There is not a parking problem, there is a walking problem,” Adams said. “You can walk from one end of this campus to

For students, a good person to tell is their RA (Resident Advisor) or RD (Resident Director).

“Let someone know because you never know when you don’t say something what will happen,” Davis said.

A person contemplating suicide often exhibits observable signs, including becoming withdrawn, weight loss or weight gain, and mood swings.

“If people are making concessions and saying final goodbyes and giving away things, those are some warning signs,” Clevenger said, but sometimes suicide happens abruptly without warning.

“There have been instances where people who’ve had families and seemed like they’ve had everything has been really great for them, and you wake up and found out that they’ve taken their life,” Clevenger said.

What if there is that loss of a loved one to suicide—what can be done for survivors? There are two forms of treatment that

the other in about 9 minutes.”

“There has never been a time when there has been more cars than parking spaces. We have counted. Parking is something we are going handle as time continues on.”The growth of LWC is not expected to wane anytime soon, with enrollment expected to rise even higher for the fall semester.

LWC is located in the middle of Columbia, surrounded by houses and businesses. The campus can only physically grow so much. That point is down the road but it’s a problem that will have to be answered.

“There is debate going on right now about what we do when we hit that problem,” Adams said. “I personally think we never limit growth but others think differently. I do think the next generation of staff, after we are gone, will have to deal with the problem.”

“We are going to reach critical mass somewhere,” Adams said.

are standardized when it comes to treating those individuals who have suffered a loss.

“Therapy, counseling, talking about their feeling and emotions,” Clevenger said. “The main word would be support and getting them in contact with other people to support them so they know that they’re not alone.”

Ludden said that counseling will help develop a better understanding of your own thoughts and the actions of others. It can also help survivors realize that they are not to blame for a loved one’s suicide.

“It helps to know that with time, things will get better,” Ludden said.

The Counseling Center has staff members like Holli Clevenger and Josh Newman who live on campus and are available 24 hours-a-day.

“There is always someone on campus that can provide that immediate care” Clevenger said. “If there are students on campus and school is in session, then there is a counselor on call at all times.”

RaiderLife A

May 6, 2011 • Page 5

Canine

Sanctuary

By Nick Schrager RaiderView Staff

P

ast Wal-Mart and into the country side lies Sugarfoot Farms, a sanctuary for stray dogs in need of love and compassion.

Peg Schaeffer and Keith Malbaurn manage the sanctuary. They know every dog, every name and every smell. Schaeffer moved to Columbia five years ago from Connecticut where she rescued Australian Cattle Dogs for the state.

Although the sanctuary was opened just five years ago, the idea actually began many years ago.

“That goes back to 1965,” Schaeffer said. During that time, the idea came when Schaeffer was living with her mother in Connecticut. She had decided to raise ponies.

Schaeffer’s friend Cindy Robinson had gotten two Australian Cattle dogs for a customer, but the customer had gone elsewhere, so she turned to Schaeffer. “…so she came over and brought one to me and she wanted me to take the dog, and I was like ‘I don’t want one of those dogs…”

Schaeffer said.

The dog, named Tasha, was more than a handful.“We called her the dog from hell,” Schaeffer said.

According to Schaeffer, cattle dogs are a working breed, so they can become restless and mischievous without that work. The local Humane Society began calling Schaeffer every time a cattle dog came in.

When Schaeffer and Malbaurn made it to Columbia, they introduced themselves to the animal shelter and told them they did cattle dog rescue. This too, was another turning point.

“Then it just got to the point where we’d go to the shelter and we’d see all of these dogs that were going to be euthanized,” Schaeffer said. From that point on,

PREGNANCY Continued from page 4 student said.

However, there are not as many negative stereotypes attached to young women who have already graduated high school.

“I think high school pregnancy presents a different set of obstacles than a college pregnancy,” Schmidt said. “College students think of it as less of an obstacle than in high school…there are resources there [in college] that aren’t there in high school.”

“It’s hard, [there are] just so many dogs around here that people will find on the side of the road and everybody says the same thing, they don’t want to take them to the shelter because they will be euthanized...”

Sugarfoot Farms began accepting all breeds.

How many animals are currently residing on the farm? “We don’t tell,” Schaeffer said with a smile and a laugh. On average, the farm helps save around 200 dogs a year.

They try not to exceed a set number of dogs, but according to Schaeffer, it is extremely difficult to do.

“It’s hard, [there are] just so many dogs around here that people will find on the side of the road and everybody says the same thing, they don’t want to take them to the shelter because they will be euthanized,” Schaeffer said. “It’s not the shelter’s fault, I mean the shelter can only hold so many dogs and they only have so much time so that’s the only option that’s available.”

According to Schaeffer, it is the fault of the people who abandon their pets or refuse to have them spayed or neutered.

“People need to step up and start taking a little bit more responsibility…and that’s the bottom line,” Malbaurn said.

At Sugarfoot, once the dogs are rescued, they stay there until they find a home.

“This is their home until they find a home and we might have a dog for six months to a year before it finds a home,” Schaeffer said.

The care that goes into providing for the animals creates a bond, so that the dogs are viewed and loved as individuals.

“We love each and every dog but it kind of feels good when they go to a good home because now they’re going to be the only dog (at that home) and they’re going to be the center of attention and they’re going to get all the love in the world,” Schaeffer said.

Every newcomer gets a name—“we know every name and we know who everybody is,” Malbaurn said.

