I want to welcome you to your publication. Yes, thatâs right--your publication.
The Patriot is your newspaper, and all our writers pride themselves on being the penmen for your thoughts, opinions, and concerns. We strive to bring you current, credible news from our local area and hope to keep you fully informed on all issues affecting student life.
Not only do we serve as a news platform, but we also serve as an outlet for your creativity. Maybe you enjoy photography, draw comics, or even write poetry. The Patriot wants to show off your talents and individuality to the world! Creative minds make this newspaper work and I know there are more in our campus body with the same abilities.
I speak on the behalf of my staff when I say we have been truly honored to have our hard work and creativity rewarded by the Kentucky Press Association. I am proud to work alongside such a motivated staff that values journalism, vision, and teamwork to make this publication a success every time we print.
I look forward to the work we will produce this semester and I hope to see some new students become involved in their newspaper.
Editor-In-Chief
Ashton Rector
Assistant Editor Trenton Canada
Faculty Advisor Jeremiah Massengale
Yours,
Ashton Rector
Leanne Gregory
DJâHite
Zane Ross
Taylor Duke
Jay Sanksakulchai
Editorial Review Board
Lisa Bartram
Marianne Worthington
The Patriot is the biweekly student publication of the University of the Cumberlands. Our goal is to provide timely and original content by highlighting campus news and views.
Award-winning member of the Associated Collegiate Press and Kentucky Press Association.
Staff
Hope Austin
Eric Ford Edwards
We won: The Patriot receives 14 awards from the Kentucky Press Association
The University of the Cumberlandâs student newspaper, The Patriot, recently won 14 awards from the Kentucky Press Association. The honors were distributed as part of KPAâs annual awards banquet, which took place on January 20 in Louisville, Kentucky.
âI could not be more proud of our staff,â said Ashton Rector, Editorin-Chief of The Patriot. âWe are certainly thankful to have been honored by the Kentucky Press Association.â
The awards included both individual and staff credits, with The Patriot earning a second place recognition for general excellence among publications within its class. In addition to this, the staff received a first place honor for best front page and a certificate for best use of social media.
âIt was an honor to see my student staff receive numerous awards from the Kentucky Press Association,â stated The Patriotâs faculty advisor Jeremiah Massengale. âItâs encouraging for these talented student journalists, and Iâm happy they earned some recognition from KPA for their many hours of work at The Patriot.â
Several individual awards included Ashton Rector and Natasha
Jones placing second and third respectively for best general news story. Jay Sanksakulchai took first place for best sports picture essay, and DJ Hite placed second in the same category. Brody Nolan was awarded a first place recognition for best general news picture, and Eric Ford Edwards took third in this category.
âThis is a really big honor,â said Edwards, âto have the work that I do validated.â
Hunter Cleary and Trenton Canada were awarded first place for best sports feature story. Canada also took first and third place for best graphic and was given a certificate for best investigative story.
Of the experience, Canada stated, âI am incredibly proud of this staff. Iâve watched them grow as both journalists and students, and that growth is being rewarded.â
âThis time makes me look forward to the career I hope to have in media someday,â said Rector. âThe experience of hands-on journalism gained from The Patriot is irreplaceable. I have great hopes for our publication and know we will continue to see great work from our staff.â
Photo by Jeremiah Massengale
Be engaged: Fitness classes join the UC Engage line up
BY LEANNE GREGORY Staff Writer
Winter is a time of new beginnings for many things. Students who have come back for the new semester may have noticed a few new changes to accompany their return. Specifically to the UC Engage schedule. Starting the week of January 23 new health related programs were included for the spring 2017 roster of UC Engage activities for students to participate in.
The idea to incorporate health-related activities into the UC Engage schedule came from the Health and Wellness Center director Josh Hatfield. Hatfield is responsible for coordinating all Health and Wellness Center activities, alongside the intermural activities offered on campus. The week long events are planned to be held once a month for the remainder of the semester, with one happening in February and again in March.
âUC Engage has always been about having opportunities to engage students and get them involved. These fitness activities were another way to showcase a way for students to get involved on our campus,â Dr. Emily Coleman, the vice president of Student Services, said.
Some of the new activities introduced into the schedule included
yoga classes, intensity classes, move and groove dance classes, and hardcore fitness classes. These classes were open to both on campus students as well as commuters. Students who attended the events were also able to earn one Engage credit for every night of events they attended. No tickets were required to get into the events; however, students were required to have their UC ID cards to record their attendance at the events.
