DAILY HELMSMAN
Not sure what to declare as your major? Check out the tips throughout this issue!
Wedneday 3.19.14
The
By Joey Kachel
news@dailyhelmsman.com When the Tigers’ men’s basketball team heads off to Raleigh, N.C., to play the George Washington University Colonials on March 21, fans will get together to cheer them on at the True Blue Pep Rally. The rally will take place at the University Ballroom at the Raleigh Marriott City Center at 500 Fayetteville St. in Raleigh on March 21 at 3 p.m. The venue is about 10 minutes away from PNC Arena, where the game will take place. Admission is free to anyone wanting to root for the team and willing to brave the 12-hour drive from Memphis to Raleigh. Pom and cheer squads, the
see raLLy on page 32
Ever thought about changing your major? Check out the tips throughout this issue!
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Spring Fling
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Are psychics real?
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Roller derby
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Vol. 81 No. 085
Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Memphis
Pep rally to pump up Tiger fans
Video game fame
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Class creates community
It takes as long as it takes: the story of one man’s positivity and perseverance By Joshua Cannon
news@dailyhelmsman.com It’s Wednesday evening, and the sun is setting over Ramesses’ statue on Central Avenue. As many students are heading home, Steve Collins has just made his weekly commute to Tom Shadyac’s storytelling class. A beam of light comes from a room buried on the second floor of the dimly lit theater building, where 56-year-old Collins is sitting directly in front of the classroom door in his wheelchair, greeting his fellow students as they pour in the room and pick up their name tags from the front of his desk, a regular occurrence. A large facet of attendance is made up of those who are not currently enrolled in the class. Parents, spouses, local residents and many others drop in from time to time to soak up what Collins calls, “Shadyac’s perspective.” As Collins is assigning names to faces — some familiar and some not — one student reaches in for a high five. A Gandhi quote saying, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” is written on a dry erase board to the left of his desk. “How are you doing this week,” Collins asked, reaching up from his wheelchair to hug a female student in the class. This is not Collins’ first time in the
photo By harriSon Lingo | Staff
U of M student Steve collins explains the motion in the arms required to power his special-built bicycle imported from Germany. class. In fact, it’s his second semester being enrolled. The first time he met Tom Shadyac, he was greeted with a thought-provoking statement. As the
long-haired-Ace-Ventura-directorturned-professor made his way to the front of his class, he said, “Hi, my name is Tom Shadyac, and this class is going
to change your life.” According to Collins, in the first five minutes, he was challenged to think in
see cLaSS on page 30
Jackson represents more than himself By Hunter Field
sports@dailyhelmsman.com The applause got louder as each player was introduced at the University of Memphis men’s basketball team’s senior day. First the announcer introduced the senior team managers, then the players that had been in Memphis for only a short year or two after transferring. Finally, only two remained — Chris Crawford and Joe Jackson. Both grew up in Memphis, and both are the only players remaining from head coach Josh Pastner’s first top-10 recruiting
The Daily Helmsman is a “designated public forum.” Students have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The Daily Helmsman is pleased to make a maximum of 10 copies of each issue available to a reader for free. Additional copies are $1. Partial printing and distribution costs are provided by an allocation from the Student Activity Fee.
class. Crawford received a huge applause, but it was different with Jackson. The arena erupted when Jackson was introduced for the final time in front of the 18,182 Tiger fans at FedExForum. He deserved it. With the option to go anywhere in the country, Jackson, a consensus top-15 recruit and “King of Memphis” tattooed across his chest, refused to even consider leaving his beloved hometown. He represents what it means to be a basketball player in Memphis. Growing up in Orange Mound — a community in South
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Memphis — he became the first member of his family to earn a college degree in three years. He represents what it means to be a Tiger basketball player in the Josh Pastner era. It isn’t about coming here for a year, winning some games, then bolting for the NBA, like under former head coach John Calipari. It’s about tradition and being a leader in a community where basketball is woven into the fabric of the town. He’s been on the Dean’s List and received many other academic distinctions, but he’s more than just a regular student. “Joe has won me a lot of games,”
Tiger Babble Tiger Tales
2 Opinion 23 Sports
Pastner, who always points out that Jackson is a graduate first, said. “I’m just so proud of those guys. They’ve meant so much to the program, especially Chris and Joe. Those guys have kept the program at such a high level and took a chance on us when it wasn’t cool and there were a lot of unknowns.” The Memphis native shot his way into the Memphis record books this season, currently ranking eighth on the all-time scoring list. With a good end to his senior year, Jackson could easily move into the sixth or seventh spot. He
see JacKSon on page 24 3 36
2 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
The
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D AILY
H ELMSMAN Volume 81 Number 85
Editor-in-Chief L. Taylor Smith Managing Editor Joshua cannon Design Editors hannah Verret Taylor Grace harrison Lingo Sports Editor hunter Field General Manager candy Justice
TIGER BABBLE
Advertising Manager Bob willis Administrative Sales Sharon whitaker
thoughts that give you paws
“Success is finally figuring out where the upstairs bathroom is in Meeman. ” @marleyreneeee
Advertising Production John Stevenson Advertising Sales robyn nickell christopher Darling
“I like how all the smokers are actively going out of their way to avoid the walking sad cigarette on campus.” @SassieSano
Contact Information news@dailyhelmsman.com Advertising: (901) 6 78-2191 Newsroom: (901) 678-2193
“Did spring break make you forget we have unofficial assigned seats in this class?!” @jennifer_rorie
The University of Memphis The Daily Helmsman 113 Meeman Journalism Building Memphis, TN 38152
Solutions on page 34
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OPEN EARLY. OPEN LATE. ORDER ONLINE @ DOMINOS.COM • NOW ACCEPTING TIGER FUNDS ON PICKUP ORDERS Across 1 Elementary fellow? 7 Chief Osceola riding Renegade introduces its home games: Abbr. 10 Daddy 14 Longtime Hawaiian senator Daniel 15 Ottowan interjections 16 Woeful cry 17 *Large emigration 19 Frisks, with “down” 20 Asian holiday 21 Letter-shaped fastener 22 Land at Orly? 23 Confederate 24 *Lunchbox item 26 Smallish crocodilians 28 Portal toppers 29 100-eyed giant of myth 30 Word of greeting 31 Points a finger at 32 *”I’ll Be There for You” on “Friends,” e.g. 36 __ date 38 Levy 39 Brought about 43 Southeast Asian honey lover 45 Oporto native, e.g. 47 *Children’s literature VIP 49 Brandy label letters 50 Cream of the crop 51 CNBC topics 52 Breadbasket, so to speak 53 Director Gus Van __ 54 *Daily Planet setting 57 Palm smartphone 58 Celebratory poem 59 Valuable lump 60 Bldg. annex 61 Beersheba’s land: Abbr. 62 Word that can follow five prefixes hidden sequentially in the answers to starred clues Down 1 “Tell __”: 1962-’63 hit 2 Winning steadily
“Everyone on campus steer clear of Hannah Verret. She’s feeling extra sassy today.” @moocutie “Hannah Verret is the smart such knowledge” @Brandoncaradine “Three weeks until my birthday and six weeks until graduation.” @l_taylor_smith
Tell us what gives you paws.
Send us your thoughts on Twitter @dailyhelmsman or #tigerbabble. or post on our Facebook wall at facebook.com/dailyhelmsman.
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3 Get clobbered 4 It’s not an option 5 Observe 6 Church maintenance officer 7 Disgusted 8 Back-and-forth flights 9 Navy hull letters 10 Empty threat 11 Afraid 12 Platoon activities 13 Look over carefully 18 Burden 22 X, sometimes 23 __ Victor 24 Window part 25 Silver opening? 27 Remote control 30 Spell
33 Floride, par exemple 34 Many couples 35 Cub or Card 36 Simpleton 37 Like some looseleaf paper 40 Reveal 41 More to one’s liking 42 Plastic __ Band 43 Cuarenta winks? 44 Tongue suffix 45 “Click __ Ticket”: road safety slogan 46 Quantum gravity particles 48 More timely 52 Painter van __ 54 French pronoun 55 __ tent 56 CPA’s office, perhaps
S u d o k u Complete the grid so that each row, column and 3-by3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.
The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 3
Opinion
Rise above cynicism and seek to innovate By L. Taylor Smith
news@dailyhelmsman.com “Find something that resonates,” Professor David Horan told my class before we set off for our spring break in Italy. While I packed my bags, I wondered when my moment would come. Would it Editor-in-Chief come in Rome when we wandered through the Colosseum, the Roman Forum or the Baths of Caracalla? Or in Pisa as I looked up a tower that stands tall in spite of itself ? Or in Vatican City, beneath the arches of the Sistine Chapel? My moment came in the heart of Florence at the Duomo di Firenze. It was over 400 steps to the top of the Duomo, and my legs were burning by the time I reached the top. Every ache and cramp was worth it, though, as I watched the
photo By L. Taylor Smith | staff
The Duomo provides an expansive view of Florence, Italy. city roll away from the basilica. There was nothing but the Tuscan sky separating me from the stars, and I started to cry. Hamlet once remarked, “What a piece of work is a man! How
noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an Angel! In apprehension how like a god!” Standing on the dome that
Brunelleschi designed and above the streets that Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo walked, I felt the weight of my faith in human innovation and creativity. Although Hamlet found no
joy in humanity, despite all our graces, I had never been more proud of what humanity has accomplished. It’s easy to be cynical and find fault in our fellow man. College graduates are especially susceptible to pessimism in the face of a world ready to say “No.” We have to overcome that, though. There’s so much more to be made of this world and our lives, but we have to be willing to suspend our disbelief in ideas that seem crazy or irrational at first. I was only one pair of eyes, one pair of feet and one pair of hands. But, then again, so was Brunelleschi when his careful hands designed the largest brick dome ever built. We each are granted one chance to contribute the most we can in this life. Encourage each other to follow ideas to fruition. Refuse to let fear exile you from greatness. Pursue dreams, not dollars. They may not amount to much. They could end up withering into the background noise of the universe. Or they could swell up over centuries and anchor cities still stretching into the horizon.
Are You a Commuter Student? The Commuter Student Association is here for you! CSA gives you a voice and a connection to campus that can be missing in the life of a commuter. Attend a CSA meeting to discover what a great connection CSA can provide you. Meetings are held @ 3 p.m. every other Thursday in UC Poplar Room (308)
Upcoming Meetings March 27 • April 10 & 24
CSA Spring Fling Car Show Co-sponsored with Student Activities Council, Delta Vibe, Student Government Association & Student Event Allocation
Saturday, April 12 • Noon - 3 p.m. Student Plaza, near the fountain Does your car define your inner beauty? Does it resemble you? Does it showcase your personality? Does it exude attractiveness? This is your chance to show up and show out! Pick up an application at the Adult & Commuter Student Services office, UC 243. Application deadline is April 1.
Entry Categories:
Best Unique Car • Best Motorcycle • Best Truck/SUV • Best RSO/Sorority/Fraternity
Category winners will receive award certificates & bragging rights as the Spring Fling Car Show Winner! Custom trophy & other prizes will be awarded for vehicle voted “Best in Show” For more information, contact Joe Harrison, CSA president, or Quincy Johnson, vice president, at 678-4298, or email: csamemphis@gmail.com
4 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING? “The U of M Computer Science Dept. provided me with a deep understanding of core Computer Science concepts & empowered me to expand that skill set on my own. By the time graduation came around, I was not ‘looking for a job.’ I was choosing a career.” -Craig Herndon (B.S. 2013) Software Engineer, Wayfair “Majoring in Computer Science at the U of M has given me the confdence & knowledge to take control of my future & the opportunity to gain experience & build relationships that will help me succeed. When I graduate, I know I will have what it takes to land the job of my dreams.” -Shaniqua Rayford Current CS Senior
Design Your Future With Computer Science Computer Science is the 2nd Highest Paid College Degree!
Friend us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MemphisComputerScience
For more information: Kriangsiri “Top” Malasri 901-678-5689 kmalasri@memphis.edu
U of M President’s Office announces four candidates The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 5
By Mandy Hrach
news@dailyhelmsman.com The committee charged with finding a new president for the University of Memphis has announced the names of the four finalists. The four finalists are U of M Provost David Rudd; Guy Bailey, professor and former president at the University of Alabama; Sharon Gaber, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Arkansas; and George W. Hynd, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs at the College of Charleston. Rudd came to Memphis just one year ago and is now seeking the top job. “We are here to respond to the needs and the issues of our students,” he said during closing remarks at his meet and greet with students on March 17. “You (the students) asked great questions and brought up thoughtful issues. This is why I love being part of the University.” Rudd came to Memphis from the University of Utah in March 2013. Rudd has been actively involved in addressing the University’s financial issues the past few months. Bailey served as the president of the University of Alabama for 57 days before stepping down in October of 2012, citing his wife’s health issues. The University of Alabama Crimson White newspaper reported in 2012 that his
Bailey
Gaber
Hynd
Rudd
wife was a cancer survivor, but she relapsed shortly after he was named president. She died shortly after his resignation. The paper also reported that he was one of the finalists for the presidency at the New Mexico State University but did not get the job. Gaber became provost and vice chancellor of Academic Affairs at the University of Arkansas on May 1, 2009. She came to the University of Arkansas from Auburn University where she served as an interim provost. Gaber serves as vice-chair for of the board of directors for the Arkansas Research and Technology Park. Hynd came to the College of Charleston from Arizona State University. He became provost and executive vice president of student affairs of the college in January 2010. He also serves as a clinical child neuropsychologist where he
studies factors that influence fetal brain development. The search firm Greenwood/ Asher & Associates accepted applications for the position from December 2013 through Feb. 1, 2014. Though the exact number of candidates who applied is unknown, only a select few made it to the first round of interviews that took place on Feb. 19, according to Tennessee Board of Regents member Monica Greppin-Watts. The four finalists were chosen based on the first round of interviews. In order to move on to the interview process, candidates were required to meet a strict criteria list put together by the search firm. “Each application was carefully reviewed to make sure all required criteria was met,” Greppin-Watts said.
