In life, there are a few intangible traits that are the most expensive things we will ever own. They are priceless and once lost, cannot be bought back. Only time, if that, can redeem them One of these traits is an individual’s integrity.
Integrity is by far one of the most important things someone can own It’s your measurement of honesty, your overall ethics and morals. When being dishonest, whether you think it’s harmless or not, you’re risking losing something you might never obtain again. Anyone you encounter will have a different idea of your integrity in their eyes based on their own experiences with you, predetermined judgements or based on reputation. And while you can hope that a burnt bridge will never thwart the possibility of a new relationship or friendship being built with someone you’ve just met, there’s ultimately no way to determine that So the choices you make today, whether you realize it or not, can be detrimental to your future.
So remember this, in making your choices, in going through your day to day task, remember there is no decision that is pointless All of our choices will impact our lives in some shape, form or fashion. When choosing whether it’s easier to take the easy way out or lie to get yourself out of a tough situation, ask yourself if this one decision that you’re making is one you’d like to follow you around the rest of your life If you had to wear it on the surface of your clothes for the world to see, is it what you’d be proud to wear?
Without integrity and honesty, a personality is as bare as a leafless tree in autumn. No potential and no prospering I believe we should use our actions and choices to reflect all the things we truly believe in, and too often we try to blame our bad choices on the pressure from others. While there might be pressure from our peers, our choices are our own and we’re the ones who will be left to face those
Sincerely,
Natasha Jones
Pro tecting presid ents and co nquering co nvo catio n:
UC criminal justice depar tment sponsors
lecture from United States Secret Ser vice agent
BY T R EN T ON CA N A DA
AssistantEditor
The University of the Cumberlands’ convocation program recently held a guest lecture presented by Seth Reister, an active member of the United States Secret Service Reister has worked on protection detail for both former President George W. Bush and current head of state Barrack Obama. The event, which was open to all UC students, was sponsored by the university’s criminal justice department, chaired by Judge John Mills
The event, titled “Protecting Presidents,” was held on February 4 in the Gatliff Chapel and boasted a large student turnout. According to Dr. Emily Coleman, vice president for Student Services overseeing the convocation program, more than 400 students gathered to hear Reister speak.
“We had 437 students who received convocation credit,” Coleman addressed “There may have been others in the audience who didn’t need credit but wanted to attend.”
“I was pleasantly surprised to see the interest among the students,” said Mills “I felt that the students in the criminal justice department would be interested, but I was just overwhelmed that the whole chapel was filled to capacity. There were very few seats available.” Mills said of the students in attendance, “I didn’t get the sense that students were there to just get convocation credit. He [Reister] kept the students’ interest. It definitely kept my interest.”
Reister spoke to the crowd about his early education and the path leading to the Secret Service. Originally from Middlesboro, Kentucky, Reister graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2002 and joined the agency soon after.
Devon Goings, a criminal justice major at UC, addressed his interest in Reister being from a smaller community by saying, “The high school that I grew up in, the one that I call home, is very small. So, to hear that someone from a small community was able to go and accomplish his goals and go on to become this thing that we think of as almost a superhero is just amazing.”
Reister continued the convocation by addressing the rigors of becoming an agent and the duties that are placed on those in that position, stopping to
note to the crowd that honesty and integrity are cornerstones of what makes a good agent. He then offered personal stories of his time in the service and ended the convocation by taking questions from the audience, which was met with student anticipation.
Goings agreed, “I like hearing from someone who is actually in the field doing the work Whether it be a police officer or an attorney or Secret Service agent. I enjoy hearing their stories and their experiences. This is actually the line of work that I’m hoping to go into, so to be able to hear his story and gain knowledge from him is just super exciting ”
Mills went on to address what he believes set this convocation apart from those UC has had in the past by stating, “Schools and students are used to having businesses and business people come and talk to them about leadership, but it’s less often that we get to hear from someone who is in, I’ll call it, a glamorous sort of field. So, that made it different from some of the convocations that we’re used to ”
This was the first convocation directly sponsored by the criminal justice department in as much as three semesters, and according to Mills, it will not be the last The department, specifically professor Warren Headrick, is currently working to organize an event that will teach self-defense skills to the female student body.
Mills offered, “This, to me, is definitely motivation to look for other convocation opportunities that might draw the same sort of interest that Agent Reister ’s did.”
“When you think of convocation,” stated Goings, “you think of just going and sitting and listening to someone speak, and maybe playing on your phone, but this speaker was so engaging with the audience that I’m definitely excited to see what else the criminal justice department has to offer as far as convocation events go.”
My Ho pe for the Cumberland s
Dr. William Franklin Graham IV to Visit UC’s campus
BY A SH T ON R E C T OR AssistantEditor
Dr William Franklin Graham IV, grandson of Billy Graham, will be the guest speaker in the 2016 edition of the Forcht Group of Kentucky Center for Excellence on April 12. The program is entitled “Christian Leadership,” and will be held in the O Wayne Rollins Center Past guest speakers, among many others, have included Ben Carson, Rudy Giuliani, and the late Fred Thompson.
The choice of this years’ speaker came about through a lunch meeting explains Jamirae Hammons, vice president for institutional advancement
“Dr. Graham was returning home from Owensboro where he had lead a Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Program, and Dr. Cockrum met him at the Inn for lunch,” says Hammons President Cockrum suggested to Graham that he revisit campus and speak to the student body.
