Garnet and Black October 2009 Issue

of the U Magazine t n e d u St

niversity of South Carolina

Octob er

20 0

9

Smiling Faces.

Smiling Faces Beautiful Beautiful Disgraces WhyDisgraces. we revel (or reel) every we the revel (or time our nameWhy makes news. reel) every time our name makes the news

CH DC

CHDC

Spotlight on a Seventh Floor Heaven

Spotlight on a Seventh Floor Heaven

WAR PAINT

Carolina Carolina fansfans wear wear their pride their pride asasa asecond skin second skin

p 31

p 20

The G&B Quiz 6Save & Splurge 13ourTheState 27 State of How to make a gourmet meal at home for less.

7

Woman on Top & Man of the Moment Sydney Mitchell and Owen Black tell G&B why they’re so great.

8Entertainment USC graduate Chaz Bundick makes it big after college, and Mr. Showtime dishes on “The Book of Liz.”

An exploration of what makes South Carolina such an apparent target and why we secretly love it.

Love 16ofForthetheGame We all love the Gamecocks, but a small group of guys take Carolina pride to another level.

10Soapbox

20 Ancient History

11Store Wars

24 Oh the Places You’ll Go

Coliseum in Rome? Or Coliseum on Assembly Street? The pros and cons of studying abroad.

Is it better to study surrounded by walls of books or cups of coffee?

Fall fashion in its natural habitat. The State Museum lets G&B into its natural history exhibit.

You know you’ve always wanted to know what it takes to be a pharmacist.

Or a cowboy.

Are you green, smart, preppy or just hungry?

Find out what your scene is.

29Spotlight

The Counseling and Human Development Center provides a calm, relaxed place for students to clear their heads.

p6

30My Room

Morgan Reid takes G&B inside her colorful West Quad retreat.

with 31aQ&A Professor Literature professor Ed Madden tells G&B about his trip to Ireland and his colorful radio show.

p 30

p 11

p8

p 13

Fifteen Years of Garnet and Black Pride Being a student at USC means one thing is certain: You are bound to be a diehard Gamecocks fan and gain an incomprehensible sense of pride for this school. In this issue, Garnet & Black gets up close and personal with a group of students whom we have dubbed “the painted boys.” The paint-covered boys show off their school spirit by literally wearing their pride on their bodies.

Celebrating our 15th anniversary as the magazine at the University of South Carolina, we too have decided to show our pride by honoring the past 15 years and featuring that

You’re a college student, and stress comes with the territory. As G&B features editor Helen Knight writes, “Everyone at USC has their issues, and that’s why everyone should take advantage of the Counseling Center.” Read her spotlight on the CHDC on page 29.

garnet&black

october 09

number in each issue. As a birthday present to ourselves and to the student body, we are finally entering the wonderful world of technology and giving our Web site a makeover. With blogs that range from topics like current events to rants on why Sumter Street is always closed, we are proud to call gandbmagazine.com our new online home. Like the love for the game embodied by the “painted boys,” the October issue is the pride of this year’s magazine staff.

Brothers Robert and Will Locke might look like they’re fighting, but they actually make a great team.

They “hope you enjoy the simpleto-make, ‘fine-dining’ meal we put together for your enjoyment.” Read their chicken recipe in Save and Splurge on page 6.

Finding a job in this economy might be a little tough, but Steph Durso has her sights set on a group of rewarding occupations. “Getting creative and thinking outside of the box applies to careers now, too,” she says. Her story on creative job options is on page 25.

Graduate student Patricia Zborowski had a great time modeling in our fall fashion story. “The State Museum provided a truly outstanding and unique setting that was different from any other modeling experience.” See her and the other models on page 20.

TIffany Melanis Editor in Chief Creative Director Justin Fenner Art Director Amanda Croy Features Editor Helen Knight Senior Editor Gregory Goetz Photo Editor Caitlin Kennedy Bradley PR Director Chelsie Paulson Online Editor Malia Griggs Webmaster Tai Vu

8 14 18 8 14 16 18 23 24

16 23 24

Lauren Dolan Stephanie Durso Robert Locke Jade McDuffie Amanda Smith Selina Westerwelle Nicole Barretta Jackie Farrell Maddie McDowell

Writers

Designers

Catherine Doyle Jessica Hardin Will Locke William Renken Rhett Talbert Erin Chiet Liz Howell Anna Westbury

Photographers Tyler French Zoe Cope Kat King Fabio Frey Ashleigh LeBlanc Jenni Knight Caitlin Moore Jessamine McKeever Sam Snelgrove BreAnne Northcutt Alli Quattlebaum Brandon Truett

Midpoint in fall semester, Fall Break begins, no classes 25th annual South Carolina State Fair Columbia Classical Ballet presents “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” at the Koger Center for the Arts “Boo at the Zoo” at Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens Ansel Adams exhibit opens at the Columbia Museum of Art

Public Relations Staff Assistant Director Janell Vanarthos Acecily Alexander Shelby Crolley Catherine Doyle Lauren Gray Olivia Hill Jackie Lipp Madison Rosenberger Marissa Santalla Adrianna Taeschler David Wilson Copy Editors Elena Faria Shannon Leigh Holbrook Kellie Duff Mike Steiniger

Creative Services

Katie Mikos Kailey Waring

Advertising Representatives Julie Canter Carly Gallagher Jayme Pignatello Candace Reynolds Lauren Spires Meghan Tankersley

Faculty Adviser Cecile Holmes Student Media Director Scott Lindenberg Creative Services Director Edgar Santana Advertising Sarah Scarborough Production Manager C. Neil Scott Business Manager Carolyn Griffin Administrative Assistant Sherry Holmes Editorial Graduate Assistant Courtney Graham Publisher Board of Student Publications Printer Wentworth Printing

USC Homecoming Football vs. Vanderbilt

Check out the extended calendar on our new Web site.

gandbmagazine.com

Garnet & Black Magazine is produced four times a year by students of the University of South Carolina and is distributed free to members of the university community. All editors and staff members can be contacted at 777-1149. The office is located in Russell House room 339. Send letters to the editor to sagandbe@ mailbox.sc.edu or to Garnet & Black Magazine, Student Media, 1400 Greene St., Columbia, SC 29208. Letters should be 250 to 400 words and must include name, address, phone number and academic information (if applicable). Garnet & Black reserves the right to edit for libel, style and space.

