Issuu

May 12, 2015 Volume 86, Issue 29

’ THE LION S ROAR S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y

A Student Publication

Campus Life Page 2

Opinions Page 3

Arts & Entertainment Page 4

Sports Page 6

News Page 8

Lions host SLC Championships By Heather Jewell Staff Reporter

Another season has ended for Southeastern’s track and field teams. Following their champion title from last year, the Lions finished third with 119.5 points, and the Lady Lions followed closely at seventh with 48 points. Stephen F. Austin’s men and women’s teams took home the title of Southland Conference Champions. This year, the Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships were held on Southeastern’s campus with over a dozen schools in attendance. Beginning Friday, the meet lasted until Sunday afternoon. Presented by Tangi Tourism, it was the first conference event held at the Southeastern Track and Field Complex. Ninety-two of the Southeastern teams’ combined points were earned between the throwers. Senior Brett Olsen finished first in the men’s discus event; he earned 10 points with a toss of 181 feet, 7.75 inches. Following him in second place was Junior thrower Alex Young with a toss of 176 feet, 1.75 inches, earning him eight points. Young, alongside Lamar senior Sam Stabler, was named Male Co-High Point scorers; both athletes scored a total of 26 points throughout the competition.

Junior Thrower Misha Frazier continued to impress; in the discus event she scored six points for the Lady Lions when she threw 159 feet, three and 3/4 inches. She placed third in the competition. The women’s 4x100 meter relay team, Daijah Washington, Nakiya Smith, Shanetria Thomas and Kaelynn Smith also made it to the podium. With a time of 45.28 seconds, the girls were awarded third place. Sunday, the Lady Lions earned 22 points, the majority of which were due to success in running events. Placing sixth in the 100-meter hurdles was freshman Markeisha Jack, with a 13.98 time, earning 3 points. Sophomore Vanessa Williams came in seventh place in the 400 meters, with a 57.51 time and earning 2 points. In the 100 meters, junior Sharonna Williams placed seventh with a time of 11.80, earning 2 points. For the men, junior Ashley Riley placed fourth in the men’s 400 meters, earning five points with a time of 47.20. The men’s 4x100 relay team made up of Ken Breland, Raheem Brown, Dillon Brumfield and Kadarius Williams, with a combined time of 40.57 seconds, earned four points. Brown also earned his own four points

see TRACK pg. 6

2015 Louisiana Superintendent of the Year to speak at graduation By Emily Stephan Copy Editor

For approximately 1,175 students, a milestone in their personal and academic lives is fast approaching.

Patrice B. Pujol

The Lion’s Roar / Heather Jewell

Junior Gennard Paul competes in the Triple Jump at the Southland Conference Championships. Paul came in third in this competition, helping the men’s track and field team come in third place overall.

Seniors celebrate milestone with rings By Maria Goddard Staff Reporter

The Lion’s Roar / Tamara Alexander

The gold and green of the Southeastern ring possess special meaning. The gold represents value and endurance while the green represents the new life gained after graduation.

Seniors celebrated another milestone as they received custom-made class rings during one of their last gatherings before graduation. The Senior Ring Ceremony was held May 7 at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts, and committees from the Alumni Association and Division for Student Affairs sponsored the event. The official ring, crafted by the L.G. Balfour Co., is only offered to alumni and students who are in good standing. Seniors must have at least 75 credit hours complete to receive the honor of representing the traditions and values of the university. Dr. Marvin Yates, vice president of Student Affairs, welcomed and congratulated the seniors called up by Dr. Joe Burns, who served as the emcee. Alexis Quackenbush, SGA president, assisted Yates as he handed the rings to

each senior and took a picture. “I think it is an important event because no matter where you go, when you run into someone who has that ring on, you will have something in common with them,” said Kathy Pittman, director of the Alumni Association. “You will know that they are part of the Southeastern family. The Alumni Association binds all these people together for this tradition that has been going on for nine years. We hope it will go on into perpetuity.” The gold represents value, endurance and education, while the green stone symbolizes new life found after earning a degree. The ‘S’ in the center stands for Southeastern, and the circle around it illustrates friendships and memories that go on forever. “I really enjoyed the ceremony, and it made me value the ring more and understand where it actually comes from,” said Lela Kaufman, senior

see RING pg. 8

Vigil honors Nepalese earthquake victims By Elizabeth Brown Staff Reporter

The Nepalese Student Association, with help from Multicultural and International Affairs, held a candlelight vigil for the nearly 8,000 fallen victims of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated Nepal. On April 28, an earthquake hit Nepal proved the worst disaster the nation has faced in over 80 years. Many areas are in ruins and millions of people need help. “More than 7,000 lost their lives and we wanted to remember those people,” said Binit Sharma Poudel, president of NSAS and Nepalese native. Held Thursday, May 7, Nepalese native and member of NSAS Nibha Manandhar began the vigil with an introduction to the event and a showing of a video about the earthquake’s effects on the people, including over 9,000 people injured, heritage sites destroyed and nine million adult and children in need.

