Campus B4
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Awareness served with chocolate on top The Women’s Resource Center presents the Chocolate Festival, an effort to raise awareness about women’s issues with some sweets on the side Libby So Writer
To inform and provide generous amounts of chocolate—that is the purpose of the Women’s Health & Wellness Chocolate Festival, Thursday, Nov. 10. For $5, Auburn women (and men) have the opportunity to attend the festival and browse tables of different state health divisions and organizations while sampling four servings of locally donated chocolates. “It’s great for women or anyone who wants to know more about their body, and chocolate is a good way to learn about it,” said Danielle Burton, senior in political science and volunteer in the publicity and board operations of the festival. The festival is sponsored
by the Auburn University Women’s Resource Center and the Women in Science and Engineering Institute. It is also supported by various local pastry shops, restaurants and volunteers. The event is held in two parts: a fundraising 5K run Nov. 7 and the main festival Nov. 10. This is the Chocolate Festival’s second year, and organizers expect to sell about 200 tickets this year. There will be 26 expos and 11 tables of chocolate, said Amye Schooley, the diversity initiatives coordinator for the WRC. Schooley said she believes the chocolate factor draws in people. “That’s how we get people to come,” Schooley said, “because everybody loves chocolate. And so while they’re there, we educate them about women’s
health and wellness.” However, she believes there are reasons to attend the event other than the chocolate, including massage therapists, hearing clinics, gyms, health food stores, a silent auction and games geared toward health and wellness issues, with prizes like hour massages, manicures and pedicures. Each year, the planners of the festival choose an area charity to receive a portion of its funds. This year, the festival benefits Cindi’s Library, which provides free brochures, Internet access and books for cancer patients at East Alabama Medical Center and their families. “I really enjoy planning these kinds of events,” said Jenny Tillman, senior in human development and family studies and coach
of the Chocolate Festival. “We always love to see what it entails after working on it for several days and months. “I really want to do something in this job field. Also, it’s a neat way to meet people and build relationships.” To participate or volunteer at upcoming Chocolate Festivals and fundraisers, pick up an application at the festival. To participate in the 5K fundraiser, register online at w w w. a u b u r n . e d u / wrc, or print the application form and take it to the event with $15 in cash or check. Forms can also be taken to 311 Mary Martin Hall or the event location at the Mell Street entrance to the RBD Library. “We have everything
from dark chocolate to chocolate truffles to cupcakes to cakes,” Schooley said. “I mean, it’s any kind of chocolate that you could possibly imagine.” The main festival will take place Nov. 10 from noon to 3 p.m. in
Student Center Room 2200. Tickets can either be purchased in the Women’s Initiatives Office located in 311 Mary Martin Hall or at the event location while tickets are still available.
Sasser, FCA and Williams Ministries ignite Auburn Chelsea Harvey Staff Writer
Maria Iampietro / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
Crystal Johnson, senior in biomedical sciences and prepharmacy, takes notes during Intro to Africana Studies, a class that looks into the development of the Africa we know today.
History class delves into the development of Africa Alison McFerrin Staff Writer
“The darkest thing about Africa has always been our ignorance of it,” said George Kimble, a geographer born in 1912. The same holds true today. “Africa is something that everybody ‘knows’ about and they talk about, but there’s not a lot of understanding of why Africa developed the way it did,” said Ethan Trevino, adjunct professor of history and instructor for the course. Intro to Africana Studies is a typical lecture course, but Trevino tries to encourage class discussion. “There are three discussions,” Trevino said. “I give them a reading from somebody who wrote it at the time, then they read it, and then we have discussion questions.” Students can choose one of those discussion questions about which to write an essay for the exam. Students said learning the hows and whys of African development has been a revelation, helping them to understand the continent and its history.
