Aug 27, 2014 - the mountains, and most importantly, Netflix... It is funny how fast things ..... timeline at all; it has
Clarion
Volume 80, Issue 1
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August 27, 2014
Leadership opportunities at Brevard College
The 2014-2015 academic year is shaping up to be a big one in the history of this institution. Read more about a few key changes this year. See page 3
Convocation 2014:
The Challenge Proposed
Returning to America By Jule Hermann Staff Writer
“You’re back!” my suitemates shout, as I walk into their room, completely exhausted and jetlagged, but with the biggest grin on my face. “Yes, I'm back, and I’m very happy about it.” Since last semester I wrote about my experience coming here for the first time, I thought it would be a good idea this time to talk about the experience of coming back to BC. When I first came here, I spoke about how different Germany and America are when it comes to mentality, culture, food, and school. I talked about the slight dominance of jealousy and unfriendliness in Germany, things that of course also exist in America, but aren’t as prevalent here. Going back to Berlin in the summer showed me just how confusing it can be to come back home from a place where people are just simply and undeniably different... or nicer. I went home expecting Germans to be like my American friends, but they aren't, which is ok. It takes a little while adjusting to the differences between the two.
Once you do get used to it though, there is something else you notice, which is bewildering and sometimes even a little scary as well; you are torn between two places, maybe even two lives, and you love both of them. It was great to have my family and friends back for three months, but I also missed my friends back here, the college, the mountains, and most importantly, Netflix... It is funny how fast things become normal to us. For example, I’ve easily accepted the fact that I get on a plane that brings me across the Atlantic just to go to College, when most of my friends from high school have a three-hour-drive and go home every weekend. I try to remind myself as often as I can what a great opportunity I have here in Brevard, how many of my friends back home can only wish to study in America. It's hard to say goodbye at the airport, because in the end, Germany is home, it probably always will be, and I love it. So when it was time or me to leave home again, I left both crying and a laughing. See ‘America,’ page 2
See page 3
New student profiles Meet some of the newest students at Brevard College. See page 2
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New student profiles By Richard William Liell Staff Writer
Laura Peterson
“Johnson and Wales wasn’t a good fit for me,” said transfer student Laura Peterson. “I’m just not a city person at all.” Laura was looking to transfer to a small school where she could study outdoor leadership when she found Warren Wilson University. However, right before committing, she decided to do more research and she discovered Brevard. Laura wanted to learn more about the WLEE program offered here. After visiting, Laura decided that Brevard was the best fit for her because she felt it had the better outdoor leadership program and she fell in love with Pisgah. In the short time she has been here, Laura has already visited many sites in DuPont as well as Pisgah Forest. “I literally love everything about Brevard… except the 8 minute bike ride to the school,” she said. Her favorite thing about being here, however, is being able to do the things she loves in the mountains with people she can easily relate too. Laura aspires to become a backpacking guide. In the next few weeks at Brevard, she plans to try rock climbing and whitewater kayaking.
Photo by Richard Liell
Matthew Richter
Coming from an overwhelmingly large high school in Central Charlotte, 19-year-old Matthew Richter was looking for a small, sporty College where he could focus all of his attention on his favorite sport, tennis, while still being in a comfortable classroom with a personable environment. That’s when Richter found Brevard. He first heard of the school during a college day at his local convention center. Richter says, “I got in contact with the coach and set up a visit as soon as I could.” Visiting twice, once in the fall and again later in the year to attend a women's tennis match at Davidson University, he quickly made his decision, which he describes as “especially easy” after having had “such a good time” during his two visits. When Matthew initially moved in he was eager to start school, especially tennis, and he has enjoyed the first few weeks he spent so far at Brevard. In his free time, he enjoys “just hitting with the tennis team or relaxing in the dorms.” With aspirations to one day to be a professional tennis player, Matthew says he can’t wait to start the tennis season. He anticipates earning his degree in psychology.
America From page 1
Coming back here was fortunately not as adventurous as my first trip to America. No arctic weather, no cancelled flights, and I even got here for classes in time. Still, a few things about my arrival this time were very different, and I mean that in the most positive way. § There is, obviously, a difference between getting onto a plane without a clue what's awaiting you when you get off of it, and arriving at the airport to be picked up by two of the people you have missed most over the summer. In my case, that meant my roommate and one of my teammates. It is different to already know where MG, Campus Life, or Dunham is, instead of wandering around on your first day of classes confused and disoriented. It is different when people walk up to you and ask how your summer was and not what your name is. My first week here has been simply awesome. It was filled with a lot of hugs, happiness, reunions, and fun. I went to the waterfalls and to Lake Julian, one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to, on my way back to campus that day, I had a little sentimental moment. I realized how lucky I am. I hope other students at this college had or will have a moment like that as well. Being a first-semester freshman is not always easy. There are so many things to get used to, overcome, and learn. It can get overwhelming and be a little scary, but at the and of the day, there is always something you have accomplished. The first semester is all about adjusting and finding your place at the College. However, in my experience, the homesickness, stress, and the fights with the washing machine are all worth it, because when I came back a week ago to start my second year, I didn't feel like I was coming to school. It felt like I was coming home.
