April 5

Campus safety p. 4 Alumnus cartoonist on free speech p. 3 Student walks across Tennessee p. 8 End of softball winning streak p. 11 April 5, 2018 Vol. 86, Issue 13

2 NEWS

Two students up for Fulbright Scholarship CIERA GOLLIVER News Editor news@florala.net UNA showcases students for the second year in a row as two students are semi-finalists for the Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarship Program.

Senior Alexandria Buttgereit and graduate student Elisa Coker are among five UNA students who applied for the scholarship this year.

This is the second year UNA students have applied with 14 applicants in two years, according to a UNA press release.

UNA Director of Premiere National and International Awards Matt Price is responsible for encouraging students to apply to the program and advising them during the application process.

“UNA has had four semi-finalists in the past year,” Price said. “Thirty percent (of our total applicants) have become finalists. That’s phenomenal.”

The Fulbright program is a government sponsored international exchange program designed to foster

cultural understanding, according to the U.S. State Department website.

Each year, the government offers approximately 1,900 grants for s t u d e n t s DYL in all fields of AN study to travel to another country as English teaching assistants. The program currently operates in more than 140 countries.

Sophomore Charles Lieb said the program sounds beneficial to bilingual students by giving them an opportunity to make a living off of various languages.

“It is so cool that they will pay for you to travel and teach English,” Lieb said. “That is basically getting the government to pay you to travel the world.”

Coker applied to teach English in Malaysia, and Buttgereit said she applied to teach in Spain as a chance to perfect her Spanish.

“I remember at a young age, I would

pretend to speak Spanish, and then I’d try to teach my siblings Spanish,” Buttgereit said.

“I just

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found that I really enjoyed languages and the idea of travel.”

Buttgereit is a Commercial Spanish major with minors in French, Global Studies and Marketing Communication Technology.

She said she fell in love with traveling after she visited France the summer before her senior year of high school.

Coker said she developed a

passion for international travel after spending two months in Niger, West Africa.

“That was the hardest and best summer of my life,” Coker said.

“It was of course a thirdworld nation with the highest infant mortality rate in the world. So there was the language barrier and cultural shock, but that really solidified that I knew I could use ESL to reach the nations.”

Coker is currently working on her master’s in education to teach English as a second language.

Alum Mollie Schaefer received the scholarship last year. She is currently teaching in the Czech Republic.

The Fulbright scholarship committee will notify students who receive a grant between March 1 and May 29.

Researchers showcase findings for public CIERA GOLLIVER News Editor news@florala.net Students spend their days in classes learning from professors, but one month gives them the opportunity to teach others about the knowledge they accumulated.

UNA Research Days will take place April 9- 27. Students will display highlight innovation, showcase progress and brainstorm about research in various disciplines, according to a UNA press release.

“The goal of UNA Research Days is to exhibit student research, whether applied, theoretical, practice-based or artistic,” said Lisa Keys-Mathews, geography professor and director of UNA’s Quality Enhancement Program.

“The students all have a faculty member who mentors their research.

Within this opportunity, we hope to encourage academic discussions and camaraderie related to the presented work.”

Students will present on a variety of subjects, including photojournalism, physical activity and microbes in the water around us.

“We have real diversity in student presentations, and that is very exciting,” Keys-Mathews said.

Research Days will start April 9 with the Three-Minute Thesis prefinals at 5 p.m. in Norton Auditorium.

Finals will be April 16 at 2:30 p.m. in Norton Auditorium.

Senior Viktoria Piepke said university research can be demanding.

“University research is a

completely different monster from a research paper,” she said. “Conducting research takes a lot of time and thought.

You can’t just produce research a few days before a deadline like a research paper.”

Poster presentations are April 24 in the Guillot University Center Atrium from 9-10:30 a.m., 11 a.m. -12:30 p.m. and 2:30-4 p.m.

Oral presentations will be April 25 in the Stone Lodge from 10:30-11:30 a.m., 1-2 p.m. and 3-4 p.m.

There will also be a Military Research Symposium April 26 from 9 a.m.-noon and 12:45-5 p.m. Officials have not yet determined the location of this event.

Research Days will also include an information workshop on the Fulbright Scholarship April 26 in the GUC loft The event will end April 27 with a Sociology Research Symposium in the GUC Loft at 11 a.m.

All events are open to the public.

Students are encouraged to attend to see what their peers are doing and view the research happening in various departments on campus.

Senior Zach Lindsey said attending research days is beneficial to all students on campus.

“Not a lot of people go into research, but people can see the interest that many other students have,” Lindsey said. “That could give students not doing research the chance to open up to different ideas while giving students doing research the opportunity to show their love on the subject they are researching.”

This is the 12th year UNA has

hosted research days.

“Faculty members have been committed to undergraduate research for many years,” Keys-Mathews said.

“The Quality Enhancement Plan is

a formalization and enhancement of what we have been doing. The success of our QEP and undergraduate research is a credit to an incredibly committed and supportive faculty.”

The Flor-Ala File Folder

Alum Kelly Melton hangs her poster in the Guillot University Center April 17, 2016. She competed in 2016 Research Days.

NEWS 3

Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist returns to campus CIERA GOLLIVER News Editor news@florala.net

Courtesy of University of North Alabama

Cartoonist Clay Bennett will be the guest speaker at the First Amendment Month event April 12 in Communications Building Room 131. The event is free and open to the public.

First Amendment Month starts in April, and The Flor-Ala, Department of Communications and Times Daily are teaming up to bring an element of fun to freedom of speech.

The event will feature UNA graduate and Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Clay Bennett.

He will speak on how the First Amendment allows him freedom in his profession.

The event will be April 12 at 6 p.m. in Communications Building Room 131. It is free and open to the public.

Student Media Adviser Scott Morris said The Flor-Ala applied for an Ingelhart First Amendment Grant in 2017 to sponsor the event. The rest of the funding is from the Parker-Qualls Lectureship in Communications and Times Daily.

Morris said the point of the event is to educate students and the public on the importance of the First Amendment.

