Letter from the Editor
Dear Patriots,
This is my final letter to you all as editor-in-chief. I cannot begin to express the gratitude I have for this paper and everyone that reads it, and for the impact it has made on my college experience, as well as my life. I sort of āaccidentallyā joined The Patriot in the spring semester of 2018 by hanging around the office until they asked if I could write something every week. From there it became one of the most fun and important things Iāve ever had the privilege to be a part of. My staff has been second to noneā with this staff, we have published 24 issues in 2019 and are on track to win many awards at the Kentucky Press Association Awards in January.
Above all, this staff became a family to me, and the office became a second home.
As I leave UC in a week, itās hard to put into words how thankful I am for the professors and friends that stuck with me until the end. I was lucky enough to learn from professors like Jordyne Carmack, who helped me fall in love with digital media, or Rob Floyd for teaching me storytelling techniques through creating films. Iām so thankful for Ms. Worthington for developing me as a writer and giving me courage in my writing to want to be a journalist. The Communication Arts department is a special place, and the future is so bright for incoming students.
The friends Iāve made here have been second to none, and filled with the most genuine people youāll ever meet. I was recruited to UC as a wrestler, and thanks to that, I have had a band of friends that have been by my side for every moment of my college career. Leaving them will probably be one of the hardest things Iāve done, and Iām cherishing every last moment we have together. Above all, I am most thankful for my mentor, advisor, boss, professor and friend, Jeremiah Massengale. I remember nervously asking if you would be my advisor when I switched my major to journalism, and you changed my life from there. You have taken me across the country on some of the most memorable trips Iāll ever have, and taught me more than how to just be successful in my field, but in life as well. You believed in me more than Iāve ever believed in myself, and Iāll never be able to repay you for that. Thank you forever.
I knew it wouldnāt last forever, but it was real. There arenāt enough words to express my gratitude, UC. I love you all, I hope I can make you all proud one day.
For the last time, Fire it up,
Mike Krzyston, Editor-in-Chief
Editor-In-Chief
Mike Krzyston
Managing Editor
Taylor Duke
Faculty Adviser
Jeremiah Massengale
Staff
Emilee Agee
Haley Bullock
Whitney Couch
River DePetris
Taylor Duke
Makayla Durham
Abigail Fletcher
Leanne Gregory
Alex Nunn
Jenna Rose
Sara Sherman
Elizabeth Spires
Maranda Young
Front cover by Mike Krzyston and Maranda Young
Back cover by Abigail Fletcher
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.
Main Street makeover
Marketplace prepares to soft open in January
BY: MARANDA YOUNG Staff Writer
University of the Cumberlands recently announced a host of new businesses, collectively called Marketplace on Main & 3rd, opening early next year in downtown Williamsburg. Located on the 300 block of Main Street, Marketplace on Main & 3rd brings shopping, dining, and food experiences that are intended to draw community members, tourists, and students.
The Marketplace includes a general store, coffee shop, butcher shop, and business start-up incubator. The general store, called Moonbow Mercantile, owned and operated by Williamsburg resident Sky Marietta, will sell local crafts and ice cream. This will be Moonbowās second location in the area. Moonlight Meat Shop, owned by Williamsburg resident and local butcher Anne Bays, will sell fresh local meats and cheeses, sauces, and cooking accessories. Pioneer College Caterers will operate the coffee shop, Cumberland River Coffee, this will also feature a Kentucky Proud independent brand.
In a recent press release, Dr. Larry Cockrum, president of University of the Cumberlands, explained, āWe believe a thriving downtown will help us attract students and promising new hires, provide great local shopping and dining options, and contribute to local community leadership and entrepreneurship. We also hope our investments in the downtown create real-world learning experiences for our students.ā
UC freshman Zyan Hollis said, āIt would be very exciting. I think it would be nice to have your own shopping place and a coffee shop. You donāt want to travel 30 minutes to an hour to find something to do.ā
UC freshman Unice Tapia said, āItās hard for me to travel anywhere here
because I donāt have a car. Since I have Starbucks here, itās my coffee place and I have a different variety of food to eat here.ā
University of the Cumberlandsā entrepreneur-in-residence Geoff Marietta is overseeing the development as well as the business incubator space, which will provide workstations and a conference room for budding entrepreneurs. Marietta will use the space to aid in the development of other small businesses in Williamsburg and the local region.