Anonymous letters will not be published. To inquire about advertising, call the Student Media Advertising Department at 777-3888.

garnet&black

october 09

Save

By Will and Robert Locke Photos by Brandon Truett

including tax and tip

per serving (recipe serves four)

As a University of South Carolina student, you have probably heard of the many fantastic fine-dining restaurants in our area. If you haven’t eaten at Saluda’s in Five Points, it is highly recommended. However, many college students lack the income necessary to frequent such an establishment. Lucky for you, the Garnet & Black has re-created one of Saluda’s signature dishes, Broiled Marinated Bone-in Chicken Breast with a Goat Cheese Velouté, so you can make it at home for a price better fitted to the student lifestyle.

Our dish, while delicious, is only a re-creation of Saluda’s. Make sure to stop in and try the real thing (perhaps when the folks are in town visiting).

Ingredients 4 bone-in chicken breasts 8 ounces Italian dressing Salt Pepper Paprika

1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tbsp. cornstarch 2 tbsp. water 4 ounces goat cheese Chopped parsley

Directions Rinse chicken and pat it dry. Marinate the chicken in the Italian dressing overnight (at least eight hours).

Place the marinated chicken on a baking drip pan and add salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. After removing the chicken, place the drippings in a sauce pot along with half a cup of cream. Bring to a boil and add a cornstarch slurry (half cornstarch, half water) until it reaches a saucy consistency. Pour sauce over chicken and finish with parsley and one ounce of goat cheese per breast.

Serve with baked potato and sautéed green beans.

6 garnet&black october 2009

Woman on Top

Sydney Mitchell

By Jessica Hardin Photo by Ashleigh LeBlanc

The redhead handing you coffee at the Starbucks on Trenholm Road is more than your average working student.

Sydney Mitchell, a senior theater major, brings not only her talent to the USC arts community, but also her drive and persistence. Mitchell has been a major part in most, if not all, mainstream theater activities here on campus and in the surrounding community.

“There are opportunities for everything [at USC]. I have had the chance to work in all areas of theater,” says Mitchell.

She starred in a recent production of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” held a leading role in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and served behind-the-scenes as assistant director of “The Skin of Our Teeth,” to name a few.

Continuing to strive for success in the arts community, she is currently working on her own play, looking into internships and planning to attend a mass of auditions this spring, all while maintaining her educational goals. While some students focus solely on their particular area of study, Mitchell suggests that all educational areas are necessary for success.

“I believe the more informed you are, the better art you will produce. I wouldn’t be as successful without a strong educational background,” Mitchell says.

By being both persistent and driven throughout her time here at USC, the opportunities awaiting her seem limitless.

Hopefully, most will see her as an example of the old motto, “hard work pays off.”

Man of the Moment

Owen Black

By Jade McDuffie Photo by Sam Snelgrove

For senior marketing and entrepreneurship major Owen Black, removing the Confederate flag from the State House isn’t about race. It’s all about improving the state of South Carolina.

After being inspired during the annual LeaderShape Retreat, Black created the One Flag project to remove the Confederate flag from outside the State House. The participants of the program were told to come up with a plan for the future, and Black says his was to “see a better South Carolina. Removing the flag is just one of the ways this can be done.”

According to Black, the state will have more opportunities to flourish by attracting more people and businesses simply by removing the Confederate flag. He says that several athletic conferences, among other things, are being moved to neighboring states because of the flag’s presence.

“We’re not using a race argument. It has nothing to do with why we are trying to get it removed. It’s all about the well-being of South Carolina, state solidarity and moving forward,” says Black.

One of his strategies for the organization is to “take a holistic approach.” He welcomes people of all backgrounds to join his group because he feels that One Flag will be more effective if it represents more than one viewpoint.

Black feels that his leadership roles in organizations around campus have helped him start such an organization. He participates in the Entrepreneurship Club, Delta Sigma Pi, Savvy, the Association of African American Students and Brothers of Nubian Descent. His education at Carolina has molded him to be the leader he is today.

“Every single moment has built up to this point right now. I’m proud to say that everything in college has helped,” Black says.

garnet&black

7

october 2009

Local Music

By Rhett Talbert Imagine graduating from USC, instantly getting signed to a new upand-coming record label and jumping onto two back-to-back North American tours. It happened to Chaz Bundick, the mastermind behind Toro Y Moi. After the release of his two new singles, the musical blogosphere has not quit mentioning his name. His electro-pop, lo-fi sound has been receiving nods from musical bigwigs like Pitchfork and Gorilla vs. Bear (two well-respected music news Web sites).

You might have seen posters plastered around campus left over from yesteryear’s dance parties, or you might have heard some of his stuff on WUSC. But, if by chance he’s slipped your musical radar, you’ve been missing out. Almost impossible to dislike, his sound is the culmination of everything that has been great in music for the past 30 years. It’s something that can’t be captured by words; it really is an experience. The song “Blessa,” which you can find for free on GorillavsBear. net, sounds like a mixture between The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” and “Panda Bear.” The wooing voices, floaty guitar and retro-pop vocals evoke a happier, simpler time in music. The lo-fi sound, purposely crafted to make the song enjoyable, embellishes it like a faulty radio transmission. It’s current as well as a throwback at the same time.

The rest of Bundick’s repertoire fuses computer-driven electro sounds, benevolent bass-slapped grooves and breezy, slow pop. And if that isn’t your thing, Chaz has a side project as well, Les Sins. If you’re one for an

Photo courtesy of Kristine Wood

underground rave or a WUSC Dance Party, this is something you should look into.

Bundick graduated this past summer, so no more running into him at Cool Beans or spotting him on the Horseshoe, but at least we know he is off doing amazing things. Toro Y Moi has a 7” single due out in October and two LPs releasing in 2010, all on Carpark.com.

By: Catherine Doyle Adjunct Professor Bertram Rantin School of Journalism 1) “Let Everything That Has Breath” - CeCe Winans 2) “Everything” - Michael Bublé 3) “Dance With My Father” - Luther Vandross 4) “Air on G String” - Bach 5) “Try It on My Own” - Whitney Houston

Alexander Bryan Senior Media Arts Major 1) “Can’t Always Get What You Want” - Rolling Stones 2) “Reign Over Me” - The Who 3) “Tangled up in Blue” - Bob Dylan 4) “Flashing Lights” - Kanye West 5) “Ignorant Shit” - Jay-Z

Ellen Hembree Sophomore Public Health Major 1) “Ramble On” - Led Zeppelin 2) “Live at E’s” - Sublime 3) “Purpose” - 311 4) “Paper Planes” - M.I.A. 5) “Mellow Mood” - Slightly Stoopid

Mack Wells Sophomore Business Major 1) “I Feel Home” - O.A.R. 2) “Friends in Low Places” - Garth Brooks 3) “Toes” - Zac Brown Band 4) “Ants Marching” - Dave Matthews Band 5) “What Was I Thinking” - Dierks Bentley

garnet&black 8october 2009

At the Theater With Mr. Showtime

By William Renken Undergraduates Bring To Life “The Book of Liz” What’s the secret recipe?