They provide each dog with its shots and spay or neuter it,

and before they leave, each dog is micro-chipped, which is like an electronic dog tag.

“I micro-chip them before they leave here so that if they get lost they can be reunited with the owner,” Schaeffer said.

Of course, a substantial cost is feeding the animals. Sugarfoot farm can go through up to 80 or 90 pounds of dry dog food a day. The farm sometimes receives donations of dog food from the community and even manufacturers.

Sugarfoot has a policy that every person who adopts, if for whatever reason they can’t keep their newfound friend, they bring it back to Sugarfoot instead of the shelter.

“We had a woman who had a dog for eight months and had to give it up so she brought it back here and then we found it another home but we feel better knowing that the dogs are going to come back here,” Schaeffer said.

One of the joys is when people who adopt send stories and updated pictures of the pet via email back to the farm.

“People come from all over— I’ve got a dog that went to Texas, we’ve had several dogs that went to Connecticut, we had one dog that went to a guy in New Jersey,” Schaeffer said. “He sent pictures of the pet wearing sunglasses.”

Despite the sacrifices of someone needing to be on the farm 24/7, it is rewarding to save the dogs that have had the hardest lives and getting them to a good home.

The community tells them their thoughts and helps from time to time. Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) students have come to volunteer time cleaning at the farm on Malvina Farkle Day and their neighbors have donated dog food, money and thoughts.

“We think we’re doing the right thing, but it also helps when people from the community come and tell us we are…” Malbaurn said.

Memories of course, have also been made. Malbaurn recalled a time when he was moving horses across state.One of the dogs had snuck into the trailer with the horses. It wasn’t until he stopped in Knoxville, Tn., that he discovered the stowaway.

Schaeffer stressed the importance for the community to spay and neuter their pets.

‘We’ve got another group that is breaking off of the farm that’s just going to be a spay and neuter group,” Schaeffer said.

The idea is to make it more affordable for pet owners to spay and neuter their pets.

But will the students continue their schooling?

“I think it depends on where they are in their college career,” Schmidt said. “If they’re doing well, junior or senior year, and get pregnant, they usually finish. If they’re freshmen or sophomores, finishing school seems like a dark, long path.”

“I was a sophomore when I became pregnant,” the LWC student says. “I will now graduate in December 2011, so luckily I was at the beginning of my college career.”

Schmidt also said that the most important factor in the completion

of a college degree for mothers is support. The campus support network, the community support network, the local support network, and family support are all key to the completion of college.

The LWC student also agrees.

“Life does get a lot more stressful…fortunately for me, my friends and family are there right where I need them most…emotional support,” she said.

“I think it all comes down to the support network around you,” Schmidt said.

Tackling the problem of pregnancy in college is centered on prevention. One of the most alarming

facts about sex among teens and young adults is the fact that from high school (ages 14-17) to college (ages 18-24) condom use drops a full 34 percent for men (from 79 percent to 45 percent) and 20 percent in females (from 58 percent to 38 percent). While use of hormonal contraceptives could account for this gap, it must also be remembered that college-age students tend to have more sex with more partners than the high school age group, making condoms only more critical.

“Not all girls who have sex are guaranteed to get pregnant and not every contraceptive comes with a

“What we’re trying to do is raise money for people who don’t have a lot of money tered.”

The program is called Matching Grants and it operates as such: the group will match the price a person pays (half of the cost) for the procedure to take place.

Donations for Sugarfoot Farms are welcomed and much-needed for the maintenance of the sanctuary. Donations help cover the costs of food, vaccinations, and spaying or neutering the animals. The farm is a non-profit organization so donations are tax deductible.

(Above) A happy resident of Sugarfoot Farms is eager to meet people.

(Left) Peg Schaeffer and Keith Malbaurn welcome everyone to the farm and encourage adoption.

Photos by Nick Schrager 100 per cent guarantee; however, 99.9 per cent might as well be the next best thing,” said the LWC student.

When you run contraceptive statistics with the fact that the average 18-29 year-old has sex 112 times per year that affords huge opportunities for contraceptive methods to fail.

“I was always too terrified of the side effects of birth control to actually use it,” the LWC student said.

“We just used condoms.”

See PREGNANCY page 6

RaiderLife A Call to Service,

March 3, 2012 • Page 6

a call to the monastic life...

By Nick Schrager RaiderView Staff raiderview@lindsey.edu

T

here’s a place in Kentucky that is known around the world. Every day it radiates a call and the men who live there live a life that most others would not or could not live. Their leaps of faith take them into a life of silence and contemplation, work, and prayer. Some of them spend years or their entire adult lives in contemplation of God. Their robes— crisp, symmetrical and monochromatic— are the uniform that defines who they are and what they do.

Nestled 50 miles north of Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) in Nelson County, between New Haven and New Hope, lies 2350 acres of land where the Abbey of Gethsemani stands, an area home to 38 monks and four novices (people who have entered the monastery but have not yet made vows). These men live, work and pray there. The days and nights can be blurred by the hours that many college students would dread. The prayer schedule starts at 3:30 in the morning and the last service starts at 7:30 at night.

Brother Paul Quenon, a monk, has resided there since 1958. At Gethsemani, he works as a cook and media agent. He is also a poet and a photographer who has published several books. Quenon moved to Gethsemani just after finishing high school to be closer to God. “I wanted to live a life of prayer, live close to God, and this is a place where you can pray all the time,” Quenon said.