Bailey is to visit the University of Memphis March 19-25; Gaber is scheduled for March 23-25; Hynd March 19-21 and Rudd held his sessions March 17 and 18. The four finalists will go through a second round of interviews with the Search Advisory Committee during their scheduled visits. During the second round of interviews, finalists will participate in campus-wide forums, a few of them streamed online. Students will also have the opportunity to meet the finalists during a select few meet and greets designed to allow students to actively engage with the canidates. Another way for students to share their opinions pertaining to the University and the finalists will be through the U of M’s website. Cheyenne Medlock, a 23-yearold exercise and sports science major, is looking forward to the
open forums and the chance to learn more about the presidential candidates. “I’m interested in seeing what happens with the University in the next years and who steps up and what their plan and focus is,” Medlock said. “The University has been really retention driven, and we are known for our research. I wonder if that will change or stay the same.” Though an exact date is not known, John Morgan, chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents will recommend one of the four finalists based on how the interviews and forums go. Later on, the board of regents will vote on his recommendation. “I can’t wait to find out who our new president will be,” sophomore Faith Medlin said. “It’s exciting knowing that the search process is almost complete.”
like Jack Daniel’s makes their whiskey,” said Michael Ballard, owner of Full Throttle distillery in Trimble, a town of about 600 in the northwestern corner of the state. “Why put us all in one box together?” asked Ballard, who also stars in a cable reality show about his Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, S.D. But Jeff Arnett, master distiller at the Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg, Tenn., argued Tuesday that the law requiring charcoal filtering and storing whiskey in new oak barrels is meant to establish minimum quality standards for the category. “This is not forcing people to people to produce a product that’s going to taste like Jack Daniel’s,” Arnett said. “We think there’s plenty of creative and inno-
vative space for each brand and new distillery to create their own unique form of whiskey.” Jack Daniel’s, owned by Louisville, Ky.-based Brown-Forman Corp., was behind a 2013 law that laid out requirements for spirits to be labeled Tennessee whiskey. The law is opposed by George Dickel, which is made about 15 miles up the road from Jack Daniel’s and is owned by Brown-Forman’s worldwide rival Diageo PLC. Jack Daniel’s sold 11.5 million cases of its Black Label last year, a 5 percent increase from 2012. Dickel was the second-largest Tennessee whiskey producer in 2013, with 130,000 cases sold. Arnett said he disagrees with efforts to allow refurbished barrels to be used to store whiskey.
“When a barrel basically produces all of your color and half of your flavor, we don’t see that the barrel is a small thing,” he said. But Phil Pritchard, the owner of Pritchard’s Distillery in Kelso, noted that spirits like Scotch and Irish whiskies, brandy, cognac and rum are stored in re-used barrels. “It’s about variety, it’s about entrepreneurship, it’s about quality,” he said. “But mostly it’s about the customers who buy our products.” State Rep. Bill Sanderson, R-Kenton, introduced an amendment Tuesday to repeal the entire Tennessee whiskey law passed last year. The panel adopted that change on a voice vote, but delayed a final vote on the bill until next week. Full Throttle’s Ballard said he has
18 employees and is finishing a barrel house. But he said his recent order of 2,000 new barrels got him placed on a six-month waiting list. “We’ve got millions of dollars invested in this town based on the fact that we’d be able to use the words Tennessee whiskey on our product,” Ballard said. Ballard’s business partner Jesse James Dupree, lead singer of the hard rock band Jackyl, is also building a distillery nearby. He said he’s disappointed that Jack Daniel’s would try to create high barriers to entry. “We grew up loving Jack Daniel’s, we’ve been big fans and they’ve been an inspiration,” Dupree said. “But this is not really about the barrels, this is about them trying to maintain a monopoly.”
Lawmakers mull full repeal of Tennessee whiskey law By Erik Schelzig Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — State lawmakers are considering an outright repeal of a 2013 law that established, for the first time, a legal definition of Tennessee whiskey. Supporters of the move in the House State Government Committee said Tuesday that the law enacted last year unfairly benefits Jack Daniel’s, the world’s most famous Tennessee whiskey. Some new distillers argue they want to explore different types of spirits that wouldn’t be allowed to be called Tennessee whiskey under the current law. “We don’t want to make our whiskey
6 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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The beauty in not knowing what I am doing with my life By Joshua Cannon
news@dailyhelmsman.com At the age of 16, I committed myself to the ideal that I would be a touring musician. Since then, I’ve traveled thousands of miles across the country. W h i l e many of my peers spent their spring break soakManaging Editor ing up the sun from Panama City’s beaches, I packed a van full of gear, and alongside six of my dearest friends, I made my way to the South By Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas. On the way, we played shows in peoples’a basements, slept on strangers’ floors, ate more burritos than I’d like to admit and drove long hours on interstates
and streets of which I will never remember the name. I’ve seen faces that I’ll never see again. I’ve made conversations with strangers. While some became friends, most just fell into the liner notes of my life. So far, that’s one of the only things I’ve really gained from my 21 years of living. Some people, some places — they are just sentences in a book that we’re writing. With every word we speak and every foot we put in front of the other, we are guiding our actions and moving ourselves from the present moment and into the future, fueling our nostalgia with past triumphs and failures all while writing more sentences until the day our pen runs out of ink. What have I concluded? I don’t know what I’m doing with my life. I am a junior in college with no direction. I have passions and dreams, but no four-year plan. I love to write, I love playing music and I love seeing the country. One
day, I hope to see the world. Traveling allows me to connect with people in a way that I never could on Facebook. These experiences have shaped me. They have allowed me to understand how small of a role I have in this magnificently large world. They have taught me that these strangers I encounter — the guy behind the counter at the gas station or the girl smoking a cigarette outside of the show — they have gone through the same stuff that I’ve gone through. Perhaps, they’ve had their hearts broken. Perhaps, they have broken someone else’s heart. Most certainly, they haven’t had the opportunities that they had hoped for in life. I’d bet at times that they have felt like they had no purpose. I’d bet that anyone who is taking the time to read this has felt that way at some point in his or her life. While traveling, I have learned that it is important not to simply subscribe to a “purpose,” but to live
a purpose-driven life. It’s important to get out of your comfort zone. Sleep on floors and talk to strangers. If you love someone, tell them. If you feel aimless and restless, take a year off from school, throw on a backpack and travel the country. Study abroad. Do something that fulfills and drives you. If you have a four-year plan that brings you happiness, stick to it. But the four-year plan is not for all of us, and it’s important to abandon any ideals that are not our own. What happens after we leave this world is subjective. Despite our faith or lack thereof, we do know that we will cease to exist. Life is too short to trap yourself in a path that makes you unhappy. Frank Zappa once said, “If you end up with a boring, miserable life because you listened to your mom, your dad, your teacher, your priest or some guy on television telling you how to do your shit, then you deserve it.”
I have worried for years about where I am going to be in the future, and, for the first time, I’m learning how to appreciate where I am now. I am learning to appreciate failure and use it to define my success. I am learning that all I need is music and a pen, and maybe I can make a living around that while I live my life. Obtaining a degree has always been more of an achievement rather than a gateway to my ideal job. If I am to own a fireplace in my life, I will hang my degree above it. When I have guests over to my future home (assuming I am not homeless or living with my parents) I will point to my degree and say, “Look there! I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, but I made it out with a degree!” And if I get to that point, it means that I will still be alive. I will still be writing chapters in this unpredictable book of life. I will have made it somewhere — wherever that somewhere may be.
Campus Outreach Summer Mission T Campus Outreach Summer Mission Trip
Campus Outreach is a college ministry Campus Outreach is a college ministry that exists that exist tostudents help students at theUniversity University of to to grow at the ofMemphis Memphis grow their faith and develop in leadership faithin and develop in leadership andand character. character. It does this through weekly meetings this through weekly meetings like 901Live and like 901Live and 858Vibe, small group Bible small group Bible studies, retreats and social eve studies, retreats and social events.
ORLANDO PROJECT 2014
Making Memories. Changing the World.
Every summer, Campus OutreachOutreach takes around Every summer, Campus takes aro 120 studentsfrom fromUniversity University ofof Memphis, Memphis, Rhodes students Rhodes College andState Arkansas State University and Arkansas University to Orlando, FL f to Orlando, FL for a 10- week mission and training week mission and training project. Over the project. Over the summer, students work jobs at students workand jobs at Universal Studios and S Universal Studios SeaWorld while receiving while inreceiving training in Bible study, leadership, training Bible study, leadership, worship and outreach, with specific trainings for athletes and for athle and outreach, with specific trainings Greeks. Students will build Greeks. Students will many buildrelationships many relationship while growing personallyand and impacting impacting the growing personally thecitycity of Orla of Orlando.
For more information about the Project Orlando Proje For more information about the Orlando visit visit www.comemphs.org/orlandoproject 2014, www.comemphs.org/orlandoproject or ema orCatalano email Denny at at Catalano denny.catalano@campusoutreach.or denny.catalano@campusoutreach.org
The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 7
EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR THE SKILLS YOU ACQUIRE STUDYING
HISTORY AT THE U OF M: The ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills Knowledge of human cultures and values The ability to work in a group or team A sense of integrity and ethics
WHY HISTORY? “I am a history major because my own personal history is what has shaped who I am today, and I wanted to learn more about what has shaped this world and country we live in by learning its history. History defines who we are today, we live in it every moment, and it shapes our future. History is pertinent to the growth of generations, and that’s why I love history.” - EMILY CLARK, Sophomore History Major
DID YOU KNOW? Over 25% of History majors at U of M study abroad.
“History is a great field to study because the skills that you gain can be applied to business, management, and many other vocations that require critical thinking skills. Here at the University of Memphis is a great place to start your study of history. Truly, it is a great place to be. All that you have to do is bring passion and hard work to the table and the University of Memphis faculty and staff meet you the rest of the way.” - SETH HARDEN, Junior History Major
DID YOU KNOW? Over 25% of History majors
at U of M participate in internships or leadership training programs.
“When I began my college career, I was an undecided major. For me, history classes were the most fun part of my day, almost like an adult story time. I thought, why not make history my major? I love it and I am good at it. The staff here at the University of Memphis has helped shape my goals and given me such helpful guidance.” - ZANYA MUDBONE, Senior History Major
DID YOU KNOW? Over 50% of History majors at U of M are involved in the community through service or volunteer work.
“I joined the History Department at the start of my second year at U of M and have been given a solid grounding in the discipline of historical study. Having taken courses in general U.S. history, medieval and baroque European history, modern East Asian history, and ancient Near Eastern history, I have still barely scratched the surface of the human epic and plan to continue studying history for a long time. The History Department has even helped me get into the graduate school of my dreams, and let me assure you that you too can help launch your career by starting right here in Mitchell Hall.” - HENRY BUSBY, Senior History Major
Learn more by visiting our website: memphis.edu/history
DID YOU KNOW? Over 75% of History majors at
U of M report high satisfaction with their professors, advisors, and their overall program of study.
8 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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Drugs, money and fame The underground world of video game tournaments By Brady Boswell
news@dailyhelmsman.com The video game industry gives people who are not all-star athletes or Olympic medalists the chance to compete against one another for fame and glory through video game tournaments. The tournaments highlight big name players who compete against others for cash prizes. “It’s almost the same feeling an athlete who has been in front of a stadium full of fans has had,” Michael Miller, a frequent video game tournament participant and education major, said. “Although there’s that rush of people actually watching you while you’re playing for big money, there’s a darker side to all of it as well.” Huge crowds filled with fans from all over the world, people shouting and chanting a player’s name and thousands of people watching a player’s every move from inside their own homes are just some of the enormous pressures competitive players endure. These big name players are generally put under a lot of stress and need something to help them cope with it all. According to a former competitive player, who asked to remain anonymous, Adderall is the key to some player’s success. It’s a way for players to stay focused and not crack under all the pressure. Some players believe it actually helps them play better, and it helps them keep playing in high stressed matches that could last for hours. For competive gamers, Aderall allows them to sit down and complete challenging tasks without the distractions. It heightens the attention, energy and overall awareness of someone to the point where it can also be abused as a narcotic drug. “Adderall in competitive gaming is the equivalent to steroids in athletic sports, but it’s not banned like steroids,” Aston Keaton, University of Memphis student and competitive gaming player, said. “I’ve never used it at a tournament, but you can’t really tell when someone’s on it.”
According to Keaton, not only is one’s focus completely sharpened, but also their minds are focused on one thing, and they must accomplish it. It’s a euphoric experience for people who are plagued by distractions. Performance enhancing drugs have long existed in the realm of competition, be it an athletic sport or a video game, but it’s not the only thing that puts competitive gamers in the spotlight. The fame and money that follows winning a tournament is unfamiliar to many casual gamers. With a taste of success, it can either build a person up or break them. Winners of tournaments are faced with many challenges after the win. Wes Price, University of Memphis student and 2009 National Halo 3 Champion, (was able) to make himself into a high profile player, caring more about ranking rather than the fame and money that came along with it. “Winning a tournament with a prize of $100,000 can be overwhelming at first,” Price said laughing. “To be honest, I really didn’t care about the money though. My biggest goal was to be the national champion, and I had a passion for the competition as well.” According to Price, winning a tournament is a sweet victory for a hard working gamer. “People today still recognize me, which I find pretty shocking considering it was over five years ago,” he said. “I just think if you can balance school, gaming and not getting in over you head, you’ll be okay.” In a nutshell, competitive gaming is not only an outlet but also a way for others to make friends and memories that can stand the test of time. For Miller, competive gaming goes beyond the competition. It’s about meeting fellow gamers and making friends who share the same passion for gaming. “Traveling to tournaments and meeting people in a competitive atmosphere is the main reason I go,” said Miller. “People may not understand the scene, but you should never judge a book by its cover.”
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wes price, a University of Memphis undergraduate, avoided drug use and became the champion of the 2009 halo 3 tournament. according to him, video gaming is less about the fame and money. It’s about the competition.
DISABILITY RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS (DRS) 110 Wilder Tower • 678-2880 V/T • www.memphis.edu/drs/ DRS provides comprehensive support services based on individual need to qualified students with all types of disabilities. To receive services and accomodations, students must register with Disability Resources for Students and provide medical or professional documentation detailing the nature and extent of the disability and the resulting functional limitations.
Did you know... • Over 850 students are registered with DRS each year. • Over half of these registered have a learning disability, ADHD, or both. • Other students registered with DRS have diagnoses such as mobility, visual and hearing impairments; chronic health or psychiatric disorders; and Autism Spectrum Disorders. • Students registered with DRS include incoming freshman, graduate and law students, and include majors from undecided to business, science, liberal arts and engineering. • Students registered with DRS are actively involved in Greek life, student government, college athletics, work full-time, part-time, and have families.
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The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 9
Castro and Couter play dead as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern By Jonathan A. Capriel news@dailyhelmsman.com
It was a typical Thursday night play rehearsal for “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,” and University of Memphis theatre major Jon Castro stood center left stage and practiced flipping a silver-dollar-sized washer with his right hand. “The trick is not to use your index finger,” he said. “Balancing the coin on your middle finger and thumb gives you more control over the toss.”
The washer rung softly while it twirled straight up. As it came down, he bounced it off his fore arm and plucked it out of the air for the 85th time in a row. Castro said that the character he will play, Guildenstern, obsessively flips coins during the first act of the play. But emulating this trait proved more difficult, due to an accident that tore off a quarter inch from the tip of his right thumb. “A weight fell on it while I was training for sports,” he said while comparing the difference in the
nail lengths of his thumbs. “It is a little bit weird at first but you get used to it.” Scars like these serve as physical reminders of a path not taken. Before attending the University of Memphis, Castro pitched for his Nashville high school baseball team. Originally, he only participated in speech, debate and acting competitions for extra credit. But after much encouragement from his drama coach, he tried out for the school’s production of “West Side Story” and landed the role of Chino.