In the community of Cluster Haven, cheese balls are a way of life.

They’re the economic stimulus.

They’re the reason the community flourishes.

But no one has ever known how Elizabeth (Liz) Donderstock has made cheese balls so riveting to the Squeamish community…

The ever-reliable tandem of David and Amy Sedaris are the masterminds behind this farcical tale, “The Book of Liz,” which will find its way to USC’s Lab Theater Oct. 22-25. This production will be helmed by MAT student Jenn Golf, and will proudly feature an all undergraduate cast at the LAB Theater on Wheat Street.

“The Book of Liz” follows the life of Liz in the Squeamish (a parody of the Amish) community and her immaculate talent for churning out the best cheese balls around. Things get complicated when a newcomer rolls into town and forces Liz out of her position as head chef. Flustered by the turn of events, Liz promptly refuses demotion, and leaves Cluster Haven altogether.

She finds work at a Pilgrim-themed restaurant (to which she must commute using a llama) and immediately flourishes. However, in Cluster Haven, things are not well, as without Liz’s magic touch the cheese balls are quite mediocre and cause sales to drop. Cluster Haven needs Liz back, but will she ever return?

The performances will start at 8:00 p.m., Oct. 22-25, and tickets will be $5 at the door.

COMING SOON “Radium Girls” Written by D.W. Gregory, Directed by Shanga Parker Based on the true story of Grace Fryer taking the United States Radium Corporation to court, concerning the safety and rights of workers dealing with radioactive materials. The show will run Nov. 13-22 at Longstreet Theater (at the corner of Greene and Sumter streets). Tickets for “Radium Girls” can be purchased by phone or in person at the Longstreet Theater box office starting Nov. 15.

9

By Selina Westerwelle If you’re like me, you do not picture yourself going to a foreign country to study and do homework. As much as I would love the opportunity to visit new places and experience new cultures, I would like to do so without the stress and responsibilities of schoolwork.

To fully experience a foreign country along with its culture, you need to be completely surrounded by what that country has to offer. Visiting amazing landmarks as a class requirement is vastly different from traveling for your own personal benefit. It’s difficult to concentrate on taking everything in if you’re worrying about tests and homework. Even your fellow students can be highly distracting. The people you’re with have a huge impact on how you perceive your environment and how locals interact with you.

On the flip side, if you do fully focus on your cultural education, your academic work will likely suffer while abroad. Being surrounded by so many cultural temptations and opportunities takes attention from your work. There would be little contest between spending the evening writing an essay and visiting the Louvre. It’s impossible to give both academic work and cultural experiences enough of your time to learn anything of value about either.

While being culturally educated is often just as important as earning a degree, it is most effective to keep the two separated. As with most things in life, you get the best results in focusing all your attention on one thing at a time, instead of spreading yourself too thin.

garnet&black 10october 2009

By Amanda Smith My first thought about writing this blurb was: “Why am I even writing this? Who doesn’t want to live in another country?” So yeah, it looks great on a résumé, but it’s much more than that.

USC gives us so many opportunities, such as the chance to study abroad, yet year after year students pass up the chance. What can I say? I don’t understand it. How else can you see things that you only dream about? Don’t you want to feel things that transform you by being entirely out of your comfort zone? Who wants to watch something about the Great Barrier Reef on the Discovery Channel when they can discover it for themselves? What avid “Lord of the Rings” fan wants to watch the movies when they can go to New Zealand and be in Middle Earth?

I can guarantee most USC students have never been to the Study Abroad Office. Some probably don’t even know where it is. (It’s in PinckneyLegare, by the way.) I don’t get why people find excuses not to go abroad when the resources, like scholarships for everybody who uses monetary excuses, are readily available. I have friends graduating next year who regret not taking the time to look into studying abroad. This opportunity may never come again when you go out into the “real world.” So, for everyone who still has the chance, stop living through other people’s dreams. Live your own.

By Lauren Dolan Photos by Jenni Knight & Tyler French Studying is something we all hate doing, but it’s something we have to do to survive college.

Some people prefer to do their studying in the comfort of their own rooms, while others need to get away from distractions like TV and Facebook in order to get anything accomplished. If you’re wondering what the best study spots are, here are two places you might find useful:

Located right next to Wardlaw College and across the street from the Horseshoe, Cool Beans is a unique little coffee shop that serves as a study spot for several students. When looking for somewhere different to accomplish some reading or cram for a test, the relaxed atmosphere and selection of coffee and food provide ideal accommodations. Cool Beans has lots of outlets for those who bring their laptops and good sunlight during the day, so you don’t feel completely stuck inside studying. The intimate setting provides good music and pretty décor.

I especially like that all the paintings on the walls are for sale, so if you see a piece you really like, you can purchase it for your room or apartment. Cool Beans is a good spot for those who can’t focus in complete silence and need a change of atmosphere.

Every student at USC has had a date with Thomas Cooper at one point or another. The on-campus library is probably the most popular study spot for students. Located on central campus, the library provides an ideal spot for studying, offering power strips on all the tables and several other amenities.

These include computers, printers and private study rooms. Another plus is the library’s 24-hour operating schedule (Sunday-Thursday). Snack machines and Cooper’s Corner provide food and drink for those who need a pick-me-up while studying. What I don’t like about the library is that it tends to be overwhelming with all of the people, which can be distracting.

Blow for Blow Both places provide a good spot for studying, but in the end it depends on a person’s individual study habits. If you prefer a quieter, structured setting for studying, Thomas Cooper Library is the way to go. However, those who prefer a more intimate, relaxed and comfortable atmosphere should definitely check out Cool Beans.

Open M-F: 7 a.m.-midnight, Sat&Sun: 9 a.m.-midnight Intimate setting Music Always lots of people Free Wi-Fi Outlets available

Open 24 hours Large space Quiet Less crowded School wireless Computers, outlets and printing

garnet&black

11

october 2009

THE STATE OF OUR STATE: LIKE, SUCH AS...

By Caitlin Bradley and Malia Griggs Illustrations by Erin Chiet If you watched “The Daily Show” a few months ago, you might remember the 12 minutes host Jon Stewart spent bashing the Palmetto State and his subsequent proclamation: “South Carolina has stepped up its game— from its Appalachian trail-fabricating, Patagonian gorp-munching governor to its colorful, socialist-fearing, Urkel-quoting Senator DeMint.” And he’s right. South Carolina has successfully found a place in today’s news. From the Cocks to FU to BJU, from Mark’s mistress to Miss Teen South Carolina, from Borat’s bus ride to Phelps’ bong bust, the state of South Carolina is infamous for its embarrassing blunders that, too often, make national headlines.

