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E D I T O R I A L L Y

Wednesday, November 17, 2010 Issue 63 I N D E P E N D E N T

Mama Grizzly less interesting in natural habitat than at Fox News

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Vol. 115 S T U D E N T

PUBLISHED SINCE 1906

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Vol Walk of Life offers academic resources Program sponsored by SGA, Student Success Center caters to freshmen, upperclassmen Kyle Turner News Editor Today marks the second Vol Walk of Life event, sponsored by the SGA and Student Success Center. The Vol Walk of Life is being billed as an event for students to take an interactive journey through the necessary steps for a successful college career. “Academic Affairs is hosting the Vol Walk of Life to encourage students to use the numerous resources UT has to help with a student’s academic success,” Cynthia White, senior in marketing, said. “It encourages students to learn about ways to make them have a very successful time at Tennessee.” The event is equally applicable to both freshmen and upper classmen alike, event organizers said. “The Vol Walk of Life is like a revisit to orientation for freshman, because it emphasizes both the importance of academics and student involvement,” White said. “However, it also caters to upperclassmen because there are representatives from the graduate school and Career Services that can inform students of options after college.” The goal of the event is for students to leave with newly gained knowledge or perhaps a chance at various door prizes. “Students will learn about the academic resources available to them at UT,” Eric Dixon, sophomore in philosophy, said. They will have a

chance to learn about these programs and resources through an interactive experience based off the game of LIFE. They will spend about 15 minutes learning about campus

take advantage of free food, great door prizes, a Kaplan test prep course, a Gateway Netbook computer and signed UT memorabilia. Also, the first 100 participants get a free T-shirt.”

• Graphic courtesy of Vol Walk for LIfe

Vol Walk for Life illustrates the necessary steps for students to take to complete a successful college career. The event is sponsored by SGA and Student Success Center. resources that can help them succeed. Additionally, students will have an opportunity to

“We would consider the Vol Walk of Life to be successful if students learn something that they

did not already know about what UT can do for them,” White said. “We are very excited for the second annual Vol Walk of Life and hope students enjoy it just as much as we enjoying putting it on.” The Academic Affairs Committee was most directly involved in shaping the Vol Walk of Life in an effort to hold true to their mission. “As the academic arm of SGA Student Services, it is the duty of the Academic Affairs Committee to help make academics at UT more approachable and less overwhelming,” Dixon said. “As a student at UT, your options should be clear and accessible, and the goal of this event is to bring academics to the students rather than having students have to tirelessly seek academic programs and resources out.” The Vol Walk of Life will be held today, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the UC Ballroom and should take about 15 minutes for each participant to complete. All students are highly encouraged to attend the event and leave with a better sense of preparation for college success. “Students should attend the Vol Walk of Life to explore the plethora of opportunities and resources regarding academics that are available at UT,” Dixon said. “There are so many departments, programs and options here at UT that it can often be overwhelming. The Vol Walk of Life brings together all of the academic options at UT into one place and gives students the chance to discover programs that they may not have even known existed.”

Humanitarian speaks on Rwanda important, and I left it and crawled in from the passenger seat.” Wilkens also prevented a massacre at an Carl Wilkens was invited to UT by orphanage by appealing to the prime minStudents Taking Action Now for Darfur, ister to move the children to Saint Michael STAND, to speak about his experiences Cathedral. During the move, the orphans were not during the Rwandan Genocide. In his speech’s background, Wilkens allowed to collect their belongings and showed pictures of some of his experi- Wilkens had to go back to the government ences and a short video of his campaign authorizers to gain a letter of permission to get the left-behind belongings. for understanding and peace. Wilkens said he drove up to the orphanWilkens and his family moved to Rwanda in 1990 to do humanitarian work age with his truck and the soldiers were with the organization, Adventist there looting the orphanage, but he presented the letter to Development and the leader, who comRelief Agency. manded some men to With the group, help him load the they built schools, orphans’ things. hospitals and It amazed him socialized with that the same men their neighbors. who threatened and Wilkens gave a killed the orphans background on were also the same the Rwandan conones who helped flict, speaking a load their belonglittle about how ings. This furthered the Rwandan peohis idea that to build ple are divided relationships, one into Hutu and needs service and Tutsi. stories. “Regardless of “The initial reathe discriminason for staying was tion, it wouldn’t the young lady and have escalate man in our house without the govthat were there, and ernment’s pushthe reason never ing,” Wilkens changed,” Wilkens said. said. “We see the Wilkens and needs of others as a his wife, Teresa, vaccine against fear, had a conversawhich is made up of tion about what life experience and they should do inspiration of othwhen they heard ers.” that the presiOne of Wilkens’ dent’s plane was • Photo courtesy of Eric Dixon inspirations came shot down and that an evacuation Carl Wilkens speaks on Nov. 15 about his from his neighbors. unarmed experiences during Rwandan Genocide. These order was given. women prevented a His stories showed the audience the “We were torn, in because we didn’t hardships he endured, which included his massacre home, want to leave the wife and children leaving the country Wilkens’ while he and his young lady and while he stayed behind. family slept, man in our house unaware of what was who could be in trouble, and at the time, we couldn’t image the concept of geno- going on. Erin Captain, junior in social work, cide,” Wilkens said. In the end, Wilkens stayed behind, found out about the event from a flyer while his wife and children evacuated the advisement. She said she enjoyed the presentation country. and had some previous experience with Wilkens continued to do humanitarian works. For example, he would deliver the Rwanda Genocide from a class she water and needed supplies to orphanages took at Pellissippi State. “Watching this presentation wants me and others in need through armed checkto check out UT’s STAND,” Captain said. points and hostile soldiers who would harass or kill the people who did not fit in “I believe that people do have to speak out.” or who were sympathetic to the Tutsi. Shannon Smith, a senior in psychology, Red Cross workers were considered sympathetic, and many were killed, which found out about this event from her political science teacher who offered extra credforced the Red Cross to leave. Wilkens was not excluded from this bru- it for attendance. She said she felt that the stories hit tal treatment. “I had crossed one of the checkpoints, home, and you can image your family and one of my water barrels had fallen out going through them. The stories also of my truck,” Wilkens said. “I thought I inspire a call for action. “They are human beings just like us, was far away from their snipers. I got out and started to put the barrel back in when and it makes the story more credible to see a shot went through the driver’s seat. the faces,” Smith said. “It puts more truth Suddenly that water barrel was not so in the story.”

Alyce Howell

Staff Writer

George Richardson • The Daily Beacon

Tables and chairs for a reception fill the main entrance of the newly renovated Ayres Hall on Thursday, Nov. 11. Students got a first look at the iconic campus building’s new interior appointments, which has remained under construction since the end of the 2008 fall semester, this week.


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