“It’s pretty interesting to see some of how the world political views came about and how they took effect and how that shaped how we are in this world today,” said James Mitchell, junior in sociology. Trevino is teaching the class for the first time. “The person who was going to teach it, at the last minute, had to bow out, so I came in,” Trevino said. The class is required for the Africana history minor, and it counts as credit toward the history major. “I polled the kids to figure out why they were taking it,” Trevino said. “The majority of the class wanted to know about Africa in particular and how it got the way it did and how it functions the way it does.” Mitchell said he likes to learn about Africa as a continent and see how it developed into the state it is today and why they have some of the problems they have. The class’s main focus, however, has been economics. “I’m trying to show them how money and profit moves the world, in a way,” Trevino said. Trevino said much of the
history of Africa revolves around actions taken for monetary gain. “The British seizing control of Egypt, or you know, South Africa, was in a lot of ways to control trade to and from India,” Trevino said. “Getting control of Kenya was because they wanted to protect India, not because they were interested in Africa in and of itself, necessarily.” Ashleigh Davis, junior in psychology, said she took the class because she wanted to know more about Africa. “I don’t know that much about the history, but it’s interesting to me,” Davis said. “I might minor in it.” Trevino said he hopes this course will make students more aware of the history and development of Africa. “The first thing I asked was, ‘What is Africana studies?’” Trevino said. “And the students were like, ‘Pfft, we hoped you would know.’ “I said, ‘You know what, I’m not going to tell you because there’s no good answer, but hopefully you’ll have a better idea of what it is by the end of the course.’”
Auburn will host its first student Christian revival in 10 years Thursday at the Auburn Arena. The highlight of the night will be a message by keynote speaker Rev. Chette Williams, chaplain for the Auburn football team. Coach Gene Chizik will also speak at the event. Williams said although an official topic has not been announced for either speech, “Ignite Auburn” is both the title and theme of the night. “We really wanted to ignite our students,” he said. “That’s why we came up with that topic.” Williams said he hopes students will walk away from the event with a renewed spiritual awareness. He was inspired to organize the event last spring when he noticed that other Christian events on campus didn’t seem to be attracting many students. “I think it all started back when the Will Graham Festival went on,” Williams said. “I guess the burden, I think it was— that’s what I want to call it—it was just a heavy burden that was placed on me and my wife after the Will Graham festival. We didn’t see a whole lot of participants for it from students and athletes on campus.” The planning for the event began this past summer. “Ignite Auburn” is officially sponsored by
Williams and the Auburn who would like to answer Fellowship of Christian their call to ministry—if Athletes. anyone feels the need to It was organized by get prayed over or wants representatives from to talk to someone about many student organiza- what’s on their heart, tions, including various that’s the purpose of the athletic teams and the counseling,” Gilchrist Student Government As- said. sociation. Live music will include “SGA’s not doing any- Haley Morgan Smith, Dathing directly with it,” vid Manning and Jimmy said Kurt Sasser, senior in Needham. human resource manageAccording to Sasser, ment and SGA president. guest musicians were “As a student body, SGA carefully selected in an endorses all campus min- effort to appeal to all muistries.” sical tastes. Individually, Sasser has “The goal in selecting volunthe musiteered cians is with the to include “Ignite all culturWe want Auburn” al backto plant c o m grounds,” the seed mittee Sasser to orga- Thursday. From said. “If nize the there, we just want it you want event. r o c k , H e to grow.” we’ve got said he it. If you Kurt Sasser, want rap, hopes SGA President t h e we’ve got event it.” will not be the last of its Doors will open at 5 kind. p.m., and the event will “This is kind of the take place from 6 to 9 planting seed,” Sasser p.m. said. “This is something Students with other that we want to grow obligations are encouroff of. We want to plant aged to come for as long the seed Thursday. From as they can. there, we just want it to “Anyone can show up,” grow.” Sasser said. “If you’ve got Danielle Gilchrist, something at 6 and can’t member of the FCA Lead- get there until 7 o’clock ership team, said the or 7:30, come on. Don’t night will feature live mu- worry about the starting sic, student testimonies times necessarily.” and prayer counseling for Gilchrist said although those who request it. “Ignite Auburn” is a Chris“Basically, if someone tian revival, it is open to has a calling—they don’t any interested student. know Jesus, or someone “We actually encourage who would like to rededi- non-Christians to come,” cate their life, or someone she said.
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If you’re going... ■ Where: Auburn Arena ■ When: Thursday, Nov. 4 ■ Who: AU football chaplain Rev. Chette Williams, football coach Gene Chizik, artists Haley Morgan Smith, David Manning and Jimmy Needham