Monumental.
Letter from the Retiring Editor
Dear Patriots,
I’m writing this as my final letter as the editor-in-chief of our campus newspaper. I don’t have any advice that I’ve learned in my four and a half years at UC to pass on today. Today, I only have thanks to give. Thanks to my staff, thanks to my professors and thanks to you, the readers.
To my staff, I want to say that they have made my short stand as editor-inchief one of the most fulfilling experiences in my life this far. I worried about how I was going to run the newspaper, but they taught me that I wasn’t running anything. I led them and even taught some of them, but one person could not have created the high quantity, as well as high quality, of stories and photos and designs like my staff has succeeded in doing this semester. They took the initiative to learn, to accept responsibility and, in some cases, took the initiative to lead when I was unable. I’ve said it before to them and I will say it here now, I’m going to miss you guys. To my professors, and I do mean all of them that have had me in class, I want to say that I don’t think I could have made it to this point without you. Yes, your job is to teach us, but I have had few classes where my professor didn’t go beyond what their job requires. I can’t name all my professors that have influenced me here, but there are a few I want to acknowledge. I want to thank Jamey Temple who gave me the keys to be creative. I want to thank both Dr. and Mrs. Fish who taught me, unironically, that if you do something that you love then you truly don’t work a day in your life. I want to thank Dr. Jolly Sharp and Marianne Worthington who both taught me each in their own way that I could always do better, and I they were right. I want to thank Jordyne Carmack for giving me my first opportunity on this campus to share my voice and perspective and then teaching me to hone that voice. Lastly, but by far the most influential, I want to thank Jeremiah Massengale, my mentor, my advisor and my friend for having faith in me and teaching me pretty much everything else that I know. I’m going to miss all of you.
Then to you, the readers, without whom this paper wouldn’t exist, I want to say thank you for giving us your feedback, thank you for sharing your lives with us and above all just thank you for reading. We have received more interaction with you guys this semester than I thought we would through face-to-face interactions and through social media which has always been our goal. Our paper exists to share your voice so even if you don’t want to write or take photos, don’t be afraid to let us know what’s going on around campus. Good luck on finals, Happy Holidays and keep moving forward.
Sincerely,
Editor-In-Chief
Zane Ross
Managing Editor
Emilee Agee
Faculty Adviser
Jeremiah Massengale
Staff
Haley Bullock
Leanne Gregory
Tyler Kohn
Mike Krzyston
Rebecca Lewter
Jessica McFerron
Nichole Nantz
Alex Nunn
Jenna Rose
Tara Todd
Hunter West
Dan Williams
Maranda Young
Front cover by Mike Krzyston
Back cover by Jeremiah Massengale
Email comments, concerns or tips to: thepatriot@ucumberlands.edu or call us at 606-539-4172 7000 College Station Drive Williamsburg, Kentucky 40769
The Patriot is the 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 Associated Collegiate Press and Kentucky Press Association.
Christmas on a budget
How to save money during the holidays
BY JESSICA MCFERRON
Saff Writer
The time of giving can be difficult for people who struggle on a daily basis, especially when Christmas is more focused on spending money on presents than spending time with the family. From finding holiday decorations to decorate the house to buying presents for your loved ones, it can be difficult. However, there are many options of how to relieve the stress from one’s wallet when the holiday season hits.
Decorating the house for Christmas is a heartwarming event because you spend time with family. Family time is very important during the holiday season, so that everyone knows how much it means to have quality family time. Saving money on holiday decorations for your house can be difficult at last minute. There is one really good way to get decorations for cheap prices; you just have to buy them after Christmas. Buying decorations after Christmas saves you a lot of money because the decorations go on sale for 50 percent—75 percent off. Although many people buy decorations before Christmas, it’s a better deal that saves money.
Saving money at Christmas by DIY-ing instead of buying them saves you money. A homemade
Bah humbug
Why some students don’t like Christmas
present is more valued by your family members because if they have one for every year that the family member grows up, it helps to relive memories. Parents often time love gifts that are DIY because it was “made from love” from their children. DIY-ing Christmas presents takes more time, but the family member knows you spent time on a personalized gift for them.
Simple DIY items like snow globe ornaments are something people can treasure for many years to come.