Gethsemani was founded in 1848 by French Trappists and Bishop Flaget. Trappists are Cistercians, which are a form of Benedictines. Benedictines have a large time span in history and have been around since the 12th century. According to Quenon, when Gethsemani was established, the early Trappists chose Nelson County because of the Catholics in the area.

“It was a pocket of Catholicism in a Protestant region,” Quenon said.

Dr. Terry Swan, dean of the chapel and professor of psychology and religion, said that Cistercians are extensions of Benedictines and live by the seven hours of the day.

Though Gethsemani has

Top: Stained glass windows as seen from the balcony in the church.

Middle: Walkway to church entrance.

Bottom: Panorama from the beginning of a walking trail. been around since the middle of the nineteenth century, according to Quenon, it has changed over the years. The complex underwent an eight-year renovation after his arrival. Included in the renovation was the stripping of wood floors, the pouring of cold cement and stripping down the inside of the church. Before the renovation, the church had a Gothic look.

“What you see now is the skeleton of the building, the authentic structure of the building,” Quenon said.

The monks of Gethsemani financially sustain themselves by making and selling specialty foods including cheese, bourbon fudge and fruitcakes. The bourbon they use is Jim Beam.

“They have to support themselves so they make cheeses and Kentucky bourbon fudge, and they’re world famous,” Swan said.

According to Swan, the monks’ fruitcakes have made it all the way to The White House.

In addition to making these savory treats, jobs on the grounds include secretarial work, laundry, library upkeep, and retreat house work. The monks’ personal library contains 30,000 books.

“Work, prayer and reading are the three pillars of our life,” Quenon said. “We live a solitary life, we live alone, but we live in a community at the same time.”

Dr. David Calhoun, assistant professor of religion who is in his first full-time year at LWC, recently brought his spiritual formation class to Gethsemani. He said that one of the reasons for the trip was to break the common stereotype that monks are hermits and completely separate themselves from the world.

After he took his class to Gethsemani, students wrote papers based on their visit and experience there. Calhoun said that in almost every paper he read, students elaborated that the visit broke some of their preconceptions of the monastic life.

“We were impressed with the fact that it’s a full-working monastery,” Calhoun said, “…they work a lot of hours a day.”

In addition, Calhoun said the experience showed students that the spiritual life is not just one facet, but that vocation also plays a heavy role.

When monks first come to Gethsemani, each one faces a different difficulty when it comes to adjusting.

“I suppose for many, the difficult thing is to leave your family and friends,” Quenon said. “When you enter the monastery, you’re not important because of the job you had or the work you do—all the usual things that make you special in the world don’t make you special here… you become relatively anonymous.”

Quenon said that you lose your old identity and receive a new one. This includes your name. Each monk takes on a different name upon becoming a member of the community.

Although they face those hardships, Quenon said that his life is joyful. The greatest experience he has had is love and finding God. Although the monks’ must leave their families behind, relatives are allowed to visit occasionally on the Abbey’s grounds.

Granting that the monks live a life of solitude, they are also entwined within the community. People can schedule retreats at Gethsemani and according Quenon, these retreats are different from vacations because

RaiderLife Gethsemani is a “place for pilgrimage.”

“People come here to pray, meditate and read,” Quenon said.

Cars parked on the Gethsemani parking lot display that people come from far and wide―plates from Tennessee, Ohio, New Hampshire, Ontario, Georgia, and Indiana are fastened to the cars’ bumpers.

Gethsemani offers modernized rooms for its guests, though the amenities are modest. The rooms have air conditioning and heating, a bed, and a bathroom. There is a desk, chair, and window. Guests can choose from two types of retreat for their spiritual vacation; one for the weekend that runs from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening or Monday morning. The second runs from Monday afternoon to Friday morning.

“Think of it like a sacred space...it’s been a place for people to pray and contemplate....”

It is important to note that according to Gethsemani’s website, retreats are in general separated by gender, with females having retreat slots on the “first and third Monday of the month,” and the weekend slots “follow immediately.” The other times are reserved for male guests.

Guests can expect silence and solitude while on their retreat and though there are areas where talking is permitted, many places where guests are allowed to roam on the monastery grounds are no-talking zones.

Walking trails allow for guests to roam and reflect. Quenon said that one can spend two to four hours walking easily if they wish and people have found themselves lost on the trails before.

On these quiet walks, birds and church bells may be the only sound one hears.

Anyone seeking a closer relationship with God, regardless if they consider themselves very spiritual or not, can go to Gethsemani, Swan said.

“Think of it like a sacred space, it is a sacred space, you go there, it’s Kentucky land like anywhere else [in Kentucky], but it’s been a place for people to pray and

contemplate.”

Swan visits Gethsemani every year. “It’s a good discipline…so I go and spend a day in prayer—I just bring a Bible and a notepad.”

While at Gethsemani, Swan said he can always get centered there.

Church services run throughout the day beginning at 3:30 a.m. and guests are welcome to join the services if they wish. Swan said the worship services are short, but the bells can wake one up. Spiritual guidance is also available.

“Their 3:30 in the morning prayer,” Calhoun said, “interestingly enough is dedicated to praying against evil in the world.

They [people] say nighttime is when evil is most active in the world and all of us in the class kind of took comfort in that, thinking, ‘Wow, I wonder what hasn’t happened in the world because every morning those guys are praying.’”

Swan said the monks pray to change world events and Calhoun called it “intercessory prayer.” Dictionary.com defines intercessory as a prayer to God for others.