Before you start grumbling about how we’re hating on your state (and this is your state, dear reader), let’s get the facts straight: Both of the

authors of this article were born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina.

Our parents took us to Riverbanks Zoo before there was a botanical garden, and we bubbled in the same circles of the PACT test for eight years. We know that real barbecue sauce is mustard

“ ’” based, and we know the correct pronunciation of Huger Street. We may not wear Lilly Pulitzer dresses or even claim to have Southern accents, but when we travel outside of the state, we are proud to call it our home.

Ever since our state’s secession during the Civil War, we’ve gotten a bad rap from the media, and every time we slip up we make the front page. The tone of any story about our state is “Oh, there goes South Carolina again.” But here’s the thing: We recognize the faults of our state and accept the consequences, but we’re able to laugh at them, too. The state of our state is something we love to hate.

If you take a closer look at the way the media presents South Carolina, you’ll find that we are generally cast as a conglomeration of ignorant, redneck, Confederate flag-flying, pickup truckdriving, grammatically-challenged, conservative fools. And by golly, there is a portion of our population that drives muddy trucks and flies flags that look like distorted Union Jacks.

They’re happy with their lives, and

garnet&black

13

october 2009

that’s fine by us. But that leads us to wonder—are we merely playing into the stereotypes we have been given, or have we always been this way?

Why are we the way we are? Do we deserve the attention we receive from the media, and above all, why do we laugh along with the rest of the nation?

In order to better answer these probing questions, we embarked on a spiritual and intellectual journey through Russell House to ask some of our classmates how they view South Carolina. What we found is that people generally think of this state in three different ways: as either fun, family-centered or more than a little backward.

Jillian Pulverenti, a sophomore from New Jersey, tells us, “I had never been to South Carolina before, so any connotation I had of the state was associated with Myrtle Beach and Charleston and big football games.”

Her words call to mind a common national perception: South Carolinians spend less time hitting the books and more time hitting the beach. This isn’t difficult to imagine, as you can drive from the mountains to the beach in a matter of hours, not to mention that you can still catch a warm day on the dunes in December. Families love

14 garnet&black october 2009

to vacation here, but tourist-driven beaches and Hard Rock Cafes are often all they know of our state.

The second perspective of South Carolina deals with family and faith.

Amanda Riley, a sophomore from Ohio, says, “Before coming here, I thought South Carolina was a place with a lot of good family values—a place with closer-knit people.”

Alex Stroman, student body vice president and a native of South Carolina, rationalizes that this sense of closeness is caused by the way true Southerners never seem to leave.

“Southern families come from the same area. People don’t move away, and this breeds closer-knit communities,” he says. Unlike other regions of the country, such as the North, that are famed for the movement of people and the tradition exhibited by small ethnic or religious groups, the South is more well-known for a culture not brought in, but brought up.

The third and perhaps most complicated view of South Carolina is that we are a population of slowmoving, uneducated morons who frequently find ourselves in situations as hairy and unattractive as the mullet.

People, and the media, are quick to poke fun at our state. “This guy I know from New York doesn’t even consider

this state a part of the U.S.,” says John Gulledge, a sophomore from South Carolina. “He calls us ‘South America.’”

Aaron Johnson, a sophomore from outside Columbia, explains it perhaps more eloquently. “The media tends to make fun of South Carolina.

We’re portrayed as backwards. I think there’s some truth to it—having a Confederate flag on display is pretty awful,” Johnson says. “This shows we’re not a very progressive state.”

While bigger “melting pot” cities like New York and L.A. thrive off of a mesh of cultures and ever-shifting diversity, the diversity of South Carolina emphasizes long-standing traditions.

The idea of Southern hospitality stresses the beauty of what is already here. Instead of concentrating on change, South Carolinians invite you into their homes with a glass of sweet tea, onto their sunny beaches, onto the sweetgrass basket-lined streets of Charleston, and cannot understand how you could ever desire a different way of life. The slowness of progression that is so often perceived as ignorance is nothing more than a defiant pride, running as deep as the history of this state.

If you’ve lived in South Carolina (or at least visited), then you can recognize

that this sense of doing things the way they’ve always been done is present in every facet of the culture, from dress to diet. And you have to admit, it’s a bit ridiculous. Children are given last names as first names and are expected to go to cotillion. Everyone dresses up for everything, football games included. Girls (who are perfectly tanned and frosted) wear pink and green dresses with tie-on pearls, their quilted Vera Bradley purses swinging from their arms. Boys strut around in shorty-short khakis and boat shoes with their polo shirts popped and their sunglasses secured loosely around their necks by croakies. Monograms, religious symbols and palmetto trees are emblazoned on everything from bath towels to beer coozies, and the island on which you vacation must be announced by an oval-shaped bumper sticker on your SUV. On Sundays, nothing stays open except church. After the sermon, families head home for a late lunch of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, iceburg lettuce salad, banana pudding and Diet Coke. “There is such an emphasis on side dishes down here,” says Will Saitta, a junior from New York. “Or ‘fixins,’ as you might say.”

We’re not trying to blatantly insult the South Carolina lifestyle. Although,

seriously, is tailgating in a dress and heels necessary? What’s up with all the pine straw, potpourri and wooden reindeer at Christmas? And as for the weather—well, as Saitta puts it: “You people get way too excited about a flake of snow.”

If anything, we’re certain the true South Carolinians reading this will identify and do what they do best— laugh at themselves. We dress up, eat the same foods and bear our family names in an attempt to preserve a culture that has grown around one place. “South Carolina has a stigma attached to it—that we’re dumb, racist, backwards,” Stroman says. “A lot of this has to do with the prejudices the South has had in the past, and yes, sometimes our negative media attention is deserved.

But people like Michael Phelps bring it upon themselves and on the state.”

There’s more to us than pearls and peroxide, and there’s more to us than a governor who tried to reject the stimulus package in South Carolina because he was too busy stimulating his own package in Argentina.

For some, the hostility the national media rains on us is a source of discomfort, but for others, it is a reason to willfully resist change—a change of mind, a change of pace and

ideals. We are not a perfect state and cannot excuse some of the darkest periods of our past, but we are a state based on traditions as stubborn and as difficult to destroy as kudzu. And if you’ve ever been in a disagreement, you know that it is much easier to argue a point than to admit you are wrong. If all South Carolinians threw up their hands and said, “OK, you win. We’ll change now,” then we would debase the very foundation of pride and history we have built as a culture. We do not want to spend the rest of our lives apologizing for the past, no matter the grievances we have caused.

