Lady Pirate Spotlight: Kathleen Henry

Kathleen Henry has played tennis for Armstrong’s for four years. The Anderson, S.C.-native came to Armstrong in fall of 2008, and as a freshman, she was a part of the championship team. She finished her freshman season with the record of 19-2 and earned a No. 13 national ranking in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. 

In her sophomore year, Henry was named the 2010 Peach Belt Conference Tournament MVP and also earned recognition for her hard work off the court, winning the All-PBC Academic Team honors. The team also went on the win the National Championship that year. 

“I have two favorite memories on the tennis court, winning the National Championships in 2009 and 2010,” Henry said.

But Henry also has fond memories off the court.

Senior Spotlight

Walker Davis

For most of his life, Walker Davis has been drawn to all things creative.
“For as long as I can remember, I have always been artistically inclined, both in visual and performance art,” Davis said. “My connection to the both the arts and creative expression has only grown through the years.”
The Griffin, Ga., native originally wanted to go into the performing arts but changed his mind towards the end of his high school career.
“I decided I wanted to be an art major my senior year of high school,” he said. “Up until then, I wanted to be a theater major, but I began to think that it may be a bit more practical to pursue art instead. I made this decision because I thought there would be more career opportunities in the visual art field. I figured I could always do acting and performance art on my own as a recreational activity, and I still take part in theatrical productions whenever I get the chance.”
Davis’ emphasis is on painting and illustration.

Responsible protests start locally

Once a time when the news was professionally reported, dominantly published in print, there were fewer ways to have a message reach the masses. I can’t say whether those times were better than now. They might have been better presuming that the news gave the public more accurate, unbiased information, or they may have been worse since the media outlets were limited. One would have to rely on the select few available, trusting them to be genuine.
Today we are blessed, and cursed by having a plethora of news outlets. At any given point throughout our day, we can access domestic, international and foreign national news providers via our laptops, smart phones, radios and a myriad of other devices that we may possess. This is undoubtedly an awe-inspiring feat.
The farmer in Kansas can now listen to National Public Radio while reading BBC online and regularly receive updates to his technology from the Wall Street Journal. Our epoch is one in which the populace can constantly stay informed from a multitude of news stations if they so choose to.

Decency starts with what’s taught

I always said that if I ever become a film director or a writer of the same, I was never going to include any foul language or strong themes. This idea is still a desire in my heart, but the reality of the matter is sometimes inspiration fails, and to give a story some seasoning it requires treating it realistically.

In a film class I took, students were required to write a synopsis and a film script for a possible film project using such synopsis and script. I wrote one that concerned a judge who finds himself in the middle of a drug war between two groups of drug dealers. I have to confess that despite my philosophy regarding no idle words in literature, I just had to put some in the synopsis and script to make the writing part of the film credible to the story being said, and believe me, it was a very hard thing for me to do.

Students dislodged for nine-day break

Administration considers housing policy standard practice

In an effort to ensure that students living on campus for the summer semester will have clean, functioning rooms, University Housing announced that residential students attending summer classes must vacate their rooms from May 9 at 5 p.m. through May 18.

The move-out requirement is an unpleasant surprise for many students who are accustomed to staying on campus during the break between spring and summer semesters. But, according to Vice President for Business and Finance David Carson, the move-out requirement is standard housing practice. 

“There is some confusion about this being a new policy. It’s not,” Carson said. “We’ve just been relaxed on enforcing it. The contract for spring semester ends on May 8. If we allow students to stay until summer semester starts, they would be living free for 10 days.”

The newly enforced policy is problematic for many students, especially for those whose permanent place of residence is hours from Savannah.

“I have mixed feelings,” said Meagan Stachurski, a graduate student. “I understand why they would want to clean. However, it is difficult for students to buy storage units, move out all their things and find a place to stay for nine days. It’s costly and an annoyance. I live about fifteen hours away. It’s $400 a flight. I don’t have $400 lying around.”

In addition to students having to pay moving expenses, housing prices have also increased

Writing Center bids farewell to Gamble 109

Students and faculty members were invited to the Writing Center in room 109 of Gamble Hall April 4 to celebrate the center’s long history at its current location. Gamble Hall is scheduled to be renovated at the beginning of the summer 2012 semester, and the event was to inform the Armstrong body that the Writing Center is temporarily moving to room 224 of Lane Library.

Students dropped by the center to enjoy a wide selection of food and beverages and bid farewell to the old room. Several faculty members were also in attendance as well as most of the Writing Center staff. 