UC sophomore William Mcdonnell added, āThis would be a really cool thing to experience as a student. As a business major who would like to own his business, I would enjoy seeing new business start ups and enjoy watching the process and the though behind it. Iām very interested seeing how this goes down and it affects our school as a whole.ā
Marketplace on Main & 3rd was made possible by significant investment in the downtown of Williamsburg by University of the Cumberlands. In December 2017, UC purchased the former Faulkner & Taylor furniture store with the longterm goal to help support the local economy and improve studentsā experiences while on campus. The upper floors will be used as housing for students while the first floor is used for commercial space, enabling students to have a downtown residential experience.
Marketplace on Main & 3rd is nearing the end of renovations with staggered soft openings of the businesses scheduled for January. A grand opening and ribbon cutting date will be held in the months following.
Photo by Makayla Durham
Q&A with the retiring editor
Diving into Mike Krzystonās time at The Patriot and UC
BY HALEY BULLOCK Staff Writer
Michael Krzyston has been the editor-in-chief of The Patriot since the spring of 2019 and has produced a total of 24 issues as the editor. Krzyston is the last official journalism major at the University of the Cumberlands since the switch to the new system where there are emphasises instead of whole majors. This Region Rat was recruited at UC for wrestling where he found his true passion and love for journalism. He has left a record-breaking legacy, leading The Patriot to win 33 awards at the 2019 Kentucky Press Awards.
Haley Bullock: What are your plans for after graduation?
Mike Krzyston: Iāve been working for this company for two year called Local 219. Itās a digital media company based in Crown Point, Indianna which is located in The Region, where Iām from. I make all the videos there, I produce a lot of stuff. My official title there is editor-in-chief, so I handle a lot of day to day operations, setting up shoots and stuff like that. Yeah, no, Iām excited.
Bullock: Were you always interested in journalism?
Krzyston: No. Uh, *chuckles* my interest in journalism started when I took Jeremiahās āIntro to Journalismā class my sophomore year, first semester of sophomore year. I was actually a psych major for awhile with a journalism minor. Then I took Jeremiahās class and I met Jeremiah and I was like āWow. This is actually something I want to do for the rest of my life. Whether itās like writing stories or taking photos and stuff like that.ā
Bullock: What is your most memorable moment on staff?
Krzyston: On staff? Hmm. Probablyā¦ I think I got two. One was Louisville at the NCMC conference last year, the National College Media Convention, when I made a promotional video for their national film festival competition and I won. It was just a great night, everyone was there watching and I donāt know, it was a lot of fun. It was great. That was just a great trip. And also, the KPAās last year when we just raked up all these awards. Just seeing that because thereās a lot ofā¦ thereās just so much hard work. I know people read our stuff on campus, but itās still not appreciated as much as it should be. But winning all those awards even though theyāre just state recognized awards, that means a lot to the staff and keeps morale high.
Bullock: So youāre from The Region but what made you come to Kentucky, to UC, for college?
Krzyston: Oh itās crazy. I was actually going to commit to this school in Cleveland called Baldwin Wallace and I was all but committed and then the old wrestling coach, Coach Fleeger, contacted me late January in my senior year of high school recruiting me to wrestle here. I was like āAlright. Cool,ā and he paid me a visit inside my house and he told me what the school was about. It sounded kind of lame from his description, but I came here on an official visit and met my now one of my really good friends, one of my best friends
actually, Trey Leon. We were on our trip together and just the family and the camaraderie within not only the team, but the campus in general. And I just love the feel about it. I just ditched all thoughts about going to Cleveland the next day because I just loved it so much. I felt at home here.
Bullock: How has being editor-in-chief made you more confident as a journalist?
Krzyston: I think because having people view me in a leadership role just gives me confidence. Even though the term āeditor-in-chiefā is like the boss or whatever, I never think of it that way. I always try to make sure everyone has an equal role, but knowing Iām in charge, Iām in an authoritative position, like I just, I donāt knowā¦ I just love helping people. I love being able for people to come to me with problems, whether itās personal or work-related. That gives me energy, I feed off of otherās energy if I can help them anyway I can.
Bullock: Who has the biggest impact on you at UC?
Krzyston: Oh, Jeremiah, hands down. Jeremiah Massengale. The greatest influence, probably one of the best and biggest influences in my life. Heās believed in me more than Iāve believed in myself at the end of the day. Just how positive he is even when heās not, you know? He has such a good attitude and such a warm presence and always wanting to help others even when heās not in the right mindspace to do it. I know Jeremiah very personally and Iāve got to become more than, you know, his mentee and more than someone he just advises. Iāve become a really good friend with him and form a relationship that I know is going to last forever. Iāll be able to text him out of the blue, and I donāt know, I love the guy. Heās just been absolutely remarkable to me and to my family, probably going to be the thing I miss the most from UC.
Bullock: What would you tell freshman journalism majors or people that are interested in the field?