“They are there to pray for others,” Calhoun said. “They are there to pray for the world, they are there to pray for the communities. They pray at a pretty high level.”

During a stay at the monastery, guests are provided meals by the monks. The food is the same that the monks eat and although they are vegetarians, they do provide a meat portion for some of the meals if the guests request it.

The monastery can accomodate 45 guests. According to Quenon, 45 people is the average and they are usually full. Reservations should be made. In fact, Gethsemani can get up to 10,000 visitors a year, though that number includes visitors who come for a day or half-a-day.

Swan said that students sometimes go there even after they have been there with the class. He once received a note from two LWC alumni that were visiting the monastery and had decided to get married. The male proposed and she said yes.

“That was part of their going there—to seek God’s will for their lives about the enormous decision… I thought that was kind of cool,” Swan said.

Quenon differs from the other monks in the monastery. Though he works and prays

March 3, 2012 • Page 7

Top Right: Brother Paul Quenon.

Bottom Left: Visitors exiting one of the walking trails.

Bottom: The Abbey of Gethsemani’s spire. like the rest of them, he sleeps under the stars every night. “I recommend it, everybody should do that,” he chuckled, “it’s very healthy, it’s good for the soul.”

Calhoun said that recently, the number of people joining a monastery is going down. Quenon said that they are looking for people to join the monastery.

“We’re interested in bringing young people to the monastery, young men,” Quenon said. “Most of the people who are entering now are in their forties and fifties.”

Though the people involved come from different social backgrounds, some from high school, some from college, the age differences are usually

around the same.

“This is an uncommon life,” Quenon said, but that life is close to the way Christ lived.

How to get to Gethsemani...

3642 Monks Road Trappist, KY 40051 Phone: (502) 549-3117

Photos by Nick Schrager

RaiderLife

September 9, 2011 • Page 5

Campus Ministries

A

Place Belong to

By Nick Schrager RaiderView Staff

S

ummer’s out, school is in and so are campus events.

This fall semester, Lindsey Wilson College’s (LWC) campus ministries program is presenting students with more opportunities

to get out of their dorms and bond with each other outside of the classroom.

Armed with a bowl of candy, Assistant Chaplin Carol Weddle assists with problems of both faculty and students. She said that Living in Faith Eternally (LIFE) will continue to meet every Wednesday night at nine.

“It’s a praise and worship time, and everybody is welcome to come.”

LIFE features live music performed by a new praise band and a guest speaker. At some of the events, food and drinks will be available.

“We are working really closely with CREW now which is for the athletes and also with Café in The Square,” Weddle said.

“They are having a lot of Bible studies at Café on The Square so we’re encouraging students to go there.”

The LIFE Leadership Position is being led by History Instructor Asa Swan, who has been actively involved in campus ministries for quite some time.

But not all activities this will have a spiritual theme this semester. These events, which will mostly be held on Thursday nights, will be listed as alternative events on the campus ministry calendar. Activities will range from board games to Carnival Night. Alternative is meant as just that—an alternative to students being cooped up in the dorms.

Board Game night will feature classics such as Clue™ as well as cards.

Weddle is predicting a large turn-out for Carnival Night which will feature carnival games, prizes, popcorn and more.

These events are for fellowship and to give students a feeling of belonging.

“We’re just going to have

fun with one another” Weddle said. “It gives new students a sense of belonging, it gives us a feeling of belonging with new students… it’s our purpose.”

Weddle finds motivation in “…just seeing students enjoy themselves, praising God… with smiles on their faces, some of them raising their hands.”

The ministry is also expanding outside of the community this semester. The Awakening Team will be traveling to various locations this semester including a trip to Versailles.

Plans have been made for up until Fall Break but there is more to come.

Campus Ministry plays an important role in the LWC community, and reaches out when students are in need.

“We are here to help students any way we can, it doesn’t matter what faith they are,” Weddle said.

“Even if they don’t believe [in a spiritual realm], we just want them to come and we want them to know that our door and our arms are open to them.”

September 2011 Campus Events

Saturday, Sept. 3

Football Season Kick-Off 7PM @ Blue Raider Stadium (vs. Cumberland University)

Tuesday, Sept. 6

Intramural Co-Ed Softball League Aug.. 30 - Roster Deadline Sept. 1 - Captains Meeting Sept. 6 - Event Start

Kickball Tournament

Movie Night @ Green River Cinema First 100 LWC students receive free admission with student ID

Aug. 30 - Roster Deadline Aug. 31 - Captains Meeting Sept. 5 & 7 - Event Start

Sept. 6-11

9/11 Remembrance Week

Sept. 10-11

ICE Series Camping Trip 8AM-Depart from Cranmer Dining Center Cost: $10 per person, sign-up week before in dining center

Monday, Sept. 12

Co-Ed Water Volleyball Tournament

Sept. 12 - Roster Deadline, Captains Meeting, Event Start

Dodgeball Tournament

Sept. 14 - Roster Deadline, Captains Meeting, Event Start

Outdoor Tennis Tournament

CORE Presentation 6:30PM in Hodge

Friday, Sept. 16

Senior Orientation. 2:30PM in VP Henry Mad Chad Taylor Chainsaw Juggler 7PM in VP Henry

Saturday Sept. 17

Green River Clean-Up Family Weekend Service Projects 1:30PM Football vs. Bellhaven University After the Game--Family Weekend Post-Game Tailgate

Saturday Sept. 24

ICE Series Trip to Bowling Green International Festival and Greenwood Mall 8AM-Depart from Cranmer Dining Center Cost: $10 per person, sign-up week before in dining center

Sept. 26 - Roster Deadline and Captains Meeting Sept. 26 & 28 - Event Start

Sand Volleyball Tournament

Sept. 27 - Roster Deadline and Captains Meeting Sept. 27 & 29 - Event Start

Racquetball Tournament Sept. 27 - Roster Deadline Sept. 29 - Captains Meeting Oct. 3 - Event Start

* Registration is online at http://www.lindsey.edu/campuslife/intramurals ** Captains meetings are held in the Holloway Health and Wellness Center.

