The Patriot - October 1, 2020

Letter from the Editor

Dear Patriots,

With the recent cold front moving in, spooky season is officially upon us. It may be a bit of a stretch to say that no one is more excited than me for the fall weather, but it sure feels that way. The most wonderful time of the year is getting closer and closer. This semester and bi-term is something that a lot of us have gone into almost blindly, but Patriots, we are killing it. We did it. We survived our first round of midterms. We are adapting to this new way of learning. Everything is falling into place as we are all adapting to what life looks like now. Things are starting to feel good again. The end of 2020 is coming, and although that doesn’t mean 2020’s problems are going to stay with it, I think moving past this year will do everyone a lot of good.

You can’t hardly be certain about anything in life. Last year everyone was excited about 2020 because it was going to be the “Roaring 20s” again. Well, we definitely got the part about a rapid pandemic happening in the ‘20s and that’s about it at the moment. This year has been filled with many sorts of struggles for all of us, whether that be financially, mentally, physically or emotionally, they’re struggles all the same. It’s important to be kind and patient during these times because you never know what someone is going through. It’s also important to let the people close to you know that they matter and that you appreciate them. So often we go through our lives searching for the next biggest and better thing without being grateful for what we do have around us.

Life may not look like what you planned, or maybe you’re exactly where you planned yourself to be. Whether things are going better or worse than you imagined, you’re a lot tougher than you think you are, but you need to know that it’s okay to ask for help. I know that’s something a lot of people struggle with, but you aren’t on your own. Look at the people around you. Your roommate, your friends, your classmates, teammates, your congregation, your pastor or anyone else that you feel comfortable confiding in. All of those people are here for you. Communication with others is more important than ever. Lean on them and let them lean on you too. Now is the time to come together rather than split ourselves apart.

Things are hard, Patriots, that’s no secret. But I truly believe that we can pull through this if we stick together. Community is more important now than ever before. You don’t have to go through things alone. Be there for others like you want them to be there for you. Hang tight, Patriots. Halloween is almost here, and after that is Thanksgiving and Christmas. Enjoy your incoming fall weather and these chilly nights on campus.

Do the good things,

Haley Bullock, Editor-in-Chief

Editor-In-Chief

Haley Bullock

Managing Editor

Jenna Rose

Social Media Coordinator

Abigail Fletcher

Faculty Adviser

Jeremiah Massengale

Staff

Emilee Agee Makayla Durham

Alex Nunn

Maranda Young

Front cover photo by Maranda Young

Back cover photo by Maranda Young

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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.

Be the Change

A personal look at the new director of diversity and multiculturalism

BY ABIGAIL FLETCHER Social Media Coordinator

Jerton Evans is prominently known on the campus of the University of the Cumberlands as an assistant women’s basketball coach. Now students can look to Evans not only as the assistant coach but now as UC’s first director of diversity and multiculturalism. As the university’s director of diversity and multiculturalism, Evans will serve as the chief diversity officer. He will facilitate campus-wide discussions and training opportunities related to diversity.

In terms of what the position entails Evans, says, “It gives a lot of openness and dialogue with the student body as far as bringing different cultures and beliefs that normally wouldn’t share their cultures an opportunity to share their views without being judged. Just being able to open that dialogue and be more of a melting pot to prevent students from having different factions. It is more about that ‘one team’ model that we have here at the Cumberlands. It is just another step in that direction, bringing more cultures to the ‘one team.’”

This position will serve a lot of students on campus and aid in a more welcoming community at UC. According to Evans, the value of this position is, “Learning the students. To know who they are as people, why they are the way they are and why they think the way they think. [To] educate them on other cultures and get them to understand more worldly knowledge of other people. Everybody has prejudices, everybody has stereotypes in the back of their heads. This is a way to open up their minds to something greater than what they think it is.”