So, seriously, y’all, keep wearing your flip-flops and North Face jackets in our 70-degree winters, chowing down on grits and enjoy your time on “The Daily Show” because, hell, it’s funny. And perhaps with this renewed sense of self, just as how in the 19th century we were the first to secede, in the 21st, we will be the first to succeed.*

*We refuse to pay royalties for that quote, Stephen Colbert. YOU LIE! Well, not really. We just had to put that in. Thanks a lot, Joe.

garnet&black

15

october 2009

For a small group of Carolina

By Justin Fenner

football fans, the best way to

Photos by Amanda Croy

support the Gamecocks is to get covered in garnet paint.

In the weeks leading up to the Gamecock’s football game against FloridaAtlantic, Michael Nail had a lot on his mind. The junior marketing and finance major was gearing up for the Greater Columbia Marine Foundation’s Mud Run, a hellish four-mile obstacle course based on historically important battles and places in war history. Tacked onto a full course schedule and an active extracurricular repertoire, Nail was under more than a little pressure.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on, but the busier I am, the more it seems like I’m more focused,” Nail said just a few days before the game. But for him, and for a small contingent of other Carolina football fans, that game was shaping up to be a good place to relieve a little stress.

Because for guys like Nail, there’s no more exhilarating way to take in a football game than to be covered in layers of garnet and black paint, vocally – and visually – cheering on the Gamecocks.

“I think me and the guys that do it are just so amped up and excited about Carolina football that we want to do something that will show how excited we are,” Nail says.

Nail and his friends have been painting up, as they call it, since their freshman year. In fact, for almost every home game of his collegiate career, Nail has cheered on the Gamecocks stripped to the waist and slathered in paint.

His friend Josh Burton, a junior corporate finance and global supply chain management major, has been alongside Nail for all of those games.

It all started at Shandon Baptist Church, Burton explains. “There was a group of guys spelling out ‘Gamecocks’ with our church that we went to, and there was a bunch of freshman

guys that wanted to do it, so we actually went behind them and spelled out ‘Carolina.’ And then eventually we took over when they didn’t want to do it anymore.”

Over the years, the paint has become such an integral part of their football experience that they actually enjoy the games less when they don’t paint up.

“There was a game we didn’t paint for last year – we didn’t paint up for Wofford,” Burton says. “And I just felt like … I just felt like everybody else.”

“We just weren’t into it as much,”

Nail says. “It just wasn’t the same.

Once we did it, it was kind of like there was no going back.”

To keep the momentum of their school spirit going, Nail’s group of painters dedicates a healthy portion of each tailgate to getting ready for the game. They’ve used so much paint in the time they’ve been doing this that they have a special mix on file with the Rose Talbert store in Cayce.

“They call it the Gamecock Painter’s Garnet,” Nail says. “Because it comes out a different shade when you put it

on your body, so they got it to the perfect tone for us.”

The boys always spell out something.

“Gamecocks” if there are nine guys willing to paint up, or “Carolina Gamecocks” if they have enough people to fill two rows.

The paint is rolled on quickly and with little apparent regard for how evenly it gets spread. Friends, roommates, girlfriends, guys waiting for their first coat of paint to dry “or just anybody that’s around the tailgate,” as Nail says, helps out with the process. Getting painted is transformative and often cathartic. But mostly, it’s just chilly.

“It’s like jumping into a cool pond,” says Reed Bjorkman, who painted up with a group of friends for the LSU game last season.

Bjorkman, a junior business major, said that he and his friends painted up specifically to root for Stephen Garcia, the then-new star quarterback.

“We were shirtless the whole game, and it was probably the coldest home game we had,” Bjorkman said. “We were shivering for most of the game, essentially, because it was a night game.”

Nail’s group suffers whatever weather comes their way.

“I mean, it’s Gamecock football,” says Wil Waninger, a senior biomedical engineering major who’s been painting with Nail since last year. “It’s, like, the best thing in the world. I get crunk to Carolina football.”

And for that reason, “we’ll suck it up for a couple hours,” Nail says.

Though the number of people who paint up is small, it is growing. Ross Roessler, a freshman computer engiAbove: Josh Burton, AJ Newton, Drew Duckett, Josh Newton and Andrew Hare.

Facing page: Hare cheering before kickoff.

2

1

5 6

4

7

3

1 Barin Powell and Wil Waninger cheering 2 Michael Nail, Josh Burton, and AJ Newton in the stands 3 Kyle Ritter helps Trey Gordner with his paint outside the stadium 4 Burton watches a friend paint on his ‘C’ 5 Waninger paints on Nail’s white armband before the game 6 Waninger, Nail, Burton, AJ Newton, Drew Duckett and Josh Newton start a cheer 7 Ross Roessler cheers in the endzone 8 Burton shows his spurs between plays 9 Nail and Waninger talk before going into the game For more photos from the game, visit gandbmagazine.com

8

9

neering major, painted up for the first time at the Florida-Atlantic game. His group ended up with more people than they could accommodate.

“Probably eight other people on game day were like, ‘Can we paint up with you?’ And I went, ‘We kind of have enough guys, sorry,’” Roessler says. “I probably have 20 people who would want to do it next time.”

It’s a phenomenon that Nail and his friends welcome – up to a point.

“I do like to see other people paint up, as long as they’re not in our spot,” Nail says, referring to his friends’ perch in Williams-Brice Stadium. “We’ve had that spot for the last three years.”

Roessler’s and Nail’s groups had an amicable run-in in front of the entrance to the stadium a few hours before the game.

“They were real friendly,” Roessler says. “They told us not to take their spot, but they showed us a good spot for us to stand in.” His group ended up right behind the goal posts in the student section, and Roessler was particularly impressed with how Nail and his friends styled their paint.

“They said they had been doing it for a while, and they had some really nice paint jobs,” Roessler says. “We’re really going to have to work on ours.”

Burton, who was with Nail when he ran into Roessler’s group, thinks the painters should stick to a small group of people.

“I don’t think everybody should do it – it’d be weird,” Burton says. “You’ve got to have all sorts of different people in the crowd. You’ve got your cheerleaders, you’ve got your band members, you’ve got fraternities and sororities, so everybody brings something different to the game.”

There’s no doubting that painting up is a novel way to show one’s pride. But it’s not like putting paint on your skin is a revolutionary idea. Human beings have been decorating themselves for ceremonial purposes almost since the beginning of time. Consider, for example, the ancient Indian ceremonial art of Mendhi, known more commonly in the West as henna tattoos. Or the Beltane Fire Festival, an ancient Gaelic ceremony held to mark the beginning of summer. Participants represent different elements and forces of nature by pigmenting their entire bodies. In Af-

rica, the Surma people of Ethiopia use chalk and clay to decorate their bodies for a wide range of festive occasions.

