November 4, 2014
theprofileonline.blogspot.com
Volume 103 | Issue 2
THE HENDRIX COLLEGE
PROFILE
OUR MELTING POT | DIVERSITY ISSUE |
New students, newBypresident, same old Hendrix. the Numbers __10
of Hendrix Diversity__11 As Hendrix takes onState a new chapter in its history, The Profile documents what will stay and what will evolve.
THE PROFILE
CONTENTS
Volume 103 Issue 1 October 2014
NEWS 3 COGS
Committee on Gender & Sexuality
4-5 Coordinated Campaign Bill Clinton in Arkansas
5 News Briefs National and International news
OPINION
6 Cheers and Jeers The good and the bad
7 Elections New politics in Arkansas
FEATURE
pg. 5
8 Diversity Statistics How Hendrix measures up
9 State of Hendrix Diversity Improvements and strengths
10 Unity Week The week in review
THE PROFILE STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SPORTS 12 Soccer Review of the season
13 Internationals and sports Their struggles and experiences
CULTURE
BROOKE NELSON 817-341-9167 NelsonBT@Hendrix.edu
MANAGING EDITOR
LAYOUT EDITORS CLAIRE DEPREE JACKIE OAKLEY
PHOTO EDITOR LEE ROGERS
JOSH HAMMONS 501-616-0328 HammonsJE@Hendrix.edu
COPY EDITOR
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
PHOTOGRAPHERS
BLAIR SCHNEIDER
14 Cherub Fall concert review
15 Movie Review Gone Girl THEPROFILEONLINE.BLOGSPOT.COM
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MARY KATHERINE BARKER
MADISON DEALING FRANCISCO BERRONES MEGAN PRETTYMAN
STAFF WRITERS
ANUSHAH JIWANI CASEY HAWKINS CHIRAG LALA DANIEL GREAR SYDNEY MEYER RACHEL LORSBACH
NEWS
COMMITTEE ON
GENDER AND SEXUALITY:
Senate forms temporary umbrella committee embodying organizations such as SAGE, Unity and Activate Men
By Casey Hawkins
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psychology research project conducted at Hendrix last year found that 80 percent of the students interviewed hadn’t used any form of protection during their last sexual intercourse. This startling statistic is one of many things the Committee on Gender and Sexuality (COGS) is trying to combat this year. COGS’s general goal is to improve the sexual heath and safety of Hendrix students. With this being its first year as an official committee, junior Marissa Lee, the chair of COGS, has big plans for this year and the future. “The first thing we did this year that we had a lot of feedback on was the condoms,” Lee said. “People weren’t happy about those. They said that they weren’t working or they just didn’t like them, and so the first thing that we addressed was that, and that came directly from student concerns. So we got new condoms and people were happy, and now we can move on to the next thing,” Lee said. “One of our goals is to teach safe sex without the same, boring abstinence education that people mostly got in high school,” Lee said. “We want to talk to them [students] about the spread of STDs, which is a serious risk, and we want to tell people about the options they have. There’s STD testing available in Conway and obviously there’s the free condoms on campus,”
Lee added. COGS works with other gender-related groups on campus such as Unity, a gay-straight alliance, SAGE (Students Advocating Gender Equality), and Activate Men, a group focused on raising awareness of sexual assault on campus among male students. Sophomore Olivia Ensley, the vice-chair of COGS, is responsible for bridging the gap between COGS and these organizations. “I mostly go to all of the meetings, and I’ve been organizing a group meeting where all the executives can get together and talk about what changes they want to see happen this year, what issues they think need to be addressed the most, how to prioritize how to address those issues, and other things like that,” Ensley said. COGS plans to work with these organizations to schedule events and guest speakers. They also plan to be heavily involved in Sexual Awareness Week during the second semester. “We don’t just talk about sex,” Lee said. “We talk other things like the safety of students, victim blaming, and we responded to the sexual assault last year as a campus. We’re really all over the place.” Ensley said that one of the biggest problems currently facing COGS is the lack of male support. “If you want to have safe sex and have condoms available to you and you want to have NOVEMBER 2014
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a say in what goes on on campus, then this is the best way for your voice to be heard,” Ensley said. “Why would it only be a feminine issue when it’s something that both genders are involved with?” “I think that a lot of students are really passionate about issues like this and they don’t really know what to do with their passion,” Lee said. “That’s really what we want to do; we want to make positive progress on campus. We are a really passionate group, and we all have different aspects of what COGS is trying to do that we’re passionate about. We all have things that we want to bring to COGS and we’re all really different and I think that’s what makes us so great,” Lee said. In the future, Lee hopes to see the establishment of a center on campus dedicated solely to gender and sexuality issues. “We would love to have a center on campus that has paid positions and would act as an outlet for students that have issues that COGS is addressing now that actual adult employees could talk about,” Lee said. “We don’t really know what students are worried about until they talk to us about it. The more involved students are and the more they talk to us, the better we can help what they have problems with.”
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1: Former President Bill Clinton speaks at UCA in front of students and volunteers. 2: Tyler Pearson, campaigning for State Senate, also speaks 3: Sophomores Barret Goodwin and Brandy Britton watch and wait for Bill Clinton.
