GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY
www.grubellringer.com
VOLUME 57, ISSUE 1
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014
Freshmen welcomed
Azziz gets splashed for ALS
By Haley Harris news editor The arrival of the class of 2018 at Georgia Regents University saw a rise in freshman enrollment from last year, ushering in a group of students with a wide range of reasons for attending. “We don’t have exact numbers and statistics just yet,” said Gretchen Caughman, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost of Georgia Regents. “But there were about 730 incoming freshmen last year and
about 753 this year. So we were very pleased about that.” Caughman said there was also an increase in the amount of freshmen that came from outside the CSRA immediate area and out of state. “Out of the freshmen class last year, there were about 34 percent of them that were outside students meaning they did not come from the local area,” she said. “This year there were about 44 percent of them. So a 10 percent increase.” Elizabeth Huggins, direcsee FRESH on PAGE 2
GRU guards against Ebola
By Richard Adams editor-in-chief
AMY THORNE
Dr. Richardo Azziz showed his support for the ALS association on Friday, Aug. 22, by accepting the ice bucket challenge like so many others on social media. Look for more about ALS in the next Bell Ringer issue on Sept. 9.
New emergency room intake protocols have been initiated at Georgia Regents Medical Center to safeguard against the potential spread of the Ebola virus. Dr. Phillip Coule, vice chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Georgia Regents Medical Center, said the new protocols, which call for patients to inform the staff of any international travel within
the past 21 days, will likely become permanent additions to the intake procedure. “When the Ebola outbreak really started ramping up, and we started getting concerned about it, as soon as the CDC and the Department of Health started sending out alerts, it was an easy decision to go ahead and modify our existing travel screening to include risk for Ebola as well,” Coule said. He said the 21-day incubation period of the Ebola virus
see EBOLA on PAGE 2
Professor takes new job By Ashley Trawick chief reporter
An English professor said goodbye to the classroom this summer and hello to a new office in the Dean Suite. Wesley ‘Wes’ Kisting, the new assistant dean of Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Georgia Regents University, has been active in his new role for almost a month. He said although he’s settling into the position, he had mixed feelings about it at first. “Mostly, it was just in terms of the decision to leave the classroom,” Kisting said. “Because when you take on a position like
this, it means considerably less teaching. Teaching is my passion. That was the hardest part about making the decision.” Kisting said what appealed to him about the position was stepping in and possibly having a little more say in helping to steer the university in a more positive direction. “I’ll get to try out administration for a while and see, you know, am I good in this role and is this something that I’d like to do long term,” he said. Karen Aubrey, the associate dean of Pamplin, said great writing and communication skills are key when it comes to accepting a position like Kisting’s.
“He is going to be interacting both verbally and in writing with all of the other units of GRU so it’s very important that a person in that position be able to represent our college accurately,” Aubrey said. Craig Albert, an assistant professor for the Department of Political Science, worked with Kisting as an associate director for the KNIT program for about four years. “His passion is to make sure that the educational system truly benefits the student,” Albert said. “He cares more about the students’ success and their educational capabilities more than his personal being, more than
ASHLEY TRAWICK
Wesley Kisting gets settled into his new office as Associate Dean of GRU.
how much money he makes, more than anything. He puts the students’ success at the top of his agenda.” Albert said he and Kisting became close during their time directing the KNIT program be-
cause they both share the same goals of tending to the needs of students academically. “I couldn’t think of somebody better to be in his position,” Albert said. atrawick@gru.edu
University gets recognition for new Chinese app By Amy Thorne arts & life editor If you are looking to learn Chinese, Georgia Regents University and the Confucius Institute have an app for that. In light of the Confucius Institute’s grand opening, Georgia Regents University’s Educational and Collaborative Technology Center developed two different applications: Hanyu, which introduces beginners to the Chinese language and Lunar New Year, which focuses more on the culture, mobile web app developer Lynsey Ekema said.
Jeff Mastromonico, director of Educational and Collaborative Technology, said the developers of the applications will fly to Berlin for the European Conference on game-based learning in October. The recognition his team has received has been exciting for everybody, he said. Ekema said this has been the team’s first time submitting to the conference and the award comes with a fair amount of prestige in her field. “It just happened that we got feedback that they were selecting it and that we were invited to go to Berlin to pres-
Hanyu app can be found on iTunes.
ent for both of the games, so we jumped on that,” she said. Mastromonico said the Hanyu application gives beginners a way to see how to use
words in conversation. “We have kind of a little comic book area where you can tap and see two people speaking and using those words,” he said. “(The user) can go and trace the Chinese characters. If anything you learn that there is a certain order in the way you have to draw them.” Aaron Burkhart, who was in charge of designing the graphics, said the game was targeted to reach a younger audience. “I think the motivation for the apps was mainly just to be a teaching resource that teachers can use and something just to
pique the kids’ interest and get them a little more hands-on,” he said. Ekema said they want to get the app into the hands of as many children as possible. “I can say that for children that we’ve seen playing it, they love it,” she said. “It’s doing its purpose, which is wonderful.” The apps’ developers are excited and hopeful to continue to make apps and games that faculty and students can use, Mastromonico said. The apps are available on iTunes. athorne@gru.edu
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What’s Happening Around Town Page 4
Page 7 Augusta GreenJackets host 5k fundraiser for cross-country.
PAGE 2
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014
NEWS www.grubellringer.com
Science program kicks off By Anthony Garcia sports editor
The voice of
Georgia Regents University EDITORIAL STAFF adviser MATTHEW BOSISIO mbosisio@gru.edu editor-in-chief RICHARD ADAMS copy editor JESSICA SAGER news editor HALEY HARRIS arts & life editor AMY THORNE sports editor ANTHONY GARCIA chief reporter ASHLEY TRAWICK
On Friday, the Savannah River Scholars Program welcomed back old members and recruited new ones during its Fall Kickoff meeting. Numerous members of the scholarship program met and discussed its goals for the semester. Andy Hauger, physics professor and director of the SRSP, led the event. “We talk about what’s coming up this semester, why are we here, what’s exciting, what are some of the opportunities,” Hauger said. The SRSP is a scholarship program for students majoring in chemistry, computer science, mathematics or physics, Hauger said. Its purpose is to emphasize the research opportunities students have on campus and elsewhere, and to give members the tools and resources to fulfill their research. Sam Robinson, chair of the mathematics department, runs the program alongside Hauger.
ANTHONY GARCIA
Andy Hauger speaks to new and old members at the Savannah River Scholars Program’s meeting Friday, Aug. 22.