Couponing during the giving season helps saves money because you can get up to 50 percent off some expensive items. Couponing from day to day is a major deal, but during the holiday season it allows individuals to possibly buy more presents for family members. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are really good times to get major deals on items that are expensive that family members often would like, but you would have to deal with the hassle of people arguing or fighting over gifts. Even though those days have passed this season, price checking is still a great way to save money at stores that charge more; you can go up to them and see if they can price check the item with competitive stores.
BY MARANDA YOUNG Staff Writer
It’s almost Christmas time again. The traditional way of celebrating Christmas is placing decorations everywhere, giving presents, being surrounded by the ones you love most, drinking hot cocoa, eating good food and so much more. Not all people celebrate Christmas , however, or love it as much Cindy Lou Who. Every year, people all over the world, who do not like Christmas try to avoid listening to the songs about Santa, avoid the Christmas programs on T.V. and avoid the holiday rush.
“Christmas is too commercial,” said Holden Birchfield, a UC senior. This is one of the hundreds of reasons why some people don’t enjoy Christmas. “Christmas has become a time where families focus on sales instead of showing love. People focus on arguing about who brings what dish instead of teaching the children how to take care of one another,” said Birchfield.
“Christmas time is exciting and can be fun, but it should also be a time to teach about the birth of Christ. I am not a fan of Christmas because of how the holiday idolizes Santa Claus. In the Bible, it is stated that it is a sin to make idols of anyone or anything besides Christ,” Corey Ledington, a junior at UC, said.
For some people, their opinion on Christmas depends on how they were raised. Greg Napier, a freshman at UC, said, “Growing up I moved around a little bit. My parents didn’t really celebrate Christmas and my grandparents felt that Christmas traditions were dumb. So, now that I’m grown, I realize some of the same
things they did about Christmas. The Christmas holiday is a waste of money, you stress from worrying about how much money you spend or what to get for people. We spend hours trying to cook for people who complain and don’t appreciate the little things in life. When I decide to start a family of my own, I don’t plan on celebrating Christmas.”
Just because these people don’t like Christmas doesn’t make them mean or the Grinch. Besides religion, opinions on people’s actions or even how they were raised, some people have reasons for not enjoying Christmas that are much more sentimental.
For myself, growing up I was raised by my father. He and I put up our Christmas tree together every year. We would have fun and listen to Christmas music and eat cookies. From the time I was about nine till I was 10 years old he let me decorate the Christmas tree all by myself. My dad told me that I did an amazing job every time, even if it didn’t look good. My dad passed away when I was 11 years old and it took away the fun of celebrating Christmas. To this day I still don’t enjoy Christmas, I don’t enjoy putting up the Christmas tree, listening to Christmas music or watch the Christmas movies. To me, Christmas is just another day.
Just because other people have different opinions about subjects doesn’t make them any better or worse than others. Please remember to spread the holiday cheer this year by showing love to those who might be treated differently because of their uniqueness.
Photo by Maranda Young
Illustration by Zane Ross
Christmas at the Cumberlands
BY HALEY BULLOCK Staff Writer
Christmas at the Cumberlands, the UC music department’s first Christmas concert to include all ensembles, was held on December 2, 2018 at 4 p.m. in the O. Wayne Rollins Center. This new holiday tradition combines the musical talent of the vocal and instrumental ensembles to capture the spirit of Christmas. The gym was replaced from its usual setup from basketball games and wrestling matches and was turned into a winter wonderland for the concert. The stage was decked (like the halls) with Christmas lights hanging from the edge of the stage and surrounded by poinsettias and small Christmas trees. Abigail Fletcher, a UC freshman and tuba player in concert band, says, “There was a lot of time and preparation put into the overall event, from decorating to practicing. It went better than expected because it had never been done before, but for a new type of concert that we put together where nothing went wrong in, I consider that an accomplishment. The turnout was also great, we had about 500 people in the audience and just 100 people performing on stage.”
Roddy Harrison, the mayor of Williamsburg, spoke at the beginning and the end of the event, making his praise obvious for the department’s performance as a whole. During his closing remarks, Mr. Harrison said, referring to the student musicians, “You took us on an emotional rollercoaster and that is what a good concert is supposed to do, so I appreciate you so much.” Other guest speakers, such as Dr. Larry Cockrum, president of the University of the Cumberlands, also spoke their praise for the band’s hard work leading up to the big performance.