“We’ve been doing these now for a number of years the theme this year is Christian leadership and who better than Billy Graham’s grandson to come in and do a Christian leadership program for us,” states President Cockrum.
Mark Christian also accompanied Graham and Cockrum at the lunch meeting. Christian is a gospel singer and will preform at the event, as well as the Harlan Boys Choir.
“We’re just excited to hear his message that he has for our campus of encouragement and inspiration,” says Hammons.
Baptist Campus Ministries women’s ministry leader, Lydia Jay, comments, “ I think it’s a good thing he is coming. I’m expecting the Spirit to move through him and for the student body to be impacted and blessed by it.”
Cockrum adds, “[The event] is to bring notoriety that we are a Christian school and to bring a speaker in of his magnitude and let the students hear him, and that’s what this is all about. It’s a learning experience.”
Graham is the grandson of evangelist Billy Graham and eldest son of Franklin Graham. Will Graham is a third generation Graham to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. He currently serves as vice president and associate evangelist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Cockrum concludes, “What we’ve tried to do when we do these programs is to try to give our students a theme each year and try to give our students the ability to listen to a nationally renowned, nationally know, or internationally know in his case, speaker and give them the opportunity to listen to that type speaker ”
WillGraham shares the GoodNews ofJesus Christ Photo from Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
H ow to Fail Yo ur Midterms in 5 Ea sy Steps
A Sarca sti c Midterm Sur vival Guide
BY SH A N NON COL EM A N GuestWriter
Step #1: Drink nothing but coffee the entire week before midterms.
Now I know, this seems a little excessive, but trust me, this is important. Midterms are tough; they’re basically the deciding factor in whether or not your GPA is going to be totally wrecked for the semester. The only way to prepare in advance for these GPA killers is to make sure your coffee-blood levels are at an all-time high On average a college student’s coffee-blood level is probably somewhere about 18 percent coffee and 82 percent blood
However, in a time like this it’s vital that you get those levels up closer to 50-50. There should be enough coffee in your bloodstream that you shake non-stop. Your focus will be so amazing you’ll actually be able to focus on about five things at once, so instead of cramming for just one midterm you can cram for three at the exact same time! Now some people will tell you to drink water, but that’s seriously unhealthy All the water will do is hydrate your body and everyone knows hydration has absolutely nothing to do with academic performance
Step #2: Study in the loudest environment you can.
I hate the library. Who on earth could get any work done in a place that quiet? It’s not even possible to absorb any knowledge if it’s so quiet you can hear your own thoughts. I recommend packing up your study materials and heading to the loudest place you can find Sadly, Williamsburg is a pretty quiet town, but there are definitely some good study places if you just look hard enough. Sporting events are always good places to be surrounded by loud noises If you ask nice enough, the softball
team might even let you sit in the dugout and study alongside their chants and yells
Step #3: Stay up all night cramming for your exam.
Why waste time sleeping when you could be reading and re-reading the notes you scratched out at midnight the night before? It’s a known fact that sleep deprivation is actually key to successful test taking. I mean, Einstein was a pretty smart dude and by the looks of that bedhead and the bags under his eyes, he couldn’t have been getting much sleep.
Pulling an all-nighter to study for your test will help you in so many ways. The information you’ve learned the first half of the semester needs to be fresh in your mind before the exam and the only way to make that happen is to make sure you’re studying at 3 a.m. If you’re struggling with this step, I recommend referring back to step one A large mug of steaming black coffee is sure to get your blood stirring and your mind prepared for the day ahead If you must sleep the night before your exam, it would be best to get absolutely no more than two hours of rest.
Step #4: Roll out of bed and go to your exam in your pajamas.
Being comfortable is one of the smartest things you can do on exam day Don’t bother getting ready for the day, it’s really just a waste of time. I would suggest that you even shy away from showering The water that gets in your ears could easily dilute all of the knowledge you stayed up all night to cram into your head, not to mention that’s another five minutes of study time down the drain
There are studies that claim student’s tend to
do their best on exams when they look and feel their best, but who needs to be in real clothes to pull a C on an exam? Besides, the professor will respect you so much more if you show up to class in your Batman onesie Wearing your pajamas to class simply lets everyone around you know that you worked your absolute hardest to prepare for your midterm and that you’re totally prepared for the test and for life.
Step #5: Skip breakfast on the day of your test to get more study time in.
Much like sleep, food is something that your body doesn’t need when you’re trying to prepare for something as life-threatening as midterms. As college students our bodies learn to adapt to our circumstances and actually perform better when they are deprived of food. Instead of wasting time going to the caf and eating breakfast after your allnight cram session, I’d suggest pouring yourself another cup of coffee and flipping through those notecards again. The eggs and bacon your classmates are feasting on before the exam are only going to make them sluggish and slow while your never-ending flow of coffee-blood will give you the insane ability to fly through any exam
A Q& A with the new ho st of Spotlight: Ben Call
BY N ATA SH A JON E S Editor-in-Chief
The introduction of the new season of the annual singing competition, Spotlight, brought the former contestant, Ben Call to the stage to take over as host. Call is a double major in math and business, who is a part of the cross country and track team, math and physics club, as well as being a member of the chamber choir on campus He started taking piano lessons at the age of seven and has competed in talent shows throughout his education Call is originally from West Chester, Ohio. We had a chance to sit down with the sophomore to ask him some questions about assuming his new role in the competition.