“We’re trying to build some leadership qualities in our students,” Robinson said. “We find that putting them into small groups helps assimilate them.” As of now, Hauger said, the program has funded more than 15 undergraduates majoring in one of the four disciplines the program focuses on, along with more than six associate mem-
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contributors DR. RICARDO AZZIZ STEPHANIE MCCRAY TAYLOR MITCHELL AJA OWENS JORDAIN SEARLES circulation manager advertising manager ASHLEY SHELTON webmaster
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fore I got here,” Johnson said. “But what they advertised it as was a very community-oriented program that was, in part, led by the students in conjunction with faculty. That very much attracted me to it because I love working with other people, and that was a main focus of this program.” agarci11@gru.edu
New librarian opens book to improvements
production manager JORDAN BARRY
columnist RICKEY JONES
bers. “The way the students say it is that they become this sort of ‘science family,’” Hauger said. “It’s kind of this herd of nerds, and they get together and they bounce ideas off of each other.” Levi Johnson, a senior physics major, was introduced to the program during a campus tour. “There was no program be-
By Ashley Trawick chief reporter RICKEY JONES
The 2018 freshman class gathers together outside during the convocation.
Fresh
CONTINUED from PAGE 1
tor of the First and Second Year Experience at Georgia Regents, said the new class surprised her with their energetic devotion. “The energy of this freshman class is palpable,” Huggins said. “They are very willing to go the extra step (to get involved).” The GRU-Augusta Men’s Basketball Head Coach Dip Metress gave a speech to the freshman class during the freshman convocation about what they could expect in the classroom and what to expect in the way of student involvement, Huggins said. “They were literally jumping out of their seats by the time
Ebola
CONTINUED from PAGE 1
warranted the new screening protocols. “We actually started doing some questioning back during the MERS outbreak,” Coule said. “So, even before Ebola got to be a particular problem we started seeing Middle East Respiratory Syndrome back in 2013, the summer of 2013.” Dr. Jose Vazquez, chief of Infectious Diseases at Georgia Regents Medical Center, said this sort of informed policy adjustment is part of a growing global trend. “It isn’t only Ebola,” Vazquez said. “It’s many other infectious diseases. So, what we’ve essentially done is take all these diseases that were in Africa and made them international with our air travel. It’s kind of a scary thought, because we have now brought the entire world to us here in the United
(it) was over,” Huggins said. “They couldn’t wait to start.” Caughman said she was unable to give a specific reason for the increase in this year’s freshman class, but she felt the administration had worked hard to promote the school to the public. Freshman Faith Storey, a marketing major, said the choice to attend Georgia Regents was all about academics. “I’m on an academic scholarship, so I figured I would go just to see how hard it would be academic-wise here compared to my old high school,” Storey said. Storey also said she is planning on graduating from Georgia Regents, and though she is not an only child, she is a first generation college attendant in her family. hharris9@gru.edu
States.” The increased vigilance is simply a result of a world in which increased susceptibility to infection and possibility of exposure is matched by the level at which health organizations now seek to monitor and track them, he said. “The important concern for us here is that within eight to 10 hours you can go from Liberia to Atlanta and expose hundreds of people,” Vazquez said. According to the CDC’s interim guidelines for environmental infection control, the first alert was sent to health groups in the United States on Aug 1. “I think (the new travel protocols) probably will stay, and the reason being that the issue of emerging infectious diseases is almost a new phenomenon because what used to take a virus, for example a novel influenza virus, literally years to spread across the Earth can now spread across the globe in a matter of weeks,” Coule said. radams99@gru.edu
Reese Library now has a new head librarian. Barbara Mann, the associate director for Public Services at the University of Maryland University College, will start her position on Sept. 1. Among those who will be welcoming her to Georgia Regents University are Director of Libraries Brenda Seago and Fay Verburg, the chair of Reference and Education Services at Reese. One of the priorities for Mann when she arrives that students may not deem that important, Seago said, is overseeing the installation of the newly
“
I think that the library is already a wonderful place and I want to continue to maintain that and to continue to develop it. -Barbara Mann
”
funded HVAC system for Reese and a new lighting system. “We want to make it look like a welcoming place,” Seago said. “She’ll be having to organize. We know it will be disruptive but, overall, the air flow and the air quality and the lighting – it’s going to be worth it.” Seago said those in the search committee for the new head librarian wanted someone who worked in an academic library setting and wanted to engage and work with students. “I think (Mann was chosen) because of her enthusiasm,” she said. “She really is excited to get here (and) excited to get started and (has) wonderful ideas.” Mann said she wants to find ways to best suit the needs of the university with resources that are already available to the Georgia Regents and Augusta communities. “(I’ll be continuing) to find ways how we can continue to be good stewards of the resources we have within the budgetary constraints,” she said. “How we
can reach out to the community and be in (partnership) with the community and helping people to use information.” Verburg said Mann requested to have a sign-up sheet and meet individually with employees of the library in order to really get a feel for what employees want to see happen at Reese, whether they be minor or major changes. “It’s just for learning about what we do and a chance for faculty and staff to express some goals that we want to look at for the library,” Verburg said. “We’re all very collaborative here. … She said she wants people to come in and talk to her and that’s something our staff is used to doing because we’re small and we’re not a huge library yet. I think that’s going to be a plus.” Verburg was on the search committee to look for a new head librarian. She said what stood out about Mann from other candidates was her experience. Mann won a national award for library instruction in 2012. Mann said one of her main priorities is making things better for students. “(I want to) see ways that we can meet the needs of the students,” Mann said. “I want to be available to the students if there are comments, questions (or) recommendations they have. I want to hear them. I think that the library is already a wonderful place and I want to continue to maintain that and to continue to develop it.” atrawick@gru.edu
New Reese librarian, Barbara Mann.
THE BELL RINGER
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OPINION www.grubellringer.com
editorial
editorial policy
Choices are limited It has come to the attention of the Bell Ringer that the predominant freshman experience during registration has been one of disappointment. They expected college to be different from high school. What they did not expect was to have their classes chosen for them. This new development in how freshmen are advised comes as a shock to this staff as well. While students at other schools, including those at Georgia Institute of Technology, receive guidance on the classes best suited to their success, many freshmen at Georgia Re-
gents University had no direct access to their class schedules. The prevailing wisdom behind this initiative is to increase student retention. While the statistics may show that a 15-hour course load correlates with better graduation rates, it is a shaky logic at best which equates restricted freshman access to scheduling with anything even remotely resembling success. A student schedule is a tenuous thing that depends on the balance between a student’s academic and personal lives. Who better to make these choices than the students themselves?
It is a skill they will develop as they progress throughout their college career. For the university to maintain a vice-like grip on choices so essential to the life of a student, even to the point of blocking off online access to registration, is to demonstrate a disappointing lack of faith in the ability of this freshman class to make its own decisions. If the administration is to treat them like children, it might as well at least provide them with the compensation befitting its opinion of them: Why not add a playground to the Master Plan?
