Jan 28, 2015 - Chris Lucido, and Richard Pedigo. Led by Club President James Smith ... Campus News. Burton Hodges. Staff
The
Clarion
Volume 80, Issue 17
www.brevard.edu/clarion
Web Edition
SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935
Health Insurance Info session MG 118 Jan. 29, 1–4 p.m. January 28, 2015
Tornados ready to touch down BC Baseball hopeful about Saturday’s season opener By Jordan Laws Staff Writer
BC baseball fits into one of America’s greatest pastimes. At BC it helps the students, faculty, and staff members become more acquainted with college culture. This season is going to be promising. Coach McCay has a lot to say about this upcoming season and it’s all good. “We are all excited to get going, but I’m not going to guess about this upcoming season. We have a really good group of players who are nice guys; they’re fun to coach so we’re hopeful that the way they play translates into wins,” McCay says about the future for the Tornados. “I’ve been here four years and we have now started to get some depth in the older guys in our program; before there weren’t as many seasoned players due to the coaching transition, where we lost some of our well-rounded guys. Now we have some veterans, and I think that those guys who have been around us for a while, know what we want and know how to get results,” McCay responds about the growing upperclassman players on the baseball team. From the excitement in his voice I could tell that this new season will bring in a new era of BC baseball. When it comes to the question of who stands out on the field, Coach McCay picks five players but emphasizes that it’s not about ‘standing out’ rather it’s about the team as a whole. “We have five seniors who have all played big roles in their career here. John Slade (leading hitter, senior); Tyler Tant (hitter, senior); these are two hitters who have been in our lineup for a while. Slade was the leading hitter last year, and I’m hopeful he has a good end to his college career.” “Three pitchers who have logged a ton of innings for us in the past are Bennett Hixson, Zac Joyce, and JD Chaplain. They are seniors and we are hopeful that they have a good final season. We hope this experience translates into a lot of success. They are good leaders and we hope that they continue being very productive for the team. Of course, there are contributors to our success across the board on the roster.” Travis Salois (#36, sophomore) responds to the influx of new players. “There are a lot of transfers. They are new but have taken control of the team. There are also a lot of juniors on the team as well. We are definitely coming together
Hunter Donaldson
as a cohesive unit.” Coach McCay couldn’t agree more. “Between freshmen and juniors we have a nice mix of guys who are going to be good players. Ryan Smith (#32), Joe Mesi (#35), and Pat Quinn (#4) are just a few of the names who are going to be contributors to the future success of the game. There are a lot more of them on the team that will move us forward but those three come to mind immediately.” Travis Salois also mentioned Ryan Smith and Joe Mesi. “Both of them are first and third basemen. Joe Mesi hits the ball. He’s a stud. They are the first that come to mind but there are twenty others worth mentioning.” The Tornados will play the Kings in Bristol, Tennessee on Sunday February 1st at noon. There’s not much of a rivalry between the King’s and Tornados but Coach McCay predicts that it will be a good start to the season. “It’s going to be a good game. They have a really good athletics program and we have played them in the past. It’s a good barometer for where we are as a team. Non-conference games such as this
Courtesy of Randall Stewart
are good preparation for the conference games against teams like the Lions from Mars Hill; we are really close to them. The way we have opportunities to earn our post-season reputation is to win conference games.” From the way Coach McCay and Travis Salois spoke of their team, this season is going to be hard to miss. Home games are free for BC students but the away games might have a price tacked onto them and it’s up to the hosting university to decide the amount students pay. The Tornados have their first conference games on February 6th and 7th against the Coker Cobras who, just two years ago, were in the college series. It’s definitely a game that will test the mighty winds of our Tornados. Don’t miss it! For more information about game times, locations, and who the Tornados are playing, feel free to go to bctornados.com; click the Inside Athletics link; and go to the calendar. All of the future games are posted there. You can also find player stats, Athletic News, and rosters for the men and women teams. Go Tornados!
