The Clarion, Vol. 80, Issue #14 - Brevard College

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Dec 10, 2014 - was poetry, and as an editor, I preferred literary magazines. I also harbored ... etry since I was around
The

Clarion

Volume 80, Issue 14

www.brevard.edu/clarion

Web Edition

Follow us on Twitter @ BCclarion December 10, 2014

SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935

Editor’s Note By Kara Fohner Editor in Chief

Volunteers pose with 4th graders at the Porter Center.

photo by Michael Heiskell

Brevard College hosts campus tour for local 4th graders By Michael Heiskell Staff Writer

On Dec. 5, a few other college students and I volunteered to help show groups of 4th graders from Pisgah Forest around Brevard College. The kids were swarming with questions and seemed eager to learn about what college was really like. While one group was away seeing the campus, another group stayed behind to hear about what we thought of college. We always started out by asking what they all wanted to be when they grew up. Answers like “Nurse”, “Engineer” and “Scientist” were not uncommon and even more wanted to play in the NFL or NBA. It’s always interesting seeing what kids want to be when they grow up and these kids seemed to have a pretty good idea. They asked us a wide array of questions, but no matter what group it was someone always asked what we ate at college. They seemed amazed that we had the possibility of ice cream for breakfast if we felt like it and I think more than a few of them didn’t even believe us. Hearing about ice cream really got the groups excited and changing the subject off of ice cream proved difficult. Although they all were also interested in what classes were like and often amazed at how different things are in college than they are in the 4th. We wanted to let them know that if they worked hard, college is always an option. Perhaps some of them had never heard this before, but we were more than willing to let them know. It’s always exciting to see so many young kids excited about their education. With someone to believe in them and faith in themselves these kids could go anywhere. All it takes is a little hard work and a dream.



I did not transfer to Brevard College in the Fall semester of 2012 with intentions to join the Clarion. As a creative writer, my emphasis was poetry, and as an editor, I preferred literary magazines. I also harbored a vague notion that I might enjoy teaching. Organizing information and synthesizing it into a structured article seemed like a clinical and laborious process. Clearly, I was wrong. When former Editor in Chief Patrick Veilleux lured me in as a staff writer, he didn’t realize that my previous journalistic experience was limited to my position as Layout Editor at the Montreat College Whetstone. When he sent me out to write an article about plumbing damage in Dunham, I called him and said something like, “You know I’ve never interviewed anyone before, right? How do I do this?” I remember with painful clarity that my first few articles were terrible. I struggled with the concrete reality of deadlines, and as a perfectionist, I procrastinated because I was afraid of producing comically awful writing. The first feature I wrote was about Director of Residence Life, Michael Cohen, and I remember hating the article so much that I couldn’t look him in the eye for weeks. It just wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t good enough. In Spring of 2013, I was invited with a few other English majors to speak at a meeting of the Board of Visitors. There, I met Paul Morgan, a former professor of journalism. In the following weeks, he introduced me to staff at the Brevard College Office of Communications, and they took me on as a summer intern. Morgan knew that I had little experience in journalism and none in Public Relations, so he offered to teach me how to write. He then took time over the course of three months to show me how to tell a structured, concise, and engaging story. He offered a detailed critique of every article that I wrote. It was one of the kindest things that anyone has done for me. Because I have been workshopping my poetry since I was around 11-years-old, I could Continued on page 2

