Letter from the Editor
Dear readers,
In my time spent in college, there have been several things I have learned about myself. One of those things is that I become incredibly bored very easily. While I can commit to one thing and follow it through to the end, I find myself becoming bored if it isn’t stimulating. I never want to be “stuck” in just one thing; I want to do it all!
Often, I find these thoughts resonating with those around me. Just as often, it’s difficult to express those feelings simply by saying them.
Those emotions sometimes require more in the way of artful expression. That said, I sat down several months ago and penned this poem in an attempt to express what I was feeling. It is my hope that these words resonate in some way with you.
When I die from boredom:
When I die from boredom, send my ashes to outer space. Or throw me to the ocean. Don’t let me sit atop your fireplace. I never want to sit still; I never want to grow old; and I never want to die alone. I want to live forever; I want to search the globe; I want the universe to be my home.
From stardust I was born and to it I’ll return, Knowing that though I lived a good life, there were many lessons left unlearned. I’ll fly toward tomorrow like the Phoenix reborn from ash, Not knowing if my future is indeed written in my past. See, Life’s greatest mystery is discovering who you are- loving your soul with just a passing glance.
Yet, Death’s greatest evil is foreclosing that discovery, robbing you of every chance.
I never want to sit still; I never want to grow old; and I never want to die alone. I’ll gladly die a thousand deaths, painful as they may be. Just swear to God Almighty that you’ll hold my hand and comfort me. From stardust I was born and to it I’ll return, praising my God for granting me lives I’ve yet to earn.
So, when I die from boredom, send my ashes to outer space, or throw me to the ocean. Just, please, don’t let me sit atop your fireplace.
Editor-In-Chief
Trenton Canada
Assistant Editor Ashton Rector
Faculty Advisor Jeremiah Massengale
Staff
Hope Austin
Hunter Cleary
Eric Ford Edwards
Leanne Gregory
DJ Hite
Alyssa Parrott
Zane Ross
Editorial Review Board
Lisa Bartram
Marianne Worthington
Yours,
Trenton
Randall Canada
The Patriot is the biweekly student publication of the University of the Cumberlands. Our goal is to provide timely and original content by highlighting campus news and views.
Award-winning member of the Kentucky Press Association.
A new form of Patriot Pride
UC seeks new ways to boost campus spirit
By HOPe AUs
staff Writer
“Patriot Pride” is now spreading campus wide at the University of the Cumberlands with the help of new athletic director Chris Kraftick. With many new things happening around campus, this is another that UC is adding to the mix. The goal is to have more support for each sport as they perform and to make campus a more exciting atmosphere with less division.
According to Kraftick, there is a lack of spirit on campus. He also said there is isolation between teams, majors, as well as academic departments. Kraftick’s goal is to end the division. He refers to this act of ending the isolation like “breaking down the bubbles,” to remove the sense of “cliques” everywhere on campus. He is beginning to change this by drawing students and faculty to games of all types.
“I think having everyone go to the different sporting events could make it much more interesting and exciting. The different teams supporting each other creates a greater unity across campus,” said UC freshman Emily O’Dell.
Kraftick wants to especially focus on the positive side of things here at UC. He said, “Don’t worry about what we don’t have. Let’s take what we do have and make the most of it.”
Kraftick said he is making this all happen by first, “doing a lot of
talking.” According to him, the main key to get it all started is by encouraging the campus and letting everyone know what is going on around campus.
“I want kids to know it is okay to have fun on campus,” said Kraftick. UC student Savannah Frost said, “I probably would not know about most of the things going on if it wasn’t so lifted up. I love how many people support all the teams at the different games.”
Kraftick believes most young adults find the most from their phones, so that is how he is going to get it around campus, by using social media.
All of this is important but the key in it all will be in how to keep the “Patriot Pride” going after just these first few months. Kraftick does not only want this with athletic teams at UC. He said he also wants pride with theatre, music and everything else on campus.
“This is just the first year. We are going to have to do a lot of encouraging, encouraging, and encouraging,” Kraftick said.
Overall, Kraftick is very cheerful about getting all the small things together on campus. He is ready to begin the never-ending cycle of “Patriot Pride.” With so many more events to come, excitement around campus will surely not be dying down any time soon.
T in
Photo by Leanne Gregory
Chase s oler poses with UC merchandise offered in the campus bookstore.