Letters to the editor must be accompanied by the author’s email address. All columns and letters to the editor are the opinion of the author. The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily express those of The Bell Ringer, a designated public forum. Anything submitted to The Bell Ringer is open to be edited or rejected. However, The Bell Ringer staff gives all opinions a fair chance to be heard. All letters will be edited for grammar and style. If you would like to contribute a column or a letter to the editor, send an email to: bellringerproduction@gmail.com
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Alumni packs up excess baggage By Jourdain Searles contributor When I got accepted to New York University for graduate school, the decision to leave Augusta was easy. It was a great opportunity and a real shot to follow my dreams of becoming a television writer. The only thing that really troubled me was saying goodbye to everyone in my life. I was positive that after I overcame that hurdle, everything would go smoothly. Of course, I was wrong. I can honestly say that what I now refer to as “The Stuff Situation” was the hardest part of moving. As of now, I have packed, repacked and rearranged all my things about a dozen times. And I’m sure that I will probably do it a dozen more before I’m completely settled in New York City. Every single time I went near my stuff, I was a wreck. So much so, that I had to come up with weird methods of doing it just so I wouldn’t freak out. It has all been pretty bizarre. It didn’t make sense. I never considered that saying goodbye to the “things” in my life would be so difficult. I’m not ashamed to say that I love my things. That’s why I keep them around. Every CD, every unfinished notebook and every movie ticket stub has a place in my heart. And when I first began packing, I simply refused to get rid of any of it. I put everything in neat piles around my room. Then I would fret over the combinations in each pile, mix everything up again, and then redo them. I would waste whole days doing it. At that point, to me, packing was just “organiz-
ing my things perfectly.” But as any traveler knows, packing is much more than that. Packing is more about letting things go than anything else. I didn’t get that at the time. When I packed, I treated everything like it was a horcrux or something. It was like a piece of my soul was embedded in every single thing and I couldn’t trust anyone to handle them with the proper care. If anyone even suggested I leave something in Augusta, sell it, or in any way release it from my possession, I would just flip out. As trite as it sounds, I had to come around to the fact that not being able to let go of my things was just me holding back. In the back of my mind, I didn’t want to leave. I felt like I couldn’t. My doubt had me anchored to all my things. So I had to let go. What I had was just stuff, and stuff can always be replaced. It wouldn’t kill me to get rid of my things. I’m not Voldemort. If I donate my green mini dress to Goodwill, it will be just fine. The money I spent on that dress is already gone, and I never wear it anyway. And my Destiny’s Child CDs will probably still be in one piece when I come home for Christmas. I had to let it all go. Not just the clothes and the knickknacks, but the feelings that left me tied to the place I was leaving. My soul did not belong to my hometown or my things. It belongs to me, and it’s going wherever I’m going. I would be just fine. The best part is I don’t have to pay an obscene amount of money for a moving truck or storage space. I can save that money. Which is great, because I’m about to be living on bagels and pizza slices for the next two years.
AJA OWENS
Outside of the Ferguson Police Department, protestors focus gaze of the nation on the issues of racial imbalance.
Protestors attempt to open eyes By Aja Owens contributor August 9, 2014 started off as a typical sunny afternoon in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri; however, within the blink of an eye, my city would become the focal point of the entire nation. At about 12:30 in the afternoon, I was sitting at my desk logging onto Facebook to check my daily messages. My day-today routine included scrolling down my newsfeed for interesting posts, looking for nothing in particular but something spectacular. As I continued to scroll, a very poignant photograph caught my attention. It was a picture of a distraught African-American man holding a cardboard sign that read: FERGUSON POLICE JUST EXECUTED MY SON! I felt like my heart stopped for a few seconds, and before I ever learned the name of his son my heart bled for him. Meanwhile, my mind rushed to make assumptions about the message behind the sign.
Before I even investigated, I thought to myself, “Here we go again. Another black man assassinated at the hands of a racist cop. Another senseless murder; another black life strategically eliminated from this world.” And sadly, these types of assumptions are not uncommon in the African-American community, mainly because the story always starts and ends the same. If you are born as an African-American, particularly male, you are destined to live a life where you are harassed, racially profiled, institutionalized and even murdered, period. Since there is no way to erase the history of slavery, we, as descendants of the enslaved, will continue to reap the horrifying effects of that particular system. I grew up in Jennings, ten minutes away from Ferguson. As a child, I remember watching the police harass and attack my brother. I remember seeing officers humiliate my male classmates as we walked home from school. I remember the feeling of having my house raided and
50 SWAT team officers pointing guns to me and my sister’s heads. I remember the hatred I felt for them, because of what I witnessed them do with my own eyes. The reason African-Americans, especially in St. Louis, have such a disdain and mistrust for law enforcers, is because we’ve never felt protected by them. We see them as representatives of a larger group that hates African-Americans and want to see us extinct. The problem is not that they don’t know how we feel; it is that they refuse to consider how we feel or respect how we feel. By killing us, they only add fuel to the fire. If they would take a moment to consider that we are not all thugs, welfare recipients, uneducated and would simply see us as human, then perhaps a change will be underway. Because at the end of the day, the dilemma that is happening in Ferguson right now is truly America’s problem.
President welcomes freshman class to Georgia Regents University By Dr. Ricardo Azziz President, Georgia Regents University To our newest students, the GRU Class of 2018: It’s your first couple of weeks on campus, and hopefully you’re settling in, learning your way around, making friends, and becoming comfortable in your new life here at GRU. You’re no doubt familiarizing yourself with the many opportunities for growth and discovery that our university offers: Opportunities to expand your intellect, stretch your independence, gain self-knowledge, and explore the wider world. Options are available to you here at GRU that can take your life in any direction you wish to go.
And you have probably already figured out that new opportunities and increased independence bring with them a whole host of new responsibilities. Here at GRU, you can take classes in just about any subject that interests you … help conduct research on topics ranging from Asian history to journalism to molecular biology … choose to join—or lead—any of more than 100 student organizations … expand your horizons by studying abroad, maybe in London or Peru or the Galapagos Islands … intern or volunteer in the local community … The list is practically endless. But none of those opportunities will jump up and follow you home—It’s up to you to
seek them out and take advantage of them. And I encourage you to do just that. You are unlikely to ever again have so many options open to you in so many different areas. So spend some time exploring what’s available, think about what truly interests you … then go for it! Or maybe try something you never thought about before—You may just discover a new passion. And rest assured that we are here to support you every step of the way. Here at GRU, we offer a wide range of services and opportunities, and dozens of committed professionals dedicated to one thing: Your success on your educational journey with
us.