Krzyston: If you have any interest at all, any, write as much as you can and try to get it published, whether itās at the paper or if youāre sending emails to a million different publications. I am still doing that right now. If I have an idea, Iāll send it to a million people even if itās like Rolling Stone or Pitchfork or something, Iāll just send it hoping for a response. And if you donāt get a response, like whatever. And also, be able to handle criticism and rejection. Egos play a big part in peopleās failure. In journalism, you know, itās important to get the truth right and a lot of times youāre going to misreport things, but you canāt take anything personally. Itās just the business and the whole goal is to make sure that the truth gets out there whether youāre writing or a photographer or doing anything like that. Handling criticism and being able to check yourself is one of the most important things you can ever have in your life.
Photo by Mike Krzyston
Christmas traditions from international UC students
BY: TAYLOR DUKE Managing Editor
Christmas is a big deal for people state side. On a typical Christmas day, families gather around Christmas trees, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, sharing laughs and gifts followed by a feast. For many of the international students here at the University of the Cumberlands, Christmas is celebrated with their own traditions.
Here in the United States, there are excessive amounts of money being spent on gifts, Christmas trees, and snow. Considering we have students from all around the globe, their Christmases sometimes look a little different.
āWhile celebrations for the holiday season may be culturally different, it is wonderful to see that the spirit and joy of giving and love are shared around the world. These values truly highlight the beauty of humanity,ā said director of international academic services, Julie Deyrup.
Alena Schuss, a senior from Austria, is thrilled to be going home for Christmas this year. Austria is located in Europe, next to Germany and Italy. Schuss spoke fondly of her family and their Christmas traditions.
Schuss and her family typically celebrate Christmas the day before but that is something common in Austria.
āOh, Santa comes on December 8th. Its way before actual Christmas,ā continued Schuss.
According to WhyChristmas.com, Silent Night (Stille Nacht) is the most popular Christmas carol because it was written in Austria in 1818.
Lucia Pena is a junior from Spain. Her Christmas traditions come in the form of two lunches and two dinners. She and her family have a big dinner on Christmas Eve and lunch on Christmas Day. Pena talked about a Spanish tradition for New Years.
āThe 31st of December is where we eat 12 grapes in the last 12 seconds of the New Year,ā said Pena.
According to Judy Cantor-Navas, the tradition of eating 12 grapes in 12 seconds is becoming more popular in the U.S. because of the increased popularity of Spanish food and tapas.
Pena said that the tradition was done in order to start the New Year with luck. For those south of the Equator, Christmas takes place during the summer months.
āSo, Iāve never had a āwhite Christmas,āā said senior Smith Pepper. Pepper is from South Africa.
When comparing Christmas in the U.S. versus Christmas in South Africa he said that the holiday is a bigger deal in the U.S. He attributes the festive fever with the climate.
āWe see this in movies a lot,ā added Smith.
Pepper said that people in South Africa typically decorate the inside of the house very nicely.
When talking about how his family celebrates the holiday, Pepper said, āWe eat a huge meal like Thanksgiving here in America. My mom usually makes a roast lamb with roast potatoes with gravy and vegetables. She loves to listen to Boney M on Christmas Day!ā
Every family celebrates Christmas a little differently but that is the beauty of the day. Spending time with those who mean the most in our lives. The joy of Christmas isnāt constrained. So, Merry Christmas.
Illustration by Taylor Duke
Williamsburg wolves
A look into the Refuge Ridge Wolf Sanctuary
BY LEANNE GREGORY Staff Writer
The forests are filled with the baying call of wolves in the community of Little Cane Creek seven miles southwest of Williamsburg. Situated within 343 acres of land lies Refuge Ridge, a nationally recognized and accredited sanctuary for wolves and wolf dogs.
There are currently 25 animals on the property, including, according to the Refuge Ridge website, Motaki, a lackadaisical pup, Ganayegi, an avid mountain, and lap, climber, and Ayet, a fierce fighter. The lands that the animals share are mostly undeveloped, because the sanctuary works in conservation efforts to protect the environment, and is divided by acre into areas where various packs of wolves and wolf dogs can roam and play so that the animals can safely live in a natural habitat. The refuge does however contain the Roger and Phyllis Sherman Learning Center, which will be fully completed in January 2020 with the covering of the roof, from which visitors can view the animals and learn about their behaviors through educational materials. The refuge isnāt open to the public for the safety of the animals who can become stressed around large crowds, but the sanctuary does have open house days where visitors can be guided around the habitats and take photographs at their leisure. The visitor days can be booked online through the websites online calendar, with potential dates being posted around the volunteerās schedules. The sanctuary was created 20 years ago by Marti Wilson as a way to preserve all of the wolves and wolf dogs that were being euthanized in shelters with automatic put down policies, placed there by individuals trying to raise the animals as exotic pets and who were subsequently unable to handle them. The idea for the sanctuary came into being because Wilson received a call from a judge about a red wolf that was being held in deplorable conditions and was asked to check in on the animal. Upon seeing the animals condition Wilson decided to rescue the animal and, alongside her fifth-grade science class, began to develop the refuge. Anyone is allowed to volunteer for the sanctuary, however, those who apply are put through a rigorous screening process, and if they pass, they are then allowed to work their way up, starting off by doing chores, to caring for the animals.