NJ: What is hosting like?
BC: It’s definitely different. Harder than I thought; I was exhausted afterward. It was so tiring. I’ve never done this before so I was kind of just looking for something new I wouldn’t say it’s in my comfort zone, I’m not that super nervous going out there but it’s definitely different to me.
NJ: When were you approached to host?
BC: Weeks before fall break; maybe in September. Lisa approached me and asked if I was going to do it again as a contestant and for some reason I was just like, no I just was kind of tired of doing that [performing] So I just decided this would be fun too.
NJ: What’s it like hosting when there are contestants in the competition that you competed against?
BC: It’s kind of interesting. It’s not weird at all. Me and Trey perform together on Sunday nights at Main Street we do an impact worship service That’s a lot of fun. We’re good friends.
NJ: Do you miss performing in Spotlight?
BC: Yeah. I did the first night. It’d almost be easier that way and I didn’t think that’d be the case. I kind of thought this would be easier. But now you do your piece, you get applause and you’re done
NJ: Do you plan to perform any this season?
BC: It’s been talked about so I’d say maybe And Dalton performed last year so I wouldn’t be shocked if it happened.
NJ: Did Dalton give you any advice?
BC: He probably just said don’t screw it up We talked a little bit We became friends through Spotlight and he’s been there for the two shows and I ask him how he does and he does give me some actual feedback
NJ: The two former hosts were actually both contestants in the competition prior to hosting, does that make you feel more comfortable?
BC: I guess it’s just a natural transition. I think it’s good because you kind of know what it is what it’s like It’s not that hard of a transition Something different I don’t know that it makes me more comfortable
NJ: How have you prepared for hosting?
BC: Watching as much Jimmy Fallon as possible No, just kidding That was the worst part, eliminating people the first time. I just feel terrible. For some reason I hadn’t really thought about that aspect, which is weird. I should have It was hectic and crazy and I was like aww I have to tell people they didn’t make it and that really sucks.
NJ: What was it like being a fan-favorite in last year’s competition?
BC: It was great. Everyone was very accepting of all of my performances. It felt really nice.
NJ: Did you have a favorite performance from last year’s competition?
BC: UK night. I felt like it was easy to pick. You could do like the Beatles or Coldplay I like a lot of UK music
NJ: Is there a particular night you’re looking forward to the most this season?
BC: Whichever night where we’re going to give students [the opportunity] to vote on what they [contestants] do, we’re going to give them three options, I think on Twitter, and I think that’s going to be cool
NJ: What do you think of this year’s competition?
BC: Really good Tuesday (the second round) night was funny because there were four, straight-like really solid girl performances. And a couple of them have really powerful voices. I think they were really good and it’s really good competition
NJ: Has there been any mishaps while hosting so far?
BC: Well the mic stand fell, and I didn’t even see it It scared the crap out of me, for real. I wasn’t even looking at it!
NJ: Having no social media, does this help or not? Do you feel compelled to join?
BC: Like in life?
NJ: Yes.
BC: Well, I’m not going to change! I don’t know if it helps, I couldn’t be the judge of that, but that’s an interesting question. I just like don’t care I guess. I technically have a Twitter but I don’t use it No one is following me
NJ: If you could give performers any advice what would it be?
BC: Just to be confident If you’re confident and play the part, you can go far
Phot o by K i r st e n S c hol l
I Gave Up Social Media Fo r A Week A nd I t Changed My Whole Life
How It Feels To Disconnect From A Connected World /
Redefining Relationships Through Pixels and Glass Screens
BY K I R S T I N H A N D SHOE
GuestWriter
Once upon a time, a guy slid into my DMs. After a few weeks of texting, he slid right back out. The whole incident left a funny taste in my mouth – is this how we define human interactions these days? Are relationships made, used, and abandoned without ever seeing someone in person with your own eyes? Shockingly, I had to admit that it was true. As children of the digital decades, my generation was practically reared with technology stuck in our mouths as a pacifier. The proper channels of communication were no longer face-to-face interactions, but pixels and glass screens. When smart phones made their debut, droves of people converted their primary means of conversation into texting and social networking sites. Smartphones became the only portal into my generation’s world. They are the normal way to socialize – they are a part of the natural evolution of communication, much like my generation’s own natural evolution into adulthood. So three years later, when I was frustrated that we lived our lives through screens, severing my connection and dependence to my phone and social networking glared at me as the obvious plan of action.
I set my goal for a week. A week without using any of the social media outlets I possessed – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat On a Tuesday, at 3 o’ clock, I checked all four apps one last time before I began my bout of social-networking celibacy. I did not advertise my endeavor. The friends that I actually talked to in person would ask, “Did you see that on [Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.]?” and it was only then that I would fill them in on my new, un-plugged lifestyle. Unanimously they would ask, “Why?”, and I could only respond with “Why not?”
