The Roar-Ala Vol. II

Vol. 2

First-Year Experience and Frenzy p. 11

5 SOAR 201

Explore the Shoals history p. 34

University

labama of North A

Where to eat in Florence? p. 58

Office of Diversity and Institutional Equity (ODIE) Advancing Diversity and Inclusion at UNA

CultureFest www.una.edu/diversity 256-765-6344

Working with Faculty, Staff, and Students

Monday, August 25, 25, 2014 2015 6 pm-9 pm at the Amphitheatre.

Rain Site at the GUC atrium

Come Celebrate With Food & Live Entertainment

T-Shirts Given Away!

Sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Institutional Equity

Diversity Student Ambassador (DSA)

WHY BE A DIVERSITY STUDENT AMBASSADOR?

7IVZI EW ER EHZSGEXI JSV HMZIVWMX] ERH MRGPYWMSR EX 92% *EGMPMXEXI +VSYT (MWGYWWMSRW %WWMWX MR ,SWXMRK 3JJMGMEP *YRGXMSRW %WWMWX MR GSRHYGXMRK 7XYHIRX (MZIVWMX] -RGPYWMSR 8VEMRMRK

For an application or info.: 256-765-6344, www.una.edu/diversity

FITNESS CENTER

INTRAMURAL SPORTS

RECREATIONAL SWIM

GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES

CLUB SPORTS

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

PERSONAL TRAINING

DROP-IN RECREATION

PART-TIME JOBS

STUDENT RECREATION CENTER FITNESS CENTER: 3,800 square-feet; cardio and selectorized machines; free weights.

GYMNASIUM: 18, 928 square-feet; three multi-purpose courts; walking/jogging area; men’s and women’s locker rooms.

AEROBIC STUDIO: 2,560 square-feet; group exercise classes; semi-private workout area.

SERVICES AND AMENITIES: Showers; lockers; towel service; recreational equipment checkout.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CENTER ACTIVITIES: Structured trips, clinics and classes.

SERVICES: Outdoor equipment checkout; bike checkout program.

UNA RECREATIONAL SPORTS AND FITNESS PROGRAM UNA INTRAMURAL AND CLUB SPORTS UNA OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PROGRAM www.una.edu/recsports

256.765.6019

Welcome to UNA!

Editor-in-Chief Kali Daniel Managing Editor Jasmine Fleming News Editor Anna Brown Life Editor Melissa Parker Sports Editor Mike Ezekiel Online Editor Emily Kazungu Design Editors Peyton Lawler Michael Meigs Business Manager Jordan Byrd Chief Photographer Kaitlin Douglass

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Contributing Writers Katy Billings Kristen Goode Bianca Hernandez Colton McCormick Matisse O’Neal Dustin Pollard Ashley Remkus Jake Rodgers Evan Sandy Mari Williams Rabun Wright Chelsea Yarber Ad Representatives Kenny Johnson Allan Kimbrel Ad Designer Kelsey Eads Staff Photographers Amandalyn Dorner Shay Redd Katlyn Shannon

Whether you are enrolled at UNA as a first-time freshman, transfer student, returning student or international student, I bid you a hearty welcome from the Office of Student Media. All of The Roar-Ala’s contributors have been where you are and know how exciting — and at the same time, intimidating — a fresh start can be. That’s where we come in.

The Roar-Ala is your SOAR guide to everything on campus in a little more detail. We know SOAR can be fun, but SOAR can also be information overload.

Consider this your tool down the road when you wish you could remember how to get a ride late at night (28), how to study abroad (30) or whether Harry Potter was actually filmed on campus (50).

The Roar-Ala is a publication of the Flor-Ala, the weekly student newspaper of UNA, and acts as your introduction to news that will serve you throughout your college experience. We are students just like you working daily to give you need-to-know and want-toknow information. We are not professionals by any means, but we are dedicated to learning and hope you will learn with us.

Throughout the year, we will cover topics from board of trustees meetings to the best restaurants to grab a bite to eat. The paper varies in topics week to week, but will always provide you with News, Life and Sports, as well as a few special sections for fun.

And while we will try our hardest to write what we think you want to know, we want to hear from you.

If you want to find out if a rumor is true, want to offer a story idea or want to share your unique perspective, we are hear to listen and report. You have the opportunity to write a letter to the editor in our newspaper each week, and we hope you will take advantage of that. In the last year, we heard from a student who wanted to see a change in graduation processing, the interim president explaining campus investing and even a Florence resident wanting students to use the crosswalk light on Wood Avenue.

Overall, you have been told several times college is what you make of it, and we want to be a part of what makes your experience great. We hope to see you, hear from you and talk to you soon, but most of all we hope you will love your home at UNA as much as we do.

— Kali Daniel

Table of Contents Letter from the president . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 SOAR leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 New buildings on campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 First-Year Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Who should you know? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Most popular majors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Counseling services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Sports highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Intramurals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Outdoor Adventure Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The Center for Women’s Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 International students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 UNAPD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Freshman Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Study abroad opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 UNA radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Roots of American Music Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Man on the Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Off-campus deals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Hotspots on and off campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Greek councils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Success tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Unique classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Campus myths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Leo and Una . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Alternative Break Board . . . . . . . . . . 54 Where should you eat in Florence? . . . 58 Meet The Flor-Ala staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

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Letter from the President It is my pleasure to welcome you as a new student to the University of North Alabama. You have made a great decision in selecting UNA as your college home, and my hope is that you will be very happy here.

College is fun. Really, it is – and it should be. In fact, most alumni end up looking back at their time in college as being among the best years of their lives. That is not surprising.

There are friends to make, games to attend, performances to enjoy and clubs to join. You can travel to an exotic place or indulge a hobby or interest like never before. It is a time to try new things. When I have the opportunity to speak to incoming students, I always make it a point to say college is not a spectator sport, so get on the field and play!

At UNA, you will enjoy these experiences on one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. And we have lions.

I can hear Leo III and Una as I write this welcome. What other university president has such interesting (and furry) neighbors?

College is so much fun that it’s easy to forget that the experience revolves around your education: The transmittal and acquisition of knowledge through teaching. Our faculty will teach you well. Our staff will enhance your learning experience in ways large and small. But you must be prepared to do your part. Even in the fastpaced, technology-heavy world in which we live, that still reduces to the same simple equation presenting itself to generations of students before

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you: Time plus effort equals success. You have to study a lot.

You will also want to pace yourself. Remind yourself college is a marathon, not a sprint.

The good news is you are enrolling at an institution that will return your investment many times over. So come to class prepared, throw yourself into your studies and do not be afraid to ask questions. Get to know your professors and use the many resources that we offer to help you succeed. If you do these things, you will have an extraordinary experience at this extraordinary place. You’ll also graduate on time and join the long line of proud UNA alumni who are leading full lives, experiencing career success and leaving a mark in their chosen professions.

Your UNA journey begins today, so make it count.

We’re glad you’re here. Roar Lions!

- Kenneth Kitts

SOAR Leaders of the Pride CHELSEA YARBER

Student Writer cyarbe1@una.edu

During your time at SOAR, you will join a group of peers led by UNA students known as SOAR leaders. See if you can find your SOAR leader and learn a little about them.

Junior Hannah Hopkins is the head counselor and is a native of Florence, Alabama. She majors in computer science and said she can say the alphabet backward.

Junior Jackson Townsend, a Pulaski, Tennessee native, is majoring in geography. Townsend said he has been to each of the highest mountain points in the Southeastern states.

Junior Noelle Hall, a Florence, Alabama native, is majoring in nursing.

Hall said the most interesting fact about her is she slept in an ENO for an entire week in Panama.

Junior Amy Carraway, a Bridgeport, Alabama native, is a nursing major.

Carraway said the most interesting thing about her is she can talk like Stitch from “Lilo and Stitch.”

Junior Carson Hagood, a Lewisburg, Tennessee native, is majoring in nursing.

Hagood said one interesting fact about him is he has an adopted Chinese sister.

Sophomore Alex Gould, A Tuscaloosa, Alabama native, is majoring in entertainment business. Gould said one interesting fact about him is he went snorkeling off the coast of Panama.

Senior Emily Groover, a Pulaski, Tennessee native, is majoring in exercise science. Groover said the most interesting thing about her is she has a pet hedgehog named Beatrice.

Sophomore Erin Hill, a Ramer, Tennessee native, is majoring in fashion merchandising. Hill said one thing people would find interesting about her is she was an extra in the movie “I Am Potential.”

Junior Jocelyn Barnes, a Florence, Alabama native, is majoring in entertainment technology. Barnes said the most interesting thing about her is she can pop her arm into and out of socket.

Senior Samuel Satterfield, a Hazel Green, Alabama native, is majoring in public communications. Satterfield said an interesting fact about him is he studied abroad in Paris in May.

Senior Alex Bateman, a Loretto, Tennessee native, is majoring in music.

Bateman said one he sang “The Star Spangled Banner” at ground zero.

Senior Amanda Areostatico, a Huntsville, Alabama native, is majoring in marketing. Areostatico said her most interesting fact is her last name is Italian for “Hot Air Balloon.”

Senior Maurice Mull, a Tanner, Alabama native, is majoring in human resource management. Mull said he drove his car to school one day and rode the bus home.

Senior Brooke Hornfeck, a Huntsville, Alabama native, is majoring in marketing. Hornfeck said an interesting fact about her is she zip-lined over part of Haiti.

Sophomore Jake Davis, a Columbia, Tennessee native, is double-majoring in exercise science and physical therapy.

Davis said he played saxophone in the Pride of Dixie.

Sophomore Katie Spillman, a Decatur, Alabama native, is majoring in social work. Spillman said an interesting fact about her is she did not get her first haircut until she turned 14.

Sophomore Talyn Walton, a Hazel Green, Alabama native, is doublemajoring in literature and sociology.

Walton said an interesting fact about her is she eats everything in pairs.

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THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA CHRISTIAN STUDENT CENTER 547 OAKVIEW CIRCLE FLORENCE, AL 35630

A Place to be

A Place to belong

256-764-9439

The Christian Student Center is a campus ministry sponsored by the Church of Christ. We are dedicated to strengthening and encouraging college students with..  Manna at noon on Mondays helping them grow in their faith.  Westside Kids’ Club  Devotional Thursday nights at 7

 POW (Prayer on Wednesday) at noon

 Girls’ and Guys’ Devotionals  Fall and Spring retreats  Multiple mission trip opportunities

 Intramural sports  Songs of Summer

brink apts.indd 1

4/29/15 10:45 AM

New buildings, new experiences

photo by WILL COREY I Student Photographer

KALI DANIEL

Editor-in-Chief editor@florala.net

As the fall semester beckons students both new and old, the door to new opportunities opens for faculty and students.