“I came today for the food,” said Ashley Counts, a senior criminal justice and political science major. “But I’m always here to use the computers because most people are writing their papers.”

The Writing Center is an important resource available to students. With many tutors on hand to help students with their papers or other written assignments, the student tutors are able to provide a fresh perspective of a student’s work. 

Open house encourages graduate studies at Armstrong

Armstrong hosted their Graduate Studies Open House in the Armstrong Center Ballroom April 5 as an opportunity for students to gain insight on programs offering assistance advancing professional and academic careers. 

The event attracted former Armstrong student Victoria Blockum who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health science.

“I love the activities and programs that come along with attending, which is why I’m interested in obtaining a master’s degree here,” she said. 

Graduate programs at Armstrong range from history to criminal justice to middle grade education.

Blockum also said because of great teachers and a great school, students will receive a great education — an idea stressed by the coordinators of the open-house event, which highlighted some key reason to enroll in graduate programs.

“There are two important benefits,” said Christopher Hendricks, professor of history. “One, the programs will promote a well-rounded individual, and two, it will help get you a job.”

Pirate baseball sweeps USC Aiken in Peach Belt Confrence

No. 17 Armstrong faced No. 3-ranked USC Aiken in the Peach Belt Conference April 7 and 8 and swept the series 3-0. Senior Chandler Hall led the Pirates in his strong effort on the mound. 

Hall controlled play April 7 as he pitched a complete game — his third of the season. 

“I helped my team out with my performance and had a great defensive effort behind me,” Hall said. 

Hall pitched a four-hitter against the PBC top-hitting team USC Aiken, limiting the Aiken offense to two runs — one earned — during the first game of the series. 

Armstrong collected the first win of the series 5-2 with the help of Mike Barnhill’s RBI double in the bottom of the second. Alex Frederick sealed the win for the Pirates with his RBI single in the seventh. 

Armstrong and USC Aiken completed the series April 8 in double-header play.

The Pirates excelled at the plate, taking charge over the Pacers 7-1 at the end of the second with the help of R.J Dennard’s cleanup triple. Drew Walker contributed a three-run RBI double to break open the tie in the sixth, followed by Roberts’ RBI single bulking up the Pirates’ runs 11-7. 

Professor spotlight: Jane Rago

To Jane Rago, education is more than a step in the staircase to success — it’s a way of life, one she’s been encouraged to pursue for as long as she can remember. Recently named the head of the Gender and Women’s Studies at Armstrong, Rago describes her family as intellectually curious. 

Though not every member of her family achieved the same level of academic success as Rago, she described them all as constantly reading.

In particular, she said her grandmothers inspired her to escape to writing. Rago describes the difficulty her grandmother encountered after marriage.

“She was an Italian immigrant living in New York, with a job as a designer for Macy’s,” Rago said, “After she got married, she wasn’t even allowed to drive.” 

Rago said neither of her grandmothers received higher than a high school education, and because of this, they were adamant about ensuring her independence. 

Both her mother Linda — a horticulturist and writer — and father Ronald, a retired Environmental Protection Agency agent, also encouraged Rago to make the most of her education.

Medication isn’t for everyone

In Atlanta, there’s a guy who frequently talks to me about chickens and healthy eating and how growing your own food and owning your own chickens cannot only save money but save your life, which, honestly, may be good advice.

However, in the next breath, he tells me how the government is trying to poison people and systematically lowering the populace’s intelligence levels through drinking water — he only drinks through a special water bottle that has two filters.

He never leaves home without at least two gas masks and one of his pistols. In addition, he also believes the government is covering up food shortages and, of course, the moon landing is undoubtedly a hoax. This man is known and adored by many as the “Chicken Whisperer.” To me, he’s my uncle.

As much as I love him, it’s sometimes hard to take him seriously when he goes on his tirades about the government. Honestly, sometimes I think the man is downright crazy. Mostly, my family just rolls their eyes and tunes it all out, but sometimes this man can hit the truth — and hit it hard.

However, when my beloved uncle starts ranting to me about pills and doctors, I tend to listen. While I don’t agree with 99 percent of the things that he says, I do agree with him on this, and that is that our society is so dependent — too dependent — on medications I wonder how it ever functions properly. We are  extremely overmedicated.

Now, I am not some hipster who uses herbal cure for my illnesses. I am not a vegan or a vegetarian, and I don’t eat only organic or natural foods.

Mostly, people know me as a doughnut-eating, diabetic junkie who randomly asks people to shoot her up in class, a restaurant or really just anywhere just so she can get her sugar fix.

So why listen to me?