“The point of this video is not to make the event sadder but to share a story,” said Manandhar. Following the video, Dr. Marvin Yates, vice president of student affairs, told the students from Nepal who were among the crowd that we as a university and as a community are here to provide for the students and to support them in any way possible. Suraj Ayer, Student Government Association chief of staff and Nepalese native, spoke to the members of the community, faculty, staff and his fellow students, offering many thanks for the support of Hammond and the Southeastern community in this time of tragedy. “This has not broken any of the students because we have a family here at Southeastern,” said Ayer. After Ayer’s various acknowledgements, candles were passed to the crowd, being lit one by one, followed

Follow the Roar Stay connected. Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @lionsroarnews.

see VIGIL pg. 2

LionsRoarNews.com

The Lion’s Roar /Elizabeth Brown

Two students gather together to light each other’s candles while crouching around a handmade mural of the country of Nepal. The candles were then used as a border of light around the mural.

Weather Tuesday H 88 L 68

The Spring 2015 commencement ceremony is set to take place at the University Center on May 16 at 10 a.m. Traffic is expected to be heavy, with parking spaces in the University Center area to be filled up quickly, likely before 9 a.m. According to a recent press release on the subject, “Harold Todd, director of University Police, said the section of University Avenue between West Tornado Drive and SGA Drive will be restricted from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. that day. Local traffic will be allowed to proceed on University Avenue for as long as possible but will be diverted through the campus as congestion increases.” Empty parking in the Greek Village and Southeastern Oaks areas will also be utilized. At this year’s commencement ceremony, the university will be awarding the Doctorate of Nursing Practice for the first time. According to Executive Director of Public and Governmental Affairs Erin Cowser, there will be eight candidates for the degree at the commencement. Patrice B. Pujol, superintendent of the Ascension Parish School System and 2015 Louisiana Superintendent of the Year, will be the selected speaker at this year’s commencement. She has been noted for her outstanding abilities as superintendent, her exceptional leadership abilities being praised in particular. For almost four decades, she has been a mainstay in the world of education, serving positions as teacher, principal and assistant superintendent. She has helped make her school district one of the most celebrated in Louisiana, its District Performance ranking fourth best among all of the Louisiana public schools. As a college undergraduate, Pujol herself was part of the Lion nation, graduating with a bachelor’s in French Education in 1976 and later returning to Southeastern to earn her doctorate in educational leadership. Her dissertation focused on ways to improve academic achievement and efficiency in school districts. Being both a Southeastern alumna and an exceptional

see GRADUATION pg. 2

Reminders Wednesday H 91 L 69

Return all rental textbooks by 6 p.m. on Monday, May 18.

Campus Life

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The Lion’s Roar

SSA takes stand against sexual assault The Southeastern Sociological Association peacefully met in front of the Katrina-Rita Fountain with one goal in mind: to create a safe place for students while taking a stand against sexual assault. May 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., SSA hosted Unity in the Quad to raise awareness of sexual assault and violence. SSA wanted to schedule something earlier in the semester, but was unable to until now. They hope the title of the event helps show the university’s unity by wanting to end sexual violence as well as showing their support for those who have been affected by sexual violence. “We are calling it ‘Unity in the Quad,’’’ said Sarah Basile, applied sociology grad student and SSA President. “It is to create and show unity of support for sexual assault survivors. Last month was ‘sexual assault awareness month’ and we couldn’t book

anything sooner. We decided to book something before the end of the semester. It is something near and dear to my heart because it kind of goes with the ‘No More’ Campaign that has been going on campus. There is this idea that when you are raped, it is your fault. That is not the case at all. I think people should stand for sexual assault survivors and tell them, ‘It’s okay, you didn’t do anything wrong. I believe you.’” Other members of SSA believe the university needs to ensure this difficult topic is brought up for the protection of the high enrollment of women on campus. “We have a huge population of women on this campus,” said senior sociology major Jarett Aucoin. “We have a huge population of men as well, but we are definitely outnumbered by women. Domestic abuse mainly affects women and that is one thing we have never seen on this campus: raising awareness for sexual abuse, domestic abuse and things of that nature. It is really

prominent around our society and something that is hard to talk about.” Along with promoting awareness, SSA had a blanket that could be painted by those wishing to publicly show their support for victims and how they were not alone. “We are trying to make a blanket,” said Basile. “The idea is to have this sheet or blanket with everybody we can get showing support for sexual assault survivors so they can see that the campus is behind you. Southeastern is behind you. We believe you. We are on your side.” Those who passed the Katrina-Rita Fountain were appreciative of the friendly atmosphere of SSA and believed in the cause for Unity in the Quad. “They were outgoing and stopped me; they seemed friendly,” said senior general studies major Jayda Elbert. “I have had friends who have been victims of sexual assault. It’s a really good thing they are doing, and it is for a noble cause.”