What can you do to succeed here? First, commit to taking— and succeeding at—a full course load of classes each semester. Did you know that just going from 12 to 15 credits a semester allows you to graduate a full year earlier? That saves a full year’s tuition, fees and expenses, plus it gets you working and earning an income that much earlier. So make a personal commitment to graduating on time— then do the work. Secondly, get engaged— Seek out the many opportunities around you to be a part of university life, and get out there and get involved both on campus and in the community. And finally, seek support—
Don’t go at it alone. Take advantage of our extensive academic and career advisement services, get to know your professors, use the wonderful health and wellness centers we have here. Whatever you need, you are almost certain to find it here. We will do our best to keep you informed about what’s available, but it’s also up to you to seek it out. So set your sights high, expect much of yourself, and seek out the resources you need to help you achieve your goals. Then Discover What’s Next for you at GRU: A world of learning, creativity, discovery, collaboration, and achievement … and a future as extraordinary and rewarding as you dare to dream.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014
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ARTS & LIFE www.grubellringer.com
Earth-friendly hangout grows
By Amy Thorne arts & life editor
A new, eco-friendly coldpressed juice bar and art gallery has recently planted its roots in downtown Augusta. Owners Denise and Baruti Tucker said they opened Humanitree House to provide the community with a place to experience healthy living and hang out. “This space just seems to be a space where people can come and do whatever, pick up an instrument and play it, dance, sing, poetry, paint,” Denise Tucker said. “Last Saturday, we had an artist paint alongside (her husband). People just kind of randomly come in.” While the juice bar is only partially up-and-running, the art gallery is fully open to artists and visitors. Denise Tucker said Humanitree House anticipates a full launch sometime next month. Though the Humanitree House was founded in 2010, it wasn’t until May 2014 that the couple took off the paper that had been covering the space’s windows. Denise Tucker said they primarily did events, vegan and vegetarian catering, a lot of community service and outreach and working with youth, all of which fell under the auspices of Humanitree House. “Our focus here is really
AMY THORNE
Baruti Tucker spends his extra time painting with his fingertips at the Humanitree House, a juice bar and art gallery.
about human progression,” Baruti Tucker said. “The intention is to be diligent in that whole process of evolving our human spirit, getting away from people.” Though the couple has a grand plan to have more Humanitree Houses, Denise Tucker said she and her husband want to serve the community in a bigger way by being completely eco-friendly. Humanitree House has established itself as the only completely plant-based business in Augusta, she said, by recycling and using only environmentally safe products. They are also planning to build a hydro-
ponic window garden as well as launch a compost program within the next month. “This is a 100 percent plantbased business so there are no animals being slaughtered or, you know, nothing being fried,” she said. “It’s going to be great because people can come here, if they’re 100 percent vegan and, if they come here, they know that the kitchen is righteous and not being compromised.” Healing Augusta comprises the other part of their mission, Denise Tucker said. “Part of my passion is to introduce people to a healthier way of living and show them that it can be enjoyable,” she said. “We
have a lot of people who come through on Saturday who have never had cold-pressed juice and have never tasted vegan food and they taste it and say, ‘Oh wait, this is good.’” Heather Comprosky, a stayat-home mother, said she came to Humanitree looking for juice and received healing. “(Denise) sat down with me for about an hour, helping me restore my stomach, and I was having some gastro problems and she helped with everything, what to eat, what not to eat to get my stomach back under control,” Comprosky said. “It was just so personal.” Comprosky also said the
personable atmosphere of the Humanitree House sets itself apart from other establishments. “People are wanting more of this environment, I feel, just some place where there can get good food and a place to hang out with no judgments,” she said. “Anytime I come in here there’s always a diverse group of people and they are always willing to shake a hand and say, ‘Hey, my name is ...’” Denise Tucker said she welcomes everyone to experience the diversity for themselves. “People will come and they’ll just stay,” she said. “It’s not that they necessarily have to be doing anything here, they’re just here. It just has that kind of vibration where people just want to come and chill out and we’re cool with that.” Comprosky said that same feeling keeps her coming back. “I like the art and I like just being here knowing that if I need a moment just to hang out with really good people with a really good vibe, I can come here and almost feel restored when I leave,” she said. Comprosky also said Humanitree offers a way to meet others. “In coffee shops, people will tend to be with their friends, but here you acutally start meeting people,” she said. “It’s a good way to network.” athorne@gru.edu
WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND TOWN
Film professor gets Emmy nod
Greeks share values
By Ashley Trawick chief reporter
STEPHANIE MCCRAY
By Stephanie McCray contributor Greek Life at Georgia Regents University centers around the themes of leadership, service, scholarship and friendship and is represented on campus by nine Greek-letter organizations: Alpha Delta Pi, Zeta Tau Alpha, Delta Chi, Alpha Sigma Phi, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi. Although these organizations share the same core values, they have different histories, rituals and traditions that make them unique, said John Keith, coordinator for Georgia Regents’ Greek Life and Leadership. When it comes to choosing between these organizations, Keith said it is important to research the different groups in order to find the right fit. He said exploring the different philanthropic and community service initiatives that a
Members of various sororities dance to express their spirit during Clubfest.
specific group participates in is the best way to determine the perfect match between individual and Greek organization. “Go to the events that they are doing,” Keith said. “Go to some of the philanthropy events. Go to some of their community service initiatives. Don’t just go to the parties or socials. We have a Greek Life book that outlines all of the organizations that we have. It talks about their philanthropy, chapter sizes, things that are important to the organization as well as showcasing a little bit about what they do.” Chazmine Mitchell, president of the Sigma Rho chapter of Zeta Phi Beta, said being a member of a sorority or fraternity is not a decision that should be taken lightly. “We don’t want to say join us because we are the best,” she said. “Join us because you feel this is where you belong. You don’t want to be in a chapter where you don’t feel like you
fit in. You have to pay to join an organization, and once you join you’re whatever you chose for life.” John Kobert, a sophomore who is currently double majoring in history and political science, is a member of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity. He said Greek-letter organizations are fun and focus on having a positive impact on the individual leading to change in the community. “It is probably the greatest experience you’re going to have in your whole entire life,” Kobert said. “You’re not only going to make great friends, you’re also going to build yourself and build characteristics that are going to help you be a leader in today’s society. You’re going to develop leadership qualities that are going to give you the skills to go into your job after college.” smccray1@gru.edu
A film professor at Georgia Regents University was nominated for a regional Emmy earlier this summer. Matthew Buzzell, an assistant professor for the Department of Communications, was nominated for his work by the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as a consulting producer for the documentary “Not Yet Begun to Fight.” “I was very, of course, blown away to have been included in the nomination, but mainly I must say I’m just honored to be associated with the film,” he said. “It’s been nominated for an Emmy and the Emmy committee sent me a nice little certificate that I’m going to eventually have framed and put up on my office wall because how often does one get to say ‘I was nominated for an Emmy?’” The documentary focuses on a retired Marine colonel who reaches out to five soldiers returning from fighting overseas and teaches them how to fly fish. Buzzell said most of the kudos
go to Sabrina Lee, the director and producer of the film and Shasta Grenier, the co-producer. “He was able to come on as director of photography for my first project,” Lee said. “And that sort of led to this really wonderful mentoring relationship for which I’m so grateful. He really taught me how to be a filmmaker over the course of creating that film.” Buzzell also scored the film. Lee said she thinks he has a great sensitivity to music and how music should be used in a film. Lee said she thinks Buzzell is a great person to work with because he has the ability to simultaneously be extremely professional, focused and aware of what the technical limitations are when making a film, but also be creative and sensitive to dynamic changes in a story. “I think that combination is kind of rare and his ability to teach me to see filmmaking the same way was very helpful, I think, in the making of both films,” she said. “Even now, I still have this voice in my head which is Matthew giving me certain little words of wisdom.” atrawick@gru.edu
THE BELL RINGER
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Fashion is my creed
Rickey Jones columnist
Got a refund? Go thrifting! AMY THORNE
(Left) Brooklynn Hibbard crouches in front of a Celtic cross to snap a photo in County Aughrim, Ireland. (Top Right) Mike Lepp perches atop the ruins of Hore Abbey in Cashel, Ireland. (Bottom Right) Students visited the cliffs of Glencolmcille as part of a historical hike while visiting Ireland.