With the additions of the Science and Technology Building next to Kilby Laboratory School and the two new residence halls — Mattielou and Olive, named for the streets on which they reside — the UNA community has much to look forward to in the 2015-2016 school year.

The new Science and Technology Building officially opened its doors for public viewing April 30.

Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Carmen Burkhalter said the building offers students more opportunities to learn in a lab setting, work hand-in-hand with professors and expand undergraduate research.

“This building brings us up to par with other universities,” said Instructor of Geology Melissa Driskell.

Among the benefits of the new building are labs built in a circular formation for a more group-style research method.

Also, biochemists will now have access to NMR spectroscopy equipment to delve deeper into their research.

In March, Gov. Robert Bentley addressed UNA administration and the board of trustees praising, “The new Science and Technology Building will provide a modern instructional setting that prepares students for the future in the most current scientific techniques.”

While construction of the science facility is complete, students may still encounter hard hats and loud machines at the freshmen-only residence halls on Mattielou and Olive streets.

The hall located on Mattielou is furthest along, and freshmen will be able to move into their rooms during the Aug.14 movein date.

Director of Residence Life Kevin Jacques said Olive may not be finished until December. He said incoming freshmen not

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photo by KALI DANIEL I Editor-in-Chief

placed in Mattielou will live in Rivers Hall until construction is complete.

“I’m really excited about the features of the new residence halls,” said freshman Jenna Thigpen. “It all just seems really convenient. I think it’s cool we get to be the first ones to use them, too.”

Each floor is divided into two wings with one resident adviser being positioned on each wing, Jacques said. He said about 320 students can be housed in Mattielou’s four floors.

The dual wing split is not the only fresh feature incorporated into the dorms.

“In between each of these rooms is the HVAC system,” Jacques said. “In Hawthorne in Covington (cluster halls), it’s actually in the bedrooms so every time (maintenance) has to change filters, they have to go in there and disturb the students.

Here, it’s all in the hallway.”

Senior Darien Harris said he hoped Residence Life would consider putting larger trash cans in the bathrooms, however that request may not be necessary.

Different from Rice, Rivers and Lafayette halls, Mattielou and Olive offer each room its own bathroom complete with shower, toilet, sink and mirror.

“I like that the sink is outside of the bathroom,” Jacques said. “I can be brushing my teeth, shaving (or) whatever while my roommate is showering.”

The new dorms also include study areas on the ground floor and double the amount of laundry rooms of Rice or Rivers halls, as well as a receptionist area, lounge and game area. On each floor, a lounge area separates the two wings, with a large TV and a view overlooking the baseball field and football practice field.

“I think (these features) make staying on campus more appealing to incoming freshmen,” Thigpen said. “It’s cool to get to be a part of the changes going on at UNA. I can’t wait to live there.”

First-year programs pave road to success

photo by DEANNA KAMPMEYER I Staff Photographer

Vice President David Shields enjoys First-Year Frenzy’s End-of-the-Year Party with students April 29. The event was the final component required for first-year students to enter to win a $1,000 scholarship.

ANNA BROWN

News Editor news@florala.net

The first year of college can be very frightening, overwhelming and challenging. Students find themselves in a new place devoid of the comforts of home. It is easy to feel alone.

UNA offers two programs, First-Year Experience and First-Year Frenzy, to help first-year students get involved on campus, and make valuable connections with students and faculty.

First-Year Experience is a credit-bearing academic course, which is required for all first-year students and students under 24 years old. Transfer students having less than 24 hours of college credit are also required to take an FYE course.

These courses are distinctive because they cover a variety of topics including “how to present yourself on social media,” “heroes and villains” and “living in the Shoals.”

“It’s not just about what it means to be a college student, but what it means to be a UNA college student and citizen of the Shoals,” said First-Year Experience Director Matthew Little.

FYE also orientates students with different majors early in their college career. Students can take an FYE course

that is related to a major in which they are interested so they can get a feel for what that major entails.

“What we’ve asked the faculty to do is to pick something they’re passionate about, then help the student explore that through that passion,” Little said.

So what are the perks? Introduced in fall 2014, the FYE program saw half of the first-year class. Students who took an FYE class had GPAs half a point to a full point higher than students who did not take these courses. Compared to students who did not take FYE courses, 2 percent more of the students who did returned to UNA the following spring.

Like FYE, First-Year Frenzy engages students, though in a different way.

First-Year Frenzy gives first-year students the opportunity to win a $1,000 scholarship for the next semester Students were required to consult the University Success Center, attend the Upperclassman Student Panel Discussion, attend presentations at Research Day, attend Career Carnival and register for the Fall 2015 semester.

All of these events are free for students and offer valuable learning experiences.

The goal of these programs is to give first-year students a head start in campus involvement, meet other students and bring them one step closer to a career they believe in, Little said.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

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5/4/15 12:24 AM

Be a part of UNA’s PREMIERE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE Join a FRATERNITY or SORORITY on campus!

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“Meet the Greeks” 8/19/15 6:00-8:00pm

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Amphitheatre Free pizza and drinks Plus DJ

Want to learn more about UNA fraternities and sororities?

Check out our website at

www.una.edu/greeklife GREEKLIFE ad 4a3.indd 1

4/30/15 11:14 PM

Who Should You Know?

Mark Parker

Tyler Thompson

Parker oversees, directs and implements public safety programs for the campus.

He enforces and oversees enforcement of applicable state and federal laws and university policies. He identifies violators, issues warnings and citations, initiates student disciplinary referrals and/or makes arrests as warranted.

Thompson serves as the adviser for the Student Government Association. He supervises campus programming by registered student organizations, Greek Life, leadership and volunteerism.

Interim Chief of Police

Tammy Jacques

Melissa Medlin

Jacques directs the monitoring of University policy in relation to Title IX law developments, provision of educational materials and training for the campus community. She conducts and/or coordinates investigations of complaints received pertaining to Title IX and monitors all other aspects of the University’s Title IX compliance.

Medlin coordinates and leads programs and services to provide career decisionmaking and job search assistance to UNA students and alumni. In addition to career/major choice, she provides job search assistance, including resume and cover letter writing, job search and interviewing skills.

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Title IX Coordinator

Kali Daniel

Editor-in-Chief of The Flor-Ala

Daniel supervises all content and design elements of The Flor-Ala. She is responsible for deciding what content goes to print each week and is the public face of The Flor-Ala.

Director of Career Development

Planning

and

Nick Lang President Student Government Association Lang leads the various branches of the Student Government Association.

He serves within numerous university committees and is the student advocate for the board of trustees.

Gwen Burney

Leigh Thompson

Burney is the Operations Manager for UNA’s on-site campus dining services.

She manages all Sodexo food locations, daily operations, safety and HACCP training for her employees.

Thompson helps students become familiar with the library’s resources, including locating sources for papers, speeches and other projects and deciphering between good and bad information.

Sodexo Operations Manager

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Director of Student Engagement

Instructional Services Librarian

information compiled by EMILY KAZUNGU I Online Editor

770

800

Most Popular Majors

Based on decided majors for the fall 2014 semester.

700

Total undergrads

600

Biology

0

Elementary Education

100

Health, Physical Education and Recreation

200

Secondary Education

300

Nursing

400

342 338 300 249

500

5,885

information compiled by JASMINE FLEMING I Managing Editor information provided courtesy of the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment

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Counseling Services MELISSA PARKER Life Editor life@florala.net

The college experience can be an exciting yet stressful time. Being away from home — possibly for the first time — and learning to live on your own can leave a person feeling a bit overwhelmed. Add in classes, a job and a social life, and the stress level rises. Student Counseling Services is here to help you adjust to life as a college student.

Student Counseling Services is available to all UNA students who are enrolled in classes and have paid the Student Health Fee. “For students who feel they have nowhere else to go, Counseling Services is a good place to start,” said Director of Student Counseling Services Lynne Martin.

The focus is taking care of students and helping them succeed, she said.

Types of distressed behavior you may recognize are: poor performance, disruptive behavior, depressed mood, and change in personal hygiene or dress. Others may include: weight loss or gain, or expressing feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Just one of these things by itself may not mean anything, but several of them together could.

If a student contacts Counseling Services for help with a problem, they will be connected with the proper people, whether it is making an appointment to speak to a counselor or getting in touch with one of the other support services on campus, Martin said.

One of the resources available through the Student Affairs

Office is the CARE Team. The Campus Assistance, Referral and Evaluation Team is a group of people on campus students can turn to for help.

The CARE Team is an important resource on campus because of the number of things happening to college students. Early intervention and support to students who show symptoms of distressed behavior and providing the assistance needed not only helps those students but also ensures the safety of the entire campus community.

“Our role is to help the students understand that there is someone who cares about them and wants to see them succeed,” said Mental Health Counselor and Case Manager for the CARE team Jami Flippo.

This service relies on referrals from everyone on campus and without that support it cannot be successful. If a student thinks a friend or classmate seems distressed, is suffering a life-crisis or is at-risk, the CARE team wants to be contacted.

Do not be afraid to call, Flippo said.

“I’d rather someone contact me and it be nothing than them not contact me at all,” she said.

Many students experience stress about the increased class work and pressure to make good grades in college.

If a student is struggling with study skills, Martin suggests taking advantage of the many resources available on campus.

Student Counseling Services is located at 555 Oakview Circle behind Kilby Laboratory School. The CARE Team can be contacted at 256-765-4223. Referral forms are available online. If you feel the situation is an emergency, always call 911.

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UNA Environmental Services and Housing Facilities www.una.edu/housingfacilitiesmgmt

GAME ON! MIKE EZEKIEL/RABUN WRIGHT Sports Editor/Student Writer sports@florala.net/rwright1@una.edu

The University of North Alabama has one of the most prestigious athletic programs on the D-II level. Here’s a look at what made UNA’s teams what they are today:

FOOTBALL

North Alabama is the winningest collegiate football program in the state of Alabama since 1990 with 213 wins and a 71.1 winning percentage. The Lions, under head coach Bobby Wallace, won three Gulf South Conference titles, made six playoff appearances and won three back-to-back Division II National Championships in 1993-1995. In those three years, UNA had a record of 41-1 and was ranked No. 1 in the D-II poll for 27 consecutive weeks. In 2013-2014, UNA won back-to-back GSC titles.

VOLLEYBALL

Originally part of the Physical Education department, UNA’s team became part of the athletics program in 1969. They won the first seven GSC volleyball championships in 19841988. Twelve years later, UNA went 40-3, won its fifth straight GSC title, made its fifth straight NCAA trip and made it to the D-II Final Four for the first time. UNA volleyball claimed its first NCAA National Championship in 2003.

SOCCER

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In 1997, the UNA soccer program moved into the NCAA in 1997 as a member of the GSC. UNA claimed its first GSC championship in 2011.