Freshman William Carney said he is a proponent of free speech, but he does not agree with people having complete free speech.

“I think you should be able to speak your mind, but how you do it should be regulated,” Carney said.

“Like (President) Trump and his Twitter rants should be monitored.”

Bennett is a political editorial cartoonist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He said he believes in using his cartoons to push limits and take risks.

He said he began specializing in

political cartoons when he was around 13 years old, but has been a cartoonist for as long as he can remember.

He worked as a cartoonist in high school before coming to college and working as a cartoonist at The FlorAla before he graduated UNA in 1980.

He said he has fond memories of his time at UNA and will always have a love for the university.

This will not be Bennett’s first time back to speak at UNA. After receiving his award in 2002, UNA invited him to speak at the fall 2002 convocation. He said he felt this was ironic because he was not the best student during his time at UNA. Bennett won The Pulitzer Prize for best editorial cartoonist in 2002. This was the fourth year in a row he was a finalist for the prize, so he said he did not expect to win.

He said one of his first reactions was to call his mom so she could listen to his speech. He said she deserves part of the award because of the support she has always given him.

Bennett said he jokes by saying this accomplishment automatically means “Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Clay Bennett” will be the opening line in his obituary.

Sophomore Charles Lieb said political cartoons enhance the American way of life by bringing humor to politics.

“Unless you are a politician, you should love political cartoons because there is a cartoon making fun of the opposing side,” Lieb said.

Bennett currently lives in Chattanooga with his wife, Cindy.

He said he looks forward to the event and the chance to share his story.

The Flor-Ala updates website STAFF REPORT editor@florala.net At the end of spring 2016, The Flor-Ala premiered its redesign of the newspaper. Now, we are announcing the debut of our new website.

Current members of The Flor-Ala along with Student Media Adviser Scott Morris have worked with the website provider to create an updated and modern look.

Morris said work started on the redesign in fall 2017.

“We just felt like we’ve had the same design for years, and it was time for a change,” Morris said.

The changes came about from critiques the website received at the College Media Association and Southeast Journalism conferences.

“While we were winning awards

for our writing and the newspaper, we weren’t winning any for the website,” said Editor-in-Chief Monday Sanderson. “With this change, we’re hoping to not only have more of an artistic presence to draw people in, but we also want to make it easier for visitors to find relevant information.”

One of the main critiques to the website was the disconnection between the newspaper and the university.

Sanderson said this new design should appeal more to the community.

“Most of our readers access our content online,” she said. “It is our job to ensure that they are not only receiving a good experience when they pick up a paper, but also when they read us on their phones.”

Morris said the staff welcomes input on the new website from readers.

They can send comments to editor@ florala.net.

4 NEWS

ANDREA BELK | Staff Photographer

Although students may not always see the work UNA Police do, they are always there protecting the students. Here is Officer Kevin Gillian, Les Jackson and Anthony McGee having a light hearted conversation.

Police watch over campus safety CODY CAMPBELL AND KARAH WILSON Associate News Editor and Associate Life Editor news@florala.net

In light of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, campus security has become a highly discussed topic among students and faculty nationwide.

UNA has an established policy for all types of emergency situations, which can be found on the university’s website.

Junior Danielle Deese said the university’s policy should be more accessible to students.

“I think it would be smart to make (the policy) a requirement on the syllabus for each teacher just like they are required to have information about Title IX and the Academic Policy,” she said.

The Student Government Association formed a committe centered around solutions to campus safety issues. Accessibility is one of the issues they will address.

Chief of University Police Kevin Gillilan said the campus is equipped with several types of safety features.

“The UNA campus features in excess of 500 surveillance cameras in public, academic and residential areas,” he said. “Surveillance cameras may dissuade criminal incidents in some cases, but have proven most beneficial during criminal investigations.”

Gillilan said several buildings on campus are equipped with controlled access doorways which officials can secure as needed.

He said the UNA police recently received a grant to acquire emergency

door locks to place in doorways lacking controlled access.

The campus also has many ways for students to quickly contact the police. There are emergency blue poles placed all over the campus that can contact police at the touch of a button. UNA offers personal alert devices that can notify police in the event of an emergency at the cost of a subscription. UNA police also have the ability to send notifications through the e-mail, voice and text message system Lion Alert.

Gillilan said UNA police are prepared to deal with any emergency situation.

“UNA police have always trained for such events and continue to operate with such a threat in mind,” he said. “UNA police attend ongoing training in this area and have attended Active Shooter Response Courses at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

Early detection and threat assessments are critical in the prevention of campus violence.”

Senior Alycia Sanders said students should be better educated in how to appropriately respond to emergency situations. She said drills should be required around campus to better prepare people if an emergency were to occur.

Gillilan said crime can happen anytime on campus.

“UNA is a safe campus and the occurrence of violent crimes are rare, however, crime can and does occur anywhere,” he said. “One of the best ways to avoid becoming a victim of crime is to practice situational awareness, report suspicious activity to law enforcement, and by educating yourself.”

ANDREA BELK | Staff Photographer

When duty calls, there is a team working to get the job done. Here is Officer Gillian in a moment of downtime.

NEWS 5

Study abroad on campus MONDAY SANDERSON Editor-in-Chief editor@florala.net Studying abroad appeals to many college students, but most are unable to afford the cost of school and travel.

To provide a solution, International Affairs and Housing & Residence Life are teaming together to provide a study abroad experience on campus.

The Global Learning Community is a place where students can live and interact with others from different cultures, said Cala Flippo, coordinator for international student success.

“The learning community is a place where international students and domestic students choose to live together and focus on learning culture and language and expanding their horizons on campus,” she said. “I feel like so many Americans don’t understand how much they could learn from our international students. This gives them the opportunity to do so.”

These groups of students will live in Rice Hall on the first, second and third floors, Flippo said.

The residence hall is ready for their arrival, said Director of Housing & Residence Life Jennifer Sutton.