As with other engage activities students can find out the venue times and places for future Engage events via a weekly email sent directly to each student from the Student Services office. Or students can go and speak with Coleman directly for any questions or concerns regarding the Engage events, credits, and schedule. Likewise, students are always encouraged to offer suggestions for future events.
âWeâll track and look at student interest,â Coleman stated, âAt the end of the semester we will look and see how students interest has kept up-and look and see if these activities are something we need to continue.â Coleman said.
Photo by DJ Hite
You & Me? Coffee & Tea?
Popular coffee stop opens a shop in Williamsburg
BY ERIC FORD EDWARDS Staff Writer
The University of the Cumberlands now has a coffee shop within walking distance, the recently opened You and Me Coffee and Tea pop-up shop on Main Street in downtown Williamsburg. Though the shop is currently grab-and-go, meaning there is very little seating, that doesnât affect the quality, or availability of the shop.
Savannah Hamilton, a UC sophomore, has said, âThere is a lack of things to do near campus.â You and Me Coffee and Tea, which has its main shop in Corbin, intends to help bridge this gap in Williamsburg with great coffee and space for community.
When asked what he thought of the addition to Williamsburg, Jordan Floyd, a UC junior, stated, âHaving a quality coffee shop to go to, as an alternative to the fast food chains, is really going to help, not only the coffee culture, but also help the university as a whole, getting people into a comfortable environment in a small town coffee shop.â Floyd went on to say that he hopes this can bring the community together.
Though owners D.J. Allen and Andy Salmons have had a lease for the future, permanent, home of You and Me in Williamsburg for a while. The future shop will be located to the left side of the Lane Theater in downtown Williamsburg. Though after setbacks, they wanted to expedite the process of providing coffee for the town and the university. As luck would have it, they found space on the right side of the Lane Theater to now be able to serve.
coffee at premium costs, Counter Culture Coffee helps to provide the growers and workers with money that they can invest into better ways to cultivate the coffee, which makes the quality year after year.
Salmons explained the goal for You and Me Coffee and Tea both at the shop and in Williamsburg is simply to provide great coffee and facilitate community
When asked about a partnership with the college Salmons said, âFor us to work with them is the dream.â
The coffee at You and Me is something that not only the proprietors take pride in, but also the growers, and the roasters. The brand of roaster that You & Me goes through is the award-winning Counter Culture Coffee. As cited in an article from the New York Times Counter Culture was the first winner of the Roaster of the Year award. This company travels around the world to the source of where the coffee is grown to help cultivate high quality coffee as well as raise the living conditions of the growers themselves. Purchasing
Due to this process, the quality of the coffee and care that goes into this brew is potentially much higher than the competition. After so much care goes into shaping this coffee for customers You and Me is more than happy to help customers find a drink thatâs just right. If one were to compare the price of the coffee to say Starbucks in London, Kentucky, the cost is the same, though London is a 60-minute round trip drive, and You and Me is approximately, an 8-minute walk down the street.
Ready to bring the full menu to the larger space, and with the hope to bring students closer together, You and Me is working hard to get the new permanent location up and running. Salmons added, âOur goals are to open the larger shop, provide a large drink and food menu, have a space for students to study and people of the community. Now, as Salmonâs says, they are âsowing the seed that will grow into a what will be a vibrant space in the community.â
Center stage at Spotlight
Nicki Marietta (2016 Spotlight winner) singing while the judges choose the finalists
Depicted above is Slade Lambert and Ford Edwards singing âSittinâ on the Dock of the Bay.â
Jaclyn Jewell (pictured above) and Nikki Patterson (pictured right).
Duets night was held on Tuesday, January 24.
Diana Eneh performs at Spotlightâs duets night.
Milton Shelton and Mana Tanajantaporn sang âWhen I was Your Manâ by Bruno Mars.
Grace Uebel and Lucas Lay hear from the judges following their performance during deuts night.
New year, new Spotlight
Photo by Jay Sanksakulchai
BY MEGAN WILLOUGHBY Guest Writer
Students at the University of the Cumberlands recently auditioned for Spotlight, an on-campus singing competition mimicking the TV show âAmerican Idol,â on January 17 and 18. Vocalists are able to show off their abilities while competing against their peers for a cash prize of $1,500.