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Arts & Life

The Clarion

| December 10, 2014

Editor’s Note Continued from front page

Netflix review: ‘Barton Fink’ By Michael Heiskell Staff Writer

“Barton Fink” is a less known Coen Brothers film that boasts one of the most confusing but amazing stories in their repertoire. “Barton Fink” is about a writer named Barton Fink (John Turturro) who just had his first Broadway play reach success. Seeing the success of his play, agents in Hollywood hire him to move to California and start writing film scripts. Staying in an old motel, Fink soon meets his next door neighbor, Charlie Meadows, (John Goodman) and the two become quick friends. But Fink soon learns that just like Hollywood, this hotel isn’t exactly what it seems. “Barton Fink” was actually the first Coen Brothers movie I ever saw, so it holds a special place in my heart. But it is a peculiar film that brings the best out of both of its actors. Although both of them have had success with the Coen brothers before and after, I believe that “Barton Fink” is the highlight of both of their careers. It’s because I think their characters are iconic, whether it’s the standoffish but determined Fink or the jovial but mysterious Meadows. Both of these characters

will stick with you for a long time. This film is filled with symbolism and there is still a debate about what it means even today. I won’t get into any spoiler territory, but let’s just say the ending is more than a little ambiguous. It is another great example of a film that doesn’t speak down to its audience. It assumes that they can think for themselves and draw their own conclusions. There is nothing more frustrating than hand holding from a script. The Coen Brothers have to be some of the most versatile director/writers in the business. Their film resume is beyond impressive and broad. They have done comedies, “Raising Arizona”, “The Big Lebowski”, “Burn After Reading” and dramas, “No Country for Old Men”, “A Serious Man” and “True Grit.” This film falls somewhere in between the two genres. “Barton Fink” is an odd mystery that delves, with humor and strength, into the fallibility of the human condition. I would give this film a 4 out of 5 stars and recommend you watch it.

write thousands of words in dedication to the various mentors that I have had both at and outside of the Brevard College community. Dr. John Padgett taught me about the language and ethics of journalism: by-lines, cut-lines, quotes, em-dashes, and the balance of logos and ethos in the creation of an article. Dr. Ken Chamlee, my primary mentor in creative writing, taught me that understanding the beauty of language is critical to comprehending the potential meanings of a poem. Dr. Tina Holland encouraged me to allow myself moments of vulnerability, and Dr. Jubal Tiner reminded me that in a world composed of narratives, posts, and anecdotes, I must question every story. It takes a community to build a writer, and I have been incredibly fortunate. The support and diligence of my professors and my mentors have permanently reshaped my comprehension of this craft and redefined my writing into an illuminating and indispensable practice. As I have worked different positions on the Clarion staff, the rhythm of journalism paced my last three undergraduate semesters. It allowed me an insider’s perspective of campus events, and when we published hard news, it was an opportunity for each writer, myself included, to model accurate, objective reporting for the sake of balanced public dialogue. I knew when I scheduled my student teaching for this spring that I would be reluctant to abandon the paper. Our current Managing Editor, Samuel Blakley, has been preparing to shift into the role of Editor in Chief as my successor. Blakley’s strengths include structure, attention to detail, graphic layout, analysis, project management, and the keen ability to understand and personally affirm a variety of personalities. I have faith in him, and I look forward to reading the papers that he will produce. I know that as soon as I graduate, I will miss all of this: the eclectic course load, the stimulating workshops, the perpetual routine of research and synthesis, and especially my brilliant and shockingly patient professors. In an environment that plants and nurtures intellectual growth, nothing is ever the same. I suppose that’s why I’m becoming a teacher.

December 10, 2014

| The Clarion

Sam Walker, senior, demonstrates to the class how to make a nail.

Opinion

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Carl Stanfield, left, and Josh Levi learn to play the dulcimer