Study Abroad:
Jaguars leave global pawprint By Haley Harris news editor The study abroad program offered by Georgia Regents University gives students the opportunity to earn credits in a learning environment that is not in the traditional classroom. After a student goes on a study abroad trip, they never experience life the same way, according to the study abroad website. Students obtain perspectives that are global, attitudes that are international and memories that cannot be replaced. The lengths of the trips vary in accordance with the amount of credit hours available for the students. Each trip offers certain types of classes for certain majors and then there are also trips that are open to all majors, according to the study abroad website. Jeremiah Butler, a music education sophomore, made the decision to attend the program this summer and travel to Ireland for music classes.
Butler said this was his second time traveling abroad and he plans on doing it again before he graduates because of how much he enjoys the experiences. Butler lived in Germany and took the Costa Rica study abroad trip for communications before going to Ireland. He said the experience of being outside of the country is somewhat familiar. “One thing I realized that was different in Ireland compared to the U.S. was, of course, the driving,” Butler said. “We all have common threads, and when we go to other countries we’re able to see the similarities and differences. So, I would definitely recommend it for other students to try.” Heather Kennedy, a current student assistant at Georgia Regents majoring in political science, also attended one of the study abroad trips. Kennedy said she went to Russia under the European Council program for a month during the summer of 2012 for politi-
cal science. “It was quite extraordinary,” Kennedy said. “I took three classes. I got eight credit hours going for one month, which that’s pretty significant.” Kennedy said she got to experience the Russian culture in the month she was there and already had an interest in the country before she left for the trip. “I got to swim in the Gulf of Finland,” Kennedy said. “I got to walk the castle of the Czars and Czarinas past. We stayed majorly in St. Petersburg, but we did have a weekend excursion to Moscow. We got to take the train and everything so it was really cool.” She said she even learned a little bit of the Russian language in preparation. “So whenever I actually went to Russia, I got to use the language and interact with the people,” she said. “It totally opens your mind up to everything. It was an interesting experience.” The experience of leaving
home and having an extended stay in a brand new country, Kennedy said, was memorable. “It’s the little things that you miss,” Kennedy said. “And you don’t really realize it until you leave the U.S. It taught me something. It taught me something about myself. That I could handle situations like that.” Brianna Cosgrove, a sophomore majoring in public relations, said she would agree that taking a study abroad trip creates memories that last forever. “It helps you become more well-rounded in culture,” Cosgrove said. “Which is, I guess, the goal of studying abroad.” Cosgrove said she would recommend students going on the trips. “Oh, definitely!” Cosgrove said. “It’s very interesting and worth going to. I’ve already started telling other people to do it since I got back.” hharris9@gru.edu
Art summit envisions changes By Ricichard Adams editor-in-chief The inaugural meeting of the Augusta Artist Summit attracted a menagerie of artists to a central location along Broad Street to discuss the future of the arts in Augusta. On Aug. 11, organizers of the Augusta Artist Summit oversaw a collective discussion at 600 Broad St. among local artists, an event they said they hoped would be the first of many. One of the coordinators and president of Artists Row Syd Padgett said the artistic and economic revival of Augusta was a key concern of the summit. “It’s time we, as artists, come together and start to dialogue,” co-organizer Ron Turner said. “We are the artists. We have the greatest vested interest in what’s going on here, and it’s time for us to come together as a group and say, ‘We can start the murals. We can start the musicals. We can start all this stuff going on.’” Padgett said those in attendance had skills and experiences ranging across the entire spectrum of the arts. From jazz musicians to spoken-word poets, designers and graphic artists, photographers, arts educators, comic book
RICHARD ADAMS
Cosmo Franz, ringmaster for Cirque du Lune, speaks to art enthusiasts.
creators, belly dancers, filmmakers, fire artists, fashion designers and jewelers. “We want this to be the big ‘Everybody come together!’ - whether it’s dance, whether it’s the folks over at the symphony, everybody coming together and talking about what they’re doing,” Padgett said. “And, hopefully, start making some bridges.” The only artisans, Padgett said, who were not sufficiently represented at the meeting and who already have a significant presence downtown were the local chefs and culinary artists. Karen Gordon with Garden City Jazz said the goals of the Augusta Artist Summit, as she sees them, mirror her own beliefs about the importance of networking in fostering artistic success.