“It is currently being used as an overflow hall, so we’ve had a number of residents living in Rice since fall semester,” she said.

Flippo said the first batch of students will begin living in the community during fall 2018.

“We’re hoping to have 40 new Chinese students that will arrive this fall as part of a new program with the university,” she said. “It’s called 1:2:1, and those students will live in the GLC. So, we’ll start off with

ANDREA BELK | Staff Photographer

Flags line the walls in the Office of International Affairs. Fall 2018 will be a pilot program for a new set of housing devoted to giving students the cultural education of a study abroad in their residence hall. a lot of Chinese students, but we’ll also have eight to 10 regular navigators, and we are working on getting GLC specific navigators.”

The fall semester will act as a pilot program, said Vice President of Student Affairs David Shields.

“If the program is successful and it grows, we will look at what additional things we can do to the building,” he said.

Flippo said there are plans for programs and different events for the students.

“We have a lobby on the 3rd floor where we’ll host some parties and events,” she said. “Some of the things that we host (in Powers Hall) on different months, we’ll have those in Rice Hall so people can interact and meet those students.”

The activity and programs will involve planning from residence life and

international affairs, Sutton said. “(They are) designed to help orient the participating international students to UNA while offering domestic students the opportunity to engage with and learn from various cultures,” she said.

The community is open to sophomores and above, Flippo said. Freshmen are required to live in their designated halls.

“We did offer the opportunity for our returning residents to opt into the GLC program during reclaim for the 20182019 academic year, and we will offer the opportunity for upperclassmen to change their preferred assignment in fall as space allows,” Sutton said. “We hope to have a number of UNA students that are eager to participate in the GLC as roommates and mentors as this program develops and evolves.”

Shields said he does not want the university to force students to participate

in the community.

“You won’t be assigned there unless you actually want to be there,” he said.

Flippo said participating in this will be a good opportunity.

“UNA students need to realize all that they can share and learn together by living in this community,” she said.

Shields said the plan for the future of the program is to encourage the students to create connections with the students within the community.

“I hope students will build friendships that they will have for their whole life,” he said. “Mostly, I hope that all students involved get a broader sense of international perspective and knowledge.

That (the learn) the world we live in is a very small place, and it’s becoming smaller everyday with technology. I think students need this international perspective to stay strong leaders.”

CALEB COLE | Staff Photographer

Students will soon have the opportunity to have a study abroad experience wile remaining at UNA. Students who are sophomores or above are able to apply to live in the Global Learning Community.

6 NEWS

ANDREA BELK | Staff Photographer

The “Let’s Pretend Hospital” will educate children through the use of dummies and mock patients. At the pretend hospital, children of the faculty will act as patients.

Pretend hospital comforts children through education CIERA GOLLIVER News Editor news@florala.net Going to the doctor can sometimes be a scary experience for some children, but UNA is preparing to show children they have nothing to be afraid of.

The Anderson College of Nursing will host the “Let’s Pretend Hospital” April 27 at 1 p.m. for a group of third graders from Kilby Elementary School.

The event will show children what happens in emergency situations so they will not be as scared if they ever have to go to the hospital, according to a UNA press release.

Senior nursing student Katherine Dennis said an educational approach is a great option to ease hospital anxiety amongst children.

“I know from pediatric clinicals that some younger children are afraid of the machine noises, so education is helpful in explaining where the noises are coming from and what it could indicate,” Dennis said. “Small things like that can make all the difference sometimes.”

Assistant Professor of Nursing Will Brewer said the day will begin with children watching an Air Evac helicopter land on the intramural field before visiting the pretend hospital setting in the nursing lab of Stevens

Hall.

The pretend hospital will be filled with faculty member’s children acting as patients with injuries ranging from a broken bone to a head injury.

Kilby students will follow hospital procedure by having nurses admit them into the hospital and giving them a bracelet. They will then go to radiology for a fake x-ray.

“We’ll also take them to the lab to talk about blood drawing (and) talking them through that because that is obviously very scary for some kids,” Brewer said. “We’re also going to have a mock operating room set up to show them what that’s like as well.”

He said children are always excited to see is the interactive baby mannequins.

“They all want to see our babies,” he said. “We have these hi-fidelity mannequins that cry and act like real babies. So we’ll let them play with those and interact with them.”

Brewer said 45 out of 51 eligible UNA students volunteered their time to work the event as a service project.

He said multiple areas in Alabama offer this program, but it will be the first in Florence. He said he wants to offer this program to all kids in Lauderdale County once the nursing program moves into its new building.

The new nursing building, Laura M. Harrison Hall, is expected to open in fall 2019.

ANDREA BELK | Staff Photographer

Senior nursing student Garrett Grigsby practices hospital procedure. Students will help with the pretend hospital.

LIFE 7

Conference to explore ‘Avengers’, ‘Buffy’ writer’s works TYLER HARGETT Life Editor life@florala.net With works including “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly,” many people around the world have declared their love for director, writer and producer Joss Whedon.

In two months, fans at UNA will get their chance to further explore his work.

The eighth biennial Slayage Conference on the Whedonverses, an event centered on Whedon’s works, will come to UNA June 21-24.

The Whedon Studies Association, an international academic association that studies the TV, film and comic book works of Whedon and his collaborators, will host the conference.

Whedon is also famous for directing the film “Cabin in the Woods,” as well as creating the TV series “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” The main part of the event is the reading of proposals on any aspect of the “Whedonverses,” a compilation of the worlds of Whedon and his associates’ works that are famous for their recurring themes and actors.

The fandoms, literary context, political or activist endeavors of Whedon may also work as topics.

Each work will show a familiarity with other published works in the Whedon field.

Cynthia Burkhead, English Department chair, said she is not only a fan, but also a scholar of Whedon’s work.

“Much of my research and scholarship has focused on his work,” she said.

Burkhead is the current president of the Whedon Studies Association and one of the program chairs who reviews submitted works. She has been a member of the association since 2006 and originally tried to get UNA as the host for the 2012 conference.