GRADUATION continued from pg. 1

VIGIL continued from pg. 1

example of leadership, Pujol is ideal as a commencement speaker. “Individuals who have earned acclaim and achieved success in their respective fields are considered as potential Commencement speakers,” said Cowser. “The hope is that they will share a message that will resonate with graduates. It’s even more impressive if those individuals have a direct association with Southeastern.” For more information on commencement, visit the university website.

by a moment of silence for the victims of the earthquake. Postit notes were also available for the attendants if they wanted to write down their thoughts. The vigil was concluded with another “thank you” from Manandhar and a playing of the Nepalese national anthem. Following the event, Jerry Cottrell, lab coordinator for the department of chemistry and physics, offered his thoughts about the vigil. “I feel it’s excellent for the Nepalese students here at Southeastern for the healing

process, and it helps them realize that they have a family here and that they have community support,” said Cottrell. Ayer was proud to see how many people came to support him and his follow students at this event. “It felt nice seeing a lot of people come up. It shows how much support the students have from other students, along with faculty,” said Ayer. Nearly $5,000 has already been collected and donations will continue to be collected through Ayer’s gofundme page until the page’s set goal is reached.

By William Schmidt Opinions Editor

Organizational News is due on the Friday before publication by 10 a.m., with a limit of 150 words.

QFA We would like to congratulate our new

members who were fully initiated into our sisterhood on Friday the 1st! We would also like to congratulate our sisters who received awards at DSA Convocation. Congratulations to Megan Anciro, Megan Oliver, and Brittany Williard who received the Green S Award, and Helen Claire Jewell and Lauren Heuer who received the Who’s Who Award. On Thursday the 30th Theta Phi Alpha celebrated its 103rd year. To commemorate this great achievement, we were joined by our alumnae on Sunday the 3rd for a celebration in Ponchatoula! Pictures were taken, awards were given, and we are so thankful

for this wonderful day. Finally, we would like to thank nineteen women for their contributions to our chapter as collegians. These women have accomplished so much, and we cannot wait to see all they accomplish as alumnae. Our new 19 alums consist of Ariel Bourgoyne, Meagan Fontana , Rhii Locatto, Meghan Reilly,  Alexis Sterling,  Kaitlyn Chizzoniti , Alyssa Holmes , Cate Marshall, Roxy Warrelmann, Adriana Beltram  , Nicole Bordlee , Haley Burke,  Shelby Durbin , Marissa Munn , Taylor Petit , Gabby Ponthieux,  Cheree’ DeLaune,  Kayleigh White , and Megan Olivier. Finally, we would like to wish our Southeastern family well on their finals. We hope everyone has a safe summer, and we can’t wait

to see you all in the fall!

The Lion’s Roar / William Schmidt

Southeastern Sociological Association met in front of Fayard Hall to raise awareness on the issue of sexual assault. Those who stopped by were able to paint a blanket to show their support for the recovery of victims and that they were not alone.

Mane Dish to offer biannual treat By Megan Simon Campus Life Editor

Once again, the Mane Dish and Dining Services will be spreading a bit of cheer during finals week by throwing the biannual Late Night Breakfast. The event will be held in the same way as previous semesters. It will take place at the Mane Dish from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12. There will be a variety of menu items for students to enjoy: pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, hash brown casserole, biscuits and gravy, French Toast, omelets, fresh fruit and cheese. Late Night Breakfast is

mainly for the enjoyment of stressed out students and for the campus to wish them good luck. “[Late Night Breakfast is] a ‘thank you’ to our student meal plan holders and as a way to wish students well on their exams,” said Marketing Director of Auxiliary Services Robin Parker. Students are encouraged to attend the event because it gives them a chance to step away from the books. They can take a break from their studies and enjoy some time with friends. It will also be a good way for students to reenergize and return to exam preparation with new vigor.

“Late Night Breakfast allows students to take a break from their studies, mingle with friends and refuel as they prepare for exams,” said Parker. “This is a hugely successful event each semester. We are expecting another great turnout.” The meal will be free for meal plan holders, but cost $6.75 plus tax for non-meal plan holders. While Buddy Passes will not be taken, Cub Cash and Lion’s Lagniappe will be accepted. For more information, contact the Dining Services at 985-549-2286 or pay a visit to their page on the university website.

PSI CHI

We would like to extend a PSI CHI congratulations to graduating seniors Holly Kliebert, Alyssa Lacour, Chelsea Mayor, Kayla McCaleb, Deanna Robertson, Jenniffer Smith and Charity Williams. Your hard work and achievement has shown throughout y’all’s college careers and we hope you continue to have success for the rest of your lives. Thank you for being a part of PSI CHI and for everything you did to help our organization be the success it is today. Everyone please be safe this summer and once again, congratulations to all graduating seniors. The future is yours.