Day one: I had to repeatedly stop myself from unlocking my phone and tapping the icons out of boredom, an action arising purely out of muscle memory Can you believe that? I had acquired muscle memory for looking at my Instagram feed!? I actually felt like a recovering alcoholic, detoxing and experiencing delirium tremens(DTs)! During a couple of these moments of relapse, my fingers made contact with the phone screen and I had to close the app quickly and remind myself of my digital boycott. On this first day, during one of these follies, the orange “new follower” icon for Instagram had time enough to flash up on the screen It consumed my curiosity; I wanted to know who it was The question ate at me for hours until I resigned myself to believe that I was going to turn the mystery into a reward to be had at the week’s end. That idea helped a great deal
Days two and three: I began to notice how often and how trivially I visited my social media profiles: before I got out of bed, when I walked to classes, when I ate breakfast, lunch, or dinner, even if my friends were present, when I was waiting for class to begin, after class was over, during breaks from working on assignments and studying, and, the most missed time of all, before I went to sleep at night I had to start finding alternative methods to kill these moments of idleness. I checked out a new book from the school’s library. I began to be more productive while doing my homework. My room was tidied up on a daily basis Most important of all, I began to push myself out of my comfort zone in order to find some way to take up the time. My proudest moment of the entire week occurred on day two, when my school hosted a blooddrive I had always dreamed of having the courage to donate blood – I have been afraid of needles since infancy – but that day I felt more strengthened than I had in the past. The decision to take back control of my time from the social networking experience propelled me into confronting old fears – and tackling them. After my triumph, I proudly wore the cotton ball and medical tape bandage on my arm like a badge of honor for hours after I needed too. I already felt like my life was changing – and it was only day two
Day four: The DTs had stopped. My body and my mind both had adjusted to my new social media disconnect. I realized I did not miss Twitter, Snapchat was rarely used before my experiment anyway, and Facebook had only been saved from abandonment completely long ago by my grandparents picking up the habit and using the messaging feature to keep in touch. However, Instagram was a beast all its own Oh, how I missed Instagram! If “a picture is worth a thousand words,” who could even count how many words my friends were posting that I wasn’t able to see!?
Before most college classes, in my experience, everyone sits around with their face staring downward and their smart phones in hand, scrolling, scrolling, tapping, scrolling... Bored of the monotonous silence, I began to actually talk – out loud – to the person sitting next to me I talked about anything I could think of, like the weather, and the homework that was due, and the basketball game that I attended last night – anything. Sometimes I resorted to explaining my week-without-social-media pledge and, surprisingly, people were very receptive to my friendly advances I was able to forge real, in-person connections with new people without the aid of social media.
Days five and six: I had completely lost all interest in my social media profiles – excluding Instagram, that is, and my secret follower I had yet to discover. I realized that even though I loved Instagram, and I missed its presence in my life, I could go another complete week – maybe even a month –without using of any form of social networking
Day seven: Day seven was full of anticipation. I was excited for the week’s end, that was true, but no longer feeling stressed or reliant on checking my social media to fill the small voids in my time. If I never saw the little blue bird, or the friendly ghost, or even that precious brown camera again, I would be fine and the world would actually keep going round and round
The addiction was broken. I was no longer a dependent; I no longer needed a digital crutch to get me through the day, or week even. 3 p.m. came quicker than I had expected it to and it was almost two hours later until I was ready to log back “in”. When I finally got around to clicking the Instagram icon, everything that once seemed so natural and so engrained, felt foreign. It took me thirty minutes to scroll through my entire time line, and I regretfully have to say that I cannot remember who that mystery follower from day one one turned out to be. Here are some quick statistics:
• I missed four birthdays of close friends (plus seven birthday wishes to people I didn’t personally know but my friends did)
• I missed the emergence of four new couples
• I missed ten beautiful nature shots accompanied with deep, poignant quotes as captions
• I missed ten times people went to various concerts
• I missed one birth announcement and 1 pregnancy announcement
• And so many selfies I couldn’t have counted them all with a calculator, and I’m pretty good at math, so that’s saying something I couldn’t believe it – I couldn’t believe how much I had missed. Things that I should have known about my close friends – important details about their lives – that I missed simply because they posted a picture and figured that it constituted telling the whole world. I felt so left out; I thought I had already changed from my social media hiatus but oh, was I wrong! The realization of how tuned-out to the real world I really was, how all my generation really must be, hit me like a Mack truck dead in the eyes. It pained me like a phantom limb – like my phantom connection – to the people I claimed to be the closest to. I didn’t even bother (or want) to check the other three forms of social media. I had seen all I needed to see from my time-off of one.
Yes, I missed out on some very important details of my friends’ lives during that week, but I also learned that I could gain a whole lot when I missed out. I noticed more people, I contributed to more conversations, and I felt closer to those who I had spent months and years knowing, all in just one short week. I am still shocked that I could experienced such a huge 180 in my life and my perception of the world just by putting my phone down. I began to strive to remember birthdays in my own head, spend more time talking with people out loud than I did talking to them between two screens, and recognizing the need for the types of connections technology can’t entertain. That week, I began to see our world clearly, without the hindrance of a screen, and I re-claimed something I didn’t even notice I had lost: my independence.
Ad missions G uru:
Q&A with Brandy Norman
BY L AT EE SH A DEL OACH
GuestWriter
Former cheerleader, spotlight contestant and 2014 alumna Brandy Norman is an admissions counselor here at the University of the Cumberlands At UC she now focuses on helping first generation students with whatever they need and expressing what makes UC enjoyable.
LD: Can you start by telling me where you’re from?
BN: I’m from Carlisle, Kentucky and it is about 45 minutes northeast of Lexington It’s a really small town there’s about three red lights no McDonald’s, no Wal-mart nothing like that so coming here was like a big city!
LD: Can you tell me exactly what an admissions counselor’s day looks like?