“I’m really energized by everyone’s presence, and the most exciting thing for me was to see so many people that I don’t already know,” Gordon said. “For me, that represents an opportunity to meet new people, to find out some other things that are going on around town. I found out about several new events, met several new artists, new business owners and I’m just excited to see where this goes.” Originally, Padgett said, the summit grew out of a small discussion Turner had online about the perception, as well as the reality, of the exclusivity and inaccessibility of the local arts community. The overwhelming public response to Turner’s suggestion proved a degree of reality about the unmet needs of local
artists in terms of exposure. “All these people started writing him private messages like, ‘You know, this is my experience,’ and ‘This is my experience,’” Padgett said. “And he started reaching out to folks saying, ‘What can we do to bring everybody together?’ Cause there’s apparently something going on between the artists that create everything and the infrastructure and the people that buy art, and there’s different levels you have to go through and they’re all broken.” Padgett said a main component of his personal mission with the Artist Summit is an educational one “We try to educate (the new artists) enough where they know how to approach a gallery correctly, how to approach a potential customer to get them interested enough to buy your artwork,” he said. As far as the future of the summit is concerned, whether the meetings will be held monthly or quarterly, or whether they will be held at all, is a question the organizers said they are still uncertain about. “I don’t know where it’s going to go,” Turner said. “But it’s time that we start the dialogue to change things in this city.” radams99@gru.edu
Well, it’s that time of year again! It’s the dawn of a brand new school year. The new term brings what many students are thinking about… refunds! Getting a refund is where you have leftover money from your loans and scholarships that comes back to you in a check. Many students use their refunds to buy a TV or save it for a trip out of town with their friends. Others like me, however, use their refund to spark a beatuiful renaissance in their closet. Typical Rickey, right? Some of my peers would approach me and say, “Rickey! Can I show you what I got with my refund?” Boldly, I go with my opinion and take a gander at what they bought. I’m severely unimpressed because I only see three pieces of clothing from their $198 refund. Then, I shine some insight and help them realize if they want to get the most bang for their buck, thrifting is the way to go! If you need some convincing to see that thrifting is a great way to shop, follow these tips: 1. Thrifting is an adventure: A thrift store cannot be duplicated, which means everyday there is a new possibility. It is our job as fashionistas and fashionistos, to reveal the intricate stories behind the clothing. Many people see thrift stores as a waste of time because they are overwhelming and can be unorganized. I always plan a day dedicated to thrifting so that I can successfully find everything I need for a wardrobe revamp. 2. Thrifting saves money: I know what you’re thinking. Duh, Rickey, it’s a thrift store! However, you’d be amazed at the different ways people spend their money and how amazed they are at what they can find in a thrift store. The summer before my senior year (of high school), I was privileged to find 14 Polo Ralph Lauren shirts from Goodwill! Those 14 Polo shirts combined cost me $49. In the mall, all that would’ve cost me almost $1000! Some thrift stores offer most of their clothing at a base price by type, so whether it’s Giorgio Armani or Faded Glory, it’s all the same price. That helps you get a bang for your buck because you can get all that you want and price your haul and gauge your spending. 3. Thrifting is authentic: I think it’s important to stress this fact: NO TWO THRIFT STORES ARE THE SAME! And the best part is, you don’t have to worry about someone saying, “I have that same top,” because 9 times out of 10, if you got that shirt from the thrift store there isn’t another one like it! That’s an amazing feeling because once you declare something as yours, it’s your responsibility to hold on to and never let go. I love thrifting, because I never know quite what I’m going to find, and how that piece might influence the rest of my day, year or life. Augusta is home to some amazing thrift stores; three Goodwills, Catholic Social Services, Salvation Army, as well as a new store called Final Cut. So, when you get those refunds, you have no excuse not to give your closet a F.L.M. (Fashion Lovers Makeover!) Fashionably Yours, Rickey. ricjones@gru.edu
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TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014
COMICS
And the Emmy goes to...
Across
3. “House of Cards” made history in 2013 by becoming the first _______-only series to get recognized by the Emmys. 5. In 1964, Bill _____ was the first African-American to win an Emmy. 7. The first Emmy Awards were presented on January 25, 1949, at the Hollywood ________ Club. 9. The Emmy statuettes are manufactured by R.S. Owens & Company, which also manufactures the _______ Award statuettes. 10. ____ husband-and-wife teams have won Emmys. 11. The name Emmy was taken from ____, a term used for the early image orthicon camera, which television programs were shot on. 14. ______ Grammer is the only actor to be nominated for playing the same role on three different shows. 15. The _____ on the Emmy statuette represent the muse of art, while the atom represents the electron of science. 16. Kerry __________ is only the fifth African-American woman to be nominated for Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Down
1. The ____ actress in a Comedy Series category has only had five black nominees. 2. “Saturday Night Live” holds the record for the most ___________ for a single show, with 185. 4. _______ is the most winning prime-time series of all time, taking home a whopping 37 Emmys.
6. ______ Ramirez holds the record for the most Emmy nominations for an individual. 8. In 1987, “The Facts of Life” was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in ___________. 12. The Emmy statuette was designed by television engineer Louis _______. 13. Alan ____ is the only person to have won Emmys in the Comedy Series categories for writing, directing and acting in the same series. 16. “The ____ Wing” has won Best Drama Series four times
THE BELL RINGER
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5K raises funds Richard Adams & Rebecca Perbetsky editor-in-chief production assistant
RICHARD ADAMS
Former South Aiken High coach Russ Busbee laps around Lake Olmstead.
The Augusta GreenJackets lent their support to the Georgia Regents University cross-country and track and field teams Saturday by helping to host a 5K road race and raise funds for the Jaguars. Managed jointly by head coach Adam Ward and the Augusta GreenJackets organization, Ward said the road race was the product of mutual need. “We were approached almost a year ago by a gentleman who was the group sales coordinator, Bill Leavy, with the GreenJackets,” Ward said. “He (had) worked for another minor league organization in San Antonio, and they had done something similar for the local college cross-country, track and field program there.”
Women’s Golf team signs three freshmen By Anthony Garcia sports editor
Three signees were added to the GRU Augusta Women’s Golf team for the 2014-2015 golf season. Freshmen Maggie Ashmore, Lexi Bollant and Sonya Knebel will be playing with the nationally ranked Jaguar women’s golf team, with their first game on Sept. 15 at the Minnesota Invitational in Minneapolis. Looking back at last season, Head Coach Kory Thompson said she’s optimistic the team will deliver in the hope of ranking the top 20. “We got up to 29th last year, so our goal this year is to keep improving,” Thompson said. “I was really proud of the three freshmen, just being able to step right in the lineup, and play in every tournament.” Ashmore is a graduate of the Heritage Academy in Hil-
ton Head, S.C., according to the GRU Athletics website. Ashmore said sports have always been a part of her life but was introduced to golf early during her time in high school. “I started playing about four and a half years ago,” she said. “I played pretty much every sport, basketball, softball, soccer. I ran cross-country and then I had a few injuries in other sports that caused me to quit those. Then I just decided to pick up golf because I was bored of sitting around.” Bollant, a business major from Buffalo, Minn., recently won the 2014 Minnesota Women’s State Amateur Four-Ball Championship, according to the GRU Athletics website. Both Bollant and Ashmore said their accomplishments come from a solid work ethic they share in school and in golf. “I’d say I’m a hard worker,” Bollant said. “When I set my
The Rookie report Anthony Garcia
sports editor
Defining the art of “sports” The new Bell Ringer staff, consisting of new editors and production, met for our first meeting before classes on Wednesday, Aug. 13. We went around the table and discussed our goals for our sections, how we want to expand and evolve our reach with the news, arts and life and sports sections. When it was my turn to speak about my vision for the paper, I drew a bit of a poker face. The truth is, sports is not my field. I didn’t grow up watching football. I’d say I was a Yankees fan, but only because I’m from New York. And in my time attending GRU, not once have I ever attended a Jaguars games. In some ways, I