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

RaiderLife

October 7, 2011 • Page 4

Heated: The

Passion of a Craftsman

Local blacksmith pays homage to generations past

By Nick Schrager RaiderView Staff raiderview@lindsey.edu

I

n David Custer’s shop, the fire burns like a shackled beast and the smell of coal, thick and oily, engulfs the sense of smell.

He hand cranks a blower that feeds the flame—it, like one of his anvils—has survived generations of use.

The fire, Custer said, can reach up to 3000 degrees.

Custer lets the fire burn while he selects the type of metal that he wants to use for his project. In the next room there are bars of steel and even coil springs from cars which he uses to make many of his own tools. He explained the different kinds of metal—from mild steel which is too soft to make tools—to the coil springs that are made from a stronger metal.

In a world of mass production, mass consumption, smart phones and smart cars, fast food and social media, some individuals revive and reveal an art from centuries past—blacksmithing.

Custer, whose shop is located in Adair County, is one of three blacksmiths in the area.

Blacksmithing was once a very necessary asset to every community but has since tapered down to a hobby. In fact, according to a 2010 survey on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, it is estimated that only 24,150 people work with metal and plastics in the entire country. The survey noted that

this figure is an estimate and does not include people who run their own workshops.

Custer began working with metal when he was just a boy after watching several Civil War reenactments and blacksmiths giving demonstrations. He recalled the major instance in which he decided that blacksmithing was what he wanted to do.

“He [a blacksmith] demonstrated making a little leaf [out of metal]… and at the end of the demo, he gave me the leaf and we talked for a little bit and that’s what really got me hooked…” Custer said.

“A spring like this will give me about 20 tools that would be well over three or four hundred dollars bought new from somebody,” Custer said.

He selects a piece that he calls 41-40, the numbers, he says, tell people what the carbon content is in that piece of metal.

The order he works on today is a set of pan handles, so first he must make a test piece to see how much metal will be used.

He picks up a piece of metal and measures it, marking the length perfectly. With a flip, the band saw screeches and the blade moves effortlessly as it cuts the metal to the length that he wants.

Another flick and the blades grind to a halt, leaving the bar in two pieces.

In the beginning, Custer was on his own, reading books on the subject and learning the process.

“The first three years were self-taught— just trial and error,” Custer said.

After a while, his knowledge and skill of the art strengthened and he began giving his own demonstrations to the public to show them what a blacksmith does in the 21st century.

“I get the same response it seems wherever I go: ‘do you make horseshoes, or do you make knives, can you make swords’ and all of this kind of stuff,” Custer said.

(Top) Local blacksmith David Custer uses tongs to heat a piece of metal in the fire.

(Above, Right) Custer uses a saw to cut the metal for his latest project, a set of pan handles.

(Above) Custer uses a hammer to finish making a hole in the pan handle.

Photos by Nick Schrager

“The modern view of blacksmithing is either horseshoeing or making swords and that’s been brought on by movies, Hollywood.

That’s always the image portrayed for the blacksmith.”

As his knowledge increased, so did his desire to learn more. To move on to more complicated projects, Custer attended classes at The John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina. This is where he learned to do projects with multiple parts. Currently, he makes decorative pieces, railings, historical reproductions, custom works that he can collaborate on with a client, fireplace accessories, and more.

Before he plays with the heat, he records the measurements in a note book. “One of the more famous blacksmiths that lived in the middle of the nineteen hundreds said ‘the most important measurement is the one you didn’t write down,’ which tends to be true”, Custer said.

The next step is to punch a hole in the handle. He marks where the hole will go and takes a center punch to indent the metal.

He takes a pair of straight-bit tongs and puts the handle into the fire. Slowly again, the blower cranks and the fire roars as the metal heats up into a glowing red mass in the flame.

After the handle gets hot enough to work with, he places it on his anvil quickly and puts his hammer and punch to work, indenting the metal for the hole he is about to make even further. Another heating and Custer finishes the hole with a series of blows from the hammer. After cleaning off the excess metal with a brush, he prepares for the next step.

Besides working with metal, Custer also knows quite a bit of historical information about his trade such as the variety of jobs that blacksmiths tackled and how the trade evolved as it moved to America.

“600 years ago there were several different categories of blacksmithing. They all used the same techniques but they made different things,” Custer said.

As time progressed and people started immigrating to America, the need for blacksmithing changed. According to Custer, people did not have the money to keep many horses or have buildings that required a lot of iron work, so the general blacksmith was born, eliminating many of the specialized workers in the occupation.

“The Industrial Revolution put the blacksmith out of business,” Custer said.

Custer explained that the Industrial Revolution caused the takeover of mass production which allowed goods to be built faster and cheaper. As a result, modern blacksmiths—including Custer—often focus on architectural work such as gating and railing.

