We have made it to our second issue of the semester. I hope that you will find we have catered to your interests and may have answered some questions that might have crossed your mind. This issue comes with a story about the new freshmen orientation program that’s replacing INSIGHTS, an interview with Spotlight contestant Elizabeth Steward, and a fun snow project to complete in your dorm.
Behind these stories and columns of information, there is an art form. Specific phrasings, profound thoughts, and curiosity have propelled journalists behind the compositions forward to search for answers and fashion their findings. Journalists need to have a longing for finding answers; maybe we cannot always find them but we strive to bring forth truth and accuracy to serve our readers.
When I was younger, my parents would tell me I was being nosy. I would ask questions about most everything--and sometimes their reprimands were for my own good--but this small itch for an answer has never fully gone away.
Luckily, I have used this element of my personality to combine it with writing and create pieces of journalistic reporting.
I know that you have these kinds of talents too. It might not be with journalism, but there are all different areas where your originality can be used to your advantage. Maybe you were always the loudest child in your elementary school classroom, but these were the beginning signs that you were a born leader. Or maybe you would have rather kept your eyes glued to the pages of a good book, because you could one day become an author yourself.
Find the right outlet to channel these talents, whatever they might be, because there is no one else that can compare to the all the aspects that make you irreplaceable.
Editor-In-Chief
Ashton Rector
Assistant Editor
Faculty Advisor
Editorial Review Board
Yours,
Ashton Rector
Trenton Canada
Massengale
Lisa Bartram
Marianne Worthington
BY ZANE ROSS Staff Writer
The future of the STARs UC says goodbye to INSIGHTS and hello to Peer Leadership
The University of the Cumberlands INSIGHTS program has officially come to an end this spring, but with its conclusion comes the birth of a new orientation program.
Since its creation more than twenty years ago the INSIGHTS program has been a way of adapting incoming freshmen to college life by utilizing both upper class students and professors, known as STARS and STRIPES respectively. Although this has been the norm at the Cumberlands for years the world is constantly changing and this is no exception. It is time to make way for Peer Leadership.
The question that might be on everyone’s mind is how this new firstyear orientation program will work, as well as how different it might be to how things were done in the past.
Nate Clouse, Student Success Coordinator and one of the minds in charge of the new Peer Leadership program, said, “We like the INSIGHTS program and we are taking several ideas from it to mold it into something new. The main reason for the change is to keep up with the national model. The model of a student led, student leadership is the model that most schools are going with now. Our students are good leaders so this is a good chance to give them leadership experience. They will be able to keep in contact with their students whereas professors might not have been able to do in the past because of their busy schedules. So, instead of losing our students right after Welcome Week, we will keep in contact with them throughout the fall semester so that we can make sure they have what they need for success.”
UC student Logan Woodrum, a former STAR and now a peer leader in the new program, said, “There are no longer STRIPES; no professor to oversee the class, just two students who are peer leaders. Peer leaders, unlike STARS, are work study so we will be working more with Student Services throughout the year. We will be keeping in contact with our students that we are assigned to throughout the year and not just during the first few weeks of classes. Those are really the major differences, I think. The Peer Leadership program is really looking to establish a sense of community among the student body.”
The program is still growing and, although the spring semester has already begun, Student Services still have a few positions open for prospective peer leaders.
Woodrum added, “It’s all about the mindset that the peer leaders need to have, really. We have to make sure that we keep in contact and let them know that we are here for them. We’re going to contact them and let them know about campus events that might interest them or give them advice when it comes to academics or things going on in their lives. I think that the students will be able to relate to us better, someone who has been where they are, and it won’t feel like another class to them.”
Clause concluded, “It’s a newer program. The good news is we aren’t the only school to do this. There are bigger schools who use this model and it really works well for them. We are hoping it has the same result. It has some new ideas that we think will make a big difference and we are looking forward to it next semester.”
Anne Russell, Elijah True, and Logan Woodrum plan their orientation for the fall 2017 UC freshmen.
Photo by Zane Ross
Big Name, Big Business
Shaquille O’Neal scheduled to appear on UC’s Campus
BY ZANE ROSS Staff Writer
Mark your calendars and reserve your tickets for April 5 at 7 PM. Basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal is coming to the University of the Cumberlands as part of the Annual Excellence in Leadership Series. This is the 12th event related to the Leadership Series having had many famous speakers, such as Ben Carson and Rudy Giuliani. O’Neal, however, seems to be a step away from the typical speakers seen in the past, not only being a big name, but being a cultural icon that students can get excited for. If you want to see Shaq though there are a few things you need to know.
“I’m excited for Shaquille O’Neal to be coming to our campus because he’s been involved in work as a sportscaster for the NBA, he has done a few movies and commercials, as well. For me it really comes down to how big on an influence he has been in the field of communications, my major, and in the realm of sports in general,” says UC Junior, Brett Birnberg. This is a required UC Engage event for all students so reserving tickets is crucial.
Dr. Emily Coleman, Vice President for Student Services, says, “The ticket reservation process is a little different for this event. We are expecting such a large crowd and we’ve had such a high demand for tickets for the event. We are asking that students go in and reserve their tickets for the event. They will be able to stop by Student Services the week of the event to pick up their ticket, but they need to go in and reserve their ticket beforehand so we know that they are coming. This way we can know how many tickets we have left for other populations that want to attend.”
Ticket reservation can be found on the University of the Cumberlands website. Also an e-mail has been sent out to all students in regards to reserving tickets which includes a link to the page. Coleman mentioned that students
will be asked not to park on the academic side of campus during the event because they are expecting a large turnout of attendees who are not UC students.
UC Senior, Sam Kozee, says, “I’m extremely excited for Shaq to come to our campus, but I’m a little confused. How did we get Shaq to come to our school? He doesn’t exactly fit the mold of the kind of speakers we’re used to having.”
Jamirae Hammons, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, elaborated on why O’Neal was chosen as the speaker for the 12th Annual Excellence in Leadership Series event, saying, “We work through an agency, The Harry Walker Agency, who helps us find speakers and bring them to us. Not only that, but Dr. Cockrum was a basketball coach for Texas A&M. He had the opportunity to go on a recruiting trip and meet Shaq. Dr. Cockrum loves basketball and Shaq is a very strong leader so it just seemed to fit. It is something we can get excited for as a campus.”
Hammons expanded on their choice for O’Neal, saying, “We have a large student population who are athletes, but as well as an athlete he [O’Neal] is also a business man. He has managed to have a long career and has been able to remain relevant in a very quickly changing world. We hope he will be able to share some life experiences that students can draw from as well as provide some entertainment.”
Hammons also added that the setup for this event will be different from those of previous years. O’Neal is planned to speak to the student body for approximately 15 minutes and then have a follow up Q&A with Dr. Larry Cockrum where he will discuss life experiences, business, success and maybe even a little bit about basketball.
Photo courtesy of Flickr’s Cubahora. Used with permission.
Backstage with Elizabeth
A Q&A with Elizabeth Stward
BY ERIC FORD EDWARDS Staff Writer
Back at again, Elizabeth Steward is in it to win. Steward placed second in last year’s Spotlight and continues to be a crowd favorite in this semester’s singing competition. Despite her success in the previous season, Steward had reservations about trying out again this year. In this interview, she discusses her musical influences, why she chose to return to Spotlight, and the pressure that comes with being on stage at a small campus.
Q: When did you get into music?
A: I started singing in church when I was 5 years old, and I’ve been singing ever since. I started playing the piano when I was 5 as well, but I’m better at singing so we’ll just go with that.
Q: What’s your favorite type of music to sing?
A: Definitely Christian music, because I’m a church music major, and I want to be a worship leader.
Q: Is it hard for you to juggle school and Spotlight?
A: Sometimes, because preparing for Spotlight is a lot of work, especially when you have to choose all of your songs and practice. Though it’s only every other week so it’s not to bad.
Q: Where do you see yourself going with music?
A: Well, my ultimate goal would be to travel the world, and sing about Jesus! That’s my dream, but right now I’m a church music major.
Q: If you were going after a different profession, what role would music play in your life?
A: I’d Just sing on the side, I guess. I hadn’t really thought about it before because music is my entire life.
Q: Why did you try out for Spotlight again specifically?
A: I wasn’t going to try out again this year. I was going to wait a year, but the prize money is $1,500 this year. I thought that would be a good reason to try out. It’s also the 10th year, so if I win I can say I won the 10th year of Spotlight. That would be pretty cool.
Q: Did the people that wanted you to try out influence you to try out?
A: Yes, definitely. Nicki Marietta, who won last year, said she would drag me to the audition if I didn’t tell her I would try out. My roommate forced me. There were a lot of people encouraging me.
Q: Do you think it’s fair you can try out again?
A: I think it’s fair because when you win you can’t try out again, and that’s a good thing. If you won already you’ll probably win again. I think it’s fair because you get a second shot. I came in second last year, but I didn’t win, so now I get to try to win first place instead of second place. It’s also really fun. I think everyone that has done it before should do it again because it’s so amazing.
Q: Do you struggle with people who are negative, and how do you block that out?
A: Sometimes, I just try not to listen to people because if I do I overthink about it too much. I let it get into my head and then I don’t do as well, so I try to just block it out and sing.
Photo by Taylor Duke
SPOTLIGHT
Love / Hate Night
NIGHT 2 - FEB. 7th
Photo by Eric Ford Edwards
Photo by Jay Sanksakulchai
Photo by Taylor Duke
Milton Shelton preforms Sam Smith
Caleb McClurg sings “Here’s a Quarter,” by Travis Tritt
Nikki Patterson sings to the viewers
Photo by Jay Sanksakulchai
Photo by Jay Sanksakulchai
Photo by Jay Sanksakulchai
Photo by Jay Sanksakulchai
Slade Lambert and Ben Call await for the judges’ response
Spotlight judges give feedback to the contestants
Spotlight host Ben Call speaks to the crowd
Mana Tanajantaporn serenades the audience
The campus and community divide An editorial
BY ASHTON RECTOR Editor-in-Chief
Small town America--
it’s where the streets downtown are one way and those buildings have just enough age to carry a bit of charm. Williamsburg, Kentucky, is certainly a member in this category of living, but there also happens to be a university just on top of the hill from Main Street. From this street, students can often be seen walking to class or participating in campus events such as small outdoor concerts. Take a further cruise to the downtown streets of Williamsburg and you will soon see the remnants of a town that is not living to its full potential with buildings standing vacant. This is a wide contrast from the breathing campus that lays only a matter of feet from the heart of downtown.
It’s this very divide between the town that leaves students of the university feeling isolated from their surrounding community. The streets of downtown are walking distance from the college, but many of its doors remain sealed and closed. Isn’t part of college supposed to be dedicated to finding your niche?
Isn’t that the time to create a favorite hangout spot and become a regular?
The buildings that line the empty sidewalks now lie as a resounding echo of a town that has once been, rather than the untapped economic and social opportunity that it remains to be.
Student migration patterns speak loudly enough as flocks return home every summer after their semesters are complete. If there were more business growth, students could find employment that would carry them through the summer months and give them a reason to stay in their college town.
This is not to say that the university students are never exposed to activity that might take place downtown, however it is limited. The most common time to see students walking toward this area of town are for Old
Fashion Trading Days, a community festival that has occurred annually for 33 years. At this gathering, food vendors and several craft makers set up booths on the sidewalks and roads in order to raise funds for community projects.
While students might visit the streets of downtown in early September, Tara Briggs, owner of Milly’s on Main, a sandwich shop that is located downtown, explains most students do not know about their restaurant.
“More foot traffic from college students downtown would greatly impact our business in a positive way,” comments Briggs.
Not only would more student activity influence Briggs’ business, but also there could be more job opportunities for students and members of the local community if other commercial establishments were to open in the Main Street area.
“Without more businesses coming into town, you are just circulating the same money over and over,” says Briggs.
Marion, Virginia is one town that held strong intentions to see that their Main Street and downtown area did not remain in an economic fall that many towns have faced due to the Great Recession.
John Weinberg from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond states on the Federal Reserve History website that the Great Recession was the deepest economic downturn since World War II and the longest as it lasted 18 months. Unemployment rates also grew to 10 percent from the previous less than five percent.
It’s an understatement to say that cities and towns across the nation felt a jolt in their economic activity during this time period.
But these statistics didn’t prevent this town from pushing on. According to the town of Marion’s Facebook page, “Marion isn’t waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel. This community is creating their own light.”
The town has spent over $4.5 million in renovations in order to attract more customers to their small town. Some of these revamps included restoring downtown buildings and even preserving a historic schoolhouse that is now the Wayne C. Henderson School of Appalachian Arts.
In an article featured in the Knoxville News Sentinel by Clayton Hensley, Hensley writes about trips close to the Knoxville area and claims, “This Main Street Marion treasure blends art inspired from an ancient culture with the history of the state of Virginia.”
The town also holds a notable title, “America’s Coolest Hometown,” and a certification of a Virginia Main Street Community.
Olivia McDonald, executive director of Downtown Marion, explains their process to revitalize their town began with hosting entrepreneurial programs, business training, and mentorships with prospective business owners. People then gained interest in opening their own businesses in Marion.
Since the town transition in 2012, McDonald says there is a positivity and support in the community that shows through the attendance numbers at the local events.
McDonald sums up the entire reformation by stating it, “breathed life back into the community.”
While there is an investment of time, money, and commitment on the forefront, it would be beneficial to not only the atmosphere of the university but also to the surrounding Williamsburg area if there were a revitalization right here at home.
Students would feel more at home if they could make more connections with members of the community outside of the university, or if they had a favorite sidewalk shop to take their families to when they come to visit. Maybe some students might be inspired to one day create their own businesses in their former college town, if it becomes an area of economic promise.
The town of Williamsburg also might not suffer such a vast decrease during the summer months after students leave if there were more of an attraction for them to stay or for tourists to visit.
This sort of transformation to downtown will not only benefit the economy of Williamsburg, but also the social environment that could combine college and community. With Main Street in its current conditions, the two groups have been forced to remain silent, as there are few places to gather and mingle with new faces.
A change as this can undoubtedly not happen overnight, but maybe it’s time to take the first step.
Photos by Taylor Duke
BY LEANNE GREGORY Staff Writer
Winter has not been kind this year. With every week a mix between sweltering heat, and frigid temperatures, there has been little hope for students to see winters most iconic feature; snow. Until now. With just a few ingredients and moments of time, you can be responsible for turning your dorm room into a winter wonderland of your own. When getting ready to make your snow, make sure the space you have is spacious enough to move around in, and that you won’t mind getting it a little messy. It is highly recommended that you have a bowel to mix the ingredients in, and some newspapers or old clothes to lay down on the floor for easier clean up.
Method one: Disposable diapers and water
According to chemistryabout.com author Dr. Anne Helmenstine, one method to make fake snow involves taking a polymer, a molecular structure used in plastics and resins, known as sodium polyacrylate and mixing it with water. Don’t let the scientific name deter you, sodium polyacrylate can be bought at online retailers such as Amazon, or found in local stores in disposable diapers or crystals used to keep garden soil moist. The amounts of each substance you use depends upon the amount of slush you wish your snow to have. The slushier the snow, the more water you add to the sodium polyacrylate. Once you have added the water, simply mix the gel-like substance until you have the desired effect. If at any time you wish to have drier snow, then simply add salt to the mixture to reduce the water intake of the sodium polyacrylate. This
mixture is non-toxic, but still unsafe to eat, yet safe to throw away in a trash can when you’re finished using it.
Results
This method of making snow proved to be complicated, yet exciting. I found all of the ingredients at the local Dollar Tree, and the entire process took only a few minutes to complete. After setting down some newspapers over the floor, I took a pair of scissors and cut open one of the diapers from the top, and pulled out the white cotton substance from inside. After making sure it was spread out on the bottom of the bowl, I then added in some cold water, sloshing around the cotton until it was damp in my hand and cool to the touch. Working my hand around the dampened polyacrylate, I slowly separated it into a thick mushy pile, and then began to add more water as I felt it become drier upon separating into tinier pieces as time went on. When I was finished, the product felt most like the compacted snow lying on the sides of roads and ditches after a snow plow passes through. It was easy to grab and pull apart, being dense and soft, but wasn’t really willing to stick together unless I applied a lot of pressure to it.
Photos by Trenton Canada
Method two: Shaving cream and baking soda.