August 27, 2014
| The Clarion
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Leadership opportunities available at Brevard College
By Emily Crawley Contributor
Brevard College’s president, the Rev. Dr. David Joyce
Convocation 2014:
The Challenge Proposed By MacKenzie Samotis Staff Writer
At 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, the BC faculty and returning student leaders gathered to welcome the incoming freshman and transfer students at the Opening Academic Convocation. The ceremony, which is a tradition at Brevard College, began with our President, Dr. David Joyce, sharing words of wisdom to officially welcome first year students into the campus community and acknowledge the campus’s important community values. Dr. R. Scott Sheffield, Brevard’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, continued to lead the ceremony, emphasizing the “academic challenge” that all students accept when they become members of the Brevard College community: the challenge to “fearlessly, unapologetically, and humbly change the world.”
Dr. Scott Sheffield, dean of faculty and vice president for academic affairs
A very important aspect of Brevard College is the strong relationships between professors and students. Convocation is a prime example of this strength, as it allows the students to join the honored faculty on stage for a personal introduction. During these conversations, faculty gave each student a handwritten note written by someone at the college,. These notes, written by faculty, staff and student leaders from across campus, might include, Sheffield said, “words of encouragement, a simple welcome, a chance to reach out, and maybe all of the above.” This intimate exchange of words showcases Brevard’s sense of family and the beginning of new friendships. Burton Hodges, the SGA President, stood on stage with a special message to the incoming students. He told of his own experiences as he arrived on campus and colorfully announced to the students to “make it your goal to be threatened to be shot by the president”— referring to his own friendship with Dr. David Joyce. Hodges’ quick remark was humorous, but it also confirmed the words of professors who spoke before him. The relationships that are built between students and faculty are an important part of the Brevard College experience. This ceremony is annually held to remind students that their journey may be rough at times, but there will always be someone to help along the way. During the Convocation of 2014, the new students were presented with a challenge. A challenge to choose a path for the greater good of humanity, and that, according to Hodges, “if you don’t know what it means to step in and stand out, you should stay a little longer.”
This year at Brevard College is a big year, not only because we’re welcoming about 300 new freshmen to campus, but also because many of these freshmen, along with returning students, have opportunities to be leaders on campus through various outlets. This year many students have received the improvised Leadership Scholarship, which is unique to Brevard College. Recipients are required to meet certain standards to continue receiving the scholarship. These requirements are: ● Must complete 7 activities of service or engagement a semester ● Must log the hours on MyBC to gain credit for the service or engagement ● Each service or engagement activity attended counts as 1 by itself For example, a service activity could be going downtown to The Bread of Life with BC Serves and helping them for a certain amount of time. An example of an engagement activity would be attending any meeting of a club or organization on campus, which you are not otherwise required to attend, examples of this include the Student Government Association (SGA) meeting or a BC Serves meeting. For anyone interested, the first SGA meeting will be held on Wednesday, Sept 3, at 9 p.m. in MG 125. All interested in SGA are invited to attend. During the meeting you will gain all the information about this great organization on campus, and you can receive one event of engagement credit.