In the earlier days of blacksmithing,

Custer said, metal was not as reliable in the carbon content, which determines strength.

Thus, blacksmiths from earlier periods had to alter the way they worked with each piece of metal because some pieces would be harder than others.

“It wasn’t as reliable but that’s part of where the skill of the blacksmith came from,” Custer said.

He hammers along the edge of the metal and transforms it even more. The edges become softer and look more natural with each hammer strike. The next step is to make a bracket so that it can be riveted to a skillet. Another firing and he pulls the glowing handle out of the forge and brings it to another part of his studio to an air-powered hammer. It hiccups as it works the steel, Custer holding onto the metal tightly with both hands on the tongs.

After more hammering by hand, the handle finally begins to take shape. Custer turns the handle orange once again in the fire and holds it in a vice clamp-like device and bends it into shape.

“That’s pretty good for a skillet handle, so now it’s clean up time,” Custer says. He brushes the metal and its scratchy sound pierces the air as he gets ready to stamp on his logo: FFF, or Fiery Furnace Forge. The handle goes into the fire one last time.

He then presses it under a foot powered hammer and presses in the logo. He lets it air cool for just a minute before melting on a coating of beeswax, linseed oil and turpentine.

He wipes off the excess and reveals the final project, smooth and black. A dip in a tub of water reveals that water beads off of the surface rather than be absorbed in. With the test piece complete, he knows the basics of how much metal and how much time it will take to complete the order.

One of the challenges that blacksmiths face is preventing rust, particularly in humid areas such as Kentucky.

“The smiths out west where there is no humidity have it real easy but over here in the east where we have a lot of humidity, it can be a real challenge sometimes,” Custer said.

Although injury is certainly possible, Custer said he rarely suffers burns or cuts and rarely calls it a day for an injury. Most of the time he said, flying embers are too quick to burn, as they bounce off the skin, usually leaving a sear if anything at all.

Protective equipment such as safety glasses is a requirement in his studio—not just for him—for anyone who visits.

Using a mixed medium pallet of old and new techniques, people like David Custer keep an old art alive, inform those who may not know, and recreate history in a way that can take people back in time—if only for a little while.

Lindsey Wilson Public Relations The Public Relations Office coordinates the college’s external and internal communications, and it works with campus offices and organizations to communicate their messages to various publics.

Contact information: Location: Sue Craven Stivers Alumni House Phone: (270) 384-8212 E-mail: boniferd@lindsey.edu Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m Saturday - Sunday Closed

Service Center The Service Center provides a helpful and courteous switchboard staff, state of the art phone services and photocopying services and performs timely mail distribution for on and off campus mail.

Contact information: Phone: (270) 384-2126

RaiderLife

November 11, 2009 • Page 9

Campus safety with a smile Head of Public Safety enjoys career at LWC

and all of the athletic facilities.

LWC Public Safety also works with both local and state police.

“If we ask them to come up and keep an eye on things… they do rounds through our campus. We don’t ask them to do that but they volunteer to do that,” Vickery said.

By Nicolas Schrager RaiderView Staff Political talk and “who’s who” at Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) revolves around the Academic Affairs office, the teaching staff and academic advisors, but sometimes others are forgotten or never even thought of.

Who’s who and who keeps us safe? LWC’s Head of Public Safety, Darwin Vickery.

Now on his fifth year here at LWC, Vickery graduated from Union College in Barbourville, Ky., where he majored in Physical Education.

A mellow man who once coached baseball, Vickery came to LWC to move up in his career.

“I like the people, the laid back atmosphere,” Vickery said.

With so many different cultures at LWC, Vickery enjoys the student population.

“We’ve had people take our golf carts...”

“I love meeting students from different countries, (and) cultures, everything about it. It’s (LWC) a really good place to work.”

If any student needs to report an

“Hopefully (students will) develop a relationship of trust where they can feel comfortable enough to come to me and talk with me about any problems they have...”

Darwin Vickery, Head of Public Safety, patrols the campus of Lindsey Wilson College. Photo by Kelly Klueber. incident, Vickery said they should come to the Public Safety Office.

“Hopefully (students will) develop a relationship of trust where they can feel comfortable enough to come to me and talk with me about any problems they have,” Vickery said.

The Public Safety Office that is tucked away behind the Student Union Building has a full-time staff of four, including Vickery.

Staying busy, Vickery has many responsibilities, including log books and patrol. Parking is a major issue Vickery has to deal with.

“Parking is the number one responsibility, making sure everybody’s parked legally because

we’re really short on parking spaces with commuters,” Vickery said.

“With residential (students) we have enough, but with commuters we’re running short on those spaces this year.”

Parking is not the only major responsibility for Vickery. Part of making LWC safe is keeping the unwanted-s off of campus.

Vickery stated that he is responsible for keeping “people that don’t belong here away from the college, keeping it safe for everyone.”

“We do what we call rounds of the campus,” Vickery said.

Rounds, a form of patrol that ensures everything is in order, are conducted at the dorms, houses,

Collapse of wall provides opportunities

E-mail: servicecenter@lindsey.edu Office Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday Closed

LWC Student Activities The Student Activities Office, located in the Cralle Student Union Building, is dedicated to providing meaningful extra- and co-curricular activities to the student population of Lindsey Wilson College.