BN: For us it’s usually first making a pot of coffee, that is a very essential thing in admissions. We probably go through two or three pots a day. Then we usually look at our program which is where we keep all of our students So I look every morning to see if we have any new applicants. Then I’ll go through there and text them and make sure they have in all their transcripts and test scores which is essentially what they need to get admitted From there we just pull several reports all day like students who haven’t turned in their stuff. Those are the pending students. We text the students making sure they know all about scholarship information and FAFSA deadline stuff like that
LD:What do you enjoy the most about your job?
BN: I think the thing I enjoy the most is helping the first generation students who don’t really know what to do. I have the Eastern Kentucky territory so a lot of times they are first generation students. I was a first generation student so I think I hold it close to my heart because I didn’t know what I was doing either. My parents didn’t know how to help me, they were all for me going to college and they wanted me to, but especially when it came to FAFSA they had no idea how it worked They were scared and they didn’t understand it and I didn’t either. So, I just really enjoy reaching out to the students who maybe wouldn’t know things otherwise if it wasn’t for me.
LD: I feel like as a freshman you’re already walking in nervous and it’s very important to go to some place that has all the resources for helping someone that’s there. I think that’s neat, so aside from the welcoming atmosphere and the community what made you want to go to UC as a student?
BN: So, I thought my whole life I was going to go to UK because I lived so close and that’s where all my friends went and then I came down here on a visit with my boyfriend at the time, my fiancé now. I just rode down here with him I had no idea where I was going, but he was getting a baseball scholarship so I just came down with him As soon as I walked through the door it was like I was home and it was weird because I didn’t even know where I was. My admissions counselor was really the entire reason why I came here. Other than the fact that my boyfriend came here which I normally wouldn’t suggest to anyone, but [laughs] it worked out so it’s okay. So my admissions counselor asked if I was interested in playing a sport here and I did cheerleading and I golfed in high school, but I really didn’t think about playing NAIA sports I ended up talking to the cheerleading coach here and I got a cheerleading scholarship so that was probably the main reason I came here. As soon as I got here my admissions counselor was so helpful and he would answer my phone calls in the middle of the night if I had a question about FAFSA. One time I called him and he was at the beach and he answered to answer a question I had about my financial aid so it was like I was home I always had someone I could go to if I needed help and that was my admissions counselor, so yeah!
LD: What is one thing you would tell a student that is visiting here?
BN: I think my number-one piece of advice is no matter where you go to get involved because if you don’t it doesn’t matter if you’re an hour or ten hours away you’re going to be homesick. You’re not going to have fun, you’re not going to make friends, you’re going to venture out and do things that you haven’t done before I think that’s what college is all about is exploring new things and trying to find yourself. So I always tell students to make sure whatever you do whether you join the newspaper staff or you join intramurals make sure you’re putting yourself out there and getting out there As a freshman I cheered, but those were the only people I talked to. I talked to the cheerleaders at practice and then I went home and I didn’t get out of my comfort zone until I started writing for the paper and had my radio show I also started doing campus tours so I really didn’t go out and make friends so I always want to give out my own personal experience because that makes me more real and relatable The other thing I always tell them is to go where you want to go Don’t feel pressured to come here; don’t always make it be a money thing. Of course, money is a big deal, but at the end of the day if you have to take out a loan to go somewhere where you’re going to be happy, you’re going to
succeed, and you’re going to pass your classes do that. Instead, of going somewhere for free where you’re not going to be happy.
LD: What do you like to do for fun?
BN: When I have free time it’s rare because being an admissions counselor is basically a full-time job we never stop working That is the one thing about UC admissions is that our director stresses getting back to the students is the difference between them coming here and going somewhere else. I like to read, I like to run and I used to really like to watch Netflix, but I had to stop because I would never get anything accomplished. I’m in the graduate program here so I always have homework so I stay pretty busy. The one thing I’m into now is adult coloring; I’m loving it!
Grand Slam!
UC sof tball season opener against Milligan College
BY D J H I T E StaffWriter
Spring sports at the University of the Cumberland’s have started off with a great spark to the year, trying to follow in the footsteps of the successful fall sports. There are many sports that have started great this 2016 spring season including softball, baseball, and men and women’s lacrosse This week began the season openers for all of these teams and gave them a debut to showcase all of the new talent. There was also a new addition to the University of the Cumberland’s athletics facilities with the building of the new softball field and the men and women’s lacrosse fields
The softball team is striking their way to a very successful season. They got off to a great start this weekend in their two double headers winning the three out of four of their first games There was a pretty big turn out to the
game with both stands packed with people These four games marked a historical event for UC and the softball team with it being the first games played on the new field. Also, it really set the standard for future teams. These wins should ignite the team to a great season and win more titles for the school
The Lady Patriots have just hit the tip of the iceberg in their season schedule with a lot more games to come leading up to the Mid South Conference tournament This should be a great season for not only softball but for all of the other spring sports in hopes to earn some high achievements and honors
UC’s Keli Bruning takes a swing againstMilligan College.
#55Elisa Mauldinprepares to batagainstthe pitcher from Milligan College.
UC’s Mindy Jo Brittwinds up apitch!