But without the advantage of several thousands of years’ worth of cultural importance behind their practice, Nail, Roessler and people like them have to find support elsewhere. And when they’re in the stadium, they often do.

“I think the people around us get excited,” Burton says. “I know at the start of the fourth quarter when they play “2001,” we’re rocking and everything, and going back and forth and really getting into it. Everybody else around us gets into it, too.”

The power of the paint isn’t something to scoff at. From their spot in the student section hovering over the 20-yard line, Nail and company enjoy a mythic level of control over the people who surround them. Even the barest suggestion of a chant can whip the crowd into a frenzy.

“We start a lot of cheers and stuff, just getting everybody hyped and pumped up,” said AJ Newton, a senior business major who’s been painting since his freshman year.

Likewise, if they don’t support a cheer, it doesn’t get far off the ground.

When head basketball coach Darrin Horn was recognized as the honorary coach of the week, a group of guys sitting behind Newton started chanting his name. But the painters didn’t chant, so no one else did, either.

Both the control and the attention are irrelevant. Nail and his friends don’t paint up because they want to show off or get on TV – though Nail’s group has been on ESPN. In reality, this is a group of guys who genuinely love football, and who really want the Gamecocks to win.

“I really just do it because I feel more like a part of the game,” Burton says. “I just like it.”

“I feel like there’s a chance that the players and coaches will look up at us and think, ‘We really have support here,’” Nail says. “It’s just a lot of fun, too.”

Making that meaningful connection to the team and showing that kind of support is something that Waninger will miss after he graduates.

“Pretty much it means memories, which is the most important part of my college career: to create memories.”

garnet&black

19

october 2009

On Kelly: fur coat, Van Jean; dress, Mary.

Why no shoes? because trekking in the desert just doesn’t seem right in four-inch heels.

Styling by Tiffany Melanis and Caitlin Kennedy Bradley Photos by Caitlin Kennedy Bradley

Thinking of pulling out that same old coat again this Fall? Don’t. This season we’re going back to our roots and looking to the natural world for inspiration.

This year is all about fur, fringe and feathers. It doesn’t get more primal than that.

On Jay: blazer, Brittons; t-shirt, scarf and jeans, American Apparel.

On Patricia: leather jacket and shirt, Forever21; sequined skirt, Van Jean; shoes and clutch, Mary.

Hair and makeup by Lauren Michelle Mattison for Paul Mitchell.

Sad it’s over? Log onto gandbmagazine.com for the extended spread.

If your graduation date is coming up, don’t panic! There’s still hope for even USC’s laziest slackers and craziest dreamers. The job market may be tougher than ever, but with our tips, you’ll make your way into the workforce in style. By Helen Knight and Steph Durso

As the Internet and Web-utilizing technology (iPhone, anyone?) take over our lives more and more each day, the Web development field grows by leaps and bounds. Regardless of your major at USC, look into computer science and graphic design classes, and take classes on or teach yourself HTML, Dreamweaver, XHTML and XML. Learn as much as you can about the technical side of web developing, but don’t forget that the web designer is also at the behest of his or her client – you’ll need to be able to bring your customer’s artistic vision to life with colors, layout and cool gadgets. In this job, you can set your own hours, but you can also be called upon at all hours to remotely fix a server that’s just crashed hundreds of miles away. You’ll never have any shortage of demand for your work, even in this economy.

At USC, there’s no shortage of future businessmen, and there’s certainly no shortage of beer connoisseurs.

If you’re either, you’ve probably dreamed of becoming a brewmaster – everything from malts and hops to the packaging and pasteurization of the beer is your choice when you’re the head of your own microbrewery! The nation’s largest craft breweries, Abita Brewing Company and Sweetwater Brewing Company, are located north of New Orleans and in nearby Atlanta, respectively. Head to the Institute and Guild of Brewing in London for a universally recognized graduate degree in brewery science.

Be prepared to put the brakes on your social life for the next six years. Potential pharmacists have to pass a state license exam, even after sweating through the PCAT (which is like the LSAT, but for pharmacists) and graduating from USC’s accelerated pharmacy program. In addition to distributing medication, pharmacists today are getting more and more involved in advising patients and health care providers on medicine use and dosage. Some pharmacists are required to work nights, weekends and holidays. Why put yourself through all this?

In 2008, pharmacists banked $104,260 on average.

Like to travel? Like to interact with people? Are you good at persuading people to give you their money? Well, if you’re too nice to run Ponzi schemes on wealthy investors, we’ve found the job for you.

Financial sales agents sell retirement packages and annuities to individuals and employers. Securities and commodities sales agents sell stocks and bonds to investors and earn commissions for their sales. Either way, you’ll meet with clients, possibly old and possibly very suspicious of your retirementpackage-shilling shenanigans, so this is not a job for the shy or easily intimidated.

25

Unfortunately, “Grey’s Anatomy” isn’t real, but nursing prospects are bright. In health care, registered nurses work in 2.5 million jobs in the United States. Registered nurses help care for patients, so getting into the USC College of Nursing’s upper division and passing the state license exam are both necessary and time consuming. According to the Allied Physicians survey, however, you could earn a starting salary of $50,000 out of undergraduate nursing school!

Fashion is a notoriously hard industry to break into, but if you’re determined and passionate, your dreams may just come true. The most essential component to your job search will be your own style: how obsessed are you with fashion, and do you truly have an eye for style? Says Dr. Sallie Boggs of the USC Department of Retailing, “There is a tremendous sense of satisfaction derived from knowing you are helping others look their best and enhancing their confidence in their personal or professional lives.”

Combine dedication with an innate talent for making clients feel beautiful, and one day you may find yourself making $10,000 a week in styling fees and perhaps even starring in your own Bravo reality show.

Patience and communication skills can take you far. If you’ve got a history of giving advice, maybe you’ll want to help elementary-schoolers or students experiencing the same employment doubts that you’re having as you read this article. This field is growing, and a relatively high wage comes attached to these mostly government-sponsored positions. To prepare for counseling, get started as a psychology or education major, but check on specific degree requirements in your desired area.

Put on your lab coat and your safety goggles and break out your periodic tables! The obvious undergraduate major for this job is chemical engineering, but taking physics courses will also come in handy. The salary for chemical engineers is around $55,000, and if you’re one of the lucky ones who break into pharmaceutical research, that number could dramatically increase. Best of all, with the right grades, research experience and internships, you can expect salaries like that (and higher) right out of undergrad. In this growing industry, by 2016, prospective engineers can expect to see job openings increase by 29 percent.

Good news if you’re a fifth-year senior at USC and still undeclared!