Contact Information: Phone: (270) 384-8033 E-mail: hopkinsj@lindsey.edu Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday Closed

One of the rules at LWC that is most often violated is visitation at the dorms. This involves curfews and students staying in opposite-sex buildings later than they should.

While there are no exciting golf cart pursuits on the reasonably quiet campus of LWC, Vickery said, “We’ve had people take our golf carts.”

One student had “borrowed” Public Safety’s golf cart one day while Vickery was at a conference.

“I thought Resident Life had it or was using it or something, but a student had driven it… It was raining that day and I found it down, but it wasn’t hurt or anything.”

Even when everyone on campus is on a seasonal break and the campus is quiet, Vickery still makes his rounds, does his logs, and makes sure all is well.

The job of LWC Public Safety never ends.

LWC’s Students of 1989 (from left): Stefan Juzbasic of Belgrade, Serbia; Viktoria Krell of Ludwigsburg, Germany; Zuzana Rakyta-Komendakova of Bratislava, Slovakia; Anca Verona of Braila, Romania; Agnieszka Wojtowicz of Torun, Poland; Trina Slapeka of Jurmala, Latvia; and Andrija Tintor of Belgrade Serbia. Photo by Duane Bonifer.

By Duane Bonifer LWC Public Relations boniferd@lindsey.edu If you want to understand one of the consequences of the fall of the Berlin Wall, take a look at Lindsey Wilson College’s undergraduate student body.

This school year, LWC has almost a dozen students from European nations that were entirely different 20 years ago. Some of the nations -- such as Latvia, Serbia and Slovakia -- didn’t exist in 1989. The other countries were closed to the West because they were trapped within the orbit of the former Soviet Union.

The event that changed those countries happened on Nov. 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall - the ultimate symbol of tyranny and oppression of the Cold War -- fell in response to a decision

by East German officials to allow its citizens to visit West Germany and West Berlin.

The decision by East German officials proved to be the death knell of the Soviet Union

and its Eastern European satellites. A little more than two years later, the Soviet Union was officially declared dead.

Although they were too young to have participated in what became known as the Revolution of 1989, seven LWC students recently reflected on how that Nov. 9 event changed their lives.

“I remember going to church with my grandma, and on the way there in downtown there were a lot of gunshots and people standing on the top of buildings...”

Anca Verona of Braila, Romania, remembers the sights and sounds of autumn and winter of 1989.

“I remember going to church with my grandma, and on the way there in downtown there were a lot of gunshots and people standing on the top of buildings,” she said.

Romania underwent a dramatic revolution that year autumn and winter, culminating in the Christmas Day execution of dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu and his wife, Elena.

Still, until Ceauşescu’s regime fell, a lot of Romanians were unaware of what was happening in their region of the world.

“Nobody knew what was going on in the world because (the government) didn’t allow you to know what was going on,” Verona said.

Agnieszka Wojtowicz of Torun, Poland, recalled how difficult everyday life was for many of her country’s citizens before 1989.

“Of course it was hard for everybody, but especially for scientists and teachers,” she said.

“They could not leave the country very easily if they wanted to go study somewhere else because they were not trusted by the government.”

Andrija Tintor said it was equally oppressive in Yugoslavia. His nation experienced several bloody conflicts in the 1990s before disintegrating into seven nations.

“If you said or did something the government did not agree with, you would get a black mark on your door, which would really hurt you and your family,” said Tintor, who is from Belgrade, Serbia.

Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, life is still far from ideal in the former Eastern Bloc nations. A region where communist- and socialist-led governments once guaranteed full employment must now contend with the cycles of free-market economies, open borders and expanded political freedoms.

“My dad used to joke around that they had money to buy stuff (before 1989), but there was nothing to buy,” said Trina Slapeka of Jurmala, Lativa, a nation that regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. “But now there is so much to buy but no money to buy it with.”

Still, despite the challenges introduced into their countries over the last 20 years, Krell said her parents, who grew up in the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War, remind her to be thankful and make the most of the new freedoms - such as the freedom to study at U.S. colleges.

“Our parents always tell us how good we have it now. Back in the days it was so difficult,” she said. “They tell us to appreciate what we have.”

BackPage

December 5, 2011 • Page 10

Grider’s

FANTASY Farms

Story and Photos By Nick Schrager

Lindsey instructor runs successful horse business alongside husband

By Nick Schrager RaiderView Staff raiderview@lindsey.edu

L

inda Grider has been a fulltime employee at Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) since January of this year. New as that may seem however, she has worked on the campus before and played a significant role in some major changes for the school.

Grider first came to LWC in 1979 and started out as an admissions counselor. In her first stint at LWC, she moved up the ranks, taking jobs such as director of admissions and director of financial aid, before becoming vice president of enrollment management. In this time, she hired some people and started some programs that we now know and take for granted.

“During the course of my prior tenure here, we developed the evening college program,” Grider said. “And during that time, I also hired some of the people who are

in prominent positions here. I hired Dr. Bill Luckey, the President, and also recruited Denise Fudge.”

In 1986, Grider changed careers, trading a position in the higher education field for private industry in Campbellsville, Ky. After working in that field for a number of years, she recently returned to LWC as an instructor of business and director of community education and outreach.

Along with her job at the school, Grider manages a second career, alongside her husband Donnie. That second job? Breeding and raising horses, specifically, the Tennessee walking horse.

According to Grider, both she and her husband have been involved with horses their entire lives.