A preview o f A Cinematic Adventure: “Kubo and the Two Strings”
BY L E A N N E GR E G OR Y StaffWriter
Anniversaries are a time for celebrating life’s most beautiful and special moments. For the American stop-motion animation studio Laika, the company behind the movies “ParaNorman” and “Coraline,” there is no better way to celebrate ten years of movie magic than by releasing a film set in a world unlike any they have imagined before: a fantasy rendition of Japan set in the earliest years of its history called “Kubo and the Two Strings ”
“Kubo and the Two Strings” revolves around the tale of a young boy named Kubo as he sets off on a journey to find his own path in life with the help of his mysterious, magical instrument As time passes, his powers grow and the mysteries behind them with it. Will Kubo be able to overcome the obstacles thrown at him, or will he drown in the sea of his past? Will he find the courage to be able to?
With stunning classical musical arrangements that crescendo and drown out every thought with brazen notes to break up the expositional dialogue and dramatic moments, and cinematography that defies all expectation with its broad transitions, all of these questions and more will be answered, rewritten and then utterly mushed into oblivion. The movie’s trailer features a magnanimous array of breathtaking visuals, from the subtle blending of the clay figures with their backgrounds using vibrant pastels and computer generated landscapes, intriguing characters (including a monkey, crow-feather cape-
wearing evil doers, and an army of living origami that drive the story’s internal conflict of overcoming your past.
“Kubo and the Two Strings” is set to be distributed to theaters by Focus Films on Aug.19, and is filled to the brim with stars such as Art Parkinson from “Games of Thrones,” George Takei from “Star Trek,” Rooney Mara from “Nightmare on Elm Street,” and the talents of the lead animator and producer Travis Knight, who worked on many of Laika’s previous films. With so much riding on this newest addition to add to the ranks of stop-motion history, I cannot wait to wait in line for the mystical menagerie of mystery that will flash across the screen.
If the experience is anything like the spine tingling chills I got from the exceptional gothic storytelling of “ParaNorman,” or the small laughs from the jokes in “The Boxtrolls,” then the wait will be more than worth it. With homework, tests, travel expenses, and time-stamp jobs taking over your daily life, a breather for yourself may be hard to come by No matter how hectic life may be, however, watching fictional characters duke it out on screen is usually one of my tried and true ways to chase away the blues. So this August, settle in, grab a tub of cookie dough and popcorn to peruse what I am anticipating to be the movie sure to make you laugh or sob uncontrollably: “Kubo and the Two Strings.”
BY LY DI A H UG GI NS GuestWriter
Lily’s change of hear t
Moving from Asia to Kentucky for college was a big change for Lily at the age of 17. During her sophomore year, her life was changed even more Ever since coming to University of the Cumberlands, she had been curious about Christianity, but doubt held her back from believing in God
“I was always afraid of becoming a Christian because I felt like there were a lot of rules and I’m not always one to follow the rules,” Lily said “I do whatever I want sometimes. I was afraid Christian life was too limited of a life for me at that time.”
The day Lily’s life was changed even more was when she decided to follow Jesus on May 9th, 2015. The journey to knowing God didn’t come all of the sudden Before then, Lily had claimed to be an atheist. Now, she admits that when she was a teenager she would pray on holidays or special occasions. She had many doubts that God was real though
After two years at Cumberlands, faith-based convocations and professors praying before tests made her curious about who Jesus was and what Christianity was about She would go to church occasionally, had a Bible study with a friend, and spiritual conversations came up often Her closest friends were Christians and had a good influence on her so she had many questions about God for them.
During one of those conversations, Lily was telling her friend Shantel Buchner, senior Spanish and human services major at Cumberlands, about her struggle with the fact that she would not be able to be perfect enough to be a Christian She thought that Christians were not allowed to make mistakes. Buchner comforted her fears by telling her that no one is perfect and that is why you have to have a relationship with God because only He is perfect. When Buchner asked Lily, why not become a Christian now if that’s the only thing holding you back? Lily felt like that was when she needed to give her heart to God.
“Sometimes it takes a long time for people to come to understand the gospel: that Jesus came and
took the punishment that we deserve for our sin and that it is a free gift we have to receive,” said Buchner “It takes years and years of investment Many Christians may never get to see the change God does in a person they are investing in. I know that it was nothing that I did to make her make that decision; it was only God. As Christians, we are not called, nor do we have the ability to ‘save a person,’ but we are called to be faithful and invest in them I am thankful that God gave me the opportunity to see the change He did in Lily's heart.”
The change in Lily’s life is ongoing She is honest about her current struggles with questions about God. Buchner and Lily are continuing their Bible study; Lily says she has an even stronger desire to learn more from the Bible to help answer her questions about God. Though Lily still has doubts sometimes, she turns to God for help Whenever she used to have difficulties, she would get stuck in the situation, only think of herself, and get depressed about life
Now, she talks to God and has more hope when she listens for His voice which gives her peace. Lily believes that God has made her with a purpose She used to complain about being in a small university and small town in Kentucky instead of in a big city Now, she is enjoying and thankful for the opportunities she has at Cumberlands Recently, she has gotten involved in Appalachian Ministries to make a difference in children’s lives as her friends made a difference in hers
“I know I cannot change everything, but I will try to at least make a little change,” said Lily. “I appreciate all that God has given me I don’t deserve all of it so that’s why I started to help those kids. I think they need more love from people.”
One of Lily’s closest friends, Kaylee Crawford, a senior elementary education major at Cumberlands, has noticed the difference in Lily’s life.
“Lily is truly filled with so much love and forgiveness,” said Crawford. “Since she has become a
Christian, the amount of love that radiates through her has become more and more evident. It is amazing to see how she always strives to see the good in each person; never letting her pride get in the way of loving anyone.”