photos Megan Prettyman
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COORDINATED CAMPAIGN
NEWS
BILL CLINTON VISITS ARKANSAS by Anushah Jiwani
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he Arkansas midterm election will take place on Nov. 4 of this year. Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor is up for reelection against Republican Rep. Tom Cotton. Other candidates include former U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, who is running for governor against Republican U.S. Rep. Asa Hutchinson, and U.S. House candidate Patrick Henry Hays. In order to sway the election in favor of the blue, the National Democratic Party decided to implement a coordinated campaign for the first time in Arkansas. “The idea behind a coordinated campaign is that party can win if they run as a whole ticket. They pool funds and volunteers and form a collective group of supporters,” sophomore Peter Butler, vice-president of the Hendrix College Young Democrats, said. “The goal [of the coordinated campaign] is to expand the electorate. Since there are more registered Democrats than Republicans in Arkansas, more votes mean a greater democratic leaning,” Butler said. Butler has interned at the Conway coordinated campaign office since this summer and has been joined by at least 30 other volunteers from University of Central Arkansas and Hendrix in the past few weeks. “The Hendrix chapter of Young Democrats has grown exponentially this year. Many members of the club may not be voting for all of the Democratic candidates running, but they volunteer in order to support certain ones,” Butler said. “In the 2012 midterm election, only one in every 500 Hendrix students cast a ballot. College students don’t see the magnitude
of their vote, but it will come down to their vote in such a close election,” Butler added. Sophomore Sami Sexton’s entry into the campaign began with a summer internship at the Fort Smith coordinated campaign office where she made phone calls encouraging people to vote. She also went canvassing door to door to register voters and ask them about their thoughts on the upcoming election. When Sexton returned to Hendrix in the fall, she began interning at the Conway office. As a politics major and a member of the Young Democrats at Hendrix, Sexton values the opportunity the coordinated campaign brings to students. “I want continue working in politics after college, and making connections with various field organizers is going to be really beneficial in the future. And, if this works well for the Democrats this year, they’re going to do the same thing in 2016. Students will be able to say ‘I worked on the presidential campaign,’” Sexton said. As part of the Democratic campaign in Arkansas, former President Bill Clinton visited various colleges in Arkansas and encouraged students to vote blue. He attended a rally at University of Central Arkansas on Monday, Oct. 7 along with Gov. Mike Beebe, gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross, Sen. Mark Pryor and candidate Patrick Henry Hayes. Student who volunteered with the campaign were on stage behind the candidates. Clinton’s major points included the importance of the youth vote and their stake in this election. “Historically, in non-presidential years,
NEWS BRIEFS Tension between North and South Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was absent from a major holiday celebration, and hasn’t been seen since early September. In addition, North and South Korea exchanged fire over the border on Oct. 10 when protesters in South Korea released balloons containing money, DVD’s, and books.
there is a big drop off in the youth vote. And the opponents of these candidates are betting there will be this year. And I’m betting there won’t be,” Clinton said. Many of the candidates discussed issues of concern to college students. They promised to fight for lower interest rates on student loans, increase the minimum wage, and support equal pay for women. They also guaranteed their support on legislation against domestic violence and for equal opportunities in early childhood education regardless of social or economic status. Both Clinton and Beebe spoke of their personal connections with the candidates and advocated for them. “People view Mike Ross and Mark Pryor as individuals who can work with anybody regardless of their political party and can bring people together. We ought to be talking about who they are,” Gov. Beebe said. Clinton also spoke about the protest votes that the opposition is encouraging as a last “shot” for voters to voice their opinion against President Obama. “We run on issues and they don’t. Everybody’s trying to hijack this election. You’ve got to own it … you can honor Mike Beebe’s legacy by voting for what you are for and not what you are against,” Clinton said. Clinton further emphasized the role of young people and their ability to affect change. “I came back for the future of Arkansas and the future of America. That’s what you represent,” Clinton said. “Why would you not vote? It’s your future.”
Nobel Peace Prize awarded
Protests in St. Louis Vonderrit Myers Jr., 18, was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer. According to the report, the officer had given chase to Myers and two other suspects, gotten into a fight with Myers, who then supposedly shot at the police officer. Protestors held a candlelight vigil, and many claim that Myers did not have a gun, though the report states one was found at the scene with three bullets in the pavement. The officer fired 17 rounds, several hitting Myers in the torso, and one in the head, which proved fatal.
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Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi won the Nobel Peace Prize for their work in defending children’s rights in Pakistan and India respectively. Yousafzai is the youngest recipient ever at the age of 17. Satyarthi heads the “Save the Children” movement and organizes peaceful protests to protect against exploitation and trafficking. Yousafzai now lives in the United Kingdom, but was shot by the Taliban in October 2012 while campaigning for girls’ education rights.
Jeers
Cheers The 2014 Elections
For some youngsters on campus, these elections will be the first in which they can participate, providing them with an exquisite taste of the juicy fruit of democracy. For others, it’s just another dang election. On campus, the Hendrix College Young Democrats have extensively campaigned and encouraged students to register to vote in Faulkner County by providing registration forms in the Burrow and residence halls. Voters can complete their ballots in the Trieschmann lobby from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM on Nov. 4.
Cold Weather Again
We have all eagerly awaited the crisp chill in the air, the leaves crackling under our feet, the smell of bonfires lingering in the air… but now that it’s actually getting colder, we want Mother Nature to take it all back. Here again are the days of wearing three layers of clothing as you walk to class, taking off the layers of clothing once you get to class, then putting it all back on again to trudge to your next one. At least the excuse to drink hot chocolate 24/7 is a plus…
All You Can Eat, AKA Thanksgiving
Mashed potatoes, turkey, and gravy—oh my! Fill your stomachs and your hearts with some good Southern cooking this Thanksgiving. This is a day of gluttony that so well embodies the American dream that it is no wonder that it has been named a national holiday. Can Sundae Thursdays in the caf be a national holiday, too?
The 105-lb Pumpkin Thief
Yep, you read that right. Someone stole the Brick House’s 105 pound pumpkin—twice. Whoever it is, we just hope that you put both of them to good use. The question is: what do you even DO with two pumpkins that huge? It must have taken a lot of effort to lug those things around. If anyone has seen hide or hair of them, let the residents of the Brick House know.
All You Can Buy, AKA Black Friday
Get your speed walking shoes on, ladies and gents, because this Black Friday is going to be a doozy. Best Buy, Target and Walmart will put out their best sale displays, as usual, while the line piles out the door hours before midnight. To prevent the tragic accidents that have occurred in the past (people being trampled or fighting over an item), many stores with big sales are now creating systems in which shoppers are given a ticket for the item they wish to buy as they are standing in line. Let’s just hope that this trend dies out soon; there is nothing more synonymous to the stereotyped American psyche than a day of greed following a day of gratitude.