Chloe Roberts set the UNA career scoring record with 93 goals and became the 25th player in D-II history to have at least 40 career goals and 40 career assists.

GOLF

When UNA joined NCAA D-II in the 1970s, the Lions became one of the most successful teams in the GSC. UNA won its first regional championship in 2002. The golf team’s first two GSC titles came in 2009 and 2010. The Lions had four straight NCAA Regional appearances in 2010-2013. The UNA golf program has produced 13 All-Americans.

BASKETBALL

The men’s basketball program has claimed two national championships, played in nine NCAA championship tournaments and made five Final Four appearances. Flowers Hall, the home court for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, is named after Eddie Flowers, coach of the first men’s basketball team at UNA. In 1979, the Lions won an NCAA D-II basketball championship and became the first college or university in the state to win a basketball national championship.

UNA claimed its second national championship in 1991.

The women’s basketball program began competing under the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women in 1975. The program has since made four trips to the NCAA D-II tournament. Wayne Byrd led the program for 16 years to the school’s first GSC championship.

The program has also included three All-Americans.

BASEBALL UNA baseball began in 1932 and had a streak of 30 consecutive winning seasons from 1984 to 2013.

Much of the success is due to former coach Mike Lane. In the years under Lane, the Lions won 908 games, averaged 36 wins per season, won

five GSC Championships and went to their first D-II World Series in 1999. Many players have gone on to play professionally, such as Josh Willingham.

SOFTBALL The UNA softball program began in 1983 and immediately set the standard, winning the GSC’s first-ever softball championship the same year. For the first three years of the program, UNA and the GSC competed in slow-pitch softball until they switched to fast-pitch and D-II in 1986. In 2006, the softball team made their first appearance in the NCAA D-II Tournament. For both the 2013 and 2014 seasons, the Lions finished third in the GSC. In 2015, the Lions cracked the D-II top 10 for its highest ranking in school history.

CROSS COUNTRY

The cross country program began in 1973. The women’s team won back-to-back GSC titles in 1987 and 1988. Emry McKay is dubbed the top runner in UNA’s history, earning three All-GSC, three All-South Region and three All-American honors. McKay also competed in the NCAA D-II National Championships for three years.

TENNIS

The men’s tennis program began in 1932 under Eddie Flowers and the women’s team began in 1975 under Nancy Vance. The Lions won their first school championship in 1936 while competing in the Mississippi Valley Conference. The Lions won their first GSC championship in 1981.

The Lions have made the NCAA D-II Regional championships 10 times since 1995.

[ Intramurals ] JAKE RODGERS

Student Writer jrodgers2@una.edu

Many students enrolled may not be aware of all the benefits and resources the school provides.

The Student Recreation Center provides the experiences students need during a stressful semester.

Intramural sports provide students the opportunity to play a club sport, whether it is football, basketball, softball, soccer or even ultimate Frisbee.

“I have a lot of groups that participate, especially in the team activities,” said Ryan Putman, coordinator of intramural sports.

“If somebody notices we have a pool tournament and likes to play pool, it gives them the opportunity to get out there and play and meet people.”

Events are scattered throughout the semester, typically one event per month, but sometimes Putman holds two or three events in one night to get more students involved.

Most of these events take place in the first floor and the intramural field, located off Irvine Street. The SRC provides basketball courts along with activities such as volleyball and badminton.

All of these luxuries are free of charge to UNA students.

Another benefit is the jobs the SRC

offers to students. Just as you would apply for an SRC job on Lion Jobs, you can apply to be an intramural referee.

“I have my own separate application to where I have a pool of potential employees that I pull from and I’ll do my hiring and process that way,” Putman said.

UNA Junior Zachary Wright, a former intramural referee, said he enjoyed his job with the SRC. “I like it because it’s interactive and you’re not stuck behind a desk,” Wright said.

You do not necessarily need experience in the field of intramural sports to get a job at the SRC. The staff trains students on site so everyone will be ready to start working.

Greek life is also a major part of intramural sports and is another gateway to branch out and learn more about UNA and many activities that are associated with the university. Unfortunately, there is a lack of participation of intramural sports due to the lack of Greek attendants within the events in the past few years.

“I think there is less enrollment in the Greeks than there used to be,” said Jordan Shelvan, an intramural sports referee. “That affects who comes in because usually they come ready to play.”

19

PSI-SOARAd-2015_PSI-SOARAd-2015 4/28/15 4:52 PM Page 1

Collier Library

Welcomes You to UNA www.una.edu/library 256-765-4241

Fall & Spring Hours Monday—Thursday

7:30am—1:00am

Friday

7:30am– 4:30pm

Saturday

9:00am—5:00pm

Sunday

2:00pm—1:00am

Summer and Holiday Hours vary.

Be a part of one of the most unique programs that UNA has to offer- travel AND service!

2015 Fall Break “Weekend Warrior” trips:

Focusing on animal cruelty prevention & human trafficking awareness

Contact: Bethany Oliver, bloliver@una.edu, 256-765-4693

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2016 Spring Break trips:

Focusing on childhood welfare, women’s rights, and more! International & domestic trips available!

Applications will open in August 2015 www.una.edu/ab

5/2/15

10:06 PM

Outdoor Adventure Center DUSTIN POLLARD

Senior Staff Writer dpollard@una.edu

For students looking to find a place to relax and enjoy outdoor adventures, look no further than the Outdoor Adventure Center.

Located across from Norton Auditorium on West Irvine Street, the OAC has all the camping, hiking and scuba diving equipment you need for free. The OAC has over 30 outdoor equipment items available for students to check out, which includes camping essentials.

“We have everything you need for your basic camping trips,” said Outdoor Adventures and Special Events Coordinator McKenzie Martin.

“This includes hammocks, disc golf

discs, tents and many more things.”

The OAC provides weekly clinics for students to learn camping skills.

These clinics vary in discussion from packing a backpack and kayaking to cooking food outdoors, Martin said.

Students are also able to go on trips with the OAC to different outdoor spots in the area on weekends.

“Our trips are geared to things you can do locally,” Martin said. “It’s about introducing new spots to students so they can go on their own sometime.”

Weekly activities include slacklining during the warm months and kayak polo during the winter months, she said.

“Everything we do is beginnerlevel, so don’t let any activity intimidate you,” said graduate assistant Patrick Shremshock. “Everything is free, so

why would students not take advantage of (the OAC)?”

Martin said she agreed students should take advantage of the numerous opportunities the OAC has to offer to students.

“We are a division of the Student Recreational Center, so it’s already paid for (with tuition),” Martin said.

“You and your friends can come in and rent out a kayak for no charge.”

The OAC has couches and a TV available for students to come in and relax between classes.

“We try to make this a very relaxing atmosphere for students,” Martin said.

“I usually have my cat running around that students like to play with.”

The OAC is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Center for Women’s Studies MARI WILLIAMS

Senior Staff Writer mwilliams20@una.edu

22

Professor Lynne Rieff and thenProfessor Anna Lott established the Center for Women’s Studies 10 years ago as part of the women’s studies program. Since its start, it has blossomed into a hub of many services for students of all genders.

“We are a big referral center for students,” said Emily Kelley, coordinator for women’s studies.

The overall purpose of the Women’s Center is bigger than this campus.

“The Women’s Center champions a lot of people on this campus,” Kelley said. “It’s a home for people who don’t otherwise have a place to be.”

Women have learned to take control of their lives with the support offered by the center and the people there, she

said.

The Women’s Center offers several distinctive services that are not offered anywhere else on campus.

Students are provided access to computers and free printing, Kelley said, as well as free bottled water and snacks.

Kelly helped develop the Women’s and Gender Studies Association in 2014.

“The main purpose of it is to educate, foster good relationships between genders and to open the scope of the Women’s Center,” she said.

The RSO emphasizes inclusion as one of the most important goals, she said.

The center can also be a safe haven for students who need it.

“The Women’s Center is important because it actually gives a location for students to come to where they feel safe, especially women,” said

volunteer Jennifer Allen.

Services and information are available to all students regardless of gender, culture or sexual orientation, she said.

Kelley said she is always available for students to talk to whether it be to vent or just talk about their day.

There are a plethora of volunteer opportunities at the center.

“In the Women’s Center, there’s always room for volunteers to come in here to help answer the phone and help work on projects that are going on here in the center,” Kelley said. “I always need volunteers to work all of the different functions and events that we set up during the years’ time.”

When Allen is not in class she can often be found volunteering in the Women’s Center, greeting visitors and helping them find resources they need.

“I pretty much do anything the coordinator needs me to do,” she said.

Home Sweet Home

University prides itself on diversity KALI DANIEL

Editor-in-Chief editor@florala.net

Many UNA students boast successes on campus and off, and the situation is no different for international students.

UNA’s international community hosts 609 students from 52 countries ranging from Albania to Yemen. Each of these students struggles with culture shock, and most students must pass five levels of each class offered in the English as a Second Language program: Reading, Writing, Listening, Grammar and Speaking. After the completion of these courses, they are enlisted as academic students of the university, focusing on their major.

Between culture shock, understanding slang and language fluency, UNA’s international students are a p p l y i n g themselves to become world citizens with a voice.

Graduate j student Yogyata Batra of Delhi, India served as an SGA senator and was also a resident adviser for LaGrange Hall during the 2014-15 school year.

“As an international student, when I first came here I felt since the culture is so different, it makes it a little intimidating for us to be part of different organizations,” Batra said. “I wanted to change this notion and make more and more friends, and learn everything I could while being at UNA.” Batra said joining Senate boosted her confidence and taught her about writing and passing legislation.

“My committee brought forward the gender-neutral family restrooms issue, and I worked with this cause very closely,” she said. “I was very emotional the day it passed. I felt we did

justice to the community who wanted this.”

Batra was able to help another successful student, sophomore Dayeon Jang of Seoul, South Korea. Jang is a culinary arts major and was selected as a judge for Florence Restaurant Week in May by Batra’s recommendation.

“Secretary Jensen Joiner came to me because they wanted an international student on the judge’s panel,” Batra said. “I immediately thought of (Dayeon) and proposed her name.”

Jang said she is the only international student enrolled in the university’s culinary program, so she felt she had a responsibility.

“I said I would really like to do something like that because I’m very shy and don’t have to do it in front of a lot of people,” Jang said.

Jang scored local foods alongside two other judges for Florence Restaurant Week May 8-16.

Some students may be offered the opportunity to teach others through the u n i v e r s i t y ’s Critical Languages program. Courses offered include Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili and Turkish on sufficient demand — all taught by native speakers.

Ali Alnasar, a 2016 graduate from eastern Saudi Arabia, has taught Arabic since 2012.