Zach Culver, a member of the Campus Activities Board described the event by stating, âCAB has sponsored this event for ten years now. Itâs a great way to get students involved.â
Contestants started their audition process by signing up in the music building at UC. From there, they performed their song of choice for this yearâs judges: Jordyne Carmack, Dr. Michael Dickman, and Victor Andzulis, all professors at UC.
Following each studentâs auditions, judges gave feedback to the vocalist, deciding whether or not to send them to the first round of the competition, which was held on January 24 at 8 p.m. in the Gatliff Chapel. After auditions, CAB announced that 20 contestants advanced to the first
round of the competition.
Dickman said, âI was very impressed with the auditions. We have many talented students going into this year. Itâs going to be a big crowd.â
The experience levels vary from student to student. Lucas Lay, a UC sophomore and menâs soccer team member, said following his audition, âIâve always loved singing, but I havenât sung in front of anyone until this year. The first time I sang in front of more than two people was maybe an hour ago.â
Many contestants are returning for a second season after losing the competition last year. Elizabeth Stewart, last yearâs second place finalist, sang âRise Upâ by Andra Day for the judges. After receiving her golden ticket, she described her anxiety going into Spotlight.
âI almost psyched myself out and didnât come. Second place is hard to live up to,â Stewart said.
Another contestant, UC junior, Ford Edwards, found his passion at an early age. Edwards sang âCreepâ by Radiohead for his audition.
Nikki Patterson and Jordan Yaden perform âStitchesâ by Shawn Mendez.
BY ASHTON RECTOR Editor-in-Chief
How to
Cozy over cold:
keep your dorm room warm when itâs feeling chilly
After a long, cold walk to classes there is no better greeting than a warm room that exudes the soft personality of a fuzzy blanket or a steaming cup of coffee. These spaces are quaint nap locations that allow you to unwind from the stressful day, and they also warm your spirits by keeping you content and cozy. But how is a space as this achievable when you have white cinder block walls and white tile flooring? With these tips youâll be able to better appeal to your senses and create an enticing atmosphere that lures you in from the chills outside.
Many would agree that the coziest place for them is their bed. University of the Cumberlands resident student, Abby Carter, explains that her and her roommate utilize their beds to begin creating a comfy atmosphere. âOur beds have lots of throw pillows and decorative throw blankets that make the room super cozy,â said Carter.
Comforters, blankets, and other bedclothes can certainly be personalized to match your style, but according to an article published by Psychology Today in 2011, the type of blankets that are on oneâs bed can affect their sleep patterns positively or negatively.
In this article, Alice Hoagland, PhD, director of Insomnia Services at Unity Sleep Disorders Center in Rochester, New York, tells that body temperature drops after the first four hours of sleep, so extreme heat or cold can disturb oneâs sleep if their blankets are too thick or thin.
The article also goes on to say that blankets that are weighted can
act therapeutically if someone is anxious or upset. Karen Moore, OTR/L, an occupational therapist in Franconia, New Hampshire was quoted in the article saying, âLike a firm hug, weighted blankets help us feel secure, grounded, and safe.â
One can incorporate this aspect into their dorm room by investing in a thicker comforter that will provide a more weight and will also make your bed look softer and fuller.
Calming Colors
Not only do blankets and pillows act as a sight of comfort, but also the colors on them can help bring more life to the originally whitewashed room.
Carter suggests hanging Christmas lights, colorful wall decorations, or pictures to add to the homelike atmosphere of the room.
âA cozy room is calming to me and helps me relax when Iâm stressed out,â said Carter.
Elements of color and individuality will help to give any dorm a more ambient feeling. This tone is also enhanced with lower lighting as it calms down the traditional florescent beams throughout the room.
Carter also states that by giving her room a more comforting feel; it has positively affected her life as a student.
âI am able to focus on my school work if my room feels homey and comforting,â Carter tells.
Photo by Ashton Rector
Abby Carter (pictured right) and her roommate Maggie Moore sit in their dorm room, which is decorated to provide a more homey feel.