mind to something, like an accomplishment, I want to reach that goal; I don’t like staying around and being lazy.” Knebel, a business major, came from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. According to the GRU Athletics website, Knebel’s accomplishments include her Bavarian team winning the 2013 and 2014 German State Cup, as well as the 2013 and 2011 Girls Team State Championship. Her reason for moving to America, she said, was to focus on both academics and golf. “In Germany, I also went to a public school, but I had four times the classes until late afternoon,” Knebel said. “So I’m not used to having just courses in the morning, and then practice all the rest of the day. It’s also hard for me with the weather conditions; at home, 65 degrees is a bad summer.” agarci11@gru.edu
really am the “rookie reporter.” I’m not out to demean or doubt myself and my responsibilities as the new sports editor, but I’m being honest in saying that sports is probably the one field I’m least qualified to cover. Over the summer, I researched the dynamics behind professional sports. How scores are recorded, how players progress in their fields and all the background noise behind sports. Though I feel I have a basic understanding now, I feel it’s still difficult to understand, especially when you didn’t grow up with it. Then I tried something different. I put aside my studies, and worked my way backwards to the general understanding of sports. Football, baseball, soccer, these are all considered professional sports, but what of other sports? For example, there’s a sport behind driving your car incredibly fast and overtaking drivers on a track: Auto racing, which is something I covered in a sports column last year. There’s a sport behind competing online with other players in video game competitions: Esports. And if you look through history, the first recorded “sports gathering” was the fight. By definition, a sport is an athletic activity that requires competitive skill, often against somebody else. More and more, the lines that exist between professional sports and amateur sports continue to blur. This is something I’ve been keeping in mind as we worked on this first issue, the one you’re reading. I’ve written before how working for the Bell Ringer has given me opportunities to branch out and take part in informing readers on the lives around us. Moving on up to sports editor, it is my hope to deliver both the traditional and the diverse sports coverage that you expect from us. agarci11@gru.edu
Ward said Leavy proposed the 5K as a way to boost sales for the GreenJackets through ticket giveaways, and added promotions at the same time as being an outlet through which the Jaguars could raise their own funding. “It was a cool idea for me because it is a great way for us to kind of tie into another community group,” Ward said. “Our ultimate goal is to make this more of an annual thing. This is only our second year and we want to eventually add a kid’s race, but we want to get the 5K grown first before we add anything else.” Terri Crosson, a first-time participant, said the race brings together two very important facets of the Augusta community: the GreenJackets and Georgia Regents University. She said she was especially pleased with the highly social atmosphere of the race and will plan to return
next year. “It was a good run,” said Crosson, a senior surgical technologist in the operating room at Georgia Regents Medical Center. “The staff here is incredible. I love working with the GreenJackets, love bringing the family here (to Olmstead Stadium). It’s great for Augusta.” Tom Denlinger, general manager for Augusta GreenJackets Baseball, said the race centered around Lake Olmstead, beginning and ending at the stadium itself, where the runners would finish the race by receiving a GreenJackets T-shirt and free tickets to Saturday night’s game. “We strive to be involved with the community as much as possible,” Denlinger said. “GRU is obviously a big part of the community and the semester has just kicked off.” radams99@gru.edu rperbets@gru.edu
JESSICA SAGER
Nicole Hicks and Eduardo Figueroa work with Rico De Pride, a Paso Fino.
Historic horse breed steps up By Jessica Sager copy editor
This year’s Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Celebration was held at the Hippodrome in North Augusta from Aug. 15-16. Gail Brown, president of the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Federation of America, said this was the second year in a row the show was held in North Augusta. “They have been very good to us,” she said. “It’s a very friendly horse facility. North Augusta’s a very friendly town. They are interested in horses, so we draw some spectators.” According to PPRPFFA the show had 69 classes for the horses to compete in. Brown said that some of the horses competed in multiple classes. She said that horses have always come to the show from different parts of the United States. The horses that traveled the furthest this year were two Paso Finos from Texas. According to the PPRPFFA’s website, there are less than 500 Paso Finos registered with the federation. “We drew about 28 horses, because the horses are so rare,” Brown said. “We probably had about a hundred spectators, which is good for us because it is always a busy time of the year, it’s a busy place, there’s so many things going on. We don’t draw as many as we’d like to, but we feel if we can get more people involved, more people interested, more people informed that we will draw more spectators.” Paso Finos are “the smoothest riding horse(s) in the world” according to PPRPFFA. It cites the Fino gait, which comes naturally to Paso Finos, as particular to the breed and incapable of being taught to any other kind of horse. Paso Fino foals are able to
perform the gait shortly after birth. “(The conquistadors) came over with Spanish Jennets, Andalusians and Barbs,” Brown said. “The Spanish Jennet had a natural four-beat gait. And when they brought these horses over here they began to breed them. Particularly in Puerto Rico, they bred for the gait. So they began to take these horses and improve on them and choose the smoothest and the best working horse as well as a horse of pleasure. So that’s how they developed. There were other Paso Finos in other parts of the world but they were all developed differently, so the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino is very unique.” Nicole Hicks, a member of PPRPFFA, said her horse’s name is Osombro, which means wonder or wonderful. “We call him Wonder for his barn name, and I’ve had him since he was six months old,” she said. “He is 13 now, and he’s still my baby. I still love him to death.” Nicole Hicks’ mother, Roni Hicks, is treasurer of the PPRPFFA. She said she was introduced to the breed when her daughter wanted horseback riding lessons, and the only stable she knew of happened to have Paso Finos. “We were not horse people, so to speak, before that,” Hicks said. “But we are full-fledged now.” Brown said she has been involved with PPRPFFA since it began in 1987. She first became interested in Paso Finos about 35 years ago, she said, after reading an article about them. “(I) went to ride (a Paso Fino) and I was completely sold,” she said. “They’re beautiful, they’re smooth, they’re personable and I just fell in love.” jschucke@gru.edu
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New cycling and running event opens By Anthony Garcia sports editor The inaugural Wildwood Games took off Aug. 23. The multi sport outdoors festival featured two separate races: the mountain bike race and the trail run, both covering between 50 km and 100 km distances through the majority of Mistletoe State Park. “Last year, Columbia County was awarded hosting rights for the 2015 and 2016 USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships, and this is the first time this event has ever come east of the Mississippi River,” said Randy DuTeau, executive director of the Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We felt like, because we’re going to have the infrastructure in place for this mountain bike race, we thought it’d be kind of cool to add two more events, two at a time, to make it a much bigger
event. And so this year, we really wanted to do a test run of the mountain bike course because there are a lot of logistics involved with an event like this.” DuTeau said this event is, more than anything else, a test run to help prepare for next year’s Wildwood Games. “We knew the attendance wasn’t going to be huge this year,” he said. “It was important to be able to host this event and, afterwards, be able to get the feedback, not only from the athletes, but from all the other partnering agencies who were involved with this event.” DuTeau said there were more than 110 runners and 50 mountain bikers who registered for the Wildwood Games. The 80K mountain bike course was originally scheduled to be a 100K event, but discussions were held Friday with EMS partners to shorten the length due to the anticipated heat index, said DuTeau in a follow-up
ANTHONY GARCIA
Cyclists from several states gather together behind the start line for the first mountain bike race at Wildwood Park.
to the first event. The 100K trail run remained the same. Bill Leslie, a cyclist for the mountain bike race, said he was impressed, overall, with the atmosphere of the park. “A lot of people from outside the area are here, that’s what you have to do,” Leslie said. “You have to advertise outside your mocking area. Two of my friends are here, so I’m happy. I hardly ever see much of them, to ride with two endurance riders, like myself.” Compared to past races he’s undertaken, he said, the racing environment he’ll be under feels a lot more competitive.