“A graduate student from the Middle East was teaching the class, but he left,” he said. “I applied and they accepted me.”

Alnasar, as a full-time student, faced the rigor of balancing school and work. He said he does not regret this challenge.

“I wanted the job because I want to share my culture and I am so grateful for the opportunity.”

23

19

Participants Meet in GUC Atrium

University of North Alabama Free t-shirt andlunch included!

Feeding the FEEDING THEPride PRIDE Need some extra food assistance?

Feeding the Pride is here for YOU!

Feeding The Pride is an on campus food pantry F.T.P. is an on-campus food pantry whose purpose is to provide food assistance to University of open Northduring Alabama students who available are in need the week and

forUniversity all UNACenter students.

We are located in the Guillot on the Second floot in Room 225 Please visit out webpage at www.una.edu/feedingthepride Only requirement: UNA Mane Card

Contact: Interested in volunteering with the pantry or simply have a question?

JustissFTP Martin, Join FTP the Welcome Week Dance-a-thon!

Contact Coordinator, Kayla Slusher, atatkslusher@una.edu or call 256-765-4693.

Food Pantry Coordinator

Tuesday, August 18th at Towers Cafeteria

Mondays 8:00am-9:30am Fall Hours: Tuesdays 11:00am-1:30pm Fridays 10:00am-12:30pm **Feeding the Pride will be giving away prizes, providing free lunch and pantry information from 12:00-1:30pm at the UNA Amphitheater on Friday, August 22nd** jmartin9@una.edu

ftp rso.indd 1

5/1/15 11:49 PM

Operation: Compassion Haiti A worldwide event! on the Powers Hall lawn

Featuring foods, music, and more from countries throughout the world!

Buffet-style feast for $5 per plate.

All proceeds will benefit efforts to help Institution Mixte du Progres school in Desab, Haiti.

Saturday, August 22, 6-9pm

haiti.indd 1

WANT TO GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS, BUT NOT SURE HOW?

Guillot University Center, Suite 107 Open 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday 256-765-4248

slc.indd 1

5/4/15 2:06 PM

Stop by the Office of Student Engagement for FREE peerto-peer student involvement consulting!

5/2/15 12:33 AM

ALCOHOL EDU

AlcoholEdu is a required online education course designed to help our students make responsible and informed decisions about the consumption of alcohol.

FAILURE TO COMPLETE PART 1 PRIOR TO AUGUST 12, 2015 MAY RESULT IN A HOLD ON YOUR UNA ACCOUNT! Â

DUE AUGUST 12, 2015 Part One Contains: 4 Modules 2 Surveys 1 Exam

Part 1 takes approximately 2 hours to fully complete, but can be saved in sections and accessed at your own pace.

First Year Students Are Required To Complete Alcohol Edu

DUE OCTOBER 16, 2015 Part Two Contains: 1 Follow-Up Survey Part 2 takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

YOU WILL RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALCOHOL EDU THROUGH YOUR UNA EMAIL WHICH IS LOCATED IN UNA PORTAL. CHECK IT FREQUENTLY! For additional information call 256-765-5012 or visit www.una.edu/alcoholEDU

Department of Communications W LLO

FO

US MyUNACom

@MyUNACom

MYUNACom

@myunacom

Majors COMMUNICATION ARTS Film & Digital Media Production Public Communication Theatre

MASS COMMUNICATION Journalism: Multimedia Public Relations Radio-Television & Interactive Media

Minors Digital Media Production Journalism Mass Communication Public Communication

Public Relations Screenwriting Theatre For degree planning information, visit

www.una.edu/communications

communicationadwmargins.indd 1

5/6/15 12:03 AM

Campus Security ASHLEY REMKUS

Senior Staff Writer aremkus@una.edu

For first-time college students and their parents, the move to a new home can be scary. The UNA Police Department works to suppress those fears by providing a safe atmosphere on campus.

With 12 sworn officers, about 15 reserve officers and a trained K9, the department is no group of mall cops.

“We are certified, academy-accredited police officers,” said Interim Chief Mark Parker. “The average amount of training for officers in Alabama is less than 20 hours per year. The officers here at the university get between 85 and 125 hours every year.”

The Police Department offers a variety of services — from self-defense training to emergency alerts, and active shooter training to campus escorts.

The Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol, known to students as SNAP, provides escorts across campus between 8:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. during the fall and spring semesters. With a quick call to the Police Department students, faculty or staff members can receive a ride in a police golf cart or a walking escort to any place on campus.

“It’s proven individuals are more likely to be targeted by crime than groups,” Parker said.

When a weather emergency, such as a tornado warning or winter weather advisory, presents a danger to campus, the Police Department issues a Lion Alert.

These email, text or phone call notifications are reserved only for emergency purposes or school closing announcements. If

28

a crime occurs on campus and the police determine a threat remains to the campus community, they will issue an alert.

“We’ll never use the Lion Alert for general notifications,” Parker said. “They are only for things that demand immediate attention. If you get a Lion Alert, there’s something you really need to look at.”

The Police Department also offers A.L.I.C.E. training for students. The acronym stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate, and serves as a reminder of what to do if you encounter an active shooter.

“The reason why we started this program here is for self-defense,” said UNA Police Sgt. Terry Parker. “People tend to think that if they lock the doors, hide and wait for the police, everything will be fine. It usually never works out that way. This program goes beyond that. This program says, ‘locking the door is the start of defense.’”

The class is held once per month and is open to the university community. Student groups can also schedule training through the Police Department.

Rape Aggression Defense, or R.A.D., is aimed at teaching students to defend themselves from attackers. Instructor Shequanda Jenkins teaches the eight-hour program, which is typically split into two four-hour sessions. The hands-on training teaches maneuvers, tactics and techniques that allow women to fight off or avoid attacks. Being aware of potential dangers and situations that could threaten personal safety is also an objective of the course.

“Statistics show that sometime during your lifetime, most all

SAFETY PROGRAMS • • •

Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol (S.N.A.P.) Alert, Lockdown, Counter, and Evacuate (A.L.I.C.E).

Rape Aggression Defense (R. A. D.)

”

The average amount of training for officers in Alabama is less than 20 hours per year. The officers here at the university get between 85 and 125 hours every year.

Mark Parker

Interim Police Chief people are going to be a victim of some type of crime,” Mark Parker said. “Even if you don’t have to use it here on campus, the lessons you’ll learn from either our A.L.I.C.E. training or our R.A.D. training can benefit you throughout your entire life. They’re skills and techniques that you can take with you, and you might use them years down the road to protect you and your family.”

FRESHMAN F O R U M KRISTEN GOODE

Staff Writer kgoode@una.edu

For freshmen seeking to get involved and become established on campus, Eric Busby said he recommends joining Freshman Forum.

“Freshman Forum has benefited me in all the expected ways, such as in leadership development and in personal decision-making skills,” Busby, 2014-15 Freshman Forum president, said.

Freshman Forum is one of SGA’s three branches and is only open to freshmen.

The branch is one of the first opportunities freshmen are given to get involved on campus, said Walter Hartley, who served as a Freshman Forum advisor during the 2014-2015 school year.

“Out of all of the organizations on campus, this is the most diverse and it is the most prestigious for freshmen,” Hartley said.

Freshman Forum brings a different viewpoint to the table than the other SGA branches, said member Leah Tyson. She said the forum meets the need for freshmen opinion in student legislation.

SGA Senator and LaGrange Society member Alec Prince says he always makes a point to talk about the benefits of Freshman Forum when he gives prospective students campus tours.

Freshman Forum hosts several events for students throughout the school year. Last year, they hosted a 90s-themed Halloween party, a multiple sclerosis awareness kickball tournament and a Valentine’s Day dinner.

Tyson said her favorite event was Puppy Palooza, where students could play with puppies and dogs to relieve midsemester stress.

“Because it was new, it was a very challenging, yet rewarding, event,” Tyson said. “Seeing the smiles from the hundreds of students who stopped by assured us of the event’s success.”

In addition to hosting social events on campus, Freshman Forum works to make sure issues and concerns brought to

them by freshmen are addressed.

Hartley said members of Freshman Forum can make a difference for their classmates by addressing campus issues that concern freshmen.

“It is important that freshmen apply for Freshman Forum branch because not only will they be more connected to their institution as a freshman, but they will also have mentorship of older SGA members that will help them along the way,” said SGA President Nick Lang.

photo by KALI DANIEL I Editor-in-Chief Sophomores Jordan Cooper, Brittany Knight and Hugo Dante play with a dog March 18 during Puppy Palooza, an event hosted by Freshman Forum. Students were able to play with puppies and dogs from the Florence Lauderdale Animal Shelter at the Amphitheater in order to relieve mid-semester stress.

Busby said he has formed many friendships because of his time in Freshman Forum.

“I don’t know where I would be right now if I hadn’t joined,” Prince said.

Prince said Freshman Forum helped him connect with people who have similar interests and goals for their college careers.

Incoming freshmen looking to get involved in Freshman Forum should check their email for application information. Applications with be available during the fall semester.

29

STUDY ABR AD COLTON MCCORMICK

Student Writer cmccormick@una.edu

According to US News and World Report, the top two things employers are looking for are internships and study abroad experience.

UNA can take students around the world through their study abroad programs. This kind of experience can be a major factor that separates some job candidates from others.

The length of trips can range from a week to an entire year. Some trips are stationary, meaning the students spend most of their time in one city and are able to get familiar with their surroundings. Others are very migratory, where the students hop from one locale to another, trying to see as much as they can.

Sophomore Haleigh Scott said she spent a month in London researching burlesque shows.

“My favorite thing about the city was the culture­, especially the food,” she said.

While she was not very fond of her room there, she said she would take it in a heartbeat to return to London.

Scott is planning to spend a semester in South Korea next year.

Junior Brandon Brown went to Tanzania for his study abroad course.

“I didn’t want to go with the norm, to go to Europe, and I wasn’t really interested in Asia,” he said.

Brown said he would not trade this experience for anything else and studying with students there was a phenomenal experience.

30 30

He also said he would love for other students to take advantage of the study abroad opportunities UNA has to offer.

“A lot of people at UNA are from Alabama and have never left the Southeast, ” he said. “I think going to Africa throws you into a completely different environment, but it is really good and healthy for you because you get to learn a lot more.”

If someone is feeling more adventurous, he or she may even consider living an entire semester in a country like senior Miracle Osborne.

Osborne spent a semester in Spain through the Magellan Exchange Program.

“It was hard in the beginning when the shock factor set in, but a month into it, it felt like home,” she said.

“Leaving and not returning at the end of June was hard.”

Osborne said during her time there, she was able to travel around Europe to other major cities like Rome and Paris.

Craig Christy, director of the Center for Global Engagement, allows students to study abroad at the same expense as UNA. Christy said studying abroad is important and it should be a requirement.