The ensembles included in the concert involved the chamber choir, chorale, brass choir, symphonic winds, percussion, and jazz ensemble. All of the groups performed multiple pieces that showcase the best Christmas classics that represented the group. The chamber choir sang songs that exhibiting the highlights of each range: alto, soprano, tenor, and bass, such as “Mary, Did You Know?,” a staple in the holiday playlist. The instrumental ensembles also
The Holiday Hustle
A playlist to keep you rockin’ around this holiday season.
featured other Christmas staples, such as “Carol of the Cowbells” and “The Christmas Song.” However, the ensembles also performed less traditional Christmas tunes during Christmas at the Cumberlands. The choir performed a song titled “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” and the brass choir performed a song titled “Lux Arumque.” While some songs may be less traditional than others, they still embody the Christmas spirit and showcase the students’ talents.
The concert was a success and concluded with many rounds of applause for the guest speakers, the student musicians, and the narrator, Nicholas Kidd, a senior UC theatre major. Kidd says, “I thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas at the Cumberlands! I`ve been excited about the show since early November. Overall, I feel like the show was very successful. The music department had a variety of music that took the audience on an emotional journey. There were serious moments where the feelings would run deep, and there were moments where laughter filled the air. The music department arranged a good combination of traditional and exciting Christmas music.”
Kidd adds, “I really enjoyed getting to speak to everyone, sharing some personal Christmas stories, and talking about our savior Jesus Christ. Another exciting memory for me was dancing with the mayor during the finale. I can honestly say, I never thought I`d be dancing onstage with the mayor during a Christmas concert. That`s a funny memory I won`t forget.”
The eighteen pieces of music that were performed at the concert were produced with many obvious hours of hard work coming from the students and the staff at UC. Many different groups including the music department, athletic department, and the custodial staff all worked together to create the momentous event that is hoped to be repeated next year and for many years to come. Christmas at the Cumberlands 2018 was the start of the Christmas season kick-off that will hopefully return next holiday season.
Holiday brushes courtesy of Obsidian Dawn
Photo by Haley Bullock
UC receives grant for library renovations
BY ALEX NUNN Staff Writer
UC recently announced the receipt of a $5 million grant from the Grover Hermann Foundation to renovate the university’s library into a 21st Century Learning Center for students, faculty, staff and community members.
Cumberlands’ current library, which is out-of-date, was constructed in the 1960s, and since that time, few renovations have been completed. The proposed architectural design, created by the Brandstetter Carroll Architectural Firm, includes a first floor filled with technology booths, a coffee bar and café, computer areas, rooms for quiet study, and a portion of the library’s media collection. The concept plan for the second floor includes the bulk of the library’s collection, in addition to classrooms and plenty of seating and study areas. An elevator will also be added, increasing access to all floors.
Josh Meadors, instructional media supervisor at the library says, “I’ve been working here for a while…and I’d just really like to see the library raised to the same status as the buildings such as Leuker and Hutton School of Business.”
As part of the renovation process, the library will be named the Grover M. Hermann Learning Center.
Jan Wren, director of the library, stated that the renovations needed to focus on making the learning center more student oriented, saying “The main emphasis for the new student center is making it more comfortable.”
Wren continued by saying, “Libraries used to have chains around their books that only the librarian held the key to, but they’ve evolved since then, and it’s time for us to evolve even further.”
Wren says that she has many ideas to go over, and that she will be looking
for ways that other libraries have, and haven’t, evolved.
Wren spoke strongly of how important making the learning center more student friendly is. From sound-proofing the rooms, to including collaborative work spaces for students to have access to resources they may need. She also emphasized the idea of more digital-based usage as well. Which has already begun with the library’s “UC MegaSearch.” that can be used on the library portion of UC’s website to find most archived resources. Wren added, “I’m terribly excited. I’m overwhelmed with the generosity of the foundation. We’re a service department, we want our students to have what they need to complete what they need to do, and be comfortable while doing so.”
Wren isn’t the only one excited about the changes. Aaron Schell, a UC junior and employee at the library says, “I think that it’s a good idea to see a change, but I’d still like to see the history incorporated with the library involved with the change.”
When told that the planned additions include a cafe and an elevator, Nic Louis, a UC freshman, responded with, “I think it’s really cool, and will be a fun place to hang out and to study and more accessible for people.”
Though there is still quite a lot of time to go before the new Grover M. Hermann Learning Center renovations are done, it’s still something exciting to look forward to.