End of Baseball Season
It’s the end of an era the 2014 baseball playoff season comes to a close. Goodbye baseball, we will miss your walk-off wins and great upsets, your foot-long stadium hot dogs and fights that require the whole team to come out of the dugout. It was a good one, and we’ll see you next year—pending some sort of players’ strike.
Editor’s Note
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ast year sparked one of the most controversial conversations on campus to date, one that has loomed as an elephant in the room for decades but never brought to the center of attention until now: the conversation about diversity. And diversity is not limited to simply race; there is more to the conversation than one might initially think. Religion, gender, sexual orientation, physical or learning disabilities and party association are just a few categories in the wide spectrum of characteristics with which we identify ourselves. But some people find diversity at Hendrix one
Developing Diversity at Home
of the more pressing challenges the school faces. The numbers tell a story within themselves; with an all-white population of 76 percent and nonwhite and international students making up only small fractions of the student demographic, according to the college’s Office of the Registrar, many have called for a radical change. Others have also expressed concern about the titles of unofficial parties on campus—grounded in gender and race-based stereotypes—as well as the way students approach topics such as politics and party association. That’s why Blair Causey has taken it upon herself to make a change at Hendrix. In her own THEPROFILEONLINE.BLOGSPOT.COM
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words, Causey wants to work on “moving away from personal attacks and having constructive conversations about the actions of people, not the people themselves,” Causey said. “What we need to do now is start talking to each other with open minds and hearts, finding that middle ground, and building from there,” she said. “We have to be honest with each other, but we have to respect each other and that’s what I think has gotten lost in translation.” Dean Wiltgen has expressed his investment in making the campus a more all-inclusive one, as well. “The challenge with a small campus is that you
OPINION Arkansas’ Electoral Elegy What to Expect on Your Ballot on Nov. 4 by Chirag Lala
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my Chozick, a writer for the New York Times, recently wrote an attention-grabber titled “Loss of a Democratic Power Leaves Arkansas in Doubt.” The article itself was largely focused on the impending retirement of Gov. Mike Beebe, the Democrat who has dominated state politics for almost the past decade. To Chozick, Beebe’s departure is another blow to the state’s Democratic Party, which is still suffering from the aftereffects of the GOP’s 2010 statewide sweep. Arkansas, after decades of stubborn Democratic reliability, is turning red. But that was to be expected. There’s been an undeniable conservative tinge to our politics for decades. After all, even former President Bill Clinton, still the Democratic all-star of Arkansas politics, built his image on shifting his ‘liberal’ party to the right. If not Arkansas’ rightward shift, what then is noteworthy this year? The answer lies in the last section of Chozick’s article. She discusses the current senate race and remarks that neither candidate truly grasps the “retail politics” of generations past. Retail politics: it’s a phrase reminiscent of times past. Candidates based their popularity not so much on party affiliation, but rather on ties to the local community, personal deal-making, and on effectively utilizing a touch of the personal. Chozick exemplifies retail politics by discussing both Gov. Beebe’s personal deal-
making style and the sacred, unspoken requirement among candidates to present good face at local fairs like the “Grady Lions Club Fish Fry.” It is this old-style of Arkansas politics that the 2014 elections seems to be killing off more and more. Sophomore Barrett Goodwin, a former intern with the Patrick Henry Hays campaign, remarked that “with mass media, the traditional folksy style of politics is dying off and being replaced with mass media politics.” But what was even more noteworthy was Goodwin’s claim that “ever since [President] Obama’s 2008 win, parties have been adapting to this environment by increasing grassroots campaigning, technologybased voter targeting, and advertisements.” Truly, the modern campaign seems to have arrived in Arkansas. A state that has been loathe to eschew traditions must now accept the vast influx of outside donor money, a point both Goodwin and Chozick stressed. But it seems that the new ‘mass media politics’ isn’t the same in every form. Junior Sam Spjut, a former Washington D.C. intern, noted that the Republicans tended to focus their strategies far more on mass advertisements and high-end donor procurements for specific goals, like taking back the U.S. Senate, as opposed to the Democrat’s general focus on things like ‘Get Out the Vote’ initiatives. Spjut, a Texas native, remarked,
“the really fascinating thing about Arkansas is the juxtaposition you see between older and newer methods of campaigning. In Texas, the politics are split far more along regional lines so it’s harder to get a sense of any major statewide changes to the way elections are fought.” But what must we make of this change? The honest answer is that I don’t know how to react. On the one hand, mass media (in which I’m counting social media) has a democratizing effect on the spread of information in that it is available more cheaply to more people; this can only be a good thing for our system of government. On the other hand, one cannot discount the effects of mass communication on the quality of political and (particularly) economic discourse. We see complex policy issues reduced to the length of soundbites or tweets; we see nuances disappear and generalizations rise. And none of that is to discuss the elephant in the room: money. The effect it has on whose voice is heard is almost a cliché in youth political circles. It seems pointless to bemoan the technological changes; they have obvious benefits after all. The only conclusion, frustrating in its emptiness, that this election leaves me with is one that every previous election has left us all with: the need for reform.
in reaction to the change in tide on campus, including the addition of the Committee on Gender and Sexuality to the Senate body and the “I Am the Movement” campaign, which promotes social justice on campus. Additionally, large organizations such as SoCo are teaming up with smaller groups to host big events like Cinco de Mayo and Club Fusion. However, Hendrix is not the only one struggling with this difficult topic. Across the nation, people are gaining awareness of and taking action for social change. This has dawned movements such as the riots in Ferguson, Mo., following the death of an unarmed black teenager who was shot by a
policeman, the judicial rulings across the United States in favor of gay marriage, and the pressure on the U.S. government to accept illegal child refugees. In reality, Hendrix is just following the trend of addressing the conversation about true universal justice. Rather than ignoring the problem or assuming it is not ours to fix, we are all beginning to realize how our voices can matter in the national arena. And Hendrix is the first place to start.