She is a naturally a kind person, according to Crawford who told a story about Lily giving her an Asian fan the first day they met. Lily’s relationships with her friends and others has grown a lot since she began to follow Jesus.
“All of my friends are so happy for me and our relationships have grown a lot this year,” said Lily “We got a lot closer and we understand each other more. I’m really enjoying my life now. We pray for each other and help each other go through all the difficulties in life.”
One of Lily’s difficulties at the moment is telling non-Christians about her new life
“I don’t have courage to tell people our mission to speak God’s word to them,” said Lily. “I just cannot. I haven’t told any of my friends so far I wish one day that I can really tell my friends and show them
That is something I really want to grow in.”
When Lily went home for the summer for the first time in two years, she did tell her parents that she became a Christian and though they are atheists, they recognized that it’s her life and her decision She has made other decisions such as to stay in America to study for her master ’s degree and perhaps use her business major and communication minor from Cumberlands to pursue a career in marketing. In whatever she does, Lily Guo says she wants to trust God more and follow Him.
“Lily has always been a great girl, but she has changed so much in this past year,” said Buchner. “I have seen her become stronger in the midst of hard circumstances and look at situations with a different perspective. I have seen her love people who were hard for her to love before. Lily has something she didn't have before: real hope and real joy Those things only come from knowing Christ.”
G oing Beyo nd Cumberlands
An Inter view with Assistant Professor of Communication Ar ts Jordyne Carmack
BY BRODY NOL A N GuestWriter
When Jordyne Carmack started her college career, she had no idea that when she graduated from the University of the Cumberlands, she would end up on the other side of the college experience. Carmack graduated from UC in 2011 and was a double major in communication arts and theatre arts.
Now, Carmack is busy working at UC as an assistant professor of communication arts But her aspirations in life go beyond inspiring and teaching the new generation. If you have talked to her in any capacity, you know that one of the biggest parts of her life is her missionary work. In this interview, we discuss what got her interested in missionary work as well as the different work she has done.
BN: What got you interested in mission work?
JC: I took my first mission trip when I was 16 through my youth group and we went to England and we worked with a church that was trying to develop a youth ministry. So my church’s youth group took eight or 10 of us and we went and joined in with some of their students and got a chance to hang out with them and do some service projects with them You had youth serving youth and learning about different cultures. It was sort of in that time frame that I felt this call to international missions and that this was something God had placed in my life for a purpose I did not quite know what that would look like back then, but fast forward seven years, I had finished college and had a mentor that lived in Kenya for a year, had been there a half a dozen times, and had done a lot of international missions sharing the gospel, and she mentioned to me a couple of times that I needed to consider coming to Kenya with her.
BN: And how did you take that news, considering that would be a huge change?
JC: I’ll be honest, I completely laughed her off First of all, I hate bugs I am not an extreme weather person, I like my technology and comfy bed. So this idea of going to Africa, I was like “I am not an African missionary. Set me up in Europe, I could use my French, and tell people about Jesus there That sounds more my speed.” And she said “no I think that you should just pray about this” but I still was not really giving the idea the time of day.
BN: So what changed your mind?
JC: She showed me a video put together by 127 Worldwide They are an orphans and widows ministry that has missionary partners in countries like Haiti,
Honduras, Uganda, and Kenya. They focus on meeting the many different needs of these widows and orphans and I can distinctly remember sitting in my office in the Admissions Office, late at night, and I am watching this video and I felt God speaking to me, saying, “Jordyne, you need to go be here. You need to go see this. I have a purpose for you in this. Even though it does not make sense, even though it is going to put you out of your comfort zone, even though you are afraid, you need to go.” So I walked over to her desk and I said, “You are not going to believe this, but I think I am supposed to go to Kenya with you ” So the next summer, I went to Kenya for the first time with Tumaini Miles of Smiles Children’s Home in western Kenya and we helped them with their library (which is the only one for miles and miles), we played with kids, led Bible studies, helped with sponsorship that the orphanage did, and just sort of learned about their culture and immersed ourselves.
BN: What do you remember as the most striking on that trip?
JC: At the end of the trip, we went into the slums of the capital, Nairobi, and we spent some time there and did a foot washing/shoe distribution, we prayed over families, we engaged in their mentorship empowerment program that they use to provide people in the workforce with mentees and secondary schools, and help them find jobs. By the end of that trip, I had this realization that this would be a part of my life, in one way or another It was pretty awesome.
BN: So you have been to Kenya twice already. Any plans on returning soon?
JC: I have a trip planned this summer.
BN: With the same group?
JC: The last time I went, I led a team with International Sports Federation doing volleyball ministry So, they bring nets and balls into the secondary schools and use sports to build relationships with the schools and building those community relationships that we hope will get them coming into the local churches and learning to trust the missionaries so that they can share the gospel with them. So it is all about relationship building. And sports are cool, especially when there is a language barrier. I do not speak Swahili, but you can certainly get together and hit a ball around I know that’s a bit of a detour of what you asked, but to answer the question, yes, I will be going back with ISF this summer, except we are bringing soccer into the slums. In addition to that, I will be working with Swahiba Youth Networks, who I worked with my first trip, so we will be doing shoe distribution.
BN: Why are you working with them again?