“I would have baseball practice in the mornings and play rehearsals in the evenings,” he said. “I started to love acting, but at the time, baseball was my life.” However, all of this changed when doctors told him a torn ligament in his elbow needed Tommy John surgery, a procedure that transplants tendons from one part of the body to fix the torn muscles in the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. The expensive operation could not guarantee Castro’s arm would heal perfectly. This caused some colleges to pull back
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their athletic-scholarship offers. He saw the event as a sign and decided against the surgery. Rolling up his right sleeve, Castro pointed to a soft lump no bigger than a bottle cap on the underside of his elbow. Although his arm works fine, he could no longer hope to play professionally. “At the time it was heart breaking, but I knew that there was something else,” he said. “Now I’m thankful because after high school I knew I wanted to be an actor.’” He came to the U of M because he said it had a strong theatre program. In his first semester, he landed the part of Dromio of Syracuse in “The Comedy of Errors.” “It was unusual for incoming freshmen to get the lead,” Castro said. “I had never acted in a Shakespeare play before. The funny part is I walked out of the audition saying to myself ‘Well, I am not getting this one.’” Now a junior, Castro returns to Shakespeare, though this time in the spinoff “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.” He and musical theatre sophomore David Couter will play the title role protagonists in this tragic-buddy comedy, which details the misadventures of two minor “Hamlet” characters. Paul Revaz, the director for the show, said a lot of good actors auditioned for the leads, but Castro and Couter stood out. “They just clicked on stage,” he said. “They work well off each other. Both have good strengths but very different approaches to acting.” Rehearsal is rigorous to say the least. Aside from Saturday, the cast meets from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day. When Revaz called for a five-minute break, Castro and Couter shoved their scripts into their back pockets and headed outside. As he walked down the dimly lit hallways of the Theatre Building, Couter explained that acting is more about listening than memorizing lines. “Learning the script by heart is one thing, but theater isn’t just responding to what the other actors say but to how they say it,” he said. “It is like tennis. You can’t just stand in one spot, because you don’t know where the ball is going next. You have to react to the other person.” At 12 years old, Couter landed his first role in a community theater production of Children of Eden, but he has tap danced since first grade. While in high school, Couter toured Germany and Iceland with the dance
see theatre on page 29
10 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
www.dailyhelmsman.com
The Dead Dawls are born By Samuel Prager
news@dailyhelmsman.com Clouds of cigarette smoke and the lingering smell of beer and whiskey haze the dimly lit room that hides behind the famous Hi-Tone bar in Midtown Memphis. Five members of the almost orchestral-sized collaborative group Dead Dawls sit amongst the tattered couches of the soundproof lounge equipped with cigarettes in hand and liquor in their guts, taking one last moment before performing a set as the Memphis Dawls, one half of the super-group that will be performing their debut show later this month. On March 28, the Dead Soldiers and the Memphis Dawls, two reputable local bands, will debut their newest co-composed project the Dead Dawls, a fused entity of both bands, and will be releasing a 7” vinyl featuring the super-group’s two new, original songs. The super-group will play both Memphis Dawls’ and Dead Soldiers’ songs together, as well as a few covers and their two new songs. Although the band wrote and recorded the songs earlier this year, the members of the band said that this has been in the works for the past six months. However, due to conflicting schedules between the nearly a dozen members, it got pushed back. “We had talked about it for awhile but Ben Aviotti, the guitarist of Dead Soldiers, actually brought it to the table about six months ago,” Holly Cole, a University of Memphis graduate and singer and guitarist for the Dawls, said. “Someone mentioned that we should do a 7-inch together, so we all got together and had drinks at El Toro Loco to talk about it. That became our first Dead Dawls meeting.” Paul Gilliam, drummer for both the Dawls and the Soldiers, said cowriting the two new songs wasn’t the original plan, however, it just ended up being the most natural outcome. “The initial idea was for Dead Soldiers to play a Dawls’ song and in turn for the Memphis Dawls to interpret a Soldiers’ song. Luckily, we decided it really wasn’t the best way to go about it since it wouldn’t really put anything out to the public, but by collaborating and writing two new songs together we could put out something a lot more unique,” Gilliam said. “I was really surprised that we could get eight creativelyopinionated people in one room and get it done so fast.” Aside from having joint members between the two bands, Kristen Wroten, violinist, keyboardist and vocalist for both acts, said that the first hint of the Dead Dawls was during January of 2013 when the three female vocalists from the Dawls recorded strings and back-up vocals on the Soldiers’ first full-length album. Soon after, in the summer of 2013, the two groups formed an intense bond and friendship after doing a weeklong tour together, which initially started the conversa-
photo By samuel prager | staff
The Dead Dawls, which is made up of Memphis’ own Dead Soldiers and Memphis Dawls, will be playing their debut show March 28 at the Hi-Tone. tion of doing some form-or-fashion joint project. “We (Dead Soldiers) recorded our full-length in January 2013, and I had asked the other Dawls to come in and sing back up and do strings on a couple of tracks. I suppose that was the first time we had collaborated at all,” Wroten said. This is a natural occurrence within the Memphis music scene according to Wroten who said that it is common for musicians to help each other and play alongside one another in the family-oriented music scene within the city. “Memphis to me has always been a family-oriented music scene. Everybody is always playing on each other’s records and everyone here is so good at working together and helping each other out,” Wroten said. “This project really represents Memphis to me in that way. This city is a musical family.” Although the feminine-Dawls and masculine-Soldiers both radiate separate auras within their own projects, together they form a harmonious-sound that hits all ends of the spectrum. “I feel like we mirror each other as groups in a way. The Dead Soldiers are a masculine energy, rowdy and fast, and the Dawls are the softer feminine side of the spectrum, but together we cover all of the bases. We just work well together,” Cole said. The group features six-part harmonies between the members from the Dawls and the Soldiers, producing an overwhelmingly impressive and nearly angelic atmosphere. “There will be between 10 and 12 people playing on stage at a time, but all of it makes sense and is one cohesive entity that we’ve been able to make work. I’m very excited about it,” Gilliam said. The music rings with the traditional sounds of the south, featuring Nashville-influenced riffs and catchy choruses, displayed with an impressive orchestral line-up that features
keys, strings, horns and percussion. “This small orchestra of musicians is a really interesting group of people all with unique voices and the sum of all of these people together have become a really interesting
musical force,” Michael Jasud, the primary vocalist and guitarist of the Soldiers, said. “I believe it will be a unique edition to Memphis-music landscape.” One of the two songs, “Suburban
Woman,” reflects upon the monotonous and repetitive lifestyle of living within the limits of comfort zones, primarily focusing on the redundancy of suburban living. “The song is about re-evaluating your redundant world. It is specifically referring to suburban mentality within the song, but anyone stuck within their own limits or world can reflect and re-evaluate why they’re their,” Cole said. Even though the two groups are very passionate about their new project, they said that this fusion is not meant to replace their separate projects, but they hope that the Dead Dawls will remain its own entity. “The intention is not to phase out our own projects. We always want to keep the Memphis Dawls and the Dead Soldiers,” Jana Misener, cellist and vocalist for the Dawls, said. “This is just another band—a different expression.” Although the groups will continue to focus on their own music, they said if the show goes well they may continue performing on an annual or semi-annual basis. “We are talking about making this an annual thing where we get together once or twice a year, but
see dawls on page 12
Step Up to a Higher Degree.
The University of Memphis Graduate School Recruitment Fair Thursday, March 20 · 1–6 p.m. Free GRE® Workshops at 2 & 5 p.m. Michael D. Rose Theatre at the U of M (Parking in the Zach Curlin Garage)
Apply to the Graduate School on the spot. Discuss financial aid, scholarships, accelerated bachelors/masters programs, and fellowship programs. memphis.edu/truebluefuture or 901.678.4212
The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 11
UNDECIDED ABOUT A MAJOR?
CONSIDER ENGLISH. We know that choosing a major can be difficult, so we encourage you to contact us to talk about your interests and learn what U of M’s Department of English can offer you. We have an exciting and varied set of courses and degree programs designed to help you fulfill your intellectual and career desires. English is the perfect major if you are interested in web design, technical writing, magazine editing, creative writing, children’s literature, the graphic novel, or teaching English around the world.
We offer six concentrations of study: African American Literature • Creative Writing • English as a Second Language Linguistics • Literature • Professional Writing
Other program offerings available to you include: • Accelerated Bachelors to Masters degree track • Online B.A. degree programs in African American Literature and Professional Writing • A dedicated Undergraduate Advisor to help you plan your English major courses • Study Abroad opportunities in Spain and the Czech Republic • Internship opportunities with established companies and businesses • Lectures & events that give you the opportunity to interact with internationally known writers and scholars To learn more about how a U of M degree in English can benefit you, please contact: Dr. Leslie Graff, Communications Coordinator, at (901) 678-4956, or email: ldgraff@memphis.edu. Visit our website: www.memphis.edu/english Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UOfMemphisDepartmentofEnglish Visit us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/umemphisenglishdpmt
12 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
www.dailyhelmsman.com
University to bring back Spring Fling By J.T. Mullen
news@dailyhelmsman.com The University of Memphis is bringing back a once highly anticipated event that went extinct. On April 12, students will once again celebrate the Spring Fling. The event will take place on the Alumni Mall and include an all-day music festival, a barbecue contest and a car show. Local musicians and performers will take center stage for most of the day, along with a headline performer who has not yet been announced. S t u d e nt G ov e r n m e nt Association President Ricky Kirby believes this will be a great event to bring students together. “The feedback I have been getting all year long is that we do not have any big events, and this will basically be a mini Memphis in May festival,” Kirby said. According to Kirby, the Spring
Fling fizzled away in the late 1990s due to a change in leadership and a lack of funding that left the event off of the priority list. SGA, Delta Vibe, the Commuter Student Association and the Student Activities Council are sponsoring the event. “I think it will give people an attachment to the University,” Kirby said. “It might even give them an incentive or push to get involved with these organizations.” Delta Vibe is in charge of choosing the music and musicians. Delta Vibe President Spenser Turney is confident the music will draw a big crowd. “We found a great variety of different types of artists, so we hope that everyone will be able to dance to something,” Turney said. “With the reach of the artists we have, it could potentially be huge.”
According to Kirby, during the 1980s and 1990s, the University’s Spring Fling averaged an attendance of around 6,000 to 7,000 people. He believes it was an event that should not have been taken away. “I think we lose traditions sometimes when leadership changes in organizations and the Spring Fling is something that never should have left,” he said. “It is something that used to be like homecoming.” Kirby said this year’s Spring Fling could easily be as big as those in the past. “I think that once the major artist is released people are going to be there,” he said. “I think we will break the 5,000 mark.” It is possible that the Spring Fling could become an annual event again, but it will depend on the turn out of this year’s event. “We are working to make this year’s event the best it can be,”
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Turney said. “If people go crazy, I’m sure there will be more.” Kirby believes this event will benefit both the students and the University. “This gives students a beneficial experience on campus and anytime you keep people on campus it helps with retention rates,” he said. According to Turney, not only could the Spring Fling event boost student involvement, but it could also serve as a creative and great way to get more students to come to the University of Memphis. “The Spring Fling creates such intense promotion for the University because of its reach,” he said. “Prospective students want to be a part of a campus community where Spring Flingesque events go down. It is an excuse to get together as students and be proud of a large scale event at the University of Memphis.”
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Dawls Page 10 we are very passionate about the two projects remaining separate entities even though we love how they melt together,” Wroten said. “Together they fuse into a different sound than what either band could do on their own and it’s just really neat to see how they come together.” After the show, the superband is touring the Northeast and the Southeast for two and a half weeks. “I couldn’t of predicted that we would’ve ended up doing this six months ago, but it’s something I feel could progress and we are all excited to see what happens with it in the future,” Jasud said. The Dead Dawls will be performing at the Hi-Tone on March 28 with Jimbo Mathus and the Tri-State Coalition. The show starts at 9 p.m. and is open to all ages. Tickets are $10.
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The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 13
SGA GENERAL ELECTION VOTE TUESDAY THRU THURSDAY MARCH 25-27 8 A.M. – MIDNIGHT
GO TO: HTTP://ELECTSGA.MEMPHIS.EDU FOLLOW THE “LOGIN AND VOTE” LINK Go to: http://electsga.memphis.edu SIGN IN WITH USERNAME & PASSWORD TO VOTE Follow the “Login and Vote” link Sign in with username & password to vote
FOR PRESIDENT: (vote for 1) Ricky Kirby (M.A.D.) Dominic Martini (A.S.A.P.)
FOR VICE PRESIDENT: (vote for 1) Jalen Griggs (A.S.A.P.) Prataj Ingram (M.A.D.)
Michael Barbour (M.A.D.) Phoebe Bauer (A.S.A.P.) David Blount (M.A.D.) Eric Bourgeois (M.A.D.) Melissa Byrd (M.A.D.) Fernanda Corral (M.A.D.) Ben Daniel (A.S.A.P.) Raven Douglas (M.A.D.) Amelia Durkee (M.A.D.) Madison Furr (A.S.A.P.)
AT LARGE: (vote for 18) Mary Garcia (A.S.A.P.) Christiana Giles (M.A.D.) Dallas Harness (A.S.A.P.) Shaq Goodwin (M.A.D.) Kevan Hatamzadeh (M.A.D.) David Knowles (M.A.D.) Winnie Law (M.A.D.) Mariah Martini (A.S.A.P.) Tevin McInnis (M.A.D.) Amber Nelson (A.S.A.P.)
Lainey Ortega (M.A.D.) Rachel Robilio (A.S.A.P.) Sara Rolin (M.A.D.) Shea Stock (A.S.A.P.) Kelsey Taylor (M.A.D.) Charles Uffelman (M.A.D.) Emily Vallor (M.A.D.) Greg Weatherford (A.S.A.P.) Katelyn Wooley (M.A.D..)
ARTS & SCIENCES: (vote for 5) Laitin Beechum (M.A.D.) Natalie Marking (A.S.A.P.) Johnny Holmes (M.A.D.) Rohan Pareek (A.S.A.P.) Harrison House (A.S.A.P.) Elizabeth Rapalo (M.A.D.) Alli Kingston (M.A.D.) Brady Tidwell (M.A.D.) BUSINESS & ECONOMICS: (vote for 2) Russell Copeland (M.A.D.) Caleb Lies (M.A.D.)
EDUCATION, HEALTH & HUMAN SCIENCES: (vote for 2) Karlee Fraizer (M.A.D.) Jalecia Miles (M.A.D.) NURSING: (vote for 1) Brooke Brown (M.A.D.) Ryan Wilcox (A.S.A.P.) GRADUATE SCHOOL: (vote for 3) Kanesha Johnson (M.A.D.) Jessica Rainer (M.A.D.) Andy Tomayko (M.A.D.) LAMBUTH: (vote for 2) Matthew Hammonds (M.A.D.) Renard Miles (M.A.D.) ACADEMIC COUNSELING (vote for 1) COMMUNICATION & FINE ARTS: (vote for 1) Emily Hayes (M.A.D.) Christian Hudson (M.A.D.) Tyler McBride (M.A.D.) ENGINEERING: (vote for 1) UNIVERSITY COLLEGE: (vote for 1) Carlton Randolph (M.A.D.) Hannah Scott (M.A.D.)