by Brooke Nelson, Editor in Chief think everyone feels welcome. But there are some people who feel that they don’t fit in. When we make an assumption that everyone has a voice, we disregard those who feel like they don’t,” he said. This conviction has prompted Causey to take the lead the revival of organizations such as the Cultural Connections Committee, which facilitates discussion about diversity on campus, as well as the Multicultural Peer Mentor Program, which works one-on-one to connect those who feel in the minority with someone who can listen and relate to them. Other developments have sprouted at Hendrix
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The Diversity Breakdown at Hendrix 1,358
Total Students Gender Female
746 (54.9%)
Male
612 (45.1%)
Geographic Out-of-state
56%
In-state
44%
Race/Ethinicity White
76.3%
Asian
5.7%
Black/African American
4.8%
Hispanic/Latino
4.8%
Nonresident Alien
5.6%
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FEATURE The State
of Hendrix Diversity by Chirag Lala
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We are not where we need to be but we are very excited about where we are headed,” Dean Kesha Baoua, the associate dean of student affairs, said. The 2013-14 Common Data Set noted that, of the 1,422 total undergraduates at Hendrix, 1,013 were white. The Hendrix faculty has taken note of this discrepancy. “If Hendrix doesn’t diversify, we won’t survive if we continually pull a vast majority of students out of a demographic diminishing as a size of the population,” Baoua said. Diversity encompasses nearly every imaginable aspect of humanity: character, income, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, beliefs, etc. It is one thing to receive those differences within the student body; that is a stated goal of nearly every admissions office across the United States. It is quite another thing to work with those differences. For Dean Baoua, working with the fascinating differences among people means “allowing the different experiences each person brings to the table to influence the conversation so that students are learning from multiple different perspectives.” Simply stated, it means having quality programs and institutions on campus that both accommodate diversity and encourage its expression. The state of Hendrix diversity must be measured on this metric. The next obvious question, then, is what does Hendrix have to combat this issue? One initiative is the Office of Multicultural Student Services
(MSS). Desh Deepak, the coordinator of MSS, spoke about the opportunities the department offers, including numerous diversity trainings for student organizations. Resident assistants in particular undergo the training in the month before the school started, which includes basic awareness of diversity issues, crafting new programs, simple assistance, etc. MSS also participates in the Multicultural Development Committee (MDC) Block Party, assists the rising number of international organizations, and hosts events like Cultural Candy Land and the Multicultural Expo. It is also helping to establish “safe zones” where multicultural issues can be discussed in a more open environment. Another noteworthy initiative is that of the Cultural Connections Committee (CCC), which is a committee that reports directly to Deepak and the MSS. CCC was revived this year due to the increasing need to hold conversations on controversial issues. Social media erupted last year over the “Thugs and Kisses” controversy, and many students felt there was not an appropriate venue for a more open discussion. More recently, some events have clashed with religious holidays; the CCC hears these cases and tries developing solutions. The Diversity Concerns Committee and President Tsutsui’s Diversity Initiative are two other multicultural initiatives on campus. The former is the faculty equivalent of MDC in the Senate. Both organizations represent broad
attempts to encourage diversity on campus, working closely with Deepak as a kind of umbrella organization for all the international, diversity, and cultural organizations on campus. Both students and faculty are eligible to participate in the President’s Diversity Initiative, which is the college’s long-term strategic forum for diversity issues that may arise now, or three, five, or ten years down the line. Nevertheless, Deepak echoed Dean Baoua when he admitted, “we can do better.” That means three things: the quality of the services can be improved, outreach must increase, and the actual demographics of Hendrix must change to better reflect the changing world. These services exist, but many go through life at Hendrix without the faintest idea that these services even exist. What’s more, budget cuts and staffing issues continue to present roadblocks to any bolder initiatives. Junior Blair Causey, a former MDC chair and current member of the Diversity Initiative, commented that “a major problem is getting more than just the same students to participate in things like MDC, CCC, the Diversity Initiative, cultural organizations, etc.” Outside Deepak’s office, there is a calendar recording every imaginable religious and cultural festival for organizations to keep track of Hendrix’s efforts at fostering diversity. At times it may feel that we’re not where we need to be, but we know where we have to go and we are taking steps in the right direction.
photos Profile Archives SEPTEMBER 2014
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YOUNITY
Students Collaborate for a Common Cause in the LGBT Community
Comedian Fortune Feimster pauses in her act to laugh with the audience. Her show was one of several events scheduled for Unity’s Coming Out Week in October.
photo Madison Dealing
by Rachel Lorsbach
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f you saw the colorful stickers bobbing around on students’ chests a few weeks ago, then you had the privilege of experiencing Unity week at Hendrix. Unity week allows students at Hendrix who identify or ally with the LGBT community to feel supported and united. This week is organized and constructed by a campus organization called Unity. However, some students on campus are familiar with Unity. The club is looking to change that. “Unity is a safe place for the queer and allied community here on campus where students can gather, express frustrations or celebrations about their experiences and discuss issues happening within and about the community at large,” senior Lauren Wallis said. The club embraces many aspects of queer life— on campus and off. It strives to bring together the student body of Hendrix and encourages the idea
that being different is what allows this ‘unity’ to transpire. “We discuss issues we face on campus, and things we experience in our lives. Sometimes, we’ll have events for the week. I know last year we had privilege walks and a pride parade around the campus,” Oakley said. Since its formation, Unity has become a comforting and friendly presence to those looking for a supportive foundation. “I wanted a sense of community because I’m part of the LGBT community, and it’s pretty hard to find other people here,” Oakley said. “I am glad [I joined Unity] because you do get this sense of community that’s super important. Many people don’t realize just how necessary it is to have people like you around you. It’s just nice to take a break and be around people like you.” Unity Week itself has quite a bit of perks—just ask anyone who proudly flashed colorful nametags in class or sampled delicious cupcakes in THEPROFILEONLINE.BLOGSPOT.COM
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the SLTC. “I’m not even going to lie. I like the stickers,” Oakley said. Wallis agreed. “The nametags during the week are my favorite because it is just great to see so many people on campus expressing themselves in a public way they wouldn’t do normally,” Wallis said. “I mean, the baking with the queers is also the bomb because…who doesn’t like cookies, cupcakes and great company?” Even students who are not members of Unity have felt its positive presence on campus. “It shows another side of people that you normally would not see at first glance,” freshman Helena Abad said. UNITY week is an influential week that truly portrays Hendrix’s yearning to be united as one, despite differences. Clubs like Unity enable a close and intimate campus to be created for every student here at Hendrix.