By A Lyss A PA rrOTT staff Writer
A New Place of Worship
Immanuel Baptist Church opens doors in Williamsburg
On Sunday, September 11, Immanuel Baptist Church Williamsburg had its first service led by Pastor Allen Bonnell and Pastor Aaron Sherrell. Bonnell’s sermon was streamed from the Corbin campus of Immanuel Baptist Church on a large HD screen; while Sherrell conducted the service on the Williamsburg campus.
Sherrell says what is unique about IBC Williamsburg is that it is portable with lots of opportunity to serve. UC student Jessica Jordan recently attended a service at Immanuel Baptist Church and said, “The people were very inviting. The worship and the service were very contemporary and the message was relatable in many ways. I quite enjoyed it.”
The service was held at the Williamsburg Civic Center at 11 a.m. Information was also handed out to further explain that Immanuel Baptist Church Williamsburg will begin with a seven-week experience, over the course of which they will be exploring some of the defining values of the church family and magnifying what matters. According to Bonnell, the main focus of Immanuel is that “His grace is greater than your past.”
The experience consists of weekly sermons on Sunday and LIFE Groups that are held throughout the week. According to the IBC website, LIFE Groups are small groups of people in similar stages of life meeting to study the word of God and to strengthen the sense of community in Immanuel Baptist Church.
Joey Koogler, a former UC student, leads a LIFE Group with his
finance Lindsi Weis, who is the resident hall director in Moss Hall.
“One of the things that always impressed me about our staff team is their willingness and desire to be in the community throughout the week, and I definitely see that flowing onto the UC campus,” said Koogler.
Caroline Schlansky, a UC student and LIFE Group leader has called IBC Corbin home for almost two years now. Schlanksy says that the move to the Williamsburg campus may provide more opportunities for UC students and people around the community to attend. “It’s a big church, but when you’re there it doesn’t feel like it. You feel like you’re a part of a family each time you step through the doors,” said Schlansky.
Sherrell said, “At Immanuel we are all about relationships. LIFE Groups are an excellent opportunity for our people to build relationships and invite new people to join their group.”
There are several LIFE Groups for UC Students and information is provided on when meetings are held and who is leading them. Sherrell also serves as the football chaplain for UC and takes advantage of every opportunity to meet UC students.
IBC Williamsburg wants to make an impact on UC student lives. “Partnering with organizations like BCM and FCA, we hope to empower these organizations to do what they do best!” said Sherrell.
“The best that God has in store for UC is yet to come, and we really want to have a part in what he is doing there!” said Koogler.
Photo by Kevin norvell
One night, three men and 37 plays
UC Theatre presents “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)”
By Z A ne rO ss staff Writer
This fall semester the University of the Cumberlands theatre department will be performing the play “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).” The title of the play may have you thinking, “Do I really have enough time to watch every Shakespeare play?” The answer is yes. “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” was originally written and performed by a theatre group known as The Reduced Shakespeare Company and is about three men (played on campus by UC students Nick Kidd, Foster Colvin and Austin Fletcher) who will attempt to perform all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays within the evening. Imagine for yourself all of the hours of content that was written by Shakespeare crammed into a 2-hour block.
The artistic director of the UC theatre Dr. Kim Miller said, “We’ve been having a lot of fun with it. It’s a very challenging play, but they were ready for it, I believe, and I think they think so too. When it all comes together we hope that people have a fun night in the theatre and have a lot of laughs.”
Nick Kidd, one of the stars of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged,” delved a bit into how different this production is from any other he has previously been a part of at UC. “I’ve never encountered a play like this before. The big thing about it is that it is only props, no set, so
we really have to create the set with our own physicality. It is all very fast and requires so much of you, but I think that is really the fun part because of the high energy. ‘Scapino!’ was high energy, but this has been the most requiring of anything I have ever done.”
Martha West, a member of the UC Theatre crew, added, “What is heavily relied on are the props. Not giving anything away, there are some props involved that you would expect from a Shakespeare play, but then there are a lot involved that are very…unique when you consider that it’s Shakespeare. We have to make sure that the props are in the right placement otherwise it could throw the whole thing off.”
There will be a total of four performances that will all take place in the Kohn Theatre of the Grace Crum Rollins building. Opening night for the play is at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 29. The other three performances will be the following nights, (September 30 and October 1) at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee performance on Sunday, October 2 at 2 p.m.
In addition, the first performance on September 29th is a scheduled event for UC Engage so you could come out, get the class credit and enjoy a night of hilarity in the works of the Bard, William Shakespeare.