To believe or not to believe 14 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
www.dailyhelmsman.com
Skeptical students test local psychic By Hannah Bailey
news@dailyhelmsman.com Mankind has always been fascinated with the idea that the mind may be capable of possessing unique powers that are not related to the physical senses. Fortunetellers date back to ancient times in the form of oracles, prophets and seers. The earliest prophet recorded in history is The Oracle of Delphi — mentioned in correspondence when Roman Emperor Theodosius I demanded the end of pagan temples in about 395 A.D. The French apothecary and prophet Michel de Nostredame is another prominent mystic, often referred to as Nostradamus, who is noted in historical accounts and whose character frequently appears today in popular fiction. Modern spiritualism and the belief that spirits could be contacted by mediums stemmed from anecdotes of psychic powers and became popular in the mid-19th century. The new age movement that began in the 1970s gave rise to present-day psychic practices such as phone readings, psychic fairs and in-home readings. Paranormal abilities such as clairvoy-
ance, contact with the deceased, foreseeing future events and telepathy are the source of great deliberation among paranormal believers and skeptics. Although Kristeanna, a psychic in Memphis, can’t give a clear explanation of how her readings work, she does share some insight into what she takes from — and shares with — a person during a reading. “If someone seeks out my service then that is permission for me to look into their being, and I am able to see elements of their life that have shaped them and issues they are struggling with,” she said. “I see the past as it was perceived by the individual, I see in the present what they may need guidance with and I see the future as a means to give hope and encouragement.” Kristeanna, who prefers not to share her last name, sees her ability as an instrument to serve others. She noticed she was different as a small child when she talked to people who weren’t really there. Viewing this as a bad thing because of feedback from peers, as a teenager she thought she was crazy. “I started to meditate when I was 20or 21-years-old and was able to decipher what it really was versus what I thought
it was,” she said, on turning her ability into a career. She has been a practicing psychic and medium in Memphis for over 10 years. It started out as a side job while she worked as an ultrasound technician, but for the past six years being a psychic and medium has been a full-time gig. There is no scientific evidence or proof to back what Kristeanna does, and what countless others like her do, as valid. Many fraudulent psychics and mediums use tactics such as “cold reading” to create the illusion that they can psychically determine personal information about a client. A 27-year-old Memphian, who wishes to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the information, fraudulently practiced tarot card reading for one summer when he was 21 and living in Portland, Ore., as a financial means to support his heroin addiction. “I’m clean now, but at the time I charged people $20 to do a reading,” he said. “They all believed what I did was real. People who come for readings want to believe. They will latch on to anything that seems relatable or significant.” His short-lived psychic stint started when a woman asked him if he knew
anyone in the area who did readings. He replied that he did them himself. Before meeting with the woman the next day, he purchased a deck of tarot cards from a gift shop, read the instructions and did a bit of online research in tarot card reading, as well as basic cold reading tactics. Without any prior knowledge about a client, a cold reading done by a psychic combines observations of the individual’s behavior and characteristics with a series of guesses that are based on reasoning, knowledge of probabilities and use of generic ‘Barnum’ statements that are generally accepted by large groups of people as being true. Named after the showman and founder of the Barnum and Bailey Circus P.T. Barnum, Barnum statements appear to relate to an individual but in actuality could relate to almost anyone. For instance, the Barnum statement “You have a tendency to be critical of yourself” applies to just about anyone. In Paranormal Beliefs and the Barnum Effect, a report published in The Journal of Personality Assessment, research conducted on 128 college students established a correlation with an individual’s preexisting paranormal beliefs and a greater susceptibility to the
Barnum effect. There have also been studies conducted to prove the existence of paranormal abilities, such as the “seeing with the mind” notion of extrasensory perception, or ESP. Also called remote viewing, the U.S. government has funded scientific research conducted to establish the validity of ESP. Leading researchers on psychic functioning, Jessica Utts and Dr. Ray Hyman were appointed to evaluate the U.S. funded research conducted by the Stanford Research Institute and the Science Applications International Corporation, or SAIC. The study, called the Stargate Project, was conducted from the 1970s until 1995. In Utt’s report, an assessment of the evidence for psychic functioning, she found that “using the standards applied to any other area of science, it is concluded that psychic functioning has been well established.” However, Hyman’s report of the project contradicted Utt’s findings and further research was terminated. Another tactic used by many psychics is called hot reading. Hot read-
Coming Soon brought to you by the Student Event Allocation Committee
Your Student Activity Fee at Work
Festival of Colors
6th Annual Women's Conference
Thursday, March 20 12:00-2:00pm -- UC Alumni Mall Co-sponsored by International Student Association
Saturday, March 29 9:00am-3:30pm –University Center Ballroom Co-sponsored by P.A.U.S.E.
Service on Saturday
Persian Night
Saturday, March 22 8:30am -- Rose Theatre Co-sponsored by Students Advocating Service
Sunday, March 29 6-9:00pm – Rose Theatre Co-sponsored by Persian Student Association
Comedy of Dat Phan
Sumo Suit Competition
Thursday, March 27 6:00pm -- UC Ballroom Co-sponsored by Asian American Association
Wednesday, April 2 12:30pm -- UC Alumni Mall Lawn Co-sponsored by Asian American Association
Who Am I? For Women Who have Seen the Rough Side of the Mountain
Tour of Asia
Thursday, March 27 6:00pm -- Rose Theatre Co-sponsored by Active Minds
Thursday, April 3 6:00-9:00pm -- UC Ballroom Co-sponsored by Asian American Association
All events are free & open to all.
See you there!! for more information, visit http://www.memphis.edu/student_leadership/eventallocation.htm
see psychic on page 21
The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 15
Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree in PSYCHOLOGY Online, in the Classroom or a Combination of Both Quality Program
• Internships • Honors Program • Research Opportunities • Classes Taught by Renowned Faculty
Why Psychology?
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the increased demand for psychological services in hospitals, schools, social service agencies, mental health centers, substance abuse treatment clinics and private companies is expected to drive the need for more trained psychologists. “Want to learn what makes people think and act the way they do? Consider psychology as your major to learn about human behavior and much more.” Dr. Frank Andrasik Chair and Distinguished Professor “A psychology degree is versatile. Majoring in psychology can open the door to a wide variety of careers in business, education, law and the health sciences.” Dr. Helen Sable Assistant Professor and Director of Undergraduate Program
What You Can Study • • • • • • • •
Abnormal Psychology Thinking and Cognitive Processes Legal and Forensic Psychology Animal Behavior Child Psychology Alcohol, Drugs and Behavior Mind, Brain and Intelligence Industrial and Organizational Psychology
The Places You Can Go You can pursue people-oriented careers with the skills and knowledge you’ll gain by majoring in psychology. Our internship program will give you real world experience in a psychologyrelated field. A bachelor’s degree in psychology can also be a springboard to advanced study in psychology, other academic disciplines and many professional fields.
Some Graduates Who Benefited From a Major in Psychology
“The Psychology Department is a place where students, faculty and staff appreciate and encourage diversity of thoughts, perspectives and ideas in pursuit of human growth—creating a community where learning is exciting and fun.” Lawrence Houston III Doctoral Candidate Industrial/Organizational Psychology Pennsylvania State University
“I felt so welcome and supported when I changed my major to psychology, and I’ve had no regrets. The professors genuinely care about students, the advising center is always open to those in need and the environment is friendly and accepting. Becoming a psyc major was the best move I could make for myself and my career.” Meagan Cross Psychology Peer Advisor Supervisor Graduate Student, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
“The huge focus on technology development, conversational systems and artificial intelligence in the Psychology Department is truly unparalleled in the world. I use it daily as I invest in technology startups. My education will be valuable for a lifetime.” Eric Mathews Founder and CEO, Start Co.
For more information, please contact us at 901-678-2543 or email Marion Powless, undergraduate academic advisor, at mpowless@memphis.edu. Open advising is available daily in our Academic Advising and Resource Center, Psycadvise@memphis.edu.
16 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
www.dailyhelmsman.com
World-renowned guitarists to play at fourth annual Memphis International Guitar Festival By J.T. Mullen
news@dailyhelmsman.com Internationally renowned guitarists Lily Afshar, Aaron LargetCaplan and Rene Izquierdo will perform at this year’s Memphis International Guitar Festival April 4 through April 6 at the Harris Concert Hall in the music building on campus. The festival, which is hosted by the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music and sponsored by the Augustine Foundation, will include master classes, guitar competitions, a student showcase and a concert performance by one of the aforementioned guitarists each night. Lily Afshar, head of the University of Memphis’ guitar program, said she is very excited about this year’s festival. She believes it may be the best one yet. “Memphis is always promoting blues, jazz and rock,” she said. “This festival is all classical. It’s a great opportunity for people to hear live classical guitar music that they would never hear before otherwise.” John Oeth, one of Afshar’s students, is a 23-year-old master’s guitar performance major. “I am thrilled about the festival,” he said. “Not only do we get to hear amazing guitarists, we get to learn from them in master classes. Festivals also provide a community for guitarists that are often many miles apart.” The festival will kick off at 9 a.m., April 4 with a guitar competition. Non-professional guitarists of all ages can compete. Afshar, Larget-Caplan and Izquierdo will be the judges. The competition finals will be at 9 a.m., April 6. Participants must register online and pay a $20 fee by March 30. First place winner will receive a $700 award, second place will receive $350 and third place will receive $200. “This festival will be more successful than the past festivals because of the number of entrants to the competition which is already about nine or 10 people,” she said. “We are having more people from out of town this time around so the word is getting around. We have students from Milwaukee, Illinois, Kentucky and Memphis competing. Teachers are sending their students to the festival from out of town and I’m very happy about that.” Between competition days there will be a student showcase April 5 at 10 a.m. There will also be master classes each day of the festival from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Each of the renowned guitarists will teach a different class. Larget-Caplan will teach the class the first day, Izquierdo will teach April 5 and Afshar will teach a master class the final day. In each master class, students will perform
in front of their peers and the teacher and will receive feedback on how they play. Registration for the master classes must be completed online by March 30. Afshar believes this is a great way for students to learn and get tips on their technique. “In a master class everyone will be able to learn from the lesson taught to the student who performs,” she said. “They can also ask questions and interesting discussions may come up that would benefit all.” Afshar’s student, John Oeth will be taking part in one of the master classes as well. “I will be playing ‘Whirler of the Dance’ by Carlos Rafael Rivera in a master class with Rene Izquierdo,” he said. “The work was dedicated to Mr. Izquierdo, so I am sure he will provide amazing advice.” The nightly concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m. each night. Afshar will perform April 4, followed by Larget-Caplan’s performance April 5 and Izquierdo will perform the final night. According to Afshar, there will be a variety of pieces performed, including her own “original compositions by Persian and Azerbaijani folk ballads and other performers are playing world premiers from Spain and Japan, as well as some famous classical pieces by well-known composers.” Afshar said her and her students are very excited for the guest performers. “They are performing exciting and varied programs and my students are really looking forward to meeting them, hearing them play and getting instructions from them,” she said. Oeth said he looks forward to the concerts the most. “Although the artists have recordings, they do not compare to a live performance,” he said. “Being there is aurally and emotionally different.” Afshar believes this festival will help bring more students to the University as well. “Now everyone is more aware that classical guitar is active and present in Memphis and at the University,” she said. “It is going to bring many classical guitar students from other states to campus. It is great exposure for the University and the music school on both a National and international level. It is just one of many ways we promote the classical guitar program.” Festival passes can be purchased online. Three-day passes are $75 and individual day passes are $30 each. For more details, students can visit memphis.edu/ music/special/guitarfest.php “I want all students and general public to come and enjoy three days of classical guitar concerts and fall in love with the classical guitar,” Afshar said.
photo courtesy of Lily afshar
Lily Afshar, one of three world-renowned artists to perform at this year’s Memphis International Guitar Festival, April 4 to 6.
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The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 17
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COMMUNICATION
18 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
www.dailyhelmsman.com
IS CRUCIAL Clarissa Sidhom, concentration in Communication Studies, used her communication skills to found Authentic Womanhood Girls Ministries of Memphis.
Erica Roberts is putting her communication skills to work in the community, working as the adult learning coordinator for Literacy Mid-South and volunteering for community organizations.
Zac Woolfolk, concentration in Communication Studies, uses his communication skills as an Internet Marketing Strategist for RocketFuel, a website design company.
Sarah Kenney, concentration in Film & Video, completed a 5 month internship with the Jim Henson Company in Hollywood, and assisted on the set of Reading Rainbow recently.
WHY?
In every career, you need to be able to express yourself exactly, confidently, passionately. It’s about informing, entertaining, and moving an audience. Communication is the foundation for leadership in whatever your chosen field turns out to be.
WHY STUDY HERE?
Our dedicated, awardwinning teachers. Our compelling menu of courses. Our examples of successful graduates. We want you, the successful high school graduate and the new college student. We’re standing ready to give you a memorable experience in college and an enthusiastic start on the exciting, satisfying work you want to do.
Ryan Parker, concentration in Film & Video, is a multi-award winning director. His commercial clients include Toyota, Fed Ex, and First TN Bank.
WHAT CAN YOU DO HERE?
Major in the Department’s concentration that sounds most interesting to you – Communication Studies or Film and Video. Enter our annual public speaking contest. Volunteer at our Department’s campus radio station (WUMR Jazz 92 FM). Make a short movie for our annual student film festival (Focus Fest at Malco Studio On the Square). Pursue internships at some of the area’s most successful companies. Get to know our teachers, winners of Emmys, and Peabodys, and numerous academic awards.