Different colleges around the world have hosted the conference, including California State University, the University of British Columbia and Kingston University London.

Kathryn Wardell, assistant professor of English, is assisting with general planning for the conference, and is also responsible for helping out with registration and sustainability issues.

Another long-time Whedon fan, she attended the last Slayage conference in London in 2016. “(The conference is) a unique event because everyone is united by a passionate engagement with the world of Whedon and his collaborators, and that united passion creates great

Celebrating First Amendment Awareness Month

The Flor-Ala, UNA Department of Communications, TimesDaily and Ingelhart First Amendment Grant present the 2018

Parker-Qualls Lectureship in Communications

Clay Bennett Pulitzer Prize-winning

syndicated editorial cartoonist

UNA alumnus and former Flor-Ala cartoonist

6 p.m.

Communications Building Room 131

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Images courtesy of Amazon Design by DAVID J. SAN MIGUEL | Graphic Designer

Director, writer and producer Joss Whedon is famous for his multiple works, including “Marvel’s The Avengers” and “Firefly.” From June 21-24, UNA will host the eighth biennial Slayage Conference, which centers on analyses of Whedon’s works. excitement,” she said.

Besides the presentations, the conference will also host daily keynote speakers and a banquet that features a live performance of the score of “Once More with Feeling,” a “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” episode.

“There is nothing quite like seeing 200 academics singing songs in unison about fighting demons,” Burkhead said.

Freshman Colton Talley said he thinks the conference would be a cool event for the campus to host. “(Whedon has) done some pretty great things,” he said. “I think there definitely should be something like (a conference) out there for him. It’s for the fans, and he’s got them worldwide apparently.”

Talley said having a literary

“

conference rather than a simple fan convention is the right thing to do because of Whedon’s great writing.

Wardell said she believes everyone at UNA would benefit from attending the conference.

“The quality of the papers presented and the diversity of ideas expressed at Slayage are really impressive, and I believe that any members of the UNA community who attend will find the experience both fun and thought-provoking,” Wardell said.

Burkhead said attending is also a great way to meet people from other parts of the U.S. and across the globe.

For more information on the conference, contact Cynthia Burkhead at 256-765-4790 or caburkhead@una. edu.

(The conference is) a unique event because everyone is united by a passionate engagement with the world of Whedon and his collaborators, and that united passion creates great excitement.

Kathryn Wardell | Assistant Professor of English

8 LIFE Uncovered secrets on The Flor-Ala’s upcoming staff TYLER HARGETT Life Editor life@florala.net The spring semester is almost over, and with it comes a change of staff at The Flor-Ala. With many of this year’s staff leaving, new students will assume the roles in May. In order to get acquainted with the incoming personnel, The Flor-Ala sat down with the students to discuss interesting facts about them.

Here are four uncovered secrets of the 2018-19 Flor-Ala staff.

1. Incoming Managing Editor Harley Duncan is a credited prankster.

Duncan said he began pranking when he was a child. His tricks included ding-dong ditching, rolling houses with toilet paper and moving nearby houses’ for sale signs into one yard.

He said as a child, he was not very scared of consequences for his pranking and only wanted to have fun.

“It may have been a way to gain attention since my dad wasn’t in my life,” he said.

Duncan said since an incident where he turned a house’s power off, resulting in an officer placing him in the backseat of a police car, he has not pranked as much.

2. Incoming News Editor Cody Campbell has experience in music and film.

Besides writing, editing and photography, Campbell has played in bands and created film projects.

“I play drums, bass and guitar,” Campbell said. “I have recorded a couple of albums with different bands.”

He said the bands he was most associated with played punk, dance and desert rock music.

“I have (also) done several promo videos and puff pieces for businesses and a few different things for school,” Campbell said.

Despite his talent in both areas, he said his future goal is to be a foreign correspondent.

“I want to go into war zones and destabilized countries and film, take photos and write stories about the people who aren’t heard,” he said.

3. Incoming Life Editor Karah Wilson has famous tweets.

Shortly before the release of 2017’s “Beauty and the Beast,” The Washington Post published a story on the Henagar Drive-In Theater refusing to screen the film because of a homosexual character.

To read more about Wilson’s involvement, visit florala.net.

Junior walks, writes about state-wide trip TYLER HARGETT Life Editor life@florala.net

Many students go on remarkable journeys by car, plane or boat. Junior Anna Albright decided to tackle one on foot.

In 2014, Albright, then a sophomore in high school, trekked for 35 days with her father across the state of Tennessee. Last month, she published a book chronicling her adventure, titled “542 Miles: A Journey Across Tennessee.”

Albright originates from Bellevue, a neighborhood in Nashville. She said during spring 2014, she was thinking of something to do over the summer.

Albright said she got inspiration from “Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations,” a book that discusses what teenagers can accomplish by going beyond cultural limitations.

“After reading that, then it kind of challenged me as like, ‘I want to come up with something really hard and have this big role to do,’” she said.

Albright said her father immediately wanted to join her upon learning of her plans.

The two packed cooling towels, pepper spray, sunscreen, sunglasses, three days of clothes and toiletries before departing May 31, 2014, from Memphis.

After arriving in Nashville after walking 12 days, they took a break for around two weeks before finishing the rest of the trip to the border of North Carolina in July.

Albright said throughout the trip, they stayed at hotels and with friends.

“Sometimes, we called churches, and they would ask people that were members of the church if we could stay with them, so some we didn’t know at all,” she said.

Albright said one of her favorite memories of the trip was staying on a house boat in Sparta.

She said they walked around 16 to 18 miles a day, with 24 being their longest distance.

Some other major locations they passed through were Knoxville and Chickasaw State Park.

Albright said they ate at a lot of gas stations “Some days, you may think something’s only 10 minutes down the road, but, when you’re walking, it would take the whole day to get there,” she said.

Along the way, the two encountered police officers, dogs and concerned drivers. However, they never got into any trouble.

“My dad was really good about calling places ahead and really helping me plan it out,” Albright said.