JC: What’s cool about SYN is that they are a Kenyan Christian organization. They work day in and day out serving this community So we are really just assisting them in building relationships, not going in and saying “Here, let’s give you all this free stuff.” It’s more about supporting that Kenyan organization and what they are doing to change the face of their community
BN: Swahiba Youth Networks?
JC: Basically it’s an umbrella organization that is made up of other organizations There is First Priority, which focuses on the slums, Jitambue, which is a self-worth club for women, Mentorship Empowerment Program, and Tabasmu, which are the shoe distributions and host summer camps. They are just all about sharing the gospel with the community
BN: That sounds so awesome and like very rewarding work. What was the hardest part about adjusting?
JC: I would have to say the dust…I had a lot of allergy issues. They also treat time very differently They are not as time sensitive as America If you are late, they see it as the thing that held you up is just as important as what you are late to.
BN: What is one piece of advice you would give someone who wants to go on their first mission?
JC: Don’t let money hold you back. There are people called to serve and people called to give. If you are called to serve, and don’t because of monetary issues, you could possibly be taking away someone’s chance to give
Wo r thy of Wo rship A devotional
BY SH YA N N NOR R IS StaffWriter
Worship is the act of humbling yourself and exalting our One True King while showing your loyalty God. As a very timid Christian and person in general I never thought I could truly express my thankfulness to Christ publically But wondered what I could do instead While on my first mission trip to Costa Rica, my worship and praises for Christ were at this point uncontainable. It came naturally. I was worshipping God, singing praises, and never thought twice about who was watching me or where I may go wrong I knew that the Spirit was within me and I had to express what God had put inside of me.
As Christians we often worship God without even realizing it, especially in the good times, but what about through the trials and tribulations? In the times that seem so perfect, you start to think not a thing could go wrong This is when we start to thank God more than we would in the tribulations of our life. We simply worship without knowing. This can come in ways such as singing aloud when others are around or telling someone your story God is exalted anytime you express your love for Him to someone else or yourself It is hard to remember that exalting and worshiping God is what we as Christians are expected to do God doesn't need our worship and he doesn't need our praises, but it is a reverent and humble action that we use to show our thankfulness for the ultimate gift Christ has given us.
The next question most new Christians (and even old) have is how do we worship? Is there a certain way to worship? John 4:23-24 (KJV) it states "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
God has demanded us "to worship Him in spirit and in truth " We can't just worship any way we want. Often times our most common way is singing a song at church, raising our hands when we just want to praise him publicly, and even just something as simple as sharing your story of what He has done for you.
When God demands us to worship "in truth", that means worship Him and Him alone. It doesn't matter how loud you worship, what song, how expressive, or quiet you are. What does matter is that you worship "in spirit." To worship in spirit you have to mean it and feel The Holy Spirit on the inside and out we just don't always catch on to where that time is, or so we think I thought I would never be one of those to ever express how I felt on the outside but once you reach a certain point in your Christian walk you will soon realize that expressing your exaltation and worship is one of the best feelings you could imagine. Wait upon the Lord.
Though all these things are major criteria for worshipping Christ, without having a pure and redeemed heart all of your worship is in vain. Let us purify our hearts and have a want to continue the up build of thy kingdom by worshipping God through the good and bad; however, our main focus is to worship him despite everything in spirit and in truth.
Overco ming being O ver whelemed
A devotional
“Sometimes
when you ’ re Over whelmed by a situation . When You’re in Darkest of Darkness. That’s When Your Priorities are reordered. -Phoebe Snow”
BY LY DI A JA Y StaffWriter
There are times in life when things can begin to be too much; everything starts to hit you all at once. You’ve got classes, work, extra curricular activities; not to mention you have to fit in time to eat, sleep, and down time With all these things going on daily, life can become overwhelming. In these moments it seems as though everything is falling apart, you can’t seem to grasp control over everything around you
Although these moments may seem like the worst with everything going on; it actually might be a good thing to be overwhelmed. Hold on a second, before you deem me as crazy and turn the page; hear me out!
Could it be that during what we feel our weakest, helpless, out of our control moments are the best moments in disguise? What do you mean? How can feeling overwhelmed possibly be our best moments? Simple At that moment you have no choice but to go back to what centers you and keeps you grounded in the beginning. Go back to what helps you to hold your peace. What helps you to reorder your priorities? For me, personally, I find it when I stop trying to do what I think is best, as well as doing things in my own strength. Instead I turn to my Father for direction, and begin to establish everything that seemed troublesome to be into its proper order When I stop trying to be superwoman and allow him to help me is when I find and start to sense my peace return. These are the moments when I am able to tackle
what I once thought to takeover and overwhelm me. So I encourage you to turn back to your Father. Allow him to help lead and guide you along those overwhelming moments in life Don’t allow the pressures of life to overtake you or make you bow out. Now is not the time for that, stay the course, stay focused. Do not give up. We have to remember if Jesus once walked on this earth, and did this thing we call life Surely we can do the same There’s no excuse for why we can’t cross the finish line when our Savior came before for us and defeated the many challenges we face today - setting a standard on how to do life, function, and respond to life the way he intended I challenge you to rise to the standard he has set before us.
Prayer: Father, I come before you feeling overwhelmed and stressed. I have tried to hold it together on my own by I feel as though I have failed I realize that in order for things to turn around I need to surrender my control and will over to you. I ask that you come help me by meeting me where I’m at I thank you in advance for hearing and answering by prayer in Jesus name amen.
“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I” Psalms 61:2 (KJV) Be blessed.