Communication Studies focuses on: - Media & Culture - Rhetoric & Political Communication - Organizing & Relating
Film & Video focuses on: - Audiovisual Production - Screenwriting - State-of-the-art equipment
THE DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNICATION commdept@memphis.edu • 901.678.2565 www.memphis.edu/communication/undergraduate.php Find us on Facebook /UMemphisCommunication • Follow us on Twitter @UofMCOMM
Q and A with Tiger Baja The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 19
By Harrison Lingo
news@dailyhelmsman.com Some students are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Tiger Baja team outside of the Engineering Building, washing the dried mud and debris off of their custom-built dune buggy. Senior Arjit Purohit, junior Prakash Samuel, junior Scott Hunerwadel junior Trent Jenkins, sophomore Charles Collier and sophomore Drew Liberto invited a Helmsman photographer to accompany them on an outing to one of the Tiger Baja events. Daily Helmsman: What exactly is Tiger Baja? Arjit Purohit: The Tiger Baja team is sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers. Every year we have to build a new car or modify the old one enough to where we can use it again. That’s only for two years, then we have to build a new one from scratch. Next year we’re actually going to be building another one from scratch. DH: Why did you get involved with Tiger Baja? Trent Jenkins: It interested me because I’ve been a car guy pretty
photo By harriSon Lingo | Staff
The U of M Tiger Baja team shows off their dune buggies to their biggest sponsor, comp cams. much my whole life. Now I’m actually going to get the chance to lead the suspension side of our car. We’re modifying the front and rear control arms, and a new active rear-steer
system. Basically we just want to keep things interesting and try things we’ve never done before; things that could give us an edge in competition. DH: What is the team doing out
here today? Scott Hunderwadel: We’re here at Comp Cams today. They’re actually our oldest and largest sponsor, so it’s definitely good to come out here and
give back to them a little bit. AP: It’s actually the first time they’ve seen the cars since they’ve been our sponsor. SH: We’re also excited to get the new car ready for the competition that’s coming up in the end of May. Our main objective is to make it a little bit lighter, and improve performance at the same time. Weight is where you can pick up an advantage as far as speed is concerned. DH: Can you tell me a little bit about this competition? Prakash Samuel: At Society of Automotive Engineers Baja, we’re given these goals we have to meet to build this car, like role-cage specs, what kind of fire extinguisher you need, what kind of lights are needed, etc. Every team has to run the same exact engine and can’t modify it in anyway. There’s all kinds of terrain on the 4-hour endurance race; jumps, mud bogs, logs, tight corners, rock climbs and hills. The cars have to be able to survive that for four hours, and do it well. Out of 106 teams last year about fifty finished, and we were one of them. That was the first time Memphis has done that, so we were
see BaJa on page 20
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20 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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Baja page 19 pretty proud. DH: What’s your most memorable moment being a Tiger Baja team member? Charles Collier: Last semester, we went to a mini-competition against a few teams in Louisville, KY. I was on my second lap, coming around a curve. It was really dark outside, so I was basically playing follow-theleader with the car in front of me. He crashed into one the barrier tires on the track. I guess I got mixed up between the gas and the breaks, and, unfortunately, ended up running into the back of him. I was kind of in shock so I didn’t realize that my foot was still on the brake. The people trying to help move me kept pushing with no luck until I finally let off the brake. Nobody was hurt, but the crash ended up doing more damage to our car than to his. The adrenaline rush of us having to repair the car in the field was pretty awesome, I’d say. DH: Is there anything you’d want to tell some of the other engineering students who may be apprehensive about joining Tiger Baja? Drew Liberto: Do it! I just transferred from Mississippi State, and they didn’t even have a Baja team. It’s something that’s not at every school. If you want to do something in the automotive industry in the future, this is definitely the way to go. It’s almost like a full-time internship where you’re getting this hands-on experience with stuff that you’d be doing in the future.
photo By harriSon Lingo | Staff
The Tiger Baja team takes a private tour of their largest sponsor, comp cams’ facility.
photo By harriSon Lingo | Staff
Mechanical engineering senior arjit purohit (right) and mechanical engineering freshman Tyler Leppin (left) talk about the upcoming Sae competition in May.
art education art history ceramics graphic design painting photography printmaking sculpture
The U of M Department of Art provides depth of choice, successful professional faculty, challenging programs, and a supportive environment. Flexibility is a given and course offerings are many. Although The U of M is a major Mid-South university, you’ll be treated as a unique individual in our art department. In other words, you’ll get to know your teachers and fellow students, and a faculty advisor from your major discipline will meet with you individually to help guide your studies. Once you are here, you’ll discover the boundaries of art disciplines blur as you engage in contemporary issues, ideas, and new technologies. You may start out as a painter, later get excited about sculpture, and then, after taking a course in digital multimedia, integrate all three in an interactive video sculpture in our art museum. The discovery is yours. We hope you will discover the advantages The University of Memphis Department of Art provides. Please visit our campus and spend time with our students and faculty. It’s easy to arrange, and it would be our pleasure to show you around. Explore for yourself at: memphis.edu/art/ facebook.com/memphisisart facebook.com/FOGELMANCONTEMPORARY
The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 21
Psychic Page 14 ing involves using prior knowledge about the client gathered either through background research or an overheard conversation. University of Memphis health and human performance major Lindsey Smith and journalism major Micaela Watts sought out Memphis psychic Kristeanna after debating psychic validity among themselves. “I am very skeptical by nature and feel like psychics defy free will, which I am a big believer in,” Smith said. However, a recent blog post by Backbeat Tours claimed psychic Kristeanna was “the real deal” and sparked just enough intrigue to warrant a visit. The two students made an appointment with Kristeanna to meet March 5 at the psychic’s Cordova office. Watts and Smith entered the small room that contained a couch, a desk and a lamp. The unusually warm room could have belonged to any therapist if not for the neat stack of tarot cards sitting on the desk. Kristeanna offered the students water and explained how her readings work. “I am very straightforward and don’t sugarcoat things,” Kristeanna said. She also pointed out that because she does readings and is a medium, the two sometimes go hand in hand. In other words, a spirit may want to contact someone who sits down for a reading. She then instructed Smith to relax, close her eyes, hold the tarot cards in her palms and say her name to herself
photo By Hannah Bailey | staff
A University of Memphis student sat down for a reading by Memphis psychic Kristeanna March 5. three times. After prompting Smith to cut the deck, spread the cards and push seven cards her way, Kristeanna flipped them in a geometric pattern and began the reading. “The first thing that comes up with you is your strength and independence,” Kristeanna said. “You have a very hard edge about you.” This was true. In fact, Kristeanna proceeded to give insight into Smith’s character, past, present and future. She touched on family, relationships, career and health concerns. Watts appeared moved by the read-
ing. The students are close friends and she knew the psychic was dead on. Warily, Watts and Smith traded places from couch to desk. Watts went through the same motion with the cards — holding, cutting, spreading and pushing seven towards Kristeanna. “First of all, I get a really bad headache,” Kristeanna said. She clarified that the headache was not because of Watts — but because of the spirit coming through on the other side. “This person was very close to you,” Kristeanna said. “You may have had
your ins and outs, but that’s what siblings do.” Watt’s brother passed away in a car accident just over two years ago. She sat down for a reading not anticipating a connection with her deceased brother. The medium transported information to her through her brother who she could “hear very clearly,” according to Watts. Kristeanna told Watts the only thing he would change about his life was the period of time when they didn’t speak. Watts said he also shared very poignant information about their family, his funeral and clarified a couple of miscon-
ceptions that Watts had held regarding him before his passing. Throughout the readings, Kristeanna never asked questions, only the occasional, “Does that make sense?” It didn’t seem as if she fished for content either, Watts said. If not the “real deal”, Kristeanna is at least an impeccable reader of people’s personalities. Kristeanna knew Smith’s full name from an email prior to the appointment, and both of the students had public Facebook accounts. Although Kristeanna was unaware that Watts would be joining Smith for a reading, that public knowledge could have allowed her to use hot reading techniques on the close friends. “For her to nail down those sort of specifics, right down to the number and types of attendees at my brothers funeral, there’s not any explanation for that for me,” Watts said. “I have to just accept my reading as something I can’t comprehend or understand.” Watts admitted to having a more open mind to paranormal occurrences because of childhood exposure to different types of healing methods and spiritual practices not common to traditional ways of thinking. Smith on the other hand still remained a skeptic after her reading with Kristeanna. She confessed not feeling very different and believed the things Kristeanna said to her could have potentially been said to just about anyone. “But Micaela’s reading was really shocking,” she admitted. “I was still skeptical of it, but it was really shocking.”
TOP 10 REASONS to
Major in Economics 10
Students who major in economics score among the highest in the country on the LSAT.
9
You can major in economics in either the College of Arts and Sciences or the Fogelman College of Business and Economics. No other major on campus can claim that.
8 7 6 5
Economics majors have among the highest starting salaries of any college major.
If you rearrange the letters in “economics,” it spells “comic nose.”
The most common college major among the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies? You guessed it: economics.
Cate Blanchett majored in economics. Just sayin’.
4
We offer really interesting courses, like International Economics, the Economics of Poverty and Discrimination, Ecological Economics, Game Theory, Behavioral Economics, Urban Economics, the Economics of Financial Crises and the Economics of Vice.
3
You can follow in the footsteps of Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, an economics major who was the first African-American woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in the U.S.
2
You get to say things like “trickle down” and “prime the pump” in class.
1
Economics prepares you for a career, not just a job. We emphasize the application of critical thinking skills to understand realworld issues and problems. This is something that all employees value.
For information about U of M’s degree program in Economics, please contact Dr. William Smith, chair of the Department of Economics, at wtsmith@memphis.edu.
22 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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You, To a Higher Degree.
The baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in nursing at the University of Memphis are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington DC 20036, 202-887-6791.
Preparing leaders. Promoting health. Loewenberg School of Nursing 100 Billy Mac Jones | Memphis, TN 38152 | P: 901.678.2003 | F: 901.678.4906 | memphis.edu/nursing
The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 23
Tigers’ Ta es
“The price was right and I liked the availability of the arts.” Alisha Wroblewski, Art senior
“Location, convenience and diversity on campus.”
“I liked the cheaper tuition and the engineering program.” Armstrong Wilson, Electrical engineering senior
“I’m from Memphis, but we do have a better pathology master’s program.”
Justin Weathers, Philosophy and psychology sophomore
Katie Carnes, History junior
Why did you choose the U of M? By Jonathan A. Capriel
“Memphis has a great Army ROTC program, and I want to become an officer.”
“I chose Memphis because I love the city and I love the area.” John Prescott, Communications freshman
Filiberto Treviño, Civil engineering freshman
“I wasn’t on the roster and they said I could go home or go to ISS. I went home.”
“I wanted to stay close to home and I liked the sports program.”
Kevin Matos, Criminal justice freshman
Lynda Means, Psychology junior
“All of my closest friends live in Memphis.”
Jessica Ball, English sophomore
“I like their competitive scholarships.” Quang Tran, Bioinformatics grad student
How a Major in
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES CAN BENEFIT YOU If:
Then You Can:
• You’re interested in cultures & societies outside the U.S. • You want to broaden your world view & understanding of other perspectives • You enjoy learning from a variety of views and disciplines • You’re interested in or skilled in foreign languages • You’re interested in working in another country
• Develop analytical tools to access foreign cultures, languages, and political & economic systems • Gain valuable practical experiences through Study Abroad and international internships • Combine these experiences with the development of skills that will prepare you for government or private sector employment
Plus, you receive personal one-on-one mentoring and advising from an award-winning advisor “International Studies is one of nine degree programs that will put graduates on a faster track to making $100,000 a year within a decade. It gives students a wide knowledge base that can be applied to a diverse array of occupations in foreign services, business, journalism or market research.” - Monster.com
For more information about International Studies at the University of Memphis, please contact Dr. Robert Blanton, Director - International Studies Program, at (901) 678-2395 or email rblanton@memphis.edu
24 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Research scholarship to honor biology professor By David Creech
news@dailyhelmsman.com The Department of Biological Services has established the Bill A. Simco Graduate Research Scholarship honoring a professor who has been with the University of Memphis for over 40 years. The scholarship will amount to $1,500 and go to one graduate student per year. Students studying biological sciences will send their proposals to the department’s Graduate Studies Committee in order to be considered. Although Simco specializes in aquaculture — the cultivation of aquatic animals and plants — the committee will consider students within any field of biology. Graduate students wishing to apply must send in a research proposal listing what they want to research, why it is important and how it impacts the scientific community. Bill Simco began at the U of M
over four decades ago when the Biology Department emphasized teaching over research and only offered a master’s degree. “The main difference I’ve seen was the change from primarily being a teaching department to a research department,” Simco said. “When I came, I had a teaching load of about 20 hours a week, and now it is much less than that.” Since then, Simco was one of the founders of the U of M’s Ecological Research Center and still maintains his status as codirector. Simco also helped found the doctoral program in the Biology Department. Simco’s interest in aquaculture came from working in a graduate position at the University of Kansas. He began working with the culture of channeled catfish and fell in love with experimenting with them. “Catfish are a really great experimental animal,” Simco
Make sure that little bird in our ear is you. Send us your thoughts @dailyhelmsman.
said. “You can get them in any number and any size. They are quite tolerant of experimental conditions, sort of like an aquatic white rat.” Although Simco is fond of teaching and research, he believes that the most satisfying part of his career is his interaction with students. “It’s very fun to interact with students and watch them progress,” Simco said. “That’s why I teach.” A reception will be held Friday, March 21, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the University Center, room 340B. Food and drinks will be provided, and the first recipient of the Bill A. Simco Graduate Research Scholarship will be named. “I’m very honored to have a scholarship in my name,” Simco said. “I hope that every graduate student applies and that it will help support students and research for years to come.”
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Jackson Page 1 currently has 1,665 points in his career. Jackson sits at fourth in the record books in both assists (559) and made free throws (506). He is only the second player in school history to post more than 1,500 points, 500 assists and 175 steals, joining Tigergreat Elliot Perry. He got 18 of those points against SMU in his final home game, where the crowd seemed to roar a little bit louder than usual with each Jackson bucket. The Tigers won the game, but it didn’t come as easily as Pastner and company would have hoped. The seniors struggled heavily in the first half, and it was the underclassmen keeping the Blue and Gray afloat. But in storybook fashion, Jackson and Crawford led a second-half charge to give the Tigers a come-from-behind win on senior day over the Mustangs. The game mirrored the career of Jackson. Coming in a heralded recruit, he floundered at times during the first few years of his career. Few expected him to be a four-year guy at Memphis. They expected him to play a year or two then bolt for the NBA. Instead, he worked his way
through all the ups and downs, earning a couple of Conference USA Tournament MVP awards and Conference USA Player of the Year as a junior. “I’ve really learned a whole lot,” Jackson said. “It’s been great to play in front of my hometown, but we aren’t done yet. We still have the NCAA tournament.” This season wasn’t the year he hoped for either. He wasn’t an All-American or even a firstteam all-conference selection. However, Jackson has always understood when and where to flip the switch to start playing great, and it looks like it’s coming at the right time for the Tigers. The 18,182 fans applauding saw it coming. They saw him slowly rounding into form, but the applause wasn’t all about Jackson. The applause was about the idea of Joe. It was for Pastner and for the Memphis program. It was for the program’s ability to take a kid out of the inner city and help him become a leader and role model in the community both on and off the court. There is no doubt better basketball players than Joe Jackson will roll through Memphis, although not many. But, it will be tough to find a better man roaming the halls of the Finch Center and FedExForum in Tiger Blue.