It literally does not matter what degree you have if aviation is your dream. Right after graduation, invest time and money in getting your pilot’s license and the succession of other certificates required to find a commercial flying job.

According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, these could cost up to $9,000 total. But eventually, senior pilots can earn up to $200,000 a year.

If you’ve ever hung up on a telephone survey and wondered why you keep getting these calls in the first place, just think - you could be the person who makes the decisions behind those surveys! And, you won’t be the one getting hung up on. Even more good news: You’ll earn a high starting wage of over $30,000. At USC, check out the Moore School of Business and some marketing courses, and prepare yourself for consumer relations. Psychology courses will also be helpful in understanding how people think and make decisions, so that you can help your telemarketer underlings reduce their hang-up rate.

Don’t let this career’s uber-technical title overwhelm you. As an analyst, you’ll be a company’s wizard for hardware and software issues. If you’re already technologically savvy, put your skills to good use as a student in USC’s on-the-rise Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Relevant work experience is the key to landing a great job after graduation and, as USC’s associate director of employer relations Vicki Hamby says, “Talk to the Career Center about the Co-op Program.” In this program, companies searching for prospective employees (especially in technical fields) allow students to work 20 hours a week while staying enrolled in classes.

Finally, a job for the J-School grads! USC’s strong public relations program offers tons of networking opportunities through organizations like the Public Relations Student Society of America. Companies always need peppy youngsters to market their products and maintain their image.

The median salary hovers around $50,000 a year, but the key to earning more is getting as many internships as possible. PR representatives are needed worldwide, so sharpen your foreign-language skills and consider looking for positions internationally.

With more laws sending drug users to therapy than to prison, substance abuse social workers are in high demand. Although it doesn’t come with a cushy salary, you can land a job in this field with an undergraduate degree alone, if you study in USC’s College of Social Work. Professor Nancy Brown of the COSW adds, “It helps to have something in addition to just the BSW, like the graduate certificate in drug and addiction studies. The best prepared employees in the field of addiction are individuals that hold a master’s degree in social work and have additional training in addictions.”

Although internships in this career are difficult to come by, you can get a head start on your job search by looking for receptionist positions in guidance and counseling offices.

If you’re familiar with horses and cattle, and the wild West is calling you to its wide open spaces, think about a career as a ranch hand. If you’re thinking you’d prefer to make more than $25,000 per year for the rest of your life, head to the University of California at Berkeley for the nation’s top graduate program in agricultural economics (or Chapel Hill’s, if you’d rather stay closer to USC). With that know-how, you can open your own environmentfriendly, state-of-the-art organic ranch. Just don’t forget your chaps.

You’ll need a master’s degree to net the average $74,000+ salary in this job, so check out the other USC’s top-ranked grad program. It’ll be painful at first, but worthwhile in the long run (for your patients, that is).

Hit the books and seek out internships and research assistantships to score scholarships for grad school.

About six out of ten physical therapists work in hospitals and private offices specially equipped for therapy. Using fitness machines for rehab and helping hefty patients requires a bit of muscle, so go study and get fit!

26

• Gameday Dresses

• Jewelry & Accessories

• Premium Denim

• Shoes

Check out our

BOUTIQUE BASEMENT

• Boutique Styles

• Basement Prices

707 SALUDA AVE (next to Wachovia) • 343.0730

713 SALUDA AVE (in 5 Points) • 256.3255 • MARYCOLUMBIA.BLOGSPOT.COM

Columbia • Greenville • Athens • Knoxville • Birmingham • Tuscaloosa

NOW SERVING BREAKFAST ALL DAY!

8 am – 10 pm Barista Hours 8 am – 5 pm Kitchen Hours Import Beer

Cafe • Espresso • Ice Cream

ONLY $3.25

If you are under the age of 21, it is against the law to buy alcoholic beverages. All South Carolina regulations enforced.

Italian Nights every Wednesday & Thursday Chicken Cacciatore or Veggie Lasagna with Salad & Bread ONLY $7.98

“The best panini I’ve ever had” – Grady Strachan Try the Hangover Cure Breakfast Panini ONLY $4.28

721 Saluda Ave • 799.7595

NICOLE JENSON Junior Fashion Merchandising major

AJEET ROY Freshman Biology major

Shoes: Purchased in Japan Skirt: H&M Leggings: Express Belt: Forever21 Tank: Abercrombie Cardigan: Old Navy

Shirt: “India, actually.”

Shorts: Tommy Hilfiger Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider

Sushi or Pizza?

Sushi.

Photo by Jessamine McKeever

What’s the first thing you think when you get up in the morning? a) I should avoid using electricity for as long as possible. b) Wait. Did I do all my reading? Oh, yeah. I did. c) Do I really want to be seen wearing Lacoste two days in a row? d) Dude. I’m hungry.

At the Russell House, you’re most likely to choose: a) Nothing. I don’t believe Sodexo sources their produce locally. b) A complete mix of proteins, vegetables and carbohydrates. c) Salad. Maybe dressing, but not too much. d) Gimme whatever is in the hot line.

While in class, you: a) Think of ways to reduce your already-miniscule carbon footprint. b) Listen and take notes like it’s your job. Because it is. c) Pretend to listen, but really you’re thinking about how your hair looks.

d) Think about what’s for dinner.

How do you spend Saturday mornings? a) Collecting recyclables. b) Studying. c) Exploring new ways to nurse your hangover. d) Nursing your hangover with greasy food.

Favorite month?

January Photo by Allison Quattlebaum

When you work out, you: a) Run outside in the beauty of nature. b) Do a healthy balance of cardio and weight training. c) Go to Group Exercise with a bunch of your friends. d) Gym? I’m hungry.

Mostly A’s: You’re, like, completely green.

You really love the Earth and you’re doing everything you can to make sure people know you love the Earth.

Mostly B’s: You’re probably in the Honors College. Congrats, smarty-pants! Have fun studying. The rest of us are going to go and enjoy being normal.

Mostly C’s: You’re a little square, kid. It’s not really a problem or anything. But it’s a little hard to stand out when you’re just like everyone else.

Mostly D’s: Have you eaten recently?

garnet&black

27

october 2009

RE

NT

STA

RT

ING

AT

Come and experience the convenience of Copper Beech townhome living, where you’ll find all the amenities you want—plus the extra space you NEED.