FEATURE Hendrix Ancestry: The Beauty and Complexities by Daniel Grear
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Top: Courtesy of the Napolitano family Middle and Bottom: Courtesy of the Gressler family
lthough the Hendrix campus is relatively homogenous in terms of its racial and ethnic diversity, our ancestors represent a large number of disparate countries. Junior Carl Napolitano’s family descent is a little bit clouded by time. On his father’s side, either his great-grandparents or great-greatgrandparents were from Italy. On his mother’s side, his grandfather was from Colombia and his grandmother was from Spain. He knows very little about their immigration motivations other than this charming scrap of information: “My grandfather wanted to go to Columbia University because he was from Colombia, and he went,” Napolitano said. When asked about the ways in which heritage factors into his identity, Napolitano spoke to a greater extent about his father’s side of the family. First and foremost, the origin of his surname gives him a stronger connection to Italy. Additionally, because their immigration happened more generations back than his mother’s side, he has interacted more extensively with Italian culture. “I learned how to make pizza dough from my father who learned it from his family,” Napolitano said. In regard to his mother’s side of the family, Napolitano said, “I’m more hesitant than when I was younger to identity as Colombian on forms because I don’t have the experience, the food, and the culture. I feel a disconnect.” That being said, he has recently made a modest effort to bridge the gap between him and Colombia. “This summer, I read ‘One Hundred Years Of Solitude’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It was my grandfather’s favorite book,” Napolitano said. “The landscape, the environment, and the town the fictional family lives in is very reminiscent of his life growing up in Colombia.” Junior Chris Woodward also has roots in Central America. “Typically, when I’m walking around, people don’t think of me as Costa Rican,” Woodward said. “My mom was born in a small town called Venice inside the San Carlos region.” After graduating from college, his mother immigrated to the United States. Though much of his extended family still lives in Costa Rica, his mother’s sisters also moved to the United States and married Americans. Woodward’s family typically visits his mother’s home country once a year. For the whole of his eighth grade year, however, they actually lived there. “I had grown up speaking Spanish with my mom so I was bi-lingual after living there,” Woodward
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said. “There were tons of mountains, jungles, and nature walks. The environment was really cool.” Now back in the States, he relishes in any opportunity that he gets to speak Spanish. Additionally, he was overjoyed at Costa Rica’s success in the 2014 World Cup. On the other side of the family, Woodward is mostly Swedish. “We’ve been to Ellis Island and found my greatgrandpa’s immigration forms,” he said. Additionally, their family took a 30-person family reunion trip to Sweden. “We were visiting mostly locations where my family had lived, and some very distant relatives. We ended up making the local newspaper.” Despite the fact that senior Laura Gressler grew up in Illinois and Texas, her parents are both pure German. After both of them graduated from medical school, her father was offered a position at the University of Chicago. “Initially, they were just going to do it for a few years. They thought of it as an adventure,” Gressler said. However, once they had passed medical exams, celebrated the birth of their first child (Laura’s older brother), and secured long-term jobs, the prospect of moving back to Germany became less and less conceivable. Even though they stayed in the States, Gressler’s parents took an interest in preserving her European heritage. For example, her home was filled with German culture. “I was raised on German children’s stories, German lullabies, German everything,” Gressler said. Back in Texas, her parents enrolled her in the Dallas International School, where classes were taught exclusively in French. Throughout her childhood, her family visited Germany annually, spending all of the summer there with the entirety of her extended family. She has dual citizenship in Germany and the United States and is quadrilingual, speaking German, English, French and Spanish. In the past couple of years, Gressler’s parents have returned to Germany permanently. In addition, her brother and sister now live in London and Paris, respectively. After graduating, Gressler plans to pursue a dual master’s degree program in public health and business administration before attending medical school. She’s in the process of deciding whether or not she’ll seek out this coursework in the United States or Germany. In the end, she seldom thinks of the United States as her true home. “I don’t feel like I have anything here,” Gressler said. “I identity more as German than American. Really, I just feel like I’m visiting.”