The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 25
POLITICAL SCIENCE Things to know about the Political Science Department:
Student Success Stories:
• Great classroom experience with a dynamic, award-winning faculty teaching in the areas of American Government, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, International Relations and Public Law. • Numerous for-credit internship experiences: • Paid Legislative Internships in Nashville during spring semesters • Washington Internships • Administrative Internships at local offices and political campaigns (FBI, city government, law firms, local candidates running for office and many more) • Accelerated B.A./M.A. Program: • Undergraduate students with strong academic records can take graduate level classes and count 9 credit hours toward their undergraduate and graduate program. • Can reduce time to receive a B.A. and M.A. degree from six to five years. • Flexible curriculum allows students broad variety of choices and concentrations • Ideal preparation for careers in law, public sector, private for-profit sector, private non-profit sector, teaching and much more
John Marek (BA ’07, JD/MA ’11) first served as Associate Attorney at the City Attorney’s Office in Memphis. He later served as the Campaign Manager for the Steve Cohen Congress 2012 Campaign and is currently a staff member in Congressman Steve Cohen’s office.
Shannon Hayes (B.A. ’09) worked for two years for Day&Zimmermann’s Government Affairs Department in Washington, DC. She is now a law student at the University of Virginia Law School.
• The Department of Political Science has a great placement record for law school and graduate school. In recent years, our students have been accepted into law schools and political science graduate programs at such schools as: University of Michigan • University of Virginia • Emory University Indiana University • University of Illinois • University of Rochester Georgetown University • Penn State • George Washington University Tulane • University of Wisconsin and many more
Erica Christensen (B.A. ’09) received her M.A. in Global Environmental Policy from American University and serves as the Assistant to the Director of American University’s Center for Food Studies.
• Great Study Abroad experiences: • The Department of Political Science offers a Summer Study Abroad experience on “State Formation and National Identities in Europe” in London and Berlin. • Our students have won the Gilman International Scholarship sponsored by the U. S. State Department and other scholarships to study in countries such as Morocco, Germany, Egypt, Argentina and Spain.
For more information please call us at 901-678-2395, or e-mail Dr. Matthias Kaelberer, Chair, Department of Political Science, at mkaelbrr@memphis.edu.
Ryun Jackson (B.A. ’13) is currently enrolled in The George Washington University’s Semester in Washington Politics program. As a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Emerging Leaders Intern, Ryun works at the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Secretary Penny S. Pritzker.
Jonathan Bennett (B.A. ’12) was the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions during his undergraduate career. He published an article in the Pi Sgma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics, received a College of Arts and Science Travel Enrichment Grant to do research on his honors thesis at the European Union in Brussels and was one of five recipients nationally of the Marcus L. Urann Fellowship by the National Society of Phi Kappa Phi. He is now a Ph.D. Student in Political Science at the University of Rochester.
26 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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Vegan sisters encourage healthy eating in Memphis By Amber Williams
news@dailyhelmsman.com For Bretta and Belinda King, veganism is a business and, more importantly, a lifestyle. The two sisters own and run Two Vegan Sistas located at 6343 Summer Ave., #110. What originally brewed as a pipe dream in the young mind of Bretta King has blossomed into a restaurant with vegan-only options. In 1995, Bretta made the decision to cut meat from her diet at 25 years old, and, by 29, she ventured even further by becoming a fully devout vegan. “I’ve always been the different one (in my family),” Bretta said. She attended Spelman College and got her docterate in chemistry — an achievement some of her relatives either didn’t understand or support. But when it came to her eating habits, she was able to persuade her sister — turned — business partner to make the same commitment she made two years prior. “I’ve been a vegan for 12 years now,” Belinda said. “(Opening a restaurant) was my sister’s dream. I helped her out, and she inspired me, and it became my dream as well.” For years, Bretta was a teacher, and Belinda was in the Air Force. The likelihood of owning a res-
photo courtesy of two vegan sistas
Sisters Bretta and Belinda King turned their passion for vegan foods into a business. taurant seemed far-fetched. “There was a time when I felt like I would be teaching for the rest of my life,” Bretta admitted. Although she does still teach part-time at the University of Phoenix, cooking was always a passion for her. “I enjoy sharing food with
others. It’s a way for me to help their health,” she continued. After years of taking different classes and experimenting to learn how to cook tasty vegan meals, Bretta and Belinda launched Two Vegan Sistas, originally a catering company that delivered all of the meals.
They’ve been stationed on Summer Avenue for about a year where they offer a dine-in option. In addition to preparing meals for in-store customers and catering events, they also offer a meal plan. “I’m over-the-top, (and) I’m a very disciplined person. (When
I first became a vegetarian) I would sit for two to three hours at the beginning of the week and plan out and prepare everything I was going to eat for the week,” Bretta stated. They take that same idea and apply it to their customer’s needs. Each meal-plan is custom. August Williams has been eating at Two Vegan Sistas for about nine months, and he has been on their meal-plan for about seven months. “I’ve started seeing significant changes in my body,” Williams said. He became more aware of the food he put into his body after climbing flights of stairs at FedEx, where he works, and experiencing a tight burning sensation in his chest on more than one occasion. During his research for better eating, he stumbled across the King’s restaurant on Groupon. Now, every Sunday and Wednesday he picks up four meals to last him the duration of the entire week. According to Williams, it costs him $320 for 86 meals, which calculates to about $3.72 a meal, but the prices differ based on the customer’s tastes and needs. He stated that he invites people from work to the restaurant often.
see Vegan on page 30
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The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 27
Local performer pens children’s book By Patrick Lantrip
news@dailyhelmsman.com
photo courtesy of Renee smith
Renee Smith (right) as a young dancer studying under Nelle Fisher.
Renee Smith loves children. And with nine of her own and 18 grandchildren, she knows a bit about them, too. So that is why this self-described silly grandmother set out to write her inaugural children’s book with the help of one of her grandkids Lainie “Buggy” Joyner and her imagination. “Buggy and the Blue Frog” tells the story of a young girl named Buggy who tries to help her friend, the Blue Frog, fit in and make new friends. However, along the way, the pair learns about dealing with bullies, self-esteem and staying true to yourself. “I think that if you teach children from a young age how special and unique they are, and not to let people make fun of them, that
when they are teenagers they will respect themselves more and speak out against bullies,” Smith said. Smith, whose first calling was theatre and dance, always wanted to write a book, but she originally set out to write something more on an adult level on the topic of abuse. “I am a survivor of physical and verbal abuse, so that kind of put me in the same realm as the bullying,” Smith said. “I didn’t have that respect for myself, and didn’t feel enough self-worth to stand up for myself. I was a victim from the start.” Her experiences while in a 28-year-long abusive relationship inspired the former dancer to advocate against childhood bullying. “I want to help kids at a young age and to teach them not to be victims,” Smith said.
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While Smith ultimately decided to write a children’s book this time around, she hopes to eventually turn her original idea into a book or screenplay. “What I wanted to do with the adult book was eventually turn it into a movie,” Smith said. “It would be more like a ‘Lifetime’ movie.” Smith started dancing at the age of two in Georgia before moving to Memphis at five with her father who was a pilot for Southern Airways. “I was a cheerleader and several other things at school, but ballet was my life then,” Smith said. When she was young, she learned ballet under Nelle Fisher, who was a prominent Broadway dancer and choreographer in the 1940s and ‘50s. When she was a teenager, she first performed on television on a WKNO programed titled “Our End of the Attic” with Ray Edelstein. She later went on to perform for Front Street Theater and Pink Palace Theatre, which is now Theatre Memphis, with her sister before moving on to the Memphis Civic Ballet. She toured around the country with the Memphis Civic Ballet. Later in life, she performed professionally with the Memphis Opera Chorus and spent a decade as a member of the Memphis Symphony Chorus. Eventually, she took a job as a choreographer for the Memphis Beethoven Club where she worked with Ethel Maxwell. Smith remembers her time learning under Maxwell fondly. While Memphians may be more familiar with Maxwell’s husband who is the namesake of Early Maxwell Boulevard, Ethel Maxwell was a local celebrity in her own right who performed on Broadway with Oscar Hammerstein before becoming a professor of voice at Memphis State University for 35 years. Now at 62, in addition to her newfound role as an author, Smith is also the President of Reactor Services Inc., a corporation that does project management services for commercial nuclear power plants. Smith’s current husband founded the company with a partner, while Smith monitors the administrative side of the company. However, of all the things Renee Smith has done, whether it’s dancing, singing, writing, running with grandkids or running a company, there is one thing that always stays the same her life. “I’m used to action,” Smith said. “There is never a dull day.”
Send us your thoughts @dailyhelmsman #tigerbabble
28 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 29
Students ‘bike warp’ to Rocky Horror By David Creech
news@dailyhelmsman.com A University of Memphis student is leading a campus bike ride to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” on April 11. Lance Willinger II, a U of M student, is hoping to take students on a ride to the Evergreen Theatre to see the cult classic film. “I was searching the web for something fun that all of the study abroad/foreign exchange students that rent bikes from the Tiger Bike shop could participate in,” Willinger said. “I wanted them to have something memorable to take back.” Evergreen Theatre is located on Poplar Avenue, 4.1 miles from campus. Willinger hopes every-
one will meet in the Recreation Center at 11 p.m. He expects the ride to take about 30 to 40 minutes. Students should bring their own bikes, but Willinger believes any student that doesn’t own one take advantage the University of Memphis Tiger Bike Rental, which costs $35 a semester. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” premiering in 1975, has the longest-running theatrical release in film history. The film was usually shown at midnight in small theatres. The Evergreen Theatre helps keep this tradition by showing the movie at midnight on the second Friday of every month. The show has a cast of performers acting out the scenes, and the audience participates.
For example, members of the audience may yell at the actors or throw toast in the air. Ripley Neff, U of M sophomore English major, has been a cast member of the Rocky Horror Picture for over three years, starting out as Trixie but now plays Janet and Columbia. “I watched the movie when I was eight and I was obsessed,” Neff said. “I heard about auditions and I was very excited.” Neff enjoys the audience participation aspect, sometimes breaking character and laughing when an audience member screams a joke towards the actors. She believes that performing in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has caused her to become more confident in her body. “We get on stage in lingerie
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“I want to say that I feel sexy and majestic, but the truth is I simply feel arrogant,” Sumers said. “I feel very accomplished as Frank and there really isn’t much time to feel anything else.” Sumers believes that everyone should see “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with a live performance at least once in their lives. “It is a place where you can go and simply be yourself, with no one to judge you,” Sumers said. “Anything or anyone you want to be, you can be it. This is your life, your path and everyone else are merely your spectators. Don’t dream it, be it.” Students interested in participating in the bike ride should meet up at the Rec Center at 11 p.m. April 11.
Theatre
including four of which he wrote. Wearing a jacket and a Mario baseball cap, he explained why he chose Castro and Couter for “A Tree, a Dog, and an Ordinary Man.” “Every director looks for their favorite actors,” he said while gesturing to them. “It is not about who is talented or not. You need to work together like a basketball team. So when I throw the ball, these are the guys who will give me the alley-oop.” As their break ended, they went back inside and ran through scenes for two more hours. At five past 10 p.m., Castro said bye to the few cast members who remained and headed home to finish homework. According to him, the long hours are worth getting home late, because this is a “dream role.” “See actors play these characters on stage you say to yourself, ‘They are amazing and funny. I want to do that,’” he said. “Now I get to do it.” “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” runs April 17 through 19 and 24 through 29 at the U of M’s Theatre Building. Seats can be reserved in advance on April 1 by calling the box office at 901678-2576 or tickets can be bought online at their website memphis. edu/theater. Each U of M student recieves a free ticket with a student ID.
Page 9
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every month,” Neff said. “I think that’s why I never felt bad about my body growing up. It’s a very body positive experience.” Scott Sumers first saw “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in the late ’80s at a now closed theatre on Highland Street. He knew from the moment that Dr. Frank N. Furter threw back his cape that the movie would change his life. When the Evergreen Theatre started holding auditions for “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in 2010. Sumers auditioned and was originally cast as Brad Majors. However, before their first show, Sumers was asked to play Frank N. Furter instead. Sumers, a method actor, tries to become whatever character he’s playing.
troop Choo Choo Kids. Between rehearsing for scenes, he is often seen tapping in place. “The first time I saw Couter, he was on stage,” Castro said, seated next to his co-star. “I said to myself, ‘He can really dance.’” This will not be Castro and Couter’s first time co-starring together. The real-life best friends played central characters in the U of M production of “The Pillowman.” In New York, they had leading roles in “A Tree, a Dog, and an Ordinary Man,” a play written and directed by U of M graduate student Jung Han “Jay” Kim. While Castro and Couter talked outside the Theatre Building, Kim, now the assistant director for “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,” walked up, pulled out a chocolate bar and offered them a piece. “Jay likes to give his actors candy and cookies when they do good,” Couter said, laughing as he takes a piece. “He thinks it helps.” Born in South Korea, Kim grew up participating in political theater, which criticized North Korea’s human rights violations. With a degree in directing from Manhattanville College in New York, he has directed 11 plays
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30 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Class Page 1 ways he had never experienced. “That’s a pretty bold statement,” Collins said. “It takes a lot to change someone’s life.” Collins is no stranger to change. In 2011, he suffered a spinal cord injury while undergoing a heart transplant that left him paralyzed from the waist down, but you wouldn’t know he had gone through a traumatic experience from being in his presence. His big blue eyes light up at the sight of his fellow students. His smile stretches from ear to ear, exposing a sense of sincerity and openness that is rare on first encounters. His laughter is welcoming and calming. An avid Monty Python enthusiast, he is always cracking jokes. In fact, he may be compiled of nothing more than funny bones. While much of Collins’ life has been fueled by positive energy, after the surgery, that wasn’t the case. According to him, it took four to five days to fully understand what had happened during his surgery. “I went into a real bad pity party for a few days,” he said. “But I realized that whatever is going to happen, will happen. So, I came out of it. If I walk, I walk. If I don’t, I don’t.” At the age of 18, Collins told himself that he would always maintain a positive mindset. Through his surgery, he stuck to that ideal. Shadyac reinforced those beliefs. On the first day of class, as in all classes, Shadyac shared his course requirements. Students would watch movies and documentaries, and they would discuss them. No grades were given, but attendance was mandatory. The class was structured around a pass or fail system based on that attendance. In order to teach his once-a-week class, Shadyac travels by plane from California every week. He supplies dinner, which consists of pizza, and, on occasion, Gus’ Fried Chicken, so that students can get an enhanced cinematic experience. During the first class, Shadyac announced to the students’ surprise that at the end of the semester, he would be purchasing everyone in the class a bicycle. In 2007, Shadyac suffered an injury during a bicycle accident that left him with post-concussion syndrome. After significant rehabilitation, he donated much of his fortune to organize a homeless shelter among other charities. He then moved into a trailer park where he now lives with his dog Jack, who he adopted after finding in a dumpster while filming Patch Adams. “A bicycle changed his life,” Collins said. “Now everyone is thinking, ‘we’re gonna get bikes.’ I called my brother, daughter and mom to tell them.” According to Collins, his mother was perplexed as to what he could do with a bike. “My mom asked what I would do with a bike,” he said. “I said ‘I think you’re missing the point. This guy is giving of his resources. He’s been blessed and he wants to bless other people. Yeah, I can’t ride a bike and I probably wont get one, but that doesn’t lessen what the guy is doing.’” In the following weeks, Shadyac approached Collins at the beginning of class.