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Campus News
The Clarion
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January 28, 2015
Climbing team prepares for 2015 season By Casey Whitmire Staff Writer
As the spring semester began the Brevard College Climbing Team has begun more intensive training. The team was officially created in 2013 although the college has been involved in competitive climbing since 2008. The team consists of fourteen fun, outgoing students who love climbing, the outdoors, and like to have a little fun; James Smith, James Whaley, Zif Clark, Casey Whitmire, Luke Lundquist, John Pate, Audrey Ashburner, Kate Keller, Laura Peterson, Lauren Fowler, Cooper Pursley, Jack Dills, Chris Lucido, and Richard Pedigo. Led by Club President James Smith and Club Vice-President Zif Clark, the team has mainly been focusing on improving skills with workouts designed to strengthen muscles and grip strength. Last year the climbing team traveled as far as Melbourne Beach, FL for the Collegiate Climbing Series Nationals competition. In the coming weeks the team will travel to Belmont University in Nashville, TN; Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC; and University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN for competitions, as well as a home competition at the local Brevard Rock Gym. The team is also looking forward to the possibility of traveling to San Diego, California for the Collegiate Nationals this year. As always, the climbing team invites all BC students to attend free climb nights at the Brevard Rock Gym, Tuesdays from 5 to 9 P.M. As the season starts the climbing team is looking forward to a season full of climbing and fun. "Set it Off."
Introducing Dr. Nancy Carroll By Calum McAndrew Staff Writier
One of the fresh new faces on campus this semester is that of Dr Nancy Carroll, the new Disability Specialist of Brevard College. Arriving in Brevard only a couple weeks ago, Dr Carroll is still finding her feet at her new job, which will cater for students with disabilities at the college in a variety of different ways. She obtained her Masters degree at Georgia State University, before moving on to Lincoln Memorial University where she achieved her Educational Specialist degree. After this, Dr Carroll moved on to Florida Atlantic University, where she gained her Bachelor of Arts. Dr Carroll comes to Brevard with a lot of experience in her field, having worked in a school district in Atlanta for 30 years where she started a program to help students with disabilities. The program involved working at several high schools in the district of DeKalb, helping students throughout their school career.
When asked what the main points of her job were, Dr Carroll replied, “Mostly to provide support for students of the college with disabilities.” The program also worked towards finding, and placing the students in jobs that suited them. An example of the support that she offers is test proctoring for students who qualify for the help to provide a calmer, more relaxing atmosphere during exam conditions. Dr Carroll went on to say that during her time at Brevard College, she is looking to “provide a welcoming environment to students with whatever concerns they may have and will seek to address any concerns.” She said that what she plans to do will not be massively different from her predecessor and went on to reiterate that the main aim for her time at the college will be to provide help when necessary. We would like to welcome Dr Nancy Carroll to Brevard College, and wish her all the best during her time here.
Courtesy of Casey Whitmire The BC Climbing team
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the the Clarion larion Senior Staff Editor in Chief . . . . Sam Blakley Managing Editor . . . Joshua Cole Copy Editor . . . . . . Kayla Leed Opinion . . . . . . . . Gabby Smith Arts & Life . . . . . . Alex Webster Sports . . . . . . . . Savannah Cox Campus News . . . . Burton Hodges Staff Photogrpher(s) . Ashley Lowe . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Fonger Faculty Advisor . . . . John B. Padgett Other Staff
Hannah Cook Lizzie Graham Andrew Gunnin Michael Heiskell Jule Hermann
Jordan Laws Calum McAndrew Sami Quri Casey Whitmire
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.
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Arts & life Something interesting for my ‘Glass-mates’ January 28, 2015
| The Clarion
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By Joshua Cole Staff Writer
Rob Levin’s current installation at the Sims Art Gallery feels like something out of a time long lost. His work ranges from sculptural pieces to wall hangings, wooden, and glass, but he specializes in blown glass with a unique sandblasted look. The direction of his work has changed within the last few years. “I have been working in several different, but parallel directions,” Levin said of his exploration into mixed-media. His finished work spans a variety of sizes, but the art he has chosen to present at BC is larger than most. Levin’s interplay between beautifully carved wood, smoky white matte glass and the coarse texture of thick rope is consistent throughout the majority of his mixed-media work on display. Other elements Levin works with in a few select pieces are gold leafing, large glass beads, copper, lead and bamboo. Something about his work has an inherently tribal or prehistoric feeling to it. The blown glass incorporated into other media
Photo by Ashley Lowe
Rob Levin's piece, "Implement'.
like wood and metals, varies in form from natural rock looking formations to animal-like tusks or canines, again, accenting the apparent feeling of something tribal and foreign to current times. One example of the prehistoric nature of his work is Levin’s piece titled “Implement.” It has the look of a blunt Stone Age tool, with a rough glass head
fastened with rope to a wooden handle. “With ‘Implement,’ for example, I worked in a balance of form and materials; as I worked, it slowly appeared as some sort of primitive tool,” said Levin. “It was as if I was unearthing the meaning hidden with the piece.” Some of Levin’s work alludes to prehistoric concepts, while incorporating modern elements. The “Evening Bridge” piece is most notable for this sleeker, newer feel, accenting black glass rails that are starkly set against matte glass which composes the bridge. There is also a rising shape, possibly mimicking a flame, through the center of the work, adorned with gold leafing at the core. “In working on these sculptures I’ve created problems for myself to solve; hopefully, the pieces offer solutions to problems, while at the same time raising more questions. I want them to be ambiguous and evocative at the same time.” Levin’s exhibition will be displayed in the Sims Art Gallery until Feb. 20th and the gallery is open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Experiential education comes to life By Alex Webster Arts & Life Editor
Professor Andrea Boccanfuso went above and beyond in creating the final project for the Introduction to Lighting design class last fall. Theatre lends itself to being hands on more often than most majors, but projects like Boccanfuso’s highlight Brevard College’s strive for experiential education. Boccanfuso designed a project that presented students with the challenge of learning, applying,
Josh Runkles' lighting design presentation.
and reflecting- everything that experiential education requires. The students’ projects all were very distinctly different, but all still had elements from the Brevard College 2014-2015 common reader, The Forest Unseen. Boccanfuso’s students all used different passages from the book to create their projects from. The students then used the imagery from their passages, combined with their newly acquired lighting design skills, to envision how the scene could be portrayed through lighting. The students also tied together the concept of imagery in music. The music was chosen to tie together the imagery of the voiced presentation of the selected passage with the lighting and set. Karen Bennett, Joshua Runkles, Kaylee Smith, and Logan Taylor all collaborated with each other and the professor to present their unique designs. The end result was a four-part presentation that showcased the beauty of nature that found in the book, along with the magical captivation that lighting brings to theatre. The presentations certainly captured the audience and the visual effects were more than enough to keep the audience actively engaged. . The arts programs also have the Fine Arts Gala coming in February to showcase arts in action. There will be music, theatre, visual art, and plenty of entertainment. The theme is “An Enchanted Evening” and will be held in the Paul Porter Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday,
Logan Taylor's lighting design included small flashing fireflies.
February 21, 2015 at 6 p.m. The tickets are $60, and may be purchased in the Fine Arts Office, at the Brevard College Alumni House, or by calling 828-884-8211. All the proceeds will benefit Brevard College Fine Arts Programs.
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Sports
Starting to streak
The Clarion
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January 28, 2015
By Savannah Cox Sports Editor
Two wins make it back-to-back, but three win makes a streak. With that being said, our BC Men’s Basketball team is on a streak. This is their fifth win in the last six games. The past six games have been tight for the Tornados, as they were decided by three points or less. Saturday’s game against the Wingate Bulldogs was won by a margin of 3 points, with a final score of 76-73, Tornados. Despite strong play by two Bulldogs, BC was able to put away points in different ways. BC capitalized the number of points scored in the paint, as well as points scored off of turnovers. BC only had 5 turnovers for the entire game. This was the lowest number of turnovers for the turnovers since 2010. The Tornados also had a stellar performance at the foul line. Phil Wallace led the way for the Tornados at the foul line, as he shot 100%. He is now 39 for 45 at the foul line. This statistic gives him the highest free throw percentage in Brevard’s NCAA era. In the final minutes, Alex Moe was able to clinch the fourth and final lead change on the night with a spectacular shot beyond the arc. Two of
Freshmeat
Photo by Tommy Moss
Darius Moose going in for a layup.
Wallace’s free throws along with a rebound from Jaylon Debardlabon in the final seconds helped BC seal the deal. Trevon Shaw led all BC scorers with 24 points. He scored twice as many points as any other BC player. Darius Mooses’ minutes in Saturday’s game were cut short due to early foul trouble, but he was able to tally two assists on the night. Those two assists helped move him into a tie for third place for total assists in Brevard’s NCAA era.
Saturday’s win helped put the Tornados in a three-way tie for 5th in the SAC with Carson Newman and Coker. The Tornados will be back in action in hopes of continuing this hot streak as they face the Lenior Rhyne Bears in the Boshamier Gymnasium. Game time is set for 4 pm, and Saturday’s game will be televised by WYMA My 40. This will be the first of two home-televised games for the Tornados this season.
by Andrew Gunnin
January 28, 2015
| The Clarion
Opinion
Lowe in Focus
By Gabby Smith
topic because “I’ve come to appreciate the forest and trails around here. I’ve developed a passion for trail running. Running and painting have just been a part of my life for years.” Lowe tells me about two of the pieces she will be painting, one which is based on morning runs and the other on winter track runs. “The morning runs look like the sun rising with pastels and bright colors.” The winter track running piece, however, is on the opposite end of the spectrum, “It’s done entirely in shades of blue.”
Talking to her I noticed that Lowe is extremely drawn to color, she clarifies its importance to her artistically saying, “When I take pictures I’m drawn to color and when I’m editing I enhance it. It was one of the things I struggled with originally, but when I started painting it gave a lot of depth and atmosphere to my paintings. Color brings more emotion, but it doesn’t have to be bright. You could have intense dark color, but really it’s about balance.” Lowe also tells me that she likes to create texture in her paintings through the utilization of joint-compound and beeswax, which she applies to the canvas. “Texture invites people to come closer to the painting,” said Lowe. Listening to Lowe talk about the inspiration and purpose to this project it is clear that she is not only whole-heartedly invested in the final piece, but into the overall process. “I do abstract work because I’m good at doing realistic work but it doesn’t give me the same experience. I want my work to inspire people, not necessarily to do art but to appreciate it and the emotions with it.” “Lots of people say a painting is never really finished. I think that sometimes. There’s always more to add or take away, you aren’t really finished until you reach the point where, if you add or take away from the work, it detracts from the piece.” It’s obvious after talking with her, that Lowe has spent a lot of time not only working on her exhibition but contemplating its importance to her. Lowe’s exhibition will take place April 10th at 5:30 p.m. Her work as well as the work of six other seniors will be showcased. Lowe is planning to have a variety of pieces on display and all of BC is invited to attend and show support.
divorcee. Full of themes about rejection and loneliness, this film covers the topics in an honest and touching way, most of which is done through the writing and direction of Thomas McCarthy. Sporting a pretty stellar film resume with “Win Win” and “The Visitor,” McCarthy might have his masterpiece with this film. The dialogue is sharp and on point, but never loses its sense of realism. In the end, it feels like these characters are real and important. Most people know Peter Dinklage from his iconic role in “Game of Thrones” as the cerebral and intriguing Tyrion Lannister. However, he
plays a completely different role as Finbar, which made it hard to associate him as anything else. The sign of a good actor is when they can completely disappear in a role and embody it completely. Cannaval and Clarkson do astonishing jobs as well, providing intriguing and well played characters. Overall, this film provides a lot of great performances and a touching story. A real Netflix gem that hardly anyone has ever seen; “The Station Agent” is a fantastic film. I would give it a 4 ½ out of 5 stars and recommend that anyone with a Netflix account should watch it.
Opinion Editor
Ashley Lowe looks very contemplative as I ask her about her senior exhibition. Soft-spoken, she makes sure to consider every answer she gives, which speaks volumes about her passion for art. Lowe is an art major with a concentration in both photography and painting, thus she has to prepare two separate exhibitions. For her photography exhibition she plans to create 20X20” prints of abstract nature photos. And for her painting exhibition she plans to paint numerous pieces that all focus on the central theme of her own personal experiences running for the cross country and track team here at BC. Lowe’s photos are going to be a bit different from the typical ones you’d see. She decided to create 20 by 20 inch prints, which are substantially larger than the normal eight by 10 or 12 by 18 inch prints. When I asked her why she made this artistic decision, Lowe explained, “Scale of prints usually relates to subject matter, altering natural forms, scaling them up really large, adds to the mystery.” This of course makes sense as Lowe intends to create abstract and ambiguous photos of nature by using different focal points and focuses. Her intention is to engage the audience and get them look at nature in another way using sensory details. “I’ve always been drawn to taking photos of nature,” says Lowe. However, her appreciation for nature is also shown in her paintings. Lowe plans to paint medium-sized abstract paintings based around her running experiences. “When I paint, I meditate on runs I’ve done, feelings, and senses.” She goes on to tell me that she picked the
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Photo courtesy of Ashley Lowe
Ashley Lowe
‘The Station Agent’
A Real Netflix Gem By Michael Heiskell Staff Writer
“The Station Agent” is a movie that everyone, including myself, seemed to miss. Full of great performances and a touching story, “The Station Agent” is my Netflix pick of the week. “The Station Agent” is about Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage), who inherits a small depot on some abandoned land in New Jersey when his best friend dies. Constantly ridiculed and judged for his dwarfism, Finbar is more than happy to move away from everyone. He gets more than he bargained for when he meets Joe (Bobby Cannavale) a food truck owner by Finbar’s house, and Olivia (Patricia Clarkson) a depressed
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Opinion
Total Disappointment
The Clarion
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January 28, 2015
A Review of Clint Eastwood’s ‘American Sniper’
By Michael Heiskell Staff Writer
Hard to believe that the same man who directed “Letters From Iwo Jima” would go on to direct “American Sniper.” Directed by Clint Eastwood, “American Sniper” tells the story of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), known as the deadliest sniper in American history. Kyle decides to join the war with the Navy Seals. Torn between his duty to his country and his wife (Sienna Miller) and family, Chris must decide what is important and what is right. Director Clint Eastwood has had a rocky career, with masterpieces such as “Letters From Iwo Jima” and “Million Dollar Baby” to flops such as “Hereafter” and “J. Edgar.” So the question is where does “American Sniper” fall in that scale? In this reviewer’s opinion, somewhere down the middle. On a technical scale, this was a well-made movie. This was a well put together film, from the sound editing to the cinematography. Whether or not you agree with the message, or how it was conveyed, one must admit that this film ‘works’. Bradley Cooper does a fantastic job as Kyle and earned his fourth Oscar nomination. Sienna Miller also does a fantastic job as Chris’ wife, Taya.