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Opinions

The Lion’s Roar

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A beautiful chapter coming to an end

Looking to the future Four years building a foundation for life This is the end. This is the last time you will see my face and read Sara Patrick my words Editor in Chief in this newspaper. No, it’s not the end of my life or the world as we know it: it’s just the end of my story at this university. I’ve had a beautiful roller coaster ride at Southeastern. Four years ago, I had so many uncertainties about coming to Hammond where I didn’t know a soul. I learned a lot about life since I came here, and I know God still isn’t done teaching me. The first lesson college taught me that I want to pass on is to choose your friends wisely. The people you choose to spend time with in college will be a part of you forever. They will influence who you are, what you do and where you go. Choose people who have the same morals, who see the best in you and will be there for you on the days you feel like quitting. I chose to spend a great deal of my time exploring my faith with the Catholic Student Association, and I will always treasure the friendships I made at St. Albert. If you aren’t Catholic, that’s okay, but I would strongly advise you find some sort of spiritual guide and take time to learn more about God. You just might learn more about yourself in the process. I did. In addition to exploring my faith, I spent a great deal of my

time in the newsroom. Bonding with my Lion’s Roar staff over the years was a highlight. Something my coworkers taught me is that even the most eclectic group imaginable can be a great team and good friends. To the staff I’m leaving behind: I hope you remember your old coworkers, embrace every new co-worker and always remember your job will be easier if you work as a team. Senior year, I watched a lot of things change. My staff was much smaller. I no longer saw the same faces around campus. Many people had graduated and moved on. My best friend got married and moved out of our dorm. I met new people and started new relationships. In four years, only one thing has remained consistent: the newspaper. I’ve spent most of my college experience thinking about this newspaper. I’ve put my heart and soul into it, and I feel like I’ve made it my own. It is my hope that every student at this university finds a job they love as much as I have loved mine. College is a short chapter in your life, so make the most of it. Make friends you’ll want to still talk to in 20 years. Explore every aspect of who you are. Do something meaningful. Put your heart into everything you do. That’s what makes college the best years of your life. The Southeastern chapter of my life will come to an end this Saturday, and I have no regrets. This chapter was beautiful, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

Four years ago, I hugged, kissed and waved goodbye to my parents as they dropped me and all of my stuff off at a place far away. There were tears in their eyes, Allison Crady and as I walked away, Assistant Editor I knew the adventure of my life was only just beginning. Over the next four years I would go through several phases of growth. I was a bubbly freshman, a workaholic sophomore, a questioning junior and finally an enlightened senior. What hasn’t changed is my passion and enthusiasm to excel, which has always pushed me forward. This university has encompassed nearly my entire life these few years through my classes, my dorm, my food, my work, my hangout, etc. I have made a lot of good decisions and a few bad ones. I made a lot of friends and

lost a few. But as I look back on the time, I can say with confidence that I am proud of the person I have become. As I prepare to graduate in a few short days, I want to give what bits of encouragement and wisdom I can to those still pushing through. No one ever said it would be easy, but that it would be worth it. No matter which route you decide to take, I can assure you there will be a multitude of obstacles, long nights, too-soon deadlines and comfort eating. What I have found to be most important is to experience life as much as possible and to always be learning. People say life gets better when you stop caring what other people think, and I can say from experience that it most definitely does. As long as you’re honest and respectful of others, the world is out there for you to experience and enjoy. Figure out what brings you genuine satisfaction, and don’t get bogged down in the details. It’s really that simple.

Take advantage of your classes, professors and the endless number of services provided by the university. Just read through the list of “additional fees” in your LEOnet account if you don’t believe me. Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to try new things but always follow your gut instincts. If my obnoxious string of clichés has lost you, just remember this: never settle. Never willingly accept the negative things in your life that you have the power to change. Over the last year, I decided that experiencing foreign cultures was a necessity in my life. Instead of focusing on my lack of money or understanding of other societies, I found a way. I’m thrilled to tell you I was just accepted by the Spanish Embassy to teach English in their schools this fall. I had a will and found a way. I wish you all good luck as you create your own amazing college experience.