Now offering individual leases, as well as waiving all application fees, security deposits, and activity fees • 2000 Square Feet Tri–Level Townhomes • Huge Closets • Bassett Furniture • Large Patios • Shuttle To And From Campus And The Five Points Area

Sign a 4 bedroom lease w/ your roommates and receive a $300 per person signing bonus & 42”plasma TV in your townhome

1051 Southern Drive • Columbia, SC • (803) 255-0170 • www.CBeech.com CB h

SPOTLIGHT ON:

Stand at the gates of the Horseshoe facing Sumter Street. The Byrnes Building, the ugly neo-Brutalist building across from you, may seem intimidating. Sandwiched in next to Beezer’s and Tio’s, you wonder if it’s even part of the USC campus.

Those who have visited it before usually know it only as the “International Building.”

And it’s true that in the lobby and on the sidewalk outside, you can hear at least three or four different languages being spoken at once. But take the Byrnes Building’s elevator to the seventh floor, and you’ll find yourself at one of USC’s best-kept secrets: the Counseling and Human Development Center.

Run by Student Health Services, the CHDC provides 12 free individual counseling sessions to every single fulltime USC student. Throughout my freshman year, I took advantage of these frequently, although I’ve never been

diagnosed with any kind of mental illness. It’s just nice to have someone to talk to who’s not involved in your life in any way. We’re all going through something, whether it be schoolwork-related stress, family issues, a bad breakup or goodness knows what else. Our friends probably get tired of hearing us complain. At the CHDC, you can leave the advice-giving to the professionals.

Though individual counseling at CHDC is well worth checking out, students intimidated by the idea of a one-on-one session should go straight to the CHDC’s online listing of group sessions. Group therapy is also a unique way to be reassured that others are experiencing the same struggles that you are and to work through those issues together. CHDC offers group programs for everyone on topics as diverse as substance abuse, anxiety support, focusing tech-

niques, LGBT issues and the development of healthy relationships with food. I recommend the Self-Hypnosis/Relaxation Drop-In Workshop.

In the Byrnes Building’s popular beanbag room, groups of attendees lie in a sea of multicolored beanbags and gaze at the walls and ceiling, painted all over with a mural of blue sky dotted with clouds. The group leaders talk the participants through an easy-to-learn process of self-hypnosis, which is great for those moments when you just need to calm down.

The CHDC is a resource that most USC students have never taken advantage of, despite the emotional challenges college poses to all of us. It’s confidential, easy, close-by and, best of all, free.

The next time you find 30 free minutes in the day, do yourself a favor and take the elevator to the seventh floor.

garnet&black

29

october 2009

My Room

By Maddie McDowell Photo by Zoe Cope

Morgan Reid with

On a Friday morning, I found Morgan Reid in the last place you’d expect: her room. The junior marketing major quite simply says she is “very busy.”

Reid serves as design director for The Daily Gamecock, and she works tirelessly until every last letter of the newspaper is in place, sometimes as late as 2 a.m.

“Pretty much the newspaper takes up all of my time,” Reid says, “I’m so busy that I don’t even know what I’m doing until I’m there.”

On the off chance that Reid does have a spare moment, however, she can rest easy knowing she has a cozy West Quad apartment awaiting her return.

Upon walking into Reid’s quaint abode, her personality is markedly apparent. The first thing you notice is the striking floral tapestry that sprawls exultantly across one entire wall.

A quirky, geometric print of circles marches its way across her bedspread.

“My room is representative of me,” Reid says. “I have a presence, and I am a little bit bolder. Being a designer, I really like graphic prints and mixing looks together.”

Try as you might, you won’t find a coordinated set of anything in Reid’s room. “I’m a bargain hunter and I never spend too much money, especially on a college budget.

30 garnet&black october 2009

They’re all things that I found that I blend together,” Reid says.

The room is peppered throughout with sentimental objects. Reid’s favorite personal touches are the four New York City subway maps that rest artfully squared on the wall beside her bed. They are a daily reminder of her time as an intern in the Big Apple over the summer.

“My apartment in New York…was very boring and plain,” Reid says. “So I took four subway maps for free and I just hung them up like that, and I loved them so much that I brought them back to South Carolina.”

Reid’s mother is an interior designer, so it comes as no surprise that Reid has an eye for room décor. But the motherdaughter pair have somewhat diverging tastes.

“She decorates our house and it’s very traditional,” Reid says. “I like it but I wanted something a little more fun and youthful.”

Reid’s style is nothing if not eclectic, perhaps stemming from her uprooted past—Reid claims to be “from everywhere”—but her effusive personality ties it all together in a very endearing way.

In every facet of her active life, Reid makes it work. Tim Gunn would be proud.

The moment you meet Dr. Ed Madden, it’s evident he is more than just a professor at USC. An extremely well-educated man with a passion for teaching and serving in the community, he offers a wide array of courses on 20th century British and Irish literature, women and gender studies, and creative writing. Outside of the classroom, he offers writing workshops and reaches out to the gay and lesbian community. Currently, he is busy preparing for a research trip to Ireland for the spring semester.

By Steph Durso Photo by Caitlin Moore

Ed

MADDEN

G&B: What sparked your interest in Irish culture and history?

Madden: Part of it is personal. My family background is Irish, and as I was working on my dissertation in early 20th century poetry, I was more and more interested in Irish writers and the ways that Irish politics played a role in their art.

G&B: Students of yours mentioned you were selected to go to Ireland. Tell us a little about that opportunity.

Madden: Every year, the Irish American Cultural Institute and National University of Ireland, Galway always select one American academic in Irish Studies, in any field: history, political science…they pick one every year to go over and do a research fellow.

G&B: Do you speak Gaelic?

Madden: No, but I’m learning it. I spent two months in Ireland during the summer of 2008, and part of that time I did a language course on the West coast. I feel like I’m losing touch with it…and I really want to keep it up.

G&B: You are also very involved in the gay and lesbian community here in South Carolina. Tell us about your involvement there.

Madden: I was the chair of South Carolina Equality leading

Professor English

of

Dr.

the campaign against Amendment 1, and I’ve been very active with the local gay and lesbian community center. Back in 2005, I chaired the South Carolina Pride Festival, and I also was one of the founders of Rainbow Radio, the first gay and lesbian talk radio show in South Carolina. That’s actually one of the things I’m proudest of. Next year, I’m publishing a book that I’ve co-edited with one of the other founders called “Out Loud: The Best of Rainbow Radio.”

G&B: Is there anything else you’re involved in that you would like to share with Garnet & Black readers?

Madden: One of the things I’ve been doing the past couple of years is working with the South Caroliniana (Library) to create an archive on gay and lesbian history, and I actually think it’s a pretty important project. I think a lot of times, the stories of gays and lesbians, like other minorities, aren’t a part of the history we learn. So we’ve created an archive over at the South Caroliniana that I hope…students will use to learn more about the really diverse history of our state.

Rainbow Radio airs on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. on WOIC-AM 1230.

garnet&black

31

october 2009