“We live in a global age, and you can’t say you have a global perspective if you’ve never left your hometown, home state or home country,” he said.

Christy said during one of his summer SOAR presentations he found out both students and parents are eager to learn about the study abroad

opportunities at UNA. “Last summer I had one family who had already been to different universities on summer orientation visits,” he said. “Upon exiting, the father came over to me and said, ‘(my family and I) just decided on UNA when I heard you have the Magellan Exchange Program.’”

Christy said he highly recommends study abroad to all students regardless of discipline.

“If you’re going to be sensitive to the dimensions of globalization, you need a broader perspective than just one country, one state or one city,” he said. “You need to have some appreciation for the mechanics of global interconnection.”

Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages Claudia Vance mostly accompanies faculty lead trips.

She said these trips are life changing for students.

“Some of them have barely been outside of the South, much less outside of the United States,” she said. “It is the first time that many of them have experienced a new culture, a new way of thinking and perspective, and have experienced culture shock.”

Vance said the students come back changed for the better, and it is worth it.

Vance said she would encourage students to study abroad.

“I recommend students to study abroad in any way that they can,” she said. “While the students are young, not married with children or tied down to a job, this is the time in your life to do this.”

WHERE

will geography take you?

Geography students at UNA: learn the latest geospatial technologies develop spatial thinking skills to solve real world problems present research at academic conferences study abroad in numerous countries enjoy field courses around the United States intern with potential employers network with successful alumni GET JOBS!

studying geography at UNA will take you places!

@unageo @una_geo search: University of North Alabama Department of Geography

n o i at

M F P d N Ra z L H W m 9 .

7 10 t S io

ANNA BROWN

News Editor news@florala.net

Students will soon be able to hear music and campus news as UNA’s Department of Communications begins riding the airwaves summer 2015.

“Lion Pride” Radio goes on air in July 2015, said Chair of the Department of Communications Greg Pitts.

The station will broadcast with 100 watts of power. Anyone within a 10-mile radius of the Communications building at UNA can tune in to hear music that reflects the “Muscle Shoals sound,” the latest on UNA sports and student-led radio shows.

WLNP, which stands for “Lion Pride,” is licensed to broadcast 24/7, Pitts said.

The station will broadcast music from local musicians and music reflecting the Muscle Shoals Sound.

“We have a lot of people who are local musicians, and I think there is a good opportunity to give them radio airplay,” Pitts said. “There is also an opportunity to give people a chance to do a radio show.”

Students and faculty from the department worked hard over the last few months to make this station happen, Pitts said.

Students researched promotional methods, programs, software and programming p i e c e s

during the spring 2015 semester in preparation for the station’s launch.

He said communication students involved with the station are currently working on talk show ideas that could be on the air for 20 to 30 weeks. He said more programming will be added as they get the station on its feet.

Pitts said the department will “hold our breath and wait and see” if the station’s power will increase.

“I think it’ll be amazing for students,” said senior Erin McAllister. “I think this will give them an actual practice run of what it takes to work at a radio station.”

McAllister said UNA’s National Broadcast Society chapter is also involved in the planning and startup of the station.

Senior Skyler Mansell said he wants to hear a mix of campus news and current events on campus, but he mainly wants to hear music on WLNP. The station will also stream live online, giving those outside of the coverage area an opportunity to tune in.

For more information about the Department of Communications and Lion Pride Radio, go to una.edu/communications.

33

MELISSA PARKER Life Editor life@florala.net

Not only will you find the beautiful campus of the University of North Alabama in the northwest corner of Alabama, but also a rich and diverse musical heritage.

Legend says the Tennessee River was once called “the singing river” by the Yuchie Tribe because the rapids in the river sounded like a woman singing, according to the Roots of American Music Trail website.

American Indian tribes who lived here considered music an important part of their lives and customs. ScotsIrish born settlers brought Celtic traditions and made the fiddle part of their celebrations. The African slaves sang songs of spiritual hope and played the banjo during their years on the plantations.

All of these blended together to create new musical sounds and styles that we still listen to today.

In later years, the region became known for the blues. W.C. Handy was

the first musician to “identify, arrange, publish and popularize the blues sound,” according to the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area website.

He was also the first person to bring American music to Europe, said Director of the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area Judy Sizemore.

“He took our music around the world,” she said.

There is such an amazing amount of music history for such a small area.

“Right here in Florence we had the father of the blues, W.C. Handy, and the father of rock ‘n’ roll, Sam Phillips,” Sizemore said.

Sam Phillips was born on a farm near Florence, Alabama, in 1923. The son of poor tenant farmers, he was introduced to music at a young age as he listened to the black laborers he and his parents worked next to sing as they worked, according to the biography.com website.

The music left an impression on him and spurred him to eventually start his own recording studio and record label, Sun Records, in Memphis.

There, Phillips discovered such talents as Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley.

He and his family founded the Big River Broadcasting Co., which owns several radio stations in Florence.

The region became known as the “Hit Recording Capital of the World” when more hit singles were being produced here than in other cities known for music producing, such as New York and Nashville.

The Roots of America Music Trail gives people the opportunity to experience and study the musical heritage of the area.

“These people really made a difference in the music that we listen to,” Sizemore said.

The trail is meant to be a self-guided tour and soon visitors will be able to visit a historic site, dial a number and hear what happened there, Sizemore said. For those with smart phones, a QR code will be available for use to watch a video.

One good way to get an idea of the types of music-makers who have made their marks in this area before heading out on the trail is to watch the “Muscle Shoals” documentary.

photos by KAITLIN DOUGLASS I Chief Photographer

34

“It will give a wonderful overview of part of our musical history here,” Sizemore said.

After that, visit the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area building located in the O’Neal House next door to the Off Campus Bookstore.

Judy Sizemore or another employee will direct you to the best places to visit.

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and FAME Recording Studios are a few places visitors can tour. The W.C. Handy Birthplace, Museum and Library is also a popular attraction.

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame not only recognizes local artists, but artists from all over the state. Lionel Richie, the country music band Alabama and Hank Williams have all been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Located in Sheffield, The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio at 3614 Jackson Highway has been host to some popular acts in the past. It was the setting for Cher’s 1969 album titled 3614 Jackson Highway. Other artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, James Brown and Willie Nelson recorded some of their music here.

FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals was the first successful professional recording studio in Alabama. The worldwide attention grew for FAME when artists such as Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and Etta James began recording their hit classics there. Other artists who have recorded music at FAME include Little Richard, the Osmonds, Shenandoah and Darryl Worley. This recording legacy continues today with artists Angela Hacker, Jason Isbell, Drive-by Truckers and many more.

Father of the blues W.C. Handy’s home is on West College Street in Florence, but was originally built at Cherokee and Beale streets. A historic marker stands there today. At the museum and home you will find collections of Handy’s personal papers, photographs and items such as handwritten sheets of music for many of his famous works.

Each year the W.C. Handy Music Festival celebrates the historical roots of the music of The Shoals. The annual July festival includes more than 200 events in four counties, and 2015 marks the 34th year for the event. Ten days filled with music and fun will be right here in your own backyard.

And if, after visiting these locations, you ask Sizemore why we have so much music in such a small area, he will have an interesting response: “A lot of people say it’s in the water.”

35

PI SIGMA EPSILON National Co-ed Fraternity For Students and Professionals in Sales, Marketing, and Management Open To All Majors and Minors

www.pse.org Catch Us On Social Media

JOIN

@UNA_PSE

PSE

facebook.com/pseuna5340

TOD AY! !!

t the a h t o o B ur Stop By O ring SOAR!!

Du RSO FAIR

Una_pse

Conventions-Competitions-Career Events-Leadership-Professional Development -100% Career Placement Rate For Students Majoring in Marketing and Sales -Average of 4 Career Offers per Student Prior to Graduation -Win $1000 Each Year in the Sales Leadership Challenge -Networking With Business Leaders and Students -Social Events Every Month and at All National Meetings E-mail: unasalescenter@una.edu

Phone: 256-765-5240

Location: Keller Hall Room 134

www.unasalescenter.com

1st Floor of the GUC! Come Relax between classes!

HOURS: Monday-Thursday 10am-11pm Friday 10am-6pm Sat. 11am-5pm. Sun. 5pm-10pm **You must have your Mane Card ID to enter & play!

Summer Hours: Monday—Thursday 9am—4pm Closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Wii

WiiU

XBox

PS3

PS4

(several games to play for each system!)

Ping Pong Pool Computers Printer Board Games Cards Darts

The 2016 Miss UNA Scholarship Pageant will be January 23, 2016 in Norton Auditorium

If you have never competed in a pageant before, the Miss UNA Scholarship Pageant is a fantastic opportunity to get familiar with the organization. The Miss UNA committee will work with every contestant so that she will do her very best not only in the Miss UNA Pageant, but also be able to compete in

other

local

preliminary

scholarship

pageants in the Miss America/ Miss Alabama System. As long as you have a talent and can talk to people, you have a shot at being Miss UNA! If you are on the fence, call me or stop by the Office of Student Engagement and I will answer your questions. With all the talented young women at UNA, I have no doubt we have someone who could be the next Miss Alabama.

-Tyler Thompson Miss UNA Scholarship Program Director Miss UNA 2015 Rachel Wammack

scholarship

Contestant Entry Packets are

female students who apply.

Office of Student Engagement

The

Miss

UNA

program is open to the first 21

missuna.indd 1

due October 22, 2015 to the

5/7/15 11:10 PM

MAN

ON THE

STREET

ADVICE FROM CURRENT COLLEGE STUDENTS TO INCOMING FRESHMEN

”Y

”

our financial resources are important.

This begins now and goes until the day you die.

Learn how to study.

Don’t waste your time because you don’t have time to waste.

Jordan Campbell

Libby O’Neal

Senior Class of 2015

”

Go to a lot of social

functions and get to know people.

Lee Mayhall

Junior Class of 2016

”

Find something you

Senior Class of 2015

”

Get involved on campus

because it will really make

your experience better.

Brianna Jordan

Senior Class of 2015

”

Never take a shower

love to do and grow your

in the dorms unless you have

Maurice Mull

Aubrey Champion

passion for that.

Junior Class of 2016

shower shoes.

Sophomore Class of 2017

information compiled by MIKE EZEKIEL I Sports Editor photos by MEIYAN SONG I Student Photographer

39

Off-Campus Deal EVAN SANDY

Student Writer esandy@una.edu

As college students become burdened with new expenses, money may start to run short.

To help ease the financial strain, many businesses in Florence offer deals and discounts to UNA students who have their Mane card.

Several of these businesses are located near UNA’s campus.