Photo by DJ Hite
Austin Fletcher, nick Kidd and Foster Colvin rehearse for the upcoming play, “The Complete Works of William shakespeare (Abridged).”
A new era in SGA?
UC’s Student Government Association plans new ways to engage the student population
By Tren TOn CA n ADA e ditor-in-Chief
The University of the Cumberlands Student Government Association recently held a raffle for two Maroon 5 tickets to be given to a UC student for the band’s September 14 concert in Knoxville, Tennessee. The winner of the tickets was Staci Smallwood, a junior from Corbin, Kentucky.
“I thought it was a prank to be honest,” Smallwood said of when she received the notification that she had won the raffle. “I had never in my life won something like that, and to win Maroon 5 tickets, I didn’t think it was possible.”
The raffle, which was held on September 1, was part of SGA’s efforts to become more involved on campus by engaging the student body, according to SGA vice president Courtney Pethers.
“We were trying to think of a couple of different giveaways,” stated Pethers. “We did the book buy, where we had students share a post on Facebook to win free books. We saw that there was going to be a concert in Knoxville,
and we thought, ‘You know, people love Maroon 5, so why not?’”
“It’s not something that I saw them doing, honestly,” said Smallwood. “It kind of surprised me because I thought they would do more on-campus things instead of giving out tickets to concerts and stuff like that.”
Jessica Pope, president of UC’s SGA, explained the efforts further by stating, “We’re trying to make it an annual thing- the book buy especially- to become more involved. We want to give to the students.”
Pope noted that this is the first large event that SGA has held since her involvement with the organization. “I’m a junior now, and we haven’t really done much of anything as far as giveaways,” she said. “We’re really trying to change SGA this year.”
Pope went on to describe the changes that she would like to see come to SGA.
Photos submitted by Courtney Pethers
s GA president Jessica Pope and vice president Courtney Pethers work the s GA booth at the UC activity fair.
“SGA has been mostly a swim team thing, and that’s all that has really been in SGA. There are maybe two or three other people that weren’t on the swim team, so it’s basically controlled by swimmers,” she stated. “But we’ve worked really hard to change that and have a whole lot of new members. We’re trying to incorporate the rest of the student body.”
Smallwood offered her thoughts about SGA’s involvement with the campus body by stating, “I’ve seen them on campus a lot more this year than I have the past two years.”
One of the ways that SGA has chosen to engage the UC student body is through the implementation of social media. In fact, that is how Smallwood first learned of the Maroon 5 ticket raffle.
“I was actually at bingo when I saw the post that SGA was doing the drawing,” said Smallwood.
“That [social media] is how people interact the most, so we brought in a new girl, Sara Smith, to work with our social media,” Pethers noted.
According to Pope, SGA’s Facebook page was promoted by the book
buy campaign they ran at the beginning of the semester, which called on students to like SGA’s page and share a post.
“We’re going to put up a suggestion box in front of the SGA box for anyone to put in any suggestions they have, and we will review them at the SGA meetings,” Pope said. “We want to know what the student body wants changed so that we can push that forward.”
Pope went on to clarify that UC students have the opportunity to officially join SGA themselves. Acquiring a petition from the SGA office and collecting signatures from fellow students initiates the induction process into SGA. According to Pope, 75 signatures are needed to per student wishing to join SGA. Yet, she also explains that the meetings are open for UC students to attend. Postings about meeting times and places have been available on SGA’s Facebook page.
“A lot of times people complain about the school, but they don’t do anything to try to change it,” said Pethers. “We want new ideas and new ways to improve the school.”
Photos submitted by Courtney Pethers
s GA members paint students’ faces at a recent home football game.
new
s GA members are sworn in during a recent meeting. Meetings are open for students to attend.
UC Engage provides alternative to absent students
Dr. Emily Coleman speaks about assignments for students who miss UC Engage events
By Le A nne Gre GOry staff Writer
With the start of a new school year comes: new students, classes, and rules. At the University of the Cumberlands this is no different. UC Engage, the program that replaced what was formerly known as Convocation, brought with it new regulations detailing what students would need to do to pass the required course, including a requirement that states that students must attend the opening convocation in the fall semester. For students who missed the opening convocation held on Sept. 7, however, there is a way to make-up the missing credit in the form of an alternative assignment.