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Vegan
“He said, ‘Steve, I had a dream about you — it was all good, everyone had their clothes on,’” Collins chuckled. “He came up and got down on his knees to my level. He said, ‘You can’t ride a bike, right? Have you ever thought about one of those arm bikes? Let’s look into that.’” Collins rushed home to share the news with his wife Vicki. Mirroring her husband’s anticipation, she casually began attending the class with Collins here and there, experiencing Shadyac’s unorthodox teaching methods. After many visits, she began raising her hand and sharing her own personal stories. At the end of the semester, Shadyac not only purchased Collins a bicycle, but one for his wife, as well. In his garage at home, Collins’ old bike hangs on the wall like a symbol from a past life. According to him, his new custom built bicycle cost more than his first new car. When he picked it up from the Peddler Bike Shop, he rode it down Central Avenue and Highland Street to his home. “Four frat boys in a truck looked over at me and said, ‘Yeah, you go,’” he said, looking up at his old bike. “That hit me right here (in the heart).” Back in school to obtain a second degree, Collins is undecided about his major, but has many passions. He loves to cook, and rolls from his house to Kroger to pick up his groceries. Prior to returning to college, Collins spent much of his life in sales. Nearly 35 years ago, he graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in journalism. It currently hangs upside down in his bedroom, a true sentiment of his ability to always spark laughter at any opportunity. Above everything, Collins is a passionate songwriter. He has written 200 songs, but has only finished 20 of them. According to Collins, he is an “excellent songwriter, an adequate guitarist and a below average singer” – but that hasn’t stopped him from creating. “When you do that (write songs), you’ve got no problem in the world,” Collins said. “I love that feeling. I’m not a singer, but I write songs.”
Page 26 “They don’t know what vegan food tastes like. They’re so used to Burger King and McDonald’s,” he said. “I miss the Big Mac and Whopper to the point that I haven’t eaten them in seven months. Your body adjusts to healthier options. It recognizes good nutrition.”
Williams is a Christian and said that a plant-based diet is based on the bible. “I’m never going to leave it,” he said. It’s the customers like Williams who motivate the King’s to strive even harder. They wake up at 4:30 every morning to prepare all of their menu items and orders. “Even though it’s healthy, it’s affordable and it tastes good. We make eating healthy convenient,”
Bretta said. They are also embarking on a fundraising campaign entitled 4/4/14 in which they aspire to raise $40,000 for a food truck. To reward donations, they have implemented incentives. For $50 donations, they will award a free one week meal-plan. For $200, they will award a onemonth meal-plan, and for $1,000 a one year meal-plan.
see story on page 31
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Story Page 30 While he expected to learn more about shaping stories in class, he never anticipated that Shadyac would have made an impact on his life in such a way that would bring him back for a second semester. “I’ve never been in a class where you’re so involved with one another,” Collins said. “When you’re talking, you talk from the heart. You tell your fears. You tell what is going on this week. He’ll throw it right back at you. He’ll say, ‘You know, why do you think that happened?’ and give you a different perspective on things so you can take it out and help change and confront it.” For Collins, the Wednesday night gatherings are more than just going to class. They bring together a community. Fellow students go from being strangers to becoming friends. Having a deep relationship with his classmates is possibly one of the most significant aspects of Shadyac’s class – more so than receiving a bicycle. “To take the class just for the bike, you’re missing it,” Collins said with a catch in his throat. “You don’t know how meaningful it is to be the old guy in class and have 19 to 20 year olds come up and give me a hug. To be accepted, not for all of this, but for what I say.” Being inside of Shadyac’s classroom has radically changed Collins life outside of the classroom, as well. His reinforced positivity comes from lessons he learned in class. “I learned that everyone has a story,” Collins said. “The custodians at the school, they have a story. I look at people differently now. I say hello to those people. It used to be that I’d wait for people to talk to me. Now, I ask people how they are doing. I give people a smile, because who does that?” In Collins’ mind, he is frequently brought back to his first experience meeting Shadyac. “He makes you think,” Collins said. “During the first class, he asked what we were most afraid of. It took me a week to figure out the answer. I’m not afraid of dying, but I’m afraid of getting hit by a car.” Collins goes to class, doctor’s appointments and to Kroger all in his wheelchair. If it is raining, he packs an umbrella. If he has somewhere to be across town, he wakes up at 6:30 a.m. and rushes to the bus stop. He has been hit four times. Looking to the side of his chair, he points out scraped paint where a Chevrolet Lumina swiped him while the driver was not paying attention. “I’m in the process now of trying to get a sponsor from Go-Pro,” he said. “I’d like to tell my story of my every day life when I’m rolling down Central and there is a big crack in the sidewalk and I have to go over that. There are places on Poplar that if I go on the north side of the street, I’ll have to actually go in the street because I can’t get around or there isn’t a cut out. If I go on the south side, it is much worse because they don’t have a cut out and I have to go against traffic. It drives my wife nuts.” Overall, Collins believes that while losing the ability to walk was literally life changing, he still maintains the same outlook he had prior to the incident. “It’s a life changing experience, because I’m alive,” Collins said. “But I don’t think it’s changed me. I’ve still got
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 31 the same personality. I still laugh at stuff. I find humor in everything.” Collins suffered an incomplete spinal injury, meaning that he could potentially walk again at some point in his life. If he were to have suffered a complete spinal cord injury, such as breaking his neck, he may not have been able to operate a wheelchair. “If you have an incomplete injury, there is still hope,” Collins said. “Blood will eventually go to the nerves and help you walk again. Physically, although I have atrophied over the past two years, I could walk.” For Collins, the most important aspect is to keep looking forward. According to him, there is no sense in keeping his head in the past. When he is running errands in his electric wheelchair, he is reminded that he is still part of the world. “I don’t feel sorry for myself, so why should anyone else feel sorry for me,” he said. “Look at this machine. This is a $13,000 machine. I roll from my house to the University, about a mile. I roll across poplar. I’ll die at Poplar and
photo By Harrison lingo | staff
U of M student Steve Collins spends his free time writing songs that he plays on the guitar. Here he plays his song titled, “Big Ass Back on Home.” Highland, no question about that.” In Collins’ bedroom, a hand painted sign that reads, “it takes as long as it takes” hangs high on the wall. A gift given to him by his daughter, it
serves as a purpose statement of positivity that resonates through his every day experiences. “The bad news is I had a heart transplant, I have a spinal chord injury and
I’m in a wheelchair,” Collins said. “The good news is I had a heart transplant, I have a spinal chord injury and I’m in a wheelchair. If it gets better, that’s great. If it doesn’t, I’m fine with that.”
Become more involved on campus and develop your leadership skills. Student Leadership & Involvement has some exciting leadership development opportunities for you!
LeaderShape® Institute
This is an intensive, energizing, integrity-based educational experience designed to equip young adults to become extraordinary leaders. Limited to 50 students, this program has a curriculum that is presented by a group of facilitators who are able to serve as excellent role models for the participating students. The next session of The LeaderShape Institute at the University of Memphis is May 11-16. Applications can be found at: http://bit.ly/1cytwWR Applications are due Friday, March 28
Lunch with a Leader
This casual, informal lunch enables students to network with peers & high-level professionals from the Memphis community, who provide perspectives on what it means to lead in any profession, including skills students should acquire. FREE lunch is provided first come, first served. No application is required.
Tomorrow, March 20 @ 1 p.m. in UC Poplar Room (308) Speaker: Nancy Williams, Former Executive Director of Child Advocacy
Monday, March 24 @ 1 p.m. in UC Shelby Room (342) Speaker: District Attorney General Amy Weirich
President’s Leadership Recognition Award Nominations
The University of Memphis President’s Leadership Recognition Awards ceremony will take place Sunday, April 17. The ceremony will honor students, advisors and registered student organizations for exemplary leadership and service on campus and in the community during the 2013-14 academic year. The online nomination applications are available now. Descriptions of the awards and the online nomination applications can be found at http://bit.ly/1f8x7pi. Nominations are due Friday, March 28 @ 4:30 p.m. Nominations will be accepted in the following categories:
Individual Awards Respect and Civility • Distinguished Service Omicron Delta Kappa Outstanding First Year of Involvement Dr. William E. Porter Advisor of the Year • Student Leader of the Year Award
Organization Awards Phoenix • Excellence in Service • Collaboration Award Most Spirited Organization • Program of the Year • Organization of the Year For more information on these programs, contact Kay Barkoh at kbarkoh@memphis.edu or 901.678.5707
32 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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Rally Page 1 U of M marching band — the Mighty Sound of the South — and Pouncer, the University’s mascot will provide the entertainment. Food and drinks will be provided to attendees, and, for those wanting something stronger, a cash bar will be available as well. There will also be a prize giveaway. Joe Biggers, director of Alumni and Constituent Relations at the Alumni Association, is proud to support the Tigers’ championship bid. “We’re excited to be in the tournament, and we’re excited to do our part to bring the Tigers to victory,” Biggers said. Along with the pep rally in Raleigh, basketball fans can gather to watch the action unfold at watch parties taking place around campus and around the city. The Blue Crew and Student Leadership and Involvement will hold a watch party in the University Center Ballroom at 5:30 p.m., while the Luther C. McClellan Black Alumni Chapter will hold their own watch party at the Fox & Hound at 5101 Sanderlin Rd. at 5:30 p.m. Watch parties are being organized all over the country as far as New York City and Denver, Colo., for Tiger fans who aren’t in Memphis. For a full list of watch parties both in Memphis and out of town, visit the Alumni Association’s website. Lamar Chance, assistant director of athletics communications for the men’s basketball team, explained just how important it was for Tiger fans to root for the team. “The pep rally and watch parties are great for the fans, who can connect with other fans to cheer on the Tigers,” Chance said. “It’s great support for the team, as well. It gives them a lift to know the whole Tiger Nation is behind them.” Tipoff is at 5:55 p.m. The Tigers are seeded 8th in the East Region with a 23-9 record. The Colonials are seeded 9th, with a 24-8 record. This will be the Tigers’ 26th NCAA tournament appearance and its fourth under Josh Pastner. In 2013, the Tigers made it to the round of 32 before being beaten by Michigan State. The winner of this game will go on to play the winner of the game between Virginia and Coastal Carolina, also scheduled for Friday.
Send us your thoughts @dailyhelmsman #tigerbabble
photo courteSy of aLumni aSSoSciation
Tiger fans gather to cheer on the team. There will be a large pep rally in raleigh, n.c.
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Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 33
Supply Chain Management and Marketing SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Ever wondered how a bag of potato chips actually ends up in your hand? Well, here’s a simple way to understand: Supply Chain Management and Marketing. Things like growing the potatoes, turning them into chips, getting them into bags and then to the store are all parts of Supply Chain Management. The brand name of
MARKETING
the chips, the design of the bag and the advertisements used to sell the product are just a few aspects of Marketing. The Bottom Line: These two disciplines are vital for products we use every day. And they are both interesting areas to study, and offer lots of career opportunities. Want to learn more? Visit us at mscm.memphis.edu or call 901.678.2667.
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National
Investigators comb scene of deadly chopper crash By Manuel Valdes and Phuong Le Assosciated Press
SEATTLE — A news helicopter crashed into a street and burst into flames Tuesday near Seattle’s Space Needle, killing both people on board, badly injuring a man in a car and sending plumes of black smoke over the city during the morning commute. The chopper was taking off from a helipad on KOMO-TV’s roof when it went down at a downtown intersection and hit three vehicles, starting them on fire and spewing burning fuel down the street. Kristopher Reynolds, a contractor working nearby, said he saw the helicopter lift about 5 feet off the low-rise building before it started to tilt. The chopper looked like it was trying to correct itself when it took a dive. “Next thing I know, it went into a ball of flames,” Reynolds said. Witnesses also reported hearing unusual noises coming from the helicopter as it took off after refueling, said Dennis
Hogenson, deputy regional chief with the National Transportation Safety Board in Seattle. They said the aircraft then rotated before it crashed near the Seattle Center campus, which is home to the Space Needle, restaurants and performing arts centers. Mayor Ed Murray noted the normally bustling Seattle Center was relatively quiet at the time. Had it been a busier day, “this would have been a much larger tragedy,” he said. Murray added the city will review its policies about permitting helicopter pads in response to the crash. Investigators were working to document the scene and clear the wreckage, and will examine all possibilities as they determine what caused the crash, Hogenson said. A preliminary analysis is expected in five days, followed by a fuller report with a probable cause in up to a year. Only the helicopter’s blue tail end could be identified among the wreckage strewn across the street. KOMO identified the pilot as Gary Pfitzner, of Issaquah. Also killed in the crash was Bill Strothman, a former longtime
KOMO photographer. Both men were working for Cahokia, Ill.based Helicopters Inc., which owned the Eurocopter AS350 helicopter. The aircraft was leased jointly by KOMO and KING-TV. Firefighters who arrived at the scene before 8 a.m. found a “huge black cloud of smoke” and two cars and a pickup truck engulfed in flames, Seattle Fire Department spokesman Kyle Moore said. Fuel running down the street also was on fire, and crews worked to stop it before it entered the sewer, Moore said. An injured man managed to free himself from a burning car and was taken to Harborview Medical Center. The man was on fire, and a police officer helped him to the ground and put out the flames, police spokeswoman Renee Witt said. Richard Newman, 38, suffered burns on his lower back and arm, covering up to 20 percent of his body, hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg said. He was in serious condition in the intensive care unit and likely will require surgery, she said. Two others who were in cars
that were struck by the helicopter were uninjured. One of them, a woman, went to a police station and talked to officers, while a man from the pickup walked to a nearby McDonald’s restaurant. Police later located him unhurt. Murray said the crash site could be closed for three to five days while officials with the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration probe what happened. Only the helicopter’s blue tail end could be identified among the wreckage strewn across the street. Lewis said it wasn’t the regular KOMO helicopter but a temporary replacement for one that is in the shop for an upgrade. KOMO is a block from the Space Needle and is surrounded by high-rise office and apartment buildings. Workers at the station rushed to the window when they heard the crash. KOMO reporters were then in the position of covering their colleagues’ deaths. One of them, Denise Whitaker, said on the street shortly after the crash: “It is definitely a tragic scene down here. It is a difficult time for all of us this morning.” News anchor Dan Lewis
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described Strothman as someone “who really knew how his pictures could tell a million words.” “He was just a true gentleman,” Lewis said on the air. “We’re going to miss you guys. And thanks so much for all that you gave to us.” The Strothman family said in a statement that the former KOMO photographer was a “great man, a kind soul, a devoted husband, a loving father and brother.” The Seattle Monorail, which runs about 50 yards away, was operating Tuesday morning and passed the scene about 15 seconds before the crash happened, said Thomas Ditty, the monorail’s general manager. Other cities have experienced helicopter crashes as TV stations rush to cover the news from above major cities. Two news helicopters collided in midair in Phoenix in 2007 as the aircraft covered a police chase, sending fiery wreckage plummeting onto a park. Four people in the helicopters were killed. The crash prompted changes at the stations in how they operated their helicopter crews.