One of the most well-known deals among college students is the $2 bowling night at Lauderdale Lanes, at Florence Boulevard and Darby Drive. Shoe rental and each game played costs $2 apiece Monday through Thursday.

Rivertown Coffee, at 117 N. Seminary St., offers a 10 percent discount on all menu items, which includes specialty coffee drinks, lunch, dinner and craft beer.

UNA junior Michael

40

Rogers said over time he has saved a considerable amount of money from these discounts.

“I have been a somewhat regular Rivertown customer for years,” Rogers said. “There’s no telling what each little discount has added up to.”

The Spinning Spoke Cycle Hub is a bicycle shop that offers tune-ups at a 50 percent discount.

It is located two blocks down from Rivertown Coffee at 221 N. Seminary St. Fashion Exchange is a clothing consignment business, which designates Monday as its college discount day, when all regularly priced items are discounted 15 percent. On Tuesdays, UNA seniors get the same 15 percent discount.

These discounts are available at all three locations in the Florence and Muscle Shoals area. The nearest store location to UNA is at 1530 N. Wood Ave. Montague’s, a nearby diner which serves sandwiches and hot dogs, offers a free drink to

students who purchase a sandwich with a side.

Lenny’s Sub Shop, at 409 Cox Creek Parkway in Florence and 2101 Woodward Ave. in Muscle Shoals, offers a 10 percent discount on all purchases.

“Every little bit of money I can save will add up in the future,” Rogers said. “I’m much more inclined to do business where I can find these deals.”

Things to do in Florence

The Flor-Ala file photos

Left to right: Geek Gathering, Renaissance Faire and First Fridays are all events students can enjoy off campus.

MELISSA PARKER Life Editor life@florala.net

Students looking for something different to do off campus have a variety of options.

The Geek Gathering is a fundraising event for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Shoals in Sheffield in September.

The ticket price is $11 at the door for a one-day pass or $13 for a weekend pass. This ticket is all-inclusive allowing anyone to participate in Geek Gathering events.

Director and co-owner John Alsbrooks started it as an outlet for people with visual artistic ability in the Shoals area.

Events include concerts, cosplay contests, various panels from different genres, Geek Trivia and photo ops with special guests.

Alsbrooks said $2 from each ticket sold at the door goes to the organization.

Every year the Alabama Renaissance Faire is held in Wilson Park, renamed Fountain-on-the-Green, during the fourth Saturday and Sunday in October.

October is Renaissance month, and various events are held, including costume-making workshops and lectures from UNA professors and others who know about the period.

Families attend the not-for-profit event to shop, eat and participate in little boat races in the fountain. Vendors set

up in the park to sell their wares which include clothing, replication swords and even craft beer.

On the first Friday of each month from March to December, downtown Florence is awash with people shopping, eating and enjoying local entertainment at First Fridays.

Craft vendors set up booths along Court Street to show off and sell their artwork, while on Mobile Street different bands play on the stage sponsored by Big River Broadcasting.

It costs nothing to go and there is plenty to see and do.

“It’s a great way to get acquainted with the community,” said Chairman of the First Fridays committee Andy Frith.

Many restaurants stay packed throughout the entire night. Trowbridge’s is a favorite for many UNA students who want ice cream or milkshakes. Other restaurants on the street include Yumm, Ricatoni’s, Rosie’s and Chicago Café.

The event, sponsored by Downtown Florence Unlimited, will celebrate its 10th anniversary Aug. 7 with a big celebration.

If students prefer to stay on campus, there are plenty of locations they can go to eat, get coffee, relax or be entertained.

The Commons building has a Chickfil-A, Starbucks Coffee and Frostbite Frozen Treats. Having opened in 2014, the Commons building is one of UNA’s most recent constructions.

UNA sophomore Hayden Nichols

spends much time in the Commons building between classes.

“Chickfil-A and Starbucks are amongst the favorites for most students,” Nichols said. “Personally I feel that you can’t go wrong with Chick-fil-A. They have topnotch speed of service, quality of food and a super friendly staff.”

The Guillot University Center is the hub of UNA’s daily bustle.

On its first floor, the GUC houses a food court, which includes an A&W Express, Pizza Hut Express, Sub Connection, Simply To Go and Mein Bowl as well as Einstein Bros.

Bagels.

Also located on the first floor of the GUC is a game room where students have choices between pingpong and multiplayer video games on currentgeneration systems such as the Xbox One and Playstation 4.

On the second floor of the GUC is the performance center, which hosts a variety of speakers, comedians, filmscreenings and musicians.

Connected to UNA’s parking deck at the far end of campus is the Student Recreation Center. The SRC contains a weight room, gymnasium and a spinning room. On the bottom floor is World of Wings, a diner that serves chicken wings, burgers, wraps and more.

Editor’s Note: Student Writer Evan Sandy contributed to this report.

41

Accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music

• • Outstanding music and theatre faculty comprised of dedicated artists, teachers, and scholars • Superior performing ensembles open to all students regardless of academic major

Competitive scholarships and performance awards available in all areas of music and theatre

ACTIVITIES UNA BANDS "Pride of Dixie" Marching Band • Symphonic Band • Wind Symphony Studio Jazz Band • Percussion Ensemble • UNA Pep Band • Jazz Combo UNA CHORUSES Collegiate Singers • Vocal Jazz Ensemble • Chamber Choir CHAMBER ENSEMBLES Brass • Woodwind • String • Piano • Guitar SHOALS SYMPHONY AT UNA • UNA OPERA/MUSICAL THEATRE • UNA THEATRE

Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment

August 26th - 30th Orientation

August 25th at 6:00pm in the GUC Performance Center Registration fee: $ 50

until July 1st $ 60 until August 1st $ 75 until August 24th Register online at

www.una.edu/greeklife Contact us at

panhellenic@una.edu or call 256- 765- 4248

panhellenichalfpage.indd

1

5/6/15

7:54 PM

IT’S ΔLL GRΣΣK TΦ MΣ ANNA BROWN

National Pan-Hellenic Council The National Pan-Hellenic Council is internationally made of nine historically African-American Greek-letter organizations called the “Divine Nine.” UNA has six of these fraternities and sororities on campus. Membership in NPHC organizations ranges from one to 15 members.

Last fall, NPHC hosted a homecoming block party. The council also hosted a “Stroll-Off” Sept. 9. NPHC holds a convocation event each fall so students can learn about the council and meet its members. Each of the six organizations in NPHC is given one week of the spring semester for their events.

NPHC promotes unity of thought and action in trying to solve the cultural issues presented to the council by its members.

NPHC at UNA •Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. •Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. •Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. •Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. •Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. •Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

News Editor news@florala.net

Interfraternity Council The Interfraternity Council is a governing body for its seven fraternities on campus at UNA. UNA’s IFC is chartered with the North American Interfraternity Conference, which is a trade association of 74 national and international fraternities. Five of the seven IFC fraternities represented on campus have housing available for members of those organizations.

Membership in IFC organizations ranges from 25 to 78 members.

Each year, the IFC hosts “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” in downtown Florence. This event promotes the elimination of domestic violence through education on prevention and fundraising. Attendees are educated on how to prevent domestic violence in their personal circles.

IFC at UNA •Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity •Delta Chi Fraternity •Kappa Sigma Fraternity •Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity •Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity •Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity •Sigma Chi Fraternity

National Panhellenic Conference The National Panhellenic Conference is the governing body for UNA’s four NPC sororities. NPC has adopted the philanthropy “Circle of Sisterhood.” This organization raises money for women in Third World countries who are unable to attend school. Being UNA’s largest council, membership in NPC organizations ranges from 92 to 109 members.

NPC’s event, “Vera Bradley Bingo,” raised and donated $2,500 to Circle of Sisterhood. NPC also hosted a carnival for the faculty and staff and their families and the Florence community called “Pumpkin Palooza.” Activities at the carnival included blow-up rides, a costume contest, a pie-eating contest, games, a Halloween candy bar and a pumpkin-carving contest.

NPC at UNA •Alpha Delta Pi Sorority •Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority •Phi Mu Sorority •Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority

Alpha Delta Chi is not a member of any of these councils. Alpha Delta Chi’s vision is “to create a place where Christian women could participate in Greek life without compromising their beliefs, build strong friendships and most of all, they want to create a place which would mirror Christ’s love to their community.”

43

Academic Success + Freshman Year MATISSE O’NEAL

Student Writer moneal@una.edu

College is filled with anticipation, anxiety and balancing academic courses. The experience is life-changing and requires time management and appropriate scheduling.

UNA provides students with a variety of free resources, such as counseling and free mathematics and writing services.

“Freshmen should take advantage of any free help or available resources on campus,” said junior sociology major Kirstine Woods.

“Teachers in high school say college is different, and it is. Schedules can get hectic.”

Time management is an important factor when starting college. Balancing classes, study time and recreational activities can be difficult, however Director of the Mathematics Learning Center Marlow McCullough said students should always attend class and be responsible.

Woods said she encourages freshmen to manage their time wisely.

“To be a successful student at UNA, time management is crucial for success,” McCullough said. “Your classes need to be your No. 1 priority.

Students should organize their time around their priorities.”

UNA provides a Success Center, which helps students progress through academic classes. The Center offers mentoring services, career planning and tutoring services for students.

”

r d to be you

Your classes nee ts should Studen No. 1 priority. around their eir time organize th priorities.

Marlow McCualthematics lough

Director, M

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44

“It’s important to seek help early if you need it,” McCullough said. “There is an unlimited supply of free help available.”

Assistant Director of the Center for Writing Excellence Kathleen Richards said academic resources can be helpful to all students.

“Students think only bad writers come to the writing center,” Richards said. “That’s not the case. We have fantastic writers come to the writing center and everything in between.”

Using a planner or the calendar on your smartphone is a simple, yet effective way to manage your time. Marking assignment due dates in your calendar is a great way to keep up with homework, Richards said.

“Being aware of scheduling time and writing down class times and assignments is important for success,” Richards said.

Amy Goodman, a writing consultant for the Center for Writing Excellence, said a lot of the services, targeted toward freshmen, can help all students.

“We especially want freshmen to come into the Writing Center so they can establish a good learning foundation,” Goodman said. “By establishing studying habits and critical learning skills early on, students can further their career and work life.”

Senior running back Lamonte’ Thompson said he encourages students to get to know their professors.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” Thompson said. “They are here to help you.”

UNA has many free learning resources available for students, but the students must take advantage of these resources in order for them to be effective.

UnUniversity iversit y SuSuccess ccess Cent Center er 2nd Floor

The Commons 256.765.47 22

SCUBA “Scuba allows you to become a fish,” said scuba diving class instructor Chad Dyer. “You can use it to explore a new world undersea and stay underwater much longer than you can just snorkeling or holding your breath.”