UC professor of health, exercise and sport science Connie Howard is a longtime volunteer at the refuge, having worked there for seven years.
Howard came to be involved in the shelter through a chance meeting with Wilson at an award ceremony being held for her for educator of the year. Howard, regarding working with the wolves and wolf dogs, says, āItās a spiritual experience because when you gain the trust of one of these animals itās sensational. They are very shy, very standoffish and they have typical wolf behavior. We work very hard to dispel the big bad wolf story because thatās a myth. They would rather run than attack. Itās just a mystical experience when they come and sit with you and you can touch them.ā
Refuge Ridgeās goal is beyond conservation and caring for the animals involves expanding their education programs which is dedicated to educating people about the plight of the wolves, who are an endangered species, their behaviors and personalities and discouraging the public from attempting to own these animals privately. The sanctuary is a 501C organization, which means that the sanctuary does not receive federal money to run its facilities. They are only the second wolfdog sanctuary in the United States to receive accreditation, meeting criteria for food, shelter, and care for the animals. The wolves and wolf dogs at the refuge are not available for adoption to the public, but the sanctuary does take emergency dog cases that, with rehabilitation, can be adopted out to the public. In Kentucky, if a wolfdog or wolf is taken to a shelter it is illegal for that shelter to adopt the animal back out again so a sanctuary such as Refuge Ridge is the only place the animals can go to live out their lives. The sanctuary receives about 11 calls per week about animals needing asylum, which is primarily how the sanctuary acquires the wolves and wolf dogs, but the facility doesnāt have enough resources to be able to respond to all of the animals in need. The sanctuary does go out into the community, however, to raise awareness via power point presentations about their work. The refuge also has an online store where customers can purchase shirts, totes and hoodies with varying designs, and a donation page.
Students who wish to find out more information or have questions about the refuge can contact Ms. Howard at 606-344-8182, or by email, or those interested can visit the Facebook, Twitter, or website pages for the facility.
Photo courtesy of Refuge Ridge
Move over, Netflix
The newest streaming platform, Disney+, is taking the world by storm
BY MAKAYLA DURHAM
Staff Writer
Disney Plus launched on November 12 and already has more than 10 million subscribers, beating its competitors in the streaming entertainment field such as HBO Now, Apple TV Plus, and ESPN Plus. Disney Plus is home to many exclusive movies and T.V. shows such as Disney classics, Marvel studios films, Star Wars, and includes its own original streaming series. Over 90 years of content is available to watch on the Disney Plus service with many new additions being added soon for past and present shows and movies. For a monthly subscription it is $6.99 a month or for a year you can pay $69.99 and save almost $14 of your own money.
On the official launch of Disney Plus the creators explained that they were not expecting the high amount of streaming service and connection for users onto their subscriptions. This resulted in reports of broken or blank images, certain categories refusing to load, and problems playing movies and T.V. shows while using the service.
University of the Cumberlands senior Rachel Meaders gave her thoughts on Disney Plus saying, āI really enjoy having Disney Plus. I wouldnāt say Iām the biggest die-hard Disney fan but I definitely have some nostalgic moments watching Disney movies with family. The only complaint
I could muster would be the problems that I, and many others, have had with connecting to Disney Plus. Other than that I would absolutely recommend getting it. I mean itās a bargain.ā
The future for Disney Plus is looking brighter, with many of its problems being solved in a few days and new additions being added such as a playback button and a resume button so you can start where you left off on your movie or show. Things to look forward to for Disney Plus are the additions to the original production of āThe Mandalorian.ā At least two more Star Wars series will be added onto the service. The streaming service will also include new live-action shows that tie into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with characters such as Loki, Ms. Marvel, Wanda and Vision, Hawkeye, and Falcon and Winter Soldier. The new Marvel series are to start in the Fall of 2020 through 2022 at the latest.
University of the Cumberlands sophomore Diana-Rae Davis said, āItās so wholesome. Thereās nothing better than watching a Disney Vault movie and feeling that nostalgia. Disneyās just so timeless and Disney Plus allows everyone to enjoy that.ā
Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm
