Le t ter from the Edit or:
W hy College Media Mat t ers
Diane Sawyer once said, “Every time somebody tries to go in and reinvent what we do, it always ends up being more about technology and sets, and flash and dash, forgetting the main thing, which is interesting people saying interesting, important things.” In the digital age we live in, communication is almost instantaneous with information spreading faster and easier But through the test of time, television, print news and radio will remain some of the biggest outlets for communication and UC’s student media facilities are no different.
This award-winning student newspaper, The Patriot, is open to any and all who want to participate No matter what their major, many students working for The Patriot throughout the years have contributed photographs, opinion pieces, reviews, news, and, perhaps most notably, feature stories about their fellow students The Patriot has spotlighted incredible students who are doing incredible things on our campus And almost every spring semester, the last issue contains a number of senior profiles highlighting the experiences of several graduating students Our next issue will have that same focus again The Patriot is a publication created by students with the interests of other students in mind, which helps to unite our campus. And like The Patriot, WCCR and the Digital Media Studio give students more chances to tell meaningful stories that are sent out into world.
WCCR 94 5 FM, The Patriot and the Digital Media Studio give students the power and accessibility to reach out to their peers and share ideas and content to bridge the gap between a campus to a community. In addition to giving students training in a number of career settings, these media outlets are important, whether all students realize it or not The students who participate in those groups are helping to be a voice to (and for) their fellow students.
College media is something that can sometimes be taken for granted, but it’s truly just as vital in connecting people as social media is. Which is why our staff here at The Patriot, pour so much energy into our paper in hopes of best serving our readers. We hope you enjoy
Sincerely,
Editor-in-Chief
Natasha Jones
The Patriot is the biweekly student publication of the University of the Cumberlands Our
Fro m U C Patrio t to US Ma rs ha l
BY SH Y A N N NOR R IS Staff Writer
Tedarrius Teasey, a junior at the University of the Cumberlands, has been given the opportunity to intern with the United States Marshals Service this semester. The USMS is known as the oldest federal law enforcement agency and is responsible for security within the federal judicial system, prisoner security and transportation, witness protection, and various tactical operations
Although it is a one-hour drive to the Knoxville headquarters from UC’s campus, Teasey will have more knowledge about the USMS and what the future holds for him Upon starting this internship, Teasey has already been introduced to several tasks including entering prisoner information into law enforcement databases and many other organizational tasks such as verifying files to ensure inmates serve their allotted time and are not released during that sentence previous to the time of their federal sentence. Teasey will get to sit in on numerous court sessions while interning and witness less lethal training sessions for the US Marshals Teasey’s experience will carry a lot of weight on future career applications and the experience will take him far in life. Teasey could even gain an upcoming job with the Marshals.
Teasey said, “When the Marshals Service asked me to come in for an inter-
view, I was very nervous and apprehensive. I desperately wanting to intern with the agency, but I was very nervous at the same time ”
While he was nervous, Teasey pressed forward and took the interview. Teasey said once he got there the people he would soon be spending most of his time with were very friendly and easy to talk to He said, “I knew then that I would enjoy my time there.”
At this point, Teasey has been traveling to their office in Knoxville two times a week since January He explained that he looks forward to going every time. Even as an intern, Teasey is expected to do his work as an official US Deputy Marshal. After asking Teasey about some of his daily duties, he said, “From entering data in criminal databases, to sex offender compliance checks, I have been exposed to a lot. Now that I have shown them that I can work efficiently, they tell me that I am basically one of them.”
Although this is not a typical internship, Teasey is very fortunate that he has been given this opportunity. He said in time he hopes to get a job with the US Marshals but getting hired right out of college can be difficult but not impossible
Convocation
Confusion
Passing Convocation not required for graduation, solely affects GPA
BY T R EN T ON CA N A DA & A SH T ON R E C
T OR
Many University of the Cumberlands students are under the impression that a passing grade in convocation is required in order to earn graduation status at the end of their undergraduate career. Upon investigation into this matter, this information was found to be largely inaccurate
“As far as the graduation requirement goes, unless you are exempted by age, it is a requirement that convocation be listed on your transcript for every semester up until senior status for you to graduate,” said UC registrar Chuck Dupier III. “What you earn in convocation is up to you.”
Convocation, as listed in the current undergraduate catalog, is a requirement for the course schedule of every student that has not reached senior status, with at least 96 credit hours earned. However, it does not specify that students who are enrolled in convocation need to receive a passing grade in order to reach the graduation requirements The penalty for failing convocation is simply a reflection on a student’s GPA, not a requirement for graduation.
“Failing convocation will negatively affect your GPA, but you also have to remember that passing convocation will improve your GPA… If a student has even one failing grade in convocation throughout his/her academic career, that student will not be able to be recognized as a Summa, Magna or Cum Laude student, regardless of the earned GPA,” said Dupier.
However, when asked if a student had to pass convocation in order to graduate, director of convocation and church relations, Dr Rick Fleenor, said, “The easiest answer to this is yes ”
Fleenor added, “The official policy is in the catalogue, and that’s the guideline, always Whatever ’s listed in the catalogue is what the registrar ’s office must abide by; it’s what the students must abide by ”
Another confusing aspect of convocation is the effect it has on registra-
tion for upcoming classes Dupier added, “If the student continually receives failing grades in convocation, the director of convocation can place a stop on the student’s account that will keep them from registering for classes. The only way this stop can be removed is by scheduling a meeting with the director of convocation.”
Wesley Graham, a UC junior, is among a number of students who have faced difficulty in earning all of the convocation requirements Graham stated, “Last semester I had been heavily involved in the UC Theatre’s production of ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’ I had work from 1 to 5 every day and rehearsals went from 7 to 10 every night Convocation is usually scheduled during that time, so I was missing a few attendances. I emailed Dr. Fleenor, and he took a written assignment in place of attendance, which allowed me to pass ”
As UC’s student population has grown, the ticket policy was added to convocation. Students are required to stop by the student services office, during office hours, to pick up a ticket to reserve a seat at a convocation event If no tickets are available, students can come to the event and wait in a standby seating line, but they are not guaranteed a seat.
When asked why convocation events are not held in the O Wayne Rollins Center, where adequate seating is available, Fleenor said, “We could hold every event in the Rollins Center, but imagine what it would be like for you to be the person who was on stage with a 1,500 seat, fixed seating capability with the seats on the sides and in the back and 200, 500 more or so on the floor and 50 people show up or 100 people show up. It’d be kind of like speaking in a cave to a really small crowd ”
According to the authorized spring 2015 convocation schedule, the majority of events offered take place in the evening, which poses another obstacle for commuters, many of whom have families or night jobs that require their focus The inability to attend convocations due to prior obligations leaves these students, who do not meet the age requirement to be exempted from convocation enrollment, with a failing grade.
Melissa Bundy, a recently married commuter at UC, has a difficult time meeting all of the convocation requirements. Bundy said, “I hate it. It's just a hassle. It’s hard going home and having to clean and cook and be a wife and then have to leave in the evening to drive 30 minutes away for an event that’s not worth it Then I have to go home and finish doing all the things I have to do. It’s just a real inconvenience.”
On the other hand, UC student Hayley Davis recognizes that other students have concerns but believes the administration values student input about convocation. Davis said, “Obviously, it’s not perfect and the administration still has work to do, but they are so listening to us They do care what we say ”
Convocation Grading Policy as stated in 2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog:
As a requirement for graduation all full-time students in the undergraduate program, with less than senior standing (96 semester hours), must enroll in CONV 101-01 for every semester of enrollment. Students who are 25 years of age or older at the time of their enrollment are exempt from this requirement There are no other exemptions
Earlier this semester, UC students participated in the Student Opinion Survey and were asked about their contentment with convocation and the variety of programs offered. The 2015 results, provided by Fleenor, showed 223 students were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied, while 385 students were either satisfied or very satisfied.
According to statistics provided by Dupier, the number of students who failed CONV 101 (convocation) in relation to those enrolled is 8 46 percent as of the fall 2014 semester.
Other universities require convocation for their students, yet it is structured differently Campbellsville University, for example, requires that their students receive 48 cumulative attendances after enrolling in 7 or more semesters and are allowed to make up attendance failures by writing up to three book reports and watching videos of the convocation programs that were missed
Fleenor added, “Every email we send every week says if you’ve got questions, come see me We’ll be glad to help ”
Credit for convocation is Pass/Fail with 0.50 academic credit hours available each semester The grade received is factored into the student’s cumulative grade point average. Students who do not meet attendance expectations for each category will receive a failing grade (F) in Convocation for that semester. Students with a failing grade (F) in Convocation are not eligible for Academic Honors
An Inter view with Ben Call
BY LY DI A JAY StaffWriter
Advice about long-distance relationships
Ben Call is a student at the University of the Cumberlands and was formerly a thriving contestant in the singing competition held in the spring known as spotlight In this interview we talk about how he found out about spotlight, what it was like being in spotlight, who he is rooting for to take home the prize, and if he plans to try out next spring
1.) How did you find out about Spotlight?
I found out about Spotlight for the first time when I arrived at University of the Cumberlands during the summer for the SOAR freshman orientation. I believe a girl had spoken to me about what Spotlight is and what it’s about, and the reward you will get if you win. That originally sparked my interest but I didn’t really think much of joining Spotlight However, this year my friends suggested that I try out so I decided that I would give it a go, just have some fun
2.) What advice would you give someone interested in trying out for Spotlight?
The advice I would give someone is to just be confident in yourself, your song choices. I feel as though a lot of people tend to be concerned about what the audience is going to think or what the other contestants are going to think as far as your song choice goes. Just be confident in who you are and what you are doing and don’t worry about what others think.
3.) What was it like being in Spotlight?
It was a good time; it was fun I really enjoyed myself and the people I met. I like all the contestants I met for sure Even the people in CAB and those in-
volved in putting Spotlight together The best thing about it, honestly, was meeting and being around new people. I made good friendships for sure.
4. )Do you plan to try out for Spotlight again next spring?
Well, we’ll see It was a lot of work and time consuming; I say that because in doing things like this you want to do a good job in preparing for everything I didn’t want to go out there and do a crappy job and not take it seriously. So, I want to put a lot of time into it. There are no ill feelings towards Spotlight or anyone involved It really just depends on if I have the time.
5.) What did you feel was your best performance and why?
I think my best performance well, a solid one for me would be was when I did Katy Perry’s “The One That Got Away ” I thought I did a good job; I got to use the harmonica in that performance. I didn’t try to do anything too crazy I just kept it simple and true to the song But I also like my last performance, which was “Crazy In Love” although I hate that song But I just changed it and adjusted the song and that made me happy with the performance The idea I had for that performance went well so I was really proud of that performance.
6.) What are some changes that can be made in Spotlight?
Some changes? I’m not sure I guess, I felt like it took a long time, like large gaps in between breaks and performances, which that can be good but I feel as though you can lose your audience I noticed dur-
ing the performances, which may be different for the finale performance. But there were less people coming than in the beginning which in result caused less people coming to support their friends I guess I just think people got tired and didn’t want to come out eventually. That’s my only change really.
7.) What are the pros and the cons to being on Spotlight?
The pros, if you like to sing you get to sing I think everyone’s nice to you when you’re in Spotlight. Well, I guess that’s not entirely true. A con is you getting voted off and the chances of that happening I mean no one likes getting voted off or losing. Chances are you’re going to loose.
8.) What is something you would do differently going into Spotlight?
Honestly, I don’t think I would change anything for my first time through I think all my performances were fine, I mean I don’t think changing that would’ve helped me at all as far as doing something radically different So, I don’t think I would change anything.
9.) What did you like most about being in Spotlight?
I really liked performing honestly, just singing in my own way Even though it was a lot of work preparing those songs. But I just really like creating my own version to the songs or something I didn’t really change any song drastically; I just stayed kind of true to what the actual artist have done. I was just making a cover basically. I just enjoyed playing the piano that was fun for me
Liv ing in the Spo tlight
BY CH R IS T I N RO T T EN BERGER Design Editor
Almost everyone dreams of becoming a superstar and performing in front of a cheering crowd. While that dream seems somewhat unattainable, University of the Cumberlands helps make that dream become a bit of reality with The Spotlight
So what’s it like to actually be in The Spotlight? Balancing classes, homework, work study, and a social life is challenging enough as is. Adding countless rehearsals to my schedule throughout the week made my life that much more stressful. Whatever free time I had was dedicated to learning lyrics, rhythms, and trying my hardest to perfect that week’s performance
When it came to Spotlight itself, my biggest challenge Duets Week. It was my first time being on the stage in a long time, with a complete stranger, so I was nervous of how the performance would turn out Junior DeVeaux and I performed “Mine” by Beyoncé and Drake, with which was a challenge because I had never heard the song until we met. Honestly, I was afraid that performing an unknown song would get me booted off in the first round.
I had about six days to learn the ins and outs of the song while trying to make my parts unique to my voice Luckily, Junior and I put on a great show and made it to the first round of solo performances.
After the first performance, I sort of felt like a celebrity. Not a huge, show-stopping, “Oh, my gosh can I have your autograph?” celebrity, though. I felt like most of campus knew who I was, and that was totally
strange I had people I had never seen on campus before come up to me throughout the following few days and talk to me about my performance. It was kind of awesome; I’m not gonna lie.
Stepping away from the glitz and glamor that is Spotlight, I was still a student that had academic responsibilities. I still had to wake up on time, go to all of my classes, and do any assignments that were thrown my way. In reality, it wasn’t super difficult, but it was just tough enough to throw me off my game for a few weeks. On Tuesdays I would go to my classes, get any big responsibilities out of the way, get ready for the night’s performance, do sound check, grab a quick meal, and then head back to Gatliff for the show.
I would basically run around campus like a chicken with its head cut off trying to make sure I had everything done That was probably the most stressful part of the entire experience, in my opinion. As a performer, you want to be able to perfect your performance, which is sort of hard to do while trying to make sure you still have your life together
Overall, auditioning for Spotlight and getting to be a part of the experience for a short while was awesome. It’s something that I would recommend to anybody who has a knack for getting on stage and singing their heart out. It could land you great memories and good friends… or maybe $1,000. You never know until you try.
Spotlight Fina le
Sara Jo Hampton annunced as the Spotlight season 3 winner
Jessica Villegas performing “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt
Trey Bryant giving his all during the Spotlight finale
Former contestants bring the house down with a medley
Pho t o s by: Jay
Life’s To o Sho r t To Ma tch So cks
BY SY DN E Y F R EEM A N StaffWriter
I’ve often heard people say that when you get older, you’re not going to regret the things you did so much as the things you didn’t do. Anyone who knows me knows that more often than not, you won’t catch me wearing two matching socks Some might look at my fight and attribute it to laziness, others might look and think I do it for fun or to make some sort of statement, and of course there are those who could care less either way. The fact is, as soon as my clothes are dry, and gather all my socks and toss them in a single drawer, and when I need socks I simply grab two.
Am I lazy? Maybe sometimes, yes, but who isn’t? Laziness has nothing to do with the uncoordinated socks on my feet Separating, matching, folding, and putting away clean socks after a weekly load of laundry takes about 15-20 minutes. Scooping them into a pile and tossing them in your sock drawer takes about 30 seconds Fifteen minutes might not seem like a lot to set aside for an
activity like this, but growing up, I cannot tell you how many times I’ve walked into my parents’ bedroom to see an array of socks spread across their king-sized bed and heard the words, “No, I can’t right now, I’ve got to match socks ”
That was never really a huge issue I never gave it much thought until, one evening I had an array of socks across my bed and received a text from a close friend asking if I could do lunch in 15 minutes. I texted the words, “No, I’m sorry I can’t right now, I’ve got to pair my socks ” Before hitting send, it hit me: 70-80 years from now I’m not going to be glad I spent 15 minutes matching my socks. I might, however, keep the memory of a pleasant lunch with a friend forever I erased my text, threw my socks in a drawer, and sent the word “yes ” Life’s too short to match socks.