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1: Alex Cummings attacks a ball being guarded by a Rhodes player. 2: Jacob pierce prepares to kick as he is chased by a Rhodes defender. 3: Wessel Westerhof goes up for the ball. photos
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Lee Rogers
SPORTS
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND SPORTS: Athletes overcome language, cultural barriers to become part of Hendrix athletics by Sydney Meyer
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he experience of the international student here at Hendrix is far different from that of a traditional one. Often times, continents separate these students from their families and loved ones, and language barriers can prove hard to overcome. But for the international student who chooses to take on even more challenges and decides to play sports in a foreign country, these challenges are often multiplied exponentially. Three international student athletes have agreed to share their experiences, and the challenges prove to be more than expected. Wessel Westerhof and Lotte Kraaijenbrink are both from the Netherlands, and Ndemeye Bosco is from Rwanda. All three face not only the grueling academic demands of school lectures taught in a foreign language, but they’ve taken on the additional challenge of playing sports for the Warriors. International student athletes here at Hendrix don’t have it easy, but for them, the love of the game is worth it. Westerhof is only here for a semester, but he has already made his presence known on the Warrior soccer field. Born and raised in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Westerhof has played soccer since he was a child. He didn’t start learning English until several years later, but Westerhof was given the opportunity to come to the United States and attend school in San Francisco, which helped hone his English skills. One of the biggest challenges he faced when first playing soccer here at Hendrix was the level
of physicality. “Last year [in the Netherlands] I played on a team where everyone smoked before the games, during half times, and as soon as the game was over someone came in with a tray of alcohol,” Westerhof said. “A lot of Dutch kids like me would struggle with playing over here because they aren’t used to being beat up on the field or having to run for 90 minutes straight.” Bosco is also a member of the men’s soccer team. Hailing from Kigali, Rwanda in East Africa, Bosco faced initial difficulties with Arkansas’ weather. After being in the United States for only four months, he’s already dealt with the stifling summer heat. “It’s very hard for someone who doesn’t know what hot weather is really like to start playing in it,” Bosco said. Both Bosco and Westerhof have found good friends in their teammates. “Soccer players always act like friends who have known each other for a long time, even if they just met,” Bosco said. Being a part of a team while abroad at school is an easy way to make sure you have close friends. Even though he’s only known his teammates for a few weeks, Westerhof feels that “if something goes wrong, I know they’ve got my back, and I’ve got theirs.” It’s hard to imagine traveling to a new country, not knowing a single person, and having to make all new friends if you’ve never done it before. Luckily for Bosco and Westerhof, they didn’t have to look too far.
For Kraaijenbrink, the challenges she faced playing for the women’s field hockey team stemmed mostly from the language barrier. “I did not understand a word of what they meant,” Kraaijenbrink said. “When I wanted to communicate that I was on the right or the left, it was a struggle. The other half of the time I had no idea what was going on because the drills were explained so quickly.” Similarly, Bosco had difficulty understanding his team and coaches under the fast and demanding pace of live sport. “A person would say some term to me and want me to react quickly so I would try to translate it to French or my native language, but I didn’t really have time for that,” Bosco said. All three of these athletes have put in countless hours of practice, not only in their sports but also in practicing the English language. Many may find the challenge to be too great, but for these three, the love they have for their sport trumps all. “Here I can spend my time doing what I love: playing,” Kraaijenbrink said. It’s important to recognize the level of dedication and perseverance international student athletes possess. Whether they purposefully came to the United States to play, like Westerhof and Kraaijenbrink, or simply get to play as an added bonus to a stellar education, they all have one thing in common: love for the game.
A QUICK LOOK AT HENDRIX VOLLEYBALL by Sydney Meyer
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endrix’s volleyball team has captured the school’s attention. With their second winning season underway, the volleyball powerhouse (currently with 18 wins and only four losses) has already upset their long-standing conference rivals, Berry College, and has yet to lose a game at home. “I think the winning mentality has taken a couple years to develop to the point where these girls can walk out onto the court against their conference rivals, believe they can win, and then go do it,” head coach Ryan Meek said. But now that the belief is there, both players and coaches anticipate more wins to accumulate in the next weeks of play. Allison Gaia, a sophomore and setter for the Warriors, also shares the sentiment. “We believe we are the best team in our conference. Coach has prepared us well and we believe we will win the rest of our conference matches,” Gaia said. Coach Meek has recruited 16 new players to
the program in the past two years. Some might speculate that such a young team would be inexperienced, but the record book is not suffering because of the younger talent. “With a young team, it would have been easy to wait a few years for success to come with experience,” sophomore hitter MC Rogers said. “However, coach Meek and coach Kasey made it clear very early in the season that we’re going to be pushed to succeed no matter the circumstances.” Rogers continued to say that playing as a team is a major contribution to the program’s overall success. “Once we focus on supporting each other and working hard as a unit to achieve our goals, everything just works,” Rogers said. Gaia, Rogers and the rest of the team all share the goal of winning the conference title and hopefully hosting the conference tournament here at Hendrix. “We really want to host the tournament at Hendrix this year for our fans. Hendrix stuNOVEMBER 2014
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dents, faculty, parents and alumni are the best fans in the conference and we truly appreciate their support,” Gaia said. Rogers added that winning conference is completely possible, but that the team’s work in the next few weeks will dictate their success. “We have the opportunity to play at an extremely high level if we stay focused and determined everyday at practice,” Rogers said. With what may seem like the weight of the school’s hopes and dreams on their shoulders, this team heads into the remainder of their season with all the confidence in the world – confidence they have proved time and time again to have earned. “There’s a wave of success happening, and it’s really cool to see,” coach Meek said of all Hendrix athletic programs. Hopefully Meek and his squad can bring home the first of many conference trophies for the Hendrix College Warriors this year.
photo cherubmusica.com
Cherub Rolls Into Conway A Sneak Peak at This Year’s Fall Concert by Casey Hawkins
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ith acts such as Matt and Kim, Macklemore, and Chance the Rapper in previous years, Hendrix’s reputation for concerts is steadily growing. It hopes to continue that trend with this year’s fall concert featuring Cherub. Cherub is an electro-pop duo from Nashville, Tennessee, who has gained popularity over the last few months with the release of their new album, “Year of the Caprese.” Their hit single, “Doses and Mimosas,” ranked as high as 23 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart and has more than a million YouTube views. Student activities director Tonya Hale and senior Hope Montgomery, KHDX’s concert director, were instrumental in bringing Cherub to Hendrix. “Our school has a really good relationship with a lot of touring agencies, or booking agencies as we call them,” Hale said. “Every major artist pretty much has a booking agency, as long as it’s not some random singer-songwriter who doesn’t have any representation.” “We also have another agency that we work with
that sort of helps us figure out who’s available, who’s touring, who’s in our price range and who isn’t. It just helps us in that whole bartering and negotiation process,” Hale added. Hale also advises the KHDX concert committee, which ultimately chooses the artists who play at Hendrix concerts. Montgomery leads this student committee. “My job is to coordinate a committee to choose what band we think is the best for Hendrix,” Montgomery said. “Currently there are 14 committee members including myself, and we try to discern who might be the best option interestwise and price-wise. We felt that Cherub was the most exciting band considered in our price range, and we tried to get a band different from some Hendrix has seen in the past.” Hale said that their goal is to find artists on the cusp of bigger popularity, or artists they like whether they are popular or not. She added that as they were booking Macklemore, he was relatively unknown at the time but blew up a few months later. “In thinking about Cherub, it might just be a reTHEPROFILEONLINE.BLOGSPOT.COM
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ally fun show, whether or not people know about them it would be just a fun show for them to go and hang out and dance,” Hale said. “I think it will be similar in atmosphere to Macklemore and Matt and Kim: upbeat and fun,” Montgomery said. “We try to hit all ends of the spectrum as we choose concerts throughout the year, so this represents this aura. I expect it to be pretty dance-y, but being a bad dancer, maybe you shouldn’t take that from me.” “We tend to pick a lot of hip hop artists, and so even though I think there’s a little bit of hip hop maybe, it [Cherub] is more like electronica, pop stuff,” Hale said. “Also I think it’ll be really high energy. I haven’t seen them live, but I heard they give a really fun live show. Hopefully there will be some fun things we can do with lights, just to make Worsham a cool venue for the night and a way to release some stress.” Hale added, “It hopefully will attract anyone that wants to be introduced to a good band and wants to just have fun and kick back for a little while.”