The class is a mix of classroom work and hands-on experience in the pool at Flowers Hall.

The pool sessions allow you to wear the equipment and put to use the techniques and procedures necessary to dive safely.

“The best part of class is watching students experience breathing under water for the first time,” Dyer said.

Senior Kate Partain said the class is not hard.

“I’ve always said there are two types of people: one can fall off the boat, take their first few breaths and know that they are born for this, and the second will fall off the boat just once before deciding never to try again,” she said.

SNOWBOARDING Senior Christian Walker, who took the snowboarding class, said they went to North Carolina where they were taught how go to up the mountain, how to snowboard properly and how to wear the equipment.

“This class is fun because you get to meet new people and share an experience with people of different backgrounds,” Walker said.

Leslie Clegg said taking this class left a lasting experience.

“A lot of people think they will not like it because of the cold weather,” she said.

“When you are going down the mountain, there is nothing more fun and free-feeling.”

Unusual Classes BIANCA HERNANDEZ

Student Writer bhernandez@una.edu

BEGINNING SELFDEFENSE/KARATE

Beginning selfdefense/karate class covers the history of this practice and how it evolved the culture of martial arts. The different techniques are also discussed in this class. Two styles that Professor Tod Oyen teaches are Tang Soo Do and self-defense.

“Karate class was a way for me to get exercise that was fun and interesting,” said sophomore Lilly Wallace. “It really boosted my selfconfidence.”

Wallace said one of her favorite activities was staff fighting. It requires a Bo staff which, according to Collins Dictionary, is a Japanese martial art weapon used to strike and block opponents and their weapons.

“You will not be a black belt by the end of the class by any means, but you will have a foundation of a traditional martial art,” Oyen said.

VOLLEYBALL Students will learn the fundamental skills, rules and strategies of volleyball.

Senior Desiree Alexander said she enjoyed the class and recommends it to everyone.

Her favorite part about volleyball was meeting new people.

“It was a good source of exercise in my busy schedule,” she said. “The class counts as one credit hour and it is easy fun.”

Junior Jamese Patrick said she loves playing volleyball because it helps her stay fit.

“I like the class because I played volleyball in high school and I got a chance to continue practicing.”

WALKING/JOGGING /RUNNING This class is offered in the fall, spring and summer terms.

Students learn stretches and practice all three types of movement.

The class is designed to improve the cardiovascular system.

McBrayer, Martin, Allen and Smith teach the class at different times.

Alumni Alexey Kavalenka said the class helped him physically.

“This class helped me get an extra workout in,” he said.

“I recommend it to anyone who is starting out in exercising or just wants an extra workout.”

45

OPENING WEEKEND MOVE-IN FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS (MATTILOU & RIVERS)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14TH 9AM & 12PM

UPPERCLASSMEN

(RICE, HAWTHORNE, COVINGTON, APPLEBY EAST & WEST)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15TH 10AM-2PM

PLEASE CHECK YOUR UNA EMAIL FOR INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR MOVE-IN DATE AND TIME!

WELCOME HOME COOKOUT FLOOR MEETINGS* PLAYFAIR DJ & DOTS URES RAVE LIONS AT THE LANES AFTER THE FIRE*

8.14 8.14 8.14 8.14 8.15 8.17 8.24

5PM 5PM 7PM 9PM 9PM 7PM 7PM

*REQUIRED FOR RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS

UNIVERSITY RESIDENCES

FRESHMAN FORUM

Get engaged & Make a Difference

SENATE

Application dates open on June 1st and end August 21st

UPC

building Flo-Town to College Town one event at a time Host movie nights, tailgating, and concerts

Accomplishments:

Gender Neutral Restrooms Clean the Ampitheater Higher Education Day

Meetings open to everyone on Thursdays at 3:30 PM in GUC Room 200 Contact

ngallups@una.edu

ffsgaupc.indd 1

5/7/15 12:25 AM

Ad design by John Bavis

Our website: www.una/ab Twitter: @UNAAltBreaks Facebook: www.facebook.com /UNAAlternativeBreaks Email: alternativebreaks@una.edu

Fall Break trip: October 9-11, 2014 Spring Break trips: March 22-28, 2015 “Because is better Jackson, Mississippi – Urban povertyyour & Communitsteadfast y Haiti – Childhoodlove Welfare & Communi ty Development than life, my lips New will Development Orleans,praise LA – Environment &you.”

Disaster Relief/Recovery 63:3 ngton D.C. – Hunger & Homelessness Movie on the Lawn- Saturday, August 23Psalm Washi UNA Amphitheater, 8:00pm Free UNA blanket to the first 200 students Find out more information about AB and sign up for a trip during PRIDE week!

Movie on the Lawn on Friday, August 23 starting at 9pm.

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church Times of Services: Bible study on Sunday 9-10am Worship at 10:30am

*Conveniently located 1 block from Wesleyan Hall at the corner of Nellie and Hermitage, across the street from Appleby Residence Halls*

CAMPUSyths JASMINE FLEMING

Managing Editor managing@florala.net

Each university has its traditions, and it seems one of ours at the University of North Alabama is perpetuating myths. We at The FlorAla decided to investigate the most commonly heard myths on campus.

Myth 1: Harry Potter?

Some people claim parts of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” were filmed at the Math Building.

Senior Ashley Scruggs said she overheard a student in her class telling his friends this myth.

“To believe that, you could have never seen any of the Harry Potter movies,” she said. “Why would it randomly be filmed by the Math Building?”

As cool as it would be if this were true, the International Movie Database shows all filming locations for this installment to be in the United Kingdom.

Myth 2: 10-minute leave

You may have heard students can leave class after the first 10 minutes if the professor is not there.

Freshman Trayon Tate said some of his friends told him this rule.

“I didn’t believe it when I first heard it,” he said. “I did see people do this in my first semester, though.”

50

Although waiting for a professor who is not coming is not practical, this is more of a custom than a rule, said Thomas Calhoun, vice president for enrollment management.

“The handbook would be a good place to look at the current attendance policy,” he said.

Myth 3: Mockingjay symbol

Rumors say Suzanne Collins created the “The Hunger Games” symbol with inspiration from the Joe Keenum Sundial near the library.

Sophomore Pate Sheffield said she heard this myth from a SOAR counselor, but she was not fooled.

“That statue (has) been there for forever,” she said. “I didn’t really think that Suzanne Collins came down here and said, ‘I’m going to write a book about this.’”

According to a 2012 news release

by Pratt Institute in New York City, their faculty member Tim O’Brian illustrated all book covers for the series.

The statue was placed in recognition of the contributions to the university by the Joe Keenum Excavation and Construction Company during renovations years ago.

Myth 4: Free tuition

Another popular myth states students can receive free tuition if they catch a squirrel.

m

This myth also came from SOAR, said sophomore Sierra Elston. When she first heard it, Elston said she believed it.

“I heard it mentioned so frequently by other students that I didn’t realize it was a joke,” she said.

“I believed it for probably a whole semester.”

This is 100 percent false, Calhoun said.

“It’s nice if you catch a squirrel, I guess, if you’re interested in catching squirrels,” he said. “But if you want to attend college at the University of North Alabama, you have to pay tuition.”

Myth 5: Haunted campus?

For years, students have claimed parts of campus are haunted.

Freshman Clay Hall said he has a hunch as to why myths like this are created.

“Upperclassmen probably say campus is haunted just to scare the freshmen,” he said. “It’s probably fun for them.”

Since the concept of “haunted” requires a belief in otherworldly concepts, this one is a bit more complicated, Calhoun said.

“If you believe in places that are haunted in general, there’s every likelihood that there might be such a place on campus,” he said.

“However, the campus itself did not create any haunted circumstances.”

Take the Stage MELISSA PARKER Life Editor life@florala.net

The Shoals area offers a few options for students interested in acting.

UNA

Students in the theatre program at UNA get the chance to learn all aspects of theatre.

The group typically performs four to five plays a year, said Charlton James, associate professor of music and theatre.

“It depends on the year and really on the students we have,” he said.

The styles of plays are rotated over the course of four years, so students have the opportunity to experience different genres before they graduate.

Though the plays are primarily for theatre students, auditions are open to all university members.

A professional director and actors come to UNA to work with students during the UNA Summer Theatre Program.

“UNA as a whole has a lot of diversity in what they’re offering students,” James said.

Shoals Community Theatre The

Shoals

The Flor-Ala file photos

Community

Theatre group located at the Shoals Theatre on Seminary Street is home to the Zodiac Players and the Gingerbread Players.

The Zodiac Players typically perform five shows a year, meant for an adult audience, while the Gingerbread Players, who aim to expose children and teens to the stage, produce three shows a year for family audiences.

If you are interested in participating in community theatre, General Manager of the Shoals Theatre Steven Price suggests you give Shoals Community Theatre a try.

Announcements about upcoming auditions and other information can be found on their Facebook page.

Don’t be afraid to try out, Price said.

Auditions are open to everyone.

In addition to acting opportunities, there are volunteer opportunities that can offer experience in many fields.

Contact Steven Price at the Shoals Theatre at 256-764-1700 for more information.

The Ritz Theatre

The Ritz Theatre in Sheffield offers acting opportunities as well.

The Center Stage Theatre produces four plays per year designed for an older audience while Time Out for Theatre’s performances are for child audiences.

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” and “Charlotte’s Web” are a couple of Time Out’s favorites.

Anybody in the community can come and audition for Center Stage and Time Out for Theatre.

Mary Cooney, executive director of the Tennessee Valley Art Association, said you do not have to have a background in theatre for these programs.

“You just have to have a love for it and want to perform,” she said. “These are really good opportunities for first time performers.”

Summerstock, another acting opportunity offered by the Ritz, is designed for people ages 16-29 wanting to do more of a study program in the summer.

They typically perform one musical theatre production per year and offer a small scholarship to those who are cast in it, Cooney said.

Cooney can be reached at the Tennessee Valley Art Association at 256-383-0533 for more information.

photo cour tesy of The Ritz Theatre

Left to right: UNA Theatre students perform “Dr. Faustus,” The Gingerbread Players perform “Seussical the Musical” and Center Stage performs “A Few Good Men.”

51

ADVERTISE WITH US Contact Business Manager Jordan Byrd 256.765.4427 advertise @florala.net

LEO & UNA MELISSA PARKER Life Editor life@florala.net

Listen closely and you might hear a lion’s roar in the early morning or late afternoon.

No, you are not on the savanna or in a jungle.

You are at the University of North Alabama. For the past 41 years, the campus has been the only college campus in the country to house live lion mascots.

Former UNA President Robert Guillot began the tradition on July 22, 1974, by bringing a 35-pound lion cub to live on campus.

Leo I provided campus spirit for nearly 14 years before he died.