Donât Look Away
Review of Netflixâs new series, âLemony Snicketâs A Series of Unfortunate Events.â
BY ZANE ROSS Staff Writer
âLemony Snicketâs A Series of Unfortunate Eventsâ has finally made its way to Netflix. The series is based on the best-selling childrenâs book series of the same title and launched on January 13. The first season has a total of eight episodes that encompass the storylines of the first four books, two episodes per book. Overall the Netflix series has been considered a huge success, receiving an 8.4 out of 10 on IMDb and 92 percent âfreshâ on Rotten Tomatoes. The series stays very close to its source material, since it is written by Daniel Handler, the original author of the books. This might be the reason for its high popularity or it could be the wonderful cast and enveloping subplots.
For those who are not familiar with âA Series of Unfortunate Eventsâ it is the story of three children whose parents perish in a terrible fire. Perish means killed, as Mr. Poe (K. Todd Freeman) would say. They are taken in by the mysterious Count Olaf, portrayed by the comical Neil Patrick Harris, as part of a heinous plot to steal their immense family fortune. The series follows the now orphaned Baudelaire children as they try to escape the clutches of Count Olaf and find a home where their misfortune will come to an end.
The story was adapted in 2004 as a major motion picture starring Jim Carrey in the role of Count Olaf, but there is no real comparison between the movie adaptation and the series. Whether it be the writing or the acting,
Harris brings to the silver screen a maniacal villain who, despite being incredibly campy and comical, is utterly brilliant and unrelentingly evil. The series is quite a bit darker than its paper counterpart, but manages to keep a borderline light tone with Harrisâs witty banter and quips.
Another famous face that appears in the series is Patrick Warburton portraying the narrator, Lemony Snicket himself. As opposed to the novels and the previous movie, Lemony Snicket plays a larger role than just narrating the unfortunate tale of the Baudelaire orphans. Snicket, as well as the secret society that the Baudelaire parents and Count Olaf belonged to, has an underlying subplot that helps establish a backstory for the series, as well as set up for the possibility of a season two. The subplot is very action-oriented, with the use of a spy-themed narrative that touches on a few different characters that belonged to the secret society.
The opening number for the show is entitled âLook Away,â but it seems almost impossible to do so with such a well-written work. The casting choices are appropriate, the comedy is tasteful and the slight changes that do not appear in the books do not make or break this show. It will have you wondering what horrendous tragedy might befall the Baudelaireâs next. So whatever you do, donât look away.
Image courtesy of Netflix
BY SARAH RAINOUS Guest Writer
Campus ministry to change this spring
Baptist Campus Ministries is changing their approach to both worship and outreach on UCâs campus this semester.
Instead of hosting weekly worship services, worship will now be held once a month and will qualify as UC Engage credits. The next UC Engage worship nights are Spring Renewal on Feb. 21-23, held in Gatliff Chapel at 8 p.m. each night.
Additionally, campus missionaries, students who have formally agreed to spread the Gospel around UC, will undergo discipleship training each week. The campus missionaries will then train others on campus to be disciples, those people will train others, and so on.
âWe want to start a movement,â said Chad Everhart, UCâs campus minister. Everhart said he hopes that âevery student gets a chance to hear the Gospel and respond to it.â From this point on, BCM is looking to âsaturate places with the gospel.â
This is not a new concept, apparently. Everhart said, âItâs actually an international movement,â typically termed #noplaceleft. Its emphasis: Jesusâs Great Commission written in Matthew 28.
UC senior Natalie Graham, a campus missionary and BCM leader,
approves of the new structure. âDiscipleship is key,â Graham said. She added, âIf this got bigger, I think camaraderie could be a lot betterâŠIt just brings people together as a whole.â Grahamâs goals are to serve the Lord and âmultiply the Kingdom.â âItâs all about the big picture.â Graham said. Everhart hopes that more students will come to know Christ, and encourages anyone who wants to be a campus missionary to stop by the E. Taylor House, located beside the football office building, for more information.
Baptist Campus Ministries has undergone dramatic changes this year. Instead of a hierarchy of leadership positions, BCM now has a âflatâ leadership system, according to Everhart. Plus, there is a bigger emphasis on evangelism. In Everhartâs experience, when college students graduate, they know how to pay bills, make friends, and get a job. âShouldnât you learn how to make disciples by the time you graduate?â he asked.
Graham believes BCMâs changes are for the best. If the discipleship program is successful, she thinks it will âimprove the atmosphere of the school.â The new structure will have a large impact on newcomers to UC, in her opinion. âIâm almost jealous of the freshmen now,â Graham said.