Evans has personal experience of the campus saying, “From an outside looking perspective of going into another small town, I was really worried about how I was going to be accepted or how I was going to be looked at. However, the first day here I got invited to so many churches and people just asking how [I am] doing. It is amazing how I have been welcomed into this community. I think that is something they are just trying to bridge that gap, if there’s any.”

On top of being the director and assistant coach, Evans is married and has three children. He says, “They are my little grown-ups. My kids are 9, 10 and 11. Braylee is my oldest. She is my sports person. My middle child, [Britton,] is my artist and my thinker. She will probably cure cancer one day. My youngest, [Brielle,] is a comedian and the most athletic young kid I have ever seen.” Evans has family connections that have worked at Cumberlands. Before taking on any positions at Cumberlands, Evans worked at Williamsburg Independent as an English teacher. His father-in-law is the head women’s basketball coach. Krystal Evans, his wife, also works at the University of the Cumberlands as a development officer.

Evans talks about his own personal connection to the position as the diversity director, saying, “I am all about changing the minds of young people. I did that while teaching high school for 12 years. When this position presented itself, I was like ‘what better position could you possibly have to be the change you want to see in the world?’”

Photo courtesy of UC Communications and Marketing

Fall is Here And so is Spotlight?

BY JENNA ROSE Managing Editor

The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused changes in college students’ lives that you maybe wouldn’t expect. The fall semester of the 2020-2021 school year looks different than many of the fall semesters in the past. One of the most noticeable differences is the change to hybrid courses and bi-terms. Another change is the lack of sporting events this semester. Are there any good changes?

The students on the University of the Cumberlands campus have noticed one specific, good change that has happened in this fall semester. Spotlight, the University’s singing competition, is taking place in the fall instead of the spring this year. Many students on UC’s campus had eagerly waited for Spotlight to begin in the spring and excitement roared over the campus when students found out that the wait was already over this year. Plus, Lisa Bartram, the director of student activities on campus, says that although the campus has transitioned to a bi-term schedule for classes, Spotlight “is still going to be a full semester.” This means that UC students get to enjoy Spotlight sooner and for its standard length of time.

So why is Spotlight being held in the fall instead of the spring? Lisa Bartram states, “Right now, there are no sports going on. Spotlight is something that the students can get out, go see, be excited about and root for their friends.” An event like Spotlight is still an event where students gather, so the campus has taken precautions. UC requires a mask for all students, it must be worn for the whole show, as well as limiting the capacity in the Gatliff Chapel, where the show is held, to 200. In order to still allow students to be together to watch the show, the upper level of

the Boswell Campus Center, the BCC, plays the live stream of the show for overflow seating. Bartram also shared that if any students don’t feel comfortable going out to an event like Spotlight, they can still be involved even amid a pandemic, “Students can still watch the live stream online, they can still go on and vote, there are still things that they can actively do to get involved and instead of just being in their room.”

Another benefit of having Spotlight in the fall is that it transitions well. Bartram shared that it is easy to go online with the show if it were to be necessary. Students competing in the competition can send in videos of their performance, and most of the voting is online anyway. Having Spotlight in the fall is also a way to help students feel more normal among the changes. Rebekah Whitaker, a UC senior and a Campus Activities Board, CAB, volunteer, “Having Spotlight in the fall doesn’t feel any different since only the dates have changed.” With sports events missing from campus events, students appreciate CAB’s efforts to keep them involved. Nic Lewis, a UC junior and a contestant in Spotlight, states, “I enjoy Spotlight because it gives something other than COVID-19 to highlight for a while.” Lewis also says that, “It feels nice to feel normal again, to have people around you and supporting you onstage.” If anything, Spotlight has been a blessing to students as they attempt to adjust to a life with masks and caution.

Photo by Abigai Fletcher

Tribute Night

A photo essay covering the second Spotlight event

Photos by Maramda Young

Fall Playlist

The perfect playlist for all your fall vibes and needs. The soft vibes of each song perfectly reminds us of the cool season.