The pair of them made for an interesting couple and seemed to share great on-screen chemistry. There are various smaller roles that are all played well, but it’s the pair of stars that make this a well-acted film. More imperative than whether the film was good or not, is the controversy this movie has generated. Already, there are instances of Muslim Americans who have been pressured or threatened by people who associate them with the depictions of Iraqi citizens. They are referred to as “savages” throughout the film and are most often shown through the scope of a sniper rifle. Not only this, but people are also often called “Un-American” for not enjoying the film or the message it tries to convey. If I had a bigger stage to write reviews, I’m sure I would receive such sentiments as well. Overall, this film, while successful on a technical scale was a highly disappointing war film that wastes a great performance from Bradley Cooper. Designed for a certain crowd, this film will most definitely continue to make money and stir debates and heated arguments. I would give this film a measly 2 ½ out of five stars, and wouldn’t recommend this near propaganda film to anyone.
Prose and Con(gress) ‘Free’ for all: 2016 election on track to be most expensive yet By Sam Blakley Editor in Chief
Funding elections has never been cheap. Between buying advertising time on television, and apparently YouTube, investing in thousands of street signs, and stocking up on candy to throw in town parades, campaigning gets pretty expensive. But, with the last two election cycles both breaking historical campaign spending records, the first ever billion dollar presidential race followed by the first ever billion dollar senatorial race, it is anyone’s guess how much the 2016 presidential election is going to cost. On Monday the Koch Brothers, Charles G. Koch and David H. Koch, the CEO and Executive Vice-President of Koch Industries Inc, announced they are prepared to spend nearly $900 million to aid in the election of conservative candidates in national and local elections. This single donation is more than three times their total estimated investment for all elections up to and including the 2014 election, which totaled
at approximately $290 million. And, they plan to spend all of it in a year. But how much is $900 million? A number that size is too much for my penniless imagination. So to put things into perspective I decided to phrase the number like this: How many BC student’s tuitions could you pay for with $900 million? Considering the yearly tuition for BC, as of this year, is approximately $36,000, with this donation alone 25,000 students could attend BC for a year for free. Now obviously I am not proposing the Koch Brothers pay for our tuitions, though it would be nice. But, since this money won’t used to pay for our educations, why not also find out how many television advertisements could be purchased with $900 million? Or, how much does this money actually mean for a campaign? Well, the approximate cost of one ad slot on one airing of a prime-time television show, is somewhere between $50,000-$60,000. Therefore, $900 million buys between 13,000-
14,000 political commercials. I know I get frustrated in the five seconds I have to wait before YouTube allows me to skip ads. I don’t want to think about how many unruly political ads 2016 is sure to bring, probably at least 13,000-14,000. The reason this concerns me though, isn’t the inconvenience of YouTube ads. I am not really even concerned with Koch investing so much money in the things they believe in. I worry for the quality candidates who aren’t Koch Brothers sponsored. With elections becoming increasingly expensive, how are everyday people supposed to get involved? By allowing elections to become as expensive as they have, we are making it impossible for much of the population to run. I know I don’t have $900 million to gamble with on an election. Campaigning has never been a cheap endeavor. Running for office should be a big decision, but also one that is available for everyone.