Another method to making snow comes from growingajeweldrose. com. This method involves more common household items, namely shaving cream and baking soda. All of these items can be found in any local retail store, such as Walmart, or in specialty craft stores. To make this version of snow, simply take a box a baking soda and mix in an entire can of shaving cream slowly. Once the mixture is thoroughly mixed, this should take no more than a minute or two, the snow produced should be fluffy and light, and is easily disposed of in any trash can. For an extra bit of fun with this particular recipe, try adding some vinegar to the mixture in a bowel. The results will be explosive.
Results.
I found this to be the most enjoyable experience I have had with baking soda and shaving cream. Again, after purchasing all of my items at the local Dollar Tree and setting up my little snow haven on the floor, I took the box of baking soda, in this case I purchased a smaller box, but, having a larger box should work just as well, and put it into the bowl, making sure to lightly pack it around the sides and bottom until it was evenly distributed. I then shook up the can of shaving cream and while I sprayed in a generous amount with one hand, took to mixing it with the other. Mixing the ingredients was a little difficult at times because the shaving cream kept sticking to my hand as much as it stuck to the powder, but the snow produced by this method proved to be malleable enough to make snowmen or snow balls, and was silky to the touch as it was cold. It reminded me of fresh fallen snow for how much it slipped through my fingers as I worked, as well as for the fresh scent it put off due to the aromas of the shaving cream.
Method Three: Corn starch, vegetable oil, and glitter.
The final method for making your own snow arises from the website theimaginationtree.com, and involves corn starch and vegetable oil, with just a dash of glitter. All of these items can be found in the local retail stores. First measure out two cups of corn starch into a bowl and mix it around by hand until it’s evenly distributed. Then slowly add in a onethird cup of vegetable oil, pausing after every pour to mix it in with the starch. Finally, while mixing the corn starch add in as much glitter as you desire.
Results
This method proved to be interesting. I have never worked with corn starch before and was surprised by how smooth and sticky it was, especially when I ran the vegetable oil over it. For the vegetable oil I purchased a small bottle at the Dollar Tree, while I had to run to Walmart for the corn starch and glitter. Setting up the room, I started by pouring out the corn starch by eye until I had the amount I wanted to start with. I then added in the oil in round circles over the starch until I had the entire surface covered from one end of the bowel to the next. I then began to knead the mix until the oil had been soaked up the by the starch and I needed to add more until I was satisfied with how the mixture felt and looked. This snow proved to be course and gritty, but yet smooth, and was moldable with enough pressure. It felt like sand, but was very beautiful to look at, the dark oil covered mush contrasting in the light with the silver sparkles I had chosen to use. This version of the snow reminded me of the snow that can be found on gravel roads, with the various leaves and twigs mixed in to create a fantastic scene, but horrible to use for much else.
Overall conclusion
I really enjoyed the second recipe the most out of all the methods. The snow produced with baking soda and shaving cream felt the most realistic in the hand, and was the easiest out of all of the recipes to mold and form into shapes. It was also the most fun to work with because no matter how much of the ingredients I added to the bowl, it stayed relatively stable and wasn’t too soupy or too sand-like as the other two methods turned out to be. It was also the most cost effective of the three methods, and the ones whose ingredients were the easiest to locate and purchase.
Scene around campus
University of the Cumberlands’ students rehearse Act III of the “Importance of Being Earnest” on Tuesday, February 07, 2017. The play is scheduled to open Thursday, February 16, at the Kohn Theatre in the Grace Crum Rollins Fine Arts Center.
Above: Jaymine Carey (front center) as Miss Prism inspects a handbag while Foster Colvin as Jack Worthing (left) and Trey Muncy as Rev. Chausable (right) react.
Cecily and Algernon hold hands while discussing their future.
The cast of the Importance of Being Earnest rehearse the play that is scheduled to open Thursday, February 16, 2017.
ALL PHOTOS BY LYDIA HUGGINS Guest Photographer
Ashley Hulgan (left) as Cecily Cardew and Rachel Bertram (right) as Lady Bracknell listen to Nick Kidd (center) give his lines as Algernon Moncrieff.
Above: Lady Bracknell (left) accepts a kiss on the cheek from Cecily (middle) as Algernon (right) looks on.