She said during the trip, she kept up with her encounters in a journal, which would form the basis of her book.

“I hope that people read (the book) and decide that they can get out and do stuff and that, just because something’s hard, doesn’t mean they can’t do it,” Albright said.

Sophomore Savannah Moses said hearing about her friend’s adventure did not surprise her because of Albright’s

adventurous spirit.

“Anna is a unique college student,” she said. “She doesn’t like to go do the normal party scene most college students do. She likes to go on spontaneous road trips to new places, try new foods and experience new cultures.”

James Green, interim chair for the department of health, physical education and recreation, said after finding out about Albright’s publication, he felt both surprised and proud.

“Anna is truly making the most of not only her education, but also life in general,” he said. “And, she’s doing so without the least hint of arrogance.

Many would be very high strung about such an accomplishment, but Anna is not. She’s expressed that she’s extremely grateful to have had the chance.”

Albright said the journey not only allowed her to see more of her home state, but also made her realize the possibilities people can achieve if they work hard enough.

Green said he hopes Albright’s book will inspire people the same way “Do Hard Things” inspired her.

“I believe this book can encourage

DARE TO BE ADVENTUROUS Junior Anna Albright challenged herself to walk across the state of Tennessee and released a book about it a few years later. One can draw inspiration from this to resurrect old goals and create new ones. others to get out there and have some crazy awesome adventures,” Moses said.

“We only live once, and we shouldn’t spend our time in just one area.”

Albright said people have sent her emails about children wanting to follow her example and plan a similar activity.

Her book is available on amazon.com.

Courtesy of Dan Albright

Beginning March 31, 2014, junior Anna Albright walked across the state of Tennessee with her father, travelling a total of 542 miles in 35 days. Last month, she published a book on the experience, titled “542 Miles: A Journey Across Tennessee.”

Students honor famous women in exhibit TYLER HARGETT Life Editor life@florala.net Despite Women’s History Month having already passed, people at UNA still find time to bring attention to their female role models.

For the third year in a row, the Center for Women’s Studies is hosting the HerStory Project, where anyone on campus and alumni can honor their heroines through an exhibit at Collier Library.

Seniors Alyssa Henke and Graci Berryman and juniors Elaina Murray and Cayman Gardner are joining past participants in the exhibit this year.

While others know the heroines for different reasons, the students recognize them for their place in history and their hearts.

Amelia Earhart In December 1920, the aviator took her first ride in an airplane. The following month, she began taking flying lessons.

After passing her flight test at the end of 1921, she began setting several aviation records for women. These included being the first woman to perform a solo flight above 14,000 feet, across the Atlantic Ocean and nonstop across the U.S. On June 1, 1937, Earhart set out to become the first pilot to circumnavigate the world. However, around a month later, both her and accompanying navigator Fred Noonan disappeared on their way to Howland Island. No one has been able to locate the two to this day.

Jane Austen Many consider Austen one of the greatest English authors of all time.

Growing up in a learning environment, she familiarized herself with literature from reading from her father’s library and writing and performing plays.

After a near-fatal bout with typhus, as well as financial constraints, Austen returned to live with her family. She soon began writing stories, which helped her develop her widely-known themes of realism, irony and parody.

Releasing four of her six novels during her lifetime, which included the nowiconic “Pride and Prejudice” and “Sense and Sensibility,” she achieved moderate success. It was only after her death in 1817 that her works received worldwide attention.

“Jane Austen helped pave the way for future female writers, and, for that, I am so thankful,” Berryman said.

Dorothea Dix Spending part of her early life as a teacher and textbook author, Dix’s experience with helping others led to her becoming an advocate for the creation of institutions for the mentally ill and work for women nurses.

After health problems resulted in the closing of one of Dix’s schools, she soon began teaching prisoners in Cambridge, England. She started to notice criminal institutions’ poor hygiene and treatment of inmates, including those with mental illnesses. Dix used her findings to bring change to facilities in the U.S. and beyond.

Shortly after the start of the Civil War,

she became a superintendent for Union Army nurses. After returning home a few years later, Dix resumed her work in social reform.

“She paved the way for the ethical guidelines that are followed today when treating the mentally ill,” Murray said.

Dix passed away in 1887 while admitted in a hospital founded in her honor.

Ginni Rometty Holding the titles of CEO, Chairperson and President of International Business Machines Corporation, she began her work in technology at General Motors Institute in 1979. Two years later, she became a systems engineer for IBM and began her climb to senior vice president and group executive for marketing, sales and strategy.

Rometty helped IBM grow by introducing it to cloud computing and analytics. She also helped prepare the supercomputer Watson for commercial use. She assumed the roles of president and CEO in 2012, with IBM announcing her as the next chairman later that year.

Rometty has repeatedly placed on Fortune’s list of the 50 most powerful businesswomen. Forbes named her the 10th most powerful woman in the world in 2017.

“Ginni Rometty is a poster woman for contemporary female empowerment,” Gardner said. “Her accomplishments in and out of the workforce are something to be marveled.”

Editor’s Note: Information gathered from history.com and biography.com.

TELLING ‘HERSTORY’ CALEB COLE | Staff Photographer

The Collier Library displays the HerStory Project on the ground floor, with cases containing photos of past and present participants along with their written biographies on their heroines. This is the third year the Center for Women’s Studies has hosted the event.

LIFE 9

Courtesy of Amazon

‘Krypton’ not super, even with Superman TYLER HARGETT Life Editor life@florala.net Because of Detective Comics and Marvel’s success with dark live-action series, it seemed natural that a show centered around Superman would eventually premiere.

“Smallville,” which focused on a pre-Superman Clark Kent, ended its run in 2011. “Supergirl” is still on the air, but instead centers on the hero’s similarly-dressed and powered cousin.

So, because it has been a while since the “Man of Steel” has graced the small screen (and the DC cinematic universe’s portrayal has garnered mixed reviews from fans and critics), it is finally time for Superman to return to the air. But, that is not what we got.