Photo and illustration by Zane Ross
A reflection on the Washington Monument Simple and Clean
BY ZANE ROSS Editor-in-Chief
There are two things that I noticed while visiting Washington D.C. and those two things are that you can see the Capitol Building from pretty much anywhere and that the Washington Monument has its own atmosphere of awe surrounding it.
While in D.C. we had a tour guide, Rebecca Grawl, who guided us through the National Mall and, appropriately, our first stop was the Washington Monument, the tribute built in honor of the first man to lead our country over 250 years ago. She said that the plan to build the monument was made while Washington was alive, but he didn’t want it. I couldn’t believe that the first man to lead us to independence didn’t want a monument to that great feat, but he didn’t. I think that through that information we can see the type of man Washington was, he was humble and put the greatness of our country above the greatness of himself.
Needless to say, the monument was built anyway with the plan to be the tallest building in the world, a white obelisk with pillars on the outside and a gold statue of Washington riding in a chariot. Obviously, that isn’t what we have today. Construction began in 1848 and was a third of the way completed before they ran out of funding. You
More than meets the eye
Why you should tour Washington D.C. even if you think it’s boring
BY EMILEE AGEE Managing Editor
can tell that the top two thirds of the monument are made of a different type of stone compared to the marble of the bottom third. It wasn’t until 1884 that the obelisk portion of the monument was completed, but not the rest of the original design. No pillars. No gold statue. Simply a 554-foot-tall white obelisk that would tower above any other manmade structure in the world. At least it would for five years until it was exceeded by the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Perhaps it is for the best that the monument isn’t the tallest structure in the world. Perhaps it is for the best that there are no marble pillars and no gold statue of Washington riding in a chariot. I think that Washington had no delusions of grandeur in his life. He was no king. He wasn’t a hero. Washington was a man who believed in a cause and a dream and the simple iteration of the Washington Monument that we have today reflects that perfectly. It is a simple design, not regal or extravagant, like Washington and it isn’t the tallest building in the world, but it stands taller than any building in D.C. like Washington stood, metaphorically, taller than any man in the Colonies. That is why he was made our president and that is what makes his monument a perfect reflection of his character.
If you are among the many students who have very little knowledge or care about American history and politics, a trip to Washington D.C. to tour monuments and museum may seem incredibly boring. From a perspective that has a lack of understanding of the great detail and symbolism that is incorporated into building like the capital and the white house, it is easy to write it all off D.C. as a place of just government corruption. It is one thing to hear about our country in a classroom, but it is another thing entirely to be there and see the history for yourself.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, is sitting at his monument with one side of his body relaxed and the other with better posture. This symbolizes the duality of his humble beginnings with his high position as president. One of his hands forms a sign language A while the other an L, something the sculptor incorporated because he had a deaf son. Along the north wall of his statue is Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address where the letter E was engraved where there should have been an F. These details show the more personable side of history. Our presidents have
childhoods, personality traits, their monuments have sculptors who have family members and they make mistakes like everyone else. It is obvious that Thomas Jefferson had a library full of books but walking through and looking at the exact books he owned in the Library of Congress, walking through The Capitol where the floor is stained with spilled oil from the lamps that used to hang, is difficult to put into words. To know that The Capitol was stormed and torched is just another fact to us but seeing and touching the columns scarred with the marks of the flames is an amazing experience even for those that have little concern with history.
There is security who guard the Declaration of Independence all day and college interns working hard in these beautiful and historic buildings that have a clear passion for what our country stands for and helping make it better. Seeing the diversity through the city and the people behind the scenes and learning some little-known facts about the place can make any person who is hesitant or apathetic toward taking a trip to D.C. come to find it is worth it.
Photo by Zane Ross
Photo by Jeremiah Massengale
The Patriot with a “Capitol” P
Top Left: Visitors and spectators walk to view the Washington Monument, the tallest structure in the city.
Bottom Left: The African American History Museum is the newest addition to the Smithsonian, and stands out from the rest due to its unique architecture.
Top Right: A group of street musicians waves at passing viewers as they record their performance.
Center: The Lincoln Memorial sits in front of a reflecting pool, across from the World War II fffMemorial.
Bottom Right: A herd of people venture through a local street fest in front of the National Museum of Art. The fest features art and goods from local artists.
Recently, the executive staff of the Patriot newspaper traveled to Washington D.C. While there we were able to meet Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers, tour the White House as well as the National Mall and experience D.C. culture.
A photo essay by Mike Krzyston