“We really want to do our best to encourage students to go the opening convocation,” said Dr. Emily Coleman, the vice president for student services at the University of the Cumberlands. ”But, I know that some students cannot attend for various schedule constraints, so we wanted to have an alternative assignment for those students.”
Created by Coleman, the make-up assignment will consist of two alternative assignments that students will be able to choose from. The alternatives that students may pick from are a writing assignment or attending another convocation event that will take the place of the Major Convocation. Students will receive extra information explaining what assignment they will
be able to choose via an email sent to them directly from Coleman herself through the Constant Contact system, a system that converts emails into mobile-friendly versions. The email will contain information about the writing prompt, the alternative event students can attend, when the assignment itself is due, and Coleman’s contact information for students who have questions or concerns about the event, or the essay, they are to write or attend. Students can expect the email to arrive in the next few weeks.
“I think that if a student has a good reason for missing convocation, they should be given an opportunity to earn their credit back through a makeup assignment,” said Shantel Buchner, a Spanish and human services double-major at the University of the Cumberlands. “There are so many obligations that we have as students, and many times convocation is a really stressful addition to our school load.”
Students who wish to learn more about the make-up assignments or how to start the make-up assignment process are encouraged to stop by the Student Services office or to email Dr. Emily Coleman directly for more information.
Johnathan stevens (left) and Josh Williams (right) wait to talk to Dr. Coleman about alternative assignments for UC engage
Photo by DJ Hite
By Dennis Ker L ey Guest Writer
UC Health and Wellness Center now offers equipment rentals
The University of the Cumberlands Health and Wellness Center is now offering a new equipment check-out service. This service started less than a month ago and and offers recreational equipment like spike ball sets, Frisbees and volleyballs for students to use, that they may not have brought with them from home.
In the previous school year, the Health and Wellness Center was rather new, and beginning to start the commonplace check-out of billiard cues and ping-pong rackets for use inside the recreational area. In efforts to continue to be student and recreation-oriented, Josh Hatfield, UC’s director of intramurals and recreation, is taking the lead on the project and expects it to be a success. “It’ll take some time for it to grow, but since outside construction is almost done…it will be more friendly for students who can now use equipment into the nighttime hours,” Hatfield said.
This new check-out system requires the student to present their University ID card to any one of the attendants at the Wellness Center’s equipment counter located at the front entrance, and select which item they would like to check out and use. While there is not a set limit on how long students may use the equipment, they are expected to return it within the next day.
Upon selecting which item the student would like to check out, their ID is kept by the attendants until the object is returned and checked back into the system.
However, the check-out system does not limit students to using the equipment just outside of the Wellness Center. Instead, they are able to keep the equipment even overnight, and return it when they are done. Examples of this could be checking out volleyball equipment and playing a game at RobCook Hall, or basketballs for use at Mahan’s court.
Ryan Reviere, one of the many student attendants at the Wellness Center, gives the new system a hopeful praise, expecting it to increase in popularity throughout the semester. “It’s good to give students something to do; you can come to pass the time, playing games and having a good time with friends.” Reviere said.
It is expected that the variety of equipment available through the service will increase and change throughout the coming semesters, In regards to the future of the program, Hatfield said, “There may be new things we could provide depending on what students would like, and we may offer more fitness-oriented things, but it would require increased funding.”
By AsHTOn r e CTOr Assistant e ditor
Fall Fashions:
A look Into Williamsburg’s fall festival, Old Fashioned Trading Days
As the leaves fall to the ground, a new season arrives bringing festivities, colors, and personality all of its own. While many may be sipping their pumpkin spice lattes or stomping through the rows of a pumpkin patch, they could also be strolling through weekends of fall festivals that firmly announce a new season has arrived.
The end of summer may have brought a sting of distress as music festivals, such as Bonnaroo and Coachella, concluded their run for the year, but a new wave of festivals are upon us and they are sure not to forget the music.
These signature fall festival events are filled with bluegrass music, various vendors, and the most favored booths that hold foods galore. Merchants housed under pop up tents bring items ranging from tee shirts that support the local high school to handmade crafts that are one of a kind.
Though there are several events as this throughout the country, a festival can be found locally on main street in downtown Williamsburg. The gathering is named Old Fashioned Trading Days, and for 33 years people ages young and old gather to the downtown area in early September for festivities and food.
Teresa Estes, wife of Williamsburg’s former mayor from 1978 to 1986, Paul Estes, explains her and her husband had the idea to begin the event, just as many places in the surrounding area.