BY J I L L I A N CA R PEN T ER AssistantEditor
Making it up as you go
As children, we come up with ideas of what we want to do when we grow up, all seeming ridiculous to our parents Astronaut, pop star, stunt double A makeup artist is, without a doubt, one of these professions The problem is, we get these ideas from the people we see actually doing these "unrealistic" careers If there are people all over the world who are astronauts, pop stars, presidents, and makeup artists, then how far-fetched could these paths be?
University of the Cumberlands offers a class to introduce you to the world of makeup design, but you don't have to let it stop there Becoming a makeup artist is more attainable than you think.
University of the Cumberlands Theatre department offers a makeup class every other fall semester, taught by Dr Carl Walling Throughout the course, students will learn basic makeup necessary for stage, plus special effects including bruises, abrasions, faux hair application, and how to draw makeup renderings on paper My favorite part of the course is the opportunity to use what you have learned to create something all your own. Each student will be asked to apply their new knowledge by creating makeup designs for characters in a chosen play for the semester Even if this is just a hobby, there is no reason why, if you are interested in makeup, you shouldn't take this course.
As far as makeup as a true calling comes, there are people out there who find that someone can just as easily be meant for makeup design as dentistry or psychology. Seth Baker, 19, from Virginia, turned his desire for clear skin into a love for makeup design that has over 12,000 followers on Instagram.
Baker said, "I found makeup during my senior year of high school and began covering up some of my acne My confidence increased dramatically Soon after, I found out about body painting through YouTube and decided to give it a try." Baker has been fortunate enough to now have the support of family and friends through his body painting endeavors and job as a freelance makeup artist, although it wasn't always that way. "Once I got into beauty makeup, some people in my life became a little uncomfortable with it. I love what I do and no one is going to stop me I understand that people have different views on a man wearing makeup but it didn't affect me. I'm thankful that everyone in my life that was uncomfortable with it is comfortable with it now," says Baker.
Baker understands that many people don't get this acceptance Instead, many people have to fight to be able to follow a non-conventional path. To those people, he says, "There is always going to be someone that doesn't agree with what you're doing Never give up on something you love Caring what other people think about you is only going to pull you farther away from your dream."
For all those makeup enthusiasts on campus, UC’s makeup class will definitely improve your makeup skills and leave you open to trying new methods. The class taught me to be comfortable with trying things that I wouldn't normally, such as using chalk pastels as body paint To those who want to try makeup design as a career or as a freelance job, this class will also give you skills that you need. To those who are afraid to admit that they want to try this, take Seth Baker's words of advice, and do what you love.
Wo man ’ s G olf tea m wins Indiana Wesleya n Go lf
To urnament
BY BR I T OK A R I W SK I StaffWriter
The University of the Cumberlands woman's golf team was victorious April 10 and 11 in the Indiana Wesleyan golf tournament at Harbour Trace Golf Club The woman's team fired a 313 the first day, in 20 mph wind, to take the lead by 11 over Sienna Heights golf team and a 29 shot lead over Marion University. The second day's scores were slightly higher than the first day for the girls but was enough to obtain a victory, beating second place Sienna Heights by 12 shots overall.
The break out Cumberlands player was sophomore Annabeth McKay, who won her first college tournament shooting the lowest round of the tournament the first day with a 75 and shooting 78 the second day McKay said, "It feels absolutely amazing to win my first college tournament I've been trying to post some good rounds for quite a while now and
to finally be on the top of the podium makes all of that hard work completely worth it."
There were two other Cumberlands who placed this tournament: sophomore Rachel Pingelton shot 78,78 to finish second and freshman Kaitlin Riley who shot 77,81 to finish tied third. Head UC golf coach Chris Kraftick commented, "Great to pick up a win before the conference championship.”
He added, “I think we are finally getting healthy and ready to make a run," referring to the many injuries and obstacles the team has faced in the past months The team will compete in the Conference Championship at Maywood golf club in Bardstown Kentucky April 19-21.
Pho to s by B r i Tok a r i w sk i