The great love the Shoals area had for Leo I resulted in another young cub being brought to Florence July 1988. The orphaned cub, named Leo II, came from a ranch in Texas. At 11 years old he weighed a whopping 600 pounds. In 1997 he was selected as the nation’s “Second Best Mascot” by Sports Illustrated. The University of Georgia’s English Bulldog mascot, Uga, was No.1. Leo II roared proudly for our campus for many years before dying February 2000.

A committee of students, faculty and townspeople decided to get another lion after Leo II died. Then-Senior Vice President Dan Howard asked if they could get two. It was voted on and the decision was made to adopt two lion cubs from a wildlife park in New Hampshire.

Our current mascots, Leo III and Una, are twins born Nov. 18, 2002.

Leo was named for the previous Leos, and Una for the university.

Anne Howard, their appointed caretaker, considers them her children. They slept in a cage in her living room for the first months of their lives, and with their sleep schedules much like a baby’s, Howard was up bottle-feeding them many times through the night.

The George H. Carroll Lion Habitat they reside in is a 12,764-square-foot

state-of-the-art home with a two-bedroom lion house, nine surveillance cameras outside, six inside and high-voltage fences surrounding it.

“There’s even a sand box back there,” Howard said. “They’re both potty-trained.”

The USDA inspects the habitat every year to make sure everything is up to code. Everything is disinfected and cleaned daily.

“We’ve gotten a 100 percent (rating) 12 years in a row,” Howard said.

Howard is with them every day. She arrives around 7:00 a.m. each day to get them ready for the day. She has help feeding them and cleaning the habitat on some days, but others it is just her and her lions.

Though they were born in November, their birthdays are celebrated in April. Leo I’s birthday was in April, so the tradition of celebrating birthdays that month continues.

Just like any brother and sister they fight and annoy one another.

“They get on each other’s nerves and she picks on him without mercy,” she said.

But also, just like any brother and sister, they love one another. Though they sleep in separate areas, Howard said she often finds them in the morning lying close enough for their fur to touch.

“They adore each other,” she said.

Howard’s pride and love for the lions is evident in how she speaks about them and interacts with them.

UNA is lucky to have such a wonderful tradition and even luckier to have such a person to take care of them.

Leo a nd Un a

53

photos courtesy of Jeremy Harper

(Left) UNA students pose in Washington, D.C. during the 2015 spring break Alternative Break Board trip. (Right) Students from North Carolina high schools volunteer alongside Senior Shay Redd (far right) at So Others May Eat (SOME), a soup kitchen in Washington, D.C.

Program allows students service opportunity, fun KALI DANIEL

Editor-in-Chief editor@florala.net

54

While many students take a year off of school to travel after graduation, UNA offers opportunities for travel during the school year.

Alternative Breaks Board, a program under the Office of Student Engagement, gives students the chance to volunteer around the country or even outside of the country for service projects.

“When you’re in school and you’re in our community every day, it’s easy to kind of start losing sight of the things that happen around us,” said Coordinator of Leadership and Volunteerism Bethany Oliver.

Oliver said the program plans trips for fall and spring breaks, and she is hoping to incorporate trips for summer and Christmas breaks, as well. As for the objective of the trips?

“We try to take students out of what seems normal to them and put them in a different situation,” she said. “All of the trips are focused on a specific social issue.”

Issues the program focused on for spring break of 2015 were homelessness and poverty in Washington, D.C., disaster relief and restoration in New Orleans and community development in Haiti.

Senior Caroline Thomas said she spent her spring break in D.C. as an

inexpensive way to be productive and learn from others.

“We worked with organizations that are advocates for people who may need help but don’t know how to start asking for it,” she said. “My eyes were opened to the legal battles that people without possessions have to face.”

Sophomore Nicholas Smith ventured across the Gulf of Mexico to Haiti for his spring break.

“My favorite part of the trip would have to be realizing the need for nothing amongst the village we lived in for the week,” he said. “Although these kids had nothing, they made do with what they could find. Never did I see a child who did not have a smile on their face. The sense of community is what did it for me.”

Smith enjoyed the trip so much, in fact, he plans to return to Haiti this fall.

The trips are also inexpensive — Oliver said there is a flat rate for each type of trip. Domestic trips via car or bus will be $150-200, domestic trips via train or flight will be $600 and international trips are a flat $1,000.

“We usually try to find free housing, free food, all that stuff for the week,” she said. “This past (spring) was the first time we’ve been able to do one international and two domestic (trips). Hopefully, since the program is growing, we’ll be able to keep the international one in there and add some more domestic trips, too.”

”

We try to take students out of what

seems normal to them and put them in a different situation.

Bethany Oliver

Coordinator of Leadership and Volunteerism Senior Sierra Berryman traveled to New Orleans for spring break and said she plans to take another ABB trip before she graduates.

“It was the best spring break trip that I ever had and students are missing out if they don’t try it at least once during their time at UNA,” she said.

Berryman said it is also a chance to network with people passionate about service.

“Getting to know the other volunteers from Wisconsin and France who were staying at Common Ground Relief with us and meeting residents of New Orleans was the most unforgettable part of the trip,” she said.

Nervous about traveling? Smith said it is as simple as relaxing and taking opportunities offered, knowing you yourself will grow in the end.

“It will teach you some things about yourself that you never knew were true.”

Lauderdale Lanes Laud $1.50 Shoe Rental

$1.50 Games

$3 S Student Deal!

Monday through Thursday 12pm-4pm.

Monday through Thursday 7pm to close.

Must show current college ID. Limited lane availability, first come, first served Not valid with any other coupons or offers.

Prices do not include tax.

UNA

“Delivering Local Florence restaurants First, Fast, and Fresh” www.Flo2Go.net

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the center for women's studies director dr. lynne rieff coordinator emily horn kelley

services and activities include pride's pantry guest speakers practical skills series support cancer caps volunteering citing cinema referrals multicultural programming leading edge institute lactation room community and global outreach women's and gender studies associaion meetings Lspecial selection library Ccoffee and conversation

contact us at any time 256.765.4380 ekelley1@ una.edu 256.765.6198 m-f 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Ccome visit us! located on campus on north wood avenue across from the bcm

Where should you eat in Florence?

KATY BILLINGS

Student Writer kbillings@una.edu

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If the aroma of Ricatoni’s Italian Restaurant does not draw you inside, the bread with herbs and spices should do the trick. If you still are not convinced, the delectable pasta and attractive atmosphere will surely seal the deal.

Ricatoni’s has the recipe for an amazing restaurant and has earned all of its hype.

According to a poll conducted by The FlorAla, UNA students agree Ricatoni’s is the place of choice.

As a college student, I knew lunch prices would be much cheaper, but the quantity of pasta I received was enough to have a nice leftover meal that night. I would gladly live off the fresh, brick-oven baked bread with herbs, spices and olive oil doused all over.

For my entrée, I went for the most popular choice, and my personal favorite, the chicken fettuccine alfredo. This dish consists of peas, mushrooms, grilled chicken and fettuccine noodles drowned in creamy alfredo sauce.

One thing that really caught my attention was the waiter made sure to check that I was OK with the peas and mushrooms, in case vegetables were not in my diet. My stomach had found nirvana at the lunch

price of $8.65.

If you are looking to venture from the normal, the Ravioli Ricatoni’s is a must try. This is not your typical Chef Boyardee ravioli. The pasta is stuffed with ricotta cheese and fresh herbs and the tomato cream sauce that will have you licking the bowl in the end. It also has the matching lunch price of $8.65.

If you can find room in your stomach to get dessert, there are two that are at the top of the list. The cannoli is two fried cinnamon shells with a sweet ricotta cheese filling, and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

The other choice, which is their most popular dessert item, is the Sogno Di Cioccolata. Whether you can pronounce the dessert or have to resort to pointing to it on the menu, it needs to be ordered. It is a rich fudge brownie with Kahlua (a coffee liqueur), crowned with chocolate mousse, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. If that does not get your mouth watering, nothing will.

If you are looking for Italian made, wood-burning oven pizza, authentic sauce, delicious pasta or even a common appetizer favorite like hot wings, Ricatoni’s provides it all. It has the perfect décor for a romantic outing and a lively staff ready for a good time. If you have not paid them a visit, believe me, it is past time.

ADVERTISE WITH US Contact Business Manager Jordan Byrd 256.765.4427 advertise@florala.net

MEET STAFF

Kali Daniel

Jasmine Fleming

Senior Major: Mass Communication: Journalism Hometown: Triana, Alabama Interesting Fact: When I was 12, I shot myself in the face with a bow and arrow at church camp.

Junior Major: English: Professional Writing Hometown: Sulligent, Alabama Interesting Fact: I have PRO status on Wii Tennis and I am pretty sure I am undefeatable.

Editor-in-Chief

Anna Brown

Melissa Parker

Junior Major: Mass Communication: Journalism Multimedia Hometown: Tuscumbia, Alabama Interesting Fact: I play lead guitar in a rock band and I am both nearsighted and far-sighted.

Senior Major: Mass Communications: Radio-TV and Interactive Media Hometown: Town Creek, Alabama Interesting Fact: I have my Black Belt in Tang Soo Do.

News Editor

Life Editor

Mike Ezekiel

Emily Kazungu

Junior Major: Mass Communication: Journalism Multimedia Hometown: Florence, Alabama Interesting Fact: Most people on campus call me Magic Mike for some unknown reason.

Junior Major: Mass Communication: Journalism Multimedia Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya Interesting Fact: I saw lions in real life for the first time when I came to UNA.

Sports Editor

Online Editor

Peyton Lawler

Michael Meigs

Junior Major: Fine Arts: Ceramics Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama Interesting Fact: I have metal in both of my feet from surgeries.

Sophomore Major: Double major in Art and Education Hometown: Addison, Alabama Interesting Fact: I am a bit claustrophobic and hate deep water.

Graphic Designer

Graphic Designer

Kaitlin Douglass

Jordan Byrd

Sophomore Major: Communication Arts: Film Production Hometown: Deatsville, Alabama Interesting Fact: I am an expert at Netflix, laying in bed and food.

Junior Major: Marketing Hometown: Florence, Alabama Interesting Fact: I love to golf.

Chief Photographer

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Managing Editor

Business Manager

Conveniently located in the new Student Commons building on campus!

Over 100 rotating flavors

Over 50 toppings to choose

Mix and match to create a one of a kind taste that you love! facebook.com/frostbitetreats | twitter.com/frostbitefroyo | frostbite-treats.com

Nick Walton

Miracle Osborne

Member since 2015

Member since 2013

Visit Our Stop by The Hill

to relax, recharge, or (of course) take care of your financial

needs. The Hill is a full service, student-run Listerhill Credit Union location in The Commons at UNA dedicated to helping students reach their full financial potential.

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