Students learn skills for sustainable future By Thea Dunn Contributor

Dr. Jennifer Frick-Ruppert and a group of 18 students journeyed through a truly experiential semester in ENV 250: Skills of Sustainable Living. Frick-Ruppert is a professor of Biology and Environmental Science as well as Chair of the Division of Science and Math at Brevard College. The primary goal of the course is for students to develop basic life skills to enable a more selfsufficient lifestyle. This class is set-up to allow students to research, teach, and practice a chosen subject. The syllabus was created by the class and the schedule was filled with a variety of topics. From planting, harvesting, and preserving crops, to tanning skins, to making soap, and learning about alternative building techniques, the class ventured into a truly experiential semester and for me, a life changing experience. The first class was a look into Frick-Ruppert’s first-hand knowledge and experience with living off-the-grid. From 1991-2005 she and her husband lived in a cabin they built in Balsam Grove. They parked at the bottom of the path they cut and walked half a mile to and from the cabin everyday. They had a small propane-powered refrigerator and running water from a creek that ran next to the cabin. Frick-Ruppert is currently working on a book about the experience, Dreams of Eden. Seeing how our professor thrived with so little for fifteen years was an inspiration, and a great way to kick-start the eye-opening semester ahead of us. Each Monday students came to class prepared. The discussion leader for each class period, as

assigned at the beginning of the semester, would send out their research and information the week before to allow time for students to study and prepare for the class. During the three-hour block, the leader would present the topic and spearhead a conversation revolving around it. Questions were asked and answered, ideas were shared, as we prepared to engage in a variety of activities each week. After discussing plant harvesting and preservation we canned carrots, made blueberry jam, and enjoyed delicious apple cider fresh-pressed from Frick-Ruppert’s trees. One week, while learning about animal preservation, we also learned that one of our classmates makes jerky and smokes meat as a hobby. He brought his portable smoker in and we cleaned and smoked a local trout fresh from the Pisgah Forest Fish Hatchery. We ate the trout with bread from Bracken Mountain Bakery and butter that we made in class. The class participated in trips to a variety of local people and business owners who are participating in sustainable practices in the county. When we discussed limited space farming, we visited the North Carolina Cooperative Extension as well as the Rice Street Community Garden. This opportunity showed us a government agency educating in and practicing environmental protection and agricultural sustainability, as well as seeing what a group of passionate community members can do with a joint goal and vision. For the medicinal’s and mushroom lesson we traveled to Greg Carter’s Mills River property and got the full Deep Woods Mushroom experience.

Carter has discovered a way to make a living cultivating and selling mushrooms in Southern Appalachia. He educates those who are interested and sells his products worldwide. Our class had the privilege of following Carter through his process, vision, and success story. He even cooked up some fresh-picked fungi in his wood stove for us to sample. The class visited Busy Bee Farm and learned about diversification and the turkey feeding process. We went to Preston Woodruff’s house and practiced a variety of things, including wood crafting. Some of us cut down a tree, some learned to play a mountain tune on a dulcimer, and some students went home with wooden spoons they crafted themselves. One Monday, a student in the class brought his anvil and forge as the class discovered the craft of blacksmithing. Everyone participated in making nails and left with scraps from the copper pour. A large component of experiential education that Frick-Ruppert’s class embraces is focused reflection. Throughout the semester each student kept a detailed journal that was filled with answered questions, objective information from the day, and an extensive subjective section that conceptualized what we did and what it all meant to us and to our community. This class was more than I could have asked for. I learned skills that I will happily use throughout my life and met people in the community that were truly inspiring. The next time ENV 250 is offered, sign up, go with an open mind, and get your hands dirty!