CULTURE
Gone Girl: A Mystery Both Resolved and Unresolved by Daniel Grear
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imply put, “Gone Girl,” the latest film from director David Fincher (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, “The Social Network”), is the story of a missing woman. When Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) returns home from work to discover that his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) is nowhere to be found, he immediately contacts the police, as any loving husband would do. Despite his dutiful behavior, however, Nick is a strange guy. In interviews with detectives, he’s despondent and passive. He’s got an alibi, but it’s dubious at best. In addition, sketchier facts keep turning up—his wife’s life insurance policy was upped earlier that year, the crime scene looks faked, and a puddle of poorly cleaned up blood is unearthed in their kitchen. It doesn’t help that Nick is having an affair with a younger woman. To make matters worse, when the media catches wind of the tragedy, they begin harping on his every idiosyncrasy, milking the story for all it is worth. Due to knee-jerk reactions, he quickly becomes a nationally hated man. Meanwhile, the viewer catches glimpses of Nick and Amy’s courtship and marital disintegration through interwoven flashbacks. The peculiar thing about these memories, however, is that they seem oddly stilted. The dialogue feels glamorous and melodramatic, as if too good to be true. At first, it just comes across as a bout of poor
screenwriting, but, fortunately, this is not the case. As it turns out, these flashbacks are rooted in the subjectivity of Amy’s diary entries, intentionally reminding us not to trust anyone or take sides just yet. “Gone Girl” starts out as a slow-paced, shadowy, brooding film. For a mainstream release, it’s pretty sluggish. This is by no means, however, an agonizing thing. The drudge proves exceptionally deliberate, especially when backed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ accompaniment – a soundtrack that’s as atmospheric as it is industrial, as gripping as it is rhythmically sparse. In short, the Missouri suburbs are presented at their creepiest. After we’re only an hour in, Fincher vigorously spits out the big reveal. In a mere five minutes, everything falls into place. The wide-eyed viewer feels bloated, overwhelmed, and speechless, if not a little cheated. The excessive tempo seems erratic and counter to the spirit of the film. The beauty of this shock, however, is that it ends up meaning very little in the grand scheme of things. From this point on, the movie only gets weirder, and better. The second half of the film gives Amy the opportunity to blossom into a brutally fascinating and autonomous character. The casting of Rosamund Pike is impeccable, as she perfectly embodies an ambivalent persona—sexy, scary, and sophisticated.
Ultimately, the film’s ending is irresolute in the smartest kind of way. It’s not chronologically or narratively confusing, but psychologically so. We leave the theater understanding exactly what happened, but not so much why. Motivations are left beautifully in the dark, giving us plenty to turn over in our minds.
photo buzzfeed.com
The Move Towards Justice How the “I am the Movement” Campaign is Shaping Campus Dialogue
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ach year, during Diversity Awareness and Openness (DAO) Week, students and faculty participate in multiple events pertaining to racial, ethnic and gender-related diversity. During DAO Week last year, Desh Deepak, coordinator for Multicultural Student Services (MSS), decided to introduce the Wall of Acceptance. By signing this wall, students made a commitment to accept one another regardless of their differences. Deepak, a graduate of Hendrix College class of 2012, noticed a decline in social justice issues on campus. As a student, he was involved in Oxfam and Amnesty International, but has seen their presence on campus decline. “There are people doing things, but there is a lack of interest and no centralized effort,” Deepak said. This past summer, Deepak, along with junior Blair Causey and several other students, had the opportunity to attend a social justice conference, featuring speaker David LaMotte. This event inspired them to make a change on campus. This summer we realized that just the act of acceptance in our modern day society is not enough. We have to commit to do things that are relevant to our society, and it is important to make an effort towards something,” Deepak said. Causey interned in the Dean’s office this past
summer and worked in conjunction with MSS to develop diversity programming. “Social change has never been in a hero narrative. Usually, one extravagant person creates social change and everyone follows them. But what the speaker was introducing was a movement narrative, where a bunch of people do a bunch of little things in order to create a large movement of change,” Causey said. I Am the Movement is a yearlong campaign at Hendrix, and the theme for the Wall of Acceptance this year. MSS is inviting multiple speakers throughout the year as part of their lecture series in order to increase awareness at Hendrix about social justice issues. “I Am the Movement is about empowering yourself and making a change. Sometimes if you don’t do anything, you empower [negative] things to continue in the world,” Deepak said. “The foremost thing is to raise awareness. I talked to faculty after Mr. Pushkar’s talk, and they told me that they learned something new. When you think about Hendrix, you don’t really think about social justice, and that’s what I want to change,” Deepak said. Causey hopes that students will not only sign the Wall of Acceptance, but also physically make a commitment to change something on campus. She hopes that this campaign will “create a genNOVEMBER 2014
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by Anushah Jiwani
eral interest” and enable a new crowd to participate in discussions about issues at Hendrix. Causey feels that the lack of pluralism on campus can finally be addressed through the campaign. “Diversity has fallen under our radar. People come here from different backgrounds and have different experiences, but Hendrix doesn’t affirm their identity while acclimating them into the school experience. They get here, they do Shirttails, and boom, they’re in. But nobody’s transition is that easy, especially if you don’t participate in these types of bonding events. If you aren’t a party person, if you don’t fit that dominant culture, it’s hard for you to feel like a part of the larger Hendrix community,” Causey said. “When you come to campus, you don’t necessarily see your culture. You see the Hendrix culture, but there aren’t a lot of places you can go to express yourself in your own culture. This year’s theme has been a way to evaluate the messages Hendrix sends to students who are different and who aren’t represented on campus. Last year, I realized that if we’re going to create a precedent, we have to start now,” Causey added. The Wall of Acceptance will be available for students to sign in the Student Life and Technology Center and at every diversity-related event through out the year.