Past does not dictate future in or after college Many college students begin their university careers fresh out of high William Schmidt school. Opinion Editor However, like fellow students dealing with life circumstances holding them back from being able to start college right off the bat, I did everything in my power to come back to get the education I knew I needed to not only have a successful future, but a future that will make me be happy. I know my past is not nearly as bad as

those of others, but I still have to deal with not only society judging me based on my past but also telling me what my future will become due to my past decisions. I have always believed you learn from your mistakes. Though you may have regrets, they still make you the person you are today. Yes, you have to deal with consequences. If you murder someone, you should serve your time. But once your “debt to society” has been served, you should be able to move forward. I have never murdered anyone, but I have made mistakes in my life. In the past I would have not admitted this, but I was not at an

age of maturity to live on my own when life beckoned me to do so. I went to public school. I not only believe the education was not adequate for a career in college, but also that high school did not properly prepare me on how to become an adult. While still a teenager, I suddenly had to worry about bills, transportation due to the fact that public transportation was virtually non-existent, the essentials of survival such as food, clothing and all the other responsibilities that come with living on your own. I was simply not ready for this responsibility. I ended up falling into the stereotypical statistic category as a person living on the streets,

SPEAK OUT

working just to survive and using more money than I was earning to pay for vices to escape from reality. After four years of this lifestyle, the time it would have taken to graduate from college, a life-altering event happened. A doctor told me that I should have died and was touch and go at moments. It was that near-death experience I needed to become the man I am today. Since then, I have cleaned up. I work three jobs during the school semester and four during holidays to afford to attend classes. I try to be the person that I would want to be best friends with. I promised myself I would never go back

to that lifestyle again, and I will work hard to ensure that does not happen. I have stayed true to this promise. I don’t even think of going back to a lifestyle that could be “easier” and yet unfulfilling when college gets rough. I have set my goals in life, and I will meet them head on. Going through everything that I have, keeping above a 3.25 GPA even working 60 plus hours on some weeks, I’m still learning from mistakes that I may still make in college. I have been adapting to a new lifestyle with the late onset of Juvenile Diabetes, making the President’s List, studying abroad, becoming

an officer of PSI CHI as well as Friends of Poverty Point, making Reporter of the Year for the Lion’s Roar, being on the Student Board of Conduct and other numerous bragging rights I could list. I just want society to know my past does not dictate who I will be in the future. I will not turn back to who I was in five or 20 years. Every time I wake up, I start off fresh and have the chance to choose where I will go from the moment I open my eyes. I just hope the world can see that rather than telling me what my future will be like based on some regretful decisions I made through a rough past. I will always be stronger than who I once was.

What is your biggest regret from college?

Dewitt Ward Freshman, Sports Management

Marisa Coppock Freshman, General Studies

Andrew Labit Freshman, Kinesiology

Following the wrong crowd because you never know who people are until something happens.

Not learning how to study and not studying enough. My high school never really taught me how to study.

Taking math and biology in the same semester because that was the stupidest decision I have ever made.

Tanya Kramer Junior, Graphic Design

Anthony DeGioia Junior, Sociology

Lauren Snowdy Junior, Psychology

My biggest regret would be procrastination on assignments, I would have started way sooner.

Not getting involved with SGA because I want to go on and become a lawyer.

My biggest regret in college is not going Greek sooner because it really has changed my life.

The Lion ’s Roar - Staff

Policies and Procedures The Lion’s Roar is the official newspaper of the students of Southeastern Louisiana University. It has been in continuous publication since 1937. Submissions and letters to the editor are welcomed, but the editor of The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, libel and available space or refuse publication without notification. Submissions must include the author’s full name and either phone number, e-mail or other contact information (not to be published). Faculty and staff members should include their title and department. Students should include their classification and major. By submitting an article for publication, the author understands

that the submission will be edited. Organizational News space is provided at no charge as a courtesy for university recognized Greek and Student Organizations. The space of such articles is limited to 150 words. Submissions of this Organizational News must adhere to the same polices as other submissions or letters to the editor, but must also include the name of the organization. All views expressed in The Lion’s Roar are those of the author or, if unsigned, those of the staff of The Lion’s Roar. These views should not be interpreted as the views of the administration, faculty or students of Southeastern Louisiana University. A single issue of The Lion’s Roar is free.

Additional copies may be purchased for 50 cents in Mims Hall Room 128. Annual mail subscriptions are $35 within the continental U.S. The Lion’s Roar, in its print form, associated Web sites and CD/DVD versions are designated public forums. Student editors have the authority to make content decisions without censorship or prior approval. The Lion’s Roar also defends the rights of student journalists relative to freedom of speech and press as stated in Amendment I of the Constitution of the United States of America. The Lion’s Roar is published through the Office of Student Publications, part of the Division for Student Affairs. It is published weekly during regular semesters and monthly during the summer semester.

Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Campus Life Editor Opinions Editor A&E Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor

Sara Patrick Allison Crady Megan Simon William Schmidt Megan Ferrando Jay Love Emily Stephan

Distribution Tyler Kennedy Advertising Assistants Ashley Guillot Administrative Assistant Heather Collins Coordinator Lorraine F. Peppo Director Lee E. Lind

Contact General Offices Mims Hall Room 128 Mailing Address The Lion’s Roar SLU 10877 Hammond, LA 70402 E-mail lionsroar@selu.edu Telephone Numbers 985-549-3527 (newsroom) 985-549-3842 (fax) 985-549-3731 (advertising) www.lionsroarnews.com www.selu.edu/lionsroar

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Shattered Illusions

Plank and Feather

Review BY MEGAN FERRANDO A&E Editor

In the latest Mumford and Sons album, “Wilder Mind,” the group ditched the infamous banjo and embraced an electric sound fans were surprised to hear. Many were skeptical of a folk band turning electric, including myself. But, after a couple run-throughs of the new album, I am just as in love with this group of British rockers. Aside from the banjo, Mumford and Sons is wellknown for producing the most poetic lyrics that seem to perfectly capture the human experience. Aside from the passionate sound, it has always been the lyrics that truly inspired in me a love for this band. Marcus Mumford wrote most of the songs from the past two albums, but all four members contributed to the lyrics of “Wilder Mind.” Despite another dramatic change in the band, the music is still beautiful and rich with emotion. As the band began releasing singles about a month ago, I was a bit disappointed in what I was hearing. It is hard for a fan to hear their favorite band completely change their sound—swapping out the patented wool vests for leather jackets. After I got past the initial shock and even slight feeling of abandonment, I took the time to truly listen to the rhythm, melody and words to each song. They are amazing. They are powerful. They tell a story. They tell many stories. To the folkloving fans out there who are still skeptical of really giving this “new” Mumford a try, listen again. Accept the new sound, and try to take it as it is. According to an interview with the band on Consequence of Sound, the group is not abandoning their sound for a new, more modern sound, but they are simply returning to where they each started as individuals. The musicians played more rock before they seemed to stumble upon the banjo. Still, they said the banjo is not necessarily out for good. Lets give the group a chance to play around, try new things and stay on their feet. Changing their sound keeps the band fresh. You can still hear their sound in this new electric style. With any music, it sometimes takes a couple listenings to be able to enjoy. I have listened to the “Wilder Mind” album 22 times already. Seeing where this new album takes Mumford and Sons is something I am looking forward to, and I hope their fans are able to stay loyal as they also pick up some new fans.

THE LION’S ROAR

Alumni artists display unique works in gallery The Lion’s Roar / Courtesy of Atkins and Slough

John Atkins (left) and Zach Slough (right) stand proudly in front of their collaborative piece, “Clusterflock.” The piece was made of aluminum, found objects, wood, paper and acrylic. It can be viewed currently at the St. Tammany Art Association.

BY SARA PATRICK Editor in Chief

Southeastern visual arts alumni John Atkins and Zach Slough have been busy using their skills to create unique pieces of art before earning their bachelor’s degrees in spring 2014. Less than a year after graduating, Atkins and Slough’s artwork was featured in an exhibit in Covington, but their success was not a surprise. During their undergraduate studies, Atkins and Slough both made commission off their original artwork. While in one of his advanced sculpture courses, Atkins created a series of small kinetic viewer interactive sculptures using scrap materials including car parts, ﬁshing accessories, a truck horn and boat propeller. These pieces were showcased in Hyde Gallery on campus, and then the props department of popular TV show “American Horror Story: Freakshow” contacted him after seeing the pieces on Etsy. “They purchased the remaining twelve pieces in that series, and they were part of the second part of episode three in that season as the creations of the show’s killer clown Twisty,” said Atkins. “This was a great opportunity for me because I got to work with their props department and edit my artworks myself to ﬁt the theme of the show, giving the works a new life and permanent home.” Slough, who concentrated in sculpture, was commissioned during his undergraduate studies to create a special bronze plaque of Deputy Oneal Moore for the Washington County Sheriff’s Department. The plaque was part of a memorial wall for deputies who died in the line of

duty since the department’s founding, and Moore was the only unsolved murder of a deputy. At the end of their senior year, Slough and Atkins were approached by theater professor Steve Schepker about the upcoming Opera/Musical Theatre Workshop production of “Sweeney Todd.” Slough’s primary task was the design and construction of the chair, trap door and slide. He designed the chair to be true to the title character and the overall aesthetic of the production. “I chose to view the chair as if it were a character in the play with its own layers of subtext,” said Slough. “[I gave it] large ﬁligree-implied letters spelling out the initials S.T. on each side of the chair, a razor strop with the initials B.B. [Benjamin Barker] at the top as a nod to Todd’s past, and an aggressive cleaver-like handle to activate the chair’s collapsing mechanism, as well as layers of grunge designed to give the chair an aged appearance.” Atkins teamed up with Slough to make the oversized blood-squirting straight razors for “Sweeney Todd.” The artists have also created pieces for other theater productions including “Beware the Licorice Vines” and the recent “Peter and Tink.” The pair said watching these productions performed live was as exciting and nerve-wracking as debuting art in a gallery. Atkins said his degree is proof that he can follow through and ﬁnish a big project, and Slough felt the connections they made during their undergraduate studies were invaluable to their art careers. “My time in college acquiring my degree has been more helpful to me than the actual piece of paper [diploma],” said Slough. “I made a lot of connections with people who work