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Sports

The Clarion

| December 10, 2014

Spanish players strengthen lady Tornado front line By Joshua Cole Staff Writer

Brevard College is home to more than 50 international students, with two from Spain playing basketball for its women’s team and, at 6-2, ranking among the tallest of Coach Shannon Reid’s 2014 Tornados. Freshman Claudia Arcega from Zaragoza in Central Spain, and junior Ariadna Simon from Barcelona on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, were recruited by Coach Reid for both their on-court skills and to fill a need for more height under the basket. Simon is studying health science. First year student Arcega has not yet declared a major, but believes that she will study either health science or biology. The two women did not know each other prior to arriving in Brevard, but have formed a close friendship over the fall semester. The two are often spotted eating in the cafeteria, or walking to class together. They are hard to miss, given their height. Both miss homemade Spanish foods like Paella, a national dish made of rice, meats, seafood, vegetables, olive oil and a variety of spices like saffron and rosemary. Their diet in Spain involves more vegetables than are usually served here. Asked about potatoes, Arcega quipped, “I don’t think I’d ever seen hash browns before I came here!” There are many interesting cultural differences between the United States and Spain. Arcega and Simon explained that at home they eat much later than is typical in America. Lunch is usually served at around 2 p.m. in Spain and dinner can be as late as 9 p.m., 10 p.m., or even 11 p.m. “Five o’clock is our nap time,” Arcega said with a laugh. Simon added that “shops close at 10 p.m. in Spain. I think that’s because we receive more daylight than most of the U.S.” In addition to the cultural differences, there are also marked differences in the way basketball is played in the two countries. “The way they play here is very different,” Arcega said. “Here, one of the most important things is the strength you have. You have to be really strong,” Simon added, “In Spain, it’s more about making good decisions and playing like a team. We pass the ball more and take more time before taking a shot.” Simon mentioned that in Spain, teams practice only a few times a week, which is a lot different from Coach Reid’s demanding practice schedule at BC. Arcega, the slighter of the two, says that she has already seen a big difference in her game since being introduced to weight training for the first time. The training has helped her adapt to

Ariadna Simon (left) and Claudia Arcega (right).

the faster, more strength-based American game. Simon said that one of the reasons she likes BC is because it is small. “All the people know you and can help you,” she said. “BC has a faculty that seems to always want to find ways to help students succeed in a way that works best for the individual. Both Simon and Arcega will make the long flight home for the Christmas holiday break, and are excited about seeing their families. Arcega mentioned that she plans to practice basketball with her father while at home. “He is also tall, around 6-8, and played the game professionally in Europe,” she said. Being far from home has given the two women a new appreciation for things often taken for granted. Before leaving Spain, Arcega was excited to get away, but she now misses her family. “In Spain many young adults live at home until they start their own family,” she said. “It’s not normal for people around college age to move. My sister is 23 and studying medicine, but still lives at home with my parents.” Both players agree that having to live on their own as students in America has forced them to mature faster as they continue to

settle in at BC. “Ariadna and Claudia bring an asset to our team that we have not had in the past,” Coach Reid said. “You can’t teach size, and at 6-2 each, they add a dimension that will give us more of a competitive advantage. The thing that most stood out when evaluating these two was certainly the size that we needed, but also the fact that each has her own specific basketball skill set. “Both young ladies had other opportunities, but chose Brevard. Since they arrived, our practices have been more competitive. We see shot blocking and aggressive rebounding, and team chemistry seems to be much better. They’ve also brought personality and a touch of comedy to the team. I hear younger players saying things to them in Spanish, and we all find it funny when they don’t quite understand something said in our English slang. “Early on,” Coach Reid added, “it was a struggle to get comfortable with them, but they’ve come a long way in a short time. I’m excited about their futures and I love the fact that they are using Brevard College as the platform to fulfill their dreams. It's a win-win for everyone.”

Sports Q&A with track coach, BC alum Josh Mower

December 10, 2014

| The Clarion

Page 5

By Savannah Cox Staff Writer

What made you decide to coach? For coaching, I decided I wanted to get involved and give others the opportunity that I received, such as athletic participation and education here at Brevard. I am most interested in watching development of the athletes. I enjoy watching athletes develop rather than maintaining one who rarely improves over 4 years. Where were you working before you started coaching? I was recruited to begin a personal training program at a physical therapy office in town 3 months before I Graduated. I made enough connections and am grateful for all the opportunities that have arisen that have placed me where I am now. I still work for Perfect Balance Physical Therapy as a trainer in town 4 days a week, developing my skills as a NASM Certified Personal Trainer so that I can bring those skills to help develop the runners with strength and injury prevention. How many years have you been running? I myself have been running for going on 9 years. I began freshmen year of high school where I competed in cross country 4 years, Track 4 years, indoor track 2 years, and Swam 3 years, and for the past 3 summers have been in consistent triathlon training mode.