“This is a big event, and I love it,” Leslie said. “I did a Metric Century race before in 2009, but this looks bigger and the competition looks a lot bigger.” Cyclists Rich Tsui, Luke Sagur and Jason Wilson came from Huntersville, N.C to partake in the 50 km mountain bike race. The three finished first, second and third, respectively. “The course was fantastic, very well marked,” Tsui said. “I didn’t have to second-guess any turns, and it had some good challenges and a nice flow.” On Sunday, the trail runs took place, covering both 10K
HALEY HARRIS
Run for Shelter 5K aids Augusta By Haley Harris news editor Locals gathered Saturday in the Augusta Commons to support the homeless in the Run for Shelter 5K. “I’m participating because it’s for a good cause and it’s for the homeless,” said Nikki Williams, a resident of Augusta. “I’m a regular runner, as well, so I like running when it’s for a cause like this.” Augusta Rescue Mission’s Run for Shelter 5K is on its third year as an annual event. According to the Augusta Rescue Mission website, the Augusta Rescue Mission was founded in 1965 and has been helping the homeless in multiple ways throughout the years. The rescue mission team caters to homeless men in particular by providing them with life skills and support to get them off the streets, get a job and never become homeless again. The team strives to do more than provide short-time means of help such as shelter and food and pushes for more perminant changes in the men’s lives. There are four ways someone can get involved, according to the website. Individuals can serve meals to the homeless at the soup kitchen or other events, help with resumes for job interviews and vocational skills and provide transportation. Groups can serve and deliver meals,
help put together special projects and volunteer time to participate in community events. Anyone can donate money, clothes, food or anything deemed helpful at anytime either through the website or in person. Lastly, volunteers are encouraged to participate in events such as the 5K Run for Shelter to spread the word. The race began at 8 a.m., but runners came early to warm up, stretch and take advantage of the Augusta Rescue Mission merchandise. Runners were scattered around the commons, mingling and talking about the race. “I’m running because it’s a good opportunity to run,” said Chrissy Rudder of Grovetown, Ga. “The cause is great and it’s fun to run, so why not?” Rudder and Williams both said they came out to the race for the fun of running but also came to show support for the cause. “I think running for this event is more than just running in a 5K for fun,” said Amy Melson of Grovetown. “To me, it’s about getting people to notice that we are running, and wondering why we’re running and asking why, and then getting involved. It’s like a moving advertisement. I’ve donated to the Rescue Mission before, and I love seeing how it helps. I just so happen to love to run as well, so here I am.” hharris9@gru.edu
agarci11@gru.edu
Runners stay together By Richard Adams editor-in-chief
Runners head down Broad Street in downtown Augusta at 8 AM, Saturday.
and 50K, a marathon and half marathon. Looking into the future, DuTeau said his prospects for next year’s Wildwood Games are looking bright. “With the success of events like the Augusta Half Ironman and the USA Cycling National Championships, all of which I had a pretty significant role in when I worked at the Augusta Sports Council, these types of events have shown that this area is ripe for this active lifestyle community,” DuTeau said. “We’re able to tap into that same community, but with a completely different event.”
When Adam Ward, head cross-country coach at GRU Augusta, found out the men’s team had been ranked No.1 in the Peach Belt Conference preseason poll alongside Columbus State, his first reaction was, “Wow!” After Ward learned the news, he said the reality of the situation dawned on him: This year he will be starting with a largely freshman team, devoid of many of the runners who comprised last season’s conference winning team. One thing Ward said he sees in this newly rearranged team is unity. This team spirit was something he said he witnessed at this year’s team building retreat in Blowing Rock, N.C., the week before the semester began. “I can’t swear this is the best (team retreat) we’ve ever had, but this is probably one of the better ones I can distinctly remember, where when I left I was, like, everybody got along,” Ward said. “I didn’t once feel that there was any kind of resentment or jealousy because we did the time trial up there.” Teamwork is the one factor that ultimately differentiates college cross-country from the focus on purely individual effort that defines so much high school training, Ward said.
RICHARD ADAMS
Nick Del Guercio runs pracitice lap.
“When you’re dealing with such a young team, you’ve got to get them all on board and in the same kind of thinking because they’re still thinking in terms of, and I don’t mean this as immaturity, they’re still thinking of racing and athletics in high school terms,” Ward said. “They haven’t experienced college.” Walk-on runner Boyd Guttery recently enrolled as a graduate student in the nursing program. He said he knew of the reputation of the cross-country and track and field programs at Georgia Regents for a year. “I came here for nursing school and this has always been a dream, to run for college cross-country, so I jumped in with this team,” Guttery said. “I’m kind of a cross-country nerd, so I’ve been keeping track
of everything they’ve been doing next year.” Student assistant coach Pardon Ndhlovu said he detected the same spirit of team preservation that Ward saw at the teambuilding retreat. “Whenever we wanted to find where everybody was, they were downstairs playing games, and everybody was getting along,” Ndhlovu said. “I think it’s a team unity.” Ward said that while he is cautious to expect too much from the team, he has confidence in the lessons he’s learned as a coach. “Our injury rate has gone down substantially as I, myself as a coach, read more, studied more and understood why some of the injuries that we saw in the past were happening and how we could address some of those things,” Ward said. “There’s a lot of little things that we’ve done and changed over the years in terms of eliminating those.” Ndhlovu said he sees the potential of the new team as a combination of both running and coaching abilities. “I know we have the talent to be No. 1. My first thought that came to me was that we have to be on the same page. If so, anything can happen. We can stand up to the expectations. We’ve done it before,” Ndhlovu said. radams99@gru.edu
GreenJackets do hat giveaway By Rebecca Perbetsky production assistant The Augusta GreenJackets team is giving away a Georgia Regents University-themed hat at its next game Friday, Aug. 29, against the Charleston Riverdogs. The hat will feature the official GRU colors, and will have the GreenJackets logo on the front. Back detailing of the hat will include the official GRU Augusta logo. The hat will be given to the first 1,000 fans in attendance, said Tom Denlinger, general manager
of the Augusta GreenJackets. Along with the GRU hat giveaway, the night’s game also has the GreenJackets Bark in the Park, will be pet friendly and all dogs will be admitted into the game for free. Denlinger said children in attendance will get to run the bases postgame.
There will also be a fireworks show after the game. rperbets@gru.edu