in various art ﬁelds and was able to demonstrate a strong work ethic and a skill level, which has opened several career opportunities.” Fellow sculpture alumna Maggie McConnell recommended that Atkins and Slough submit a proposal for their current exhibition “Plank and Feather” at the St. Tammany Art Association, which was approved and opened on April 11. The inspiration for the exhibit’s name “Plank and Feather” came from the two artists’ distinct styles of art. Atkin’s architectural-type work is made from small pieces of wood or planks, and Slough’s sculptures typically include handmade metal feathers. Although the artists usually work separately, the entryway displays their collaborative piece “Clusterﬂock,” made of aluminum, found objects, wood, paper and acrylic. “Going to look at artwork in a gallery or museum is simply another experience that can yield good or bad results, depending on your preference for the work,” said Atkins. “Personally, my work reminds me of the well-worn patina on my hand-me-down pocket knives, the beautiful exterior of old buildings and the grittiness and age of old trees. What I want people to take away from my artwork is really an appreciation for their surroundings and how interesting everything is.” In the fall, Slough and Atkins will both be continuing their education at the University of Texas San Antonio in their Masters of Fine Arts program. For now, their work can be viewed at the “Plank and Feather” exhibition at the St. Tammany Art Association in Covington through May 23.

Theatre design concentration offered next fall BY EMILY STEPHAN Copy Editor

Ever since the merging of the music and performing arts departments in 2010, the two have been working in greater conjunction with one another. Part of this increased communication has led to the formation of a new concentration for those pursuing a bachelor of art degree: theatre design. According to Kenneth Boulton, head of the ﬁne and performing arts department, the formation of a new concentration typically takes two years and comes from adequate student interest. Jeff Mickey, sculpting instructor, was the one who initially got the ball rolling on the theatre design concentration. After seeing how art and theater students beneﬁted from taking courses in the other area, he and Steve Schepker, professor of theatre design and technical directing, felt there should be a

program which merged the two disciplines. “Several of my upper level students were involved in the fabrication of props, costumes and scenic elements in some of the theatrical productions in the Vonnie Borden,” said Mickey. “Some of the students that were in theater started taking my classes as well. Both groups of students beneﬁted from the cross-pollination of ideas, aesthetics and methodologies. The art students brought a broader perspective of ideas and practical understanding of art concepts back to their own studio practice. The theater students that had enrolled in art and design classes had a better understanding of artistic concepts such as color theory and activation of three dimensional spaces.” Though there are other theatre design programs in the country, the Southeastern program is unique in its presentation primarily as an art degree. Students will be taught the core art curriculum with a heavy emphasis on sculpture, new media and

animation, and theatre. “Theatre design is not a unique program,” said Boulton. “But to my knowledge, those programs tend to be more technical in nature, with perhaps some ancillary involvement of these students in the art process. Ours is a true partnership where this is being presented as an art degree. They will acquire a different kind of creative conception; they will express themselves through the standpoint of a working artist and take those sensibilities to the more technical side of theatre design as upper class students.” Overall, the faculty feels this new concentration will be useful, since the entertainment industry is booming in Louisiana and Mississippi. Thus, there will be no shortage of careers, especially for those looking to work behind the scenes. James Winter, associate professor of acting and directing, feels this could be an ideal recruitment tool for the university.

“It is important for the university because the state legislature wants schools to prepare students for the Louisiana workforce,” said Winter. “This concentration will allow us to better train designers to work in Louisiana’s booming film industry. The concentration lends more credibility and hopefully more supporting funds and other resources to aid the cause.” Schepker concurs with this view, citing the prominence of the film and television industry in the South. “I see it as very attractive to a lot of parents who would be concerned that their child would want to be an art major,” said Schepker. “But when you say ‘theater,’ there is work and a ton of it. And in the film industry, there’s also a ton of work. You just have to be hungry and go after it.” For more information on theatre design, contact the department of fine and performing arts at 985-549-2184.