Instead of giving fans an origin story or following the hero on daily adventures in Metropolis, Syfy’s original series “Krypton” takes place 200 years before his birth. The show follows his grandfather, Seg-El, on the ill-fated planet as he works to continue his grandfather’s work of space exploration and carry on his family legacy.

While this sounds backwards, do not worry, as Superman is still the central focus. However, this is because, rather than telling the rarely-adapted story of his family history, the show reveals that alien enemy Braniac has traveled back in time to prevent him from being born, and it is up to Seg-El to stop him.

So, in a series that could have stood separate from Superman while also detailing the origin of some of his greatest foes, the show decides to revolve the main character’s destinies around the future hero.

In the first episode, not only does the show use samples of composer John William’s “Superman March” from the original film series, but Adam Strange, a human who went back in time to warn Seg-El of Braniac, gives him Superman’s cape.

The story is not very grand either, as, alongside his mission to save his future grandson, Seg-El becomes angry at the planet’s government for the death of his family and seeks revenge.

To read more about the show’s other characters, visit florala.net.

10 SPORTS Scoreboard

March 17 - April 8

Softball

March 18 vs. Montevallo Win, 7-2 March 24 vs. Mississippi College Win, 8-2 March 31 vs. West Alabama, Win, 4-0 April 8 vs. West Georgia

Baseball March 18 vs. Montevallo Win, 14-1 March 20 vs. AuburnMontgomery, Win, 8-7 March 24 vs. Mississippi College, Win, 12-8 March 27 vs. Alabama A&M, Win, 13-10 March 31 vs. West Alabama, Win, 8-4 April 8 vs. West Georgia

Men’s Tennis March 18 vs. Lee Win, 5-4 March 30 vs. Montevallo Loss, 4-5 April 6 vs. Alabama A&M April 7 vs. West Alabama April 11 vs. UAH Games continued at roarlions.com

MELANIE HODGES | Chief Photographer

Sophomore guard Ansley Eubank dodges an opposing player. UNA defeated West Florida Jan. 25 to help secure their NCAA Tournament invitation.

Women’s basketball season ends with loss HUNTER ANDERSON Associate Sports Editor sports@florala.net

The UNA women’s basketball team ended their season with a 6664 loss against Lee University in the first round of the NCAA South Region Women’s Basketball Tournament.

Ending with a 24-5 record, the Lions will not be able to return to another NCAA tournament for four years due to the move from Division II to Division I. “It’s a huge accomplishment, quite an honor,” said head women’s basketball coach Missy Tiber. “It was a good game and both teams played

hard.”

UNA placed as the No. 3 seed in the tournament out of the eight other teams and played against the No. 6 seed in the opening round. The eight teams selected from each region are determined via a bid system, with three being automatic bids and five being “at large” bids. UNA recieved a large bid and marked the seventh appearance for UNA in the regionals and first since the 2012-2013 season, according to Sports Information.

With only one player on the team graduating, the roster will not be shifting much. For them, this means most of their core players will remain.

Tiber said this would result in a

strong foundation and the Lions will continue to improve.

Improvement is a goal for every athlete, but with a movement to a new division the Lions will have to bring their best.

Division I is a “higher level of competition and basketball,” Tiber said. Their opponents will be bigger, faster, stronger and used to that type of competition.

Without another tournament possibility, some athletes and fans may feel disheartened, but sophomore forward Brittany Panetti said she is anything but disappointed.

To read more about Penetti’s thoughts on the game, visit florala.net.

SPORTS 11

Lionsʼ 21-game winning streak broken The North Alabama baseball team is picked to finish third in the Gulf South Conference in the coach’s preseason poll.

The Lions received 141 total points in the poll resulting in a third place spot.

Lions head coach Mike Keehn said the ranking does not mean much to him and his team.

“I do not make too much of preseason rankings,” Keehn said. “It did show that the other coaches believe we have a chance to be successful, but our conference is so deep and there are so many factors that contribute to successes and failures. Our focus right now is trying to get ready for a very good Point Loma Nazarene (team).”

The Lions third place ranking will be challenged with West Florida, Valdosta State, UAH, Mississippi College and the other seven teams in the GSC preseason rankings following the Lions.

The Lions went 34-19 last season and will return seven starters and 18 other players to help the team throughout the 2018 season.

UNA placed three players on the AllGSC preseason team, which is full of returning players from last season. Senior first baseman Kyle Hubbuch, senior pitcher Tyler Joyner and redshirt junior third baseman Davis Elliot were the preseason selections.

MACIE PIGG Softball Beat Writer mpigg1@una.edu

All three players finished last seasonteam on The North Alabama softball the All-GSC earning them reached thelist, halfway point of preseason its season picks. with an overall record of 24-4 and a Joyner earned the conference record of 2017 15-2.GSC Pitcher of the Year season while sporting a 10-2at The last softball team recently ranked No. 4 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) rankings. These released March 21, while the team fought for a 21-game winning streak.

That streak broke Friday as the Lions fell short in a doubleheader against Mississippi College (11-10).

Senior centerfielder Bailey Nelson started the scoring off in the second inning of the first game against Mississippi College when she singled to shortstop opening the way for Lions’ senior shortstop Reagan Tittle to advance home. The Choctaws scored three runs in the fifth inning to take the lead. The Lions scored one in the sixth inning with freshman Harley Stokes hitting a single homerun, but UNA fell short with a final score of 3-2.

Mississippi College jumped to an early 8-0 lead in the second game. Freshman leftfielder Meleah Hargett hit a single

record with a 3.21 earned run average and striking out 99 batters.

Hubbuch hit for a .333 average with 13 home runs and 55 runs batted in to lead the Lions. Elliot added a .296 batting average with 44 runs scored.

UNA will return depth in senior outfielders Ben Cooley and TJ Lockett, and senior designated hitter Brandt Holland.

The Lions will also return senior catcher Logan Carter, junior shortstop Peyton Sockwell and seven pitchers that earned 23 of the team’s 34 wins in last season’s 34-19 season.