Left: Savannah Frost (middle) as Gwendoline Fairfax listens to Jack as Cecily and Algernon (to the left) listen nearby.
Summer means Winshape Camp for ten UC students
BY HEATHER GREENE Guest Writer
This summer ten UC students will travel to Mt. Berry, Georgia for an opportunity to become a part of Winshape Camps 2017 summer staff.
Among the ten UC students are Caitlyn Howell and Meghann Blackburn, who are returning to Winshape Camps this summer for their second round of camp adventures.
“Winshape Camps is the summer of a life time,” said Meghann Blackburn.
Returning to Winshape Camps was not a hard decision to make for Blackburn. She said, “Experiencing how Winshape Camps teaches kids their worth in Jesus and how much Jesus loves them was something I wanted to be a part of again for sure. They are all about unity and community and that means everything to me.”
The remaining eight students will transform into workers as they venture to Georgia for their first experience of Winshape Camps. These students are Kathryn Green, Natalye Gallagher, Henry Quaye, Heather Greene, Skylar Downs, Shannon Jones, Eric Bowen and Devon McMillin.
“I’m really excited to experience the camp culture and even the culture of the town,” says Kathryn Green, a sophomore at UC. Green, who
has worked at other summer camps in the past, is eager to begin her journey as one of Winshape’s sport assistants, and has also joined the program staff. Quaye’s excitement for camp is having the opportunity to get away from old habits and get closer with God. Quaye said, “I expect to build my relationship with the Lord by helping the kids build their relationship. I want them to have someone to talk to and relate to.”
Similarly, Gallagher said, “I am excited for this experience and to have the opportunity to teach high school freshmen girls how to be faithful throughout anything. I want to see them rely on God and trust in Him, because it only gets harder as you get older.”
Winshape Camps has also recently announced their need of more male counselors and musically-talented individuals. Camp will begin their summer activities with the start of June and will last until the closing of July.
“Sometimes you just have to say ‘Okay, God’ and go where he leads,” Quaye said. He added, “I heard about Winshape first in Gatliff Chapel then at FCA and then again at FCA. So I applied and I will be at Mt. Berry this summer.”
Above: Henry Quaye reads about Winshape at UC Fellowship for Chirstian Atheletes.
Left: Caitlyn Howell and Kathryn Green discuss the exciting adventure that Winshape Camps will be this summer.
BY HOPE AUSTIN Staff Writer
When you call to Him
A Devotional
Prayer is one of the most important things when living a Christian life. Through prayer we have a direct connection with God, and are able to build a relationship with Him. However, not all people use this connection. Some find it easy to just forget and put it off. They tend to find excuses as to why they cannot pray at the given time. Continuing this, they can find that they never pray anymore because it is just easier to push it off and end up cutting off their connection with the Lord.
Without a relationship with God, it becomes easier to find yourself surrounded by temptations and finding yourself completely lost. However, no matter how far you find yourself astray, God will always be there to listen and have His arms open wide. “The Lord will hear when I call to Him,” Psalm 4:3 (NKJV).
Wherever you are and whenever you call, the Lord will hear your every cry and be there to help. It is also important to remember to pray in the good times as well as the bad. In bad times it is easier to remember to pray and ask God to fix everything than it is to remember to pray when everything is going in your favor. However it is when you do not pray in the good times
that you can find yourself asking for help again. You should always strive to be in a constant state of prayer.
Thank God a few extra times a day. Thank him for each blessing He gives you, including those unseen. Along with the prayer and talking to God, you should be ready to listen as well. At any time God can give you a message and tell you something, you just have to be able to listen.
Some people find themselves listening but they find it hard to act on what the Lord tells them. If you find yourself struggling to act on what God has asked you to do, just remember the reward after will be greater than any fear thrown your way. The Lord will never ask you to do something He doesn’t believe you can do.
The Bible tells us to acknowledge Him and He will direct our path. As long as we are listening and prepared to follow where He calls us, the Lord will lead us to great things. He has a plan for all people; however, before you can figure out His plan for your life you must begin praying and forming a relationship with Him. A healthy and thriving prayer life is key to staying strong with the Lord.
Photo by Flickr’s Areta Ekarafi. Used with permission.