october
promo photo sources: Conway Symphony Orchestra: https://www.
CALENDAR Nov. 1 - Nov. 4 Saturday, November 1st
1 p.m. Warrior Football. Hendrix vs Centre. Conway. 1 p.m. Warrior Swimming. 47th Annual Warrior Classic. Conway. 7:30 p.m. Conway Symphony Orchestra, “Opening Night: Thrilling at 30!” UCA. Conway. 9 p.m. Scott Stapp- Proof of Life Tour. Juanita’s. Little Rock. 9 p.m. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock. 9 p.m. The Floozies. The Rev Room. Little Rock.
Nov. 6 - Nov. 11 Thursday, November 6th
9 p.m. The Eskimo Brothers. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.
Friday, November 7th
9 p.m. Salsa. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
Saturday, November 8th
9 a.m. The Color Run 5K. River Market Pavilions. Little Rock. 7:30 p.m. Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, “Beethoven & Blue Jeans.” Maumelle Performing Arts Center. Little Rock. 9 p.m. MC Chirs. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
Sunday, November 9th
8 p.m. I-Wayne. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
Monday, November 10th
7 p.m. Warrior Women’s Basketball. Hendrix vs Central Baptist (Exhibition). Conway.
Tuesday, November 11th
7 p.m. Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, “Italian Serenade.” Clinton Presidential Center. Little Rock. 8 p.m. Joe Bonamassa. Verizon Arena. Little Rock.
The Floozies Sunday, November 2nd
2 p.m. Wait After Dark. Arkansas Repertory Theatre. Little Rock. 8 p.m. Motopony. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
Monday, November 3rd
7:30 p.m. Blue Man Group. UCA Reynolds Performance Hall. Conway.
Tuesday, November 4th
7 p.m. Slipknot with Korn and King 810. Verizon Arena. Little Rock. 7:30 p.m. Blue Man Group. UCA Reynolds Performance Hall. Conway. 8:30 p.m. Moon Taxi. The Rev Room. Little Rock. THEPROFILEONLINE.BLOGSPOT.COM
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facebook.com/conwaysymphonyorchestra. Moon Taxi: https://www. facebook.com/ridethemoontaxi/photos/. Joe Bonamassa: https://www. facebook.com/JoeBonamassa/photos/. The Cadillac Three: https://www. facebook.com/TheCadillacThree/photos/. The Floozies: https://www. facebook.com/flooziesduo/photos/.
Conway, Little Rock, & Central Arkansas
Nov. 14 - Nov. 18 Friday, November 14th
9 p.m. Salsa. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
Saturday, November 15th
7:30 p.m. An Evening with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood. UCA Reynolds Performance Hall. Conway. 8 p.m. Warrior Women’s Basketball. Hendrix vs MacMurray. Conway. 8:30 p.m. Project 86. The Rev Room. Little Rock. 9 p.m. Foxy Shazam. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
Sunday, November 16th
3 p.m. Warrior Women’s Basketball. Hendrix vs Rust. Conway.
Monday, November 17th
7:30 p.m. Cirque Mechanics Presents Pedal Punk. UCA Reynolds Performance Hall. Conway.
Tuesday, November 18th
8 p.m. Nonpoint. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
Moon Taxi
CULTURE Nov. 20 - Nov. 28 Thursday, November 20th
8 p.m. Knox Hamilton. Juanita’s. Little Rock. 8:30 p.m. The Cadillac Three. The Rev Room. Little Rock.
Friday, November 21st
5:30 p.m. Warrior Women’s Basketball. Hendrix vs LeTourneau. Conway. 7:30 p.m. Warrior Men’s Basketball. Hendrix vs LeTourneau. Conway. 9 p.m. Salsa. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
Saturday, November 22nd
10 a.m. Asian Festival 2014. St. Joseph’s Parish Hall. Conway. 2 p.m. Warrior Women’s Basketball. Hendrix vs UT Tyler. Conway 4 p.m. Warrior Men’s Basketball. Hendrix vs UT Tyler. Conway. 7:30 p.m. Ballroom with a Twist. UCA Reynolds Performance Hall. Conway. 9 p.m. The Dan Band. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
The Cadillac Three
Friday, November 28th
9 p.m. Salsa. Juanita’s. Little Rock. 9:30 p.m. Tyrannosaurus Chicken. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock.
Nov. 29 - Nov. 30 Saturday, November 29th
9 p.m. The Big Dam Horns. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock. 9 p.m. North Mississippi Allstars. The Rev Room. Little Rock.
Sunday, November 30th
2 p.m. Warrior Women’s Basketball. Hendrix vs Dallas. Conway. 8 p.m. Sebastian Bach. Juanita’s. Little Rock.
Joe Bonamassa
Conway Symphony NOVEMBER 2014
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1600 Washington Ave Conway, AR 72032