UNA senior Taylor Thaxton said the talk around the baseball team is big for this season.

“UNA being picked third is exciting for the program, the students and the fans,” he said. “I am really excited to see these guys compete this year after a good season last year.”

Delta State earned first place with 169 total points, and West Alabama finished in second place with 146 total points.

Delta State earned a GSC championship, South Regional title and a Division II World Series runner-up finish. The Statesmen also had the maximum number of first place votes with 13. West Alabama had one first place vote.

The Lions open Alabama, their season homerun forwill North butFeb. the 2 Choctaws with a three-game Pointof finished on set top against with a score Loma 10-1. Nazarene in Malibu, California. The baseball play first homeCollege game Theteam Lionswill took on its Mississippi against Southeastern again Nova Saturday and cameFeb. out9.on top with an 8-2 victory. Sophomore Megan Garst was the winning pitcher for the Lions, giving her an overall record of 11-2 on the mound.

Three UNA players hit homeruns against Choctaw pitchers Penny Nichols and Cori Cooper Saturday. Stokes hit the first home run in the fifth inning, bringing the score up to a Lions lead of 6-1. Tittle was next when she hit a single run homerun in the sixth, which was followed by sophomore pinch hitter Katie Eakes who had a single homerun in the same inning.

Stokes finished the game with three RBIs and three hits. Sophomore first baseman Hannah Shollenberger finished with two RBIs and one hit. Nelson had two hits while Tittle, Eakes and junior second baseman Alex Brown all had one hit each.

Garst pitched all seven innings and finished with two strikeouts.

The Lions will battle against West Georgia at home on April 8 and Christian Brothers on April 15.

Junior catcher Mackenzie Roberts throws down against Montevallo March 18. The Lions won with a score of 7-2.

Courtesy of Sports Information

12 SPORTS

Lions announce new head basketball coach HUNTER ANDERSON Associate Sports Editor sports@florala.net Athletic Director Mark Linder announced Tony Pujol as the new head men’s basketball coach April 2. UNA will formally introduce him at a press conference April 6 at 2 p.m.

Pujol has a long history of collegiate athletic involvement. He was an assistant basketball coach at Appalachian State University, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Alabama.

His most recent position was as an assistant basketball coach at the University of Wyoming starting in 2016. He has a total of 14 years of college coaching experience, according to Sports Information.

“We had an outstanding pool of quality candidates and brought in four very impressive individuals,” Linder said in a Sports Information release. “The committee and I met with Tony and knew that he was the right fit at this time for the UNA basketball program. He has a high degree of energy, his preparation

is off the charts, and he wants to be here.”

Pujol will lead the Lions basketball team in their transition into Division I, moving into the ASUN conference. He is the seventh head coach in the history of UNA’s men’s basketball program, and he joins a school with 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, eight regional championships, five Final Fours and two national championships.

His accolades include a 20-13 record at Wyoming in 2017-18, with an appearance at the College Basketball Invitational Championship the prior year. During his time at Alabama, he earned a 99-71 record from 201014, with the Crimson Tide having one of the best defenses in the nation during his involvement in the 2010-11 season. At Virginia Commonwealth University, he finished with a 7625 record from 2006-09 with VCU winning three conference regularseason titles and two appearances in the NCAA tournament.

Before that, his involvement at Appalachian State from 2004-06 helped lead the school to a win in the

Southern Conference North Division championship in 2005. Additionally, he coached high school basketball in south Florida for 13 years.

“Tony has had tremendous

“

success wherever Linder said. “We welcoming Tony, and their family to UNA.”

he has been,” look forward to his wife Mayle the Shoals and to

The committee and I met with Tony and knew that he was the right fit at this time for the UNA basketball program.

Mark Linder| Athletic Director

Courtesy of Sports Information

Tony Pujol will lead the Lions on the court for the 2018-19 season. He brings with him a strong record from his years of experience coaching across the country.

OPINION 13

People must become media literate EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MONDAY SANDERSON MANAGING EDITOR HANNAH ZIMMER NEWS EDITOR CIERA GOLLIVER ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITORS HARLEY DUNCAN CODY CAMPBELL LIFE EDITOR TYLER HARGETT ASSOCIATE LIFE EDITOR KARAH WILSON ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR HUNTER ANDERSON SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR NATALIE BEE BUSINESS MANAGER KARA DUCKETT ASSOCIATE BUSINESS MANAGER DIANE PEEPLES CIRCULATION MANAGER ALLEN CHILDERS GRAPHIC DESIGNERS DYLAN BAKER DAVID J. SAN MIGUEL JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS EVELYN BECKMAN TAYLOR BAUERMEISTER

HARLEY DUNCAN Associate News Editor news@florala.net In a world dominated by mainstream media, people must learn how to properly consume and digest the information received from the outlets we use.

If not, we will continue to fall victim to shallow news, propaganda, partisan-heavy media and the fake articles our friends and family share on Facebook.

We must wake up before we walk off the cliff of civilization while staring carelessly at our phones and laptops.

Watching the news every day or reading a notification on a phone that shows a tragic event or a heinous

political policy can be overwhelming.

It can sometimes even cause us to see the world with anxiety and enhanced negativity.

The advancements and introductions of new technology have drastically increased the speed and depth of access we have to information.

Before the internet arrived, people were limited to newspapers and magazines because they were the only outlets available.

Even after the inception of the internet, most people still relied on newspapers to know what was going on locally, in-state, nationally and globally. However, we are now a much faster paced society with even higher demands for information.

The average person turns their phone on and off 300 times a day, according to Stanford University professor Byron Reeves. That is equivalent to three hours a day spent looking at our phones.

With our attention spans shortening and our weakening ability to critically think on complex subjects, the future is becoming a fog.

The internet and the tools that rely on it are great assets to civilization, but the same tools we use for good have also been weaponized.

In this country, we are still trying to unfold what happened in the 2016 election. One thing we know for sure

is false stories about both candidates were read at twice the rate that the well-known traditional sources were.