The Face Behind CREEK Week Sitting in the back corner of the school café with a cup of coffee, I am struck by how distinctive Rachael Barrow is. Undoubtedly recognizable here on campus with her blonde hair, tattoos, piercings, and ever-present boyfriend, Joshua Runkles. See ‘CREEK Week,’ next page
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Creek Week
Rachael Barrow
By Gabby Smith Copy Editor
Together, the two could be a tattooed version of Jay-Z and Beyoncé, or Bonnie and Clyde without the guns. Looking at Rachael, you can’t help but feel that she is just one of those people who is large and in charge. However, not everyone on campus seems to know Rachael or realizes how this baking enthusiast has managed to dip her fingers into various aspects of BC life. A native of Florida, she grew up in Nashville. She left high-school in the 10th grade to be home-schooled in order to avoid drugs and gang violence. Home-schooling resulted in her removal from certain aspects of what we think of as normal high school life. No prom. No clubs. No extracurriculars. But she wanted college to be different, so when she chose to come to BC, with that ever-present boyfriend, she decided to take the school by storm. Coming in as a freshman, she was invited to a CAB meeting by the President of CAB, Megan Walters, and the rest, as they say, is history. She is involved in CAB, SGA, Psychology Club, Criminal Justice Club, the Food Committee, and is an RA on the first floor of East Beam. Talking to Rachael, you immediately get the sense that CAB is a big part of her life here on campus, and that she is very enthusiastic and passionate about it, even going so far as to call it her “campus baby.” As I talk to her about her experiences here on campus, her face becomes animated as she details numerous events that she’s hosted in the past. When she started as a freshman, she says she distinctly remembers how CAB was “safe.” The CAB that we know today is not the CAB she initially joined. “It was good, but they played it safe. They were scared to branch out,” Barrow said. “It shifted more to ‘this is what I want, as a student, so lets make it happen.’”
“The goal was always to create an event that would get around half the campus there in attendance, and when SGA and CAB decided to team up for Spring Formal we made it happen,” Barrow continued. Originally known as the 2nd chance prom, a name that comes from the fact that Barrow herself never got the chance to have that experience. Barrow actually hosted this as her first event during freshman year in hopes of giving others who might’ve had a bad prom experience the chance to “do it right”. Now going into her 4th year as a CAB member, she is a Manager of CAB. Rachael is also the face behind Creek Week, which is aimed at integrating all new students into the campus community.
“By making the students feel at home on campus, we in turn make them look at the town as their own home, and our retention rate reflects how much we make students feel connected to the college and the surrounding community.”
—Rachael Barrow Rachael would know all about that since she definitely views Brevard as her home away from home. She can even tell me now four years later about her first ride up to Brevard. She describes this experience so vividly that she can even recall how crisp the air felt, “it was like this cool settled over me and I was breathing clean air for the first time”. When I asked Rachael about her favorite thing at Brevard she says “I like watching people’s faces when they win at CAB Bingo, especially on that last prize. Everyone gets excited and since I award the prize to whoever I hear first it’s like there are fifty million people yelling at me at once. Everyone suddenly just yells BINGO!” Rachael seems to be a fan of people speaking out in general. She definitely is a champion of the underdog. “I always felt that if people don’t speak up for their rights then they’ll lose them.” Not one to curb her opinion, I witnessed this firsthand when I watched as she told the manager of dining services that she personally felt that “dinner was awful” the night before.
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When asked about her bluntness Rachael has this to say: “well behaved women seldom make history”, a quote not only found on Margaret Brown’s door, but on Rachael’s side-boob. One of the most profound things that Rachael said in this interview was that “there is something extremely special about sitting in a room and watching people be excited over something you created, and anybody can do that”. Rachael is the face behind Creek Week, but more than that, she is the definition of what Brevard College would see as idyllic. She is a student leader, who not only stays heavily involved within all aspects of student life, but invites and encourages others to do the same.
Protect & serve? By Gabby Smith Copy Editor
I’m pretty sure that one of the first lessons we learn as children is to respect those who are in positions of authority. However, in light of recent events, some people have justifiably lost some faith in those who are supposed to be protecting us and our rights. Michael Brown was eighteen years old when his life was ended, the same age as a lot of the incoming freshmen class. He should’ve been beginning his life. Instead, his death is ripping apart our nation and his hometown is now in political turmoil. During a routine patrol, Brown encountered twenty-eight year old Darren Wilson, a revered officer. A skirmish ensued and Brown, who was unarmed and stood with his hands held up, was shot six times by Wilson. While the details of how this occurred under investigation, there are a few facts. Firstly, Brown was undoubtedly unarmed, and unarmed men don’t pose a real threat to armed police officers. Secondly, Ferguson is a predominantly black community, but its police force is predominantly white. There has been a history of mistrust between the police and the community at large, especially since the people themselves are not adequately represented within the police force. Third, and lastly, this tragic event rides on the wings of several other acts of what is being viewed as police brutality. Recently, video of an unarmed robbery was released by the Ferguson police, against the recommendation of the Dept. of Justice. The video, depicting a large black man shoving a clerk and then walking out, was then linked to Brown. See ‘Protect,’ page 5
August 27, 2014
| The Clarion
This is why we can’t have nice things By Christina Bailey Staff Writer
As a local, I have watched the evolution of Brevard for years. BC and the surrounding town have overcome a crippling recession, severe debt, and numerous local scandals. The improvements, especially those made over the last two years, have been incredible. BC has been under constant renovation since I arrived last year as a freshman. Just over the past summer, sidewalks were added and improved all throughout campus, the road bordering the soccer field was paved and the track is in the process of being resurfaced, and the former pool room in the gym was reverted into a locker room. Plans have been drawn for a new freshman dorm and new, much-needed, housing has been added off campus. Other buildings have also had some internal renovations, such as East Jones, which was given a much needed new coat of paint, as well as Myers Dining Hall, Dunham, and Coltrane Grill. The Education department moved into MG 203A from Beam Administration. Beam Admin. is being remodeled and there are plans in progress for an addition on MG. However, there is a bitter undertone that accompanies these improvements. Tuition has been raised by 4 percent, and meal plan costs
Protect From page 4
However, it was reported that at the time of the shooting, Brown was not even a suspect. Having read the police report myself, I find the timeline skewed. The real issue though is not related to the timeline at all; it has to do with the fact that a dead child is now being portrayed as a violent criminal and the ones enlisted to protect his rights seem to be the ones who infringed upon them.The police officers of our nation are given one main duty: to protect and to serve. In the last three weeks, a number of black men have died due to police related violence. John Crawford III, shot at an Ohio Wal-Mart for reportedly waving a loaded weapon, which was actually a toy BB gun sold at the store.