Estes and her husband owned the radio station in Williamsburg, during this time period, and they had gathered an RC wagon to place on the courthouse square to sell an RC Cola and a hot dog for a dime. They sold 1,440 hot dogs that day.
The next year the Estes’ rented a flatbed trailer and invited gospel music groups to perform during the evening of the event.
Even more people followed the next year as Estes recalls, “we had some crafters come in, and rented out some food booths and that’s how it all started.”
Many community groups throughout the Williamsburg area would also begin to house food booths as the size of the event grew.
“We thought that would be a good way for them to raise money for their organizations or their church,” stated Estes.
Fall festivals are not only a social event, but they also often celebrate the heritage of the surrounding area.
Estes described the attire for the event was long dresses and bonnets for the women and bib overalls for the men. Estes describes there were several merchants in the downtown area during this time, and they would create antique window displays specifically for the event.
Old Fashioned Trading Days still commemorates the Appalachian heritage of the area by holding a quilt show and canning contest, all the while streams of bluegrass music fills the background.
So, put away your flower crowns and trade them for a pair of blue jeans and glass fresh squeezed lemonade, because weekends packed with community fun and celebrations are headed your way. The leaves will change and new latte might soon steal the stage, but one thing is for certain fall, food, and festivals will never go out of style.
Photo by eric Ford e dwards
The art of being created A devotional
By Ly Di A H UGGins Guest Writer
A 25-pound bag of clay is thrown onto the table in front of the artist. The artist carefully plans and draws an idea of what the lump of clay will become. Depending on which technique of sculpting the artist chooses, they either move the clay around to form a shape or cut off chunks of clay to roll into coils to stack on top of each other.
The sculptor puts a lot of effort into the time-consuming process to create something out of the clay. If the clay gets too dry, the artist needs to cut slits in the top of the clay, then fill it with a gooey mixture of clay and water; the pliable clay will be able to mesh with the once dry clay. The excess clay that isn’t needed is scraped off and what’s left is carefully molded to transform into the planned artwork. Sometimes the walls of the artwork’s structure will become too thin and will tear. The sculptor has to add more clay to make it stronger. Once it is the correct proportions and a smooth texture, then the detail work is done with sharp needle like tools to carve into the clay.
After all of the messy work and exertion, the piece is fully formed. Before the piece is finished though, it has to sit for a while to dry out before being put into the kiln. The sculpture has to be baked at a very high temperature. If a glaze wasn’t put on the artwork before it went into the kiln then the final touches can be painted on after it’s been fired. What was once just a lump of clay has now come to life in the shape of something beautiful.
As an artist and a follower of Jesus, the experience of sculpting from clay became very meaningful to me. Being able to create makes me feel closer to the Creator. Sculpting gave me an even more intimate view of how God sculpts us. Out of all the people in the world, the fact that no two people are exactly alike (even identical twins become different and unique in their own way) is evidence to me that God takes time and effort to create a beautiful artwork…you.
God planned to create you. He carves out the unnecessary parts of your life. Although it may hurt, it is necessary for Him to form you into who you are becoming. Sometimes, we become too dry and He has to cut into us and fill us with something messy to attach and build something new from us.
At times, we will become thin and frail and will need to be strengthened by the hands of the Creator. Just as the detail work must be painful to the clay, so are our growing pains to become something more wonderful. Then, often in life there is a peaceful season where it seems like we’re waiting for something to happen. And then the fire comes and it seems like nothing will ever be good again, but just as Jesus was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire, He is with us too.
Although we may not understand the sometimes uncomfortable process that God takes us through, there is a purpose. Isaiah 29:16 (NIV) says something similar, “You [God] turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘You did not make me’? Can the pot say to the potter, ‘You know nothing’?”
Accepting who you are is difficult. For a while, being comfortable with the hobbies and skills you have collected is enough, but it will not always last. During spring semester of my sophomore year of college, I began to be burnt out from writing and being a journalist wasn’t enough. Thankfully, that was during the same semester that I discovered my enjoyment for sculpting with clay. God knew that I would need another creative outlet during a stressful time. Finding another piece of me through art wasn’t what made me feel more complete. Experiencing the Creator in a creative way brought me closer to Him, which is where I feel most satisfied.
The potter knows exactly how to form you into who you are. No one else was made like you. You are wonderfully made in His image.
Photo submitted by Lydia Huggins