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If you answered yes to these questions, then consider becoming a professional educator. Here are reasons why a major in TEACHER EDUCATION will help you reach these goals: The University of Memphis has been named among the NATION’S BEST in elementary and secondary teacher preparation programs in U.S. News & World Report’s Teacher Prep Review (June 2013). Our Teacher Education program is NATIONALLY ACCREDITED and implements the Ready2Teach model in which candidates: » Engage in authentic activities that relate directly to real-world teaching in today’s schools » Complete a current course of study emphasizing practical aspects of becoming a teacher including: Common Core, Formative Assessment, Differentiated Instruction and using Classroom Assessment Data to Make Instructional Decisions » Integrate state-of-the–art technology into lessons » Complete a one-year Residency with the most highly rated teachers » Graduate READY TO TEACH FROM DAY ONE!
To learn more about becoming a PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR, come by Ball Hall 202 for more information, and check out the following resources: Website: www.memphis.edu/tep/index.php Facebook: /UofMTeacherEd Twitter: #uofmteachered
36 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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Sports
From the water cooler to the sports desk By Corey Carmichael
sports@dailyhelmsman.com One of the most common ways to start a conversation is to talk about sports, especially in Memphis where Tiger fans are easy to find, especially in the middle of basketball season. But at WUMR 92 FM University of Memphis students get to talk about the Tigers behind the microphone. WUMR is the school’s syndicated radio station that features a lineup of jazz programs and sports talk shows. One of their shows, “Sportsdesk,” gives student volunteers an opportunity to voice their opinions on the Tigers, Grizzlies and other relevant sports stories. The show, which airs every weekday from 8:35 a.m. until 9 a.m., is one of a dozen or so student-run programs at the 25,000-watt station located in the basement of the Theatre Building. The station is always looking for new on-air talent. The sta-
tion’s production director John Hardin encourages all students to volunteer and learn how the station works as well as something about themselves. “You don’t get fired here,” Hardin said. “If you mess up, it is not the end of the world. In media and journalism, everybody has their own style. You can figure out your style here, and WUMR helps you cultivate that.” At WUMR, students are able to run their own show after a few training sessions where they shadow one of the station’s veterans until they get comfortable working with the equipment. Hardin said working at WUMR offers a number of skills students would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. “Radio is different than any other medium,” Hardin said. “Here at WUMR, there is jazz and learning how to talk on a broadcast, you can learn how to be a disc jockey, as well as running a news program.” With the station’s sports talk shows, training runs much the
Courtesy of WUMR
Stuart Settles, a junior at the U of M, works on a live-game broadcast for WUMR. Settles said the station is always looking for more people to help make their broadcasts great. same way. Sports director Jacob Woloshin helps develop new onair talent and teaches volunteers how to operate the equipment. “At other places, most interns will be doing sports updates, writing their own updates and presenting them live on the talk show,” Woloshin said. “Here you
can step right in and contribute. The night before the show we give a broad schedule of what you need to learn about. Anything that seems relevant or something that people will be interested in is what we’ll talk about.” Along with running equipment, new volunteers learn the
ins-and-outs of the broadcast, including how to transition into commercials, how advertising works and broadcasting rules and guidelines. There are opportunities for both on-air talent and producers. One of the “Sportsdesk,” show hosts Stuart Settles said there are plenty of opportunities to learn about radio, but producers are some of the more sought-after candidates. “Try to do behind the scenes work,” Settles said. “It is hard to get a job on the air, but we always need people to produce our shows. It is important to get started, and we are always trying to hire producers.” In addition to the sports talk show, WUMR broadcasts live play-by-play of the men’s and women’s basketball home games as well as home games for the football team. The live on-air experience can be invaluable, according to Hardin. He added that Memphis is as good a place as any to get immersed in the growing sports media culture.
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The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 37
Odds against Tigers to make deep run By Austin Reynolds
sports@dailyhelmsman.com With a multitude of seniors and talented incoming freshmen, preseason expectations were high for the University of Memphis men’s basketball team. But now, with the Tigers receiving the eighth seed in the East regional, the odds don’t favor Memphis to make a run to the Sweet 16 or beyond. Memphis head coach Josh Pastner graded the Tigers’ regular season as a B, but he acknowledged that what is done in tournament play is more important in the eyes of many. “It says ‘the road to the Final Four.’ It does not say ‘the road to the regular season,’” Pastner said.
photo By david c. minKin | SpeciaL to the daiLy heLmSman
Memphis head coach Josh pastner has previous experience in the eight-nine game. his Tigers lost just two seasons ago to eighth-seeded St. Louis. “I think for media, fans they’re gonna say ‘Hey, you gotta get
to the second weekend.’ I think that’s fair. Let’s do it. Let’s get to
the second weekend. We’re good enough to do it.”
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It can be argued whether or not Memphis is good enough to make it to the Sweet 16, but the one thing that is set in stone is that the odds are not in their favor. Since the NCAA tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the 116 winners of the firstround games between eighth and ninth seeds have advanced to the Sweet 16 just 15 times. While few teams make it past the top seed they have to play in the second round, the teams that do have fared quite well. Of the 15 to make the Sweet 16, eight continued on to the Elite 8, five made the Final Four and two made it to the championship game. The only team to win a championship as an eight or nine seed was eighth-seeded Villanova in 1985, which coincidentally took down the second-seeded Memphis State in the Final Four. Eight and nine seeds have found success in recent years. In the 2013 tournament ninth-seeded Wichita State went all the way to the Final Four before falling to eventual-champion Louisville by only four points. In 2011, eighth-seeded Butler made the championship game where they were finally defeated by Connecticut. The U of M has been seeded eighth or ninth two other times since the tournament expansion in 1985. The Tigers were an eight seed in 2012, losing to ninth-seed St. Louis in the first round. The other time was back in 1988 when Memphis was a nine-seed and took down eighth-seeded Baylor before being defeated by Purdue in the round of 32. Senior forward David Pellom said the Tigers are ready for the challenge, but he thinks they would have been seeded higher if not for the blowout loss to UConn in the U of M’s first game of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. “The night we lost to UConn the worst thing about it was getting the eight, nine, 10 seed,” Pellom said. “If we would have won the tournament we would have been possibly the two, three, four seed, and that would have been fine with us as well. But the worst case for us to get an eight or nine seed, play George Washington then facing the winner of (Coastal Carolina) or Virginia. It’s gonna be a tough battle, but we’ll be prepared.” One-seed Virginia is the toughest obstacle in the Tigers’ path on the road to the Sweet 16, but for the U of M to get a shot at the Cavaliers they’ll have to win their opening round matchup first. The Tigers start tournament action Friday against the ninthseeded Colonials in Raleigh, N.C. Tipoff is set for 5:55 p.m., and TBS plans to broadcast the game nationally.
Memphis Roller Derby skates on 38 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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By Omer Yusuf
sports@dailyhelmsman.com
Emily Ward attended a friend’s Roller Derby game four years ago. While she expected to be just another attendee among the many Memphians, she was challenged to try the sport. Ward, who works as an eye doctor assistant by day, is now known in the Derby circuit as Midtown Mauler. Nicknames are often used to give skaters to form an alter-ego persona. Before she joined the Memphis Roller Derby, she had no previous experience playing sports and didn’t even know how to skate. “A lot of people (on the team) played sports, and learning how to skate was difficult,” Ward said. “It was also hard balancing (roller derby) with working full-time and going to nursing school.” Memphis Roller Derby has been around since 2004 and is a member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. There are two types of teams in roller derby — a home team who skates at least once a week and a travel team who skates at least two nights a week plus travels. The first roller derby game was
photo By Joey Miller
Memphis Roller Derby teammates Leander “Cherry ‘The Queen’ Brawler” Urrutia and Brooke “Brooken Bones” Gettys fight off a Charlottesville skater in a recent bout, Saturday night.
played in 1935 in Chicago and now there are over 12,000 clubs nationwide. Roller derby is played in two 30-minute halves and is five-onfive with both teams skating in the same direction.
Inside the halves there are two-minute “jams” in which a team will pick a designated player and they will attempt to lap the other team to score more points. Ward said that one of the great things about being in roller derby
is seeing a lot of new places. “Roller derby basically helps you travel to other cities,” Ward said. “We just got back from Charlottesville, Va., and we are going to Dallas in a couple of weeks. It’s exciting.”
Another aspect of roller derby is that there is always a new challenge, like a video game, in the fact that if someone finishes one level there is always the next one, according to Ward. She also said that the physicality sneaks up on you, because when you are learning the sport you also have to learn the different strategies that come with playing it. One time, Ward broke her leg, specifically her left fibula, and it took her out of the game for three months. Noting that hindsight has 20/20 vision, she thinks it was a good thing. “I learned a lot about coaching (roller derby) and now I coach a home team,” Ward said. “It’s so different, because you have to learn to not watch the game, but watch ‘something else’ and constantly adjust as you see fit.” Ryan Zulkiewicz, who goes by Cleveland in the derby, is a head referee for Memphis and WTFDA. “I love the culture, the empowerment of women, the women run the league and fundraise for it,” Zulkiewicz said. “To physically be able to score and stop the opponent from scoring is (very exciting).”
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See more by visiting www.memphis.edu/law
The University of Memphis
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 • 39
Tiger guard exceeds expectations as freshman By Austin Reynolds
sports@dailyhelmsman.com Freshman guard Breigha Wilder-Cochran has no shortage of accolades from her freshman campaign on the University of Memphis women’s basketball team. Her list of achievements includes breaking the Memphis freshman assist record with 122 dimes and being named to the American Athletic Conference all-freshman team. Since suiting up for the Tigers, Wilder-Cochran has blown away expectations, including her own. “I had no clue it would be like this,” Wilder-Cochran said. “I knew I would come in and give my team quality minutes and play my role to the best of my
photo By Brandon Caradine | staff
Memphis freshman guard Breigha Wilder-Cochran had a record-breaking debut season for the Tigers. She posted 122 assists, a program high for freshmen. ability. Whatever I was needed to do I was gonna do it, but I didn’t expect to come in playing this
many minutes and coming up and putting in some of the stats that I’m putting up.”
However, she nearly never became a Tiger. Wi lder-C o chran or ig i-
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nally committed to play at the University of South Alabama. “(South Alabama) was only like three hours away from my home, which would allow my parents to come up to games,” Wilder-Cochran said. “When I went down there, the campus was nice, the living area, the coaches, the players, I fell in love with them.” She said she thinks she would have committed to Memphis, but the Tigers found themselves without a scholarship to offer Wilder-Cochran. Memphis tried to find a way to get her on campus, but WilderCochran committed to South Alabama because the risk was too great of not having a scholarship at Memphis. In the end, everything worked out. The Tigers freed up a scholarship, and South Alabama head coach Rick Pietri was fired, sending Wilder-Cochran back to Memphis. Wilder-Cochran started 20 of the 30 games she played this season, averaging 29.9 minutes per contest. She averaged 7.9 points, 4.2 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. Her 4.2 assists were tied for third in the American. Memphis head coach Melissa McFerrin said she liked WilderCochran in high school, but she didn’t expect this kind of production. “She came from a very good high school program,” McFerrin said. “We liked her body. We thought her body was ready to go. I don’t know that I would have expected when we recruited her that she would be playing 30 minutes a game. To McFerrin, Wilder-Cochran’s impact means more than the numbers in the box score. “She’s been very steady and takes care of the basketball,” McFerrin said. “She’s been a real mainstay for us defensively.” While her freshman season has been a success, Wilder-Cochran acknowledges that there are multiple areas of her game she’d still like to improve upon. “Just being more of a consistent scorer,” the freshman guard said. “Working on my jump shot, working on finishing at the rim and bettering my free throw percentage.” Next season will provide Wilder-Cochran ample opportunity to continue improving with two senior guards graduating in the spring. Her role will continue to expand, and McFerrin and the Tigers hope her skill set will expand as well.
Keep up the chatter. @dailyhelmsman #tigerbabble
40 • Wednesday, March 19, 2014
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11 THINGS ABOUT U OF M’S YOU SHOULD KNOW
journalism department 1 2 3 4
We have an experienced faculty that has won several University awards for outstanding teaching and student advising.
We provide personalized assistance in helping you through your academic career. You are assigned a specific faculty adviser who helps chart your particular course of study (TV, newspapers, magazine, Web, public relations or advertising).
Small Class Sizes. Our skills classes are limited to 16 students to enable one-on-one individual attention.
We are home to The Daily Helmsman, the independent, student-run newspaper that serves The University of Memphis. The Helmsman publishes four days a week and is the winner of many national awards for reporting, and its editor has been named College Journalist of the Year five times by the Southeast Journalism Conference.
5 6
Our public relations program is one of only 13 nationwide that is certified by both the Public Relations Society of America and the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. Our advertising students gain valuable real-world experience by annually participating in national collegiate competition, creating and presenting a comprehensive advertising campaign for a Fortune 500 corporation.
7
Our student chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, Public Relations Student Society of America and the American Advertising Federation provide you an opportunity to develop your personal leadership skills, enable you to network with local professionals in the field, and help you prepare for your career.
8 9
Our #GoPro Mentorship Program provides one-on-one guidance, direction and advice from local working professionals in news, public relations and advertising. You can apply to participate in this program as early as your sophomore year.
Our department is home to The Teen Appeal, the Memphis citywide high school newspaper produced in partnership with Shelby County Schools, Scripps Howard Foundation and The Commercial Appeal. This program helps many city-area high school students develop their writing skills and serves as a catalyst to their pursuing journalism higher education.
10
You Can Study Abroad – Interested students can apply for a three-week journalism-credit course offered each May through the Department’s relationship with a university in Mainz, Germany. Journalism Study Abroad scholarships are available to students who qualify.
11
A job in Journalism awaits you. Almost 75% of our baccalaureate graduates responding to the most recent three-year study reported they are working in journalism (news, public relations and advertising).
featured student success stories:
“I wouldn’t have been hired by a top 30 newspaper had it not been for the attention and training I received within U of M’s Department of Journalism. My teachers made sure I was learning real skills and encouraged me to work on The Daily Helmsman, where I practiced real journalism every day. I formed wonderful relationships with the faculty.”
“Once I was engaged in the public relations concentration, I had a clear idea of where my career would go after college. The program helped me figure out my strengths, weaknesses and more importantly, gain the passion and confidence I would need to be successful.”
“U of M’s Department of Journalism has a strong commitment to preparing students for careers in communication. The department provided several networking opportunities that helped me obtain my first internship, which led to my first job. Today, I use many of the principles I learned in my media planning class.”
Chelsea Boozer Reporter Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock
Jonathan Lyons Director of Public Relations Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau
Walter Smith Account Coordinator Legacy Marketing Partners, Chicago
For more information, please contact us at 901-678-2401, or email David Arant, Journalism Department Chair, at darant@memphis.edu