“That has been his [Donnie Grider’s] life’s work, and when Donnie and I married in 1984, we had a common interest in horses, because my family had also been in horses,” Grider said.

“...you have a long period of time from the time you start the breeding process until you’re ready to start working with a colt...”

After getting married, they broke away from their family businesses and started Grider’s Fantasy Farms, in 1992. The farm is located in Columbia, not far from the LWC campus. With over 100 acres, the farm provides the horses with hay and alfalfa. The Griders also raise black angus cattle.

Currently, the farm has about 65 horses.

(Top): The Grider Fantasy Farm sprawls over 100 acres and is home to about 65 horses.

(Middle): After several years of pursuing a career in industry, Linda Grider has returned to Lindsey WIlson College.

(Above): Some of the horses allowed the photographer to shoot close-up pictures in hopes of getting a treat or head rub in return.

Photos by Nick Schrager

“We breed, train, and exhibit (horses), so it’s a full-time job. It’s more than a full-time job,” Grider laughed.

All of the horses on the farm are Tennessee walking horses, which are animals that can fulfill a variety of roles. However, the Griders specifically train them to be show horses. This task takes years to accomplish. Typically, they raise the horses from birth, so this adds time to the process.

“He wanted to live so badly and had such a vibrant personality... he was a survivor from the very beginning....”

“You don’t start a Tennessee walking horse until they’re 18 months of age, so you have a long period from the time you start the breeding process until you’re ready to start working with a colt,” Grider said.

The training of these horses is a step-by-step process in which they learn various ways of walking, also known as gaiting. This specific breed typically learns three gaits, according to Grider. The gaits include a “flat walk, running walk and the canter.”

During the first two years of a horse’s training, they learn the flat walk and the running walk. By age four, they are ready to learn the canter, a type of walk that is smooth and graceful.

While the act of domesticating animals is not new, new trends are emerging. The horses that the Griders breed have traditionally had black hair, but in the last 15 years, there has been a trend of selective breeding to achieve different colors.

Often, breeding involves using a “genealogy-type” approach, where the breeders look to other horses to get what traits they desire. Other breeders may use visuals with present day horses to achieve certain goals.

But with work comes play.

The Griders also name their companions.

“That’s one of the fun parts of the business,” Grider said.

Each horse is registered through the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeding and Exhibitors Association (TWHBEA) based out of Lewisburg, Tennessee.

According to Grider, names are often based off of the names of the horses who bred them.

One of their horses is named “Tell Me About It.” While every horse has a story to tell, this one’s story, according to Grider, is different.

He was born crippled.

From the start, the horse had a difficult time. He could not get milk from his mother so the Grid-

ers substituted it with artificial milk.

“He wanted to live so badly and had such a vibrant personality,” Grider said. “He was a survivor from the very beginning.”

Tell Me About It faced many odds. Veterinarians said they could not help him. His prescription was to be euthanized. The Griders made inquiries as far as Colorado, where a solution that had no guarantee was offered.

The Griders, following the technique prescribed, managed to save him. It allowed for the body to develop in another way, and the leg that was bad corrected itself.

Since then, the horse had several offspring: “Tell Me More” and “Don’t Tell Pop.” One of the strangest names Grider has heard is “One Tough Hombre,” but that in itself, is another story.

The Griders have won various awards in their time breeding and training horses.

One of the biggest awards won

by Donnie Grider occured at the Kentucky State Fair Show in 1975.

“He was just a young man then,” Grider said.

In fact, Donnie Grider also bred the father of a horse that went on to become a 10-time world champion named “Flashy Pride.”

The horse was 14 years old at that time.

Typically, according to Grider, horses usually live around 20 years, but it is not unheard of for them to reach 30.

“Horses can live over 30 years,” Grider said. “As a matter of fact, we have mares that are 30 years old out in our field right now.”

With risk and awards aside, the business may go a little further.

“There is a saying that there’s something about looking into the eyes of a horse that impacts a man,” Grider said. According to her, that is the real reward. “Each one has his or her own personality, and just being around the horse is relaxing.”

She added that it is a “stress reliever” to come home at the end of the day and be around horses.

Grider said she and her husband feel like parents, since they are with the horses from the moment they are born to the raising and training of them. In the end, they may see them perform as expected in a horse show ring.

Unfortunately, the Griders were affected like many other industries that were hit by the recession. The challenge now is trying to survive. The demand for Tennessee walking horses, while low, is still there, according to Grider, but the problem is that operating costs have risen substantially.

“Horses can live over 30 years. As a matter of fact, we have mares that are 30 years old out in our field right now...”

“Our feed costs have tripled … all of your tack, your supplies, they’ve all increased,” Grider said.

Droughts, such as the one in 2008, add to the financial burden.

The Griders had to import hay from Texas and South Dakota to feed their horses. The cost? $10,000. According to Grider, they had to pay for the gas to ship the hay as well, right when gas prices peaked at around $4 a gallon.

With the market stagnant, Grider said that many have stopped breeding horses, and amateur buyers are slowing their purchases, but that may help in the long run.

With that demand low, the Griders still breed horses in hope of the market turning around. The challenge, Linda Grider said, is to stay afloat until that time.

Study skills in jeopardy?

Visit the

Academic Success Center

The Academic Success Center offers assistance to any student and is a resource for improving study skills, reading techniques, peer tutoring, and other academic needs.

Why STRUGGLE when you can SUCCEED? for more information contact Maretta Garner at garnerm@lindsey.edu