Photo by Abigai Fletcher

Brennan Shortridge plays guitar as he sings “Luckenbach Texas.”

Shelby Frederick sings Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight.”

Martize Smith sits on a stool as he sings “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”

@ucquarantine

UC students in quarantine are featured on a

student-run account

BY HALEY BULLOCK Editor-in-Chief

Social media is something that has kept us all together amidst the pandemic that’s been in full swing for almost a year now. Most schools have opened or will soon despite COVID-19, so that means that students who have been diagnosed or exposed to the virus must be placed in quarantine. An Instagram account ran by an anonymous student, @ucquarantine, is featuring students in quarantine on their account. The account, which is not authorized or endorsed by the University of the Cumberlands, was created in midSeptember and has already made 18 posts on different UC students sharing their quarantine experience.

The account’s content is based on submissions through direct messaging on Instagram. So, each student who has been featured creates their own photo and caption for the post. The student behind the account got @ ucquaratine started for the Student Quarantine Association (SQA). In terms of goals for the account, the creator of the account through anonymous DMs says, “We like to just go with the flow and see what happens next. I mean, if it gets big, it gets big. Content will still be generated [regardless].” The account has gained traction fast with the account having almost 500 followers. Each student post includes their name, year, favorite meal since quarantine/favorite show and whether the student was exposed or if they tested positive for COVID-19.

Jake Lowery is a sophomore who was featured on the account on Sept. 14. When it came to why he wanted to submit his profile to @ ucquarantine, Lowery says, “[I] really just wanted to get out there. Everyone

was at the hotel, so I thought [to] put someone that was home.” Male students in quarantine have often been placed in the Super 8 hotel and female students in the Hampton Inn. Students also have the option of staying at home for quarantine.

Overall, the account has a positive response from UC students. Miranda Feltner, a UC senior who was posted on the account, says, “I wanted to be featured because I thought it was a cool way for the campus community to keep each other updated on what’s going on! I like the account’s content. I think they do a good job of making it fun to help us all with our stress and anxiety, but also reminding us that this is a serious situation and that we need to be careful, wear our masks and follow guidelines.”

The Instagram account also allows other students to see how their classmates are doing in quarantine since being away from campus and their friends. Chris Bryant, a UC junior that was also posted on @ucquarantine, says, “Being quarantined was difficult. It’s something that you know is necessary but is tough to deal with. [I’m] thankful for friends, family and the UC staff for being so helpful in the process.”

Not only is the account sharing information on some of the students who have been in quarantine during the semester, but also allows the campus to further come together as a community to support one another. On one of the account’s posts, the creator says, “Notice how [posts] have slowed down the past week? As cool as it would be for this account to have continued success, I believe the actual hope is that this account has zero content. No content

When I Grow Up

Comparing childhood dreams to college majors

1: “A rockstar.”

2: “I am a biology major now because I am interested in pursuing dermatology and I would like to go to PA school to be a PA at a dermatologist practice; that’s the end goal.”

1: “A police officer.”

2: “My major now is sport science but I want to major in physical therapy.”

BY MAKAYLA DURHAM Staff Writer

1st question: When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?

2nd question: What is your major now and why?

1: “When I was little, I wanted to be a professional athlete for soccer.”

2: “I am now a business and administration degree with a minor in communication. I like talking to people and I would say I am very social.”

1: “I wanted to be a teacher.”

2: “Now I am a business major because I still wanted to stay with a profession that I would be helping people, but I like the idea of working with adults or working with a higher business. In a business I can always move up in it and I have always liked being a part of organization and planning and stuff like that.

1: “A nurse.”

2: “Nursing and I just love helping people and my parents both do that, so I want to follow in their footsteps.”

Elsie Kibler Sophomore

Amy Anderson Sophomore

Taylor Bouma Sophomore

Arlee Thomas Sophomore

Jacobe Oakins Junior