Among Americans, 32 percent said they have read false stories pertaining to politics on the internet, according to Pew Research Center.

Clearly, that can hold an enormous effect on how we view our presidential candidates. The overload of information can numb us to very important social issues that exist around us, and it can divide us in a time where we need unity more than ever.

Being media literate is more than just being able to decide what is fake news and what is real. It is knowing who owns the publication, what its agenda is and how trusted the information they give us can be.

It is cautiously sifting through the headlines and analyzing the stories we read.

We need to be self-aware of how information we consume affects our minds. I believe our educational institutions should consider developing a curriculum to teach children and young adults how to become media literate.

If we continue to delay the public issue of how information is communicated and received, we may see the structures and safety of our freedom crumble right before us.

The aim of Sudoku is to complete the entire grid using the numbers 1-9. Each number can only be used once in each row, once in each column, and once in each of the 3×3 boxes.

Visit www.sudokuoftheday.com for further tips and help on how to play.

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER MELANIE HODGES STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS ANDREA BELK CALEB COLE ADVISER SCOTT MORRIS COVER PHOTO BY ANDREA BELK

The Flor-Ala is distributed biweekly on Thursdays at 70 locations on campus and off.

Corrections The staff strives to maintain the integrity of The Flor-Ala through accurate and honest reporting. To report an error, call 256-765-4364 or email editor@florala.net.

CONGRATULATIONS WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE WEEK! MACIE PIGG

Letters Policy Letters to the editor should be emailed to editor@ florala.net or mailed to: The Flor-Ala, UNA Box 5300 Florence, AL 35632

AND

ANDREA BELK

Letters must include name and telephone number for verification.

Please limit letters to 400 words. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.

14 PHOTOS

Spring Sprang Sprung

Flower power on campus Flowers are blooming all across campus. Even though last week was Spring Break, people were on campus to enjoy the scenery.

Senior season Senior Sarah Edmonds took advantage of her time off from school. During Spring Break, she took senior photos in front of iconic campus locations.

ANDREA BELK Staff Photographer abelk@una.edu Spring break was a time where we found ourselves unwinding while taking a well-deserved break we desperately needed. Some of us found time to travel to the beach to get a taste of the coming summer.

However, it is hard to stay away from the beautiful campus we have when spring has made it aesthetically pleasing. Our campus seems to always be buzzing with activity.

With beautiful weather at the beginning and end of the week, campus was home to students who stayed in town for spring break.

Seniors took advantage of this time to take their graduation photos.

Some found themselves posing at

staple locations like the fountain or the bridge in front of the GUC. Others took photos in front of buildings that reminded them most of their time at UNA like the Visual Arts Building or Wesleyan Hall.

The campus is also no stranger to community members coming and spending quality time on campus with their families. While some took the time to soak in the sun in front of the lion habitat, others took pictures with their children in front of the fountain or playing around in the flower beds at Bibb Graves.

With campus so full of life this spring break, it was hard to tell school was even out. It may be hard for us all to get into the groove of going back to class, but with the warm air, blooming flowers and joy all around, it should be an easy transition.

Family fun With some students off campus last week, community members came to campus. Parents with small children came to play around the fountain.

CALENDAR 15 Thurs., April 5 What: Interfaith Communities When: Noon Where: GUC 200 What: South Korean Tea When: 3 p.m.

Where: Powers Hall What: Tunnel of Oppression When: 7 p.m.

Where: GUC Banquet Halls

Fri., April 6 What: Supporting UNA LGBTQ Family When: Noon Where: GUC 200

What: Walk a Mile in Her Shoes When: 5 p.m.

Where: GUC Performance Center What: Eurydice When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: George S. Lindsey Theatre

Sat., April 7 What: Florence Bicentennial Parade When: 10:30 a.m.

Where: Court Street

What: Eurydice When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: George S. Lindsey Theatre

Sun., April 8 What: Eurydice When: 2 p.m.

Where: George S. Lindsey Theatre What: UNA Choirs: Spring Sing When: 3 p.m.

Where: St. James United Methodist Church

Mon., April 9 What: What Now? Options for Liberal Arts Majors When: Noon Where: GUC Loft

What: Meditate Monday When: 12:30 p.m.

Where: Powers Hall, 122A

The Flor-Ala File Photo

Junior Alex Parmley writes the common misconceptions/stereotypes of college students during one of the events of Diversity Education Week 2017. The Tunnel of Oppression is this year’s featured event.

Tues., April 10 What: Arts Talk Panel When: 11 a.m.

Where: GUC Performance Center What: Senior Recital: Michael Thaxton When: 5:30 p.m.

Where: Music Building Recital Hall

Thur., April 12 What: Nonprofit Career Fair When: Noon Where: GUC Atrium

What: Eurydice When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: George S. Lindsey Theatre

Sat., April 14

What: Cartoonist Clay Bennett When: 6 p.m.

Where: Communications Building 131

What: Contemporary Ensemble Concert When: 6 p.m.

Where: MU 209

What: Eurydice When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: George S. Lindsey Theatre

What: Eurydice When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: George S. Lindsey Theatre

Fri., April 13

Sun., April 15

What: STEM Careerfest When: 11 a.m.

Where: GUC Banquet Halls

What: Resume Review & Mock Interview When: 9 a.m.

Where: GUC 202

What: Faculty Recital When: 1 p.m.

Where: MU 209

What: Fifth Departmental Recital When: Noon Where: Norton Auditorium

What: Men’s Tennis vs. Bethel When: Noon Where: Tennis Courts

What: Senior Recital: Maria Sullivan When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Music Building Recital Hall

Wed., April 11

What: “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Trivia When: 6:30 p.m.

Where: Singin’ River Brewing Co.

What: Women’s Tennis vs. Bethel When: 1 p.m.

Where: Tennis Courts

What: Eurydice When: 2 p.m.

Where: George S. Lindsey Theatre

Check online at una.edu/calendar for more events and updates.

16 SOCIAL MEDIA OF THE WEEK

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