Arts & Entertainment

The Lion’s Roar

M ay 1 2 , 2 0 1 5 P a g e 5

Tribute to musical theatre performed Students gain free

access to Flipster

By Heather Jewell Staff Reporter

In their home away from home, the Pottle Choir Room, Southeastern’s Delta Omicron performed famous songs from various Broadway and movie musicals such as “Aida,” “A Little Night Music,” “Grease,” “Jekyll and Hyde,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Porgy and Bess,” “Prince of Egypt,” “Wicked” and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” The performance began at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and was considered their Spring Musicale. “We have been planning it since the beginning of the semester, but with our busy schedules it took a while to practice,” said Nicholas Smith, senior music education major and Delta Omicron member. Smith performed “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from “Grease” and “Think of Me,” a duet with Lauren Gibson from “Phantom of the Opera.” Fountainbleau High School music teacher Ashley Lemmler also performed an original piece entitled “Panda Christmas.” Lemmler originally wrote “Panda Christmas” after one of her student teachers reported that a music teacher from another school said she was ambitious, but always picked extremely hard music. In a joking manner, Lemmler then wrote “Panda Christmas” for a vocal ensemble. Those who sang “Panda Christmas” enjoyed the origins of the musical piece, as well as performing it for the first time with live instruments. “[Panda Christmas] was probably the most fun thing I have ever had to sing,” said Mindy Guidroz, senior vocal musical education major and Delta Omicron president. Guidroz also performed “What is this Feeling?” and “For Good,” both songs

By William Schmidt Opinions Editor

The Lion’s Roar / Heather Jewell

Michelle Guillot (left), Mindy Guidroz, Chase Ledet and Benjamin Vollentine stand together to perform one of many pieces sung during “From the Top.” Beats Hearts, which is an organization that from “Wicked.” Delta Omicron has a Musicale every gives iPods to children in the hospital. This summer, a conference for all semester. Members are all music majors or minors. They help out around campus, chapters of Delta Omicron will be held in including the Big Event and cleaning Chicago and Southeastern members will Pottle. Delta Omicron also conducted a be attending. service project to raise money for Music

Sims Memorial Library was awarded a Small Project Student Tech Fee Grant, allowing students to gain free access to Flipster. Friday, May 1, the library launched a pilot trial with the Tech Fee Grant to see if Flipster would be a positive addition for the university. “The grant allowed the library to launch a year-long pilot project through Flipster, a digital popular magazine service, to determine if this is a resource our students, faculty and staff want and will use,” said Janie Branham, head of serials at Sims Memorial Library. In the past, access for more leisure magazines were available in the library. Due to budget cuts, the library has had to maintain access to scholarly magazines for the students. “Up until several years ago, we were able to subscribe to a lot of popular reading magazines,” said Branham. “The kind of readings you would find on the newsstands or at the bookstores. Then with budget cuts in 2009 and ‘10, we really had to cancel most of our popular magazines so that we could keep the academic magazines needed for coursework. So this was an opportunity for us to bring back access to popular literature.” Outside of leisure readings, Branham hopes that the popular titles can also be incorporated and used for educational purposes. “A lot of students incorporate popular magazines, current events into their papers, speeches, etc.,” said Branham. “So [Flipster] can be used for leisure readings and course work as well. I know one faculty member who is hoping to incorporate Flipster assignments into their class. So, I think it has a lot of possibilities. I am interested to see where it takes off and goes from here.” The yearlong pilot will run through April 30 of next year and include 55 current titles. If the project goes well, Branham hopes to find a way to continue the service. Individuals currently enrolled or employed by the university can access Flipster from any location using a PC, laptop or mobile device. Flipster can be accessed from the library’s homepage under the “e-Journals” tab. Questions and comments can be sent to Branham. She can be reached at jbranham@selu.edu or by phone at 985-549-2186. The Library’s Reference Department can be contacted at 985-549-2027 or by using the Chat Box on the library’s homepage.

HRAC opens 53rd exhibit By Megan McCormick Staff Reporter

The Hammond Regional Arts Center kicked off its 53rd annual Open Exhibition hosting the Hammond Art Guild. A reception followed the opening May 1, allowing the community to view the wide range of art mediums. According to Daphne

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Hebert, HRAC Operations Manager, the mediums include ceramics, digital printing, paintings, ink drawing, 3D sculptures and even a hand sketched emu egg by artist Tootie Calmes. “Each artist is required to put in a medium of art of their choice. However, they are not allowed to repeat their previous designs or art. This October 22) A recent flurry of activity leaves you in need of a little breathing space, and you’d be wise to take it. Close family members should have an explanation about an emergency situation that just passed. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) An insensitive act makes a difficult situation more so. But try not to waste either your physical or emotional energies in anger. Move on and let others fill the clod in on the facts of life. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) It’s a good time to look into that training program or college course you’ve been considering. You might have a good place to use those sharpened skills sooner rather than later. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Education dominates much of your aspect during this week. You might want to start checking out those summer session courses that could help advance your career plans. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Progress often comes in fits and starts. But at least you’re moving straight ahead with no backsliding. You should soon be able to pick up the pace and reach your goals in due time. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Be wary of a deal that gives confusing answers to your questions. Remember: It’s always risky swimming in unknown waters, so you need all the help you can get to stay on course. BORN THIS WEEK: You have a way of bringing people together and creating close friendships wherever you go. (c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.