have increased. Many students feel that the real improvements we need are being overlooked. A new curtain in Dunham and fresh coats of paint are lovely, but there are still serious issues that need to be addressed, such as piping and heating and cooling units. However, costs have risen due to the college’s debt. We do, however, have to give credit where credit is due. Serious concerns are being handled as quickly as possible by the maintenance crew. Students may complain of long waiting times for maintenance, but this is because there is constantly work to be done. Admittedly, this is a very old campus, and it takes constant work to maintain such buildings. Due to the age and condition of the campus problems will arise repeatedly and may, in some cases, be impossible to fix. A certain amount of blame also falls on us as students. If we care so dearly about improving the campus, we should take personal responsibility. A great deal of time and money has to be spent on picking up trash and fixing objects that students break. Windows are smashed more often than they should be and there are reasons why there are no functioning water fountains in West Beam. The improvements that have been made meet the requests that many students have had for years. This collaboration between the school and students has pushed the school and city in the right direction and presents the potential for further improvements.
Ezell Ford, a twenty-five year old man who was mentally challenged, was shot three times during a routine patrol in LA. Dante Parker, a thirty-six year old father of five, was tased repeatedly by an officer for being the reported main suspect for a robbery in the neighborhood where he rode his bike. In retrospect, Brown’s death is just another tally to a list that is steadily increasing in length as time passes. eath has incited protests in his small town of Ferguson that e reminescent of the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement. With all this happening, one can’t help but wonder if the people who are paid to protect us are really up to the task. Is history bound to repeat itself? If so, how long do we have before we see the second coming of a movement to prevent acts of violence against groups that we identify as “other?”
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Theatre Program has an exciting start
By Alex Webster Staff Writer
As classes are finally getting back in session for the 2014-2015 year, the theatre program has already held auditions for their exciting fall shows, renovated the Dunham Auditorium, and brought in a new adjunct faculty member. The two shows for this fall are a Comedy Double Feature: “The Actor’s Nightmare” and “The Actor Wakes”, and “Not With a Bang, but a Whimper”. The comedy double feature will be the first show in Dunham since the renovations, and will run October 2-5. “Not with a Bang, but a Whimper”, by alumni Kyle Jackola, will be back in the Morrison Playhouse black box theatre, and will run November 13-16. For the spring, senior Theatre major Karen Bennett will be directing her senior project, which will run February 6-8, 2015. Following that, the department will put on the musical revue “Some Enchanted Evening”. The revue will be March 26-29, 2015. Catherine Barricklow will be directing the comedy double feature, along with teaching an Introduction to Theatre class. She directed the show “Proof” here at Brevard last fall. She is joining professors Brandon Smith and Andrea Boccanfuso, and adjunct faculty member Ida Bostian. “Not with a Bang, but a Whimper” is being entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, KCACTF. The show is going to be a participating entry, which means two respondents from KCACTF will attend and review at least one performance of the show. The department has the opportunity to have up to three Irene Ryan award nominees. There is also a possibility that the show could be invited to the Regional Festival, which will be held in Albany, Georgia, in February 2015. The show was Jackola’s senior project last year, and had a staged reading late spring with positive feedback. If anyone is interested in volunteering with any of the productions, feel free to contact Brandon Smith. If you would like to get academic credit for working on the shows, there is an option to be enrolled in the Applied Theatre course.
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