Photo courtesy of Joshua Mower

Josh Mower competes in a cross country meet as a member of the team.

How has the track program changed since you ran? Since I graduated last May the team is different in the aspect of size. This is the smallest I have seen both cross country teams. But looking towards the future, I am excited to bring in the numbers which is already beginning, we had 3 athletes sign to join the running program back in November so we are numbering in the right direction. How do you view BC differently now that you are a coach? Seeing the school and team now from my position is interesting being on the other side. There is much I could say but mainly I am going to miss competitions and not getting on the line for the gun to start. That has taken the most patience from me, still being competitive and wanting to run all the races as I have in the past.

Photo courtesy of Joshua Mower

Josh Mower, track coach and 2014 BC graduate

How do you think your experiences at BC will help you in the future as a coach? I feel I have a great upper-hand as a recruiter since I can answer majority of questions without having to make up excuses and am honest with students. I am telling them the best and our basics. I know the professors, many of the programs, and the residence life to be able to direct and negotiate with prospective students about

what we have to offer that is above and beyond other small schools. What are your hopes/ goals for this year's teams? For this years teams, I am interested in watching progression. We have a young team, and we will graduate 2 senior females and one male leaving behind 8 runners. I enjoy watching improvement and personal success. I am truly excited about the potential giving the returning runners a team that (in my eye) will quadruple in my efforts of recruiting. We will see come Fall 2015! Do you still run even though your college career is complete? Though I have graduated and am no longer a collegiate runner I just lost the collegiate title to running. I am always going to be a runner, triathlete and avid athlete. I am still training currently. I have not reached all the goals that I want to yet, I am far from being finished with the sport. Track or Cross Country? I ran cross country and track all years evenly and when asked which is my favorite I cannot weigh both, I am a runner, no matter what season it is running is running whether it is longer or faster; I’m all for both.

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Back Page

The Clarion

| December 10, 2014

President invites students, faculty to holiday drop-in On Friday, Dec. 5, President David Joyce and his wife Lynne opened their doors to Brevard College students for a festive holiday gathering. The moment you walked in the excitement and warmth of the room engulfed your senses. David and Lynne “believe that hospitality is a hallmark of the Christmas story and a tradition that families have extended for two millenniums.” Joyce has been a college president for 19 years at three different colleges, and has continued this tradition since the beginning. Bringing this warmth and celebration to Brevard College has brought the campus community closer together. “This campus is our family,” exclaims Joyce, “and we want to share the spirit of the holidays and celebrate the end of the semester with those whom we serve.” David and Lynne Joyce’s dedication and care towards the students of Brevard continues to bring the college together as a family away from home. It is such joy being a part of an important tradition. Happy Holidays!

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the the Clarion larion Senior Staff Editor in Chief . . . . Kara Fohner Managing Editor . . . Sam Blakley Copy Editor . . . . . . Gabby Smith Opinion . . . . . . . . Arts & Life . . . . . . Alex Webster Sports . . . . . . . . Sam Marlow Photography . . . . . Rachel Anthony Layout & Design . . . Michael St. Marie Business Manager . . Burton Hodges Faculty Advisor . . . . John B. Padgett Other Staff

Ce’Ara Cannon Joshua Cole Savannah Cox Jonathan Furnell Michael Heiskell Jule Hermann Amanda Higgins

Richard Liell Arlan Parry MacKenzie Samotis Jesse Sheldon Kevin Thompson Calum McAndrew

The Clarion is a student-run college newspaper produced by student journalists enrolled at Brevard College. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of the staff of The Clarion. Other opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff or administration of Brevard College.

All correspondence should be mailed to: The Clarion, Brevard College, One Brevard College Drive, Brevard, NC 28712, or send E-mail to [email protected] www.brevard.edu/clarion  Letters Policy: The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit letters for length or content. We do not publish anonymous letters or those whose authorship cannot be verified. E-mail: [email protected].